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AN: Thanks for the reviews!
CH: 5 Resolving past mistakes and making friends
Thinking about the advantages and secrecy, he ducks back into Gringotts and has Griphook file the papers for emancipation, listed in his parent's will. Harry has begun to set the stage for the new future he envisions. He will soon meet with the people who can set the mistakes of the past right and hopefully start a better life for all. He has time to kill until the meeting though and decides to wander around the alley. He makes for the bookshop first. Checking out the wide selection of books, he decides that having a rather up to date library would be very beneficial; he also knows that a trip or two to Knockturn Alley will be needed to find some very rare and old books. "Perhaps I can get Severus to help me there" he muses. After gathering several books on defense, charms, transfiguration, ancient runes, and the like, he requests to see any rare books the shop might have. The shop owner is surprised, to say the least, at an eleven year old asking for such things. "'Ere now, whatcha' be wantin' with that sorta stuff?" he asks rather gruffly. Harry just raises the fringe of his hair, to expose the famous scar, and says "well I just thought I might need them some time."
"Oh, right you are Mr. Potter; they could come in handy at that! I do have a copy of 'Most Potent Potions' as well as "How to Fool Your Friends and Flabbergast Your Enemies by Dilbert Dingle Berry' comes in good for folks wanting to hide things from others. I also have an updated edition of the 'Aurors Handbook', but I ain't supposed to sell that to anyone but Aurors, however, since you are a special case. I could just slip it in with the rest, but you didn't get it from me, you understand. All told, that would make the bill 6,000 galleons."
Harry paid the man and went in search of more finds. He knew that most of the things that were in his newly purchased books were things he already studied but it never hurt to have references on hand; and he might find some new things as well. Walking down the alley, he spotted a weapons shop 'Thorsen's Arms Old and New'. "This could be good, I don't have anything to use in my defense at the moment but my wand." Entering the store, he knew he had hit the jackpot. There was every type of weapon available on the shelves, from swords to muggle guns. Deciding to keep it simple for the moment, he found two daggers one, silver with a serpentine pommel and one, stainless with a gryphon pommel. Both would be easily to hide and were perfectly balanced for throwing, if necessary. The daggers also had anti-summoning and disarming charms, as well as, their own scabbards, which they would return to if dropped or lost. Paying for the daggers, telling the shop owner they were presents for his uncle, Harry made his way back outside.
Contemplating his good fortune, in finding the shop, and not really paying attention to where he was going, he ran headlong into a beautiful, blond haired blue eyed girl. Both of them ended up in a pile. Muttering apologies, Harry offered a hand to the young lady. When she took it they both noticed a warm tingle running down their spine. Harry immediately knew this was Tonks; it took all his self-control not to wrap her in his arms. He had to remember that from her perspective they had just bumped into one another, quiet literally. Tonks, on the other hand, knew that this non-descript boy would somehow play a large part in her life. This realization happened just seconds before she realized the boy in question was none other than 'Harry Potter'. Stumbling over their apologies to each other sent the pair into a fit of giggles. Harry managed to regain his composure first.
"Hello there, I am Harry Potter, and you are?"
"Tonks, Nymphadora Tonks, only call me Tonks please. I am really sorry about crashing into you like that, by the way."
"It was completely my fault. Let me get you an ice cream to make it up to you."
"That would be great, Thanks!"
They went to relax at Florin's, with an ice cream. Sitting there just talking and watching the people pass. It was if they had known each other forever. Their topics were normal enough, things about their past and such. Harry mentioned that his parents had wanted her parents to be one of the people to look after him. This concept seemed to amuse her very much. She noted that he would probably have had a better wardrobe than he did, if that had been the case. Laughingly he told her, if she was up to the challenge, he would let her fix the problem. Little did he know what sort of animal that simple statement would unleash! Never challenge a woman, of any, age to a shopping spree! A couple of hours, and about 15 stores later Harry, not only, had a new wardrobe, but a completely new look. He had several robes for all occasions, tee shirts, polos, slacks, suits, etc.
His favorite was leather pants a white shirt with a leather western tie, a black duster, and leather hat (picture Indiana Jones but with duster instead of a coat). He even found a Magical Optometrist, to get his eyes fixed. He had charms like Moody's eye, as well as, protections for ligimancy, night vision, infra red, ultra violet, etc. It would take some time to get used to the new charms, but he would learn quickly. During their trip, they became even closer. It was a great start, Harry thought. It was really difficult to separate what he knew had been, from what was really happening. He made his goodbyes, and they promised to see each other on the train, if not before. Mentally, he prepared for his meeting.