The next morning at seven AM, the doorbell rang. Harry and his aunt went to the door and Harry opened it. Standing on the doorstep was a short little man who looked like his face had been designed to be fierce and cheerful at the same time.
"Hello sir, my name is Harry Potter" Harry said politely.
"Ah, of course Mr. Potter, I am professor Flitwick, and I am here to take you to Diagon Ally this morning."
Harry nodded, and when his aunt nodded as well, Harry walked out the door. Unknown to both Professor Flitwick and his aunt, Harry had a credit card under his assumed name in his pocket in case he wanted to make a purchase of more than the required school supplies (which he assumed the school supplied).
The odd pair walked down the road and then the short little professor held out his right hand. Harry had just a moment to notice that the professor's nails were quite a bit longer and sharper than normal when a purple triple decked buss appeared out of thin air.
Harry was impressed despite himself; the ability to teleport vehicles around a city without being noticed was no mean feat.
The professor paid for the fair using a few silver coins that the conductor (named Stan Shunpike) called sickles. Harry wondered if the name of the currency had anything to do with the farm tool by the same name.
The professor spent the ride explaining to the inquisitive young boy how the wizarding world governed itself, and how they stayed hidden from the normal world.
Flitwick seemed mildly perturbed when Harry subtly refused to use the word muggle and continued to insist on calling the muggle world the 'normal world'.
When the pair arrived at the Leaky Cauldron, Harry stared at the dingy half decomposed building with trepidation.
"Are you sure that building is safe? It looks like a slight breeze will drive it down into the ground."
Flitwick merely chuckled and said "Don't worry Mr. Potter, the building is held up by magic, and is quite sturdy."
Harry gave another doubtful glance at the pealing roof before muttering "If you say so" as he entered the pub.
The two of them passed through the pub quickly, and Flitwick tapped the bricks in the ally in the shape of a pentagon.
Harry was now paying extra attention; if the pentagon was a significant shape in this culture (the Egyptians preferred their pyramids, the Europeans mostly liked cubes or stars) then he might be able to learn more about them already.
Thus Harry was only slightly shocked when the wall receded and Diagon Ally appeared before him.
"Welcome to Diagon Ally Mr. Potter" Flitwick said with a smile.
Harry looked all around him as the two of them walked through the alleyway. Harry paid particular attention to words that he either did not use, or were used in a different context.
For example, Harry was rather certain that the Nimbus broom was not a fast cleaning tool surrounded by a halo of light, but was instead some type of sports device made by a particular company or family. (Harry wasn't sure if the wizarding world followed a capitalistic economy or a feudal one.)
Thus simply by walking through the ally with the professor, Harry learned quite a bit about this new world he was now in. Harry also took note of the fact that there was only a single news paper circulating, but multiple magazines. Harry theorized that the paper in question must either be a monopoly (likely) or had driven all other papers out of business (possible).
As the two of them walked towards a building made out of marble a far taller than the surrounding buildings, Harry took note of the different architectural design. When they entered the building in question, Harry realized two things, one, he knew why the building had a different architectural style, two, this magical world was far more socially complex than it first appeared.
The reason for these revelations was simple. The building was being run by a separate sentient species. Harry immediately grasped that this would only be possible if one of these species was considered superior, otherwise the two species would be attacking one another, unless of course there was some sort of magical reason not to.
Harry also noted the hostility shown to many witches and wizards by the goblins (that's what professor Flitwick called them) and surmised that the goblins were currently inferior to the wizards, but resented it.
Within five minutes of entering the goblin run bank Harry (an avid student of history and culture) realized that a war between the goblins and wizards was likely brewing and would more than likely explode within a generation at the latest.
Harry was (understandably) more than a bit uncomfortable with the realization that the world he was entering into was teetering on a knifes edge.
When Flitwick brought Harry up to a teller by the name of Griphook, Harry noted with interest the lack of hostility given to the professor.
Harry needed only a few more clues such as Griphook's long sharp yellow nails to realize that his professor was part goblin.
'Now this is interesting. Most cultures who keep control of a culture they consider inferior do not allow mating to take place between them. I imagine this would be even stricter for different species, so how did a part goblin not only survive, but become part of a teaching institution?' Harry thought to himself.
The ride down to his vault was exiting for Harry. He enjoyed rollercoasters, but because Dudley was too large to fit on many of them, the Dursleys had avoided theme parks for the last few years.
Harry watched Griphook open his vault with his key. He was surprised that his parents had left anything to him, let alone the mound of gold coins that was revealed by the door.
"Good God, How am I supposed to manage that much money?" Harry whispered.
In the silent vault the goblin Griphook heard him clearly. With an expression on his face that looked like a half snarl he said pleasantly "You need not worry about managing your money young Lord. Gringotts appoints an account manager to each and every account over a certain amount, and yours qualifies."
Harry was a bit taken aback by the goblin's expression, but, realizing that it was the goblin version of a smile, Harry relaxed and smiled back. Giving a small bow to Griphook (who looked startled by the show of respect) Harry asked "Is it possible for me to speak to my account manager at some point? I have a few propositions I wish to discuss with him."
Both Griphook and Flitwick stared at Harry in disbelief.
"What?" Harry asked self-consciously wondering if he had made some sort of social gaff.
"Why do you treat the goblins as equals?" Griphook asked after a moment.
Harry snorted. "Because I don't want to be on the bad side of the people who handle my money, and because when the goblins get out from under the control of the wizards I don't want to get burned. Plus, I'm sure that there is plenty I could learn from your people, and it would be a shame to throw away such a potential treasure trove of knowledge because I'm rude."
Flitwick was looking at Harry like he had just seen something he couldn't believe.
"How far are you willing to go to gain the knowledge you seek?" Griphook asked carefully.
Harry grinned. "Why don't you give me an offer and we can go from there." Harry said.
Flitwick and Griphook looked even more startled. Few non goblins ever were brave enough to bargain with a goblin.
Griphook gave a feral grin and they got down to business.
"The Goblin Nation can offer you books on mind magics, curses, wards, and enchantment, as well as history from a nonwizarding perspective for the right price." Griphook began.
Harry responded "I will exchange copies of semi translated Kush writings for a complete history of the goblin nation, written in your language, along with a complete dictionary of your words."
Griphook looked startled, but Flitwick looked shocked. "How could you get those?" Flitwick asked in disbelief.
Harry simply grinned. "I helped translate them" he said with a fair bit of pride.
Griphook realized then that this human boy was far wiser than he had given him credit for.
"If you can give us those translations we will gladly give you our history and a dictionary." Griphook said eagerly.
"If you can throw in a pronunciation guide I'll include my notes on how to translate the language." Harry said.
"Done" Griphook said without hesitation.
Flitwick's head was swinging back and forth like he was watching a tennis match.
"My maps of the pyramids interior in exchange for your books on goblin forging techniques." Harry offered quickly.
"No," Griphook all but yelled before saying "The maps in trade for limited access to the goblin library, with the stipulation that no goblin manuscript leaves goblin territory."
"Done" Harry agreed quickly.
"Your aid on Gringotts translation work in exchange for ward tutelage under our ward masters." Griphook offered.
"Make it your enchantment masters and we have an arrangement." Harry said eagerly.
"Done" Griphook said quickly.
Harry and Griphook smiled at one another and Harry gathered a few handfuls of Galleons (after being informed of the conversion rates and names) and the threesome left the vault and returned to the surface.
As Harry and professor Flitwick left Gringotts to continue shopping (and get a brandy in the case of Flitiwick) they missed Griphook rushing into a tunnel that led deep into Gringotts.
HP***************HP*************HP
Harry and professor Flitwick (after a stiff drink and the Leaky Cauldron) continued on their shopping trip. Harry was able to get a few good robes, and he got a few extras ingredients not on the potions list simply because they sounded similar to things he had heard of and he wanted to experiment with potions before he got to school.
After all, he didn't want to start out in any class behind, but especially a class that revolved around one of his hobbies (cooking).
When Harry got to Flourish and Blots, he went wild. He bought every book on the school list, and then bought books on runes, spell creation, history, and magical warfare.
While Flitwick looked on in shock, Harry moved all around the shop as though he had been working there for years. What shocked Flitwick the most was about twenty minutes into his buying spree Harry successfully directed the assistant shopkeeper where he needed to put the books he was carrying (the assistant was on his second week and was still learning the ropes) and when the assistant obeyed the quirky kid he found that the books were indeed in the proper place.
After buying close to forty books from the book shop, Harry had them shrunk for ease of transportation. Fortunately, the shopkeeper realized that Harry was a pre Hogwarts student, so he charmed the books to shrink and enlarge on voice command. Harry thanked the shopkeeper and paid a few extra galleons before leaving.
Flitwick followed the boy, shell shocked, again.
The pair of them proceeded to Olivander's wand shop, which based on appearances looked like it was the same building from 383 B.C. Harry was even more reluctant to enter it than he was to enter the Leaky Cauldron.
Never the less, after nearly a minute of debate, Flitwick convinced Harry to enter the rickety (at best) building.
"I wondered when I would be seeing you Mr. Potter" a voice said as soon as the door closed.
Harry jumped and even Flitwick started. An old man, who looked to be near one hundred (when a wizard looks that old then they are really, really, old) stood behind the counter.
"Hello sir" Harry said tentatively.
"Well, don't just stand there boy, step forward." Olivander said with impatience.
Harry moved towards the counter and Flitwick sat down.
"Wand hand?" Olivander asked.
"I'm right handed sir." Harry said quietly.
Animated tape measures began measuring Harry as Olivander went into the back of the shop.
Taking out a wand, Olivander held it out towards Harry. "Maple and griffin feather" he said as Harry starred at it. "Well take it and give it a wave." He said in exasperation.
Harry grasped the wood and felt strange warmth within it. He waved the wand and a stream of flames charred a section of the counter.
"No, no, most defiantly not!" Olivander said in alarm.
Olivander then proceeded to give him wand after wand, after wand, after wand. Unnoticed by Harry and Flitwick, a special holly and phoenix feather wand passed through Harry's grip and failed like all the others.
After trying nearly a thousand wands Olivander looked ready to tear his hair out. Finally as it was beginning to get dark Olivander gave him another wand. "Palm and magical ibis feather." He said exhausted.
When Harry grasped this wand he felt power rush through him. A pale golden glow surrounded him and Olivander gasped in relief.
When the glow faded Olivander was looking at Harry very carefully.
"I have sold many wands Mr. Potter, and yours is one of the few that as not come from this shore, however I believe I know the course your life may take based on this particular wand.
The Palm this wand is made from came from a garden outside a shrine of Thoth in Egypt. The ibis is a creature sacred to the Egyptian god Thoth, god of learning, language, and balance between good and evil.
Your wand matches you nearly perfectly, something rare in first matched wands, and I believe that it may well signify your destiny. That of standing for what is right, dividing good from evil, order from chaos, and bringing knowledge to the ignorant. May you bring the light of learning to our world once more.
Harry looked at his wand in awe.
This wand matched him perfectly, he could feel it, but he also felt a gap. Not a gap in the power of the wand, but rather a gap where something was missing. Thinking that it was just a figment of his imagination (what did he know of wands after all) he thanked Olivander and left the shop with Flitwick following him.
The two of them stopped at the Leaky Cauldron for an early dinner before taking the Night Bus back to Privet drive.
When he arrived, aunt Petunia rushed him into his room before his uncle got home. Harry realized only then that his uncle might object to him attending Hogwarts.
HP********************HP***************HP
Filus Flitwick had never been more exited in his life. He had escorted Harry Potter through Gringotts where the boy had quickly determined the situation between the goblins and the wizards, he then managed to successfully bargain with a goblin and come out even, if not actually ahead!
Moreover, the accomplishments that the boy revealed in his bargaining session were amazing. Someone who could break a language that baffled both muggle and magical scholars for generations was not to be trifled with. The boy would be a natural at runes.
He couldn't wait to teach they boy. Harry Potter was going to change the wizarding world, he could feel it.
(AN)
I am truly sorry for not updating sooner, but something came up so I could not get to my computer at all this week. I hope to update more regularly, but I can't make any promises.
I have to say, I was overwhelmed by the show of support for just my first chapter. Already this story has the second most number of alerts on it of all of my stories. I am deeply flattered and I hope I live up to your expectations.
I am currently looking for a beta for my stories, if you are interested please PM me.
One more thing, I am writing this as I go, so if there is something you really want to see, send me a PM or review and I might include it.