I am amazed at how many people liked the first chapter, thank you! For some reason, stuff like Italics didn't save. Remus' letter was supposed to be in italics and it wasn't.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its associated characters, places, or ideas. That all belongs to JK Rowling. If I owned Harry Potter, well… Let's just say that Hermione wouldn't have settled for Ron.

The Hope a Stranger Gives

Chapter 2: Brave New World

May 28th 1991

"Welcome to Diagon Alley. Enjoy your stay." As Tom walked back into the pub, I take another sweeping glance of the amazing Alley. I see families sitting at tables in front of a store called 'Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor' laughing and talking with each other, a group of kids standing in front of a store named 'Quality Quidditch Supplies' staring at something called a Nimbus 2000. As cool as everything looks, I can't buy anything without money and I only have ten galleons. That can buy me a wand, maybe I should head to Ollivander's first and then go to Gringotts.

Walking towards the famous wand shop, I take a moment to reign in my excitement. It wouldn't do well to look like an excitable Muggleborn firstie because most people in the Alley today are Purebloods or Halfbloods because it's easier for a magical family to get to the Alley this fast after receiving a letter.

Opening the door to Ollivander's, I notice that a family is already inside. There is a man about 1.83 metres tall with black hair and blue eyes that I notice when he turns to look at me after the entrance bell on the door rings. He is standing next to a woman that appears to be 1.7 metres tall with blonde hair and brown eyes. They have two children with them, a girl that appears to be my age with golden blonde hair and cerulean blue eyes. There is also a girl that seems to be around eight or nine years old with black hair and brown eyes.

I give a two fingered salute before walking off to the side and waiting for my turn. The woman seems amused while the man's eyes narrow before they all turn back towards the counter. An older man comes to the counter and starts to talk to the family of four before looking at me, "Mr. Potter? I have been wondering when you would come in here. You have your mother's eyes. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work."

At this point, the family turns back towards me with their eyes comically widened as they realized who I am. "Your father, on the other hand, favored a mahogany wan. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favored it, but it's really the wand that chooses the wizard.

"I'll be right with you in a moment Mr. Potter, this young lady is a tricky customer. I have had quite a few of those today actually." He turns towards the blonde girl and hands her a wand. "Nine inches and swishy. Elmwood and dragon heartstring. Perfect for the… Darker arts." The girl picks up the wand and gives it a flick and green sparks shoot out of the tip.

Ollivander seems excited as the girl finds her wand and the father claps with a smile on his face. "Good, that will be seven galleons. For an extra galleon, I will give you an Auror approved wand holster." The man hands over eight gold coins and Ollivander pulls out a leather holster that he straps to the girl's left arm, "Now give your wrist a flick and the wand will pop into your hand. Good, this holster has an anti-summoning charm on it so no one will be able to take your wand from you while it is in the holster.

"Have a great day, Lord Greengrass. I'll be seeing you soon, Astoria," with a final wave the family left the shop and I walked up to the counter. "Now, Mr. Potter, what wand shall choose you?"

After having every inch of my body measured from my arms and legs to my nose and ears. I tested more than a dozen wands and none of them working properly (the last one caused a vase to explode), Ollivander gained a thoughtful look on his face. "I wonder," He goes to the back of the shop and pulls out another thin box before setting it on the counter in front of me. "Holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."

I take the wand and feel a rush of power, my magic finally has something to channel itself through. I give the wand a flick and green and silver sparks shoot out of the tip. "Curious, very curious," Sharply looking up at the wand maker, I ask what's curious. "The phoenix that gave this wand it's feather, gave another. Just one. The other wand belonged to the man that gave you this," He explains while pointing at my scar.

"Vold-" Before the name can even come out of my mouth, Ollivander snaps, "We do not speak his name! But, I think we can expect great things from you, Mr. Potter, for You-Know-Who did great, very terrible, but great things." I stare at the wand a bit before looking back up at Ollivander, "How much? I want one of those holsters as well." He smiles at me before retrieving a holster from under the counter and strapping it to my right arm, "Eight galleons, Mr. Potter." I put the wand in my holster after handing him eight galleons. "Have a great day, Mr. Potter," He bows slightly and I bow back before exiting the shop.

Two galleons left. Not much, but instead of heading straight for Gringotts, I should get fitted for my robes and then go to Gringotts.

I walk into the shop, Madam Malkin's, where I see a brown skinned boy my age getting his robes fitted. "Hogwarts, dear?" An older lady asks me but before I can reply she opens her mouth again and says "Come with me." I follow her deeper into the store, where she points at a box and has me stand on it. The brown skinned boy looks at me and says, "The name's Blaise. Who might you be?" I start to say Hadrian like Remus told me to, but I decide that I don't like how old and pompous that makes me sound. Sounds like the name of some European millionaire aristocrat. "Harry, nice to meet you."

He nods before turning back towards the front of the shop, where a beautiful dark skinned lady that must be Blaise's mother stands. She raises an eyebrow at me before smiling and leaving the shop with Blaise. Well, there goes another person that recognizes me.

The woman that greeted me at the door returns with a piece of parchment and a quill. "Do you want the exact amount of stuff you need or do you prefer more?" Three robes? They want us to wear three robes for the whole year? "I'd like seven sets of plain robes: three black, two dark blue, and two more emerald green. I'd like three cloaks in matching colors as well. Do I buy shoes from here or is there a different place that I need to go?" After writing all that I said down, she looks up at me and says "We make shoes as well. I assume you want matching colors?" I nod my head in the affirmative, "Yes ma'am. Seven pairs in each color, please." She starts to write it down before looking back up at me with a questioning gaze.

"Are your parents okay with you buying all of this? This will be quite expensive." I raise an eyebrow, intentionally parting my hair and showing my scar, "They're pretty indifferent about it. But I assure you, I can afford it." She starts to blink a mile a minute before nodding her head and writing it down. "Alright, Mr. Potter, This will be ready in about an hour and thirty minutes."

I nod my head before leaving the shop and walking straight into Gringotts. I walk up to the first teller that I see open, and wait for him to notice me. "Yes, young one?" He says in an annoyed tone after about five minutes of him writing something down. "I need access to my vaults. I would also like to speak to my family's account manager." The goblin looks down at me and narrows his eyes, "And who might you be?" I show my scar and say "Harry Potter."

To my surprise, he rolls his eyes and says "The scar doesn't mean anything. I've had three Harry Potter's come up to me today alone and we only opened two hours ago. You'll have to prove it just like everyone else." Feeling a slight bit of anger at having people try to get into my family vaults, I huff out a "Fine, what do I need to do?"

He reaches under his desk before pulling out a blank piece of yellowed parchment and a dagger. "Poke your finger with the knife and let seven drops of blood hit the parchment. I warn you, the people who ended up not being Harry Potter are still in our dungeons." I let out a slight laugh at the thought of the thieves getting their comeuppance before poking my left index finger with the blade.

After seven drops of blood hit the parchment my cut heals and words start to appear on the page.

Hadrian "Harry" James Potter

Sole Heir to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter

Trust Vault: 150,000 Galleons

Family Vault: 16,050,750 Galleons

Heirloom Vault: 3,250,000 Galleons worth of treasure

Heir Apparent to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black

Trust Vault: 100,000 Galleons

Family Vault: 4,075,000 Galleons

Heirloom Vault: 6,300,000 Galleons worth of treasure

The words stayed on the page for a minute before disappearing. "Well everything looks in order, do you have a key or do you require a new one for the small fee of a galleon?" I hand out my last two galleons while saying "Make sure that the other keys are made null and void. Do not give anyone else a key, no matter who they are." The goblin nods before asking for a goblin named Griphook to take me down to my trust vault.

"Before I go, may I ask why the Potter's have so much more money than the Blacks?" I ask while trying to wrap my head around the amount of money. I mean, I knew that my family was rich but that was way more than I expected. Especially since a single galleon is worth seven pounds. "The Potter's are the richest family in England for a number of reasons. One major one is that they are on of the few magical families that do business with muggles. Another reason is that they tend to make much more money than they spend, while most other families are the complete opposite."

I nod and with a thank you, I leave and enter the cart that reminds me of a muggle rollercoaster. After getting out of the cart, the goblin has me hold the lantern that he was carrying before saying "Key please," and then I have to cut my hand again while he uses the key to let me in. "In you go, take your time." I nod my thanks before walking inside.

In the middle of the floor is a massive pile of galleons, way too much to just carry around. "Do I have to come to Gringotts every time that I need money?" The goblin shakes his head and pulls out a small leather sack, "Drip more of your blood into the sack and it will be tied to your trust vault. It has a never ending charm on it that lets you pull out money straight from this vault." More blood magic, great. "You goblins are a bit obsessed with blood, aren't you?" He just gives a sinister smirk and replies "Blood and gold, Mr. Potter."

I laugh and shake my head as I drip more of my blood into the small sack. After three drops, an emblem of a griffin holding a sword appeared on the front. I take the sack before handing the goblin a galleon for his help. I walk over to a table at the side of my vault and see a single letter addressed to me. I pick up the letter and try to open it but it won't open. I flip the letter around and on the back of the envelope says 'To open on your thirteenth birthday'. "I guess that I will come back in two years," I whisper to myself.

I look around and see that this is all that there is in my vault, a single letter that I can't open right now and more money than I care for. "Am I allowed entrance in my family heirloom vault?" I ask Griphook as I exit my trust vault. "No, that has been restricted until you turn seventeen. The family vault can only be opened once you become a legal adult. So if you were to be emancipated, you would be able to open it. You can only be emancipated once you turn thirteen though."

I let out a small huff of annoyance as we get back into the cart. Wizards and the number thirteen. It's so stereotypical that it isn't even funny.

I thank Griphook once more before exiting the ivory bank. Checking my mechanical wrist watch, I see that I still have about twenty minutes before I need to go back to Madam Malkin's. "I should pick up my books."

Which books do I need? Remus sent me all seven volumes of the Standard Book. Fantastic Beasts? Check. The Dark Forces? I loved that book. One Thousand Magical Herbs, check that off. Magical Draughts and Potions. Already have that. Magical Theory was the first magical book that I read. So I only need 'A History of Magic' and 'A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration'.

I've already read a Transfiguration book but I guess that I will have to read this one as well. But if Remus sent me 'From Beginner to Master', the one that I have to buy now is probably not as good.

I enter the bookstore, Flourish & Blotts, to see the same blonde girl from before walking around the store. Maybe I should walk up to her and meet her? Having a friend before school even starts would be cool. I start to head towards the girl but a man steps in front of me with a beaming smile on his face, "Hogwarts, young man?" I nod my head and the man starts to lead me around the store. "You're lucky that you came so early. The Alley becomes crazy in July with all of the new witches and wizards that come to buy their equipment. I assume you're a Pureblood or Halfblood?" I pick up a copy of 'A History of Magic' before looking at him and saying "Half sir, my father was a Pureblood and my mum was Muggleborn."

He nods his head before his eyes dart to my forehead, "Yes, James Potter. I remember when he came in here, your grandfather, Charlus, brought him here when he was nine and had him read all of his first-year books. Is that why you're only buying two? You've read everything else?" I politely nod my head while explaining "I've been reading the books since I was eight."

"Keeping with tradition, I see. Well I don't want to keep ya, just place your books on the counter and I will ring you up." I place the two books on the counter and he looks at the titles before saying "Nineteen sickles please." I hand him a single galleon and he hands me eight sickles back. "Please come back whenever you need a book." I give a small smile before looking around for the blonde girl. I don't see her anywhere and I hope that I may meet her on the Express.

I pull out my wand and shrink my books down so that they'll fit in my pocket. After putting them in my pocket, I walk to Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment and find a black charmed trunk that has the inside expanded to carry even more items. It also has a featherweight charm on it that makes sure that it never weighs more than five pounds.

After buying my telescope, brass scales, crystal phials, and a cauldron, I organize my trunk's five compartments. One is used for books, so I enlarge and then store my two books in there. Another is for potion supplies, I place my cauldron, scales, and phials in there. The telescope went into a miscellaneous compartment. After spending two galleons and six sickles on everything there, I finally walked back to Madam Malkin's with five seconds to spare.

"Welcome back, Mr. Potter, your clothes are ready. Please follow me." I follow her to a counter at the front of the store and she places all of my clothes in front of me. "Should I shrink them down or do you have a trunk yet?" I pull my trunk out of my pocket and place it on the counter before enlarging it. "Fifteen galleons please." I nod, pull out the required money and I start to pack my clothes in the trunk before shrinking it again.

Now I just need to buy an owl to send my letter with. I saunter over to Eeylop's Owl Emporium and open the door. Immediately upon entering, I notice a beautiful pure white owl. I walk up to the owl in the cage, and see that she costs only five galleons. Looking towards the cashier at the front, I call out for help. When the cashier arrived, I pointed at the snowy owl and said: "I want her." The lady nodded before lifting the cage and taking it to the front before placing the cage on the counter. I handed the lady seven galleons. That was five for the owl (who I named Hedwig), one for the cage, and one more for five bags of owl treats.

Once outside, I sit at a table at Florean Fortescue's and order a chocolate ice cream with nuts. While waiting for my order, I pull out some parchment and write my confirmation of attendance. Once done, I hand the letter to Hedwig after giving her some treats for the journey. Finished with my ice cream, I look around the Alley to make sure that I hadn't forgotten anything. I notice that I need more quills and ink because I only have the amount that I brought with me from home. I'm running out of the ink that Remus gave me years ago.

A quick trip back to Wiseacre's fixes that problem, but I still don't want to leave just yet so I walk around the Alley for a bit. During my little time wasting session, I looked around at the Quidditch store where I decided that I would try out for my house team next year.

I walk back to the Leaky Cauldron ahead of going to Muggle London. I look around the street to make sure that I can't be seen while calling for the Knight Bus. Once assured that no muggles will see me, I pull out my wand and call for the Knight Bus. With a pop, a three storied purple bus appears on the road in front of me.

The doors open and I walk on and find an old man with a bellhop type uniform on. "Where do you need to go, young man?" I give a charming smile and say "4 Privet Drive in Surrey, please." He nods and points to a seat behind me, "Eleven sickles." After handing over the money and sitting down at the seat, the bus lurches forward and I slide across the seat. I look to my left and see a man getting drenched in his tea.

Another man that was trying to walk towards the front of the bus for whatever reason was thrown off of his feet and onto his back. A lady sleeping in her seat fell out of it and started rolling around on the floor, her screams of terror causing the shrunken head in the front to laugh at her misfortune.

After about three dreaded minutes filled with speedy and reckless driving, the bus pulls in front of the entrance of Privet Drive. As I stand up and head towards the exit, the old man says "Remember to use the Knight Bus for all of your travelling needs!" I get off of the bus and it disappears in a flash.