Quick chapter update! This one and the one before it are technically one chapter, but it was beginning to get away from me so I split it into two parts. I want to say one other thing before we get started, and that is my portrayal of Dumbledore. I feel like he is one of two ways in most FFs, and most tend to lean towards bashing him and making him out to be the bad guy. This story though, will have Dumbledore as I think he should have been in canon: an powerful wizard, but he still has his faults. He is not intentionally cruel and would do anything to protect his students. But, he is a stretched thin, older man, so therefore a lot gets by him unseen. He will do all he can to right injustice and fight for the little guy though. Sorry this one is a bit shorter, but it finishes up our visit in Diagon Alley.
Remus and Harry, as she insisted on being called, made good time during their shopping visit to Diagon Alley. Harry was slowly getting used to the guidance system and after talking with him about it Remus explained how all magical children visit the same forest and have the same guardian. The message system was something that everyone had as well, and when Harry went to Hogwarts she'd learn even more from them about using it properly and to the fullest extent.
Their first visit was to get her wand from a shop called Ollivander's, who claimed to be in business much longer than Harry thought possible. But then again, magic she supposed?
After trying what felt like a hundred wands, she finally felt the warm glow of what she now knew as magic. She walked out of the shop as the owner of a new 11" holly wood wand with a phoenix feather core, as well as a nice leather wand holster for her arm. Ollivander himself had creeped her out a bit with his whole spiel and in essence compared her to the man who apparently had killed her parents. Remus had promised to explain everything to her later, both he and Mr. Ollivander seemed quite upset about her aunt lying about how her parents had died.
[CONGRATULATIONS USER! KEY ITEM: WAND OBTAINED!]
With her wand safely tucked away, Harry and Remus continued their shopping and headed to the robe shop, Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. Harry saw Remus speak to Madam Malkin while she was being measured by an assistant, and after a quick conversation Harry found herself surrounded by clothes and trying on much more than her standard school uniform. Remus tried to pull out a worn bag of galleons, but Harry insisted to pay from the coins she picked up earlier.
After her clothing situation was sorted, she now had a small wardrobe of regular wizarding wear as well as her school uniform, and they headed to Flourish and Blotts to get her books.
Remus informed Harry he wanted to check something out really quickly at the shop next door, and he would be right back to join her in the bookstore. Harry spent the time wandering the shelves, enjoying the scent of the books. At least bookstores were similar to their muggle counterparts, it was almost like being at her favourite shop in Little Whinging. She had never actually purchased any books from the stores there admittedly, so she was rather looking forward to having books to call her own.
She was thumbing through a book on magical creatures when she heard a disagreement on the other end of the shelves. She turned to see a girl about her age with the bushiest brown hair she had ever seen. She was having a discussion with an older man who was clearly her father. From what Harry could gather, she wanted to buy more books and he was rather exasperated about it.
"Hermione love, I'm pretty sure you have enough books for school. You got all of the ones required for your classes the very first trip, and I think you are running out of ones that are appropriate for you. Not to mention space on your shelves at home."
The little brunette looked dejected for a moment, but finally nodded her head and put the stack of books in her arms down onto the counter.
"I just want to make sure I'm not behind daddy. It's a whole new world and I have so much to learn!" She came back with a hint of stubbornness. She turned her head in defiance and happened to make eye contact with Harry, the latter's eyes widened and tried to pretend she wasn't listening in. The girl, Hermione she supposed, gave her a bright smile.
"Hello! Are you going to Hogwarts soon too?"
Harry realised she was speaking to her and gave her a small nod.
"I'm Hermione Granger, and this is my dad. I got my letter on my birthday last year, but because my birthday is too late for the cut off I had to wait for so long! Do you know what house you want to go to? Are you a muggleborn too? Wait, are you here alone?" The bushy haired girl rapidly fired questions to Harry as she took a few steps closer to her.
Harry blinked a few times. She wasn't used to kids her own age being interested in her. Dudley had made sure that she was the most uninteresting person to hang out with, with his fists to their little bodies. Hermione's father placed his hand on her shoulder gently, and she suddenly looked embarrassed and was about to speak again when Harry cut her off.
"I'm Harry. I just got my letter yesterday, so this is all really new to me. I'm not sure what houses are, or a muggleborn. I assume that means your parents are both not magical? Mine had magic, but I was raised by my muggle relatives. My….uncle is next door. He will be here soon. He's not a muggle though, he's a wizard, a different relative than those who raised me."
_HP&DQ_
Remus had walked to the Apothecary next door to try and use the last of his galleons to purchase enough Wolfsbane potion to last for his next transformation. At least that would give him a safety net for a few months since he just transformed last night. He had the gold stashed for an emergency, and well, this couldn't be a better one.
He was still incredibly worried that the Ministry might try and take Harriet from him if they found out she was with him. He needed to make sure that little part did not come out and there was only one person who could help them - Dumbledore. He would have to reach out to him tonight once Harry and he got back to his small cottage. Dumbledore may be many things, but there is no way he would have let Harry stay with her relatives if he knew what was going on behind closed doors. And if he for some reason won't agree, well they might just have to pop over to the continent and just lay low for a while. Beauxbatons is beautiful in the spring, or so he has heard.
Remus is dismayed upon finding out his entire meagre savings is required for just the week worth of potions. He bites his tongue and purchases it anyway.
[KEY ITEM OBTAINED: WOLFSBANE POTION. DRINK ONE SIP OF THIS POTION EACH NIGHT AT MOONRISE THE WEEK LEADING UP TO A FULL MOON. USES REMAINING: 7]
He stowed it into his key item inventory and walked back next door to join Harry to help her look for her books. He was surprised to see her talking to another young girl that was about her age, and one who seemed much more enthusiastic about the exchange than Harry. He assumed perhaps this might stem from her upbringing and has to push down another swell of rage. Coming up behind Harriet, he places his hand on her shoulder and gives it a soft squeeze.
"Sorry Harry, I am all set now. Have you found all of your books?"
She turns her head and gives him a soft smile and pulls her Hogwarts letter from her key item inventory to look over.
"I kind of got wrapped up in this magical creatures book, I had no idea all of these were real! You know, mixed with the guidance system it is almost like playing a game of Dungeons and Dragons," Harry said to Remus with a thoughtful look.
While Remus looked lost at what Harry had said, Hermione had perked up considerably.
"Do you play D&D? I loved the artwork from it and was ever so excited to see that a lot of the ideas are real!" Next to the energetic girl, her father ran his hand over his face and clutched their one bag tightly in exasperation.
Harry looked down a bit, "No, I haven't played before. I've watched a few games in the library through the study corral windows and flipped through some of the books."
Hermione's eagerness couldn't be damped, "No worries! Perhaps I can teach you! Do you have a phone? Do wizards have phones?" She looked contemplating the thought.
"Ah, uh, alas no. Muggle technology doesn't do so well around magic. You can exchange letters via owl post though, do you have an owl?" Remus responded on Harry's behalf.
After getting things sorted with Hermione and her dad, they agreed to exchange a few letters before 1 Sept and to meet up for the train ride. After their departure, Harry and Remus went back to focusing on her book list for school.
_HP&DQ_
After a long and fulfilling day shopping in Diagon Alley, Remus and Harry ended their day at the Leaky Cauldron. They enjoyed some stew and butterbeer for dinner, and then he escorted her to the apparition point by the Floo arrival area.
"I'm going to assume you have never travelled by wizarding way and so I am going to warn you ahead of time. What we are about to do is called Apparate, and it tends to make one pretty nauseous the first few times you experience it. Keep your eyes closed, and hold on tight okay? It will pass quickly." And with that, Remus grasped her shoulders tightly and she grasped back, and with a POP, they disappeared.
Once they landed, Harry let go of Remus and wobbled a bit. She bent over and took a few deep breaths between her knees, and Remus patted her softly. Once she recovered, she stood up and took a look at her new home.
They were in a lightly wooded area with some mature trees and Harry was pretty sure she could hear running water close by. The cottage itself was older and small, but Harry found it rather quaint with the large stones and scalloped wood. There were flowers in the planters and what looked to be a garden to the right side. It emanated a certain warmth that told both of a loving history and magic.
"When it became clear that my subclass would be an issue after Hogwarts, your mother and father made it their personal mission to make sure that I never needed anything. Your dad actually gifted me this house and the land it sits on, he said no friend of his would ever be homeless from something they couldn't control. I tried to refuse, but your mother wouldn't hear of it."
[WELCOME TO 'THE WOLF DEN' USER! WOULD YOU LIKE TO SET THIS LOCATION AS YOUR HOME ON YOUR MENU MAP?]
With a wide smile, Harry said yes.
_HP&DQ_
Later that night after Harry had fallen asleep rather soundly from the overwhelming day she had, Remus contemplated what to do next by the roaring fire. He had a glass of firewhiskey with him, and he kept replaying the afternoon in his head.
Once they had gotten inside, Remus gave Harry a short tour and showed her the second bedroom (there were two plus the library/office) and where the shared bathroom was. Harry was so excited to have her own room that wasn't a cupboard that she had let slip a few of the unsavoury details from her time at her relatives. Remus nearly crushed the glass in his hands at the thought of his pup being so mistreated, especially by those who were meant to love her. After a thought gathering moment, Remus tossed powder into the fire and watched it glow a vivid green.
"Hogwarts, Headmaster's Office, please."
He popped his head into the fire and saw the recognizable office of one Albus Dumbledore.
"Remus! Long time no see, my friend. Do you have something of importance to discuss?"
"Actually, Albus, are you able to step through to the Den? I know it is a bit late, but we have some things we need to discuss."
Dumbledore's normal twinkle faded for a moment when he heard the seriousness of Remus' request.
"Of course, let me inform Minerva that I am stepping out and I shall come through."
As not to be in the way, Remus pulls himself out of the fireplace and sits back down into his worn and well loved chair.
A few moments later in bright purple robes with sparkling gold stars and moons, Albus Dumbledore (Grand Sorcerer, Headmaster of Hogwarts, and Supreme Mugwump of the Wizengamot) stepped through the fire.
"Please, sit, you're going to want to after you hear what I have to say," Remus gestured to the couch next to him, and to the ready and waiting glass of Firewhiskey. Albus raises an eyebrow at the glass, but sits nonetheless.
"You can imagine my surprise when waking this morning and I could actually remember some details from my transformation…"
_HP&DQ_
After Remus filled Albus in on Harriet's abrupt arrival in his life and the abhorrent attitude of her relatives, the headmaster sat in a contemplative silence for a moment. Remus could feel the magic swelling as Albus grew angry at what he was hearing during the time that he was speaking, and finally the headmaster began to relax and let out a weary sigh.
"I will have to speak to her once she arrives at Hogwarts, to apologise for placing her with her relatives. I had hoped that by keeping her away from her notoriety and fame that she would grow up a normal, adjusted child instead of one who was spoiled and warped by society. I placed her into the home with blood wards to protect her from nefarious wizards or creatures, but never once considered the threat might be on the inside. I suppose when you get to be as old as I am, you tend to forget that the world moves around you at a much faster pace. I will head over to her old residence tonight and remove the wards and head back here to place them over this home instead. I should be able to tweak the Arithmancy enough to make it work…"
Dumbledore trailed off and Remus could see the cogs spinning behind his blue eyes and nodded. Internally, he was glad he called for the older wizard.
"I will personally make sure she stays safe here Remus, you have my word."
