Since I forgot last chapter, here's the disclaimer:
I do not own these characters. If I had, it wouldn't have been as brilliant, and I wouldn't have killed so many people off 6/7. Nor am I making money from this. I need more money. I also need a life. On a side note, I have a friend unfortunate enough to be named Haley Potter. So, Hail's name is now Haley, and Hail and Hal and similar names are her nicknames.
Chapter 1: The Boy Who Lived
I yawned, fiddling with my phoenix feather wand. I was glad Ollivander had agreed to try to make a custom wand for me… about four, five years ago now. Suddenly, I saw a boat on the horizon. It didn't seem to be powered by a motor, but no one was rowing. As the boat approached I heard Hagrid saying,
"…Nah, we're best left alone." The boat stopped and Hagrid and the little boy beside him got out.
"Hagrid, I've taken enough field trips to London to know you used magic," He looked ashamed. "What are you making that face for? I'm not gonna tell on you," I smiled.
"Alrigh'. Thanks."
"Who're you?" The little boy asked.
"I'm called Haley Dumbledore. I slightly prefer being called Hail. After this summer I'll be in my fourth year at Hogwarts."
"I'm Harry Potter."
"Yeah, I know who you are," I smiled, "What were you last talking about, Hagrid?"
"Why Muggles don' know 'bout us," I nodded. We set off. Since I normally gravitated toward the adults, I had no trouble keeping up with Hagrid, though Harry lagged slightly behind, panting. I felt a little embarrassed when Hagrid pointed to things like parking meters and said loudly,
"See that, Harry? The things these Muggles dream up, eh?" Even though they confused me too.
"Hagrid," Harry said, still panting in his attempt to keep up, "did you say there are dragons at Gringotts?"
"Well, so they say," Hagrid replied, "Crikey, I'd like a dragon."
"You'd like one?" Harry asked incredulously, but Hagrid had mentioned this wish to me so many times I was bored of it.
"Wanted one ever since I was a kid – here we go." We were at the station. Harry understood Muggle money the best, so we let him handle it. Once we got on the train, I said,
"Hagrid, what are you knitting?" He just shrugged.
"Still got your letter?" Hagrid asked as he counted stitches, I was confused for a few seconds, but then realized he was talking to Harry. Harry took his letter from his pocket, and then Hagrid said,
"Good. There's a list of everything yeh need." I watched Harry's eyes scan the paper.
"Hey, what do you have this year?" I asked. He turned it around. "Right, you're first year, you'll need a uniform," I muttered. "Nothing new," I said reading down the list of books, "…except that." I pointed to 'The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection', "Quirrel's teaching this year, that's why," I commented. "Nothing new there either," I said, reading the equipment list, and my face fell as I read the one rule I hated, especially since it had never applied to me. I'd known how to ride a full size broom since I was six, and had been a seeker for Gryfindor since my first year, but I'd told Wood to change me to a substitute if he found anyone as good as, or better than me.
"That," I said, "is the most stupid rule he's ever made."
"Can we buy all this in London?" Harry quickly asked.
"If yeh know where to go," Hagrid and I said. When we got to the Leaky Cauldron, I walked in as if I owned it, but nervously brushed my long red hair into my face from its usual, comfortable place behind my ears in the process. I looked like Lilly, but I had glasses and a scar like Harry, and James' eyes. I was surprised most people didn't notice the scar. Some commented that I, in fact, looked like Lilly, but most others were likely to mistake me for a Weasley. When I was born, apparently the reason no one but the man who'd come to be my father, Albus Dumbledore, knew about me, was that my parents were trying very hard to hide. Not even the Dursleys, whom I had been told about, knew. Once all three of us were inside the dim, shabby pub, Tom asked,
"The usual, Hagrid?" Then he added, "Butterbeer, Hail?"
"Very tempting, Tom, but we're on Hogwarts business," I gestured to Harry. Everything stopped. It was still and silent.
"Good Lord. Is this – can this be –?" Knowing what would come next, mostly because of my own experiences the first time I told anyone my name, I edged sneakily to the back of the pub, out into the alley, and waited there. I heard the clamor inside, and began absentmindedly casting spells, mostly charms. When they came out, they were talking about what had been going on inside.
"Finite Incantaum." I said quickly. A/N: I know Hermione used this for blowing up a bludger, but Snape used it to stop spells in the deuling club in #2.
"Is he always that nervous?" I heard Harry say.
"Oh, you saw Quirell?"
"Yeah."
"I do miss things when I avoid the crowds," I noted vaguely. Hagrid said a little more to Harry, but I only paid attention when he started tapping bricks. As soon as it opened, I shot off toward Quality Quidditch Supplies, calling,
"Meet you at Madam Malkin's!" over my shoulder. After investigating for about two seconds, I realized my money bag was lighter then it needed to be. I left, saw Harry and Hagrid heading toward Gringotts, and shouted,
"Oy! Wait up!" When I caught up, I said, "Money bag's too light," I dug in my pocket for my key. "Aha! There's the little devil." I got to take a trip of my own to my vault, and arrived back out before them. I headed straight back to Quality Quidditch Supplies. After looking around in awe, I quickly chose a Nimbus 2000, and left for Madam Malkin's. I didn't have long to wait before Harry came along. I opened the door for him. He smiled nervously at me.
"Hello, dears. You Hogwarts, too?" Harry nodded. "There's another one being fitted up just now."
As we got fitted, I listened to the boy. Many hot surges of anger rose at things he said. I was finished before Harry, and when Harry finished, I turned immediately on my heels and held the door open for him.
"Oh, and in answer to your last question," I said slyly, "mine's Dumbledore."
And I quickly left before he could work out what I meant. As soon as we saw Hagrid I said,
"Gimme mine!" He quickly handed me my ice cream.
"What kind o' broom you got there, Hal?" He said.
"Nimbus 2000," I said through a mouthful of ice cream.
"Hal! Manners!" I swallowed.
"Sorry," I said, an apologetic look on my face.
"What's Quidditch?" Harry suddenly asked. I looked shocked. Harry and Hagrid had a quick conversation, and when Harry asked again,
"What is Quidditch?" I launched into an explanation and Hagrid looked resigned.
"It's our sport. Wizard's sport. Four balls, two teams with seven players each, and some complicated rules. One ball, a bigish red one called the Quaffle, is what three players from each team, called Chasers, try to score with. Two smaller balls, called Bludgers, try to knock all the players off their brooms, but there are two players on each side who try to knock them at the other team. Then there's the tiny little Snitch. One player, called the Seeker, tries to catch it, end the game, and win 150 extra points. The last player is the Keeper, who defends their team's goal posts."
"Just a little complicated," Harry said. "Wait, did you say brooms?"
"Did I mention it's played on broomsticks? 'Cause it is."
"Wow. And what are Hufflepuff and Slytherin?"
"School houses. There're four. I'm not really in any of them... Anyway, most people say Hufflepuff are a load of duffers, but -"
"I bet I'm in Hufflepuff," He said gloomily.
"Better Hufflepuff then Slytherin. Most, if not all, of the ones in Slytherin have become Dark Wizards, and believe me, every one of them are bullies, especially if you're me, little, and lost. I think Voldemort was at Hogwarts," I added, before noticing Hagrid's shudder.
"Will yeh stop that, Hail?"
"Sorry."
"Vol-, sorry, You-Know-Who was at Hogwarts?"
"Years an' years ago." A/N: I just realized exactly how well Hagrid would know this. I also figured out lots of ages by 7's epilogue, but that's for the end of this chapter.
Once we'd bought all of Harry's books, Hagrid nearly had to drag us away from a book with lots of curses that would be fun to use at school. Harry objected with his own reason, and then I said,
"I was trying to figure out how to curse bullies, and then Fred and George, just because they'd get a laugh out of it."
"I'm not sayin' either of those aren't good ideas, but he doesn't have the skill, and I don't want yeh gettin' in trouble."
"They'd never know it was me," I argued.
"Yeah they would."
"How do you know?"
"I've known yeh since yeh were four."
"Valid point." I replied logically.
After Harry'd bought most of his things, and I'd bought the few replacements I'd needed, Hagrid said that only Harry's wand was left, and said he'd buy us a present.
"Oh, not again Hagrid. I get bombarded with presents every year, and yours are usually the best, so you don't need to go to the trouble -"
"I'll get yeh both an animal," He said, cutting me off, "Not a toad, they went out of fashion years ago, yeh'd be laughed at. Not a cat, they make me sneeze. Tell yeh what, I'll get yeh an owl."
"Hagrid, I could use any of the school owls."
"I'm gettin' yeh an owl anyway," I dropped it. I knew he wouldn't be swayed. A few minutes later we stood outside Eyelop's Owl Emporium, Harry and I holding twin snowy owls and stuttering our thanks. I finally had an animal of my own. I usually had a pretty good rapport with Mrs. Norris, I used the school owls, and if I were desperate enough I could've found a toad by the lake. But now I had an owl of my own. This would take getting used to. Soon we were waiting inside Ollivander's, and when he began speaking, I jumped just as badly as the other two. He talked to Harry then spotted Hagrid. I noticed Hagrid grip the umbrella harder.
"Definitely," I muttered. I'd had the theory of the hidden pieces of wand for a while, and from his guilty reaction, the theory was confirmed. He then looked around and spotted me.
"Hail! It seems as though you were in here barely yesterday."
"I know," I said.
"It's in good shape, I presume?" I held my wand up.
"Good, good." He then turned to Harry and began to measure him for a wand. When Ollivander explained why the wand Harry had ended up with curious, I listened closely. After Harry was out of earshot, I said,
"Thanks for the half-truth. About only two wands. He doesn't know who I am."
"I thought as much. Good day, Hal. Take care of your wand, and take care of Fawkes."
"I always do. Thanks, Ollivander." I said as I walked out. We took Harry back to the station, and I watched Harry's train as long as I could before Hagrid yanked me into the crowd.
"Ow."
"Sorry, Hal. Let's go."
"Alright," I said, mounting my broom when we were out of sight.
Okay, I know that was kinda long, but I wanted to get through an actual chapter of the book. Okay, ages at the very end of book seven... The Golden Trio are all thirty-six, Ginny, obviously, is thirty-five, Hagrid is eighty-seven, when Voldy dies he's 70. Sorry for taking so long on the chapter. I'll try to work on my other stories. Bye! ^_^ P.S. I'm really random! ^_^ This comment comes from rereading my chapter. P.P.S. Slightly changed. Just a few words.
