Disclaimer: You know the drill…I do not own the Harry Potter books, they are copyrighted to J. K. Rowling and various publishing, movie and video game producing firms.

Author Note: Yes, I do know that some of this is copied directly from the books and even more of it has been only slightly changed from the canon PoA. I am going to move further away from canon as the story progresses.

Reviews are welcome but not compulsory, this fan fiction will continue without a review quota being reached. Either encouragement or constructive criticism will be answered in my author page; however flames will be read, laughed at and promptly destroyed.

Warning:This is a pre-slash fan fiction, don't like don't read, if you ignore this warning then don't come crying to me.

— Chapter Two ―

Alley Sneak

Hurrying through Diagon Alley with a cap on, trying to avoid the notice of any other shoppers, ignoring everything other then his goal, Gringotts. Harry didn't want anyone to know that he had been to alley after all he was still supposed to be safely tucked away at Privet Drive.

Harry approached the closest free goblin, handed over his key and said, "I wish to make some inquiries about my vault and a withdrawal, please," while studying the wall behind the goblin.

"Griphook," said the goblin, continuing with instructions in gobbledegook. Harry followed the Goblin, through to a reasonably sized office and ushered inside by Griphook who shut the door behind him.

Sitting down, Harry spent the next half hour talking about his finances with the aged goblin, over half of what the magical being said was completely incomprehensible. Talk of investments, dividends, house and item value appreciation, inflation and interest went right over the young Gryffindor's head. At the end the only thing the teenage had managed to absorb was that he had no reason to worry about money ever again.

The vault he had access to currently, was only supposed to support him until he came of age at seventeen. Then he would gain access to the Potter vaults, one strictly for money and the other housed artefacts, books, records and anything else a Potter cared to place there. It seems that more money was deposited into, what the goblin termed as, his trust vault on Halloween every year (as the vault had become active at his parents demise).

After a brief trip down to his vault, Harry exchanged most of the wizarding money to muggle and swiftly left both Gringotts and Diagon Alley behind. He hated that he couldn't linger in the wizarding world, other then trying to avoid anyone learning of his early departure from his relatives tender care, the attention focusing on him when someone recognised him as their icon was disconcerting to a boy who had grown up essentially ignored.

Returning to his hotel, Harry approached the women at the counter again (glad to notice her sporting a guilty look after spotting him) and asked politely if he could extend his booking to September first. It seemed he was in luck as there were few pre-booking, he was allowed to keep the rooms he had grown found of so quickly. He handed over the amount asked for, which included a deposit encase of damages to the rooms.

Harry felt like hitting himself when he saw the women's shock at a boy handing over such a large wad of pounds. He should have asked the goblin's if they had any method of paying more discreetly in the muggle world, as most of their larger transactions usually happened electronically, anyone using cash was remembered vividly. Come to think of it he didn't want to run around Diagon Alley weighed down with coins either.

It took Harry several days to get used to his new strange freedom. Never before had he been able to get up when he wanted or eat whatever he fancied. He could even go wherever he liked, whenever he liked as long as he avoided all other witches and wizards. Harry spent his time exploring muggle London, as the Dursleys had never taking him anywhere he was thoroughly enjoying himself. He had never had anyone spending money on him the way a parent would (not the way the Dursleys indulged Dudley, but the way he imagined Hermione was treated at home), Harry decided to indulge himself.

Buying himself clothing was quite a trial, Harry had never been clothes shopping before, in the end he was happy however. They were first clothes (other then his Hogwarts robes and the two jumpers from Mrs Weasley had given him for Christmas) that actually fit him rather then being for someone four times his size.

He bought himself several muggle toys, including a hand held game console and a laptop which he knew were of no use to him for a majority of the year while at Hogwarts (yes, he had listened to Hermione when she often quoted Hogwarts, A History, thank you very much).

Harry ventured back into Diagon Alley again on the sixth, wearing, what he hoped was a more thorough disguise (he wouldn't do anything permanent with three weeks until school started up again), muggle makeup, hat and sunglasses. He got weird looks from all the purebloods, who obviously had no idea what sunglasses were, but as his forehead was showing without the telltale scar and he was wearing muggle clothing that fit, no one thought to connect him to The-Boy-Who-Lived. Harry was counting on them being complacent; he still didn't want his vacation from Privet Drive to be discovered.

As he wandered down the alley at a leisurely pace eavesdropping on the discussions of the alley's other customers as he passed. He tuned out any of the conversations involving the showing off of purchases some of diners seated under brightly coloured umbrellas outside every cafés were involved in. The more serious topic of the prison escapee he listened to avidly ("personally I won't let the children out alone until he's back in Azkaban"). Now Harry knew why the muggle newscasts never mentioned where Sirius Black escaped from. The Ministry of Magic would never allow the muggle public to be informed that he had escaped from Azkaban, a wizarding prison, as that would involve the discloser of the fact that magic exists. Harry knew that Uncle Vernon would have an aneurism if he knew that a wizard that had been locked away for the murder was at large.

Harry was going to avoid the crowd forming outside the Quality Quidditch Supplies, he was however drawn into the hubbub by the snatches of conversation that he overheard.

"Just come out…prototype…" was one of several excited mutterings.

"It's the fastest broom in the world, isn't it dad?" a squeaky voice asked over the din of rumour swapping and exchanges of opinions.

Finally making it to the front of the crowd, Harry nearly swallowed his tongue…in the display window, mounted on a newly erected podium was the most magnificent broom Harry had ever seen. Next to the broom was a sign:

THE FIREBOLT

This state-of-the-art racing broom sports a streamlined, superfine handle of ash, treated with a diamond-hard polish and hand-numbered with its own registration number. Each individually selected birch twig in the broomtail has been honed to aerodynamic perfection, giving the Firebolt unsurpassable balance and pinpoint precision. The Firebolt has an acceleration of 0-150 miles an hour in ten seconds and incorporates an unbreakable breaking charm. Price on request.

Price on request…the price wasn't really an issue however the sight of that sleek broom certainly tested his resolve to remain inconspicuous. Buying a Firebolt in front of the rabid ever growing crowd would gain Harry in disguise some serious attention, after all everyone would be interested in who would and could pay for an item with such a large price tag.

Obviously very few individuals could afford the broom for the price to be given on request. Harry Potter showing up at Hogwarts with it three weeks later would ensure that at least one person would investigate his summer movements he was too well known and under too much scrutiny for him to be able to keep something like that quiet for long.

Once the news was out, it wouldn't take any one long to make the connection, most witches and wizards may lack logic and be terribly complacent but sadly not all of them were stupid. Heck Malfoy would be complaining to anyone and everyone possible, as I had a broom that outclassed his father's generous donation to the Slytherin Quidditch team.

With one last longing look at the sleek broom, Harry left the Quidditch shop behind and entered the bank with slumped shoulders. Squaring his shoulder's and making an attempt to wipe his face of expression Harry approached a free goblin to ask, "Do you provide any options to make purchases without carrying around large amounts of Galleons or muggle Pounds?"

The Goblin proceeded to list about twenty methods of avoiding carrying money around and outlining the cost, benefits and drawbacks of each method available. Harry picked a card that essentially was Gringotts form of a debit card that could, if he so chose, be used over the internet.

For wizarding purchases, Harry got himself a money pouch crafted from Moke leather. Through ritualistic magic it was bound to Harry only, keyed to both his blood and magic. Even if someone else could find the shrinking pouch, only Harry could touch it without some nasty side effects. A second ritual was performed to bind the pouch to the contents of his vault, Harry had only to think about having a certain amount of Galleons and it was transports from vault to money pouch instantaneously, even through all wards. The two side effects of the ritual were the destruction of the vault's key and vault's door fusing with the surrounding wall to disappear.

Exiting Gringotts, Harry was well pleased, even if several hundred Galleons poorer (hey if he was a goblin he would charge a hefty fee for the lost of a vault for an indefinite period of time).

Drifting back through the alley, Harry decided to purchase his school supplies. To hell with any future repercussions, he could easily concoct a believable story that could deflect any questions over why his magic-phobic relatives allowed him to pick up supplies for a school they despise.

He had been nearly sorted into Slytherin for a reason, a few half truths scattered amongst some necessary lies and he was home free. Harry was no longer fazed by the fact he was crafty and had ambition, by of those were traits were products of his upbringing and quite frankly extremely useful. Hmm, how about his uncle dropping him off during a trip to London for something or other, he had taken such a trip while I with them after all. They had been strangely accommodating when he asked to come along to buy his school supplies, after he had pointed out that other witches or wizards would come around asking questions if he didn't have the supplies (the Dursleys had after all been accommodating when allowing him to leave and they would do anything to avoid making the acquaintance of what they termed as freaks).

He went the apothecary first to replenish his supply of potions ingredients, getting more then asked for amount of each deciding that he would do some brewing before going back to school. Harry would love to wipe the self-satisfied sneer off the Potions Master's face. As his school robes were now several inches two sort he visited Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasions and bought new ones, including three casual ones for the weekends.

He got himself a new bag and trunk as one had become worn and the other would not carry everything he owned anymore. The former had more pockets then its appearance would show, one for each available subject at Hogwarts (he would no long have to scrounge around to find the textbook) and a few extra for stationary supplies and was charmed against wear and feather-light. The later of which had three expanded compartments and was charmed to be pretty much indestructible, feather-light and to shrink and resize on command.

He explored a few other shops, bought himself three more cauldrons (just in case), something that made his telescope obsolete, a perfect, moving model of the galaxy in a large glass ball (ensuring that he would find astronomy homework extremely easy and from what the shop clerk said would be handy for one of his new subjects, Divination too), a wand holster and care kit and a few other odds and ends.

Most importantly of all, he needed to buy his school books. Taking out his book list and consulting it for the first time, Harry now understood why Hagrid had written that The Monster Book of Monsters would come in handy it was the set book for Care of Magical Creatures. He still needed to get the books for his other three electives, Ancient Rune, Arithmancy and Divination.

Harry got a surprise when he looked in the bookshop window. Instead of the usual display of gold-embossed spellbooks the size of paving slabs, there was a large iron cage behind the glass which held about a hundred copies of The Monster Book of Monsters. Obviously the Care of Magical Creatures Professor, Kettleburn, Harry thought, had changed the textbook (if the upper years had to use a biting book for class all the lower years would have heard about it) and just as obviously had not informed the bookstore of how to manage the beasts…umm, books.

Harry changed direction and entered a nearby tanners, he got a funny look from the person manning the store when he asked to buy just over two hundred belts. As Harry entered Flourish and Blotts, the manager came hurrying towards him.

"Hogwarts?" he said abruptly. "Come to get your new books?"

"Not entirely," Harry said.

It seemed that the manager didn't hear him as he said impatiently, "Get out of the way," and brushed Harry aside. He drew on a pair of very thick gloves, picked up a large knobbly walking stick and proceeded towards the door of the Monster Books' cage.

"Hang on," said Harry quickly, "I've already got one of those."

"Have you?" A look of enormous relief spread over the man's face. "Thank heavens for that, I've been bitten five times already this morning-"

A loud noise rent the air two of the Monster Books had had seized a third and were pulling it apart.

"Stop it! Stop it!" cried the manager, poking the walking stick between the bars and knocking the books apart. "I'm never stocking them again, never! Its been bedlam! I thought we'd seen the worst when we brought in two hundred copies of The Invisible Book of Invisibility – cost a fortune and we never did find them in the end…well is there anything else I can do for you with?"

"How about I help you first, Harry approached the cage, shaking off the manager's restraining hands when he tried to stop him. Opening the door and stepping inside, dropping the parcel of belts to the floor just inside the door. Glad that Hagrid's replied to his thank you note, promptly, he knew how to calm the books and had already practiced with his own copy. When he was finally done with binding the last of the books he was ecstatic, due to his Seeker reflexes and dealing with the dragon hatchling Norbert he only had superficial wounds.

Turning to exit the cage with the remaining belts over one shoulder, Harry discovered that a crowd had formed to watch his battle. Glad that his sunglasses and hat had remained on him during the tussle with the vicious Harry waved off the bystanders and re-approached the manager carrying the last of his adversaries.

"Now that that's been sorted, I need to show you how to handle the little blighters." At the bookstore manager's flummoxed nod Harry continued. "Now to open one of them you stoke them." Harry took the belt off and ran two fingers down the books spine, which shuddered, fell open and lay quiet in his hand. "Personally I would keep on stoking the book once its open, I would recommend continuing to stoke it as I have found that the more often you do this the easier the book is to manage. I have had my copy a little under a week and have spent several hours each day calming it and now the book can be trusted to be unbound and not destroy everything in sight (bar a plush toy he had bought it on whim) while its owner is there. Essentially treat it as either pet or prisoner."

"As I have been put out of pocket to buy the belts on your merchandise, care to make a deal?" The Manager nodded again, this time warily. "Here is the receipt for the purchase of the belts, I would like to credit to that amount on any of the books in your store and you can charge anyone who buys one of the Monster Book of Monsters for the cost of the belt to recoup your loses." He was not going to throw money around like water even if he now knew he had more then he could ever use.

The Manager quickly agreed, unsurprising as the deal didn't put him out of pocket at all. Harry got one of the shopping cauldrons and started filling it with books starting with those on his list and picking up any other book that took his fancy. He brought them to the counter (Harry had followed what Hermione would have done if given free rain in a book store) he had picked up quite a lot more books then what his credit covered. Quietly Harry paid the difference and the manager lit up again as he had gotten a large sale from me anyway.

Returning to his hotel rooms, Harry promptly dropped his shopping just inside the door, took off his shoes and hat and exchanged his sunglasses for his new set of non-tinted glasses and ordered up a meal through room service. Polishing off his meal, Harry cleaned up, changed into his sleepwear and drifted into the oblivion of sleep.

AN

Aright, some people have asked if I am going to update soon the brief answer is NO.

There are several reasons for the delay of the posting of the next chapter :-

The original version of the next chapter was lost due to my young cousin poking something into the tower and frying the motherboard and scrambling the hard drive, as my notes for this story were also stored on the computer they too are gone and need to be started again (last time it took me three years to compile them).

Quite frankly once I had gotten a new tower (sorry but eating and paying the bills come first) I re-read the two rather small chapters and realised that there were plot holes forming already forming. After researching and fiddling with the storyline, timelines I rushed to write and post a pair of second rate chapters in a story that despite my hard work would have reached 40 000 words (if that) and then would peatier off as I would not be able to make it contort enough to get it to go where I wanted it to.

I noticed that overall that the quality of the writing wasn't up to par and in fact was riddled with the same problems that I have pointed out to other Fanfiction writers as such,I am ashamed that I ever posted these two chapters and will not change or add to it until I have rewritten the story notes and gone through them to insure that the ideas thatI want to explore will actually work with the canon universe and each other.

All of this will actually be going on the back burner anyway for several personal reasons, my mother has become unwell and until her medication dosage is worked out. As such I am spending all my time looking after her as she is not allowed to lift anything that weighs more then a kilogram currently and is restricted to little movement (trust me ensuring she rests and is taking care of herself is a full time job).