Seeing the look on Harry’s face and understanding his thoughts, the three brothers almost rolled their eyes in an amused manner.
“We are not surprised at you producing a Patronus,” Antioch said with a chuckle.
“Well, technically not.”
“Then why did you all look surprised?” Harry questioned.
“Conjuring a Patronus at your age is definitely something great,” Antioch replied.
“Many able wizards are unable to do so in their entire lives.”
“But for people like us, you, me, my brothers and a few others, that is not something very difficult,” he continued.
“After all, you were chosen as our magical heir, deemed worthy by Magic itself.
You were destined for greatness.
This is not surprising.”
“Magic is an essential and fundamental part of any wizard’s life,” Ignotus took over from his brother.
“When we arrived, or rather, awakened, in your mindscape, we were honestly surprised,” he said.
“Because of the binding and the drain that blood ward is putting on your magical reserves, it is almost miraculous that you are even alive, especially at what, fourteen or fifteen years old?”
“I will be fourteen in a month,” Harry responded.
Ignotus nodded and continued.
“So,” he said.
“As I stated, you being alive was a miracle to us.
We assumed that even if you were alive, you would be nothing more than a squib, and a physically weak one at that.”
“But then you tell us you can produce a full-fledged Patronus,” he added.
“This is the reason we were surprised.”
Harry nodded in understanding, not that he was understanding everything fully.
Even so, he tried to keep the most of things at the back of his mind and tried to focus on the most important things.
“Now what happens with me?” he questioned.
“What of the blood ward?
The binding?
And about me being your magical heir?”
“We have a few things to discuss before you gain our inheritance,” Cadmus replied.
“But first, you need to remove that binding.”
“When we assimilate our knowledge and our inheritance into you, that binding may act as a hindrance during the process.
You will need every drop of magic you have to go through the process successfully.”
“So,” Harry questioned, slightly tentatively, “I assume that the three of you remove the binding?”
At this remark, the three brothers turned sheepish and smiled.
Ignotus coughed awkwardly.
“You see,” he said.
“When we were alive, we could have done it easily.
But now, we have no actual power in the outside world.
Though we may be able to help you with a thing or two in your mindscape, essentially we are nothing more than the representations of our knowledge and experiences.”
“We cannot help you directly,” he added.
“You can go to the goblins,” Cadmus interjected his suggestion, “if they are still around and if you have the money.
In our times, they were pretty good with all this kind of stuff.”
“They are still around,” Harry replied, thoughtfully, “and I do have a trust account.”
“So, I think I could get it done,” he said, though it was obvious that he was convincing this more to himself than to the brothers.
“Just ask them to have your bindings removed,” Cadmus instructed, ignoring whatever Harry was thinking.
“Do not perform any kind of inheritance test for now.”
Though Harry did not understand what that actually meant, he agreed.
“Okay,” he said.
The three brothers nodded in response.
“What was the second unique condition you mentioned?” Harry questioned.
At this, the three men turned serious and exchanged glances with each other.
“We will talk about that only after you get your magical binding removed,” Antioch said, leaving no room for any further discussion.
Harry nodded and asked the question that had been on his mind for some time.
“You told me this is my mindscape,” he said.
“What does that exactly mean?
And how was I able to gain your magical heirship?”
“I think this can also be discussed after you remove your binding,” Cadmus answered.
“Also,” he continued, “try to find out if there is anything left of us in your history.”
“You know, describing one’s own greatness feels embarrassing.
You will need the story to understand why you were chosen.”
Harry almost rolled his eyes at this but nonetheless nodded.
“I will try and see if I can find anything about you,” he said.
“Now, how do I leave this place?” He asked.
“Just use your will and think about your consciousness returning to your real body,” Antioch replied.
“Also,” he added, “do not get the blood ward removed, as it would immediately notify whoever placed it on you.
We will tell you a method to undo the ward without being detected.”
Harry nodded and did as he had been suggested and faded away from his mindscape and was back in his room.
As soon as he returned, rage took over his face.
Dumbledore.
There was no other person who would have placed the binding on him, and he felt foolish for trusting the nonsense about the blood ward.
He was going to make that old git pay.
For the first eleven years of his life, he had been beaten and starved, all thanks to that old codger leaving him here.
Then, during his last three years at Hogwarts, his life had been in constant danger, and the old man had done nothing to help him.
These were the obvious things that had been in front of his eyes but he had not been ready to see them.
But now, he was willing to accept the reality.
There was a good chance that these three brothers might be the one trying to fool him, but for whatever reason, all his instincts were flaring at him that these three old men were the good people.
And just because of his instinct, he was ready and willing to trust these old men.
And once he went to the goblins for getting his binding removed, a lot of things would become clear.
After raging internally, he took control of his emotions and calmed himself down.
He had to go to Gringotts to get his binding removed.
That was a problem in itself.
He was certain that he would not be getting any help from his aunt and uncle via muggle means, and he lacked any magical means to get there.
After contemplating for a moment, he had an idea and wondered if it would work.
“Dobby,” he whispered.
Immediately, without any delay, with a pop, a bouncing and excited elf appeared in front of him.
“The great Harry Potter, sir, called for Dobby!” squealed Dobby in happiness.
“Dobby,” Harry said, taking a deep breath and hesitation mixed in his voice.
“I was wondering if you could help me with something?”
“It would be Dobby’s pleasure to help the great Harry Potter, sir!” Dobby squealed, bouncing, his legs barely keeping him in place.
“Do you have any way to transport me to Gringotts?” Harry added.
“Unnoticed?”
“Dobby is able to take the great Harry Potter, sir!” Dobby bounced in even more happiness.
Harry smiled cheerfully.
“Wonderful.” He said.
“Let me get dressed, and can you please call me just Harry, or Harry Potter?”
“How can I call the great Harry Potter, sir, by his name?” Dobby replied immediately, with an aghast face.
Harry sighed but let the issue slide for the time being.
He went through his second-hand wardrobe and finally found a sweatshirt.
Like all his other clothes, it was one of Dudley’s rejects and far too big for him.
But it would work just fine for him.
He was not wearing it for fashion;.
The sweatshirt could easily hide his face.
He did not want to appear in Diagon Alley attracting too much attention.
He was ready in seconds.
“Dobby,” he said.
“I am ready.”
Dobby came near Harry and held his hand.
“No one can pop directly inside Gringotts if not authorized by the goblins,” the house elf said, “so, Dobby can pop the great Harry Potter, sir, only to the gate of Gringotts.”
Harry nodded in agreement, and with a pop, both of them were gone.
#
#
#
[Add the book to your collection.