A/N: Well there was just so much happening in this next day and even more in the next few days. I had hoped to have this chapter cover both this day (Harry's birthday) and the next (the first Order Meeting) but I had to cut it off when the chapter passed over 10,000 words. I think I have JKR syndrome. It's those damn twins' fault-- they never shut up and are always doing stuff and, well, frankly all the characters have taken on lives of their own and I just write what they do. I've lost all control. I also had to work out detailed floor plans of Grimmauld Place through deduction from OotP so I wouldn't screw up and forget where everything was. I think I'll be making drawings of them and scanning or posting crude floor plans on the yahoo group site for anyone else who wants a working imagine and layout of the house.
Also, my beta has some funky rash and is all looped out on meds so hasn't had a chance to go over this. Please forgive minor mistakes. I will repost a grammar-corrected version later sometime.
Chapter 15. Surprise!
Harry woke early the next morning. In fact, he had awoken several times during the night, trying to recall where his memory of the previous night ended and his dreams began.
6:30. That's not so early as to be too obvious that I barely managed a wink of actual sleep. Harry rolled over to the edge of his bed and pushed the covers off of him. He yawned and stretched with his arms over his head. He rolled his neck around and found, he wasn't really sore at all now, as he had expected he might have been. I guess that massage really did help.
Harry got up and slipped on his dressing shoes and yawned again as he walked to the door to head towards the bathroom. The dressing shoes, as well as the pyjama bottoms he was wearing, were all things he had found in the wardrobe in his bedroom. Apparently Sirius had felt the need to provide Harry with any and every conceivable thing a teen wizard could need. Harry had found several pairs of jeans, multiple styles of robes and even a few dress robes, an assortment of shirts, a few pairs of shoes, and several other necessities for a growing teen. The shaving set was one of the things for which Harry had no need, as yet. The pyjamas that he had found in the wardrobe were his favorite thus far. Well the trousers, mostly. The bed sheets felt so sublime against his bare skin that he usually, now, slept without a shirt.
Harry came back from his shower into his room and dressed quickly before heading out to go down to breakfast. He only paused for a step as he passed the room where he imagined Hermione to be sleeping within. He found he was the first one up as he entered the kitchen and Winky already had his breakfast prepared and out on the table.
"Where's Dobby this morning?" Harry asked as he sat himself at the long wooden table.
Winky kept right on at the oven, mixing some batter while standing on a stool, and didn't even look at him to answer, "He is working, Master Harry."
Harry had never been addressed before like this and, as he thought about, had never been addressed by Winky since he'd came to Grimmauld Place. "Er, Winky, just call me 'Harry', okay? Please?"
"Yes, Master Harry, sir."
Harry had to replay her answer over in his head to confirm he heard it correctly. Sigh. He decided to leave the futile efforts of changing a house-elf for another day.
Harry helped himself to a large breakfast of bacon, eggs, kippers, toast, and more bacon. Feeling quite stuffed, he headed back upstairs and to the practice hall to work off the excess energy flowing within him. He had a couple of hours before he expected McGonagall to arrive but also knew she was often early. Harry set up a Volley Wall Charm on one wall and started off with bouncing a few minor jinxes off it and then deflecting them back. One thing the that he was noticing using this training charm, was that he could see the beams and flashes of lights from spells more clearly and with more concentration since the spells were renewed when they were deflected back towards him. Harry was beginning to notice the subtle differences of colors and patterns for the different spells he cast.
After a short break, Harry looked about the hall for objects to use for transfiguration. He knew his essay topic would likely indicate that the focus of his work today with McGonagall would be to learn to utilize transfigured or conjured objects to block curses and other nasty spells. There was a pair of small side chairs in one corner. Harry wished they had learned conjuring of objects already as he settled for summoning one of the chairs from the corner to him. He caught the back of the chair in his hand and set it down. He frowned at it and wondered exactly how it was he would be able to control an object enough to direct it into the path of an oncoming spell.
He knew how to make it levitate, how to summon it, and how to banish it. Could he put those all together to create a three-dimensional level of control? Harry was engrossed in trying to manage controlling the chair by using a rapid succession of banishing, summoning, and levitation charms when he was startled by the sound of Professor' McGonagall's questioning voice, "Potter, what on earth are you trying to do--confuse the poor chair?"
The chair crashed down from the air and Harry quickly repaired it (for the seventh time that morning) and looked up sheepishly at McGonagall who was striding purposefully into the hall and looking about appraisingly. "Well? This should do. Potter, your essay?"
Harry had forgot to bring it out to the hall from his room so he summoned it from his desk and into the hall where McGonagall caught it in her hand. She unrolled it and perused the length of the scroll. Her eyebrows raised and she peered over the top pf the scroll and over the top of her square glasses at Harry and said, "Well, you did a bit more than expected. But, now what were you trying to do with the chair?"
Harry frowned, "Well, I was trying to figure out how to control it enough to be able to use it to block spells. But, well, it wasn't going so well." Harry thought understatement was perhaps the best thing right about now. He had only managed a very crude control of the chair that was had only been resulting in the chair jerking back and forth and zigzagging with such haste that he had been losing control of it more than anything.
"And you thought to use charms?" McGonagall's mouth was in a thin line and Harry nodded as he was not sure what else he should have used; transfigured the chair into having a brain that he could talk to and tell what to do?
"Watch." McGonagall stated simply and pointed her wand at the chair. The chair rose up, spun around in the air, wiggled its legs while in the air in a little dance then shot around the room in circles and came to rest on the floor in front of Harry and then bent its two front legs in a sort of curtsy before coming to a rest.
Harry looked at McGonagall eagerly with both eyes wide, "How? How do you do it?"
She had a slight smirk on her face as she explained, "You are familiar, I presume with the Unforgivable Curses?"
Harry felt his stomach drop and wasn't at all sure where this was going as he felt himself pale and nod weakly.
"Oh Potter, don't look so aghast! They are only unforgivable if used upon another person! Imperius! Use Imperius on an object you wish to control! Of course, you must animate it first, so it can be controlled as such." She pointed her wand at the chair again and spoke out loud, "Vigoro Imperio." as she waved her wand about and made the chair move at her will.
As the chair settled back down to the floor, she looked at Harry, "All you must do is concentrate and will the object to move as you wish. The only limitation to what you can make it do it do, is your imagination.
"Go on now, let's have you try it. This is not part of the standard curriculum at Hogwarts because the Board of Governors has always been wary of teaching any students anything about the use of these curses. But obviously, Dumbledore has wanted students to know about them and to know what they might be facing; especially these days.
"Now, it is critical with the casting of this spell to focus your mind continuously on maintaining control of the object. If your thoughts waiver, then your control may waiver. Of course, as you master it, you will be able to send complex commands and then move your mind on to another thought while the object under control continues to carry out your wishes. It is all in how you manage it. Go on now, just concentrate on giving the chair a mind of its own which you will then control."
Harry was slightly reluctant at first and once he did get the hang of it, he had to try to stop thinking of the chair as being obstinate (probably from all the trouble he was having with it earlier in trying to control it). By the end of an hour, however, Harry was able to command and control the chair with much more success than when he had first started.
"There. Now, over the next week, practice that. Make sure that while you are at Hogwarts, this is one spell you should try to keep the incantation silent. In fact, you seem to be doing very well in detaching the power you put into spellcasting form the power and passion of voice. Excellent, really. Also, try to practice on giving more complex commands so that you can cast and then move on while the controlled object is carrying out your commands."
Harry nodded and felt like he was finally making progress.
"Now, have you tried using any of the conjured weapons in the book I gave you?"
"Er, no." Harry hadn't had much opportunity to go over the book and all the weapons but also felt that it would have been pointless as conjuring objects was not something that they, as students, had covered yet. "We've never covered conjuring before, Professor."
McGonagall actually rolled her eyes at this, "Honestly, Potter, you saw Draco Malfoy conjure a snake in only his second year! It's obviously not very difficult. It is, however, also not part of the standard curriculum. I do try to cover it, as does Professor Flitwick in students' seventh years." She began her pacing back and forth as she went into standard McGonagall--professor mode.
"Now, there are several restrictions on what can and can't be conjured, but it is so difficult to enforce, I daresay it is a waste of legislation to even try to regulate it. You can conjure any object or thing that you can think of; again, the only limit is your imagination. The power you possess and put into the conjuring of an object, the more strength you lend to the object. This affects the ruggedness of the object and the length of its duration."
Harry found it remarkably simple to get the hang of conjuring. Of course, the quality of his conjured items could have been better. His conjured chair, meant to match the one already in the room, stood for only a few seconds before its legs began to bow and it crashed to the floor. The teapot he conjured shattered when McGonagall tested it by filling it up with hot water from her wand. The worst one was the vase that he conjured that kept growing larger and larger before melting into a puddle onto the floor.
He was looking and feeling quite dejected when he whined, "At this rate, I'll be lucky to conjure a rope that looks like a snake, much less--hold on--conjured ropes. Professor, I can conjure magical ropes, " he paused and pointed his wand at the existing chair and cried, "Incarcerous!" as ropes flew out of his wand and bound the chair.
"Why is it I can conjure that just fine but these other things look so absolutely dreadful?" Harry questioned his professor.
McGonagall was still staring at the ropes binding the chair for a few more moments before she nodded and turned back to Harry. "I say, Mr. Potter, that was excellent." She looked him in the eye for a moment and then said, "I believe, the answer to your limitations, is again, only your imagination. That," she pointed to the bound chair, "is a far more advanced spell--you conjured an item and then directed it to wind around the chair and then--look, they are still holding. I think this has more to do with you believing in yourself and seeing the value of the magic you perform. I could have said it has to do with not using incantations to conjure these items, but I really don't think that is your problem."
She was walking in a circle around the bound chair and tapping one finger along her jaw. "Do you recall what type of object may deflect, say, a stunning spell?"
Harry recalled the table he had copied into his essay and answered, "Wood, glass, stone, metal, any solid, non-passable object."
"And the size of an object being used to deflect such a spell must be?"
Harry thought for a moment, "Er, big enough to hide behind?"
One eyebrow went up, "Not quite, Potter, big enough to defend the part of yourself that is vulnerable to the spell. A stunning spell has to hit the trunk or head of a body to properly stun the person." She gestured at Harry's body from his head to his waist.
Harry suddenly had a flashback of Voldemort conjuring up a shinning, silver shield when he dueled with Dumbledore. He was nodding his head in understanding, "Yes." He was imagining conjuring up such a shield to hold before him. And thinking about how he could conjure such a thing when McGonagall cut into his thinking.
"Well, Potter, I think you have enough to work on for next week. Work on conjuring things; an excellent thing to start with is a quill--you can try to use it then and easily see for how long it lasts while being used. It will be especially helpful for your next assignment for me. Since, it seems like you are already thinking about it, I want you to make a list of spells that you would like to find or create. Go about it by thinking of what you would like to the spells to do. You know, like which spells and magic you would most like to have at your disposal. Describe them and how you might use them. I won't go over advanced spell theory as I might in class, but rather I will show you how to break down the magic you want to perform into more general skills that you can put together." She was pocketing her wand and gathering the few things she had brought into a satchel.
Harry looked at his watch; it was only one o'clock and they usually went at least another hour longer. "Are we done already?"
She looked up at him and peered over her glasses, "It seems, that Professor Dumbledore has made a request that you be allowed the afternoon free."
Harry turned to see Lupin walk into the hall, "Yes, I just got his message." Lupin was smiling at Harry and walking towards him now, "You did say you wanted to go to Diagon Alley sometime, right, Harry?"
What was this? Freedom? A chance to get out? Could this be a joke? Harry blinked for his only answer.
Lupin, nearly chuckled, "No then? Okay, nevermind, perhaps I'll go by myself…"
"No!" Harry was laughing at himself now, "I mean, I was just shocked. Yes, shocked. Yes, I need to go, er, want to go. Who else needs to come along?" Harry recalled the dozen or so Order members who were required to accompany him from Privet Drive last summer as his advance guard. Even with such an entourage, Diagon Alley was still an opportunity not to miss.
Lupin answered, "Well, actually, it'll just be us." He saw Harry's incredulous look and explained, "Harry, Voldemort's numbers are low--very low. The only three known followers he still has are all in hiding and there is no news of recruiting currently --probably because there is no one to do it right now. This is the best opportunity we've had and that we are likely to get to be out in public without worry. Why don't you go on and get changed to go. We are only a few blocks from the Leaky Cauldron and we'll catch lunch there, if you like."
Harry was quickly changing his clothes in his room and thinking that Lupin probably mean 'us' going to Diagon Alley meant Tonks, and Hermione, as well. Upon realizing this, he stopped, and rethought out what clothes he might wear. Ten minutes later, he had finally made a decision (black jeans and a black t-shirt because it was the safest bet he could make to not looking stupid) and he grabbed a blackish-silveryish summer weight robe that Sirius had bought and flung it over his arm and headed out the door. He only paused a moment to look in the mirror again and be thankful that he had let his aunt get his haircut.
As he walked by Hermione's door, it opened. "Oh! Harry, you're still here!" She looked him up and down and swallowed a little nervously.
Harry was feeling much better about his choice of outfit, and asked, "Of course, are you ready?"
She looked back up at his face, "Er, well, I… " and then couldn't meet his eye and looked over Harry's shoulder as she continued, "I really can't, I shouldn't, I mean, I have a lot of stuff to do. You go on. I think Remus is waiting in the Entry Hall."
She met his eye finally and he felt his heart sinking. It was stupid, he thought, to think that what had happened the night before might not have made things awkward between them. Obviously, Hermione felt awkward and was uncomfortable, thereby, making Harry feel uncomfortable.
He cleared his throat, "Well, okay. If, you're sure, that is." He couldn't look her eye in the eye either now and was feeling rather like a git for thinking she might have been checking him out when she first saw him. She was probably admiring your incredible ability to match like colors together, you sod.
He turned to leave her to her room and took a few steps before turning back to see her still watching him contemplatively, "Er, are you sure there isn't anything you want me to pick up for you then? Anything you need? Since I'm going and all…" he trailed off feeling more and more stupid each second.
"Oh. Well, actually, I could use… but you really don't have to…"
"What?"
"Well, you'll make fun of me…" Hermione actually pouted.
Harry couldn't help a snigger, "Wh-what?"
She scrunched up her nose and made a face, "Nevermind-- see you're laughing already."
He was grinning now, "Well, what is it? I won't laugh. C'mon."
She gave him a mock glare and then blew out her breath and said, "There is a new edition of a book that I want. My old one is rather, er, worn." She went on looking down at her feet, "It's an extra charge for owl post delivery because it's so large, but you should be able to shrink it or use a Featherlight Charm on it to carry it."
"Hermione, what is it, already?"
She was still looking down as she mumbled and Harry had to ask her to repeat it.
"Hogwarts: A History! All right! It's Hogwarts: A History." She crossed her arms and glared at him, just daring him to laugh at her.
Harry was still grinning and was carefully schooling his face not to break into laughter. Instead he quirked up an eyebrow, turned the grin into a smirk, and teased, "Would that be the revised edition that includes the enslavement of house-elves now?"
He was already trotting down the hall away from her before he heard her shriek in indignation and he called back to her, "Consider it done!"
"Ready?" Lupin was at the top of the stairs just above the Entrance Hall when Harry came bounding down towards him.
"Yup. So it really is just you and me? Where's Tonks?"
Lupin answered, "Oh, I think she had some stuff to take care of before she has to go back to work again next week. Just us, if you can handle my company, that is"
Harry smiled, "Of course, are we walking?" he asked as they made their way to the door that leave to the street.
Just then, they were passing by the portrait of Sirius's mother that Harry had completely forgotten all about.
"Filth! Scum! Half-breeds, mutants and freaks begone from this place! Vile spawn of --"
Harry and Lupin shut the curtains with great effort and in the following silence, Harry whispered, "Er, guess I forgot about her."
They were soon out the door and on their way. It was only a short few blocks to Charing Cross Road where they turned into The Leaky Cauldron. They grabbed a booth and Harry automatically patted down the front of his hair to try to cover up his scar. After a quick lunch, Harry had informed Lupin that the first place he had to go was Gringotts, as he hadn't been there in nearly three years.
Diagon Alley wasn't nearly as crowded as it had been when Harry had been there before, just days before the start of school when students were up and down the street. It was much less crowded now and he much preferred it that way.
He and Lupin were chatting casually about nothing important and finding it hard to get past all the display windows in Quality Quidditch Supplies when a familiar voice called out, "Harry! Professor Lupin!! Over here!"
Harry turned and saw Fred (or was it George?) coming down the street.
"They let you out just anywhere now? Aren't you due for a hearing or trial for trying to defend yourself against some man-eating, soul-sucking beast or something, there Harry?"
"Oy!" Harry made a face at the dig about his tendency to get in trouble for simply refusing to die. "So, where's your other half? Hey! Your shop!! Where it is?"
"C'mon, you guys have to see it!! It's great! Fred is watching the store now, I was just out to grab us a bite." George had Harry by the arm and was dragging him down and across the street to a small store front just down from Eeylops Owl Emporium.
"Here it is! Number Ninety-three! Isn't it a gem?" George was beaming with pride as he dragged Harry into the store with Lupin following behind and checking out the front of the shop appraisingly.
"Fred! Look who I dragged in!"
Fred looked up from the counter where he was handing change back to a young girl. "Harry! Hey mate! It's about time you came by and drop us a visit!" He vaulted himself over the counter and past the young girl who was staring avidly at Harry and the scar upon his forehead.
"Well?" What do you think?" Fred and George both made grand flourishes about the shop and held up their hands in display.
Harry was trying to avoid the dumbly staring girl and looked about the shop and grinned at the interior of the Weasley Wizard Wheezes. "Wicked."
Fred and George took turns pulling Harry and Lupin over to see one thing and then the next. Finally, they got a break when George had to go check out a customer and Fred pulled Harry, who was checking out a fake wand, over to the side, "Listen, Harry, we've been meaning to talk to you. We have a bit of a, er, proposition for you…" Harry just raised his eyebrows and looked about and saw Lupin mulling over an assortment of skiving snackboxes. "You see, since you really are our most dear and most beloved investor--"
"You have other investors?"
"Er--no, but I, well, you're like family, Harry! Anyway, we wanted to see if we could work out a deal."
"What kind of deal?" Harry knew enough o be wary of anything involving the twins.
"Well, you see, we'd like to be able to pay you back and all for everything--"
"You don't have to--"
"We know--but we want to and we would like to, well, we would like to make you a partner. You'd get a percentage then of all profits. You wouldn't have to do anything, really. You'd be more of a silent partner, with one small exception."
Harry's eyes were very narrow as he watched Fred carefully, "And that exception would be…?"
Fred toed his shoes across the floor and mumbled, "Besmokespen."
"Er, try that again?" Harry knew this was something he wasn't going to like.
"Spokesperson. You know, like for advertisements."
Harry was already shaking his head, "No way!"
"Oh c'mon, Harry! Think about it!!" Fred gazed dreamily at the ceiling and held out his arm and said, "'Weasley Wizard Wheezes: Where Harry Potter comes when he needs a bang!'"
Harry, gritting his teeth, ground out, "No-bloody-way!"
"Oi! Fred, I see you told him our new slogan!" Harry turned to glare at George who was now weaving his way back over to the corner by Fred and Harry. "So, what do you think?"
Harry was still grinding his teeth in a way that would have made Hermione flinch, had she been there.
"I'd say he loves it!" Fred said jovially as he started pushing Harry over to behind the counter.
"All set then? We've already got plenty of pictures, courtesy of Colin, of course." George maneuvered Harry to a seat behind the counter and pulled out a stack of papers.
"All you need to do is sign here." Fred pulled the top sheet from George's stack and shoved it in front of Harry.
"And here." George shoved another sheet of parchment at Harry and pointed to a line at the bottom.
"And here. Oh! Don't forget here, too!" Fred pointed to another few lines on the first sheet he had given Harry.
"Fred, grab the man a quill!" said George as he was simultaneously trying to balance the large stack of parchments and hold the other papers in front of Harry.
Harry grabbed the parchments being shoved under his nose and tried to read what they said.
WITNESSETH:
In consideration of the respective covenants contained herein, the parties hereto, intending to legally bind hereby, agree as follows:
The Talent, Harry J. Potter, hereby grants to The Company, Weasley Wizard Wheezes, its advertising agency, licensees and producers or publishers of its promotional materials and their successors and assigns, the right to use, publish and copyright my picture, portrait and likeness, in exchange for a sum profit of partial partnership and profit-sharing in the amounts…
He couldn't make heads or tails of what it said and was goggling at the parchment when, finally, a voice of some sanity--Lupin's-- broke in, "Harry? You all right there? Just what, exactly, are you two doing to him?"
Harry looked up and handed the parchment to Lupin.
George, trying to get a handle on the stack of parchments he still held, explained, "You see, here, Harry was our first and biggest investor--"
"Only investor…" Harry cut in.
George looked at Harry and then back at Lupin,"Er, well, of course and he is our most dear friend and we want to justly reward him with making him a partner in our booming business, here. All he has to do is sign."
"Here's the quill, freshly inked and all!" Fred handed Harry a quill.
Lupin was still scanning the parchment, "It looks like you want him to be your main spokesperson and use Harry in your advertisements and such?" He handed it back to Harry.
Fred and George both took on pleading, puppy-dog faces and turned to Harry. "Please…?"
"Pretty please?"
"With marmite on top?"
"You'll get free test products?"
"We'll send the defective ones to Malfoy!"
"And the really defective ones to Snape."
"Please? We'll give you Ron-- he can be your very own house-elf!"
"No Ginny! You can have Ginny!! She's all yours!"
"Always has been really, she'll thank us if you'd take her..."
"Mum'd be chuffed at that, make you a real member of the family, it would…"
"Enough!" Harry stood up and pushed the parchments onto the counter and set down the quill. "Why in the world would you want to use me for this?" He asked pleadingly, looking back and forth between the twins. "Everyone has already seen your jokes and products at school-- you don't need me to say they're great--why?"
Harry felt a tugging at his sleeve. He looked around and then down to see a small boy of about seven looking up at him. "Are you Harry Potter?" He saw the boy's eyes land on his scar and then saw his eyes grow even wider in awe. Just then, the fake wand Harry was still holding, squeaked and turned into a mouse and Harry was left dangling it from its tail. "Wow, Mum!! Look, it's Harry Potter and he's got one of the fake wands! I want one! Mum--can I, can I?" The boy was bouncing up and down and had ran over to the barrel of fake wands and was looking for one just like Harry had been holding.
Harry felt Fred and George lean in on either side, "You see, "
"That's the reason!"
"Look at him! He wants whatever you've got!"
"Please, Harry? With you, we'll double--"
"--triple!!"
"--our business in no time!"
Harry sighed. "I want to see all the pictures you have. All of them. And I want to see the words you plan to put in my mouth."
It took nearly another hour before Harry and the twins could finally come to an agreement on what pictures could and could not be used and what slogans Harry absolutely would not allow. (He had to nix the testimonial on using a fake wand to duel Voldemort. He felt they should all probably refrain from outright mocking of any dark lords.)
When Lupin and Harry were finally ready to leave the shop, Bill Weasley walked in the door. "Remus! Harry! Well blow me! You've come to see the shop, I reckon?"
"More like be accosted, is right." Harry mumbled as Fred nudged him good-naturedly.
"So, what do you think? I say it's already loads better than Gambol & Japes, but I might be a bit biased." Bill looked around the shop with obvious pride in his eyes.
Fred kicked the ground, "Gosh golly, bro."
"Yeah, you're making us blush, now." George chimed in. "We're still no Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs, but…someday…" he trailed off with a dreamy look in his eye.
Harry spun around and looked at George, "Er, George, Fred, you do know who those people are, don't you?"
Lupin cleared his throat, "You know, I don't think they do."
Harry looked back at Lupin and then a grin grew on his face as he turned slowly back to the twins, "You really should know enough to guess who they are…?" He looked expectantly at the twins. I'll give you a hint." He raised he eyebrows towards Lupin and said, "Moon-eee…" Nothing. "Padfoot--would be a dog…?" He was looking like they should catch on any minute now, but the twins and Bill all looked completely bewildered.
Lupin chuckled and broke in, "Well, let's let them think about it, Harry. We haven't even gotten to Gringotts yet."
Bill looked up, "Gringotts? I was just heading back." He looked at the still-baffled twins and waved, "See you two later!!"
Bill fell in step with Lupin and Harry as they walked down the street towards the great white bank on the corner. "Actually, it's probably best if I go in with you anyway. There's been a bit of tensions running amongst the goblins these days. It seems a lot of people are withdrawing their gold from the bank because of the news last month." Harry knew Bill was talking about the news of Voldemort's return. "See, people are afraid to which side the goblins may turn and don't want to take any chances." He stopped suddenly and looked sharply at Harry, "You're not closing your account, are you?"
"What? No. I just need money. Should I?" Harry asked but Bill shushed him as the arrived and walked up the stone steps, past the two goblin guards and into the bank.
"Weasley!" Another wizard came rushing over to Bill and started to drag him away. Bill motioned for Harry and Lupin to wait a moment as he went over to talk to the frantic wizard.
"Remus? Remus! Hello there, long time, hasn't it?" A tall and thin, balding wizard stopped as he saw Lupin and the two began chatting animatedly.
Harry hovered over away from the main door to avoid being recognized by anyone and looked about. The bank was less busy than he had seen it before and there were several goblins waiting at the service counter watching him shrewdly. "Can I help you?" said one of the goblins that looked to have a slightly more cheerful disposition than Snape.
Harry glanced back at Bill and Lupin, both of whom were engrossed in conversations. "Er, yes. I need to go to my vault." He dug in his jeans pocket and pulled out his key and handed it over to the goblin.
"Name?" the goblin inquired.
"Potter. Harry Potter, sir." The goblin looked him over from scar to foot and Harry felt several other goblins lean over to get a better look at him. "Very well, then. I'll take you myself." He climbed down from whatever he was standing on to try to make him seem imposing and walked from behind the counter and towards the hallway that led to the vault carts.
Harry followed after him and glanced back just once to still see both Lupin and Bill, oblivious to Harry's departure.
The ride down the caverns and tunnels was as stomach turning as ever. The cart came to an abrupt halt in front of what Harry recognized, to be his vault and he climbed out. Upon opening ht vault, Harry looked in to see, what appeared to be, more gold than he previously recalled having. Huh? "Er, is this the right vault, sir?"
"Harry Potter, vault number six hundred and eighty-seven. This is your vault." Harry looked at the goblin to see him staring challengingly back at him.
"Well, it just seems, sir, that there is more gold in here than I recall? I was just wondering…why that might be?" Harry really hoped he wasn't about to offend a goblin stuck at the bottom of a cavern, miles beneath London.
The goblin shifted and said, "I believe, you had several deposits made on your behalf, the past year. Transfers from another vault?"
Harry was confused as to who would be anonymously dumping gold into his vault. "Who?"
The goblin looked from left to right and then leaned closer and said, "I cannot say. Gold deposits are always accepted. I can tell you, it had the authorization of an approved guardian."
"Guardian? Of the vault? What are you talking about?"
The goblin dropped his voice to a whisper and held his long-fingered hand by his mouth as he said, "Your guardian. The person who made the deposits had legal rights to access your vault. He only made deposits, Mr. Potter."
"Oh! Oh." Sirius. That meant that this was what Sirius must have done with much of the remaining Black fortune to keep it away from Bellatrix. "I see." Harry pulled out his moneybag and ducked back into the vault and began filling the bag with gold.
"Perhaps, I can interest you in a larger vault, Mr. Potter?" Harry heard the goblin outside inquire and he pulled back from the vault to look at him. "With an account your size, sir, you might find a larger vault more accommodating?"
Harry looked back into the vault. He couldn't even see the back of it, past all the piles and piles of gold. "Er, what would I have to do?" he asked as he turned back to the goblin.
"Well, there would a slightly larger service fee but it would include extra security enchantments, more room, a regular inventory servicing, and an increased earned interest rate on your part. When you're finished here, we can go over the details upstairs?"
Harry was nodding, "Actually, there was another thing I wanted to ask about, too. I heard about an account one can get, for people who don't often get an opportunity to come here to the bank? For use with owl orders and such?"
The goblin raised an eye at this, "Oh? A Bottomless Credit Account? We can do that too…yes, yes. Back up, then. You needn't worry about filling your bag here at all then."
They climbed back into the cart and went up, up, up and back to the lobby of the bank where the brilliant light of the white marble nearly blinded Harry. The goblin led him to a small office off to the side of the lobby and called out to some others, "Get Mr. Potter some tea! Herod! Get me a credit form!" The goblin gestured for Harry to have a seat and smiled in a creepy way at Harry.
"Well then, we'll get you all set in no time."
"Harry?" Harry turned to see Bill poke his head around the corner. "Harry! There you are! We've been looking for you!"
"Oh, I just went to my vault. No problems. I'm just doing some changes here." Harry noticed the goblin behind the desk begin to glare towards Bill.
"You found him? Harry?" Lupin also poked his head in the room. "There you are!"
Harry was growing irritated that Lupin and Bill were getting worried when he had just gone down to his own vault, as they knew he had planned to do. "Yes, I'm fine here. I just need to, er, do a bit of paperwork here. I'll be right out." He looked pointedly at Bill and then at Lupin. It wasn't that he knew what he was doing on his own; quite the opposite really. But he was irked that people seemed to think he couldn't handle himself for a mere few minutes.
Bill nodded slowly, "Alright, Harry, we'll be right out here then."
Just then the other goblin bustled back into the office and set a tray of steaming tea in front of Harry and set several forms on the desk.
The goblin that was working with Harry, smiled as Lupin and Bill backed out of the office. He turned back to Harry and said, "Now then, help yourself to tea."
He pulled out a rosewood box and opened it on the desk to reveal an array of several colorful, velvet moneybags. "Choose one you like, now."
"Er, what are these?" Harry asked.
"These," the goblin held up a bag, "are Bottomless Moneybags; for the credit accounts. We enchant the bag so that whenever you reach into it, it's always filled. It can handle deposits as well as withdrawals. It's directly linked to your account. Now choose one you like so we can enchant it properly there."
Harry looked into the box and pulled out one that was a deep emerald green with gold tassels.
"Now, Mr. Potter, pull out your key again." Harry dug it out.
"Place your other hand in the bag." Harry did as he was told while holding his key in the other hand.
"Now, place the key into the golden emblem on the bottom of the bag." Harry turned the bag over to see a Gringotts emblem of the bottom and he pressed his key into it. The emblem glowed gold and then the key sank into the emblem.
"Take out your hand and tap the bag with your wand once. There. Now it's all set up. Only your hand may withdraw money from the bag. If the bag is ever lost or stolen, it will sense that it is no longer in your presence and will transport itself back here to the bank. That bag is your key now. Only a Gringotts goblin may retrieve the key from the bag. If you ever do need to visit your vault in person, then, we will remove it from the bag for you.
"For owl orders, businesses may have a spot in their catalogs, upon which to press the emblem of the bag. You may use this to authorize payment for the orders. Just look for the same emblem on their order forms as you see on the bottom of the bag.
"Now, about that new vault. Do you have any preferences?"
Harry shook his head and although he fully realized he might regret it later, said, listen, "Just, whatever you think is best, should be fine. Did you say I would get a regular, er, inventory of the vault then? Like a summary of how much is in there?"
The goblin nodded. "Yes, Mr. Potter that is correct."
"Well, I'm not sure what I have in there now, so I'm not really certain what vault would be appropriate. Can I …" yes, he certainly might regret this but he really had no clue. "Can I trust you to chose the right one for me?"
The goblin stared at Harry for a moment. When he did speak, it was in a low whisper of a voice, "Do you, Mr. Potter, trust us?"
Harry met his gaze unfalteringly and after another moment answered, "If you say I can trust you, then I do."
The goblin blinked and then smiled in a not-so-creepy way and held out his hand, "Then consider it done. Your new vault will be in use by next week. You will receive your first inventory statement after we make the move then. Let me know if there is anything else I can ever do for you, M. Potter."
Harry shook his hand and stood up then. "Is that all there is then?"
"Unless you have any other business to attend to?"
Harry shook his head, tucked the new moneybag into his pocket and was ushered back out and into the lobby where Lupin and Bill were waiting just outside the door.
"Everything alright, there Harry?" Bill asked right away and shot a peeved look at the goblin that had helped Harry.
"Yes, fine. So, er, how's Fleur?" Harry thought it might be a good thing to change the subject as quickly as possible. This turned out to be the right one as Bill barely shut up then until Lupin and Harry had to beg off to finally leave Gringotts.
The rest of the afternoon went by in a blur as Harry made several stops including: Flourish & Blotts (for all his books for the next year and several others that caught his eye including the new, deluxe edition of Hogwarts: A History for Hermione), Madam Malkin's (for new robes for the upcoming year), the Apothecary and the cauldron shop (for all his required items for NEWT Potions), and Quality Quidditch Supplies (for a new broomstick polishing kit and a new set of Seeker gloves that caught his eye).
It was pushing quarter to seven o'clock when Lupin checked his watch and told Harry they had better get started home. Harry had picked up an expanding shopping bag from a street vendor that had unlimited space inside into which he was able to store all his purchases. As they passed back by Weasley Wizard Wheezes, Harry noticed the twins' shop had already closed up for the day. It was the very next shop then, when he saw it. There in the window, was a shinning silver instrument --just like the one Dumbledore had used to create puffs of green smoke that went into the form of a snake. The one he had used right after Harry had witnessed Mr. Weasley being bitten before Christmas.
"Wait! Professor, wait!" Harry called to Lupin who was a few steps ahead and hadn't noticed Harry stop. Harry looked up at the storefront, Milady's Magical Gadgets; he tried the front door, but found the door locked. "Ergh!" He pounded a fist on the door in frustration.
"What is it, Harry?" Lupin was back now and looking in the store windows.
"That instrument," Harry said as he pointed to it. "I want to know what that is. Do you know?"
Lupin shook his head, "No. Can't say that I do. Why?"
"Nevermind. I've seen one before, that's all."
As they left The Leaky Cauldron, Lupin was checking his watch again and urging Harry to hurry up.
"Say, Professor,"
"Remus."
"Er, …"
"Moony?"
Harry laughed, "About that--why didn't you want to tell the twins who the Marauders were back there? I'm actually surprised they never knew after living around you and Sirius last year."
"Oh that, well, I just didn't fancy explaining the entire story of how the four of us--Peter included--all came to be where we are now, that's all. Besides, you were right; they should be able to figure it out. Especially if they've ever seen your Patronus, then they have seen all four at one point or another."
Harry then asked something that he had been wondering for some time now. "Er, Remus? Can I ask you something? You may not want to answer but…"
"Go on Harry. If I don't want to answer, I won't."
"Well, it's just that, er --did you know, when my parents were preparing to go under the Fidelius, did you know that they suspected you?" He had wanted to ask ever since Dumbledore had told him the tale leading up to his parents' murders.
Lupin had slowed to a stop and scratched his forehead, "Yes. Yes, Harry I did. I knew it the moment it happened and I curse myself everyday for it." He turned and looked at Harry before they began to walk again slowly. "You see, Harry, I only saw Sirius as the only other viable option for who, out of your parents, myself, Sirius and Peter, could have been the one to be a traitor. I told your father I thought it had to be Sirius. I saw it in his eyes right then."
Harry could see Lupin shaking his head sadly at the memory as they walked on. "James and Sirius were the best of friends. We were all good friends. But they were like brothers--closer though. They actually chose to be brothers and they were as good as. Well, suggesting that it might be Sirius, Harry, to your father, was the worst thing I ever could have done. James was insulted and furious at my implication of Sirius. He went off on me right there. We got into a bit of a row and both said a lot of things I don't think either of use ever meant."
They both stopped walking and Harry looked at Lupin's face, filled with regret and sorrow.
"Harry, that was the last time I saw your father. As much as Sirius has ever blamed himself for causing their deaths by suggesting the use of Peter as the Secret-Keeper, I've also blamed myself for jumping to the wrong conclusion and for not going back to try to make amends."
Harry searched for something to say or do to pass the awkward moment and to make Lupin feel better. "Well, I'm sure if he could, he'd regret whatever he said. I don't, you know, I don't blame you. Or Sirius. It seemed so simple to hate Sirius when I thought he was this cunning, maniac who sold them out for his own glory. But, I can't even blame Wormtail now--he just seems like such a coward." They arrived on the steps of Number 12 and as Harry had his hand on the door, he turned back to Lupin and added, "I blame Voldemort. He's the one who started it and he's to blame for so many ruined lives. He's the one I blame."
Lupin put a hand on Harry's shoulder and said, "Thanks. It really does mean a lot to hear you say that. I'm glad you asked that, it feels good to have told you." They walked in through the door and tiptoed past the portrait of Sirius's mother.
Harry whispered, "I'm starving. I'm going to drop these off upstairs and then I'll be down for dinner."
Harry dumped his shopping bag out and onto his bed. He found the package of books from Flourish and Blotts and unwrapped it. Hi picked up the new copy of Hogwarts: A History and debated whether to bring it down for Hermione now or wait for later. His stomach gave him the answer as it growled with hunger and he decided to do it later. He noticed his Firebolt had been returned by McGonagall and was now resting in the corner as he checked his reflection in the mirror one last time before heading out of his room, down the hall and down the stairs.
He was just crossing the second floor landing when he heard a hoot from down the hallway. That sounded an awful lot like Pig. Harry paused and listened again. There--he heard it again-- the unmistakable sound of chirping hoots and zooming feathers. Harry turned down the second floor hall and paused as he thought he heard the noises coming from behind the first door on his right. This was the bedroom that he and Ron had shared last summer. Harry knocked on the door and then tentatively pushed it open.
"Pig?" Harry was answered with a face full of zooming feathers. "Pffft!" he said as he spat out a few stray feathers from his mouth. The room was dark and Harry could only hear the crazy owl zooming about and without further ado, Harry pulled his wand and spoke, "Accio Pig." He reached out and grabbed the ball of feathers as he heard it drawing near.
Harry carried Pig back out into the hallway and checked the owl over for an attached note. Harry found none and figured the bird had managed to lose it somewhere. As his stomach growled again, Harry sent Pig off to fly about and planned to search for the lost letter after dinner.
It was then, just as he stepped down from the last stair and into the Entry Hall that Harry got the distinct feeling that he was being watched. He silently pulled his wand and peered into the darkened corners of the Hall, searching for whatever might be lurking. The torches on the walls grew brighter as he tried to see into the darkness. He could see nothing. The only portrait that remained on this floor was the one of Sirius's mother and that one was silent and far over by the entry door. Even all the stuffed elf-heads were long gone now and Harry could think of nothing that might have eyes with which to be watching him.
Harry was beginning to think that Moody's paranoia was growing on him, as he couldn't see a thing out of place. He waved his wand at the door that led down the stairs to the kitchen. As Harry descended these stairs, however, he still had the feeling of being watched and he noted that he could hear no usual banter from the kitchen below. Usually both Tonks and Hermione were chattering on incessantly about one thing or another. Btu Harry strained to listen and could hear nothing. Not even the scrape of a fork on a plate. He reached the landing of the stairs and paused again outside the door to the kitchen.
He could swear then, that he heard a low, muffled voice asking a question, followed by the scrape of a chair against the floor. He was finally relieved to hear Tonks' voice say, "Remus, I thought you said Harry was coming right down to dinner?" As he heard this, Harry breathed out a sigh of relief and pushed open the kitchen door and stepped into the room.
What Harry experienced next, he could only describe as a blur. There was the immediate release of bright flashes of color and loud cracks from what he later realized were Weasley Wizard Whizbangs (the miniature version, thank god). There were almost a dozen people shouting out, "Surprise!!", and a bouncing gaggle of whirring Weasley redheads.
"Hey? Where'd he go?" It was George's voice, Harry realized as his heart still raced. It was sinking in what he had just seen. What he couldn't figure out, however, was how in the world he got to be back on the landing outside the kitchen door.
"Potter! I can see you out there! Get in here!" That was Moody's voice and Harry was sure he knew now what--who-- had been watching him.
The door in front of him opened slowly and Harry saw Tonks peer around the door. "Got your buttocks? Nice disapparition. I see you've gone ahead and mastered traveling through solid objects. Now stop standing out here looking like some bright spark. Get in here, and join the party!"
Harry felt his arm being yanked and he stumbled into the kitchen. He was immediately crushed into a hug by whom he assumed was Mrs. Weasley. He really wasn't sure because he had been struck dumb by being scared witless by all these people yelling at him. Fred and George were there and slapping him on the back. Tonks was bobbing around with lime-green hair. Dobby was cracking back and forth and tossing confetti into the air and on top of people. Mr. Weasley walked over to shake Harry's hand and even Ginny came over to give Harry a hug.
He finally managed to create sound with is mouth, "Wh-what? Wh-why? Er, …" He finally shook his head and cleared his throat to ask, "Er, what are we all celebrating?" Everyone who heard him stopped and looked at him in disbelief.
Fred, looking astounded and holding up a shocked George, breathed out, "Is he serious?"
George answered, "No, he's Harry." George straightened up and said conversationally, "See Sirius could turn into a dog, Harry here, he is looking more like a fine flobberworm." He then rounded on Harry and nearly shouted, "What are you mental?!?! It's your birthday!!! What do you think we're all celebrating?!?!"
Harry was dragged over to sit at the head of the table as Mrs. Weasley, as well as Dobby, shoved food before him. The Whizbangs were still emitting sparklers and miniature Catherine wheels. There were little phrases being spelled out in the air as a Catherine wheel would whiz by. One ran in front of Harry's face and spelled, "His eyes are as a green as a fresh pickled toad."
Ginny shrieked as she saw it and slammed her fist on the table, "Fred! George!! Damn you two!"
Fred and George both made to run away from her but stopped first and taunted, "C'mon Gin,--hey we almost got Harry to agree to take you today!"
"Yeah!! But no deal, he wanted money instead!"
Harry could barely make out the blurs as Ginny chased the twins upstairs brandishing her wand. It was then that he finally realized who was sitting on either side of him: Ron and Hermione. They were both watching Harry and Ron spoke, "Harry Birthday, mate. Fred and George told us that you're their new partner and their new advert man."
"Oh, well, didn't have much choice really." Harry felt his stomach rumbling now and started eating some of the piles of food before him.
"Hey, Harry! Hermione and I worked all day on this! What do you think?" Tonks called down from the table where she was sitting next to Moody as she gestured around the kitchen.
Harry looked about the kitchen again, now that they Whizbangs were dying out (there went one now, spelling out, "WWW: Where Harry Potter gets his BANGS!"). The entire kitchen was draped with streamers and a large sign that said, "Happy Birthday Harry!" on it. He turned to Hermione by his side and shook his head at her, "You did this? I can't believe you did this? Why?"
She looked at him and he felt his stomach flutter as she smiled and said, "Why? Because, well if Tonks and I didn't do something, then Dobby surely was, and, well, you never know where that would finally end, now do you."
Ron slapped Harry on the back, "Yeah, you got your own one-elf parade with that one, mate. He's been ordering us all around and making sure everyone was in place and --man, he's a right tyrant when he wants to be!"
The gathering went on for several hours and eventually moved up to the drawing room for the later part of the evening. Harry eventually saw that Professor's McGonagall and Dumbledore were also in attendance and they spent most of the night watching the amusing antics of the Weasley family and chatting with Lupin, Bill, Arthur and Moody.
Moody had caught up to Harry as the group was making its way up to the drawing room and asked him, "How'd you know something was going on? I saw you pull your wand and look about up in the Entry Hall--what gave it away?"
Harry was slightly creeped out by the thought of being watched unknowingly by Moody's magical eye and didn't hesitate to answer, "I could feel you watching me." He was satisfied to see a surprised look on the old man's knarled face and added, "That, and as I walked down the kitchen stairs I couldn't hear Tonks rankling a storm."
Moody nodded approvingly at Harry as he trudged up the stairs with his walking stick. "Well, good on you, boy!" He leaned in closer to Harry and said, "Nice bit there of apparating. Good instincts, you got. I was thinking you'd put up a shield but your way was just as fine, better, even."
The night wore on and Harry, even as he was growing tired and stuffed, was given two birthday cakes, (one made by Dobby and one by Mrs. Weasley) and found several gifts piled on the drawing room table. Fred and George only returned to join the party after an hour or so of trying to reverse several hexes courtesy of Ginny. When Harry saw Ginny smirk at their faces covered in fur and green spots, he asked, "Er, Gin, aren't you expecting an owl now from the Ministry? Like from one Mafalda Hopkirk?" She looked at him in confusion and he went on, "Like for underage magic and all?"
Fred snickered at Harry, "He knows them by name in that office!"
"Oh shut it you! Nice ears by the way." Fred's ears were pointy like a house elf's and Harry turned back worriedly towards Ginny. "Well?"
Ginny looked completely unconcerned as she perched herself on the arm of a chair, crossed her arms and said simply, "Dad said Headquarters is now unplottable, even to the Ministry's tracking charms. They can't detect what goes on in here. I can hex whomever I want."
Fred and George were muttering oaths at Ginny as they turned to their mother and for help. "Oh! What in Merlin's name happened to--nevermind. Out with you. I'm sure you deserved it. Well, you two are on your own now, so take care of it yourselves!" She bustled on with arranging her cake on the table and began cutting and placing slices on plates.
"Mum!"
"What about Ginny!! She did this!"
"Out!! You should have thought about that before you did whatever you did to her! Now, Harry dear, take a piece of cake. Here you go." She shoved a plate into Harry's hands as he fell back into the armchair where Ginny was perched.
"What's up with those two." Harry heard Ginny whisper in his ear as she nudged him to look over down by the fireplace. There, on two separate sofas, and sitting across from each and both determinedly not looking at the other, sat Ron and Hermione. "Ron's been cutting on her all summer. 'Hermione this' and 'Hermione that' and even saying how he is happy to not have nearly any classes with her this next year. It was even worse when he got your letter listing all the classes you still had with her. What is up with them?"
Harry turned to Ginny and stared at her in disbelief, "What?!" She nodded confirmation and he mused as he watched them sit stoically across the room, "Well, she did just mention about him not writing to her." He turned back to Ginny and explained, "Hermione asked me if Ron had written me back at all since she sent our scores to him. Of course he did and I wrote him then, too-- and you as well. I took it that he never wrote her back. I know she's mad because he's only taking slack courses this year." Crookshanks leapt up on Harry's lap and began to lick the frosting off of the slice of cake he was still holding. Harry set the cat and the plate on the floor and stood back up and beckoned Ginny to follow him over to the hallway.
Harry made sure no one was about them and whispered, "Hermione's afraid he pantsed his exams. She's afraid he might have failed one and, well, you know how she is. She also said he had her helping him all last spring to study for the OWLs and now he isn't taking any of the courses that she helped him in. Have you seen how he did? I think he would have told me if he messed them up that bad..."
Ginny was shaking her head, "No, he had to have passed Defense, Charms and Transfiguration. He can do magic just like anyone else who had to pass those OWLs. It has to be something else!" She narrowed her eyes as she looked at Harry, "Harry, didn't you ever think, well, that, you know, Ron and Hermione, they might… you know?"
Harry didn't know. "What?"
"Fancy each other?"
"We sure did!" Fred and George made both Harry and Ginny jump as they snuck up behind them and spoke up.
"Yup, no doubt about that one. Well, at least Ronnikins, that is. They bicker like an old married couple!"
"Surely, you noticed Harry?"
Harry was feeling faint and really had thought perhaps there might have been something way back in fourth year. But last year he had way too much else happening in his own life to notice anything other than that they were always bickering. He peered through the door to the drawing room and could see Ron sitting there, sullen, on the very sofa against which he had Hermione pressed against the night before as he had been getting on with her. What the bloody hell have you done now, Potter?
"Hey, you got a hair cut!" George ruffled Harry's already ruffled hair and gave him a look up and down. "You finally grew into your clothes too!"
Fred turned to Ginny, "Hey, Gin, did you notice Harry's new haircut?"
The twins had disapparated with a crack as Ginny pulled her wand and Harry was left standing in the hall with a seething Ginny.
"Do you, do you think they … you know, have something going on?" He spoke quietly, almost a whisper, but Harry had to know. He had been the one who had started kissing Hermione. She was kissing you back, too. But he still had to know.
Ginny pocketed her wand back and looked shrewdly at Harry, "You don't know?" He shook his head with dread welling in his stomach. "Well, I don't know about her, but I know--for a fact-- that Ron definitely was crushing on her. Last summer, the twins gave Ron a dress robe and I heard him in his room when he was alone trying it on and thought no one could hear, muttering something about, now that he had those robes, Hermione 'wouldn't have to go with some other git like Krum'." She mocked Ron's voice as she relayed this.
"But--you don't know…?"
"About Hermione? No. I asked her plenty of time last year but she always denied anything to do with him. I don't think she'd tell me if there was anything. I think she would keep it to herself. She was always very vague."
Harry felt some relief but not much. There was still the problem of his two best friends sitting in there, and staunchly not looking at each other. "So, what do I do now?" he voiced out loud.
Ginny just looked at him, "I dunno. They're your friends. Have fun!" she cried brightly as she went back into the room and picked herself up a slice of cake.