Sorry for the short chapters, I'm starting them off at 1k words, then will eventually even them out at 5-7k. This one's 1.5k, though, so we're getting there. Next chapter is where we first meet our OC. Italics are Harry's thoughts. On to the fic:

Harry scooped as many galleons as he could into his backpack, although the galleons didn't seem as heavy as gold should be. Instead, it was only 2-3 times as heavy as a quarter.

Maybe some kind of enchantment? Or maybe a different type of gold? Seems easier to have banknotes, still.

Harry made a note in his journal to ask the goblins about it. The goblins seemed to be a weird species, and Harry wanted to know more about them.

McGonagall watched with pursed lips as he continued scooping more money into his backpack. Finally, she burst out with "There are moleskin pouches!"

"What do you mean?" Harry asked her.

"Enchanted pouches that hold more inside than outside."

"Magic backpacks?"

"No! Well..yes." McGonagall replied.

"Show me," Harry said eagerly.

They exited the bank, and McGonagall led the way to a gray shop labeled: Simon's Enchanted Trunks.

"This is the place," McGonagall said.

Harry skipped inside, eager to get his magic backpack.

Maybe this could be applied to houses. Bigger on the inside than outside. What are the limits too? What would happen if you bombed someone who was in something like that?

He walked up to a wiry man who looked to be in his mid-twenties, and wore glasses.

The man smiled, and offered his hand to Harry, which he took. "Hi, I'm Simon," he said. "What are you looking for? I've got trunks, satchels, pouches, and more."

"Do you by any chance have a magic backpack?" Harry asked.

"Well, no." Simon admitted, "but I could make one for you. That'll cost extra, though."

"That's fine," Harry said. "How much?"

"15 galleons."

Harry didn't know how much that was, but he knew that he had roughly 200 galleons in his backpack, so he agreed.

"It'll be ready in 30 minutes," Simon said. "Any other enchantments you want on it?"

"Make it pretty light, look pretty normal, like an unassuming gray. How big can you expand the inside?"

"About the size of a small room." Simon replied. "Beware of sleeping in there, though. If someone finds the backpack and lights it on fire or something, then the expanding enchantments compress and if you're in there… let's just say you won't be coming out in one piece, if you do get out at all."

"Right." Harry replied. "Could I also have a wallet or a money pouch?"

"Sure." Simon replied. "Your total is 20 galleons."

Harry counted out ten galleons and handed it to him. "Half now, half when I get the backpack," Harry explained. He'd seen it in a movie at school.

"Very well," Simon said."

Harry left the shop, the bell ringing as he pushed the door open.

"Where next?" He asked McGonagall.

"Flourish and Blotts, then Potion Supplies, then Madam Malkin's, then Ollivander's." She replied.

"Do we have any time for anything else?" Harry asked.

"If we go quickly, maybe 10 minutes at the end." She said.

McGonagall led the way to Flourish and Blotts, a bookstore where he was supposed to acquire all of the books on the requirement list sent to him in his Hogwarts Letter.

Harry checked his journal. There were 10 books he had to buy!

"Could we go to the other shops first? I can't carry all of these books," Harry said.

"Very well. Madam Malkin's first." McGonagall said.

McGonagall led him down the street to a shop displaying the latest wizarding fashion: stylish robes, capes, and hats.

Mannequins walked around, displaying the clothes.

Another form of animation. Harry decided to get some books on that, after he got his magic backpack.

He went inside, and a elderly witch started fitting him for robes.

"What color would you like, dear?" She asked him.

"Green and black, black and silver, and black and gold." Harry replied.

He had always had a thing for black.

"How about all black with green, silver, and gold linings?" The witch asked.

"Sure." Harry held a thumbs up.

Harry was fitted and handed 3 different sets of each type of robe.

He went to the changing room and tried them all on, saving the black and gold for last. When he finally saw himself, he grinned. "Looking good, looking good."

He exited the shop, after paying 18 galleons for the robes (2 for each).

"Tempus," McGonagall said.

White letters came out of her wand and showed the time: 11:27.

"Your trunk should be done." McGonagall said. "First, let me tell you about why you have to wear that cap."

"Okay." Harry agreed.

McGonagall led him to a pub called The Leaky Cauldron, and they sat down.

McGonagall began her story. "In the 1980s, there was this wizard who was so feared that people didn't even dare to speak his name. Instead he was called You-Know-Who."

"What was his real name?" Harry asked.

"It was V-Vo-Vol- I can't say it." She produced a quill and scribbled a name on her napkin.

Harry read it upside down. "Voldemort?" He said.

"Shhhh." McGonagall shushed him.

"You-Know-Who killed hundreds, thousands. It was one of the darkest times that I can remember. Everyone was in hiding, including the Potters: you, your mother and father. However, Voldemort found them and killed your parents. However, when he tried to kill you, his spell bounced back and killed him, resulting in that lightning scar on your forehead. As a result, you are famous because you survived an unblockable curse and killed one of the greatest Dark Lords of all time."

"If you were to take that cap off and walk into the street, you would get mobbed."

Wow. I am famous for something that I did when I was a baby. How does that figure?

Harry made a note to learn how to disguise himself if his fame was that bad.

"Okay." Harry said.

"That's it?" McGonagall asked, surprised.

"What else can I do? I'll deal with it." Harry responded.

McGonagall looked at him strangely with that mature statement, as if reevaluating him.

She led the way back to Simon's shop. Harry entered, and Simon grinned.

"Right on time," he said, handing Harry an inconspicuous gray backpack that no one would suspect held the valuable things Harry envisioned it would.

Harry took 10 galleons out of his moleskin pouch and handed them to Simon.

"You can actually just say the amount you want and it'll come out of the pouch," Simon said.

That's pretty useful, Harry thought.

"Thanks," he said. "Pleasure doing business with you."

"Likewise," Simon said, offering his hand.

Harry took it. "Harry."

He then exited the shop, but he knew where he was going to go if he wanted enchanted bags.

Connections are going to be important in this new world. The more you have, the more influence you have.

It was safe to say that Harry had read a fair share of crime novels. Like those criminals, he was willing to do anything to get what he wanted: power. If you had power, you commanded respect. But you can only acquire power through knowledge, and so that was Harry's secondary priority.

Speaking of knowledge. Time to go back to Flourish and Blotts.

Harry and McGonagall returned to Flourish and Blotts, and Harry took all the books that were on the requirement list, also adding Ancient Runes, A Guide to Animations, Advanced-Potion Making, and Advanced Spells, despite McGonagall's protests that those subjects were too advanced for him.

He glanced down at his list, and added a book on the wizarding government, one on culture, and a book on himself to his cargo. He paid for them all and scooped them into his backpack.

The cashier looked at him strangely, but eventually shrugged.

Then, they went to Potion Supplies and got his cauldron, knives, and potion supplies.

"Last stop, Ollivander." McGonagall said.

Harry followed her as they entered a rickety shop with no one inside.

Suddenly, Harry heard a voice say "Looking for a wand, I see."

Harry jumped around, and punched someone behind him.

"Bloody hell, what the fuck?" The guy cursed.

"Don't sneak up on me then." Harry said.

"Well, I'm Ollivander. Let's get you fitted." The guy said, glaring at him.

He thrust a wand at him.

"Grab it, if it feels good, tell me." Ollivander instructed him.

Harry grabbed the wand, waving it around, but a window shattered.

Ollivander waved his wand, and all the pieces of glass flew back together and repaired themselves.

This process was repeated several times, and it was clear that Ollivander was getting increasingly irritated.

Finally, he handed a slender wand to him, and when Harry waved it, a wonderful warmth shot up his arm and sparks flew out.

Harry grinned, turning back to Ollivander, but Ollivander was tapping his chin in thought.

"Interesting, very interesting." He said. "That wand is the brother of the one that gave you that scar. The fact that it chose you…you are destined for great things, Mr. Potter. The man who gave you that scar also did great things. Terrible, yes, but great."

Harry was pretty creeped out, but paid for his wand and left.

McGonagall apparated them back to Vernon's house, explaining that she was late for something else.

Harry was too tired to do anything but fall asleep. He didn't even notice the fact that he had never told Ollivander his name.