3. Light Grey
The next morning saw Harry apparating to the newly-bought estate with an estate wizard who would specify the details of the home. Harry hadn't known that this much thought went in only the wards of the house but resigned himself to the fact that this was his home now and he'd be damned if he let anyone hurt him and Riddle Tom, he meant Tom. Oh yes, he'd have to get used to the fact that the Dark Lord Voldemort was to be his son. He almost snorted at that. Meanwhile the agent was saying,
"-several wards to choose from but it depends on whether you wish this to be the main home or just another property. Upon your choosing the house will be sentient or not conscious. There are completely different wards for both of those Mr. Potter. What would you rather choose?"
Harry thought for a while. It'd be fun to have grown up in a wizarding home like the Weasley's but theirs was non-sentient. He decided to go with sentient. Besides, he thought, it'd be fun to see the gobsmacked expression on Riddle's face when the house moved.
"Will it be possible to have muggle electricity? I wish to have some appliances that require those." he asked.
The agent made a face that said he couldn't, for his life figure out why someone wanted muggle remnants in their home but didn't say it out loud. "Yes sire, it will be possible after you make the house sentient. Just wish for the electricity and the house will make it happen."
Alright, that was neat. Now he just had to cast the wards, christen the house, decorate it, stabilize it and oh merlin, get an house elf. Hermione would be rolling in her grave. The thought of his sister pained him and he quickly steered himself away from that direction.
"Thank you, Mr.?"
"Alderon, sir."
"Yes, Mr. Alderon. Kindly leave me the instructions required to set up the wards so that I may get to it in due time."
Of course sir. Here you go. Also, here are some furniture, decorations and house elf traders you might require." Alderon said, smiling slightly.
Harry thanked the man profusely. He knew he'd had to purchase them for the house but had no idea where to. The agent left, leaving the ward instructions and contact information with Harry. The warding was simple yet complicated. Written in Latin, the pronunciation had to be perfect unless it would go horribly wrong. It also took a lot of his magical core. Afterall, this was a new family home he was talking about. He decided to do the ritual later and pocketed the instructions. Heading to Alsauc Alley (that's where all the household and appliances shops were, he never knew that this alley existed) he decided to get started on the shopping.
Exhausted after the shopping he did(who knew the wizarding store employees were just as annoying as the muggle ones), the furniture was magically transported to the house and electricity set up. Apparating to Cleveland Road, Harry looked around, noticing that the sun was setting now that it was late evening. The prefect timing to perform the warding ritual as natural magical presence was stronger at evening, twilight and dawn. Something about energy cycles and such. Shrugging the cloak from his shoulders, Harry lay it out on one of the benches in the manicured front yard.
He called his core, pulling magic and felt the house immediately respond to a magical signature. Spreading his energy over the boundaries of the estate, he read out the warding ritual that would solidify his bond with the house. Kneeling down, he drew a pentagram with the symbols of magic, water, fire, earth and air drawn clockwise. The air around the house smelled of ozone and the sky darkened from a pleasant orange to a dark burgundy. The noise from the muggle world quieted down to a murmur and the air seemed to thicken as he chanted the Latin words.
"I vocatio praesidium potentia domum
defendat malum scaevitas clades
incolumem custodiat nos
salvum et felicem
aeternum"
Repeating the chant five times for each element, Harry circled the house's border with his own magic. He ensured that his energy completely blanketed the area and then announced the name that would bring conscience to the house.
"I christen you, Epoch's Crest"
The magic in the air grew uncomfortably hot. Harry's arms trembled from where he had held them out, throwing his magic out to give life to the house. Breathing heavily, he closed his eyes and took in the feeling of a ring forming on his hand. This was the ring of the Lord of the house and bloodline. He could feel the wards rising and the house shuddered as it came into wakefulness. Pricking his finger with a thorn from one of the garden bushes, he watched as the drop fell onto the black ring and transformed into a ruby of a deep red colour. He could feel the power of house that was dedicated in protecting this land and its master and family.
Ending the ritual, Harry stumbled. He had exhausted much of his magical core in the ritual and would need at least a day's rest for replenishing it. He called out to his new house elf which he had bought from a creature dealer.
"Neri!"
"Yes, master. What do master need?" the house elf- Neri, he'd named her asked in a high pitched, trembling voice. He'd chosen her because the dealer had said that the previous owner had killed her parents in front of her in a fit of rage and she'd survived only because the lady of the house had 'freed' her. This had happened 70 years ago and Neri had been distraught, rather than happy to be freed. She'd willingly come to the dealer but no one wanted her after they had learned she was free. Looking at her, Harry was reminded of Hermione's S.P.E.W campaign and his heart had reached out to the young house elf. He bought her and gave her a new name which she was happy to take.
"I need to eat and sleep immediately. Tomorrow I won't be going anywhere and we shall spend the day cleaning and decorating the house. Got it?" he said.
"Yes, master! Neri will be so happy to clean house! Master is so kind! She be bringing food immediately!" and with a happy titter, she vanished.
As Harry, stepped inside the house, he looked at the barren walls and started thinking of artifacts and paintings that would go with the luxurious furniture. He'd left no expense in furnishing the house. The testament to this was the dark plum and antique silver endowments. All in all, after the house was decorated, it would look more homely and comfortable.
Eating his dinner which comprised of Bacon-wrapped shrimp and veg rolls, he washed it down with wine. Going up the stairs, he opened the master bedroom with closed eyes. Something that the house showed its' displeasure of by rumbling slightly. Promising the house that he would wake up and admire it tomorrow, he fell asleep to the fire cackling in the fireplace and the faint sounds of the wind blowing outside.