I can't believe how long this is taking me! I started the idea for these chapters as less than a half a page of thoughts that shouldn't have taken more than a small chapter to cover. And now it's into the third chapter of it! I have really got to finish this up so I can get back to other projects.

Without further ado: the end of the trip to Diagon Alley, and the last chapter before the start of term.

Chapter 11: Build up to the start of classes 3

After another spine wrenching ride back to the surface, Negi was more than happy to leave Gringotts for the comfortable darkness of the Leaky Cauldron. They ate their lunch in a quiet corner, partaking of some people watching for entertainment. Harry pointed out various people he knew, from students to adults and friends to foes.

When they were done eating they returned to braving the ever thickening throngs in Diagon Alley. They spent a little time perusing robes in Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. They meandered between the cages of Eyelops Owl Emporium and the Magical Menagerie, and wandered up and down the aisles of the apothecary, the cauldron shop, and the junk shop. Aside from a packet of owl treats, an inactive set of famous wizard cards, matching top hats, and an assortment of rare potion ingredients nothing interesting happened there.

Harry gave Negi a tour of Quality Quidditch Supplies and Negi introduced Harry to his antiquing hobby. Harry needed quite a bit of effort to urge Negi to leave Flourish and Blotts, though he didn't put as much of a fight into getting him out of Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop. They still ended up with a stack of books and tricks as high as Harry (currently) was.

They eventually decided to call it a day and retraced their steps back to the school. A wild ride on the Knight Bus -that had Negi pining for the carts of Gringotts and vowing to develop safer methods of long distance travel so he'd never have to do it the wizard way again- found the two hiking invisibly through Hogsmead as pubs and diners got filled for dinner, and then crawling through the tunnel from Honeydukes to Hogwarts. From there it was a simple matter of another invisible jaunt back to Negi's office, relieving their doubles, restoring Harry to normal, and stashing their purchases, and they were free to go down to dinner with none the wiser.

More people than usual met in the Kitchens for dinner that night. Dumbledore, Snape, Filch, and Hagrid were absent, as usual, leaving Harry, Negi, and Flitwick as the only males at the table. McGonagall, Sprout, Pomfrey, Pince, Sinistra, Vector, and Trelawney were present, also as usual.

Four others joined the throng that night, all witches themselves: Rolanda Hooch the flying coach, Bathsheda Babbling the Ancient Runes professor, the Muggle Studies professor Charity Burbage, and Hagrid's regular substitute for Care of Magical Creatures Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank.

Negi took a seat near the center of the group, and was quickly surrounded by the witches. Mrs. Norris even found her way into Negi's lap (as usual) once he sat down. Harry took a seat beside professor Flitwick at the far end of the group, both united in their unending amusement at how the females acted around the apparently ignorant Negi. Even the elf maids fought over the right to serve him! The two males were even jokingly writing a pamphlet on charming women based on their observations of Negi in action. Even in his dueling heyday Flitwick couldn't draw a crowd like the young mage!

"Evening Sir," Harry greets his height-impaired tablemate.

"Good evening Mr. Potter," Flitwick chirps back. "How was your day?"

"It was fine. Professor Springfield is a fast study. He knows Hogwarts better than most, and could find his way as well as the best," as he says it Harry accepts a platter of steak and potatoes from one of the house elves and starts eating.

"Splendid, splendid. The headmaster chose right when he picked you for the guide. Though it was a shame you had to cut your summer-"

"Pfft. What summer? There really wasn't all that much to do at 'that place' but worry and clean. If it were up to me I wouldn't leave Hogwarts during break at all anyways." Seeing the sympathetic look building in his professor's eyes, Harry quickly rallies to reassure him. "Being here doing something was much more interesting. So, really, it's fine."

Harry takes the silence following his statement as a good sign and lets the topic die. The two continue eating in silence, watching the women make fools of themselves in front of Negi.

"Oh! I just remembered," Flitwick says halfway through dinner. "I have finished examining the sword you asked me to look at."

That gets Harry's attention. He'd almost forgotten about the blade with how busy he'd been. "Really? So how dangerous is it?"

"Very, to everyone but you," he assures him. "Miss Tonks was correct, the sword does hold to the right of the victor. It is similar in make to Godrick Gryffindor's sword: enchanted goblin steel, designed to eat through magic. Incredibly sharp, and guaranteed to stay that way. The flames appear to be some type of Fiendfyre* designed to boost the cutting power. Someone wielding that sword properly would only be defeated by greater skill, cunning, and luck. It would be wise for you to avail yourself of its use."

"You really think so?" Harry asks.

"Oh yes," Flitwick assures him with a knowing nod. "One never knows when a trump card might come in handy. Having a wand up your sleeve and all that*. You can collect it from my office after dinner."

"Thank you, I will." He refocuses on Negi in time to catch and write down a successful compliment that made one of the witches huddled around him blush scarlet. Harry remains silent the rest of the meal, thinking about the sword and how it might affect his future battles.

Harry follows Flitwick to his office after dinner in companionable silence. Once there he picks up the sword from Flitwicks desk, but he notices something different about the scabbard and belt. "Sir? These aren't the belt and sheath I had before."

"Ah yes. Items conjured by magic are not designed to last Mr. Potter," Flitwick says in a lecturing tone, "but you will be learning more about that in the coming year. That intriguing house elf that you released from Lucius Malfoy was generous enough to track down a scabbard and belt for me when he learned the sword was yours."

Harry grins weakly at the mention of Dobby. "I'll have to thank him the next time I see him." Harry wraps the belt around the sheathe and starts for the door. "Well, good night Sir," he calls over his shoulder.

"Good night Mr. Potter," the diminutive professor says to Harry's retreating back.

As Harry is making his way to the Gryffindor Tower he unexpectedly runs into Negi. It's unexpected because Harry is in an empty corridor on the fifth floor, and Negi is floating outside a window on his staff.

"Hello Harry," he says. "Care to join me? It's beautiful out tonight."

Harry shrugs. He had planned to ask Negi to go flying tomorrow, but now was as good as ever. "Sure. Let me get my broom."

"Already covered." Negi pulls Harry's Firebolt off his back from the spot that usually held his staff. He passes it through the window to the surprised boy-who-lived.

"How-"

"I've been wanting to fly with you ever since we visited the Quidditch pitch last week, but it kept getting pushed back by everything else. I went up to your dormitory after dinner and got your broom from your trunk, and then I sat out here where I knew you'd pass by and waited."

Harry feels a spark of pride. He taught Negi the layout of the castle, and the young teacher had been able use that knowledge to determine Harry's path from Flitwick's office to the one place he'd have to pass to reach Gryffindor tower. Then the rest of what he said sunk in. "How long have you been waiting out there?"

Negi shakes his head in the negative. "Not long. Well, are you coming or not?"

Harry catches Negi's infectious smile. He releases his broom and it floats at the ready. Negi blinks in surprise. "That's not supposed to happen on its own." Harry unfurls the belt from around his sword and swings it onto his shoulder, adjusting straps until it settles tightly but comfortably on his frame. A few minutes later the two are soaring leisurely above the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

Over Hagrid's cabin, Negi asks, "So your sword was given the all clear then?"

"Yes," Harry says, swerving left to give clearance to a passing owl. "It's no danger to me, just everybody else. So long as I'm careful with it at least."

"That's good." They fly on in silence for a little bit. "Do you know anything about swordsmanship Harry?"

"Not really, no. I've only ever used a sword twice before, and both times I won through luck and survived because I wasn't alone."

"Would you like to learn?"

"What?"

"My specialty is basic magic and to a lesser extent combat magic, but I'm also highly trained in hand-to-hand martial arts and I'm a self taught swordsman. I could teach you self defense and swordsmanship. And if you're still sure, I could start you on the path of magecraft."

Harry stares at Negi in shock. Then he does something he hasn't done since Sirius offered him a home and absolute freedom from the Dursleys. He smiles, genuinely, and with all his heart. "I'd like that."

Negi, seeing this, returns it in full. "I'm glad. You can join me for my morning workout if you want. I normally do it on the near shore of the lake to the castle."

"You could find your way out of the castle and to the lake but you couldn't find your way from your office to the Great Hall?" Harry asks dubiously.

Negi scratches his head. "I kinda took a shortcut. I would fly out my window and around to the lake, then walk to the front doors."

"That…is actually a rather good idea." They fly on in amicable silence until they reach the Quidditch pitch. "Sooo… Just how fast can that stick of yours go?"

"Pretty fast. Yours?" Negi responds, not even trying to hide his challenging smirk.

"Fastest commercial broom on the market. 0 to 150 miles in ten seconds. Favorite of pro-league players," Harry boasts, nothing but pride in his tone.

"A lap around the grounds?"

"Why stop at one?"

The two blast off for what will become their most exhilarating flight of the year. They zoom over, under, and around everything in their path, dipping into their respective bags of tricks to one up the other move for move.

They enjoy it while they can. The students arrive in two days.

*Fiendfyre – magical fire that is dangerous as sin in large or small quantities. The fire that coats the sword isn't true Fiendfyre though, just very similar.

*A wand up your sleeve – An ace in the hole or similar analogy. If someone has a better one, please tell me. I'll give you a cookie!

There hasn't been enough funny these last few chapters, and I need a pick me up. So here's an omake, for everyone's viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

OMAKE

Hermione's Pactio Practice.

"So, how does this work?" Hermione asks.

"You just hold the card and say Adeat," Harry answers. "Try it."

Hermione holds the card aloft skeptically and says, "Adeat."

In her hands appears a large yellow wiffle bat. At its base is a plaque with this inscription: "This Baka Bat property of Hermione Jane Granger."

"A bat?" Ron laughs. "What the hell use is a foam bat?"

Hermione turns on her heel and with a shout of "BAKA!" brings the bat down on Ron's head. He sinks a good foot into the ground.

She brings the bat to rest on her shoulder with a huff as she puts her other hand on her hip. "Maybe now you'll watch what you say around other people."

Omake inspired by Shadow Crystal Mage's 'Uzumaki Harry.' Go read it, it is awesome!