Narrator's POV

Back in the present, June, July, and most of August came and went at the Orphanage when the Second Year letters arrived for Tom and Harry.

"SECOND-YEAR STUDENTS WILL REQUIRE:

• 'The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2' by Miranda Goshawk
• Second Year Potions Kit
•New robes (if needed)

Albus Dumbledore,

Deputy Headmaster."

***

Making their way into Diagon Alley through the Leaky Cauldron entrance, Harry and Tom made their way into Gringotts.

They were quickly found by Silverchain, their surprisingly-shared accounts manager.

"Lord Potter, Lord Slytherin," Silverchain greeted, "How can I be of service today?"

"We just need to refill our coin pouches." Harry answered

"I assume you both have your Vault Keys?" Silverchain asked

"We do." Harry replied

"Then follow me." Silverchain smiled, leading them into the Vault Railway

First stopping at the Slytherin Vault, 225, Tom grabbed plenty of pocket change, as did Harry in the Potter Vault, 687.

"Is there anything else you needed?" Silverchain asked

"I would like to see the Gaunt Vault, please." Tom answered

"Okay, but there isn't much to see." Silverchain sighed, setting the cart up to go to Vault 546

The cart went backwards to Vault 546, and it was a large Vault, one worthy of one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, but once Silverchain opened it, the large room was completely empty —save the small pile of coins in the center.

"This is pathetic." Tom sneered

"I tried to tell you, Lord Slytherin, but your grandfather and several generations before him has been spending money and the last of the vault's money and artifacts were sold to repay a debt."

"A debt to who?" Tom asked, curious and infuriated

"The Prewett Family." Silverchain replied

"Why did Marvolo owe this debt?" Tom asked

"He bribed Lord Prewett to convince the Ministry to release him and your uncle, Morfin, from Azkaban early." Silverchain replied

"Why were they in Azkaban?" Tom asked

"Attacking Muggles." Silverchain replied

"And who is Lord Prewett?" Tom asked, connecting some dots in his mind

"The head of the Aurors Department." Silverchain replied, smirking

Harry looked into Silverchain's eyes, "Goblins are bound to secrecy for the families the manage, correct?"

"Anything you do not want told will be kept secret." Silverchain informed

"Ignatius and Randolph Prewett are in our year —Hufflepuffs." Harry hissed to Tom

The fact that Harry was a Parseltongue surprised Silverchain, but he made no comment.

After all, Parselmouths outside the Slytherin line was rare, but not unheard of.

"True, we could...convince them to...side with us." Tom continued

"Technically, we don't have a side or any goals." Harry reminded

"Yet." Tom chuckled

"Do our Lordships own any properties, Silverchain?" Harry asked the Goblin

"Yes, I have the papers in my office, please follow me." Silverchain replied, setting the rail cart to go back to the lobby and then they walked to his office

Once in the office, Silverchain opened several files and pulled out several papers.

Harry read his:

"I bloody own Hogwarts." Harry muttered, shocked

"Only a fourth of it, but yes." Silverchain reminded

"So do I." Tom muttered

"I have three mansions, two cottages, a beach house, and an armory." Harry said, "What about you, Tom?"

"One mansion, one cottage, and a bloody shack." Tom muttered, a little upset that Harry had more than him while simultaneously cursing his grandfather

"It's okay, Tom." Harry soothed, taking Tom's hand

Silverchain was slightly surprised at the affection gesture, but should have saw it coming, so he muttered, "Sixteen."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked

"The youngest the Ministry will accept Bonding is sixteen." Silverchain explained

"Bonding?" Tom asked, not knowing what it was

"It's kind of like a wedding, but the two participants —on top of getting married— share their souls with each other. It was nearly outlawed a couple decades ago since having a traditional Muggle wedding was and still are trending, since Muggle-Acceptance was growing, but the pureblood families rioted." Silverchain answered

"What do you mean by sharing a soul?" Harry asked

"You get a sense of each other's feeling and whereabouts. And the strongest couples have been known to be able to speak to each other telepathically." Silverchain answered

"And what is the Wizarding World's view of homosexuality?" Tom asked

"That is a difficult answer, Lord Slytherin." Silverchain frowned

"How so?" Tom asked

"By the purebloods and Wizarding-Raised Half-Bloods its mostly accepted, but with the Muggle-Borns and Muggle-Raised Half-Bloods it's mostly frowned upon." Silverchain explained, "Before Muggles and Muggle-Borns were widely accepted, our world allowed any kind of relationship as long as the blood remained pure or just for love. In any cases of homosexuality, male-pregnancy potions and female-impregantion potions were used to carry on the family lines, but they were outlawed by Ex-Minister Hector Fawley and Minister Leonard Spencer-Moon shows no signs of removing that law."

With that unfortunate news, they left the bank and went shopping for their supplies.

After shopping and eating lunch at the Leaky Cauldron, they returned to the orphanage, upset in knowing that they owned mansions but had to live here until age seventeen...