Chapter 3
Good Fortune
Harry's trunk was loaded into the Ministry car with ease and in no time Harry was being driven east, towards London. Travelling along in the Ministry car was almost like travelling on the night bus, except it didn't keep 'popping' off to different places around the country. Traffic jams were no problem, the Ministry car always found itself at the front of the queues and in no time it pulled up outside The Leaky Cauldron.
The driver transfigured Harry's trunk into a smaller version of itself so Harry could carry it around in his pocket until he got to Fred and George's shop.
Harry entered the small, run down looking inn and took the opportunity to sit down and enjoy a nice cold butterbeer. Although it was still early, there wasn't anyone else in the inn. He'd met some really odd characters on his first visits there, including Professor Quirrell whose body had become a host for Voldemort in Harry's first year at Hogwarts.
"'ere, on yer own then 'arry?", said Tom, the landlord.
"I'm meeting some friends later, at 93 Diagon Alley.", Harry said, "A couple of school friends have just opened a joke shop so I'm going to see how they're doing."
"Fred 'n George? They've been in 'ere. Caused quite a ruckus they did!"
"I'd have liked to have seen that! They gave a few Weasley's Wizard Wheezes demonstrations at school last year!"
Harry finished his butterbeer and got up. "It was nice to see you again Tom."
"Have a good day 'arry, and stay clear o' them canary thing's!"
Harry made his way to number 93 Diagon Alley. He'd been looking forward to this all summer, so he could take a look at the investment he made with his Triwizard Tournament winnings. On the way to the Weasley Wizard Wheezes' shop, Harry had a look in Quality Quidditch Supplies to see what the latest broomstick was and to compare it with his own pride and joy, his international standard Firebolt which was a gift from his godfather, Sirius. Harry's eyes opened wide at the sparkling new Firebolt II. It was gleaming behind a glass case right in the middle of the shop. He had to wait a few minutes for the queue to move along so he could take a closer look at this new broom. It made Harry want to jump straight on his broom and fly right around the world, or better still, transform into a Griffin. It was almost a month since he'd had chance to fly properly and was missing it a great deal.
Harry decided that while he was there he'd stock up with a few supplies. He went next door and bought a few rolls of parchment, then he bought some owl treats for Hedwig from Eeylops Owl Emporium. He carried on down Diagon Alley, past Gringott's and past the Magical Menagerie where Hermione bought Crookshanks, and there it was, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.
Harry entered the shop, half expecting something to happen to him as soon as he opened the door, and tread carefully across the floor to the counter through a crowd of people. The shop looked like its business was booming.
"Harry!", Fred shouted, "come into the back, we're just finishing off some improvements for our next batch of Dung Dippers. They're really nasty!"
"mmm ... do I really want to go anywhere near them?", asked Harry, "what do they inflict on their victims then?"
"They turn any liquid into the most smelly and sloppy diarrhoea! George is trying a few on our testers to see what they think of them."
"Err, that's disgusting!"
"Want some?"
"Okay"
Harry pocketed a few of the nasty Dung Dippers and Fred proceeded to show Harry around the shop. The shop was amazing. It was every prankster's dream. Almost every kind of prank and practical joke could be pulled with the items on display in the Weasley's shop ; as well as some items from their patented Skiving Snackbox collection.
Just had Fred finished showing Harry around the shop, George came in through the back entrance with a smile on his face. "Success! You don't want to go out there just yet. Harry ! ", George shouted, "good to see you again. I see Fred's already shown you around the shop. Fred, have you taken Harry upstairs yet?".
"Not yet, I thought I'd leave that to you.", said Fred.
Harry looked between Fred and George with a puzzled look on his face, "what's upstairs?"
George tapped his nose with his finger and said, "it's top secret that is, but, seeing as you're the 'General' of Dumbledore's Army, I suppose it wouldn't do any harm to show you.". Fred and George had big grins on their faces and Harry glanced between the twins again.
Just as Harry was stepping out of the shop and into the back room, the door leading onto Diagon Alley burst open. "Potter!". Harry spun round and gazed, with big eyes and an open mouth, at the dark figure that bellowed his name and was heading towards him. It was Snape.
"Ohh ... dung!", Harry exclaimed, "sorry Professor, I lost track of time."
"Come with me, we have business to attend to Potter.", said Snape, "no time to waste, come on!"
Harry looked up at Fred, then George. They were no longer smiling. Their facial expressions had changed to that of naughty school boys who were made to feel sorry for every single wrong doing in their lives.
Harry lowered his head and followed Snape out the door to leave the shop.
Harry followed Snape back past Gringott's where Snape stopped next to a small building.
"In there", Snape demanded. Harry didn't feel like arguing, he just wanted to get this over with as soon as possible. He didn't know why, but he felt as though he'd let Snape down, but that wasn't the main reason he wanted this to be over and done with, this was about his godfather. He wasn't going to let go of Sirius, even if everyone else was.
Harry opened the door to the small building and stepped inside. There sat a small, young witch behind a desk with a number of quick quotes quills working away in front of her whilst filing her nails.
Snape went up to her, stood for a few seconds without being noticed, then cleared his throat rather loudly. The young witch looked up as though Snape had just crawled from underneath her finger nails and then looked at Harry. "Oh my ... Harry ... I mean ... er ... Mr Potter", she stumbled her words and Harry rolled his eyes. Harry was used to this sort of reaction by now.
Snape coughed again. "Oh, yes, go on inside. You are expected", the young witch said.
Snape led the way into the next room. It was quite a large, comfortable office with a large fireplace on the left hand side and a large desk facing the door on the opposite side of the room in the right hand corner. A rather old wizard in dark blue robes stood up with a warm smile and beckoned Harry and Snape over to two large comfortable looking armchairs in front of the desk.
"Professor," the old wizard said nodding, "good to see you again, and you must be Mr Potter. Please sit down and we will begin."
The old wizard started with what Harry thought might have been a standard speech : "You are here today to bare witness to the reading of the last will and testament of Sirius Black, signed by Sirius Black, witnessed by Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, sealed with the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry seal.". The old wizard looked up at Snape and Harry, then opened the envelope in front of him and removed a tatty looking piece of parchment. He started reading again, "I, Sirius Black, a resident of 12 Grimmauld Place, London, being of sound mind and body, do hereby make, publish and declare this instrument to be my last will and testament, hereby revoking any and all wills and codicils by me at any time heretofore made."
The old wizard looked up at Snape and Harry again, then back down at the parchment and continued reading:
Item One
Debts, Expenses and Duties
I direct my Executor, hereinafter named, to pay all of my debts and any expenses resulting from my funeral, as well as the costs and expenses of the administration of my estate.
Item Two
12 Grimmauld Place
I instruct and empower my Executor to hold 12 Grimmauld Place, and all its contents, for investment, or to sell same, or any portion therof, as my Executor shall in his sole judgement determine to be for the best interest of my estate and the beneficiaries thereof.
Item Three
Gringott's Vault Contents
After payment of all debts, expenses and duties as directed under Item One hereof, I give, devise, and bequeath all the contents of my Gringott's vault and the vault belonging to the Black family to my Executor, hereinafter named.
Item Four
Executor
I appoint as executor of this, my last will and testament, my godson, Harry Potter.
I hereby direct that my said godson shall be entitled by his last will and testament, duly probated, to appoint a successor Executor of my estate.
If, for any reason, my said godson is unable to serve or to continue to serve as Executor, or if he is deceased and shall not have appointed a successor Executor, by virtue of his last will and testament as stated above, then I appoint Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, or its successor or the institution with which it may merge, as successor Executor.
None of the appointees named hereunder, including any appointment made by virtue of the last will and testament of my said godson, shall be required to furnish any bond or security for performance of the respective fiduciary duties required hereunder, notwithstanding any rule of law to the contrary.
The old wizard looked up at Snape and Harry again and Harry asked, "what's all that mean then? Has Sirius just left everything to me?"
"My dear boy," the old wizard said, "Mr Black must have loved you a great deal, for indeed he did leave all his possessions to you. Now, I understand you are not of age until next year, so, on request by Professor Dumbledore, your headmaster, Professor Snape and Molly Weasley, who is waiting for you at 12 Grimmauld Place, will be your legal guardians until you become of age next July."
Harry watched as the old wizard wrote on a piece of parchment. When he had finished, he passed the parchment to Harry to sign, who then passed it to Snape to sign and the parchment folded itself into a paper plane shape ready to be launched. The old wizard got up, walked over to the fireplace and threw some floo powder into the fire saying "Gringott's"; he then threw the paper plane into the fire and sat back down in his chair.
"All the contents of Sirius Black's personal vault at Gringott's and the vault belonging to the Black Family will be transferred over to your own in a moment and I will fill out the necessary transfer of ownership forms for 12 Grimmauld Place and forward them onto yourself within a few days."
Harry was unsure what to think about what just happened. He was happy that he had a house of his own so he wouldn't have to go back to the Dursley's but he wasn't happy about how he had acquired that house.
Snape got up off the armchair and started towards the door, Harry rose and followed Snape, nodding at the old wizard before turning his back to leave.
Back on the street, Snape looked around, then spoke, "Potter, you're to meet Tonks in the Leaky Cauldron at 3 o'clock, understood?"
"Yes sir." Harry replied with a smile on his face.
"Don't be late!"
Harry looked at his watch, it was nearly 12 o'clock so he head straight back to Fred and George's shop. He was happy at the thought of meeting up with Tonks again.
Harry ran right back to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. He made it back in no time.
Harry burst in through the door. "Harry! You're back" said Fred, "I'll get Lee to look after the shop, come through to the back."
Everyone was congregating in the back: George, Lee, Ron, Hermione and Ginny.
"Hi everyone" Harry said as he entered the back room.
Ron came up to Harry and gave him a brotherly hug and a pat on the back, "good to see you mate" he said; Hermione came up to him and gave him a peck on the cheek and smiled and then the room seemed to part like an aisle. Harry smiled and started walking towards Ginny and she ran up to Harry and flung her arms around Harry and gave him a hug and Harry kissed her on her cheek. "Hi Gin" he said, rather surprised at Ginny's enthusiasm.
"Right," said George, "time to show you all what we've been up to. Follow me."
Everyone followed George up the stairs to … "this is 'the lab' where we make our finest products which are not on sale to the general public, Fred."
Fred took over the tour "The products are for use by the Order… and the DA. Harry, when the time comes, we'll be here to help out in any way we can."
"That's right Fred", said George, "there's all sorts of products here which make use of different potions such as the Polyjuice, Veritaserum & Wit Sharpening potions among others."
Fred continued, "we've also got a large selection of portable booby traps and bombs as well as the now famous portable swamp" Fred said with a twinkle in his eye.
"Well, what do you all think?" asked George.
Hermione spoke first, "does Dumbledore know about all this?"
"Of course. He loved the idea and some members of the Order have already picked up a few things." replied George.
Everyone had leisurely wondered around the lab and went back downstairs into the back room suitably impressed.
"Wow, you guys. Mum'll be really impressed with what you've done here" said Ron to his brothers.
"Yeah, we're doing that well, we're gonna have to open up another shop" replied George.
"Yeah, in Hogsmeade!" exclaimed Fred.
"Yeah, we're gonna move all our main operations to Hogsmeade and open up a shop up there as well, to make use of all the Hogwarts students wanting us to take all their money!" exclaimed George.
"That's great" said Ron "when are you moving?"
"The first of September" both twins replied together, "we're coming up on the express for one final journey with you lot!"
Harry suddenly had a thought, "Erm… I hate to break up the family reunion, but I've got to get a few things I need for school."
"Oh, okay, you four go off and get your supplies. Fred and I have a few things to organise before we close today." replied George.
Everyone followed Harry out of the shop and back out onto Diagon Alley.
"Erm… Harry, we haven't had our Hogwarts letter yet with our supply list." said Hermione, and with that four owls swooped down to them, each with a letter bearing the Hogwarts seal. "That's scary, how did you know that was going to happen?" asked Hermione with a worried look.
"I didn't. I just wanted to walk around with you all and have some ice cream at Fortescue's." replied Harry as he picked off his envelope from the school owl, "and now we can do both!"
"Yeah, let's go for some ice cream and read our letters." said Ron.
Everyone set off down the cobbled street towards Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. Ron and Hermione were in front and Harry and Ginny followed.
Harry and Ginny were talking quietly as they ambled along the street and noticed Hermione's hand swinging closer and closer to Ron's, then finally she held it and saw Ron give it an affectionate squeeze. Harry turned to Ginny and asked quietly "hey Gin, what's with them two?"
"Hermione's been spending loads of time with us at the Burrow, even her parents came for a visit for a few days. She and Ron have gotten quite close." replied Ginny, smiling up at Harry. Harry smiled back and suddenly Ginny was holding Harry's hand. Harry didn't mind, it was quite comforting really.
When they got to Fortescue's, they all sat down and Ron ordered "I'll have a chocolate and raspberry with chopped nuts, a caramel sundae, a strawberry and peanut butter and a banana boat please. What you guy's having?" asked Ron looking around everyone.
Everyone looked at each other, Harry replied "I thought you were ordering for us! I'll just have a strawberry sundae.". The others ordered as well.
As they ate, Ron, Hermione and Ginny told Harry what they'd all been up to so far this holiday. Harry wasn't sure about telling them everything that has happened to him, he decided to tell them about apparating to Diagon Alley a couple of weeks ago and the books he bought, but decided to leave out the bit about apparating to Hogwarts and his Animagus training.
Hermione asked "Harry, you've got an anti-apparition ward around your house, how can you apparate from there?"
"Dumbledore is always telling me that I can do anything when I put my mind to it so I just did it," replied Harry. "I was thinking about teaching the top DA members when we got back to school. We're going to have to learn more advanced stuff this year if we're going to get one up on Voldemort. We could even start training before if you like?". Harry was impressed that none of his friends winced when they heard the name Voldemort and smiled.
"What are you smiling at?" asked Ginny.
"Oh, I'm just glad you're all getting used to the name Voldemort, that's all."
"Well, we did manage to survive the attack at the Ministry. I'm sorry about Sirius, Harry." replied Ginny.
"It's okay, I'm… I don't know… I'm missing him." said Harry, downheartedly. "Anyway, Sirius has left me all his things, his Gringott's vault and Grimmauld Place." He picked himself up and said "Which is why I sent you the note about stopping there. Can you all stop? I don't really want to stop there on my own."
"It's okay you don't have to stay there on your own," replied Ron, "Mum said it's okay… only… she said she'll be stopping with us for a little while although she'll probably end up going back to the Burrow."
"Great ! "
They all finished their ice creams, including Ron.
"Right," said Hermione, "what have we got to get for school?". She looked at her Hogwarts letter. "Our O.W.L. results are in here as well!" she exclaimed.
"Oh," said Ron, "I forgot about them," he said down heartedly.
"Cheer up Ron, you'll have passed," said Harry, now opening his envelope.
"Well, I've got all O's except for Potion's and Astronomy, I've got E's for them," Hermione said looking at her O.W.L. results showing no emotion. She obviously expected those results. She then looked at the book list, "There's not much on the list!"
"I've got an O in DADA, E's in Charms, Transfiguration and Potion's? How the hell did I get an E in Potions'?" he asked no one in particular, he shook his head and carried on, "erm, an A in Herbology and Magical Creature's and D's in Astronomy, History and Divination." Harry said.
"That's not too bad Harry, not considering what we had to go through last year," said Hermione, "what about you?"
"Erm," said Ron, "about the same," said Ron quickly.
Hermione gave Ron a funny look and then his sister saved him. "Oh, I've made Prefect!" exclaimed Ginny taking her badge out of her envelope.
"Well done Ginny, I didn't think for a minute you wouldn't get it. Well, let's get going," Harry said looking at his watch, "we have to be at the Leaky Cauldron for 3 o'clock, to meet Tonks."
"Tonks?" asked Ginny.
"Yeah, she's taking us to Grimmauld Place." replied Harry.
"Oh." Ginny said simply.
"Let's get going." Harry said starting off towards Madam Malkin's for some new robes.
They all entered Madam Malkin's Robes For All Occasions and Ron & Ginny went straight up to the second hand rack. "What are you two up to?" asked Harry.
"We're getting our robes!" exclaimed Ron.
"Not from there you're not!" exclaimed Harry back. "Go and choose some new one's, I'll buy them and Hermione, I'll buy yours as well. My treat."
"Harry, you don't have to do that." said Ginny.
"I know, but I should be able to buy gifts for the people I care about." Harry replied.
Ginny reached up on her tip toes and kissed Harry lightly on the lips, "Thank you Harry." she said.
Harry watched Ron, Ginny and Hermione pick up their new school robes and dress robes with a smile on his face; Harry walked up to the back of the shop where the 'special' robes were and picked out a few new robes, one deep black, one emerald green to match his eyes and one orangey yellow colour, all with a silky appearance, and went up to the counter to pay for all the new robes.
Next stop was Flourish & Blott's to pick up their school books and then to the stationary shop next door to stock up on supplies. Harry quickly picked up some treats from Eeylops for Hedwig and they all made their way back to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes to say goodbye to everyone.
They all arrived at the Leaky Cauldron with a few minutes to spare, all with their trunks nicely transfigured to fit in their pockets, courtesy of Fred & George. They found an empty table and sat down to wait for Tonks.
Tonks arrived shortly after and went straight up to Harry and affectionately rubbed Harry's shoulders and kissed the top of his head. Harry noticed that Ginny wasn't impressed.
"Right, are you all set then? Your mum is waiting for you." Tonks said, turning to Ron and Ginny smiling.
They finished their drinks and approached the fireplace. Tonks threw some floo powder into the fire and Ginny rushed in, said "12 Grimmauld Place" and disappeared. Ron and Hermione looked at each other and Ron said "I think something's wrong with Ginny, I'll go next" and with that Ron quickly threw in some floo powder and also disappeared, Hermione followed straight after Ron leaving Harry and Tonks together.
"I don't think your friends are happy to see me." Tonks said to Harry downheartedly.
"I didn't tell them about us. I think Ginny is upset." replied Harry.
"Oh… well… I wanted to talk to you about that. You'll be going back to school soon so I won't be able to see you, especially with my job as well." Tonks looked down to her feet.
Harry hugged her, "I appreciate everything you did for me, I'll always remember that. Promise me you'll keep in touch?"
"I promise" Tonks said, hugging Harry back. She stepped back from Harry with a single tear in her eye and gestured Harry towards the fire. Harry threw the floo powder into the fire, stepped in, said "12 Grimmauld Place" and disappeared.