Chapter Seven – I bruise easily.

'Alright kids lets get going, Albus gave you the list of subjects you're going to need didn't he?'

'Yes mum,' Ginny muttered. She had also received her letter, but this year was her O.W.L.S year. She was grateful that her brother had finished his exams. She would be able to reuse his books, which fortunately would save her parents a lot of money.

'Right we are going to floo, you all know how to, so lets go.' Molly said, more to herself than the others.

Ron grabbed a pinch of the green powder stepped into the grate and threw the powder in. 'Diagon Alley.' He shouted. Ron disappeared; Ginny got in and repeated the process.

'Right come on you two.' Molly said. Hermione got in, she shouted out where she wanted to go.

Hermione whizzed along the different gates, she was pulled towards one gate in particular and floomed out of the fireplace. She stood up and slowly rubbed her lower back, which she had landed on. The fireplace suddenly became illuminated as Harry floomed through. He flew straight into Hermione, who suddenly fell over him. Harry looked up to see Hermione's face inches from his.

'Hey gorgeous,' Harry whispered lightly.

'Ow' Hermione said. Harry looked at Hermione in concern.

'What's wrong?' he said, smoothing her hair behind her ears.

'I hate flooing, and I landed on my lower back and then I bumped into you. And it hurt.' Hermione narrowed her eyes when Harry got a devious look on his face, her eyes widen slightly when she felt his hand move lower towards the pain.

'Excuse me, we are in public, you might want to get up, before everyone guesses that you two are going out.' Ron muttered while helping his friends up. Once they had moved out of the way, Molly suddenly appeared.

'Sorry I realised I didn't have my bags. We can go now. Now Ginny you need new robes, so we'll go there and I need to get more ingredients. We should meet up in a couple of hours, how about noon.'

'Yeah sure, see ya later.' Ron said and the trio walked out of the leaky cauldron.

'Right shall we go and get our books?' Harry said. Hermione smiled at Harry and linked her arm in his.

'Oh Merlin, is it going to be like this all the time?' Ron muttered.

'Well we're just going to have to find you someone, Ron' Harry said looking over his shoulder.

They walked towards 'Flourish and Blotts. Harry opened the door, letting the little tinkering bell that hovered above the door ring. They all walked in and headed towards the different rows of hundreds of books.

They all had their lists, and soon found themselves searching for the books that were present. Harry suddenly stopped.

'Oh, I totally forgot. I've got to go and get some money out of Gringotts. Does anyone want to come?' Harry said.

'Oh, I'll come. I haven't been in the cells at Gringotts before.' Hermione said smiling at Harry.

Harry took Hermione's hand and they walked across the town square. Talking long strides they walked up the white marble stairs and threw the several doors. Harry looked around for a spare goblin, and seeing one several slots down, walked towards it. Hermione by his side, Harry took his key from his trouser pocket.

'I would like to withdraw some money please.' Harry said to goblin. The goblin took the key from Harry's outstretched hand and stared at it intensely.

'Very well, will your friend be travelling with you?' Hermione nodded her head. The goblin waved his finger and a smaller than usual, goblin arrived.

'Come this way.' He said taking the key and they stepped through the door leading to the stone path rail tracks. The goblin ushered them into a small cart. Hermione sat on the inside and Harry on the outside.

'Please keep limbs inside the cart. Don't stand up and wait until the cart has stopped before getting out.' The goblin said pulling several levers. Suddenly the cart rocketed off the back wall and launched down spiral tracks. Hermione expecting a more leisurely ride, screamed. She clutched the first thing she could reach, which happened to be Harry's thigh.

Harry chuckled; being use to Quidditch he was use to the fast thrill of riding fast, so he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. She quieted slightly leaning into Harry's embrace, but shrieked when the cart stopped so suddenly that she almost flew straight out the front. Harry got up, and helped Hermione who was slightly shaken up, out.

The goblin opened the vault and Harry glanced in it. What surprised him however was that a letter was floating in the middle of the vault. He glanced at the goblin that was standing there just on the outside of the vault.

'Um, what's that letter?' Harry asked, slightly apprehensive about touching anything he didn't know anything about.

'It's a letter containing information about a will.' He replied neutrally.

Harry's face immediately darkened knowing it was going to be about Sirius. He and Hermione walked into the large golden vault. He walked over to the letter, passing his mountains of money.

The letter had white orbs moving around the simple piece of parchment.

'Make sure that only the owner of this vault touches it. It is protected heavily with charms. Only the person meant to touch it will be allowed.' The goblin said into the vault.

Harry reached his hand out and plucked the letter. He opened it and smoothed it out. He read it out loud so that Hermione would know what it said.

'Dear Mr. Potter, this letter isn't on the best terms. As you are aware your Godfather died earlier in the year.' Harry spoke out loud, stopping to take a shaky breath, and carried on, now with the support of Hermione's hand on his arm. 'A Mister Sirius Black placed you in his contract of his will. He left a large amount of money including the Black mansions. To receive your heirloom you are required to sign the following contract, to prove you agree with accepting it.' As Harry said this a slip appeared in the air along with a quill.

He turned back to the letter and reading.

'Along with signing, information containing everything you inherit will be given to you. Others to inherit from your Godfather's fortune, are Mr. Remus Lupin, Professor Dumbledore, and Molly and Arthur Weasley.' Harry looked up at Hermione as he read it. He glanced down and finished with signing off by the chief goblin.

Harry picked the slip out the air and looked at the dotted line. He sighed loudly.

'You know I would give all my money away to get him back again.' Harry said barely in a whisper.

'I know, but you know that you can't bring him back. He cared about you, Harry. He cared about you so much, and I think he wants you to accept. He wants to care for you, even though he can't be here, he's giving you his money so that you'll be set for life. Maybe you should sign.' Hermione said, placing the quill in Harry's hand and kissing his temple.

Harry looked at Hermione and at the slip. Taking another deep breath he plqaced the quill on the parchment and signed.

The second he finished, the quill and slip dissolved through his fingers. Then his vault enlarged by several times, and coins started to build up. When coins finished appearing the vault seemed crammed with glimmering treasures.

Harry scooped a small amount of gold into his bag and began walking back towards the cart.

'Harry, there's another letter here.' Hermione said pointing towards another piece of parchment. Harry strode over to it, and opened it.

Dear Mr Potter

Thank you for accepting Sirius Black's will. You have inherited 24 million Galleons, 35 thousand Sickles, and 45 thousand Knuts.

Along with this amount of money your Godfather also left you his mansions. Addresses follow with directions.

Your Sincerely

Thratic

Chief Goblin,

Harry folded it up, and slotted it into his coat pocket.

'Harry, are you alright?' Hermione said while resting her hand on his.

'Yeah I think I'm a bit better. I mean I'm never going to be okay with Sirius dying. But its like I have something of his. It makes me feel closer to him, or as close as I can get anyway.' Harry said smiling down at his girlfriend.

When they got back into the cart, Harry placed his arm around Hermione and she leaned into him, hoping that the ride wouldn't be as fast as before.

When they stepped out of the white building they were greeted with a downpour of rain. Harry pulled his oversized coat over his and Hermione's head. They ran all the way back to the bookshop. The first thing they noticed when they entered, was that everyone else seemed to have had the same idea. The small shop was filled with chatter and noise as witches placed water repelling spells on their shopping, and themselves, so that they could venture back outside to complete their shopping.

They spotted Ron down one of the aisles, surrounded by their books that he had been totd to keep an eye on. However when he saw his two friends, he stood up.

'Where have you two been? I've been waiting for ages.' Ron said in an aspirated voice.

Hermione shook her head, 'you've been waiting for about ten minutes Ron; now we're sorry we're late for you. Shall we pay for these and see if the rain is slowing down. We might be able to get a snack.'

Ron's eyes lit up with the mention of a snack and quickly grabbed the books to literally throw them into each person's arms. Harry and Ron who had gained muscles from their constant Quidditch practise had muscles to hold their books. But Hermione who hadn't developed her muscles as they had, suddenly found herself trying to hold about ten heavy volumes. Her biceps shook trying to hold them, until she found herself under her year equivalent of books.

Harry shot Ron a disgusted look, which Ron shyly chose to ignore, and bent down to help Hermione.

'Ron, do you realise how many bruises I'm going to have now, flooing and having books thrown at you isn't really what I had in mind for a morning of fun.' Hermione said, but then started to laugh when she noticed Ron jumping from foot to foot, worried how she would even with him, but even more worried how Harry would deal with him.

'It's fine Ron, but I will hex you if you don't help me pick these books up.' Hermione said. Ron leapt down and started to retrieve them, while Harry helped Hermione up. Ron and Harry took half of Hermione's books while she was left with the few light ones, and they made their way towards the checkout.