Disclaimers: See Prologue for details.
LEGEND:
"Normal Talk"
'Thoughts or Emphasis'
(...Parseltongue...)
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Chapter One
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"Happi Berfday Arry"
It was an odd summer the year that Harry Potter turned seven. He was outside often doing his chores and when they were done, he had to make himself scarce. Luckily there was a play park nearby that many children didn't go to on hot days because that's when the community's 'free pool' was open for them.
On this strange day, the day after Harry's seventh birthday, there was a very large bearded man sitting in the park with a huge drooling puppy. The man was leaning against one of the many trees and it looked like he was seeking someone.
Harry had noticed this man, but he also noticed that no other person, who happened to be in the Park at this moment for whatever reason, even noticed that the large man was there. He was curious, but he was also very cautious. Not quite knowing what to do he thought about it for a while. It was only after glancing at the big man once more, that he noticed that the large man was waving to him.
It wasn't like anyone had never waved to him before, but this was a beckoning kind of wave. The scrawny underfed boy decided to take a chance. He cautiously walked up to the man and stood at the edge of the blanket that the man was sitting on.
"Ello thare Arry," his voice rumbled, but sounded really kind.
"Hello," he replied somewhat shyly.
"Why n't ye 'av a sit down 'n eat wit' me?" Hagrid said pointing at the picnic basket that he brought with him. He paused a moment and then he said, "Blimey, I 'aven't seen ye was a babe."
"Do you know me?" Harry asked overwhelmed at the kindness and he curious to know where this strange man could possibly know him from. "I mean really know me?"
"Well o' course I knows ye, 'Arry," the large man replied. "Don' rightly know o' anyone that don' know about 'Arry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived." Then the man looked sheepish and mumbled to the side, "Oops, I should'na said that. I should'na said that."
Harry just looked at the man with curiosity. He didn't think that he liked that title and asked, "What do you mean? The Boy-Who-Lived?"
"Well n' now that the Owl's flown, I guess I can tell ye, but don' ye be tellin' no one about this," he said. "I really ain't supposed ta be 'ere, but I figures that ye could use a bit a some'at to eat 'n I have somethin' else for ye later."
Harry sat down on the large blanket and listened as Hagrid explained about the Wizard World and how his parents were heroes fighting for the side of the Light Wizards. He also told him that the title of the 'Boy-Who-Lived' was what was written in the Wizarding papers because he was the only one to have lived through a terrible time.
That's when Harry also found out about Voldemort, commonly known as 'You-Know-Who'. Hagrid figured there was nothing wrong with the boy knowing what everyone else in the Wizarding World knew, especially since it seemed that Harry didn't even know that his mother was a Witch and his own father was a Wizard.
"Now a lot a Witches 'n Wizards may tell ye differin' things about yer Mum 'n Da, but don' ye pay 'em any mind now," Hagrid said. "I 'eard yer Aunt 'n Uncle in there the other day. Don' ye be payin' em any mind abou' tha'. They ain't exactly knowin' anythin' abou' 'em. They's just scared o' wha' they don' know abou'. Ye unnerstan'?"
Harry's eyes were filled with tears and he felt the truth from the big man sitting there. He sniffled a bit and brushed his nose against the shoulder of his shirt to wipe the snot and liquid that had accumulated throughout the news he had just received.
"Now," Hagrid said. "Ye eat yer fill. Let's just picnic 'ere a bit 'n ye can ask me anythin' ye like, but if'n I say I can't tell ye, please unnerstan' 'n don' push fer an answer, all right?"
"All right," Harry said. So he got comfortable on the blanket and they ate for a while.
Soon as they were finished eating, Hagrid did something that no one had ever done. He gave Harry a birthday cake of his own, baked just for him 'words and all', plus a real present. They ate the cake together and when Harry was full, Hagrid ate the remainder, giving a bit to Fang.
Harry eagerly unwrapped his very first present. It was a trunk that had paneled pictures on the top of it. The panels were in two rows of three. There wasn't one in the middle of it. Apparently it was a special and magical trunk.
"It's called a 'Arca Doctrina'," Hagrid said smiling gently at the boy's confused look. "A learnin' trunk."
The big man then explained how it worked. He also explained it will shrink to fit any space Harry puts it in, which is good because Harry knew just where to store it. There was a hole in the wall of the cupboard that his Aunt has yet to discover. The reason that she hasn't is because it's under the lowest shelf in the ' 'Cupboard Under the Stairs' and therefore she refuses to stoop to examine anything closely in there.
The trunk has many properties. The most important are the panels, the handle and what's inside. Basically the idea of this special trunk to is provide the missing education for Harry. He's missed so much school and Hagrid had seen it. Other children on the school playgrounds, Harry's fat little cousin going to school, but no Harry was seen going to school.
Hagrid figured that if and when the Boy-Who-Lived managed to go school, he must be missing out on a lot. It was very rare that he ever saw that tiny dark haired little one venture from the house that the Headmaster had put him in, "For his own good" of course.
An Arca Doctrina was just what Harry needed as every panel on the Arca contained an image of what can be learned. First the panel of choice had to be moved to the centre position and then by pressing it, plus holding onto the handle of the trunk at the same time, a person would get sucked into the trunk. The handle acts like a temporary Portkey in conjunction with the pressed panel, but it's not as strong because a person isn't going from one place to another and this device cannot be detected by the Ministry of Magic.
So far the panels of Harry's trunk had the following images: a bookshelf, a chef's hat, the sign for medicine, a pair of fists, a math equation, a quill pen in a bottle of ink, and a mouth open as though in the middle of a speech.
The chef's hat is obvious, if Harry chooses that he can go in there and learn how to cook much better meals then he knows right now. The bonus is that whatever he cooks, he can eat and therefore there's the perfect chance to put a little meat on his small bones.
The sign for medicine, should he choose that one, will allow him to learn the basics of Muggle first aide, which he needs anyway, as he is always being hurt one way or another.
The pair of fists is the class for physical self-defense. There was teacher in the trunk for that one, but that teacher was uniquely special. It was a shadow ghost that would teach the techniques by showing the action that Harry was to follow.
The math equation is to learn the basics of Muggle math and some of the basic history of it, like when it was developed and which society used it the most.
The quill and ink one contained the basics for learning and improving his reading and writing skills.
The open mouth is to teach language. The languages are the basics or beginnings of French, Greek, Latin and one of the Asian languages.
Lastly, but definitely not least, the bookshelf will whisk the young wizard to a library type room filled with many books to read for fun and to learn from.
This kind of trunk has a specifically defined purpose. It was a learning trunk and therefore, as is the case when learning anything, it always will take time. It was same kind of time that Harry was being forced to use to accommodate his muggle relatives. This device was specially made to take of that, kind of like a magical by-pass to regular time when this type of trunk is in use. For every regular hour, whether in the Muggle or Wizarding world, three hours would pass in the trunk.
Hagrid explained all of this to Harry when he gave him this gift. He told him, "The exercises, lessons 'n what not for the paper type learnin' parts will appear in front of ye when you sit down at the desk tha'll appear in the room yer whisked to. The physical trainin' one ye'll have a teacher. Just don' be a'feared of 'im cause he's a kind 'o ghost. Now ye can also go in there 'n nap from time to time, but ye must set the alarm by the door like yer learnin' time or else."
"Or else... what?" Harry wanted to know.
"I don' rightly be knowin'," Hagrid admitted. "Stories be that a few folks never came out. Some that did were verra verra old and others died comin' out. The alarm is a large hourglass by the door. Ye go in, shut the door 'n flip it once. Tha's to register the time outside. Once the sands run out, ye need leave the Arca completely 'afore ye go back in to learn something else for another hour. Ye canna' flip the hour-glass inside the trunk if ye've flipped it once, 'cause tha's where ye lose the time outside, mor' than hour for sure. Promise me ye won't be doin' tha'."
"I promise," Harry said. "So if I need maybe three more hours of sleep, this will let me get it?"
"Aye 'Arry," the large man said. "Choose the bookshelf 'n hold on ta the handle. Tha's the libary. In it there are couches, tables 'n chairs, plus tons o' books. Now I done a bit a wrong in tellin' ye' tha' magic is real 'n tha' ye be a wizard, this early in your life. Still none o' the lessons in this are in magics, but ye need the learnin'. I don' wan' ye to be left behind, if'n you get my meaning."
"Thank you Hagrid," Harry said. "If I pass these lessons…"
"Hush now 'Arry," the large man said. "I be watchin' out for ye. Can't rightly do tha' all the time, but I'll be here next year, day after your berfday. Ye bring dis wi' ye 'n I'll place more panels or be changin' them out. Only not for yer eleventh, you unnerstan'. Yer eleventh Berfday is important 'n I canna' be there. Ye'll be receivin' yer schoolin' letter then, the one fer the magic school 'o 'Ogwarts Witchcraft and Wizardry."
"But you'll be here on the day after my birthday, every year, even the day after, when I turn ten," Harry said. He knew that any letter addressed to him, by anyone, he would never be allowed to read. However, if he caught it early he'd be able to read it without his Aunt and Uncle knowing.
The big man nodded. "Now ye best be puttin' tha' in yer pocket and hidin' it quick. Just tell it where yer placin' it, picture it in yer mind where yer placin' it 'n it will shrink ta fit the image in yer mind."
"OK," Harry said. "I promise to use my time well and learn. One day, will you tell me more about my Mum and Dad?"
"Tha's a promise, 'Arry," Hagrid said. Just then the pup, a very young Fang, began to growl at a small grass snake that was slithering by. "Eh, now, stop that."
(…Interesting smells…) the small snake hissed.
(…You'll get sick if you eat any this…) Harry replied.
(…Too bad…) the snake hissed and moved on.
Hagrid looked at Harry and wondered if he'd become a bad Wizard, but he didn't think so because the little snake just moved on its merry way. He was slightly frowning and Harry wondered if he just lost a possible friend because he just showed a bit o' freakishness.
"She smelled the food and said it was interesting," Harry explained. "I told her she'd get sick if she ate any of it."
"Really," Hagrid said. " 'Ow long 'ave ye bin able ta…" He waved his hand in the direction of the snake.
"I don't know, forever I guess," the boy replied looking down. "They're usually the only ones that talk to me when I'm doing my outside chores. They're not bad, only little grass snakes, they have no poison. I tell 'em to go away if Aunt Petunia shows up otherwise she'd get Uncle Vernon to kill 'em all and they're not doing no harm."
"I see," Hagrid said. "When ye get to the Wizardin' World this is one other thin' tha' I be thinkin' tha' ye should be keepin' ta yerself if 'n ye can. Most wizard folks don' like anyone that can talk to snakes."
"Why?"
"Well now," he started wondering if he should tell Harry about some of it. Making up his mind he continued. "In the past, far past 'n very recent past, there be bad Wizards tha' be able ta speak ta snakes. Lots o' bad Wizards."
"Oh," the boy said. "I don't want to be bad."
"Yer not bad," Hagrid said immediately, without any thought on the matter. He then made another decision right then. "Ye continue on talkin' to 'em. Mayhap ye can learn some'fing from 'em. I jus' mean' ye ought to be careful 'Arry. I don' wan' ye to be hurt, if some'on decides to call ye somethin' bad 'cause ye can do somethin' they can't."
Harry nodded and then heard the chimes for the time ringing nearby. "I gotta go," he said.
"Right ye are 'Arry," Hagrid said. "Now ye be comin' 'ere next year 'n I'll be givin' ye some new panels or augmens' fer yer Arca."
"Thank you Hagrid," Harry said, as he started to walk away. First he looked at the trunk and pictured his pocket in his mind.
"Your going in my pocket," he told the trunk. It shrank to a portable size that would actually fit in the boy's pocket, but would not weigh down the pants that Harry was wearing.
"That was so cool," he said smiling up at Hagrid.
Hagrid smiled back and said, "See ye la'ter 'Arry."
Harry nodded and walked off of the picnic blanket, when he turned around to wave, he couldn't see the large man anymore. However that was all right because he knew that he would be able to see him in a year's time.
'I'll believe him and I'll hold on to that hope,' Harry thought, as he hurried to his relative's home. 'I can't wait to try this out.'
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Eight Years Old
The following year was pretty much the same. Hagrid showed up at the Park and they had a private picnic to celebrate Harry's eighth birthday. Hagrid changed out all of the panels. For some he only had to add parts or additional augmented designs to them.
"These be made for traveling folks that have chil'ren with 'em," Hagrid explained. "Parents who want to have a reliable way to be teachin' their young'uns."
So, all the old panels were removed so that the large man could add pieces to them, like a rune here and a rune there or another picture to compliment it. The old panels actually opened up slots, so that Hagrid would know how many new images he needed to add. Each new image represented a level of learning that Harry had achieved.
For example: The bookshelf received added books to its image and a chair that had books stacked just beside it. The fists received the image of a knife flying in the air, plus one of a shadow-like figure doing stretches. The chief's one got added images of pots and pans, plus additional shakers for spices, etc… etc…
Hagrid was surprised, but proud that Harry was actually learning and taking the time to learn. "I'm proud a ye 'Arry," he said. "I know that yer Mum 'n Da 'ould be just as proud."
"Thank you Hagrid," Harry said, secretly glad that he was able to make the large man proud.
He was the only adult that Harry trusted, now. It's not to say that he trusted the large bearded man completely, after all he was still a virtual stranger, but he did like him. Hagrid actually cared that Harry was doing well and was giving him the means to help himself even more than before.
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Nine Years Old
For Harry's ninth year, Hagrid actually brought him to Diagon Alley for a treat. It was right after they had their picnic and after Hagrid added more stuff to the panels, including adding a couple of brand new ones that he had been able to find.
One even had the image of a pool for swimming and diving. There was another ghostly teacher for that one, but apparently this ghost could use protective magics to help prevent accidents or even the unlikely, but always very real possibility of drowning. No parent would want their child to learn this without some form of supervision, so of course there was a teacher / watcher set for this particular panel.
Hagrid took Harry to the Ally, hidden within the folds of an oversized cloak. They walked in the front of many of the stores, but he wanted to take Harry to Gringotts Bank first to see if Harry needed to know anything about how his finances are or how the money worked in the Wizarding World. He thought that there must be some way that Harry could get stuff from the Muggle World without having to make do and use Dudley's old belongings.
Goblins always took care of their clients and they even knew who to contact for certain things. However sometimes they knew and helped the clients around certain tricky legalities, when needed and for a modest fee, of course.
Unknown to the Headmaster of Hogwarts, a certain Phoenix for the Light had snitched a specific little key from the hidden cubby that the old man had placed it in and forgotten about. It was likely that he would eventually remember that he would need it in time, but for now he had completely forgotten it. When the time would come for Hagrid to deliver it, he would just assume that he had already given it to the big man prior to asking (ordering) him to see that Harry receive his letter for Hogwarts.
However, today Harry was meeting with a goblin that apparently has managerial rights over all of his accounts, as long as he has a magical guardian with him. This goblin was an interesting fellow because he seemed to know Hagrid by name.
This goblin's name was Crasgrasp, meaning 'Tomorrow's' grasp. He was a slightly forward thinking goblin who seemed to see just a bit more then his some of his banking brethren. He saw Hagrid and knew him for what he was. A man of Hagrid's character could be seen as simple and yet this man has vast amount of integrity mixed with quiet understanding of many, many things. Curiously, this one man was considered as much of a friend as the goblin society would allow and he has just now walked into Gringott's with a small child by his side.
They were guided to Crasgrasp's office and now this child was looking around at everything in Crasgrasp's office in wonder. He was quite obviously the reason that the large half-giant was there. The goblin looked at the shuffling man for a minute before muttering a spell in the goblin tongue known as Gobbledegook.
The spell was aimed at both chairs before his desk and with a few gestures of his hands their form was altered. One chair had changed to accommodate Hagrid's large size and the other changed to accommodate the child. He waited until they were seated comfortably before ensuring that the secrecy and privacy spells were in place.
"Wow," the child said in wonder. "When I get enough learning, will I be able to do some of that?" He asked looking between the two others in the room.
"O' course, ye can," Hagrid said quick to reassure him. He would never deny Harry's need to learn.
Another moment passed and no one said a word, until Crasgrasp said, "Hagrid, it has been a while since you've come to see me and you've never brought someone with you before. May I ask what is going on?"
"Yah," Hagrid agreed. "I's just wonnerin' if ye could tell my youn' fren' 'ere anythin' about his accounts. I don' rightly 'ave enough knowin' to be tellin' him what he be needin' to know."
"You'd need his key," Crasgrasp said and then he watched with amusement as Hagrid proceeded to pull random things from his large overcoat. There was a bit of string, some dog biscuits, a crumpled piece of parchment and other bits of odds and ends.
"Ah, 'ere we go," he said, when he finally pulled out the tiny key. It wasn't surprising that he had to look for it because it so small.
The goblin looked at it and then looked closer at the boy, but the young thing was still hidden in the oversized cloak. He looked at the key once more and then went to a file cabinet to retrieve some papers.
"Mr. Potter you honour me with your presence," Crasgrasp said.
He could tell that he had startled the boy, but then the child pulled down the hood proving that he was in fact Harry Potter, with the curse scar and all. He looked right at the goblin and then the boy's bright green eyes were looking from him to the key that Hagrid had placed on the desk and back to the large bearded man sitting next to him. Harry then looked around the room once more in slight wonder and stated, rather than asked.
"The key told you who I was," he said.
It was the goblin's turn to be slightly startled and his eyebrows shot up. Looking at his large friend, it seemed that Hagrid knew that his little human friend had a good head on his shoulders. Crasgrasp looked at the papers in his hands and then he went back to the filing cabinet to get another one.
'Now let's see just what it is they want,' he thought. He then said to them, "There's not much that I can tell you about Mr. Potter's accounts. The only thing that I know is that in order for Mr. Potter to access them, it must be done through his current 'live in' guardian or with the permission of his magical guardian."
"Is there a difference between a 'live in' guardian and a magical one?" Harry asked. He really wanted to know.
Crasgrasp nodded. "Your 'live in' guardian is listed here as a Mrs. Petunia Dursley and currently you are residing with her, correct?" When he saw the boy's positive response, he continued. "She has access to your living account. That is an account specifically set up in order to be able to provide you with the necessities for living, like clothes and food and any other possible expenses, like probable medical needs, schooling, etc..."
He looked closer at the activities in the account and found that none of the money within it had been touched since Harry Potter was declared an orphan. He raised an eyebrow at that and then told them, "No activities have been registered against this account."
Hagrid nodded, "I didna' think tha' there 'ould a bin any. She bein' a muggle 'n all."
"Ah," Crasgrasp said. "Well that would explain it. She can't come here to access it and therefore wouldn't know about it." He paused, but then said, "However your magical guardian should have been the one to notify her about this and he's also the one that should have helped her set up some kind of access through our Muggle counterparts."
"I don't know who my magical guardian is," Harry told the goblin. "I was never told about any of this, until Hagrid decided to bring me here today."
"We have an Albus Dumbledore listed as your magical guardian," the goblin told the young nervous boy. "Do you mean to tell me that you have never met the man before? That he has never contacted you, at all?"
Harry answered by shaking his head, 'No'.
"Is he important in the magical world?" The boy asked.
Hagrid coughed a bit and then said, "'Arry. Dumbledore is the 'eadmaster o' 'Ogwarts."
"Oh! The Wizarding School you work at?" He asked to confirm that information. Hagrid nodded and Harry continued, "But he must be too busy to take care of my money and stuff, if he never took the time to tell me about any of this."
Crasgrasp was again struck by the insight of the young boy. 'The kid is right,' he thought. 'He doesn't know it, yet, but certain words spoken in a specific place, time and situation, especially when magic is involved, can invoke interesting changes. I think that this young man will do such thing. In the meantime, I will comply with his implied comment. Dumbledore really is too busy to look after Mr. Potter's finances, seeing as how he never even looked in on the boy.'
"Well said young man," Crasgrasp said. "I believe that you are correct in the matter. Now that you have brought it up, I will tell you the kinds of options you currently have available in order to correct this situation. You may choose to have your guardian, Mrs. Dursley, come in and sign these things on your behalf."
Harry frowned at that. He didn't want his aunt any where near this wonderful magical world or his money. 'She'd ruin everything about this world and try to find a way to take all my money,' he thought.
He asked the goblin, "Isn't there some other way around that?"
The goblin nodded and said, "Actually you can change your magical guardian to someone you know that has magic. It can not be any of the goblins, though. We tend to like money and some of us would not do right by you in the matter of handling it. Any other person you know that has magic can become your magical guardian."
Without thinking about it, Harry said, "I want Rubeus Hagrid to be my magical guardian."
"Bu' 'Arry," the large man said. "I don' know nothin' about finances or 'ow to show ye 'ow ta manage yer accounts 'n such."
"That doesn't matter," Crasgrasp said. "I would suggest that Mr. Potter here get an 'Arca Doctrina', if he doesn't already have one. There's a panel set up just to learn about finances, estate management, and anything else regarding money matters, like investing."
"I 'aven't seen a panel like tha'," Hagrid said. Then he looked sheepish at having given away a secret.
"It's all right Hagrid," Harry told the large man. "I think that Mr. Crasgrasp has already suspected that I have one. Isn't that right, sir?"
Once again the goblin was surprised at the politeness coming from such a young one. "I admit that I was nearly convinced," he replied. "As for the panel, it can only be obtained here at Gringotts and only by a magical guardian. So unless young Mr. Potter changes his magical guardian, we would only be able to give him one upon the request from his current magical guardian."
It was a lot to think about, but Harry's mind had always been quick to understand all of his possible options, especially with the long term look to his future in mind. Also he could make up his mind in a very short time frame once he had all the facts. As it stood, his current magical guardian was not looking out for him or his welfare, which was very obvious by the lack of contact. He didn't think that the old headmaster was a bad man, but the neglect was painful because it was like the man didn't care what was happening to Harry.
Hagrid cared about him enough to look into how he was being treated in the Muggle World. Hagrid actually cared enough to see that he receive a better education then the one his relatives were trying to beat into him by forcing him to underachieve in order to look worse then their own son. He even went so far as to acquire an 'Arca Doctrina' for him, so that he could learn without worrying about what would happen if he did better than Dudley.
The grades that he was currently getting in his Muggle School would not reflect badly or botch his chances to go to a Magical School. Technically he was only biding his time until he could enter a magical school.
Harry also knew that in the Muggle World he could legally be emancipated at a younger age, if he had a guardian or was financially secure enough to provide for himself. He read that a couple of times in the Muggle Library of his town. That was a tricky thought because he didn't know if his Muggle status would or could be reflected in the Wizarding World. He didn't want to apply for a change in status in one World, only to still be known or considered a child in the other.
He looked at Hagrid and then at Crasgrasp. He considered his words and then he put forth his thoughts and question. "I know that any child cannot live by themselves, unless someone is there to take care of them. I don't really mind my aunt and uncle because now I have the Learning Trunk, which gives me the time I need to learn things. In the Muggle World there is sometimes the chance to be emancipated at a younger age if all the legal documents are signed by your current 'live in' guardian. If that were to eventually happen and I no long have my Aunt Petunia as guardian, would that be reflected here in this world?"
The goblin was absolutely pleased with that question and he answered in all honesty. "Mr. Potter," he began. "If you had that documentation, we would see that everything would be legal in the Wizarding World. We can not have a double standard. It is not something that the Muggleborns would ever put up with and they have fought to make so. To be a legal adult in the Wizarding World, one must either finish their education at the Ministry N.E.W.T.S Level or an equivalent amount training like an apprenticeship that has moved to the Journeyman Level or have reached the age of twenty-one. However, if a person has been living in the Muggle World for most of their lives and they have been declared legally an adult in that world, then legally we abide by that and they are immediately considered adult in the Wizarding World with all adult rights."
Harry nodded his thanks and then began to plot and think about his future. There were many things that he wanted to do and study. His Learning Trunk was allowing him time to improve and actually achieve the level of understanding that he felt he needed. Before he could change his mind, he said, "Since Mr. Albus Dumbledore is too busy in his other duties to have ever seen to the needs of his magical ward, I believe that a change of magical guardian is needed to further my education properly."
Crasgrasp nodded and began to prepare the magical documentation, making sure that all the legalities were written and taken care of. It was only then that the goblin had explained everything to the two of them. He instructed them to sign it and seal it with a drop of their blood. It didn't take anything more than that. Everything was updated, neat as you please and with the changes being near instantaneous, everyone received the necessary copies for the own personal files.
Once again a certain Phoenix for the Light meddled a bit when he found these particular papers popping into the Headmaster's office. He took them from the top of the mail pile and stored them in the same place that the funny little key had been taken from. Because the old man didn't know that the key was no longer there, he never missed it nor did he notice the new and legal documents absolving him from magical guardianship responsibilities. Because he had forgotten about that cabinet, it would take quite a long time before he knew anything had been changed.
Hagrid chose to leave his in the hands of the Potter Estates Manager for the time being. "Can't 'ave that in my 'ome," he said. "I might lose it or it might get destroyed by accident 'n I don' wan' tha' to 'appen."
"Can I keep mine in my 'Arca'?" Harry asked. Once he received the go ahead, he took out his trunk and let Crasgrasp have a look at the panels. "Do you think that maybe now that you're my Magical Guardian, Hagrid that a couple of the books in the Arca's Library can be about the Wizarding World?"
He had been curious about it ever since he had learned that he was a Wizard and he found that he didn't want to be left behind with knowing about what happened around the time that his parents had died. He just felt like he needed to know.
Hagrid looked at the goblin manager and Crasgrasp looked at the two them. He knew that Hagrid wouldn't be that up to knowing just what the curious young boy needed, but that also had to be tempered with some caution. "I think that we'll add the finance panel and then we'll see what kind of books have been added to your library," the goblin said.
"Please," Harry agreed. "I don't want to offend you, Hagrid, but some of the books that were in the library last year, were the same as the ones I had already read in our town's library. My Aunt likes to chase me out of the house lots of the times, so I go there to read often."
"Tha's all right there, 'Arry," Hagrid said. He wasn't offended at all and he knew that he wasn't around to see everything that happened. He only knew about a few of the things, like Harry's lack of decent schooling. "I'm not offended. In fact, I'm glad ye're tellin' me about it. Tha' way we can hav' a look see at some of the stores 'ere in the Alley. 'Sides, now we set up yer libary to include Wizard stuff because bein' yer Magical Guardian means I 'ave a say in yer learnin' 'n I believe ye need to know more about our World. Like I tol' ye a'fore ye I don' want ye to feel lost when it comes to be learning anythin' ye needs to be knowin' about."
"Thank you Hagrid," Harry said. He looked towards the goblin and asked if there was a way to set up access to his living account for the Muggle World. "Maybe an official letter from a Muggle Bank can be sent to me at the Dursleys. It needs to let them know that I have to have my 'live in' guardian's signature to retrieve the money from it. A weekly limit would need to be set up for it too or else they'd want all they can get. Could we set up something official with the Muggle World about my schooling without me having to go to school? I'd like to be able to stay at home and be 'Home Schooled' without actually having to do anything, like actually submit tests and stuff. It won't really matter because I can take equivalency tests later on if I want Muggle Certification in something."
"Why don' we look into movin' ye outa there?" Hagrid asked. "I be agreein' about the 'Ome Schoolin' if 'n you can set that up for him, Crasgrasp?" The goblin jot down several notes to keep track of the things that were being discussed in his office.
"It would be nice to leave there, but where would I go?" Harry asked. "I don't have any other relatives to go to and I don't want to go to an orphanage. It really is better there now because of the 'Arca'. It's not so hard to do what they ask. They don't really hurt me none and with this account maybe someone from Child Services can come and keep watch on them from time to time. Maybe see that some of it is being used for my care like it's supposed to, that way they can't complain that I'm taking away money from them for my care."
Hagrid looked at his young friend and asked, " 'Ave they ever hit ye 'Arry. Did they do anythin' else?"
"No," Harry told them, having a pretty good idea about what Hagrid was really asking. "No, they didn't. We learned about that stuff in school and I've read those books in the library. I know who to go to for that, if they did do anything like that. I can take better care of myself now that I know how to dodge and let whatever is aimed at me just graze me. I make it look like it hit me and that it hurt. They don't know any different."
"All right 'Arry," Hagrid said, putting up his hands to stop Harry from continuing. "I jus' don' like that they'd be takin' yer money 'n then be expectin' ye to not say nothin' about it."
"Well, the first time we go to the bank I will have to be able to take out a good amount," Harry said. "Plus I'll be needing to get my eyes checked. The school's nurses say I need to go to the optometrist because I've been getting headaches. Also everything is kinda fuzzy when they are far away."
"There are methods to correct that in the Wizarding World, Mr. Potter," Crasgrasp said. "However because you're still growing, it would not be good to fix them permanently right now until they've settled for at least a full year. However there are magical glasses that can be purchased and will adjust to your actual prescription, should that be needful."
"Wow," Harry said. "That would be so cool. Could we look for those today Hagrid? I'd want to be able to see better. I would want that more than most anything else, but we would still have to set up the Muggle appointments. My relatives would question me about where I got the glasses or the money to pay for them if I didn't do that."
"I think that you'll find that we can adjust your 'Arca' to hold things in it like a regular multi-compartment Wizarding Trunk," Crasgrasp said. "Let's take care of the Wizarding money first. You'll need something secure for your key and you'll also need something to hold the money without it looking like you're carrying money."
It was then that he spotted the wrist bands that Harry was wearing. He had been wearing them for two years, ever since he began his physical training in the Learning Trunk. They were two pound wrist weights that looked like sweat bands. He had on four pound ankle weights too. His physical instructor indicated that once the new physical panel was added, more weights would be added to them in order to increase his strength.
However the goblin had never seen them before because there was no need for a Wizard to physically exert himself, unless he wanted to. Curious about them he asked what they were.
"What are those?" He asked pointing to the dark two inch bands around Harry's wrists. When the boy explained what they were and why he was wearing them, Crasgrasp had an idea about how the boy could carry his money. "I believe we have just the thing for you, Mr. Potter. Please wait a moment."
Crasgrasp left the room for a few moments and that was when Harry asked Hagrid about books and the things that he should be looking for in the Wizarding World to build up his understanding of things. Harry opened his Arca and quickly went in to get a pen and paper in order to begin his list.
He wondered if Hagrid would allow him to get a pet snake. He always wanted a pet and then he figured the Arca could hold him or her while Harry had to do his chores. There were things like terrariums that could be set up for it, so he asked the large man who was watching him write his shopping or wish list.
"Hagrid," he paused, but then figured that if he didn't ask he would never know. "Do you think that I could get a pet snake, you know for company?"
It was then that the goblin had just returned with another goblin beside him. "Such an unusual request, Mr. Potter," Crasgrasp said. "This is Risuslux (smiling light) and he is from our Tanner's & Leather Armor Guild. Could you please tell him about those and then maybe we can come up with something similar? I was thinking of something, perhaps with a view to your future schooling to include a wand holster with it."
Harry explained the wrist and ankle weights, removing them to show how the lead bars are added to them. "I started out with one pound weights in the wrists and two pound ones for the ankles," he said. "Last year one pound was added to the wrist weights and two more pounds were added to the ones in the ankles. I'm used to having something on my wrists and ankles, but sometimes I have to remove them because I can't get them wet or else they'll be ruined."
Risuslux looked at them and the brought out a couple of finished pieces of leather armor. "These are arm bracers and leg bracers," he said. "Please try them on and we'll how they would need to fit you in order for you to be comfortable with them and also allow you the room to grow with them."
Harry needed to put them on himself because no one would be there to help him out when he returned to his Aunt's house. He chose a set of dark brown ones that didn't cover his whole forearm. It wasn't needed at this time. He worked the straps and clasps using his hands and teeth. The goblins and Hagrid watched as he seemed to be familiar with how they were supposed to go on.
"'Arry," Hagrid began to ask, but stopped not sure how to voice his question. "'Ow do ye know 'ow ta… ta…?"
Harry smiled and said, "It was part of the training last year." He pointed to the trunk panel for the physical training and there in the corner of the panel an old rune that went unnoticed by Hagrid when he changed them out last year, but it was clearly there. "I pressed this panel and had my finger on this by accident, but when I got there the room was filled with different types of armor. It's where I found the wrist and ankle bands. I looked at the schedule for learning in there and saw that it was mostly a how to identify the armor and how to penetrate it in case of a battle or war. It was kind of fun."
He was telling them all of this while he was putting on the other bracer and they took note that it didn't take him much time to put them on. It was the new goblin that asked why it didn't take much time. Harry grinned and said, "I was tested on it. I had to improve and get faster at it or else I had to run laps around the room. It was kind of fun to see how fast I could do it without making a mistake. I didn't mind the running to much either because that helps with learning to control my breathing."
The goblins looked at one another just wondering who was this kid. There had been rumors and stories going around in the Wizarding World that the Boy-Who-Lived was spoiled rotten and was treated royally. They never thought that he wasn't. Here now it looked like the boy needed the Arca and other things badly that Crasgrasp's friend Hagrid had to step in on the boy's behalf.
"Well," Risuslux began. "I believe that I can make these so that they can grow with you until the next time that you get your Arca updated. You can add the weights here and here. If they get too tight, write me a note and indicate the number of inches wider and longer you need." He held up his hand to stop Harry from even pointing out that he had no way to send such a note. "Put the note between the two bracers and tie them up, inside out. That way they will come directly to me and I will be able to send you another, larger set. The same goes for the ankles ones."
"Thank you," Harry said.
"Oh, one other thing," Risuslux said. "Look here." He showed Harry the hidden fold in the bracer where Harry could put his Gringott's key.
There were two such folds per bracer, so he had an extra unused fold in the bracer now that one held his vault key. The other bracer was set up with two folds that could to hold up to ten galleons each or merge the two folds. It could hold an auto-fill, money pouch that will contain the max of twenty galleons, which was the bracer's maximum holding capacity without adding extra weight to the bracers. That would defeat the purpose of Harry's training to carry more then the necessary amount of weight.
"A word of caution, if you don't take out your key when you send these to me in order to replace them, you'll lose your key, until you come to the Bank in person to reclaim it," Risuslux told him.
"Is there a safety feature on the key, so that I could make sure that I don't lose it?" Harry asked. "It is kind of small and I wouldn't want to lose it at all."
"Truthfully, Harry," Crasgrasp said. "This key is only to be used for your schooling at a magical institute of learning. You can't take money out of that account until you accept to attend a Wizarding school."
"Oh," Harry said a bit disappointed.
"However," the goblin continued. "You can take some funds out of the account for your living expenses. I believe that an auto-fill money pouch would be the ideal thing for now. It's a pouch that will not hold more then twenty galleons in mixed change and we'll program it that way, so it can not interfere with your training. You can put the change away in it once you are done. If the money ever goes over the twenty galleons the extra money would be returned to the vault that the pouch is connected to. We can set that up for you now. Also, if you need Muggle money for whatever reason and you must be in the Muggle World fully, but if you are, then any money you need can be taken from that same account, but it will automatically convert to the Muggle currency that you need."
Harry agreed and soon they were almost ready to go into Diagon Alley for fun. There was one last bit of business to deal with. Actually it was just something that both goblins in the room wanted to know about, it wasn't any real business concern of theirs, but they were curious about what they had heard upon returning to Crasgrasp's office.
"Mr. Potter, we are curious to know why you would wish to have a snake as a companion?" Crasgrasp asked and Risuslux nodded his own curiosity.
"A moment," Hagrid said to them. He turned to Harry and looked at him. It was his choice to let Harry answer and give the permission, now that he was the boy's magical guardian. Snakes were dead useful in some potions and there were some magical snakes that the large man knew that Harry would like to have. Not only that, but they would be able to help him out, especially if one became his familiar.
"Now ye' remember wha' I tol' about this?" Hagrid asked, receiving a nod in return. "Ye' need to be sure tha' ye want to tell 'em an' if'n ye do I would suggest tha' ye ask for secrecy in this. They be trustworthy folk, if'n ye trust 'em right back."
Harry looked at the goblins and thought about the matter for a moment. First he needed to know something. "Who will be in charge of my accounts and estates while I'm learning about them?"
"Whomever you wish, Mr. Potter," Crasprasp said truthfully. "Learning about such things never stops and at the moment, I am in charge of the accounts and other financial matters regarding all the Potter Accounts, including the existing estates. I was placed in charge ever since your great-grandfather was a boy."
Harry's eyes widened. He didn't think that anybody could be that old. "Um," he mumbled. "I don't want to take your job away. I guess since you know everything about the accounts I don't think that we need to change anything. Please continue doing what you do and let me know if there's anything that I need to know or do with them, OK?"
Crasgrasp realized that he had just put the boy on the spot, because he knew that the boy wasn't ready to make such an informed decision. However the words spoken were again like an invocation and Harry had just sealed his job. The goblin tried to put the boy at ease.
"Mr. Potter," he said. "I was just informing you what is in place at this moment in time. You can not request a change of Managers until you're legally an adult in both worlds. I will continue doing everything in my power to assist you with your learning and with anything else you may need. You needn't fear that I will cheat you, no matter what you choose to tell me. You'll honour me with your trust, if you choose to give it, but have no fear of offending either of us, if you choose not to. This is after all your choice and there is no obligation, plus whatever it is obviously has no relation to our business transactions, we are quite well aware of that fact. We were just curious, that's all."
Harry was relieved to hear that, but he also recalled Hagrid's words. The only reason he was asking about who was in charge was that he didn't want to tell him something only to have the goblin move onto a better job. Little did he know that working with the accounts of a prestigious family, like the Potters, was the better job.
"If you both are willing to… to…," the boy now looked at Hagrid because he didn't know if there were traditional words for make such a request.
Hagrid continued for him, "If ye' both are willin' ta take an oath, tha' wha' ye learn 'ere today will not leave this room ever, meanin' ye canna' tell no one about this an' it canna' be written for any record, 'Arry is willin' to answer yer question."
The goblins blinked at the thought of a boy asking for an oath of secrecy from them for such a trivial matter such as to why the boy is wanting to obtain a snake for a pet. Hagrid was smart to ask that they not talk about this to anyone and that this information never be written down. This way Harry's secret skill would remain secret until such a time that it was revealed to the public.
The goblins looked at one another and didn't think that what the boy had to say was that big a deal, but they were curious, so they swore their magical oath. They were waiting to see what the boy had to say and were they ever shocked.
"I can talk to snakes," Harry told them. "I can also understand what they say to me too. That's why I want one to be my companion. It can live in a terrarium and I wouldn't have to worry about taking it outside or anything because it can stay in my Arca for now, until I go to a magical school."
Harry watched the goblins turned to one another to talk about what they had just found out. He asked a question that had been on his mind for a while. "Hagrid will I be able to continue learning with my Arca, when I go to the magical school?"
The large man thought about it for a moment and then said, "Honestly 'Arry, that 'ould be up to ye. Do ye still want to be learnin' in there when ye'd be learnin' in the school?"
The boy paused and then said honestly, "I think so. I'm used to the way the Arca is teaching me. I might not be able to adjust to having actual teachers. I might mess up so bad that I know I might need the extra help from my Arca."
Hagrid sent a smile to the boy to hopefully put him at ease. " 'Arry, no one is goin' ta take that Arca Doctrina away from ye. It belongs to ye now. If 'n ye feel that ye want to continue usin' it, plus go ta school then tha's fine. Just remember to do yer 'omework for yer real classes, all right?"
"All right," Harry said happily.
A cough from Crasgrasp distracted them from their conversation. "Mr. Potter," he started. "We know how difficult the decision was to inform us about your unusual skill. We are honoured with your trust. We will continue to assist you in the best manner possible." Risuslux nodded his agreement.
They were both pleased that the boy had shared this very important piece of information with them. They were also planning to hunt down any and all information that they could find about the Parseltongue language and it wasn't like they didn't know where to find books written in the language.
Harry and Hagrid didn't know it, but they just got a big helping hand for continuing Harry's education via the Arca Doctrina. So with the advice of the goblins, Harry and Hagrid went to the Alley to do some shopping for the items on Harry's list, plus any extras that looked good.
Hagrid did take Harry down Knockturn Alley and onto a smaller street called 'Novusfelis Path' (new cat path). 'Novusfelis Path' was a relatively young street that linked Knockturn Alley with 'Canisantiquus Lane' (old dog lane), which is another street off of the main 'Diagon Alley'.
Since 'Novusfelis Path' was kind of new this was the place where questionable things could be purchased. These questionable things are not, necessarily, Dark things which are the things can mostly be found down the infamous Knockturn Alley. There was nothing very Dark sold in Novusfelis Lane, but it contained more things like Grey type magic. Things that are neither Dark nor Light, but fit in between swinging like a pendulum from one to the other, but never into either of the extremes.
It was down this Lane that Harry was taken to several stores. Hagrid didn't like Dark things, but he knew about them and he had learned what was considered iffy Dark magics compared to completely Dark magics. He wanted Harry to be aware of these same things, so they bought books that explained why some things were classed the way they were and there was lots of history to back up that information.
They shopped in several other stores and there was one in particular that Hagrid showed to Harry. It was the store where Hagrid had purchased the Arca Doctrina and where all the different kinds panels could be available for an Arca Doctrina. The reason he was able to get some of the panels was because they were not the wanted ones or the popular ones, so they were cheaper and vastly more affordable to the half-giant.
Harry did mind that at all when Hagrid told him about why he only got the ones he did. He only asked to be able go in the store to have a look at them. "There might be a couple that I can choose for myself now that I have access to the living fund," he said. "Would that be all right?"
The large man just agreed to it. 'It would be better if 'n he can choose his own,' Hagrid thought. 'Might be able to afford more. I think that he's hungry for knowledge.'
There were a couple that caught Harry's eye and there was one in particular, but that was kept under the glass counter. He asked Hagrid for the ones he wanted and he asked why that one was under the glass counter. It turns out that the one under the counter was rare and never could be sold unless someone could read the runes that made up the border of the panel. That's what the shop's owner said and he explained the circumstances around it.
That particular panel could not even be removed by the shop's owner, even to clean it. So if Harry wanted it, he would have to walk around to the other side of the counter and pick it up himself. The owner never wanted to know what any of the runes said. He knew that as soon as Harry opened the glass case and had successfully removed it, that the panel would now belong to the boy.
He was surprised, but let them know that the panel was specialized. "Don't you worry about paying for this one, eventually another will come to take its place," he said. "I don't know who makes these particular ones, but I'll tell you that you needn't worry. These are just tools to learn things. However I can't tell you exactly what you'd be learning with that one, but it's something that only you can learn. That's how these particular ones work. If you ever come back you'll find that there will be another specializing panel inside the glass of counter, but that it wouldn't belong to you unless you pass that same condition and tests, exactly like the one you've just done. Now are you about done with the rest of your shopping?"
Hagrid was surprised, but he was glad that Harry was able to get the panels that he wanted. It was a good thing that the large man didn't mind that the boy wanted to keep the new ones that he had just added, but soon they had to go back to the Bank in order to see Crasgrasp and get Harry's Arca set up with all the new panels, including the one for the finance learning.
Harry was taken back to the park and he when he saw the time he ran to his relatives' house with everything tucked securely into his pockets. His aunt wasn't pleased that she had to cook the evening meal for her family, so she locked Harry in his Cupboard Under the Stairs. She did let him out to use the loo and to drink some tap water.
He didn't care because he was able to have a full meal within the confines of his Arca Doctrina. He never used it during the day. He always waited until they were all upstairs in their bedrooms and sound asleep. He knew that they would never check up on him during the night because they locked him in his Cupboard whether he was being punished or not.
He was a little disappointed that he couldn't find a snake that called out to him. Hagrid told him that he could get one if it felt like it was the one he wanted. He told him that it should feel like a friend. He couldn't get a better description then that.
"Ye jus' know 'Arry," he told him. "Maybe next year ye'll find the one for you."
He explained that when walking into any store that sold creatures, it was common to want to take them all home, but there would always be one that stood out from the rest. It didn't always happen, but he told Harry that he shouldn't accept anything less.
As soon as Harry thought about it, he felt that he wasn't ready to have a companion, not now that he had a whole lot of extra learning panels to study in his Arca. He agreed to wait for a year, but did ask if they could visit more animal stores when the time came next year because they wouldn't really need to spend a lot of time at the Bank like they did today.
Hagrid agreed and Harry couldn't wait until his tenth birthday.
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TBC…