Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything else that might belong to anyone else which I might accidentally mention. This includes but is not limited to: bananas, cupcakes, cupid dolls, automated teller machines, death rays, talking sharks, or alien skate boards. Thank you for your attention.

Chapter Two

August 20th rolled around with agonizing slowness. By the 15th, Harry was packed and ready to go. By the 18th, he had checked over every detail dozens of times and filched a few items that might come in handy. By the 19th, it had occurred to him that money was going to be a problem, and a panicked call to Odin had assured him that it was already taken care of. Now it was 9:00am, and Harry was feverishly pulling weeds from his aunt's garden as he waited for the representative to arrive.

His cousin's panicked scream alerted him first, and Harry was up toward the house like a shot. Standing just inside the doorway of the living room was a hairy giant of a man who was currently engaged in a conversation/shouting match with Vernon Dursley.

"And I suppose a big muggle like yerself is going to stop him?" the giant asked good naturedly. He spotted Harry standing in the doorway and grinned. "Hello Harry! Name's Hagrid, keeper of the keys and grounds at Hogwarts. Have you packed yet?"

"I tell you he'll not be going!" Vernon was slowly turning purple.

"I'm already packed," Harry answered, ignoring his uncle. "What's a muggle?"

"Non-magic folk."

Vernon made a grab for Harry, which he easily avoided. The boy ducked around behind Hagrid and pulled his duffel bag out of his cupboard. He could hear Hagrid's heavy footsteps and Vernon's loud protests approaching as he made his way out the front door.

"All set?" Hagrid asked.

Harry nodded. "Goodbye Uncle Vernon."

Vernon and Petunia Dursley stood in the doorway of Number 4 Privet Drive attempting to glare their nephew and his visitor into an early grave. At Hagrid's raised eyebrow, they finally muttered a reluctant goodbye.

And Harry Potter was free.

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Diagon Alley was the single most beautiful, wonderful place Harry Potter had ever set eyes on. Even everyone staring at his scar like he was the main attraction of an octopus exhibit couldn't dampen his spirits. The very air made his skin tingle. He and Hagrid had already been to Gringotts, Flourish and Blotts, the apothecary, and Ollivanders, and now they were heading to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions to pick up a new wardrobe for the school year. Harry was very grateful that he had such a huge trust fund from his parents, though he would have preferred to have kept his parents rather than the money.

Thus far, he had been having the best day of his life bar none, even including the strange incident in Ollivander's wand shop. It had been fun trying out different wands, of course, but to find out that the only wand in the shop that would accept him shared a core with the wand that had nearly killed him? Harry found that a little peculiar, but he had decided that it wasn't the wands fault who it was related to. It seemed a rather good wand to him, anyway.

Madame Malkin's Robes for All Occasions was already occupied by a beautiful pale silver-eyed boy with light blonde hair when he and Hagrid entered. Harry immediately liked the boy, if only because his eyes reminded Harry of his snake tattoos. Hagrid left Harry at the door while he left to run some errands.

"Come in dear, and climb up on a stool," Madame Malkim said kindly. "I'm just putting the finishing touches on young Draco's robes."

Draco smiled over at Harry from his stool. "Hello. I'm Draco Malfoy. I take it this is to be your first year at Hogwarts as well? What's your name?"

Harry grinned. "I'm Harry Potter. It's nice to meet you."

Draco blinked, then glanced at the scar. Then blinked again. "It's nice to meet you, too." Then he shook himself and regained his composure. "So what house do you think you'll be in?"

Now it was Harry's turn to blink. "House? I'm afraid I don't understand."

"Hogwarts is separated into four houses," Draco explained. "Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Gryffindor. Your personality determines your house, and whatever house you're sorted into is where you stay for the next seven years at Hogwarts. Hufflepuffs are hard workers, Ravenclaws are the intellectuals, Gryffindors are either brave or suicidal-no one knows which, and Slytherins are ambitious and clever. I'm going to be in Slytherin. Malfoys always are." The last was said with no small amount of pride.

By now, Draco was done being fitted, and Harry was being measured in every way it was possible to imagine. Harry thought about it for a moment. "I honestly don't know," he said at last. "But I doubt it will be Hufflepuff. Somehow I doubt I would fit in amongst willingly hard labor."

A tall elegant man with blonde hair walked into the robe shop. "Harry, I'd like for you to meet my father, Lucius Malfoy, "Draco said formally. "Father, this is Harry Potter." Harry only caught the brief flash of surprise in the elder Malfoy's eyes because he was looking for it.

"This is...an unexpected pleasure, Mr. Potter." Lucius said smoothly.

"Please, sir, I'd prefer if you call me Harry," Harry said softly.

"Harry, then. Will you be staying in London long?"

"Just until the term starts, sir."

Harry could see Mr. Malfoy opening his mouth to say something more when he felt Ate rise up and attempt to strike something on the street in a fit of rage. He was at the window in an instant, fighting to restrain her as she manifested beside him.

"HARRY LET ME GO!!!" She shrieked.

"You'll destroy half of the street if I do!" Harry snapped. "Now calm down and tell me who you're after, Ate!" He could clearly see the runes blazing on his hands as he clutched the goddess's arms.

"The old man with the bag of candy! Now LET ME KILL HIM!!"

"Why?" Harry said calmly as he watched the old man. He could feel the irate goddess running out of steam.

"I...I can't tell you now," the goddess said quietly. "But he hurt you. Badly. And he needs to pay for it."

"Not good enough," Harry answered gently. "Especially when there's a street full of innocent people involved. Go home Ate." He was shaking as he sat on the stool after she vanished. He reluctantly met Draco's eyes and was relieved to find them filled with concern rather than fear. "Do you know who that old man was, Draco?"

It was Lucius who answered. "That was Albus Dumbledore, the resident headmaster of Hogwarts. I take this to mean that you are a summoner, Harry?"

Harry smiled tiredly. "So that's what it's called. Thank you. Now I can find books about it." He even managed a little laugh. It wasn't easy dealing with an evil goddess throwing a temper tantrum.

"Are you alright, Harry?" Draco asked worriedly.

"I'm just tired. Ate doesn't throw fits very often, but when she does..." Harry made a falling whistling noise then a splatting sound. "I have a feeling I'm going to have to bind her to keep from getting expelled during the school year. I doubt the Headmaster would appreciate death threats from vengeful goddesses."

Madame Malkim coughed lightly to regain everyone's attention. "I have everything I need now dears, so when your robes are done I'll send them to you via owl post, if that's all right." The shopkeeper looked a little flustered, but otherwise professional.

Lucius stepped up and pressed something into her palm. "I'm sure that would be most satisfactory, Madame, and I would appreciate your...discretion...about this incident in the future," he said smoothly.

"Of course, Mr.Malfoy."

He turned back to Harry and smiled. "How would you like to spend the days

before the term starts at Malfoy Manor, Harry? My wife Narcissa has a cousin who is staying there, and he's been waiting a very long time to meet you."

Harry looked over at Draco and noticed the hopeful expression. "I could even teach you how to play Quidditch!" the blond wheedled

"What's Quidditch?" Harry asked.

Draco grinned deviously. "Say yes and you'll find out."

"I'll have to ask Hagrid," Harry said as they were walking out the door, "but I'd love to come."

As it turned out, Hagrid was waiting outside the door with a snowy owl in a cage. "Happy Birthday, Harry!" He said. He was smiling until he saw the Malfoys. "Hello, Malfoy. What are you doing here?"

"I am simply obtaining school supplies for my son," he answered. "Is there a law against it of which I should be aware?" Someone in the crowd seemed to catch the elder Malfoy's eye. "Ah, Severus, your timing is impeccable. Won't you join us?" A tall, sallow man with a slightly crooked nose and silky black hair joined them. "Harry, may I introduce you to Severus Snape, Hogwarts resident potions master? Severus, this is Harry Potter. I was just on the verge of requesting that young Harry be allowed to stay at Malfoy Manor for the rest of the summer, but I fear that Hagrid may have had some objections about a lack of proper guardianship from the school."

"Oh, I see," Professor Snape was wearing what might have been a slight smile or a well-disguised sneer.

Harry smiled up at Hagrid hopefully. "So can I go?"

"Professors Black and Lupin are also currently in residence at the manor," Lucius added.

For whatever reason, those two names worked where everything else had not. Hagrid's eyes softened, "Alright then Harry. I can't see the harm in it. Here's your ticket for the Hogwarts' Express. Jest make sure that you stick to it." Harry could see Draco trying to suppress a triumphant smile out of the corner of his eye.

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And while I'm on the subject of reviews:

Night-Owl123: Thanks! You're my first ever review! -gives out cookie-

Frog1: I actually prefer Greek mythology as well, but I like having the freedom to pick from any of the religions on the planet. Besides, I needed an omnipotent spirit and a father figure for Harry- plus the potential for jokes about Odin's missing eye and his lack of depth perception was too much to pass up! -gives out cookie-