Fate's Request: A Harry Potter FanFiction

David and the Greengrass family sat in their living room, warmed by the crackling fireplace, in silence.

They were currently waiting for Moxy, the Greengrass House Elf to return with their dessert, an assortment of various tarts and pies according to Astoria, who'd been looking forward to this all day.

"Did you tell David, everything father?" Daphne suddenly asked, breaking the awkward silence.

Nodding, he replied, "Yes, he knows everything. From Aquila to Esme, he knows it all. I'll give you her journal for you to read through before you leave David."

"Thank you, I appreciate that," David said in response.

"So… you said you live in Cross Manor. That means you also have access to your ancestral vault. Do you have it? Her notes, or journal? Did she leave anything?" Daphne asked, unable to keep her excitement that her dear sister could be cured.

No one spoke following her question, Penelope wanted to chide her for being so blunt, but she also wanted to know the answer to this question.

Cyrus' mind was whirring over the fact the Ministry most likely held the possessions of the Cross family and their families salvation and didn't register his daughter's question, letting the question hang in the air.

It was Astoria who spoke up, now the one to elbow her sister for being rude, "Really Daphne! Give him some space."

"R-right, sorry David…" Daphne said in response, slightly ashamed.

"Maybe we should wait until after the dessert Astoria is so looking forward to, shall we?" Penelope added, ending that line on the inquiry for now.

"Yes, listen to your mother children," Cyrus mumbled, not really paying attention but noticing that scolding tone immediately.

---

After eating dessert, which absolutely lived up to the hype, there was no getting around the fact that they needed to discuss the matter of the Ministry emptying his vault.

"Daphne, you asked if I had anything of Aquila's," David said, being the one to steer the conversation back onto Malediction.

"Yes..." Daphne replied with a careful nod.

"When I went to Gringotts to take my inheritance test, they confirmed I was, in fact, a member of the House of Cross. However, they informed me that the family vault and investments that had probably become quite substantial now that I think about were confiscated by the Ministry. The vault was empty…" David explained, much to the Greengrass' dismay.

"And Cross Manor?" Daphne asked, losing hope.

"According to Mel… it was empty, but… not that I'm accusing them of anything, the Goblins were the ones who repaired and re-warded my home," David explained.

"Mel is your House Elf?" Cyrus asked, joining into the conversation.

"Yes, she is, I got her from the Goblins in reparation for their failure to protect the vaults," answered David.

"A vow. A vow David," Daphne suddenly said.

"You want a vow for me that I'm telling the truth?" David asked with a lop-sided smile on his face.

"Yes, you made me give you one, assuring your safety here. I think it's only fair that you confirm whether what you're saying is true or not," Daphne demanded.

The whole room went quiet, for this was too important to leave completely in the words of someone they had just met.

"Very well, let's do this shall we?" David said as he stood up and outstretched his right hand towards Daphne, who immediately grasped his right forearm, with David doing the same.

"Father, if you would please act as the witness," Daphne requested of her father.

Nodding, he placed his wand onto the linked hands and waited for the two to finish their vow.

"Were the contents of your vault emptied by the ministry before you become aware of their existence?" Daphne asked, beginning the vow.

"As far as I know, the contents of the Cross-family vault were emptied by the Ministry of Magic long before I was born," David answered, followed by a wisp of fire that linked around their hands.

The fact that David didn't drop dead right then and there confirmed that he was being truthful about the Ministry's theft.

"Were your family home and lands searched for any sign of something being left behind by an ancestor?" Daphne asked, initiating the second vow.

"According to my House Elf, whom I trust, Cross Manor was entirely empty, and we have not found any sign of anything being left behind by an ancestor," David answered, with a wisp of fire confirming he was telling the truth once again.

Removing his wand, Cyrus let out a sigh of relief. David not dropping dead following that only strengthened their belief he was telling the truth. However, he soon said, "I think it would be best for the both of you if you end your vows to one another, if some accident befell you here David, or if something in your wording of the vow was flawed, it would be a disaster."

David immediately nodded, drew his wand with his left hand, pointed it to his right and said out loud, "I relieve Daphne Greengrass from the contents of the vow she made regarding my safety."

Daphne soon did the same and the four of them all let out small sighs in respite, not having the Unbreakable Vow hanging over their heads was a relief.

"David, could you call your House-Elf and ask her to truthfully answer what she found when she first entered your home?" Cyrus asked, believing this would only confirm their only lead would be the Ministry.

"Mel, please come," David said out loud, and was promptly greeted by Mel.

"Master, how can I help?" she asked immediately.

"Hey Mel, sorry for this, but I need you to truthfully answer a question. What did you find when you first entered Cross Manor?" David asked.

"Are you asking whether if the Manor was truly empty or not?" Mel enquired.

"Yes, that's what we would like to know," David replied.

Nodding, Mel said, "Upon entering Cross Manor for the first time, I found a debilitated Manor that was completely empty. Nothing was found in my searches of the property, and since, nothing has been found from before we moved in."

"Thank you, Mel. Were those question alright everyone?" David asked the room.

"Yes David, thank you for indulging us. We can now move onto the matter of the Ministry, which seems to be out biggest lead into finding Aquila's notes," Cyrus Greengrass answered, now taking a seat.

Dismissing Mel, David also returned to his seat and asked what was next.

"Well, we start by investigating the laws regarding just how the Ministry was allowed to steal the contents of your vault, David," Cyrus began.

Nodding, David decided to throw them a bone, "I'll make a vow with you Mr Greengrass, that if we can retrieve the contents of the Cross family vaults, and find Aquila's notes on the ritual she used to curse your family, I shall hand them over to you if you do the same regarding the seven families version of the ritual. Something I'm going to need a vow from you over, confirming its existence."

"Done," was all Cyrus said in reply.

Nodding, David continued, "What we do need to discuss is what happens if the Ministry either refuses or we do in fact retrieve everything, but there are no notes."

Slowly, Cyrus responded, "If Aquila's notes do not exist… I will hand over the notes regarding your curse David, however, if the Ministry refuses to hand over the contents, well, we're just going to have to either go to the goblins or steal it."

"Cyrus, that's a bit far, don't you think?" Penelope said in response to her husband's decision to steal from the Ministry and potentially Gringotts if that was where they kept the contents of David's vault.

Astoria joined in, not wanting anyone to get hurt over her, "Yes, Dad, I don't want anyone getting into trouble over this!"

"Honey, I will do whatever-," Cyrus started to say in response to his daughters and wife's doubts over his plans of assuring the contents of the vault.

"We're getting a little ahead of ourselves, aren't we? We can discuss this further once we determine just what laws allowed the Cross-family vaults to be emptied," Daphne added, ending the line of conversation that could result in an Azkaban worthy level of crime.

"I agree with Daphne, we should focus on the law's first. How long do you think it will take?" David asked.

"Two days, it's the holiday period, but I can move things along with the right amount of gold," Cyrus answered.

"Then I propose we meet here again once you have the answers to that question," said David to the gathered Greengrass family.

Everyone murmured in agreement and David got up to leave, as it was getting quite late and he was sure they would want to talk among themselves.

Receiving the vow from Cyrus Greengrass, and the journal of Esme Greengrass, David decided it was time to return home.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Mrs Greengrass, Mr Greengrass. See you soon I guess," David said as he called for Mel.

Following farewells from the Greengrass family, along with an Astoria that seemed to have hope in her eyes for both her and David.

---

"How did the meeting go Master?" Mel asked nervously.

"They have the details of the curse cast on the Cross-family Mel," David said as he started slipping out of his suit.

Mel gasped as David said that, for it was everything she hoped would occur from the meeting, "Can you get it from them?"

"Well, that's where it gets a little tricky. Technically, we might also have the details on the Greengrass curse, so I proposed that if we can get the contents of my family vault returned and find the notes, we would share them," David answered.

"And if the notes do not exist?" Mel asked nervously.

"Then we get can still get the notes, the details will be hashed out completely upon our second meeting, which should be in a few days," David said as he was comfortably sliding into the scalding hot bath Mel prepared.

"Oh, and Mel. If you want to do some light reading, I have the journal of Esme Greengrass sitting on my bed. Feel free," David said as he sunk further into the water.

---

It was the next day that David received a letter from Hermione, via King, who had basically become the Granger family owl as David now owned quite a few thanks to Greenie who captured and trained them herself as a hobby.

The letter was an invitation to spend the last few days of the Holidays with her back at her home. Having no reason to deny the invitation, David quickly responded with his agreement and sent King off with his reply.

"David," Mel said as she appeared out of nowhere, holding Esme's journal.

"Hey, Mel… Did you enjoy the journal? Anything you think I should read right this second?" David asked, repressing a sigh.

"Oh, it was very interesting, but no information that requires you to know immediately. I'm just here to return it," Mel answered.

Nodding, David took the journal from Mel and decided to read through it himself. Quickly becoming caught up in Esme's life.

---

Early the next day, David received an owl with his breakfast.

It was a letter from Cyrus stating that he had information regarding the law that was used to empty his vaults and invited him for lunch to discuss it and their plans for the future.

Penning a reply, David nervously awaited lunch with the Greengrass'.

---

Finishing a lovely lunch prepared by Moxy, the Greengrass' and David thanked the House Elf who promptly cleared the table and they were soon discussing business.

"Well, the law used to take the contents of your vault David wasn't to take the contents of your vault per se, but rather to take all the paperwork and deeds to the business that the Cross family had invested in," Cyrus said as he handed a David a multi parchment filled folder.

"Now that's interesting," David said as he flicked through the folder.

"Yes, it is. You'll be quite shocked to hear this David, but when the Ministry emptied your vault, the investments your family had made totalled somewhere between one hundred to one hundred and fifty million Galleons," Penelope dropped he cup of tea as Cyrus announced the amount of money the Ministry had stolen, while Daphne and Astoria's eyes bulged.

David however, had a worried look on his face, for the amount of gold would probably make things very tricky in dealing with the Ministry.

"That's going to cause some problems isn't it?" David said in response to the absurd amount of gold.

"Yes and no, it will certainly make dealing with the Ministry difficult. But it also shows that the vaults were emptied for gold rather than the other material contents within. It would seem that the secrets of our families are safe, David," Cyrus answered, giving the whole matter a positive spin.

"True… But still, if I don't go after the gold and only the physical items in the vault, the Ministry is going to become suspicious and may find out just what it is we are after," David answered, thinking which would be better.

Going after everything in the vault and protecting the potential secrets within, or going after everything but the gold, which may prove to be an easier battle but result in secrets being spilled.

"Aquila may have made her journal and notes only accessible by a Cross, David…" Daphne added.

"True, but we have no proof of that…" he replied.

Following a lengthy silence, Astoria said suddenly, "Well?! What are we going to do? Make David filthy rich and get the notes? Or just get the notes?"

This caused everyone at the table to laugh, lightening the mood and got Cyrus thinking.

"I think…we should go for the entirety of the vault and once they refuse and fight back and bem.o.a.n the damage it will cause to Magical Britain to pay out that amount of gold, we settle for a lesser amount along with the material possessions…" Cyrus offered.

David thought that this was probably the most likely method of succeeding in both protecting their secrets and attaining the notes of Aquila Cross that may or may not exist.

"I agree… now, how do we proceed?" David asked.

"Well, since you aren't of age, David, you need to nominate a sponsor, someone who has a seat on the Wizengamot," Cyrus explained.

"You could do that dad!" Astoria shouted.

David and Cyrus smiled at this and faced each other following her offering Cyrus' services.

"Well? What do you say, David? We could easily spread rumours that I'm doing this for a cut of the profits," Cyrus said, offering to be David's sponsor in the Wizengamot.

"We can't keep my involvement quiet, can we?" David asked, already knowing the answer.

"It would be leaked the moment the Wizengamot session is over David," Cyrus said with a sad smile.

Sighing loudly, which drew smiles from the Greengrass', for they understood that David would soon be thrust into the spotlight.

"I guess we're going to have to now, aren't we?" David acknowledged.

"Wait a minute, Cyrus… if you bring this forward to the Wizengamot at the right time… with the event's taking place next year…" Penelope trailed off, not wanting to reveal the secret of the Triwizard tournament just yet to her children.

Cyrus' eyes shone in understanding and decided to reveal to the children what his wife was hinting at, "Next year, at Hogwarts, an event is taking place, an event that hasn't occurred since the 13th century -."

"The Triwizard tournament, right?" David said suddenly, catching on that with the hustle and bustle of the tournament, along with the insane amount of press regarding it, it would significantly reduce the amount of interest of the press."

~ Sorry Harry, going to use you as a smokescreen…~

"Yes, the tournament… I'm surprised you know of it David, the tournament will result in reporters from all over Europe and their focus won't be on the re-emergence of a lost house and the Ministries theft of millions of Galleons, but rather the tournament, keeping David's name out of the papers, somewhat," Cyrus responded sheepishly.

"I think… this will be the best plan going forward, we may lose some political pressure from the public, but it will work in keeping the spotlight off of David," Penelope said, her motherly instinct kicking and wanting to protect David from the press, it was bad enough he lived alone for her.

"Agreed, I really don't want my name all over the papers. Let the tournament have the spotlight," David said with a grin.

Finally, there was real hope he could save Astoria and get working on his own cure, hope, that he could live out a full life without the constant fear of death around the corner. Things were looking up for David.