During breakfast it seemed nearly every student at the Slytherin table received one thing or another, all boxed up for a journey towards Hogwarts whether it was Owl Order or something from their parents. With it getting so close to the Yule ball, well, most pureblood's had tailors who created the dresses for them from scratch. You could tell from the squealing of the witches that it was what had come, they'd been talking about it long enough. If Harry had cared to look he would have seen it was the same for a lot of people at the other house tables. Yet Harry wasn't interested in that, he was currently reading the missive he had received from the publishing company he had sent his work too. They were publishing it for him, two hundred books to start with and if they sold well more would follow. Harry didn't think it would if he was honest, it wasn't a book they'd want to believe in, and it completely contradicted their own solid beliefs. Purebloods were too proud to let the book tarnish their views, hopefully he was wrong though. The proof was all in the book, now that was something that couldn't be rejected. At the bottom was a check for Gringotts, he would need to get it put in the bank soon.
They'd even given him an advance on the book, he'd made sure to get 'Advance against royalties' when signing the contract. They'd actually tried to get him to sign a flat fee contract, with a measly four thousand galleons. They must have thought he was a fucking idiot, they'd chosen the wrong one to try and con. It made Harry realize the book might actually be more popular than he was betting on. A flat fee was a set amount of money for signing over the rights of the book, and nothing else no matter how well it sold, Advance against royalties was a combination of an advance against his book and money for each book that was sold. He would have gone to a different publishing company but he decided against all the drama just made it clear to the company that he might be young but he was far from stupid, that they give him respect and a decent offer or he'd look elsewhere. He'd signed the contract and burnt the apology they'd sent two days ago, now he had his money, and his books would be on the shelf within a week.
"When's the next Hogsmeade weekend?" Harry asked, as he filled his plate with food using only one hand, he didn't want to get grease all over his paperwork or check come to that.
"First day of the Christmas holidays, which makes it the twenty-second," Carrow informed him, he'd just been looking at the announcement board earlier this morning to see for himself. He didn't have anyone's gifts yet, so he'd had to see if he would need to get it over owl post or if he would be visiting.
"Last visit before Christmas," Harry mused, it would be simple enough to sneak away and Apparate to Gringotts put the check in his account and take some money out and get everything he needed. He would have to buy everyone something this year, seen as they'd all gotten him something for Christmas last year and hadn't expected something in return. He knew them all, but well enough to know what the heck they'd like? Nope, definitely not, although considering the length of time Tom spent poking around in their minds he wouldn't be surprised if he knew.
"Are you actually coming this time, Hadrian?" Alphard questioned as he ate his breakfast.
"Yes, I've got to make a pit stop at Gringotts though," Harry replied smirking in amusement at the egg that fell and splattered all over Alphard's front causing him to curse in annoyance. He shook his head, it was hard to believe Alphard was a part of Tom's group, he'd always assumed he was one of the few Black's who hadn't been part of it. He had given Sirius money after all, and been stuck of the family tree for his 'betrayal'. Maybe family had come first to him; either that or he just had no kids of his own to leave his money too. He wished he'd paid more attention to the family tree, he didn't know as much as he wished he did.
"How are you going to get there?" Avery asked, speaking for the first time in at least fourteen hours, he hadn't said a word after coming up the stairs to the dorm last night. He'd just gone right to sleep, even when he was awake this morning he'd been sullenly quiet.
"One or two ways," Harry told him simply as he grabbed a piece of toast and began to butter it. So two days until Hogsmeade visit, that hadn't changed, if he remembered correctly there was always a visit to the town on the first day of the Christmas holidays. He remembered his fourth year clearly; it had been the day he'd snuck food out to give to his godfather glad for the temporary reprieve from classes and homework while he tried to deal with the whole tournament.
"How?" Avery asked again.
"Now, now, a magician doesn't give away his secrets now do they?" Harry replied wryly, before turning away making it clear that the conversation was over. He knew Hogwarts back to front, in ways these boys would never discover. Not that it would get him to Diagon Alley of course, just Hogsmeade, but he could Apparate there or use one of the old fireplaces that weren't monitored anymore, and plenty of Hogwarts was abandoned and no longer monitored. Although if he wanted to go to Hogsmeade he would need to actually leave with everyone else. So sliding into the toilets in the Leaky Cauldron or something was probably the easiest way. Hogsmeade wasn't what it used to be, the excitement he once felt at attending had long gone. He usually only went when he wanted something, or if he was bored and genuinely had nothing better to do.
"Girls," Mulciber muttered shaking his head in exasperation watching as they all began to leave the Great Hall giggling as they exclaimed over their clothes choices for the Yule ball. Even his own date was joining in, and she was one of the more sedate witches in their year. It was half of why he'd asked her, that and he did fancy her.
"Watch it Mulciber," Lucretia Black warned, reminding the wizard that she was still there, but she was older and had already been to a few and wasn't as excited as her cousins/sisters and their classmates.
"Sorry," Mulciber squeaked, nobody not even him wanted to go against Lucretia, she had a mean streak in her a mile long, as her last boyfriend could attest to, he'd ended up in the hospital wing needing a very personal part of him reattached. It would also explain why she'd been unable to get a boyfriend since.
"What about you, Hadrian? Do you have a date to the ball?" Lucretia asked, her grey eyes sharpening when everyone in the vicinity stiffened noticeably. Interesting, she idly wondered what was going on there, she was sure she'd find out sooner or later.
"I'm going but without a date," Harry shrugged, a smirk twitching at the edge of his lips, he had to find out what Tom had said to them, they were all acting edgy, as if a nest of a Acromantulas was coming at them. Alright that might not be the best example to choose, it would be weird knowing that there wouldn't be a nest of Acromantulas out there, the oath would prevent Hagrid from bringing in anything else. It would make the forbidden forest all that safer, more room for the Centaurs. He wondered if the Centaurs realized who he was, what he was and sensed a change in everything. He could just imagine them, gazing at the stars insisting that mars was bright tonight. Grabbing his bag from under his bench, he put the letter and check in before zipping it back up again.
"Nobody does without a date, it's the whole point," Lucretia informed him, "It's a ball, its proper to take a date." the pureblood thing to do.
"You've found someone then?" Harry teased, already aware of her 'reputation' as it were.
"Of course," Lucretia replied sounding slightly insulted. "I'm attending with Vincent Crabbe," he was tall, dark and handsome, exactly like herself.
"Which ones that again?" Harry asked quietly to Tom.
"He sits next to Raymond Skeeter the Ravenclaw in Defence," Tom replied automatically.
"Ah," Harry muttered nodding his head, Skeeter now that was a name he was familiar with, he even had the same blonde hair as Rita Skeeter. Although this Vincent Crabbe looked nothing like his grandson, too tall for one thing and smart. Vincent Crabbe was part of the top ten when it came to grades he'd noticed. His grandson was thick as a wooden plank, perhaps it was the inbreeding showing through in that generation.
"You really should find someone to go with," Lucretia insisted, "Fiona still doesn't have a date," most boys were intimidated due to her height, she towered all over the boys in the year. She was just as tall as her older brother Mark Flint, who had left school a few years ago. Gulping suddenly at the intense stare from Tom who was seated to the left of Harry, well, that might explain everyone else's reactions. "Never mind, I'll ask Jugson," she hastily added, her heart pounding in relief when that glare let up, Merlin she'd never actually been under Tom's intense scrutiny before, and she never wished to again.
"She's a good Quidditch player," Harry said, trying to ignore that Tom was scaring everyone witless, even the most fearsome witch in Slytherin.
"They need more girls on the team," Lucretia turned back to Harry, her face alight with passion. Fiona was one of the first girls who had been given a place on the Quidditch team. And let's face it she was the best of all the students in Hogwarts, even the boys they would have been nuts not to let her in. They wanted to win more than they cared whether she was a girl or not.
"Yep," Harry agreed, "They should, I've never seen a Quidditch tryouts though so I can't say which girls would be best suited."
"Gaylene and Alecto for sure," Lucretia insisted eagerly.
"We're having tryouts for new beaters after the Christmas holidays," Philip Pucey informed him, "Any good?"
"Why after Christmas holidays?" Harry asked bewildered, it was usually at the beginning of the year they held Quidditch tryouts, for obvious reasons.
"We're using our reserve beaters right now," Philip admitted, "We need our best to beat Gryffindor."
"Alright," Harry shrugged, finishing off his breakfast, two more days of class then he was free until January when the school started back up, he could hardly wait. He'd been contemplating the idea of actually leaving Hogwarts for the holidays, going to Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley, but he didn't want to risk Dumbledore trying anything. No it was risky enough both him and Tom staying there during the summer holidays. And that would continue, even after the damn war ended, they weren't returning to that orphanage, it was partly what drove Tom even deeper into the darkness, the Horcruxes, the madness that followed. No, he was always going to be dark, Harry had no illusions about that, but there was dark then there was deranged and evil. Tom was smart as hell, and he could go places, if he didn't become so obsessed with dying, there was a possibility he could keep that sanity and go far. Not that Dumbledore could force him to return, he was emancipated but Tom couldn't be until he got control of his estate and requested it himself.
"Budge along, I need something to eat before I got to class," Druella demanded of Harry as she grabbed the only toast left on the table, which incidentally was right next to Harry. Causing Harry's cutlery to go flying to the floor, Harry barely managed to stop everything going with them. Sighing in annoyance he bent down to get them, his chain fell out which caught the female Rosier's attention.
"You have your heir ring?" Druella blurted out, surprised as hell, it caught everyone's attention within hearing range.
"Lordship ring," Harry corrected her, as he absently slid his chain back under his uniform. He'd snuck out of Hogwarts on his birthday to get emancipated at Gringotts so nobody could tell him what to do ever again.
-0 Flash Back 0-
Harry slid out of common room firmly tucked under his invisibility cloak, thankfully without anyone even glancing his way, it seemed he could still be sneaky when he wanted to. Everyone was still packed from dinner, a birthday celebration cake had been put in the middle of the table, all cut up ready to go to everyone, his biggest of all, thankfully nobody had sung happy birthday to him, now that would have been surreal. It wasn't the first time it had happened, it had been done last year when it had been Abraxas' birthday, then someone else, and he wasn't sure who just knew it wasn't his circle. Nothing like that happened in all his years when he was in Gryffindor, just another sign that Slughorn actually cared about all his students and well enough to remember their birthdays. Oh he had no doubt the House-elves made it, but they would need to be told by the Slytherin head of house.
Harry made his way to the statue, muttering 'Dissendium' before squeezing through the opening and down the short stone slide. It was freezing cold; the air around him was frigid. Yawning tiredly, he continued to trek through the secret passageway, he had stayed up well past midnight, and it was something he had never outgrown. As a lonely boy he'd done it, wishing for something better, then even at Hogwarts, and passed Hogwarts too, it was just the one little tradition he'd kept for himself. Unfortunately his birthday wasn't during the holidays anymore, so he'd gotten six hours sleep, he'd been fine with less in the past, but this body wasn't used to it. With his quick sure strides he managed the trip in thirty minutes instead of the hour they usually took in the past. Although he knew he would take another ten minutes at least to get up the stairs, two hundred stairs to be precise, and yes, he had counted in the past. It was why he was able to predict when he was up far enough to stop himself head butting the trap door that led up to Honeydukes. Not that he had any plans to actually go into the shop, they had anti-Apparation spells up after-hours obviously the security was to stop whoever wanted to just pop in and steal the sweets. Of course, the couple that ran the shop the very young Plumes had no idea of the secret entrance in their cellar. This spot was the only place you could Apparate from, the wards all down the tunnel connected to Hogwarts preventing anyone from Apparating. Which is exactly what he did, after bunching up the cloak and putting it in his expanded pocket of his cloak. He appeared right outside of the magnificent marble building, excitement thrumming through him, to know nobody would be able to control him, or force him back to the orphanage was exhilarating to say the least. He'd never had that opportunity in the future, well his past, if he'd known he would have been here the second he turned fifteen, screw the wards, screw Dumbledore.
He wasn't that person anymore, no expectations, no lies and no deceit.
Quickly looking around, his green eyes looking for any sight of teachers, he wasn't stupid the teachers were free to come and go as they pleased - well maybe the exception to the rules were the Head of Houses, he didn't know. He was satisfied after scanning the area that there was nobody there that could get him into trouble, so he swiftly headed up the stairs and into Gringotts, he didn't dally for even a second, just headed straight for one of the teller goblins.
"Good evening, I would like to speak to Ironclaw immediately," Harry stated sharply, Ironclaw was the one he had come to see in the past, and he wanted to deal with him again that and he was sure Ironclaw was the manager of the Peverell estate, he certainly knew information about it, but all goblins might, he could be being presumptuous for all he knew.
"What is it regarding?" the goblin asked, its sharp teeth bared slightly in what might be a sneer or grin it was hard to tell.
"My inheritance and emancipation," Harry stated, "It's Hadrian Peverell,"
The goblin looked at him, black eyes gleaming in a way that suggested the goblin was impressed. He obviously realized he was out of school illegally to get this done. The goblin turned around and began to speak rapidly in Gobbledegook, and Harry in turn just waited patiently, there weren't too many people at the bank right now.
"Room five, down the hall," the goblin told him, his long gnarly finger pointing towards the entrance that was guarded by both wizards and goblins.
"May the gods grant you more gold," Harry dipped his head in respect, before he moved on having given the goblin the customary greeting when you were done. It was their version of goodbye, all races had their cultures, even ones that were part animal like the Centaurs. He wandered right past the guards, having no fear that they would attack him since the goblin he'd dealt with just now probably told them he was fine to go through.
It didn't take him long to find the fifth door, which by the way wasn't numbered, but Ironclaw's name was etched into it. He gave the door a single knock before entering; no doubt they had ways of telling one another if and when someone was coming. "Evening Ironclaw, I do believe you know why I'm here," he said in amusement, smirking as he claimed his seat.
"I had a feeling I'd be seeing you tonight, it is why everything has been prepared," Ironclaw said shrewdly.
"Excellent, then let's get this done." Harry said, nodding once, if Ironclaw was not the account holder goblin he would be by the end of this meeting, he liked him; he was smart, shrewd and respectful.
"These are the emancipation papers," Ironclaw informed him as he rummaged in his desk pulling out three scrolls, placing them in front of the teenager. He could sense he wasn't the normal wizard, there was something about him, and he just couldn't put his finger on it. He was something more, dangerous even, extremely powerful, he had puzzled over it long and hard and still didn't come up with it, it wasn't a creature inheritance, the wards in the bank would have picked it up whether it was dormant or not. Ironclaw's lips twitched when he didn't immediately just sign them, good he was smart. Someone had raised him right.
Harry read each and every sentence carefully, before signing it, placing that one on his chair, seen as it was his copy apparently. He then proceeded to read through the other copies and sign them, one was to go to the Ministry archives and one was for Gringotts itself. "Any other copies that require my signature?"
"No, that part is over, now you need to sign these contracts to take up the head of the Peverell estate, just be sure to sign them as Lord Hadrian Peverell; otherwise they won't be legally binding." Ironclaw informed him, handing over two other rolled up documents.
Harry accepted them, removing the wax seals, and began the long arduous process of reading more legal documents. Sometimes they could make your head spin, thankfully though despite not having been taught how to do anything like this, such as reading, what to look out for etc…he did quite well all things considered. They were as he said, contracts that would see him becoming Lord Peverell, head of the Peverell estate, and nobody would hold power over him anymore. Sighing both, one for himself and the other for Gringotts.
"As I always suggest to my clients, you should have a will written up so the estate doesn't go…" Ironclaw was interrupted.
"To the Ministry?" Harry sneered, "Don't worry, that I will never allow to happen, I refuse to see my money used to fund politics and polices that only benefit those within the Ministry itself and not those outside its walls. If you give me the paperwork I will fill it out and return it once I'm finished and it will be sealed."
"Speaking of seals," Ironclaw replied, digging into his desk once more, he pulled out a square blue box, satin, and slid it across to Harry. Along with a stick of wax, and another document Harry assumed was the will.
Harry accepted it, opening the box with a click and a small secret smile bloomed on his face. Nestled in the box was the ring a so called coat of arms he knew as well as his own mind. He traced it delicately, the cloak/triangle symbol, the circle/resurrection stone and of course the one through them both, the line/death stick. The symbol of the Deathly Hallows reduced to people simply believing it was merely a coat of arms. Shaking his head in disbelief, he slid the large ring onto his fingers, and watched it magically reduce in size to fit him to perfection. He felt the magic flaring within him, accepting him as the Lord of the house, finding him worthy. This hadn't been worn in so long, the Peverell name had ended with the men didn't have male heirs.
"Would you like to make some investments?" Ironclaw enquired curtly.
"Yes, both Muggle and magical investments," Harry stated immediately, "I want a large share in automobile manufactures from the Muggle world and anything dealing with upcoming technology. From the magical world, Cleansweep Broom Company, the Comet trading company," both broomstick manufacturers, Nimbus wasn't created yet, but he would certainly make sure he got in on the investment when it did. He thought about investing in the Thunderbolt Company but they would have a lot of problems in future. He could sell his shares just before two thousand and fourteen, which was where they went completely downhill after a broomstick was smashed to bits after being hit with a bludger, after all they should be able to withstand hits like that. "Add the thunderbolt company as well."
Ironclaw's eyes were slightly wide, he'd never seen anyone so decisive before, and one had to wonder why he was so confident. He began to write it down, realizing that Hadrian Peverell wasn't messing around.
"In the next few years I want controlling shares in the Daily prophet and all publishing companies," Harry stated thoughtfully, "Do you think you could accomplish that?" he challenged Ironclaw.
"You wish for me to be your account manager?" Ironclaw sat straighter, having suspected it when he began speaking so openly about the investments he wished to make.
"As long as I see progress I don't see why there will be a problem with that arrangement," Harry stated seriously, subtly telling the goblin that if he tried anything or didn't do his job he would be quite happy to find someone else.
"You will need to sign a document letting go of the current account manager, and another putting me in his place." Ironclaw said, scribbling away hastily, filling in the blank spots on two separate forms before handing them over.
Harry sighed inaudibly, alright he was getting sick of signing his name, thankfully he remembered to sign it LORD HADRIAN PEVERELL.
"I take it that is us done for tonight?" Harry enquired, letting him know he was through with the meeting without outright stating it.
"Everything needing your immediate attention has been dealt with," Ironclaw confirmed, copying the documents Hadrian had signed and handed them over. "I will begin procuring everything you wish as soon as possible."
"Nothing too ostentatious, I don't want attention drawn to myself, especially the Prophet and publishing companies," Harry warned him, he wanted it kept on the down low.
"Understood," Ironclaw replied, not in the least surprised, most pureblood's when they began trying to gain controlling factors in company's they didn't make a show of it, they did it subtly.
"Good," Harry replied, placing all his paperwork in his pocket, and unhooking his chain to attach his lordship ring to it before hooking it back in place and sliding it under his clothes. "It's been a pleasure doing business with you, may the gods grant you more gold, Ironclaw." with that Harry made his exit after getting the return greeting from his new account manager.
-0 End Flash back 0-
"Lordship? At fifteen?" Lucretia gaped, she'd never heard of that happening, not in all her years. "No way!"
Harry arched an eyebrow, "What?" all the pureblood's surrounding him were the same.
Lucretia's jaw snapped back into place as she regained her decorum, "It's just I've never heard of it being done before."
"Now you have," Harry replied simply, Ironclaw certainly hadn't told him that titbit.
"Earliest I've heard of anyone gaining their Lordship must be eighteen years of age." Carrow joined in the conversation.
"Most people aren't the last heir to their noble house," Harry pointed out, wishing for the attention to be off himself as quickly as possible.
"Still…what's it li-" Rosier was cut off with the warning bell going off causing them all to jump from their seats to hastily make their way to class the current conversation forgotten for the moment.