Hiya!
Rinneko Tsukinomori – Harry and Percy aren't going to meet for a while.
RedRangerBelt – Yes, Hagrid is going to answer Harry's questions. Your guess is quite close. There are a few OCs but they're not mentioned very much. There however will be one OC who will be close to Harry. (In a way you won't guess!)
Juli Beawr – Harry and Percy are NOT blood related. That's a main thing here. My story is going to show how blood may be thicker than water, but sometimes it just doesn't matter.
Mythomagic-Champion – PJO will not be mentioned much here, though. This is focusing only on Harry's life until he meets Percy again.
E J ect – Thank you for the praise! That was the rational thing to do for my Harry.
Alexander Pierce – Your review meant so much to me. Thank you! I'm seeing to the mistakes already!
theHuntress101 – No, I'm going to do half of Harry's years and then go on to Percy's life. I'm not going to do alternate years because frankly, that method hadn't even entered my mind.
Any other doubts? You know what to do!
Disclaimer: I don't own the original works of HP.
Words – 3558
The underground train journey had caused them a few troubles, but other than that, it wasn't so hard to reach London.
Harry looked around, "Where's Diagon Alley?"
"It's hidden from muggles. But ye need ter find the entrance firs' . The Leaky Cauldron. Real famous, that place. See? Righ' here." Hagrid pointed to a dark shop between a flourishing clothe store and book stall. There was a metal board of a stereotypical witch stirring a cauldron with fumes coming out. The cauldron didn't seem to have a leak, though.
Harry frowned, "Can't anyone else see it?"
"Nope. Unless, you tell the muggles, they can't see it. Strong charm. Used for lots of doors between wizard and muggle places."
"Muggles." Harry repeated.
Hagrid opened the door and led Harry inside. The place was empty, owing to the fact that it was past lunch time. Hagrid must have forgotten as they hadn't stopped for a bite. Harry didn't mind though. He felt the tingling sensation around his body and knew that there was something big behind the opposite wall.
"Is it through there?" Harry asked, pointing to the wall. Hagrid looked surprised, "Well ya. How'd ye know that?"
"I can feel it. Shall we?"
"Of course."
They made to move but a voice stopped them, "Hagrid! The usual?"
Harry turned to see an old man who looked rather energetic behind the bar table. He was arranging a display of the glasses on the shelf. He smiled knowingly at Hagrid and then looked at Harry who was wearing his black cap back to front making his hair stick to his forehead.
Hagrid smiled, "Hogwarts' business, Tom. Taking young 'arry here to get his stuff."
The barman dropped a glass which shattered. His eyes bugged out and he stared at Harry as if there was a neon sign pointed at Harry saying, 'I'm paying you a hundred grand to look at me!'
"Merlin's white long beard! It's Harry Potter."
He rushed from his spot and wrung Harry's hand hard. "A pleasure to have you back, sir. A real honour to meet you!"
"Pleasure's all mine." Harry mumbled. Tom grinned wider. "So modest! I like him already! You're lucky you came in late, or you'd have been hogged by the crowd! Hippogriffs wouldn't have made a worse mess! There's always a spot open for you here, Mr. Potter. For you and your cousin, of course. He'll be going next year, right?"
"What?!" Harry asked flabbergasted. Cousin? Dudley wasn't a wizard. What was going on?
"Don't be surprised! I'll make sure you'll have a table after you're done buying you stuff. Off you go now!" Tom said gleefully.
Harry's head was reeling with a hundred more questions now.
Hagrid patted his shoulder and almost made his knees buckle.
"Daniel's comin' next year, Tom. But we'll take a table within an hour or two." Hagrid said and steered Harry towards the wall where there was a door. They got into a vacant room of sorts and Harry burst out, "Cousin? What did he mean? And who's Daniel?"
"Lon' story, 'arry. I'll explain everything after we come back for a bite. Now where's me umbrella?"
Harry stared as Hagrid took out his pink umbrella and felt something tingle from it.
"Why does the umbrella have magic in it?"
"Uh... classified information, 'arry."
Harry raised an eyebrow and watched silently as Hagrid tapped the slight portion of the wall where there were five bricks missing. He tapped thrice on the top and twice below. The bricks quivered. A partition came from the middle and the entire wall seemed to fold itself, the bricks turning as if on hinges. The opening was large enough for even Hagrid to go through easily. Harry managed to shut his mouth when he saw the street in front of him.
"Welcome." Hagrid said proudly. "Te Diagon Alley!"
The dramatic pause was well used. Harry almost couldn't believe it. There were shops lined up, wall to wall on either side with a few alleyways. Each shop was a mystery and Harry felt his tingling sensation going crazy.
There were a few people around the shops Madam Malkin's Robes and Dresses for all occasions. He turned and saw a shop for cauldrons - All Sizes - Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver - Self-Stirring - Collapsible said a sign hanging over them.
Harry saw a white owl from the entrance of Eeylops Owl Emporium - Tawny, Screech, Barn, Brown and Snowy. He stared at the owl who stared back, Hagrid noticed this and grinned.
"We need ter get ye money firs'. Gringotts' over there." He pointed at a huge white building at a distance. As they neared it, Harry frowned at the ground.
"Is it me, or does the ground sound hollow?" Harry asked. Hagrid looked at him in surprise.
"Gringott's have vaults far under the groun'. The deeper the vaults, more valuables they've got. Speakin' of which..."
Hagrid unconsciously patted his pocket and Harry had the feeling that there was something else other than Harry's trip in his mind.
They climbed up the steps to reach huge bronze double doors. Harry looked at what he thought was a Goblin. The small creature wore a gold and red uniform and stared coldly back at Harry probably to intimidate the human. Harry felt amused and nodded at the Goblin.
The doors opened by themselves and they went into another room like area were there were two Goblins with security like devices. They had a strange aura as if it wasn't the usual kind of magic.
As the goblins checked Hagrid's pockets with the long staffs, Harry read the words on the silver double doors.
Enter stranger but take heed,
Of what awaits the sin of greed.
For those who take, but do not earn,
Must pay most dearly in their turn.
So if you seek beneath our floors
A treasure that was never yours,
Thief, you have been warned, beware
Of finding more than treasure there.
"Did you make it rhyme on purpose so that it would be engraved on even a child's mind?" Harry asked one of the goblins, who stared back at him and opened the doors for them to pass.
Hagrid said under his breathe, "Careful aroun' them, 'arry. They're smart and dangerous. You'd be mad to rob the place."
Harry looked at the high ceiling with a lavish chandelier. He stared at the high counters where many goblins sat doing there work of reading through scripts, arranging folders and even weighing precious stones. They went to the top most counter which was just above Hagrid's height. The Goblin looked the oldest and the name plate said 'Gornuk'. A few syllables in another tongue followed the name.
"Good mornin'. We wish to withdraw some contents from 'arry Potter's trust."
Harry had a feeling that someone must have told Hagrid to tell the sentence in that degree of respect. The goblin removed his glasses and leaned down to peer at Harry.
"And does Mr. Harry Potter have his key?"
The goblin's voice was clever and strict. Harry stared into the black eyes. There were no whites to his eyes.
"Ya. Got it righ' here." Hagrid rummaged through his coat. After turning over the seventh pocket he took out a small golden key.
The goblin examined the key and called, "Griphook!"
Another goblin came up to them and the main one gave him the key. Hagrid leaned and whispered something but Harry's keen sense of hearing caught every word, "Also, Headmaster Dumbledore gave this."
He handed a sealed envelope to Gornuk and muttered, "It's about You-Know-What in vault You-Know-Which."
Harry stared.
The goblin read the letter and said, "Very well." He turned to Griphook and said something in a strange language Harry had not heard of. They used the syllable 'glou' al lot.
Griphook said, "Follow me."
Harry and Hagrid were lead to another set of golden doors which led to, surprisingly, an underground cavern. At least, that was what it looked like. There were several tracks and one of them had a trolley. Even Hagrid could fit into it.
" We need to get to level Q." Griphook said.
Harry buckled on and Griphook touched a device at the back to the trolley which sped off at once. The speed was amazing. The trolley zoomed in what might have looked random directions but Harry noticed it seemed to be going mostly to the right. He memorised turning in case they got lost. They went a bit lower and then emerged to a higher level where there were stalactites and stalagmites on the ceiling and floor.
"How old is this system?" Harry asked the goblin who said, "Built before the founders of wizards and witches."
"And when was that?"
"Well before you were born, boy."
Harry frowned, "Well, I could have guessed that. Can we go faster, please?"
"One speed only."
Hagrid groaned. His face looked rather green. Harry looked worried but then the trolley stopped.
"Fund number 347." Griphook said getting out. He took a lantern and set it down and took out the key. Harry stared at the two story high vault door and felt the ironic state of how a tiny key just bigger than his little finger can unlock it.
There was a click followed by bigger noises of unlatching bolts and such before the door opened. Some green smoke came and Harry felt a pull in the direction of the vault. Not a magical pull, a physical one caused by the pressure change.
"How long has it been closed?" Harry asked.
"Ten years and five months." Griphook said and opened the door all the way for Harry to see a neat and vast collection of large gold coins, medium sized silver ones and smaller bronze ones. They were carefully packed in mounds and Harry noticed a definite partition of the treasure in two piles.
He leaned in and saw a glass wall between the two piles. Harry couldn't think of why that would be necessary unless one of the piles weren't for him. Harry thought back to Hagrid's words; his slip in words when he had been talking to the Dursleys, his cousin coming next year and a 'Daniel'.
Harry stared at the second pile and asked, "Hagrid? Do I have a cousin named Daniel who's coming next year and we share the Potter trust fund for Hogwarts?"
Hagrid gaped down at the boy, "How'd you know that?!"
"I figured it out. Where is he?"
"I... I'll tell ye later. After the shopping."
Harry frowned. He didn't like not knowing things but Hagrid seemed to be a good person and he must have had a reason for waiting. He sighed and asked Griphook, "What's the exchange rate between our money and muggle notes?"
"A galleon to six pounds."
Hagrid went to the first pile of coins and beckoned Harry closer while Griphook stood outside.
"The bronz' ones are knuts. 30 bronz' knuts teh a silver sickle and 18 sickles teh a gold galleon. Should be easy enef'. Take some in these differen' bags."
They took five minutes to sort out enough money, but then Harry stared a knut a little away from its pile. He stepped closer to it and picked it up feeling a small attachment. He turned over the coin. His eyes widened and he nearly dropped it.
"All done there, 'arry?" Hagrid said going to the edge of the vault and Harry said breathlessly, "Yeah."
He slipped the coin into his pocket. That was a keeper. He wondered whether he could put a lawsuit against the bank but then decided to read a few books on the Goblin/Wizard relations. There didn't seem to be much harmony.
They went into the trolley and went deep into the cavern system. Harry saw a burst of fire at one end and leaned out to see it, but Hagrid had pulled him back with a moan. The cold air started to feel uncomfortable when they finally stopped.
The vault was Hagrid's request, Harry had realized. Vault number 713 had no keyhole.
"Stand back." Griphook said and pressed his palm on a flat design. Harry felt the place become a bit warm and the door opened. He leaned into see what was in the top-secret vault buried miles under the ground.
Hagrid went in and took a small package. Aside from that, the place was empty.
Griphook closed the door and Harry asked, "May I see my family vault, please? Or do we need official permission for that?"
Griphook frowned and said, "In other circumstances, yes you need permission from the head of the family. But since you are the eldest in the family, holding the name Potter, you may."
Harry looked at Hagrid who sighed, "Alrigh'."
Harry climbed into the trolley in anticipation and they sped off again. He wasn't sure what to think about first. His cousin? The knut? His family vault? His family?
He almost didn't realise when they reached. The air was much colder and Harry zipped up his old black hoodie.
He could see only one vault door for some distance on either sides. The door was large and looked very old. There were ancient designs on the handles and this too had no key-hole.
"Place your hand here, Mr. Potter." Griphook indicated to the space below the right handle while the goblin pressed against the space below the left handle.
"Only the heir and a Gringotts Goblin are allowed to do that. Anyone else would be sucked inside."
"When do you check if there's someone inside?" Harry asked, feeling a heat wave through his right palm.
"Once in every ten years." Griphook said with a nasty smile. Harry wondered if they had actually found someone like that for him to be so happy.
The door opened with a jerk and Hagrid pulled it. The smoky smell made Harry cough. He looked into the vault.
The trust fund was a small piggy bank compared to this! There were galleons, sickles and knuts close to the door, but behind them, there were stones of every kind, simply spread across the floor. The pile came to the Griphook's height. Harry noticed another chamber from the doorway in the corner and went through it.
There were chests of gold around this room. He wondered what was considered even more precious than treasure of materialistic values.
"Am I entitled to open these chests?" Harry asked Griphook who was outside the vault with Hagrid.
"Yes."
Harry, his fingers shaking, opened the first one. He blinked.
"Clothes." He murmered. Royal clothes from what seemed like the 18 century. Folded neatly in stacks, they seemed to be fresh and new.
Probably a charm, Harry thought.
He tried the other chests and came with different results of staffs, old wands on cushions, jewellery and old books. Harry picked one up which said, 'Secrets of a Sorcerer's Core'.
He opened the thick book and stared at the author, 'Memphis Fateral.'
He put the book back in the chest and ran to Griphook.
"I want to take the chest of books. Is that possible?"
"Of course. It is yours after all. But you'll have to sign an Assertion of Vault Rights before you can take anything out of your vault."
It took nearly half an hour. The main goblin, Gornuk seemed to be satisfied to have some activity done with the old family vaults. Harry learnt of tedious procedures while following bank laws for muggles, but the goblins were clean and efficient and Harry now had a small leather skinned bag which contained the huge chest. When the goblin had shrunk the huge chest to fit into the pouch, he had not answered Harry's query of how the effect of air pressure and volume change of the chest is counter-balanced.
"Happy now?" Hagrid asked, a bit surly as they were a bit behind schedule. Harry nodded, taking out his knut to flip with his fingers.
"Robes over there. I need teh send a message teh Profess' Dumbledore to explain why the stuff's not done yet. Ya go in."
Harry nodded again and kept the bag close to him as he entered 'Madame Malkin's Robes For All Occassions'
"A first year?" A woman asked folding some black robes at the end of the shop. Harry said, "Yes, Ma'am."
"Just stand here." She gestured to the stool and Harry placed the pouch on the ground next to him. He was patient as her measuring tape checked the length of his sleeves and pants.
"At least one well behaved child! No one else can stand so quiet for more than 20 seconds. But are you sure you're well? You look rather pale, dear."
It's my natural colour." Harry said.
"You need more sun. Three black school robes, a winter cloak, dragon hide gloves, a hat... anything else? Do you need formal robes or a Scandinavian Scarf? They just came in. They have charms of revitalising warm air. It's different than a simple heat charm."
Harry thought. "What else do you have in your winter collection?"
Ten minutes later, he was being billed for all the clothes he had bought. Keeping in mind his Halloween ice condition, he now had sweaters, jackets, mufflers, scarves and gloves. All black, of course. He'd never wear any other colour.
Hagrid was waiting for him and he said, "Happy early birthday, Harry." He took out a large bird cage behind his back which had the same Snowy white owl, Harry had seen earlier in the shop.
Harry's expression didn't change. "For me?"
"Yup. She's a beauty, right?"
Harry nodded numbly and took the cage. The owl tilted her head as if gauging him.
"I'll hold these bags. Next shop."
They went from shop to shop and each shop keeper had decided to shrink the stuff they bought. The charm would reverse when Harry would take them out of the bags.
They got Harry, a size 2 pewter cauldron, a set of brass scales, basic long lasting storage vials of ingredients for a subject 'Potions', a small scale telescope for Astronomy and then Harry's books for school year. He also got a few reference books along the infamous 'Hogwarts: A History' book, which came for free for his bulk selections.
"I need a wand. It's the last on the list." Harry said as they exited Flourish and Blotts.
"Ollivanders' the best in England! I remember me own wand..." Hagrid's eyes went a bit glassy and Harry had to yell out so that he wouldn't crash into a sign for 'Patridwed's Pet Store'.
They went into a dark shop with the sign over head saying, 'Ollivanders' A single old wand lay on a purple cushion outside, very much like one of the family chests in Harry's vault.
The ring of the bell brought him back to the shop and Harry looked down to see the dust swirl around his feet and Hagrid's before settling down.
Hagrid sat down a rickety chair and Harry stared at the boxes of what must have been wands, lined up on the shelves from the bottom to the roof and on the ceiling too.
"Yes?" A voice said and Hagrid jumped. There was a crack and he got off the chair. Harry merely looked up.
"Ah. I knew I would be seeing you soon, Mr. Potter." An old man said. He climbed down the ladder with wheels. He had white hair and a wrinkled face and his eyes seemed to glaze through. Harry thought that he would be very interesting.
"I had no idea I would be seeing you, sir." Harry said and the man smiled.
"A smart aleck, huh. Holly."
Harry frowned. How was holly connected here?
"Let's see. Here you go." Mr. Ollivander took out a box from the shelf.
"Holly and unicorn tail, ten inches, flexible."
Harry took the wand carefully and gave it a wave. The boxes on row B were blasted out of their sheves. He kept back the wand carefully and the wand maker said, "No. Of course not. The wand chooses the wizard, Mr. Potter.
"Holly and Maple leaf string. Twelve inches. Firm."
Harry waved the wand and braced himself. The glass vase exploded. Luckily, there were no flowers in it.
"No." Ollivander mumbled.
Harry tried seven more wands before the old man said, "You are cold aren't you? You need fire. Phoenix feather and holly, eleven inches. Rather nice and supple."
Harry took the black wand and sucked in a breath as the wand gave him warmth that filled him to the toes. He waved the wand and gold light spilled out which repaired everything in the shop.
Hagird whooped and clapped and the wandmaker nodded, "I should have know. No dragon heartstring or phoenix feather or any ingredient is from the same source. But we have an exception to everything and to this rule to. The phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another. Just one other. I think you know what became of that powerful wand, Mr. Potter."
Harry stared at him and nodded. He could see it in the man's eyes.
"And that wand is the wrong hands. But it is quite clear that you are destined for a great journey, Mr. Potter. Terrible fate. But a great journey, none the less."
I'm out of time!
Hope you loved this chapter! Stay tuned.
Cabba.