So, what are you thinking so far? If you could give me your opinion I would be grateful,
I'm trying to work on my writing and my story telling.
Enjoy my beautifuls.
Chapter 5 – Over the wall
Hagrid walked me to the dungeons of the castle. I looked around; it was like something out of a medieval film. He told me that we would floo to the Leaky Cauldron. He knocked on a door which said Potions Master. The long haired professor answered it.
"Sorry to disturb you professor but could we use your floo? Professor Dumbledore has told me his is unusable today." The professor let us in, he was sat behind a desk. Though I stared at the walls, it was dark in here and on the walls sat jars of things in liquid, the room reminded me of the few horror films I had seen over at Hakaans.
"It's like being in Dr Frankenstein's lair." I muttered to myself.
"Without the reanimated mismatched body." I heard from behind me.
"I hope." I spoke louder this time making the potions master smirk. "Ok, so how do we do this?" I looked at Hagrid who stared back at me. "I've never done this, you're going to have to tell me how to do whatever it is that we're doing."
"Oh yes, righ' you throw this 'ere powder in the fire. Make sure to speak clearly your destination name. The Leaky Cauldron. 'ere, I'll go first and you follow." The giant threw powder in the fire making it turn green before stepping in and stating clearly his destination before he disappeared.
"Sure looks perfectly normal. Just traveling across country through green fire. Why not? Next they'll have me on a broomstick cackling." I spoke to myself walking up to the fire. "I've gone mad." I laughed to myself and then shrugged. "But then all the best ones are." I looked up and found the potions master regarding me quietly. I grabbed a fist of powder and threw it into the fireplace. "The Leaky Cauldron."
I had a feeling of spinning fast, you know when you spin so quickly that you get dizzy and fall over, and it's just like this except I'm still spinning when I should be falling over. I landed with a thud on a wooden floor, my knee grazing its self as I hurried to move out of the way. I was glad too as seconds later the fire lit up green and Professor Snape emerged. He held out a hand for me, helping me up.
"Thanks." I looked around and found Hagrid at the bar, he looked pale.
"I just need a pick me up, I 'ate travelin like that."
"I have business in the Alley today Hagrid should I take Miss Potter to the bank?"
"Thant would be mighty good thanks Professor." Hagrid handed the potions master a few things before sitting at the bar, I followed Professor Snape out into a court yard where he tapped a brick three times with his stick, or maybe it was a wand.
"We'll go to the bank and then we will get you your things." He told me as he made his way up the street but I wasn't paying much attention as I looked around. It wasn't busy yet as it was still early but all around there were new sights, smells and sounds to embrace. I ran to keep up with my professor, his black dress thing was billowing around him.
Inside the white building I found an unforgettable sight. "Goblins, they guard the treasure underneath with fierceness. They have dragons in the deepest parts and spells to ward off thieves." I followed the professor to a goblin at a desk. "Miss Potter wishes to make a withdrawal."
The goblin looked down at me. I'm sure I looked like a deer in the head lights . Key? "I have it here." The professor stated handing a key over. In minutes I was in a cart, like in a mine and was darting through the darkness, the professor was sat next to me. I'd never been on a roller coaster before and I assumed it would be like this. I startled myself and held onto the first thing I found, which was the professor's arm.
When we stopped I let go and apologised. He assured me, it was fine before helping me out of the cart. The goblin, Griphook, opened my vault making me gasp. Inside there was a very large stack of gold, a smaller pile of silver and an even smaller heap of bronze. I found chests and boxes at the back and books with all kinds of items scattered around.
"Will I be allowed back another time to look at the books? I don't want to take them out until I know what they are." The professor regarded me closely before calling the goblin back.
"Miss Potter would like an inventory for her vaults."
"Would Miss Potter like one for all her vaults or just this one?"
"I have more than one vault?"
"Oh yes, there's several, some cannot be accessed until you have reached 17."
"Ok so who is my appointee? Who's been in charge of my account?"
"Albus Dumbledore has been in charge but it hasn't been touched except to place valuables from your estates inside so they wouldn't be lost, damaged or stolen there has been no change of amounts."
"Did you say estates?" I looked to my professor, "does this mean I'm not poor? I mean is this good? I don't know the difference between normal and this." His eyes softened slightly.
"Your family is one of the leading families, I know of Potter manor but I also know there are several other properties. Yes even in wizards standards this means you are very well off."
"Well," I sighed, "I'm glad no one told the Dursely's about it. Yes," I spoke to the goblin, "an inventory for all my vaults would be appreciated. Thank you." I turned back to the vault at large in front of me, "If someone had told the Dursley's about this then it would all have been gone. Professor could you help me? How much will I need for my school things?" The professor helped me fill a bag with gold as he explained the currency to me. All the odd numbers were confusing but I'd get it eventually. "One more thing. Griphook? Am I able to change gold to sterling?" He nodded a yes, "-what's the currency difference?"
"Around £8 to a galleon, give or take. We do own Barcleys bank, many who interact with the non-magical world use these now, we can set up up with a muggle style card."
"That is great news thank you." I grabbed four dozen extra galleons for things in the alley with the professors blessing. After another ride back in the cart and thanking Griphook for his patience and after changing some gold into sterling and Griphook again emerging with a file for me to take along with a gold card the size of a credit card, I left the bank with much heavier pockets.
"What do witches use to carry money?" I asked the professor.
"Pouches, we can go to the Magibags shop first, you will need a sturdy bag for school." He took me to the bag makers, inside was filled with bags from tiny matchbox sized all the way to the size of a small car. They didn't just have bags though, things like wand holsters were in numerous supply. I bought a wand holster, the professor said it was easier than putting it in my bag as he'd seen cases of them breaking and being lost. I bought a dragon hide cross body shoulder bag, a shopping bag and a pouch for money. Both the bags and the pouch had extendable and feather charms on them, so more could be placed in them and they wouldn't be heavier. I placed my gold into the pouch before placing the wand holster and the shopping bag tote and pouch in my new school bag.
The professor next took me to buy a cauldron, phials, telescope, quills, ink, parchment and scales. They all went nicely into the shopping bag I'd bought. Hagrid found us then and after making sure we were fine, he said he had to go into Gringotts on Hogwarts business and that he would meet us after. Next was a robe shop, inside I bought my uniform, cloak, shoes, belt, hat and gloves. The professor had to make a stop at the apothecary for ingredients, so while in there I got my supplies as well.
We made a stop in the book shop, I was in heaven. I asked if it was ok to look around before I wondered off. I found a few books that interested me, one on history, one on curses and one on Hogwarts. The professor raised an eyebrow at my selections but didn't say anything.
"Do wizards have fiction books? Or is it all knowledge?" The professor raised an eyebrow at me before looking around and grabbing a book of a low shelf.
"These are the fairy tales of the wizard kind, start there." He said adding it to my pile. I placed these in my back pack. It was still light on my back as was the bag in my hands. Last but not least we found ourselves in Ollivander's.
Mr Ollivander scared me slightly. He tried to look at my scar but I flinched back walking into the professor. Mr Ollivander looked apologetic as he started pulling out wands, he told me to wave each one, but some he would take off me again.
"Wands are a curious business. It's well known that the wand chooses the wizard, or witch in your case, Miss Potter." He pulled out a wand and handed it to me. Out the end spurted a fireworks show. I felt a warmth through my body. I was promptly told that it was 11" and Holly, with a Phoenix feather core.
"It's curious that you are destined for this wand when its brother gave you that scar. I unfortunately sold it but it's clear that you are destined for great things."
"I'd be happy just surviving school." I muttered handing over the fee and leaving. It didn't take as long as I expected, we'd only been here a couple hours and we were almost finished. I still needed to get a trunk otherwise I was finished.
"How am I getting home?" I asked the professor just as Hagrid arrived back.
"I was planning on putting you on a train." Hagrid told me.
"What if the Dursley's still don't want me in their house?" It stumped Hagrid.
"It's ok, I'll stay with Hakaan, I'm sure Ama won't mind.' I smiled at the pair.
'I have had a missive from the headmaster, your guardians will welcome you back until term starts.'
I nodded to myself, well at least it was a roof, "thank you for your help professor, I'll see you in September." The potions professor nodded his head before he made his escape.
Hagrid and I entered the trunk shop, 'All ya' need is that basic one.' Hagrid said looking at the small leather and wooden trunk, but I had seen one in a black and purple that had caught my eye.
'Ah the young lady has an eye for the exquisite I see.' The purple was leather of some kind, with the black being the wood, on the surface was engravings that looked like a dragon and a phoenix. 'This is an apprentices travelling trunk, there's several compartments pertaining to academic, function and pleasure.'
'Can I see it?' I asked, my face alight with wonder and excitement over the new trunk.
'Hari, you don't need one of those.'
'It's an investment Hagrid. You know that, buy well, buy once.' The man said looking hopefully at us, he was obviously keen to make a good sale.
'Can I not look Hagrid?' I asked hopefully.
'You don't need one with so many functions.'
'Fine.' I sighed heading towards the boring ones.
'I need to go get something, I'll not be long. Don't leave here until I'm back.' Hagrid left looking only slightly concerned.
The second he was out I turned to the salesman, 'Well there's no reason why I couldn't look is there?' I smiled at the man who smiled back.
I was shown how to open the first compartment which opened to look like a large wardrobe it was a full walk in wardrobe, much like the Doctors Tardis, it was larger in the inside. There was a whole wall of rails, another of shelves and on the third wall was a complete vanity unit with a stool, a chest of drawers and in the middle of the room was a large comfortable looking a chaise lounge. There were even spaces for jewellery, shoes and bags.
The second compartment was just the normal trunk lid opening but with the hinges on one of the shorter sides, so one had to walk slanted down into the space that was an empty library space, shelves upon shelves of empty cases, some even had locks; in the middle of the space was a large wooden desk and plush chair. 'These here are a new organising and search function, just write the book title and author into this index book and it'll file it for you. You can use the book next to it to find books through subject, genre, author, title or word.' The trunk seller was saying pointing to two books on a podium near the entrance. It sounded like a magical library google search to me.
The next compartment was a storage section that also looked like the walk in wardrobe where there were large deep shelves.
The fourth section opened and they had to descend down a ladder to reach a platform to a very large warehouse sized space that echoed as they spoke. 'What is this used for?'
'Apprentices don't make much in the way of money so they tend to use it as a dwelling, I've sold some with studios, potions rooms, one even had a duelling ring in it. The good thing with these, are that they are pretty much indestructible, are weather proof, even in a flood or fire. They never get heavy, the charms don't allow for jostling of anything inside, if you have a fireplace they are even able to be joined to the floo network, for ease of travel they can be shrunk and will attach to its owners arm through an unbreakable bracelet. Once joined to their owner they can't be lost, it'll appear in your arm.'
'How would I go about setting any of those options up? And how long would it take?'
'I have a leaflet with all the options I can show you when we get top side, but the good thing about this is…' the man trailed off as he walked to another door and it opened to the storage space, it looked like they came through the same door as the one outside. '-all rooms link up to the main one, that one down there will be the library and that one the on that platform is the wardrobe.'
'Ok you sold me on it, I'd like one.'
Twenty minutes and 250 galleons later the man and I had discussed what I wanted out of my trunk and I made sure that I paid for it in full, Mr Bonds had told me that it would be ready in three days and that it would be sent by messenger, with instructions on how to bond with it and use it. Just for good measure I bought myself a normal leather and wooden brown trunk, Hagrid was dead set against me getting one of the better trunks and I couldn't figure out why and so I figured a decoy would be a good idea, though it did have extension, feather light charms and one to shrink and enlarge it.
Hagrid was waiting outside, ready to take me to the last place which was the owl emporium, inside I found a white snowy Owl, she was stunning. Hagrid picked her up and placed her cage on the counter. I started getting my pouch out.
"No, I'll buy 'er for ya Hari."
"You don't need to Hagrid, really."
"It's a belated birthday present. I know I wrecked yer birthday."
"Believe me you livened it up." I looked at the owl as she looked back with large yellow eyes. "Thank you Hagrid, she's beautiful." I bought a folding stand and treats for her before making our way to the leaky cauldron for food.
We spoke about Hogwarts and the houses, he told me that he was a Gryffindor and that my parents were also Gryffindors. Professor Snape was the head of Slytherin and that I'd met all the heads of houses. I was looking forward to looking through my books.
Hagrid placed an envelope in my hand, "-your ticket for the train. Don't lose it and if there's any problems send your owl to me and I'll get you sorted out. See you in September Hari."
I made it back to Privet Drive making use of a train and then a taxi, I got out at the Dursleys. I wondered if I should bother and just go over to Hakaans but no I had to make sure, I made sure my owl wasn't jostled as I walked toward the dreaded white door, the knock made me feel like I was going to my doom. Petunia answered with a gasp followed by a glare.
"Get in here now! I don't want the neighbours to see that." She pointed to the owl. "Here," she passed me an envelope, inside was a bank card with a statement. It held over £100000.
"What's this?"
"Your money," she looked very upset. "-the money that we saved for you all these years so you could pay for school." I looked at the statement, the account had been set up today, so they hadn't saved it, no this was definitely the money that they hadn't spent on me since I was a baby, but why give it to me now? Or should I say who made them give it to me now? And how did they get the money? I know they didn't have this saved, they must have loaned it, or re-mortgaged the house. "From now on, any money we don't spend on you will be going into your account and while you are school, we won't be getting payments for you, only for the summer, so if you could stay at school then, it would be helpful. Upstairs, go on."
I placed the cage on the rickety desk, before I got out the perch and let the owl out, things felt different somehow.
That evening I opened my history of magic book and decided to name my owl Hedwig, she spent the evening flying in and out of my open window while I sorted out my Gringotts and bank files. It seems that I was a very, very rich individual. I had several properties that I could access when I was 17. Potter manor was just one of them. I placed my files into the unbreakable folder Griphook had shown me to in my vault. I activated its anti-theft hex with a password of my choosing before placing it into my trunk.
I had a small wallet so I could put my bank card in there and I placed that and my gold pouch in an inside pocket of my new bag before I placed my head down and fell promptly to sleep.
The next day I explained everything to an astonished Astrid, Ama and Hakaan, the youngest twin was very excited that I could go shopping with her for the first time. I told them the truth about Hogwarts, about magic, even showing them my books.
They didn't believe me at first, that is until Hedwig came flying in through the open kitchen window to say hello and then something arrived two days later which made their minds blow, my trunk.
'Wow, this is… this is…. Wow.' Hakaan was walking around my new dwelling, Mr Bonds had out done himself, inside was a whole home, complete with two bedrooms, up on some of the platforms, one of which opened to be my walk in wardrobe. The living room, which held a working fireplace, large sofas, chairs, and a pool table , was next to the door for the library, the kitchen which had two identical sections had preservation charms on all cupboards, a weekly banishing charm on the bin, the plug holes had instant banishing charms an agumenti charm on both hot and cold taps. A large walk in shower was pride of place down on the main level bathroom, where there was also a large tub, a separate toilet and sink and taking up the main floor was a large 400 metre ring.
'Is that a running track?'
'Yep,'
'A gym, but there's no wires?'
'It runs on magic, that's why.'
'And what's that up there?' Hakaan asked pointing up to the brightest section of the whole place. It was up a staircase right to the top of the space.
'That is my art studio.' He smiled down at me.
'This is excellent, so we need to get you stocked up then don't we." We arrived top side, we walked into the house where he led me to his room, "-and before I forget, here.' Hakaan handed me a package that I knew the shape of instantly. I opened the case to find the most stunning acoustic guitar I'd ever seen. It was finished in a shiny emerald green, with dark red wood accents.
'What...? Why..?'
'I don't actually remember your birthday, but what I do know is that I didn't manage to give you your present, it's late, but Happy Birthday Hari.'
'H this is beautiful. Thank you.'
'There's sheet music, and blank sheets, I expect you to have practised.'
They took me shopping where I bought the most clothes I'd ever had, toiletries and lots of pencils. I bought some fountain pens with a lot of ink and some ball point pens and then I found something called a dip pen, very much like a quill but no feathers were involved. I didn't know if they'd work or not, but I was willing to give it a go. Ama and Astrid helped me open an account with a couple shops so if I needed any clothing items throughout the year I could ask for items to be sent to them and Hedwig could pick it up for me. Hakaan told me he'd found a place that still made parchment books, all handmade. So he placed an order for a couple dozen as a going away present.
Mid-August Ama, Hakaan and Astrid came with me on a trip to London and into Diagon Alley, they made me venture into the brick-a-brack shops there I found a music player that played normal records and a magical projector, which played films, as long as they had the film roll, I planned on putting it in my living room space, or maybe even the gym area. I went a little mad on books in the second hand book shop, and put a lot of the ones from my vault into my bag ready to go into my library, I figured more was better, having access to a personal library was a massive thing to me.
It was Ama that made me think that there was something missing in the curriculum when we were in Florrish and Blotts, '-what about History, Science, Math you know the normal lessons?' The shop keeper in the book shop over heard,
"Yes, there are a few muggleborns who worry about staying incorporated in both magical and muggle worlds, so this was devised," he led us to a section aimed at muggleborns and an owl post muggle school curriculum course. "It's a set fee, you have to be able to do mostly self-study, but I have heard no complaints about the course." It made everyone study English, Math, double Science, Latin and French. But there was also the option of History, geography, German, Spanish, Religious studies and art. I swiftly signed up for a full package paying upfront to take me up to GCSE in all those topics. I figured that this way I had five years to pass them all, hell, I could study the five cores and take a the others a few at a time until I passed her GCSEs. Sorted.