Chapter 2

Harry woke late the next day, he didn't really know what was going on this day, but he doubted he would be included unless he forced himself onto them. Heading downstairs towards breakfast he wondered what the others were going to do today.

He found the whole house seated around the table. With the amount of people he wasn't noticed, so he sat at the end of the table, grabbed some bacon, and sat back. He liked this, listening to everyone talk, just relaxing, not participating, just listening. He heard that Fudge had informed the world of the attack and subsequent battle, the people had rejoiced with the news of victory.

Harry then heard something about a trip to the Burrow, and Fred and George were offering positions in their shop to anyone who would listen. Harry finished his food and left.

He wanted to look around the house a bit, he had been denied entrance to several rooms before, saying it was too dangerous, but now he would see what they had to offer. One was off the basement kitchen; he would look their first.

Seeking out the stairs to the basement, he quickly lit the lights, and headed downwards. He found the unused kitchen, he sometimes wondered why it had two, but he guessed the basement kitchen was for the house elves. Seeing the door, he tried the knob. As expected, it didn't open, so he, used Alohamora, which worked. Harry opened the door and poked his head inside. He saw a counter, several shelves full of pickled and cut up, things. As well as many cauldrons of different types and sizes. A potions laboratory? 'What is so bloody dangerous about a potions lab?' he said to himself, none of them were that terrible at potions, and Hermione was excellent. He shook his head and thought about the next room. On the first floor.

He moved his way towards the main floor, and heard that the other house occupants were still enjoying breakfast. He saw the old portrait of Sirius' mother. The curtains were shut tight and she was silent. He tiptoed to the side of the picture frame, and tried to lift. It didn't move. He sighed, he would see if he could get rid of the awful thing. Moving quietly upwards, he reached the landing, and walked to the middle of the hall, the door seemed a little more ornate than the rest, but only so much that would notice if you looked directly at it. Not bothering to try the knob, he just used the unlocking charm, and opened the door. What he found was another puzzler.

A library. Well maybe dangerous, if you believed that knowledge was dangerous. He snorted, only the ignorant thought knowledge was dangerous, he expected though that the headmaster didn't want any of us little children to read any books that had been owned by a dark family. He would definitely check this out later, a family as old as the Blacks were going to have many books that he wouldn't be able to find anywhere else.

The last room wasn't really a room, but the attic. He climbed top the second floor, and found the little stairs that were inside a door that looked like a closet from the outside. Unlocking the door, And moving up the rickety and steep stairs, he poked his head up to see what was inside. Besides a few rats that scuttled away with the light, it seemed this was where they put all the things that they didn't want, but couldn't sell. He saw a sword or two hanging around, owl cages, glass cases with jewelry, and another glass cases with what definitely seemed to be dark objects. He found himself extremely curious about the dark objects.

He opened the case and pulled what seemed to be a dagger, in a sheath, out. Pulling it out of the sheath, a slip of paper fell out of the sheath as well. He picked up the paper while examining the dagger, very simple looking, and plain really. Just a knife. He looked at the paper.

To whoever cares for this dagger next.

It may look unordinary, but do not let its appearance be deceiving, when forged, the maker poured a very powerful poison into the steel. So far it has yet to run out of poison, so for reference the knife was created in 10,458 of the era of high mages, or if you want to use that bloody muggle system, it was made in 1788 A.D. You can see by the poison and unextrodanary countenance, it is an excellent assassins blade. You will be able to tell when the poison is out, by the method the victim dies, the poison kills instantly, with only the lightest incision.

Use it well.

Sounds like fun, Harry thought sarcastically, as he placed it in the sheath extremely carefully and lowered it back inside the case. He closed the case and went to explore the other things as well.

He saw the swords, picking one up, it felt somewhat like Godric's sword, he tugged the sheath off, and tried to use it like he had in the Chamber of Secrets. He swung it around feeling like he knew what he was doing, but over swung and fell off balance; he dropped the sword and fell hard on his side. Putting the sword in the sheath he placed it in the spot he found it.

Looking over the jewelry he saw a ring made of some black stone, he slipped it on his right hand and looked at it. It seemed to fit and looked cool, so he kept it. He saw a couple of watches, looking at the watch he had bought after his old one broke in fourth year, it was rather cheap and had been bought at a gas station on the way back to the Dursley's that year. He took it off and looked at the two on display, one was silver and had the date and appeared to be an expensive muggle make and model, the other was gold and seemed to be wizardry with another set of hands that had planetary symbols. He chose the silver one. He put his old one in the case where the silver watch had rested.

He decided he would visit the library and see if it had any potions books so he could go use the potions lab. Checking his new watch for what seemed the hundredth time, but this time looked at the time, it was a quarter after ten.

Heading to the library he found no one on his way, browsing the titles, the largest section was the transfiguration section, it had many scrolls with complicated equations and around a hundred books. The dark arts section wasn't as big as he expected, just three shelves, but they seemed powerful, with titles like Blood rituals, and 200 Curses to Kill Your Enemy Extremely Painfully. He found the potions section in the back and grabbed a few the looked like they could stem the boredom he felt approaching. And headed for the basement.

"Hey Harry, What are you doing?" Hermione tagged along.

"I'm gonna go make some potions."

"Where did you get the books, did Dumbledore give them to you?" He stopped in front of the door to the lab, "Wait isn't this the door we're not supposed to go in?"

"Yeah it is but it's just a potions laboratory." She looked unsure, so Harry pushed the books into her hands and opened it himself. "And Dumbledore didn't give me the books. I found them in the library." He grabbed the books and set them down and opened one to a random page.

"What library?"

"Its one of the other rooms we were banned from."

"I wonder why he banned us from the rooms, there was only one other, did you go into that one as well?"

"Yeah its full of old stuff that they didn't want to throw away. Swords, dark artifacts, jewelry." He held up his right hand, which had the ring, and the watch.

"I bet its fascinating all those old things."

Harry looked at the page in the book, then looked at the spine Corrective potions. The Sight potion. Corrects eyesight for a twenty-four hour period, may be addictive, it warned. Side-affects are mild, including increased hair growth, and mild headaches with extended use. He shrugged, he would use it, even if he was addicted to it, it would be better than glasses, plus he could just use a headache charm, if he needed it.

He set up a gold cauldron, and grabbed the ingredients from the cupboards and shelves. Hermione read it over and looked speculatively at him. "You aren't going to use it are you? Its addictive."

"Yeah I know, but the benefits outweigh the risks." She nodded and began setting out the ingredients and cutting, while Harry began grinding.

They spent around an hour and a half making the potion. They worked in comfortable silence. And once the potion had cooled, Harry read the directions again, "It takes ten minutes to fully take affect."

"Lets see it then." She seemed excited to see the effects. Harry tipped back phials of it; it tasted salty. He poured the rest into phials, about twenty.

"Lets go put these in my room." Harry led the way while Harry followed behind, he could tell it was working because his glasses became fuzzy, so he took them off. He could see very well! And it wasn't done yet. "I can see!" he shouted, he put the phials down and started jumping around. He grabbed Hermione and started jumping her around as well, she seemed to be excited too.

"That's wonderful Harry!" they calmed down and left for lunch, waiting to see what the others thought.

They entered and tried not to laugh as other people began to catch on and notice. Dumbledore was there for lunch and was the first to ask. "Harry, my boy, what happened to your glasses?"

"I fixed them." He answered dismissively, raising the suspense level, Hermione hid her mouth behind her hand and giggled quietly.

"How did you manage that?"

"Just a potion." People were now becoming extremely curious and several new recruits began to question him as well.

"Harry stop playing games, how if you please."

"Okay, Okay. I decided to check out that room in the basement, found a potions lab, and made the potion."

"Where did you find the recipe?"

"The library."

"So you deliberately violated my request and entered two rooms you weren't allowed in?"

"Nope, all three rooms. I don't really see why you made the library and the lab off-limits."

"You went into the attic as well?"

"Well, correct me if I'm wrong but, if Sirius was a free man, and had a will, he would have left this place to me. As much as I dislike the idea of benefiting from his death, I wanted to know what else was in what should be my house." He disliked talking about Sirius in such a manner, but he was strong, for now.

"You are right Harry. But I reasons to keep you out of those rooms, they could be dangerous for one so young."

"I may be young in age Albus, but my mind is much older."

"I suppose you are right again Harry, so you made a potion from a book in the library, did you take anything from the attic?"

"Yeah a ring and a watch. I also checked out the assassins blade, but left it there."

"Be careful with those objects many are cursed for touch."

Things settled down after that, and lunch was quiet. Harry conversed with Hermione's parents about exams and school.

After lunch Harry and Hermione went back to the library and began to look through the books, to see what information was contained. They kept a log of which books were in which category and contained what information. Harry was reminded almost constantly of Sirius in here.

"Hermione?" He asked hesitantly.

"Hmm-mmm." She mumbled without looking up.

"Hermione listen. Please." She looked up questionably, and saw his pleading look.

"What's the matter Harry?"

"You remember what you said last night?" She nodded in the affirmative. "Please help me, I need to remember." He was looking at his hands but sounded desperate.

"Its okay Harry. How about last Christmas. He was so joyful and full of life, he ran through the halls singing Christmas carols and pulling jokes on everyone in sight. He was happy because he spent a Christmas with you. Remember that Harry? Remember his eyes gleaming with mischief and cheer?" She saw his eyes closed, and he was smiling. She went to his chair and pulled him to her holding him when he started to cry.

"I'm sorry Hermione." He wiped his eyes and pulled back, "I feel so weak for crying like this, like a child, weeping all over you."

"You have to cry Harry, it helps, it's the only way you can move on." He stood. "I'll see you later Hermione." He took a book with him.

It turned out he didn't see her till the next day. He spent the rest of the evening in his room, He was embarrassed for crying like that and became involved in his book. He skipped dinner, and read, engrossed in The Way of the Warlock: A Comprehensive Guide to Wizarding Politics. He stayed up late; finally sleep took him in the wee hours of the morning.

It was August 18th now, Albus had taken him to get his things, going into Gringotts he took a large amount of money out and let Albus lead him about. He picked up cloths, schoolbooks, trunk, robes, and broom. He had bought the newest broom, looking sadly at the Firebolts on discount. It was called the Hammer; it was faster than the Firebolt, and more nimble. Albus led him to a small shop that was down an ally way between to other shops. It had no name, but it did have a sign that said open.

Inside was a man older than old. He looked as though a slight breeze would turn him to dust. Around the room, were objects of great value, invisibility cloaks, little silver instruments, foe glass, focus crystals, and Pensieve. He bought the invisibility clock and a Pensieve. The man never said a word, except to say the price. He had little money left now but wouldn't need much for school.

The next day he received his O.W.L results, Harry was surprised by the arrival of the owl, because he had forgotten them completely. He got an E in potions, an O in Defense Against the Dark Arts, E for both Charms and Transfiguration, and T in both Divination and History of Magic, and an P in Astronomy.

He and Hermione had cataloged the entire library by the time the night before the left for school came around. Harry packed away several books, and another batch of the eyesight potion. He had to make another the other day, sealed it away in his trunk.

Hermione and Ron had also packed away their things the night before. They were all ready for the train tomorrow. All three were up late wondering what the next year would bring on.