Chapter Ten – The-Boy-Who-Shopped (Again)
The holidays had begun. Harry always remembered Christmas as a time when Dudley got lots of presents, the house needed much more cleaning and he stayed in his cupboard most of the time as Aunt Petunia liked to have guests over a lot, Uncle Vernon had family come over, most of them as big as him. One, Aunt Marge, Dudley had called her, was even bigger than Vernon was. The only good thing about Christmas was the fact that he did not have to cook the meal; Aunt Petunia refused to let him out of the cupboard between Christmas Eve and Boxing Day.
He was sitting in his father's rooms as James finished packing up his rooms, apparently they weren't staying at Hogwarts over the holidays, instead they were going to a place called Potter Manor. According to Ethan it was one of the smallest Manors that the Potter's owned but James and Ethan liked it better because it was cosier.
Harry looked around the living room a few suitcases were scattered around, Harry had only one but Ethan had told him that at some point they were going shopping to fill up a whole wardrobe and to fill Harry's room, because Harry was going to have a proper room in the Manor. Ethan had already picked out Harry's room which was apparently just down the corridor from his own.
"Everyone ready to go?" James asked with his hands on his hips as he looked around at their belongings.
"Ready!" Ethan cried happily pulling his suitcase forward to the fireplace; you would never have guessed that just a few weeks ago he had been lying in a hospital bed. Apparently the fire was a way to travel in the Wizarding World and Harry was not looking forward to it.
"Ethan you go through first, I'll pass the suitcases through and then I'll send Harry through." James said and Ethan bounced happily over to the flames. He threw a handful of what was called floo powder onto them and they turned a deep green. Ethan then climbed onto them and shouted:
"Potter Manor." With a flash of green he was gone. James then did the same with the suitcases. Harry however stood well back even when James called him closer. He had a strong fear of fire, there had been a fireplace in the Dursleys and Vernon had used it as threat enough times that he knew to stand well clear of it.
"It's perfectly safe Harry. I would let you do it if it weren't." James said gently as he pulled Harry over. "You just have to remember to say Potter Manor very clearly. It'll be fine and I'm coming straight after you."
Harry nodded and picked up a handful of the powder, some slid through his fingers but he managed to get most of it in the fireplace. The flames glowed green and Harry slowly stepped through surprised as the flames felt cool against his skin.
"Potter Manor." Before he had even finished the phrase a feeling of being spun around hundreds of times came over him, he couldn't gasp as the air was drew away from him and too quickly the world stopped spinning and with a jolt he fell flat on his face out of a different fireplace.
"Whoa Harry, I've never seen anyone except Dad fall out of the floo like that before." Ethan laughed helping his green-faced twin to his feet. Harry swayed a few times as he tried to get his bearings. Soon enough he was sat on a sofa and watched for James to come out of the fireplace.
He soon did, making his trip out of it look ever so slightly more graceful than Harry's fall. James coughed and brushed the soot from his shoulders.
"Well Harry, how would you like a tour?" James asked grinning and looking as giddy as Ethan.
Harry didn't know how Ethan could say that Potter Manor was small. His bedroom alone was the same size as the whole bottom floor of the Dursleys' house. He didn't know what he was going to do to fill the room up. What made Harry jump however was Tilly and Netty the two house elves who worked for the Potter, sure he had heard about the creatures but seeing them was something completely different. Both of the two elves stared at him for a long time. Tilly's eyes flitting up to his scar before they smiled mysteriously at each other and popped away.
Two days into the holiday and Harry still couldn't get over the size of the Manor. They were sitting in the library, how any house with a library could be small Harry didn't know. Harry was slowly making his way through a book on herbology, his second favourite subject at Hogwarts, only Potions was more interesting to him. He loved the ability to mix two completely unrelated substances together and create something new that would cause something else to happen and Herbology was almost like an extension of Potions learning what different properties the plants had.
"You ready to go boys?" They both looked up. James was standing in the doorway and he froze as he was struck with the realisation that they were so alike. Both boys were picking up habits off of the other and while Harry was still much smaller there was no doubt that they were identical twins.
"Yeah Dad." Ethan said grinning as he threw down his book onto his seat, Harry almost winced at the rough treatment of the book and placed his gently onto the side table before doing the same to Ethan's book and he followed James and Ethan to the floo fireplace, he followed Ethan through shouting Diagon Alley.
He fell out once more and gasped for breath closely followed by his Father who almost tripped over him. Harry helped steady the tall man causing Ethan to burst out laughing at the sight.
"Just because you didn't inherit my clumsy genes does not mean you get to make fun of them!" James cried indignantly, hitting his older son upside the head. Harry laughed before he was pulled by Ethan out into the street.
"Me and Harry are going to buy your present so don't follow us!" Ethan cried dragging Harry down the street, just barely slow enough to hear James shout to meet him in Flourish and Blotts in an hour's time.
"Ethan I don't have any money." Harry said once they stopped. He felt guilty for not being able to buy any gifts for his family.
"So, neither do I. Well none of my own anyway, we're using the family vaults." Ethan said simply. "It's our money to do with what we want. That's why we have to go to Gringotts first, and we can get you your own key cut to match mine."
Ethan pulled a key out from his pocket, it was small and gold and he showed it to Harry quickly before putting it away and once more dragging Harry to the largest building there was in Diagon Alley. Harry froze as he saw the creatures working behind the desks. They looked like meaner, bigger forms of house elves.
"Don't worry about them, they're goblins and while they look scary they're also the best creatures you could trust to keep your money safe." Ethan explained going up to one desk which was large and ornate with gold edging. "Hey Gripnol, this is my brother Harry. Harry this is Gripnol of House Ragnack"
"Master Potter." Gripnol bowed his head to Ethan before turning to Harry, his eyes flitted up to the scar. "Master Harry Potter. It is an honour to meet one of such an affluent family. May your gold stay safe and multiply."
Harry assumed this was a proper goblin greeting so he nodded his head back.
"It's an honour to meet you too Gripnol, Sir…Uh…may your gold multiply and grow and never be stolen." Harry said awkwardly. A small smile graced the goblin's face which did nothing but make it look fiercer.
"Thank you for the honour of your courtesies Master Potter." Gripnol said before turning to Ethan. "I assume you wish to draw money?"
"Yeah and cut a key for Harry." Ethan explained. Gripnol nodded and beckoned them forward. They went behind his desk and into what looked like a crate. Harry sat beside Ethan and only once in did he realise that there was nothing beneath them. He leant over and stared down into the darkness, Ethan pulled him back and kept hold of his arm. "You might want to hold on."
There was barely time for the warning and Harry squeaked as the crate jerked forward at surprising speed throwing Harry and Ethan around like socks in a washing machine. It only took Harry a few moments to gain his bearings and then he was grinning like a fool as the air rushed past and they were flying through the darkness. It felt almost as good as flying. It was such an amazing rush to feel as though he could fall at any time yet to know he was completely safe.
The ride finished too soon for Harry and he could see from the look on his twin's face that Ethan had felt that same rush, his cheeks flushed and a grin firm on his face.
The goblin motioned to Ethan who took his key out and slotted into a small hole in the wall. Harry soon forgot the flying rush as the wall opened to reveal what must have been thousands of galleons worth of money stacked in piles.
"This is what Dad calls the family vault but it's not really. It's like our 'common vault' I suppose but our proper family vault has all of our heirlooms and everything in it not really money." Ethan said before grabbing a large handful of the galleons and shoving them in a bag Gripnol had produced. "This'll be enough for both of us."
Harry nodded, his eyes still wide at the show of gold.
"Thanks Gripnol. Is it okay if we leave my key here and come back at the end of the day?" Ethan asked and Gripnol nodded taking the key as he locked it and placing it carefully in a pouch around his neck.
They climbed back into the crate and shot off. Harry was still grinning as he held on tightly and rattled around the underground of Gringotts.
He was breathless once more as they climbed out of the crate. On wobbling legs they made their way out of the bank and Ethan dragged Harry to a number of shops looking for presents after giving Harry half of the money he had withdrawn.
In the hour he spent with Ethan he had managed to find his Father a new set of quidditch gloves while Ethan bought him broom polish and they both bought him a new set of quidditch balls since Harry had mentioned when they played quidditch the day before that his were a bit 'used' for lack of a better word.
While in the quidditch shop Harry found a new style of dragonhide quidditch gloves for Pansy and as a joke he bought Blaise a toy snitch. Remus was bought books since they both knew that he would appreciate them more than anything else they could buy. He also found a book on practical magic that he knew Theo would appreciate
When Ethan dragged him to the sweet shop he bought a box of chocolates and toffees for Crabbe and Goyle and Millicent.
He had bought Sirius a platinum bracelet (after Ethan had hit the silver one out of his hand yelling that Sirius hated silver), Ethan bought him a toy dog making fun of his animagus form, in the jewellery shop he had also found a simple necklace with a small white gold star as a pendant and he bought it for Daphne hoping he had found the right gift, he wasn't sure what to give girls but Ethan said that he was sure she would love it and he had bought Hermione something similar.
The only people he had not brought presents for were Draco and Ethan but he knew what to buy his brother he just had to wait to go back and buy it when he wasn't with his twin. He wanted to give Draco something good but nothing he had seen so far would match up to the blonde's standards.
He decided to think on it as they found Florean Fortescue's ice cream parlour where James was waiting for them. They had shoved all of their presents into an enlarged Flourish and Blotts bag since James knew they would buy books for Remus.
"So have you got everyone's presents?" James asked and both boys shook their heads.
"We need to get each other's and Harry has to get Draco Malfoy something." Ethan said and James nodded before grinning and taking out his wand.
"Expecto Patronum!" He cast and a silver stag burst free from the end to stand next to Ethan who was eating an extremely large ice cream. "Ethan you stay here while I go with Harry to get the rest of his presents and then I'll do the same for you."
Ethan nodded and just continued eating his ice cream.
"So Harry, what do you want to get Ethan and the Malfoy boy?" James asked.
"Draco… I'm not sure on. But I thought I could get Ethan a book I saw in the Quidditch shop of all of the top quidditch players of the century and their best moves." Harry explained and James nodded, it was the perfect gift for his son. They went to the shop and bought that first before wandering the shops to find something for Draco.
"Maybe jewellery for him, he seems like the type to wear jewellery." James laughed and Harry nodded walking into the store. He looked around.
"Hello young Master Potter. I saw you earlier today. Did you forget something?" The owner came over.
"I need something for my friend but I don't want to get him anything girly." Harry explained and the owner nodded pursing his lips in thought before going to the back room. He came back out holding a small box.
"This is a charm bracelet for men. Each charm bought for the bracelet will have a different charm on it." The owner said placing a simple silver linked chain on the counter. Harry looked at it, he could definitely see Draco wearing it.
"Can I see a few charms that would attach to it?" Harry asked and the owner conjured a box with many charms in it. Harry instantly saw three that he knew Draco would love. One was a snake coiled in a circle, the charm on it he was told repelled minor illnesses, one was a four leafed clover, the charm gave luck and the third was a simple emerald which gave protection from weak curses. "I'll take it and those three charms please."
Harry paid for the bracelet and he still had money to spare as he was led back to the ice cream parlour. He sat and waited only for a very short time for Ethan and James to come back. When they did James had a strange smile on his face. After that they hurried home it getting close to dinner time, neither of the house elves liked it when they were late.
It was four days before Christmas when Harry got the owl at breakfast. It was a large eagle owl and he knew that it belonged to Draco.
"Hello Artemis." Harry said stroking the owl's head and giving him a rash of bacon; the owl cooed at him and held out his leg with a letter attached for Harry. Harry took it and watched for a moment as Artemis flew over to where Hedwig and Ethan's owl, Thane were perching.
"Whose owl is that?" James asked through a mouthful of toast.
"Draco's." Harry said softly turning the letter over in his hands. He had seen other Slytherins get letter like this over the year, made from personalised stationary of good quality and sealed with a wax seal. He felt almost reluctant to break the silver seal with the intricate 'M' stamped onto it, but he dug his nail under it and opened the silky white paper.
The most Noble and Honourable House of Malfoy
requests the pleasure of your company
to a ball to celebrate the Eve of the New Year
in our home Malfoy Manor
to begin at six o'clock and to end after the strike of Midnight.
Please R.S.V.P via Owl.
A Black tie event,
Food will be served in the form of a meal.
"What is it?" Ethan asked peering over the edge of the paper. "An invitation."
"Yeah, to a ball for the New Year." Harry said. He placed the paper down on the table only to notice a second sheet hidden behind the first.
Harry,
My Mother refused to let me send you an informal invitation but I hope you are able to attend. The only thing which makes the evening bearable is having my friends there but I understand if you want to spend your first New Years with your family. Just send a reply with Artemis or Hedwig.
Yours Faithfully,
Draco Malfoy.
"Well, do you want to go?" James asked and Harry looked up. It would not only by his first New Year with his family it would be his first time to be allowed to celebrate the New Year in itself. "It's not a big deal if you do, we'll have all of Christmas together anyway."
"Would I be allowed to go?" Harry asked hopefully and James took the invitation in hand and read it through.
"I can't see the harm in it." James said.
Harry grinned as he penned a reply, trying his best to keep his handwriting neat. He had grown much better at reading but writing he still struggled with. Once he was satisfied with his response he attached his letter to Artemis' leg and let the bird fly, it was only then that he realised he had nothing to wear.
"Harry! Get up, get up!" Harry groaned and opened his eyes to find the cause of his disturbance jumping up and down on his bed. Ethan was grinning from ear to ear and seemed a few seconds away from shaking Harry to wake him.
"What's wrong?" Harry mumbled sleepily.
"It's Christmas Harry! Christmas! You have to help me wake up Dad so we can go open the presents!" Harry nodded taking a deep breath to wake himself up and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He allowed himself to be dragged from his bed and into his Father's room, from the look outside the window it was extremely early. Earlier than even Harry himself usually woke.
"DAD!" Ethan screamed taking a flying leap at the bed. Harry watched as James woke with a startled grunt and tried to make sense of the early morning however as soon as he realised what the day was he became just as excited as Ethan was. He actually levitated Harry and Ethan down the stairs yelling 'Merry Christmas!" as he went.
Sirius and Remus were staying over for Christmas in the guest rooms and James burst into the room floating Ethan and Harry after him. Both Sirius and Remus had grabbed for their wands before realising what was going on, Harry could help but notice that they were sleeping in the same bed but it had been cold these last few days he supposed. Remus seemed to react much like Harry had as they followed the bouncing Christmas fanatics down to the tree.
The House elves were already up and ready with hot chocolate for them by the tree which James had insisted he help decorate, it looked like a Christmas elf had thrown up over it but James and Sirius had declared it beautiful while Remus just shook his head and laughed and Ethan had run around giving everyone cookies so Harry thought it was okay.
The tree was stocked full of presents beneath it and Harry's eyes widened, it was more than even what Dudley got every year and Dudley got at least thirty six presents or he threw a fit.
"Everyone grab a present." James yelled diving into the pile, his hair sticking up in every-which-way much like Ethan's was and what Harry thought his hair might look like. He smoothed his own down in an attempt at normality. Remus sat down in an armchair and waited as Sirius followed James into the pile.
"Here's yours Moonshine." Sirius sang throwing Remus a present which landed with a thud on Remus' lap. Remus grunted and glared at Sirius who just grinned back at him. Ethan came back out from under the tree pushing what seemed to be all of his own presents; he stacked them around him before ripping into them. James did the same, and Sirius contented himself with opening one at a time throwing the occasional present at Remus.
The routine seemed so familiar to them. They must have done it every year and Harry couldn't help but feel like an intruder.
"Hey Cub, come sit by me. Padfoot throw us some of Harry's." Remus said beckoning Harry over. Sirius passed many presents over and Harry looked at all of them with wide eyes.
"I have so many." He whispered.
"Well, you've got lots from us and then you've got the presents from your friends." Remus said as Harry perched by Remus' feet where a steady pile of books was growing.
Harry slowly reached for the first present as though it would bite him. It was small and round and from Pansy. He carefully unwrapped it to reveal his very own snitch, it unfurled in his palm to reveal the engraved script which showed his name, it was silver instead of the usual gold and must have cost a lot of money. A small note was attached to one wing.
Use it as practise to beat the Gryffindorks at the end of the year.
Love, Pansy
"Wow, who's that from?" Ethan asked leaning over his pile of presents.
"Pansy." Harry said smiling. "She's says I should use it too practise beating the Gryffindors at the end of the year."
Instantly three mock glares were shot at him but he just smiled and reached for his next present, noticing that Ethan was ducking as his godfather threw the toy dog he had gotten him at him. Remus thanked them both for the book.
Blaise had got Harry a miniature wizard's chess set charmed so the white side would move of its own accord, Harry laughed when he got this. Blaise had been trying unsuccessfully to teach him how to play chess and Harry was terrible at it. Theo had bought him a book on magical plants and their use in different potions, it was an amazing find and Harry had to be torn away from it after reading it for five minutes. Daphne had got him quidditch gloves and Crabbe, Goyle and Millicent had all sent him a different box of treacle flavoured candies, his favourite flavour.
Harry had to laughed when he opened Ethan's present, it was a book, but it was the same book he had bought his twin. They had both got the same present for each other. Remus had got him a brand new quill and ink set with a new hand bound writing book. Sirius had bought him what seemed to be a box of pranking toys to be used Sirius had hissed when 'Remus couldn't see them!'
The next present Harry opened was from Draco, he frowned as he saw what lay within it was a small leather bound book and a bright emerald quill. He opened the book and a note fell out.
Use the book as a journal, there's a privacy spell on it and no one will be able to get into it (not even me). There is also a charm to make the ink from the quill never blot. Hopefully it will improve your handwriting.
Merry Christmas,
Draco
Harry gently closed the book and ran his hand over the cover. It was an amazing gift.
"Now I'm sure you're wondering why neither of you have presents from me." James said smirking. "Well I do have a few. The first two well, they're a joint present."
He dove under the tree once more before emerging, pulling something which appeared to be invisible after him.
"This served us well over the years in school. Well, here." James said thrusting the invisible object at them. Harry frowned as he felt fabric between his fingers and gasped when they disappeared under what seemed to be a cloak.
"Wow, the invisibility cloak!" Ethan yelled. "Thanks Dad!"
"That's not all." James said smirking. He pulled a piece of paper from under his pyjama shirt and handed it over to Harry who held it up and spun it around, he was sure the look on his face must have showed his confusion and it might have been identical to Ethan's who gave him a look as if to ask 'do you know what it is'.
"Try pointing your wand and it and saying 'I solemnly swear I am up to no good'." Sirius said grinning widely.
"I solemnly swear I'm up to no good." Ethan said after he had run upstairs to get his wand. Slowly ink spread from his wand making some form of pattern. Their eyes widened as they realised it created the school and they widened further when they saw the names of people, there were only a bare minimum of people but enough that they saw the purpose of the map.
"Don't cause too much trouble with them." Remus said smiling.
"I thought that one of you could have one and one of you the other and if you needed to switch it wouldn't be hard." James said. Ethan grabbed the invisibility cloak and threw it over the two of them, he held the map between the two of them and they began to study it. Dumbledore and McGonagall were in his office they must be opening their own presents.
After all of their presents were stacked carefully into their own piles they all made their way into the kitchen where the house elves were already preparing Christmas dinner. Remus made pancakes while Sirius tried to help.
Harry sat silently at the table and ate his pancakes watching everyone else interacting with one another. James was conjuring whipped cream and having a war with Sirius who was conjuring chocolate sauce and levitating it over to the table and over James' head. Then they both grinned evilly and levitated the cream and chocolate over Remus' head.
"If you want any more pancakes for the rest of your life you will move it away." Remus did not even look away from his cooking. Ethan snorted into his milk.
"So Harry, how are you enjoying a normal Potter Christmas?" Ethan asked as the adults went into a full condiment fight complete with chocolate sprinkles.
"This is normal?"