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Thanks and Hope you enjoy

Chapter 10

July 24th 1988

Surrey,England

This was It.

Today was Harry Potters Eleventh Birthday.

And it was more than that to him it was the day that he finally got is Acceptance Letter to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry the letter that he had been dreaming about for so long.

Unfortunately that letter would not be accompanied by anything from his biological parents who where two busy training Micheal Potter the boy who lived.

And Harry was glad for that.

After all he would not have to deal with anything Michael Potter related until Harry reached Fourth Year and Michael would be starting Hogwarts.

That was still three years away though.

He would be going to Hogwarts this year though.

But more importantly he would be going to Hogwarts with his best friend Daphne Greengrass.

Her birthday was on August 5th but she said that she would be getting her letter earlier and they would be meeting up after that to talk about what next and when to go out for supplies.

The two of them where ready to go to Hogwarts though.

They had been spending quite some time reading books about Magic that Daphne had gotten from her family library that they where looking forward to learning how to do the real thing.

Harry knew how to do minimal wandless magic but it still needed work and having a wand and being at Hogwarts should help him on that front.

He was not looking forward to the temporary halting of Martial Arts lessons with Master Dao.

In the two years or so since Harry had started working with Master Dao he had learned so much

He had learned the basics of the Taijiquan Forms, Principles and Moves as well as Shaolinquan,and Hung Gar even thought they had not been able to cover Baguazhang yet

His mentor had said that he was the best and quickest learner of all the students he had in is fourty plus years of teaching which was saying something coming from someone as wise and experienced as Li Dao.

And having Daphne around around him definitely helped his focus and concentration as he wanted to prove himself.

Master Dao seemed to not that and ever since the spring he had been putting the two of them through a lot of joint training sessions.

Those training sessions despite seeming to get more intense each and every day but despite that hard work Harry could really feel it paying off.

And it looks like all of Daphne's hard work in Gymnastics was really paying off to.

Harry was suddenly taken out of his musings by the sound of Dudley looking like he was going into the living room to watch TV.

Sighing Harry left the kitchen and started to go outside.

Nearing the front door he stopped when he heard a noise out the window and saw a owl land of a perch.

Taking the letter from the owl he opened it up and read the first page.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,Supreme Mugwump, International Confederation. of Wizards)

Dear Mr Potter

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31st July.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

He then read the Second page

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)

2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

4. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags.

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set brass scale

Students may also bring, if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad.

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS

ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK[5]

Yours sincerely,

Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus

Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions

Harry breathed in and out.

It was finally here.

His Hogwarts Letter.

Folding it back up and putting it in his pocket Harry walked back inside.

Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia where sitting around the table and Harry went up to them.

"My Hogwarts Letter"Came he said "Ill be gone by September 1st and than you wont have to deal with me until next summer".

Vernon nodded "Good "He said "When will you be going to go get your supplies".

"I'm going to be meeting up with my friend later to talk about that but i think that i will be going to get my stuff with my friend".

Petunia nodded "Thank you "She said.

Harry nodded and walked out of the room before heading out to go meet up with Daphne.

SCENE CHANGE

Harry soon arrived at the local playground where he meet Daphne who was excitedly waving around her own acceptance letter.

"You got your acceptance letter Daphne"Harry said excitedly.

Daphne excited too seeing his acceptance letter rushed forward and took Harry in a brief hug while laughing.

"Where going to Hogwarts, Where going to Hogwarts "She sang.

Harry smiled.

"I know Daph weve been preparing for this for quite some time "He said.

Daphne nodded and then looked at the time.

"Your relatives know "She asked.

"Yes"Harry replied "I told them that i would be coming up with my own way to get my supplies".

"Oh yeah"Daphne said "My mom said that you could come with us to go get supplies".

"Really"Harry said "Thank you thats much appreciated.

"I dont think you have a owl at your home do you"Daphne noticed "We have two at home and you can use the other one to send a message to a school to accept your Hogwarts letter".

"Wow"Harry said deciding to hug Daphne this time "You think of everything Daph thanks".

"No problem"She grinned turning to run in another direction "Come on we have to head on out".

Harry then followed his friend towards her house".

SCENE CHANGE

Walking up the stairs leading to Daphnes house Harry was astonished at its look.

He didint really remember what the Potter Residence looked like but the Greengrass Residence was definitely more impressive and beautiful than anything that their was in Surrey.

Daphne noticed is look and beamed as he looked at the house.

"Come on inside "She said "Its even better in here".

Nodding he walked inside and was astonished by the look of the interior.

It was amazing.

"Built in the seventeenth century isn't it its quite impressive "A Voice said.

Turning around Harry saw a woman coming down the stairs who looked very much like Daphne.

"Hello "She said holding out a hand "I'm Adeline, Adeline Greengrass and you must be the boy my daughter has been speaking so fondly of".

"Mom"Daphne wined.

Adeline laughed "Its ok but is nice to finally meet you Harry".

"Its nice to meet you to Mrs. Greengrass "Harry replied politely.

"Adeline please "She replied "Any friend of my daughter is a friend of her family as well".

And then added on "I'm sorry that you haven't been over to here before but we wanted to make sure that we weren't going to be having a Muggle or a Squib over here".

Harry nodded and held up his acceptance letter "I'm going to Hogwarts Adeline and Daphne said it would be ok if i used one of your owls to send off a message informing them that i will accept their invitation to Hogwarts".

"Of course "Adeline said "And then you can come with me and Daphne to Diagon Alley where we can get both of your supplies and visit Gringots".

"Ive been saving up some money that ive gotten from the Dursleys and odd chores done at my Martial Arts Academy"Harry said.

"We can see if the Potters gave you a trust vault"Adeline said "If not we can pay for your school supplies".

At that Harry got flush.

"Thats not necessary"He said "I wouldnt want to intrude".

Adeline smiled "Harry my daughter has told me about your time in Muggle School and i couldnt disagree more with you on that you have really helped Daphne through those years before Hogwarts making sure she is always happy and cheerful and for that i thank you".

"And besides"Daphne butted in "Im going to be getting a lot more than you will be"Harry she said "Im getting a whole new wardrobe".

"Like you really need anymore clothes"Adeline muttered under her breath.

"Sorry Mom"Daphne said flustered "I just want to look good".

"Its ok dear"Adeline said "I was just like that at your age now go help your friend find the owlrey we leave in fifteen minutes".

Hurting the two rushed to send Harrys owl.

SCENE CHANGE

Heading outside Adeline hailed a bus.

When they entered the big blue bus that arrived they where greeted to the sight of a crazy looking man next to a head at the steering wheel.

Well that didint inspire confidence.

"Hold on tight kids"Adeline said "Its going to be a bumpy ride".

What a understatement that was.

As the Bus zipped and zoomed throught the busy London streets both Harry and Daphne where yelling and screaming at the weird sensations.

Finally though they both got to infront of a few buildings.

Harry then noticed that he and Daphne had ended up holding onto each other as they had been yelling throughout the journey.

Separating Harry asked a pale Daphne if this was her first time using the Knight Bus.

She shook her head.

They heard Adeline's chuckle.

"Its a bit of a wild ride"She said "It will take a bit of time to get used to".

Getting used to

How could someone ever get used to that.

Exeting the Bus with Daphne and her mum they walked until Adeline stopped.

"Here it is kids"Adeline said "The Leaky Cauldron one of the most famous places in the world".

The Leaky Cauldron was a grubby looking pub and if it hadent been pointed out to him he probably would not have even noticed that it was there after all the Muggles walking by only looked at the book and record shops on the opposite side of it and did not see the Leaky Cauldron at all.

Which made sense since only witches and wizards could view it.

As Daphne,Harry and Adeline walked inside the place he was shocked by how shabby and run down the place saw a few old woman sitting in a corner drinking tiny glasses of sherry with one of them smoking a pipe and a little man was talking to the very bald bartender who seemed incredibly dull.

Harry noticed how few young people there where and how much the people in here looked like they where in poverty.

Adeline seemed to notice that to as she called out to the barkeeper "Hey Tom isint there supposed to be more people here around this time".

The Bartender nodded back to her "Hello Mrs Greengrass"He said "There is actually less people here then there would have been last year since after all there arent a lot of kids that where born at the hight of the war".

"My husband was born in 44 though and there was quite more kids here than when he started and even more as the years went on"Adeline said.

"Things where different than they where during the Grindlwald War im afraid"Tom replied "The Burden of the war fell upon a lot more young people and thus im worried that even though their is supposed to be a increase in students in 93 that where born right after the war ended but that is still five years away before those students start and im worried that it wont be nearly as much of a boom as it was after Grindlewald".

Adeline nodded "Well im here to take my eldest and her friend shopping for their Hogwarts supplies"She said.

"Take care then"Tom said.

As Harry followed the Greengrasses outback he was thinking about what he had heard.

"Theres going to be less students"Daphne asked her mom.

Adeline sighted "Im afraid so"She said "Not a lot of parents had kids in the middle of the war and quite a few others had war wounds that prevented them from doing so".

"LIke Daddy"Daphee asked.

"Yes dear"Adeline said "If your father hadent gotten himself hurt in battle that he probably would be a high ranking Auror right now instead of a office job and you would have had several more siblings by this point".

"Those people in there"Harry noted "They looked so sad".

Adeline nodded "Indeed after the 83 Election Minister Bagnold implemented large tax cuts while not doing a good job of paying off the war debt and thus people have suffered through a tough depression because of it".

She then shook hereself "Enough of this doom and gloom"She said as they got to a small courtyard where their was nothing but a trashcan".

Adeline then tapped the wall with her wand three times "Three up,two across"She said "Ok stand back you to".

The bricks in the middle of the wall started to move and soon a small hole appeared that grew wider and wider and soon their was a archway there that allowed them to enter onto a cobbled street that twisted and turned out of sight".

"Welcome"Adeline said "To Diagon Alley".

She then chuckled at Harry and Daphnes amazement and as they stepped through the archway Harry saw it close behind them back into solid wall.

"Even for magics visiting Diagon Alley is always special"She said.

The first shop they saw was one that said Caduldrons-All Sizes-Copper,Brass,Pewter,Silver-Self-Stirring-Collapsable.

"Well get to that soon"Adeline said seeing her daughters expression "We need to go to Gringots first".

Gringots the wizarding bank.

As the three of them walked along the street Harry and Daphne noticed the various shops around.

They saw a elderly woman leaving a shop muttering under her breath about the sky high prices and something about Bagnold and subsides.

The three of them then passed the Emporium and a broom shop where several children where in looking around eagerly Harry could tell looking in through the window.

Adeline noticed to.

"Poor things"She murmured "Hopefully their parents can afford the costs".

So that was a Quittich store.

Daphne had explained the game to him but he could say that he had never found the game to be that exciting for him.

And besides the brooms seemed to be quite expensive.

Passing by more shops Harry saw places that sold robes,telescopes,animal parts,spellbooks,quills,partchment,potions bottles and a whole lot more.

Some of which made Harry alarmed.

Parchment but no paper.

He whispered this to Daphne who nodded.

"Yeah"She said "Parchment is consistent with this culture and your going to have to get used to not being able to use a lot of the things that we had in Muggle School,im not looking forward to having to wear those bulky robes all day since i really liked the outfits i wore to school and would only be able to wear those on the weekend now".

Harry nodded and soon they arrived at a snowy white building that towered over everything else and Harry saw what he recognized as a goblin standing by the door".

The Goblin bowed to them as they went inside and as they arrived at a second pair of door that had words engraved upon them.

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.

Entering the building another pair of goblins bowed to them and they saw about a hundred or so more gobins where sitting on high stools behind a long counter,scribbling in large ledgers,weighing coins in brass scales and examining precious stones through eyeglasses.

The three of them made straight for the counter through.

"Good morning"Adeline said to a free goblin "We would like to take some money out of our safe".

"Key,Please".

Adeline carefully took a key out of purse and handed it to the goblin who looked at it and nodded and called for another goblin to take them down to their vault.

Harry,Daphne and Adeline then followed the Goblin to a door that was by the side of the hall.

The Goblin held the door open for them where they entered into a narrow stone passageway that was lit with flaming torches that sloped steeply downward with little railway tracks on the floor.

The Goblin whistled and a small cart came rising from the tracks that they all climbed into.

The cart ride was then nearly as crazy as the Knight Bus one was but eventually they stopped.

Harry realized that his friend did not do so well with real fast moving things.

Daphne looked like she was going to be sick and Harry calmly rubbed her back to help her feel better.

Soon the Goblin unlocked the door and as it open Harry gasped.

He had never seen so much money before in his life.

Daphne looked astonished to.

Adeline smiled "Our family is not one of the wealthiest in the country but we are one of the twenty eight remaining Purblood familys and thus are lucky to be blessed with more money than the common folk'.

She handed them to bags and told them to fill them up with money.

Harry protested.

He couldnt accept taking money from them.

"Its no problem Harry"Adeline said "Your a good friend of our daughters and we want to help you however we can with your family in seclusion and all".

Harry nodded and took what he thought was needed wand Daphne put in a bit more money after that".

"Thank you so much"He told Adeline.

She smiled and picked up her own stuff until it was time to go.

This time as they returned on the cart Daphne held onto Harrys hand throughout the ride.

And she looked less afraid at the end.

So he was happy he supposed.

SCENE CHANGE

Outside they headed over to Madam Malkins Robes for All Occasions

Harry got fitted for his robes pretty easily but Daphne was bit more trickier.

Adeline said that she would be helping Daphne with a bit more clothes shopping and wondered if he would go get their books for them.

Given a list Harry then headed off to Flourish and Blotts.

He loved that store.

After getting the books of the required curriculum Harry then decided to spend a bit more to get some books that he really wanted.

He would have to come back here agin.

Seeing that Daphne was still taking some time with clothes he went and asked Adeline if it was ok for him to go get some more of their supplies which she agreed to with a grateful smile..

Harry went and got their cauldrons,scales,telescopes and got their Apothecary supplies.

After that he saw Daphne and Adeline where done and he went with them to go get their wands.

And what a process that was Daphne was easy to find a wand for finding pretty easily a 10 inch Alder wand with unicorn hair.

Harry was the difficult customer though.

He tried out many different wands that seemed to have trouble for him and Harry was thinking about Master Dao and how he was unable to find a wand for him and he was worried that he would be the same.

Eventually though he found a 11 inch,Holly with a Phoenix Feather Core.

After that they had to hurry home for dinner.

Daphne then remembered something that they had forgotten.

"Mom Harry needs a pet"She said.

Adeline stopped and thought.

"Oh yeah"She said "Harry did you have a preference for a pet our would a owl suffice".

"I was thinking of an owl,"Harry said.

"Our owls at home have had two owlets that we were going to give to Daphne and Astoria when they started at Hogwarts but since Astoria won't be starting for a while you can have the other owl Harry and we can just get Astoria another one when she starts at Hogwarts".

"Thank you"He said gratefully.

Adeline smiled "Come on"She said.

Harry felt happy as he walked home with Adeline and Daphne.

What a good life he had.

If your liking this story please review

I read every one of your reviews and if you want to make any suggestions or ideas I will respond to you in the next chapter I post