An Adventure Begins

The Dursley family pulled into King's Cross Station with 5 minutes to spare. Harry and Dudley had wanted to make sure that they and Hermione could get a compartment together, but now they were just worried with making it to the train at all. Unfortunately, neither boy wanted to be the first one to risk crashing into a brick wall if they were wrong about the specific pillar they were supposed to use. They were rescued when Hermione came back out of the portal, looking for them, and the three friends went through together.

The group took one of the empty compartment towards the back of the train and waited for it to depart. Harry and Hermione intended to practice a few simple spells that didn't seem like they could be dangerous before they arrived at the school. It had been the hardest month of their lives, able to hold their wands but not use them. Ten minutes after the train left, they both had pages of parchment floating around at the direction of their wands, though both of them had trouble keeping them aloft.

It was a few more minutes before Dudley managed to get a quill to wobble unsteadily into the air. It fell down in seconds, and Dudley was disappointed until Hermione confided that she didn't feel like she could cast the spell again if she tried. It had tired her out in some way that felt odd, which reminded Dudley of his feeling when he and Harry and been figuring out how to feel their wands. Magic felt like a muscle, one that Dudley hadn't known he had even had until the day he picked up his wand; and muscles need to be exercised to get stronger.

Harry had opted to use his redwood wand after a month of testing each one. Whenever he picked up the holly wand he felt a rush of magical power, more than he felt he had normally, but it went away quickly. His redwood wand always just felt right in his hand; and his magic felt electrically charged every time he picked it back up after holding a different wand, like it was welcoming him back. He kept the holly wand in a case at the bottom of his trunk, just in case, because he had found one instance where the surge of power he felt from the wand did not go away.

It had happened one day, last week, while he was meditating with the wands. Tina had innocently asked him if he wanted to try to get revenge on Voldemort if he was really alive. He told her that of course he didn't; but while Harry thought about it the holly wand in his hand had practically burned with magical power, and he quickly decided to keep the wand nearby in case he ever had to answer Tina's question with actions instead of words.

About a half-hour after the train began moving the door opened and a red-headed, freckled boy stuck his head in, looking at all three occupants before looking back to Harry, who looked back down at his book.

"Oi, my older brothers kicked me out of their compartment. All the other ones up there are full, can I sit here?" He asked.

Dudley stood up to shake the boy's hand and said, "Sure, hi. I'm Dudley, what's your name?" But the newcomer wasn't paying any attention to him, he was waiting for Harry to respond.

"I believe Dudley said you could come in. Might have even asked your name." The black haired boy asked icely after several seconds of silence and without looking up from the book on wandless magic that he and Hermione had been studying for the past month.

"I asked you though…" The redhead responded.

"Why? I'm clearly busy, and he was the one that responded to you. And do you really expect us to believe all the carriages ahead of this one were full?" Harry asked as he looked up. "Did you come into this compartment for a reason?" As he asked, he pulled his hair back to expose his scar.

"Blimey, it's real. You're really Harry Potter! Do you remember killing You-Know-Who? Will you tell me about it?" The boy said, mystified. Harry frowned and Dudley turned to damage control.

"He doesn't like talking about it. His parents died that night you know." The larger boy said as he stood up to bodily shift the newcomer back into the hall. When the redhead backed up, Dudley grabbed the door handle and said, "Maybe some other time, can I get your name though?"

"Its Ron Weasley. I'm sorry about that in there… I've got five older brothers, I just wanted to be able to tell them I'd met Harry Potter first. Finally beat them at something."

"Well then, go do that." Dudley encouraged, as he slowly slid the door closed and Ron broke into a grin. He had still met Harry Potter first, hadn't he?

"You didn't have to be so mean to him, Harry." Dudley said as he sat back down.

"I don't like that kind of attention Big D, it makes me feel weird." He responded. "Did you know that there were reporters hiding in Diagon Alley the whole week of my birthday, and the weeks before and after? Gringotts warned Aunt Petunia. That's why she didn't want to go with just us. Safety in numbers and all that. Plus, the press wouldn't be looking for me with other kids my age right?" Dudley nodded, he hadn't known that. But now his cousin going by 'James' in the Alley made more sense.

o0-0oo0-0oo0-0oo0-0o

Some time later the three were trying the levitation spell again. It was apparent now that the reason this spell wasn't taught first, despite being conceptually and practically easy, was that it took a lot of magic to maintain. Or something like that. Dudley was still the first to have his levitated object fall, but he was using a sheet of parchment like the others now. A few people had walked by the compartment, but no one else had tried to come in yet. Moments after Dudley's parchment fell again, the three friends heard a hissing sound, and Harry raised his wrist to his ear so that Najash could poke his head out of his jumper sleeve.

~Harry, there is a toad outside the door. It tastes of fear and distress. But also of a wizard. Like it is a familiar.~ The snake informed him, ~There are humans walking, they might step on it.~

~Thank you Najash.~ Harry responded, then he looked at the other two who were watching intently, "He says there's a scared toad right outside the door that smells like someone's familiar. It's gonna get stepped on out there." He stood up to get it but Dudley beat him to it and stepped outside to grab the toad.

"Hey, do you guys wanna come with me and find this guy's owner? He's probably worried." Dudley asked.

"No thanks, Dudley, I wanted to see if I could figure out the next step in this book. Besides, whoever that toad belongs to is probably going down the train looking for him, they'll come by here eventually." Hermione said, Harry nodded his agreement.

Dudley frowned at the two, "Well, I'm gonna head up the train then, and then we'll meet in the middle." He went up the train, stopping and knocking at any compartment that had people in it to ask if they had seen someone looking for a toad.

After travelling halfway up the train Dudley had come to the conclusion that green was the color of up-themselves jerks at Hogwarts. Every time he'd opened the door to a group of people in green trimmed robes, and it was always robes, never regular clothes, they would say something about a stench and mud and kick him out. Sometimes with magic, even. Dudley's wand crackled in his back pocket when that happened and he made a point to keep himself between these people and the dangerous piece of wood. Dudley was acutely aware of the fact that the only magical things his wand had ever done was levitate a quill and parchment… and shoot thunder and lightning… and that wouldn't be good on a train.

As he was musing on this he entered a compartment to find a pair of redheaded twins holding a short, pudgy boy at wandpoint. Dudley glared at the two older boys who quickly held their wands up by the middle to show they were harmless.

"Oi, mate." The first one started.

"No worries, he was." The second continued without a pause.

"Attacked by some Slytherins. We were-"

"-just getting him out of the jinx."

"Promise!" The two ended on the same beat. Dudley glanced past them at the other boy, who was nodding his head vigorously, the only motion he could make as his body appeared to be frozen in place.

"Alright, sorry to interrupt you guys. Slytherins are the berks in green right? They suck." Dudley chuckled as one of the twins turned back to the other boy and began waving his wand around. Dudley held up the toad he'd had tucked under his arm, "Do either of you guys know who's toad this is? My cousin found it right outside our compartment and I figured I'd look for his owner."

"Trevor!" the pudgy boy shouted as soon as he could move again. The toad croaked at him and he said, "Oh, thank you! I've been looking for him, that's how I ended up like that. Some fourth years, I think, thought toads were lame and jinxed me like that and left." As he spoke, Dudley held out Trevor and the boy took it. "Oh, why do you have to keep running off Trevor? I should have left you at home in the greenhouse!"

Dudley laughed at the boy talking to his pet like Harry did to Najash, "I'm Dudley, Dudley Dursley. Nice to meet you."

The twins took up introducing themselves first, "This is Fred."

"And that there's George." The second echoed.

Just as Dudley had nodded to them the first one started again, "Or am I George, and-"

"Maybe I'm Fred?"

"Or maybe, just maybe, we're-"

"Forge and Gred." the two said simultaneously as they shook Dudley's hands at the same and pointed at each other alternately with their unused hands, "We're off to meet with Lee, got some great pranks planned for this year. See you later firsties!" And the two let themselves out of the compartment.

"Are they always like that?" Dudley asked the other boy once they were alone. "Oh, sorry, I never caught your name. I'm Dudley." He held out his hand.

"I'm… Neville. Neville Longbottom. Yeah, they've always been like that." The boy responded as he took the hand with his free one. He recoiled under the sudden scrutiny he received from Dudley.

"Longbottom? Really?" Dudley asked with shock and recognition. Neville shrank under the question and Dudley's voice became consoling, "I'm sorry man, really. You probably get that a lot. When my mum told me what happened to your parents I felt sick. But I was kinda-not-really looking for you, just didn't know what you looked like." Dudley took a breath and a step back so that Neville could calm down.

"Why were you looking for me?" The timid boy asked.

"That cousin I mentioned? The one that found Trevor?" Dudley leaned in and lowered his voice as he continued, "It's Harry Potter." Dudley leaned back and waited for the expected surprise to wash over Neville and calm down again. "Did you know that your mum and his were friends in school?" Neville shook his head 'no', "Well, Harry was planning to go out looking for you at some point on the train ride because his mum's school notes talk about your mum a little. My mum, Harry's aunt, said that your mum was supposed to be Harry's godmother except that he was raised with us instead because of Dumbledore. So he was really keen to meet you. Do you want to come back and sit with us or did you already have somewhere?"

Neville was dumbfounded, he had been drilled all his life by his Gran about how great his father was. But he'd heard very little about his mother, just that she was 'perfect for your father', and here was Harry Potter's cousin saying that Harry knew about Neville through their mums?

"Uh, I put my stuff down towards the front of the train, but if you don't mind telling me where you guys are, I'll go get it and meet you."

"No way dude, I'll come with you." Dudley replied, opening the door again for his new friend who smiled and nodded.

o0-0oo0-0oo0-0oo0-0o

"Whoah! How are you doing that?" Neville exclaimed as soon as he entered the compartment. The two people, a boy and girl, were floating a textbook between them with their bare hands.

His outburst broke their concentration and the book toppled to the seat and then the floor. Harry glared over at the newcomer, whose gaze drifted to his scar for a moment before locking back onto his eyes. Trevor croaked under his arm and Harry looked at it.

"So you found his owner then? Starting a new gang in Hogwarts already, Big D?" Harry asked his cousin.

Dudley ginned, "Something like that."

"Hello, Mr Potter." Neville said, falling on formality to keep his nerves in check, "I'm N-Neville Longbottom. It's nice to meet you. Your… uh… cousin, said that our mums knew each other?" One of the only stories Neville's Gran had told him even nearly as often as the ones about his father were about how amazing and important Harry Potter was for defeating He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and here he was casually levitating a book wandlessly.

"Call me Harry," He replied as he softened his expression, stood up, and shook Neville's hand, "You've already met my cousin Dudley. This is our friend."

"Hermione Granger, just call me Hermione. It's nice to meet you." She took the boy's hand as well and the four of them sat down after Neville had stowed his trunk.

"Seriously though," Neville said once they had gotten situated, "How did you do that? Wandless magic is supposed to be super hard to do."

"Well," Harry said as he picked up the book they had been levitating when the two entered the compartment, "The book says it's mostly about concentration and hard work. We've been doing the wand meditation it talks about to learn how to feel our magic, it says the next step is to learn a spell with your wand then try it without. We all got a parchment levitating before your toad showed up outside, but while Dudley was gone Hermione and I tried to do it without our wands since the book we're following says that's the next step. It didn't work, but we had the idea to try it together, each of us levitating the same thing."

Dudley blinked in amazement as Harry continued, "It didn't work at first, it felt like we were fighting each other or something. Then we took a few minutes to get out magic on the same… I guess the same frequency? We held hands and focused on feeling each other's magic until we didn't feel like we were fighting each other anymore. Once we did that we tried again together and we were able to lift the whole book."

"That's really cool." Neville said, "Wandless magic is supposed to be the mark of a really powerful wizard. If you can do it this young, even with help, you must be strong."

"I don't think it's that, necessarily." Hermione corrected, "The book says that it's just a matter of mental discipline and focus. Dudley has been meditating like the book said too, he might be able to do it."

It turned out that Dudley could wandlessly levitate things, with help. He was also a lot faster at 'synching up' with one of the others. After he and Harry had only needed thirty seconds to get the book floating Hermione had insisted on trying as well, to similarly quick results. Neville was amazed, this was nothing like what he had been told growing up. He definitely needed to ask if he could borrow that book later.

"Where did you find that?" Neville asked, indicating the text, "It seems unreal that everything I know about wandless magic is wrong and you guys found it out before your first year has even started."

"It's an English edition of a foreign book. Written relatively recently too." Hermione offered, "My mum found it in a section of Flourish and Blotts with books they were getting rid of and showed it to me. The storekeeper tried to convince me I didn't want it because it was 'full of nonsense'. But it looked alright, and he wasn't charging too much for it, so I bought it. We haven't read too far ahead because we couldn't cast spells at home, but the first couple chapters made sense."

"My aunt said it was probably because most English wizards don't like anything foreign, or new either. Apparently flying carpets are banned because the broomstick companies lobbied to make it happen so they'd have a monopoly on flying in the country. No British makers of flying carpets meant there was no one there to oppose." Harry supplied.

"But flying carpets are a risk to the Statute of Secrecy." Neville objected.

"Not in any of the dozens of countries where they're still legal. My aunt and uncle want to go to Greece on vacation because they're legal there. It's common for magical tourists to rent them to travel the countryside." Harry countered.

Hermione went for the finishing blow to Neville's defense, "According to Magical Societies Around the World, flying carpets are the prefered method of travel for families in countries like Egypt and India. Greece is the only European country they're legal in though." At Neville's blank stare she continued, "That's a book you could only get at Gringotts, none of the bookstores in Diagon Alley seemed to carry much information on countries other than Britain. If you ask, the goblins have a lot of literature related to travel and planning. A lot of it is fascinating."

Neville was drawn into a conversation about other magical cultures. He had never really ventured far outside his greenhouse unless dragged there by his Gran, but listening to Hermione talk about exotic locales made him wonder what kind of plants he could find if he went to those places himself.

The four passed the time talking about what their homes were like when they ran out of interesting plants and creatures to talk about, though Harry, Dudley, and Hermione were careful not to give anything that could help find them away. The door opened a few times, but most people just apologized and turned around when they saw four people already there.

When the trolley lady came by Harry got everyone some sweets, but when he found an Albus Dumbledore card in his chocolate frog he lost his sweet tooth and Neville learned something else that was interesting about Harry Potter. After all, wasn't Albus Dumbledore the one who had made sure Harry was taken care of after that Halloween?

When he thought about it for a moment, Neville realized that the three hadn't mentioned the headmaster even once the entire time they were talking about their home lives.

By previous agreement between the three friends, Najash was not mentioned and stayed quiet around Harry's arm. No need to scare Neville into thinking Harry was a dark wizard before they got a chance to know him. Najash agreed, reluctantly, though he thought the British opinion on Speakers was silly.

o0-0oo0-0oo0-0oo0-0o

After leaving King's Cross the adult Dursleys headed for the Leaky Cauldron, where they planned to meet the Polkiss's and Tina. Piers was in a pre-school study group, led by a teacher, to refresh on maths and grammar that Harry and Dudley had set up for their friends to 'see them off'. They met outside The Leaky Cauldron, and the five went through towards the Alley.

When Petunia pulled a golden coin out of her purse and pressed it against the correct brick to open the way to Diagon with practiced ease her husband eyed her strangely. He hadn't actually come to the Alley, even after finding out that Dudley was a wizard. He felt it was symbolic somehow, like he was truly abandoning his life before magic.

The moment the portal finished opening though, all three muggles gasped in astonishment. Amusingly, it was Petunia and Christina that dragged the other three through the Alley. Petunia was used to it by now, and Tina knew that they couldn't buy anything until they went to the bank first. The three adults-turned-children almost stumbled multiple times as they were guided down the Alley towards an immaculate white marble building.

Before the group got quite to Gringotts, Petunia spun around and stopped them. Then she began giving them a little prep-talk, "Before we continue, please understand that the magical bank is run by goblins. They are gruff, often rude, and they are very honorable. Goblins are soldiers first and bankers second, do not insult them. Don't worry though, as long as you are respectful, they will be as well."

The group could see the goblins standing at the top of the bank's stairs, armored and holding spears, and nodded to the woman, "One last thing," she continued, "If you smile around them, do it with your mouth closed. It's a little quirk of their culture that my Accounts Advisor told me about. It's basically like addressing someone in another country in their own language to break the ice."

"I was about to say this was too much, and ridiculous. But I can understand 'Accounts Advisor'." Mister Polkiss said as she finished. "Please forgive me if I put my foot in my mouth, this is still… hard." The man had seen more in the last five minutes to challenge his faith than the rest of his life combined. He was now about at the point where "it's the same as miracles" was a necessary belief for his own sanity.

Once the group got to a teller they were guided back into a conference room while Petunia explained some of the things she had told Emma Granger a few months ago. Griphook arrived right behind them, immediately brought out the paperwork for the Polkiss's, and informed Petunia that her 'message had been delivered', which confused her guests but she just promised that it was nothing and if anything happened that mattered to Tina they would know immediately.

Thirty minutes later, Ms. Peony Acacia had a fourth magical ward, and the group went into the Alley to purchase Professor Mcgonagall's recommended supplies for easing into the wizarding world.

o0-0oo0-0oo0-0oo0-0o

When Hermione guessed, based on the scenery rushing by the window, that the train was less than an hour from Hogwarts the boys stepped out of the compartment so she could change into her school robes, then did the same for them. While she was waiting she noticed a trio of wizards walking down the carriage aisle, with the rude, blonde boy that had insulted them at Madame Malkin's the day they got their wands.

"Sorry, sorry!" Hermione said as she let herself back into the cabin with her eyes closed and covered by a hand, "That boy that insulted Hagrid and my mum is coming down the aisle."

Harry and Dudley took her shoulders and guided her into a seat, "It's okay, we just finished changing anyways." Neville said as he closed up his trunk. "Who did you mean?"

But Neville's question answered itself as the door to the cabin flew open and the blonde boy let himself in, sneering at the occupants as two boys who were even bigger than Dudley, though more fat than muscle, followed him in.

"Is it true then?" The lead boy looked around the cabin as he spoke, "Some people are saying that Harry Potter is in this compartment." He looks again at Harry, "So it is true. I should have known Dumbledore would have you fraternizing with riff-raff. Two mudbloods by the smell, and a squib blood traitor to boot."

"Come off it Malfoy." Neville said from the corner.

"Why are you here, Longbottom, are you even really a wizard?" The boy's, Malfoy's, two bookends laughed as he turned back to Harry, "I'm Draco Malfoy, heir of the Malfoy family. You'll find before too long that some families are of better breeding than others, Potter. If you want to be something in the magical world, you should stop hanging around this lot. Come with me, and we might be able to make a proper Slytherin out of you. A cunning individual could use his 'Boy-Who-Lived' status to open any door he wanted for himself."

He finally looked closer at Hermione and Dudley, "Wait. You!" He jerked his head back to Harry, "It is you. You were getting robes in Madame Malkin's when I was there this summer!" He was getting angrier as he began shouting, "Why didn't you say anything then? I was in that shop for almost five minutes and you never said a word! I mentioned Harry Potter that day! You must think you're so smart-"

"More cunning than you, I guess. Knowing when to keep my mouth shut." Harry interrupted.

"And really," Hermione added as she recalled learning some french last year before her family went there on vacation, "How can 'Blood Traitor' be an insult coming from you? Your name basically means 'I will betray you'." She laughed at Malfoy's furious expression, "Malfoy is french, it means 'Bad Faith'."

"How dare you speak about my family, you mudblood!" The blonde drew his wand but dropped it in shock when a thunderclap temporarily, and painfully, deafened those in the cabin.

Dudley had quietly stood up and drawn his own wand as the arrogant boy kept talking, it had begun sparking under his robes since these three walked in. He now held it leveled at the aggressive trio as electricity sparked off the tip with an erratic crackling noise.

"I think it's time for you three to go. There are plenty of other cabins." He said calmly, as the boys eyes locked onto the sparks coming from his wand. Hedwig squawked behind him, angry at being woken up in such a violent manner.

"My father will hear of this!" The blonde shouted as he looked around for his missing wand.

When Draco slowly turned to pick up his wand Hermione held out her hand and said, "Allow me, Wingardium Leviosa." levitating it up into Malfoy's waiting grasp with a slow, deliberate, wandless motion. The blonde looked at her in abject terror as he and his friends backed out of the cabin and fled.

"Oh my gosh," Hermione gasped as Dudley closed the door, "I'm so glad he didn't hesitate to take it, I couldn't have held that wand another second."

"You guys are amazing. You have to teach me how to do that." Neville gushed.

"After I get some more chocolate, that made me feel a little better last time."

"Was that you or your wand, Dud's?" Harry asked, ignoring Neville for the moment. He was frowning at his cousin's wand, it was still crackling with electricity a little.

"Huh?" Neville asked.

"I'm pretty sure that was a little of both, it started crackling in my robes when those three came in. But I think I convinced my wand to go with thunder rather than lightning." He grinned as Harry nodded and Neville stared at him, dumbfounded.

"You guys are amazing." He said, again.

"Hey Neville, what was he calling us when he was in here? I got called that a lot by other Slytherins while I was looking for you." Dudley asked once he'd sat back down.

"Uh… It's really not good, Dudley." Neville said, dejectedly. "'M-mudblood' is what bigots like Malfoy call muggleborns." Dudley and Hermione nodded. "'Blood Traitor' is what the old pureblood families call other purebloods who side with muggles. They say we're 'betraying magic' or something."

"But why did he call you a squib?" Harry asked, confused.

"Because when I was growing up I never did any accidental magic. Even my family thought I was a squib and kept trying to force me to do magic. It didn't work until one day Uncle Algie dropped me out of a window when I was seven. I bounced eight or nine times, all the way to the front gate. My Gran was so proud that day… she was so worried that I wouldn't be able to live up to the Longbottom name."

"That's horrible!" Harry exclaimed. "How could they want you to be a wizard so much that they'd risk your life?"

"Well, my Gran has always pushed me to be more like my dad, that's why she wanted me to use his wand." Neville held up his wand, which was obviously old and well-used. "She hoped if I used this then some of his power would help me or something, I guess, but I still have trouble with even basic stuff. Most time when I try to cast something it just doesn't work." He intoned, "Lumos" and his wand shined with light for a moment before flickering out. Neville looked at the trio and shrugged.

"But, Neville, that is exactly the opposite of what using your father's wand would do." Hermione state, flabbergasted that Neville's Gran would do something like this to her grandson. "It's something Mister Ollivander said several times when we were getting our wands, 'The wand chooses the witch or wizard.' Harry, Dudley and I have been doing some of the meditation practices in that book."

"Well, mostly you and Harry." Dudley corrected lightheartedly.

"Yes, well. We noticed, at least when we were paying very close attention, that when we picked up each other's wands there was just a moment where we could each feel the 'wrong wand' fight us. Dudley and I sort of felt that 'resistance' the whole time we held each other's wands." Hermione continued, in full-information mode, "The book said that most people can't use just any wand; and the more alike two people are, the better they will be at using each other's."

Hermione realized too late that she was saying too much, Neville looked devastated as he asked, "So it means I'm not as good as my dad? I'm not like him?"

"It means you're your own man, Neville. Good at your own things." Dudley supplied, shooting Hermione with a 'can you please stop now?' look. Hermione looked away, embarrassed at her slip up.

Neville smiled wanly at Dudley's answer, "Yeah. I guess so."

o0-0oo0-0oo0-0oo0-0o

The gruff man made his way down the magical alley in France. He couldn't remember its name at the time, he was too absorbed in his thoughts of the picture in his chest pocket. When he first got it he had been sorely tempted to contact his former mentor, but the picture had been accompanied by only two things: A date to appear in the french branch of Gringotts on the back, and a small note with two words in a woman's writing, "No Dumbledore". The man doubted that the meeting date of the first of September was just a coincidence.

He pulled out the picture and looked at it again. There, front and center, was his cub, Harry. He was the spitting image of James, except for his eyes, with a bushy-haired girl on the couch with him. They both were captured in the act of laughing. Another boy was on a chair beside them, and the three looked to be playing a muggle board game and having fun. A tall, thin woman with long, brownish-red hair watched them as she drank a cup of tea.

Gringotts in France was just as opulent as he remembered it being back in his home of England, though a casual look around the lobby told him that the goblins here were much more personable than those back home.

When he made it to a teller and was asked to state his business, the man realized he wasn't quite sure what he was supposed to do here, "I'm sorry, I received a… summons I suppose, though not a standard one. I was to report on this day."

"And where is this 'summons', human? Gringotts is not often in the business of going against our standard." The teller responded, clearly he recognized an English accent. The man slowly reached into his chest pocket and withdrew the picture and the small note and handed them to the goblin. As soon as he touched the picture the teller could feel the goblin magic that had been placed on it, a simple trigger to summon paperwork.

Or so he thought, instead of transaction paperwork or a contract request something altogether different appeared in the magical drawer in his desk. Instructions to lead him to the back.

"Please come with me, sir." The goblin requested as he switched his sign from 'open' to 'closed', "There is a private room that will be made available to you." He opened the desk to allow the man to go back into the private area of the bank.

"Is everything alright?" The man was getting worried, when goblins politely requested things it was usually their last attempt before violence. "Meetings in private rooms for those who don't even have an account at your bank are hardly standard." He said, echoing the goblin's choice of word from before as he began to follow.

"Indeed, human. But I also said 'often', implying exceptions." The goblin hadn't stopped to answer, so the two of them had continued walking and were now to the first room that could be seen after leaving the lobby, "I feel the need to thank you. This is the first exception I've ever dealt with, and an exciting one at that. I'd appreciate it being the last as well though. There's about to be so much paperwork…" With that he opened the door, revealing a small meeting room large enough for three or four people to site comfortable with a table in the middle.

The man did as instructed, and a second, larger, goblin was waiting for him inside. The first goblin did not follow him, simply closing the door behind him as he departed. The larger goblin didn't speak at first, merely gestured for the man to sit as he pulled out several vials of potions and clicked his fingers to make a few folders of documents appear on the table.

"I'm sure you're wondering why you have been summoned here, and in the specific manner that you were." The goblin began.

"You could say that." The man responded, "Almost as much as I've wondered why I was specifically told not to contact Dumbledore, considering exactly what I was sent as a summons. He's Harry's magical guardian, not me."

The goblin grinned, and couldn't help but show a little tooth when he did, "No, he is not." The man stood up in anger, "STOP! The boy is in no danger, has suffered no harm, and he has stayed exactly where Albus Dumbledore left him for the past ten years." He waited while the human in front of him composed himself, he was definitely billing Ms. Acacia extra for this.

"What's going on then?" The man asked.

The goblin grabbed one of the potion vials, the smallest, and placed it in front of the human, "This," he explained, "Is a goblin truth serum similar to veritaserum, the difference is that we goblins abhor the removal of one's will. Our truth serum compels truth, but doesn't compel answers." The man in front of him frowned but nodded.

"In order to continue, I will need for you to drink that potion, after which I will ask you exactly one question. The answer to that question will determine where we go from there."

"And the question?" He asked the goblin.

"'Have you contacted Albus Dumbledore since receiving the picture of Harry playing games?'"

The man was stunned, what was going on that the goblins were using truth serum to keep Dumbledore out of Harry Potter's business? "Alright." He said.

After he had answered the question with a simple "No." and had been given the antidote to the truth serum he took a sip of offered water to clear his throat and asked again, "What's going on then?"

"To start a story where it begins, Heir Potter's magical guardian was changed in January to a close family member, who has had an integral role in raising the boy since his parents' untimely passing. This person took action when it came to their attention that certain… liberties, had been taken with Heir Potter's business here at Gringotts." The goblin stopped and pulled out two folders and placed them in front of his guest, who raised an eyebrow.

"Allow me to finally introduce myself. I am Assistant Account Manager Daggernail of the Potter accounts." He gave a small bow from his seat, "I have been authorized by the Potter Heir's magical guardian to share those documents with you, though they cannot leave this room. The potions are a calming drought. Due to the nature of your relationship with Heir Potter's late family, I highly suggest you drink one before beginning. There are several more if you need them as well."

The man was staggered beyond belief. This was a level of courtesy among the goblins that could only be bought, what was going on?

"Before you begin to worry while reading, the costs for today have been covered directly by the magical guardian without anything being tied to the Potter accounts. The need to specify that will become apparent soon. I shall leave you to peruse that information for the next ten minutes while I contact my superior." The goblin waited for the man to nod before bowing and backing out of the room.

"Don't forget the calming drought." He said as he departed, "Simply put your head out the door if you need anything while you're here. I shall return soon, Mister Lupin."

O0-0oo0-0oo0-0oo0-0o

Unfortunately for the four first years, Dudley's thunderclap drew the attention of the students in every other cabin in the carriage, though they waited a few minutes before daring to venture out into the corridor. This led to several of their fellow students congratulating them on taking Malfoy's group down a peg. Apparently he acted that way out-of-school too, and many of the pureblood students whose parents were political had to put up with him at social functions because his father was important.

None too soon, the train arrived at Hogsmeade Station and the students began to disembark. Before they left, Dudley asked Neville if they were supposed to wear their pointed hats; he replied that they were only required for formal events, most older students wore them when they learned the charms to make them protect a wizard from rain or weather. Dudley happily put the hat back in the trunk, but wasn't thrilled to leave Hedwig on the train until Neville assured him that she would be taken to the school owlery.

When they made it off the platform they saw Hagrid standing to the side with his umbrella calling for the first years to gather around him. The three friends said "hello" to the big man as they congregated and were led to a series of boats. They stayed together with Neville, which proved fortuitous when Hagrid said "four to a boat" as he was there to stop the annoying redhead when he tried to snag the last spot.

While crossing the lake in the boats a wave of magic washed over them, Neville didn't seem to notice much but Harry and the others got shivers. Over the splashing of the water they heard a syllabant hissing from under Harry's robes. He tried to keep it quiet, but Neville heard it and looked at him curious.

"What was that?"

"Uh." Harry wasn't sure how to answer that. He knew that snakes were generally seen as a mark of being a dark wizard in England, but Harry didn't want to keep Najash hidden the whole time he was at Hogwarts. Just until he had gotten settled in.

"If you can keep this a secret for at least a while," Harry leaned in and extended his hand, allowing Najash to poke his head out, "This is Najash. He was reacting to crossing the wards, I think." On seeing Neville's complexion paling Harry tried a new tactic, "It was Najash that found Trevor, you know. He smelled him outside the cabin and warned us he was scared."

"Um. Uh, Thank you, Najash?" The boy said, confusedly. "Wait, what do you mean, 'warned us'. Snakes can't talk, Harry."

"They can for me." He responded confidently, then hissed at Najash, ~Little friend, you are going to get us in trouble making noises. If you are people's first impression of me, then they will be afraid.~

~I understand, Speaker. I was overwhelmed by the magic of this place. It is an ancient nest, powerful.~ With that the snake retreated under Harry's robes.

"I'm not sure if you know-" Neville tried to begin.

"I do, Hermione told me when we met." Harry said dismissively, "I think it's silly, but I understand I need to kind of hide it while I'm here." He smirked as he remembered that first encounter between Hermione and Najash, "Unless I'm put into Slytherin."

o0-0oo0-0oo0-0oo0-0o

The Previous December

With great willpower, Hermione put her hand down and stepped into Harry Potter's bedroom. It was much more ordinary than she was expecting, for some reason. Though there were several books that were obviously magical open on the floor and a potions set that had been hastily pulled out of his closet.

But her attention was soon fixed back onto Harry himself. He was sitting on his bed, cross legged and holding a snake that was coiled around his wrist and bobbing its head back and forth as it hissed at him. When he hissed back she almost shrieked again, almost.

"Harry!" She exclaimed, "Talking to snakes is dark magic! It's something You-Know-Who was famous for!"

"Huh?" He looked up at her, confused, "It's just a language, right? How can that be light or dark? That's just ridiculous, isn't it?"

That brought Hermione up short. Why was parseltongue itself considered dark? Hermione found she couldn't think of any book actually saying why, just that it was, and then listing all the dark wizards who were parselmouths.

"I…" She wasn't very good at questioning the knowledge she'd learned in books, "I'm not sure. But I've read a few books on magical history and they all agree that talking to snakes means that you're going to be a dark wizard. There are lots of dark lords who were parselmouths that killed people with poison and snakes."

"Well, Najash isn't poisonous."

"Venomous." Hermione corrected before covering her mouth in shock. Oh my gosh, I just corrected Harry Potter, she thought to herself, he's going to hate me!

"Right, he's not venomous." Harry smiled, then frowned, "I kinda feel bad now that I realize I never looked up what kind of snake he actually is, but he says that where he comes from his kind hunts poi-venomous snakes. He even saved my aunt from one last summer!" Harry smiled as he pet Najash on the head.

A snake that hunted venomous snakes? And Harry had said that 'Najash' wanted to help him become a healer too? That sounded like the opposite of everything she'd read about parselmouths.

Hermione steeled her nerves as she watched the boy in front of her pet his snake while waiting for her to respond. This was her chance to have a friend at Hogwarts before she even got there, though!

"I could look in an encyclopedia and see if I can find out what kind of snake he is, if you want?" Harry's nod, and returned smile, bolstered her courage, "Can I pet him too? As long as you hold him?"

Harry laughed as he stood up from his bed. It was great to be able to share this part of his life with someone that wasn't family.

o0-0oo0-0oo0-0oo0-0o

Neville needed little convincing after confirming that Najash wasn't dangerous, except apparently to other snakes and the occasional rodent or lizard, to accept that it was just another amazing thing about Harry Potter. What other parselmouth would have a venomless, snake-killing snake as his familiar? They didn't have much time left on the boat after Harry had related the stories of Najash saving his Aunt Petunia not once, but twice in the last five years.

Leaving the boats behind and entering the castle proper brought with it an unwelcome side event. The return of the annoying redhead, Ron Weasley.

"Oi, why are you okay hanging out with him but not me, huh?" He asked Harry, pointing into Neville's face as he did.

"Maybe because he hasn't been rude every time he's opened his mouth, Weasley." Harry responded angrily, "What is your obsession with me anyways? It's not like we've met before or something."

"But, we're gonna be in Gryffindor together! I just wanted to get to know you first!" The boy whined.

"Why do you think we'll be in the same house?" Harry asked.

"'Cause both of your parents were in Gryffindor, or course you will be! Just like how all my brothers are in Gryffindor, just like my parents back like five generations." He retorted.

"So everyone in a family tends to go to the same house? Interesting. There's nothing about that in Hogwarts: A History." Hermione interjected.

"That's because it's so obvious. But then, I suppose a mudblood can't be expected to understand even the simplest of arcane mysteries." Malfoy said from the other side of the hall the first years were congregated in.

The friends didn't get to find out exactly what was obvious, as Professor Mcgonagall emerged from the large double doors to begin explaining about the houses and how points and detentions would work. While she was talking Harry and Dudley were silently agreeing that they hoped they didn't somehow end up in the same house as Malfoy. That would probably be a miserable seven years. Towards the end of her speech, a group of ghosts descended through the floor and waved to the new students on their way to the hall, causing a minor panic particularly among the muggleborn.

Walking through the door into the great hall and looking at the enchanted ceiling was a breathtaking sight, at least until Hermione had to quote Hogwarts: A History to anyone who could hear her as she described the things they were seeing.

I hope she gets over that again soon. Harry thought to himself as he saw another unsorted first year grimace at Hermione when she turned her back.

o0-0oo0-0oo0-0oo0-0o

"Mr. Lupin, I apologize for being slightly late." Daggernail said as he let himself back into the room after fifteen minutes and looked at the wizard. His face was composed even as he breathed deeply to keep himself calm, four empty potion bottles were on the table.

"That's alright." he responded quietly, his rage barely in-check. He looked up at the goblin as he sat down, "I need good news after that. Tell me about this new magical guardian. Who are they? I wasn't aware James had any more family left. The closest thing he had was…" He choked at the memory.

"Mr. Black, yes. But Heir Potter had more than one parent did he not?" The goblin smiled a toothless smile at the wizard's comprehension. "Ms. Peony Acacia is a squib in good standing with Gringotts bank. She is the one who has taken over Heir Potter's guardianship after she discovered the documents you were just shown, and more."

"There was more?" He asked in disbelief. He had just seen proof that Dumbledore had taken over two hundred thousand galleons of Harry's money, basically emptying the boy's trust vault seven of the nine years he had control of it, almost all to pay for political maneuvers. Not all of which were what Remus would have thought his mentor to be involved in, including a law that increased restrictions on werewolves' employment only a year after the war. Albus was behind that? Remus thought to himself, and there was more?

"I assume Ms. Acacia contacted me because she needs something?" He inquired, "What does she need? I'll do anything for Harry." Seeing that picture, with Harry and his friends playing and laughing had reinvigorated his desire to see his best friends' son. A desire that he had spent ten years trying to quash.

"She needs you back in England, Mr. Lupin. While I was out minute ago I took the liberty of checking to see if you had any obligations on this side of the channel. When I saw that you did not, I booked you passage on the ferry for tomorrow. Ms. Acacia will be excited to meet you, likely the day after that."

The goblin had one last thing to say, "I don't think it should need saying that you are not to contact Albus Dumbledore during that time, and your silence will be verified in Britain."

"That won't be a problem. Not at all, and I look forward to meeting Ms. Acacia in person. Was that her in the photo?"

"That was Petunia Dursley, formerly Evans. The late Lady Potter's older sister. It is she who has raised Heir Potter since his parents' deaths." Remus nodded to the goblin.

"I look forward to meeting, and thanking, her as well then. When does my ferry leave?" Remus' anger had been surprisingly easy to push to the back of his mind, the calming droughts must have finally started working, and now he had a clear purpose in mind. It had become a foreign feeling, to be motivated, and he savoured it.