Chapter 5: Diagon Alley
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Final Fantasy XIV ARR. HP is the property of J.K. Rowling and FFXIV ARR is the property of Square Enix.
Spells/Abilities/Primals
Mother Crystal
Thoughts/Echo Flashback
A.N. I AM NOT DEAD! First off I am so sorry it has taken this long to get this chapter out between work and a bad case of writers block I could not get my thoughts organized enough. Secondly I have read your reviews and questions. I will answer them at the end of the chapter thank you for your patience.
With a loud crack Severus and Harry appear on the apparition point that leads into Diagon Alley. Harry takes a moment to collect himself.
"Well that was unpleasant." Harry states, "Feels like I was the last bit of tooth paste being squeezed out of the tube."
"Yes, well you are doing quite well for your first time apparating most people vomit or splinch themselves and then vomit."
"Splinch," asks Harry, "What is that?"
"It is where you leave a piece of yourself behind. Usually an arm or a leg. Come along Mr. Potter we shouldn't stand around on the point for too long or someone will apparate in on top of us."
"Yes Professor."
Harry and Severus walk off the platform and into Diagon proper.
Harry's eyes widen at the sight of the alley. As he and the professor walk deeper into the alley Harry swivels his head about trying to take it all in.
Severus rolls his eyes as he watches Potter's, No Lily's son he reminds himself, wonder at the alley. Out of the corner of his eye he sees several people gawking and pointing at the boy. Realizing that if the gawkers got bold and approached them it would take ages to get Harry's shopping done. Severus sighs and steers Harry towards Gringotts.
"This way Mister Potter, we need to retrieve some money…"
"Wait I have money?"
"Please don't interrupt Mister Potter and yes your parents left you quite a bit of money. You have two vaults a family vault and a trust vault. The money we get today will be from your trust vault." Answers Severus.
"What about the family vault?" asks Harry.
"You will be able to enter that vault when you reach majority, which is seventeen in the magical world."
"Thank you for informing me sir." Lowering his voice Harry asks, "Why are all those people staring and pointing at me, sir?"
Startled that the boy noticed Severus berates himself for not putting a glamour on Harry when they arrived.
"I will endeavor to enlighten you later during lunch Mister Potter."
"You can call me Harry sir I don't mind." Says Harry.
Severus is shocked again and thinks. "He really is nothing like his father at least in personality."
Severus clears his throat and says, "Yes, well I shall try Mister… Harry, just do not expect it during class."
"Of course not sir." Harry says with a small smile.
The two continue on in silence until they reach a large building with a large sign which says GRINGOTTS in gold letters.
"This is the wizarding bank Gringotts." Severus tells Harry, "It is run by a race of warriors and master craftsman, Goblins, they are a prideful people so do not insult them. Take note of the poem inside the lobby it explains the goblins mentality to thieves."
As they enter the building Harry does as he was instructed, and notes the Bank's poem.
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 takes note of the two Goblin guards decked out in full armor standing at attention beside the lobby door.
Harry whistles, "You would have to be mad to rob them then."
"Indeed Harry and yes those two are goblin warriors."
Harry and Severus enter Gringotts main hall way and walk up to an empty teller.
"Harry Potter is here to withdraw some money from his vault. Here is his Key." Severus tells the Goblin as he hands Harry vault key up for inspection.
The Goblin takes the key and looks at it as if searching for duplicity. He then looks up at Severus then turns his head towards Harry.
"Very well everything seems to be in order." Says the Goblin.
The Goblin turns around and barks in a harsh guttural language. A younger looking Goblin runs up.
"Griphook here will take you to Mister Potter's vault. Move along." The elder Goblin shoos them away.
"This way please." Griphook indicates a side room to Harry and Severus.
Inside is a mine cart and some tracks leading down into the earth. A short ride later Harry and Griphook stand outside vault 687, the Potter Trust Vault.
"Key please." Griphook extends his hand towards Harry.
"Oh here you go."
"This is the Potter trust vault. It contains ten thousand galleons worth of wizarding currency. It is refilled from the main Potter vault every year." Griphook explains.
Inside the vault there were mounds of gold, silver and bronze coins.
"Wow, and all of this is mine?" asks Harry.
"Yes, while you are in school at least, when you are seventeen you will be able to access the main vault. Once you are finished at Hogwarts the trust vault suspends access to itself until the next Potter is born and is of age for schooling." Explained Griphook.
"I see thank you for explaining Griphook."
Griphook gives Harry a strange look and asks, "Do you have any more questions Mister Potter?"
"Well yes actually, is the monetary system different from the mundane world or is it the same? How much should I take today?"
"I will explain later Harry we have much to do and time is money for the Goblin people." Answers Severus.
"He is right Mister Potter, though I will suggest you take 250 galleons 83 sickles and 50 knuts for now." Answered Griphook.
Harry collects the money and another short ride latter they are back in the main hall of Gringotts.
"Thank you for your time and help Griphook." Says Harry.
Griphook quirks his eyebrow and looks closer at Harry as if searching for something. Finally, Griphook answers, "You are welcome Mister Potter. I must say you are an interesting wizard."
With that Griphook walks back behind the counter and out of sight. Harry looks back at Severus and asks, "What did he mean by that?"
Severus quirks his lips and ushers Harry toward the exit, "Most wizards see the Goblins as beneath them Harry. That they are little better than animals. You showing Griphook and the teller the proper respect is what makes you unique."
"That is just stupid, the Goblins control our economy right? Why would wizards be stupid enough to disrespect the people who could literally bankrupt the entire population?"
"Indeed, not all wizards, or people for that matter, are smart enough to see that."
Harry and Severus walk in silence for a time. They go through the various stores picking up Harry's supplies. Their final stop is the wand shop called Olivanders: Makers of Fine Wands Since 382 BC.
Harry and Severus enter the shop. Inside is dry and dusty though Harry can feel something else, a unique energy, on the edge of his senses. The shop itself is tiny and save for the spindly chair in the corner and the counter it was barren. Several shelves were overflowing with narrow boxes.
"Welcome to Ollivander's Mr. Potter."
Harry jumps in surprise. He turns towards the voice and sees a man. This man was old with pale white moon like eyes.
"Hello," said Harry, "How did you know it was me? Are you Mister Olivander?"
"I am indeed Olivander. I remember every wand I have sold Mister Potter. I also remember their owners. You look very much like James though your eyes belong to your mother." Replied Olivander.
Olivander turns to look at his other guest.
"Ah, Severus Snape. Hornbeam, 10 inches, rather sturdy with a dragon heartstring core. I take it has severed you well?"
Severus gives a slight nod and hums in agreement. Olivander turns back to Harry.
"The wand that favored your father, for the wand chooses its wizard, was a mahogany wand. It was 11 inches and it was pliable. Its core was crystallized boomslang venom. More powerful than most and very good at transfiguration."
"Your mother's wand was a 10 and a quarter inches. Swishy and made of willow. It had a fairy wing core. Excellent for charm work."
Severus smiles in remembrance at Lily coming back from Diagon excitedly showing off her wand to him and anyone else in the know.
"Let us see which wand shall choose you Mister Potter."
Thus began Olivander's futile search for Harry's wand. It started off well with Olivander popping a wand into Harry's hand and a 'Give it a wave'. When nothing happened the wand was taken back and another was placed into Harry's hand. So it went wand after wand was waved then discarded with 'Hmm, not this one,' or a 'Most definitely not' when the wand reacted badly. At first this excited Mister Olivander but as time went on he seemed to get more frustrated.
"Hmm, I wonder, one moment Mister Potter. I am hoping that this the wand I saved for last is yours, however that is as a wand maker, in truth I truly hope this is not the wand for you for it will mean you will live in interesting times."
"Why do you hope that this wand does not belong to me, sir?" asks Harry.
Severus leans in closer to hear the explanation his curiosity peaked.
"This wand my boy is connected to another for their cores are from the same phoenix. Thus linking them. If they were to be used in tandem their powers would shine brighter than any other wand save one." Olivander explains.
Severus gasps as he realizes the truth about the owner of the brother wand, "Surely that wand was lost when he died." He mutters to himself
Olivander continues, "However the owner of this wand's brother set himself against you and your family all those years ago."
"Who was he?" asks Harry.
"We do not speak his name Mister Potter for he has done many terrible things, great things, but terrible none the less. This wand is made of Holly and as you know a phoenix feather. It is 11 inches and it is nice and supple."
With that Olivander places the Holly wand in Harry's hand and waits.
After many minuets of waiting everyone in the room breathes a sigh of relief. Nothing has happened!
"Well that is a relief." Says Olivander and Severus silently agrees.
"What does this mean for me? I mean you said this was the last wand in your shop, sir." Asks Harry.
"It means I will have to make you a custom wand Mister Potter. It has been many years since I have had to do so as well so please take a seat while I gather my materials." Says Olivander as he vanishes into his shop's back room.
Harry goes and sits next to Severus. After sitting in silence for a minuet Harry leans over and asks the question Severus has been hoping to avoid.
"Who was he? The person who murdered my parents?"
Severus sighs, "Truthfully, I was hoping you would not ask me that Harry."
Severus gets a far off look in his eyes as he remembers that dark past.
"There was once a wizard who was as evil as you could become, he was known as a Dark Lord…" and with those words Severus explained the Dark Lord to young Harry.
As Severus told Harry the story of the Dark Lord, Harry saw flashes of his life.
A young boy in an orphanage talking to a snake in the yard. That same boy going into Olivander's and receiving his wand. A young man writing in a journal "I am Lord Voldemort". That young man meeting an older man in front of a house with a snake skeleton stuck on the front door. The young man then met an older man with an even older couple in a mansion the older man looked just like the young man. The young man casting a green spell at all three. The young man now older was talking to an opulent older man and the older man looking horrified as the young man began talking. Finally, there was nothing but darkness and sound. The sound of six men and women screaming each one followed by a flash of green light and one man laughing manically.
"We do not speak his name because he placed a Taboo curse on it. Though now it should be safe to say people are still afraid." Severus finished.
Harry blinks and shakes his head coming out of his trance, "What is a Taboo curse and was his name Voldemort?"
Severus hisses in fear and anger, "Do not say that name! For that matter how do you know it?"
Harry scoots away from Severus in fear and stammers, "I had a vision just now of him, I think. He wrote in a journal 'I am Lord Voldemort'."
Severus sighs "Forgive me Harry. I do not have many fond memories of that time and saying his name out of the blue like that, well its upsetting."
"I'm sorry Professor but was that his name?"
Severus sighs once more and says, "Yes that was his name. As for your other question, a taboo curse alerts the caster when a certain word or phrase is said. Those who were fighting him would say his name and he and his followers would swoop down and kill them."
Harry nods in understanding and quiets down.
"Well now that the morbid talk is done shall we get to making your wand Mister Potter?" asks Olivander who has returned from the back.
Severus nods, "Indeed, this should be a happy occasion for you Harry."
Harry smiles and nods. He walks over to the motioning Olivander and asks what is next.
"Next we see which of the woods and cores resonate with your magic." Answers Olivander
"Reach out with your senses, close your eyes if it helps, and we shall see what is right for you."
Harry does so, searching for his magical core and then reaching out with his magic. He feels his power filling the room and then suddenly surge forward into three vessels. He opens his eyes and see a block of wood, a vibrant red feather with an iridescent blue tip and a purple gem that burns with and inner light.
"Well done Mister Potter well done. We have our materials. Hmm how curious."
"What is curious sir?"
"These materials are very rare Mister Potter. The wood of and elder tree blessed by a primal god. The feather of the first phoenix born in a land far from here. The crystalized blood of an elder wyrm."
"I have never heard of such materials." Says an awe struck Severus.
"Indeed truthfully I never thought I would use these items. I must inform the man who gave them to me. He will also want to meet you Mister Potter he explicitly stated that the one who wields the wand made from these materials must meet with him."
"Why would he want to meet me?" asks Harry
"No doubt he wants to take measure of you character Mister Potter. These wand components are incredibly powerful. He wants to make sure you are worthy of them. At least that is what I gleaned from Zacharius' words."
"Severus please take Mister Potter out to lunch while I make his wand it shouldn't take too long. I have much to do and I won't have you waiting in this musty old shop. Go on shoo."
Olivander shoos them out of his shop and closes the door. He flips his open sign to "Closed for custom wand work" leaving a beleaguered Severus and Harry outside.
"Well," Severus says, "This is new. Come Harry let us get lunch and call Dumbledore he will want to be informed."
Harry's stomach growls in agreement and quickly follows Severus to the Leaky Cauldron's Diagon Alley entrance.
Meanwhile a flash of green fire appears in a shop called The House of Splendors…
"Zacharius! Zacharius answer your floo damn you!"
A man walks out of the front room.
"Yes Garrick what has got your' nickers in a twist?"
"Those wand components you brought me? I found their wielder!"
The man raises an eyebrow and smiles.
"Tell me more."
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Well I finally did it and got through my block and work is finally winding down again.
Anyone who guesses the beings aside from the phoenix who makes up Harry's wand gets cookies J
We as readers don't yet know what the cores of James' and Lily's wands are so I went to the Pottermore Wandlore page and chose the most appropriate cores I could find of for their wands. As for Severus whose wand is also a mystery I just picked the wand based on his cannon personality.
EvanderAdvent: Trelawney will be consulted about Harry's visions. As for whether she has/knows about the echo or not is yet to be seen. I haven't decided when she will be introduced to Harry in the story.
The Dark Dragon Emperor: I play on Lamia, however my OC (Zacharius Clay) in story is not same as my character since I don't see the wizarding world interacting well with an Au Ra.