12

Hotel on Clapham Road, afternoon.

*

Gathering things wasn't long. There's nothing else for me to do here. Meanwhile, a message came in from the Grangers:

"Tuesday at the church at Caterham, 2:00 in the afternoon."

Wow, are they scared of me or the devil?

"Kreacher!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Take me to Grimmauld Place 12, the living room!"

"Yes, sir!"

*

Grimmauld Place 12, living room (second floor)

*

House elf, it's not only bald and ugly in the appearance of ears, but also a comfortable way to travel. I haven't tried Apparition yet, but I don't even want to learn that skill. What for? I have a house-elf that needs to be raised all the time:

"Did you get the papers?"

"Yes, sir!"

What do our papers say? The 31st of July is a real Harry Potter celebration, as it should be. After receiving the Prophet, an outraged public came to visit the Muggles, good friends of the National Hero. It was not quite clear what exactly happened, but the house burned down with all the inhabitants. It is not known whether there were "unhappy Eaters" or angry fans of the Boy-Who-Lived. But it is now clear that with his "safe shelter with blood protection" Dumbledore can stick his tongue up his ass. There's been no mention of goblins or an attack on Gringotts. About Pettigrew in the "Ministry Gazette" there was a note about "an animagus-Death Eater, who was hiding in the family of a ministry employee!" It was enough for Sirius' enemies to give him a very bad accident. It could have been a "dementor who went mad" or "suicide with a knife in the back". Nobody understands whether animagus the Eater is alive after the action, or if he is dead or walking around at all. Oh, Rita, what a flaw, in the world and without my information there are great stories for work! It is okay, we'll fix it.

"Kreacher!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Bring my robe," I did not part with my sword and revolver.

"Yes, sir!"

"Clap" and Kreacher gives me my robe.

"Take me to Diagon Alley, to Gringotts. There, make yourself invisible and wait for me until I get back from Gringotts."

"Yes, sir!"

"Do it."

I went to the far cash office, that side of the hall had the least number of visitors. Nobody stopped me from going to the goblin cashier.

"Heir to the Most Ancient and Noble Family Black wants to meet with a Black agent."

"Come in, sir..."

"Evans."

"What a familiar negotiation room!" would have thought Shinji Ikari.

"I'm a Black family confidant, Shnagrog account manager."

"Hello, Master Shnagrog. I'm the heir to the Ancient and Noble Black family, Harry Evans."

"Before we continue, Mr. Evans, you must wear the ring of the heir to the Black family. This will immediately remove the question of whether you are heir to Black or not," the goblin gave me the ring that I put on the middle finger of my right hand.

"So, what would you like to talk to me about, heir to the Black family?"

"I'm wondering what kind of finance, movable and immovable property I can have right now."

"Normally I'd need an extract. But the sad story of Sirius Black's heir, I alas remember by heart. Even before you were born, he handed over all the cash and artifacts he had access to as an heir to Albus Dumbledore. You can visit Black's property, but you can't sell it until you're the Head of the House. Ah, forgive my frankness, heir to the Black family, your not outstanding magical power will not allow you to do so before your majority. The ring of the House will not obey you until you have the strength to do so."

Well, there's no money here. There's Dumbledore all around, sneaky and almighty. Well, at least now I've got a place to live, a solid base will never hurt.

"Master Shnagrog, I'm going to need a list of the family's properties, and I'm going to need a Portkeys of them. About the Black family available to me, I want to put a thousand galleons. Compensation for the Portkeys will be deducted from that amount. I'll send my house elf in two days for the list and the Portkeys."

"To be done, heir Black."

"I'll also need four emergencies Portkeys. They should target my Black family home at Grimmauld Place 12, and be powerful enough to evacuate even Hogwarts. They must be made in the form of rings that are invisible to others. They must be triggered by the code word, deadly danger and an attempt to put an antiportal shield. I'll need those keys tomorrow morning, I'll also send a house elf for them."

"It is possible, heir Black. Your order will cost you 450 galleons."

"Thank you! Master Shnagrog, not so long ago I had a conversation with Head Ragnok. Would you be so kind as to inform him that Mr. Evans wishes to continue this conversation?"

"Wait."

The sofa! Only I relaxed on this miracle as Shnagrog came back and pointed the way out:

"Head Ragnok is waiting for you in his office".

*

Office of Gringotts Head Goblin Ragnok

*

Ragnok's office was awesome. A massive oak table, a chair worthy of the Emperor, two guards at the entrance and two behind Ragnok's back. The visitor's chair was under the Goblin sofas. Only this is also a measure of caution: you can't jump out of such an armchair sharply, you can't whip it with a wand or anything else.

"Have a seat, Mr. Evans."

"It's good to see you, Head Ragnok," not to wish him well. I sat on the very edge.

"You must be interested in the hunting results."

"Yes, Head Ragnok."

"You don't have to worry about Mr. Quirrell, he won't hurt anyone else."

"Let's hope his resting place grows great mushrooms. Let him at least benefit society in this way."

Ragnok "smile" into all his sixty-two teeth.

"Every person can benefit society by being applied in the right way. Mr. Evans! You did the bank a favor. What do you want in return?"

"I want to point out that Albus Dumbledore was also aware of a planned robbery, but he didn't tell you anything. I'm sure his handler Hagrid came to you to pick up the contents of the safe. So you have reason to suspect him of hiding information about a planned robbery."

"Let's suppose."

"I want the information about me not to come to Dumbledore. You know that his "guardianship" is over me in white threads and, in fact, illegal. Besides, you won't have to lie because I'm visiting the bank as heir to the Black family, not as Harry Potter."

"After the last articles in The Prophet, I understand your attitude towards Albus Dumbledore. We will not tell Dumbledore about Harry Evans or Potter. The goblins are dealt with by the heir to the Black family. And the relationship between us and the heir to the Black family is the internal affairs of the Black and Gringotts family."

"Thank you, Head Ragnok. I hope this arrangement is the beginning of a long partnership," I went up, nodded briefly, and walked out the door.

The security guard in the hallway showed me the way out, and Kreacher carried me back to the living room.

*

Grimmauld Place 12, ground floor, by the portrait of Walburga.

*

"Kreacher!"

"Yes, sir!"

I pulled an unused solvent bottle from the traitor's backpack and one brush.

"Here you go! This is an oil paint thinner, this is a brush. Get rid of the stupid bitch that almost brought Ancient and Noble Black."

Both Kreacher and Walburga made round eyes. Without hearing the usual response, I pulled out a sword in the sheath from behind me, and without taking it out I hit Kreacher flat on the head.

"What is the answer to the Most Ancient and Noble Black when he receives an order?"

"Master, yes, master!"

"Do it."

I went up the stairs. If you remember the movie, there are bedrooms on both the third and fourth floors. Behind, there was screaming and squealing and hollering at Walburga. Now Kreacher is bound in Walburga's blood. He's got nothing left but loyalty to me.

And I must provide the House with sacrifices! Protection isn't enough. But protection depends on sacrifices. With the help of an elf, we can make great diversions. I have a list of candidates to help restore the Greatness of House Black. Wizards respect tradition, the old aristocracy and I like that. I remember the lesson of the main goblin. Every wizard is useful, you just have to prepare him properly.