Chapter Fifteen: The Boy-Who-Lived Returns Pt. II
November 7th, 1984 | Gringotts Bank, Diagon Alley, London
Once Harry and his group exited Gringotts Bank, Harry pulled out a brand new golden card and a brand new key. He stepped up to Joyce, who was admiring Diagon Alley once again. He handed out the card and key. When she carefully took them, she wore a questioning expression. "I set up the Potter Trust Vault for you. It's yours. Feel free to spend whatever you like," Joyce appeared ready to reject the offer when Harry cut her off. "It's already done, Joyce. Besides, I feel like you're going to need it sooner than you realize," With a wide grin, Harry left the group. Everyone had taken a bag full of Galleons filled to the brim - with Harry's permission of course - and were now on their way to explore the shops. Johnathan and Nancy had gone off to the ice cream shop. Will and Joyce had gone to the Quidditch store. And Hopper and El had gone to the pet shop where owls and cats were present.
But Harry had business to attend to her. He would visit all of those stores soon. But first, he needed a wand. It was required for the Tournament, and to not have one was an offense against the contract. So Harry entered Ollivander's shop for the first time since he was eleven, and he found the older man in the back of the shop, shuffling through boxes of wands. As soon as the bell rang, the old wizard jumped and began to move back into the main room. He then stopped, his gaze falling and staying on Harry. Then Ollivander smiled. "Mr. Potter. I'm afraid you're three years late,"
"I was busy," Harry shrugged with a matching smile. "Saving the world and all that,"
"Yes. Yes. Of course. The world is in dire need of saving nowadays," Ollivander stated. He had begun to pile a dozen wand boxes onto the counter. Harry stepped forward, grabbing the first one offered to him by the old wizard. And so the process began. Harry waved wands for almost an hour before they got around to his old wand. It had never paired to anyone else. And once again, bright yellow light and a kick of wind announced that this wand was his. Ollivander clapped his hands together with a wide smile. But Harry wasn't done. "If you don't mind, I was hoping for a staff. Perhaps built to place the wand inside? I'm not too fond of wand-waving," Harry explained.
"A staff? Well, you're not the first to request such a weapon, but I must say from someone so young..." Ollivander nodded his head. "It would be possible to get you one in the next few nights. Is there anything specific you wished to add to your staff?" Harry removed a small piece of paper that he had stored in his coat, and handed it to the man. It was covered in a diagram of a wooden staff. It was custom-made by Harry of course, and it was designed to function however he needed it to. At the tip of the staff was a glass sphere intended to be filled with runic stones. And the top of the sphere would be cut out, ensuring that Harry's phoenix feather wand could fit nicely inside. Ollivander stared at the paper for a long time, before letting out a small chuckle.
"Yes...yes. I knew you would be a peculiar case, Mr. Potter. I must say, this staff is beautiful, but I don't have the materials for this," Ollivander spoke.
"That's completely fine. I'm having the materials shipped to you later today," A favor between himself and the goblins.
"Well...that's wonderful. I will get started as soon as the materials arrive," Harry expected nothing less, and paid eleven galleons for his wand and a special sleeve holster. It made life easier, being able to grab your wand with the flick of your grasp. He left the shop with a few new agendas. He needed a new trunk, a new set of books that he couldn't order online, his cauldron and apothecary set, a new broom - even though he didn't need it to fly -, and a few other things he could only get here in the Alley. He knew the others were occupied in their respective shops, and so Harry knew he had time. So he started by going to the trunk store. His first instinct was to get the same type he had gotten before, but he knew the new trunk would be filled to the brim with new items. So Harry decided to go bigger. His new trunk had five different enlarged sections. One for books, potions, parchment & ink, personal items, and clothing.
He started filling it with each store. He filled the potions compartment with his apothecary set, his new cauldron, and a crate full of pre-brewed potions that he could use on the fly. Then he bought parchment & ink to fill that space. And then he traveled to Flourish and Blotts, where he got the entire curriculum of Hogwarts and a few dozen other books that he used to fill his library. Harry proceeded to stop by Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. He bought several robes for walking around the Alley, a set of dress robes for the inevitable Yule Ball, and when he stopped at the front desk to pay, he requested something unexpected from Madam Malkin. He requested a full set of dragonhide armor. Something unheard of. Mostly because no one could afford it without putting a large dent in their bank account. Besides, he would make what he spent today back in the next few years through the investments his family had made in the past.
Madam Malkin had the entire set in stock gathering dust in the back of her shop, but she dusted it off and handed it to Harry after he paid the hefty sum of galleons it cost to acquire it. And after buying a Firebolt and a broom cleaning kit, Harry met the group within the Eeylops Owl Emporium. They were all gathered around a bright white snow owl. El was petting the owl's head affectionately, while Hopper examined it suspiciously. Harry, however, wasn't focused on them. He was focused on the owl. On the patters on its back. The black eyes seemed all too familiar. It was her. How had no one bought such a magnificent owl in the years he had missed? "Hedwig," Harry whispered. They heard him, and everyone turned.
"Hedwig?" Will asked.
"My familiar. From before," Harry replied.
"Pet," Nancy clarified for Will, who didn't know the word familiar in regards to animals.
Harry took a step forward, gently caressing the owl's fur as she leaned into his touch. "Hey, girl. I've missed you," He had truly missed her. She had been his second true friend after Hagrid. And the only friend he saw during his time at the Dursley's. She had pushed him through those hard times, providing Harry a sense of companionship that he so desperately had needed. "How much for the owl?" Harry asked gently.
"Ten galleons," The shop owner replied.
"Do you guys want any of them?" Harry motioned to the variety of owls around the shop. By the time they left Diagon Alley, the group was carrying several cases that each contained an animal. Harry was carrying Hedwig's cage. Both El and Nancy had gotten Kneazles, with El's being a black-furred male with a white abdomen and whiskers. And Nancy's was a sandy-colored female with white whiskers and a grey underbelly. El had named hers 'Frosty', while Nancy had named hers 'Delphi'. Will was carrying his case with a rate orange-colored Runespoor imported from America. Harry was unsure if he could still talk to the snake, but he didn't want to try it in front of everyone. That wouldn't be fun explaining.
November 10th, 1984
When Harry's staff arrived, he was forced to admit that Ollivander was a genius. The wood was crafted perfectly, the scale was exactly how Harry had envisioned, and the runestones were drawn spectacularly and placed within the sphere. His holly wand fit perfectly into the top of the staff, which was great. He had planned it specifically for that. He had ordered an extra case of wands from Ollivander as well, testing out several by himself before reaching the end of the case. Two of the wands reacted positively, leading Harry to use them as his second and third wands. The second wand was constructed out of Pinewood and a Dragon Heartstring, was 13" long and was 'pleasantly' springy. And the third wand was made of black-died mahogany wood, and the core was made of imported White River Monster spine. It was 12" long and was slightly bendy. An odd change from his other wand.
Harry was ready for the Tournament. And he would do whatever it took to ensure that Cedric never reached that cup. When the time came, Harry would kill Voldemort, capture Pettigrew and Crouch Jr, and free Sirius once and for all. It was his newest mission. And Harry would do whatever it took to correct the mistakes he had made the last time around. But for now, he had seven months to prepare for the third task. Until then, he would focus on other tasks that had been laid out for him for months. The P.D.R and the Dyson Sphere. The error margin of the Planetary Defense Ring had dropped from 19% to 16% in the few days he had been working on it, which was a definite plus. But at the moment, he was focused on the Dyson Sphere. There wasn't a way to transmit energy directly from the mirrors around the Sun to the Solar Arrays waiting on Mercury. Not without breaking the laws of physics and wizarding law.
"How long are you going to be gone?" Hopper asked, taking a seat next to Harry at his workstation. The large metal desk had been added to Harry's room in Hopper's Cabin a few days before. He had been using it only during the night, using the day to spend time with Hopper, El, Nancy, and the Byers. He hadn't seen much of the other kids or Steve, but he wasn't surprised. They were still in school after all, and it would be difficult to come out into the forest every day just to visit. Harry wasn't concerned. He would see them all eventually.
"Normally I would go to announce my participation and come back. I don't need to be at the school until the tasks. But Hogwarts' library is vast, and I could try to find a way to access the Restricted Section. I'm sure there are a lot of answers to my questions in there. So I'll likely not be back until Christmas Break. So between the 16th of December and January 1st. But I'll stick around past that. I don't need to be there the entire year," Harry replied.
"Cool...and I'm assuming you've got everything ready?"
"Yup. I've got my staff, my spare wands, my mirror's set, and I've got my books, potions, and broom in the trunk. All I need is the Invisibility Cloak and the Marauder's Map," Harry explained.
"Good. Just don't do anything stupid," Hopper warned.
"Me? Never. I'm more worried about you guys," Harry confessed. "But we'll all be fine. I'll be there. El will be here. Everyone's in capable hands,"
"And the gate's closed,"
"That too," Harry grinned.
November 11th, 1984
In the late morning of November 11th, Harry was finally ready to go to Hogwarts. He had been putting it off for several hours but decided that he should just get it over with. Rip the bandage off, as they say. So there he was in the living room of Hopper's Cabin, surrounded by everyone. Hopper, Eleven, Joyce, Will, Johnathan, Nancy, Steve, Mike, Dustin, Lucas, and Max were all there to see him off. And while it wasn't Platform 9 3/4, Harry felt an odd sense of deja vu creep over him. Yet he had never had anyone but the Weasleys be there to see him and Ron off on the train. No one that he would call his family had ever been alive to see him go. Not even Sirius, who had left the train station early in fear of getting caught.
"So. You'll be back on December 16th?" Nancy asked.
"At the earliest. I'm trying to work my schedule around the school. But if something comes up I may not be back until after that," Harry replied.
Joyce frowned. "And when are the tasks?"
"The First Task is on the 24th. The Second Task is on February 24th, and the Third Task is on July 24th," Harry explained.
"Can we come to those?" Mike asked.
"I don't see why not. Those bracelets let you through any anti-no-maj wards constructed anywhere. So you should be allowed to enter and see the Tournament uninhibited. But I'll have to ask Dumbledore," Harry answered.
"Are they dangerous?" Dustin questioned.
"Not really. For the past me? Yes. But for me now? Not at all. The First Task is quite easy, the Second Task will be a bit more challenging, but the Third Task will be the easiest. I've been planning for that one,"
"Isn't that cheating?" Lucas asked.
"Not at all. Not when it comes to the fate of the wizarding world," Harry replied. He had explained everything to them. How Voldemort used the Third Task to come back to life, kicking off the Second Wizarding War. It all started with Cedric's death and Harry's capture. But he wouldn't let those things happen this time. Harry would be prepared, and when the time was right he would strike. "But I need to get going. It's around lunchtime there. I need to talk with Dumbledore first before I settle in and get started on my research,"
"Right," Hopper spoke. He stepped forward, pulling Harry into a hug that was quickly returned. When Hopper stepped back, Joyce pulled him into her own hug. When she pulled away, a worried smile spread across her face. "Be careful,"
"I will," He was pulled into another hug by Nancy, followed by handshakes with Johnathan, Steve, and the kids. Then it was down to Eleven. She pulled him into a bear-hug that Hermione would be proud of. It last for several moments until she whispered into his ear.
"Keep your promise,"
"I will. Don't worry," Harry smiled, backing away. And after grabbing his staff and trunk, Harry was whisked away from Hopper's Cabin in a swirl of black and dust only to reappear at the front gates of Hogwarts. There, he was different. Mid-transit, Harry had changed with the wave of his hand. He was now completely covered in his dragonhide armor. A black cloth had been tied around his mouth, and his goggles were pulled on to cover his eyes. When Harry finally set down on land by the front gates, he was met by Argus Filch and Rubeus Hagrid.
"Yer 'Arry Potter?" Harry questioned, examining Harry with a large frown.
"I am. I'm expected for the Tournament," Harry replied.
"Right. Follow me," Filch and Hagrid were exactly how Harry remembered. He followed them into the castle's Entrance Hall, before coming to a stop beside the open doors of the Great Hall. Harry didn't wait for instructions. He stepped into the Great Hall, unwilling to stop and take in his surroundings. Harry had seen the hall a million times before. And he didn't want to focus on those within it at the moment. He was on a mission to speak with Dumbledore. Once he was done with that task, then he could focus on his past. But for right now, he was busy reaching the Head Table. There, Albus Dumbledore stood to greet him. "Albus Dumbledore. It's a pleasure to meet you at last. I'm Harry Potter,"
"Truly?"
"Of course. I was hoping to talk with you up in your office. Feel free to bring the Head of Houses as well. I'm sure they would love to hear what I have to say," Harry explained. Dumbledore exchanged a look with Professor McGonagall and allowed himself to be led out of the Great Hall. When they reached Dumbledore's office, everyone took a seat. Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Filius Flitwick, Severus Snape, and Pomona Sprout were all present. And it was only then that Harry allowed himself to remove his face-coverings. He peeled off the goggles and removed the black cloth from his mouth, revealing himself to them. "Hello,"
"You really are him?" McGonagall asked. Harry pulled off his right glove, revealing the three Potter rings on his pointer, middle, and ring finger. The third had come in the night before. She gasped. "Three rings? But they're the same,"
"A legal loophole that allowed me to claim three titles," Harry shrugged.
"I see. How are you?" asked Professor McGonagall.
"I've been doing well. Studying. Learning. But I was quite surprised when I received the letter stating my entry into the Triwizard. What exactly happened?" Harry questioned.
"You know what happened, Potter," Snape sneered.
"I actually don't know what happened, Snape. This is why I asked,"
"The Goblet of Fire malfunction on the night of October 31st. While selecting the three champions of the Triwizard Tournament, your name was selected as a fourth. Unfortunately, due to the magical contract binding both you and the Goblet, you will have to compete," Dumbledore seemed anxious. As if questioning whether or not Harry was capable. The man had obviously noted the dragonhide armor but had pushed that aside. Harry knew none of them knew his skillsets. In time, they would soon learn just what he was capable of.
"That's fine. I've already discussed the contract with Madam President Hatch of MACUSA. I'm not worried about it. I just wanted to know where I was staying, and if anything was required of me while I stayed here," Harry explained.
"Of course. Of course. You'll be staying in one of the spare teacher's courters on the seventh floor. As for anything required, there is of course the Three Tasks. However, we will be having a surprise Yule Ball in December. All -"
"Yes, and the champions are to attend. I am aware," Harry cut off. Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. Harry didn't bother to clarify how he had discovered this 'secret' and instead got to his feet. "I would like to request access to your library's Restricted Sections. I am working on a project for my work, and I am in need of a magical theory I can't find in normal bookstores,"
"And what is this project?" questioned Flitwick.
"I'm building a sphere of energy that can surround the planet in order to protect humanity from outside destruction. But I can't find a way to strengthen the energy bonds enough to receive clear results. I was hoping that perhaps magic could help boost my progress," Harry answered.
"You work with muggles?" Snape asked.
"No-Maj. And yes, I do. I've worked with them for several months now. We've done quite a lot for the world," Harry spoke.
Pomona Sprout raised an eyebrow. "Such as?"
"I've constructed many cures for no-maj diseases. I've created new forms of technology that are beyond anything anyone has seen. And as I've said, I'm working to protect the entire world from meteorite destruction. So. The restricted section?" Harry turned back to Professor Dumbledore, who was examining him with interest. Harry kept his face emotionless, trying his best not to reveal anything. The Headmaster soon smiled and gave him an affirmative nod. Harry too smiled and left the Headmaster's office with purpose. His goggles returned over his eyes and the black cloth re-tied itself around his mouth. Harry entered the library of Hogwarts, heading straight for the Restricted Section. No-one stopped him. They wouldn't be able to if they tried. And after setting up his portable workstation in the corner of the Restricted Section, Harry got to work on his projects.
