The Next Morning
"Harry! Breakfast is ready!"
Harry awoke to an unfamiliar woman shouting. It definitely didn't sound like his aunt Petunia. He reached over to a nightstand and put on his glasses, he saw that he was sleeping in a big double bed that definitely wasn't his. As he got up to go downstairs, the events of the day before came flooding back to him.
"Good morning Harry! Sleep well?" asked Amelia. She was cooking eggs and bacon for a redheaded girl sitting at the table.
"Yes Ms... I mean Amelia." Said Harry hesitantly, "Would you like some help?"
"No, no, no Harry. Sit down and make friends with my niece Susan, you two will be living together and be going to Hogwarts together."
"Hi Harry, I'm Susan, obviously." Said the redheaded girl at the table, "I'm eleven so we'll be going to school together! I hope I'm in Hufflepuff like my parents were."
"Hey Susan," said Harry politely. "Sorry, but, what's a hufflepuff?"
"Not a Hufflepuff, Harry. Hufflepuff is a house in Hogwarts. There are four houses. Hufflepuff, Slytherin, Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. Each house has stereotypes. Like, everyone thinks all Slytherins are evil, not all of them are though. A lot of them are Aurors or Unspeakables. Aurors are like MI5 of the wizarding world. Unspeakables do magical research."
"Voldemort was a Slytherin. He killed my parents." Said Harry. "I don't want to be a Slytherin then." Susan and Amelia both visually jumped at the use of Voldemort's name. "Why did you jump? A name is only a name."
"We know that Harry but He caused so much pain in the wizarding world." Said Susan. "A lot of people think he's not really dead. But that's only because Dumbledore thinks it."
"You should try not to mention Him around other people. Magical or not." Said Amelia.
"I might not agree with it but okay."
"Good. Now eat up! We've got to go to Diagon Alley today."
Harry didn't know what 'Diagon Alley' was but decide not to ask so he didn't look too stupid.
"Do we have to apparate? I hate apparating." Said Harry.
"No Harry, we'll be flooing there. Don't worry, it's just as bad."
Amelia and Susan laughed at Harry's groan and finished their breakfast.
"Now Harry" said Amelia. "To floo, you step into the fireplace and say where you want to go. Susan will go first, then you, then me. Okay?" Susan stepped into the fire place and picked up some of the strange green powder.
"Diagon Alley!" She shouted as she threw the powder to the floor. She vanished in a big green flame. Harry let out an involuntary gasp when he saw the flames.
"It's okay Harry, the flames don't hurt."
Harry stepped in with a handful of powder. He panicked and just threw down the powder without saying anything. Bright purple flames engulfed his vision and then everything went black.
When Harry woke up, there was a girl with turquoise hair standing over muttering things about stupid kids. She caught a glimpse of Harry's forehead and her eyes went wide.
"Blimey, you're Harry Potter." said the girl.
"So?" replied Harry, still groggy from being unconscious. The sudden word from Harry made the girl jump.
"Wotcher Harry! Names Tonks! Fifth year Hufflepuff prefect, don't know why, not exactly well behaved." said the girl. "What're you doing here?"
"Erm, I'm not really sure how I got here, Tonks. Where is 'here' anyway?" asked Harry, he had just realised that he had woken up in a strangers house and started a conversation with her.
"Must've been trouble with the floo. First time? Don't worry, happens to everyone. Not really. Anyway! Welcome to Chez Tonks!" said Tonks. "Headed to Diagon Alley? Lemme fire call my Mum and get ready and I can bring you." She then threw some of the green powder into the fire and stuck her head in. She shouted a name that Harry couldn't quite make out and soon she was talking back and forth with another female voice.
"Okay Harry! Let me just get ready and we'll go. I'm not very good with the floo, bit of a klutz so we better take the Knight Bus." Tonks walked over to the mirror and started changing the colour of her hair until she settled on a bright purple.
"Tonks. Your hair?"
"Do you not like it?"
"No, it's just that it changed colour."
"Oh yeah, I'm a metamorphagus, we can change features on our body whenever we want. Pretty rare."
"Could I learn?"
"Betcha you'd like to hide that scar eh? No it's not learned, you're just born with it. You might be one. I found out when I got gum in my hair and my hair disappeared then grew back. Anything like that happen to you?"
"When I was younger, my aunt cut my hair because it was too messy. I woke up the next morning and it had grown back."
"Sounds like you could be one." said Tonks. "We could check when we get to Hogwarts I guess." On the edge of the street she took out her wand and pointed it out onto the street. A couple of minutes later a big purple bus pulled up on the edge of the road.
"Good morning and welcome to the Knight Bus. Helping young witches and wizards in trouble since... a long time ago. Where to?" said the lanky bus conductor.
"Diagon Alley, please." replied Tonks. Harry began to wonder when the Knight bus actually started helping people. Evidently, the bus conductor wouldn't be able to tell him.
"That'll be fourteen sickles and 3 knuts, Ms." Harry watched as Tonks handed over fourteen silver coins and three bronze ones.
"I'll pay you back. It's just that I have no money right now, Tonks."
"It's okay Harry. My treat." The rest of the bus ride was done in complete silence.
The bus stopped outside what seemed to be a run down, old pub. Harry didn't want to go inside, it looked like the type of pace you would get mugged, but Tonks strode right through to the back alley. When there she tapped three bricks that were on the wall. The bricks all rearranged themselves until there was a passage way big enough for one.
"Whoa." Harry could see all the people milling around a street that, he was sure, wasn't there before.
"I know Harry, it's a pretty sight the first time. Anyway, let's get you back to... who do you need to get back to?" asked Tonks.
"Amelia Bones."
"Really? Her and my mum are great friends. Knew each other in Hogwarts, both Ravenclaws. We should go look in Flourish and Blotts."
"Harry!" came a voice behind them. "We couldn't find you anywhere? Where did you end up? Nymphadora? How did you find Harry?"
"I flooed to Nymphadora's house accidentally"
"Don't call me Nymphadora, Harry." Tonks looked very angry when she said this. "Stupid name..."
Harry looked very confused. It wasn't as bad as what he thought his name was until he was five. He had been starting school when the teacher called out 'Harry' instead of 'Freak' or 'Boy' "It's not that bad Tonks? I was called freak until I was five."
"Well you're not a freak Harry." Amelia was outraged. How could anybody do that to a young boy? They didn't even tell him about magic. The pure-bloods and half-bloods have been learning about magic for years. Harry couldn't be left out. His political prowess would be destroyed before he got to use it.
"And I still hate my name, Harry." Tonks felt a large amount of pity for the boy and hoped he would be a Hufflepuff so that she could teach Harry about magic. She also wanted to see if he was really a metamorphagus. The mischief two metamorphagi could manage would be catastrophic. "So please, don't call me it. It's Tonks. Okay?
"Okay."
"So Tonks? Will you be doing Hogwarts shopping with us or..?" Amelia asked.
"Yes. My mum gave me the vault key so we have to visit Gringotts first."
"We have to go there anyway."
Harry noticed that Susan had been quiet throughout the entire conversation, wondering if something was wrong Harry began to talk to her. "Something wrong Susan?"
"What? No... It's just scary that we're going off to learn magic in a month. Aunt Amelia and I have to teach you what I've been taught in five years, in one month."
"I'm sure we'll be fine. Always am."
"Of course, Harry." With that they all set off down the Alley towards Gringotts. Most people were too busy to notice that the 'famous' Harry Potter was walking not two feet behind them. Although the group did have to ignore a few whispers of 'Merlin, that's Harry Potter'.
With in no time, Harry was standing in front of a huge marble building, not knowing what the creatures inside had in wait for him.
"After you, Harry."
Harry stepped inside and saw a lot of small creatures with long, pointy noses and jagged teeth. He remembered seeing them in an old story book of Dudley's. "Are... Are those Goblins?"
"Yes, Harry. They run Gringotts and have been trusted with the wizarding world's money for hundreds of year. No need to be scared."
"I know. I'm not." That was a lie. Harry was very intimidated. He almost pinched himself to see if he was actually dreaming. Realising that was stupid, he turned back to Tonks, Susan and Amelia. "Let's do this then."
Amelia walked up to the main teller and cleared her throat. "Excuse me, we are here to visit our vaults."
"Surnames." Said the goblin grumpily.
"Bones, Tonks and Potter."
"Mr. Potter is here?" asked the goblin, with a weird expression that Harry definitely did not like. "One moment please."
Harry and his entourage waited patiently until the goblin came back with another goblin.
"Good morning Mr. Potter, I am Bogrod. Your account manager. We have been sending you letters concerning account for quite some time. Pleasure to finally meet you."
"Pleasure to meet you too, Mr. Bogrod. I'm sorry but I never got any of these letters you're talking about."
"Odd. However, now, we have other business to discuss. It should not take long to conduct so you're companions may stay here or go to their vaults."
"They can't come with us?" asked Harry, finding a nervous feeling once he knew he'd be going alone.
"I'm afraid not Mr. Potter. Your accounts are personal. Follow me into my office please."
Harry followed the goblin through a maze of hallways until they reached a black, wooden door labelled 'Potter's'.
"Here we are Mr. Potter." said Bogrod while unlocking the door. "Now, the reason I took you away from your friends was to read your parents will. It may not be pleasant but it is necessary."
Bogrod took two phials with swirling silver liquid, out of the shelf behind him. Each was labelled with a long number,
"First, Mr. Potter we will be hearing your Fathers will first. Please insert a finger into the peniseive when I put the memories in." Bogrod poured the silver liquid of the first bottle into the shallow basin. As soon as Harry put his finger in, he was standing in the same room but he wasn't sitting in the same place. He was watching a man that looked like... himself? Was that really his father sitting in front of him? Just then, the man turned and started speaking.
"I, James Edward Potter, being of sound body and mind, hereby declare this to be my final will and testament. All other documents preceding this are void. So mote it be." With that there was flash of white and the apparition of Harry's father kept talking. "Now, with that out of the way. Lily, I leave everything to you, to do whatever you want with. In the event that my dear Lily has died along with me, Harry, my only son, pride and joy. I leave it all to you. On the condition that Remus Lupin receive a sum of five hundred thousand galleons, and Sirius Black receives my shares in the Quidditch shop in Diagon Alley. Harry, the rest of it goes to you. We love you son."
Harry reappeared in Bogrod's office, tears in his eyes.
"Now Mr. Potter, Gringotts understands that you may be a bit emotional after hearing your father's voice. We are willing to wait to hear your mothers for a while. Hers is a lot more... Emotional. Lily only asked that you visit vault 1337 the first time you are here. She asked that I escort you personally."
"Thank you Bogrod, I'd like to wait a few years. Maybe when I'm of age. A kind of present from my mum."
"That's a nice idea Mr. Potter."
"Please, call me Harry."
"Of course."
Harry emerged from Gringott's with a shrunken bag, filled to the brim with his parents' schoolbooks from years 1-7, three letters and an old, tattered piece of parchment.
"Harry!" His vision was obscured by a head of bright red hair and head of turquoise hair. "Aunt Amelia told us why you were called in. Are you okay?" asked Susan.
"I would be if I could breath."
"Sorry," Said to shameful looking faces. Harry, being a boy, finally noticed how, pretty, the two girls are.
"It's okay. I've got all my books. I just need a cauldron and I kind of want a pet, I've never had one"
"No problem Harry, we got you a cauldron, quills, parchment and some pre-Hogwarts books." Said Amelia, tapping her pocket. "We'll go get you a pet now."
They all walked towards a shop called 'Magic Menagerie'. When they entered, Harry could hear a faint whisper. A whisper that, it seemed like, only he could hear. He opted not to tell anyone, fearing that he would be labelled a freak by the Wizarding World as well as his relatives.
Harry chose a snowy white owl and named it Hedwig. Since that was the last thing they had to buy, they were all heading home. But not before Tonks gave Harry a big sloppy kiss on the cheek, which made Harry turn bright red.
"Later Harry" She said with a sly wink.
"We'll have to come back in a few weeks to get wands. The line in Ollivanders was huge. How about next week?"
"Sounds find to me Aunty. What about you, Harry?
"That'd be great" He said eagerly. He couldn't wait to come back to the magical Alley.
A/N: Hopefully this is okay. I know I made Tonks younger, but I just needed her to be in school a bit longer. I'll leave the letters Harry got for a few chapters. I have bigger plans for Lily's will. James' was just so Harry knew what he had. Review! If there's something wrong with it tell me. I'm open to suggestions, just be gentle, I bruise easily. Bye XD
