Chapter Three
The Most Wonderful Day
Jimmy woke late and covered in dangerous books, as he had every day since coming to Grimmauld Place one week ago. Both his father's closet and his Grandfather's personal library downstairs had been filled with thrillingly forbidden knowledge. Both had also contained, he'd discovered on his second trip into the closet, hand-written magical journals in special decorated boxes, most of them written by Blacks. He'd read almost until dawn the night he'd found them.
Only a few of the journals in his Grandfather's library had been written by the man himself, but those that were were meticulous, exhaustive and so mind bogglingly advanced that Jimmy couldn't make heads or tails of them. Most of them and the other journals from the Library dealt with rituals of some kind(Jimmy wasn't totally certain what they did), though there were also a few on something called Blood Warding and several about something called Shadow Weaving.
The journals from the closet were almost all written by his father and frequently contained rambling philosophical tangents, opinions on the efficacy of various wand movements or emotional states and occasional poetry. The breadth of topics his father had written upon was inspiring, though they mostly dealt with Legilimency, which appeared to be magical mind reading, Occlumency, which was fooling other people who were trying to read your mind, and all things necromantic. There were also a few volumes on experimental potions methods and spell creation techniques, all of which contained illuminating, sarcastic and frequently cryptic notes signed "HBP". There was even one slim journal by the Half-Blood Prince himself, called simply "The Art of Creating Spells". This one had Regulus's notes in the margins, signed as B.W. Jimmy hadn't read it yet, but he looked forward to it immensely.
Jimmy blinked sleepily around his new bedroom as he carefully marked his place in the book lying open on his chest. He couldn't help being cheered by the sight of the space that was now his. He'd chosen the empty room next to his father's and had Kreature bring in anything he'd particularly liked from around the house. His favorites were a tiny moving model of the solar system that looked as though it contained real stars, a solid silver human skull which rotated to face you as you walked around the room and the photo he'd found of his father posing with young men and broomsticks. Kreature told him it was a quidditch team, whatever that was. Jimmy wondered if it was similar to curling.
He'd also had Kreature magically cover one wall with bookshelves and place on it all the favorite books he'd brought in his magic suitcase, with room for more. Kreature had even added a secret door which connected his closet to his father's secret library. He could've moved the books to his room, but he loved the clandestine cosiness of the space.
A single large portrait frame hung on one wall; Officially this frame belonged to Phineas Nigelus, who was apparently Jimmy's several times great grandfather, but as of Jimmy moving in it had been co-opted by almost every member of Jimmy's extended family dropping by to sound him out, question his political opinions on issues he'd never heard of, and offer him lessons in everything from dinning etiquette to magical dueling.
The frame was now filled by Phineas himself, who was looking with interest at the books which covered Jimmy's bed.
"Many would say you're too young to be reading those." He commented.
"Yes, I'm sure they would." Jimmy said. "But they're my father's and grandfather's personal books; surely no one could deny me such a connection to them." He shot Phineas a sweet smile with a core of sly humor.
Phineas chucked drily. "And if they did I'm sure you'd listen carefully and thank them for watching out for you while you thought of a better place to hide your books."
Jimmy let out a surprised snort. The man absolutely had his number.
"Is that what you did?" He asked.
"Oh no. I never let them see my books on Dark Magic in the first place. No one has ever found my secret library unless I've told them the location." Phineas smirked.
Jimmy's eyebrows shot up. "Have I told you just how much I love secret libraries? Even if I'm not going to read the books yet because I'm too young. There's something about the ambiance."
Phineas Nigelius laughed outright, a rare thing to hear. "Yes, I'm sure you do. Your Grandmother wants you downstairs, by the way, and Kreature has prepared enough breakfast for a small army."
Jimmy slid down the banister, being scolded for doing so by a couple of Great-Aunts who were painted picnicking in a somber and misty countryside. He then presented himself to his Grandmother's portrait in his pajamas without combing his hair and received a second and much more thorough scolding.
"... and speaking of looking presentable," Walburga continued with a glare, "I have had Kreature prepare a set of robes for you to wear today to Diagon Alley, to fetch your supplies. I'll not have you wearing that muggle trash out of the house again. Or inside it. Kreature!"
The elf appeared with a bang and a low bow, making Jimmy jump.
"Yes Mistress?"
"Take James's Muggle school uniform and set it on fire. That will be all."
Walburga missed the subtle flash of Kreacher's eyes to Jimmy's looking for his living Master's approval, though Jimmy did not. He grinned and nodded, feeling gratified.
"At once Mistress." The elf bowed again and vanished.
"Now." Walburga turned back to her grandson. "As I am unable to accompany you on your shopping excursion, Kreacher will come with you to carry your things and keep an eye on you. You are to carry yourself like the young Gentleman you are and will use none of that filthy muggle slang I'm sure you've picked up. If you associate with other young gentlemen, they had better truly be young Gentlemen. You are not to go down Knockturn Alley until you have mastered more curses, and there is good reason for it. And in all things you are to remember that you are a Black and you will be proud of it, do you understand me?"
"Yes, Grandmother." He said dutifully.
"Very good. Oh, and one more thing- the best wands are to be found at Ollivanders. Tell me the specifications of your wand when you return, they may be significant."
"Yes, mam." Excitement began to rise in him. Finally, he was going to have his own wand!
The smoke of his Grieve's Academy uniform wafting from the kitchen fireplace cheered Jimmy's mood farther, though not as much as the sight of the enormous assortment of breakfast foods on the table. Kreature had taken to making every conceivable type of breakfast in an effort to know what Jimmy prefered, and he watched attentively as Jimmy gorged himself on buttery chocolate croissants, Belgian waffles, smoked sausages, soft boiled eggs and pumpkin juice.
When he was finished, Jimmy went to change into the robes his grandmother had mentioned and had to take a moment to giggle furiously, then another to seriously contemplate the idea of wearing the garments in public. Finally he put them on, looked in the mirror and snickered at himself.
He couldn't decide which part was best- the shiny silver layers of embroidery over the hem, the floor length black velvet or the floofy lace at the cuffs. No, he decided, it was definitely the ascot. He'd only ever seen them in plays. He looked like an absolute fop. But apparently this was just how wizards dressed, for his grandmother went on about how proper and so much like his grandfather he looked as he and Kreacher stood in the hallway preparing to apparate to the Alley.
"Has young Master been Apparated by an elf before?" Kreature asked him.
"Oh yes, loads. It was how Silly moved us to new schools. I'm ready when you are."
Kreature gave him the overflowing-with-worshipful-joy look he gave Jimmy whenever he said absolutely anything that acknowledged Kreature's desires, even accidently.
"Kreature is always ready to serve Master James." The old elf sniffed and took Jimmy's hand.
They appeared with a bang just inside the mouth of the alley, and Jimmy couldn't pick a direction to run in first. There were stalls selling rare magical items next to candy vendors selling hovering sherberts and chocolates that moved. Potion ingredients he was used to hoarding and treating like a scarce and important resource were displayed in giant bins, being hawked by old women for prices that were to him now pocket change. Jewel bright magical song birds sung together in floating harmonies, and down the lane he could see multiple bookstores. Again he was swamped with wonder and a sense of finally coming home.
The first thing he did was to buy as many potion ingredients as Kreature could carry. The elf then snapped his fingers, apperated home and came back thirty seconds later unburdened except for two large carry bags of black leather bareing the Black crest. It was a good thing he had, because their next stop was a rambling second hand book store down a winding little side street called Horizant Alley. Jimmy filled both cases with tomes. After that, deciding he couldn't wait another moment for the thing which excited him most, Jimmy headed for Olivander's.
The shop bell at Ollivanders Makers of Fine Wands tinkled gently as Jimmy entered, stomach churning with excitement and nerves but face composed. The shop was filled, floor to ceiling with neatly boxed magical wands. A display shelf by the window held a few especially fancy ones, and the whole shop emanated a magic that Jimmy could feel in his bones.
Behind the counter an old man tinkered with a few strips of wood, carefully sanding and measuring each piece until it was precisely the same as the others. The far off, dreamy gaze of the old wandmaker sharpened curiously as his eyes landed on the new occupants of his shop, taking in Jimmy's appearance and the ancient elf following him.
"Can I help you young sir?" The old man asked in the careful, solicitous tone that shop keepers had been using toward Jimmy since he'd arrived with his velvet robes and obedient house elf trailing behind him.
"Yes," He said, trying to sound like the confident young gentlemen who belonged in these robes, rather than the ponce he felt like. "I'd like to buy a wand, please. For myself."
Olivander looked out the shop window, frowning. "Do you have a parent with you, perchance?"
Jimmy's heart plummeted from his stomach to his shoes. "No, I'm afraid my parents aren't in my life. My Grandmother sent me with Kreature here." He nodded at the elf, who nodded as well, ears flapping.
"I'm sorry young man, but the ministry requires that those under the age of seventeen be accompanied by an adult family member, legal guardian or school official when receiving their first wand. A house elf is not considered a suitable substitute. Perhaps your grandmother is able to attend?" Olivander looked at him with concern.
Jimmy shook his head, trying to think of a way around the rule. "No, I'm afraid she doesn't leave the house. I do have my Hogwarts letter, is there any way you could contact Hogwarts and ask for a staff member to-"
He was interrupted by the tinkle of the bell and a high pitched, drawling voice saying, "But Theo Nott has one, Mother, and if the Notts can afford one then surely Father-"
"Will do what he thinks best for you, Draco. Your Father has, in addition to money, more sense than the Notts." Sniffed a haughty blond woman in robes almost as fine as Jimmy's.
She turned to regard Mr. Ollivander with cool command and stopped cold when she saw the boy standing in front of the counter with Kreature behind him, still dutifully toting the leather book bags bearing the family crest. Her mouth fell open, a gesture it was clearly unused to. Her eyes locked with Jimmy's and he was surprised to find that they were almost exactly like his own.
"What is your surname?" She demanded without preamble.
"Um. Black, ma'm." Jimmy managed. "Jimmy Black."
"Jimmy Black?!" The woman sounded utterly aghast. "Is that a muggle name?" Her nose crinkled as though the very concept made the room reek of inadequacy and offense.
"Er, well, it's a muggle nickname but it's actually James, which I'm told was after a wizard my parents knew." Jimmy said, trying to draw himself up under the scornful gaze bearing down upon him. "Why does that matter to you, Madam?"
Kreature tugged urgently on his sleeve. "Master James, this is your cousin the Lady Narcissa Malfoy." He gave the woman a low bow. "My master had the misfortune to be raised away from his Black heritage, Mistress Narcissa. Kreature hopes the grand Lady will forgive his rudeness."
Narcissa's eyes snapped to the elf and widened. "Kreature. I was not aware you were still alive. I assume this is Sirius's bastard son, then?"
Jimmy cleared his throat. "No, actually. Regulus's."
Narcissa froze.
"Regulus had a child out of wedlock?" Her voice was half incredulous and half hungry, as though eager for gossip. Good, Jimmy could work with that.
"Well my mother was a pureblood, of course, and they had a secret wedding planned for before I was to be born, but as my mother was in Auror training my father decided to… change his lifestyle for her. That didn't work out well and I became an orphan I'm afraid." The sadness tingeing his voice was real, but he watched his cousin closely. "It was rather a classic tale of forbidden love." Next to him Kreature nodded mournfully.
"Regulus in forbidden love!" Narcissa seemed floored. "That's why he… yes. Yes, it does make everything make sense, I suppose. To whom was he engaged?" Her voice was now purely eager. Every gossip in pureblood society was sure to know about the existence of James Regulus Black forwith, Jimmy was sure.
"My mother was Marlene Mckinnon, of Gryffindor house." Jimmy dropped his final bomb. "She named me James."
"Mckinnon! I'd never! Sirius, perhaps, but never Regulus!" She blinked. "But the McKinnons all died in the war. Who raised you, boy?"
Jimmy hesitated. If he told her the truth he ran the risk that she'd Take an Interest and he would likely lose his prized freedom, if her comments about broomsticks to her son were any indication. But a lie to a family member could easily come back to haunt him.
"I live with my Grandmother. The McKinnons were more resourceful than people give them credit for." Said Jimmy, technically telling the truth.
"Old Miribelle? The one with her nose always buried in a book?" Narcissa asked, raising her elegant brows.
"That's my grandmother. She doesn't get out anymore though. Rather reclusive." Jimmy quickly moved on. "Which is why it's actually an enormous stroke of luck that we've happened to run into one another! Mr. Ollivander was just telling me that you have to be accompanied by a family member to purchase a wand. Would you mind if I'm fitted with your son, since you're here anyway?"
Behind the imposing Mrs. Malfoy a white-blonde head peered around her curiously and another pair of slate grey eyes very like his own goggled at Jimmy like he was a zoo exhibit.
"Mother, aren't you going to introduce me to our cousin?" Complained Draco Malfoy. "I've never met family my age."
"Neither have I." Jimmy returned, venturing a small grin at the other boy. He noticed that Draco's robes were similar to his own (though without the lace cuffs) and somehow this made him feel less silly.
"I suppose it's little more trouble to stay for two wands than one." Narcissa said, eyeing Jimmy with interest and walking fully into the shop trailed by Draco. She turned to Mr Ollivander. "Hello, Garrick. I'll have both boys fitted, then."
Mr Ollivander beamed as the tension eased out of the room. "What serendipity that you should arrive, Mrs. Malfoy! Quite the family drama. Very well, here we are..."
He waved his wand and two tape measures flew out of one of the many nooks behind the counter and began herding Jimmy and Draco into a corner and measuring every conceivable measurement they had. Draco's eyes met his at the exact moment Jimmy's tape measured the space between his eyebrows, making him go cross eyed. He saw Draco smirking and let out a little chuckle. The blonde's smirk grew into a smile.
"So, do you follow Quidditch at all?" Draco asked him.
Jimmy felt a flush come over his face. "Er. No. My grandmother isn't one for sports. I know my father played it, and that you use brooms, but I don't actually know how it's played…"
This time it was Draco's mouth that dropped open. Narcissa listened from her place by the counter, watching Ollivander sort through wand boxes and set aside the ones he thought were a likely match for one of the boys.
Seeing the other boy's face, Jimmy added, "But I'd love to know more about it!"
And his cousin was off. Ollivander began handing them wands while Draco extolled quidditch's many virtues, and Jimmy had to admit that it sounded as thrilling as it did silly. It certainly sounded better than curling. The piles of tried wands got larger, Jimmy not feeling anything particular for any of them but admiring the carvings on the handles and the feel and balance of a few.
Draco was halfway through a detailed explanation of the smoothest chaser play he'd ever seen when the unornamented, short wand in Draco's hand threw off an enormous shower of green sparks with a puff of silver smoke that smelled of fireworks. Jimmy couldn't help grinning at him.
"Hawthorne and unicorn hair. Ten inches, reasonably springy. Interesting, Mr. Malfoy, very interesting. A wand of dual natures, light and dark. The combination is strong if mastered properly, temperamental if it is not. Equally suited to powerful healing and powerful curses." Mr Ollivander stated matter-of-factly.
After that everyone's attention was on Jimmy as he tried wand after wand. Mr. Ollivander seemed to get more interested rather than frustrated the longer Jimmy took. He took a grand looking wand from a well lit display up front and had Jimmy try it, a shining thing of holly and unicorn hair with opals set into the handle, which was carved in elegant twists. It seemed almost to radiate with light to Jimmy, but when he picked it up the wand made an indignant noise and jumped forcefully out of his hand.
"I see." Mr. Ollivander said interestedly. "Give me a moment, I believe I have a few I keep in the back which may be more suited to your magical nature."
He came back with a smaller stack of boxes, watching closely as Jimmy handled each one. The third wand Jimmy was handed was an unusually long, bone white wand with a tiny skull carved into the handle. Jimmy picked it up just like all the others and cold, invisible lightning ran up his arm with a sensation that was terrifying and pleasant at the same time. Instinctively he moved his arm as though throwing the lighting back out.
A huge black snake erupted out of the tip of the long white wand and landed on the floor with a hiss. Draco gasped and scooted back while Narcissa's eyes widened, turning to stare at Jimmy with renewed interest. Ollivander stepped forward and vanished the snake with a wave of his own wand.
"Yew harvested from a graveyard under moonlight, dragon heartstring core, 13 inches exactly, firm." The wandmaker stated with neither judgement nor praise in his voice. "Made by my predecessor in the last year of his life. A powerful wand, Mr. Black, very powerful, but one that you should know will come with a certain reputation."
Jimmy, who had been reading about wand lore in the Black library all of the previous evening in anticipation of this moment and who knew exactly what the pairing of this wood, core and length meant, said,
"With a wand practically designed for necromancy? You don't say, sir." He eyed the obsidian-eyed skull set onto the end of his new wand.
Behind him he heard Narcissa hide what sounded like a snicker behind a cough and Draco mutter a slightly envious, "Wow!"
Ollivander smiled faintly, but it did not reach the man's odd eyes, which studied Jimmy carefully. "Necromancy, yes, and blood magic as well. You carry on quite the legacy, Mr. Black. I hope you do so with great thought and respect for the value of life." His tone was quite serious.
Jimmy gave the man a little bow which he'd learned from Phineas Nigellus that was supposed to indicate respect for a wiser wizard, hoping he did it correctly. "I'll do my best, sir."
To his surprise, Narcissa insisted upon purchasing his wand and invited him to come along for the rest of their shopping trip. It would certainly raise less suspicion to be shopping with an adult and he agreed readily. He sent Kreature home to organize the new books into his growing collection and to tell Walberga about his wand and acquaintance with Narcissa.
"And of course the Nimbus 2000 is the fastest. I want one sooo badly but my Father says I should be focusing on practicing my magic…" Draco was saying as they walked into a shop lined with robes with bolts of fabric, scissors and sewing notions zipping busily to and fro through the air overhead, cutting fabric, stitching thread and measuring results.
"Good afternoon, Mrs. Malfoy, come for more dress robes?" The proprietress came immediately to greet them despite the business of the day.
"Not for myself, but I daresay Draco could use another set of self adjusting dress robes for our Winter Ball, and of course the full line of Hogwarts things. And I assume my young cousin James will be having the same."
Madame Malkin's eyes snapped to Jimmy with curiosity, and widened. "Oh my. You would be a Black, I'm guessing. I wasn't aware your father had had children."
Jimmy groaned inwardly. Apparently this was going to become a routine. "Not many were. You have a lovely shop, I must say." He paired the compliment with a cheery smile.
"And you have inherited your father's ability for charm, I see." Madam Malkin returned, but there was something suspicious in her eyes that had not been there before. Narcissa cut in.
"I dare say he may be more charming than his father at that age. He is Regulus's son."
Madam Malkin's eyes widened and she leaned towards Mrs. Malfoy in eager anticipation. "Regulus? But he died at 17! There must be quite a story behind that."
"One I would be happy to tell you while the boys are being fitted." Narcissa said primly.
The seamstress clapped her hands. "Yes, of course! You'll be wanting the dress robes for the ball as well then, Mr. Black?"
He was about to open his mouth and say that no, just the school uniform was fine, when Narcissa cut in. "Oh, do please get some robes for our Ball, James, you must come. Now that I know I have a living, free family member on the Black side I must make sure you know the right people. You look very nice in what you're wearing now- perhaps an updated version of this, Madame?"
Madam Malkin gushed her approval in a way that made Jimmy suspect that this order was very expensive, and he and Draco were again herded into a corner by tape measures and then measured in all the ways they hadn't been at Ollivanders. After a few minutes of conversation with Madam malkin Narcissa excused herself to have tea with Lady Nott.
Seeing that Madame Malkin and her assistants were busy discussing something about modern embroidery styles and that Narcissa was gone entirely, Jimmy turned to Draco and asked, "Draco, er, are there any particular manners you have to use at your mother's balls?"
Draco looked at him with shocked eyes. "Of course! Didn't your Grandmother teach you about ball etiquette? She is a Pureblood, right?"
Jimmy couldn't stop himself from coloring and looking down. "Well, I mean… the thing is…" He looked across to meet his cousin's eyes and made a split second decision. "I grew up entirely in the muggle world. My Grandmother is dead, actually, has been for years. Both of them are. I reckon you and your mum are my only living family who aren't in prison."
"That's a big secret. Why are you telling me?" Draco asked when he was finished being shocked.
Jimmy shrugged. "You're interesting, and well informed about how wizards do things. And we're cousins, so I'd like to be friends. Figured you'd find out sooner or later."
Draco looked half flattered, half flabbergasted. "But… but… who takes care of you? How are you going to pay for school supplies?" Draco kept his voice at a hiss, sending sidelong looks at the seamstresses across the shop.
"Well before this week I lived at a boarding school. Now it's just me and my house elf and the portraits. I'm sure we'll figure it out. The goblins gave me access to the Black properties and vaults after they tested my blood, so I've actually got more money than I think I could ever spend." Jimmy let a little smugness settle into his smile.
Draco's eyes turned calculating. "You're the de facto Black heir, and you have full access to the family vaults? And no supervision?" A hint of excitement had entered the blond boy's voice.
"I have supervision. I've got Kreature." Jimmy smiled.
Draco looked sceptical. "I don't know… I mean, he's just an elf. And I spoke to him at Great aunt Walburga's funeral. He's a bit mad, isn't he?
Jimmy shrugged. "He seems alright to me, I dunno. I'd call him eccentric."
"So you live at Grimmauld Place, then." Draco was studying Jimmy with new eyes. "That explains those robes."
Jimmy cracked another grin. "You know, I think I rather like them. And yes, I live at Grimmauld now, but only if your mum doesn't catch me doing it. Imagine if she knew."
Draco's mouth dropped open for the third time since meeting Jimmy. "Merlin's pants! She'd adopt you!"
"Exactly. And then I'd have to live by your father's rules about not buying broomsticks and people might start telling me that I can't just read anything I find in my Grandfather's library. And, I think you'd agree, life is more fun without those kinds of rules." He shot Draco a speculative look and watched the idea he'd planted come to life in his cousin's mind.
"A life where you can buy whatever broom you like, whenever you like…" Draco caught on.
"Exactly. But only as long as your mother thinks I'm a well cared for young gentleman with no need of extra supervision. So, what do I need to know to go to a modern day ball?" The portraits had taught him just enough etiquette for him to realize that most of what they knew was a hundred or so years out of date. He wanted to learn everything he needed to blend in with current Society.
Which was a lot, as it turned out.
"And if it's the Lord of the house then you always wait for him to put his hand out first, you never offer your hand to someone above you."
"Why not?" Jimmy asked.
Madam Malkin had bustled up with a skinny boy in too large muggle clothes to be fitted for Hogwarts while they'd been talking, but Jimmy was too riveted on Draco to spare the new boy a thought. Draco, gratified, continued,
"Handshakes are more serious than bows, James. They indicate mutual respect and alliance." Draco chided lightly.
"Really? Muggles do them for everything. And it's Jimmy, I told you."
Draco rolled his eyes. "Such a muggle name. I know you grew up around them, but do you have to advertise it like that?"
"Is there something wrong with growing up with muggles?" Asked the third boy timidly, drawing the stares of the first two.
"No." Said Jimmy firmly.
"Yes." Said Draco at exactly the same time.
The two cousins shot each other glares. Jimmy turned to the new boy and said, "Well, I was and I don't think there's anything wrong with it, but it would have been useful to grow up around all this." He gestured at the flying scissors and bustling bolts of cloth and asked, already suspecting the answer, "Did you?"
The boy blushed. "Er. No, not really. My aunt and uncle are muggles. Can I ask, er, is it important to know about the different kinds of bows and how to shake hands with a Lord?" He sounded nervous.
"Probably not for you." Sneered Draco. "Not unless you're next in line for an Heirship like my cousin." His tone voiced exactly how likely he thought this possibility.
"Which came as a shock to me, I can tell you." Jimmy grinned at the other boy. "I'm Jimmy, by the way, Jimmy Black." He held out his hand to the boy.
"Harry Potter." The boy said shyly.
"Merlin's beard!" Draco said, staring at Harry open mouthed. "Harry Potter!"
Harry nodded, looking a little miserable at being recognized, and Jimmy blinked in confusion.
"I'm sorry, why is that surprising?" Jimmy asked Draco, who rolled his eyes.
"He's famous for defeating the Dark Lord as a baby, Jimmy, don't you know anything?"
Jimmy turned to boggle at Harry as well. "What, really? How?"
Harry's cheeks colored. "Well I don't actually remember it. If I try really hard I can remember a flash of green light, but that's all." Jimmy saw Draco's eyes widen in shock, but he wasn't certain why.
"Must be weird to be famous for something you don't really remember." Said Jimmy, picking up on Harry's reticence. Harry let out a chuckle.
"Very weird, yeah. I only found out about it this morning, too. Sometimes I forget why people are staring."
Jimmy laughed. "Tell me about it! Though in my case it's probably because I'm dressed like such a ponce. These were the only clothes that would fit me at the House of Black."
Harry joined his laughter. "They are a bit lacy." He offered shyly. "So the House of Black is like, a Lordship or something? How is it different from being a Lord in the muggle world?"
Jimmy shrugged. "I don't totally know. We have a lot of Old Money in capital letters and some seats on the wizengamot. It's like wizard parliament. I'm pretty certain."
"Wow! I didn't even know wizards had their own parliament!" Harry said.
"Bwaaah…" Said Draco, looking flabbergasted. "They make all the laws for magical Britain, and you're both going to have seats on it! And you don't even know what it does!"
"I'm going to have a seat on Wizard parliament?" Said Harry in alarm. "Does that mean I do have to know how to shake hands with a Lord?"
"Well… well, yes." Draco tried to stop gaping and start thinking about how to use this situation to his advantage.
"You both need me." He announced. "You didn't grow up in your own culture, neither of you. You need a guide."
"You're volunteering, then?" Jimmy grinned. "We can ask you as many stupid questions as we like?"
"Yes." Draco said magnanimously.
"What do I actually have to do on wizard parlimen- er, the Wizzingalot?" Harry asked anxiously.
"Wizengamot. You vote for and against laws, mainly, and you decide if people are guilty of crimes. Or you can pick another member of the Wizengamot as your advocate and they cast your vote for you. My father does that for other wizards, a lot of them. But you won't have to do any of it for years, not til you're of age."
Harry let out a gust of relief. "Well, alright. I can just pick someone trustworthy later then."
Draco nodded. "Perhaps you could pick my father. He's very wise. But someone's got to be casting your vote now, you know. Have you any idea who?"
Harry blinked, startled. "No. I didn't even know it existed."
"Who's casting my vote then, Draco?" Jimmy asked.
"Mmm… probably my father, actually." Draco said. "Which is fine, he'll most likely vote how you would anyway. We should all exchange addresses so we can owl each other. You two would clearly be lost without my guidance."
"I don't have an owl." Admitted Jimmy.
"Neither do I." Harry added. "But I think Hagrid could take me owl shopping."
"Hagrid? That… that man who lives on the grounds on Dumbledore's charity? Why on earth would he take you?" Malfoy asked, aghast.
For the first time Harry's expression became less friendly. "I don't have anyone else to. And he's been brilliant, actually. He tied my uncle's shotgun in a knot when he tried to stop me leaving, and he brought me a birthday cake, even. No one's done that, I've never even had my own before."
Both boys gaped, then spoke simultaneously.
"You've never had your own birthday cake? Muggles must be worse than I thought!"
"Your uncle tried to stop you buying school supplies with a shotgun?!"
Harry just shrugged, his eyes going rather guarded.
"What's a shotgun?" Malfoy asked Jimmy.
"A dangerous weapon, a sort of mechanical version of the flesh blasting curse. You point it at someone, pull a small trigger at the base and it kills or badly injures whoever you're aiming at, unless you miss." Jimmy said, and Malfoy's eyes went wide. "I'm guessing your uncle doesn't approve of magic, then."
Harry chuckled nervously. "That's putting it lightly."
"I should say so!" Malfoy looked fascinated and disgusted. "But I suppose that's about what I expected of muggles."
Sensing the conversation might take a difficult turn on the current topic, Jimmy decided to steer it elsewhere.
"Did you say Hagrid tied the gun in a knot? That's quite a spell."
Harry grinned and shook his head. "Nah, he used his bare hands, he's really strong. The look on Uncle Vernon's face was amazing."
Jimmy's mouth dropped open. "He'd have to be strong, those things are made of steel!"
Draco's eyes cleared. "Ah. That's why you're shopping with him instead of a professor like usual! He's protection. After all, you are very important."
Harry blinked, having apparently not considered this. "I guess he did say his other assignment was to deliver something valuable from Gringotts to Dumbledore. And he kept people away from me when I got mobbed in the Leaky Cauldron."
Draco nodded. "Yep. Bodyguard."
"But a pretty cool one if he brings you sweets." Jimmy said, looking out the window. "I'm assuming he's the giant wildman with icecreams who's waving and smiling at you?"
Harry looked out the window and grinned. "Yeah, that's him."
Draco looked suspiciously at the icecream wielding giant, and watching his expression Jimmy was sure his cousin was changing his mental categorization of the large man from 'dangerous looney' to 'useful fool'.
"He looks friendly. Do you think he'd take me along if you do go owl shopping? It'd be a lot easier to get letters to each other." Said Jimmy, eager to spend more time with such an interesting enigma, and already trying to figure out a way to work into the conversation if the boy was related to his godparents since they were both Potters.
"Well if you're both going I'm coming too." Draco announced. "I bet Hagrid would let us stop and take a trial ride on the new Nimbus 2000's at Quality Quidditch if you asked, Harry."
Harry's face lit up. "That's an option? I didn't know you could try them out at the shop!"
Draco grinned. "Oh, it's the best part about going to broom shops, you've got to try it. They always let me ride extra long because of Father, I bet they'd let you do it even longer for being the Boy-Who-Lived."
Harry looked a little uncertain about using his status this way, but deeply tempted by the prospect of flight.
"Well that's you done dear." Said Madame Malkine to Harry, walking over to him with a much smaller package than those being prepared for Jimmy and Draco.
"Why don't you go ask Hagrid if we can come along for a bit while we finish up?"
Harry nodded and ran out of the shop, beaming excitedly.
As he left the shop Narcissa floated back over to them, holding swatches of fabric up to Draco's face with a critical eye.
"Mum, can I go owl shopping with James, Harry Potter and a member of the Hogwarts staff?" Draco asked her, making her blink in surprise.
"Draco's been telling Harry about how the magical world works, since he grew up in the muggle world." Jimmy contributed. "He seemed like he wanted more guidance, said he wanted to keep in touch but doesn't have an owl yet. And neither do I."
"He doesn't know anything, mum! I had to explain what the Wizenmagot was and why he should have Father do his voting." Draco said, choosing each word carefully.
Narcissa's eyebrows lifted. "That does sound like an advantageous connection… and you said a Hogwarts staff member would accompany you?"
Both boys nodded.
"Very well. I shall stay to pick up your robes, and you will meet me at Flourish and Blotts to purchase your textbooks in an hour."
The boys exchanged grins and ran out of the shop to join Harry and Hagrid across the way.
"Aft'rnoon boys." Hagrid rumbled. "You're the ones goin' shoppin' with us then?" He blinked when he saw the boys' fancy robes and Malfoy's white-blonde hair, frowning.
"Yes sir." Jimmy smiled up at the large man. "Can you really tie a shotgun in a knot?" He asked just the right amount of eager and impressed. The big man's beard twitched in a way that might have been a smile.
"You tol' them 'bout that, Harry? All I can say about that is those muggles got what was coming to 'em. The things they were sayin' 'bout Harry's mum and dad!"
"Oh, that's right, I've been meaning to ask! Are you related to a James Potter? I'm named after him, so I'm curious." Jimmy said to Harry, Draco following behind them.
"Of course he's related to James Potter, Jimmy were you born under a rock?" Malfoy said superiorly. "James was his dad. Everyone knows their names."
"Raised in the muggle world, Draco, again." Jimmy drawled. Hagrid's bushy brows raised. "So yes, practically."
"You're named after my dad?" Harry sounded equal parts excited and baffled. "How come?"
"Your dad." Jimmy crowed. "He saved my mum's life. Our mums were best friends in school, and then my mum was in Auror training with your dad and he saved her. That's why."
"Wha'? Said Hagrid, looking at Jimmy with more interest. "Who the blazes is your mother?"
Jimmy's grin faded. "Her name was Marlene McKinnon."
Hagrid' eyes turned sad. "Marley. I knew her, knew her well. I didn't know she'd had a kid."
"Really? What was she like?" Jimmy asked before he could stop himself.
Hagrid's beard twitched again. "She was somethin'. So fierce, always ready to give someone an earful. An' she never gave up. Smart as a whip, too. Always had her nose in a book, always thinkin'. Woulda been a Ravenclaw like her parents an' her brother, but she was just too brave. Lily an' her were always together."
"Thanks." Jimmy said, his throat a little tight. "I wish I could have known them."
"Me too." Said Harry softly.
There was a silent moment which was interrupted by an impossible whooping, an avian sound somehow raucous, lively and dream-like at once. A lime green ball of feathers on over sized legs ran straight in front of them and then abruptly popped out of existence to appear behind them. It continued to race, screaming its head off in a voice that made Jimmy's spine freeze solid while his mind became drenched in a strange and heady joy. A shop assistant, wand raised in one hand and a large cage in the other, ran after the madly flapping and warbling creature.
"Stupify! Stupify! Stupify!" On the assistant's third try, the bright thing fell to the cobblestones. She ran forward to catch it, and then immediately pointed her wand at it and said firmly, "Silencio!"
Jimmy, having never seen a magical creature that wasn't a house elf, walked forward to look at the thing. It looked a bit like a dodo, except that it had a round, fluffy crest of feathers that made its head appear almost round, with a great hooked beak sticking out of it. It had a glorious fan of tail feathers like a tropical bird, a squat, muscular body covered in acid green fluff, and wings more or less like those of a chicken. The shop assistant shoved it into the cage and began stomping back to the shop, muttering to herself.
"Been here for ages! It's driving me mad, literally driving me mad! If someone doesn't buy this thing soon I'm going to hand it over to the Ministry, I tell you…"
Without thinking Jimmy was already standing at the woman's elbow. "Excuse me ma'am, what is that interesting bird you've got there?"
The assistant turned to stare dazedly at Jimmy, then put on a large, slightly mad looking smile. "This, young man, is the fastest delivery bird in the world! She's a new and exciting hybrid, you see, bred to be an alternative to the mail owl! Half diricawl, half fwooper- what we call a Diriwooper!" The assistant enthused.
"Why would anyone want that, though?" Draco asked, flabbergasted, staring at the bird.
"I'm so glad you asked!" The woman said manically. "The diricawl, while it possesses the ability to aparate to any location in Europe, even through wards, lacks the intelligence to hold a navigational charm as owls do. The fwooper, while it certainly has the intelligence, lacks the loyalty to hold such a charm. But breed them together with a breeding charm, and voila-" She pulled out her wand and cast Enervate on the bird, who blinked mad purple eyes at the watchers. The woman pulled a scrap of parchment from her pocket and tapped it with her wand to make an address appear upon it.
"Take this to Mr. Jigger across the way." The woman said firmly, holding it out. The bird snapped it from the woman's fingers and scooted away throwing her filthy looks, then popped out of existence and appeared on the counter of the potion's shop where it spat the scrap of parchment at a surprised Mr. Jigger. It then threw its head back and opened its beak, filling the shop with silent whooping, and left the perplexed Mr Jigger staring around as it vanished. It reappeared in its cage with another little pop, looking furious and rumpled.
Into the shocked silence the saleswoman persevered. "While it may take letter recipients time to adjust to the unorthodox delivery, she is totally unrivaled in speed and distance! And being half fwooper makes her very, very smart- why, she can understand almost everything you say!" One of the saleswoman's eyes twitched, though her smile remained in place.
"It also means her whooping will drive wizards to madness." Said Draco dully from where he stood just behind Jimmy with Harry and Hagrid, all leaning forward to look at the thing.
"Not with the application of a simple silencing charm!" Smiled the woman. "It's true she can be a bit… resistant to it, but you'll never find a more reliable delivery bird otherwise."
"She's beautiful." Said Hagrid dreamily. In the cage, the diriwooper's eyes opened a fraction and she cocked her head to one side, her fluffed and rumped feathers smoothing down. Noticing this Jimmy said,
"Yes, what gorgeous plumage! Surely the most beautiful bird in all the world." He said lavishly. The bird's feathers smoothed completely and her eyes took on a look of contentment.
"And you know just what I'm saying, don't you, you smart girl?" He smiled at the bizarre bird, who began to preen, gazing at him docily.
"Merlin. I can't believe I forgot- fwoopers love flattery. Why didn't I think of that tactic?" The inept birdkeeper asked. The diriwooper's feathers began to rise again.
Winking at the shop keeper, Jimmy said loudly, "Oh no, madam, I would never use empty flattery. This is a truly amazing bird."
The dirwooper apperated out of her cage and onto Jimmy's shoulder with a pop and a sudden, unexpectedly heavy weight. He righted himself quickly and asked, "How much?"
"The low, low price of 25 galleons! Plus the one galleon cost of the required ministry Fwooper license, of course, you need them up to the tenth generation of mixed breeding." The saleswoman gushed. "For a fwooper it's a bargain!"
Harry gasped, Draco looked nonplussed, and Hagrid sighed in disappointment.
"I'll take her." Said Jimmy, thinking of the applications of a bird that would deliver letters and packages instantly to anywhere in Europe. Of course that was expensive, but he certainly had the money. "She's wicked!"
The woman looked like she might faint from joy. "Oh, wonderful, such taste, yes! The silencio charm must be renewed every month, by law, no matter how hard she tries to escape. If you are unable to perform it your parent or guardian is legally required to and will be punishable by law if the bird sings at anyone. Please, do come this way, I'll fetch you the forms you and your parents will need to turn in at the Ministry and also a complimentary bag of Fwooper seed!"
"Are yeh sure?" Hagrid asked Jimmy, looking at the bird longingly. "That's a lotta money to spend on a bird, an' I'm not sure ye can keep her at Hogwarts."
"Maybe if you or the care of magical creatures teacher vouches for her I can. And I'm the sole heir to the Black fortune." Jimmy shrugged, thinking that with a bird who could apparate through wards it didn't really matter if he had permission. "I could buy a full priced Fwooper every day for a year and not make a dent."
"Not if you valued your sanity you couldn't." Muttered Draco, looking suspiciously at the diriwooper.
"Yer the sole heir to what?" Hagrid asked, taking a half step back.
"Oh, didn't I say? I'm the Black Heir. My father, Regulus, he, um, changed sides in the war to be with my mum."
Hagrid let out a gust of breath so big it ruffled Jimmy's hair. "Blimey! That's why! I had no idea..."
They made their way from Elopee's Exotics to Eyelope's Owl emporium, chatting and playing with the green bird that continued to sit on Jimmy's velvet covered shoulder, drawing stares. When they arrived in the dark shop filled with the whispers of wings and faint hoots, Harry, Draco and Hagrid went around to every cage in the shop while Jimmy filled out the Ministry paperwork for his diriwooper, automatically forging the parental signature. Harry had come back with a young snowy owl.
"This one has friendly eyes. I think I'd like her." He smiled.
To everyone's surprise, Hagrid insisted on buying Harry's owl as a birthday present. After a minute or two of profuse thank you's on Harry's part and a few "'least I can do"'s on Hagrids, Draco subtly took a step towards Quality Quidditch supplies, which they were passing, and said,
"Oh, look, the new Nimbus 2000! Have you ever flown one, Harry?"
Harry cottoned on ridiculously slowly, but then walked forward and said, "Oh, no, I've never flown in my life! I'd give anything to ride on a broom." His delivery was over the top, but he appeared to mean it.
Jimmy jumped in. "I've been thinking of getting a broom! I can certainly afford one. Is it alright if Harry comes broom shopping with us, Hagrid?"
Hagrid looked at the look of pure longing on Harry's face and chuckled. "Alright, you three, but yer to stay in sight of me if'n yeh go up on brooms."
The boys ran in excitedly. Salesmen seemed to be magnetically attracted to Jimmy's robes and Malfoy's face. Within minutes each boy had been given a broom.
"Now if it's your first time, stay low and go slowly. Pull back to slow, lean forward to go, pull the handle left and right to steer. Easy peasy. With these Nimbus brooms especially you want to accelerate slowly because, woo, do they take off." The redheaded salesman grinned cheerfully. "Oh, and stay inside the big circle on the floor, it's got cushioning charms on it. Don't crash outside it or you'll have a rough landing. Right, have fun!"
Draco walked confidently up to the Nimbus put out for him and said, "Up!" and the broom leapt into his hand. They stared and he rolled his eyes.
"You've got to connect magically to the broom by exerting your will on it first or it won't fly." He explained. "Just think about only the broom and really mean it when you say 'up'."
Both boys glanced at each other, then stepped forward and said together, "Up!"
Harry's broom leapt into his hand with a satisfying thump. Jimmy's broom flailed sideways and rolled over. He frowned at it.
"Up!" he said again, and this time he said it as a command. The broom slowly jumped into his hand.
Malfoy was already astride his. "Alright, now you get on like this, push with your legs, and fly."
Harry and Jimmy did, Jimmy rather gently and Harry with speed.
Jimmy floated gently into the air, carefully maintaining control. This was alright, he thought, trying to keep himself calm as the comforting weight of the ground got farther away. He cautiously tried a turn and went almost where he wanted, though not exactly. Yes, give him some practice and he could figure this out, he thought with satisfaction, starting to enjoy the feeling of weightlessness, and then heard a joyful whooping from above him followed by a shocked,
"Dear Merlin, Harry, you said this was your first time on a broom?"
Harry was doing rings around the circle at top speed, and before Jimmy could think what to say the other boy had pulled into a loop the loop, and then a sudden dive from which he pulled up so suddenly Draco gasped. Below them, Hagrid applauded and yelled out,
"Atta boy Harry! Yer a natural!"
"This is amazing, Draco!" Harry called, beaming. "Thank you!"
Draco flushed and then looked smug.
The three boys flew for another fifteen minutes, Jimmy feeling like he was just starting to get the hang of basic flight while Harry and Draco were tossing a quaffle back and forth trying to get passes through the other's defenses. When the shopkeeper came to tell them it was time for another group to have a go, Jimmy watched the elation slowly leave Harry's face as he realized he wouldn't fly again for weeks. Making sure they were sufficiently far enough from Hagrid that the adult couldn't scold him about spending his own money, Jimmy walked up to the broom salesman, handed him a writ from Gringotts he'd obtained that allowed shops to withdraw from the Black vaults and said,
"Excellent, yes. I'll take three and a set of quidditch balls to practice with at home, please. Delivered to the address on the slip." And strode confidently away.
When the other boys followed and goggled at him he said, "Well it's not as much fun to practice on my own, is it? You'll have to come visit me now if you want to fly."
Both boys broke out in grins, Harry looking like he might faint.
"You're sure it's alright? Your… whoever takes care of you won't mind?" Harry asked anxiously, still staring smitten at the broomstick he'd ridden over his shoulder.
"Definitely not." Jimmy said confidently. "But don't mention it to Hagrid; first years aren't allowed their own brooms, and he'd probably fuss about the money. I've told you, I've got plenty."
"Can I come ride with you this week, James?" Draco asked eagerly.
Hagrid and Harry left to catch a train back to Surry, and Jimmy walked Draco back to Flourish and Blotts to meet Narcissa. He wished his cousins a fond farewell and thanked Narcissa again for purchasing his wand, then excused himself to go buy textbooks. He stayed in the shop for a long time before calling Kreature to get him, occasionally mollifying the Diriwoper with compliments as he chose even more books. Today had been one of the best days of his life, but the best part was that he had made friends.
