Looking up from his book, Harry set down the quill he'd been taking notes with on the special blotter pad so ink wouldn't leak all over his parchment. The pad would absorb any ink left on the quill tip so it could be stored safely. Speaking clearly but still in that whisper quiet voice that was now normal for him, Harry replied, "Excuse me, but I have no idea what you're talking about. Could you be a little more specific as to what vaults I've supposedly blocked you from entering? And just why it is, you believe I have that kind of authority? Do I look like a goblin to you? Or maybe I look like your parents, hmm? As far as I know, the only person who could legally give you a vault, or vault access, would be your parents. And forgive me but there's no way in hell I'm claiming any of you as my children."
Ron and Ginerva's smiles faltered as their focus sharpened on Harry. Their hands dropped. This wasn't what was supposed to happen. He was supposed to be intimidated by an angry Hermione acting in parental mode. It'd always worked that way before. What had changed? Hermione sneered at Harry making sure of course none of the watching students saw her doing so while her mind scrambled to find something to say that would put the ball back in her hands. She couldn't let him control the conversation. If she did, she just knew the school rumors wouldn't go in her favor.
He kept speaking not giving any of them a chance to say anything. He knew now was the best time to put the plan he and the twins had worked out into motion. Dumbledore wasn't in the Castle to interfere and none of the teachers were present to stop him either. Madam Pince was unlikely to do anything once she realized what was happening. He just had to get them where he wanted them first.
"The only vault I have access to is my school vault and if you think you're entitled to access it, pray tell me just what the three of you have done to deserve it. As far as I'm aware, only someone by the name of Potter has a right to what's in that vault. Since I'm the only person I know who carries that name, I'm the only person I know who has a right to the contents of my vault. When was it I adopted any of you into my family? And why then did you not receive your key upon the completion of your adoptions?"
Hermione had kept her voice down, considering she did hold the library as almost a holy place but she was quietly fuming now. How dare Harry disobey her! He was hers to command and order around as she chose. Since when did he get to call the shots?
Ginny, as usual, just contented herself with simply alternating between the puppy dog eyes, simpering at him in what she thought was a seductive manner but was actually nauseating to any boy their age, and glaring furiously at him. She'd given up on the sweet girl smile as she knew it wasn't working for her. She wasn't a sweet innocent girl to anyone who knew her except for her father and two oldest brothers.
But Ron was incapable of that kind of self control and he lost it. "You rotten sod. You know damn well what vaults we're talking about. We earned the right to those funds and you changing the bloody damn locks doesn't change the fact that you owe us," he yelled forgetting the library was full of studying students and an adult who didn't appreciate loud voices. "Give me my key! Now! I have plans for that money and by Merlin you aren't taking it away from me!"
"I owe you? For what? And what vaults are you talking about, Ronald? I thought your parents didn't earn enough for multiple vaults. Did your father get a pay increase? Congratulations." In fact, Arthur Weasely had received a pay raise but Ronald had no reason to know that yet. Harry had arranged it with the goblins because he felt Mr. Weasely was underpaid by the Ministry for the amount of work he and his partner did. So he'd arranged for both men to get a small raise in their pay so long as they didn't discover where it was coming from.
"Our personal vaults, Harry," simpered Ginny, squinting her eyes to try and disguise the glint of anger in them while at the same time taking the focus off her fuming brother. She was trying to give Ron time to remember where they were and what was supposed to be happening here. "The ones you gave the Headmaster permission to open for us. You said we deserved to have them because of what good friends we've been to you."
"Yeah," snarled Ron. "We earned the money in those vaults and we demand you give us back our keys. Bad enough you lost me my pet because you had to go showboating again. Now you try to take away my money too? After all we went through for you just so you could get more fame and glory for yourself, you really think you can do this? Take away our money just because? You give me back my key right now and I'll forget you even tried such a stupid stunt."
"Oh. I gave the Headmaster permission to open vaults for the three of you? Superceded your parents authority to provide for you? Undermined them? When was this?"
"You know when, Harry. Don't pretend to be any stupider than I know you are. You had to know of those vaults to recall our keys. I'm sure the goblins told you everything about them when they told you how much we're getting from your vaults," sneered Hermione in a superior tone of voice. "So just give them back already and as Ron says we'll agree to forget this conversation ever took place. I'll even forgive you for costing me the extra books I wanted to buy this year."
But Harry had turned to Ron as he stood up and ignored Hermione's input. "You've earned the right to those funds have you? Funds from my school vault. Set up for me by my parents when I was born. Money taken from me without either my knowledge or permission. For something. Though I'm not sure what." He held up a hand when Ron went to retort. "I'm not finished, Ronald Weasely. I listened to you shouting out your little rant like a two year old denied his sweets. Now you will listen to me."
"Let's examine your claims, shall we? Which of you is named Potter? Because I could swear the name on my school vault reads Harry James Potter and I know damn well it doesn't list anyone else. So that means one of you has stolen my name just as you've spent the last several years trashing my reputation. As I just heard you try to do yet again. Either that or I'm not who I think I am. I could also swear you two are named Weasely. Doesn't sound anything like Potter. and her name is Granger. Again, doesn't sound anything like Potter."
"She," He pointed a finger at Ginny while still glaring at Ron. "says I told the Headmaster you earned those vaults by being my friend. When exactly did I say that? And why the hell would I or anyone else pay someone for being their friend? People, normal people do not pay others to be their friend. That's such a pathetic lie even Crabbe and Goyle could see through it. I think. But I guess I can't be too surprised she didn't. After all, we do know what she likes to write her secrets in, don't we?"
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