Lives in Ink: Book 1

by Dalanalira

After finding a series of interesting books in the restricted section the marauders and Lily decide to see what the future has in store for them, spoilers book 17.

5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: unfortunately Harry Potter does not belong to us, if he did we would rich that honor belongs to J. only.

A/N: Sorry for the delay, real life unfortunately had to get in the way of our writing. but without further adieu we present Chapter 5!

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"I do believe it is your turn to read Lily," James passed the book over to Lily who took no time in starting the chapter.

CHAPTER FIVE

DIAGON ALLEY

"Harry's first outing into the Wizarding World," Sirius pretended to wipe a tear from his eye "I'm just so proud," he continued in a fake tearful voice. The other Marauders could be seen smirking or snorting with laughter, Remus was shaking his head while Lily threw a pillow at him with a roll of her eyes.

"Shut up you git," Lily huffed before continuing.

Harry woke early the next morning. Although he could tell it was daylight, he kept his eyes shut tight.

"Probably thinks he's dreaming," Peter mumbled offhandedly. The others nodded in agreement.

"It was a dream," he told himself firmly. "I dreamed a giant called Hagrid came to tell me I was going to a school for wizards. When I open my eyes I'll be at home in my cupboard."

"Five Galleons says it's not," Sirius smiled mischievously.

"Don't take the bet Harry!" yelled James "it's a trick, he's only betting because he knows he'll win!"

"Don't tell him that James, now he'll never trust me, at least not enough to take a bet with me,"

"You should be ashamed of yourself, trying to weasel money out of a child!" Lily cried indignantly.

"You lot do realize it's a book and that Harry can't hear you right?" Remus gave the three of them a funny look. Lily just smiled at him while James and Sirius chuckled nervously.

"Of course Moony," James mumbled

"Yeah Moony, what kind of idiots do you take us for?"

"Do you really want me to answer that Padfoot?" Remus smirked while James, Peter and Lily burst out laughing. Sirius maturely responded by sticking out his tongue.

There was suddenly a loud tapping noise.

"That would be an owl," Peter said smartly.

"Thank you captain obvious!" smirked Lily while the boys all looked at her like she'd grown a second head "It's a muggle saying," there was a general nodding of understanding while Peter just scowled at Lily.

And there's Aunt Petunia knocking on the door, Harry thought, his heart sinking. But he still didn't open his eyes. It had been such a good dream.

"They usually are I remember this one time I was dreaming about Evans wearing this cute little bikini…." Sirius trialed off looking horrified at everyone in the room. Lily was looking disturbed; James was looking murderous while Remus and Peter were trying very hard to contain their laughter.

"Are you telling me, that you dream about Lily Evans, my future wife and the girl I've been crazy about for a long time wearing very little clothing?" James looked on the brink of losing his cool, this just made Remus and Peter laugh even harder, even Lily could be seen with a slightly amused smirk on her face.

"Err…well you see…that is you have to admit Prongs your future wife is hot," James nodded his agreement causing Lily to blush slightly "And…uh…well it's not like anything is going on between us or ever will for that matter but….uh….I am a teenage boy and…"

"Say no more Sirius," Lily smiled "I understand perfectly,"

"You do," James looked completely flabbergasted.

"I do, and it is nice to know that should James not perform properly that there is someone else out there who will," At this both Peter and Remus gave in to their laughter and were rolling around on the floor, Sirius while looking slightly shocked had a bemused grin on his face, while James continued to look flabbergasted all the while opening and closing his mouth trying to make a sound. "Well it's not like you've given me any proof as to why I should be with you to begin with," Lily stated calmly and innocently.

"That's because you haven't given me a proper chance to perform," James grinned at her. Lily just rolled her eyes but if one looked closely they could see a slight blush on her cheeks.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

"All right," Harry mumbled, "I'm getting up."

"Surprise!" Sirius cheered loudly "it wasn't a dream," the other Marauders just rolled their eyes at him while Lily looked at him like he was deranged.

"Trust me, he is" Remus whispered to her quietly.

"I heard that Moony!"

He sat up and Hagrid's heavy coat fell off him.

"And yet again Harry is under someone's cloak…kind of gets around doesn't he?" Sirius smirked. Lily gaped, flabbergasted as she sputter indignantly.

"Well he is a Potter…" Remus said innocently

"Remus! That's my son you're talking about!" Lily fumed looking to James for support.

"Hey! I'll have you know we Potters are not that easy!" Lily gave him a look of approval and had just turned to yell at the others when James beat her to it.

"...You have to buy us dinner first." James said playing along and smirking when Lily looks at him in shock.

"You should be happy Lily." Peter said innocently. Lily turned to him with a glare.

"And why pre tell should this conversation make me happy?"

"Cause then you know at least, James is a cheap date."

"Hey!"

"That's it! When Harry is born none of you or your cloaks are going anywhere near him, I'll not have you and your minds corrupting my son!" Lily stated firmly.

"Aww come on Lily, our cloaks could help make a man out him" Sirius said grinning. Lily calmly got to her feet then faster then the boys could react she had cuffed them all upside the head, making sure to hit both James and Sirius twice for good measure before calmly sitting down and picking up the book.

The hut was full of sunlight, the storm was over, Hagrid himself was asleep on the collapsed sofa, and there was an owl rapping its claw on the window, a newspaper held in its beak.

"Excellent, we'll get to hear some real news about what's going on at that time," Remus smiled happily, he had always been one to keep up with current events.

"I suppose the events in that paper will be different than what's in our paper,"

"You think Wormtail, I don't know what would make you think that," Sirius said sarcastically as he rolled his eyes at Peter. Peter just shot Sirius a look.

Harry scrambled to his feet, so happy he felt as though a large balloon was swelling inside him.

Lily and James exchanged a small sad smile.

He went straight to the window and jerked it open. The owl swooped in and dropped the newspaper on top of Hagrid, who didn't wake up. The owl then fluttered onto the floor and began to attack Hagrid's coat.

"Don't do that."

"Pay me, pay me," Sirius squeeked in a high pitched voice. Lily giggled a bit while the other Marauders just shook their heads in mild amusement.

Harry tried to wave the owl out of the way, but it snapped its beak fiercely at him and carried on savaging the coat.

"Looks like this owl has a bit of a temper," Peter quivered slightly

"I'd be annoyed too if you were to swat me away while I was looking for money,"

"You were only swatted away Padfoot because it was my cloak you were searching for money in, and the money in there was mine," Remus glared.

"I was only borrowing it Moony, I had every intention of paying you back," Sirius pouted.

"You still haven't paid me back for the money you borrowed in first year!"

"Yeah….about that Prongs…" Sirius chuckled nervously.

"How about you lot finish this 'discussion' later and let me continue reading about Harry?" Lily glared, the boys all looked away sheepishly.

"Hagrid!" said Harry loudly. "There's an owl"

"Pay him," Hagrid grunted into the sofa.

"What?"

"It means give him money," Peter said slowly as if talking to a small child. James reached over and punched him while Lily just glared.

"He knows how to pay someone Peter," she said coldly "just because he grew up in the muggle world doesn't mean he does not know the basic facts of life,"

"And who exactly told him about the 'facts of life'?" Sirius wriggled his eyebrows suggestively. The other Marauders were trying hard to contain their laughter.

"I do believe that it is your job to have the 'Talk' with Harry since you are his godfather," Lily said smugly.

"Me? You wanted me to talk to him?" Sirius stuttered as the implications of what Lily said sunk in.

"Merlin help him," James muttered "my family's doomed," Sirius glared at James

"Surely Remus would be better suited for something like this,"

"No way Padfoot, you wanted to be made godfather and you got it, now it's your responsibility,"

"Don't use big words he won't understand Remus," Lily smirked. Sirius scowled.

"If you're that concerned maybe I'll get Pete to do it,"

"Hey!" Peter yelped indignantly.

"Your family would really be doomed then Prongs," Sirius smirked.

"What do you mean by that Sirius?"

"Take it however you want Wormtail, however you want," The group all dissolved into laughter while Peter just glared at them.

"He wants payin' fer deliverin' the paper. Look in the pockets."

Hagrid's coat seemed to be made of nothing but pockets -- bunches of keys, slug pellets, balls of string, peppermint humbugs, teabags...

"An just think that's only in the pockets you can find, there could be all sorts of things Hagrid doesn't want you to see…" Sirius Said with a cheshire grin.

"Arg! Sirius Get your mind of the gutter!"

"Yeah Black! I don't need that mental image!"

" I was meaning illegal things but take things how you want you sick sick people!" Sirius chuckled.

finally, Harry pulled out a handful of strange-looking coins.

"Muggle money is stranger than ours, what value could possibly be in a piece of paper,"

"Those 'pieces of paper' are worth more than most of your coins Pettigrew,"

"Give him five Knuts," said Hagrid sleepily.

"Five!? I only pay 3 for my paper in the morning!"

"I'm sure they had a good reason for raising the price Remus," Lily reasoned

"Yeah maybe they got some new top notch reporter writing for them now," Sirius shrugged.

"Knuts?"

"The little bronze ones."

Harry counted out five little bronze coins, and the owl held out his leg so Harry could put the money into a small leather pouch tied to it. Then he flew off through the open window.

"Harry's first encounter with an owl," Sirius wiped a fake tear from his eye.

"Are you going to do that everytime Harry has a first Black?"

"Nah, when Harry gets laid for the first time I plan on patting him on the back,"

"You did walk right into that one Lily," James smirked at her.

"Yes saddly I did, I forgot how Sirius' brain can sometimes mistake which head it's supposed to be thinking with," Lily grinned evilly. The other Marauders keeled over in laughter while Sirius sat there looking a cross between scandalized and shocked.

"Yeah well you know what they say, two heads are better than one," Sirius smugly replied.

"Yes well it's an easy mistake to make, after all in your case, one is far too small to be of much use…" There was loud laughter coming from the rest of the boys to match Lily's smug grin. Sirius just scowled at all of them.

Hagrid yawned loudly, sat up, and stretched.

"Best be Off, Harry, lots ter do today, gotta get up ter London an' buy all yer stuff fer school."

Harry was turning over the wizard coins and looking at them. He had just thought of something that made him feel as though the happy balloon inside him had got a puncture.

"What's he on about Moony?" Sirius whispered.

"Shut up and you'll find out Padfoot,"

"Um -- Hagrid?"

"Mm?" said Hagrid, who was pulling on his huge boots.

"I haven't got any money -- and you heard Uncle Vernon last night ... he won't pay for me to go and learn magic."

"Pff like that's a problem," scoffed James "No Potter has ever had to worry about money in the few hundred years or so,"

"I know what you mean Prongs, used to be the same for me until I got disinherited," Sirius shrugged slightly "not that I care, don't want that filthy Black money anyways,"

"That's great for you two but it's not like that for everyone and it's obviously not the case for Harry," Lily snapped.

"You think I'd leave my son with nothing Evans?" James narrowed his eyes at her.

"I didn't say that Potter," Lily matched his glare "but do you really think that Harry knows about all the money he's been left,"

"How could he not know?" Peter asked stupidly.

"Don't get involved," hissed Remus while Sirius shook his head at Wormtail's stupidity.

"How could he not know?" Lily shrieked "I wonder, maybe because he grew up in the muggle world,"

"Just because he grew up in the muggle world doesn't mean that he'll be ignorant to his inheritance," bit back James.

"I never said he would be ignorant to his inheritance, but who would of told him about his inheritance if he didn't even know the Wizarding World existed?" Lily looked around for an answer, when none came she continued "and another thing do you really think that my sister and her good for nothing husband would of blissfully ignored the fact that their 'good for nothing nephew' had a small fortune buried deep underground,"

"They wouldn't be able to touch it, they'd need a Potter to access it,"

"And you think they wouldn't of used Harry to get to that money!?"

"…"

"Exactly… It's bad enough that they have treated him horribly for years, but trust me when I say that I know my sister well enough to know that she would drain Harry's accounts as quick as she could, wizarding money or not."

"Are you done?" Sirius asked looking at the couple "because that was one hell of a marital spat," James and Lily both glared at him. Remus rolled his eyes and motioned for Lily to keep reading.

"Don't worry about that," said Hagrid, standing up and scratching his head. "D'yeh think yer parents didn't leave yeh anything?"

"See? Told you," James smirked arrogantly, Lily just glared.

"But if their house was destroyed --"

"Muggles," Peter rolled his eyes "only they would have a stupid idea like that,"

"For your information Pettigrew, muggles have their own banks just like wizards," Lily spat.

"Besides Pete, The idea isn't all that strange, My dear old mum, she kept a small fortune hidden in the wine cellar at Grimmauld Place…" Sirius added helpfully. Lily smiled triumphantly and Peter scowled.

"Well it's still a stupid idea…" Peter muttered, leaning back against the pillows he was resting on.

"They didn' keep their gold in the house, boy! Nah, first stop fer us is Gringotts. Wizards' bank. Have a sausage, they're not bad cold -- an' I wouldn' say no teh a bit o' yer birthday cake, neither."

"Please for the love of merlin, don't eat the cake! I don't need my family line dying out just yet."

"Wizards have banks?"

"Just the one. Gringotts. Run by goblins."

Harry dropped the bit of sausage he was holding.

"Goblins?"

"Yeah -- so yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it, I'll tell yeh that. Never mess with goblins, Harry. Gringotts is the safest place in the world fer anything yeh want ter keep safe -- 'cept maybe Hogwarts. As a matter o' fact, I gotta visit Gringotts anyway. Fer Dumbledore. Hogwarts business." Hagrid drew himself up proudly. "He usually gets me ter do important stuff fer him. Fetchin' you gettin' things from Gringotts -- knows he can trust me, see.

"That's because he's a senile old git," James stated matter of factly

"Albeit a great senile old git," Remus chimed in.

"But one all the same" Sirius confirmed.

"You lot have spent way too much time together," Lily shook her head, the three boys just grinned at her.

"Got everythin'? Come on, then."

Harry followed Hagrid out onto the rock. The sky was quite clear now and the sea gleamed in the sunlight. The boat Uncle Vernon had hired was still there, with a lot of water in the bottom after the storm.

"How did you get here?" Harry asked, looking around for another boat.

"Flew," said Hagrid.

"Wonder if he still has my bike," Sirius pondered.

"How else would he have flown? I doubt they make a broom big enough for him," Peter stated.

"But where would he have stashed the bike if that was the case?" Lily questioned "That island doesn't sound very big, and it would look suspicious if a motorbike suddenly appeared on it,"

"Maybe it's in his cloak?" Sirius said innocently "that would make for one hell of a ride," the boys snorted with silent laughter as Lily calmly reached over and cuffed Sirius on the side of the head.

"Oww! Keep that up and I'll end up with brain damage," Sirius massaged his sore head.

"You need to have a brain first,"

"Oi!"

"Flew?"

"Yeah -- but we'll go back in this. Not s'pposed ter use magic now I've got yeh."

"Five Galleons says that he uses magic at the next available moment," Sirius turned to Peter with his hand out.

"You're on," Peter agreed eagerly while the other Marauders shook their heads in dismay.

They settled down in the boat, Harry still staring at Hagrid, trying to imagine him flying.

"It's hard to picture," Sirius scrunched up his face in thought.

"Ahh so that's what you look like when you're thinking, does it hurt?"

"What is this, 'Pick on Sirius' day?"

"Yup, didn't you get the owl?" Remus smiled.

"About time they changed it, it's been 'Pick on Peter' day for three years now,"

"Don't think we've forgotten about you Pete," James smiled. Peter just pouted.

"Seems a shame ter row, though," said Hagrid, giving Harry another of his sideways looks. "If I was ter -- er -- speed things up a bit, would yeh mind not mentionin' it at Hogwarts?"

"Ha! Pay up Wormtail!" Sirius extended his hand out to collect, Peter grumbled but reached into his trunk and pulled out five Galleons to give to his friend.

"Pleasure doing business with you once again Pete," Sirius grinned.

"Why is it that I never win a bet with you?"

"Because Sirius will only bet on a sure thing Pete, you should know that by now," Remus stared pointedly.

"Don't tell him that Moony, I'll start losing my main source of income,"

"I don't think you'll have to worry about that Padfoot, Moony tells him this everytime,"

"And he keeps coming back for more, because honestly who wouldn't want more of this?"

"I can name a few people," Lily smirked.

"Ouch Evans, that hurt,"

"Of course not," said Harry, eager to see more magic. Hagrid pulled out the pink umbrella again, tapped it twice on the side of the boat, and they sped off toward land.

"And they conveniently stranded the Dursleys on that island, hey maybe they'll have to resort to killing each other for food," Sirius grinned evilly.

"Five Galleons says that Dudley goes first," Peter said energetically.

"Nice try Wormtail, but nobody is stupid enough to take that bet," Remus stated kindly, Peter just pouted.

"Why would you be mad to try and rob Gringotts?" Harry asked.

"Oh you know they've only got various spells, and animals like dragons guarding…"

"There is no dragon guarding the vaults at Gringotts Black," Lily stated.

"Yes there is," James jumped in "it guards the high security vaults, my family owns one,"

"As does mine," Sirius stated "they needed somewhere to hide all their 'valuable' dark artifacts, well the ones that the ministry are looking for anyways,"

"Spells -- enchantments," said Hagrid, unfolding his newspaper as he spoke. "They say there's dragons guardin' the highsecurity vaults. And then yeh gotta find yer way -- Gringotts is hundreds of miles under London, see. Deep under the Underground. Yeh'd die of hunger tryin' ter get out, even if yeh did manage ter get yer hands on summat."

"Hagrid's got a point, you'd have to be pretty mental to try and rob Gringotts,"

"For once I agree with you Black, I mean you're pretty mad yourself and even you won't attempt to rob them,"

"I think that was a compliment Evans but I'm really not sure,"

"Trust me mate, it was, the closest thing I got to a compliment from Evans was that I'm not a Death Eater,"

Harry sat and thought about this while Hagrid read his newspaper, the Daily Prophet. Harry had learned from Uncle Vernon that people liked to be left alone while they did this, but it was very difficult, he'd never had so many questions in his life.

"Not everyone is like him," Lily scowled.

"Thank Merlin for that," James sighed.

"Ministry o' Magic messin' things up as usual," Hagrid muttered, turning the page.

"Messing things up?" James asked clearly taken back "how could they be messing things up, they aren't even in a time of war!"

"Maybe that's the problem," Remus reasoned "since it's a peaceful time they've let it all go to hell,"

"Not if the officials I know have anything to say about it, they would be appalled to know that it would all go to hell in a few years time,"

"You know Ministry officials?" Lily asked curiously.

"Course I do, my father's on the Wizangamot, he wanted me to have an understanding on how things worked because some day it'll be me sitting in the Potter seat,"

"What do you mean the Potter seat?"

"Old wizarding families are all given seats to be held by the heir, but not all family's choose to use it,"

"As was the place with my family's seat, they have one but choose not to use it," Sirius sighed.

"That's because they are against everything the Wizangamot stands for Padfoot,"

"Right you are Prongs,"

"There's a Ministry of Magic?" Harry asked, before he could stop himself.

"'Course," said Hagrid. "They wanted Dumbledore fer Minister, 0 'course, but he'd never leave Hogwarts, so old Cornelius Fudge got the job.

"Wait hold on, did you just say Fudge? As in that slimy slytherin idiot two year above us?" James blurted.

"Apparently"

"Well no wonder the Ministry is going to hell, they gave the Minister job to a bumbling, blabbering Slytherin buffoon," James shook his head in disbelief "Wormtail would be better suited for the job than Fudge,"

"Hey!"

Bungler if ever there was one.

"No kidding," groaned James "it's a wonder you still have a Ministry with him in charge,"

So he pelts Dumbledore with owls every morning, askin' fer advice."

"But what does a Ministry of Magic do?"

"With him in charge, probably not much," Sirius quipped.

"Well, their main job is to keep it from the Muggles that there's still witches an' wizards up an' down the country."

"Why?"

"So they leave us the bloody hell alone, that's why"

"No need to curse Pettigrew," Peter just shot her a look.

"Why? Blimey, Harry, everyone'd be wantin' magic solutions to their problems. Nah, we're best left alone."

At this moment the boat bumped gently into the harbor wall. Hagrid folded up his newspaper, and they clambered up the stone steps onto the street.

Passersby stared a lot at Hagrid as they walked through the little town to the station.

"You mean your aren't used to seeing a 12 foot man walking down the street with a 5 foot shrimp?" Sirius muttered sarcastically.

"Hey! Watch who you call a shrimp, my son is not a shrimp!"

"He's right Padfoot, if he's anything like Prongs was back in first year 'shrimp' is an over statement," Remus grinned smugly. James responded by maturely sticking out his tongue.

Harry couldn't blame them. Not only was Hagrid twice as tall as anyone else, he kept pointing at perfectly ordinary things like parking meters and saying loudly, "See that, Harry? Things these Muggles dream up, eh?"

"Oh Hagrid," Lily groaned while the boys just chuckled silently.

"Hagrid," said Harry, panting a bit as he ran to keep up, "did you say there are dragons at Gringotts?"

"Well, so they say," said Hagrid. "Crikey, I'd like a dragon."

"Bloody hell, could you imagine if Hagrid actually got his hands on a dragon?" Peter looked a little feint at the idea.

"Bye bye Hogwarts," Sirius muttered.

"You'd like one?"

"Wanted one ever since I was a kid -- here we go."

They had reached the station. There was a train to London in five minutes' time. Hagrid, who didn't understand "Muggle money," as he called it, gave the bills to Harry so he could buy their tickets.

People stared more than ever on the train. Hagrid took up two seats and sat knitting what looked like a canary-yellow circus tent.

"Hagrid knits?" Peter blinked.

"Apparently, and it seems he still likes strange colours, you remember the brown suit?" they all groaned.

"Still got yer letter, Harry?" he asked as he counted stitches. Harry took the parchment envelope out of his pocket.

"Good," said Hagrid. "There's a list there of everything yeh need."

Harry unfolded a second piece of paper he hadn't noticed the night before, and read:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)

2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)

Sirius went to make a comment but a glare from Lily shut him up quickly.

Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emetic Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set brass scales

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED

THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

"Damn, they still haven't changed that rule yet," James muttered dejectedly.

"With good reason, many of these students haven't learned to fly yet, our son included,"

"He won't need to learn, he'll just know," James smiled arrogantly "we Potter's are born to fly," Lily just rolled her eyes.

"Can we buy all this in London?" Harry wondered aloud.

"If yeh know where to go," said Hagrid.

Harry had never been to London before.

James and Lily scowled at this.

Although Hagrid seemed to know where he was going, he was obviously not used to getting there in an ordinary way. He got stuck in the ticket barrier on the Underground, and complained loudly that the seats were too small and the trains too slow.

"I don't know how the Muggles manage without magic," he said as they climbed a broken-down escalator that led up to a bustling road lined with shops.

"They handle very well, just takes them a little longer to get from one place to another,"

"Where's the fun in that?" Sirius grinned "why go slow when you can go fast,"

"Says the guy with the modified motorbike,"

"the key word there is modified Moony," Sirius grinned even more, Lily and Remus just rolled their eyes at him.

Hagrid was so huge that he parted the crowd easily; all Harry had to do was keep close behind him. They passed book shops and music stores, hamburger restaurants and cinemas, but nowhere that looked as if it could sell you a magic wand. This was just an ordinary street full of ordinary people. Could there really be piles of wizard gold buried miles beneath them? Were there really shops that sold spell books and broomsticks? Might this not all be some huge joke that the Dursleys had cooked up? If Harry hadn't known that the Dursleys had no sense of humor, he might have thought so; yet somehow, even though everything Hagrid had told him so far was unbelievable, Harry couldn't help trusting him.

"This is it," said Hagrid, coming to a halt, "the Leaky Cauldron. It's a famous place."

"Finally, I thought they'd never get there," Sirius replied eagerly. Lily ignored him and continued to read just as excited as everyone else for Harry's first encounter in the magic world.

It was a tiny, grubby-looking pub. If Hagrid hadn't pointed it out, Harry wouldn't have noticed it was there. The people hurrying by didn't glance at it. Their eyes slid from the big book shop on one side to the record shop on the other as if they couldn't see the Leaky Cauldron at all. In fact, Harry had the most peculiar feeling that only he and Hagrid could see it. Before he could mention this, Hagrid had steered him inside.

"That's because you have to be magical to see it," grinned Peter.

"Muggle repulsion charms, such a wonderful thing," smirked Sirius.

"For you maybe, try steering your muggle parents into a building that they can't see?" grumbled Lily. "complete and utter disaster,"

For a famous place, it was very dark and shabby. A few old women were sitting in a corner, drinking tiny glasses of sherry. One of them was smoking a long pipe. A little man in a top hat was talking to the old bartender, who was quite bald and looked like a toothless walnut. The low buzz of chatter stopped when they walked in. Everyone seemed to know Hagrid; they waved and smiled at him, and the bartender reached for a glass, saying, "The usual, Hagrid?"

"Hagrid, you will not be drinking while you are with my son!" Lily shrieked.

"Wanna bet?" Sirius turned to Lily with a grin "2 Galleons says he has a drink before leaving Diagon Alley," Lily looked at Sirius before grinning herself.

"Alright but let's make this more interesting, 3 Galleons says he has a drink after leaving Gringotts," Sirius seemed to debate this for a few moments before readily agreeing.

"You're on," they shook hands while the others watched in amusement.

"Careful Padfoot, you may have met your match," James smirked.

"Can't, Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business," said Hagrid, clapping his great hand on Harry's shoulder and making Harry's knees buckle.

"Good Lord," said the bartender, peering at Harry, "is this -- can this be --?"

"Uh oh,"

The Leaky Cauldron had suddenly gone completely still and silent.

"Bless my soul," whispered the old bartender, "Harry Potter... what an honor."

"Huh? What's going on?" Peter asked confused.

"Harry's famous in our world remember?"

"That's all fine and dandy Moony but Harry's been out of the Wizarding World for the last 10 years," Sirius said somberly.

"It must be the scar," Lily said quietly "how else would they know it was him,"

"I knew Harry'd be famous and all that but I never thought he'd be this famous," James was shaking his head slowly as if trying to make sense of all this.

He hurried out from behind the bar, rushed toward Harry and seized his hand, tears in his eyes.

"Welcome back, Mr. Potter, welcome back."

James and Lily smiled albeit a little sadly.

"At least it's a warm reception," Remus smiled at the couple in reassurance.

Harry didn't know what to say. Everyone was looking at him. The old woman with the pipe was puffing on it without realizing it had gone out. Hagrid was beaming.

Then there was a great scraping of chairs and the next moment, Harry found himself shaking hands with everyone in the Leaky Cauldron.

"That's only slightly intimidating for an 11 year old," Remus muttered.

"Back up people, give him some space," Sirius starting moving his arms around like he was trying to direct traffic.

"You better not let these people maul my son Hagrid!"

"Relax Lily, he'll be fine," James smiled "and calm down Padfoot, you're going to take somebody's eye out," Sirius had been moving his arms around the whole time. At the comment to stop he slouched down and pouted.

"Doris Crockford, Mr. Potter, can't believe I'm meeting you at last."

"So proud, Mr. Potter, I'm just so proud."

"Always wanted to shake your hand -- I'm all of a flutter."

"Delighted, Mr. Potter, just can't tell you, Diggle's the name, Dedalus Diggle."

"I've seen you before!" said Harry, as Dedalus Diggle's top hat fell off in his excitement. "You bowed to me once in a shop."

"Looks like the magical world was keeping a closer eye on Harry than we thought," Peter smiled.

"Either that or Harry's got himself a stalker," Sirius grinned.

"He remembers!" cried Dedalus Diggle, looking around at everyone. "Did you hear that? He remembers me!" Harry shook hands again and again -- Doris Crockford kept coming back for more.

"I can see this causing big problems in the future,"

"Why do you say that Lily?"

"Don't you see James, he'll never be able to go anywhere in the Wizarding World with being recognized, people will always want to stop and talk to him, his every move will be front page news of Witch Weekly,"

"Harry's going to have more girls after him than you and I do Prongs,"

"Like father like son, right Padfoot?"

"I'm glad you two are taking this so seriously," Lily glared.

"Give it up Lily, these two will never take anything seriously, I've been trying for years," Remus reached over and patted her on the shoulder.

A pale young man made his way forward, very nervously. One of his eyes was twitching.

"Professor Quirrell!" said Hagrid. "Harry, Professor Quirrell will be one of your teachers at Hogwarts."

"Quirrell? Isn't he that fifth year bloke? They made that idiot a teacher?"

"Come on now, he is a Ravenclaw so he's not a complete idiot,"

"So what? Some parts are missing?" Sirius looked at Lily for rebuttal but she chose to ignore him.

"P-P-Potter," stammered Professor Quirrell, grasping Harry's hand, "c-can't t-tell you how p- pleased I am to meet you."

"Looks like there are some parts missing," Sirius grinned.

"I don't remember him stuttering at the last prefects meeting,"

"I don't remembering him being at the prefect meeting," James looked over at Lily

"That's because you fell asleep," she deadpanned.

"What sort of magic do you teach, Professor Quirrell?"

"D-Defense Against the D-D-Dark Arts," muttered Professor Quirrell, as though he'd rather not think about it. "N-not that you n-need it, eh, P-P-Potter?" He laughed nervously. "You'll be g-getting all your equipment, I suppose? I've g-got to p-pick up a new b-book on vampires, m-myself." He looked terrified at the very thought.

"That is definitely not the bloke that we know right now, wonder what happened?" Remus pondered while the others just shrugged.

But the others wouldn't let Professor Quirrell keep Harry to himself. It took almost ten minutes to get away from them all. At last, Hagrid managed to make himself heard over the babble.

"Must get on -- lots ter buy. Come on, Harry."

Doris Crockford shook Harry's hand one last time, and Hagrid led them through the bar and out into a small, walled courtyard, where there was nothing but a trash can and a few weeds.

"Great first impression of the magical world," Peter rolled his eyes.

Hagrid grinned at Harry.

"Told yeh, didn't I? Told yeh you was famous. Even Professor Quirrell was tremblin' ter meet yeh -- mind you, he's usually tremblin'."

"Is he always that nervous?"

"Oh, yeah. Poor bloke. Brilliant mind. He was fine while he was studyin' outta books but then he took a year off ter get some firsthand experience.... They say he met vampires in the Black Forest, and there was a nasty bit o' trouble with a hag –

"Ah, well that would do it," Sirius nodded "that kind of trouble would be enough to make anyone tremble,"

"Afraid of vampire's there Padfoot?"

"I'm not afraid of them Moony, I just don't like them, it's the whole undead thing,"

never been the same since. Scared of the students, scared of his own subject now, where's me umbrella?"

"There's a change of subject if you've ever heard one," James muttered sarcastically "not exactly something one would hear in everyday conversation," the others just nodded.

Vampires? Hags? Harry's head was swimming. Hagrid, meanwhile, was counting bricks in the wall above the trash can.

"Three up... two across he muttered. "Right, stand back, Harry."

He tapped the wall three times with the point of his umbrella.

"Woot! Welcome to Diagon Alley," Sirius cheered.

"I remember the first time I saw that archway open up, I'll never forget it," Lily smiled fondly.

The brick he had touched quivered -- it wriggled -- in the middle, a small hole appeared -- it grew wider and wider -- a second later they were facing an archway large enough even for Hagrid, an archway onto a cobbled street that twisted and turned out of sight.

"Welcome," said Hagrid, "to Diagon Alley."

He grinned at Harry's amazement. They stepped through the archway. Harry looked quickly over his shoulder and saw the archway shrink instantly back into solid wall.

The sun shone brightly on a stack of cauldrons outside the nearest shop. Cauldrons -- All Sizes - Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver -- Self-Stirring -- Collapsible, said a sign hanging over them.

"Yeah, you'll be needin' one," said Hagrid, "but we gotta get yer money first."

Harry wished he had about eight more eyes. He turned his head in every direction as they walked up the street, trying to look at everything at once: the shops, the things outside them, the people doing their shopping. A plump woman outside an Apothecary was shaking her head as they passed, saying, "Dragon liver, seventeen Sickles an ounce, they're mad...."

"That is kind of expensive," Remus said offhandedly, they all murmured their agreement.

A low, soft hooting came from a dark shop with a sign saying Eeylops Owl Emporium -- Tawny, Screech, Barn, Brown, and Snowy. Several boys of about Harry's age had their noses pressed against a window with broomsticks in it.

"What? New Broom? What is it, Harry stop and look!" James cried excitedly

"Look," Harry heard one of them say, "the new Nimbus Two Thousand -- fastest ever --"

"I want one," James and Sirius said at once.

"You can't have one, they haven't been made yet,"

"Aww but Moony," they whined together.

"No, and that's final," the two boys pouted.

"Well then I want Harry to have one,"

"Over my dead body Potter,"

"Too late," Sirius grinned, Lily just glared at him "as godfather it is my responsibility to get Harry the best broom out there, and I will,"

"I'll haunt you," Lily said threateningly.

"I'm touched that you would want to spend eternity in my presence, I really am, we just need to dump James first," as he wriggled his eyebrows.

"Necrophilia aside, Stop Flirting with my wife!"

"I'm not your wife yet Potter, still need that proof,"

"Just give me a time and a place Lily, a time and a place."

There were shops selling robes, shops selling telescopes and strange silver instruments Harry had never seen before, windows stacked with barrels of bat spleens and eels' eyes, tottering piles of spell books, quills, and rolls of parchment, potion bottles, globes of the moon....

"Gringotts," said Hagrid.

They had reached a snowy white building that towered over the other little shops. Standing beside its burnished bronze doors, wearing a uniform of scarlet and gold, was –

"A Gryffindor goblin," everyone turned and looked at Sirius like he was mad.

"Yeah, that's a goblin," said Hagrid quietly as they walked up the white stone steps toward him. The goblin was about a head shorter than Harry. He had a swarthy, clever face, a pointed beard and, Harry noticed, very long fingers and feet. He bowed as they walked inside. Now they were facing a second pair of doors, silver this time, with words engraved upon them:

Enter, stranger, but take heed

Of what awaits the sin of greed,

For those who take, but do not earn,

Must pay most dearly in their turn.

So if you seek beneath our floors

A treasure that was never yours,

Thief, you have been warned, beware

Of finding more than treasure there.

"Like I said, Yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it," said Hagrid.

"Yes because a scary poem is doing to deter so many people," Peter rolled his eyes.

"It's not the poem they have to fear, it's what the poem is implying," Remus pointed out.

"Anyone else get the feeling that this fact is being stressed a little too much?" Sirius asked, the others just looked at him blankly "what?"

"First off I highly doubt Harry is going to try and rob Gringotts, and secondly when did you become so insightful?" Lily stared pointedly at him.

"I have many hidden talents, would you like to see some of them?"

"Back off Black," James growled.

A pair of goblins bowed them through the silver doors and they were in a vast marble hall. About a hundred more goblins were sitting on high stools behind a long counter, scribbling in large ledgers, weighing coins in brass scales, examining precious stones through eyeglasses. There were too many doors to count leading off the hall, and yet more goblins were showing people in and out of these. Hagrid and Harry made for the counter.

"Morning," said Hagrid to a free goblin. "We've come ter take some money outta Mr. Harry Potter's safe."

"You have his key, Sir?"

"Got it here somewhere," said Hagrid,

"Should I be afraid that Hagrid has the key to my family's vault?"

"Better him then my sister,"

"Good point,"

and he started emptying his pockets onto the counter, scattering a handful of moldy dog biscuits over the goblin's book of numbers. The goblin wrinkled his nose. Harry watched the goblin on their right weighing a pile of rubies as big as glowing coals.

"Got it," said Hagrid at last, holding up a tiny golden key.

"He had me worried that he'd lost it there for a minute," James let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"Well he is the keeper of keys for Hogwarts so I'm sure it was alright," Remus reasoned.

"That still doesn't make me feel any better, after all how many keyholes do you see in Hogwarts?"

"Good point,"

The goblin looked at it closely.

"That seems to be in order."

"An' I've also got a letter here from Professor Dumbledore," said Hagrid importantly, throwing out his chest. "It's about the YouKnow-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen."

"Very discreet Hagrid," Remus said dryly

"I wonder what it is?" Sirius asked.

"I'm sure we'll find out, Hagrid never was very good at keeping secrets," James responded.

The goblin read the letter carefully.

"Very well," he said, handing it back to Hagrid, "I will have Someone take you down to both vaults. Griphook!"

Griphook was yet another goblin. Once Hagrid had crammed all the dog biscuits back inside his pockets, he and Harry followed Griphook toward one of the doors leading off the hall.

"What's the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen?" Harry asked.

"Can't tell yeh that," said Hagrid mysteriously. "Very secret. Hogwarts business. Dumbledore's trusted me. More'n my job's worth ter tell yeh that."

"Meaning that you'll know very soon, what it is, why he wants it, and where it's hidden," Peter said sagely.

Griphook held the door open for them. Harry, who had expected more marble, was surprised. They were in a narrow stone passageway lit with flaming torches. It sloped steeply downward and there were little railway tracks on the floor. Griphook whistled and a small cart came hurtling up the tracks toward them. They climbed in -- Hagrid with some difficulty -- and were off.

"I love riding in those carts, it's like an adventure ride," Sirius grinned.

"It's like a roller coaster,"

"What's a roller coaster?" Sirius asked eagerly.

"It's a muggle adventure ride, you sit in a cart and travel down this track at very high speeds, they can even take you upside down,"

"It's been decided, after we graduate, Lily you are taking all of us on a roller coaster!"

"Why me?"

"Because you are our resident muggle expert,"

"Well I'd hope so, after all my parents are muggles," she muttered sarcastically.

At first they just hurtled through a maze of twisting passages. Harry tried to remember, left, right, right, left, middle fork, right, left, but it was impossible. The rattling cart seemed to know its own way, because Griphook wasn't steering.

Harry's eyes stung as the cold air rushed past them, but he kept them wide open. Once, he thought he saw a burst of fire at the end of a passage and twisted around to see if it was a dragon, but too late - - they plunged even deeper, passing an underground lake where huge stalactites and stalagmites grew from the ceiling and floor.

"I never know," Harry called to Hagrid over the noise of the cart, "what's the difference between a stalagmite and a stalactite?"

"Stalagmite's got an 'm' in it," said Hagrid. "An' don' ask me questions just now, I think I'm gonna be sick."

"That could be bad," James blinked.

"Poor Hagrid, doesn't look like he'll be joining us on that roller coaster," Sirius nodded sadly.

"That's good because I don't think they've built one that could hold him yet,"

He did look very green, and when the cart stopped at last beside a small door in the passage wall, Hagrid got out and had to lean against the wall to stop his knees from trembling.

Griphook unlocked the door. A lot of green smoke came billowing out, and as it cleared, Harry gasped. Inside were mounds of gold coins. Columns of silver. Heaps of little bronze Knuts.

"All yours," smiled Hagrid.

"Welcome to the Potter vault, well one of them at least,"

"You have more than one?" Lily asked looking shocked.

"Well yeah, that's probably just Harry's Trust Fund vault, if it was the Potter family vault there'd be more than just money in there," James shrugged "not to mention it'd be in the high security location,"

All Harry's -- it was incredible. The Dursleys couldn't have known about this or they'd have had it from him faster than blinking.

"Told you, even Harry knows my sister and her greedy tendencies,"

"They could try, but they'd only be able to gain access to a small portion, Harry won't be able to access the family vault until he's seventeen, even I only just got access to the main vault,"

How often had they complained how much Harry cost them to keep? And all the time there had been a small fortune belonging to him, buried deep under London.

Hagrid helped Harry pile some of it into a bag.

"The gold ones are Galleons," he explained. "Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle, it's easy enough. Right, that should be enough fer a couple o' terms, we'll keep the rest safe for yeh." He turned to Griphook. "Vault seven hundred and thirteen now, please, and can we go more slowly?"

"Not likely, I believe the carts only go one speed," Lily pointed out.

"They do, I asked if they could go slower but the goblins told me they can't," Peter grumbled.

"One speed only," said Griphook.

They were going even deeper now and gathering speed. The air became colder and colder as they hurtled round tight corners. They went rattling over an underground ravine, and Harry leaned over the side to try to see what was down at the dark bottom,

"Harry!" Lily shrieked looking frightened.

but Hagrid groaned and pulled him back by the scruff of his neck.

"Rule number one about riding the carts at Gringotts, never lean over the edge you may fall over," James sighed "Geesh son, are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

"He is your son after all," Lily bluntly pointed out.

"Wouldn't be a true Marauder if he didn't attempt to give his father a heart attack," Sirius smirked while James just stuck his tongue out at him.

Vault seven hundred and thirteen had no keyhole.

"Odd," Remus muttered looking intrigued.

"Stand back," said Griphook importantly. He stroked the door gently with one of his long fingers and it simply melted away.

"Wicked," James and Sirius said simultaneously. Remus and Peter just chuckled at their enthusiasm while Lily just shook her head.

"You'd think you were the muggleborns with the way you're acting," she teased.

"If anyone but a Gringotts goblin tried that, they'd be sucked through the door and trapped in there," said Griphook.

"How often do you check to see if anyone's inside?" Harry asked.

"About once every ten years," said Griphook with a rather nasty grin.

"Good to know," Sirius seemed to be making a mental note of this fact.

"Not thinking about breaking into Gringotts are you Padfoot?"

"I've have to be completely nutters to even think about it Prongs,"

"You're not far off then," Remus muttered.

"Oi!"

Something really extraordinary had to be inside this top security vault, Harry was sure, and he leaned forward eagerly, expecting to see fabulous jewels at the very least -- but at first he thought it was empty.

"Well that's a bit of a letdown,"

"How is that a letdown, what would Dumbledore need with fabulous jewels Padfoot?"

"Beats me Moony," Sirius shrugged

Then he noticed a grubby little package wrapped up in brown paper lying on the floor.

"I highly doubt that what's in that package will be a letdown because if I know Dumbledore that safe is holding something very important," James pointed out.

"Very good Potter, did you think of that all by yourself? Simply astonishing" Lily asked with an innocent face. James raised an eyebrow and grinned.

" I have my moments"

"I don't think she meant that as a compliment Prongs…"

Hagrid picked it up and tucked it deep inside his coat. Harry longed to know what it was, but knew better than to ask.

"Boo, that's not very marauder of you Harry," Sirius pouted.

"Well Harry's not you," Peter bluntly pointed out.

"Thank Merlin for that," Lily whispered.

"As much as I'm also thankful that Harry isn't Padfoot, he is being very Marauder so to speak,"

"What are you on about Prongs? Everyone knows that if you ask Hagrid something at the right time he'll tell you,"

"True as that may be Padfoot this is not the right time because Hagrid has not been drinking, so this is not the right time to gather information from Hagrid directly. However by waiting and seeming to be uninterested he can gather far more information on what the package is and possibly even find it himself,"

"James does have a point," Remus pointed "but we are forgetting one very important fact."

"What's that?" Peter asked curiously

"Harry just met Hagrid, he doesn't know his tendencies yet…" Remus reasoned.

"Bugger….That means we may have a bit of a wait to find out anything.."

"Yup"

"Come on, back in this infernal cart, and don't talk to me on the way back, it's best if I keep me mouth shut," said Hagrid.

One wild cart ride later they stood blinking in the sunlight outside Gringotts. Harry didn't know where to run first now that he had a bag full of money.

"Just because you have a bag full of money that doesn't mean you can spend it frivolously, that money in your vault has to last you for another 6 years at Hogwarts…"

"Uh Lily?" James seemed hesitant to speak "you know Harry can't hear you right?"

"Of course I know that," she snapped "but this may be the only chance I get to lecture my son on spending his money responsibly and I plan to take full advantage of it,"

"By all means then, lecture away," Sirius said in mock surrender, none of the boys wanted to try and stop Lily's 'lecture'.

He didn't have to know how many Galleons there were to a pound to know that he was holding more money than he'd had in his whole life -- more money than even Dudley had ever had.

"Might as well get yer uniform," said Hagrid, nodding toward Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. "Listen, Harry, would yeh mind if I slipped off fer a pick-me-up in the Leaky Cauldron?

"Ha! Told you Hagrid would slip off at some point for a 'pick-me-up'! Pay up Evans!" Sirius thrust his hand out towards Lily looking quite proud of himself.

"Not so fast Black, while it is true about what you said about Hagrid slipping off for a drink while accompanying Harry you're forgetting the second part to our bet," Lily smirked.

"Second part?" Sirius stuttered looking completely flabbergasted.

"Yes," Lily's smirk turned into a full fledged grin "while you were happy to bet on the actual event occurring I add a specific time for the event to occur in our bet so I believe that I was the more accurate one thus I won the bet," At this the other boys who were desperately trying to keep their snickering under control finally gave up and erupted into loud fits of laughter.

"That may be so Evans," Sirius was looking around nervously trying to maintain what little dignity he had left "but technically we both won since Hagrid did in fact head off to have a drink, so the bet should be deemed as a draw,"

"Not quite Sirius, that would have been the case had we bet the same amount but if I remember correctly you bet 2 Galleons while I bet 3," Lily grinned even more and thrust her own hand out much like Sirius had done earlier "So pay up!"

"Nice try Padfoot," Remus smirked at him while he dug a Galleon out of his pocket and gave it to Lily.

"Looks like you've been had," Peter grinned

"Looks like you've finally met your match Padfoot," James smirked.

"Seems so, but just be warned, this isn't over yet Evans! I've got my eye on you," Sirius shot her a look while Lily just laughed.

I hate them Gringotts carts." He did still look a bit sick, so Harry entered Madam Malkin's shop alone, feeling nervous.

"You know, as much as I'm glad I made some money off of Hagrid leaving Harry alone and going off for a drink I really wish he hadn't done that,"

"Relax Lily Harry will be fine," James reassured her.

Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve.

"Hogwarts, dear?" she said, when Harry started to speak. "Got the lot here -- another young man being fitted up just now, in fact."

In the back of the shop, a boy with a pale, pointed face was standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long black robes. Madam Malkin stood Harry on a stool next to him, slipped a long robe over his head, and began to pin it to the right length.

"Hello," said the boy, "Hogwarts, too?"

"Yes," said Harry.

"My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands," said the boy. He had a bored, drawling voice. "Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow."

"What a little brat, he sounds almost as bad as the pig!" Sirius grumbled.

"Pale pointed face…why does that sound familiar," Remus pondered aloud.

Harry was strongly reminded of Dudley.

"Have you got your own broom?" the boy went on.

"No," said Harry.

"Play Quidditch at all?"

"He will," James said solemnly while Lily just shot him a look.

"No," Harry said again, wondering what on earth Quidditch could be.

"Only the best sport in the whole world, just wait until you get to Hogwarts Harry, they'll be there to teach you everything there is to know about Quidditch!" Sirius breathed excitedly. The other boys nodded in agreement while Lily just glared at them all.

"I do -- Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house, and I must say, I agree.

"Sounds like this kid does whatever Daddy tells him," Sirius snickered while the others joined in, even Lily.

Know what house you'll be in yet?"

"Gryffindor!"

"No," said Harry, feeling more stupid by the minute.

"Don't feel stupid Harry, you know as much about Hogwarts as any muggleborn does at this point, you'll figure it all out, trust me," Lily smiled.

"She right, they'll be tons of other kids at school who don't know about the houses or Quidditch, so hang in there son," James smiled.

"And the award for the feel good family moment of the year goes to…" Sirius was cut off by James throwing a pillow at him while Lily just glared.

"Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they, but I know I'll be in Slytherin, all our family have been –

"Slytherin," Peter gave a look of disgust.

"He must belong to one of the old Pureblood Wizarding families then,"

"One of the Dark old Pureblood Wizarding families Prongs, since he's boasting about his whole family being in Slytherin,"

"He's probably a Malfoy or a Nott or something," Remus muttered

"Yeah, just what this world needs, more people like my family," Sirius grumbled.

imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"

"There is nothing wrong with being in Hufflepuff," Lily scolded

"Mmm," said Harry, wishing he could say something a bit more interesting.

"I say, look at that man!" said the boy suddenly, nodding toward the front window. Hagrid was standing there, grinning at Harry and pointing at two large ice creams to show he couldn't come in.

"Now there you go Evans, Hagrid might of left Harry to go for a drink but he came back with ice cream, doesn't that make you feel better?" Sirius teased.

"It does," Lily smiled softly "I'm glad someone is taking proper care of my son,"

"That's Hagrid," said Harry, pleased to know something the boy didn't. "He works at Hogwarts."

"Ha!" Sirius smirked triumphantly.

"What are you so happy about Padfoot?" Remus gave him a funny look.

"Harry was finally able to one up the boy," Sirius grinned proudly

"Oh yeah what I great one it was Padfoot," Peter muttered sarcastically.

"Shut up Pete," Sirius stuck his tongue out at him.

"Oh," said the boy, "I've heard of him. He's a sort of servant, isn't he?"

"Gamekeeper," they all said.

"You make him sound like a house elf," Sirius grumbled.

"He's the gamekeeper," said Harry. He was liking the boy less and less every second.

"Good call Harry, he sounds like a right git to me,"

"James," Lily scolded "watch your language,"

"I don't think you got that exactly right Prongs, git just isn't the right word for him, he's more of a prat,"

"Sirius!"

"No you've both got it wrong, he's more of an arse," Remus smirked.

"Remus! I expected better from you,"

"Well now that I think about it…" Peter started.

"Enough!" yelled Lily.

"Yes, exactly. I heard he's a sort of savage -- lives in a hut on the school grounds and every now and then he gets drunk, tries to do magic, and ends up setting fire to his bed."

"That's not exactly true," Remus said carefully.

"But not that far from the truth either…" Sirius finished sadly, the others just nodded solemnly.

"I think he's brilliant," said Harry coldly.

"I'm not sure if brilliant is the right word for Hagrid," James winced slightly.

"Do you?" said the boy, with a slight sneer. "Why is he with you? Where are your parents?"

"They're dead," said Harry shortly. He didn't feel much like going into the matter with this boy.

"He's not worth it anyways Harry," Sirius muttered.

"Oh, sorry," said the other, not sounding sorry at all. "But they were our kind, weren't they?"

"What does that matter?" James answered hotly "it doesn't matter who their parents are or were."

"Here here!" cheered Sirius and Remus while Lily laughed slightly. Remus was the only one to notice that Peter did not once speak up or look at any of the other marauders.

"They were a witch and wizard, if that's what you mean."

"I really don't think they should let the other sort in, do you? They're just not the same, they've never been brought up to know our ways. Some of them have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter, imagine. I think they should keep it in the old wizarding families.

"Bigoted prat," growled James

"Definitely belongs to one of the dark Wizarding families,"

"You're spot on as usual Moony," Sirius joked before turning solemn "the sad thing is he's everything my family wanted me to be," no one spoke for a few minutes as everyone was lost in their own thoughts.

What's your surname, anyway?"

"What's it to you?" James snarled.

"Trust me kid, in about two seconds you are going to feel like an idiot. I mean you're only talking to what appears to be the most well known wizard in all of Britain," Sirius stated casually.

"Wouldn't this kid see Harry as an appealing person, I mean wouldn't he see Harry as a way to gain power through the pretense of a friendship, not to mention he could be a horrible influence on Harry himself," Lily started to ramble.

"I don't think you'll have to worry about that Lily," Remus chuckled slightly.

"Harry's a smart kid Lily, he'd have to be given who his mother is," James was looking right at Lily when he said this causing her to blush slightly "if the Dursleys weren't able to corrupt him in anyway then I doubt this pale-faced brat could,"

"I guess you're right," Lily reasoned.

"Besides for all you know Harry could be the one influencing this kid," Peter commented which made everyone turn to give him a funny look "well he could,"

"Sure Pete, whatever you say," Sirius rolled his eyes.

But before Harry could answer, Madam Malkin said, "That's you done, my dear," and Harry, not sorry for an excuse to stop talking to the boy, hopped down from the footstool.

"Drats, I wanted to see the kid's reaction to Harry's name," Sirius pouted.

"Well, I'll see you at Hogwarts, I suppose," said the drawling boy.

Harry was rather quiet as he ate the ice cream Hagrid had bought him (chocolate and raspberry with chopped nuts).

"Mmm," everyone commented when there was a sudden grumble from Sirius' stomach.

"What?" he asked everyone turned to look at him "It's nearly lunch time and I'm hungry, didn't know it was a crime," the others just laughed.

"It's settled then, after this chapter we'll break for lunch," Lily smiled.

"What's up?" said Hagrid.

"Nothing," Harry lied.

"Don't let that boy get you down son, you will find that there are many different people who do not share his view on how things should be run,"

"Prongs is right there Harry, but unfortunately there will be a few at Hogwarts who do share his opinion on things, just try to avoid those gits," Sirius winked.

"Or do like we do and prank them to hell" Remus said offhandedly.

"Remus…." Lily said warningly.

They stopped to buy parchment and quills. Harry cheered up a bit when he found a bottle of ink that changed color as you wrote. When they had left the shop, he said, "Hagrid, what's Quidditch?"

"Finally Harry's going to learn something useful," Sirius said eagerly.

"You should of told him first thing what Quidditch is," James argued.

"Before or after he told Harry he was a wizard and about Hogwarts," Lily glared.

"Err…ok maybe after he was told about being a Wizard and Hogwarts," James mumbled looking down, the other boys just laughed at him.

"Blimey, Harry, I keep forgettin' how little yeh know -- not knowin' about Quidditch!"

"Don't make me feel worse," said Harry. He told Hagrid about the pale

boy in Madam Malkin's.

"--and he said people from Muggle families shouldn't even be allowed in."

"That was a very wise choice you made talking to Hagrid about what that boy said in Madam Malkin's Harry," Lily smiled.

"Yeah, yeah it was brilliant," Sirius waved off "now get to the important Quidditch talk!"

"Not everything revolves around Quidditch Black!"

"Well Evans, it should, the world would be a lot more exciting"

"More exciting than an ongoing war between good and evil in a magical community?" Remus said with a raised brow.

"Well when you put it that way…"

"Yer not from a Muggle family. If he'd known who yeh were -- he's grown up knowin' yer name if his parents are wizardin' folk. You saw what everyone in the Leaky Cauldron was like when they saw yeh. Anyway, what does he know about it, some o' the best I ever saw were the only ones with magic in 'em in a long line 0' Muggles -- look at yer mum! Look what she had fer a sister!"

"Let's not talk about my family right now,"

"I agree, no offense Lily but I'd rather not think about your sister or her family at this moment in time,"

"Agreed," the other boys murmured.

"So what is Quidditch?"

"It's…"

"Shut up Black!"

"It's our sport. Wizard sport. It's like -- like soccer in the Muggle world -- everyone follows Quidditch -- played up in the air on broomsticks and there's four balls -- sorta hard ter explain the rules."

"No it's not, it's easy," Sirius started.

"It is a game played on broomsticks though," Peter said

"There are four balls, the Quaffle, two Bludgers and the Golden Snitch," Remus continued.

"As well there are seven players playing five positions on the team, a Seeker, a Keeper, two Beaters and three Chasers," James added.

"Enough!" Lily yelled before Sirius could add anymore to the conversation "First off we all know the rules of Quidditch,"

"But Harry…"

"I know Harry doesn't know the rules James but he will, I know this because he's already asking questions about the sport,"

"And he is Prongs' son,"

"And that too Sirius, that being said I can almost guarantee you that at some point in this book the rules to Quidditch will be explained to Harry and thus to us as well so can you please stop explaining it?" Lily asked sounding exasperated.

"I guess," the boys all shrugged in agreement.

"And what are Slytherin and Hufflepuff?"

"School houses. There's four. Everyone says Hufflepuff are a lot o'duffers, but --"

"Hufflepuff's do have their good points, they are extremely loyal," Remus pointed out.

"I bet I'm in Hufflepuff" said Harry gloomily.

"I wouldn't bet on it Harry," Sirius winked.

"And that's saying something if Sirius won't bet on it," Peter laughed.

"Sounds like something you'd bet on thought Pete," Sirius joked while Peter just scowled.

"Better Hufflepuff than Slytherin," said Hagrid darkly.

"Agreed,"

"There's not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin. You-Know-Who was one."

"Vol-, sorry - You-Know-Who was at Hogwarts?"

"Unfortunately," grumbled Sirius.

"Was he really?" asked Lily looking clearly shocked.

"Yeah, this was years ago though, before any of us were even born,"

"Years an' years ago," said Hagrid.

They bought Harry's school books in a shop called Flourish and Blotts where the shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as paving stones bound in leather; books the size of postage stamps in covers of silk; books full of peculiar symbols and a few books with nothing in them at all. Even Dudley, who never read anything, would have been wild to get his hands on some of these. Hagrid almost had to drag Harry away from Curses and Countercurses (Bewitch Your Friends and Befuddle Your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue- Tying and Much, Much More) by Professor Vindictus Viridian.

"I must remember to get that book," Sirius said excitedly while the others just looked at him blankly.

"Did you just say that you wanted to get a book?" Lily stared blankly.

"Are you sure you haven't been sniffing the potion fumes again Padfoot?"

"Of course I haven't Moony," Sirius huffed

"Then why do you want this book?" Peter asked.

"Think about all the pranks we could pull on the Slytherin's if we had a book like that,"

"I wonder if they have a copy in the library," James wondered aloud with an evil type grin on his face.

"Snivellous wouldn't know what hit him," The boys all shared an evil grin while Lily just rolled her eyes in amusement.

"I was trying to find out how to curse Dudley."

"That's something else we could do with that book," Remus smirked.

"I'm not sayin' that's not a good idea, but yer not ter use magic in the Muggle world except in very special circumstances," said Hagrid. "An' anyway, yeh couldn' work any of them curses yet, yeh'll need a lot more study before yeh get ter that level."

"Got to love how Hagrid basically told Harry to 'go for it'," Sirius smirked. There was silence for a moment before James spoke up.

"You still in there Lily?" James tapped her on the shoulder.

"Of course I am, why would you ask something like that?"

"I think that James and Sirius were waiting for some sort of scolding for what they were thinking and what Hagrid had said to Harry," Remus pointed out.

"Well sorry to disappoint boys but I completely agree with Hagrid on this one, just as long as Harry doesn't get himself into trouble with the Ministry for doing underage magic,"

Hagrid wouldn't let Harry buy a solid gold cauldron, either ("It says pewter on yer list"),

"Your cauldron does not need to be solid gold Harry," Lily scolded lightly.

"There's the Lily Evans we've come to know and love," James smirked while the other boys nodded in agreement.

but they got a nice set of scales for weighing potion ingredients and a collapsible brass telescope. Then they visited the Apothecary, which was fascinating enough to make up for its horrible smell, a mixture of bad eggs and rotted cabbages. Barrels of slimy stuff stood on the floor; jars of herbs, dried roots, and bright powders lined the walls; bundles of feathers, strings of fangs, and snarled claws hung from the ceiling. While Hagrid asked the man behind the counter for a supply of some basic potion ingredients for Harry, Harry himself examined silver unicorn horns at twenty-one Galleons each and minuscule, glittery-black beetle eyes (five Knuts a scoop).

Outside the Apothecary, Hagrid checked Harry's list again.

"Just yer wand left - A yeah, an' I still haven't got yeh a birthday present."

James and Lily smiled sadly.

Harry felt himself go red.

"You don't have to --"

"You're right Harry he doesn't but he is going to anyways so just accept it," James smiled

"And remember to say 'Thank You'," Lily added

"I know I don't have to. Tell yeh what, I'll get yer animal. Not a toad, toads went outta fashion years ago, yeh'd be laughed at - an' I don' like cats, they make me sneeze. I'll get yer an owl. All the kids want owls, they're dead useful, carry yer mail an' everythin'."

"Oh Hagrid," Lily had tears in her eyes "Thank you,"

"We should probably try to get Hagrid something extra special for Christmas this year as an early 'thanks'," James looked over at Lily as he spoke and saw her nod at the end.

"I just don't know what,"

"We'll all help you guys, it's the least we can do," Sirius added while both Peter and Remus nodded in agreement.

Twenty minutes later, they left Eeylops Owl Emporium, which had been dark and full of rustling and flickering, jewel-bright eyes. Harry now carried a large cage that held a beautiful snowy owl, fast asleep with her head under her wing. He couldn't stop stammering his thanks, sounding just like Professor Quirrell.

They all laughed.

"I've always loved the snowy owls," Lily said softly.

"Don' mention it," said Hagrid gruffly. "Don' expect you've had a lotta presents from them Dursleys. Just Ollivanders left now - only place fer wands, Ollivanders, and yeh gotta have the best wand."

A magic wand... this was what Harry had been really looking forward to.

"It does tend to make things seem real, wouldn't you lot think so too?" Remus asked the others who all nodded their agreement.

"I was really glad to learn that they used wands in the Wizarding World, when I first learned about this world I was afraid that the use of wands was a muggle misconception and only used in fantasy novels,"

"Sorry to disappoint Evans but we're forced to carry around these little sticks just so that we can perform magic,"

"Speak for yourself Padfoot," James scoffed "I know for a fact that my stick is not little," everyone laughed while Sirius just shook his head at his best mate in amusement.

The last shop was narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window.

"Still got the same wand in the window I see," Remus smiled.

"How long has that wand been there?" Peter asked.

"Probably since 382 B.C." James joked.

"I wouldn't say that long, but probably since he opened up shop in Diagon Alley," Lily reasoned.

"I tried to ask him about it but he wouldn't give me a straight answer, just said that it was a very special wand,"

"Why would he keep a 'very special wand' in the front window of his shop in Diagon Alley?" James asked staring blankly at Sirius.

"Advertisement?" Lily asked.

"Beats me," Sirius shrugged "Mr. Ollivander has always been a little…"

"Odd?" Remus supplied.

"I'd say nutters but I guess odd could work," Sirius shrugged once again.

"He is a little strange, the way he remembers every wand that he's sold,"

"I think his memory is brilliant," James grinned "could of used a memory like that during the OWLs,"

"Not to mention the NEWTs," Lily reminded them, the boys just groaned.

"I'd rather not think about them right now," Sirius grumbled.

"Well they are coming up,"

"But not for another year almost!" Sirius spoke up.

"11 months," Remus said quietly.

"Still practically a year! You don't expect us to start studying for them or something right now?"

"Of course not Sirius, even I'm not studying for my NEWTs yet,"

"You aren't?" James blinked.

"Why would I? Look we may be at Hogwarts but it is still summer, so aside from my summer homework I'm not picking up my school books until September,"

"I forgot about my summer homework," Sirius grumbled.

"You better get a move on then, but not right now, first we read about Harry then you lot finish your summer homework, if you haven't already," Lily looked over at Remus to find him smiling brightly at her indicating that he had in fact already finished his summer homework. The other boys just groaned at the thought.

"At least she said we can finish reading about Harry first," James reasoned happily.

"That's great for you, but as I recall it you were almost finished all your work, where I've only got one essay done," Sirius grumbled.

"You're farther ahead than me, I haven't even started yet," Peter whinned.

"That's your fault Pete, you should have been working on it with the rest of us instead of playing Exploding Snap," James laughed while Peter tried to bury his head into his pillow.

A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped inside. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single, spindly chair that Hagrid sat on to wait. Harry felt strangely as though he had entered a very strict library; he swallowed a lot of new questions that had just occurred to him and looked instead at the thousands of narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling. For some reason, the back of his neck prickled. The very dust and silence in here seemed to tingle with some secret magic.

"That would be all the wands reacting to your magic," Lily smiled knowingly.

"How do you know that?" Sirius asked incredulously.

"I asked Mr. Ollivander about it,"

"Good afternoon," said a soft voice. Harry jumped. Hagrid must have jumped, too, because there was a loud crunching noise and he got quickly off the spindly chair.

They all laughed.

An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop.

"Hello," said Harry awkwardly.

"Ah yes," said the man. "Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Harry Potter."

"Creepy," Sirius said in a sign song voice.

It wasn't a question. "You have your mother's eyes. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work."

Lily smiled and pulled out her wand to examine it.

Mr. Ollivander moved closer to Harry. Harry wished he would blink. Those silvery eyes were a bit creepy.

"Your father, on the other hand, favored a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favored it -- it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course."

James also pulled out his wand to examine it but ended up twirling it in his fingers.

Mr. Ollivander had come so close that he and Harry were almost nose to nose. Harry could see himself reflected in those misty eyes.

"And that's where..."

Mr. Ollivander touched the lightning scar on Harry's forehead with a long, white finger.

"Told you he was more nutters than odd," mumbled Sirius.

"I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it," he said softly.

"Thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands... well, if I'd known what that wand was going out into the world to do...."

"If he knew what half the people in the Wizarding World were going to do with their wands he'd be horribly disturbed," Remus pointed out.

"Among many other things," James grumbled.

He shook his head and then, to Harry's relief, spotted Hagrid.

"Rubeus! Rubeus Hagrid! How nice to see you again.... Oak, sixteen inches, rather bendy, wasn't it?"

"It was, sir, yes," said Hagrid.

"Good wand, that one. But I suppose they snapped it in half when you got expelled?" said Mr. Ollivander, suddenly stern.

"Er -- yes, they did, yes," said Hagrid, shuffling his feet. "I've still got the pieces, though," he added brightly.

"But you don't use them?" said Mr. Ollivander sharply.

"No not at all," Sirius muttered sarcastically, the others just laughed.

"Oh, no, sir," said Hagrid quickly. Harry noticed he gripped his pink umbrella very tightly as he spoke.

"Liar!" Sirius called in a voice that sounded great like Professor McGonagall.

"What have I told you about doing voices?" James asked as he smacked across the back of the head.

"That was creepy," Lily said looking a little freaked out.

"Did you have to hit me so hard Prongs, that really hurt!" Sirius complained while rubbing the back of his head.

"Oh stop complaining Padfoot, I didn't hit you that hard,"

"Did too,"

"Did not!"

"Did…"

"Enough!" Remus yelled catching their attention. Peter and Lily just laughed.

"Hmmm," said Mr. Ollivander, giving Hagrid a piercing look. "Well, now -- Mr. Potter. Let me see." He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"

"Er -- well, I'm right-handed," said Harry.

"Hold out your arm. That's it." He measured Harry from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head.

"Am I the only one that thought the measurements he took were weird?" Lily asked.

"No, we all thought they were weird," Sirius nodded.

"I have no idea what the measurement of knee to armpit has to do with which wand will work best for you, but apparently Mr. Ollivander seems to think it's relevant," Remus shrugged.

"And it is supposed to be the expert," Peter pointed out.

"Apparently," Remus nodded.

As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Mr. Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand."

"But you can get close depending on the wand and the person who owns it," Remus pointed out.

Harry suddenly realized that the tape measure, which was measuring between his nostrils, was doing this on its own. Mr. Ollivander was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes.

"You got to love magic," Sirius grinned broadly, the others nodded in agreement.

"That will do," he said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor. "Right then, Mr. Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. just take it and give it a wave."

Harry took the wand and (feeling foolish) waved it around a bit, but Mr. Ollivander snatched it out of his hand almost at once.

"Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try --"

Harry tried -- but he had hardly raised the wand when it, too, was snatched back by Mr. Ollivander.

"No, no -here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, go on, try it out."

Harry tried. And tried. He had no idea what Mr. Ollivander was waiting for. The pile of tried wands was mounting higher and higher on the spindly chair, but the more wands Mr. Ollivander pulled from the shelves, the happier he seemed to become.

"Nutters," Sirius sang.

"I don't think it took me this long to find a wand," James pointed out.

"Me neither," Sirius shrugged while Lily and Remus shook their heads.

"It did with me, left like I tried every wand in the store before I found one," Peter mumbled.

"Did you notice the same thing? That Ollivander seemed to get happier the more wands you tried?" Sirius asked.

"I don't really remember, but maybe," Peter shrugged.

"Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere -- I wonder, now - - yes, why not -- unusual combination -- holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."

Harry took the wand. He felt a sudden warmth in his fingers.

"Found it," everyone said.

He raised the wand above his head, brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework, throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls. Hagrid whooped and clapped and Mr. Ollivander cried, "Oh, bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very good. Well, well, well... how curious... how very curious... "

"Curious?" James and Lily asked.

"Nutters," Sirius mumbled again.

He put Harry's wand back into its box and wrapped it in brown paper, still muttering, "Curious... curious..

"Sorry," said Harry, "but what's curious?"

Mr. Ollivander fixed Harry with his pale stare.

Everyone shuddered like a chill went through the room.

"I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather -- just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother why, its brother gave you that scar."

"Bloody hell!" yelled James and Sirius.

"What does this mean?" Lily asked quietly looking around but everyone just shrugged.

Harry swallowed.

"Yes, thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember.... I think we must expect great things from you, Mr. Potter.... After all, He- Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things -- terrible, yes, but great."

"I think I'm starting to agree with you on the nutters bit Sirius," Lily said.

"Agreed, I wouldn't exactly call Voldie's antics 'great' either," Remus muttered.

Harry shivered. He wasn't sure he liked Mr. Ollivander too much. He paid seven gold Galleons for his wand, and Mr. Ollivander bowed them from his shop.

The late afternoon sun hung low in the sky as Harry and Hagrid made their way back down Diagon Alley, back through the wall, back through the Leaky Cauldron, now empty. Harry didn't speak at all as they walked down the road; he didn't even notice how much people were gawking at them on the Underground, laden as they were with all their funny-shaped packages, with the snowy owl asleep in its cage on Harry's lap. Up another escalator, out into Paddington station; Harry only realized

where they were when Hagrid tapped him on the shoulder.

"Got time fer a bite to eat before yer train leaves," he said.

He bought Harry a hamburger and they sat down on plastic seats to eat them. Harry kept looking around. Everything looked so strange, somehow.

"I remember feeling like that after I found out I was a witch…The world seemed so different afterwards." Lily reflected

"I can imagine, it must be doubly strange for Harry, especially with his wand and all.." Remus acknowledged.

"I think we can all agree this will not be the normal case of a wizard going to school…" The other nodded in agreement.

"You all right, Harry? Yer very quiet," said Hagrid.

Harry wasn't sure he could explain. He'd just had the best birthday of his life

Lily and james scowled.

-- and yet -- he chewed his hamburger, trying to find the words.

"Everyone thinks I'm special," he said at last. "All those people in the Leaky Cauldron, Professor Quirrell, Mr. Ollivander... but I don't know anything about magic at all. How can they expect great things? I'm famous and I can't even remember what I'm famous for. I don't know what happened when Vol-, sorry -- I mean, the night my parents died."

"It'll be alright Harry," Lily whispered.

"You'll figure it out Harry, I mean your mother was much the same way and yet here she is today, top of our class," James smiled proudly while Lily blushed slightly.

Hagrid leaned across the table. Behind the wild beard and eyebrows he wore a very kind smile.

"Don' you worry, Harry. You'll learn fast enough. Everyone starts at the beginning at Hogwarts, you'll be just fine. just be yerself. I know it's hard. Yeh've been singled out, an' that's always hard. But yeh'll have a great time at Hogwarts -- I did -- still do, 'smatter of fact."

Hagrid helped Harry on to the train that would take him back to the Dursleys, then handed him an envelope.

"Does he really have to go back there," James snarled.

"You'd think they'd let him come back to Hogwarts until term starts," Sirius grumbled.

"You'd think," Remus agreed.

"But then he's miss the train ride," Peter pointed out.

"So what? Better that than having to spent more time with those gits," James argued.

"He wouldn't have to miss the train, they'd just have to apparate him back to the sation or something, it wouldn't be hard," Lily pointed out.

"But apparently that would make too much sense," Sirius scowled.

"Yer ticket fer Hogwarts, " he said. "First o' September -- King's Cross -- it's all on yer ticket. Any problems with the Dursleys, send me a letter with yer owl, she'll know where to find me.... See yeh soon, Harry."

The train pulled out of the station. Harry wanted to watch Hagrid until he was out of sight; he rose in his seat and pressed his nose against the window, but he blinked and Hagrid had gone.

"That was a great chapter!" Sirius grinned "despite the ending," the others nodded in agreement.

"So, food?" Remus asked looking around.

"Merlin yes," James sighed as he got up "I'm starving!" The others got up as well to leave the room.

"As long as we don't take too long, I want to see what happens next," Lily said as she headed towards the door.

"So quick lunch and then more reading," Remus finalized as everyone made their way down the dormitory steps to head to the Great Hall for lunch.