Hello everyone!
I hope you had a lovely start into the new year!
Excuse the minor change in adding chapter one and two together and putting this here out as chapter two- but I had some minor issues with grammar I noticed and decided to add length for possible newcomers.
Enjoy!
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Harry stepped over the ward line in the tunnel leading to honey dukes and breathed a sigh of relief. Removing all of the tracking spells placed on him by Hermione, Dumbledore and even Molly Weasley he moved down the tunnel and gladly took his elves waiting hand when Dobby appeared with a soft pop. Moments later they arrived in a room off the lobby of Gringotts set aside for those flooing into the bank. His skin had still been violet an hour ago and he had resigned himself to going to his first proper meeting looking like a humanoid from outer space, when the glowing effect at least had lessened enough that his strange skin colour wasn`t immediately apparent. It had still caused the trio some good-natured ribbing and some questioning glances when they turned up to breakfast, one of them violet, one of them whiter haired than Dumbledore and the other wearing a bright pink tuxedo. He could also have sworn that he saw McGonagall pinch the bridge of her nose as Flitwick leaned over, smirking at her with unholy glee. Apparently, the teachers had been wondering when his Mauderer heritage would start to shine through other than his annua end of the year adventures.
Bemused but ultimately unsurprised he spent the early hours in the library after checking that he would indeed be facing dragons before he left to visit the bank. The flight over the grounds had cleared his head and the library research had added a list of people he needed to seek out and ask for some lessons from to his to do list.
"Mr Potter, Manager Iron Grip is waiting for you in his office. Please follow Griphook.", the goblin teller said and gestured at the same low-level goblin that he had used the Imperio on after he went against their deal and betrayed their break in. Thanking the teller, he followed Griphook, focusing on the things he needed to do today. Because the Goblins were a Nation of their own and the various treaties with the British magical humans ensured it, they were the only bank and also the only place where one could learn to become a warder or course breaker in Britain. Indeed, working as such on British soil meant that you had to be contracted by them, otherwise you could not also be a British citizen.
Due to this Gringotts was more than a mere bank. In addition to investment portfolios, safe deposit boxes, bank accounts and life insurance policies this bank offered storage of artifacts, walk in vaults, documentary storage, warding of your property and was the sole source of confirmation of whether a witch or wizard was indeed dead. Not only held the goblins such things as wills in trust, but they also executed them upon their secret method told them that the people who wrote them died. Because of this the goblins also did ocassional line identification rituals and could be relied upon to do a bit more of one's legal paperwork than a bank strictly should be capable of doing, for a fee at least.
That said he wasn`t nervous about the legal stuff he would be doing here. He was nervous about discovering documents or bequeathments he had never known about due to his sketchy History with the Goblin bank in his previous life. Besides he didn`t doubt that his quest to push his legal adult status through would be aided by the greedy warrior race who disliked humans just as much as humans disliked them.
"Welcome, Mister Potter. What brings you here?"
"Well met, Iron Grip. I have been selected by the artifact known as the Goblet of Fire to participate in the Triwizard Tournament. Selection to participate automatically emancipates me."
Which was true even though the age line was a new addition. Before this brilliant idea everyone could enter or be entered into the tournament. And in order to allow as much agency as possible for the champion while preventing well meaning intervention from adults the Goblet had been programmed to automatically emancipate those it chose.
This was why his account manager had begun removing various documents from the file cabinet on the left and was placing them on the desk. A Blood Test, An Emancipation due to powerful artifact, A Line Theft clause and a provisional first draft of a Last Will and Testament. Expecting this, after those many hours in the library and talks with the Twins, Harrison followed the instructions to cut his dominant hand with the enchanted dagger. Allowing seven drops of blood to fall onto the first scroll he hastily moved the finger in order for the next drop to land on the Last will and testament sheet that he could fill out while they waited for what the Blood Test said.
An hour later he was declared Earl Potter and had his account manager produce his holding and account ledger as well as the adoption paperwork for the Twins, line declination paperwork and one money pouch plus credit card and wallet for each of them. "Is there anything else?"
"I am curious to know how Gringotts views items such as Horuxes?"
The Goblin glared at him but said nothing, perfectly aware that this was merely an opening line to a lengthy explanation. It was also one of the words that would trigger and automatic listening charm to activate as to allow their elder councils to listen in.
"Voldemort made several Horuxes. And while Albus Dumbledore knows of them he had been rather…. Apathic in dealing with them. He believes only I should get rid of them due to a prophecy concerning me and Voldemort. That said Voldemort gave one of them to Malfoy who kept it at his home until quite recently. This leads me to believe that, mayhap, other followers and trusted people might have been gifted with such a piece of soul."
"Are you suggesting that Gringotts is harbouring The Dark Ones soul?"
"I doubt that Gringotts is intentionally harbouring Voldemort's soul but if it were some piece of jewellery in one of the vaults?"
"And are you now suggestion you know where?"
"Of course not. All I am saying is that Voldemort has Horuxes. That he gave at least one of them to one of his followers. That I presume that he did the same with a second one and that I have a ton of basilisk meat to gift to the Nation should the Nation decide to audit all of its vaults for… improper stored jewellery or decorative elements."
"A ton of basilisk meat"
"Yes. See this Horux Lucius Malfoy had was released at Hogwarts in my second year and it opened Salazar's fabled Chamber and let loose his fabled pet snake. And I ended up killing it and claiming the carcass as well as the chamber as mine by right of conquest."
With that Harry stood and placed one box on the table. "This is one piece of the wagonload I am currently storing at Hogwarts. Please let me know if Gringotts would like the rest to follow."
He left the bank unaware of the chaos his actions had caused as goblins began to frantically run from one end of the bank to the other and even those living below were stirred into it all. Audits of such nature needed more than the usual staff, after all.
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Aware of his tight schedule he dropped all of his old stuff off at the second-hand shop after he had acquired a new four compartment trunk, for all of them, and put the three most valuable things he owned inside. Then he stocked up on notebooks, self-inking quills, parchment and all other useful school and office supplies before buying proper potions kits for three people up to year five, which meant that they had now several potions' kits and a lot of stuff the Twins could blow up without needing to worry about the costs of replacment. Getting new sets of their schoolbooks plus all the ones he had hesitated to buy, and stocked up on clothes, robes and school, uniforms. Since he had sold two of his basilisks' poison vials, he could afford to donate 26 new Comets to Hogwarts to replace the failing beginners brooms.
Once he had everything from this side of the world, he entered the muggle world. While synthetic fabric didn`t last around magic he could afford to buy some pure cotton products. Soaked into potions and cared for they would last for some time before deteriorating and it came cheaper than buying most of his wardrobe in the magical world, especially since all three of them would be experimenting on products. That said if one had a several compartment trunks one could opt for a anti magic safe deposit box within one of the compartments. This box would ensure that all ambient magic was held at bay from the stuff placed inside. No muggelborn, aside from the truly rich, would be able to afford such a trunk but he had it and felt very happy at his foresight when he bought his sixth pair of trainers. This and the seven pair of trousers, 20 shirts, 20 pair of socks and over 50 briefs would last him for some time. Doing the same for the Twins he milled over the plan to empty the Room of Requirement to get some supplies and some additional income. Depending on what they found they could have most of their school and fabric requirements taken care of for the next several years. It would also serve to keep him busy and get the Diadem crossed of his list. Checking if he had everything that he might need or could think of he returned to Diagon Alley for wand care kits, wand holsters and some packs of owl treats.
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Hermione Granger looked up from her book when her best friend entered the Common room. Harry had been unhappy with her for pushing him towards Dumbedlore and for asking him to talk the issue out with Ron while the redhead had increased his glares over the past weeks to inacceptable levels of hostility but she had assumed a bit more nagging would set them straight.
Instead, she found herself in between a rock and a hard place. Ron was refusing to budge and informing her that she should "tell the traitor" that he was really not interested in his lies while Harry was growing into the solid unmovable rock, she had always felt he was. But instead of allowing her to feel safe and secure near him it felt like he would rather just move out of her reach. And her attempt to make the two boys talk to each other again at breakfast yesterday had backfired spectacularly.
To be honest Harry`s perceptive comments had thrown her for a loop. She had never expected him to pick up on all of these cues. She had been proud that Harry had figured it out and she couldn`t help answer all his comments with rising enthusiasm but instead he`d given her the most disappointed look anyone had ever directed at her in her entire life. Usually she would hardly care, Harry was Harry, after all. But the way he had looked had unsettled her. As if this was some kind of crossroads they were suddenly standing on and she had taken the left one as Harry kept standing. So, she did what she had always done with her dim-witted boys. She had tried to corner him and make him explain or failing that bully him into her way of seeing things.
Instead, he`d vanished with the Twins and she had not seen him anywhere ever since. In her determination she had decided to wait him out and catch him, forcing him to open up by sheer mass of witnesses. It had worked to intimidate him every time, after all. It never occurred to her that her way so far had only worked because the boys had been unwilling to hurt her. And she never even counted on the fact that even though Ron was the insensitive one Harry was the emotionally stunted one. So, when she rose to accuse her best friend who had been thrown into a tournament against his wishes, who had once again to face the wrath of a third of a castle of kids and teens of various ages and whose best male friend was firmly on the side of the anti-harry camp, she never expected a negative outcome. Hermione might not have been aware that the boy she was facing had willingly died for all those kids despite their meanness. Or that he had survived being hunted and then captured. But she never even considered that sometimes people can be pushed too far and that she was already very close to the edge of losing Harry.
When she stepped into Harry Potters path, several days after the disastrous breakfast, the entirety of Gryffindor house paid attention. She had wanted witnesses since Harry always caved and fessed up when confronted in public. And this time it was the entire house applying pressure by being there. Smiling inwardly, sure of her coming triumph and already imagining how Harry would deflate and apologize to Ron before confession how afraid he was as she dragged them to the library, when all her dreams shattered. She could not remember what she had said as she blocked his path, despite the fact that she had probably used one of her standard phrases like "don`t be ridiculous" or "let`s talk about it" with that tone of her`s that, unbeknownst to her, grated on everyone's nerves. Instead, she only remembered how she continued in the same tone of voice, knowing that she needed to mow over Harry with all of her proper logic as to ensure that the entire common room knew why they needed to talk.
"You love Ron, and while he can be stubborn and jealous this lack of trying to mend fences is really not very mature of you, Harry. You already told me that you know that you need to be the one to forgive Ron so why are you not going up to him, telling him you`re sorry and forgive him for being a prat?!"
Ron, who was sitting in one of the corners reading quidditch through the ages, would have risen to protest this little speech if he hadn`t seen the glint in those emerald green eyes. And while he might have been insensitive and very lacking in situational awareness, he was very attuned to Harry Potters temper. He knew that Harry was angry with him, but they were fine, since one of them ought to be right and until Harry could prove otherwise they would just be angry at each other. They would return to being best friends after. But seeing Harry`s eyes now as he faced Hermione, Ron had to concede that maybe this would not happen this time around. And maybe Hermione would learn a lesson a lot of people had learned over the past three years. You never crossed Harry Potter. That was why he sat down and clutched his book, aware that he couldn`t just try to leave. Their bushy haired friend never sensed the danger and instead stood there, a triumphant smirk on her face, hands stemmed in her hips and perfectly incapable of deciphering the death glare directed at her by the guy who had rid them of Voldemort thrice now.
"Really, Harry, we could already be learning everything we could to prepare but instead you keep dragging your feet. I really don`t see why telling Ron you`re sorry is such a problem for you this time."
And with that she stopped, frowning because while she had said her piece Harry had moved a bit towards her, stopped and was now meeting her eyes, head on. He wasn`t hunching like he should. He wasn`t looking contrite like he would normally do. Instead, his eyes were burning with emerald flame and his face was an expressionless mask.
"Really, Hermione, you cannot fathom why saying sorry is an issue when I never did what Ron accuses me of? It would not be like an admission of guilt? Only for Ron to be angry again because I once again have no answer but "I never did it" when he asks me again how I did it? Someone entered me against my will into a tournament that was abolished in 1780 because one of the tasks killed all three champions, two judges and about 30 spectators. And you want me to admit that everyone else is right by assuming I am an attention seeking liar just so you can drag Ron and me into the library?"
By this point Hermione had taken a step back, her hands now folded in front of her and she had grown pale. It was far too late, of course but at least she hopefully didn't make it worse.
"Why do you insist on telling me what you think are my failings by confronting me in front of the entire house? Did it never occur to you that I was raised in an abusive home and that I only gave in because I hate the attention? Giving in, Granger, does not make you right. It just means that you successfully bullied me into being "a good boy". Are you really that daft? Do you really think I have nothing better to do -like surviving unlikely odds, yet again, than to bow to your idea of how stuff should happen around here? Why would I need Ron to go to the library? Do you think me so incapable that I need two other fourteen-year olds to even find the library? What do you think I have been doing? Twiddling my thumbs?"
By this point the Twins had elbowed their way through the crowd and were standing behind Harry, the entire Quidditch team doing the same, with Alicia gently placing a hand on his shoulder to calm him down. "Easy, Champ." It was the wrong thing to do as Harry whirled around, proving once again the fast reflexes that made him their seeker.
"Easy? You let the school wear badges that proclaim, "potter stinks". I mean I should be expecting this kind of reaction from my own house by now. You know what? I am done. I resign as seeker of this team. And for the record, Granger, I have no intention of making things right with Ron again because there is nothing, I have done to warrant this public betrayal. I have spent my entire life being punished for things I never did but I really don`t see why I have to take that same shit from what I considered my best friends lying down."
With that he left upstairs. Ron winced, several Gryffindors exchanged ashamed glances and Hermione stood in the middle of the Room, trembling unable to understand what had gone wrong. She was always right. And Harry needed all her nagging and prodding, or they would never get anywhere when it came to emotions, learning and secrets, right? She hadn`t done anything wrong, had she?
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The first task was happening on a really beautiful Scottish November day. It made Harry wish that they had switched the tasks around and he would be facing a lake instead of a dragon. His main issue this time around was that the first set of ideas he had come up with had involved his parseltounge, now that he knew that he could talk to Dragons with it. But since he no longer had that language ability, he had been contemplating several options, forcing himself to find a solution neither of the others would be using. Which was why he had decided to try his hand at conjuration and been using the his free time- since he was not required to attend all of his classes- to perfect conjuring deer, pig and bunnies. He knew that the people wanted a show just like he knew that the dragon would swallow a pig whole, but decided that he better have some options in case his first two plans failed and he needed to keep the dragon distracted. When he entered the arena, filled with debris and larger rocks he hastened to find one to hide behind and conjured his first deer. It took less than a minute to cast the spell that was his first plan of action. "Accio golden egg". He noted, somewhat dulled by surprise, that the golden egg did indeed react to being summoned and that the dragon was preparing to launch her first yet of flame, already aware of the human in her enclosure and merely partly satisfied with the single deer whose only previous existence was proven by two drops of blood on a stone. Conjuring several deer Harry hoped that the dragon did not see the golden egg hurtling towards him. Instead, he endured the heat of the jet of flame and jumped from his hiding spot just as the dragon ate the second deer and the hot egg impacted with him.
Trying to hide how much the impact had hurt him he hurried out the enclosure to near silence, broken only be those who had realized that Harry had actually gotten the egg. He presumed everyone else was as shocked as he himself that the thing could be summoned at all. The other Champions looked at him while Pomphrey ushered him on one of the beds and began casting diagnostic charms all the while muttering about dragons. It was then that he realised that his egg was a tiny bit molten and that he had been impacted by a golden egg heated by dragon flame as it flew unnaturally fast towards him. So naturally his stomach was burnt and the shirt he had worn beneath his elegant but non-Hogwarts robes was ripe for the bin. He hated burns. They hurt like hell for days. Glaring at the egg, which had been carefully placed in a stone basin with water and was hissing as it cooled, he didn`t really notice the champions staring at him or the matron who had cut open his shirt and was now applying burn balm after cleaning the wound and ensuring that the skin wasn`t gone too.
"Well. Luckily it`s just a third-degree burn. It`s a good thing you can`t be hit by a bludger. Try not to aggravate the area. Do not shower without a shield around the area. We`ll need to change bandages twice a day and if you agree to not move a lot, we might even prevent the skin from coming off. How did you get the egg hot anyway?"
"I summoned it."
No one commented on his petulant pout and glare at the egg, all of them too shocked that this actually worked. "You what?"
"I summoned it and it must have been caught at the attempt to fry me before it came close. On the plus side my deer distracted the dragon from breathing fire a second time."
"But..But…", Victor whimpered as Cedric winced in pain, having managed to fall off the bed an onto his burnt left side while the half Veela was pale and swaying slightly.
"To be honest, I really didn`t expect it to work?!", he attempted realising that all three other champions were entering shock.
It was the wrong thing to say, even as it snapped the matron out of it.
"You cast a spell in front of a dragon unsure if it would work?"
"Well. I am fourteen?"
A glare.
"I am muggle raised?"
More glaring
"I am a Gryffindor, not supposed to be in this tournament and 85% percent positive that attempting it was worth a shot?"
Pomphrey huffed at him and helped Cedric get up even as Fleur let out a startled laugh and Victor was now assessing him anew.
"Harry?", George asked, poking his head into the tent, Fred`s head mere moments behind.
Grinning at them he slowly got up, aware of the huge white bandage that had been wrapped around most of his upper torso. His Twins and soon to be brothers by blood stepped in, hugged him and Fred turned the ruined muggle cotton shirt into a dark blue button-down shirt with silver cufflinks that looked like dragons. "Thanks, Fred."
The redhead just ruffled his hair and he was then gently shoved out the tent and in front of the judges who were arguing behind a silencing barrier. This time he was getting a lot of applause- apparently the spectators had decided that they preferred him being hit in the gut by a golden egg and surviving seemingly unscathed to him using a summoning charm. And maybe his animal conjuring and feeding show was why the people were impressed instead of depressed.
"Good thing you went with the deer. Some people were grumbling that you took the easy route.", whispered George as the judges seemed to come to some kind of decision. Grabbing the Twins hand briefly to show that he had heard he focused his attention at the falling barrier and Albus Dumbledore who was preparing to speak.
"Mr. Potter. Can you explain your use of the summoning charm?"
He blinked, looked at the judges and noted the beetle in Crouch hair.
"To be honest I never expected it to work. It was a long shot attempt, but it felt prudent to cover all my bases."
"So, what would you have done if it had not worked?", inquired Madame Maxime whom he seemed to have won brownie points with.
"I would have conjured gummi bears. An army of them"
Silence as his words sunk in before the muggelborn and those familiar with the jelly-based sweets began to laugh.
"Gummi bears?"
"It`s a muggle sweet made of jelly. They come in different colours and look somewhat similar to a a teddy bear. But I would have used the ones who can unite themselves and then swallow living matter."
This time the laughter of the muggle born section stopped briefly before it began again, this time with "Goosebumps." And "Un fucking believable" and "Potter... wheezzzeee… the… wheeze… nerve".
He smirked at them and returned his attention to the judges even as the Twins began to moan about not seeing it and why would the judges deprive them of a huge jelly covered Hungarian Horntail. "That… sounds like proper entertainment. Unsafe but entertaining.
"To be fair, Madame Maxine, I counted on the jelly to incapitated the dragon since it becomes quite… sticky when heated up. It would have taken me about three minutes to run to the egg, get it and run back behind the line and I knew the dragon would be done eating faster than that."
"In that case I award you...", Madame Maxime said and a silvery nine formed in the air.
Krakoff followed with a five and crouch with a seven leaving Dumbledore to award him eight points. The Hogwarts Headmaster seemed really unhappy with his ability to prove how not all that awesome all of his precautions were.
"Gummi bears?", asked the Twins as they had turned away to walk back to the castle.
"Yes it`s something from children's books in the muggle world. They are creepy but I am sure you`ll love them."
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"How are you feeling Mister Potter?"
"My skin itches and it occasionally feels like it wants to just rip open but all in all it`s fine."
The Mediwitch nodded as she prodded the pink skin that had been a third degree burn four days ago.
"Who brewed your burning paste?"
"My Twins, Ma'am"
The Mediwitch nodded decisively.
"Try not to aggravate the area and use the balm for the next day. It should be healed then."
"Yes, Ma'am"
With that he was informed to check back in should he ruin her hard work or feel pain instead of itching and deemed otherwise fit for literally everything besides a pickup game of football or quidditch for another five days. Smiling at the Mediwitch whom he respected he left, itching to return to his trunks.
After he had found the diadem and disposed of the Horux in the Chamber the Twins were largely in charge of sorting the Room of Requirement. That was why he had felt comfortable just sending Winky and Dobby into his properties with his new four compartment trunk telling them to add all of his books in the library compartment and all of the potions stuff in his potions compartment. The same had been said for all of the clothes and shoes in his storage compartment.
Of the seven properties that had once belonged to the Potter family the cottage in Godric's Hollow had been turned into a war memorial, the apartment building in Exeter had been sold to a bunch of muggelborn who had no other protected property to stay and Potter Manor had been destroyed. The cottage at St Ottery Catchpole had been sold to the Weasley family and they had been following a deferred payment plan ever since. Two of them were shops leased in Diagon Alley, whose lease was up and who came with a flat and proper storage area and the other two were houses in Wales and Edinburgh that stood empty. It was these properties that his elves had gone through and while he would comb through his trunk the elves would take a careful look at Potter Manor. Should the Manor be less damaged than he expected then he`d repair it. Otherwise, it would be cleaned out, torn down and after removing the magic of the area the property would be sold back into to muggle world. When he entered his Dorm room moments later, he found Neville nervously fidgeting. They had had several conversations since his public fall out with the other two thirds of the "golden trio" nearly two weeks ago. And when he loaned Neville his old wand the boy had been shocked to the core. He was even more shocked at the lecture about loyal wands and how Neville was basically using a wand that had an owner and had not been won in a duel, meaning that he could only use it because of the blood relation.
"Harry. Can... can we go to Olivander?"
Smiling at the timid boy he nodded and threw his trunk on his bed, planning to sort through his books.
"Would you teach me defence?"
Blinking he removed the books that had flown into his hand when he had tapped his library compartment thinking of any and all ways to describe a "inventory list" and set them aside as he met brown eyes. To ask, even when no one else was around had been hard for Neville, even though he had gotten used to asking Harry and even was developing trust in Harry. For his part the raven-haired teen had been unaware of just how emotionally stunted Neville was at age fourteen .That said Hermione had taken Neville under her dubious wings and apparently and to adapted a less brusque style to help Neville better. Then again Hermione had been bullied at her school and while she could not really understand that Neville`s issues came from his grandmother and to a lesser extent from the derision of his peers she had seen a kindred spirit in the boy.
In all honesty Harry could see why she would be one of his soul mates. In the original timeline he would learn to see her nagging as her way of showing affection and having had met Molly Weasley he saw that Hermione would grow up like that woman and mother of seven. And if they had gotten together her nagging would have grown less constant as he got her to just enjoy life for a while. It would have helped that they both liked random walks or just lying in the sun while Ron really only liked chess, food and Quidditch. They`d have some common ground what with him being muggle raised and less wound up than either of his two former best friends. She would also be the grounding he had been carving for his whole life someone used to point him into a certain direction and dictating their next step. She would be his guide and he would follow even as they grew into a couple and discussed matters. But with Hermione looking at Ron and how she had been acting ever since his name came out of the goblet of fire, he knew that he couldn`t kiss her. In fact, the mere idea caused his entire body to react negatively.
They would have made a great couple. If he had been 14 and hadn`t died for all those suckers that he was currently going to school with. If she had let it go the first three times after he had grudgingly attempted to talk with Ron after her nagging. But she had not, and she had even made it worse.
Blinking he returned to the boy standing in front of him, looking determined and afraid at the same time, his still slightly pudgy face a mask of concentration and hope. "Would you mind if I invited a bunch of other people?" Neville blinked. Then grinned and if the Heir of House Longbottom hadn`t been so shy Harry was sure he`d be hugged by now. Apparently, his silence had caused his friend to expect a rejection. Instead, his wandering mind had, while contemplating the soul mate revelation stuff also considered his current schedule and whether he liked the idea of starting a Defence Association that would NOT be called Dumbledore's Army. "Sure." Being taught defence and the prospect of his first proper wand apparently were enough motivation for Neville to forget that he really wasn`t all that good with people.
"Wonderful. How about we leave after breakfast tomorrow?"
"Thank you!"
This time the hug was a very close thing before Neville Longbottom, laughed at as squib and disdained by teachers for his abysmal memory skipped out of the Dorm room. Slightly surprised that Neville could pull this off, Harry shrugged his shoulders and sat himself on his bed. Slowly he spread out the Inventories his search had produced and dove back into his trunk for one empty self-updating folder he had carefully emptied, asked the Twins to soak in the appropriate potions and was now intent on using for his library. Another notebook followed, this one to help him count the doubles and triplets he would find and which ones he would sell versus emptying of their contents do the whole upkeep potions process again in order to save money and even slip Ron some of the repurposed sheets of parchment.
They might never be friends again, but he could still help the boy with schoolwork by giving him some much-needed extra parchment to allow him to keep taking notes in class. It had been a revelation, despite his own harsh realities to be told that wizards took care of their things in various ways in order to afford their living, especially the poorer one got. There were spells, enchantments and potions to do a whole reversal, repair and strengthening processes in order to ensure they kept and that one didn`t need to buy fresh supplies. It was how the Weasleys managed to stay afloat with one income. His money worries had lessened considerably since that several hour-long discussion coupled with lessons on how to prepare the fabrics and material and brew the potions. It also turned the entire Room of Requirement expedition into something that would not only gain them profit but also allowed for endless supply they would need down the road.
It also meant he could offer the muggelborn owner of the second-hand shop in Diagon Alley to move across the street into one of the shops with three storeys, one of which a fully furnished flat. Because it was a shop that could be opened on the muggle side and they had a lot of stuff that could be sold there. The mass of supply had actually grown to such an extent that his new employee had gone out to hire two werewolves and a squib to handle it all. Additionally she had hired some helpers since they were rearranging the whole shop to suit the current issue of adding wizarding spaces to use most of the real estate for the muggle side. She`d be busy selling wares to muggles for a few years before closing that side down again, by then settled enough to just keep going with her wizarding costumers. He`d also arranged for a former schoolmate to rewrite the "Harry Potter adventure series" into nine readable books and selling them, including the existing albeit unmoving drawings in the muggle world under the name of "Barry Trotter" and a synonym of hers. Amelia Rivers was the older sister of Oliver Rivers, who was a current Puff and she had been ecstatic with the job proposal.
He didn`t notice the others returning or the Moon rising outside the window as he kept sorting, he myriad of books into the box he had prepared for stuff to sell, making sure he did that only with books he had triplets of while jotting down those to keep, alongside their proper title and additions and those to reuse, not even attempting to sort the mess any further. Once he felt like he had achieved something he stopped and put the Inventories back inside, all triplets he had removed already crossed out and took out his diary. He`d filled it with the major points as soon as he had gotten it and been growing a list of stuff to do ever since. By now he had accepted that each crossed out point led to five new ones being added sometimes he kept adding stuff without accomplishing anything new. Circling "Neville Wand" he flipped through the pages, marking some things and adding some minor new details with others before he closed the Diary and opened his research, delving into the rules and regulations of Traditions and Magical Theory before sleep claimed him.
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Neville was looking around the Great Hall nervously. Harry had told him they`d go after breakfast, so naturally he had woken up half an hour before breakfast was served and found himself unable to return to bed. Lacking options, he had showered and dressed only to realize that the raven-haired teen had already vacated the dorm and his bed. While he knew that Harry would never break a promise the recent shift to friendship had been something he still was getting used to. It didn`t matter that this was his first actual friendship based solely on Harry reaching out now that Ron spent most of his time sulking. What mattered was that any relationship he had always ended in him being found lacking. The fact that he had a crush on the saviour of the wizarding world and the crush had only grown now that the person was actually paying him real attention added to his current state. Simply put, his nerves were shot.
And when his nerves were shot, he was a general human wreck. That was why he nearly dropped the hot tea can on his lap, spilled most of it next to his cup and had yet to realize that he had left the tower without his bag or money. And if it weren`t way too early on a Saturday he`d have a wagonload of witnesses who would start taunting him for months to come about this. Instead, a familiar wand appeared next to him and a soft whisper removed the mess he made before Harry Potter dropped onto the bench next to him with that damnable crooked smile. "Good morning, Nev." The most wanted Triwizard champion chirped before dropping both their shoulder bags in between their feet without any comment about forgetful Longbottom's. He would have swooned like most faint hearted if he had not learned that Harry Potter kept some of his most fond expressions for those he liked and loved. So, the Twins were getting smiles, winks, and fond exasperation no one else got to see. Hermione had a smile that he had thought was reserved for the girl, but it seemed like it was just the default crooked smile everyone Harry was familiar and friendly with got.
And then there was the casual way in which the teen sitting next to him took care of the people he cared for, unlike Hermione's bustling and huffiness or Ron`s attempts at taking it all as a joke or holding in the insensitive remarks. Like adding a bit of milk to Neville's tea while he grabbed the can of coffee and filled his own cup to then ad a bit of sugar and a dab of milk before putting a croissant on Neville's plate and grabbing some muesli himself. Partly aware of what he was doing Neville reached for the butter and the jam, earning himself a little secretive grin that seemed to be something Harry reserved for him. It was half praise half secret "I know you are awesome; you just need to start believing it" grin and it made his heart jump out his chest every freaking time.
Focusing his attention on his breakfast and taming his heart he never noticed that he had sat up a bit straighter and wasn`t looking at his food as if it were a lifeline. The mess forgotten they had a nice breakfast and were up and moving before most of Gryffindor had arrived and he just went with it as Harry gently guided him away from the main door and up two floors where he tapped a statue and murmured a password before guiding him along. His bag was slung over his shoulder and he was still contemplating the various reasons for the other teen to drag him into a secret passage when they were actually planning to go to Diagon Alley when he felt a house elve grab his hand causing him to lose balance and tumble against Harry seconds later. The raven-haired teen put one hand around his hip, smirking at him, the emerald eyes dancing with mirth. Thankfully, he didn`t joke about forwardness or any other desire related topic and instead waited until Neville had regained his footing, flushing beet red.
And despite his heartbeat and his speeding pulse as well as the hotness on his face Neville moved a little bit more into the embrace. There was a flicker of surprise on Harry`s face, then just a calm expression. Not against and not for, then. They stood like that for what felt like an eternity before Neville noticed the area. They were standing in a Gringotts vault and he could see the Potter crest near the door, several chests and other pieces of furniture. Squeezing his hip Harry stepped away and moved to one of the drawers, calmly removing several pieces of gold and adding it into his money pouch that he had produced from inside his shoulder bag and was now putting into his coat pocket before checking something else. Neville shocked at the neatness of the vault and at the lack of visible money followed his friend and love interest through the vault and towards the door.
As soon as they stepped onto the landing a cart with a goblin came into few. "Well met, Grimjaw", his guide said, and he nearly fell over in shock. Especially when the goblin returned the bow and smirked. "Well met, Earl Potter. Could you spare a few moments to sign some documents?"
Harry glanced at Neville before he gently helped him into the cart.
"Sure. I was going to get myself a secure mailbox today anyway."
"That would make it easier, my Lord", the goblin replied as he set the cart to the long way back at full speed. The result was that Neville looked slightly green while Harry was grinning widely in utter joy when they stepped into the foyer where Grimjaw led them to an empty counter and began pulling out some documents. Neville tried not to hold onto Harry for dear life now that they were on actual stone floor and after he had successfully done so for what had felt like his entire life- since it had been passing by him in his minds eye as they drove past a blind albino dragon down and up and down until arriving on the top floor. The only thing missing from the joyride had been a loop.
The bank was relatively empty, which wasn`t all that unusual considering it was still well before nine on a Saturday. That said he only was sure of the fact once his sight stopped swimming and his world stopped turning some unknown amount of time after they had moved to the counter. If he had been someone with self-esteem or less respect for the young man currently signing yet another document, he would have been asking questions about Lordships, allowance to pop into his vault and his seeming familiarity with at least one goblin to the point of recognizing it. Instead, he focused on regaining some semblance of equilibrium.
"May your gold flow, Grimjaw"
"May your enemies blood flow at your feet, my Lord."
Neville had only heard some people use these particular greetings towards the goblins, and it usually were people who were wealthy and had somehow earned respect from the warrior race. That said, only Harry was answering and giving the greetings with any kind of warmth and interest in his voice. And maybe seeing goblins as people was one of the reasons why he could just arrive in his vault unannounced via house elf.
"Do you need a stomach soother?"
They had just stepped out of the bank into the morning light and Neville was blinking at the other teen rapidly. No one had ever asked him that. His family usually hoped that he`d learn to "suck it up" instead. "Please?"
Harry just nodded and they went towards the apothecary where he got one of the six stomach soothers the other teen bought, alongside some other potions in various quantities. Gulping the potion down made him feel well enough to straighten his posture just a bit and they soon were moving down the Alley towards Ollivander's.
"By the way, Ollivander likes to surprise costumers by appearing seemingly out of nowhere. It`s one of these secret traditions like the crossing of the lake or how the sorting actually works."
Neville would have inquired further if he hadn`t at this moment stepped into the shop after Harry and found himself standing several steps in a shop that seemed to be made of shelves upon shelves filled with millions of tiny rectangular boxes.
"Heir Longbottom. I have been expecting you for several years now!"
The only reason why he did not jump when the wrinkled greyish man stepped in front of him, near enough that their shoe soles touched, was because he had been warned and Harry was standing right next to him. There was no way he could supress the shocked scream that escaped him, however. Olivander chuckled, looking entirely too pleased with himself before stepping back and advising him to spread his hands out as a bunch of overeager tapes began to measure him. It was like being fitted for ropes. "What is your wand hand?"
"Left."
"Let`s give this wand a swin… no I`d think not"
And so, it went. The discarded wands were piling up all around him and Harry had stepped a bit away and begun browsing, picking up some odds and ends as Neville continued with his partial destruction of the wand shop.
"Curious. How about this one?"
By now an unholy gleam had entered the wandmakers eyes and Neville wished dearly that his torment would end when he got handed another wand from one of the stacks next to the wandmaker and felt like his blood was singing. Violet and green sparks were followed by an actual firework as his magic thrummed through him.
"Basswood and thunderbird feather, one of my finer works. It is well suited for transfiguration and the more imaginary arts and experimentations."
Still reeling from the experience of feeling his magic flow through his veins he did not pay any attention to the various wands being floated back onto the shelf, nor to Harry who stepped forward to buy some things including the wand he was holding. He did notice when he was gently guided outside. "I have a wand."
"That you do."
"I can feel my magic."
"I am glad you do."
Neville, overcome with emotion and not quite sure where he got the motivation from found himself hugging Harry Potter in thanks. On a Saturday in the middle of Diagon Alley. He was also fairly certain that he was mumbling "Thank you`s" against the other`s shoulder. And unlike his family who would have sniffed in disdain or slowly removed his embrace Harry just hugged him back.
"You`re welcome, Nev."
They kept standing there for several moments before Neville reluctantly let go of his personal Saviour. Harry merely grinned and set off towards the post office to set up his secure lock box and added a year long subscription of anti-jinx security plus several magazines before they returned to Hogwarts.
And when they returned to their Dorm room an hour later Neville nearly burst into tears of joy when Harry squeezed his hand, put a wand holster and wand care package on his bed and whispered, "Thank you for not asking questions, Neville.", before he turned away and went into the bathroom to shower. Because of this he never noticed that his father`s wand was gone, and it would be summer before his grandmother mentioned how the wand had been sent to her alongside the question if she liked to torment her grandson by forcing him to use a wand loyal to her living son. That she even mentioned it was due to her informing him that she had sent a marriage proposal to Harry Potter on his behalf.