Okay, can I just say, WOW! The response to the first chapter for this story was amazing! My inbox has been full of new favourites and follows, thank you all so much for the support! Well, here's the second chapter, I hope you enjoy it just as much as the second. We're not at Hogwarts just yet, I've got some more stuff to set up before we get there, and lots of ideas (don't know if they'll all work out but we'll see I guess) so stay tuned!

As usual, I don't own Harry Potter, obviously...

HPHPHP

CHAPTER TWO: THE LAST CHANCE

Harry didn't open his eyes, even once the world stopped spinning. He felt too nauseas. But Hedwig was pecking his ear, so he did as she suggested and opened his eyes. It was dark, and he wasn't quite sure where he was. He frowned, was he in the cupboard under the stairs? No, that can't be right. the contract said he'd he placed back between the first of August and the first of September. He should have already been given Dudley's second bedroom by now.

Before the panic could really set in, Hedwig smacked him over the head with her wing. Now that she had her hatchling's attention, she directed him towards the wooden door in front of them. Honestly, she knew humans couldn't see in the dark all that well, especially compared to owls, but the door was right there.

'Sorry girl,' Harry said softly. 'I just panicked for a minute there. I'll open the door now. Let's see where we are.'

Upon opening the door, Harry and Hedwig were treated to the view of their small, bare room at Privat Drive. The sun was shining through the open window, dust motes dancing gently in the beams. Harry frowned and turned around, to see that the dark space they had been in before was the old cracked wardrobe.

'Well, that makes sense I guess,' Harry said. 'I wonder what day it is though.' He closed the wardrobe door, and saw the countdown to September first he had made that first time he had lived this life. There was a week left until the Hogwarts Express left from Kings Cross. 'Well, that's handy at least. So girl, what do you want to do?'

Hedwig ran her beak through Harry's hair and flew to the top of the wardrobe where she tucked her head under her wing and fell asleep.

Harry laughed softly, his owl had the right idea, but he couldn't sleep now. No, he had to make sure everything was as it had been Before.

He lifted the lid on his trunk with a frown, he had always hated this old thing Petunia had made him drag down from the attic the first time. It was heavy and old and battered and just looked terrible. He was about to unpack everything and resort it all when he stopped. Why should he have to deal with this old thing again? Surely was a shop in Diagon Alley that would sell trunks and bags and other such things, why not take a trip over there today and outfit himself properly? He figured he could do that blood test thing at Gringotts too, get that out of the way. And he might be able to remeet some other students and make some new contacts this time around. With a nod to himself, he dropped the lid of the trunk shut again and softly let Hedwig where he would be. The beautiful owl hooted sleepily at him before going back to sleep. Harry smiled as he grabbed his money pouch and his wand and left the room.

It wasn't until he reached the kitchen that he found what time it was, thankfully it was still early in the day, just past 8am in fact. Dudley wasn't even up yet, Vernon was finishing his coffee and Petunia was sipping her tea.

'What are you doing here boy?' asked Vernon gruffly, while Petunia just pursed her lips and ignored him.

'I'm getting an early start on my day. Just wanted to let you know I'll be out of the house today.'

'And just where do you think you'll be going?'

'I was thinking of taking a trip back to Dia-I mean London.'

Vernon scuffled to grab his briefcase and keys, there was no way he was going to get roped into taking the boy along with him to work.

'Make your own there and back, otherwise just stay out of your aunt's way or else!' He called as he rushed out the door.

'Like I'd want to be in a car with you anyway.' Harry mumbled as he reached for an apple.

Predictably, Petunia's pointy hands flashed across the table to grab the fruit bowl and drag it towards her.

'Those are for Dudley,' she hissed. 'Not you.'

'Sure,' scoffed Harry, 'If you can actually get him to eat an apple I'll eat my new pointed hat.'

Petunia narrowed her eyes at the slight magic reference. 'Just get out,' she snarled. 'Be back by nightfall or you'll be sleeping outside.'

Harry didn't dignify that with a response and just left. He walked down Private Drive towards the park, where he stuck out his wand arm and summoned the Knight Bus.

One very bumpy ride and seven sickles later, he was standing in front of the brick wall that led to Diagon Alley. Tom, the barkeep, had informed him that he could use his wand to open the Alley as it was passive magic as opposed to active magic like spells and such. When Harry mentioned he was in the market for a new trunk, Tom had directed him to visit Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment. Harry intended to go there after Gringotts.

Upon entering the goblin run bank, Harry joined a short queue and was soon speaking to a goblin about what he wanted to do that day. He was careful to remain polite, after sneering at him when he said he didn't have his key, it seemed Hagrid had kept hold of it this time around as well, the unnamed teller goblin called for another goblin to take him to Griphook's office. Harry smiled to himself, luck was on his side. Sure, in the last timeline he and Griphook had parted ways on not the best of terms, but this time Harry knew how to deal with the goblin and intended to work towards a better relationship.

Griphook's office was hewn from the natural stone of the bank, and after waiting for permission to sit, he treated Harry to a glare.

'Mr Potter, before we proceed, I will need a drop of your blood to confirm you are in fact who you say you are.'

'Of course,' said Harry. 'Makes sense, as I don't have my key on me. Once I prove to you I am who I say I am, would it be possible to get a new key?'

'We'll see,' sneered Griphook as he slid a silver knife across the table. He watched closely as Harry pricked his finger and allowed one drop of his red human blood to fall upon the offered parchment, which indeed announced he was one Harry James Potter. 'Very well, you are who you say. I apologise for the inconvenience Mr Potter, over the last ten years we have had many wizards and even witches claiming to be you in order to try to access your vaults.'

'I understand, and I thank you for being so thorough in your diligence towards your customers.'

'Hmm. Now, you said you wish to procure a new key? Why?'

'It seems that in my ignorance, my key was not returned to me the day I reentered the wizarding world,' Harry explained. 'I'm sure that it was Hagrid's well meaning, though I do not understand why I should not have retained my own vault key. Is there a way to fix this today?'

'There is. It will incur a fee of fifty galleons though.'

'That's fine, please, proceed.'

'Very well. First I will have to remotely destroy your key,' Griphook used a black quill to slash a goblin rune through the blood Harry had supplied to prove his identity earlier. 'Now I will need more of your blood to forge the new key. Try not to misplace this one please Mr Potter.'

'I shall endeavor not to.' Harry said as he sliced his palm as directed and let the blood flow into a small golden bowl. He nodded his thanks to Griphook as the goblin waved his hand and Harry's cut healed. He then watched as the blood was absorbed by the bowl and both melded into a new vault key for him. Thanking Griphook again, he pocketed the new key when it was offered.

'Is there anything else Gringotts can do for you today Mr Potter?'

'Actually yes, there was a couple more things. First, is there way to be able to shop without having to come back here to refill my money pouch? And I would like to do a family test please.'

'We can upgrade your standard withdrawal pouch to one linked directly to your vault for a fee of ten galleons.' Harry nodded his agreement and Griphook took his pouch and added some goblin runes which flashed before fading into the pouch's leather. 'It is done. Now, why do you want to do a family test?'

'Thank you,' Harry said, taking his pouch back and placing it in his pocket. As for the test, well, for one it will show me which vaults I can access and when, correct?' Griphook nodded. 'And it would show if I had any relatives left, which would be nice, though I'm not expecting that of course.'

'It would. Very well then. Cut your hand again, and let the blood flow onto this parchment.' Griphook unrolled a new parchment, this one tinted a pale blue in colour.

After enough blood had fallen, Griphook once again healed Harry's hand and they both watched as a list began to form upon the parchment, along with a family tree.

Harry James Potter
Access to Potter trust vault
Access to the Black trust vault
Access to the Slytherin trust vault
Heir to the Potter family vault, accessible upon adulthood
Heir to the Black family vault, accessible upon adulthood
Heir to the Slytherin family vaults, accessible upon adulthood

Griphook stared at the parchment. Of course he was expecting the Potter and Black vaults, he had been present when the wills were made, but the small boy in front of him was the Heir of Slytherin? How? He quickly traced the family line, starting with the father as the mother had been muggleborn, but he was quickly proven wrong as it seemed that Lily Potter had in fact been a direct descendant of Salazar Slytherin himself, through a long forgotten squib line in fact!

'Mr Potter,' the awestruck goblin said, 'This is incredible indeed. There has not been an heir of the founders seen since centuries ago. Even we goblins do not know what those vaults may contain. I feel I must caution you against spreading this news however, as others will wish to access these vaults and will almost certainly employ dubious methods to do so, including but not limited to forced marriage or kidnapping.'

'I understand, thank you for your concern Griphook,' Harry said with a small bow of his head. Of course he had been expecting this, but he couldn't show that or there would be questions raised that he didn't want to answer. 'What does this mean for me exactly?'

'As the Heir of Slytherin, you own a quarter percentage of Hogwarts, including grounds, and upon adulthood you will have a say in how the school is run, such as staff placements and how funding is allocated to the various departments. You could easily take over the headmastership if you so wished after you turn seventeen, though I would recommend some world experience before doing so.'

'Of course.' Harry agreed.

'It also means that you are probably the single richest wizard in Britain, possibly the world, but we won't know that unless we conduct a full inventory, which we won't be able to do until you're of age I'm afraid.'

'That's fine. But I can still access all three trust vaults now?'

'You can. Do you wish to do so today?'

'I would yes, I came here today intending to withdraw some money from the Potter trust vault, I have some more shopping I wanted to do before school starts up next week, but with the upgrade you did on my pouch today that is no longer needed, but I suppose it will be interesting to see what is in the Slytherin vault. The Black vault can wait for another day though, I don't think I need to see what's in there right now.'

'Indeed it would be interesting to see the contents of the Slytherin vaults, even just the trust vault,' Griphook said wistfully. 'I will summon a goblin to take you to your vault now.'

'Why can't you take me?' Harry asked. 'Are you especially busy right now?'

'I am not. I would love to see the Slytherin vault of course, but I am not your account manager.'

'Who is?'

'That would be Grimjaw, though he is not available today, so you would be escorted by his assistant who would not be allowed to even peek inside the vaults.'

'No offence, but I don't know this Grimjaw. I have never spoken to him, not even the first time I came here. I have only dealt with you before, therefore I trust you and not him. Is it possible for you to be my account manager instead?'

'Mr Potter I would be honoured to be your account manager. If you truly mean this, please sign here. If you don't, then the transfer won't go through and I will be punished for trying to steal the job of another.'

'I mean it.' Harry said as he signed the transfer. There was a flash of golden light, and a new file cabinet appeared in the office which Griphook explained held all of the Potter account information. He would add the Slytherin information as he found it.

The two left the office together and took a cart down to the vaults. They passed the level which held the Potter trust vault, past even the level where Harry knew the Lestrange vault to be, and headed deeper and deeper under the bank until they arrived at the Slytherin trust vault.

Harry gestured for Griphook to enter the vault with him, and the two were the first to step foot in the vault for the first time in centuries.

There was the expected pile of money, which Harry left for the time being. He had enough from the Potter vault afterall. There were a couple of books on a shelf, to which Griphook headed over to. Harry wandered through the vault, taking note of the items inside. Apart from the money and the books, there was a small pedestal with a wooden box on top, a couple of portraits from which the magic had unfortunately faded (the figures depicted were still inside with no way of knowing who they once were), and finally, a small chest of jewellery.

Harry wandered back to Griphook without touching anything. He didn't really have need of anything here at the moment.

'I cannot make sense of the script in these books,' Griphook said as he passed one over to Harry. 'Goblins are able to read all languages, but I cannot make heads or tails of this rubbish.'

'What are you talking about?' frowned Harry. 'It says here in plain English 'A Beginner's Guide to Parslemagic', and this one is titled 'Obscure Magics'. I can read them just fine.'

Griphook gaped at him. 'Of course!' He exclaimed excitedly. 'It's written in Parsle! You're a descendant of Salazar himself! You're a Parsletongue!'

'A what?' Asked Harry, only just remembering that he shouldn't know what that is just yet.

'A Parseltongue. You can speak with serpents.'

'Oh, right. Yeah I can. I found out just a few months ago actually, accidently set a snake on my cousin at the zoo. Long story. So I take it not everyone can talk to snakes?'

'Not just snakes, and no, Parseltongues are rare indeed in our world. Unfortunately in Britain it's seen as Dark magic now, after what that self proclaimed Lord Voldemort did in the last war, but how can a genetic gift be Dark? Wizards I tell you.'

'Wait, what do you mean not just snakes?' Asked Harry. Even in the other life he hadn't known this.

'I mean you can talk to any of serpent descent. Snakes of course, but also other reptiles such as salamanders and lizards, and dragons of course.'

'Dragons?!' Harry exclaimed. 'I can talk to dragons?'

'According to legend, yes, though no one has seen any evidence of that in centuries.'

Harry gaped at the goblin. This was information he could have used in the TwiWiz tournament. Speaking to dragons? It was unbelievable.

Griphook had left the stunned wizard to his thoughts and headed over to the pedestal to open the small box. As he had expected, it contained the signet ring of Salazar Slytherin himself.

'Mr Potter, if you could please put this on, we can conclude our business for the day. I have much parchment work to do as your new account manager, and you said you had some shopping to do as I recall.'

Harry came over and after having the significance of the ring explained to him, placed it upon his finger. It flashed emerald light and resized to fit him, which Griphook explained meant he had been accepted as the rightful heir of Slytherin. No other could now claim access to these vaults. He talked Harry through making it invisible to others and the two left the vault, the books in Harry's money pouch for reading through later.

He bowed farewell to Griphook who left to do his parchmentwork, and headed out of the bank. Checking the time, he was amazed to see that it was only eleven o'clock. Feeling hungry, he hadn't had breakfast afterall, he headed for a teashop he had spotted earlier where he enjoyed a plate of bacon and eggs with toast before beginning his shopping.

Harry easily found the shop Tom had recommended for the purchase of his trunk, Wiseacre's Wizarding Supplies. Aside from trunks, the store also had a large selection of bags, wand holsters, quills and inks, piles of parchments, pretty much everything and more a student at Hogwarts could need. There was even a section of magical camping gear which Harry made a note of to check out after he had selected a trunk and some other things.

He wandered over to the trunks, there were a great many on display here from your basic trunk to ones with special features like the one he remembered Moody being trapped in during his first fourth year.

'Can I help you there young sir?' The shopkeeper asked he came up to Harry.

'Yes please,' Harry replied with a smile. 'I'm after a new trunk, and some other things too. I'm starting Hogwarts in a week.'

'Of course, let's have a look then shall we? Now, this is your basic student trunk,' the man explained as he opened up a plain brown leather trunk. 'It comes in a few colours, with basic locking runes and a wardrobe expansion. This is one of our most popular trunks for new students. In later years, students have upgraded their trunks as their needs change. For example, this one is very popular with Ravenclaws especially as it has the library expansion and can easily hold up to a thousand books.' He showed Harry another trunk, this one also brown leather but with brass studs. When tapped with a wand, one could browse through a rotating shelf. 'Stabilization charms are a given with this model of course, can't have those books falling off the shelves during transport now can we?' The shopkeeper laughed, and Harry grinned at him.

'Definitely not,' he agreed. 'This one seems great, but what else have you got? I'd like to only have to buy the one trunk for my school years you see.'

'Ah, thinking ahead. Rare that I see that in one as young as you. Alright then, let's have a look at some of our other models then.'

In the end, Harry chose a handsome trunk made of dragonhide, (donated hide the shopkeeper reassured him, not poached or from a dead dragon), specifically an Antopodean Opaleye, so it was a lovely pearly white (it would naturally repel both dirt and water so would not stain) with silver studs and clasps. The trunk had a wardrobe expansion and the afore mentioned library expansion (though this model would hold up to two thousand books, not that Harry expected to amass that many texts during his Hogwarts years but you never knew), a small potions lab that would allow him to brew up to three potions at a time, a study corral with desk and slide out chair, as well as a storage compartment for his school supplies.

The storekeeper took his chosen trunk to the counter and began applying the charms and runes Harry had chosen: anti theft, lightweight, shrinking, and hover. Harry continued to browse through the store.

He chose a leather and canvas book bag that had expansion and lightweight charms on it, and a wand holster made of the same dragonhide as his trunk. While looking at the quills on offer he came across a selection of fountain pens and frowned. Hogwarts said he needed quills, but he had never gotten used to writing with a feather. His writing always had splotches of spilt ink and looked like chicken scratch, but when he wrote with a pen back home during the holidays his writing was much more legible. Harry shrugged and chose a large assortment of the fountain pens. He had a pack of traditional quills back at Private Drive if the school insisted he use those, but he planned on using the fountain pens. Harry also got a few eyedroppers to aid with refilling the pens, then moved over to the various inks available. He had the standard black back at Private Drive, but he decided to get some different colours here today: red for reviewing, blue for note taking, green for thoughts, a deep purple because it looked nice, and colour changing for something fun.

Next he moved on to the parchment. Scrolls were also difficult, rolling up all the time when you're trying to write, never laying flat, but here they not only offered those but also loose sheets and even bound notebooks. Harry grinned. He grabbed a few packs of loose paper, enough to see him through a year of homework, and a stack of notebooks, three for each class should be more than enough for the year.

Finally done with his school supplies, he headed over to the camping gear. There was a shabby tent that reminded him of the Weasleys' tent from the World Cup, and a tent that looked like a navy palace made of cloth. Somewhere in the middle of these two extremes, he came across a tent made up of dark green canvas. He entered for a look and found himself in a cheery entrance way with a hook on the wall for coats and a rack on the floor for shoes. This led to a small open hallway with a combined kitchen and dining area off to one side, a lounge area opposite complete with fireplace and enough bookshelves to comfortably hold the Black family library back at Grimmauld Place. There were five closed doors; one led to a bathroom with a shower cubical and a claw footed bathtub, two led to bedrooms, the third door led to a potions lab, and the final door led to an outside area which confused Harry immensely. How could there be an outside inside the tent?

'I see you've found our travelling apprentice's tent,' the shopkeeper said, coming up behind Harry. 'This space is actually outside, don't ask me how the charms work though, I confess I have no idea.'

'It's amazing,' Harry said. 'You said it was a travelling apprentice tent?'

'Indeed. A lot of further education after Hogwarts involves travelling, and it's much cheaper in the long run to have a fully outfitted tent you can set up wherever you need instead of checking into hotels, especially as most apprentices aren't paid that much, if at all.'

'How much would one of these set me back?' Harry asked as they headed back out of the tent together.

The shopkeeper frowned. This young boy was already making a large purchase, especially for a first year, and he seemed to be shopping alone.

'This tent retails for around 350 galleons, though with the purchase you're making today, I would be willing to let it go for 300. Are your parents going to be joining us soon?'

'My parents died when I was younger,' Harry said, he hadn't even thought anyone would blink at him shopping alone, he had forgotten that while he was seventeen in his mind, physically he was only eleven, and it would seem odd for a young boy to be making such large purchases without an adult present. He had to think quickly. 'I live with my aunt and uncle. It's just me today. My uncle is at work, and my Aunt is with my cousin, he's some kind of tummy bug. She said I could come here today to pick up a few last minute things.'

'And a tent such as this is last minute?'

'Well, no, but we do go camping every year,' Harry made up on the spot. 'But we couldn't go this year because the tent got damaged over the winter while in the shed. My cousin and I pooled our pocket money so I could get a new one while out today as a surprise for my aunt and uncle. My parents left me some money to see me through Hogwarts, which is why I want to get good quality stuff to see me through all seven years instead of replacing inferior things each year. The goblins told my aunt something about interest over the years so my money would grow a bit, I didn't really understand it all but she said I had a budget for today and I've been paying attention to it and I'm still within it.'

'Very well,' the shopkeeper said. It was a bit unorthodox, trusting a kid with this much money, but he had made sensible choices and reasoned them out soundly. And afterall, a lot of wizarding families trusted their kids to do their own shopping to one degree or another. 'So I'll ring up this tent as well then?'

Harry chewed on his lip, thinking it over for a moment. He really did want this tent, it would mean he could get away from the Dursleys during the holidays, he and Hedwig could do some travelling and not be locked up, but it was expensive. He knew he could afford it of course, what he was buying today wouldn't put that much of a dent in his Potter trust vault, and besides he had another two trust vaults in addition to the Potter one. Yes, he would get the tent. It was better to be free than locked up and abused at Private Drive.

'Yes please,' he said with a smile. 'I'll get the tent as well.'

After paying the shopkeeper, he packed his new things into the general storage compartment of his new trunk, he would sort it all out later when he returned to Private Drive, and listened as he was told how to shrink and expand the trunk as needed. He thanked the kind man and left the shop with his shrunken trunk in his pocket.

He looked around the Alley, wondering where to go next. It was almost lunch time, so he was thinking about going back to the Leaky for a hot meal before heading home, when he saw a head of familiar bushy hair heading into Flourish and Blots. Harry grinned as he headed over to meet his best friend for the first time, again.

And there we are. Next chapter we get to meet Hermione, and maybe some other familiar faces too. Anyone in particular you want to see?