A/N: Yes this is going to be very tropey and probably unoriginal, but I enjoy writing this story and thought other people might enjoy it too. You don't have to read it if you don't like it.
Chapter One: The Inheritance Clause
Harry Potter had never considered himself the lucky sort. In fact, his life had been marked with unlucky events coming in quick succession to the point that by his eleventh birthday, Harry had learned to expect the worst case scenario in most situations. He had never expected to be anyone of importance, not with the way his family treated him. He had spent the better part of his childhood locked in a cupboard, starving and shivering while his aunt, uncle and spoiled cousin enjoyed their days in a happy upper-middle class lifestyle. Dudley had never gone a day without food, Harry doubted the pig boy had even gone so much as an hour without a snack unless he was asleep. Even then, it wouldn't have surprised Harry to learn of Dudley having a stash of sweets in his bedroom for emergency midnight snacking. Dudley had always been given everything he ever wanted and then some by his doting parents, while Veron and Petunia only spared the absolute minimum needed for Harry to survive.
Harry used to dream of being rescued from the Dursleys. He thought that, maybe, it wasn't true that his parents were gone. He thought that they could have sent for him, surely they had had friends who could have taken Harry in. People who could have loved Harry, could have given him clothes that fit and fed him more than twice a week. He wouldn't mind helping with chores then, if he was given the time to relax and play as well. A friend or two would have been nice to have as well, ones who wouldn't join in Dudley's favorite game 'Harry Hunting' or be too frightened to play with Harry at school. Dudley didn't like it when Harry had friends and had made sure that it would never happen while the two cousins attended the same school. In Harry's dreams, he lived far away from Privet Drive with a family who loved him, friends who he saw everyday. He maybe wouldn't have had everything he'd ever wanted, but he had what he needed and that would have been enough for him.
It had been a dream that had given Harry hope since the day he was able to understand what hope meant.
Sitting in his new bedroom, the room that had previously been Dudley's second bedroom and as such was still filled with a plethora of toys that had been broken and abused over the years, Harry couldn't believe the events of the last few days were real. He had turned eleven, received a letter addressed to him for the first time in his life, been denied access to said letter, received even more until Uncle Veron had been driven mad enough to uproot the family and take them to a small cabin just off the coast. Even then, they couldn't escape as the next letter had been hand delivered by a giant man named Hagrid. It was then that Harry learned the truth about his family and himself.
His parents had been magical, a wizard and a witch. His father hadn't been a drunk who killed his mother by crashing their car while driving under the influence, no, James Potter had been a talented and brave wizard who'd lost his life defending his family from a dark lord. Lily Potter had the same fate, protecting Harry from the one who attacked them. Harry had been the only survivor of that night, and had been taken away for his own protection. His name had lived on in the wizarding world, the story of The Boy Who Lived told to children across Britain after Harry Potter had defeated He Who Must Not Be Named. The wizarding world had gained a savior that night.
Harry was pulled from his musings by a soft 'hoot' sounding from the other side of his small bedroom. Hedwig, the snowy owl that Hagrid had gifted Harry at the end of their shopping trip in Diagon Alley, picked at the lock holding her cage closed.
"I suppose you'd like to be let out for a bit," Harry said to his new pet as he approached the cage. Hedwig stopped picking at the lock and looked up at him.
"I'm sorry, I can't. Uncle Veron doesn't want you flying about." That, and Harry wasn't willing to incur his uncle's wrath before September 1st, when he would be leaving for Hogwarts. Harry needed to remain on his relative's good side if he was to get to school. "You'll be free to fly away from here soon."
Hedwig let out another soft sound, sounding almost resigned to staying in her cage for the time being. Harry fed a treat through the cage bars and then settled back on his bed. His trunk was open at the foot of the bed, containing his robes and school supplies. His books lined the top of the open trunk, titles on proud display for him to read any time Harry felt that maybe he was in fact dreaming. The only item not in his case was the eleven inch holly and phoenix feather wand that he had been unable to let out of his sight since he purchased it two days ago. Curious, Mr. Ollivander had said when that particular wand had chosen Harry. It's twin was responsible for the lightning shaped scar on his forehead.
Harry ran his fingers over the smooth surface of his wand, wondering what the curious connection would mean for him. He didn't expect it to be anything good, knowing what his lot in life had been so far. Still, that connection, the wand in his hand meant that Harry had a chance to leave Privet Drive behind him for good. He had to believe in that, if nothing else. The wand he was holding would be his chance for a better life.
Further ruminations on the subject of his future were interrupted when a letter appeared before his very eyes. The letter appeared faster than Harry could blink, hanging suspended in the air for a moment before drifting gently to land in his lap. The envelope was made of the same heavy parchment that his Hogwarts letter had been, but the address on the front was colored black rather than green. This time the address was simpler as well, 'Mr. Harry J. Potter' written in unassuming print.
Harry blinked once, then again and stared at the letter he was now holding. The letter that had suddenly popped into existence right before his eyes. Just like magic. Curious, and excited at the prospect of seeing more magic before school began, Harry picked up the letter and turned it over, carefully broke the wax seal and pulled the parchment encased within out.
Dear Mr. Potter,
Gringotts Bank requests your presence on the 6th of August at 10:00 in the morning in regards to information concerning your inheritance. For security purposes, the nature of such information cannot be revealed until such time. If you are in need of transportation to this meeting, please respond with your owl and we will be happy to assist you in this endeavour.
Regards,
Ragnok, Potter Account Manager
Harry read the letter again, and then a third time. His inheritance? Harry thought he had seen all that his parents had left him, at his Gringotts vault two days before. Harry still had a few of the golden coins, galleons, in his pocket from the trip. Was there something wrong with his vault? Had Harry taken out more money than he was meant to? Part of Harry's hope deflated. He'd barely been a part of the Wizarding World for two days and he was already in trouble. Hedwig hooted again.
"Yes, you're right Hedwig," Harry said, "you should be let out."
Deciding that it was better to know sooner rather than later if Harry wouldn't be allowed to attend school, Harry picked up a piece of parchment he had purchased for school, an inkwell and quill from his trunk. Writing carefully with unfamiliar tools, Harry wrote a reply to Ragnok trying to be as polite as possible in his request for assistance getting to the bank at the appointed time. He felt he needed to respond quickly as it was already late Friday evening, he thought Ragnok might need some time to arrange the transportation Harry would need. Once the letter was written and enclosed within an envelope, Harry moved over to Hegwig's cage and unlocked it. Hedwig hopped out and then waited for Harry to attach the letter to her leg.
"Deliver this to Ragnok at Gringotts Bank," Harry instructed as we walked to the window with Hedwig on his arm. After listening for a moment to ensure that all three Dursely's were sleeping and wouldn't notice the noise of Harry opening his window, Harry sent Hedwig off into the night.
Harry watched Hedwig fly off and then remained looking out the window for a long time after the speck of white on the horizon had faded from view. Thinking about the wand in his pocket, the books in his trunk, the broomsticks he had seen in Diagon Alley, Harry wondered if one day he might be able to fly away from Number 4 Privet Drive. Fly away and never return to the family that didn't want him. Harry turned away from the window some time later but left it open in case Hedwig came back in the night. He set the alarm on the half broken clock for much earlier than the Dursely's would be up so he could be sure and close the window and put his school things away before Uncle Vernon woke up.
Harry set his glasses on his bedside table and tucked his wand beneath his pillow before laying down on the old, lumpy bed. That night, Harry's dreams were filled with colour and heat, voices that Harry didn't recognize saying things that he couldn't quite hear. An image of a fire burning brightly in the night, the song of a beautiful bird that Harry didn't recognize and a sense of belonging remained in Harry's dreams throughout the night.
When Harry woke up, he felt warmer than normal. His last dream had left him with the image of a fire swirling around him, the flames licking at his skin but never burning him. He had felt warm, safe, protected by the dancing flames and the warmth had carried into the waking world as he opened his eyes. It faded a moment later when Harry reached to turn off the ringing alarm before it woke one of the Dursely's and Harry realised that it was actually far cooler in his room than it normally would be. Harry reached for his glasses and pressed them onto his nose. His gaze focused, Harry could see Hedwig back in her cage, the door open, and a heavy letter sitting on his desk in front of the open window.
Harry stood from his bed and moved across the small room to his desk where he pulled the window closed before picking up the envelope. He pulled the letter out and caught the golden coin that fell out at the same time before it could hit his desk and make any noise. The Dursely's would be waking soon, intent on having a day out without Harry in an attempt to distance themselves from the magical world as much as possible. Harry didn't want them waking up earlier and forcing him to work before they left. Uncle Veron had left him alone since they returned to Privet Drive and Harry didn't want to know if his luck was running out. Twirling the coin between his fingers, Harry opened the letter with his free hand and began to read.
Mr. Potter,
Enclosed you will find a golden coin with the emblem of a griffin on one side. At ten till ten, hold the coin in one hand and say 'Gringotts Bank.' The portkey will deliver you to the private waiting room in my office.
Regards,
Ragnok, Potter Account Manager
Harry looked closely at the coin and found the image of a griffin on one side. The other side bore a crest that Harry felt he should recognize. The image was too small for Harry to make out any defining features, but he could see an image of a crown, wand, and some sort of feather. A quick glance at the clock told Harry that he had fifteen minutes until the Dursleys would be awake. Tucking the coin into his pocket, Harry closed his truck and Hedwig's cage and then gathered his wand from beneath his pillow. He figured it would be best to encourage the Durselys to leave as soon as possible and so Harry headed down the stairs to begin preparing breakfast.
When Uncle Veron and Aunt Petunia ambled down the stairs a half hour later, Harry had already set the table and filled plates for both of them and was just finishing the last of the bacon for Dudley when his heavy footsteps sounded from above. Harry didn't say anything as his relatives sat down and began to eat, Aunt Petunia without making eye contact and Uncle Vernon glowering at Harry the whole time. His own food already eaten, Harry had made sure to make his first and eat as quickly as possible, once Dudley was downstairs and seated at the table, Harry began to work on washing up.
The house remained filled with a tense silence long after breakfast was over and the kitchen cleaned. Harry kept glancing at the clock but resisted the consistent urge to make sure the coin was still in his pocket until finally at half past nine, the Dursleys made their way into the car.
"I don't want any funny business while we're gone," Uncle Vernon warned as he walked out the door.
"Yes Uncle Vernon," Harry replied dutifully. Uncle Veron regarded his nephew for a moment, nodded curtly, and then walked out the door. Harry pushed the door closed behind his uncle and then walked upstairs to his room.
He watched his relatives pullout of the driveway from his window, waited until they were down the street and then pulled the golden coin out of his pocket. Trying to keep his breath steady, Harry waited until the appointed time. Finally, at 9:50, Harry spoke the trigger words and, feeling a jerk behind his navel, was pulled away from Number 4, Privet Drive.
Harry landed roughly on an ornate floor, coughing as the wind was knocked out of his lungs upon impact. Climbing unsteadily to his feet, Harry was met with the disapproving eyes of a Goblin dressed in the same suits as the tellers Harry had seen the other day. The goblin looked almost familiar to Harry; he wondered if this was the same goblin that had escorted himself and Hagrid to their vaults a few days prior.
"Welcome back, Mr. Potter," the goblin said in the same squeaky voice that Harry heard before.
"Griphook?" Harry questioned. The goblin nodded his head.
"I trust your journey was painless," Griphook said with a nasty looking grin. Harry felt his own lips pull into a grin as he answered.
"Yes, of course," Harry cleared his throat. "I'm supposed to meet with my account manager, Ragnok."
"Yes, he is waiting for you in his office. Follow me please," Griphook began walking down a long hallway that Harry hadn't noticed before. The small creature moved quickly as Harry followed, looking around the hallway at the many paintings that hung along the walls. He didn't have time to study them closely, but he could see that most of them seemed to be portraits of goblins and very few contained the image of any humans. Griphook paused in front of a set of ornate wooden doors and knocked once.
"Enter," A deep voice called from within and the door swung open. Griphook stepped back and gestured for Harry to enter the room alone. "Mr. Potter, I trust you made it here without harm."
"Yes, thank you," Harry said as he entered the room. Ragnok sat behind a wooden desk inlaid with gold, a golden placard bearing his name and a word that Harry didn't recognize. It looked to be written in a different language, if a series of meaningless shapes could be called such.
"I suppose you are wondering why I have called you here?" Ragnok asked in a calm tone, nothing in his posture or facial expression giving anything away. Steeling himself as if he was about to face Uncle Vernon's worst lectures, Harry plastered on a naive smile.
"Yes, I am."
"It is a very unusual situation, Mr. Potter, but I have come to expect such from working with Wizards. Odd, the lot of them, odd but well-meaning and in some cases, well-prepared." Ragnok folded his clawed hands together as he gazed at Harry. "Given your current situation, it is unlikely that you are aware of the full truth surrounding your situation here but you must pass a certain test before I can tell you the full truth of why I asked you to come today."
"Test?" Harry asked curiously, suddenly nervous. He had never done well in school, or at least he didn't remember a time that he had actually applied himself in school. His desire to eat and not sleep on fresh bruises drove his desire to not do as well as he could. The punishment wasn't worth the trouble of outshining Dudley in any way.
"Yes, a test, regarding your ancestry and thus, your inheritance." Ragnok held up his hand to waylay any questions Harry might have asked. "I cannot tell you more until you have completed the test."
"Can you tell me what the test is?"
"I can."
A long stretch of silence in which Harry looked expectantly at Ragnok lasted until Harry grew bored of waiting.
"Are you going to tell me?"
"Not until you requested it," Ragnok smiled, though the expression seemed more like a snarl on his ragged face. "Your lineage must prove that you are indeed the descendant of your ancestor for you to claim what is yours by birthright. This is completed by testing your blood."
"How will you test my blood?" Harry was wary of anyone getting close enough to his person to draw blood.
"You will use this dagger," Ragnok produced a gleaming silver dagger with a simple black handle. There were carvings on the blade and more on the handle but Harry couldn't make out what they said, if they said anything at all. "To prick your right index finger. Three drops of blood will fall onto a piece of inheritance parchment. Lines tracing your inheritance will appear on the page and I will verify that they are authentic."
Harry nodded his understanding, the process seemed simple enough. Ragnok looked at Harry for a moment in appraisal before he gracefully stood from the chair he sat in and rounded the large desk. Harry almost laughed at the size discrepancy between the goblin who barely reached the middle of Harry's thigh and the large seat he had occupied, but he held the sound in. He didn't think it would be a good idea to make an enemy out of a goblin by laughing at them. Despite their size, Harry was sure that a goblin could cause just as much harm as anyone else.
"If you are ready to begin, please follow me." It didn't seem like a request so much as an order so Harry rose from his seat and followed the goblin into an adjoining room. The goblin held the silver blade in his hand and set it down next to a piece of unrolled parchment on a small table within the room after the door had closed behind Harry. "Three drops from your right index finger, Mr. Potter."
Making an effort to conceal any hint of apprehension from bleeding into his expression or posture, Harry gripped the dagger in his left hand. He felt a warming sensation in his palm as the black wood touched his hand that reminded him of the first time he had used his wand. The feeling of magic was comforting and familiar to him, enough that he didn't have to worry about his hands shaking as he pressed the tip of the dagger into the first finger of his right hand. As directed, Harry held his hand above the provided parchment until three drops of blood landed on the centre.
Harry set the dagger down and began to hold pressure against his finger to slow the bleeding while he watched in fascination as blood red lines began to appear all over the page. Harry's own name appeared at the bottom of the page, along with his birthdate. He was surprised to read the name Hadrian James Potter rather than simply Harry Potter but put the information out of his mind for now. From there the lines formed the names of his parents, Lily and James, before branching off in two different directions. Harry followed the line of his father first, learning the names of his grandparents for the first time in his life, Fleamont and Ephimia Potter, before continuing along the path of the Potter name. Many lines diverged without reading anynames, spreading off to the far edge of the parchment to show relations so distant they were better left off, but the main line continued on for quite some time. None of the names meant anything to Harry, though he did notice a change in last name from Peverelle to Potter a little more than a third of the way up. Eventually, Harry reached the top most line of the page which bore the name Ignotus Peverell.
Questions begin to arise immediately but Harry decided to let them linger in his mind for a moment and looked to his mother's side of the family tree.
He saw first his mother's name and then Aunt Petunia's before tracing the line further up the parchment. Again he saw many diverging branches but none of the names had any meaning in his mind. The parchment ended along the top with the names Alexander and Elizabeth Gryffindor. Harry stared in surprise at the only familiar surname.
"I see we were right to invoke the inheritance clause," Ragnok said after he finished his own examination of the inheritance parchment.
"Inheritance Clause?" Harry asked, but no answer came. Ragok stepped around Harry and moved towards the door that they had entered from. He spoke quickly in a rough language that Harry couldn't understand and then the sound of soft footsteps reached Harry's ears. Ragnok stayed in the main office for several minutes waiting for whoever he had spoken with to return. Harry spent the time studying his inheritance parchment, doing his best to make sense of the weaving lines of his family tree. The only familiar names on the parchment, aside from his own and that of his parents, were the two last names that resided at the top of the parchment.
Harry's knowledge about the wizarding world was severely lacking, but Hagrid had told him enough for him to be sure that Gryffindor was one of the Houses at Hogwarts and more than that, Gryffindor was the House that both of his parents belonged to. Harry appeared to belong to the Gryffindor bloodline, which meant that his mother belonged to that line as well. What exactly that meant for Harry, he had no idea, but he was eager to learn of it.
Perhaps, at the very least, it meant he wouldn't have to go back to Privet Drive.
Ragnok came back into the small room holding two very thick files of parchment in his right hand.In his left hand, Ragnok held a deep green stone that seemed to glow from within like sunlight peeking through the leaves of a tree.
"With your ancestry confirmed by bloodline, you are now able to claim the Potter Vault. All of the Peverelle assets were absorbed into the Potter vault generations ago, so you have access to those items as well. The Gryffindor line, however, has a stipulation that any Heirs must be tested to see if they possess any aspects of the Gryffindor Hereditary Magic." Ragnok explained.
"What do I have to do?" Harry asked, turning his full attention from the inheritance parchment to the goblin.
"You will hold this stone in your hands and allow it to connect with your magic. They will then show you any ancestral magic you may have or may be able to learn."
"Show me how?"
"I am unsure. I have not seen the test for an Heir of Gryffindor in my time, but previous records report a trance-like state for the Heir. You will not be harmed during this process and from what I understand, each trance should last no longer than a minute." Ragnok held out the red orb. "Shall we begin?"
Forcing himself to appear braver than he felt, Harry lifted the green orb from Ragnok's outstretched hand. His magic responded just as strongly as when he held the dagger, though this time it felt like he was sitting next to a campfire, warm and bright. It calmed the thoughts and questions circling in his mind, released his anxieties into the breeze and left Harry with the sensation of flying over the land, nothing but freedom around him.
Harry came back to himself slowly, the embers of warmth still lingering in his limbs as he seemed to settle back into his own body.
"Excellent," Ragnok claimed the stone again and then made a gesture at the door. The door opened a moment later and a goblin Harry didn't recognize stepped in to take the orbs back to where they had come from. "I assume you have questions, Heir Potter?"
"Several," Harry looked eagerly at the goblin. "What does all of this mean?"
"At the moment, not very much I'm afraid." Ragnok gestured for Harry to follow him back into the office. "As it stands now, you are the Heir to two of the oldest and most powerful lines in Britain. The circumstances of your upbringing are most unusual for the Heir to such families, but that is something that can be worked around."
"You mentioned an Inheritance Clause earlier," Harry said as he reclaimed the seat that he had taken in Ragnok's office before the inheritance tests. "What is that?"
"Ah, yes. Simply put, the Inheritance Clause is a very old law that ensures any Houses near extinction can continue on by ensuring that the Heir to that House is well-prepared to take over House matters. Most Heirs would take the Inheritance Tests at the age of 15 and then become able to claim their Lordship once they reach the age of majority, 17. The Inheritance Clause allows for the at risk House to establish an earlier time to take the Inheritance Tests and claim Lordship of the House. For the House Gryffindor, the Inheritance Test can be completed at the age of 11, for the House Potter, the Inheritance Test can be completed at age 13. Both Lordships can be claimed when the Heir has reached the age of 15."
"What does that mean, claiming Lordship?" Harry asked curiously.
"You would become the Head of House and take on all responsibilities involved in that, managing family finances, taking the family seat on the Wizengamot, and handling other matters. For you personally, claiming Lordship would also signal that you are emancipated and thus would have the full rights of any adult wizard."
"But that only happens when I turn 15. What does this mean for me right now?"
"As of the time you completed the Inheritance Test, you have access to the Potter and Gryffindor Inheritance Vaults and all the contents therein, as well as the Student Vault that your parents had set up for you to cover any and all Hogwarts related expenses. Your Student Vault does have a withdrawal limit of 2,000 galleons a year, however the Inheritance Vaults have no such limitations."
"How much is in the Inheritance Vaults?" Harry didn't have plans to spend any money today, but he might duck out to grab a bag that he could use when visiting the Vaults, which he would surely be doing today if offered, so that he could take anything that interested him home.
"In the Gryffindor Inheritance Vault, there are 8,689,437 galleons, 784,591 sickles, and 17,856 knuts."
Harry felt as if his eyes would pop out of his skull for how wide he opened them but made an effort to control his expression as Ragnok continued.
"The Potter Inheritance Vault, there are 7,376,218 galleons, 593,214 sickles, and 23,584 knuts. Bear in mind that his number does not include any non-liquid assets that may be in the Inheritance Vaults as well, such as books, jewelry, or other family heirlooms."
"That's...a lot of money." Harry said dumbly. Ragnok smiled that snarl like grin once again.
"Indeed it is Heir Potter." Ragnok continued on without waiting for Harry to recover. "If you wish, you will be provided with a Gringotts banking bag. You can use this bag to make withdrawals from any of the three accounts you currently have access to by placing your hand in the bag and thinking of the vault you wish to access along with the amount you wish to withdraw. You can also use this method to withdraw Muggle money in the same manner by specifying that you wish for pounds rather than galleons."
"Yes, I would very much like one of those," Harry agreed, still feeling overwhelmed by the information he had received. Still, there were more pressing matters to attend to and Harry didn't want to get home late and have the Durselys learn that he had left Privet Drive at all. He waited until Ragnok finished writing something down on his desk before asking his next question "Will I be able to visit the Inheritance Vaults today?"
"Yes, if you so desire. I would recommend purchasing an Expanded bag or perhaps a shrinking trunk if you are planning on removing anything from the Vaults."
"I was thinking the same," Harry agreed. "Can you recommend a shop where I can get one or both of those items?" For a moment, Harry thought Ragnok seemed surprised by the question like he didn't think that Harry would have asked for his recommendation, but the goblin's expression quickly melted back to his neutral facade.
"Halfit's Custom Luggage should suit your needs for both a trunk and a satchel if you so please, just down the way from Ollivander's." Ragnok paused as a knock sounded on the door. The same goblin that Harry didn't know the name of entered the office at Ragnok's command, carrying a black drawstring bag in his hands. The bag was placed in Ragnok's hand and then the goblin hurried off again. "Here is your Gringotts bag, you will also find the keys to both Inheritance Vaults and your Student Vault can be kept in here as well. Once you touch the bag, it will connect with your magic so that only you can open it."
"Thank you," Harry said as he took the bag, holding it in his hands as if it held something precious.
"When you are ready to visit the Inheritance Vaults after you have completed your errands in the street, return to the main lobby. Griphook will be waiting to bring you to the Vaults. Is there anything else you need today, Heir Potter?"
"No, I don't think so-actually, can you provide a passage home for me? I don't have access to Muggle transportation."
"Griphook will have another portkey waiting for you once you are done in the Vaults." Ragnok stood and looked expectantly at Harry. "If that is all?"
"Yes, thank you," following instinct, Harry stood as well and offered Ragnok a half-bow in respect. Ragnok returned the gesture and then remained standing as Harry took his leave.
Harry let his feet carry him out of Gringotts without really paying attention to where he was headed. His thoughts were still focused on the information overload he had just received. Over the span of one hour, Harry had learned more about himself and his heritage than he had the entire day he'd spent with Hagrid. Every new piece of information formed more questions in Harry's mind and he was determined to find every answer that he could. He knew where to start with the basics, at least, and after coming to his senses to avoid a collision with an older witch, Harry made his way to the luggage shop that Ragnok had suggested.
A chime-like bell sounded as Harry walked into the shop but when he looked up, there was no bell hanging above the door.
"Just a minute!" A voice called from near the back, presumably whomever was going to assist Harry with his purchases. Feeling the slightest bit anxious and very eager to get back to Gringotts, Harry began to browse around the trunks and bags on display in the storefront.
Most of the trunks looked similar to the trunk that Harry already had which held his school supplies back at Number 4, though they varied in wood variation and colour. Harry looked over the options for different charms on the trunk and made a mental note of the things he would want on his own. At the top of his lists were the feather light charm and shrinking capabilities. That would make it much easier to carry his things to and from school, not to mention aid him in keeping the Dursleys, especially Dudley, from getting into his things. Harry was feeling confident in his trunk choices when another model caught his eye. Sitting up on a pedestal near the back of the display was a trunk that looked to be made of dark oak, inlaid with silver and sporting a golden clasp. Harry moved closer to the trunk and read the information presented on the small placard before it.
For the mobile witch and wizard, a multi-compartment trunk that comes standard with two compartments: the standard compartment for general storage and a fully furnished flat complete with bedroom and fully functioning kitchen and bathroom!
With undetectable expansion charms, feather light charms, and shrinking capabilities, this model is perfect for the wizard seeking his next great adventure!
For an additional cost, you can add a personal library, a second bedroom, a potions laboratory, and extra security.
Please ask for assistance before viewing any compartments
"I see that the black beauty has caught your eye," A cheery voice spoke right behind Harry, making the boy jump in surprise and whirl around. "Sorry, mate, didn't mean to frighten you." The man held up his hands in a gesture that meant he meant no harm.
"Sorry," Harry forced himself to calm down.
"That's alright lad," the man waved his apology off. "I'm not supposed to do this for people who aren't seriously considering buying the trunk, but I can take you on a tour of it if you'd like."
"Oh, actually, I am looking to buy," Harry held up his black Gringotts bag to prove his intentions. "And I would like to tour this trunk. Can I have a look at the model with the library and potions laboratory?"
"Sure, but, I don't mean to be rude - but you look a little young to need a travelling trunk."
"Maybe, but I assure you that I can pay for it." Harry didn't know the price yet, but he didn't think it would matter so much considering the millions of galleons he had at his disposal now. Perhaps others would consider it reckless for Harry to purchase a trunk that he could essentially live out of just because he now had the funds to do so, but Harry had grown up in a home where he wasn't wanted nor loved. If there was a way he could escape the Dursleys even by retreating into a trunk for the remainder of his time there, Harry would take it.
"I'm not sure but, well, I guess it can't hurt to at least have a look." The man waved his wand and levitated a trunk identical to the one on display out. The trunk settled on the ground between the two of them and then popped open. "The Traveller's Trunk."
After speaking, the man tapped his wand twice against the front lip of the trunk. A second passed and what looked like the top of a ladder appeared peaking over the lip. The man shot a wary glance at Harry before seeming to make the decision that he should make the journey into the trunk first. Harry followed quickly after him after watching in amazement as the fully grown man disappeared into the trunk.
The journey down the ladder was quick enough, no more than six steps before Harry was standing on solid ground again, but when he looked up Harry could only see darkness above him. It was more than a little unnerving and the man must have noticed his discomfort.
"Ah, yes, that can be a little uncomfortable if you're not used to it. The ceiling can also be spelled to look like either the weather outside or the night sky, if you'd like."
Harry kept that in mind as the man led Harry away from the ladder out and further into the trunk's interior.
"Now, you can request that the ladder come down into a kind of entry way with three doors, one to the potions laboratory, one to the flat, and one to the library. If you want to visit a specific compartment, you'll need to tap your wand against the top twice while thinking of the compartment you want. You can't reach the basic storage compartment from the other three, but you can move about the rest of the space freely as you need.
"The library comes standard with just the shelves and a reading chair, but you can add a desk and lounge to the set as well. The library is also unique in that it can also be accessed from the outside by calling up the compartment and then verbally requesting or writing the title of a book you want down. You can also search by subject or author. The search feature is standard but if you'd like the extra furniture placed before purchasing, that will cost a bit extra."
The man looked at Harry again like he was awaiting a comment about the price and Harry made an effort to keep his face blank though he's sure his excitement must have shown in his eyes.
The tour continued through a potion's laboratory that Harry couldn't tell one way or the other if it was worth the cost of it but that he had a feeling it would come in handy in the future. If nothing else, he knew there was a Potions class at Hogwarts and he would be glad for a place to practice brewing without worrying about being distracted by others. After the potions lab came the living compartment. This part contained a mostly open floor plan with the kitchen and bedroom being separated by an open dining area that held a small table big enough for four. A large bed sat against the far wall bracketed by two nightstands. The windows around the bed, Harry learned, were affected by the same enchantment that would go on the ceiling. On one wall there were three doors, one each to the library, potion's lab, and a fully functional bathroom that held a toilet, sink, and shower. The other wall was home to a large closet that Harry was sure he wouldn't be able to fill even with all of the new robes he had gotten on his first trip to Diagon Alley. All the furniture in the room was made of the same dark oak as the trunk itself while the walls were a neutral cream color.
"The last additions that you can make are the security ones, as this is a traveling trunk. You can add Muggle-repelling spells and an array of basic wards that will keep the stray Muggle or magical from noticing the trunk if they stumble upon it. Only those who are keyed into the wards will be able to find it and you will be able to add or remove anyone from the access list. To add someone, you will hold their hand to the top of the trunk and speak a password that you set. To remove them, you will hold your own hand to trunk, speak the password, name and the word 'remove.'"
Satisfied with the interior of the trunk and trusting the man enough not to lead him astray when it came to the extra spells and wards, Harry settled on purchasing the trunk with all the additions that the man had spoken to him about, though he had decided to go with the enchanted ceiling to mimic the conditions outside the trunk rather than the night sky alone. Once setting the password to 'magic' for the time being, Harry moved over to look at the bags available and selected one for school while the man ensured that the wards and spells on the trunk were set. He chose a simple grey bag with expansion and feather light charms on as well as a secure pocket that only he could access. For a bit of extra security, Harry also had the bag made resistant to summoning charms and impervious to the weather. The salesman embroidered Harry's initials in small, neat writing in the bottom left corner on the satchel's flap.
The final cost for both the trunk and satchel came to just above 3,000 galleons which Harry paid from the Gryffindor Inheritance Vault.With the trunk shrunken and placed in the secure pocket of his new satchel, which Harry carried over his shoulders after setting his Gringotts bag in the same pocket, Harry made his way back to Gringotts three quarters of an hour after he had left.
Griphok was waiting for Harry next to the teller's station and requested that the boy follow him to the cart that would take him down to the vaults. One dizzying journey below ground later, Harry found himself standing in front of a golden door with a lion emblazoned on the surface. Following Griphook's directions, Harry fished the Potter Inheritance Vault key from his bag and pressed it to the providing opening. The door melted away and Harry did his best to keep his mouth from falling open as he looked at the piles of gold inside. Griphook remained outside by the cart as Harry walked into the vault.
Determined not to be distracted by the gold, Harry made his way to the walls of the vault and began to look over the contents. The right was decorated by an assortment of paintings and a few pieces of jewelry settled on decorative pillows. The most prominent of these was a golden ring with a red stone that rested in the middle of the display. Harry lifted the ring up to get a closer look and found the same image of a lion carved into the stone. A large part of Harry wanted to take the ring with him but his more sensible side won out and he set the ring back down on the black pillow that held it. It was probably best, Harry decided, to keep his status as Heir to one of Hogwarts' founders and a second, very old and powerful line, a secret until he understood more about what exactly that status meant for him. Disregarding the rest of the right wall, Harry made his way to the left.
The left portion of the vault was covered in bookshelves that were filled to the brim. Harry had a brief thought to pack all of the books away in his new trunk, but he kept from doing so. While he'd never been an avid reader for fear of the consequences if his relatives caught him doing so, Harry tamed his ever-increasing desire to absorb all knowledge of the wizarding world at once and instead decided to slow his pace. There were 10 shelves along the wall so Harry resolved to pick 2 books from each shelf for the time being and assuming that the same was true of the Gryffindor Inheritance Vault, by the time Harry left Gringotts he would have at least 40 books stored in his new library.
Harry perused through the books quickly and picked out the titles that sounded the most intriguing to him. These included: Finding Your Inner Animal, Spells and Enchantments, The Art of Transfiguration, The Art of Charms, Mind Magiks, Elementals, and Wards and Runes, among others. The last shelf, Harry discovered, seemed to be a series of journals rather than books so Harry resolved to simply grab the first two journals of the bunch. He packed his selections away in the library section of his trunk and then tucked the trunk itself back into this satchel before making his way back out of the vault. The doors melted back into place behind him as he exited.
A second, much shorter cart ride later found Harry standing before a similar gold door, although this one had the image of a griffin rather than a horse. Within the vault, Harry found a similar ring to the one he found in the Gryffindor Inheritance Vault, though there was no animal carved into the red stone. Harry picked up the ring to study it for a moment before settling it back down on the pillow.
The Gryffindor Inheritance Vault had two less bookshelves than the Potter one had had but Harry kept to his original two book per shelf plan. The majority of the Gryffindor books focused on Potions, the Defense Against the Dark Arts, Ancient Runes, and Arithmancy. Harry picked a few titles in each subject as well as a book on something called Occlumency and a few selections on magical animals and familiars, one for general familiars and one specific to snakes and other serpentine familiars. Again, the last shelf was filled with journals so Harry picked the first two from the beginning of the bunch and tucked them away in his trunk. He'd decided to dedicate two bookshelves to the books he took from the vaults, one for each vault, and then further separated the books by subject once they were placed.
Once all the books were settled and Harry had the trunk tucked away once again, he made his way over to the door and let the cart carry him back up to the surface.
"Griphook?" Harry questioned once he and the goblin had both exited the cart. The goblin looked at him expectantly. "Ragnok mentioned that you would give me a portkey to get home. Do I have to use it right away?"
"The portkey can be activated by a word, it is not set to a specific time." Griphook held out a silver coin the size of a galleon. Harry took the coin and slid it into the front pocket of his satchel while making a mental note of the activation phrase, 'homeward.'
"Great thank you," Harry hesitated for a moment, "Er, is there a way I could get a Muggle credit card attached to my Vaults?" Harry thought he should go into Muggle London and buy the necessities for his living compartment, as well as stock the kitchen area. It would be easier to do that with a Muggle card rather than the cash he could pull from his Gringotts bag. Perhaps he would get some Muggle clothes as well since the rags he currently wore were at least three sizes too big.
"Follow me please," Griphook led the way back over to the tellers desks' and gestured for Harry to stand in front of the desk. Griphook filled out a piece of parchment quickly. Harry handed over each of his vault keys when they were requested and then stood at the desk as Griphook requested that he wait there for a moment. Harry's stomach rumbled as he waited, the sound reminding him that he had not eaten breakfast that morning and that it was past lunchtime now. He'd have to find somewhere to grab a bite to eat after he left Diagon Alley. Griphook returned a few moments later and presented a piece of parchment for Harry to sign. That done, Griphook handed Harry a thin grey card that looked just the same as the credit card he'd seen Aunt Petunia use to buy groceries.
"The card is linked to both of your Inheritance Vaults, but not to your School Vault. It operates in the same manner as your bag." Griphook explained as Harry tucked the card away with the portkey that would take him home later. "Is there anything else?"
"No, thank you," Harry inclined his head towards Griphook in what he hoped to be a manner of respect before making his way out of Gringotts.
Diagon Alley was bustling with people as Harry made his way along the street. He was focused on getting to the Leaky Cauldron for the majority of the trek but as he grew nearer to the establishment, a sign that advertised magical eye exams caught Harry's eye. He touched the broken glasses that rested on his nose before making the quick decision to at least ask about the eye exam. His current glasses were nothing more than reading glasses because Vernon refused to spend any unnecessary money on Harry. He could use the replacement.
The witch who performed his examination was kind and hardly batted an eye when she pushed the ends of his hair away from his eyes and noticed the scar on his forehead. Her words didn't falter nor did she begin stumbling over herself in her haste to assist him. It was a far cry from the reception he had gotten on his first trip to Diagon Alley. Harry rather liked being treated as just another wizard rather than the Savior of the Wizarding World.
"We can set you up with a new set of glasses that will protect your eyes from sunlight and can't be knocked off your face," the witch informed him after the magical examination was complete. "Or we have a line of magical contacts that you can try out. You put them in once and wear them for a full year. They'll slowly make corrections to your eyesight so that after about three years, and three sets of contacts, you won't even need glasses anymore."
"Can I try the contacts now?" Harry asked. He didn't want to commit to wearing contacts for a year if they ended up being uncomfortable in his eyes.
"Certainly," the witch produced a set of contacts set to Harry's needs and instructed him on how to put the contacts in and take them out. "Remember, if you decide that you want to keep the contacts, you won't take them out for a year. Not even to sleep."
Harry nodded his understanding and slipped the contacts into his eyes. After a few blinks to get the contacts to settle, the world came into much sharper focus than Harry had ever seen before. He'd never seen the world around him so clearly. He felt his lips stretch into a smile, on that the witch returned when he looked at her, and decided that he would stick with the contacts. Of course, he also ordered a pair of glasses, still circular but this time with a black wire frame, just in case he needed them in the future.
Wearing his new contacts, Harry paid for the examination, contacts, and glasses, and then made his way to the Leaky Cauldron and from there into Muggle London. Pulling a few pounds from his bag for the bus fair, Harry made a mental list of all the items he intended to purchase. He'd need bedding, of course, and thought it best to get at least two sets of sheets and duvets, as well as towels and toiletries for the bathroom, and a shower mat so he wouldn't fall using it. He'd also need cooking utensils and cutlery as well as basic groceries to fill the kitchen. He'd get a few snack foods as well and then move on to clothing. He wouldn't need much clothing for now, Harry decided, just enough to get him through the next two weeks before school and some things to wear on the weekends at Hogwarts. Luckily he'd be able to get all of that at Harrods so he wouldn't need to go to several stores.
Harry exited the bus at a fast food restaurant near Harrods and stepped inside to grab a meal before he finished his shopping. It was a good way to test the card Gringotts had given him, which he used without any problems to purchase himself a meal of fish and chips. Since he'd made his magical purchases with the Gryffindor Inheritance Vault, he decided to make the Muggle purchases from the Potter Inheritance Vault.
After asking the teenager working the till for the time, and adding purchasing a watch to his mental shopping list, Harry made his way to Harrods to complete his shopping. He figured that he had at least 3 hours before the Dursleys would be home and if all went to plan, Harry would be able to get pack to Number 4 and have all of his new things squirrelled away long before his relatives returned home. At seeing a young boy shopping by himself, one of the workers at Harrods came over to assist Harry with his shopping. Harry made up a story celebrating getting accepted to a prestigious boarding school and his parents rewarding him with a full new set to explain his shopping situation.
With the worker's help, it took about an hour and half for Harry to collect everything on his mental shopping list. He'd selected bedding sets in both black and silver as well as a plush blanket that he couldn't resist getting, though he got it in a deep purple that wouldn't clash with either bedding set. He decided to keep the silver and black theme going for the sake of simplicity and so he added two sets of black towels and a grey bath mat to the cart before adding in the assorted toiletries he needed. It took a little more explaining to convince the worker that Harry really was allowed to purchase a full kitchen set of pots, pans, dishes, and cutlery, but those too were added to the cart. Then came the search for clothing which took the longest only because the worker insisted that Harry try everything on to be sure that it fit before he bought it. He let the worker assisting him pick out a good quality watch with a leather band and silver face that sat comfortably on his wrist and wasn't too expensive before they moved on to the food goods.
Harry paid for everything after selecting a variety of fruits, vegetables, meats, and various other food items that he could both cook with and snack on. Assuring the worker that his parents were waiting in the car, Harry wheeled his cart full of bags out, kept walking in one direction until he was sure the worker wasn't watching him anymore, and then ducked into a nearby alley with his cart. Deciding to play things on the safe side since he was in Muggle London and there was a chance that someone would stumble upon him using his trunk, Harry transferred all of his purchases into the main pocket of his satchel. It took a bit of manoeuvring at first until Harry understood that the satchel would open wide enough to accept anything that he attempted to place in there. With his purchases neatly tucked away, minus the watch which he had placed on his left wrist, Harry returned the cart to the receptacle in the parking lot and then walked down the street in the opposite direction from where he had come. He still had at least an hour until he needed to get home and since he was in no rush to do so, Harry decided that he could linger in the city a bit longer.
He wandered in and out of stores along the street and ended up making a few additional purchases in the form of a few Muggle story books that he had heard the other students at school talking about, a refillable water bottle and a black jumper with a hood from a sporting goods store he had wandered into, a slim black wallet that fit in the pocket with his portkey, and a spiral notebook and one package of gel pens and one package of mechanical pencils. Checking the time on his watch and realising that it was nearing 4 o'clock, Harry decided that he best get home and stash his things away before his relatives realised he had gone anywhere. He walked another block and then ducked into a dead end alley to activate the portkey Griphook had given him.
Harry landed on the floor of his bedroom with a rough grunt and waited there for a moment, listening for any response from the house. Hearing nothing but Hedwig hooting at him for making her screech, Harry crept down the stairs just to be sure that his relatives weren't home yet. Luckily, the house was empty when Harry arrived but he could hear a car coming down the street. Quickly, Harry pulled his new trunk out, enlarged it to normal size, called up the living compartment and set his satchel down inside it. He had the trunk closed, shrunk, and in his pocket again just as the front door opened and his relatives came inside.
Settling on his bed with a bored expression, Harry made an effort to look like he hadn't gone anywhere at all. He had taken the lenses out of his old glasses and placed the frames back on his nose and then settled in to wait, remembering his watch at the last second and hiding it under his pillow as his uncle stormed in. With orders to fix his relatives' dinner, Harry made his way down to the kitchen feeling as if the weight of his new trunk was pulling his trousers down. He made a conscious effort to not reach for his pocket in fear of giving anything away.
Harry fixed the dinner that Aunt Petunia requested, dodged an attack from Dudley's Smeltings stick as best he could - resulting in one whelp on his back rather than several - before allowing himself to be locked into his room for the night. He waited until he was certain that his relatives wouldn't bother him again before taking his trunk out again.
He enlarged the trunk to normal size again and then slipped his watch back on before looking at his original trunk, which still held all of his school purchases. Deciding that it was best to keep all of his things in one place, Harry pushed his original trunk into the living compartment of his new trunk before following it down the ladder after invoking the wards.
It took Harry about two hours to square everything away in his new trunk after he had pulled everything out of his satchel. He started in the kitchen first, because he wanted to make sure that the food he purchased wouldn't go bad. The kitchen did have a refrigerator, but it operated using cooling and stasis charms rather than electricity. The pantry also had stasis charms on it. None of his food would go bad as long as it was kept in the trunk, which was a relief to Harry. He could buy his things in bulk so he wouldn't have to worry about missing a meal again. Harry put away his food and then moved on to the kitchen accessories that he had purchased, putting pots, pans, plates, bowels, and glasses into the cabinets, and the cutlery into the drawers. He set a roll of napkins in their place on the counter and settled the few cleaning things he had gotten under the sink before making himself a sandwich for dinner. He was too exhausted to cook anything else and he at least wanted to get his bed made before he went to sleep.
Harry made his bed up with the black bedding set and added the plush blanket he had gotten in between the top sheet and the bottom sheet. Harry didn't like using a topsheet because the fabric reminded him of the thin blanket he'd been forced to use in the cupboard for so many years, but the blanket was a great substitute. After double checking that he hadn't left any food out, Harry pulled on a set of newly purchased pyjamas and settled into his new bed. The mattress he had chosen was soft but still held a lot of support so Harry didn't feel like he would sink through the mattress to the floor and with his new plush blanket acting as a soft barrier against the world, Harry fell asleep wondering what other wonderful things the magical world could hold for him.