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The World Through Emerald Eyes
Chapter Eight
The moment the door locked behind him, Harrison emptied his pockets and found himself suddenly wide awake. While he had stood in place and stared at the imposing trunk for several moments, a sudden screech sounded.
He had forgotten about the owl, he realized. He looked out the window and saw her hovering right outside. Swallowing uncomfortably, he rushed to open the window so as to not draw more attention to the house from others. He slammed it shut and closed the curtains the first chance he got when she flew in.
Athena landed on the back of his chair and hooted calmly at him.
Harrison stared at the creature, lips twisting in dislike, but he was resigned. Opening his trunk, Harrison retrieved the supplies and with a tap of his wand, he elongated a elegant owl perch he had bought. It mimicked a tree without leaves, but in a miniature form and offered many places for her to settle. It had been expensive and was almost pointlessly ornate, but Harrison had been told that any...bathroom functions would be taken care of.
He grunted. Magic. He was finding it harder and harder not to be impressed and it irritated him.
Taking a deep breath, Harrison emptied his trunk of all its contents and couldn't restrain an almost insane giggle at the pure size of his purchases. No normal trunk could have ever carried that much or felt that light. His large room was almost crowded with the unorganized mess.
He took a moment to absorb everything present before he got to work, always one to keep his area clean and presentable. It was the Dursley way after all. Athena's supplies were all placed close to her perch for her quick access and his piece of mind – after all, who wanted to sleep with mice close to their beds?
His clothes were repacked neatly with his robes above them. He placed the candy he had bought on his bed, intent on tasting them in the peace of his own room tonight. He grabbed the wand holster and slowly placed it on his right arm. Harrison watched as it immediately resized on its own and clung securely. He stared at it for a long while before placing his wand in its straps.
With his sleeve rolled up as far as it could go, he stared at his bare arm covered only in the magic material. After a moment, he began to move his arm around, slowly at first then faster and wilder. His wand stayed put. Biting his lip and emerald eyes intense, Harrison flicked his wrist like the store clerk explained and was amazed at how his wand just slipped out into his awaiting fingers.
His wand.
Harrison bit back a moan of pain. His wand. His wand. Why did something so freakish have to be so... awesome?
He shook his head rapidly, cursing himself. No, he was a Dursley and Dursleys didn't like freakishness.
He shuddered when another part of his mind whispered, You're also a Potter and Potters are part of the magical world.
He took in a broken breath and practically ripped his sleeve down to cover his wand, refusing to acknowledge that he didn't just take off his wand.
He set up his books in piles for easy grabs beside his bed and then climbed onto his bed with Gringotts papers in his grasp.
He looked at his birth parents' will first. He used context clues and a dictionary he would deny owning to Dudley to make out most of the legal jargon he was unfamiliar with.
The Last Will and Testament of Lily Evans Potter and James Potter
I, James Potter, an adult residing at Potter Cottage of Godric's Hallow, England, being of sound mind, declare this to be my Last Will and Testament. I revoke all wills and codicils previously made by me.
I, Lily Potter nee Evans, an adult residing at Potter Cottage of Godric's Hallow, England, being of sound mind, declare this to be my Last Will and Testament. I revoke all wills and codicils previously made by me.
ARTICLE I
We appoint the Goblins of Gringott's Bank as our Personal Representative to administer this Will, and ask that they be permitted to serve without Court supervision and without posting bond.
ARTICLE II
We direct our Personal Representative to pay out of my residuary estate all of the expenses of our last illness, administration expenses, all legally enforceable creditor claims, all Federal estate taxes, state inheritance taxes, and all other governmental charges imposed by reason of my death without seeking reimbursement from or charging any person for any part of the taxes and charges paid, and if necessary, reasonable funeral expenses, including the cost of any suitable marker for our graves, without the necessity of an order of court approving said expenses.
ARTICLE III
We devise, bequeath, and give vaults and any processions to our son, Harry James Potter. Until the time of his maturity as legally permitted by the Ministry of Magic, an allowance of 1,000,000 galleons will be allotted per year for his care to his caretaker.
ARTICLE IV
In the case of our mutual deaths, our son, Harry James Potter, will be taken in my his godfather Sirius Orion Black. If, by some reason, Sirius Black is found incapable of caring for our son, we appoint Alice Longbottom as his caregiver as his godmother.
All of which is attested to this 20th day of August 1980.
James Potter
Head of the House of Potter
Lily Potter
Co-Head of the House of Potter
Sirius Black
Witness
Albus Dumbledore
Witness
Harrison took out the statements from his account manager and read those over to find out exactly what 'everything' was that was left to him.
Official Gringotts Report
Account holder – Harry James Potter (Harrison Hawthorn Dursley)
Vaults Accessible:
Standard Trust Vault
Vault 687 – Total Worth: 600,000 galleons
Limitations: None. Amount will refill from Potter Vault should it ever empty before holder is seventeen.
Harrison gaped at that. His trust vault had 600,000 gold coins just sitting around collecting dust?! His eyes were ridiculously round. He could buy several damn high end flats for that price!
Evan Family Vault
Vault 2612 – Total Worth: 80,000 galleons
Limitations: None.
Potter Gift Vault
Vault 2784 – Total Approximate Worth: 1,750,000 galleons
Limitations: None.
Vaults Inaccessible:
Potter Family Vault
Vaults 110 – 113 – Total Worth: 708,365,184 galleons, 16,985 sickles, and 65 knuts
Limitations: Accessed only by Potter Head or heir when of age.
Potter Artifacts Vault
Vaults 114 and 115 – Total Approximate Worth: 20,000,000 galleons
Limitations: Accessed only by Potter Head or heir when of age
Black Family Vault (named heir by last lord)
Vaults 12 – 18 – Total Worth: 8,648,965,166 galleons, 190,875 sickles, and 94,752 knuts.
Limitations: Accessed only by Black Head or heir when of age.
Black Artifacts Vault
Vaults 10 and 11 – Total Approximate Worth: 1,215,070,012 galleons
Limitations: Accessed only by Black Head or heir when of age.
Peverell Family Vault
Vault 8 – Total Worth: 533 galleons and 32 knuts
Limitations: Accessed only by Peverell Head or heir when of age.
Slytherin Family Vault
Vault 2 – Total Worth: 92,000 galleons
Limitations: Accessed only by Slytherin Head or heir when of age.
Harrison did the math in his head and almost had a heart attack. Exchange rate or no, he was rich. He made special note of the Black family fortune.
He was curious about the gift vault. Additional paperwork showed it to be a collective vault of all the gifts sent to him from people. Harrison gave a gleeful smile. He loved presents. He made another note to ask the goblins to send some of the gifts to him on random occasions just for the hell of it and have any money immediately sent to the Evans Vault.
Harrison was unconsciously caressing the names Potter and Evans on the papers and forced himself to stop with a shake of his head. Nonsense. Though he did find himself whispering a small 'Thank you' to no one in the security of his own room.
The other names on the account statement could be figured out through his family tree. Harrison realized he was related to a lot of people. But elites try to keep things inside their circle he knew; just like royalty. The tree didn't go up far enough to show a 'Slytherin', but it did just make the Peverell family.
Harrison traced the chaotic lines with amusement and ill restrained awe. So many of his relatives were magical and a small number of close ones were alive.
He learned that his Godfather was his cousin four times removed or something like that which he thought was insane. He had closer family in the Malfoys, Draco, heir to the Malfoy name being his second cousin. There was also the Longbottoms, Flints, Lestranges, Notts, Prewetts, Weasleys to name a few and Harrison was shocked at the number of children the later had.
Harrison kept track of those closest to him and made sure to memorize the tree perfectly, certain it would come in handy soon enough. Family and status could make or break a person after all.
Sighing, Harrison rolled up the tree and set it aside. He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, tired. He glanced to his clock on the wall and realized it was close to dinner. He didn't want to leave though, for more than one reason and decided to just read until he fell asleep. He knew his mom and dad wouldn't bother him. Not after the day they all had.
He reached out for Hogwarts: A History and got to work, opening a box of Bertie Botts' Every Flavor Beans to hold himself over with.
Everything made no sense. No sense! And yet, it was so fascinating! Stairs that moved, a ceiling that looked like the sky, a lake monster, a forbidden forest – it was just all so insane and yet Harrison took it all in with a quick and excited mind.
Behind the locked door he could enjoy reading and learning about this kind of stuff; he could laugh and roll his eyes at the freakishness rather than have to sneer and make a crude remark.
He was a third into his books and he couldn't get enough. Magic was, dare he say it, interesting. The things it could do were so far past his imagination that Harrison could do nothing more than read and read and read.
He only ever read when his family was sleeping or out so they wouldn't stumble upon his curiosity. It lead to many sleepless nights and dark circles under his eyes. He didn't go out to play soccer because he was too tired, and often begged out of activities outside. He would sleep on the couch when Dudley would drag him from his room to watch TV or play games. Harrison rushed through meals to get back to his studies.
And even though his family was growing worried and slightly horrified, Harrison couldn't bring himself to stop. He didn't want to stop. There wasn't time to stop either.
Harrison learned all about the houses of Hogwarts and their meanings, the last hundred World Cup Matches and the Quidditch teams that competed. He took in the laws this new world ran by and the classes people were placed in.
Harrison was a Halfblood because his father was a Pureblood and his mother was a Muggleborn – more commonly referred to as a Mudblood for her 'dirty blood'. Purebloods looked down on Muggleborns because of their lack or respect to magic culture and their interest in bringing the two worlds closer by bringing their customs in.
Harrison discovered through his research that he felt he agreed with the Purebloods. After all, he loved his parents, and he knew they wanted nothing to do with magic. Raised in that mindset, it was easy to see that magic was better off left to those who were born with it.
One book, written by a particularly angered Pureblood, told of how customs and celebrations of wizards and witches have fallen and become less than they were and how only those who celebrate Old Magic truly honor magic celebrations.
Most Purebloods celebrated the Old Ways and that brought distance between them and the Muggleborns. Halfbloods were seen as the middle class, but their standing with Purebloods too depended on how they acted.
Harrison might be a Halfblood, but with over thirteen generations of Purebloods creating his line, if he connected with Purebloods and ended up with one, he would be seen as a Pureblood as would any of his children. While he was too young to be thinking of these things, he equated it to the common knowledge that royals carry with them every day. He would need to meet someone of equal or higher standing to keep a wealthy estate and healthy line of Pureblood children.
It was all archaic and simply barbaric and disturbing and yet Harrison fell into it as an obsession.
He got through all his extra books before he even thought to look into his class load. And by the time he reached for his first school book, he felt a hundred times more comfortable in the topic. He finally understood this strange world and it's oddities.
Harrison was disappointed to discover that his stock of Every Flavor Beans was out as was his Chocolate Frogs by the time he reached his Potions book.
Nibbling at the end of a Sugar Quill, Harrison debated on making another run to Diagon Alley. It wasn't far after all...
No. He shook his head. It wouldn't do. His mom and dad had been keeping a close eye on him. He leaned back against his headboard. Then again, he figured, they had been growing more concerned that the had been staying inside lately. Perhaps a walk?
Harrison hummed to himself, an old lullaby tune that had played through one of the pages of a history book escaping his lips as he packed away his things. While he couldn't do anything about Athena, Harrison made sure to hide all his magic things inside his trunk and kept it with him at all times. Just like his wand.
A glimmer caught his eye and Harrison looked at the Potter head and Black heir family rings that adorned his fingers. He had requested both from Gringotts not two days before.
His readings explained how important heir and family ringers were in society and the influence his standing warranted. He even had four seats in their wizarding government when he came of age. While he hid them from his family, he believed he would proudly display them in any encounter with magic folk.
Changing and pocketing his trunk, Harrison left his room and entered the downstairs hall to call for his mom. "Mom! I'm heading to the park!" he called.
Rushed steps greeted him before his mother entered his line of vision in her ever present apron. "Oh?" She seemed thrilled. "Dudley's at the school grounds with a few of your friends. They are probably playing a game," she entreated.
Harrison nodded with a noncommittal sound. "Sounds fun," he replied. He shoved on his shoes that were discarded in the hall and waved goodbye over his shoulder, missing the worried and tense face that watched him go.
It was surprisingly easy to find the Leaky Cauldron now that he knew it existed. Despite having lived in London most of his life, he had never seen it before until the headmaster had showed it to him. He entered the bar and quickly made it to the bathroom. He took out his trunk and switched his muggle clothes for the high priced wizard fashion in quick succession. Reshrinking his things, he politely made his way over the man who served up an order.
"Excuse me, sir," he addressed, fighting a disgusted look.
"Ah, hello there!" The man happily said. "Come to get something to drink?"
Harrison mentally snorted. As if he would touch any of the disgusting glasses that littered the place. "No," he resolutely returned. "Could you open the back for me?"
What sense did it make to not be able to use magic outside of school? He had thought of this several times already. He couldn't practice for classes or put any use to what he would learn until he was seventeen. Ridiculous! He hated having to rely on others – especially low class peons.
Tom, as the man introduced himself as – because he had forgot from his first visit – kindly opened the wall. He explained that Harrison could floo directly to the Cauldron from some shops and Harrison thanked him before walking off.
The sight was still one of a kind. Harrison was able to take in the magic of it with new eyes and he still loved every moment of it. Oddly enough, the Alley seemed to be even busier than before. The rushed demands and calls of people made Harrison realize that this was people getting supplies for school. He had a week left until he had to leave and he was shocked that people actually waited this long to get their things.
The walk to the candy shop was hazardous and inside was just as bad. He refused to bump into anyone else, in case he get their dirt on his clothes. He was shocked at just how little people seemed to care about how they dressed. There were even a few people who had dirt on their face or crumbs from food on their clothes and Harrison had had enough. He made his way to the counter and grabbed the attention of one of the busy workers.
"Miss," he spoke up.
He barely got a glance and he narrowed his eyes. Dursleys weren't ignored. Potters weren't ignored. He placed his left hand on the counter, displaying the family rings.
The glint of rings caught the worker's eyes and she immediately turned her attention to him. "How can I help you?"
She wouldn't be able to make out the exact insignia of either ring, so his status as the Boy-Who-Lived would remain a secret for now. He pulled his hand back and looked at her with disapproval and superiority. That was much more like it.
"I need three more boxes of Every Flavor Beans. Give me a pack of Chocolate Frogs, and at least two of everything else in this store." He smirked at her surprised look. The order had been a bit extreme, but now that he was more familiar with this world, he decided he was time to try all it had to offer. He had stayed on the safe side his last visit after all and only ordered four different things.
"Right away!" she disappeared into the back and Harrison rolled his eyes regally. Sheep. Low class people were all sheep. He found it funnier then when he realized that only lower class people would be caught dead working at this establishment. After all, as an heir to several houses, he would not have to work a day in his life.
He tilted his chin up then, feeling particularly snobbish.
The girl returned sometime later with several large boxes which she shrunk and packed in a simple bag he could carry easily. "That will be 237 galleons sir," she hesitantly spoke, drawing more attention to him.
He shrugged and pulled out the required cost. He left without saying goodbye, figuring their service lacked in the first place. He heard the disappointed and angered ravings of other customers who had been ignored to help him and he could only grin. He was better then them in this world.
It was phenomenal.
Harrison turned to head back the way he came when he bumped into another's body. Both stumbled back and Harrison opened his mouth to curse the other when he took in the finely tailored clothes, the clean skin and, most importantly, the Malfoy Heir insignia ring on his finger.
The pale boy looked up like he was about to demand an explanation, a fire in his eyes, when he seemed to do the same examination of Harrison. Grey eyes took in his regal and clean appearance easily.
"My apologies," Harrison spoke. He held out his left hand in offering, his rings catching the light. "I wasn't looking where I was going."
The Malfoy heir shook his head. "The fault was all mine." He clasped Harrison's hand with his own, their rings pressing knowingly into the other's hand. "I'm Draco Malfoy."
Harrison smiled, feeling a warm tingling inside him. This boy was family. But also, he was magical. "Pleasure, cousin."
Malfoy's eyebrow arched highly at the address. He appeared surprised – probably at being related to someone he didn't know by face and name already – and shook the hand within his own before letting it go. "And you are?" he asked calculatingly.
Harrison smirked. "Harrison. But you would know me better by Harry Potter," he said somewhat lowly.
Malfoy's face showed his shock minutely and Harrison applauded – the boy's mask was better than his own! Now that was something. He glanced down at the rings adorning Harrison's fingers and took in the insignias with a cool gaze.
"Indeed, I would," Malfoy agreed easily. His eyes reached Harrison's once more before passing and raising to the scar that was hidden beneath hair.
Harrison expected that reaction and ignored it. He was most curious as to how the boy would act around him – not because he was Harry Potter, but because he was heir to the Black fortune, something that would have fallen to Draco had Sirius not named him heir or had never had children of his own. But he decided that things like that must happen often in the wizarding world, what with families being so intertwined.
Still, Harrison knew that with the Black ring on his finger, his standing was above the Malfoy's and he reveled in it.
Draco met his eyes again. "I was on my way to get some ice cream. Care you join me, cousin?"
Harrison grinned. By acknowledging each other as such, Draco had just tied the Malfoy name to him, and he the Potter and Black names to Draco.
"I would love to."