Discliamer: You know what it is, so I won't bother you with it.
He had already spent much more time then he had thought he would at Gringotts and now it was time for other things he wanted. He didn't know what excuse he could give to Bill and was wondering how to start on them when Bill spoke up "Harry, there is one more stop we need to make before we do what you want. Why don't we have lunch and talk about a few things". At Harry's nod he led him out but instead of turning towards Diagon Alley as he had thought, he went to the other way which ended in a dead end. He smiled at Harry and tapped a pattern on the wall with his wand. Suddenly there was no wall and in its place a large buzzling street. "Welcome to Helms street, Business center of wizarding England and shopping center to the wealthy. Let's have lunch at Joe's place and then we'll talk".
He led them to a large and posh restaurant. It was quiet a bit different from Leaky Cauldron. It was well lighted, airy, and had a homely air about it. They got a private booth and ordered a large lunch and Bill turned to Harry after putting up a privacy bubble "Harry, I know that today was a very hard on you. I know from Ron that you don't know about your family and this should have been Sirius's job and now with him …….., well what I wanted to say was that I am glad you took every thing as well as you had".
It was, Harry thought quiet funny watching the cool and savvy Bill all flustered up. He continued to watch Bill as he floundered about before Bill finally stopped and stared at Harry.
"Harry, I have promised you to help in any way possible and I will do that. However, I don't exactly understand what help you need and what type of it or how to proceed. So why don't you tell me what you want from me and I will think about it?"
'Hmm, how to answer that. Well here goes nothing' thought Harry. "Bill, before I went to Hogwarts, the only thing that I cared about was to prepare myself to get the hell away from the Dursleys. When all the other children had to worry about was to complete homework, I had to worry about getting the next meal or finding ways to escape the beatings or finishing the chores quickly enough or that I could get back to my cupboard and that the Dursleys would forget about me. In fact neglect was the kindest thing for me. Don't look at me like that Bill. I am trying to explain what it was like before Hogwarts. Then the letters came and Hagrid introduced me to the world of magic and finally I thought I could get away from Privet Drive and become my own man. But then something else happened Bill, here take a look at this" and Harry handed his old wand to Bill, motioning him to test the wand.
Slowly Bill's face morphed, his eyebrows rose and his face looked as if he had been bashed by an iron fist. He shook his head slightly before he turned his incredulous gaze on Harry. "Harry, I can't understand much of what is going on here but I don't like what I have seen. Most of these charms are bloody illegal and can earn you a sentence in Azkaban for it. In fact how did you beak their influence? Damn it, Remus told me that Dumbledore was using you and molding you to be the hero of the wizarding world and his pawn in the war, but I didn't think it went to this extent. This … this is literally molding you for it like some puppet. I mean this …… this, oh hell, what is going on. This is goes above and well beyond the line; I mean who would have thought that the Albus Dumbledore would have stooped to this level." And from there it went down hill as Bill started to swear and mutter obscenities. Harry smiled at that, Bill it seemed would be quiet willing to help him with his ideas, well once he finished swearing that is. Bill stopped after a minute and turned to Harry with a perturbed look in his eyes, but he was determined when spoke to him.
"Harry, I can't even begin to understand what is going on here and right now I seem to be questioning every little thing I have heard from Ron and my family about you. You must believe me Harry when I say that none of us had any idea of your home life, I mean who would think that Harry Potter of all people would have any thing but a good home life, and moreover Dumbledore always assured us that he was keeping a good watch over you and that you were fine and safe with the best magical protection there was. In fact, it was his strict orders that kept any one from visiting you. He also convinced the ministry that all contact must be severed from you until your 11th birthday. We always thought that you had a happy but hard childhood and the idea that you of all people may have been abused, well let us say that it seemed impossible. It seems we were quiet blind when you were concerned, hell I even thought your baggy clothes were just an eccentricity. And for some reason I have a feeling that was why only Snape was allowed to teach you occlumency and no other". He stopped for a moment before he started again but now in a quiet and hard voice.
"Harry, after the war, Remus tried to get custody of you but failed and after that he traveled to Europe. In fact he was my mentor and thought me much on curses before I went to Egypt. You see Harry, just before you left for Privet Drive Dumbledore ordered that no one must disturb you and you must be given time for mourning but Remus wanted to meet you and help you. However Dumbledore put up a ward which would prevent owls from finding you and monitor any wizards near your home. Also we thought that there would be a number of tracking spells and others on you and in fact the only reason we could get you today was since we found a spell which could negate all tracking spells on you for some 12 hours or so and of course since both the goblins and Ollivander contacted me asking me to get in touch with you."
"Harry, I promised that I would help you and I intend to do so but you will have to tell me how. I mean, if I tried to teach you magic in your home or tried to meet you there, then Dumbledore is going to find out with all the spells on your home. I suppose we could use the spell we used today, but it can be used only once in three days and not more. So you will have to tell me what sort of help you want that I can give you."
Harry was glad to hear that. So Remus had tried to contact him. Hmmm, may be Remus could help, but he was too dependent on Dumbledore for help especially for the Wolfsbane potion. He would think about that later. He would have to see how much he could tell Bill. Suddenly he had an urge to tell Bill every thing he could, from the Prophecy, the letter, the trunk, the gloves, Gia and every other thing wanted. He just wanted to open up and ask Bill for help and seek his advice and cry out his problems. But then his Slytherin side took over. No, he needed Bills help, but Bill didn't need to know every thing. Bill was ready to help him and he didn't need to tell him any more than necessary. Hmm, he would have to tell Bill some things though he would have to twist it.
"Bill, all the wards on Privet Drive, have you ever wondered who grounds them. I mean my aunt and my relatives are not magical, then who controls them. Moreover, Dumbledore doesn't reside there, so who holds the ward over Privet Drive". Now Bill looked pole axed and slowly his face showed the dawning realization. It seemed almost obvious now that he thought about it. But how come Harry didn't control …….. .
Harry smiled as he saw the realization hit on Bill. He looked aghast as he stared at Harry's old wand in front of him. It seemed he had understood some of the other spells that were on his wand. He stared at Harry, his jaw trembling at the realization of what Dumbledore had done.
"Before I left Hogwarts, I came into possession of a nullifier" that would do for now, he couldn't tell him about the gloves "and when I came to Privet Drive, I used it and found out about the spells on the wand. So I stopped touching it and was making plans to come here and get a new wand or get them removed. However, since I had not touched the wand for so long, I think the blocks weakened because I was able to contact the wards. You see that surge that Heista must have reported, well that was when I touched them and wiped out all the monitoring charms Dumbledore had placed on the house and around it. In fact Bill, I have the complete control over them now and not him, and I had already removed all the charms he had placed on me. Better yet, I don't think he knows what I have done since I have not touched the wand".
He stopped to look at Bill and found him struggling to contain a large smile from erupting. He gave up and started to laugh. It took him a few moments to contain his mirth. He supposed Bill had realized the import of what he had been trying to tell him and had seen the irony of it. He waited for Bill to calm down and then leaned forward to tell him what he needed from Bill. It was some time before a some what amused Bill and smug looking Harry walked out of the restaurant.
Their first stop was at a large official looking building with the name "Hyson and Co" on it. Harry knew from Sirius that they were the largest accounting and legal firm in wizarding England and had been Potter family retainers for centuries before that and now the Potter family held controlling stocks of the firm. It took some terse words from Bill to the secretary before they were led to a plush office where a smart looking man of middle age awaited them.
"Welcome Mr. Potter, my name is Denise Hyson and head of the firm. I am glad that you have come now. I was wondering if there was any chance if you would come before your 16th birthday." After offering some refreshments, Denise got do down to business.
"Mr. Potter, after your parent's demise and Mr. Black's arrest, Prof. Dumbledore was made your regent. He had made a number of stipulations that effectively negated those made by your father and he unfortunately had the backing of the wizengamot considering that he was its head. One of them was that we were in no way to contact you before you voluntarily contacted us first. We were hoping that you would contact us before or by your 16th birthday so that his status of a regent may be revoked and you could take control once again."
It took the better part of an hour before Harry could finish all the tedious legalities and paper work that would leave him effective in control. Denise had explained that since he had been a minor and even though Dumbledore had the regent ship, he couldn't control any of his wealth or make any decisions on it, not that he hadn't tried. That of course jilted Harry especially when he saw what decisions Dumbledore had wanted enforced but once Harry was 16 he could take full control of his wealth. Then the question had been of how Denise could make contact and send him any thing that was required especially with the wards that would prevent owls.
Denise however solved that problem by giving him what he called a two way box and a tele-mirror. The two way box was well … a two way box. If any thing was placed in one box, it would appear in the other. It was a bit hard to detect and quiet small. The tele-mirror was an American invention and was being used by the corporate offices and it worked just like a telephone. It was one large mirror which could be placed in an office or room and a smaller one which could be carried on a keychain or a necklace. It was expensive and so not very popular …but it would do for him. It was much better than the floo talking certainly but was also more secure than the communicator devices used by Aurors and Law dept. With that Harry walked out to do the one thing he had waited to do for so long.
Shopping. Shopping and Harry had never been uttered in the same line in the Dursley household. He had never been allowed to shop for himself not that he had the money for it of course. Even when he had been sent out to buy supplies, Petunia had always checked the change with a glimmering eye to see if he had stolen any of their hard earned money. At Hogwarts he had never spent much or bought any thing but the basics so as to not push at Ron's jealousy and he had felt a bit guilty for having money, but now he wanted to shop with no inhabitations. He had a bloody lot of money and decided that he needed to spend a bit of it and enjoy doing it for once.
His first stop was the main branch of Gladrags Wizarding Wear in England which was on Helms Street. He wanted a whole new wardrobe, one which was fit for him and would actually make him look like who he was instead of some vagabond tramp who didn't have two knuts to rub together. Of course, it also helped that it provided muggle fashions too and gave custom orders. The moment he was inside, he went up to the proprietor after removing the skin patch. That got her immediate attention although it might have been his words that he wanted "A complete wardrobe which was worth his position and station as Lord Potter". He and Bill were bustled off to the back of the Building where the custom orders were done and he was made to stand on a platform. Ten minutes and a whole slew of measurements and pictures later, he and Bill were sitting before a large screen.
"Mr. Potter, this is our custom designing studio and we will be designing the wardrobe according to your tastes. We have taken all your measurements and also a number of pictures at all angles. What we will do is to show you a life like picture of yourself on the screen which will be clothed in different outfits and designs. You can select the materials and colorings from the different samples in front of you".
Harry had never had so much fun in shopping. The designer and proprietor who had introduced herself as Laurana had a quirky sense of humor and quickly cottoned on to the fact that Harry did not have any shopping experience or much of a fashion sense. She discreetly directed him to an array of clothing he would look good in with out making him look like a fool. He ordered muggle work out clothing, formal wear, casual wear, night wear, a whole gamut of extra a necessary things along with sneakers, shoes and so on not to mention briefs, definitely briefs and socks.
The wizarding wear was where her considerable talents went into display. She dressed him in a whole range of outfits for every occasion that she could name, from seasonal wear, party, formal, battle, dueling, and any number of outfits for any type of occasion that she felt would be needed by him. She was of course kind enough to name the different occasions and select the different outfits and materials and accessories. She then gave him the whole list of charms that would be cast on all the clothes from anti wrinkle, proper fit to his size and so on. She then gave him a contact and recommendation letter to a very good wizarding optician stating that contacts would bring out his eyes. She also recommended him to one of the leading hair stylist on Helms Street with the words that a good style of hair would enhance his image with proper outfit.
With that they got back to her office where he gave her the contact to the firm for the delivery of clothes and paid the enormous bill along with her sincere pledge on discretion and anonymity. He had no doubt that the old Harry Potter of the Golden Trio would never have dared spend as much as he had spent today. Hell what he had spent for clothes alone today was more then all his spending in the last five years at Hogwarts. He however admitted to himself that in these clothes he would for once look like the Head of House Potter and Hero of the Wizarding world that he was instead of a hapless little boy whose only job was a yearly tangle with Voldemort.
The next stop was the optician who took one look at the letter and his scar before he was taken to the inside of the store. The colored lenses were removed and he was fitted with a pair of magical lenses which were permanent and never had to be taken out. The lenses had the property to change according to his sight so it was always perfect but it also had a whole range of protective charms for eyes from sand thrown in the eyes to powerful charms like the one Krum had used against the dragon. It could also accept any charms he put on it. The only aesthetic charm was the one to change eye colors.
Some 300 galleons later they were in the hair dresser who was a beautiful but some what funky haired woman. She put him in a chair and spent five minutes pursuing the letter from Laurana. She then gave put out sigh and started to brush out Harry's hair. "Sir, Laurana has given me a list of different hair do's that she feels you will need. Now what I am going to do sir is to form out a number of styles and then bespell them. When you need a particular style, you need to point your wand at you hair and speak the phrase that you set and viola you have that style".
It was all very interesting to Harry. She would form a style which would go along with his hair for a suitable image and dress and then ask Harry for some phrase to use as a trigger and bespell the style and write down the phrase. Some half an hour and 10 styles later (according to her they were only the basics) Harry was walking out with a sniggering Bill who had been quiet entertained with some of the weirder style made.
He saw pre-made potions and ingredients shop but decided to move on since he already had a large supply of pre-made potions in his trunk along with ingredients and if he wanted any he could always ask Bill or the firm to send him some. Suddenly stopped and turned around. He couldn't see the shop he wanted and asked Bill about it.
Bill led him towards the end of the street where a large and old building stood with the name "Darton and Co" and introduced it as the best book shop in London for books on all subjects and types.
He understood what Bill meant when he had emphasized on all. The book shop was a very old one, much more so than "Florish and Blotts". It contained a dizzying array of books from every possible field he could think of. The older the books were, the higher you needed to go. He wondered how the man was able to keep an open display on many of the books which surely belonged to the restricted section of the library. He jumped when he heard a small cough behind him and turned to find himself facing an old man who appeared to be studying Harry intently. It was then he realized that the scar was visible. Before he could do anything, the man spoke,
"Mr. Potter, welcome to Darton and Co, the oldest bookshop in London. We hold books on every possible subject there is and many of the rarest and oldest books in circulation. Would you like any thing specific Mr. Potter or you could browse around at your leisure. Oh and please ask me foe any thing you want help with."
Now Harry was suddenly a bit unsure. What he had wanted was basics of the family magic books and advanced texts in other subjects. But once again that nifty little voice in his head was telling him something else. He slowly pivoted around staring at the rows upon rows of books stacked on the many floors in the shop. He couldn't even begin to guess how many books were here. Hermione no doubt would have gone crazy at the sight of so many books. He wondered if he was suddenly going crazy to think of such an audacious idea. Well, he could certainly afford this foolishness but the fact was did he want to. The books that his mother had sent him alone would take him a few months to complete and most of them were just basics, and then there were the books from his gift vault and these were not all advanced. All in all he had enough material to get along for a year and more before he needed any more books or material but the fact was if he had the time for it. Time, he wondered what to do about that.
But then, there was the little side of him which was pulling him in its direction, kicking and screaming and against all logic he went over to the old man who had welcomed him with a small smile as if he knew what Harry was going to ask.
"Sir, what I need is a very extensive request. I need a personal library and I came here with a list of all the books I have. Unfortunately, the books are random and most of the intermediately books in some cases and advanced books in others are missing. I think you can safely guess why I will need many of these books. I am hoping that you will help to acquire them". And he would need the mans help considering the enormous order of books that he was putting up and also the books he needed were not the every day ones. In all respects he would be buying up most of the contents of the shop, well at least a very large part. The old guy looked astonished at what Harry was asking but was holding his composure remarkably well. He seemed to be one of those people who could rarely be surprised, at least not for long. Bill on the other hand looked ready to pass out. He knew that the Potters were rich, of course they were of the greater families, but this was ridiculous. Darton and Co reputedly held the largest collection of books and the amount of money that Harry would be spending would be more than what his own family had in centuries. The man got back his composure quickly enough and turned to Harry.
"Mr. Potter, I am Mark Darton and I rarely come to the shop. Today however I had an extremely strong urge to do so and I guess you are the reason for that. What you are requesting Mr. Potter is almost unheard of but well if you are sure that is what you want then let us get on with it. This book Mr. Potter is our complete catalogue and contains information on all books we have in the shop or in the containment excluding my personal collection of course".
"Now place your list on it …. Ah excellent, now 'compere' there Mr. Potter are the list of all the books that are not in your possession and in the shop. Of course, the sheer scope and enormity of the books you are taking Mr. Potter means that I will have to deliver them to you. Now Mr. Potter, are there any preferences in arrangements that is spacing and so on …."
The guy was good. He had barely shown any of his surprise and acted almost as if it was a usual occurrence for people to be buying up the entire contents of the shop. But he did have a large looming problem. Today he had already added some 10,000 books to the trunk and now he was perhaps quadrupling that or more … well may be, but what he didn't have was space for it all. It was after all a trunk and not a mansion. Hmm, he would have to see if old guy was willing to help him.
He explained in not so many words what the problem with space was to Mark who gave him a reassuring smile at that and told him not to worry. He then led him up to his office and gestured for him to sit down.
"Now Mr. Potter, I understand what you were telling me and I also know that what you are right now taking with you even though enormous is not enough. The Dark Lord has had years to learn the most obscure of magics and is an adversary to be rightly feared. Now, you may have seen many books that are rightly considered dark or even evil, which are on display but if you are in any way serious about confronting him you will need more. Thus Mr. Potter, I offer you the chance to buy the books from my personal collection. Now I have never considered selling them ever and it is considered a blasphemy in my family to even think so since they contain a lot of rare and many time restricted books for example Guild books. I am sure you know how extremely impossible it is to get your hands on those but I feel that these could help you even the field so to speak. Well ……, alright then this way Mr. Potter if you wish to take them. I am sure you are more then sufficiently well off for them."
He led him towards a corner of the office and chanted several long phases under his breath and then passed his wand over Harry's eyes. The next moment a door was reveled to him and Mark stepped in. "This is a magical portal to my home Mr. Potter. Please come in". The corridor they entered seemed to be of the same type as Hogwarts but not as big or old. He supposed it was a small manor house of sorts. He was led to a privet sitting room with a fire place. He didn't know what Mark did but suddenly the fire place was gone and there stood a door.
And a very beautiful door it was too. They entered together into one of the most luxurious reading rooms that Harry had ever seen or dreamed of. There were many books, some in glass cases, some piled up and some scattered around, but one thing was common, they were all well taken care off. Harry spent a few minutes looking at the collection of books before him when Mark spoke again.
"Mr. Potter, rare is it that some one outside the family has even seen this collection of books and even more that we are willing to part with them. Here are books of the rarest or the only one of theirs in existence. I will give you a duplicated copy of all the books here. However some of these books can not be duplicated like this book by Rowen Ravenclaw herself on the lost runes, or this one written by a priest of Anubis though I can not even read it, or the Guild books I spoke about, these books if you wish to have, you will have to buy Mr. Potter. My only condition on this is that you will not show these books to any one … I amend only those you trust absolutely. I am sure you understand why".
Harry did understand what he was telling. The Guild books, the spell books of the main guilds of the wizarding world and the spells used by them for many things especially construction and so on were extremely powerful and old. These spells are zealously guarded by the guilds with elaborate rituals and spells. The fact that Mark had them alone could bring the wrath of the guilds on him and was extremely dangerous. He wondered how he had come by them. He took a look at a few more books which seemed quiet strange to him to be in that collection since he was sure they were muggle tech books before he agreed to take them all. When the Potter Family Manor had been gutted, apart from the family magic and rare books, the library had been completely destroyed. These books would form a good library again.
They then returned back to the office and he gave Mark the contact letter to the firm for delivery of the books and then signed the invoice for a staggering 10 million galleons. He was doubly glad that Bill hadn't come up or he would have been walking out half witted at the price. Again with assurances from Mark that the Ministry would not be informed of the purchase of … well forbidden books he supposed as was the rules of the ministry, he walked out of the shop to go into muggle London. The only thing left for him to buy was for entertainment and to fill up the little gym he had in the trunk and then home sweet home. He really wanted to be back with Gia, of course Bills promise of what he awaited made it all the more sweet. Today was altogether shaping out to be the best day ever in a long time and every thing he had planned was coming out perfectly. Ooh, he was enjoying it.
He watched from the half closed window as the boy of fates walked out. It had been the most surprising letter and box from some one whom he had thought dead to get him to even consider what he had done today. And what he had seen was too terrifying to even think about. He hoped it would not be that what he had read never came to being or death would become a by word soon. Hmm, it would have to be enough or he didn't know what else he could have done.
He was happy and it was rare in the recent days that Remus Lupin was ever happy. He decided that telephones were a gift from God and today he had finally talked to his little cub. His cub was in fine health and it seemed he had grieved for his godfather and now was moving on. Of course he was also very very angry against a blasted old coot, but that had come after he had talked to Bill, but then his pride at his cub shown trough for outwitting the puppet master as he had taken to calling him. He had at one point almost decided to throw in the towel and join his cub, dammed be Dumbledore and his order of roasted chickens, but then he remembered his duty, his duty to his people and mission from the council for which he had worked so hard to obtain this position for. He couldn't leave everything now or the vital information they needed would be lost. He would just have to wait and see.
She had felt it today what she had been waiting for so long. She knew every thing was now moving along. She had sown the seeds, she who had waited in this timeless place, waited due to vision she had had so long ago, and now it was coming to fruition. She would have to call on the others and inform them of what was happening; she needed their help after all since she couldn't do this alone. Soon it would be so, but then what was time in this timeless space but her own imagination. She felt laughter bubble up and for a moment she felt more alive then she had for centuries since it had happened. Yes, the time for it was soon when one who is and not, of theirs would enter the closed grounds.
AN: Hope you like it. Some of you have been asking me to speed it up butright now the state is being set, so you will justhave bear it out