It's All Just Temporary with a Bit of Necromancy

Chapter 8: Replaceable?

Replaceable?

Tobi had apparated them to what Harry guessed was the main entrance and Harry glanced around the tall-ceilinged room. It was dark wood and green, a common theme for the house he was noticing. "Master is being requesting you see him as soon as you be returning," Tobi informed him.

"Right, can you take me to him?" Harry asked kindly to the little elf.

"Yes, Master Death Master."

And so the winding hall maze ensued once more. It really was ridiculous how confusing this place was. Why did there have to be so many halls and rooms there was only one person living in it! Well...two now...

Finally, Tobi stopped in front of an impressively solid-looking door with a silver handle. "This is being Masters study. Master is being having a lock on it in Masters language though."

"Right, thank you, Tobi." Tobi bowed and disappeared again. Alone, Harry frowned at the door. Apparently, the man wanted to talk to him but then hid away behind a door that only he could open? That didn't sound right. And knowing Voldemort the door would curse him or something if he tried to just open it. Would he get cursed if he just knocked? Harry wasn't keen to risk it. Should he shout? Wait...Masters language...Harry knew that Marvolo was an intelligent man and so it stood to reason that he knew multiple languages, but who was to say that others wouldn't also know that language? No, there was only one language that Harry was certain only Marvolo would think to use as he was the only one known to speak it. Well only him and Harry.

Staring at the silver handle Harry realized that it was textured like snakeskin. Trying to visualize a snake in his mind Harry stared intently at the handle. " Open ." He tried and heard a click. Harry could have almost laughed at the simplicity of it. Cautiously, Harry reached out to grab the handle and twisted it. Nothing happened and so Harry continued into the study.

"Did you not consider knocking as an appropriate request for entry?" The smooth voice questioned him as soon as he finished shutting the study door behind him. Harry turned back to see Marvolo sitting behind a desk filled with papers, it all looked incredibly mundane. There was a sofa off to the side with a simple coffee table in front of it and there were bookshelves lining the walls except for a large window that spread across the wall directly to the left of Harry and opposite the side that the couch and coffee table sat. The window gave a view of some beautiful gardens.

"Wasn't sure if I'd get cursed for touching the door or not," Harry shrugged, inviting himself to take a seat on the couch, placing the trunk at his side delicately but not letting go of the handle.

"So you thought just breaking through the wards would be the better alternative?"

"Not my fault you chose such a simple password," Harry smirked.

"So it seems. That will be remedied, of course, this is my private study and I will not have you barging in at your leisure."

"No worries about that. I was told you requested to see me which is why I'm here, otherwise I'd be in my room or the library."

Red eyes flicked once again to the trunk and Harry tightened his grip on the handle reflexively. "I take it your venture to Gringotts was successful?"

"Yes, more than I'd expected," Harry mused before raising his right hand and showing the three ornate Lordship rings decorating his fingers. He was rather surprised that they didn't feel heavy or weigh his hand down, despite the warmth the metal gave off Harry could almost forget he was wearing them.

"You claimed your Lordship...three of them," Marvolo murmured, eyes widening slightly. "I wasn't aware you had claims to more than one." The man's eyes were distant and his tone hard, Harry guessed that some of the man's spies were going to be in pain later.