Harry pulled one of the tiny chairs closer to the desk and tried to make himself look comfortable.
"Gringotts corporate would like me to take this opportunity to express how shocked and appalled we are at the actions of your former account manager. While Gringotts assures you there was no malice aforethought on its part, it remains as committed as ever to guaranteeing the safety and security of your assets - in accordance with Ministry regulations, so on and so forth," the goblin finished with a wave.
The goblin seemed to suddenly get nervous as he shuffled his files.
"I suppose by way of an introduction to - shall we say Gringotts corporate culture - a bit of an explanation is in order as to why certain irregularities had not been picked up until now."
"What irregularities?" Harry asked.
"The ones raised in your letter, as a matter of fact." The goblin took out a handkerchief and mopped its bald head, shooting glances at the door as if he'd been expecting help for this particularly uncomfortable conversation.
"Here at Gringotts, Mr. Potter-," and suddenly the goblin stopped. "-Or do you prefer to go by Harold?"
"Er- My name's Harold?" Harry asked poleaxed.
The Overseer's eyes whipped back down to the files it was used to dealing with, flipping a few pages in one until he found what he sought.
"Harold James Potter, born Saint Mungo's, July 31st, 1980 to James Charlus and Lillian Evans Potter?" the goblin recited.
"That's my birthday," Harry said. "I've never heard of Saint Mungo's before and everyone's always just called me Harry, and my mother Lily."
"Huh," the goblin grunted, making a note in his files. "Saint Mungo's is a wizarding hospital here in London, it's where most wizarding children are born, just so you know. Personally, I thought all that Harry stuff was part of that 'Boy-Who-Lived' rubbish. You know," Barchoke looked up at him curiously, "I'll never understand the human need to alter your own name. The only thing similar goblins have is 'Gotts' and 'the Halfwit' out there," he said, referring to the statue in the hall. "Gotts knows what they'd come up with if it became widespread with us. What would you call me, Chokey?"
Harry wondered if he was supposed to laugh and was thankfully saved by a well-timed knock on the door as the stump-faced wizard from before poked his head in.
"I heard salsa dancing so I thought I'd knock," the man he remembered as Lichfield said.
"Lester! Come in, come in," the goblin cried.
"Salsa dancing?" a confused Harry asked.
"Nice to see you again, Harold," Lichfield said, his gnarled hand pressing a bit on Harry's shoulder as the man moved behind him to retrieve the other chair.
"Apparently he goes by the name 'Harry,'" Barchoke explained.
"The mother always wins in the end," Lichfield said behind him.
"Everything underway?" the Overseer asked.
"Wouldn't be here otherwise. Sorry it took so long; Gropegold has a lot of cousins. Doubt you'll get anything from them though, they've been trying to get a piece of the action for years."
"Any bit of extra pressure we can bring to bear to get him to talk," Barchoke said with a wave.
Harry's tiny seat lurched as it quickly grew up around him. He thought the goblin had done it until a prod from Lichfield's wand saw its companion expand as well before the old wizard sat down beside him.
"Is he talking yet?" the goblin asked.
"Not yet," the warlock replied. "Hasn't stopped shouting at us to realize how much trouble he's really in. Now that the panic's worn off he must think he's in a good position not to have folded immediately."
"We could do with a bit more panic."
"So what's going on?" Harry asked, tired of being treated like he wasn't there. "And what do you mean 'the mother always wins'? You said we've met before?" Harry asked the Litigator.
"You could say I've seen you before, though I doubt you could say the same. I doubt your eyes could focus at the time, you were very young. It was back when your father took over the estate from Charlus."
"Lester here got his start as bailiff for your grandfather," Barchoke said as way of an introduction, finally seeming to find a topic he was comfortable with.
.....
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