Chapter Two: Birthday Owl and Shopping for a Wand:
Harry woke up very early on his birthday and grinned as he was now eleven years old. He reached for his glasses and put them on and looked around his comfortable room. It was a boy's room he had a double bed, desk and good sized closet and it was done in green and blue, it was a bit cluttered but Harry knew where everything was. He showered, dressed and ran down the stairs to find his godfather sipping his morning coffee with Remus cooking breakfast. Though Sirius had hired a house elf (he refused to enslave them as Harry knew many families did and so he had got a elf that did not mind freedom) Remus liked to cook breakfast. Harry saw a few owls for him, a large tawny owl came forward first and Harry grinned, it was his letter to Hogwarts finally! He was going to Diagon Alley to day and this just made his day that much better. The other owls had gifts from Aberforth, a good friend of the family, some sweets from Nicholas Flamel and his wife Pernelle and of course Hogwarts a History from Severus Snape.
"So we going to Diagon Alley Uncle Siri?" Harry asked Sirius.
"Hmm what for?" Sirius asked innocently. "I don't need anything hey Moony you need anything?"
"I could use some more chocolate, I am running low." Remus replied dishing the eggs, sausage and toast onto plates. "Besides I think one outstanding young wizard needs to get his wand."
"I wonder who that young wizard could be hmm?" Sirius said smirking.
"Oi guys that is not funny!" Harry said, "I need a wand and school supplies, it would look awfully funny if I showed up at Hogwarts with out my supplies."
"Yes well yes it would." Remus said tucking into the largest portion of food as always as thanks to the wolf in him he had to eat much more than a normal human.
"Oh I got permission from Neville's gran for him to do his shopping today with you." Sirius said.
"That is brilliant!" Harry said grinning. "This is going to be so much fun!"
Harry had since the age of five shared his birthday with Neville, they were both born the same day and had learned that either one of them could have been the one Voldemort had gone after. They were fast friends for this and Harry was very well grounded as he knew it could have been Neville in his shoes. Then again Neville's parents had suffered a far worse fate, Harry had seen them at St. Mungos as Neville had wanted his parents to meet his best friend. They were insane, there was no cure magical or even muggle for them as Neville's gran had tried everything to help them. They had improved to the point they could walk around, feed and dress themselves but they recognized no-one not even their own son. So it was good these boys could share their birthdays together and it was with excitement that Neville came through the floo around ten that morning.
"I got my letter!" He said his face flushed with excitement.
"So did I!" Harry grinned, "that means we can go get our wands today!"
"Oh dear there goes the house." Sirius joked.
"Agreed, you get the extra young wizards insurance?" Remus smirked.
"Oi not funny!" Harry said trying to look offended but unable to pull it off for long.
"Well we should go then, Neville your gran coming?"
"She will meet us there, said she had some shopping to do." Neville replied.
"Well then two choices, we can drive and take all day getting there…"
"Uncle Siri!"
"Or use the floo powder." Sirius said.
"I hate the floo, but as it is quicker we can take that." Harry said.
The wizards lined up and each took a handful of the bright green powder and threw it on the fire. Remus went first, then Neville then Harry and last Sirius went through. They came out into the Leaky Cauldron and Harry looked around at the ancient pub. It was really as if time had stood still and he had walked into a Dickens world. Candles lit the pub along with the fire and most of the people here were in robes and looking at the youngsters with curiosity. Harry fingered the charm that had been given to him as a baby by Aberforth so glad it offered him protection against the fame he had heard was his in this world. All anyone saw were two young boys, one with glasses the other with a kind round face and two grown wizards. One was the handsome and dangerous Sirius Black, the other shorter kindly looking Remus Lupin. They were clad in robes today and Harry had to get used to seeing them this way, normally they wore muggle attire much as he and Neville were as they both were clad in jeans, trainers and tee shirts. Sirius nodded to the ancient bartender and lead the boys into the small yard behind the pub.
"Step back gentlemen for you are about to see the most amazing sight!" Sirius replied raising his wand and tapping the third brick up from the trash bin. "I love this place."
"So do I, Honeydukes is calling." Remus replied.
"Um we may need to ask professor Snape for a calming drought." Neville said to Harry.
"Yea that we might." Harry said grinning regarding the sugar high that he had seen Remus on once or twice this summer.
Harry looked up as the wall rearranged itself and Harry saw himself looking at a long crooked cobblestone street with whitewashed stone buildings with slate or tile roofs. The buildings stood three to four stories high and as the young boys followed the men into the alley the large snowy white building that Harry knew to be Gringotts rose before them. He saw the goblins outside guarding the bank and nodded to them politely and went in with Sirius. He knew his vault was here and was only slightly disappointed when Sirius did not take him to it, then again Sirius had always taken such good care of him. He stopped at his vault to get money then at Neville's. Neville's parents had saved a bit of money and though there was not nearly as much gold as what Sirius had it still was a good sum. Sirius gave Harry a bag with money and Neville filled his and it was time for them to go shopping. Harry went into the bookstore first and while Sirius looked for his school books he got distracted by a small section of books on himself and he picked on up and giggled at what it said about him.
"I see you found the books about Harry Potter then." Came the voice of Aberforth right behind him.
"Yes sir, and they are well how could a boy do all this?" Harry asked knowing better than to use his name here as the charm he wore only worked so far. "Was not his mother the one who saved Harry and helped defeat you-know-who?"
"Yes she did, but there are greater things at work with that you know." Aberforth said, "like miracles, I tend to believe in those more and more you know."
"Makes since." Harry said.
"Only if you follow that magic cannot do everything." Came another voice that Harry did not recognize.
Aberforth did and he curse mentally, Harry did not need to meet the Malfoy heir this early in his life. Or did he? So far the decisions that Aberforth had made had worked out and something told him this would work out better than he could hope in the long run. Harry turned and looked up at the tall wizard before him, he took in the rich robes and long sliver blond hair and cold gray eyes in a pale face. He did not trust the man at all, he was too smooth was the word he could think of. He saw the snake head cane the man carried and knew that this man probably been in Slytherin at one time. He did not like how the man was looking at him and he was glad when Aberforth put a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Who is this Aberforth?" The man asked.
"I will let him tell you." Aberforth said, "you will say nothing to anyone else or so help me Malfoy I will blast you to ash!"
"This not, surely not him." Lucius Malfoy replied looking surprised, then he smiled and held out his hand. "Lucius Malfoy, my son will be starting Hogwarts, you are?"
"Harry Potter sir." Harry said quietly so that none but Malfoy and Aberforth heard him.
"Ah yes, you are of course very famous," Lucius moved forward but Aberforth stopped him his wand out. "You have the ah scar?"
"From where Voldemort tried to kill me?" Harry said evenly really not liking this man. "Yes, though I don't like talking about it."
"Of course, well I have to see how my son is fairing, if you will excuse me?" Lucius said shocked that Harry could use the name of the dark lord so freely.
"Yes you are excused Malfoy." Came the voice of Sirius who was standing right behind Lucius now. "Leave him alone or you will face a Black."
"I face that everyday Sirius, your dear cousin…"
"But I don't care if you live or die, leave my…leave him alone." Sirius said softly getting very angry.
Harry rarely saw his godfather angry, upset yes if he had done something wrong but angry no. He was very nearly scared as his good natured godfather was radiating pure power and intimidation form every pore. His gray eyes flashed and he had his wand out while Lucius Malfoy was realizing just what this powerful wizard was capable of, this last of the male Black line. He nodded to Sirius and headed out of the bookstore to meet a woman with pale features and long blond hair talking to a boy with features so similar to the two adults they had to be his parents. Sirius was still looking a bit murderous when Remus came in and realized what had happened. Smiling he offered some chocolate to Sirius (most of what he had bought he had sent home already) and this seemed to snap Sirius out of his anger. He turned to the two boys his smirk back in place and offered them chocolate as well and they took it.
"So that is who married Narcissa?" Harry asked knowing all about Sirius's family tree, "I feel sorry for her."
"I would not, she has quite the temper." Sirius said grinning. "Just be grateful you got to be around my best cousin Andy."
"She is brilliant and Nymph is brilliant too." Harry said.
"More like a menace." Remus said nearly blushing.
"She likes you." Sirius said grinning.
"It's really not funny Padfoot." Remus said, "not funny at all."
Harry grinned, things had been interesting for a few years, it was clear that Nymphadora Tonks or Tonks to most people but Harry, Sirius and her mother had a deep crush on Remus Lupin. She was also a Metamorphous which meant she could change her looks at will. This lead to some very interesting problems for poor Remus as she tried desperately to get his attention and it worked, well sort of as Harry noticed he could turn several different shades when he blushed. Harry followed his uncles out and went with Neville to be measured for his robes. They got this done rather fast and nearly ran into the pale boy with Lucius and Narcissa. They only stopped and said hi before they ran off to get what they really wanted their wands.
Sirius lead them into the wand shop, Harry saw Neville get nervous as his gran was there to watch him get his wand. Harry thought the shop was a bit spooky as it was dark and the shelves were lined with rows and rows of boxes that looked like shoe boxes only they were smaller. He watched as Neville was measured then given a few wands to try out. After ten he waved on and golden sparks shot from the wand and Ollivander the ancient sliver eyed proprietor seemed very pleased. He wrapped the wand up and rung it up then turned to Harry. Harry found that Ollivander was studying him then he disappeared into the back coming out with a box and putting it on the counter. Remus and Sirius gave each other a look and Harry felt excited as he walked up and picked the wand up out of the box and waved it. He felt warmth go up his arm and a red and green light came from the end of his wand.
"Most excellent, yes he was right though most cannot see how a wand will react to a wizard." Ollivander said softly.
"Who chose it?" Harry asked puzzled.
"He chose not to give his name but he said this wand was for you." Ollivander said, "and he was right though it is interesting about this wand. I do remember every wand I sold, Sirius Black Hawthorn and unicorn hair, Remus Lupin Yew and dragon string. This wand has the feather of a phoenix, and that phoenix gave only one other feather."
"What wand was that to?" Remus asked quietly having an idea as to where this was going.
"The wand that gave young Mr. Potter here his scar." Ollivander replied.
Harry was shocked but for some reason not surprised, he thanked Ollivander and paid for the wand and left the shop his guardians a bit more worried. However that was forgotten as Aberforth was walking down the street carrying a cage with a snowy white owl and under his arm a basket in which there came a few faint meows. Harry loved the owl at once and when Aberforth handed the cage over to him his grin threatened to go past his ears.
"Thought you boys would need a familiar, her name is Hedwig." Aberforth told Harry then he handed the basket to Neville, "I know you wanted a cat so she is yours, very smart the shopkeeper said."
"Thank you sir!" Neville said surprised at the gift from this kindly old man. "This is so very, thank you!"
"You boys deserve them, after all you have gone through." Aberforth said smiling at them both.
"You are a good man Aberforth." Widow Longbottom said.
"Well I was hoping to impress a wonderful lady such as yourself." Aberforth said nearly getting Mrs. Longbottom to blush.
"You old wizard you!" She said smiling.
Both boys exchanged a look that was clearly not one that approved of adults acting in such a manner! Sirius grinned and Remus was nibbling his chocolate. Aberforth bought a late lunch for everyone then it was time to head back to the Lair. The day got better as Severus stopped in for the combined birthday party for the boys and gave a few more gifts to the boys and stayed long after Harry had gone to bed talking with Remus and Sirius.
Aberforth is called unlearned and he is, in the matter of books and such. But many a simple man is learned in things that matter such as human nature and nature in general. Aberforth is seen as a dirty unkempt man, but he is a man close to the earth and earthy as they come. I am going on very little here I know but from what I saw of him in the last book I do feel comfortable enough to create him how he would have been. Sometimes the wisest men are not the book learned ones but the ones that can read the matter of the heart and Aberforth is talented, he has his pub and inn and people come there for security.
I always thought Neville should have a cat and so I gave him one, I like cats and they are very useful. Not just in catching mice and such but they are a comfort and one can have quite the intelligent conversation with a cat. A cat does no speak a human language but they do listen very well and do make good familiars.
Yes I know that Neville is one day older than Harry. However as these boys are so close it would make sinceto share Harry's birthdate as they are dear friends in this fic. Waiting a day to share with a good friend would be good for both boys as they have something they can share together, apart from being orphans (or in Neville's case nearly an orphan).
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