Hey! :)
I now it's taken me a few days to update but today was the first day I found enough time to finish this chapter. I'm trying to include your suggestions and if you have more ideas or find mistakes, please let me know!
As previously suggested, I'll be posting Harry's stats in a different chapter from now on. For those of you who don't care about them, simply skip these chapters and go on reading the next ones.
Anyway, have fun reading and - as always - let me know what you think! ;)
The old alarm clock on his nightstand rudely awakened Harry the next morning. It was just eight minutes past six when he tiptoed to the bathroom on the upper floor, careful not to wake the Dursleys, and got ready for another quest-filled day.
He'd earned a total of 3.363 galleons so far, a mighty sum for having been resurrected only seventy-two hours ago but Harry couldn't complain; everything he earned would be reinvested in school supplies and other useful equipment. Everything he'd need to defeat Voldemort.
After combing his unruly black hair, only to find out that it looked exactly as messy as ever, Harry tiptoed back down the stairs and into the kitchen where he wanted to have a quick breakfast before he'd venture out to gain more XP.
He hadn't even gotten past his cousin's second room, when the door to his aunt and uncle's bedroom flew open and a grumpy-looking Uncle Vernon stepped into the corridor. It took the man a few seconds to realise that his nephew – the most hated person in this patchwork family – stood frozen at the top of the stairs, staring back at him wide-eyed.
"What the hell do you think you're doing sneaking through the house, boy!" he bellowed without wasting a single thought about the other two persons still snoring in their beds. "Thought, I wouldn't notice, did you? Ha! Wrong, boy, deadly wrong – now go back to your cupboard! I don't want to see your face again today, am I clear?!"
Your relationship with Vernon Dursley has decreased!
"Yes, Uncle Vernon!" Harry breathed, almost stumbling down the stairs in a hurry to get away from his uncle's dangerously purple face.
"Damn it!" he cursed and kicked the nightstand back in his cupboard.
Everything had gone so smoothly! He'd completed quests, had taken extra care not to mess up his relationship with the Dursleys – Aunt Petunia had even helped him find the med kit – and now this!
TUTORIAL
Harry has gotten cupboard arrest for sneaking around! You can leave the cupboard at any time – make sure not to get caught though or the door to the outside world won't be unlocked until one of your relatives has mercy and lets you out!
Tipp: Try not to get caught when sneaking around! A higher Sneaking skill will lessen the risk of other characters noticing you!
Harry sighed. Cupboard arrest. From past experiences that included three meagre meals – usually cold canned soup for lunch and a small slice of dry bread for breakfast and dinner, each accompanied by a glass of water.
Great. Well done, Harry, well done! Just because Aunt Petunia helped you once doesn't mean she or anyone else in this godforsaken family will do so again – at least try to remember that in the future!
Of course, his stats had changed now that he'd been caught:
PERSONALITY TRAITS
Ambitious: 10 / 100
Adventurous: 26 / 100
Brave: 20 / 100
Cunning: 10 / 100
Confidence: 10 / 100
Dark: 5 / 100
Diplomatic: 5 / 100
Fair: 11 / 100
Funny: 5 / 100
Hard-Working: 40 / 100
Helpful: 60 / 100
Honest: 24 / 100
Intelligent: 11 / 100
Kind: 40 / 100
Loyal: 10 / 100
Polite: 40 / 100
Rebellious: 20 / 100
Respectful: 34 / 100
Selfless: 32 / 100
Sensitive: 15 / 100
Tolerant: 20 / 100
Temperamental: 39 / 100
#
RELATIONSHIP STATS
Petunia Dursley: 100 / 1000
Vernon Dursley: 83 / 1000
Dudley Dursley: 95 / 1000
Piers Polkiss: 60 / 1000
Mrs. Figg: 300 / 1000
It wasn't much but Harry was at his wit's end about how to ever improve his relationship with his relatives. Nothing he seemed to do really had a positive influence on it, but if he didn't do anything at all – or worse, talked back – the stats started to decrease.
At least he had his cooking book – it wasn't what he'd planned on doing for the day but it was better than nothing and so Harry threw himself onto his bed, leaning his back against the wall and took the item in question out of his inventory.
"Cooking for dummies," he read upon opening the first page. "You wouldn't know a sausage from a poisonous snake but are desperately trying not to starve to death? Despair no longer! Norman Kingfisher will teach YOU how to throw together a meal with the most basic ingredients!"
Harry had never before heard of a guy called Norman Kingfisher even though Dudley and his mother loved to watch every cooking show broadcast on TV.
The ceiling of the cupboard groaned under Uncle Vernon's weight as he heaved his extensive body mass down the stairs and walked past Harry's door with an annoyed snort.
So much for a good beginning… Maybe Aunt Petunia will be in a better mood when she wakes up.
Right now, however, all Harry could do was concentrate on reading Mr. Kingfisher's book, hoping to increase his cooking skills – the only positive thing to look forward to on this dull morning.
The text was boring, the pictures mouth-watering in a mercilessly torturous way and Kingfisher's advice a mixture between helpful and annoyingly sarcastic.
How dim-witted does he think his readers are? 'Of course, you'll need a knife to cut your onions! Unless you're Edward Scissorhands, that is – then you can always use your fingers!' Maybe someone should call this guy and tell him that wizards can also use their wands…
To Harry, the fact that he'd found the book in a trash can became increasingly understandable the more chapters he read. Under normal circumstances, he would have thrown it back to where he'd taken it from never to waste a single thought about it ever again, but now that he'd have to spent the entire day in his cupboard, reading was his only option to kill time.
Harry sighed. This was going to be a very, very long day…
Aunt Petunia, who avoided to look at him entirely whenever she brought him something to eat, was kind enough to add a little bit of cheese to the two slices of bread she served him for breakfast and dinner.
When she returned for the third time – the only indicator that it was close to nightfall – Harry, starving, greedily bolted down his food, before handing her back the empty plate and returning to reading the last three chapters of the book.
Being able to spend an entire day honing a single skill – even if said skill wasn't useful in fighting Lord Voldemort (unless Harry could impress the Dark Lord with outstandingly delicious meals enough to change his allegiance) – proved to be very effective. By the time he was finished with the last chapter, his cooking skill had increased to a total of 260 points – a little over a fourth of what he needed to master this particular skill.
All right, considering that I spent an entire day doing nothing but reading Kingfisher's book of sarcasm, gaining 250 points isn't really a lot.
Then he groaned, pressing his face into his pillow. If it already took him this long to get a fourth of his cooking skill, how long would it take him to upgrade the others? There were thirty of them! How was he supposed to manage all that while trying not to die and defeat the darkest wizard of modern history?
Think, Harry, think… My friends could help me with – wait a second… I already know about the upcoming war and horcruxes… If I found the DA a few years earlier, I could teach them enough to help me destroy Voldemort! Sure, we'd have to rename our little club, but –
Clubs are unavailable at the moment.
Tipp: To unlock Clubs, your skill Silver Tongue has to exceed 500 points!
Another exasperated groan. Judging from how long it took him to reach 260 points in cooking, 500 points would mean another two days of upgrading a skill! The worst part – Silver Tongue required him to read all of Gilderoy Lockhart's published books.
He didn't even write them himself! Maybe that's the reason why they are meant to upgrade a skill that'll perfect my lying and persuasion abilities – if someone is able to fool the entire wizarding community, they have to be a master in tricking and… well… memory charms…
On the positive side, he'd get everything he needed in Diagon Alley and since school wouldn't start until September, Harry would have enough time to finish reading Lockhart's books.
Will that make me the ultimate master to manipulation? Wait – Silver Tongue only works, if someone's below my Charisma level, right? Yeah… Still, most students shouldn't pose a problem.
Then, a sly smile crept onto his features. He could found clubs, which also included the DA – renamed to prevent any association with Dumbledore – which, in return, should further increase his relationship with his friends and other students.
Harry didn't want to go as far as Voldemort and brand them with a mark that would bind them to him, but he could form an alternative to the Order of the Phoenix; one that wasn't controlled by the Headmaster but by Harry himself.
And just like that, the originally worst day in his life had turned into one of a promising-looking future.
Another positive – and rather surprising – thing that Harry discovered two days later, when Uncle Vernon's mood had lightened up enough to end his cupboard arrest, was that he could remember every single recipe he'd read about in Kingfisher's 'Cooking for dummies'. Heck, he didn't even have to think about anything! It was as if his body was moving on its own, collecting ingredients, boiling or frying food to perfection and using just enough seasoning to give his meals that extra taste. The Dursleys, who seemed equally surprised, fortunately accepted the fact that the Potter boy was a culinary mastermind – to be fair, they couldn't see his stats – and silently ate their breakfast. Harry also had two additional quests having been promoted to kitchen chef, a title that had belonged solely to his aunt, and was now responsible for helping her prepare lunch and dinner. It restricted him in moving around freely as he now had to be home an hour before each meal, which gave him less time to complete other quests but Harry was still hunting for XP and even cooking would give him a total of 120 per day.
He was doing the dishes when the sound of the mail slot clicking and flopping of letters on the doormat could be heard.
"Get the mail, Dudley," said Uncle Vernon from behind his paper just as his son was about to leave for his bedroom.
"Make Harry get it," Dudley whined, clearly not in the mood for making more steps than absolutely necessary.
One day, you're going to regret not exercising enough, Diddy-dums, Harry thought, remembering the diet Dudley would be put on in about four years from now.
"Get the mail, Harry."
"Yes, Uncle Vernon," Harry replied, dried his hands and obediently went to fetch the letters.
Your relationship with Vernon Dursley has increased!
He took some comfort in knowing that doing what he was being told would increase his relationship with his relatives. It was hard not to talk back or roll his eyes, but Harry really was trying to improve things this time around.
There were three letters on the doormat; a bill for Uncle Vernon, a washing machine ad and – a letter for Harry!
Smirking, he hid it under his baggy shirt, making sure that nobody would notice the silhouette sticking out from underneath his clothes and went back to the kitchen.
"What were you doing, checking for letter bombs?" Uncle Vernon chuckled at his own joke as Harry handed him the mail.
Uncle Vernon ripped open the bill, snorted in disgust and put it back in the envelope.
"They're getting greedier each year, I'm telling you, Petunia!" he complained. "If we don't do something about them soon, they'll double their prices!"
Harry had no idea what he was talking about and, honestly, he didn't care. There was a letter waiting for him and the sooner he finished cleaning up, the sooner he would get to read it. Dudley, meanwhile, had heaved his body mass up the stairs and shut his bedroom door with a loud 'BANG' that made his mother flinch. Harry was sure that he'd have gotten a good yelling at, had he done the same – but Dudley was Aunt Petunia's little prince and would even get away with murder, if his motives were reasonable enough.
As soon as Harry had finished, he set off to leave the kitchen, when his aunt stopped him. "Don't forget to be back for lunch!"
He nodded, assuring her that he'd be punctual, before retreating to his cupboard. Fortunately, it was a relatively cool summer, which meant that the house didn't heat up as badly and Harry wasn't lying in his bed with sweat pouring down his back.
Making sure that no-one was around to accidentally burst in, Harry took out the now wrinkled envelope and opened it:
Dear Mr. Potter,
We have received your letter and are hereby informing you that a member of the Hogwarts staff will arrive at your home on Friday, 29th August, at 10 am.
Please be ready to leave for your errands by then.
Sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
Cunning – You successfully sneaked a letter to your room: +10 XP, + 20 Galleons
Bonus: Intelligence Level 5! + 5% XP
Total gain: + 10 XP
29th August!? But that's only three days away from the start of the new school term! How am I supposed to read all of Lockhart's books in three days – two, if I spend an entire day in Diagon Alley!
This was definitely not how he'd planned things. First of all, the 29th was still two months away and all Harry could do was grind for XP by completing exhausting quests that required him to have the endurance of a marathon athlete.
Tipp: Are you tired of waiting? No problem! You can fast-forward time to skip long waiting periods!
TUTORIAL
Fast-forwarding time allows you to jump forward in time! Be careful though – Harry won't be able to complete quests and his relationship with others will decrease, if he ignores their letters!
(This feature is unavailable when using a time turner)
Let's try it out! Simply think 'fast-forward to…' and insert the date and time you want to jump to! For now, let's choose 29th August, 9:45 am!
What? No! I don't want to jump forward in time! Skip the tutorial! I said SKIP THE TUTORIAL!
But the game was persistent. No matter how angry he got, the world around him remained frozen like someone had put it to sleep and only Harry could awaken it.
"Arrrggh!" he screamed. "Fine! Fast-forward to 29th August at 9:45 am! Can we please go on now?"
There was a light pull in his stomach, similar to side-long apparition but less severe, and for a moment he thought that nothing had happened. Confused, Harry slowly opened the door to his cupboard and peeked out into the hall but since it had already been morning by the time he opened his letter, there was absolutely no change in lightning. The house was dead silent.
Harry was puzzled. The Dursleys didn't sleep in – never. During the summer holidays, breakfast was at nine o'clock sharp, no exceptions and since Dudley had the appetite of a baby whale, he wouldn't miss a single meal.
Then, where was everyone?
The clock above the kitchen counter told him that it was exactly 9:47 am, thirteen minutes until one of his former teachers would arrive to buy his supplies.
There was a small note on the kitchen table: Are spending the last two weeks of Dudley's holidays on Majorca. Food is in the refrigerator. IF YOU BLOW UP THE HOUSE, BOY, YOU'LL SPEND THE REST OF YOUR LIFE IN YOUR CUPBOARD! We'll be back on the 31st. No funny business, am I clear!?
The first part was unmistakably written in his aunt's neat handwriting, while Uncle Vernon's large letters concluded the message with a shout.
I'm glad that this isn't a howler… So, the Dursleys have gone to Majorca and left me alone for two weeks and I only have two more days to take advantage of it because I fast-forwarded time – great, just great! I'll probably never get that chance again!
Harry sighed and put the note back on the table. Dwelling on something he couldn't change anymore wouldn't do him any good – yes, it was frustrating and, yes, he would have loved to try out Dudley's new computer, but right now he needed to focus on his upcoming trip to Diagon Alley.
I better write a check-list of things I need, otherwise I'll forget the most important stuff…
Fortunately, Harry was already dressed for the day, which gave him the full last five minutes to note down everything he'd need, until someone would pick him up and take him to London.
The doorbell rang.
Harry quickly grabbed his list of supplies – which had been expanded by a couple of items – slipped into his shoes, took the key from the dresser in the hallway and hurried to open the front door.
"Ah, good morning – Mr. Potter, I assume?" It was Professor Sinistra, his former Astronomy teacher, dressed in her usual midnight blue robes, who greeted him at the porch.
"Good morning, Professor," Harry said politely, albeit a little bit disappointed that Hagrid hadn't been sent to take him this time. "Thank you for picking me up today."
He hadn't been very close to Professor Sinistra and apart from the fact that she taught his Astronomy class, didn't know very much about her.
"It's our job to make sure all of our students are taken care of, Mr. Potter," she replied smiling. "Professor McGonagall mentioned you having trouble getting to London?"
Harry had no idea how much his former Head of House knew. The express reply he'd accidentally sent two months prior had been automatically generated and the game hadn't told him what it had entailed.
"Err, yes, my relatives…" he hesitated, not sure what to say. There was no special dialogue wheel so Harry suspected that it was either too early to ask her about whatever secrets she was keeping, or she simply didn't know anything worthwhile.
Now would be the right time to use your glasses, Harry – something you should have done ages ago, by the way…
Right, his glasses – the only reason he'd chosen them this time around was that they allowed him to see other people's stats.
TUTORIAL
To view other people's stats, touch the right arm of your glasses once. Do the same to blend their stats out again.
He did and was surprised to see a small window pop up next to Professor Sinistra's head that read:
Aurora Sinistra
Level: 83
Health: 4200 / 4200
Relationship Status: 300 / 1000
Difficulty: 30
Tipp: Upgrade you glasses to view more stats!
Harry gained one attribute point per level – one. How was he supposed to reach level 30 in the near future? He was 25 Charisma levels short of being able to manipulate her once he mastered his Silver Tongue skill.
If Professor Sinistra's Charisma level is 30, how difficult will be the other professors? – Get back to the conversation, Harry, or she'll think you're slow.
"My relatives aren't exactly thrilled that I'm a wizard and refused to take me to London," Harry finally said, opting for a half-truth. In his previous life, they really had hated him for being who he was – a freak in their eyes; but right now, Harry wasn't even sure, if they knew that he'd received his Hogwarts letter.
Maybe they'll return from their holidays and refuse to take me to King's Cross! What am I supposed to do then?
"Err, Professor?" Harry asked. "How do I get to the train, if my aunt and uncle don't want to take me to London? I mean, they really, really hate magic and everything that's not… well, normal… They won't want me to go to Hogwarts."
Professor Sinistra looked at him for a moment, a mix of concern and thoughtfulness passing across her features.
"I can arrange for someone to pick you up, Mr. Potter," she said, looking him over once again. "I will take the matter to the Headmaster, but I want you to send an owl immediately, if you have any more trouble with your relatives, okay?"
Harry nodded. She was surprisingly nice and open to offer him help, if he needed it. The only question was how far she'd go, if he really was in trouble – would she send someone to take him away from the Dursleys? Dumbledore hadn't and Harry was sure that he'd known just how badly Harry's relatives were treating their nephew.
"Thank you, Professor, I'll keep that in mind."
Your relationship with Aurora Sinistra has increased!
Really? That's easier than trying to get Aunt Petunia to like me!
"All right, then – are you ready to leave? Do you have your list?" Professor Sinistra asked and stretched out her arm when he nodded, holding up the piece of parchment Professor McGonagall had sent him. "Very well, take my hand, Mr. Potter, we'll apparate to Diagon Alley. The fastest and easiest way to travel. But you'll have to enter through the Leaky Cauldron, if you want to venture there on your own."
Side-long apparition. Oh, how he hated it; the feeling of being sucked into a whirlwind of images while the contents of his stomach were turned upside down.
Luckily, the experience lasted only a few seconds and Harry, who was already used to travelling this way, managed to land on relatively steady legs.
Professor Sinistra made sure that the colour had returned to his face, before she gave him a map and pointed out that they'd first be going to Gringotts, the wizarding bank, to withdraw some money.
"Goblins are not a species to be trifled with, Mr. Potter," she informed him. "You better stay close and let me do the talking."
New area unlocked: Diagon Alley! + 1000 XP
Bonus: Intelligence Level 5! + 5% XP
Keen Explorer! + 5% XP
Total gain: + 1100 XP
New Quest: Purchase your school supplies!
Diagon Alley was bustling with people. It was so unlike the deserted, dark place Harry remembered from his previous year that he felt immediately reminded of his first time stepping foot onto the cobbled stones.
A smile tugged at his lips as he followed the professor to the snow-white building at the end of the street. This was heaven! Being surrounded by other witches and wizards dressed in colourful robes, all kinds of animals sneaking around their legs and dozens of shops displaying their goods for everyone to see. The distinct smell of parchment, fresh ink, herbs and food filled the air and Harry had never felt more at home in the wizarding world – his world.
The visit to Gringotts went similar to when Hagrid had taken him there seven years ago, only that Professor Sinistra handed the small golden key to the old Goblin behind the counter and Brodgras accompanied them to the underground vaults, not Griphook.
Harry enjoyed the cool air and roller coaster-like ride in the cart. It reminded him of flying on a broomstick, his favourite pastime and it cost him some effort to hold back the laugh building up in his throat.
"Vault six-hundred-eighty-seven," Brodgras announced as the cart came to a sudden halt.
Harry jumped out as the Goblin unlocked the heavy iron door – and stared.
There was a single heap of galleons in the vault, no sickles or knuts… just galleons.
"W-what?" Harry stammered, completely taken aback by the lack of money in the oversized room.
"It's all yours, Mr. Potter," Professor Sinistra said with an encouraging smile. "Take as much as you need."
She handed him a small leather pouch. Harry, still shocked by his newest discovery, took it and stared back at the galleons in front of him.
"Where did all the money go?" he stammered once again, shaking his head. "Didn't – didn't my parents leave me anything to secure my future?"
"Galleons are not transferable to other wizards," Brodgras replied in a monotone voice. "They can only be earned by completing quests. If you do not have sufficient funds, ask another wizard to do your purchases or apply for a loan. Loans can be raised to a maximum of 50.000 galleons to be paid back within five years after signing the contract. Would Mr. Harry Potter like to apply for a loan?"
Harry stared at him. "No, thanks, I don't want to apply for a loan… I-I'll just take what I have here."
He was sure that Griphook had never mentioned anything about loans when Hagrid had taken him to Gringotts. It had to be another one of the game's new features that Harry would have to get used to.
He shovelled ten hands full of galleons into the small pouch, which had to have been magically expanded because the money simply vanished in it.
"Would you like to finish your withdrawal?" the Goblin asked as Harry stepped back.
"Err, yes, please."
"Very well," Brodgras replied, locking the iron door. "Your current balance amounts to 1.011 galleons."
They got back into the cart that would bring them back to the surface. Apparently, Harry had withdrawn a little over 2000 galleons – enough to last several years, if he didn't make any super expensive purchases.
Unfortunately, as he soon found out after Professor Sinistra had allowed him to venture off on his own until they'd meet in front of Gringotts again when it was time to go home, 2000 galleons wasn't nearly enough to buy anything but the most basic supplies.
Harry decided to start with Madam Malkin's, a well-known store with a good reputation where most witches and wizards bought their robes.
"Hello, dear," the round witch greeted him with her usual broad smile. "First time Hogwarts, I assume? Well, why don't you follow me to the back, dearie, I've got everything you need in my store."
And she did. The name Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions became an entirely new meaning upon looking at her very, very impressive inventory. There were summer robes, winter robes, elegant robes, hiking, exploration, brewing and duelling robes, robes that changed the wearer's appearance or made them look taller… and the prices were… unreasonably high, found Harry.
"100 galleons for a simple school uniform?" he asked incredulously.
"Well, we have to live from something, my dear," Madam Malkin said with a deep laugh. "What did you think, that you'd get your robes for free?"
Harry quickly used his glasses to check her stats. She was a level 42 witch, difficulty level 17, which meant that he still didn't have sufficient Charisma to barter even though the dialogue wheel gave him that option. However, because he'd known Madam Malkin to be a polite and respectable witch, Harry refrained from trying to get a lower price for his robes. He was afraid that she'd turn on him and throw him out, if he tried anything.
While he was waiting for her to take his measures – there was no Malfoy this time around who'd probably gotten the best of the best from his father, something that made Harry's stomach churn at the unfairness of the distribution of money – he took another glimpse at Madam Malkin's inventory.
Basic School Uniform (100 Galleons):
Armor: + 0.5%
Attack: + 0.1%
Bonus: none
It was the worst she had to offer but since he also needed to purchase a whole bunch of other things, Harry wanted to safe his money – he could always come back later, if he had some of it left.
The most expensive piece of clothing, The Conqueror, a dark-red and traditional-looking duelling outfit cost the hefty sum of 50.000 galleons!
The Conqueror (50.000 Galleons):
Armor: + 75%
Attack: + 70%
Speed: + 50%
Bonus: Strength + 5, Perception: + 10, Endurance + 5, Charisma + 5, Intelligence + 5, Agility + 10, Luck + 5
Tipp: You can upgrade your equipment with enchantments or special runes!
Harry sighed. When had prices gone up like that? His first school uniform had cost a fifth of the one he was about to purchase now!
"All right, that's you done, dearie," Madam Malkin said fifteen minutes later and Harry hopped off the stool. "Anything else?"
In the end, he left the store with an additional set of winter robes and a travelling cloak, which had cost him another 200 galleons. Harry began to calculate. He had 2.082 galleons left.
Next, he visited the Apothecary even though it was pretty much at the other end of Diagon Alley but since potions ingredients were something he could also get at Hogwarts, if need be, Harry only bought what was required on the list.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
UNIFORM
First-year students will require:
1.Three sets of plain work robes (black) – check
2.One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear – check
3.One pair of protective gloves (dragonhide or similar) - check
4.One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings) – check
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags.
COURSE BOOKS
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
1.The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk
2.A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
3.Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
4.A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
5.One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
6.Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
7.Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamader
8.The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble
OTHER EQUIPMENT
1.1 wand
2.1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2) – check
3.1 set of glass or crystal phials – check
4.1 telescope set – check
5.1 brass scales – check
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad.
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST-YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS.
Harry checked his list once again as he set off to buy his books at Flourish and Blotts – one of Hermione's favourite stores. He had 1500 galleons left and wanted to make sure he had all the literature he needed before purchasing his wand and pet – Hedwig was who he was hoping for, praying that she hadn't already been taken by someone else.
Getting a hold of his course books was easy, they practically screamed at him to take them off the shelves as he strolled through the store. Lockhart's published copies were displayed at the front with a 5% discount, if a customer purchased the whole set – something Harry was about to do, his ears matching the colour of tomatoes as a young witch caught him holding an edition of Magical Me in his hand and started giggling.
The things you do for levelling-up your skills… All right, where do they keep 'Weightlifting for Wizards'?
It took him about half an hour to find all the books he had added to his list.
"That'll be 360 galleons," the elderly wizard behind the counter said.
It was half past four by the time Harry walked out of Eeylops Owl Emporium, carrying a large golden cage with a sleeping snowy owl in it and a broad smile plastered on his face. He'd found her, his Hedwig – the companion who'd given her life to save him. To his surprise, Harry had discovered that Hedwig was also able to level-up, giving him an Intelligence bonus of + 1 per level.
"They won't lock you up again, I promise," he whispered to the sleeping owl who lazily opened one of her amber eyes and hooted softly as if to show him that she had understood.
Harry smiled at her and slowly made his way to Ollivander's, his last stop for the day. As he passed by a woman who helped a young boy his age carry his belongings, Harry suddenly realised that he hadn't completed a single side-quest the entire time. He'd been so busy looking for his own school supplies that he hadn't even taken the time to check the area for quests or assignments!
It's too late to do anything anyway…
Of course, he could always come back tomorrow, but since he'd originally planned on increasing his Silver Tongue skill, Harry would be spending the next two days reading books in his cupboard.
The narrow and shabby shop of Mr. Ollivander was the last one before the Leaky Cauldron. A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window – not very trustworthy-looking for a renowned wandmaker.
Harry entered, spotting Mr. Ollivander immediately behind the counter as the elderly wizard handed a newly wrapped narrow box to a middle-aged witch with dark-blond hair.
"A very fine choice you've made, Mrs. Attwater," he said softly, his pale eyes twinkling joyfully. "Very elegant, excellent for even the most complex charms."
Mrs. Attwater nodded and bid her farewell, giving Harry a polite smile as she walked past him and exited the store.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Potter," Mr. Ollivander said, his eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop. "Ah yes, yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon."
"Hello," Harry said a little bit awkwardly. "I'm here to purchase my wand."
"Yes, most young witches and wizards come to Ollivander's to buy only the finest wands." He studied Harry curiously. "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."
Similar to Harry's first visit, Mr. Ollivander moved closer until he stood directly in front of him.
"Your father, on the other hand, favoured a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favoured it – it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course." Mr. Ollivander had come so close that Harry could see himself reflected in those misty eyes. "And that's where…"
Mr. Ollivander stretched out one of his pale hands, his fingers ghosting over the lightning scar on Harry's forehead. Harry just wished he would stop.
"It was a long time ago," Harry replied steadily, taking a step back. "I hardly remember it."
"Ah, of course, forgive the intrusions of an old man, Mr. Potter, I did not mean to overstep my boundaries." He sighed. "Hmmm – well, now, Mr. Potter, let me see. Which is your wand arm?"
"I'm right-handed, sir," Harry replied, relieved that Mr. Ollivander had decided to drop the subject of Voldemort and his parents.
The silver tape measure immediately went to work while its master told Harry about wand wood and cores, flitting around the shelves in the back of the store and taking down boxes.
"That will do," he said and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor. "Right then, Mr. Potter. It is time to choose your wand."
TUTORIAL
Choosing his first wand is an important experience for Harry. He may win wands in duels throughout the game, but his own will give him the most benefits. You can freely choose which wand wood you would like to have, but Harry is required to have a Phoenix feather core given his history with Voldemort.
A new window popped up, displaying a list of every wand wood available in Mr. Ollivander's shop and Harry swallowed. Then his eyes fell on one particular word: Elder.
ELDER
The rarest wand wood of all, and reputed to be deeply unlucky, the elder wand is trickier to master than any other. It contains powerful magic, but scorns to remain with any owner who is not the superior of his or her company; it takes a remarkable wizard to keep the elder wand for any length of time. The old superstition, 'wand of elder, never prosper,' has its basis in this fear of the wand, but in fact, the superstition is baseless, and those foolish wandmakers who refuse to work with elder do so more because they doubt they will be able to sell their products than from fear of working with this wood. The truth is that only a highly unusual person will find their perfect match in elder, and on the rare occasion when such a pairing occurs, I take it as certain that the witch or wizard in question is marked out for a special destiny.
Harry paused. He could buy an Elder wand at Mr. Ollivander's?
Bonuses:
Attack: + 50%
Defense: + 50%
To make sure that he made the right choice, Harry scrolled through the list again. Fir and Vine wood also looked good but, ultimately, Harry decided to stick with his first choice – the Elder wand.
Are you sure you would like to purchase 'Elder'?
Yes.
200 galleons were deducted from his pouch, leaving Harry with only 300 galleons left. The low price surprised him a little, but the game didn't seem to mind at all, giving him huge discount because when he looked at Ollivander's inventory again, the costs for an Elder wand had risen to 40.000.
Why didn't they do that back at Madam Malkin's? The Conqueror could come in handy during fights! – Don't question the game, Harry, you know it's useless. Just accept the fact that you are given a super wand and leave it be.
"Tricky customer, eh?" Mr. Ollivander said happily, piles of opened boxes laying on the counter next to him.
When did I try those? I only looked through his inventory!
Apparently, looking at a wand wood was equivalent to testing a wand in Mr. Ollivander's shop and since Harry had gone through all of them, half the content of the shelves was piled up in the front of the store.
"Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere – I wonder, now – yes, why not – unusual combination – elder and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."
Harry took the wand and immediately felt the familiar warmth spreading through his fingers and arm, a stream of red and golden sparks shooting from the tip like a firework.
"Oh, bravo!" Mr. Ollivander cried, clapping his hands. "Yes, indeed, oh, very good. Well, well, well… how curious… how very curious… I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather – just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother – why, its brother gave you that scar."
The words sounded oddly familiar, but Harry already knew the story about his wand's connection to Voldemort's. Dumbledore had explained it to him in his fourth year.
He shivered as the memory of Cedric's dead body entered his mind. No, he didn't want to think about those things right now!
Harry bid Mr. Ollivander farewell, his new Elder wand stored away in his inventory, and made his way back to Gringotts where Professor Sinistra was undoubtedly already waiting for him.
Quest completed: Purchase your school supplies: + 100 XP, + 100 Galleons
Bonus: Intelligence Level 6! + 5% XP
Total gain: + 105 XP
Quest updated: Return to Professor Sinistra!
Yeah, yeah, Harry thought as he walked back to the snow-white building of the worldwide only wizarding bank. He could already make out Professor Sinistra's silhouette in the distance. Apparently, she hadn't moved at all since he'd set off on his own.
Doesn't anyone who takes me on a quest move on their own? Would she have accompanied me, if I'd asked?
"Professor?" he said upon reaching her. "I've got everything I need, I think. I'm ready to go home."
Sinistra nodded and smiled down at him. "Good, take my arm and I'll apparate us back to Privet Drive."
Quest completed: Return to Professor Sinistra: + 10XP, + 10 Galleons
Bonus: Intelligence Level 6! + 5% XP
Total gain: + 10 XP
Again, Harry had the feeling of being pulled into a maelstrom. A few seconds later, his feet landed on firm ground and he steadied himself by grabbing a hold of Professor Sinistra's robe.
"Careful," she said, reaching out to keep him from falling. "Do you need help getting your supplies to your room?"
Harry paused. His room! He didn't have one – of course, he didn't! The Dursleys never got to see his Hogwarts letter and Uncle Vernon hadn't offered him to move into Dudley's second bedroom!
Damn it! What am I supposed to do with Hedwig? She can't stay in the cupboard with me, it's way too small!
"Err, Professor?" Harry stammered hesitantly. "I don't exactly have a room, you see… I… I live in the cupboard under the stairs and I'm afraid that it isn't big enough for me and my owl…"
Professor Sinistra stared at him. "This is not an appropriate time for jokes, Mr. Potter. We've had a long day of gathering your supplies and I'm probably as exhausted as you are."
"It's not a joke, Professor," Harry countered. "I'll show you."
He unlocked the front door and opened his cupboard for her to take a look inside.
"I've got a bed, a nightstand and a tiny closet," he told her. "There's not enough space for an owl. Besides, Hedwig wouldn't be able to fly in and out as she pleases, there are no windows leading outside."
Professor Sinistra took a step back, straightening herself up to her full height.
"This is simply unacceptable, Mr. Potter," she breathed, shaking her head incredulously. "I can't believe you've been living there for eleven years without anyone taking notice. I will inform the Headmaster immediately of this situation, rest assured that we will find another place for you to sleep. I will be back tomorrow to check on you, Mr. Potter. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to go back to Hogwarts."
Harry nodded. "See you tomorrow, Professor!"
She apparated with a loud 'Plop', leaving him alone in the empty hallway.
A Way Out – You've told someone about your current living arrangements! + 500 XP
Bonus: Intelligence Level 6! + 5% XP
Total gain: + 525 XP
Harry blinked. Had he done the right thing? Apparently. Would Professor Sinistra get him out of here? He didn't know, but he'd find out tomorrow.
With a sigh and a newly found hope that things might be getting better, Harry took Hedwig's cage and placed it on the nightstand next to his bed. All his other supplies were neatly stored away in his inventory.
"It's only for tonight, Hedwig," he told her. "Tomorrow, Professor Sinistra will be back. She'll find a way to help us."
Hopefully, he added in his thoughts.
For all of you wondering why the Elder wand was so cheap while the robes were too expensive to buy - sometimes, games don't make a lot of sense and you can purchase one item for a relatively low price in the beginning while other cost a fortune. I've experienced it myself and wanted to include this idea in my story. ;)