Chapter 6: Echoes of Inheritance

As the legal wheels set in motion at Gringotts, ripples of the Potter will and Harry's inheritance began to spread through the wizarding world. In secret offices, secluded cottages, and deep within the Ministry of Magic, the carefully orchestrated plans of Albus Dumbledore were about to unravel.

Severus Snape – Hogwarts Dungeons

Severus Snape sat in the cold, dimly lit dungeon of Hogwarts, his fingers tracing the edge of a silver goblet. Across the table from him sat Tom Riddle, or Lord Voldemort as he preferred to be called, his red eyes glowing in the dim light. The two had been engaged in a quiet, tense discussion about the future of the war, when the owl appeared at the high window of Snape's office, carrying a letter marked with the seal of Gringotts.

Snape's eyes flicked to the owl, his mind immediately wary. He had never received official correspondence from Gringotts before. The Dark Lord raised an eyebrow as Snape gestured for the owl to come closer, untying the scroll with careful hands.

"Something important, Severus?" Voldemort asked softly, his voice like ice, though his curiosity was piqued.

Snape broke the seal and began to unroll the parchment. His sharp eyes scanned the text, and as they did, his hand tightened involuntarily. The Last Will and Testament of Lily and James Potter. His heart skipped a beat, and for a brief moment, his breath caught in his chest.

The words, clear and direct, were there before him. To Severus Snape, we owe you an apology. We know our past strained your heart, Severus, but please understand that we both cherished the bond we once had. We regret how things ended between us, and we hope you can find peace in this life.

The parchment went on, outlining the portion of their inheritance left to him—a collection of rare potion books and 10,000 galleons. But the material aspect of it paled in comparison to the deep emotional undercurrent carried by Lily's apology.

For a brief moment, Snape's mask of cold indifference slipped. His mind flashed back to days long past, to his friendship with Lily, to the choices that had driven them apart. She had forgiven him, at least in some way, even from beyond the grave. And James—James, too, had offered something, a peace that Severus had never expected.

Voldemort's red eyes narrowed. "What is it, Severus?"

Snape folded the parchment slowly, his expression now unreadable, the cold mask snapping back into place. "A personal matter," he replied curtly, though his heart was far from still. "Nothing of consequence to you."

Voldemort gave him a sharp look but didn't press the matter further. Snape's mind, however, was whirling. He would need time to process the will's words, but more than that, the fact that Harry had not only survived but had been spirited away into the hands of the Mikaelsons was unsettling. Snape knew enough about Klaus Mikaelson to recognize the danger Voldemort would face if he ever crossed that line.

But the Dark Lord didn't know yet, and Severus had no intention of revealing this new development. Not now.

Remus Lupin – The Cottage in the Woods

Remus Lupin had been living quietly, deep in the woods where the wolves roamed freely and the full moon no longer brought the crippling fear it once had. He had tried to stay out of the spotlight since James and Lily's deaths, working with the Order but often in the shadows. The constant pain of losing his friends and the isolation of his condition made it difficult to face the world.

On this particular day, Remus had been out gathering firewood when he returned to find an owl perched on the doorstep of his small, modest cottage. His brow furrowed, and he untied the letter from the owl's leg. His heart leapt when he saw the familiar Gringotts seal.

Remus unfolded the parchment and began to read. As the words filled his mind, his hand trembled slightly. It was James and Lily's will—finally read after all these years. They had left him something—a cottage, secluded deep in the woods. A place he could call his own, free from the burden of his lycanthropy. They had known his struggle, understood the life of solitude he had endured.

We hope you find peace here, Moony. You deserve it.

Remus's breath hitched. The names they had called each other in their youth—Prongs, Padfoot, Moony, and Wormtail—now carried so much more weight. Wormtail's betrayal still hung over them like a shadow, but this gift—this cottage—was a reminder that his friends had always cared for him.

He looked around his modest home. Now, he had a place where he could truly be free, away from the judgment of the outside world. Away from the pain.

"I'll make it a home for you, James. For you, Lily," Remus murmured quietly to himself. Tears prickled at the corner of his eyes as he sat down at the small wooden table, overwhelmed with gratitude and memories.

Severus Snape – Ministry of Magic

At the same time, across the halls of power in the Ministry of Magic, another ripple was starting to form. A second copy of Lily and James Potter's will, alongside a key revelation, had just been delivered directly to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

The document was short and to the point: Sirius Black was not the Secret Keeper. Peter Pettigrew betrayed the Potters. Sirius Black is innocent.

The response from the Ministry was immediate chaos.

The head of the department stormed into an emergency meeting with Minister Cornelius Fudge, slamming the parchment down on his desk. "We have a situation," he said breathlessly, his face pale. "We need to investigate the claim that Sirius Black is innocent. This changes everything."

Fudge, wide-eyed and flustered, stared at the document, his mouth hanging open. "How... how can this be?" he stammered. "Black's been in Azkaban for years!"

But the will left no room for doubt. Dumbledore's carefully constructed narrative around Sirius Black's supposed betrayal had just crumbled before their eyes.

"If we don't act quickly, the press will have a field day," the head of the department added urgently. "And if this reaches the Wizengamot without action, we'll be looking at lawsuits from here to the next century."

Fudge's face turned red with panic. "Then get it under control!" he barked. "Launch a formal investigation. I don't care how deep you need to go—find Pettigrew! Prove this wrong!"

But deep down, Fudge knew the truth: if this will was correct, Sirius Black had been wrongfully imprisoned, and they were in far deeper trouble than he ever imagined.

Albus Dumbledore – Hogwarts Headmaster's Office

At the same moment, Dumbledore sat in his office, a frown deepening on his face as he read the official copy of the Potter will, which had arrived at Hogwarts. His plans, so carefully laid out, were falling apart before his very eyes. The Mikaelsons now held control over Harry Potter—no, Hadrian Memphis Mikaelson, as he was now legally known.

The document before him made Dumbledore's blood run cold. Lily and James had known his manipulations, and now, they had exposed them. The will explicitly barred him from any role in Harry's life, and what was worse, it forbade Harry from ever setting foot in the Dursleys' home.

And then there was Sirius Black's innocence, confirmed by the will. Dumbledore had long suspected that Peter Pettigrew was the traitor, but he had never acted on it, choosing instead to let Sirius remain in Azkaban to maintain the narrative he needed for the coming war.

But now, the truth had been laid bare, and the Ministry would be forced to act. Sirius would be freed. Harry was lost to him. His influence, so carefully woven into every aspect of Harry's life, had been severed by the will of Lily and James Potter.

Dumbledore placed the parchment down on his desk, his eyes darkening with worry. He had underestimated Klaus Mikaelson and the family's reach. He had lost control of Harry, and worse, the Mikaelsons were not the type of family to take kindly to manipulation.

"The future has changed," Dumbledore muttered to himself, stroking his long, white beard. "And so must our plans."

But even as he spoke, he knew he was already losing. The Mikaelsons had won this round. They were far more dangerous than even Voldemort—because while the Dark Lord sought power through destruction, the Mikaelsons had gained it through influence, wealth, and the law.

Ministry of Magic – Department of Magical Law Enforcement

Back in the Ministry, the ramifications of the Potter will were spreading like wildfire. Cornelius Fudge and the Wizengamot were in full panic mode, as the revelation about Sirius Black's innocence demanded immediate action. Failure to address it would mean lawsuits from Sirius, potentially against the entire Ministry.

Meanwhile, Klaus Mikaelson's legal team had already begun preparing cases, ready to press charges against the Ministry and Albus Dumbledore for every violation of Harry's rights and the Potters' will.

The Mikaelsons were not just warriors—they were experts in manipulation, politics, and war, and they would not rest until the Ministry had fallen in line.

The Mikaelsons – Back at Gringotts

As Klaus, Elijah, Rebekah, and Sol exited Gringotts, Hadrian Memphis Mikaelson now in their care, Klaus smiled with dark satisfaction. The Potter will had been executed perfectly. Dumbledore's grip on Harry was broken, the Ministry was reeling from the legal challenges to come, and the truth about Sirius Black had been set in motion.

"Let them come," Klaus murmured, holding Harry close. "They have no idea what's coming for them."

Sol, ever playful, clapped Klaus on the shoulder with a grin. "And I wouldn't miss it for the world."