DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter or any of it's Characters, and if you would be so kind as to review I would be very happy. Thank You
Chapter 27- The end of a long Summer
It had been a whirlwind couple of days for Harry. He was still left a little bruised from his meeting with the Perkins Brothers, but overall he was happy with the outcome. Of course he knew he would have to get better, but he did do better then he thought he would. He was starting to understand how Wizards go dark, the power, the rush, when it flows through you, it is extremely addicting. Harry vowed that he would never use his power for evil, unless it was to get rid of evil, the only condition. Harry wondered if time slows down for Dumbledore and Riddle as well. Is that why when they battled in the Atrium, all he could see was blurs and light? He had to assume that whatever he could do, Riddle could do as well and just be prepared for anything.
More recently, Harry had spent no less then three weeks working with Remus adjusting the Werewolf cure, of course this was in H1 so they were working on "Trunk Time." He had been tinkering and changing various ingredients ever since the cure had not worked for the Perkins Brothers. He felt so bad for them, all in all they were a decent bunch of guys. They never killed humans, or at least they tried not to. During their changing times, they would hide out in old caves deep in the forest and hunt wild creatures for food. He finally came to the conclusion that it could not be done for the Brothers, mostly because of the strain caused by the Werewolf that caused the change in the Brothers. Harry knew that if he got a sample of Razorback's blood, that he could manipulate the cure enough that it could work for them.
The worst part of it was informing the Brothers that the cure would not work for them. Remus said that they took it pretty well. They knew that the cure was not a hundred percent effective. They knew that the cure would work for some and not for others, this was something that Harry was trying his hardest to fix. It always came down to when the Werewolf was bitten and who did the biting. It seemed that the longer a person was a Werewolf, the harder it was to reverse the cure. The fact that the cure worked even for one person was a miracle in it's self. Using that as a roadmap, Harry figured he could cure any Werewolf if he had the blood of the Werewolf that turned them.
This gave the Perkin's Brothers some hope for a possible Werewolf free future, if only they could find Razorback. Remus seemed to take a real liking to those Brothers. They had similar stories, being turned very young and bouncing from orphanage to orphanage. Lionel particularly was very anti-Death Eater, much like Remus. The brothers knew that Remus was working with individuals that were starting a faction to oppose the one known as the Dark Lord. Lionel couldn't speak for his brothers but he wanted Remus to know that when push comes to shove, you could count on Lionel fighting for the light. With that being said, Lionel became a Potter supporter, even though he had no idea that Harry Potter was the Wizard that handed him and his brothers that massive beat down.
He began recruiting on his own, and vowed to have a small army ready to do Potter's bidding whenever the boy calls. Harry was extremely surprised by this gesture, and sent a nice care package over to Lionel and his Brothers thanking them for their support. In it was not only gold, but vials and vials of Wolfsbane Potion, brewed personally by Harry Potter. Not to mention a mini ice box that expanded like Harry's magical trunk to a huge walk in meat locker that was completely stocked full of meat. The Brothers never had it so good, and right then and there, the Perkins Boys thanked their brother Lionel for forming allegiance with one Harry Potter and immediately followed suit, vowing to help Harry Potter whenever he calls.
With every Werewolf that the cure would work for, Remus was sure to tell them that it wasn't him to thank, that it was Harry Potter that saved them. In some of the rare cases, they were still incredibly strong men. Almost as if they were still werewolf's, just without the annoying flaw of changing. Some were willing to do whatever Harry would ask of them as payment, others would pass along thank you notes to Remus and leave England, never to return. Lionel did his share of recruiting some as well. Very slowly, Harry was building a small army of very devoted followers that if called upon, would fight the Death Eaters for Harry Potter.
When Harry wasn't working in his potions lab, he was working on his dueling skills. Mostly just against Remus but it was a much needed distraction from hitting walls with the cure testing. Occasionally Remus would set up a sparring partner or two, most were Werewolf's but one was a Vampire. That was an amazing experience for Harry, the television shows so had it wrong about them Harry thought. Fighting this Vampire was the toughest for Harry because he moved incredibly fast. Watching Harry dueling with him was also difficult for Remus because he could barely see what was going on. With both of them moving so fast it was like watching a movie out of focus.
Harry was spending more and more time in H1 and H2 that his summer was lasting ages. Of course this was the intended goal, to have more time to train and prepare. But the more time he spent in the trunks, the more he was getting out of touch with his friends and peers. It was so confussing for them because it would be days for Harry and to his friends, it was only minutes. They would mention something that to them was something they just discussed maybe earlier that morning and Harry had to be reminded again. People were starting to think that Harry was maybe working himself too hard or something until Neville figured it was because of the Time Delay thing, then everyone understood when Harry said "Sorry" or "what's that?" That was code for fill me in again because I've been away for a few days. All for the exception of Remus and Dobby. Rarely did anyone see Harry very much. Even though it was only a few weeks for them and actual months for Harry, it seemed like he was always busy doing something. When they did get a chance to hang out with Harry, he was always way distracted and extremely tired. The girls were noticing the change in Harry more so then the rest, meaning physically of course. Neville was secretly excited about seeing the reactions of everyone at school when they see how the summer has affected Harry Potter.
The end of Summer was quickly approaching, and Harry needed to finish several chores before he could get back in school mode. Neville needed to discuss some interesting research he stumbled into that could greatly assist them in battle. The Twins had a few more inventions ready for testing, and they had made improvements to the Storage Crystals that were amazing. Harry wanted to talk to Luna as well but he needed to catch alone and away from the others. Then of course there was Krista and Jennifer who were still waiting to go school supply shopping with Mister Harrington like he promised. They were leaving for school earlier then him because Biggsby, the Private School they attend, starts two days earlier then Hogwarts. Harry had contemplated not returning to Hogwarts but Remus thought it was wise to return at least until the Christmas Holidays. And last but certainly not least, Whiplock needed to meet with Harry as well before the school term and the reopening of the Bank. All these chores were running around inside Harry's head but what he was really dreading was his final task, to check in on Hermione.
Harry woke up, a little bleary eyed as he realized he fell asleep in his Potions Lab again in H1. Thankfully Dobby had kept the few caldrons still on the fire under control. They were all done and ready for storage. Harry hopped out of the chair and began storing all the valuable potion. Dobby popped in half way through to help him finish.
"Thanks Dobby for keeping these safe. It would have been a terrible waste if I blew it so late in the process. I cant believe I flaked out like that." said Harry
"Don't worry Master, that's whys you has Winky and Me. You have been working really hard in here." answered Dobby as he grabbed another empty vial as Harry transferred the potion into it.
"Yeah, well I was a little backed up on the newest bunch of allies Remus sent over, this was the last of it, for now anyhow. Remus said he was going to venture a bit further once were off and away at school." said Harry as he finished that last of the potion and stored it away for Remus to take.
"That's good Master Harry, yous need a break from brewing, for a while I think. Are we going to Diagon Alley today because Lord Whiplock has sent word that he is free most of today. " replied Dobby
"Yeah, I have several chores to get done today in the Alley and I will stop by Gringotts to speak with Whiplock." said Harry
Looking at the time over on the wall of the trunk that showed the date and time on the outside, it was still early in the morning.
"I'm going to get cleaned up and dressed, how about you have Winky make us some breakfast, while you go and gather up the gang, or as much of them as you can. That way I can satisfy everyone at once and I can plan with the girls on taking them school shopping, I know they have been waiting for me to call them. They probably thought I forgot." said Harry bashfully.
"At once Master." replied Dobby instantly and then he disappeared. Leaving Harry only to smile as he rushed off to get ready.
Several minutes later, Harry was completely refreshed and ready to start his day. Making his way out of H1, Harry made his way down to the huge dining room in Potter Manor. As he got closer, the wonderful smell of delicious foods reached his nostrils. When Harry turned the corner, he was greeted by everyone eating and laughing and talking merrily,
"Hey there everyone." said a joyful Harry as he found a seat and started piling on the food.
"Ohh Ho! Look who it is Brother!" said Fred
"Could it be? It's a Harry Potter sighting." replied a faking hysteric George.
"When was the last time you saw the sun Mate?" asked Neville
"Weeks by the look of his pastyness." answered Alicia as the others laughed
"Ohh leave him alone already! It's only been two days for us" said Krista as she got up from her seat and around the table to greet Harry properly. Jennifer and Luna followed suit.
As the three girls surrounded Harry and showered him with affection, the remaining guys looked to one another.
"Yeah but it's been weeks for him, I'm just giving him a hard time." said a smiling Neville as he watched the girls showering Harry with affection.
"Umm, Maybe Harry is on to something here?" said a bewildered Dean
"Yes, you know what they say…" said Fred
"Absence makes the heart grow fonder." answered George
"Ha ha guys, really funny, but seriously, I've missed you guys….I might have missed the girls a little more but I missed you all the same." said a laughing Harry as the three girls made their way back to their seats.
"I'm going to miss this…..you know…when you guys are off at school." said a suddenly sad George
"Yeah, Hanging out here at Potter Manor has been the best summer of our lives Mate." replied Fred
"Ours too" chorused Katie, Alicia, & Angelina.
"Here as well mate." toasted Dean, Lee, & Ernie
"Thanks guys, I think you know how important it is to me that you guys are on my side for this whole thing, it means the world to me." said a truly touched Harry
"We always knew the war would start again, and because of you Mate, we actually have a better then slim chance of possibly surviving it." said Fred as George nodded along
"Thanks guys, Really. Moving on from this awkward moment, I have some news that will cheer you all up." said Harry
"Ooohhhh I love it when he has good news, Harry's good news are always the best!" said an excited Katie as the rest of the girls giggled and the boys smiles grew.
"Well, as a present, I ordered a Compartment Trunk from Mister Whitehead for everyone weeks ago, and he just informed Dobby that they're ready for pick-up."
Everyone cheered that didn't already have one and everyone was sporting huge grins, no one more so then the Twins.
"That means, with everyone keyed into it, we could have weekly dinner meetings and just hang out." said a happy George
"Weekly, shoot we could meet daily! When can we go and pick them up?" asked an equally happy Fred
"Well that's what we have to plan. From what Tonks, Remus, and I have figured, Tom is planning a strike back, most likely on the first at the Train Station. So we should be pretty much in the clear in Daigon Alley, but why take chances." said Harry
"I agree Mate, Personally Frank Narrow will be doing all of my bidding until the first. Better safe then sorry." said Neville
"Exactly, also we will go in small groups and stay alert at all times." Said Angelina
"Yes and with our new EDR's or Ear Dropper Radios, we will all stay in communication with each other so there will be no surprises." said George and Fred
"Okay, so everyone's first stop will be Mister Whitehead's Trunk shop, he is allowing us to Floo in directly using his Personal Fireplace, this will be a lot easier then dealing with the Leaky crowd. Once you have your Trunks and Bracelets, Head out from there to the bookstore, after leaving the Bookshop, you can go wherever you need but I strongly disagree with lingering and window shopping. Get what you need, get in and get out and back to the Manor." said Harry
"Right, also when storing everything in your trunk, just place everything in the main, basic portion of the trunk, we don't need to advertise how special are trunks are." added Neville.
"I will take a little longer then you guys because I have to stop by Gringotts to talk with Whiplock. Besides, Dobby has pretty much picked up everything I needed already. I know I promised you girls I would go shopping with you, but it just makes more sense for me to go to the Bank while you guys get your supplies." said a apologetic Harry
"it's all right, I understand." said Jennifer
"Yeah, it does make sense, but I don't think you should go to the Bank by yourself, even as James." said Krista
"Ohh don't worry, I won't be going by myself, I will have a Goblin Escort and we will be Port Keying into Whiplock;s office. So we should be fine." said Harry as he pulled out his wallet and pulled out six gold coins and quickly set them on the table.
The six single coins suddenly turned into six piles of gold as Harry spoke, " this is for the six students to pick up all of your supplies and then some, remember, now that you will all have compartment trunks, space wont be an issue so stock up on anything you might need." said Harry as he pulled out more coins that suddenly grew into more piles as well.
"Blimey Mate, what's all that gold for then?" asked Dean as the students were stowing away the six piles.
"This is for the rest of you, to buy everything you might need to furnish your compartments and to stock up on anything you might want for later." said Harry
"You don't have to do that Harry, we have our own money." said Alicia
"Yeah, I mean you already paid for the trunks, I mean enough is enough." said Angelina
"Really guys, I don't mind. I have tons and tons of gold to go around, and I cant think of a better way to spend some of it then making sure you guys have everything you want, spare no expense." said a beaming Harry
"Believe us Mates, it's futile to try and argue with Harry regarding gold, you'll only end up with more gold then you had before you said anything." said George as Fred nodded sadly along.
"Okay, Thanks Mate." said Ernie as he began to put the small fortune in his money bag.
"Yeah, seriously Harry, your one of a kind." beamed Alicia
"It's only money." said Harry
"Spoken like someone who has always had it." joked Lee
"Funny thing is, Harry hasn't always had money, not until you started at Hogwarts right Harry?" said Neville
"Yeah that's right, it's just not that important to me. To me there are far more important things then Gold, but I will admit that having tons of gold does have it's advantages." smiled Harry
"I'll say." said Jennifer as everyone chuckled a little bit as the last of the gold was stowed away and everyone rose and made their way towards Harry's floo connection.
" When your done with everything, lets meet at our shop." said Fred
"Yeah, we have gifts for everyone as well." continued George
"You guys have to see some of the changes to the store, especially the office area. Whiplock hooked us up…again." said Fred
"Yeah, make your way towards where the old office was, there is a small red sign hanging on the wall that says office, tap it with your wand and say the code phrase, W…L….W and the door will open." said George
"W…L…W?" asked Krista
"Yeah…Weasleys Love Whiplock!" said the Twins in unison
Everyone had a good laugh at that.
"Be safe Everyone, Good Luck." said Harry
Everyone took a few minutes to change their appearance before vanishing slowly through the Floo. Once everyone had disappeared, Kongack entered the room with three other huge silver armored Goblins.
"Are you ready Lord Potter, it is almost time." said Kongack
"I need to change, I want to dress up a little for once and I need to get Alissa, I promised her I would take her out a bit today." said Harry as he left the room. Three minutes later, Harry re-entered with Alissa wrapped around his torso and around his non-wand arm.
"Now were ready." said Harry as the Goblin guards gathered around and Kongack pulled something out and unfolded it. It was a piece of parchment that Harry and the Goblins reached out and touched and suddenly, they were gone.
After a few blinks, Harry relaxed as he was standing in Whiplock's office. Kongack and the other three Guards spread out a little and took various positions around the office. The back door opened and in walked Whiplock with a few Goblin Guards and a smaller Goblin wearing bright white robes and hobbling on a very old looking wooden cane. It was a sight like Harry had never seen before.
"Ah Harry, long time no see, I see you have been busy these last few weeks, please, please, take a seat and relax." said Whiplock
"Thank you sir, I hope you don't mind me taking my familiar, she needed to get out a little." replied Harry
"No, no, not at all." answered Whiplock
"Thank you sir." said Harry as he whispered something to Alissa and she unwrapped herself from him and went exploring around the large office.
"let me introduce you Harry to one of my most respected Elders, Ragnuk the First, Ragnuk, this is Harry Potter-Black." said a beaming Whiplock
Harry immediately stood up and dropped to one knee and lowered his head in true Goblin fashion.
"You were right Lord Whiplock, he is defiantly like no other Wizard I have ever met." smiled the toothless Goblin before speaking again; "Please rise young Wizard and answer me this. Why do you have a deadly serpent for a familiar?"
As Harry stood up tall, the short Goblin stomped his cane on the ground and a white blinding light stretched out all across the office and back to his cane, startling Harry.
"I simply wanted to make sure we were not overheard by anyone other then us three." stated Ragnuk simply as he sat down.
"She is my friend, I helped her out of a bad situation and she decided to stick around for a while. I am sure you are aware that I am a parselmouth, being able to have actual conversations with her doesn't hurt. She will not harm you unless you give her reason to, do you have a problem with her?" asked Harry quite seriously.
"Please understand that this is rare for us. Most Wizards who have your ability, choose to use it for evil. Whiplock trusts you, so therefore I trust you as well. You are a very unique Wizard, in more ways then one." Smiled Ragnuk and Harry visibly relaxed.
"I arranged this meeting Harry because I believe Elder Ragnuk can answer some of your questions, that and he wanted to meet you." smiled Whiplock
"It's not everyday that a teenage Wizard saves a Goblin's life at great personal risk to himself. In fact you might be the only one." stated Ragnuk simply before continuing; "From what Whiplock has told us Elders, you have some concerns regarding your power levels and your somewhat rare abilities?" asked Ragnuk
"Ummm Yeah, It's just…my power has spiked so much since…" stumbled Harry
"Since the will reading of your Godfather, am I correct?" said Ragnuk
"Well….yeah, the day I put on the Black Family Ring, ever since then my power has spiked tremendously, and continues to do so." answered Harry
"Magic Harry, is a very complicated thing. Since the early days, there has always been a chosen few who have been granted extraordinary abilities. Most times, The Gods seem to grant Magic to those in the greatest of need for it." stated Ragnuk
"So you think that I have been granted this power because I am in great need for it?" pondered Harry
"Yes and No. Most instances that seems to be the case, but your situation Harry is different. The Potter and Black lines are very old and very powerful Bloodlines. There has always been a Potter on Council in some form or another, Never before has two powerful bloodlines ended so abruptly into one individual. Your Father Harry was very powerful. " said Ragnuk
"Yeah, not powerful enough in the end." cut in Harry
"Yes….but Harry, he was barely Nineteen, his core wasn't fully developed yet and even though he was brilliant, he never exercised his power levels like you have had to do at such an early age. The circumstances surrounding your Fathers Death has puzzled smarter beings then I for years." stated Ragnuk
"I have never heard anything other then my Father dueled Voldermort and lost. What is it that you know about that day?" asked Harry
Ragnuk looked over at Whiplock who visibly fidgeted. Before Ragnuk could reply, Whiplock beat him to it.
"The only person who actually knows what happened that day Harry is Riddle himself. Even then, after what happened to him, I'm not sure how much he remembers or even knows."
"That makes sense." said Harry. He had a feeling that they knew more then they were leading on but he would look into his Fathers Death more closely later on.
"I don't understand, what does all of this mean? Why am I changing this way?" asked a frustrated Harry
"What it means Harry is that you have the potential of being one of the most powerful Wizards in the history of Magic. With Potter Blood, Black Blood, a solid determination to not give up, coupled with the idea that Magic herself seems to have chosen you to be in the most need of extraordinary power levels, makes you the deadliest Wizard alive, well second deadliest." answered Whiplock
" You mean Riddle?" whispered Harry
"Yes. Magic, like in life, has an equal to everything it grants life too, a balance so to speak. Riddle comes from two very powerful Bloodlines as well, The Gaunt and Slytherin Bloodlines. He also has a great need for Magic." said Ragnuk
"He does? Why?" asked Harry
"Well, it takes a great amount of magic to keep that Body he is using in one piece, but he is also the most feared and wanted man in the Wizarding World right now." said Ragnuk
"Yes, he knows a battle is coming, whether it's against Dumbledore, the Ministry, or whoever, a battle is coming. He Harry is your balance, the Yin to your Yang." replied Whiplock
"Great." said a defeated Harry
"Oh but it is great Harry. You see, the fact that he no longer yields his original body gives the advantage to you." smiled Ragnuk
"You are the true opposite of him Harry, in almost every way. Where his heart is so black, it practically doesn't exist, your heart Harry is so white, it could possibly explode it's so large. Every person who follows Riddle, does so out of fear, where as everyone who follows you, does so on their own free will and accepts risking everything to do so." beamed Whiplock
Harry was lost while pondering everything he was hearing. Somehow he always knew that it boiled down to Him verses Riddle, but he had no idea it was down to this degree.
"I don't share this information with you Harry to frighten you, just the opposite, Knowledge is power Harry and I want you to have all the knowledge that I can share." said Ragnuk
"I understand Elder Ragnuk the First, and I thank you for sharing this information with me. This does clear some things up for me, at least I know why I am so much more powerful then all of my friends." stated Harry
"Yes, but the main reason why I am sharing this with you now Lord Potter-Black, is that throughout history, there has always been four. Four individuals granted by the Gods to possess Magic like no other." said Ragnuk
"Four? You mean there are two more out there who could potentially be as strong as Riddle?" asked Harry
"Yes and No, typically it is two light warriors and two dark warriors, meaning that there is another Dark warrior out there somewhere and another Light warrior as well." answered Whiplock
"This is all so confusing. Really this doesn't change anything. I still have to train as hard as I can and prepare for the battle of a lifetime." said Harry
"That is true, but Harry, the type of Power that you possess, is a power like no other." smiled Ragnuk
"Meaning?" asked Harry
"For most things you don't even need to know the right spell or charm. You simply need to command it to happen and it will, especially in regards to the four elements." answered Whiplock
"Is that why I can cast fire so easily without a wand?" asked Harry
"It is. Fire, Wind, Water, and Earth will be your strongest weapons. You need to practice it, once mastered, you can do things that will make heads spin." laughed Whiplock
"Yes, practice, practice, practice. Use the elements as defense to other elements as well, because of your connection, they will work better for you then for any other." stated Ragnuk
"Okay….In the Atrium, When Dumbledore was dueling Riddle, He used a water sphere to defend Riddle's Fire Dragon….Do you think maybe the Headmaster is one of the power of four?" pondered Harry out loud more to himself then directed to either Whiplock or Ragnuk
"It could be possible, but not likely. The Headmaster is a brilliant man, a little mis-guided at times, but brilliant nonetheless. I am sure he is aware of the technique of fighting elements with elements. Did he use any other elements?" asked Ragnuk
"Now that I think about it, he did. After that Riddle used wind to shatter all the glass in the Atrium and blasted the glass towards the Headmaster….but the Headmaster turned the glass into sand and it blew harmlessly against him." said Harry as he was thinking back to that day.
"Precisely! You witnessed first hand how to battle elements with counter elements, with practice, it will come naturally to you as to what element to use at what time. You will want to be aware of your surroundings, if you see anyone in the Library devouring books much like yourself, keep an eye out." said the toothless Ragnuk
"Okay, Practice is practically my middle name these days, I'll get right on that." joked Harry
"Excellent young Lordship, I also wanted to take this opportunity to ensure to you that you have the allegiance of the Goblin Nation. As for those traitorous Black armored faction of Goblins, they will be exterminated along with those filthy Death Eaters I assure you!" snarled Ragnuk
"Thank you Great Elder, when the time arrives, I look forward to standing shoulder to shoulder with my Goblin Brothers and kicking some Death Eater scum!" smirked Harry
"Haa….I look forward to seeing that day myself young Warrior, that Riddle has no idea what's coming." laughed Ragnuk which sounded to Harry a little like he was choking. Then he turned to Whiplock, " Until our meeting tomorrow, I bid you both good days." announced Ragnuk and then he tapped his cane to the ground again and suddenly, he was gone.
"Impressive!" smiled Harry
"He is still mighty powerful for his age. Now Harry, my spies tell me that Riddle's bunch is up to something, my guess is.." said Whiplock as Harry interrupted
"Kings Cross. I have heard the same through my spies, don't worry. I will be as ready as I can be." said Harry
"What are you planning to do about your Headmaster? I am sure he has been trying to contact you. You do remember that Dobby has that mail block charm on you, so any mail the Headmaster has been trying to send to you has been sent back to him undelivered." stated Whiplock simply
"Oh Bugger! I did forget about that. It never occurred to me that I haven't received mail since I left Privet Drive. I will check into that, thanks for reminding me." smiled Harry
"No problem, I know you have a lot on your plate. Your old friend, Hermione Granger has sent several letters to Gringotts asking to have council with you. I ask you to have patience with her, not everything is as it seems." stated Whiplock
Harry pondered that for a moment, he had been keeping himself busy as a distraction to not think about Hermione. "I will Whiplock, she used to be my best friend. I hope that I can find that person once more." said Harry
"Me too, good luck Lord Potter, although I don't think you need it." laughed Whiplock as he walked out of his office.
"Harry called for Alissa who slithered over and back to her normal place, wrapped around Harry's torso and around his left arm. Harry placed a mild concealment charm on her and covered her with his cloak so not to freak everyone out as he left the bank and strolled down the Alley. He altered his appearance slightly, but was relying on his concealment charms to make him unnoticeable.
The Alley was filled with more people then Harry thought it would be, I guess life goes on Harry thought. Quickly making his way down the steps of Gringotts, Harry made his way through the Alley towards the Twin's Joke Shop. As he passed various shops, no one paid him much notice, just the way he likes it. Suddenly Harry sensed something wasn't right as he made a turn. Slinking closer to the wall, Harry silently amplified his concealment charms as he witnessed what looked like four to five shady characters dressed all in black with hoods obscuring their faces cut down a back alley towards Knockturn Alley.
Naturally Harry had to investigate. He crossed the street then slowly cut down the same back alley. He spotted the small group turn down Knockturn Alley. Harry quickened his pace and entered Knockturn Alley.
"This does not look like a good area to go window shopping Harry." said Alisa sticking her head out of Harry's cloak
"I'm not window shopping, I'm following possible Death Eaters up to no good." replied Harry
"Come on, even on a free day of shopping, we have to battle Death Eaters' said Alissa sarcastically
"Just keep your head down and out of the way, I wanna see where they're headed." answered Harry quietly.
Finally making their way to their destination, the small group of cloaked individuals ducked into a dingy shop called Borgin & Burkes. Harry got closer and decided to walk past it as he peered through the small window on the front door just as one of the cloaked individuals turned the open sign to closed and pulled down the shade, covering up the small window.
"Rats, I will have to find another way to hear what's going on in there." said Harry as he continued walking and turned down a side path that he hoped would lead to the back of the store. Coming out of the side path, Harry realized there was no back windows or doors but off a little ways down, the wall sloped up and there was a large sky light. Looking across the way, Harry levitated himself up to the roof so he could see in through the sky light. After a few minutes of watching Harry was afraid this was a waste of time until finally one of the hooded clan removed their hood to reveal non other then Draco Malfoy.
Harry watched until they closed the shop and all the lights went out. He was hoping they would come out so Harry could see who were under the other hoods but no luck. They must have left via the Floo or some other way. Making his way back down and out of Knockturn Alley, so many possibilities were floating around inside Harry's head. He saw the look on Malfoy's face, it was the look of a desperate man. That's what had Harry thinking the most about, because desperate people do incredibly stupid things.
Walking back into Diagon Alley, Harry made his way down to Horace's Furniture Shop. Once inside he made his way towards the back where he spotted Horace behind his workbench and over to the side was his wife helping a few customers. Harry walked up to the counter and waited for Horace to notice him.
"One minute young man, I'm just finishing up a few notations." said Horace
"Take your time…I'm in no rush" stated Harry simply
Looking up Horace put the quill down as his smile grew. "Mister Harrington, how good to see you once more, how are things?"
"Ohh they have been interesting to say the least, have all the orders been picked up by everyone yet?" asked Harry
"They have been, I tell you that lot is something special you got there." smiled Horace as he walked around the counter and motioned for Harry to follow him. The two walked to a small hallway were Horace tapped on a few things and a small door opened. Once they were both inside the door resealed itself. "You can relax in here Harry, it is well protected." said Horace making himself comfortable in nice recliner chair
"Thank you Horace." said Harry as he let his original appearance resurface as he made his way to another recliner across from Horace.
"I see you have been putting my Trunks to good use." smiled Horace
"That I have Horace, that I have. I assume you have been spending quite some time in one of your inventions as well, I mean how else could you have completed all those trunks, not to mention my special order….unless that one is not complete?" asked Harry
"Yes Yes, you are correct. I have a work room in one of my trunks. I use it for those special orders. I haven't had to use it for awhile, that is before I met you young Potter." chuckled Horace
"Your special order, an odd request. Might I ask what you are planning to do with them?" asked Horace
"You can ask but I don't think I should tell, for your safety that is. The less you know the better." answered Harry
"Somehow I knew you were going to say something along those lines." chuckled Horace as he reached down and handed Harry a small wrapped box
"Thank you Horace, you have no idea how happy I am that I met you. You have given me a chance to make it out of this whole thing and these will come in handy." smiled Harry
"Like I've said before Mister Potter, it's about time I contributed to the good of our society. Besides, it's not like your not paying me, in fact you are paying me to much. It's not like business has been booming, in fact we have been thinking of closing shop after this summer. It is safe to assume that a lot of these stores will become collateral damage once the war begins anyhow." said Horace
"Yeah you might have a point there, if you do close shop, drop a letter every once in awhile to me at Hogwarts, I would love to stay in touch." said Harry
"Not to worry Mister Potter, I won't disappear. I made a promise to aide you through this and I meant it. If you find yourself in need of my services, I'm only a floo call away." smiled Horace as he rose to his feet and Harry did the same.
"Thank you once again Horace, take care of yourself." said Harry as he extended his hand and shook Mister Whiteheads
"You too Mister Potter, try to make it through the whole school term without causing too much trouble." smiled Horace as Harry turned and made his way towards the door.
"Ahh that would be something wouldn't it. But you know that hasn't happened in all my five years at school, I don't think it will start now." smiled Harry
"True, True, Good Luck." said Horace as Harry changed his appearance back to James and exited Horace's hidden room and the door resealed itself behind him.
Waving goodbye to Mrs. Whitehead who was still helping customers, Harry exited the store and into the Alley. Before Harry could start walking, Prongs silently popped in front of him.
"My Master, I have word from Kongack, He says to please notify him through your ear thingy the next time you plan to disappear from radar, he says they were mere seconds away from tearing Mister Whiteheads shop to shreds looking for you. I have also been requested to say with you as Prongs sir, just In cases." said Dobby
"Off Radar? Oh when I entered Horace's private room, it must be warded heavily to confuse Kongack. Figures, please pass along my appoligies to Kongack and his team, I should have known better and it wont happen again and I would love to have your company Prongs." smiled Harry
Dobby smiled as his ears perked up and he vanished. No matter what was going on, seeing Dobby always seem to cheer him up. Harry continued his walk towards the Bookstore and Prongs reappeared along the way seamlessly.
Making his way inside the Store, Harry noticed how busy it was. Harry spotted Dean and Katie talking to each other and browsing the Defense book section. Harry nodded and he continued towards the potions section, he was looking for a specific title.
"Hey James…..Over here." said a girl Harry didn't recognize. Harry assumed it was one of the girls, he wasn't really paying attention as everyone changed their appearance before they left the Manor.
"It is Alicia Master." said Dobby so quietly Harry was thinking maybe he heard it in his head as he made his way over.
"What's going on today, I Haven't seen this place so busy since the attack." said Harry
"It appears the Ministry approved of a whole new series of Defense books and everyone is going nuts for them. There are several Authors who are apart of the series here today to do some signing and demonstrations." answered Alicia
"Really, have you had a look at any of these so called Ministry approved books?" asked Harry
"Yeah, a little. Some of the titles are not half bad. Oh and by the way, thanks again for the …you know, its bloody amazing." beamed Alicia as she leaned in and kissed Harry on the cheek before bouncing away merrily.
Harry smiled as he watched her leave, how he loved to watch others so incredibly happy because of some measly gold that he happened to have tons of. Finally making his way to the potions section, it was much quieter then the main floor. Scanning through the titles, Harry was startled when someone called his name.
"James….James…."
"Ohh Hello" said Harry somewhat nervously as he collected himself and continued to search through the shelves of books.
"How have you been…I saw you earlier with your girlfriend, she's kinda cute. Do you remember me, we met a few weeks ago in this very shop." asked Ginny Weasley
"Yes…I do….it was….Ginny right" answered Harry
"Yeah that's right, so your girlfriend, what's her name?" asked Ginny
"I'm sorry, I don't really know you and I like to keep my privacy, you understand, these are dangerous times. I suggest you do the same and be weary of strangers." said Harry as Ginny's face faltered a little.
"No…yes….I understand, your right of course. Well it was nice to see you again. Take care." said Ginny as she continued down the aisle and disappeared.
"That was close, I just feel so awkward around her these days. I used to have a crazy crush on her, Merlin that seems like ages ago." said Harry to Dobby who just nodded along.
Harry pulled out his book wand when he spotted the book he was looking for and tapped it to add to his cart. Scrolling down the aisle, he tapped books here and there when he spotted Fred and George making their way towards him.
"What's up guys, having fun?" asked Harry as he was still scanning the shelves
"we should have known" Said Fred
"That we still can't sneak up on you." answered George
"Well what can I say, I have my moments." smiled Harry
"Did we see you talking to the Ginny Weasley…our baby sister just a moment ago?" asked the twins together
"Yeah….It was kind of weird. James met her weeks ago when I first picked up my book wand. She is rather aggressively sneaky." said Harry
"Yeah, she's getting worse and worse as she gets older." said Fred
"So mate…..what do you think of this new defense series?" asked George
"I haven't actually seen any of those books yet, with all the hub bub going on down there and preferred to just get on with my shopping." answered Harry
"Yeah, us too pretty much. We did meet one of the new Author's down there signing books, she is pretty amazing." said Fred
"Oh yeah, mate….she is gorgeous and pretty handy with a wand as well." smiled George
"Ohh really now." smiled Harry
"yeah, I figured her book might be worth checking out." said Fred as Harry and George looked at him, then suddenly all three started laughing.
"On that note, we will see ya laters mate, we have lots of shopping to do to furnish your beautiful little presents." said George
"Yeah, Mate…Thanks again…..you're the best boss ever." smiled Fred
"Cheerio Mate." said the Twins in unison and they too left Harry alone
Harry finished in the Potions section and went browsing the other sections. Once he was finished he was making his way towards the special elevator when he spotted Neville walking in with Luna, both disguised of course but Harry recognized Frank Narrow and assumed the girl was Luna.
"Hey James, how did everything go at the Bank? Are you just starting in here or finishing?" asked Neville
"Finishing actually, and found out some interesting news at the Bank, I'll fill you in later. I'll let you two start you shopping." said Harry
"Oh no, were done already, we just noticed that most of our gang is still mingling in here, so we thought we would do the same." said Luna
"I'm about to head upstairs if you two want to join me?" asked Harry
"Yeah sure Mate." said Neville as the three made their way to the black door next to the customer service desk. Harry waved his book wand at it and the elevator opened.
As the elevator door closed, Harry turned to Luna.
"I don't believe we have met before, I'm James Harrington….and you are?" asked Hary
"Oh….how rude of me…My name is Anul Doogevol, pleasure to meet you." smiled Luna as she curtsied
"Oh yes…..the lovely writer for The Quibbler The pleasure is all mine Miss Doogevol." said Harry as he grabbed Luna's hand and kissed the back of it.
"Hey Back off mate, this bird is unavailable." said Neville half heartily as Luna blushed.
"Ahh yes…..that makes sense….all the good ones are always taken." smiled Harry as the elevator door opened and the three exited the elevator and Harry made his way over to the check out area.
Harry led the way to a lounge area while he waited for his order to be packaged.
"Some of the best Authors are up here signing as appose to down there, I guess membership really does have it's privileges." laughed Neville
"Have you seen those new defense books James?" asked Luna
"Not really, have you guys?" asked Harry
"Yeah, there not too bad either….for having the Ministry stamp of approval." shrugged Neville
"Well at least the Ministry is attempting to educate the people to defend themselves, it's a start anyhow." said Harry as his wand vibrated that his order was ready.
"well I'm going to check out and hit a few more shops before making my way back to the Manor, I promised Alissa that I would buy her a treat for being so well behaved today. Feel free to linger around here if you want. I will see you two later, be safe." said Harry as he stood up.
"Bye James." said Neville and Luna together as Harry made his way to the check out area.
"Merlin…..where would I be if Harry hadn't stopped by my house early in the summer." Neville said more to himself then to luna.
"I know what you mean, he has already changed my life so much in such a short time, I mean I have friends now and a ….." said Luna bashfully
"And a Boyfriend you were going to say." smiled Neville as he leaned in a gave Luna a chaste little kiss on the lips who giggled afterwards.
"Come on lets go downstairs and see if we can spot anyone else." said Neville while extending his hand to Luna who gracefully accepted.
Harry finally left the chaos that was Flourish & Blotts and made his way to Animal Emporium to pick up some snacks for Alissa as he thought to himself.
"What do you know, a visit to Diagon Alley without some major catastrophe. Will miracles never cease." smiled Harry as he walked on.