(sorry i sprained my hand and now i have exams so big L to me)

June 1992

The remaining months of Harry's first year at Hogwarts passed quickly. With Theo as a friend and ally, he found that Malfoy no longer saw him as an easy target, finding his new victims in some poor fellow First-Year Hufflepuffs. That didn't mean he had stopped antagonising Harry though, Harry just felt safer knowing he had someone in his own house that had his back.

It was just a few days from the Summer break now, and they were receiving their overall results for each of their classes. It hadn't been a great day for Harry- no, he had done quite well for all his classes, but ever since he found a pure-blood's result to act as an academic yardstick, he had discovered disheartenedly that Professor Carrow was unjustifiably strict in his marking of Harry's work, finding any reason, however absurdly small and meaningless, to penalise him.

"What's the difference between a jinx and a hex?" Harry read the question aloud, frowning as he looked at his answer which had been marked wrong. Theo glanced over curiously, dutifully supplying his own answer, which had a tick next to it.

"Jinxes are minor dark spells with temporary physical effects, while hexes are moderately dark spells that create temporary magical effects."

Harry reread his answer, the frown on his face growing deeper. "That's almost exactly what I wrote!" Theo leaned over to read his answer, blinking in slight confusion. It said A jinx is a minor dark spell that produces temporary physical effects. A hex is a moderate dark spell that causes temporary magical effects.

"Is something the matter, Mr. Potter?" Professor Carrow asked from behind them, sounding like he didn't really care if anything was wrong. Harry swallowed.

"I-I was just wondering why my answer is incorrect, Sir."

The Professor picked up his script off his desk, looking at his answers indifferently, replying, "You failed to include a comparative conjunction, Mr. Potter. Your answer simply lists the characteristics of jinxes and hexes." He placed the parchment back onto the desk and walked off, heedless of the other queries lodged in Harry's throat. Theo had a vague look of incredulity on his face that disappeared as quickly as it came.

"Translation:" he muttered under his breath, "You failed to be a pure-blood." Harry smiled despite the situation he found himself in.

The next day, the top ten list for each of their seven classes as well as overall First-Year results was put up in the space outside the Great Hall. The lists gave Malfoy yet another ego boost that Theo rolled his eyes at.

"How did I put up with him for so long," he muttered rhetorically as they wandered into the Great Hall for breakfast. "How are you spending your Summer break?"

Harry shrugged, "Heading back to Egladus. I'll probably just spend time with my primary school friends and get my homework done. What about you?"

"Father has business in Bulgaria, and my options are either to follow him or spend the break at Malfoy Manor because he doesn't think I can take care of myself for a few weeks."

Harry winced sympathetically. Those didn't sound like great options if Theo's tone was anything to go by.

"So I'll be spending at least half of Summer in a foreign country with only a stuffy old man."

Harry suppressed the sigh that threatened to escape him. Theo looked like he would rather be in Bulgaria with his Father- and Hermione looked like she would rather have been told that her access to the Hogwarts Library has been suspended indefinitely- than to be sitting in the same compartment as each other.

The moment the train pulled into the station, they both shot up from their seats, scrambling to gather their belongings and leave the compartment. Hermione hurried out before Harry even managed to fully stuff his books back into his bag.

"Someone's in a hurry, aren't they?" Theo said snidely.

"Sorry," Harry said. Theo waved off his apology.

"Don't apologise, I feel worse for you, having to spend your holidays with her. Can you believe she managed to spend fifteen minutes lecturing me about how I should hold my wand? I don't even think Ollivander can spend that long talking about wands. How long has she even had a wand? Only amateurs grip it that tightly with their entire hand!"

"She's not that bad-" Theo made a vaguely disagreeable sound and Harry abandoned his attempt to defend Hermione. "Well, have a good break Theo. See you when school resumes, yeah?"

"I'll write to you if I have the chance. Bye," he agreed, leaving the compartment too. Finally, Harry sighed and pulled his satchel over his shoulder and left.

He found Hermione waiting next to one of the teachers from Egladus, together with a few other Hogwarts students that stayed in the dorms of Egladus. The teacher marked his name off on the register when she saw him.

"Hey," he greeted quietly, "Sorry about… that…" he finished lamely. Hermione inhaled deeply.

"You don't need to apologise for him. I don't like him at all, but since he is your friend, I will put up with him, although I do think you need to make better friends."

"He is a good friend-" Harry started but was interrupted quickly.

"Really! A 'good friend' wouldn't care about my blood status, or bring it up at all in a conversation about proper wand grip! Did you see how he was practising the Levitation Charm?"

"Hermione, I think he knows what he's doing-"

"But his grip was nothing like the one shown in The Standard Book of Spells-" Harry resisted the urge to roll his eyes, well aware of Hermione's worship of books which, if he were to be honest with himself, has rubbed off slightly on him. But he knew from watching the way Marvolo handled his wand during the Yule break they spent together, that the way they were taught to hold a wand during Charms was not the only, or in fact the best, way to hold it. It was simply the most intuitive, and thus the easiest for First-Years to get used to.

Her tirade against Theo was cut short when their teacher announced that they would be departing via Portkey in a few minutes. Hermione fell unhappily silent next to Harry when the boy shrugged helplessly in response to her words. Harry was unwilling to get into an argument with her, yet he was not going to concede that she was right.

July 1992

"Hey Harry!" Justin greeted him as he came into their shared room. Harry was playing Exploding Snap with Dean and Seamus. "Mrs. Hogan wants to see you."

Harry blinked, wondering if he was in trouble. "What for?" He asked, hoping Justin knew why. He shrugged.

"She was talking to this bloke kind of scary-" Harry felt his eyes widen in anticipation.

"W-was he really tall, well-dressed, blue eyes?"

Justin looked at him weirdly, while Dean and Seamus paused their game to stare at him. "Uh… I guess? I… I didn't really look… Do you know him?"

"I might! Thanks Justin, see you guys later!" Harry ran out of their dorm room.

He bounded into the room just in time to see Mrs. Hogan bow deeply to Marvolo. He caught his mentor's eye and the man gave him an appraising look.

"Hi!" he greeted with a wide grin, surprised he was actually right about Marvolo being here, silently asking the question of what he was doing here. Marvolo returned a miniscule smile as he walked over to stand in front of him and smooth down his absurdly messy hair.

"I trust you have been well?" he said, looking at him. Harry shrugged but his continued grin gave away his happiness at seeing Marvolo.

"What're you doing here?" he asked, curious yet excited.

"I will be giving you access to your family's vaults. Your teacher here," he glanced at Mrs. Hogan, who averted her eyes quickly and dipped her head, "will bring you to Gringotts to set everything in order." Harry's mouth fell open in shock.

"H-hold on, I have a Gringotts vault?" he asked, his heart beating quicker in excitement.

"Of course. The Potters were quite wealthy and the contents of the vaults are rightfully yours now," he answered simply.

"Really? How much money is in there?" Harry bounced on his feet as his grin grew impossibly wide.

Marvolo placed a hand on Harry's shoulder and he settled down slightly, still buzzing with excitement. "There is more than just money, little serpent, and I shall let you discover for yourself when your teacher brings you to Gringotts."

"Can you bring me?" he blurted out, feeling shy when Marvolo raised a brow. He hasn't seen him in a long time, and as he mentioned before he returned to Hogwarts after the Yule break, he would, and had, missed Marvolo.

"Harry…" Mrs. Hogan interjected gently, eyeing Marvolo slightly worriedly out the corner of her eye, "I'm not sure if that's a good idea… h-he's a busy man, dear," she said softly.

"But-" he started, looking at Mrs. Hogan, before he was interrupted by Marvolo.

"You may join me tomorrow at Diagon Alley, if you wish; there is something I must collect."

"Really?" When Marvolo gave him a bored look, he exclaimed quickly, "Alright!"

He turned to look at Mrs. Hogan after his exclamation with a hopeful gaze. She frowned slightly, but nodded quickly to give him the silent permission to go with Marvolo. When he moved towards the doorway where Harry had originally entered from, the boy turned to say, "See you tomorrow!"

"Indeed," Marvolo agreed, his lips quirked up ever so slightly. Harry watched as he walked out of the room, his silhouette growing smaller as he made his way to the Apparition point. Harry turned back around, the smile that he had unconsciously been wearing on his face fading when he saw Mrs. Hogan's troubled expression.

"Is everything alright, ma'am?" Mrs. Hogan gave him a strained smile.

"I… I need you to be careful, Harry," she said, glancing at the doorway Marvolo had just left from, "H-he is a… powerful man."

Harry frowned, biting his inner lip. "He won't hurt me," he said with a certainty he didn't know he had felt. He knew he hardly had any reason to, except for his couple weeks spent in the man's company, and perhaps he was being naive, but couldn't explain it, he just felt safe with Marvolo. Mrs. Hogan frowned, unwilling to dispute his claim, yet unwilling to concede.

At last, she sighed. "He… might not hurt you directly , but he… surrounds himself with dangerous people."

This time, Harry frowned. Mrs. Hogan reached out to pat him on the shoulder, "I just need you to be careful, dear."

"I'll be careful," he promised carefully, looking at her with concern. She smiled at him but her face had not quite lost the pained quality from before.

The next day, Mrs. Hogan brought him to an oddly empty Leaky Cauldron through the Floo, where he waited for Marvolo.

The man had appeared moments later, Apparating in from the designated Apparition point next to the Floo Network. Harry grinned, giving Marvolo a little wave. He stood from the seat he had taken conveniently to wait for him, turning to say goodbye to Mrs. Hogan. His smile faltered when he saw the troubled look from yesterday had returned to her face. She patted him on the shoulder, her head remaining in a bow.

"Remember what I told you yesterday, Harry," she took a deep breath, "Don't anger him… be respectful… just… be careful, my dear," Harry looked at her in confusion, but nodded anyway.

"You don't need to worry, Mrs. Hogan; Marvolo was really nice to me during the Yule break," Harry said in an attempt at reassurance. However, Mrs. Hogan's face gained a vaguely horrified quality. Before Harry could defend himself and before she could say anything further, Harry felt a hand land on his back, right beneath his neck. He didn't have to look up to know it was Marvolo; the man was cloaked in a familiarly comforting magic.

"Is there a problem, Faustine?" Marvolo asked politely, yet sounding strangely threatening. Harry looked between the two of them. It was the side of Marvolo he had mostly forgotten existed following their couple of weeks spent together at Riddle House. It was a side of him that made Harry a little afraid if he was to be honest. Mrs. Hogan, too, sensed the predatory undercurrent of Harry's mentor, her already bowed head, dipping a little further, her stance a little more subservient. Harry bit his lip and leaned further into Marvolo, who wrapped his arm around his narrow shoulders.

"N-no, of course not…" she replied, her voice quiet.

"Good," he said, not sounding at all pleased in any way. Harry felt Marvolo give him a gentle push from the hand resting on his back and he glanced quickly at Marvolo, who gave him a significant look. Harry resisted showing a pout on his face, shuffling further away from the two tense adults. He saw Marvolo shift sideways slightly so Harry's view was almost completely obstructed by his back. The faint whispers of their conversation dissipated in the air before Harry could catch anything of significance. This time, he did pout, running his fingers along the seam of his Slytherin cloak, which he had thrown on for the trip, to stave off his growing boredom.

Finally, Marvolo was done talking to Mrs. Hogan, who looked unusually pale, even in the dim light of the Leaky Cauldron (which Harry noted was still suspiciously empty). Marvolo beckoned Harry over with an outstretched arm and he bounded over eagerly. Mrs. Hogan turned towards the fireplace with barely a glance back at him. He frowned slightly as he heard the Floo activate once more behind him, turning around to catch her… fearful gaze before the lime green flames licking at her feet flared up and she was taken away by the blaze.

"What did you talk to her about?" Harry blurted out, his curiosity winning over his respect for the privacy of others.

"I don't believe that is your business, little serpent," Marvolo said in reply, yet despite his curt words, there was little bite to his tone. Harry shrugged and gripped Marvolo's forearm as he started walking towards the entrance to Diagon Alley. The man looked at him, an odd expression flitting across his face too fast for Harry to discern, but he did not pry Harry's fingers from his arm.

"Why is the Leaky Cauldron so empty today?" He ended up asking.

"Aren't you full of questions today?" Marvolo commented without answering his question. Harry gave him a pleading look and Marvolo's lips curled slightly in dark humour. "Perhaps the usual patrons had a reason not to come today," he said at last, frustratingly ambiguous, while pulling out his pale white wand.

"Then why did we come?" Harry couldn't resist asking. Marvolo turned to look at him, his wand still outstretched.

"Do you mean you would rather it be full of bumbling people?" He asked pointedly. Harry titled his head sideways in contemplation. "I thought not," Marvolo muttered. He tapped the bricks in a pattern Harry tried his best to memorise from watching, and the wall rumbled, shifting itself into an archway to welcome them into the main Alley.

Diagon Alley itself had not quite lost its magic for Harry, and he had to consciously stop himself from looking around in amazement like some starry-eyed First-Year. He was older than that now. Marvolo guided him around by the hand resting on Harry's shoulder, steering him away from the sights and sounds of the Alley towards the towering marble building at the end of the main street.

"Gringotts, Harry," he said, amused. Harry sighed dramatically in response, but walked a little closer to Marvolo. He smiled when the man did not pull away.

Gringotts Wizarding Bank was an imposing building. That was clear to Harry as he stopped walking and warily eyed the sign above the entrance of the pristine structure. Marvolo paused beside him, following his line of sight to read the inscription.

"Enter, stranger, but take heed

Of what awaits the sin of greed,

For those who take, but do not earn,

Must pay most dearly in their turn,

So if you seek beneath our floors

A treasure that was never yours,

Thief, you have been warned, beware

Of finding more than treasure there."

Harry swallowed. No, that warning poem was not welcoming at all.

"We are not here to steal anything, Harry. You hardly have to fear the goblins," Marvolo said, taking in Harry's stricken expression. Right, Gringotts is run by goblins. Out of his peripheral vision, Harry saw Marvolo roll his eyes.

"Has anyone ever stolen anything from inside Gringotts?"

Marvolo looked thoughtful, and answered, "Not successfully, to my knowledge, though I hardly make it my business to know every going-on with Gringotts. The goblins are largely autonomous."

"So they get to decide what happens to thieves?" Harry asked, surprised.

"For the most part, yes. The goblins had signed a treaty with the New Ministry after the end of the war detailing the extent of their jurisdiction over crimes committed within their walls." Harry made a face- why did Marvolo have to use such big words all the time?

"Oh…" Harry uttered after a while. "Well… what happens to people who steal?" He asked out of morbid curiosity, not entirely sure if he actually wanted to know. Marvolo smiled in a way that made Harry certain he did not want to know.

"Actually, don't tell me," he interrupted hastily, rubbing his hands together nervously. If he was going to have to spend the near future within Gringotts, he did not want to lose his resolve so quickly. Marvolo's hand returned to his shoulder, pulling him towards the door.

"Come now, I don't have all day," he said, pushing the grand doors open effortlessly. The goblins closer to the entrance glanced up when they came in, giving them an appraising look. Harry pressed into Marvolo's side. One of them curled their lips in disdain when they met Harry's eyes. He looked away quickly.

"I don't think the goblins like me very much," he whispered to Marvolo.

"There is no need to take it personally; they look at everyone with contempt," he said lightly. Harry looked at him incredulously.

"They're not looking at you like that," he pointed out.

"I am hardly 'everyone', Harry," Marvolo justified dryly, "and neither will you be when you come into your power." Harry looked at him, halfway between flattered and puzzled why Marvolo had such unwavering faith in this 'power' he had yet to actually properly demonstrate.

They reached the main counter, the goblin seated behind the high desk grumbling under his breath, a quill in hand scratching away at the parchment hidden behind the counter. He looked up the same time Harry repressed a shudder at the strangely menacing aura suddenly permeating the air around them. Surprise flashed briefly on the goblin's sharp features, the vaguest of frowns flickering across his face as he glanced at Harry before cantering his attention on Marvolo.

"Your Lordship," he greeted. Marvolo replied in a string of guttural sounds. The goblin looked pleased, his sharp teeth showing as he dipped his head towards Marvolo in respect. He disappeared behind the counter and walked to the back, where he soon appeared with another goblin.

"This is Griphook, Your Lordship. He currently oversees the Potter vaults as his forefathers before him have." Griphook bowed low.

"You will go with Griphook to settle your inheritance. I have business with the Head Goblin." Marvolo only responded with a gentle push from the hand on his back, ignoring Harry's wide-eyed look.

"Follow me, Mr. Potter," Griphook said, turning back where he came from. Harry glanced back to where Marvolo stood, seeing the man speak softly to the Head Goblin. He shrugged minutely, jogging after Griphook who, despite his small stature, had managed to make it quite far from Harry in that short span of time his attention was diverted. He was led to a simple room with a desk and two chairs.

Griphook took the larger chair that allowed his short stature to go above the table. The goblin gestured to the other, normal-sized chair opposite him and Harry took it.

"Your wand, please, Mr. Potter, for identification purposes." Harry took his wand out of its holster and handed it to the goblin. It was placed upon a piece of parchment on the desk and Griphook waved a hand over it, causing ink to spread over the parchment, forming words.

"Everything appears to be in order," he commented as he handed Harry his wand back. "Within your trust vault, created by your parents before their death, contains 13, 648 galleons, 7, 591 sickles and 15,983 knuts. You may not access the main Potter vaults until your 17th birthday, which contains 84, 137 galleons, 36, 253 sickles and 801 knuts-" Harry gaped at all the money that was apparently his, but the goblin continued.

"-You will also gain access to a cottage in Godric's Hollow that once belonged to your parents, and 12 Grimmauld Place, left to you by your godfather, upon your 17th birthday. Do you have any questions?" Harry stared blankly, I have— had?— a godfather? I have all that money? I have houses? As in more than one house? What am I supposed to do-

"Mr. Potter?"

"Um… H-How can I withdraw my money?"

Griphook nodded, "Gringotts can provide you with a pouch that refills monthly with an amount decided by you. It will, of course, be enchanted with anti-theft spells. All this for the low price of four galleons."

Harry agreed to purchase the pouch, and for it to refill with the amount of ten galleons, five sickles and 100 knuts monthly. He took out a little extra to purchase his school materials for his second year. He met up with Marvolo again in the main lobby after he retrieved his money, holding tightly onto the pouch and clutching his bank statement.

"I didn't think my parents had so much money," Harry commented, going over the statement again as they walked out of Gringotts, handing it to Marvolo's outstretched hand. The Death Eater looked over the parchment, frowning slightly.

"I was under the impression the Potters had more than this, but I suppose they must have spent a significant amount financing the Order's cause." Harry remained silent.

"I have a godfather," Harry said softly. Marvolo gave a considering hum. "Do you know him?"

"Sirius Black?" he read off the parchment, "Perhaps we met once or twice on the battlefield, but no, I cannot say I knew him."

"Oh… he was a… an Order member too…?" Marvolo turned his gaze to Harry, who sounded uncharacteristically dejected.

"Harry," the boy looked at him, a little surprised, "I'm certain you would not like to hear this, but your family was deeply involved with the Order. It is likely that many of your parent's friends are on the run or no longer alive."

Harry nodded, understanding but not liking it at all. Marvolo pushed him lightly into a store, Harry hadn't quite realised they had already walked all the way to the entrance of Flourish and Blotts. "Get what you need for your second year, I will return momentarily." Harry nodded, wondering briefly where Marvolo was going, but the man left before he could ask any questions. Harry entered the deceptively small shop and meandered through the sprawling interior, picking out his new textbooks before browsing through texts that haven't been prescribed in his most recent Hogwarts letter. He felt a budding sense of great excitement at the thought that he had the funds to purchase additional books and items from any store in the Wizarding World.

"What're you doing here, Potter? Do you even have money to buy anything?" Harry whirled around to find Pansy Parkinson standing behind him. Harry rolled his eyes and tried to push past the girl further into the bookstore. Before he could react, he heard Parkinson say, "Conruo," the jinx making him trip into the towering bookshelves. Luckily, he stopped the books from the top shelves from falling onto him, but that didn't mean that there were now books scattered around his feet. The girl snickered behind him as he brushed himself off with a glare and picked the books up to slot them back into their rightful places. When he turned back around, Parkinson had left back to the back of the store. Harry sighed and continued putting the books back.

"I leave you for ten minutes and you have ended up on the floor reshelving the store," Harry jumped when he heard Marvolo's vaguely disapproving voice. He turned around to see Marvolo peering down at him with a slight smile. He stood up sheepishly, patting the dust off his knees and grabbing his purchases off the ground. Marvolo shrunk them with a flippant wave of his hand.

As they walked out, Harry felt someone shove into his side, causing him to stumble into Marvolo. The man barely budged, catching Harry by the shoulders. He turned around to catch Parkinson walk off, her arms still full of books. "She's quite the little muggle," Marvolo said idly beside him. He steered Harry around to face Flourish and Blotts again, much to the boy's confusion. Then, Harry saw him raise his right hand slightly, flicking his wrist smoothly. They heard a sharp shriek and the sound of heavy books crashing to the ground with a thud when Parkinson suddenly lost her grip on the books.

"What spell was that?" Harry asked, tearing his gaze away from the chaos in the store.

"A simple Relashio, you would have already learnt it." Marvolo said. A small smirk graced his lips as he eyed a couple strutting into the store. "This is a wonderful opportunity to attempt a little silent spellwork, Harry." Parkinson had just picked her books up again. He pulled his wand from his holster.

Relashio, he thought with great concentration, imagining the scene from before. The girl yelped again as an inexplicable force ripped her hands off her textbooks. The second time this happened, it garnered more attention from onlookers, who shook their head and made disapproving noises.

"Pansy!" he heard a woman exclaim in a scandalised voice, "Be more careful! You were raised better than this!"

"The state of pure-bloods these days," he commented ironically, the smirk on his face growing more pronounced "Rather embarrassing, wouldn't you say?" Harry had to bite his lip to stop himself from laughing, while Marvolo turned him towards the Leaky Cauldron again.

Harry woke up on July 31st to the sound of an owl scraping at the window. He hurried to open it, wondering if Theo had found time to write to him again. It hopped in and Harry couldn't help but admire the beautiful snowy owl perched on the window ledge. He took a small package off its talon. Inside, he found owl treats and a short note. He grinned as he read it.

Little serpent,

Owls are terribly useful pets, and she yet to be named.

Happy birthday.

TMR

Looking back to the owl watching him with inquisitive eyes, he recalled a memorable witch from A History of Magic. "What do you think of the name Hedwig, girl?" The owl hooted once and Harry stroked its wing with the back of his fingers. He ran to his school trunk, pulling out a piece of parchment to pen a quick thank you note to Marvolo. Blowing on the ink, he asked Hedwig quietly, mindful of his still-asleep roommates, "Can you send this back to Marvolo for me?" Hedwig hooted again, as if upset that Harry thought it wouldn't be up for another trip. Harry fed her a quick treat, attaching the note onto her outstretched claw.

Harry smiled contentedly as he flopped back onto his bed, watching Hedwig fly off through the little window by his bed.