Chapter 8

Wills of Change

'Did you receive any responses, Albus?' Professor McGonagall asked.

'Yes, much to my surprise, many schools responded saying they have had at least one student decline to attend magical school over the last five years. I will be travelling to Ilvermorny in a couple weeks to meet with a Professor Detwiler. He met with a boy five years ago that declined to attend their school. This is the most hope I have had in as long as I can remember.'

'This is encouraging. Though, you must forgive me if I save my celebration until I actually see the boy with my own eyes. Did you learn anything about the boy?'

'I cannot fault you, and no, it was a very general response. That is why I must go meet with this Professor.'

'I greatly anticipate your return, and I wish you luck on your travels.'

'Thank you, Minerva. You will be the first to know of any developments.'

'Ok, that was THE coolest thing ever!' Chelsea said excitedly as they had just returned from their first Disneyland trip together. She had been on cloud nine from the moment she realized they had actually gotten her into the park for free.

'And you're still not gonna tell me how you did it?' She added.

'We told you.' Victor responded.

'I know I know, a magician never reveals his secrets, and if you told me you'd have to kill me. You have to keep taking me now! You know that, right?' She demanded.

'We had no intentions of doing otherwise.' Cody smiled.

'Great! Then I don't care how you're doing it.' She had a huge grin on her own face.

The two weeks had passed and Albus Dumbledore was ready for his chance to investigate whether Harry Potter was still out there somewhere.

'Professor Dumbledore. Welcome to Ilvermorny. I am Professor Grant Detwiler. I do hope you find the accommodations acceptable.'

'Thank you very much, Professor. I do find I always regret the length of time in between my visits, once I arrive. You have a lovely ambiance here.'

'We try. Well, what do you say about getting to the topic at hand?'

'Yes, please tell me about this young man that wasn't interested in receiving a magical education.'

'Well, let me correct you right there. He was definitely interested, that was readily apparent in his curiosity and his well thought out questions. It was the ties to his family and friends that prevented him from leaving them to pursue an education with us.'

'So, he has formed some strong bonds with friends and family, that is good. What else can you tell me? We can start with the basics.'

'His name is Cody Langdon. He lives with his mother. His father has been in prison for bank robbery, and won't be released until Cody is 23.'

'Did you ever notice a scar on his forehead?'

'I never saw a scar. He always had his hair down across his forehead, and a ball cap on top of that.'

'What do you speculate of their financial situation?'

'Well, I wouldn't say that they are anywhere near impoverished, but I don't suspect they are living lives of luxury either.'

'What did you observe about the boy from your conversations?'

'He is a critical thinker with a quick wit. He didn't appear to rush into any decision. His school reports suggest that he, along with two friends, frequently gave his teachers problems with "back talk" and "smart aleck" comments. That was from his report on his primary years, which I had reviewed in preparation for my initial visit. I recently received his reports for the last four years, and it appears that he has improved his in class behavior. Also, his grades have considerably improved. The only change that I note on his records is his participation with the wrestling team. He seems to excel at the sport. It is a one on one grappling type competition.'

'I am vaguely familiar with the ancient sport. It has stood the test of time amongst muggles. What else do you know or feel about the boy?'

'I got the sense that he doesn't trust very quickly. I had to open up to him before he would reciprocate. And even then I don't feel like he was an open book. I would venture to guess that he has a relatively small circle of trust.'

'Very interesting. Did you have any indication to believe he was adopted?'

'No, none at all. I suppose there wasn't any particular resemblance between mother and son, but it also wasn't so different that it would draw suspicion. The relationship between the two was as to be expected, nothing out of the ordinary. His birth documentation shows Jennifer Langdon as his birth mother, I never thought to question.'

'If there was no need for suspicion then none should have been expected. Do you feel that the boy trusts you?'

'I would not be arrogant enough to claim that I have his complete trust. Does he trust me more than other adult authority type figures? Maybe. I feel the best way to describe our relationship would be. . . honest. I feel we both have been fairly open with each other. There has been little "beating around the bush," and he has gone so far as to say he appreciates that approach.'

'Would you be willing to accompany me for an introductory visit? I am under the impression that this will take more than one visit if I am to be successful.'

'Most definitely, and yes I would gladly accompany you. I am intrigued to see how the boy is doing.'

'Very well, when do we leave?'

'We should wait until the evening. It is the best chance of his mother being there, and there is no way you are getting in the door without her home. Also, you are definitely going to want to adjust your attire, this is a very non-magical environment.'

'Can I still wear my hat?'

'I would highly advise against it. Perhaps you could get away with it after we get inside.'

Later that evening there was an unexpected knock at the door of the Langdon's apartment.

'Professor Detwiler, Hi. How are you?' There was a definitive note of surprise in Cody's voice.

'I am doing very well, Cody. How are you?'

'I'm doing fine.'

'That is good to hear. Well, as you can see I brought a friend with me that would like to meet you.' Cody eyed his companion. This friend looked. . . old. He did not seem comfortable in his purple suit and frilly shirt. Throw an eye patch and a pirate hat on him and he would look right at home in the Pirates of the Caribbean landscape at Disneyland.

'How 'bout you both come in. You can introduce him to mom too. Then you don't have to do the whole song and dance twice.'

'That sounds wonderful.'

'Have a seat, I'll go get my mom.'

It wasn't but a few moments before Cody returned with his mother.

'Professor Detwiler, this is a surprise visit. It is good to see you again.' She tried to sound friendly, but couldn't suppress the sliver of suspicion that she felt.

'Thank you, the pleasure is mine. Let me introduce you to my fellow wizard here. This is Professor Albus Dumbledore. He is the Headmaster at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It is located in Great Britain. Albus, this is Jennifer Langdon, and her son Cody.'

'Very nice to meet you.' Jennifer said casually.

'Likewise, Mrs. Langdon and Cody.' Dumbledore smiled inwardly as he got his first good look at Cody. His eyes were clearly his mother's, and he had a fair resemblance to his father, but with his current hair style and sans glasses it wasn't blatantly obvious.

'Albus? Must be a family name.' Cody held a healthy amount of respect, or slight fear, of Professor Detwiler. Professor Dumbledore did not carry that same air of intimidation, so he let out his thoughts a tad more unfiltered than in his previous visits.

'I believe you are correct.' If Dumbledore took offense he didn't show any sign of it.

'Nice to meet you too. Headmaster? Is that what you said? I'm not familiar with the term.'

'Yes, it is an equivalent to your principal.' Professor Detwiler explained.

'Ah, ok, wow. Bringing the big guns out for this one.' Cody let on a teasing smile.

'Yes, yes. You could say that. Professor Dumbledore has quite a bit of information that you might find very interesting, Cody.'

'Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves here. There is something I'd like to confirm before pressing onward. Har— Cody, do you happen to have a scar in the shape of a lightning bolt on your forehead?' Dumbledore asked, he couldn't help but associate the scar with baby Harry.

'Holy sh— Um, how do you know about that?' Cody replied. This guy knew about the scar, that certainly was unexpected.

'May I see it?'

'Um, sure. Wait, can I see yours first?'

'Excuse me?' Now, Dumbledore couldn't hide his confusion.

'Yeah, can I see your magic scar? Before I show you mine. I think it is only fair.'

'I'm not sure what you mean by a magic scar?'

'You know the scar you got when you got your magic. I've realized my scar isn't just a regular scar. It must've been how I got my magic.'

'Well, I do believe it is a magical scar, though I don't know if it is what gave you your magic. That is a rather mysterious topic on the whole. But, in the spirit of fair play, I will show you one of my magical scars. Though I'll have you know each magical scar is different. That lightning bolt shape is probably unique to you.' Dumbledore vanished the sleeves on his left arm, revealing a serpentine scar wrapping up his left biceps.

'Wow. That is gnarly.'

'Yes, a rather nasty curse gave me this one. Now, if you don't mind.' And he gestured towards Cody's head.

Cody removed his hat and pulled back the hair, revealing his famous scar.

'I'll be. It doesn't appear to have changed in the slightest.'

'No, it hasn't changed at all. You've seen it before? What do you know about it?'

'Are you coming to take him away? I knew someone would come someday. It was always too good to be true, it always is.' Jennifer said slightly panicked.

'Mom, stop. I'm not going anywhere. But, why don't you start explaining everything that you know.' Cody reassured his mom, but had a hint of accusation towards Dumbledore.

'That is fair. In regards to your scar, it is a magical wound. They don't heal in the same manner as a routine cut. I believe yours was caused by a very specific curse, and I believe yours to be one of a kind. As far as what else I know, I think it would be best to start at the beginning.

'I knew your parents. They went to school together at Hogwarts, I was their Headmaster as well. Your eyes, they are an exact replica of your mother's. Your father was James Potter, and your mother was Lily Evans. You were born Harry James Potter, July 31, 1980.'

'We've been celebrating the wrong birthday your entire life. I'm sorry Cody.' Jennifer's emotions were all over the place. Cody was glad for his mom's interjection as it gave him a moment to hide his surprise at hearing that name, the same name that had been on those books at Fantasia.

'Mom, I don't think you chose the date, did you? No, ok, so that's not your fault. And it's only been off by six days, that's not that bad. Aaaand, we aren't changing it. That would only make me get my drivers license later, I'm not getting younger if I don't have to. Ok, I got my mom's eyes, new birthday, and my name is Harry. Um, nope, not using that, I'd almost rather have Albus, no offense.'

'None taken.'

'Mom you win in the name department, I'm sticking with Cody. Go on with the story.'

'During the time before your birth there was a dark wizard that was waging war in Britain, trying to take control. There was a prophecy that said the one who had the strength to defeat him would be born at the end of July. He decided that was you. Your family went into hiding, but about a year later on Halloween night, he found your family, and killed your parents. He tried to kill you as well, and here is where I have to speculate since there are no surviving witnesses, but I suspect that your mother performed a magical sacrifice, so that when she was killed, a protection was left on you. I believe he used a curse to kill your mother, then when he tried to use the same curse on you, it did not work. Instead of killing you, it rebounded and hit him instead. It left you that scar, but he was destroyed.'

'You're not kidding, are you?' This sounded like a story Victor would make up, but there was no tone of levity in Dumbledore's voice. He sounded almost sorrowful.

'No, in a way you have been attributed with the destruction of this most dangerous wizard. In Britain, they call you The Boy Who Lived. You are a hero.'

'Holy smokes. I don't know about that hero business, doesn't sound like I actually did much, sounds more like The Wizard of Oz type hero business. So, where do you fit into the story?' Cody was processing information, the books made more sense now.

'I had been fighting on the side of the war with your parents. Word got out that there had been an attack at your house. When we got there, you were the only one alive. And though the dark wizard had been destroyed, there were still plenty of followers at large that likely would've tried to finish the job he started. We took you to your Aunt's house. Your Aunt did not think that she would be able to protect you in case some of those bad wizards were able to locate you there, since she herself did not have magic. She found someone that would anonymously take care of your adoption so there would be no trail to be able to find you. Her plan succeeded. When I went back to check on you, you were gone, with no hope of finding you. Until now. I hoped that the admission books would find you, but I didn't consider the possibility of someone declining the invitation. We have recently had our first rejection in decades at Hogwarts, and that is what instigated me coming here today.'

'That is quite the story, and I guess I have no reason not to believe you. And looks like my Aunt did what she set out to do, I haven't had anyone try to kill me here, well no wizards at least. Do you think there are people out still looking to kill me?'

'The majority, and the worst, of those that would fall into that group were apprehended. There remain some that may be sympathetic to his views, but I find it very unlikely that they would risk anything by trying to hurt you at this point. I think the wizarding world of Britain will be very welcoming toward your return.'

'If I am some big hero, would I be like a celebrity over there?'

'Your story is known in wizarding communities across the world. You will definitely be extra famous in Britain. But we will do everything we can to ensure your privacy and safety.'

'I'm not sure I'm cut out for the life of a celebrity. Having paparazzi track your every move doesn't sound particularly appealing.'

'We don't allow reporters of any kind in our school. In fact the restrictions on who can enter the school grounds make it one of the most secure places in the world.' Dumbledore said proudly.

'If you want me to come back to your school, I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline. I've had conversations about this with Professor Detwiler, and my feelings haven't changed on the subject. I'm very happy here, there's too much for me to leave behind.'

'I understand. I was quite close to your parents, so please forgive me if I still feel a sort of responsibility for your wellbeing. For today, I am glad that I was able to give some history of your parentage. And, now that I have confirmed your identity, I can bring you back some documents that may be of interest to you. I know your parents left a will. It likely includes the avenues for you to secure control of their estate. Would that interest you?'

'A will? An estate?' Cody's interest was piqued.

'Yes, you come from a very noble line of magical families. In fact, you are the last remaining of the Potter line. Which means you are likely left to inherit many properties, and quite a large fortune.'

'How big of a fortune are we talking about?'

'I am not privy to that information. The bank where wizards keep their wealth is controlled by a group of magical creatures called goblins. You would need to meet with them in person to learn the details regarding your accounts and properties.'

'There's no way of having them transfer it here?'

'I don't believe so. I imagine there is much politics involved, but the goblins are nothing if not fair, to the letter of the law. They may be greedy, but they will be honest in regards to your accounts if you meet with them. I can return to England and gather as much information as I can. I can then return it to you in hopes you can have more understanding. Only if that is what you would like of course.'

'What do you think, Mom?'

'It never hurts to gather more information. This certainly is quite the turn of events. As if learning you were a wizard wasn't a big enough shock to the system.'

'Yeah, I agree. We would like to learn more. It would be interesting to read my parents' will.' Cody agreed.

'Very well, I believe I have dropped enough information on you for one evening. I shall take my leave. Can I return in a week with the information I can gather?'

'Yes, that should be fine.' Cody said.

'Wonderful, again it has been a pleasure to be here this evening with you.'

'Yes, Jennifer, Cody, always a pleasure.' Professor Detwiler added.

'It was nice to see you again Professor Detwiler. Professor Dumbledore, it was nice to meet you. I look forward to our next meeting.'

'As do I. Have a pleasant evening.' Dumbledore nodded to the both of them before departing.

Once the two men were gone, Jennifer turned to face her son.

'So, what do you think about everything?'

'Everything? I don't even know where to begin. Well, yes I do. I'm not leaving you, so stop worrying. I can feel it in you. You are scared I'm going to up and follow that guy because he gives me a carrot about being able to track down my family history. I won't, Mom! If there's some sort of inheritance that I can get and help out the family a little, that's great. If there's some life-changing amount of money, which I doubt, then we can reconsider. But we're going to decide together, I'm not just leaving you. You are my family.'

'Thank you, Cody. I think you've learned that I'm insecure about our financial situation. And I've always feared that you would jump at the chance to get out as soon as you had an opportunity.'

'I know Mom, but you have sacrificed so much for me that I would have to be a real jerk to not be grateful. And I know I should probably be really sad about my parents being killed, but how can I feel loss for something that I never really had. The only memory of a mother I have is you. So although it's not a pleasant feeling, I'm not all that broken up about what I learned.'

'Is that the truth, or are you just trying to convince yourself? It's ok, and probably normal, to want to know more about your heritage, and especially your biological parents.' She said soothingly.

'Probably trying to convince myself. Ever since the magic stuff came out I've always wondered, but even that Dumbledore guy said they don't know how people get magic, so why should I go on a big search for information on my parents?'

'Well, it might not be that long of a search if he brings the information to you, and even non-magical adoptees will go to great lengths to learn about their parents. It's just human nature to want to know about where you are from.'

'Ok, fine, I want to know about them. I just don't want it to be used as some bargaining chip to get me to go away to some magical school.'

'That's fair, Cody. Just don't jump to conclusions about people and their motives, but it's also ok to be cautious.'

'Alright, thanks. And you better not tell anyone about that Harry name.' He narrowed his eyes at her, this was already a lost cause.

'Oh, I won't tell anyone, but you can't expect me not to hang it over your hairy head. You just better behave yourself.' She smirked, she knew she would have to save this for something good.

'UGH! Not funny! Great, now you have the ultimate leverage.' He rolled his eyes, while sighing deeply.

'You said it, not me.' She laughed.

Upon his return to Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore summoned one of his long time friends to his office to discuss his trip.

'Albus, how was your visit?'

'Interesting, to say the least.'

'Tell me everything. Is it really him? How is he?' She eagerly responded.

'Minerva, I rarely see you so animated, perhaps we should lose more students. And, yes I am quite certain it is him. He appears to be doing very well, both in mind and body.'

'This is not a matter with which we should jest. But the news is a great relief, I do not know that I can fully describe.'

'I share the sentiment.'

'How much did you tell him?'

'There was not nearly enough time to discuss everything. I summarized the most vital information.'

'Meaning you told him what you wanted him to hear. You know nothing about him and you are already trying to pull strings.' She said while slightly shaking her head.

'I think you would find I was more forthcoming than you give me credit for.'

'Perhaps that is true. Only you would be able to accurately say. Do you anticipate him joining us for the upcoming school year?'

'That is the tricky part. He seems quite content with his current life. He was quite clear that he has no interest in discontinuing his current schooling. My guess is that coming to Britain is even further down his list of desirable locations than Ilvermorny. He didn't even seem to care about his parents dying.'

'That is not very promising for his return. How could he not feel something for his parents?'

'To him, they never were his. His current mother has been the one to take care of him and though they don't appear to have a lavish lifestyle, they seem happy. He doesn't care to upset that. I am going to return in a week to let him read the will of his parents. I think our only hope is that the Potter vaults are grand enough to entice his return. I believe the goblins won't release the contents until he is of age, and if I'm not mistaken, he needs to be fulfilling some political duties in order to have complete access. I don't suppose he will enjoy the proposition, but I believe he will, in the end, find the value; or so I hope.'

'Professor Dumbledore, come in.' Cody said.

'Thank you. How have you been?

'Pretty good, thanks. Have a seat.'

Should we begin with the will, and then answer questions?'

'That seems good to me.' Cody answered.

The Joint Last Will and Testament of

James Fleamont Potter

And Lily Marie Potter

We, James Fleamont Potter and Lily Marie Potter, legal adults, being of competent and sound mind, do hereby declare this to be our last will and testament (hereinafter, "Last Will & Testament") and do hereby revoke any and all wills and codicils heretofore made. We further declare that this Last Will & Testament reflects our personal wishes without any undue influence whatsoever.

At the time of this Last Will & Testament, James Fleamont Potter is married to Lily Marie Potter, and we have one child who is listed as follows:

Harry James Potter born July, 31 1980

We hereby nominate and appoint Minerva McGonagall as Executor/Personal Representative of this Last Will & Testament. Should the aforementioned individual be unavailable, unable or unwilling to serve as Executor/Personal Representative when needed, then we nominate and appoint Albus Dumbledore as the alternate Executor/Personal Representative of this Last Will & Testament. Immediately following my death, the Executor/Personal Representative will be authorized to exercise all provisions of this Last Will & Testament and to use the assets from my estate to make necessary arrangements, without any unnecessary delay, for the payment of personal debts, obligations and funeral expenses.

In the event of our death, then we hereby nominate and appoint Frank and Alice Longbottom, as legal guardians of our children. Should the aforementioned individuals be unavailable, unable or unwilling to serve as legal guardian when needed, then we nominate and appoint Sirius Black as the alternate legal guardian of our children. Should the aforementioned individual be unavailable, unable or unwilling to serve as legal guardian when needed, then we nominate and appoint Albus Dumbledore as the alternate legal guardian of our children.

After payment of all of personal debts, expenses and liabilities, we request and direct that our property be bequeathed as follows:

Peter Pettigrew: 10,000 Galleons

Remus Lupin: 10,000 Galleons

Sirius Black: 10,000 Galleons

Petunia Dursley: 5,000 Galleons

We give, devise and bequeath all of the remaining and residual property we have ownership in at the time of our deaths, whether real property, personal property or both, of whatever kind and wherever situated to Harry James Potter absolutely and entirely. Should Harry James Potter not be living, then we give, devise and bequeath all of the remaining and residual property we have ownership in at the time of our deaths, whether real property, personal property or both, of whatever kind and wherever situated to Remus Lupin absolutely and entirely.

Signed:

James F. Potter / Lily M. Potter

Witnesses:

Sirius Black / Remus Lupin / Albus Dumbledore

'Looks like a whole bunch of legal jargon. Would you like to sum up what is pertinent to us now?' Cody asked after reading the will and handing it to his mom for her perusal.

'It would be my pleasure. The first three points are as you say, legal jargon. The fourth is regarding your legal guardianship, specifically in the magical world. Alice Longbottom is your godmother, and was a very close friend of your mother. Her and her husband are currently in a long term care section of a hospital. They have been in comas for almost fourteen years, as a result of the same war that claimed your parents. Sirius Black, is your godfather, he was wrongly imprisoned 14 years ago. He broke out of prison two years ago, so currently he is on the run as an escaped convict, though actually innocent. There is a story there, but probably not for today's conversation.'

'A father figure in prison. That fits into my life seamlessly.' Cody chuckled, his mom winced.

'I am the third person on that list, and given the circumstances surrounding the others I am your legal guardian in the magical community. I do not wish to come between you and your mother in any shape or form. I only hope to help you navigate the magical world.'

'How come you didn't tell me you are my guardian last time? You obviously knew.'

'Would you have believed me had I made such a claim? I felt it appropriate to let you see the evidence for yourself.'

'That's true, you look a bit more like a crazy old man, at least compared to Professor Detwiler. We thought he was a lawyer the first time he came by, all business like and stuff.'

'He is very well dressed, and your assessment of me probably isn't that far off.' Dumbledore smiled. 'The next section are the people that were bequeathed monies from your parents. The first three are school friends of your father, and the last is your mother's sister, your Aunt. The last section just states that you inherit anything that remains, whether it be money, property, heirloom, etcetera.'

'How much did they leave?' Cody asked curiously.

'I went to the bank to ask that question. Alas, they wouldn't give me a direct answer. Even as your magical guardian they claimed I wasn't authorized to view the contents of the vault without the owner present. The only information that I was able to extract from them was that the value of the vault was well over 100,000 galleons. I was allowed a small withdrawal on your behalf, and whereas you have never seen the magical currency, I thought you might be curious. These are galleons, these are sickles and these here are knuts.'

'I have over 100,000 of these? Are these solid gold? Do you know how much each one is worth in dollars?'

'Yes, these are gold, though they are magically protected against melting down, many have had that idea. I do not know the value in Dollars unfortunately, but one galleon is worth approximately five Pounds in Britain.'

'Mom, do you know the rate between Pounds and Dollars?'

'I don't, but a trip to the bank will solve that. I wouldn't imagine it being much different than one to one, in either direction.'

'I can only offer my perspective, but one could live quite comfortably on that amount in the magical world for some time. That is given ownership of a property, and you most certainly own at least a couple properties.'

'If we are talking about $500,000, then that is a lot of money. Nothing to retire on, but would make life much more comfortable.' Jennifer said.

'That all sounds great, but something in your tone tells me there's more to it than me just walking into the bank and withdrawing the money.' Cody observed.

'Again, you are correct. There is a family vault at a bank in London. You will need to have a discussion with the goblins in person to get all the details, but I will tell you what I know, and then, what I suspect. While you are a minor, under seventeen, you should have complete access to any heirlooms within the vault, which are essentially anything that has mainly sentimental value. You should also have access to a certain amount of money, presumably enough to cover your magical education, and in your case I would imagine a substantial amount for other expenditures.

'After you turn seventeen you will have complete access to the vault, but generally there still are conditions to be met. And this is where I jump into speculation, as I have never personally been involved in a situation like this. My knowledge is strictly from the rumor mill, which would not make it knowledge at all. Your family has a seat on the governing body of Magical Britain, you will likely be required to meet some minimum participation level. I do know that in order to take your seat in that body you must have certain qualifications from a magical institution.'

'All this comes back to me going to magical school, doesn't it? Professor Detwiler already said that it was too late for me to go to Ilvermorny. And, I'm honestly not all that interested in moving to Great Britain.' Cody said, irritated.

'I understand that it doesn't appear to be the most ideal of circumstances, but as the Headmaster at Hogwarts I would be willing to make the process as seamless as possible for you. It definitely wouldn't be easy, I don't want to sugarcoat anything, but I feel that you would be able to make the best of the situation and gain some tremendous experience at the same time. I don't suggest making any kind of final decision now, perhaps a vacation is in order. You could visit London, I can help set up meetings with the bank so you can have all the information before you make a decision.'

'Well, what do you say, Mom? You up for a vacation? I do recall someone telling me, "it never hurts to get more information." '

'Throwing my own words back at me, I see. I could probably get off work in a week. But getting the plane tickets on short notice could be a bigger problem.' Jennifer replied.

'No need for planes, trains or automobiles. I will take care of all your travel and accommodations, as soon as you are ready. I would suggest setting aside four or five days. That way, you can enjoy yourselves a bit while you are there, without being rushed. When will you know what days you will be free?' Dumbledore added.

'I can know by tomorrow evening.' She said.

'That is perfect, I shall send a messenger tomorrow evening with a note. You may write down your dates and return it with the messenger. He is very peaceful, if not eccentric, so no need to worry.' Dumbledore said with a twinkle.

'Alright, that sounds good. Can I ask a favor? I'd rather not be known as Harry Potter while I'm there, I'd like to have a relatively peaceful trip.'

'I don't think we can get away from it when at the bank, but they specialize in confidentiality, so you needn't worry about gossip from them. Anywhere else, we can use your current identity, and I don't suspect anyone will recognize you.'

'Thank you.'

'No, thank you, again, for your hospitality. Until tomorrow.' Dumbledore said with a nod.

With that Dumbledore disapparated away.

'So now what do you think?' Jennifer asked.

'Well, it is a lot of money. I mean, $500,000, you would still have to work, but not nearly as much. And for two or three years of school, it just might be worth it. I can't believe I'm actually considering this now. I don't want to tell Jamal and Victor, but I have to. Oh, man, they are going to be pissed. They'll say they understand, but they'll still be pissed; I would be.'

'Cody, I'm only going to tell you this once, you don't have to do this. You don't have to do anything. We'll go and gather the information. Only then will we decide something. Keep your mind open to all the possibilities, don't just get caught up in the money.' She said rather sternly.

'Ok, I will try to keep an open mind. But I can't help but feel like I'm getting backed into a corner.'

'It only feels that way if you are letting the money make the decision for you. We will survive with or without that extra money. We already know that we can be happy without a lot of money. So we go, have a vacation, and consider the whole situation before we decide. And I'd say you created a good bit of leverage by playing hard to get.'

'I wasn't actively going for that, I truly was resistant to the whole idea. But I have to admit, it does kind of feel good to be recruited.'

The next day Cody caught up with his friends, a little nervous about telling them this bit of news. He knew they wouldn't abandon him, but would they feel like he was abandoning them? He wasn't leaving for good, he had no intentions of actually moving to England. Yet, there was a nagging feeling in his gut that something had changed, and that is what was making him nervous about this upcoming conversation.

'Hey, guys what's up?'

'Just chillin man. What's up with you?'

'Oh, you know, just getting ready to go to London for a few days.' Cody went for a playful tone.

'What are you talking about?'

'Me and my mom are taking a little vacay.'

'That's kinda out of nowhere. How long have you been planning that?'

'Since yesterday. I think my Obi-Wan finally came. Actually, more like Obi-Wan's grandpa, dude was old.'

'Wait! Another wizard came? Is he trying to get you to another magic school? In London?'

'Well, he offered us a free trip to London to check some stuff out. I'm sure he wants me to go to his school, but he's been really polite about everything so far.'

'Of course he's being polite. He's putting on the charm to sway you. He'a giving you the red carpet treatment.' Victor exclaimed.

'So, what changed, or what's different from the other wizard school? Other than being farther away.' Jamal inquired.

'Um, I guess, outside of him giving us a free vacation, he seemed willing to work with me, but mainly the free trip.'

'He made you feel important, didn't he? Told you that you were special, unique. Dang, you're as good as gone, man.' Victor said dejectedly.

'I haven't decided anything yet.' Cody implored.

'Maybe so, but don't lie to yourself, this feels different than before. I still don't want you to leave, but I can't fault you for taking a sweet recruiting trip. But you know who is going to be really pissed?' Jamal added.

'Who?'

'Stephanie.' They both said simultaneously.

'No way! We aren't anything, I mean, we're just friends.'

'Yeah, right. And I'm a 4.0 student.' Victor said sarcastically.

'Seriously, dude, when are you going to pull your head out? You like her, and she likes you.' Jamal said.

'Who are you to talk, you just barely asked Sierra out.' Cody retorted.

'But he actually did. So, now he can talk. You on the other hand, you can kiss some random chick on the beach, but try to get you to ask out Stephanie and you turn into an ice sculpture.' Victor laughed.

'I just don't want to mess up our friendship.'

'Well, someday pretty soon, some other guy is going to ask her out and then you'll realize you missed your chance.' Victor said.

'Do you think Stephanie will actually be more pissed than Chelsea?' Jamal asked tauntingly.

'You are so dead.' Victor said slowly.

'No way, Chelsea won't be that mad. As long as Victor is here she won't care that I'm gone.' Cody retorted.

'Oh, she sure will. If you're taking Disneyland away from her, she's gonna be livid, at least at first. She might get over it, eventually, but she'll definitely smack you around first. I can't wait to see that.' Victor grinned.

'There's not gonna be anything to see. It's just a little trip, then I'll be back. No harm, no foul.' Cody replied.

'We hope so, man. But if this guy really is your Obi-Wan, we need to prepare ourselves. When are you leaving?' Jamal asked.

'Don't know yet, depends on when my mom gets off work. Probably within the week.'

Later that evening, Cody's dinner was interrupted by a bright flash. After they reopened their eyes they found a bright red bird pitched on the table, a note attached.

'This must be Albus' messenger.' Cody observed.

'The bird's name is Fawkes. I'll write down the dates and we can get back to our dinner.' Jennifer said. She reattached the note to Fawkes and told him he was free to return. With a flash he was gone, but not before swiping the half eaten hamburger from Cody's plate.

'Son of a bird. Old man said he was eccentric, I didn't know what that meant, but I didn't think it meant thief.' Cody complained.

'I don't know how familiar you are with magical travel, but this is what we call a portkey. It is used for long distance travel. All we do is grab hold of the portkey and it will take us about half way to London. From there we will procure another portkey to finish the journey, then we will set you up in your hotel for the evening. If you'll bring your luggage over here I'll help you in managing the size.'

With a quick shrinking charm, he pocketed the two, now wallet sized duffle bags. Albus loved the shocked look on the faces of people who were experiencing new magic for the first time.

They gathered together and grabbed a hold of the throw pillow. Then they were swept away. Cody and Jennifer stumbled upon arrival. Dumbledore reached out a hand to steady each of them. The perfume of salt water filled their lungs.

'Portkey travel, it is an acquired taste, you could say.' Dumbledore said.

'Yeah, you could say that again. Wow! Are we on top of the Statue of Liberty?' Cody said awestruck.

'Yes, I believe we are.'

'We are at the torch. I've been to the crown before, but never here. People aren't even allowed up here anymore.' Jennifer noted.

'Then no one shall be looking for us I suppose. When travelling by portkey one must assure not to land in a crowded place. It wouldn't do to land on another individual, could cause quite a stir. This has been a favorite spot of mine for my trans Atlantic voyages. I'm afraid our destination in London close to your hotel will not be so scenic. Enjoy the view here for a few minutes while I prepare our portkey for the next leg of our journey.'

After a few minutes of taking in the scenery, they were ready to head off to London. Another stumble upon landing for both the Langdons, but neither fell to the floor, nor needed a hand for stability. They found themselves in a small dark alley, dank and damp, a dead rat lay rotting in a corner.

'I apologize for the not so pleasant destination, staying out of the public eye is a high priority for us wizards. Which sometimes means travelling amongst the shadows. Our hotel is just around the corner. We can get you settled, then head down to a restaurant for dinner where we can discuss our plans. It is almost eight o'clock, hopefully your bodies can adjust quickly to the time change.'

'We went to bed extra early last night and woke up early as well. Hopefully that will help us in the adjustment.'

They got set up in their hotel, had a nice dinner, and planned to meet the next day at 11:30 for Dumbledore to accompany them to the meeting with the Gringotts goblins at noon. Dumbledore explained about apparition and how he could take them directly from their hotel room to the street where the bank was located. Cody didn't tell him that he was already quite proficient at the art. Dumbledore described Diagon Alley in hopes they wouldn't be too awestruck when they arrived.