However, for the time being he was somewhat exhausted. The transfiguration had taken a lot out of him.
He staggered inside, collapsed onto the smooth stone floor and was almost immediately asleep.
When he next awoke it was daylight again.
After a quick 'hunt' for more food, a quick cooking of it over a fire and, even though the meat tasted somewhat foul, he was able to wash it down with water. He was even still using the goblet he'd transfigured from rock that first night.
'Now, doors and windows,' he thought.
Though he'd yet to see any creature larger than the rabbit-sized lizard rat things he'd been eating, that did not mean there were no larger predators out there. He needed to be able to secure his hut in case one or more of those predators came a-calling.
Over that day he made a door for the cabin, windows for the window frames, then made a bed, bedding for it and a pillow. Then he began to make more furniture. All of it basic, but all of it serviceable.
'I don't know how long it's all going to last, but the goblet's still here,' he thought.
Because he was taking his time to make each piece, it took him all day just to get that far.
Once he knew he was now somewhat secure in his shelter/hut, he could concentrate better on his meditation and getting his Occlumency up to snuff.
As soon as the light started to fade, he transfigured a rock into a small bowl and cast a bluebell flame in it to give himself light. Then he settled down to meditate again. After all, he didn't really have anything else to do to while away the time. He hadn't even brought a single book with him.
A week after the incident in the Department of Mysteries, Dumbledore made his way to Gringotts. He took with him a copy of the Ministry's Declaration of Death for Harry James Potter, last remaining member of the Noble and Ancient House of Potter.
After getting in to see the goblin in charge of inheritances and knowing goblins were not a people to bother with the niceties of polite discourse – instead, wanting matters to get right to the point - he immediately said, "I have with me a copy of the Declaration of Death certificate for young Harry Potter." And handed it over.
The goblin, Hooknose, opened the document and then looked back at Dumbledore. "And?" "As is my right as Mister Potter's lawful magical guardian, I've come to claim his estate," said Dumbledore.
"Denied," Hooknose immediately returned.
Shocked, Dumbledore was a moment before he said, "I do not believe you understand me. I am... was... Mister Potter's lawful magical guardian. By law and, unless Mister Potter wrote a Last Will and Testament... which I know he has not... I am the sole beneficiary of his estate.
"As such I've come to―"
Hooknose cut him off and said, "Do you know what we do with thieves in Gringotts, Mister Dumbledore? We put them to work before executing them."
Again shocked, Dumbledore spluttered a moment before he said, "I'm sure I do not know what you mean. I was Mister―" "Heir Potter's magical guardian is Lord Sirius Black," snapped Hooknose. "We do not care that the Ministry appointed you, as the Ministry had no right to do that. As such, you were never Heir Potter's magical guardian.
"You may have been his legal guardian, at one time. However, you chose to abrogate your responsibilities as Heir Potter's legal guardian quite some time ago; thereby stripping yourself of legal guardian status.
"Now, if Lord Black, as Heir Potter's true magical guardian, was to find himself attending me... I would be happy to discuss matters with him. You, however, have no right to any further information regarding confidential matters relating to the Potter Account."
As Dumbledore sat there, stunned, Hooknose then said, "That will be all, Mister Dumbledore; you may leave. Should you attempt to access information or assets of the Potter accounts any further, you will be determined a thief and be... dealt with."
When Dumbledore still didn't move from his seat after a long few moments, Hooknose's expression turned into a scowl. "Leave, wizard Dumbledore; before I have you thrown out at halberd point."
Dumbledore finally rose and left. His plan to acquire the Potter account for use in the, now once again upon them, Voldemort War had failed. He couldn't even send someone in with the boy's key, as it was not found in the boy's personal effects in his trunk. That meant he had to have had it on him when he went through the Veil.
He had to get to Sirius and 'convince' him to access the Potter accounts on his behalf. However, Sirius was currently not speaking with him. He'd even shut Grimmauld Place down to access, ordering the Order of the Phoenix to 'immediately vacate the premises'. Then locked himself and Remus Lupin behind the wards.
When he'd tried to convince Sirius, via floo, to allow the Order to keep using the place as their headquarters, he found himself almost violently ejected from his own fireplace. Two minutes later his office suddenly filled with the personal effects of the members that had, at the time, been at the place.
A moment later he received, via the house elf Kreacher, a formal notice from the man stating that if he or 'any of his lackies' attempted to enter the premises he would employ the war wards of the house against them.
Dumbledore knew that would mean the very likely death of anyone who tried.
As such, he had no choice but to try and communicate with the man via mail.
His first attempt, using a Hogwarts school owl, had the owl fly around in circles before returning unable to deliver. His next attempt was by using young Harry's owl, Hedwig.
Hedwig had flown off with the letter and not returned. He suspected Sirius of keeping the owl with him. Now that Hooknose had made him aware Sirius was the rightful magical guardian of Harry, meant the owl now belonged to him; which explained why it hadn't returned.
Next he called the little house elf, Dobby; the house elf he knew had secretly bonded with the boy after the boy had freed him from his abusive previous master, Lucius Malfoy.
Dobby had taken the letter and also not returned.
His next effort was asking Nymphadora Tonks, now Auror First Class after what happened at the Department of Mysteries and on-again-off-again girlfriend of Remus Lupin, to try and act as intermediary. After being kicked out of the bank, he immediately sent her a letter via Fawkes, his phoenix companion, just to make the letter look more impressive and important by being delivered by a phoenix. He asked for her to attend him in his office that evening.
Just after dinner had wound up for the evening in the Great Hall of Hogwarts - only the staff were attending as the students had left school the previous Sunday - Dumbledore was in his office when the chime of an incoming floo call sounded.