CHAPTER 1: FUTURE PLANS

BY VERA VIVIAN

Stereotypical Warning: I don't own Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling does.

*Female Harry, now Helen, Potter, starts after the end of the fifth year. Politics. Nobility. Nice Dudley who's three years older than Helen. Mean Petunia and Abusive Vernon.*

*Going to be slight crossover with NCIS, nothing major yet planned. Also, this story was started prior to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them so my version of the magical U.S. is different from J. K. Rowling's.*

*THIS IS A REPOSTED, NOW EDITED CHAPTER – ONLY CHANGES ARE GRAMATICAL IN NATURE*

Dudley Dursley made no indication at the discreet appearance of the girl who appeared through the wall of platform nine and three quarters and only quietly dropped the newspaper he had been reading in a nearby rubbish bin and took the handle of the cart on which her trunk and owl cage were perched.

Helen Potter, cousin through Dudley's mother's sister, offered a quiet thank you and together the two cousins exited King's Cross station.

"Uncle get you a car?" She asked quietly as they made their way through the crowd and into the lot.

"Yeah, Bentley Continental, 1960. I've been restoring it for the past year. Got me out of the house and into the garage."

Helen understood, she always found chores outside or for the neighbors to keep her as far away as her aunt and uncle as possible. They came to a stop before the car in question and Helen let out a low whistle. Even though she didn't know anything about cars she could still see the elegance in this particular car, "You did good with it, Big D, a classic right?"

Dudley shrugged, "Not as impressive as some of the earlier models but it's nice alright."

Helen could hear the boast in his words though and offered him a smile and he gave her a wry grin back. Despite all their differences and his parents obvious, well, hatred for her, Helen and Dudley were still somewhat close and got on fairly well together, not that they'd ever let Dudley's parents know that.

Dudley lifted her trunk into the boot and allowed Helen to carefully set Hedwig's covered cage on a blanket in the back after she assured him that she had cleaned the cage just this morning.

"I told Dad that I was going into town and I might as well pick you up and spare him the trouble." Dudley offered her a wink, "I also said your train didn't get in until nine tonight."

Helen turned to him wide-eyed and offered and smile, "Thanks, D."

"No problem Len-Len." He offered with the childhood nickname attached, "Thought we'd picnic in the park, you've wanted to go to the park, haven't you?" He questioned hesitantly.

She nodded repeatedly and he held off a laugh, "I love parks, D." She said seriously.

Dudley cracked a full on grin at this, sometimes he forgot that his cousin was actually three years younger than him with how serious she acted all the time, not that he blamed her. No, his parents were to blame for that particular fact.

Dudley soon had them arrived explaining, "I thought we'd go to Vicky Park, came here with Camille once, she liked it well enough."

Helen nodded. Camille had been Dudley's last girlfriend in a long strew of birds he had since he became captain of the rugby team at Smelting's. Through boxing and rugby, Dudley Dursley had lost his chubby childhood appearance and became an, albeit large, very fit and well-muscled young man. Through boarding school away from his parents' constant overbearing nature and finding a new crowd Dudley had become a less quick-tempered, more thoughtful young man. He still would rather throw a punch than talk things out, but he was much different than the cousin she had known in her early years growing up.

The drive went quickly and soon they found themselves slowly meandering through the park and finally taking a seat in the shade of an old oak where a certain white owl perched in the tree above and quietly settled down for a nap.

When Dudley spread out the food across the blanket Helen questioned in shock, "You made all this?"

Dudley ruefully shook his head, "Drake's mom did. Heard the tail end of me talking with Drake, he's covering for me by the way, I'm "breaking it off" with Camille tonight even though we ended it two weeks ago, gets me out of the house, Camille's a vegetarian, and well, Mrs. Huntington knows how mum cooks and offered to make the basket. You're not a vegetarian but you're close enough."

Helen nodded, it was true. Without eating much meat growing up in the Dursley household her stomach had not grown accustomed to it and now eating too much of it made her sick. She told people she was a vegetarian at school to because it just made the explanations easier. She easily dished out servings from the multiple containers for both her and Dudley, with much bigger portions for Dudley than herself.

Dudley took a bite before questioning, "How was school?"

Helen blinked and slowly chewed her bite before responding, trying to come up with the best way to phrase it. Well, you know that psychotic dark lord who everyone's afraid of that came back last year, yeah, that one, and you know my godfather who is an escaped convict even though he was never convicted of a crime, the one your parents are terrified of and the one who's kept uncle from laying a hand on me for two years, he was killed because I walked into the psycho's trap. Yeah. That sounded like her school year. Right.

"That good huh?" D questioned.

She blinked and looked away, "Remember Sirius Black?" She asked.

"That's your godfather, right? The one who escaped from Azca-Aska—?"

"Azkaban. Yes." She answered and focused her eyes in the distance in front of her, "He was killed. A week ago. In an attack on the Ministry."

Dudley's eyes widened and he quickly set his food aside, "Hele—"

"I'm fine. He bequeathed his estate and family seat to me. Adopted me post mortem to the Noble and Ancient House of Black."

"You were there, weren't you Len-Len? You were there? Weren't you?"

"He was right in front of me. It was his cousin, you know? Bellatrix LeStrange, his own cousin, one of His," Here her eyes flickered slightly, "Inner Circle. She was imprisoned in Azkaban after a trial for torturing one of my housemate's parents into insanity. She received a trial. And she was broken out. Of Azkaban that is."

"Len-Len, I'm sorry."

Tears filled her eyes but she refused to let them fall, "I'm an adult now. Sirius legally emancipated me. But the Headmaster," She spat, "Is forcing me to return to aunt and uncles', 'for my own safety,' I'm assured. Bloody garble about bloody blood wards that bloody well don't do anything."

Very gently Dudley set aside the food and drew her close as her tears spilled over and suddenly she was clinging to him, just sobbing, sobbing for everything. For her parents being murdered. For Sirius's stupid mistakes. For Remus being kept from her because he was a werewolf. For being left on the doormat to an aunt and uncle who hated her. For living in a cupboard. For slaving under her relatives' rule. For Quirrell and the basilisk and the dementors and the dragon. For the rat and Cedric and the graveyard and the deatheaters. For her nightmares. For her injured friends. For her godfather. For being possessed. For everything.

"I'm not taking you back there." He swore lowly to her.

She pulled herself back, scrubbing at her face and hiccupped, "What?"

"I'm not taking you back to mum and dad." He said seriously, "Without your godfather he'll kill you." He didn't need to clarify who 'he' was.

"D, you can't always protect me." She said shaking her head as she accepted the handkerchief he offered her.

"I couldn't, but now I'm nineteen and I can." He said, making eye contact with her before continuing, "I've been offered a job by the Academy. You know they work with the military and stuff right?" She nodded while dabbing distractedly at her face. "Well Rex offers classes to anyone enlisted or retired at discounted rates and the results have been so good that the military's contracted the Academy to help train recruits. With the way Afghanistan is going the States are looking to collaborate more with us and as a sign of working together the Academy's been contracted to help train up some soldiers for the U.S."

Helen looked thoughtful, "Dumbledore's instruments only monitor the blood wards. When I came of age through emancipation any tracking devices he had on me were destroyed."

"How do the blood wards work exactly?"

Helen shook her head, "I don't know but I've been looking into it. The place is protected only as long as I consider it 'home.' Since the direct shielding came from my mother's death it is my mother's blood the wards are tied to. You and I are related through my mother so as far as I am aware the blood wards should hold their protection, at least over you and our 'home.' But what I am not sure of is if they will still hold over Private Drive."

"Risk we'll have to take." Dudley grunted, looking away slightly.

"When are you scheduled to leave?"

"Two days from now."

"Tell your mum and dad I never showed. I can get a room at the Leakey Cauldron for two days and keep my head under the headmaster's radar for that long. Tom, the innkeeper, knows me and will be discreet. I can get my affairs in order. Ah, where exactly in the States will we be?"

"Just outside of Washington D.C., the capitol, in Quantico, Virginia."

She nodded, "Yes, two days will be long enough. Have your lodgings been arranged yet?"

"No, they have a hotel for me for two weeks until I can get my lodgings in order."

"Be sure and call and ask for a room with two beds. Or else I'm pretty sure I can arrange my own lodgings until we get someplace permanent."

"I'll make the call. You're staying with me." Dudley stated firmly.

Helen offered him a soft smile and began eating again and soon enough Dudley joined her. They sat and soon relaxed, enjoying the quiet of the park, of the birds twittering and the light sound of the breeze brushing the leaves of the trees and the grass on the ground. It was peaceful, the air clean and fresh with the light scent of flowers occasionally blessing their noses as they breathed in.

"Would you like to come with me?" Helen asked, breaking the silence long after they finished eating, "To Diagon Alley. I could take you with me." She suggested hesitantly.

Dudley blinked, it was honestly something he had never even considered, visiting his cousin's world but then he gave a warm look and said, "I would like that. Today would probably be best. Before I have to return to them."

Helen nodded, "You would have to wear a cloak, to blend in, and not stare, because it would make you stand out."

He nodded and began packing away their picnic and Helen soon joined him. Hedwig lighted down and landed on Helen's shoulder and Dudley watched his cousin and her familiar in bemusement. They reached the car and Helen looked around before opening her trunk and pulling out two black cloaks and with a discreet flick of her wand, enlarged one of the cloaks.

"Put it on now, they both have muggle-notice-me-not-charms on them. And this." She said handing him a ring, "Got it from the Ministry, they give it to all witch's and wizard's muggle families, allows them to see past our charms."

He nodded and donned the cloak and ring, blinking as it glowed for a moment before shrinking to fit his finger, and proceeding to get into the driver's seat and follow the directions given to him. They soon pulled and parked on a street Dudley had drove several times before. However, what he now saw he had never seen before. Instead of the old abandoned shop filled with dust in the windows and its door boarded up he now saw a pub with a great wooden sign hanging over it that identified the building as the Leaky Cauldron. He saw many cloaked figures walking among the pedestrians who seemed to unknowingly avoid where their magical counterparts strode. He slowly got out and met Helen's face with a hesitant glance.

"Pull your hood up, and you'll be fine." Helen said as he opened the trunk for her and blinked in astonishment as she tapped her trunk twice with her wand and it shrunk to the size of her palm, after which she quickly pocketed it and lightly grabbed Hedwig's cage firmly in hand before leading him towards the dingy building.

The moment the door was opened Dudley knew he was in a different world. The smoke that hazed the air, the old-fashioned clothes the patrons wore, and the unnatural figures somehow different and lurking in the shadows. He kept close behind Helen as she, with hood drawn, made her way to the barman who had immediately notice their entrance. When Helen spoke he was surprised by the low raspy woman's voice he had never heard before coming from beneath her hood and quickly realized she must've used magic to disguise her voice.

"Top of the morn' to ya' innkeeper. Wist thou habban ac bedd fore an mid ac hāt līeg in se hearth?" Her low Irish woman's voice twanged in a seemingly foreign language.

"Se līeg in se hearth of se inn eart awa beorht and hāt purh se niht fore se meðe fēðegest." He responded in the same foreign speech and despite the old man's casual appearance as he wiped down the bar with an old rag, Dudley could feel an undercurrent of tension running through the conversation and it made him uneasy.

Helen slid a single gold coin across the bar which the man quickly slid off and into an apron pocket as Helen spoke, "Ponne pās inn shall gefremman fæstnung fore mīn core ǣd in nīed of wierman fore twa nihts folgian pes."

The man nodded and silently slid a key across the bar which Helen accepted, equally silent, and both turned away, the innkeeper back to his patrons at the bar as if they had never been there and Helen with Dudley behind her to a back stairway which she was quick to climb.

Helen quickly made her way to room nine and let Dudley follow in behind her and shut the door before she let down her hood and grimaced at his instant question of, "What was that?"

"That was ancient tradition in the wizarding world you just witnessed." She replied smartly as she proceeded to set her trunk upon the floor and enlarge it to its former size, explaining, "Back in the old days when most of the world was recovering from the fall of Rome and the protection of the Empire for those who possessed magic were becoming feared and even hunted as the world turned away from the Old Ways and the things it had once accepted. Many inns came to be shelters for those who practiced the Old Ways, those who practiced magic, that is." The ease that she slipped into a teacher's voice and flow managed to surprise Dudley but she continued without break.

"The sign of such an establishment was a cauldron attached to the sign that had a noticeable crack in it so that when rain fell, the cauldron, which represented to the general populace that stew was always available on hand, would leak. The leaky cauldron represented that the inn sheltered magicals and would protect or assist them in escaping if needed. However, to further cement protection, a customary exchange began between traveler and innkeeper to prove that both were magical which became known as 'The Innkeeper's Promise.' It was often spoke in Old English and was scripted with certain words. The traveler was to always address the innkeeper in a friendly and open manner before involving a phrase asking for a 'bed' or 'room with a hot flame in the hearth.' The innkeeper was to respond that 'the flames in the hearth of the inn are always bright and warm for the traveler.' The traveler was supposed to than accept the offer and suggest that the inn will in some way 'warm' their 'core.' The keywords in this being flames in the hearth, the hearths of the inn always bright and hot, and that the inn would warm the core of the traveler. The flames often refer to magic and the hearth to safety, as well as the core referring to the traveler's own magical core."

Dudley looked wide eyed, "What exactly did you say to him?"

Helen paused before scripting, "'Being you having a bed for one with a hot flame in the hearth?' He responded with, 'The flames in the hearth of the inn are always bright and hot throughout the night for the weary traveler.' And I traditionally responded with, 'Than this inn should provide shelter for my core is in need of warming for two nights following this.'" Helen than laughed at the flummoxed look on Dudley's face. "Today it means he will keep my identity and comings and goings secret. Tom knows it's me but is able to truthfully say he doesn't know it is me because of my hood and accent. Plus, there is the fact that today the Innkeeper's Promise is considered a magically binding oath, and no one can force him to speak once it has been uttered."

Dudley shook his head, it was far too much to think on, and so he decided to simply accept it for now and come back to it later.

"Let's go to Gringott's, the wizarding bank," Helen suggested, "The tellers and those who guard it are goblins, to warn you."

Dudley nodded and both donned their hoods and exited out of the room and back into the smoke clogged general room of the inn. Helen was quick to lead him through and out a back door which Dudley was surprised to step out into a small, open-air, brick courtyard with a few rubbish bins sitting next to the door. Helen crossed it and with a couple taps of her wand to the brick wall Dudley was amazed to see the bricks seemingly melt away and give way to a bustling street full of shops.

"Welcome to Diagon Alley." Helen said and linking her arm through his, began to make her way through the crowd.

For all its grandness, Dudley could feel the underlying current of tension? Fear? A newspaper stand, holding the newspapers with moving pictures Dudley had caught sight of in Helen's room before, held the enlarged title of, 'Giant Attacks in Cantburry, Hundreds Dead.' Everyone strode past, heads and eyes down, everyone intent on their own business. There was a certain stillness in the air despite the bustle of those around him and he hurried as he felt Helen's grip on his arm becoming tighter.

They appeared quickly at a grand tall marble building at the end of the Alley and Helen hurried them into it. They passed through a set of large bronze doors, guarded by two small creatures garbed in armor and with clawed hands resting on sword handles and passed through an entry way to another set of guarded silver doors before which Helen paused for a moment and Dudley was quick to scan the engraving on the door before him which read,

Enter, stranger, but take heed,

Of what awaits the sin of greed,

For those who take, but do not earn,

Must pay most dearly in their turn,

So if you seek beneath our floors,

A treasure that was never yours,

Thief, you have been warned,

Beware of finding more that treasure there.

Dudley didn't know if it was just him but the message seemed rather morbid for a bank.

"Gringott's is one of the safest places in the wizarding world. There's a reason there has been so many Goblin Wars throughout wizarding history." Helen murmured to him, before nodding her thanks to the goblins in burgundy uniform that opened the doors before them.

They entered into a grand lobby with a high ceiling and high counters on either side behind which goblins sat, some tending to customers, others weighing gold, examining large jewels, or reviewing records. Helen strode to an open teller and waited for a good minute until he turned his attention to her. She silently placed her right hand onto the counter and it was only now that Dudley noticed the two large rings which graced it, both seemingly emblazoned with coats of arms.

The teller examined the hand of the cloaked figure before him and nodded, "Follow me, my lady." The creature croaked and motioned for another to open the gate at the end of the counter and allow the two customers through.

Dudley soon found himself and Helen striding through a series of marble corridors lit by torches placed in appropriate distance from each other until they finally reached a door in front of which two armed goblins stood guard. The goblin barked something in a harsh language and both stood to attention and stepped aside and the goblin who had led them there paused before stepping forward and banging heavily on the door once, twice, three times.

The door was then opened and the goblin bowed to Helen who nodded and slipped her hood off, sending a glance Dudley's way and with a moment's hesitation, he did the same. They then entered into what seemed to be a grand office with a high desk with a couple of chairs resting before it. Risen from the desk was a fierce looking goblin who eyed the two of them with calculating eyes before barking a laugh and greeted in a voice that boomed, "Lady Potter-Black, what a surprise!"

Helen offered the creature a smile and nod, "Lord Ragnok."

"And a guest!"

"My cousin, Dudley Dursley, Son of the Mundane House of Dursley."

"Of course, of course, a pleasure!" The goblin offered, "Take a seat." He said as he took his own behind the desk, "Can I get you anything to drink?"

"No, no," Helen responded, "We're fine. It's a matter of business that I am here today, my lord."

The booming goblin immediately turned serious, "Of course, my lady, how may the Clan of Gringotts be of assistance?"

"The headmaster has become much too involved in the state of my houses' affairs over the years, and recently has gone so far as to demand where I will live, even though I am of the legal majority."

The goblin lord nodded seriously, "Gringotts is still going over the massive negligence in regards to your accounts, my lady, and will see justice wrought for all wrongs done you."

"Of course, my lord, I trust you in that. However, it has become apparent that, as of now, the motherland is both filled with ill-will for me and will not prepare me as I need to succeed in this war. The motherland will always be my home…" She trailed off thinking, and both Dudley and the goblin lord waited for her to pick up her train of thought, "…But, it is time for me to venture out of her borders. For both my protection and the protection of those around me. I have built up allies through those I met during my fourth year in the Triwizard Tournament. The headmaster's grip is too tight on Britain and Hogwarts and I mustn't return until that grip is broken. The only way to break his grip is to break myself away from him. I will not return to Hogwarts. I have been in contact with Heir Krum since my fourth year, and because of Karkaroff's fall from grace and cowardly abandonment of his students, the Drumstrang Institute has been reexamined by the Bulgarian Ministry. This has seen to the school being provided with a much more stable staff. I have a meeting scheduled with the new headmaster, Blackthorn, in two weeks' time but my admittance has been guaranteed by the Bulgarian Minister himself."

The goblin lord nodded and held his silence for a moment, looking thoughtful, before stating slowly and with determination, "For the trials you have faced, and those yet to come, I, as Chief of the Clan of Gringotts, offer you the support of the Goblin Nation and the status of Goblin Friend, the first to receive such since His High Lordship, Merlin of Emrys."

Dudley watched his cousin inhale a sharp breath.

Helen rose from her chair and in a seemingly archaic fashion, crossed her arms across her chest and bowed to the waist, "You honor me, Lord Ragnok."

Lord Ragnok rose from his seat and came around the desk and reaching out to the taller human girl, raised her, before facing her directly and crossing his arms in front of him and preforming the same bow in respect to her, "Let it be heralded to the Goblin Kingdoms of Gaia, that on this day and on this hour, the Lady Helen Jaimelynne Amaryllis Atria, Head of the Noble and Ancient Houses of Potter and Black, be declared a Friend of the Goblin Nation, by myself, Chieftain Ragnok Grimskull, Head of the Clan of Gringotts, by my body, bones, blood, and magic, so mote it be."

A pulsing energy filled the room as Helen's back gave a small arch, pushing her towards the Lord Ragnok and with her strained words of, "With my acceptance, by my body, bones, blood, and magic, so mote it be." A great light intertwined the two as both fell to their knees facing each other and right forearms locked firmly together, a great swirling pattern surrounded the clenched forearms and it was at the guards from the door striking of swords against the floor, drawing sparks, and growls of, "So mote it be." That the magic flashed a final light before falling and fading to sparks and faint wisps with a new ring settled upon the middle finger of her right hand with the seal of Goblin Friend upon it.

It took both a moment to catch their breaths and Dudley rose and assisted Helen back to her chair as one of the guards who had been hesitating until seeing his lord's nod, did the same for him. Once both were seated there was a pause in the affairs before the goblin lord made the first move carefully.

His knurled featured etched deeper lines in his face as he frowned thoughtfully, "Perhaps it is time Clan Gringotts reconsiders its placement in Britain. The treatment has been abominable in recent years. The last Goblin Liaison from the Ministry was pathetic, judgmental at best, racist at heart."

Helen's eyes hardened and Dudley realized that deep politics were at play here and if he wasn't before, he was now completely out of his ballpark.

"My lord," Helen addressed seriously, leaning forward towards the desk in a way that seemed to restore the previous relative normality of the conversation, "You must carefully consider such things with the upmost seriousness. The situation is grave, yes, but does it warrant such actions? Where would you establish yourselves? Your client base? Yes, action must be taken, but my lord, please reconsider. Keep your advantage of fiefdom. Remind the wizarding world of what they have forgotten. Shut down the bank until concessions are made if you have to. But my lord, I beg of you to rescind such thoughts."

The goblin lord frowned even deeper and for a moment Dudley feared that the creature had been offended but then Lord Ragnok let off a booming laugh and it was Helen who took on an offended look.

"Forgive me, Lady Helen," The goblin lord chuckled still, "Your wisdom is great and Ravenclaw could have done such with you. It is such wisdom from 'the mouth of the babe,' I believe the phrase is, that causes my jest. Such wisdom, Lady Helen, such seriousness. You are most astoundingly far above those far older than you, it is to be assured."

Helen shifted back, straightening slightly at the high praise, and dare Dudley thing it, vainly appreciating the words of the goblin lord. "It is of no matter my lord," She dismissed easily, waving her hand lightly as if to dissipate the words.

"I assume a visit to your vault would not be amiss before your travels, Lady," The goblin suggested easily, baring his jagged teeth in a terrifying grin, "I only wish to have a slight break for the thought evoked from your high words."

Helen looked concerned but nodded, "It is something I was intending to do, my Lord, only…" She glanced at Dudley.

"Ah yes, the mundane cousin, he may remain, I am sure he will provide not so much near distraction as your lovely self." The heavy flattery did not go amiss by Dudley, but a concerned Helen glanced his way and he offered her a small smile.

"Okay, I should not take too long, after all, I sorted a major portion of the Potter vault after the will reading, it is the Black vault I should go through." She frowned again, concerned with the amount of time and glanced at Dudley again.

"Take your time, Lady, I will keep Master Dursley occupied and provide him with assistance out of the Alley if he should find his time drawing short." The goblin lord stated decisively.

She nodded, "Much thanks, my lord, we will of course speak later on such matters of mine accounts."

"Of course, fair lady, of course, Griphook will assist you." He nodded to a younger looking goblin who had appeared out of a small door in the seemingly seamless wall behind his desk whom Helen offered a bright smile.

She gently clasped as Dudley's hand as if to reassure herself as much as him, before rising, offering the goblin lord a small curtsy and following Griphook out.

As soon as she was gone Dudley was eying the goblin lord critically, "My cousin is not stupid," He warned off.

The creature eyed him with a blank look, "Of course not," He growled, baring his fanged mouth, "She is extremely clever for a human but like all humans, enjoys flattery."

"Helen is not vain."

The goblin's brow raised, "Perhaps not, but nothing I said was untrue. I state such things for not only her benefit, but mine. Tell me, Master Dursley, if my ally is pleased what do I get out of it?"

Dudley paused to actually think, something he had been learning to do in his recent years of schooling. There had to be a reason that the goblin made his actions. After all, the goblin despite his appearance did not appear to be stupid by any means. "…If your flattery is true compliments and pleasing to your ally, you have a much more cooperative and happy relationship with your ally, meaning your ally is more willing to assist you and come to your aid should you need it."

"Well-reasoned, Master Dursley," The goblin lord replied, baring his fangs as he did so, "So tell me this, is my flattery false?"

Dudley thought back to all the goblin had said about his cousin. The only actual compliments offered were on her wisdom and her age beyond her years. Both of which were true. "No." He decided, "You spoke only truth about my cousin."

"Of course I did, it is beneath all magical creatures to lie." The goblin replied, "We may be brutal with our truth and misleading with our negotiations, but you will never catch a goblin or any other magical creature in a lie."

Dudley looked pensive and shook his head as if to clear his thoughts, "I should prepare for my cousin's and I's journey. Might you have, ah, parchment and a writing instrument for me to leave a note for my cousin?" He asked the goblin lord politely.

The goblin merely opened a drawer and pushed a small scrap piece of parchment as well as an ink-well and quill across the desk easily.

Dudley struggled with the quill but found his message after he wrote it to be legible.

Helen,

I've left as I believe it will take you some time to sort out your vault. Do not feel sorry about it, you and I both know that it is needed. I am going to leave and take care of things for our departure. I already am arranged to fly out first-class with the Academy, Rex called in a favor, I'll arrange for you to fly out first-class with me. Don't worry, the Academy will cover it. I'll arrange our hotel reservations for over there as well. We can wait till we get there and you can help me locate our permanent lodgings. Be ready to leave in two days. I'll meet you on my side of the Leakey Cauldron at 7 a.m. Send me your owl if you need to.

Your Cousin,

Dudley

After waving the note through the air and waiting for the ink to dry he folded it in half and sat it upon the goblin's desk, "Thank you for allowing me here, and for your help to my cousin, if you would see to it that she receives this?" He asked.

"Of course, Master Dursley, Bonetooth will guide you out of Gringotts and out of the Alley." The goblin lord said, nodding to an aid who had appeared from the secret door as if silently summoned.

Dudley stood and offered the goblin lord a nod before following the other goblin out.