Harry Potter and the Ethereal Flame
Author's Note: Well, positive feedback on chapter three, very happy with that! Nice to see a few of you have joined my yahoo group, hope to post some more files to accompany the story as I go along as well! I promised that this chapter would be longer than the last as I cut the last one short, so it is! The next chapter will be the second part of Harry's shopping and then the chapter after that gets right into the thick of it. Training and Dumbledore's reaction etc. will be included!I hope you enjoy…
In my fic, the currency will go as follows:
1 Galleon = £5.10 – five pound, ten pence
1 Sickle = £0.30 – thirty pence
1 Knut = £0.01 – one pence
(Very rough I know)
}parseltongue{
Chapter 4: Acquisition Part 1
Tentatively, Elle crept through the door to the master bedroom of Potter Cottage, attempting to clean up without Harry waking. However, the light of dawn managed to snake its way past the softly stirring curtains that masked the windows, effectively striking Harry's eyes and so waking him from his deep slumber. Looking about, Harry could see Elle with an arm-full of cleaning supplies, which puzzled him slightly, frozen in place in mid swipe with a duster.
"Good morning Elle," whispered Harry in a faintly rasping voice, still tired from the previous day's events.
"Morning Harry sir," she replied, obviously relieved that there was no consequence for her waking her master, as she believed it.
Deciding to rise so that he could have an early start to what promised to be an eventful day, Harry made his way out of his room. Gathering his wits as consciousness returned to him, Harry quickly turned into the library before he could take his intended shower. Having only had about seven hours sleep, Harry deduced that his ethereal-self had about another five hours before the ring needed to recharge.
Stepping into the library, Harry turned on the lights, the faint musty smell of the library comforting him some. Finding his other-self only a few bookshelves away, Harry confronted him, asking if he had managed to evaluate the library's current state. After a confirming statement, which surprised Harry a little as he had not yet heard him[self] speak, Harry turned the second band on his ring anticlockwise a half turn, effectively ending the process. His counterpart, who had been embodied with some form of dull white mist, seemed to dissipate in front of him, though he felt a part of his mind once again complete; feel whole. Wondering about the library's state, the information and knowledge obtained whilst his mind had been embodied seemed to stampede to the front of his mind, akin to violent flashes, until he knew all of what his counterpart did. Although this process was not painful in anyway, it did bring a very uncomfortable sensation; one that he again decided he would have to get used to.
Walking from the library to the bathroom, eagerly anticipating a nice steaming shower, Harry began to mull over all the new found information he had just gained. The library was slightly out dated and was strong in what were the key subjects; charms, transfiguration, potions, herbology, arithmancy, runes etc. This library itself was very well categorised and also had an extremely large section devoted to magical theory. The library was weak however in more modern books and magical techniques, it lacked the modern information that the current day provided. Deciding to deal with this when he arrived at Diagon Alley a little later, Harry snatched a warm, black towel from the linen cupboard in the bathroom, before hopping under the shower faucet.
As the water from the shower massaged his back, Harry tackled the problem of what to call his mental counterpart. Deciding that calling him Harry would just be highly uncomfortable, Harry began to think on it. His train of thought flew from Ethereal to Ether to just plain Ethan. Yes, Ethan would do. So, thinking on the tasks of the day, Harry decided that he would embody Ethan yet again tonight. That way, as he slept, he could set Ethan to reading books and so put the knowledge gained at night, to use in the day. Perfect!
Dripping wet, Harry shuffled back to his room, trying desperately to manage the difficult task of walking in a towel whilst trying to not get the hallway carpet too wet. Arriving back in his room, Harry took the chance of looking into the wardrobe there, but was sorely disappointed when he found no cloths. Slipping back into his previously worn jeans, t-shirt and jacket, Harry made his way downstairs where Elle was busy popping about the kitchen; cooking as only a house-elf can.
Sitting at the table, only having to give a slight verbal push to have Elle join him, Harry dug into the fabulous food. Wondering where Elle had bought the cleaning supplies and food etc. that were evident within the cottage whilst it had no master, Harry settled on asking her.
"Say Elle, how and where did you buy those cleaning products I saw you with this morning. The food also, the house has had no master yet you managed to get all these things?" Harry questioned politely.
"Well, Harry sir, we house-elves have markets that we buy all our things like food for the masters. They be full of all things a house-elf need Harry sir." She spoke tentatively as if confessing some well-kept secret.
"And how is that you buy these things? Are they free? What currency is used?" asked Harry, now clearly interested in where the conversation was going.
"The masters have house funds of wizard money, we use this fund to buy all things needed but when it is empty, we can not buy no more," she said, the picture of innocence.
"This cottage has a fund then?" and after a nod from Elle, he continued, "Well then, how full is it?"
"It be nearly gone sir, I try to make it last but it cost lot of money on markets," now in a tone of pleading.
"I understand Elle. There's only one thing for it then; refill the fund. I'll see to it today Elle, no worries."
"Yes Harry sir."
"Where is the cottage fund located Elle?" he asked, curiosity blooming once again.
"Tis behind the painting of Eresea Potter in the potions place, behind the books. Need to say password though, because she wanted it hidden well," stated Elle, obviously proud of her knowledge.
Smiling at Elle kindly, Harry spoke again, "What's the password?"
"Use it well. Mistress had said it was, 'an ever passing message from Potter to Potter' when she set it up."
"Thanks Elle, I'll deal with that today then."
After that, the conversation turned to more neutral topics like the weather, which for some reason, captivated Elle. After finishing up his breakfast and giving a hearty thank you to Elle, Harry decided that he should take a look around the grounds, especially considering the shops of Diagon Alley wouldn't be open yet (remembering the time spent there in the summer before third year).
After pulling on his, rather clean, trainers, Harry threw on his rough cloak, clasped loosely about his neck with the large hood hanging down his back. Walking from the cottage and out into the open air, a rewarding sense of freedom seemed to wash over him. Before that moment, his independence had seemed to him something in his mind, not quite real. Now however, it seemed so tangible that he could almost taste it.
As he just took the time to look around at the land and the entire natural richness that surrounded him, his thoughts turned to magic. He knew he was legally able to use it but he didn't want the Order to be able to track him or want the ministry to know what spells he was performing; especially about which spells. He decided that under a fidelius charm he was safe to do magic as he pleased without being tracked or watched, but outside of Potter Cottage, that was another matter. It was just one more thing on his to do list really; one of the first things to take care of.
Walking to the left of the cottage, Harry came across the axe embedded in a tree stump. Seeing logs scattered about this area, he knew it was for chopping wood. No doubt for the fireplaces inside, but Harry had a rough plan forming in his mind. Always thinking of his training, Harry was relating this wood to something he could do. The idea was crude and very basic, but if it could help, then he was going to do it. Deciding he would get to this in the next few days, Harry began to walk on.
Towards the back of the land, there was just an expanse of grassy land of which he thought would be good for flying maybe; something which excited him as he was not normally able to fly during summers. Deciding he could come to that another time he turned to the back of the cottage where a large, slightly raised platform ran from the back of the cottage a good length. He recognised it as a duelling platform as it was sturdy and was an excellent size and shape for duelling; a good amount of room in both width and length. Stationed around the platform were, what looked like wooden poles, jutting from the ground. There was one to each end of the platform, and three stationed at intervals to each side of the platform. They rose to about ten feet in the air and seemed to change colour from a brown wood to a metallic blue. He had read of these eagerly in the information on the cottage that he had taken from his family vault. These were weather protection poles. They, when activated, would form a roof of energy, spanning from each pole and effectively stopping rain etc. should the duellers wish.
Deciding to try it out, he followed the instructions that were in the information on the cottage. Walking up to the nearest pole, Harry placed the tip of his wand to it and focused on the poles connecting.
"Propago," he whispered.
Immediately, the poles altered to their metallic blue colour and an energy of the same colour spread from each pole. The energy merged and formed a roof over the duelling platform. To Harry, the roof looked like a slightly glowing sheet of flexible plastic, though he could feel the strength and substance of it by just standing there. Deciding to end it as he wished to explore the rest of the land, Harry again placed his wand tip to the nearest pole, focusing on the energy roof retreating into the poles.
"Recipio," he whispered and as he did, the energy receded into the poles and the poles returned to slowly swirling between metallic blue and wooden brown colours.
Past the outdoor duelling platform to the right of the cottage, another grassy expanse lay before him, which as he viewed, found its way into his crude plan inspired by the wood chopping spot. Moving to the bottom of the land, a small lake of clear water curled about the land; looking cold but inviting. Thinking that he could maybe go for a swim throughout his stay at Potter Cottage, Harry smiled before looking past the lake into a small wood; separate from the wood surrounding his land. It looked rather dark and ominous, but for some reason that he couldn't explain, it felt right and he decided there and then that he would visit it.
Turning back and making his way to the cottage, Harry soon came to the front door. Once he had walked into the kitchen, Harry found Elle busying herself with washing the breakfast dishes. Quickly telling her that he was going out for most of the day, but would be back tonight, Elle took it upon herself to go on a full cottage cleaning spree ready for Harry's return.
Heading upstairs once more to his room, Harry placed the chain with both his trust fund and family vault keys on, around his neck. He attached his money pouch to his belt and made sure his wand was accessible in his jeans pocket before placing his invisibility cloak into his worn backpack. Purposely avoiding the fireplace in the main room, due to ill favour, Harry decided that the Knight Bus would do for today, but today only. Now looking the part of a muggle except from his loose cloak, Harry left the cottage after bidding Elle a brief goodbye.
Once he had passed the metal gates of Potter Cottage, with a quick 'Open!" Harry was quick to travel the dirt path leading to the main road that came through Etherfield Village. He needed to get nearer the village because he didn't want his location, if anyone were to deduce his identity, to be known. Now by the edge of the village, with still no muggles about since it was still early, Harry pulled up the large hood of his cloak to hide his face and wrapped it about his figure slightly before raising his right hand, wand held tightly.
Bang!
The Knight Bus skidded to a halt in front of Harry, though Harry forced himself not to jump back in alarm, as it had come particularly fast. The doors jutted open and the conductor, Stan Shunpike, appeared with his stringy hair and Harry noted a slight faint bruising on his nose.
"Oh, it's you again! Where to this time?" he asked, though the slight undertone of suspicion was evident.
This puzzled Harry as Stan had been fine with him the previous day. Ignoring this for the moment, Harry told Stan he was off to Diagon Alley and paid him, with extra for a hot chocolate to warm his bones. Once settled in a seat, a mug of hot chocolate cupped in his hands, Harry took the time to look around at the few people on the bus. An old man sat a few rows in front of him, hunched slightly and wrapped in a purple cloak with yellow robes shining through. A few women were to the back talking in hushed whispers over a Daily Prophet, no doubt gossiping he reasoned. Deciding to make conversation with Stan who he noticed had his hand on his wand and stood only a few paces away from him.
"So Stan, what happened to your nose eh?" he questioned, keeping his tone polite.
After a brief stare in which he seemed to be evaluating Harry, Stan finally answered. Speaking his words slowly, he said, "There were some robed men who boarded into the night. Rough crowd, had some drink in them no doubt. We were to take them to a port to the south, but at some point in the journey they began to harass some passengers; passengers of 'lesser' blood as they claimed. In the end, it came to blows but this bus has plenty of defences and the Aurors soon came and all was all. All I suffered was a broken nose which was quickly fixed, the bruising should be gone by tomorrow."
Harry suddenly understood Stan's suspicion of him and had to remind himself that he was acting quite mysteriously, all cloaked in black.
"You have nothing to fear by me Stan; I assure you I strongly oppose such things. Now, what did you say the protections on the bus were?" Harry asked, now quite interested.
Stan seemed to relax, mostly due to the conviction in his words but still refused to divulge the protections that the bus carried, so Harry settled; assuring himself that he would find out at a later date, no doubt as Harry Potter.
After Stan informed him that they would arrive at the Leaky Cauldron in just under a half hour, Harry decided to check his backpack to ensure he had everything. At the very bottom of the backpack, Harry found the leaflets that he had picked up in the Alley the other night. Deciding to look through them as he had some time to pass, he chose one from the store, Basalinda's Bags and Trunks, and began to flick through it. There were some interesting trunks and different kinds of bags which interested him. He had seen a trunk in his family vault that he wanted so he skipped to the satchel section as he was in need of a new book bag for school. One especially caught his eye. Below a picture of the satchel, it read:
The New: Silvertongue Satchel
This satchel is the latest in magical storage technology. It is highly protected against theft, damage and visual penetration. The satchel is also internally expanded to allow the user with maximum space for those everyday things. With password access, this satchel is the paramount for privacy, to be set by the owner. Also, the satchel comes with customisable clasps and an optional, customisable stitching design on the opening flap. Lined with reverse-spelled Demiguise hair enforced with spells to prevent visual penetration and made from the finest dragon hide or leather, the Silvertongue Satchel is extremely stylish. Also comes in various colours.
Prices vary.
Harry decided there and then that he was going to buy this. It was useful and looked extremely stylish. Plus, he needed a satchel for school, so why not go all out? The way he saw it, it made up for a portion of no presents ever for ten miserable years of his life. With the thought of his new satchel, Harry's spirits were lifted and he sat back in his seat, contented, as he watched unconcerned as a large building leapt out of the way of the manic bus.
Stepping into Diagon Alley, Harry attracted the attention of a few passers-by; no doubt because of his cloak, but he ignored them and proceeded. Making his way to Gringotts, he thought that this would be the best place to start his day. Walking into the magnificent building, Harry made for a nearby Goblin. Walking up to the high counter, which he never really liked because it seemed as if the Goblins, despite their smaller stature, were trying to lord over you and express their superiority. That is one reason that he liked Griphook a lot, because he sat at a level desk.
"I would like to visit both my trust fund and family vaults, please," he said in a polite voice to the oily looking Goblin.
"Key?" he demanded in a sharp voice.
Handing over his keys, the Goblin returned them after a brief inspection, about to call a Goblin.
"Excuse me, could Rushkov escort me?" he requested.
This seemed to effectively shock the Goblin as he stared incredulously at Harry. After a few moments of oppressive silence, the Goblin called Rushkov, who Harry greeted warmly; or at least with familiarity.
Once in a cart leading to the vaults, Harry instructed Rushkov to take him to his family vault first. When Rushkov had assisted in opening the vault door, Harry stepped in and prepared to gather all that he wanted. The previous day during the hours that he had spent in there, he had devised a mental check list of all the items that he wanted. Firstly, Harry walked over to the left of the vault where a trunk lay. The trunk was of a dark mahogany, with silver hinges and finish. It was roughly the same size as his school trunk, though with a curved lid, looking all the part of a chest. On the curved lid was the word 'POTTER' in silver and on the front of the trunk, four small circles were spaced evenly. Having already read the attached card the previous day, Harry knew how to use the trunk. He knew that it had four compartments; one for each silver circle on the front. Placing a finger onto the first circle, Harry began to set passwords as instructed on the card.
"Password," he said, and then decided to use the Potter phrase, though in parseltongue, as it increased the privacy and security of his new trunk.
}Use it well{ he spoke, small hisses escaping his mouth.
He then proceeded to do the same for each circle, always stating password before the phrase. It was especially good as once the password has been set, one needs to know the current password before changing it; a very useful touch.
Opening the first compartment, he looked inside to find that it was roughly double the size of what it appeared on the outside. The second and third compartments were also like this. The fourth compartment however was a small room, much like the last room in Moody's trunk, and a narrow ladder was fixed to the right hand side of the trunk to allow access.
Collecting all the books and a few photo albums that were in the vault, Harry placed them all inside the fourth compartment. There were quite a lot of books ranging from transfiguration to divination and so he decided to take them all. Also taking a comfy leather chair that he had a fondness and a space in his room for, Harry placed that in the same trunk compartment. Harry then, with the utmost care, rolled up his family tapestry showing countless generations of Potters and then placed that in the room-compartment also.
There were only a few more things that Harry had seen that he wanted from his vault. He had already decided that he wanted to take his money out of his trust fund vault, which he estimated would last quite a few years yet, before taking money from his family vault; it just made more sense to drain the trust fund first. Walking about the vault, he managed to find the ring, non-magic this time, which had so captivated him the other day. It was a simple silver ring in the shape of a thin, oriental dragon, curled and eating its own tail, with a sharp jagged skull. Placing it on the index finger of his right hand, Harry found he liked it. He also found a few cloak claps, made of silver, which he had come to see was a common thing with Potters, engraved with the Potter family crest; a simple winged shield with a roaring silver dragon behind it, its tail curled about the base of the shield.
Placing the clasps into the last trunk compartment, he also placed a very basic sword in there. It was one hung on the wall of the vault, very basic but he assumed that maybe he could practise with it a few times; after all, Godric Gryffindor's sword had definitely proved its worth in the Chamber of Secrets.
Leaving and locking his family vault, he and Rushkov made their way in the cart to his trust fund, trunk in toe. Once there, Harry began to fill the third compartment of his trunk with Galleons, Sickles and Knuts; roughly three hundred Galleons, not including the descent amount of Sickles and Knuts.
Once done there, Harry was escorted back to the main lobby of Gringotts where he once again approached a Goblin.
"Excuse me; I was wondering if there is any way that you could accommodate me. Do you offer any form of money access, without having to carry around a lot of money?" he asked, hoping that they were in some ways similar to muggle banks.
"Name?" demanded the brisk voice of the Goblin.
"Harry Potter," he whispered.
"Key?" he asked, still in his sharp manner.
Handing it over, the key seemed to confirm his identity.
"Yes, we do offer Gringotts Cards. These are accepted in most of Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade and, due to our high technology charms, are accepted all over the muggle world; seems they appear as a Visa or some such."
"Great, how much does it cost for one of these cards?" he asked, slightly wary of Goblin nature now.
"Just a small fee, that of six Galleons."
Deciding that the fee was reasonable, Harry handed the money over from his money pouch on his belt, which still remained quite full after the payment. Taking the offered card, it was plain and laminated the size of a credit card and icy blue in colour. It had his name and an account number on, a small swipe strip and the words 'Gringotts Bank' emblazoned on the top right. After a brief examination of his new card, Harry decided to get back to business.
"Also, I would like to arrange for my house-elf to come and pick up a sum of one thousand Galleons from my trust fund vault tonight. Can that be done?" he asked, wary but feeling as if he was but a foolish child, dealing with intelligent Goblins.
"Yes, that can be organized, though it will require the small fee of fif…" he was interrupted by the sound of another Goblin's voice.
"No fee. This is an acquaintance of mine and it would not do well to swindle such a wealthy and valuable customer, Victrem," sounded the voice of none other than Griphook.
Turning about and stooping to one knee, Harry shook the hand of Griphook with enthusiasm, glad to see a familiar face.
"It's good to see you Griphook!" he said warmly.
"Yes, your transaction will be taken care of, I will see to it; with no fee. Now, I am glad to have run into you Mr. Po…Harry, as I was about to mail this to you," he said, holding out another small, laminated card.
Looking at it, Harry saw a picture of himself, not knowing when said picture had been taken, on an ID card. It listed his name, birthday, a numbered code and an expiry date.
"Yours wizard identification Harry, now that you are legally an adult, you receive this early. It is proof that you are an adult, keep it about you young Harry," he warned.
"Thank you Griphook!" he spoke sincerely.
After a brief good bye, Harry was out of Gringotts and back in the Alley. Taking a few seconds to ensure that his cloak was securely wrapped about himself and his hood hiding his face, Harry began to walk on. His trunk was safely in his pocket, as he didn't want it in his backpack, though he made sure that the pack was held securely and his wand in quick reach.
The first place to go was Knockturn Alley, as he was in need of masking his magical activity from the Ministry. He had been in one store there once before and knew that it dealt with a wide range of products and back-hand things. Turning off of Diagon Alley and into Knockturn, Harry walked briskly down the steps; descending into darkness.
As he walked through the dark street, glancing at the various shops that lined it, Harry made his way towards Borgin and Burkes. He also noticed the dingy figures and crouching hags littering the Alley and he could not hold back his disgust over such…weakness! These people had no ambition, they had no commitment; they had no power! He wasn't going to end up like one of these; he was going to make a difference!
Arriving at Borgins and Burkes, Harry opened the door, ignoring the sounding bell and with a purposeful stride, approached who he remembered to be Mr Borgin.
"Yes sir? What can I help you with on this fine day?" he asked; his voice oily and his smile fake.
"I have come today to purchase some of your, how you say…less respectable items," said Harry, trying desperately to keep his voice smooth and uncaring.
At this, Borgin's face seemed to frown before the fake smile was once again plastered over his deeply etched features. Being only a small man, slightly overweight with, thin, oily hair, outgrown and unkempt; Borgin reminded Harry deeply of Wormtail. Borgin's hunched stature and snivelling, submissive eyes mostly though and Harry found it hard to keep the disgust from his voice or posture.
"What is it you would be looking for then, sir?" he inquired.
"Firstly, I want a way to hide my magical activity from the fools at the Ministry. It seems that they would keep an eye on me, and some magics, when in practise, are not meant for public knowledge. Don't you agree?"
"But of course sir. Now then, I think I might have just the thing. Let me step into the back for a moment or two. Feel free to browse the store, you may find something to your liking." He spoke now with some twisted, foul hope that he could receive more money at the end of the day and Harry, though not liking it, would service his desire.
Walking slowly about the store, Harry looked at books and items; all of which emanated a dark aura, though this did not bother Harry as the objects were not evil.
Picking up as many books as he could find on any subjects that seemed interesting or on which his home library was weak on; Harry soon had a worthy pile of books in front of him. Placing them all on the counter, he had books ranging from some obscure magics to lesser known common spells (as in things the Ministry would rather keep to the Ministry). Most of his collection though was comprised of books pertaining to the 'dark arts' and he was unnerving eager to take a peek. Yes, today he would have quite the many acquisitions to his cottage library.
With Borgin still not back from his rummaging in the back, of which Harry could hear as boxes were thrown aside, Harry once again began to look around the store. Coming to a few shelves with minor weaponry on, Harry began to peer closely at a few. Coming to a dagger, Harry could immediately tell that he was going to purchase it.
The dagger had a thin ivory hilt, inlaid with thin silver interconnecting lines; making it look very intricate, yet at the same time, magnificently plain. The blade of the dagger was only about six inches, in balance with the hilt which was just big enough for a single hand to fit snugly. The dagger had no cross-guard; instead, the ivory handle merged with the steel blade. It gave off the feeling that it was non-magical, but it had seen some battle. Next to the dagger, a plain, black leather sheath lay, attached to a leather strap; just big enough to fit on a leg, or so Harry assumed.
Picking it up, and placing it in its sheath, Harry carried it over to the counter with his other purchases; just as Borgin emerged from the back, carrying a small bit of old parchment and his wand. Immediately, Harry's hand darted to his wand that was always within reach and he had it pointed at Borgin within seconds; his hand steady.
"Steady now, young sir. I mean you no harm; I just have to perform the spell to grant you immune to the Ministry's sensors. No need to worry over it; hold your wand to me if you want while I do it," he stated calmly, though his eyes shone beadily.
"No, that's alright," Harry stated and Borgin's eyes shone slightly. "Besides, a spell might take to long to cast, should you try anything. No, I think I will hold this to your throat as you cast it," he whispered with a hint of menace, indicating the dagger.
Borgin's eyes dimmed with fear before he spoke again, "Yes, that's a rare item, it is. A fine sword, made by the Goblins and used during the Rebellions, they say."
It suddenly made sense; the fine craftsmanship, the muggle style (contrary to popular belief, he did learn something in History of Magic class) and the belt of which would fit a Goblin's waist. Thinking of Griphook, Harry seemed to warm to the blade even more.
Gulping audibly, Borgin approached Harry and placed his wand tip to Harry's chest whilst Harry snaked the blade to rest dangerously against Borgin's throat; pressing just slightly into the yellow, coarse skin.
Whispering unintelligibly, Borgin cast the spell and once done, it felt like a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders that he hadn't noticed was there.
"There, all done sir," he said, somewhat jovially.
"I'll trust that this spell works; if not, well, I'll come for you," he said with venom, yet not very confidently; luckily, Borgin was slightly distracted by the blade still pressed to his throat.
"It does sir, it does. Now, how about we ring up these fine items eh?" he asked.
Removing the blade and sheathing it, Harry placed it on the counter again with his other items whilst Borgin priced it all up. Taking his trunk from his pocket, Harry used his wand and returned the trunk to its actual size, then opened the third compartment; with the trunk's back facing Borgin so he couldn't see all the gold contained there.
"That will be…46 Galleons, 6 Sickles and 22 Knuts," smiling all the while.
Harry didn't think that he had bought that much but agreed to the price as he did have quite a few books, a Goblin sword (his dagger) and the Ministry off his back. Once he had paid the required amount, Harry placed all his new items into the fourth compartment of his trunk, which was getting rather full now, before shrinking it again and placing it back into his pocket.
Walking from the store, Harry took the time to look about the Alley as he made for Diagon Alley. It was as he neared the entrance of Diagon Alley that he noticed a small, dingy shop named, Eye Care: See to it! Thinking of his glasses that were a constant bother and the danger they posed if they were lost or broken during a duel, Harry entered the shop.
Surprising him slightly, the store was very airy and light inside. There was a pine counter to the left of the door where a thin, yet athletic looking man sat, short brown hair and sculpted facial hair visible as he leaned over a Quidditch magazine; reading with enthusiasm.
"Ah hem," coughed Harry to gain the man's attention.
"Oh, sorry there," he apologised as he looked up, startled, from his magazine. "What can I do for you young sir?" his tone polite, though his eyes curious as he took in Harry's cloaked form and hidden face.
Assuming he must be used to cloaked figures doing business in Knockturn Alley, as no wand was drawn, Harry informed him that he was after some way to correct his eyesight. The man seemed to ponder for a moment, before nodding to himself, and then walked over to Harry.
"We do have a potion that you can take. It will heal any ailments of the eyes, though it is quite painful. We suggest to anyone purchasing it that they should take it over night, as we can mix in a sleeping potion. That way, the pain is only felt in the morning as a slight headache which can be easily fixed with a simple potion, though the cost is a bit more as the sleeping potion must be carefully fused with the eye-correction potion. So, what will it be?" he asked amiably.
"I think I'll take the over-night potion please. By any chance do you have the potion to get rid of the headache the next day on sale?" asked Harry, his stomach turning at the prospect of a morning of pain.
"That we do young man, but again, it will cost you that bit more."
"That's fine, just ring it up please."
"Sure thing," he replied.
That said, the man reached under the counter and pulled two vials out from a draw, one a sickly green and the other a light yellow. Both vials were labelled with some small instructions on as well. He placed the two into a brown paper bag, assuring Harry that they were tightly stopped and that the vials had unbreakable charms placed on them.
"That will be 23 Galleons please; a fair price."
Handing over the money, Harry left the shop with his potions in the second compartment of his trunk along with his backpack. When he finally made it to Diagon Alley, Harry was a little apprehensive as he had already spent a fair amount of money and now here he was about to spend a whole lot more.
Not knowing where to go first, Harry decided on getting the satchel that he so wanted. Heading directly for Basalinda's Bags and Trunks, Harry was soon inside. Looking about, he soon realised that this was a very trendy store, desperately keeping up with the latest designs and fashions. A few people were meandering about the store, dressed much like Tonks, in colourful and quirky outfits. Walking over to the counter, Harry came face to face with a woman with bright yellow hair and purple eyes. Shocked, he didn't really have time to notice the white toga she was wearing.
"Yeah?" she asked with a cheerful but rough accent.
"I want the new Silvertongue Satchel, please," he said, keeping his tone friendly.
"Know how much one o' them cost eh?" this time in a disbelieving tone.
Reminding himself that he was still darkly clad, Harry pulled out the leaflet that was still in a cloak pocket and threw it gently onto the counter.
"Prices vary," he said, kind of elated by how cool that sounded.
"Well, yeah, suppose so. What ya want on it then?" she asked; seeming more interested in Harry with his implied disregard for money.
"I would like to have one made from Hebridean Black dragon hide with silver clasps, engraved with the letter 'P'. I want the stitching on the front to be done in silver stitch as a picture of a Hebridean Black. Can that be done?" he questioned.
"Yeah, it'll be ready in a few hours alright? That will cost you 27 Galleons."
Harry handed over his Gringotts Bank card, which surprised her slightly, before she swiped it through the till.
"Thank you, you can pick it up in about three hours then."
Harry had chosen the Hebridean Black dragon hide and design because, from looking about his family vault, Harry had discovered that the dragon on the Potter crest was a Hebridean Black. Apparently, this was because the ancestral home of the Potters is located within the archipelago of Hebrides to the west of Scotland (Hebridean Black's native lands) and the dragon was seen as something to aspire to as a Potter; powerful, solitary and dangerous.
So, happy with his satchel being made, Harry decided on visiting Flourish and Blotts as he knew he would need to modernise his library back at Potter Cottage. Once there, Harry entered and began to walk about the store which was rather busy at the moment. It always made Harry feel akin to the wizarding world when he walked amongst the spiralling and twisting towers of books and walkways of papers and wooden bookshelves. Having picked up an internally expanded cauldron basket, Harry was now ready to collect any and all books that he deemed fit; assisted by Ethan's over view of the cottage library.
Browsing through the store, Harry picked up as many modern books as he could pertaining to transfiguration, charms, potions, defence against the dark arts, herbology, ancient runes, arithmancy, magical creatures, magical theory, history of magic, duelling, wizarding laws and customs, obscure magics, offensive and defensive magics, magical rituals, healing, some Auror-based books, wizarding cultures, apparating, anamagi and even a few on divination. The way Harry saw it was that although he was training to seek vengeance; once his thirst for justice has been quenched, then he would like to maybe become a scholar in a wide range of magics. The more he thought about a career as an Auror, the less appealing it became. He didn't like to suffer at the hands of an evil wizard and so why would he choose a life of it? To Harry, a career exploring the possibilities of magic sounding very tempting and so, he was keeping his options open.
Content with his choices in books, Harry moved to the counter to pay for it all. When he piled all his books upon the counter, the shop assistant there just looked at him incredulously, clearly doubting his ability to pay for such a mighty selection of books.
"How much?" he asked, his voice muffled from within the folds of his hood.
After ringing up the purchases and filling at least twenty large bags, the books were all packaged.
"That will be…172 Galleons, 14 Sickles and 7 Knuts," said the assistant, shock lacing his voice.
"Here," replied Harry as he handed over his Gringotts Bank card.
With all his books safely in the end compartment of his trunk, effectively filling it, Harry was back out in Diagon Alley. The nearest store that he had planned to visit was Olivander's wand store where he had received his holly wand back before his first year at Hogwarts, so he made for it.
Entering, ignoring the faint bell sound as he did so, Harry was once again immersed in the musty store where the thin beams of faint light highlighted settling dust. He could see no sign of Olivander and so just took the time to look about. It was deathly quiet and the smell of fresh wood and dust attacked his nostrils, though the magic in the air was palpable.
"Mr Potter," sounded the clear and almost hypnotic voice of Olivander.
Harry startled and turned around quickly, only to come face to face with Olivander himself. Harry relaxed some, but those shining, misty eyes of Olivander seemed to keep him on edge. "What is it I can do for you?"
"I'm here to buy a second wand," Harry spoke, feeling like a child in the presence of Olivander.
"You know, wands are tricky business as far as the Ministry is concerned. One wand per person and certain…species, being denied them, all very unstable business. I hope that you haven't out grown your holly wand, or maybe broken it? Or perhaps, you need another yes?" his clear voice held a mysterious quality.
"I want another as when I fought Voldemort; problems arose between our two wands," replied Harry.
"Yes, I thought they would. No matter, I can't give you another wand; not yet at least, your holly should suffice for the time being."
"Why not?" Harry asked, put down slightly.
"I have seen it. You shall have another wand Mr Potter, but not now."
"When will I be able to get a second then?"
"I will tell you. There are certain…things that need to play out before your wand will be made. Patience is a virtue Mr Potter and maybe never before has that saying been so true."
"Fine, then can I have some wand care products and books, and also a wand holster?" he asked.
"That Mr Potter, I can do. Now, what holster would you prefer? We have…dragon hide, leather, and a Tebo hide also; quite expensive."
"I think I'll take the Tebo hide please."
"Fine choice, now, books and some polish and…" Olivander continued to mumble as he collected various things according to Harry's request. Once done, Harry ended up paying a hard 23 Galleons. Placing his wand care products into his trunk, he took his new Tebo hide wand holster which was a fine looking ash colour and placed his wand inside. Strapping it onto the underside of his right forearm, Harry was shocked as the holster turned invisible. After remembering from his care of magical creatures text that the Tebo also had the power to turn invisible, he put this down to the invisibility staying in the hide of the holster. After a brief five minutes where Olivander taught Harry how to draw the wand from its holster, flicking the wrist in a sharp turn motion so the wand would draw into the palm of his hand quickly, Harry left the store with a sincere goodbye.
Behind him, he didn't hear as Olivander muttered, "Dumbledore's bound to find out…"
Author's Note: Okay, there is the first part of Harry's shopping. I apologise if there are any spelling mistakes! The next chapter should be out soon! I hope that you enjoyed it! Please review so I know if you like what I am doing or what isn't working. I crave reviews and so I would really appreciate it! Feel free to stop by my yahoo group and now, onto the review responses!
javierr55 – Thank you for your review and you did a great job on the translation. I didn't make a sentence out of it but, maybe later explained in some magical theory I will write, the words release magic. It meant: home, location, burden, secret, accept, family/surname. Again, thanks for reviewing and great job on the words!
BloodRedSword – Thanks for the review and the pairing was going to be Harry/Blaise, but now I am considering one of the two other un-Housed girls mentioned in the books (as suggested to me on my yahoo group).
n6uos – Thanks for reviewing!
TuxedoMac – Thanks for the review and I'm glad you like it. Also, thanks for wishing me a happy birthday!
Serpent of Light – Wow, nice review! I don't really have time top respond to everything so I will just say a few things. I also thought that the ending sentence of the last chapter was rather ominous, also thought about the Tom Riddle diary thing. Chess will come into play slightly as they do play quite the bit of chess in the wizarding world; I also love the idea of wizards chess! Transportation will vary throughout the book, but there will be a few things. Otherwise, I agree with what you say and I also support SPEW, well, not on some things (like forcing them with hidden hats, lol).
potterloverno1 – Thanks for the review, glad you like it!
maguswizard – Thanks and Dumbledore and the Order's reactions are just 2 chapters away, along with the beginning of some training. I hope you like it, the Dumbledore/Harry relationship will go through a lot in the coming year.
Serena24 – Thanks and I hope you liked this chapter too!
Please review!
Serpentine Phoenix