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(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)
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As the tea, milk and sugar appeared on a small table that moments ago wasn't there, Vernon was all set to politely refuse until a tray of fruit scones was suddenly next to it. This was a temptation too far for Vernon who quickly accepted his host's offer.
Barchoke was mentally rehearsing how he was going to pitch the biggest gamble Gringotts bank and his race had taken in centuries to the director, knowing Ragnok would already be in a bad mood since he didn't currently have an appointment. At the moment Barchoke thought the odds were at best a coin toss. Tails he would win or his head he would lose.
The Potter accounts manager had sweat running off his forehead by the time he finished the pitch, Ragnok was too quiet. The expected explosion soon came though.
"You want to throw the goblin nation into a war over a human child? I think you've lost your head and I am ready to give the order that will make that condition permanent. What do you think the ministry would do when they discovered we have the child they're calling the-boy-who-lived and hailing as their saviour?"
"With the greatest of respect sir, I don't believe the ministry will be involved in this at all. Dumbledore blocked the Potter will reading and told the Wizengamot the boy was safe, he certainly won't want to publicly admit to everyone he lied. If it were to become known the Chief Warlock left the Potter heir on a muggle doorstep, it might even be a large enough scandal to bring him down."
Barchoke took the director's silence as permission for him to continue talking. "After the happenings over the course of the other night, there can be no doubt the boy really is a child of prophecy. Having Harry Potter raised by goblins would be a coup of epic proportions, and provide us with a golden opportunity to install goblin values in a wizard destined for greatness. We have Dumbledore over a barrel, provided the lad attends Hogwarts at age eleven. I would also like our healers to have a look at the dark magic lurking at the site of his scar."
He could see this appealed to the director but his next question showed there was still a ways to go to convince Ragnok this could be good for the goblin nation. "Even without the backing of the ministry, Dumbledore could still make a lot of trouble for us. How do you propose to handle the old wizard?"
This was the crux of the matter, the next few minutes would determine if he left this room with his head still attached to his shoulders. "That letter passes responsibility for Harry Potter onto his muggle relatives," Ragnok nodded impatiently so Barchoke blurted out the next bit. "I plan to draw up an escrow agreement, that should take care of all the legal requirements."
Barchoke sweated as the silence drew out, it was broken by the deep belly-laughter rolling out of Ragnok. "Oh that's too cruel, legally cut Dumbledore off at the knees. I approve!" Barchoke almost sunk to the floor in relief but his training saw him stand proud, the director's next comment really surprised him though. "Go and arrange for our young crow - no, let the lad henceforth be known as old crow..."
Ragnok was laughing now at his own wit, it would be a stupid goblin that didn't laugh along with the director. "Go and arrange for old crow to spend the next ten years learning the ways of our people, you understand that I hold you personally responsible for the success of this project?"
Barchoke quickly agreed and thanked the director for this opportunity, before getting out of there as quickly as he could. Ragnok personally naming the child would add a level of protection Barchoke couldn't have considered when thinking through this idea, as a wizard being raised as a goblin - Harry would need all the help he could get.
Barchoke himself had been touched by tragedy when his lifemate had died during a complicated and difficult childbirth, that the son she'd died giving birth to barely survived her by twenty-four hours was a double tragedy. That this son was their first child compounded the misery, like young Harry - Barchoke was now the last of his line. Oh there were a few distant cousins still lurking about who hoped to inherit everything once he passed from this world, only if he didn't challenge the greedy cowards to a duel before the end. At least if they defeated him, they could then claim it had been earned.
Young Harry Potter had touched something more than just his finger in that office. Here was another much loved son destined for the scrapheap of life because his mother had died prematurely, well not if Barchoke could do something about it. His clan had looked after the House Potter finances for generations, he was just taking those close ties a step further. If things went the way he hoped, Harry Potter would be adopted as his son until the child was old enough to make his own decisions.
Vernon was trying to decide if having a fifth scone could be considered as being greedy when his host re-entered his office. He actually appreciated this creatures no-nonsense approach to business, there was no time wasted on mindless chit-chat about sports or the weather.
"Mr Dursley, have you ever heard of an escrow agreement?" As expected, this question was met with a negative response so the goblin banker explained the concept. "As you already know, Gringotts is fundamentally a bank. An escrow agreement is where a sum of money or property is held by a third party until specific conditions laid out in a contract can be met. I propose an agreement between the Dursleys and the House of Potter, with the goblins acting as bankers - looking after the property until the predetermined conditions are met. As the Potter account manager, my signature should be acceptable on a business agreement until young Harry comes of age."
Vernon wasn't sure what was being offered here and wanted to make certain he understood everything before making any decisions. "Can the brat be considered property, and what would these conditions be?"
Barchoke was really having to keep his temper in check at this muggle's disrespect to a child. How anyone could treat a toddler with such hate was beyond goblin understanding. "In magical law, children and wives are routinely considered property of the wizard, that will cause no problems. As to the conditions, I think we should keep them as simple as possible - less chance of other people being able to attach their own interpretations to the wording then."
Vernon was naturally all in favour of keeping things as simple as possible, just as long as he left here without the bundle in his arms.
"I think it's safe to assume that it's not the child himself you and your wife object to, rather the fact that he's probably a wizard." Vernon agreed with that assessment so Barchoke gave him the gist of the Dursleys' part of the agreement. "If fate decrees the child is not a wizard, he returns to your family to be raised as your nephew. If, on the other hand, Harry Potter is a wizard, the escrow agreement would see Gringotts responsible for him until the boy becomes of age to represent House Potter."
This sounded exactly what he wanted but Vernon was determined to double check everything. "So, unless he's normal, my family will never see him again?"
Barchoke gave him the confirmation he needed. "That describes exactly what the contract will state, though I must point out it is imperative that your wife also signs the escrow agreement."
Since both he and Petunia were certain the brat was a freak, this would work out perfectly for them. "That will not be a problem, how long will it take to draw up the papers?"
The words had no sooner left his mouth before the teller he had first dealt with entered the office with a scroll in his hands. Vernon left Gringotts thinking that normal banks placed far too much emphasis on being polite and caring to their customers, and not enough on taking care of business. As he retraced his steps through the pub he actually pitied the poor goblin bankers - imagine having to serve nothing but freaks all day.
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Welcome to the world of our fanfic! Your support is the heartbeat of this story, allowing us to craft new adventures and explore deeper character arcs. With over 55 chapters ahead, becoming a patron gives you exclusive access to bonus content and the chance to influence the narrative's direction.
Join us on this thrilling ride—together, we can make every chapter unforgettable!
http//patreon.com/Kun_kanshi
(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)
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