Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any other ideas that I use in this story that are not my own. I only own Eric and The Knights Curios.

This is a joint project with The Jester of Fools.

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Chapter One

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The camera fades in over a town that is still dark; it has many houses that, to most would seem normal, and those who really looked, one of the homes was not so normal after all…

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The light of morning shines on this seemingly normal town and follows a quite ordinary postman. The man had more post than he would usually carry, and for a good reason he is carrying a flyer for a certain wandering shop.

There are many theories behind the existence of the wandering shops. Some believe they are merchants from an ancient empire, allowed to cross the barriers of dimensions by their gods. Others think they are the creation of a benevolent fate. And some believe that they are merely a useful plot device.

Three guesses which one it is...

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Harry Potter, known to many as the Boy-Who-Lived, was a nine year old boy living in the cupboard under the stairs at his aunt and uncle's house. Many would think this a strange, if not outright deplorable, fact, but not many knew of the boy himself. He had been called a freak and a disgrace ever since he had been brought into the house, barely given enough to survive. He never really understood the names and what they meant, but being only nine years old we can forgive him.

All he knew was that his aunt and uncle had hated his mum and that was all he needed to know.

Harry had woken up far earlier than he normally did, a powerful feeling in his gut told him that something...unique, wonderful, fantastic, would happen today. He tried to make the feeling go away as the last time it happened he ended up on the school roof and was subsequently beaten for his freakiness by his aunt and uncle. A pounding at his door shook him from his thoughts, as well as knocking spiders from their webs, "Wake up, you miserable cretin!"

After he had finished making breakfast he set it on the table and started to make his own piece of toast, the only thing the Dursley's allow him to eat in the morning, aside from whatever leftovers there were, not that there was ever any.

He had just finished setting out his uncle Vernon's coffee when his aunt Petunia called for him. "Go get the Post boy" she called.

He replied as politely as he could, even though in his mind he was strangling her "Yes aunt Petunia." As he walked out he wondered what the feeling of anticipation was. He walked out to the edge of the property and said hello to the postman as he passed, taking the post from him, something he had done for a year now ever since the Dursley's had felt they could put him with their Post.

He glanced through it as he walked and in it he saw something that shot cords of energy though him but for what reasons he could scarcely imagine. It was a flyer for a new pawn shop opening by the library.

Something that the Dursley's always went to when one opened though that was less often then it sounded. He looked at the date it opened and it said it opened in two days, scarcely enough time for him to gather the money he had saved by doing odd jobs around town.

Harry then proceeded to bring the post to his uncle and the instant Vernon Dursley looked at the flyer he said almost in a trance, "We are going to this new shop in two days boy so get ready."

"Yes uncle Vernon" Harry replied walking out to do his chores outside.

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Outside, Harry paced the garden wondering about what was going on inside the cool... air-conditioned... Harry shook his head, a cascade of sweat flinging itself from his drenched bangs with the motion. Perhaps it was better for him to be out in the muggy Surrey summer; he wouldn't have to put up with the beached whales inside.

Harry sat on his knees as he started to push away the dirt around the base of the weeds he had to pull. The flyer that came earlier was firmly planted
within the back of his mind, nagging and clawing at his conscious mind like a trapped animal. He couldn't place what felt so unusual about the paper; it wasn't the paper itself, but his uncle's reaction was... strange.

Usually he would wait until opening day to announce their departure and leave him at Mrs. Figg's. To just say that they were all going was very unusual. Vernon seemed to be in a trance... but that could just be cataracts forming from his unhealthy lifestyle. He continued to work in the garden for another hour before jogging off to his job.

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35 minutes later

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Harry slowed to a stop in front of a brick storefront, panting and gasping from his run. Harry had been trying to increase his endurance for the past several months; with Harry hunting season right around the corner he had to get back into shape.

He looked up at the store in front of him; beautifully cut crystals hung from clear wires, seemingly suspended in midair, elaborate swords and shields accented the stores unusual quality. Above the window hung an old-fashioned sign with the carved letters "The Knights Curios".

He had been working here ever since the shops opening two years ago when the Dursley's visited as they do all new shops. Lucky for him Mrs. Figg had come down with the flu so the Dursley's were forced to take him.

He had immediately befriended the shop owner, Eric Goldman after lingering near a section of thick, leather-bound tomes. Wrenching a bit of Harry's situation from the tight-lipped boy Eric offered the young boy a job. Harry accepted and had been making the three mile journey ever since.

Harry pushed open the glass and iron barred door, welcomed by the scent of aged paper, oil, and polish. He called out into the small store. "Hey boss!"

From behind a precariously stacked load of books, a tall, slight man emerged from around the pile. Eric Goldman had always been skinny, to the point of looking malnourished, in fact, but it never seemed to bother him. Dressed in a white t-shirt and black pants, his two favorite colors coincidentally, he resembled a humanized spider more than an actual human. His hair and eye's further cemented that fact, the former being a bright aquamarine, and the latter being a deep amber.

"Yes? Ah, hello lad, back again so soon?"

"Yes boss, came by to see if there anything that needed doing."

Eric stared at the young boy for a moment, "What have I told you about calling me boss?"

"Don't call you boss call you Eric. I know, I know. Old habits and all that rot."

"Well there's nothing that really needs doing, but I do have something for you." Eric fished in his pockets for something before pulling out a slightly crumpled envelope. "There you go kid you've earned it."

Harry took the envelope and immediately looked inside. His eyes bugged out for a second before he pushed the envelope back to the shop keep. "This is far to much even with my overtime!"

"No it really isn't. Remember that box of crystals that would have shattered had it not been for you? That's where the extra came from."

"But this could go to bettering the shop or-"

"Harry Potter. You will take this money and you will enjoy yourself. That is an order, do you understand?" A bit of Eric's military background shone through at that moment, his eyes sharpening to the point of pinpricks.

"Yes sir, thank you sir." Harry felt compelled to say this, though he wasn't sure why.

Eric softened and nodded. "Good, now what are you going do with all that cash?"

"Well the Dursley's are taking me to that new shop opening near the library, I was hoping they would have something worth buying."

Eric looked to the side, his eyes unfocused. "Hmm… I wonder."

"What's up Eric?" Harry asked curiosity shinning in his eyes.

"Harry, what's the name of this new shop" Eric turned towards Harry, his face set in a serious mask.

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Just to give a little bit away to everyone about my characters;

Eric Goldman

Age: Appears to be 25

Job: Owner of 'The Knights Curios'

Hair: Untamed bright Aquamarine colored hair with Azure tips.

Eyes: Amber

Clothing Style: Usually black and white clothing but occasionally he wears a different color.

Body Type: skinny build; looks much weaker than he actually is.

History (thus far): He has spent most of his life fighting some war that he was in, two years before when he was sick and tired of fighting he decided to take all of his time and put into something different and from that choice 'The Knights Curios' was born.

A couple of days after he opened up the shop the Dursley's came and brought Harry (who could not be left with Mrs. Figg at the time because she had come down with the flu) in so they could see what the shop was like and who went to it, when Harry and Eric met he could barely believe that this skinny boy was related to those people who brought him in. After he had got some of the details from the small boy he offered him a job and Harry has worked there ever since.