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Chapter Text

We begin this story in the second room of a house on Privet Drive.

It's not a very large room. There's a small bed, a desk, a dresser, a trunk, and an empty owl cage. The contents of said trunk are currently strewn across the room, and the small boy lying on the bed seems to have no desire to move them.

The small boy's name is Harry Potter. He isn't much to look at: skinny, with oversized clothes and messy hair. His glasses, which are currently resting on the desk, do nothing for the boy's poor eyesight. But beyond the ragged appearance of the child, there lies a secret.

He is a wizard -- a very famous one, considering he defeated a Dark Lord at the age of one.

(Or so everyone says. Harry, personally, is a bit skeptical that a literal baby could defeat one of the most powerful Dark Lords of all time.)

Harry sighed and turned to squint at the clock on his dresser. Five minutes to midnight.

Ever since he could remember, Harry had stayed up until midnight on July 30th. His relatives didn't celebrate his birthday, so he wasn't sure why he made a big deal of it, but something kept him up anyway.

Turning back to face the ceiling made him wince. His uncle, whose girth was larger than the man's ego, had punched him earlier that day for saying "What's the magic word?" in an attempt to get Dudley to be more polite. Unfortunately, his relatives hated any mention of magic and immediately retaliated. His ribs had taken a beating, and Harry was quite sure one of them was broken.

The clock struck midnight, and Harry blacked out.

-------

"Meddlesome fool."

Harry groaned. He ached everywhere, not just his ribs.

"Carefully, brat. Death takes a lot out of you."

Harry opened his eyes.

He was lying in what seemed like a desert, but there weren't any dunes. He could see miles in every direction, even if the sky was completely black. He could see figures in the distance, heading in the same direction.

And standing above him was a tall, cloaked figure with his hood down and a familiar sour expression on his face. One hand clutched a massive scythe, while the other rested on his hip.

"Snape?" Harry sputtered.

"Yes," Snape drawled. "Technically. Your potions professor is the shape I took to keep an eye on you. However, I am actually Death -- or Mortem, if you prefer."

Harry stared at him. Then he tried to sit up and yelped.

"You are still recovering from the blocks that stupid fool, Dumbledore, placed on you. If you plan on returning to the mortal plane, or even continuing on to the afterlife, I suggest removing those."

"What?"

Snape pinched his nose and sighed irritably. "Potter..."

"It's not my fault!" Harry snapped at him. "I just f*cking died-"

"Language."

"-after my uncle broke a rib-"

"Two of them."

"-and you just told me that I have blocks! Yes, I know what those are," Harry snarled before Snape could interrupt. "Sorry if I don't trust a teacher who continuously belittled and insulted me just because my father was a bully."

He expected Snape/Death to immediately get angry, but instead-

"If I had not belittled and insulted you, Dumbledore would have become suspicious," Snape said flatly, although Harry swore he saw a bit of guilt in his eyes. "James Potter was horrible to me and every Slytherin, but I should not have taken that out on you. I apologize."

Harry stared at him.

"However, there is something you need to know," Snape said carefully. "James Potter was not your father.

"...I am."

Chapter Text

Harry stared incredulously at Snape. "You -- what?"

"I believe you heard me quite clearly," Snape drawled.

"Yeah, I heard you," Harry said, "but everyone thinks James is my father."

Privately, Harry had been skeptical with this. James, from what he had heard from multiple sources, was highly mischievous, hated Slytherins, and easily trusted people. Harry, however, had never pranked anyone in his life and had persuaded Fred and George to tone down their pranks; had never bullied Slytherins, and admired most of them (cough, cough, Draco); and could count on one hand the people he trusted.

He hadn't thought that Snape, of all people, would be his father.

"This is for multiple reasons," Snape sighed, pinching his nose again. "Your mother did not want Potter, or anyone else, finding out that you were Death's son and not his, so she and I cast a few harmless Blood glamours on you so you would look more like Potter. Dumbledore, a few months before your birth, had spread a false prophecy-"

"A what now?!"

"-referring to a child born to two parents who had thrice defied Voldemort," Snape continued. "He, like everyone else, assumed that you were Potter's son. When Voldemort attempted to kill you and failed, Dumbledore told everyone that it was love that saved you, referring to you as the son of James and Lily Potter. In reality, the only being who has the ability to kill you is me, as you are the son of Death."

"...well, that explains why Basilisk venom didn't kill me," Harry said slowly. It had sickened him quite a bit, making him think he was dying, but Fawkes had healed him.

"~Basilisk venom!~" Snape snarled, his voice descending into an angry hiss. Harry realized that he was actually speaking Parseltongue.

"~How are you a Parselmouth?~" Harry frowned.

"I created Nagas, and those who are Parselmouths are descended from them," Snape growled. "Who let you be bitten by a Basilisk!"

"Didn't Dumbledore and McGonagall tell you?" Harry asked. Snape shook his head, and Harry quickly explained what had happened at the end of his second year.

Snape snarled quietly. "If I had treated you as I treat all my Slytherins, I could have protected you more."

"I can take care of myself," Harry said darkly. "Comes with being abused my entire life."

Snape's eyes turned completely black. "~I will kill them slowly and painfully.~"

Harry waited for Snape to calm down. When he did, the man said, "Will you go back to the mortal plane, or will you move on?"

"Go back to the Dursleys? Sign me up," Harry said sarcastically.

Snape snorted. "If you remain dead, Dumbledore will keep all of your heir- and lordships."

"My what?"

Snape sighed again. "I have much to teach you. But you have to decide now; the longer you stay here, the harder it is to return to the mortal realm."

As much as Harry wanted to meet his mother... there were people he couldn't leave behind.

Also, he wanted revenge on the Dursleys.

"I want to go back."

Chapter Text

Snape hadn't immediately let him return to the Dursleys. He had first given him strict instructions on what to do when he did return.

"You will not have to worry about your physical wounds, because they will be healed when you awaken. However, your blocks can only be removed by a goblin Healer. Take the Knight Bus to Gringotts and ask for a private and anonymous meeting with Accountant Scythestrike. No one will know you are there.

"Ask for a Blood Test. It will tell you your lordships and heirships, your magical level and core, and, among other things, what blocks the old man put on you. There may also be a love potion.

"You will need to, once the goblins have removed any harmful magic, take your lordships and heirships, as well as any seats on the Wizengamot you may have. Or, if you prefer, to ask someone else to vote in your place. The longer we keep Dumbledore from discovering your newfound knowledge and power, the better.

"The goblins may also give you a list of books to read. You were never given the Muggleborn list."

-------

Harry woke abruptly. There was also a heavy black book lying on his chest, emitting faint black mist. Harry sat up and took a look at it.

%A Guide to Being Death's Apprentice%

What the-

Language.

Harry jumped and almost knocked the book to the floor. WHAT THE-

Ten points from Gryffindor.

I'm not even at school! Harry complained. How are you in my head?

I am not. I am communicating to you via your mind. I cannot do this at all times. I only came to tell you that if you need me, call out with your magic and I will be here.

Harry felt something stir in his chest at that. Snape was obviously trying to make up for his past behavior, even if it had been fake. And he also cared for Harry.

...how do I do that?

You will know. I have souls to collect and lessons to plan, Harry, so I will see you at Hogwarts.

And then he was gone. Harry pinched his nose, both amused and annoyed. For all Snape's changes, he was still Snape.

With a sigh, Harry got up.

-------

"What do you want?" the goblin teller asked coolly.

"I'd like an anonymous and private meeting with Accountant Scythestrike, please, sir," Harry said quietly.

The goblin stared at him incredulously. "I don't know what you're on about, human, but-" he suddenly choked.

"I suggest you obey him, unless you want to face my wrath," Harry heard his father hiss. No one but the teller had reacted.

The goblin cleared his throat, looking pale. "Ah, yes. Er..." He snapped his fingers, and another goblin appeared. "Take this young wizard to -- to Scythestrike."

The new goblin gave Harry an awed, terrified look, and beckoned to him. Harry quickly followed.

Instead of tunnels, he found himself in a hall of offices. The two of them walked a long way, almost to the end of the hall, and stopped in front of a looming black door. The runner goblin knocked.

The door opened slowly, silently, revealing a small room. It looked like a regular office, but the walls, floor, and ceiling were black, and there was a shelf of various animal skulls behind the door.

The goblin behind the desk looked up and smiled eerily. "Ah, Heir Mortem. I wondered when I would see you."

The teller fainted dead away.

Chapter Text

"We have much to do, Heir Mortem," Scythestrike said calmly, pulling a huge folder out of his desk. "Gringotts has been attempting to reach you since your eleventh birthday."

Harry hid a groan.

"You should have taken an Inheritance Test when you reached eleven years old," Scythestrike continued. "We know for a fact that you have the Black Heirship, but we are unsure what other Heirships you possess. And since you are officially considered an adult in the eyes of Magic-"

"What?!"

Scythetrike sighed. "That's right; Lord Mortem did tell me that you had been told nothing." He pulled a blank piece of parchment from the folder. "As you participated in the Triwizard Tournament, which, due to the new law passed by the Ministry, you need to be an adult to participate in, you are now an adult in both the eyes of the law and Magic. As you are now an adult, you can take your Lordships as well as your Heirships." He pulled a needle from his desk as well. "Please place three drops on this parchment, Heir Mortem."

"Is this the Inheritance Test?" Harry asked cautiously, picking up the needle. Scythestrike nodded.

Inheritance Test for Hadrian Severus Prince:

Lordships:

Gaunt (through defeat of previous Lord, Lord Tom Marvolo Riddle)

Slytherin (through defeat of the previous Lord, Lord Tom Marvolo Riddle)

Peverell (through defeat of the previous Lord, Lord Tom Marvolo Riddle, and through blood-adoption to the previous Lord, Lord James Fleamont Potter)

Mortem (through father)

Gryffindor (through blood-adoption to previous Lord, Lord James Fleamont Potter)

Heirships:

Ravenclaw (through father)

Black (through godfather)

Possible Heirships:

Prewett (through mother; Heirship debated)

Harry stared incredulously at his Inheritance Test. "What the-"

Language.

Oh, shut up, Harry grumbled.

"May I see?" Scythestrike questioned. Harry handed the paper to him. "Hmm." He snapped his fingers, and the folder grew impossibly larger. "There are two other tests you will need to take, but before that, would you like to review your payment history, vaults and properties?"

"My what?"

Scythestrike pulled a smaller folder out of the bigger one and handed it to Harry.

Vaults and Properties Belonging to Hadrian Severus Prince

Harry opened it. The page on the left said:

Properties and Vault(s) Belonging to Lord Gaunt:

Vault 980 (seized by Gringotts due to bankruptcy)

Gaunt Shack (seized by Gringotts due to bankruptcy)

The page on the right was a bit longer.

Properties and Vault(s) Belonging to Lord Slytherin:

Vault 1000 (contains 9 M Galleons, 8.5 M Sickles, 7.5 M Knuts)

Vault 999 (contains 5 M Galleons, 4.5 M Sickles, 4.7 M Knuts)

Slytherin Palace, Snake Enclave and Grounds (including 30 house-elves, 20 snakes)

Slytherin Manor and Farm (including 25 house-elves, 2 horses, 2 cows, 20 sheep, 5 chickens, 1 rooster)

Hogwarts Dungeons (including Slytherin common room/dorms, 1 personal lab), Basement (including 1 dueling chamber), Chamber of Secrets (including 1 Basilisk, 1 private office, 1 personal library)

I'm a billionare?!

"Mr. Scythestrike," Harry frowned, setting aside the folder, "you said you wanted to talk about my payment history. But I've only withdrawn from the vault my mother and James Potter gave me for school twice, and the other two times Mrs. Weasley withdrew from it."

"Please call me Scythe," the goblin replied, pulling another piece of paper out of the huge folder. "I have no record of a Mrs. Weasley being allowed access to your vault and vault key. And I do not believe the previous Lord Potter and your mother gave you any school vault. Did you mean an Heir vault?"

"I don't really think I gave Mrs. Weasley permission to use my vault," Harry answered, pulling his vault folder back to him and flipping through it.

Properties and Vault(s) Belonging to Lord Peverell:

Vault 2000 (contains 1 B Galleons, 1 B Sickles, 1 B Knuts)

Vault 1999 (contains 1 B Galleons, 1 B Sickles, 1 B Knuts)

Peverell Palace, Grounds and Stables (including 30 house-elves, 5 Scandinavian horses, 5 male and 5 female peacocks, 1 wyvern)

Peverell Manor and Farm (including 20 house-elves, 2 horses, 2 cows, 20 sheep, 5 chickens, 1 rooster)

Properties and Vault(s) Belonging to Lord Mortem:

Vault 666 (contains 1 Romanian Howler dragon egg, 1 Necromancer's Guide, 1 Necromancer's Staff)

Mortem Palace (containing 1 undead house-elf, 1 Veil of Death)

Properties and Vault(s) Belonging to Lord Gryffindor:

Vault 998 (contains 9 M Galleons, 8.5 M Sickles, 7.5 M Knuts)

Vault 997 (contains 5 M Galleons, 4.5 M Sickles, 4.7 M Knuts)

Gryffindor Palace and Grounds (including 30 house-elves, 1 Nemean Lion)

Gryffindor Manor and Farm (including 25 house-elves, 10 male lions, 30 female lions, 50 lion cubs)

Hogwarts Quidditch Pitch (including 2 hoops and stands), Gryffindor Tower (including Gryffindor common room/dorms, 1 private office, 1 personal library), Great Hall (including 5 tables), Dueling Chamber

Properties and Vault(s) Belonging to Heir Ravenclaw:

Vault 995 (contains 5 M Galleons, 4.5 M Sickles, 4.7 M Knuts)

Will Inherit:

Vault 996 (contains 9 M Galleons, 8.5 M Sickles, 7.5 M Knuts)

Ravenclaw Palace and Grounds (including 30 house-elves)

Ravenclaw Manor, Library and Farm (including 25 house-elves, 6K ancient scrolls, ancient tomes, and books, 2 Scandinavian horses, 5 sphinxes, 3 Ancient Aster dragons, 1 Whomping Willow)

Hogwarts Library (including 4K books, 1 private office), Ravenclaw Tower (including Ravenclaw common room/dorms, 1 personal library), 1/2 Room of Requirement (including Room of Lost Things), Dueling Chamber

Properties and Vault(s) Belonging to Heir Black:

Vault 50 (contains 5 M Galleons, 4.3 M Sickles, 4.1 M Knuts)

Will Inherit:

Vault 51 (contains 10 M Galleons, 9.5 M Sickles, 9 M Knuts)

Black Palace (including 1 Vampire Sanctuary, 12 vampire covens), Forest (including 1 Werewolf Sanctuary, 4 werewolf packs), and Grounds (including 20 house-elves) 

Black Manor (including 1 house-elf, 1 library, 1 private office, 1 personal library)

The last two pages were what Harry was looking for.

Other Vault(s) Belonging to Hadrian Severus Prince:

Vault 687 (containing 900 Galleons, 500 Sickles, 450 Knuts) (2 Vault Belonging to Dumbledore)

List of People Who Have Accessed Mr. Prince's Vaults:

Mrs. Molly Weasley Nee Prewett

    Vault 687 (withdrew 80 Galleons, 60 Sickles, 60 Knuts on August 10, 1992, and August 20, 1994; deposited 4 Galleons, 2 Sickles on August 10, 1992, and August 20, 1994)

Mr. Albus Percival Wolfric Brian Dumbledore, alias(es) Chief of the Wizengamot, Lord Mugwump, Headmaster of Hogwarts; previous alias(es), Consort Grindelwald

    Vault 998 (withdrew 90 Galleons, 80 Sickles, 80 Knuts on December 1, 1982, December 1, 1983, December 1, 1984, December 1, 1985, December 1, 1986, December 1, 1987, December 1, 1987, December 1, 1988, December 1, 1989, December 1, 1990, December 1, 1991, December 1, 1992, December 1, 1993, December 1, 1994)

    Vault 997 (withdrew 90 Galleons, 80 Sickles, 80 Knuts on December 1, 1982, December 1, 1983, December 1, 1984, December 1, 1985, December 1, 1986, December 1, 1987, December 1, 1987, December 1, 1988, December 1, 1989, December 1, 1990, December 1, 1991, December 1, 1992, December 1, 1993, December 1, 1994)

     Vault 687 (created October 30, 1981; deposited 1,060 Galleons, 620 Sickles, 570 Knuts on October 30, 1981)

Chapter Text

Harry stared at the page, a mixture of emotions running through him: shock, betrayal, fury.

Dumbledore was stealing from him.

A part of him said that it wasn't really that much, what with how much his other vaults contained, but Harry immediately shut that thought down. Theft was theft, and it was wrong no matter what.

Another thought struck him, and Harry said, "Why did Dumbledore only take from two vaults instead of all of them?"

Scythe looked furious. "Dumbledore has been stealing from you?"

"Yes," Harry said darkly, handing the folder back over.

Scythe scanned the page and cursed in Gobbledygook. After he took a moment to calm down, he said stiffly, "Stealing from any other vault would immediately have been noticed. The accountant for the Peverell vaults and properties loathes Dumbledore with every fiber of her being, I oversee the Mortem and Ravenclaw vaults and properties, and Lady Malfoy is currently Lady Regent of the Black House until you have taken the Lordship. I will need to have the Gryffindor accountant investigated," he muttered under his breath. "Would you like me to sue Dumbledore and demand the money back?"

Harry tried to agree, but something stopped him. Scythe noticed that he was struggling and quickly pulled another blank piece of parchment from the folder, a look of anger and concern on his face.

Harry pricked his finger again and squeezed three more drops of blood onto the new parchment.

Magical Core Test for Hadrian Severus Prince:

Core: Dark (***BLOCKED***)

Abilities: Animagus (black mamba); Parselmagic (***BLOCKED***); Necromancy (***BLOCK FAILED***)

Creature: None (Son of Death)

Soulmate: Draco Lucius Malfoy (chosen by Magic) (***BLOCKED***) (***LOVE POTION DETECTED***)

Compulsions:

   Trust Albus Percival Wolfric Brian Dumbledore (reapplied bi-monthly since August 10, 1991)
   Lack of Attention Span (reapplied bi-monthly since August 10, 1991)
   Reckless Bravery (reapplied bi-monthly since August 10, 1991)
   Distrust Slytherins (reapplied bi-monthly since August 10, 1991)
   Hate Tom Marvolo Riddle, alias(es) Voldemort, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, You-Know-Who, Dark Lord (reapplied bi-monthly since August 10, 1991)

Other:

   Armortentia (keyed to Ginevra Molly Weasley) (failed)
   Horcrux (keyed to Tom Marvolo Riddle)
   Blood Glamour (keyed Lily Potter Nee Evans and DEATH October 31, 1981)
   Magic Block 60% (keyed to Albus Percival Wolfric Brian Dumbledore)

***BLOCKS AND COMPULSIONS KEYED TO ALBUS PERCIVAL WOLFRIC BRIAN DUMBLEDORE***

***REMOVE BLOCKS AND COMPULSIONS IMMEDIATELY***

Harry sucked in a breath, holding back a cry of horror and fury. He tried to calm down but couldn't.

S- Pro- Dad? he thought desperately.

What is it? the man responded instantly.

...I need... Harry swallowed. I think I need a hug.

There was a short pause, and then Snape/Death appeared in a puff of smoke. Harry launched into his father's arms, shaking with suppressed tears.

Slowly, Death hugged him back.

For the first time ever, Harry felt safe.

Chapter Text

It took a long time for Harry to calm down. But once he did, he was whisked off to the goblin healers to get the blocks removed. The only way they could get rid of the Horcrux, however, was if Harry died, and the only way he could die was if he, himself, decided to. (This prompted questions about Voldemort, Quirrell, and the basilisk, which led to his father snarling threats in Parseltongue.)

Once he had been healed magically, Harry took his Lordships and Heirships. It was a simple but long process of vowing to uphold the values and traditions of his title, Lord Mortem.

(If one has more than one Lordship, they will take the name of the most ancient and most powerful. Given that Mortem was the Lordship for a literal god, that was the most ancient and powerful of the titles.)

"There are two more items of business we need to take care of," Scythe told Harry once he'd finished putting on his Lord/Heirship rings. "Once that's completed, I will answer any questions you have and you may withdraw some money, if you wish."

Harry swallowed back an irritated complaint and waited.

Scythe handed him yet another blank piece of parchment and the needle. "While you are an adult in the eyes of Magic and most laws, I recall one law that states that until your body reaches the age of seventeen, you will need a guardian of at least twenty years old. This Blood Test will tell us what magicals are available to be your guardian."

Blood Test for Hadrian Severus Prince:

Mother: Lily Potter Nee Evans (dead)
Father: Severus Tobias Prince, alias(es) DEATH (available)
Godparent(s): Sirius Orion Black, alias(es) Lord Black (available); Lucius Abraxas Malfoy (available); Alice Longbottom Nee Selwyn (unavailable); Narcissa Malfoy Nee Black (available)
Potential Guardians (As Listed in Lord/Lady Gryffindor's Wills): Sirius Orion Black AND Remus John Lupin (available); Andromeda Tonks Nee Black (available); Severus Tobias Prince, alias(es) DEATH (available); Amelia Bones (available)
Magical Guardian (ILLEGAL): Albus Percival Wolfric Brian Dumbledore (unavailable)

Harry almost said that he wanted to live with Sirius and Lupin, but then he remembered in a panic that Sirius hated his real father. (There was also a worry that, given that Sirius had accidentally called him 'James' many times, that the man only cared about him because he thought he was James' son.)

"Harry," his father asked quietly. "What is it?"

Harry handed him the test. "I want to live with Sirius and Lupin, but... he hates you." Scythe looked mildly indignant at that.

Don't think I didn't hear your worries about Black. "While Black is a petty child," his father said stiffly, rolling his eyes, "he adores you-" No matter who your father is "-and Lupin will make sure he is... well, more responsible." Harry snorted. "They will also easily be swayed against the stupid old fool."

"How?" Harry asked.

"The headmaster knew that Lord Black was innocent when he was arrested, and he did nothing," Scythe answered calmly. Harry bristled. "And, if what your father says is true, he will be infuriated at what Dumbledore has done to you."

"The Ministry still think he's guilty," Harry said, feeling a glimmer of hope. "How do we change that?"

Scythe grinned. "A simple letter."

------

Sirius Black Innocent! A Hunt for Peter Pettigrew Begins