AN:
Will someone think of the CHILDREN!? ...Well someone actually did. Thank You Kitsune Obsessed Freak for pointing out the K rating, moved it to M just to be safe.
Thank you to everyone reviewing, I enjoy reading them good and bad. I believe it is good practice to address some of them so I shall try for a few of them each chapter. I will not post the entire review just the reviewer and which chapter and my notes.
frankieu chapter 4 . Oct 10
Yup, elves, people, animals, creatures count as objects. Can't store all things into the control room since it might 'interfere' with the controls but it can be transported. Right now I'm going with the vague definition of having to have a defined shape/outline and be understood by both Darrow and ARTY. A tree in the ground isn't recognized as an object but a cut tree is.
rice2999 chapter 4 . Oct 1
'Cruel to be Kind' is an excellent fic. and the author is very talented. The story is structured very well within its universe. One day in the far future I may reach that level of skill and dedication, but probably not.
Thank you all for you input it is appreciated and please don't be surprised if I 'steal' some of your suggestions.
Story inspired heavily by 'Cruel To be Kind', '12 Steps To Omnipotence', 'Rise of an Empire' and a million and one other fanfics. If you see stuff and think that it's similar to another fanfic. it's probably because we read the same story and I liked that plot line or idea.
BEWARE this is a 'Gary Stu, wish fulfillment, power fantasy type story.
Thank you for reading!
Enjoy
Chapter 5
Year 2, Day 330: Harry Potter Universe, July 1991
"So, is it possible?" I asked the elderly wizard sitting across from me. I was in the office of 'Cosmus Brothers Enchanting & More' it was recommended as the premier place for specialty magic items. This was the second meeting with Caston Cosmus the eldest of the three Cosmus brothers, he was eighty but didn't look a day over sixty, an expert in arythmancy and enchanting. The specialty item I wanted was a manor trunk.
Actually several really big ones. I wanted some portable habitats because why not?
I always had ARTY's control room for storage but that wouldn't really work if I wanted to have a whole herd of unicorns in there or you know dragons! And why shouldn't I get a dragon or two? Darrow dragon rider! I could just picture it now.
"Technically yes." The man answered in his steady calm tone. This was a man of experience, he'd seen and done things in his life. He gave off the aura of being sure of himself, his capabilities and limits.
"The manor trunk shouldn't be a problem. We often get those requests from wizards whose lives are on the go" he paused. "those who can afford it of course."
I smiled. "Of course. And the rest?"
Here he took a deep breath and hesitated.
"A challenge but doable. Ten trunks at the sizes and requirements you specified will be a major project. We will have to hire various experts, rune masters, more people to help with enchanting and arythmancy it will be costly. As well a project of this size will take considerable time and attention that will require a premium as well. I hope you understand time spent on this is time not spent on something else." Yes I am very well aware of the opportunity cost concept.
"And what kind of budget do you believe this will require?"
"Preliminarily, without having all the details costed out I would say anywhere between and one and a half and two million."
My jaw almost plummeted to the floor. Now I have money to spare so it's not a problem but how the heck did Newt Scamander get his suitcase to be the size of a small country if it costs this much. The dude didn't look like he was particularly wealthy.
So I'm either getting fleeced right now, the reputation of a big spender working against me …or the HP universe I'm in is not as close as the movies as I thought it would be. The clearer a universe picture in my mind is the more details I can remember and visualize the closer I can get to it with ARTY. Picturing all the minutia details of an entire universe is basically impossible so at one point I have to wing it and hope for the best.
I swear I remember in those movies it was a simple expansion charm and voila bigger on the inside than outside.
Sure I was going several kilometers square big but come on! Two million!? Really! Sure my property was seven hundred thousand but that is a real place. Its warded against muggles but it still is a real place with all the appropriate paperwork!
I really need to learn Legilimency and see if these people are lying to me. Ugh, fine I guess having ten portable pocket dimensions for two million is not that bad, it's only two hundred thousand for each.
"That shouldn't be a problem. I can put a 10% deposit today if needed. Now what about the time frame?"
"At least a year and a half maybe two depending on the availability of the experts. The rune and arythmancy work alone will take weeks if not months to perform. Factoring in the time to power everything, test and make revisions I can't make any promises on an exact date." He responded.
"What if I give you an extended time line. Let's say three years. Would that make things easier and potentially reduce the price?" I asked.
"Potentially yes."
"Then we have a deal. Would you be able to have a plan for review within a week? I'm afraid I will be gone for business for quite a while after that and will not be available in person."
"Shouldn't be a problem." He confidently stated.
I shook hands with the man and went on my merry way.
Scene Break
Year 2, Day 350: Harry Potter Universe, August 1991
I was about to open the door when it swung open by itself and I heard Olivanders voice.
"Come on in lad, don't doddle there!" the old man yelled from somewhere in the back of the store.
His wand store was a lot older and way shabbier looking than McKinnon's, mostly due to the smaller size, everything seemed squished. Unlike the nicely arranged displays in New York, here from the floor to the ceiling the walls were stacked with wand boxes and accessories.
"Hello, I'm Darrow and I'm here to get a wand." My 11 year old shape said.
I didn't even bothered coming with Nick today, my 'father' sent him to check out some magical farms and test the waters if anyone was open for selling or investment, along with the real estate agents.
"Right on you are. Come here let's take a look at you." He said beckoning me to approach.
A measuring tape shot off his desk and started wrapping and flailing all around my body.
"You're a strong one! Bursting with energy aren't you. I can tell. I have just the thing for you."
Huh, this was going a lot smoother than I thought and a lot quicker. He reached to the wall on his left hand side and pulled out a dusty box from the bottom. How the rest didn't collapse well I guess it's purely magic.
"Maple, 9 inches, unicorn hair." Well I'll be damned. Same type of wood, different core and considering I am at a much shorter height now it makes sense that it would be the same for the wand.
I pick it up and unlike the avalanche of warmth that the dragon heartstring provided this was much more subdued. I felt a steady ball of refreshing minty warmth like core forming in my stomach then slither up snakelike up to my chest and my right hand. It pulsed a few times then subdued to almost being imperceptible.
"Come on, don't just stand there staring at it. Give it a wave."
Maybe because I have a water affinity as I waved it in a lazy circle the tip lit up in a blue light leaving an icy mist in its trail. I'm pretty sure the temperature around us dropped a degree or two. Olivanders had a big smile on his face.
"This is the one my boy!" He wasn't wrong. With the dragon heartstring I felt confidence, power like I could take on the world and crush it beneath me. This on the other hand was more subtle more subdued only taking what's needed and no more.
It makes sense in a way. Olivander is pairing up an 'energetic' 11 year old but still an 11 year old boy. From Mary's point of view she was matching a wand to a '40 year old wizard' an experienced man in his physical prime not a boy who needed to grow up exploring his magic. I'm not sure what they can sense of me, whether they can see or sense an aura or my energy level or something like that but it does seem that what the eyes see counts for a lot.
Unless you are a main character in the universe like Potter then you get Voldemort's twin wand.
Whatever, this works fine for me I'll use this one for school and 'my father' will use the dragon string one. Maple, like father like son. The aspen wand will be back up if I ever need it. I hand him back the wand and he puts it back in the box.
"Now, this wand will be 6 galleons. If you don't have the money with ya then you can wait over on that chair until your parents come. No wand waving here and make sure not to touch the other wands, they can be quite temperamental." He said as he was running his wand over my box in a squiggly pattern. I bet you he's applying the trace.
"No, that's ok I have the money with me. I do have one question."
"Well then don't be shy speak up!"
"You see my father bought a new wand back home in New York and it cost him four hundred dragots how come yours are much cheaper?"
"Simple, all first wands for first years Hogwarts students are subsidized by the ministry, if this had been your second wand purchased here it would be 353 galleons." He said as a matter of fact.
Huh, mystery solved. It always did bother me that magic wands here were only about 50 quid. Being around one or two months of pay make them expensive but not exactly unaffordable. You would need a few months but you would be able to save up for a new wand on an average 2000 galleon a year salary.
Olivander did eventually sell me a wand holster as well and some cleaning solutions. Which I was ok with, let the man have his dues.
Scene Break
Year 3, Day 3: Harry Potter Universe, September 1991
Walking through the pillar at platform nine and three quarters was not particularly scary or eventful. When you regularly crash into trees at super speed walking into a wall isn't very daunting. I did it because I wanted the full experience and also because I didn't know how to get to the train any other way.
I went fairly early by myself, teleported right in King's Cross. All my things were in a regular bigger on the inside trunk which was of course shrunken. I was outstandingly muggle looking on the platform in my jeans and navy blue sweater combo.
I had gone on a shopping trip and bought a full set of normal clothing for my 11 year old self. I could technically just realize the clothes I wanted but it was honestly more fun this way. Plus I couldn't exactly have empty houses if someone came to visit either of my houses. Wouldn't it be weird to not at least see shoes or jackets in the door entrance closets?
The 19th century steam engine was quite impressive, mostly because it was almost like a perfect romantic picture of what trains used to be. The onset of industrialization changing the very aspect of life which happened during that time. That and it was unnaturally clean and shiny, magic obviously. I doubted it ran on coal or that the smoke was produced naturally.
As I was taking in the view slowly but surely more people were entering the platform. It was a slow trickle an older student alone, probably a 6th year by the look of it, a young girl with her father, well 'older' than me but younger than the other guy, folks were starting to arrive.
I went on the train and surprisingly or maybe unsurprisingly it looked like in the movies. All of the compartments I passed by were empty, I was basically the first one here, so I decided to pick one closer to the front where the locomotive was.
Since I was here early might as well go over some reports and paperwork. I had a set of meetings in the last two weeks with my business leaders to go over the general plan for the next quarter or so. I wasn't sure what the effect of the Hogwarts wards was going to be on my teleportation. I know from the movies they had a pretty strong anti-apparition wards that not even Voldemort was able to bypass. The only time the wards were down was the final battle where hundreds of wizards bombarded them.
Apparition was magical travel so my initial thought was that it shouldn't affect ARTY but on further consideration I have no clue how ARTY works, is it science? Is it magic? No clue to my ignorant mind it might as well be magic but I won't know until I get there and try.
So better to get ahead of the trouble before the 'chosen' midlevel management types freak out and do something stupid.
Overall the companies weren't doing too badly and by that I mean they were burning through cash but they were creating contacts in the industry meeting suppliers and even getting some contract deals.
I was particularly impressed with Haley Hitchson in REU 5 and Aaron Aston in REU 4. Haley was leading the construction materials company in most of my universes and Aaron the food distribution business.
Once she took care of things at home, made much easier by her new high income, Haley immediately poached a bunch of disgruntled coworkers from FedEx. With the added help she started moving fast, warehouses were leased, a small fleet of truckers contracted, suppliers were wooed and within two months she even had a first contract all without my help.
My plan to help was to use future knowledge of building projects and feed it to her before they are even approved so she can schmooze in advance and take parts of the transport and supply contracts for the company. Eventually constant contact with the right folks and our lower prices would yield results. I thought it would take at least a year before she would even be able to get her foot in the door but it seems she was a natural.
Aaron also had good instincts. At 35 years old he came from a company supplying prepared meals and food products for airlines. He was not happy with how things were being run so my headhunters were able to poach him. Using his roledex he also quickly made contacts with both clients and suppliers and was negotiating a few contracts.
Considering he already had experience in the business it is not what impressed me. What did was our conversations about the long term plans. He not only understood my intention of eventually acquiring the whole supply chain all the way down to the farms but he even suggested buying, consolidating and modernizing farms to increase output, especially if we wanted to take advantage of the opening up of the Chinese market along with the Americanization of the world's diet.
And I agreed with him he had good instincts and oh boy little did he know how much of an explosive growth the industry will experience. Industrial farming and GMOs were the future.
Eventually I wanted all my businesses to expand and control all the way to the lowest supplier level. It was good business sense and there would be fewer questions that way if I needed to tap them.
The rest of the 'chosen' were fine as well, they were more of the steady hand type of folks. That was ok with me, a steady hand combined with an actual focus on long term planning, future knowledge and a somewhat bottomless supply of money would eventually yield results.
Even so there were many things we had to go over and many more I had to think about. I was deep in my research notes when a young voice startled me.
"Do you mind if we sit with you?" Two young girls were waiting in the doorway like vampires to be invited in. It actually took a second to respond.
"Yes, sure, come in." I said and put my notes back in my trunk and it up on the shelf.
"Thanks! I'm Susan Bones and this is.."
"Hannah, Abbott" the second blonder girl finished.
"I'm Darrow" is say with a pause. I couldn't help but stare, meeting two characters from the books right away. "Miercuri, uh, Darrow Miercuri that is. Pleased to meet you."
"Here, let me help you with that." I say pointing to their trunks.
"Thanks! Are you a first year?" Susan asked.
"Yes I am."
"You're quite tall for a first year." She continued as they both took a seat opposite me.
I shrugged. "Early growth spurt." I grew up short for most of my childhood so I gave myself an inch or two above average height for my age.
"Are you..?" before she could finish we were interrupted by the door opening again.
"Mind if I sit with ya?" the Irish accent unmistakable.
"No, come on in. Should be space for at least two more." Susan replied.
"Thanks! All the end compartments are taken, it's getting packed. We'll be leaving soon." he said "I'm Seamus Finnigan." And so we all went through our introductions.
"Are you American?" Seamus asked once the pleasantries were over.
"I was just about to ask that as well!" said Susan.
"Yea, I am. Accent gave it away?" I say.
"Yea it did! That's so cool. I'm Irish!" Seamus responded.
"I figured. You're accent kind of gave it away as well." I respond with a smile.
Both him and the girls laugh at that and it seemed the ice was broken and the flood gates were open. I was bombarded with a barrage of questions.
"Where are you from in the states?"
"How's the wizard world there."
"Is this your first time in England."
"When did you move?"
"Did you see the Statue of Liberty?"
"Did you watch home alone?"
"Have you met any movie stars?"
"Do you play Quiddich there?"
And questions upon questions upon questions. I wasn't upset, they were children and I was the new and from across the pond. Most of the pureblood kids probably barely ever go to the muggle parts of their country let alone go to another country so it was natural they were curious.
I was prepared with my backstory and stuck to it. From New York, Statue of Liberty is Great, raised muggle, moved this summer with my dad, saw the movies, haven't met movie starts, they play Quadpot version there. Mom dead, piano accident, don't want to talk about it.
And on we went and talked about our different upbringings and generally kid stuff, we barely paid attention to when the train left. I'm pretty sure I won everyone's friendship when the snack cart lady came and I bought half the dam thing to share among us.
Impressing eleven year olds with money? CHECK!
"Have you ever played exploding snap?" asked Hannah
"I have not." I respond then taking a bite out of a chocolate frog. Ewww, liver taste. Almost spit it out.
"It's pretty fun mate. You have a deck of cards? I'll play." Seamus responded.
Hannah nodded and brought out her deck. Time flew by as we played a few very intense candy fueled games of exploding snap we only stopped when the door open again and an older female student in robes, prefect I gather from the badge, interrupted us.
"Hi Firsties! The train will be arriving in half an hour. I suggest you all get changed into your robes. Once we arrive at Hogwarts don't bother with your trunks the staff will take care of it as long as it has your name on it, they will deliver it to your rooms once you've been sorted."
"As well once there follow the staff, most likely Mr. Hagrid, he's huge you can't miss him, to the boats. First year students take boats. Don't be scared they are all enchanted and stable you won't tip over. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask any of the staff or older students with a badge."
We all nodded and said our thanks, she moved on to the next compartment. I hadn't seen any of the 'main' characters yet. There was no scene of Hermione and Neville coming and looking for his frog and Malfoy looking for Harry. They probably were in another wagon altogether.
Well time to change.
Scene Break
The darkness of evening had already settled by the time we got to the station.
Hogwarts was beautiful, magical, everything I imagined. I stared and stared and stared. I felt the literal magic in the air. The sky was clear, the crystal clear reflection of the rising moon's ethereal glow in the perfectly still waters of the lake, only being disturbed by the ripples of the enchanted boats filled with students, the majesty of the imposing castle and the perceptible sense upon my skin of calmness and warmth made for a wondrous fairy tale like scenery.
Also Hagrid was huge, like really big. The actor in the movies was big but this Hagrid was enormous and looked way more solidly built than the fatness of the movies. His beard was epic as well and somehow when he spoke he still came off like a jolly Santa.
We stuck in our group for the boats and mostly chatted about the sorting. Susan said she knew what it was from her aunt but wouldn't tell us since it's supposed to be secret. She wanted to be in Hufflepuff to take after her high-powered politician aunt. Seamus wanted Gryffindor after his mom and Hannah wanted to be with her friend in Hufflepuff.
As for me I was aiming for Ravenclaw.
I spotted Draco Malfoy's pale blond hair a few boats across he seemed to look exactly the same as the movies. Him and his crew were also staring in wonder around them. Soon enough we reached the castle and gathered around the entrance of the great hall with professor McGonagall directing us and explaining that we will enter shortly for the sorting process. She looked about the same as the movies maybe a tad younger. It didn't take long and off we went.
The great hall was amazing and way bigger than in the movies, the ceiling was fantastic you could see the starry night. All the first years were I must figure out the enchantments for that.
The long tables were well very long and they had the house banners floating above them. There were way more students than in the movies. I'd have to say probably closer to maybe eight hundred students. I noticed it when we were on the boats that my first year class seemed a lot bigger. It kind of makes sense if there were around one hundred thousand wizards in the British Isles and the student population should be much bigger. Then again wizards had a much longer lifespan so most of those were probably old folks living secluded lives.
"Abbott, Hanna!" the little girl walked up and put the sorting hat on. It didn't take long for the magical artifact to make a decision.
"Hufflepuff!" it screamed loudly.
And on and on it went. Student after student.
I was a bit worried since the hat could read your mind what if it saw my true nature and tattled on me. I was pretty confident I could fight my way out of the hall if needed. Worst case scenario, go intangible mode, superspeed my way out of the hall, and jump to the Control Room. No one would expect it.
"Granger, Hermione!" my thoughts were interrupted by the familiar name. The bushy brown-haired girl looked exactly like little Emma Watson so the front buckteeth were not nearly that pronounced.
The hat took about four minutes of deciding, painful for everyone else waiting, before yelling out "Gryffindor." The table applauding.
Malfoy was put into Slytherin, no surprise there.
Eventually my name was called out.
"Miercuri, Darrow!" Time to enact plan A so as I strolled to the front I started repeatedly thinking, well more like shouting, very loudly in my head:
RAVENCLAW, RAVENCLAW, RAVENCLAW, RAVENCLAW, RAVENCLAW, RAVENCLAW, RAVENCLAW, RAVENCLAW!
A split second, that's all it took, the dam thing didn't even touch my head before it shouted loud and clear:
"RAVENCLAW!" the table bursting into applause. Fastest sorting ever. I'm pretty sure some at the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor tables rolled their eyes. I was just another nerd.
"Potter, Harry!" at that the whole hall became silent.
Mini Daniel Radcliff walked up to the hat, un-sureness could be felt with every step he took. The hat took a long time and mumbled to itself. The boy looking scared and as if he was conversing with the hat. The silence in the hall was deafening the tension thick. Not only from the students but the professors table as well.
"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted.
And just like that it was over. I swear I everyone let out a collective breath they were all holding. Both my table and the badgers clapped quite enthusiastically while the applause and cheering from the lion's table was more than thunderous; it was an actual standing ovation. The snakes only some politely clapped. Too many parents were supporters of the old boy and all.
Ron also made it into Gryffindor and was enthusiastically greeted by his table. He was after all a legacy with all of his brothers before him being in the house.
Dumbledore did his speech, the feast was good, and food was good, pumpkin juice sucked but water was also available which was nice.
The way the headmaster mentioned the 3rd floor corridor was abound to make people go check it out. He basically put out an adventure call to all the lions.
The prefects led us to our respective towers and dorm rooms. The common room was much bigger than I imagined, expansion enchantments for sure, all decked out in the blue and bronze of Ravenclaw. We had our own personal library.
Professor Flitwick came and said a welcoming speech introduced the prefects then left us into their tender care.
"Alright firsties gather around! We will go over the rules of the school and of Ravenclaw house." The prefect whose name I actually didn't catch as I was staring around the room started droning out about the rules.
"Breakfast is served 7-8:30am, lunch 12-2pm and dinner 6-8pm. You are all expected to show up for breakfast, no sleeping in, there is a prefect assigned to monitor duty each day so trust me when I say we will know. First year classes start at 9am sharp. Do not be late it will not look good on you."
"You trunks are already in your dorms and class schedules on the night stands. Your beds are assigned see the names at the top of the frame. For the first week one of us will lead you all to breakfast 7:30am sharp and afterwards to your classes. Wake up call is at 7am, soon you will see you that you don't need it at all to wake up."
And on and on he droned. I almost zoned out but then he said something that caught my attention.
"…after first week orientation you are expected to enroll in tutorials those are practice classes led by teaching assistants usually a student 6th or 7th year outside of your classes. First and second years must sign up." Wait what?
That brought my focus back. Tutorials, teaching assistants, practice session, six prefects per house. Two for 5th, 6th and 7th years and it seemed each professor had at least two TAs, the whole system reminded me of university. I thought hard for a moment and, yes, I don't remember this from the movies.
It kind of made sense, at nearly a thousand students it wouldn't make sense to run the school with so few teachers, I bet a lot of the tests and homework for younger years was actually graded by the TAs. Plus it wasn't a good idea to let eleven and twelve year olds who have never been on their own unattended for long period of times. Had to keep them busy after class somehow.
The dorms were separated by gender and years, expansion charms galore, obviously, no other way to fit that many rooms in the tower.
The only way to get some privacy in the dorms was to use the bed curtains and probably learn how to make them sound proof.
Hopefully my fellow Claws wouldn't be too nosey.