Riddle and the Ancient Contract

Chapter 45: ICW Party

Ragnok took a deep breath and sent one last glance into the large room they had set up for the marathon of Inheritance tests. Thirty desks were set up, a goblin sat behind each desk which was loaded with specialized parchment, potions, an athame, blank keys and a file cart in the optimistic hope of vaults being put back into play.

A stir at the front of the bank drew his attention from the room. Lord and Lady Slytherin swept into the bank with a large group of about eighty students.

"Chief Ragnok," Lord Slytherin greeted amicably. "Thank you for setting up this opportunity for our students to discover their heritage."

"The pleasure is ours, Lord Slytherin. Unclaimed vaults are, after all, unproductive vaults. I was under the impression that we would be testing all the students." He stated neutrally.

"We didn't think you would appreciate having nearly five hundred children, some quite young and active, in your bank at one time. We set up with the other professors to bring them in at staggered intervals at which time they will take the ones that have finished testing back." Lady Slytherin explained.

"Your concern is appreciated, Lady Slytherin and you are right that will most likely work best. If you will come this way, we have stations set up. Each student will get a family tree to take with them. If a vault is discovered, a key will be issued along with an inventory of its contents. If the vault owner wishes, a future appointment will be made to discuss their options as to investing."

Ragnok turned and led them into the room. The first thirty students moved to a desk and the long day of testing began.

Hermione was nervous as she moved to take a chair in front of a goblin. She held out her hand and allowed the goblin to cut it. The required five drops fell into the potion and the yellow potion turned purple. The goblin poured it onto the parchment and her name appeared followed by her parents and grandparents. The names branched out going backward for fourteen generations. If you wanted more than the fourteen generations, you had to perform a ritual that was quite costly.

Muggle names were in blue. Squibs in purple. Magicals in silver. Those that were dead were a dark color; those alive in bright shining color. If a vault was attached the number appeared in glowing gold at the bottom of the chart.

Hermione followed the spreading tree searching for purple and silver. There! Eight generations ago purple – Analise Baramoss and then her parents in silver – Rupert Baramoss and Leanne Baramoss neè Hortense. The generations before that filled in with more Baramosses, Hortenses, Abercrombies, Averys, Carmichaels and Penroses.

She had a small vault that Analise Baramoss' father had set up to care for his daughter and her descendants. Why the vault had been forgotten would probably never be known. It had a mere seventeen thousand galleons, but if she was frugal and let the goblins invest she would be able to increase it quickly.

An hour later, Professors Niara and Pringle appeared with the fourth and fifth year students. They left with the sixth and seventh years that had finished testing. Excited conversation buzzed around them as the students clasped their family trees and talked about the fact that many did indeed have magical ancestors and that they suddenly had connections within the wizarding world that had not been known before. Fifteen of the sixty-four tested had discovered vaults. Most were small with less than twenty thousand galleons in them, but a couple were quite large. They had all made appointments to return to Gringotts during the winter break with their parents to discuss what to do with their new found wealth.

It took nearly eight hours to test all the children. The goblins were nearly as happy as the students themselves. Four hundred and eighty-seven inheritance tests had re-opened one hundred twenty-six vaults. Eighty seven of those vaults had over a hundred thousand galleons as well as property attached to the inheritance. Not only did the goblins received twenty galleons per test, but the money was back in play earning them money again not to mention the fees that would be charged for managing the larger accounts and helping the vault holders to invest wisely.