Chapter 1 – Encounter with a House Elf

Author's Note: Hear ye, hear ye! The second part of the Andrew Rivers saga has arisen! Thanks for the people who have followed "Andrew Rivers and the Legend of the Stone" faithfully! Thanks to the 82 followers and 58 people who have favorited the previous chapter of the saga! I will try to do the Saturday uploading schedule like in the first book unless something happens. Enjoy and remember to read and review!

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Harry Potter nor its universe, only ownership is the Rivers family and other additional characters!

The drive back to the Rivers residence in Number 17, Magnolia Road was tense. His father, Anthony Rivers, was giving him a stern look through the rear mirror, while his mother, Janice, was looking at him in a slightly comforting manner. His little brother, Tony stayed silent since he didn't want to get in trouble.

They passed by Privet Drive and saw the Dursleys going in their house. Vernon was trudging the trunk inside while Petunia pushed Dudley inside. When Vernon noticed them, his piggy eyes were fixed at them with maliciousness. A bit farther on, they reached their house. Anthony helped Andrew take out his trunk and placed it at the foot of the bed.

"I'll see you at the living room after you finish unpacking." Anthony said, still with a stern tone.

Andrew went to unpack, the suspense of what his father would want to talk to him about… Probably about the risks he undertook while chasing Quirrell with Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville earlier that month. He started to put into his bookshelf all the books that he wouldn't use this year to open space in his trunk. He dropped his Beginner's Transfiguration book and his Standard Book of Spells Grade 2 onto his bookshelf.

Afterwards, he started sorting out his clothes. He made a mental note to ask his mother for new robes. He had been growing a bit for the past term and he was already an inch taller. Then he sat to make an inventory of his potions supplies. He had to restock some of his stuff, so he wrote them down for when he went to buy his new books for next year.

He couldn't believe that he was already a third year. He was hyped at the thought that he was a year more near to one of his goals: become a Ravenclaw prefect. He snapped out of his daydream when he remembered that his father was waiting for him at the living room.

He sprinted down the hall and carefully went down the steps and popped into the living room, where his father was standing next to the fireplace while his mother sat down with a cup of tea. Andrew cleared his throat and spoke.

"I'm here, dad. What did you want to talk to me about?"

"I wanted to talk about your whole past year, mister. From what I've heard, you've been in a lot of trouble. Care to explain?" One of his brows rose in a questioning way. Andrew had suspected as much. He sat carefully, without breaking eye contact with his imposing father, next to his mother. He was a skinny man, a bushy but slightly groomed mustache (unlike Harry's uncle's, which was a very bushy one), with slightly crooked teeth due to a fight with one of the prisoners at his Muggle work when he tried to escape, effectively breaking his mandible. His black hair was starting to grey in some patches, even when he was an about-to-turn 36 year old. Mostly the stress of being an Auror had been weighing him deeply.

"I… Um…" Andrew stammered.

"So, McGonagall got your tongue?" Anthony smirked. "Professor Flitwick sends monthly letters about his students' academical and social updates. I do congratulate you on being the first place overall in your year group." His father patted his shoulder in congratulations, while sitting next to him on the other side.

"He also tells me about your abilities in Charms that you have shown in the Charms club meetings. Professor Snape also writes from time to time and he is very proud of you." Andrew's heart swelled with pride.

"He also told me about your associations with Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, Neville Longbottom and Hermione Granger, all of them Gryffindor first years, in which you had been part of strange situations."

Andrew gulped and looked at his mother. She looked back at me with a face saying "Don't look at me; you're the one in trouble!" Janice was a plump woman, very similar to Mrs. Weasley. She had jade green eyes, medium length brown hair with a slight curl in the tips. When she was younger (and before she had Andrew), she was extremely skinny, to the point of some of her friends thinking she was sick.

"So, Andrew are you going to answer or not?" His father pressed. "Need some reminders? Troll, Mirror, Dragon, Sorcerer's Stone? Rings a bell?"

Andrew sighed in defeat.

"Yes, dad, I am friends with them. And yes, I have been in those situations that you have mentioned. The troll was trying to save Hermione from meeting certain death after Ron had called her a "know-it-all without friends". The mirror was on Harry's whim of showing us what he saw."

Andrew tensed a bit more with the next topic. "The dragon is a bit longer story. Hagrid played cards with a stranger down at the Hog's Head and he had bet the egg after making him drunk and releasing sensitive information to said stranger. The egg hatched and since it was a safety hazard to his cabin, Harry had the idea of telling Charlie, Ron's older brother to take it to the nearest dragon reserve. We had to convince Hagrid to part with him and Harry, Hermione and I worked a plan to take it to the Astronomy tower where they wanted to rendezvous with us. McGonagall had found us and that's how I got my second detention."

With a last sigh, he detailed the whole ordeal with Snape, Quirrell, You-Know-Who and the Sorcerer's Stone to both of them. After some minutes, his father sighed. Andrew grew worried by the second. His father stood up from the couch and paced towards the fireplace.

"Andrew thanks for being honest with me. I already knew about everything. Dumbledore told me everything. Sadly, since you were a bit reckless, you will be grounded for two week, doing chores and there will be no Potions reading." Andrew tried to convince his father but it didn't work. His decision was final. He didn't actually mind being grounded nor do chores, but being separated from his potions? That was unconceivable! Andrew trudged upstairs, feeling sad. He'll have to manage the whole two weeks without his Potions project. He dropped onto his bed into a dreamless sleep.

The two weeks had nearly concluded. He did his chores efficiently and without a whine or protest. He decided to write to his friends Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Joseph and Gilbert. He sent a quick note to both of his closest Ravenclaw dorm mates and then started writing letters to Ron, Neville and Hermione first since they lived the farthest. His owl Odin had been working non-stop and he worked very diligently and Andrew always awaited him with a large bowl of water and plenty of food. The first of the answers he received was from Ronald.

Thanks to Harry's kindness, Nicolas Flamel had transferred the ownership deed of the house in Devon from Harry to the Weasley clan. Since Ottery St. Catchpole was in Devon, the transfer must've been a short walk. He opened the letter with excitement.

Dear Andrew,

We've been settling into the new house for the past two weeks. The thing is HUGE! It has three floors, with three bedrooms each floor, and every room has its own bathroom! There's even a library (Hermione and you would be hyped), a Potions lab in the basement (I'll let you see when you come over) and a larger paddock where we can play Quidditch without being seen by the Muggles. Dad shrunk the shed he had next to our house back in Ottery St. Catchpole and brought it here with all his Muggle things, placing it next to the garden Mum has started. She is very glad that the house had a House-Elf with it. Tipper is helping her with the cleaning and the laundering. She doesn't let him cook yet, though.

Mum and Dad have the master bedroom in the third floor; Percy got the medium bedroom in the first floor while the twins got the largest room in the second floor. Ginny got the room next to Percy and I got the one down the corridor near Mum and Dad's. Mum left two bedrooms for Bill and Charlie on the second floor on either side of the twins' room. There's two spare bedrooms, one on the first floor and the one next to mine. We still have the Burrow under our ownership. We'll be fixing it sometime.

I've been trying to write to Harry but he hasn't answered. Could you try and check if the same happens to you?

Take care,

Ron

Andrew reread the letter twice. He was happy that Ron had settled in quite nicely. He was very worried that there was no notice from Harry. A few days later, Neville had written.

Hello Andrew,

It's me, Neville! I hope that everything is going swell so far. I've been working on the new greenhouse that Gran had surprised me with. She also bought tons and tons of plants that I think not even Professor Sprout have back at Hogwarts! Gran is very proud of me for what I can get from her attitude. She told me that you're invited to our house anytime. By the way, heard any news from Harry? I have written twice and haven't received any answer from him. Ron said that he hasn't gotten any signs from Harry either.

Hope we'll see each other soon,

Neville Longbottom

Scion of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Longbottom

Harry hasn't been answering to Neville either? He should tell his father about this. It is a very odd attitude coming from Harry. In the meanwhile, he started writing his short letter to Harry. He picked his eagle feather quill, dipped it in his favorite blue ink and started writing.

Dear Harry,

I hope that the Dursleys are treating you well. I have received letters from Ron and Neville that you are not answered their multiple letters. Is everything okay? I will ask Dad to check up on you if those Muggles are giving you troubles and swoop you here. Then we can spend some time at Ron's new house. I found some interesting stuff you should learn about politics and the Ministry.

Your friend,

Andrew Rivers

Scion to the Noble House of Rivers

He promptly folded the note, placed it inside an envelope and sealed it with his personal wax seal: a fancy looking A entwined with an R, signaling his initials. Then, he went to his father's study downstairs, where he was checking some files from his job at the DMLE.

"Dad, may I speak with you?"

Anthony rose his view from the document he was currently reading.

"Sure, kiddo. What's the problem?"

"It's that… Neville and Ron have sent letters to Harry and Harry hasn't answered. I am going to send one myself to see if something's wrong. We are getting a bit worried that the Dursleys have done something to him." His face fell while telling this.

Anthony stopped to think critically. "If something has indeed happened, I will personally bring the matter to the Muggle police force and to the DMLE. Send your letter and if in three days, there is no answer, I will go to Privet Drive to investigate and bring him here."

Andrew cheered up greatly after his father's declaration. He hugged his dad and got his hair ruffled up. He promptly ran up the staircase and when he got to his room, he heard weird sounds from inside. He suspected Tony was being the nosy brat and playing with his stuff. He decided to surprise him and apprehend him red-handed. At the instant he opened the door, a beaten up and very scraggly looking creature was standing on his desk chair, not yet noticed Andrew. It was a House Elf. The Rivers didn't have an House Elf in their house in Magnolia Road, instead they had Looper and Chives in their summer vacation house.

"OI! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" shouted Andrew like a raging madman.

The House Elf was grabbing with his bandaged fingers his letter with one hand and had a slightly big packet of letters in the other hand. Seeing that he was caught he quickly scampered from the room. Andrew chased him out shouting, making his mother and his brother pop up from their respective rooms, seeing the wacky chase scene. Andrew tried to hold the elf by the arm and Disapparated just at the end of the second floor corridor with a snap of its fingers, leaving the three Rivers with dumbfounded faces.