(A/N: - Okay now the scene is set I hope you're enjoying the laying down of the plot. So let's get some description and have things move a bit more slowly. )

Chapter Three – Returning

Harry had arrived at the cave two days earlier. He found it strange at first not to be training. Of the last month he had spent all but three days in training, the equivalent of twenty eight years away. During the travel between people he had constantly checked on Hogwarts and England. He knew a darker evil was stalking the land, more terrible than any that had come in the last millennium. And yet, all remained quiet. Harry knew the ministry was recovering from the war and repairing the damage of some major corruption for over twenty years. Despite the difficulty of the task at the ministry, things were getting stronger every day. Why would Salazar let that happen it was only making the task more difficult. Harry was particularly pleased to hear that many people were signing up for the Auror programme, repairing and rejuvenating British forces.

He couldn't understand it, but it was making him nervous. As far as Harry knew, Slytherin had no followers or even any desires to take over. And yet Harry knew he both did and would. And that was why the entrance to the cave was being rapidly worn away from constant pacing over the last two days. Harry was making plans. No matter how strong the ministry was getting Harry knew he would always have problems with them, he could never trust them. Therefore he needed his own network. He needed fighters, spies and informers. Something big was coming and he was damned if more were going to die this time!

And yet, he still couldn't go back. He'd been away for so long, and so little. Surely after the equivalent of twenty eight years he'd be over the rejection. Surely he'd miss his friend's enough to go back? But he didn't. He missed them so much but the anger still boiled inside of him, churning away. And also, this part of the world was so breathtaking; he was loath to leave it yet.

It seemed the world was not prepared to wait however as Harry's new, or fifteen years old in this case, senses came to live. He'd been here too long and the many owls sent by the ministry, fans and friends over the last month had grouped up and were closing in trying to deliver their letters finally before he vanished again. He could sense them, almost fifty of them approaching through the rainforest. Luckily the downpour for that day had passed and they slowly alighted before him. Surprisingly for owls they were remarkably patient, queuing nicely as Harry removed their post. There were all colours and breeds there, including two snowy owls that sent a small pang through his heart as he remembered his own lost bird.

Another surprise was none of the owls waited for a reply and calmly took off, usually waiting for two or three others before leaving. With a sigh Harry sat down on a convenient boulder, feeling the surprisingly dry heat instead of the moisture he had become accustomed to. He felt his robes drying out for the first time in two days. Almost all of the letters were fan mail or hate mail in almost equally divided piles. Some were praising, congratulary and supportive. Others called him a dark wizard, a murderer and a 'menace to society who should turn himself in at once'.

There were four letters from Hermione.

Dear Harry Get back here this instant people are morons live with it! We support you! Love Hermione.

O o O o O o O

Dear Harry, I know your upset but please come back, we're at the Burrow. Or visit Hagrid. There are people who care for you. Lots of love Hermione.

O o O o O o O

Harry, you've been gone too long. Your just feeding these bullies rumours, please come home. We all miss you. Things are getting better honest. The ministry is making changes. I and Ron need you, he's asked me to marry him but we can't without his best man now can we? Please, please come home. Love Hermione.

O o O o O o O

Harry, you've been gone a month tomorrow. This has gone too long. The biggest magical man hunt in history is going on, it's a wonder you haven't been brought in by Aurors. This is serious Harry. Please come home! Love Hermione.

Harry sighed. He hated doing this to her, but the very thought of putting his newly acquired, sensitive magic in that country so full of resentment to him made him feel physically ill.

There was a letter from Ron saying the same as Hermione although detailing his proposal to Hermione more. There was a tear stained letter from Molly Weasley saying she didn't want to lose another son so please come home. The final letter was from Hogwarts.

Dear Mr Potter,

This if your formal invitation to attend your 8th year at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. Due to recent events Hogwarts if offering this 8th year for one year only. Please reply to notify us if you're attending the year or not. Please find enclosed a list of supplies necessary for your 8th year.

Most sincerely Minerva McGonagall

Headmistress.

Harry conjured a quill from the wall of the mouth of the cave with a complex spell. Summoning a bit of parchment he quickly replied.

Headmistress McGonagall,

Due to the fact I have spent that last month, or twenty eight years depending on your viewpoint, training with some of the most magical powerful and brilliant minds in the world I find myself sadly over qualified to attend this eighth year. Please allow me to congratulate you on offering this extra year however.

Included with this letter is twenty five signed letters of recommendation of very famous wizards all of whom have sworn magical oaths into the parchment (as you can detect with revealio) that I have spent the equivalent of a year training with them. I also include a list of qualifications I have gained in this time. I send these in asking you that because I have several projects currently underway use of Hogwarts library and many other areas of the castle would be highly productive I would like to apply for a job I am sure you have probably not considered. Despite recent peace it may still be a good idea to have some protection around the school. After I repaired the castle I am sure your know the original wards were remade with addition to all the wards placed on the castle since. With this increased protection Hogwarts is stronger than ever however I would still like to live and 'work' in the castle. Please note, I would not accept pay. I hope you will find me qualified as the schools protector.

Harry James Potter.

Qualifications

OWL's: see school records

Ancient Runes – Outstanding

Arithmancy – Outstanding

NEWT's: Defence Against the Dark Arts – Outstanding

Transfiguration – Outstanding

Charms – Outstanding

Potions – Outstanding

Herbology – Outstanding

Arithmancy – Outstanding

Ancient Runes – Outstanding

Apparation license

(un-registered) animagi

Magical Degree's:

Offensive and defensive combat - Outstanding

Advanced Transfiguration - Outstanding

Advanced Charms - Outstanding

Advanced Potions - Outstanding

Magic plants & creatures - Outstanding

Arithmancy - Outstanding

Advanced Runes and Ancient Magical languages – Outstanding

The letter rolled itself up. As a standard act now ingrained into his mind Harry cast protection charms upon the letter. They protected the letter from harm and ensured only Minerva was able to open the letter. Unlike normal wards that could be broken if enough raw magic power was used these didn't work like that. The detection charm would activate the attack ward if the wrong person opened the letter. This letter, rather than attacking directly, would completely drain the nearby area of magic, killing the intruder. Harry conjured a nearby huge leaf into a small plane that quickly merged with the letter and flapped off, going several times faster than the owls in the distance.

Harry headed back in to the cave, sitting before the small everlasting fire he had created further inside. He thought to the plan. Firstly, he needed to establish his own position within the British magical world so he was better placed to act and maintain moral when whatever was going to happen did happen. Secondly he needed to reaffirm public loyalty to him. Then he needed to start up a network of spies, informers and warriors. Fourth was make money. Fifth was finding a place to live and set up a number of safe houses. Sixth was make international relations and get all countries ready to contribute to any war effort. On top of these seemingly impossible steps Harry had a number of personal projects.

Salazar was out in the world at large. He didn't know why things had yet to happen. Surely a dark wizard powerful enough to bring himself back from the dead would have the likes of death eaters flocking to him in the hundreds. So why hadn't there been any attacks. The history books all said Salazar was the one who started the pureblood war so why wasn't he out there. Who did he possible fear? Even knowing more than most wizards alive Harry didn't know how Salazar had come back.

Harry sighed, the time had come. He had things to do if he was to return to Hogwarts in two weeks. To start with, protecting this cave. It was a good safe place for future informants needing to lie low or to hide supplies. He pulled out his wand although he was now probably more comfortable without using his wand. He'd learnt a lot about wands. A core referred to inside of a wand was actually an amplification core. A magical core was what wizards had, that generated magical energy that could then be used. Where as an amplification core did what it said, amplified the magical energy someone deposited to it. However when someone cast a spell with their wand a small chip of their own magical core became trapped in the wand. Their core repaired itself almost immediately. This piece of core continues to generate magical energy, until it's full. However it becomes trapped in the wand and is not accessible without the use of binding the wand to another wand when it becomes available to the spell, making them more powerful if the wielder desired.

Since then Harry had managed during his training to merge eight wands with his wand. These wands had been given to him by some of his tutors, who saved the wands for when they finally took an apprentice. These wands where from people they had collected through their lifetimes. The wands had all been used for a significant portion of their owner's lives. Because of this Harry's wand now had inside of it a magical core he could use at his direction for the will a magical core that was similar to that of the average wizard. Now as Harry cast almost a hundred separate wards on the cave he emptied the core within his wand and used as much power as he himself could. To anyone watching the results the air around of Harry crackled with power and a boom of thunder echoed within the cave as he activated the wards. Once he was done ha carved runes in the walls of the cave to help maintain the wards. The lines of runes all headed to one point just off of the wall inside the cave, where Harry carved harvesting runes. This was the reason he chose the cave, a lay line of earthen power surfaced here. Harry tapped into it and felt his already powerful wards suddenly brim with magical power, becoming a feature of the planet itself. Almost impossible to break. It took a lot out of Harry and he gladly collapsed down for a nap on his transfigured bed.

O o O o O

It had been a quiet day for the shops in Diagon Alley. Business had been booming since the downfall of the dark lord and the ministry had been uncorrupted. Unfortunately today was a Monday, always a quiet day, and it was raining. Flourish & Blots had had barely over ten customers by lunch time. That was, until lunchtime when a single customer transformed the entire staff's mood, spending almost a decade's income for the shop in just half an hour.

O o O o O

Harry wondered for almost a mile through the rainforest before reaching the edge of his own anti-Apparation wards. He observed himself in a pool of water. With the limitation on his magic now gone his body had used its new energy to finally repair the damage eleven years of abuse had done. He was six foot two tall, tanned, flawless and strangely hairless skin. His hair had grown longer and reached shoulder length, swept back over his head. His eyes had repaired themselves and he'd broadened out a bit. He no longer looked skinny and vampire like. Now he was lithe but rippling with muscle, just the right mix.

He had been shopping in France, making a small withdrawal from the Paris branch of Gringots. He had taken to wearing robes of late but had finally gotten around to throwing out Dudley's old clothes. He'd headed into Paris and bought several hundred pounds worth of fashionable muggle clothes. His slim frame meant he was showing of his skinny jeans very well. He wore a white shirt to go with it that had a loose collar showing quite a lot of his upper chest. His wand was tucked into his back pocket and he slung a shoulder bag over his shoulder with his possessions.

He apparated to Diagon Alley. He was going to make an appearance to show the public he was back, visit Gringots to start his money making plan and then visit the ministry to answer the minister's questions. The Anti-Apparation wards on the street were nothing to him as he popped into the centre of the street. Two of the four aurors on patrol in the street pointed their wands at him but a quick glance at his exposed forehead and scar made them lower their weapons. They started to talk to him but stopped when he looked at them. Harry turned and walked off. He headed straight to flourish and Blots, ignoring the gasps of the umbrella holding people clustered in the street.

The man slouched against his counter looking depressed shot up as he walked in. "Mr Potter! How healthy you look! It's an honour to have you back among us! Can I help you today?"

"Yes I wish to peruse your rarer book section so I know how much to withdraw from my vault later."

"Certainly Mr Potter! Right this way." He led Harry through the rows of books before eventually arriving at the other end of the building. The books here were on highly specialised topics. They entered a basement that the manager had to, albeit with a blush, clean the dust away from. Harry grinned in wonder. He'd grown to appreciate ancient tomes, the knowledge they brought. There were almost a thousand books they had fitting what he'd asked for. Harry smiled. What he knew was knowledge was power. He intended to learn everything he could but then the situation was bound to occur; when he needed to know something. Harry nodded before pulling out a sheet of parchment, and doing his sums. Eventually he told the happy looking manager "I'll take all of these here, and then I want the definitive book for each individual subject, no matter how specialised, I'm building up a fairly basic reference library. "

The man dropped his bowler hat, revealing his greying hair as his eyes lit up. "Mr... Mr... Mr Potter! That will come to almost a million galleons!"

"Okay thank you that's fine. I will return with a method of transport and the money within the hour." Harry bowed out of the basement and quickly slipped out onto the street. He was a bit shocked when he emerged, the street was packed. Aurors lined the wall holding in the swirling mass of people all of whom shouted and screamed as he appeared. Over a hundred cameras flashed, blinding him and the scream deafened him as well. Harry stumbled down the entrance steps, stopping in the small area the aurors had held open and clear. Kingsley Shackle bolt was waiting for him and smiled warmly.

"Kingsley! How are you?" Harry shouted above the noise; pleased to see his old friend.

"I was brilliant until we received word of a mass riot in Diagon Alley, couldn't off told us you were coming? That and how did you get through the anti-Apparation wards? My Aurors were scared shitless!" He laughed.

Harry chuckled "I've been learning is all I can say sorry my friend. Now I need to get to Gringots." Kingsley nodded and gestured. Five aurors surrounded him in a circle and Harry began walking. The crowd parted, with a fair share of grumbling, for him to pass through. Harry was finding himself blinking a lot thanks to the cameras flashing constantly. Harry took the time to look around. Despite the rain the alley seemed a happier place, small stalls had disappeared from in the middle of the street and once again the shops were covered with banners and posters, showing their goods and wares.

Gringots was exactly as he remembered it. Harry calmly walked up to a free goblin and spoke in fluent Gobble-de-Gook "Greetings, I wonder if I might be able to speak to one of your esteemed managers and make a withdrawal after. I have an offer for Gringots and then wish to speak on my investments." The Goblin looked shocked. It was unusual for a wizard to speak in the goblins own tongue but that wasn't shocking. What was shocking was Mr Potter seemed to be doing this as a courtesy and not as all before him; like he expected preferential treatment.

"Certainly Sir, I believe Garial is free, he is our main investment adviser, accountant and is authorized to speak for Gringots in certain matters." Harry bowed low as the goblin led him up the main steps on the far side of the room, past offices into a large airy office. Harry thanked the goblin and they bowed before he left. Harry stood calmly beside the chair in front of the desk. It was a light wood mahogany with nothing on it but an inkwell and a golden eagle quill. The walls were also painted white and were utterly blank. Even the floor, a polished marble slab was white.

Harry remained standing before a reasonable tall goblin entered. He was the first moderately young looking goblin Harry had ever seen. Whilst wrinkled like his entire race, his hair was a neatly slicked back and his goatee pointed sharply downwards; it was a honey coloured brown. The goblin spoke In English "For the purposes of ministry records being recorded by the quick quotes quill we will converse in English if you don't object?" he asked in a low voice.

"Certainly. I'm Harry Potter." Harry said politely.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr Potter; I'm Garial Gringots chief accountant and investment officer." He took a seat behind the desk and gestured for Harry to do. Garial noted with pleasure Mr Potter showed his respect for him by waiting for him to sit down first, rather than sitting down to wait. "Now to business, I'm told you first wish to discuss an offer for us?"

"Yes. Please do not be alarmed by my knowledge of your customs, I have had some good teachers. For example, I know the reason Goblins no longer are able to make their weapons or armour is because of their lack of the original material the used within the steep or gold. Without it, your items pale by comparison. I have recently spent some days under a charm making the one day a year. I have received quite extensive training. I spent a year with a wizard apart from the first who I was with for three years. Around halfway through I was tasked with a project that I spent 6 months on with my master of that time. I discovered something, as I have discovered many things. I discovered how to recreate that lost mineral." The goblins yes were wide as Harry concluded "I have discovered how to magically create and stimulate to grow, Titus." The goblin stared in silence for a split second before Harry saw his very soul tear apart and he collapsed into feint.

Harry waited calmly for him to wake up. Even when he did it was almost half an hour before he was ready to speak again "R...really?" Harry nodded "I... I think Gringots will be willing to pay VERY handsomely for you to create a vein of the growing Titus." He said, shaken. Harry's legimency wasn't needed to tell him that the goblin, despite feinting, was good enough at his job to even now try and stop him from harnessing the worth they would be willing to pay. Harry smiled, without any warmth; he needed to be seriously taken after all, "Please Garial, Gringots would be willing to pay significantly more than VERY handsomely for just a gram of it. Here are my prices. I deliver you 1kg, within a year you will have two from the growth. In return I get your personal accountancy for keeping my funds in order, greater interest rates, and no charges from Gringots and I believe before the shortage 1kg was worth 57.6million galleons. With its rarity and difficultly I will accept nothing less than a hundred million galleons. I will also expect my vault to be upgraded to high security and me to be given a Gringots cheque book."

The goblin looked pleased Harry wasn't being taken easily but still resented not getting one over on him. "I... will need to discuss with my immediate superior. Please wait here." He left practically running. Harry calmly waited but let his magic run into his hand, goblins were not above capture and torture. It was a good thing he was as he managed to cast a physical shield behind him. At the same time he dropped to the floor, rolled and fired a huge ball of fire at the recently exploded door. For a few seconds the goblins, for there were twenty of them, managed to erect a shield before Harry's brute magical power blast through it and singed them lightly. The fire was actually mixed with a stunner spell and they all hit the floor unconscious.

With a clap of his hands the goblins were bound in thick steel chains. Harry woke up Garial and a finely dressed, ancient goblin who he guessed was the bank manager. Their heads rolled for a minute before almost synchronized raised their heads and locked onto him. Harry saw the quick flash of fear before they both concealed their emotions. Harry took two menacing steps forward and leant down. In a deathly voice he whispered calmly into the goblins ear "My offer still stands but for one thing. There was one of you, now there are twenty. It was one hundred million, now it's twenty."

Harry kept a careful mental shield and an expressionless mask as he walked around the desk and took Garial's seat behind the desk. The goblins looked at each other before the leader spoke. His voice was quiet with age but his eyes were bright with a cunning intelligence "Very well Mr Potter, we wish to buy 10kg. Now will you untie us?"

"Not until your oath on my personal safety from goblins, and your agreement to what you have just stated. The interest rates on my vault will be fifteen percent." The goblins both looked affronted. It was a quirk of their race that an oath they made magically bound every one of their species. Harry had tied them in a corner if they swore this."

"I swear on my honour as a goblin and my magic and life to honour the terms that have to this point been outlined in the agreement suggestion made today between Mr Potter and Gringots bank on the understanding of delivery within twenty four hours." He grinned; he'd been perfectly fair but after what Harry had said about the difficulty of making it he didn't expect him to make it all within a day, which would void the oath. He smiled more when Harry frowned at him until Harry raised a glowing hand.

Harry raised his hand and summoned it forth. It was quick to do, just magically very tiring. Still ten spheres of a strange blue liquid metal appeared and floated just above the floor. Harry grinned as he, with a wave of his wand for appearance sake, woke the other goblins up. They all felt the compulsion of the oath. Even now the gold was being collected for ten kilograms, twenty billion galleons. Harry left the room with a cheery wave. When he arrived back in the foyer he was handed a cheque book and written confirmation of everything. Harry asked that goblin to tell his accountant he wanted a complete record of the vault and everything he had in it before the end of the week. The goblin nodded. There Aurors wondered what had occurred upstairs to make this all happen but didn't ask. Potter had the same sort of aura as Dumbledore now, kind but dangerous.

Harry headed back through the crowd, which seemed to have diminished but gained more reporters. He knew he'd be front page stuff tomorrow, if not already. He stopped into a shop on one of the side streets Tom's Trunks & Furniture intending to buy a magically enlarged trunk but stopped. A crowd of people tried to get in but the Aurors held them back. There were hundreds of trunks like he had been intending to get. In fact the walls weren't visible. The vendor, presumably Tom himself came hurrying over, a portly man with a greying beard in his late forties.

"Mr Potter! What an honour! How great to have you back among us! Can't believe what the ungrateful bastards have been saying about you. Preposterous! Anyway, you like the look of the HomeTrunkUltimate?"

Harry looked at the trunk before him. It was made from a dark wood, with black metal casing. It was finely decorated but the sign was what caught Harry's attention.

The HomeTrunkUltimate!

The HomeTrunkUltimate is a magically enlarged trunk with all the amenities you'll ever need! The trunk magically expands when opened to provide an easy staircase into your spacious and elegantly designed entrance hall. The trunk has a modern, minimalist kitchen, bedroom, dining room, lounge, bathroom, library, potions lab, swimming pool, gym, sauna, Jacuzzi and duelling arena for up to 12 competitors. The walls are magically enchanted and rune enchanted to be unbreakable, magic resistant and have controllable sticking charms to stop you going head over heels. The chest has patented security systems incorporating anti-roll charms, the traditional key, a siren alarm, strong shield charms, security alarm, anti-Apparation, anti-portkey, anti-animagi entrance wards and a moderate level stunner ward to attack those who trigger the wards!

All for an amazing 500,000 galleons! Ask your nearest salesperson today!

Harry decided "Yes I am interested, very interested. In fact, I'll take it! Why not!" he laughed, enjoying spending money properly for the first time in his life, on a luxury.

The man nearly feinted with joy, "Certainly Mr Potter! I'll just shrink that for you and bag it up. He turned the central ruby set into the lib and as he turned it the trunk shrank until it was no bigger than his closed fist.

O o O o O

An hour later found Harry Potter back in his cave in the Amazon rainforest. His trunk was open showing his new, full, library. He'd just finished a letter to the ministry asking for a meeting with Madame Bones. Harry lay back and smiled, his plans were underway.

(A/N- So I have hundreds of ideas about this fiction it's just this was a filler chapter and this combined with a black belt grading have meant I have had literally no time. I've passed now though so I hope to re-inspire myself with this. I am most definitely in this for the long run. Many thanks to all those whom have added this to favourite story/author it means a lot to my lacking self confidence. Also, reviews are great, especially critique.)