Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or other published works that this story might have similarities with. Give credit to where credit is due.
Harry Potter: Shadow Sorcerer
Chapter 02: Into the Trunk
Harry James Potter was filled with unwavering resolve after he read his parents' farewell letters. Thanks to them, he can now trace his magic…his heritage.
Carefully folding the letters and placed them carefully on the bedside table, Harry knelt on the floor facing the trunk and started checking out what's inside.
He first pulled out the parchments and ink bottles before putting them on the floor.
He pulled out books after books and placed them on the floor as well.
It took quite a while and he was amazed when his parents informed him that the trunk was bigger on the inside than out. It was amazing how 52 books were piled inside a 3-foot trunk. There is definitely more to magic than Harry realized and drooled at the prospect of beginning his magical education with the help of the books his mother and father packed for him.
After clearing out the books, he found two thin, long boxes with the name Ollivander etched on the lid.
Curious, he picked up one of the boxes and opened it. Inside was a wand. He pulled out the other box of similar design to discover that it also contained another wand. These were his parents' wands and were not his to use.
With tears in his eyes, he noticed that letters etched on the wands' handle. The shorter wand was his mom's while the other was his dad's.
Grinning, he pulled out his mom's wand first and he felt the rush of magic in his body. He felt the power rushing out of him towards the wand and back. Multi-colored sparks shot out of the tip while bathing him with a golden glow. With his free hand, he picked up his dad's wand and immediately felt the same thing; this time, both wands were humming now while filling him with power, stronger than before. He didn't know what happened but he knew that whatever did happen was something that SHOULD happen.
Releasing a breath that he just realized he was holding, he placed the wands reverently on his pillow. Even if he was no longer holding the wands, he could still feel his connection to them as if telling him that wherever he may be, they were his and his alone.
He checked the trunk and saw that there were two wrapped packages and a small bag of something metallic since it clinked when he picked it up. He opened one of the packages first and saw an unknown item inside along with a letter.
Prongslet,
I included two wand holsters since I know that you will be getting mine and your mom's wands in their original boxes in the trunk. I'm not sure if they'll work for you but I'm sure they would. However, you should visit Ollivander when you get your Hogwarts letter to be fitted with a wand of your own. Using someone else's wand is frowned upon and results aren't always good.
The wand chooses the wizard after all. Remember that son.
The wand holsters are enchanted by your mom. She is a Charms Mistress and hailed in our world as a prodigy in this field of magical study. These two items are her best work, two of a kind and you can't find anything better in the market.
The holsters are charmed to only work for you. Your mom told me that you should bond them the same was as you did with the trunk. I'm sure you know what she's talking about. Just strap them to your wrists and slide the wand inside. It should turn invisible to everyone except for you when the wand is safely deposit inside the holster as a safety precaution. If they can't see it then they'll never be taken from you.
While inside the holsters, the wands are totally safe. Even if you sleep with the holsters on, it will be protected.
The charms on the wand include anti-summoning charms, waterproof charms, some defense runes to make sure that they aren't stolen, and of course, an invisibility charm that is activated once you're bonded with it. Only YOU can see the holsters while they're invisible. Also, only you can take them off once bonded.
Love you son,
Dad
PS. To bring out the wand from its holster, just snap your index finger and thumb. To put it back, just focus on the wand and think "return". As I said, your mom is a genius!
Harry grinned and immediately tore the paper of the other package revealing the other holster before placing 3 drops of blood on each. Both started to glow for a bit before dying down signifying that the bonding process was successful. He strapped the wand holster on each wrist and placed the wand inside, his mom's wand on the left and his dad's on the right.
He experimented in calling out and returning the wand back to the holster for a bit until he was satisfied with the speed he could take them out. Once that was done, he started with the books he placed on the floor.
He started sorting through the books his parents packed for him since he didn't know the different classifications of magic, he started looking for the three books his parents noted in their letters. He saw the book his mom recommended and placed it on the bed. After perusing the titles for a few more minutes, he found the two his dad recommended. The rest of the books he just piled them carefully on the floor. He was itching to read all of them but he decided to follow his parents' advice before going through the rest.
He also found his parents' diaries and placed them along with the three books on the bed to be read later.
Besides, he still had two more years before his letter from Hogwarts arrives so there's plenty of time to study and practice to prepare him for the future. There was no hurry though his urge to read all of them was becoming unbearable. Being a bookworm at heart was sometimes a pain.
He opened the small bag, curious on what's inside. He gasped when he saw a handful of gold, silver, and bronze coins; awed at the potential wealth he was carrying. His mind started to think of ways to get some money so he could buy some things that he desperately needs, like a new pair of glasses, clothes, and food.
Putting the small bag, books, and writing supplies back in the trunk, Harry plopped down on the bed, picked up his mom's book while placing his father's selection on the bedside table before starting to read.
He was so engrossed in his new book that he didn't hear his aunt calling him down for dinner. Hunger forgotten and replaced by curiosity.
It took Harry three days to finish reading the book his mom recommended for him. Two weeks to read and understand the books on Wizarding customs and etiquette. He finished reading the book on Occlumency in a week but he decided to use it as a guide since he discovered that his feat in meditation was actually a precursor to the actual practice of Mind Magics. The books and diaries were a treasure trove of information on magic. Harry reveled in the knowledge he is gaining from them.
A Muggleborn's Guide to Witchcraft and Wizardry taught him the basics of the Wizarding World in the eyes of a muggleborn.
The book explained the world of magic and the different subjects offered by Hogwarts to its students and practiced by every witch and wizard in the world. The core subjects that made up the entirety of Wizarding Education include:
Transfiguration – the art of transforming one object to another, including living to non-living, vice versa, as well as turning one living being to another. Harry daydreamed of turning his cousin Dudley into a Sperm Whale just for the heck of it though he dismissed the idea since that will only get him into trouble that he would be hard-pressed to explain. Though he did looked at the junk in the attic and his mind started to come up with ideas on how to transfigure the objects into something that would be useful to him. His personal bathroom would be a very welcome addition.
Conjuration – the art of creating objects out of nothing. According to the book, Conjuration is an advanced form of Transfiguration that requires a lot of power and focus to achieve. Unlike Transfiguration, Conjuration is temporary where its existence solely depends on the power of the caster and how much magic is pushed into the spell. Harry mused that transfiguring objects for the attic would be better since it would last until he decided to cancel the spell. He didn't want to conjure a bed for it to suddenly disappear while sleeping on it.
Charms – the art of utilizing one's magic to induce a variety of effects. Under this banner includes jinxes, curses, and hexes. Harry drooled at the possibility of getting back at the Dursleys using charms but he decided against it but he kept an open mind when the situation presents itself. He, however, vowed that Harry Hunting wouldn't be fun anymore for Dudley and his gang.
Potions – the art of creating elixirs and tonics using magical and non-magical plants and animal parts. Harry's mind immediately pictured this similar to cooking but requires more...unique ingredients and implements to be successful at.
Divination – the art of predicting the future. Harry wondered if the Wizarding World uses Tarot Cards.
Arithmancy – the study of magical numbers. This is necessary in creating spells and also used in other magical practices, like warding, curse breaking, spell study and improvement. Harry cringed when he read the definition of the subject. This was similar to math and he hated math despite his intelligence.
Ancient Runes – the magic of symbols. As an alternative to wand magic, Runes are necessary to imbue objects with certain magical properties, as well as aides in some casting, like Wards. Harry drooled at the possibility this branch of magic posed on his future endeavors.
Care of Magical Creatures – the study of magical animals. Harry have always loved animals and poured a lot of time reading about different animal species. This was similar only he will be learning about magical animals instead of mundane ones.
Defense Against the Dark Arts – the study to modern-day battle magic, mainly focusing on combating the dark arts and its effects. Harry's mind immediately envisioned him fighting evil wizards, wands waving and spells flashing. No matter how mature he was in mind, he was still a kid at heart.
His mother's book also taught Harry that there were other branches of magic practiced in the Wizarding World though these were more on specializations than actual subjects in school since these fields require a master to take you on as an apprentice. These subjects include Warding, Curse Breaking, Alchemy, Spell Creation, and Enchanting. Harry did note that the book mentioned that these specialized subjects require a thorough grounding on ALL core subjects to be apprenticed by a master of the art.
The book also taught Harry that the precious metals inside the small bag was a form of currency used in the Wizarding World – Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts respectively for gold, silver, and bronze coins. When Harry emptied the bag, Harry's jaw dropped at the amount of coins the small bag was holding. It almost covered the entire bed, even if it wasn't big enough to begin with. Harry mused that it must have the same magic as the trunk since a small pouch could hold so many coins and to remain so light. Harry wasn't greedy but the number of gold coins, Galleons, he was seeing on the bed made his eyes glint with mischief. There was going to be a shopping trip planned in the near future if he had anything to say about it.
The book also tackled other subjects, like the mode of transportation commonly used by the witches and wizards like Apparition, Portkeys, Floo, and the Knight Bus. Harry was curious as to why his mode of travel wasn't mentioned in the book until he shrugged it off as something that a simple introductory book might not have mentioned. He swore to acquire more books when he visits Diagon Alley for the first time. However, if his Shadow Travel was a unique form of magic then he needed to keep it a secret just in case he needed a quick getaway.
Lastly, his mom's book taught Harry the importance of wands and in their use in the practice of magic. According to the book, every wand contains a core from a magical creature, like the hair from a unicorn or a feather from a phoenix to properly channel a person's magic. The wood acts like a stabilizer and an amplifier making sure that each spells doesn't empty the caster's magical core unless he or she overpowers said spell.
Harry now had a name for his 'magic ball'. He amended it in his mind...instead of calling it 'magic ball' he will now address it by its proper name - magical core.
Finally, he learned that all wands sold in the Wizarding World incorporate a Trace that is used by the Ministry of Magic to detect the use of underage magic.
The book stated that the wands of witches and wizards attending Hogwarts are tracked by a branch in the government specifically for underage children. It seems that the Ministry follows what they call a "Statute of Secrecy" that prohibits the use of magic in front of muggles. The tracer on the wands are automatically removed or dispelled when the owner reaches majority. Harry snickered at this since both his parent's wands don't have their Tracers on which gives him the ability to use magic without having to worry about the Ministry finding out about it. The thought made him giddy.
His father's book on Occlumency was an eye opener and considered as his reference book as he continuously improved his mind's defenses. He realized that his meditation exercise was actually the first and second step to defending one's mind – clearing one's thoughts and achieving a state of peace, and sorting through memories to improve memory retention and recall. The final step involves the creation of a defense against Legilimency, a mental barrier that stops a Legilimencer from reading one's thoughts and memories.
The book suggested using defenses that the practitioner was familiar though common mind barriers are composed of two main parts – offense and defense. Of course, the defense should be the secondary protection just in the case the attack fails to stop the attacker. Both can be interchanged depending on the practitioner.
Harry decided to utilize an Offense-Defense Occlumency. Considering his background, he decided to fill the outer portion of his shields with muggle war machines, ranging from foot soldiers carrying missile launchers to tanks. He also added some stealth bombers to the mix for more offensive capabilities. The defense involves a dome made of pure metal, titanium, lined with sharp stakes and blades protecting his inner sanctum, his library. Harry grinned at the potential and pities anyone who dares enter his mind without his permission.
Harry also noticed that the more he practiced Occlumency, the easier it was to control his magic.
According to the book, Occlumency was widely practiced during the olden times as a means to properly use magic, even before wands were invented. The invention of wands made it possible for those with relatively low power to use magic with ease, acting as both a focus and an amplifier, to put them on par with the average witch and wizard at that time.
The young Potter thought how either witches and wizards improved in terms of magical power or devolved since ALL magicals these days are using wands.
The book on Wizarding politics, customs, and ettiquetes was also an eye-opener for Harry, giving him detailed information on how the Wizarding World works behind the scenes.
According to the book, the Potters, along with other families, belonged to the highest pureblood rank, considered as royalty, and were the first of many to jumpstart the Wizarding community of Britain today. He learned that he held a hereditary seat in the Wizengamot – the judicial court of the Wizarding World – and would be inducted into it when he reached his majority at 17. Being emancipated doesn't mean that Harry will get the seat automatically. In fact, it was part of the Wizarding Charter to ensure proper mindset before being inducted into the governing body. Despite this drawback, Harry was still inclined to get emancipated so he could gain full control over his life. Being under the Dursleys thumb most of his childhood made the idea of freedom very appealing.
After the reading the book, Harry realized that there were some things inconsistencies regarding his parents' wishes.
For starters, why wasn't he placed under the care of his Godfather or the other names mentioned in the Will? Where was Sirius Black?
Harry found out in his father's diary that Sirius Black was his surrogate brother, a close friend and confidante. When he was born, Sirius was given the task to be his godfather and protector. So where was he?
Second, why didn't the Magical Child Service of the Ministry of Magic check up on him? Considering his status in the Wizarding World, the Ministry should be monitoring his life especially with him living in a muggle household.
Third, if he was stuck in a muggle household, who was his Magical Guardian? Every magical child has a guardian to make sure that the child is well-cared for so where was his?
There were other things that left him confused but he decided to tackle them later.
His first order of business was to come up with a schedule for his studies. He was determined to practice wand magic due to its prevalent practice in the Wizarding World, though he made up his mind to continue with wandless magic as well since it was a great skill to fall back on. Also, he didn't want to be too dependent on a wand since he started out in magic without them. According to what he read, wandless magic was a special skill that only a rare few was capable off. He didn't want to lose the advantage whatsoever.
After reading the three books recommend by his parents along with the diaries, Harry immediately started learning magic in earnest.
He started with his mother's first year books, along with her and his father's diary, to be better acquainted with the theories involved in the use of magic. He could have immediately jumped directly into the spells but it was deeply rooted in Harry's mind that his magic always reacted better if he knew HOW the magic is supposed to work.
Harry created a schedule to make sure that he tackled all the subjects equally. He started out with Transfiguration and Charms since the others didn't require much use from a wand, much less magic, unless in actual practice.
At first, he had problems with the wand movements and the intonation of the spells. He knew that learning from books would be easier if he had a teacher but he just had to make do until he can perfect his skills during his stint at Hogwarts.
Harry found out that he was quite talented with Transfiguration and Charms thanks to his first foray into magic.
At first, he followed the instruction the books offfered in terms of wand movements and incantations for a specific spell. Once mastered, he moved to practice the spell without having to say incantation out loud. This took quite a while but thanks to his Occlumency, he was able to think of the spell and force the magic to work. The results were sluggish at first but his practice eventually allowed him to do so with ease.
This was his pattern for the next few months. He would read the book, practice the spell using his parent's wands verbally. Once mastered, he would move to non-verbal practice then move on to using wandless magic to replicate the spells.
Speaking of wandless magic, Harry noticed that wand magic allowed him to conserve power while wandless magic takes more energy to use. For him, a wand is perfect for complicated spells that are too draining for the caster while wandless magic is preferable for weak and mundane spell casting.
With this growing skill in Transfiguration and Charms, Harry decided to renovate his attic to make it more livable.
Thanks to the judicious use of his parents' wand and a lot of the Dursley's junks, he turned a dreary attic into a modern bachelor's pad. This took a few weeks to accomplish since he repeatedly drained his magical core to the point of unconsciousness by doing Transfigurations all day.
It was then that Harry discovered that the bigger the Transfiguration, the more magic it required to be successful. He almost knocked himself out when he turned his small bed into a four-poster king-sized monstrosity. He finally discovered why his mother and father started by turning a match into a needle. Since the change was small, it didn't need that much magic to accomplish.
He knew that with his age, his use of magic was limited. However, he later discovered from one of his books that a witch or wizard's magical core was like muscle, the more you drain it the more it 'flexes' to accommodate the use of more magic. With his stint in interior decorating, Harry was slowly enlarging his magical core day by day.
The drain in his magic also made Harry realized that if a simple Transfiguration could drain him dry then a more complex spell might kill him. He decided right there and then to take it slow before going into more complex branches of magic to avoid any accidents.
Aside from wand magic, Harry also decided to check out other core subjects learned at Hogwarts. He particularly enjoyed Care of Magical Creatures since the magical species there were considered to be myths by the muggles. Of course, the moving pictures captured his attention. He was a kid after all.
Harry found Potions to be an interesting subject but the lack of supplies made it impossible for him to try out the theories he read from the book. He vowed to buy the necessary supplies so he can start brewing the simple potions before going to Hogwarts. He just has to be happy with learning theories before putting it into practice later.
Another subject he found to his liking was Ancient Runes. He found out from his mother's diary that Ancient Runes was a Third Year Elective at Hogwarts.
This didn't stop him from learning the subject though and was fascinated by the many symbols of power used in conjunction with a person's magic to create magical effects. He discovered that before actual magic was used, old practitioners of the art utilize these symbols to channel their power; which was the reason why the Egyptians and Celts were considered to be the most knowledgeable in this field of magic. He vowed to find more books on Runes since he only had the introductory text at his disposal.
Also, his father's diary revealed that Harry's interest in runes was hereditary. The Potters were well-known for their defensive and offensive wards so it was necessary for them to learn the in and outs of symbols commonly used in this specialized branch of magic.
Arithmancy was a pain for Harry. He noticed that witches and wizards needed to break down magic into numbers before they can actually create a spell. In his case, however, he didn't need to know Arithmancy for his early feats of magic though he did chalk it up to a possibility that he might be a unique case among the unique. Harry decided to forget Arithmancy for now and focus on it when he reaches Third Year at Hogwarts.
There was no hurry after all so he can slack off for a bit.
A 10-year old Harry Potter entered his beloved attic after a tiring day at school. He finished the assigned chores for the day while his aunt and uncle decided to take Dudley out for a little celebration that was their routine at the beginning of every summer.
It took him a total of ten minutes to do the laundry, clean the house, wash the dishes, mow the lawn, and trim the roses. Magic was just awesome that way.
Looking around, Harry couldn't help but puff his chest out in pride. Gone was the threadbare attic that he started out with to be replaced by a room that can be compared to a luxurious Bachelor's Pad. Thanks to the nine months of learning magic along with the help of the books and diaries his parents left him, he was able to turn the sparse attic into a homey abode inside a muggle home.
The boxes and trunks were all shrunk and placed in a cabinet he transfigured from one of Dudley's toys.
In the middle of the room was a comfortable modern sofa made from black leather, also transfigured from the one of the junks that littered the attic before he moved in.
His old bed was transfigured into a four-poster king-size bed complete with the softest of pillows and duvet all transfigured after consulting a magazine that his aunt collected despite having no use for it considering the decors of the Dursley home were based on her somewhat 'unique' taste.
One of the walls was covered by shelves proudly displaying his parents' books, sorted according to subjects, their diaries, and the small pouch containing Wizarding moneys.
Speaking of moneys, Harry used a simple glamour charm to disguise himself into a middle-aged man by the name of Harold Evans. He went into muggle London to sell the gold coins in a pawnshop. The owner of the shop simply considered the gold from a treasure or some sort considering that the coins features goblin's face though Harry never saw one as of yet.
According to the pawnshop owner, the gold was pure and each one netted him 2000 British Pounds! Harry nearly gawked at the price but he was able to control his features to one of mild interest. He explained to the man that it was an inheritance from a grandfather who died a month ago. After a few condolences, Harry exchanged two gold coins for 4000 British Pounds. He transfigured two rocks into wallets to hold the entire amount and hide them from view. Despite his abilities, he didn't want to get mugged by an enterprising thief.
His first stop was to buy clothes since he was getting tired of wearing Dudley's cast-offs. He ducked into an alley and removed his disguise. He walked into Harold's before tearfully told one of the salesladies that his house burned down a couple of days ago and he needed a new wardrobe. He used his puppy-dog eyes to make his story more believable. After a few 'awww' from those who heard his story, the tearful saleslady dragged him all over the store. After he told her the 'budget' for the shopping trip, which was 2000 British Pounds, Harry spent two hours being forced to try out jeans, shirts, polos, shoes, and other apparels that he didn't know the name of.
He exited the store two hours later with a healthy respect for women who can shop for half a day without getting tired. Ducking into the same alley as earlier, he shrunk the bags containing his clothes, placed them in his pocket, before putting on his Harold Evans persona.
He went into a store selling eye wear and had his eyes checked. It had been years since his prescription was properly determined and he was overdue to get one. An hour later, he left the store with a pair of square wire-framed glasses and lenses that allowed him to see clearly. No more squinting while reading for him. It costs quite a lot but it was well worth it.
What's left of the money was used to purchase food though he only used around 1000 British Pounds for the whole thing. Sure, he still joined the Dursleys during their meals where he was fed in measly portions but he ate his fill when he went back to the attic for the food he prepared when the Dursleys were asleep and placed under a stasis charm to keep them fresh and ready to eat anytime he wished.
He also took to physical exercise ever since he read from a book that a powerful body equals powerful magic. He woke up early every morning and shadow walked to a park on the other side of Little Whining. There he joined early joggers in their morning run to keep in shape. Some in the group who liked how Harry was into healthy living taught him some body building exercises that he could practice at home, like push-ups, sit-ups, and the likes. After a few months of good food and exercise, Harry's malnourishment under the tender loving care of the Dursleys was reversed.
To further improve his body, Harry refrained from using magic in more physical chores, like gardening, cleaning the yard, or some repair jobs that the Dursleys foisted on him. At the end of it all, Harry was more muscle and less fat. He wasn't bulky, but he had a body that athletes would be dying to have.
Of course, his so-called family didn't notice the change in his clothes and physique because he subtly manipulated their perception of him using Telepathic Suggestion. For them, he was forever a scrawny boy not worthy of their attention. Magic was just awesome that way.
Harry opted to relax for the day since he planned to visit Diagon Alley tomorrow. Since he didn't know where Diagon Alley was, he decided to take the Knight Bus for his first time. He would have to find a safe place at the alley that he could use to Shadow Walk for future visits.
Harry James Potter was having a difficult time keeping his breakfast in as he clung on to a railing inside the Knight Bus as if his life depended on it.
At first, he was awed when the magical transport appeared out of nowhere with a loud bang after he held his dad's wand aloft. He was greeted by a very bored conductor by the name of Stan, paid for the fare, then told the man his destination. Thanks to his Harold Evans persona, he avoided questions why a 10-year old wizard was going to a magical place without his parents watching out for him.
Before he even got to his seat, which weirdly enough, was in the shape of a bed, the magical bus zipped out of Surrey in a burst of speed almost throwing him to the back of the bus. He struggled to reach a bed and breathed a sigh of relief when he grasped the railing beside it to keep him in place.
Upon reaching his destination, the Leaky Cauldron, Harry got out of the bus so fast that people who saw it would say that he Apparated on the spot. Harry vowed to find a place to travel to and from Diagon Alley to avoid the wretched bus in the future.
After gathering his wits about him, Harry observed the seedy-looking bar that served as the entrance to the largest magical alley in this side of the world. He entered the bar and saw that there weren't many people about. He was awed, however, when he saw the hodgepodge of patrons, from common witches and wizards to hags and men with overgrown beards dressed in overly bright-colored robes.
His awe, however, slowly turned to amusement when he realized how stupid they looked from a muggle's point of view.
Stopping himself from laughing at the sight, he moved to the counter where Tom the Barman was busy cleaning the counter with a towel. He knew the name of the man thanks to his mother's diary. Having a photographic memory was definitely boon in remember names. He wondered how old the man was but shrugged it off when he read in a book that witches and wizards were born with a longer life span thanks to the presence of magic inside their bodies which slows down physical aging.
"Good morning, my good man. Could you direct me to the entrance of Diagon Alley?" asked Harry in his Harold Evans persona.
"How you doing good sir? Entrance you say? First time?" Tom asked politely. He never seen this man before but he liked the polite and friendly aura the man exuded.
Harry nodded.
"Aye. The name's Harold Evans. This is my first time in London and a friend of mine wanted me to pick up a few things for her back at home. She told me where the entrance was but she didn't tell me HOW to get into the alley." Harry released a fake sigh at this that made Tom chuckle. "I heard you have to hit a few bricks to open up the darn thing." He laughed followed closely by Tom. Harry offered his hand for a shake which Tom took with a smile.
"I can do that. Hitting it might not be necessary though. A few taps of your wand should do it." said a chuckling Tom as he beckoned for Harry to follow him to the back of the pub. "So Harold is it? Where are you from?"
"America. I was told I was born here in merry old England but my parents moved to the colonies when Grindewald was around to escape the war." Harry lied again to keep his story plausible. He was well educated in Wizarding History thanks to the books his father packed for him though he shied away from the Hogwarts history books since they mostly talked about Goblin rebellions which didn't interest him much due to the bias way it was written. Hogwarts: A History was a fun read though and couldn't wait to attend school when he turns eleven.
Tom nodded with a wince.
"Good for you lad. Grindewald was a nasty piece of work but You-Know-Who was the worst. It was thanks to the Potter lad that we're at peace right now or else Magical England wouldn't be standing. Here we are." said Tom as they arrived in a courtyard containing a few barrels and a garbage can. Tom walked over to the brick wall. "No hitting necessary. All you need to do is tap the right bricks and the entrance will open in a jiff." Tom pulled out his wand and taps a few bricks which caused them to move aside until the entrance to the alley was revealed. Harry memorized the sequence so he didn't have to ask the kind barman every time comes to visit.
"Thanks a lot, Tom. Hope we can have a pint when I come back soon for another visit. I'll be staying here in England for a while so I might look you up so I can catch up on current events." said Harry with a smile as he shook the barman's hand again in thanks.
"No worries lad. Now off with ye since I have to go back to the bar to make sure that the folks aren't wrecking the place. You're welcome anytime for a pick-me-up and a story if you want." replied Tom before leaving Harry alone.
Harry watched Tom's retreating back before turning his gaze to look at the magical alley for the first time. It was very impressive to say the least. The alley was littered with stores that sold magical goods from wands to magical pets. He definitely liked what he saw and couldn't wait to shop around after his business at the bank.
Squaring his shoulders, Harry entered the alley to immediately notice the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron slowly closing up leaving nothing but a brick wall. He slowly made his way to the large white marble building at the end of the alley, Gringotts Wizarding Bank run by goblins, but he took his time since he wanted to check out the stores and made a mental note to visit some of them later. He also spotted a shadowed nook near the entrance of the Leaky Cauldron that he can use to Shadow Travel.
As walked towards the bank, he tried to keep the look of awe out of his face since it wouldn't be conducive to his disguise to act like a 10-year old seeing the alley for the first time, which he was.
He entered the bank and paused a bit by the door to observe the goblins running around tending to their business. He read about goblins since one of the books his father left him had a brief introduction on their race. But reading about them didn't prepare him for actually seeing them for the first time.
Smiling a bit, Harry walked towards a teller who was busy weighing expensive rubies in a rustic scale.
"Good morning, kind sir. I'm looking for a goblin by the name of Griphook to settle some family business." said Harry kindly to the grumpy looking teller. One thing he learned from the book, goblins yearned to be respected but the bigoted views of the pureblood wizards made it impossible for them to achieve this goal. Which was one of the reason why they act grumpy and cruel to the witches and wizards even if they were their patrons.
The goblin leveled him with a stare.
"Gringotts doesn't like tending to people under disguises, sir. You might want to get rid of it before things get ugly." The last came out as a threat. Goblins dislike disguises since they were synonymous to thefts especially within the bank.
Harry was shocked that the goblin recognized the glamour he had on but he masked it easily. "I would but I need to keep my anonymity for a while since I'm a bit famous around here." He slid his hand across his face, partial deactivating his disguise showing the goblin his real face that showcased the lightning bolt scar on his forehead. The goblin saw the scar immediately and the threatening glare was immediately replaced by recognition. Harry saw that so he replaced the disguise back to his Harold Evans persona.
The goblin nodded and realized necessity of the deception.
"I see. You're correct, sir." the goblins said politely this time. "You're sudden appearance after 10 years of being absent will definitely cause quite a stir. Please follow me and I'll take you to your family's account manager."
Harry followed the goblin towards a large hallway.
"My I ask your name, good sir?" asked Harry politely as they walked.
This shocked the goblin a bit before schooling his features.
"The name's Riptongue Mr. Potter." introduced the now-named goblin teller.
"Thank you Riptongue. When we are in public and I'm in this disguise, feel free to call me Harold Evans." Harry offered getting a nod from the goblin before continuing.
"Why do you seem surprised when I asked for your name?" he asked curiously. He vowed to look up goblin cultures at the bookshop later, possibly even a primer on their language.
Riptongue gave a barking laugh before leveling the Potter heir an amused look.
"Mr. Potter, we goblins are used to the treatment of wizards who don't bother to learn of our names or even give a semblance of respect to our kind. They just come in, demand our time then leave…nothing more nothing less. You, however, have been polite in your short dealings with us. Is this your first time to meet a goblin, Mr. Potter?"
Harry nodded.
"Yes. I read about your kind from the books my parents left me but some of the information in it I find disconcerting since it don't describe the goblin race in a kind light. I find those books one-sided and I rather talk to goblins face-to-face to get the facts straights than read books that don't tell me the truth. Besides, I learned at a very young age that respect given is respect earned. Of course, it's only common sense to respect the race that holds your wealth or suffer…accidents that might leave you impoverish." Harry grinned at this followed closely Riptongue. "Also, please call me Harry. I'm not too much into propriety."
Riptongue laughed and actually grinned at Harry showing off his pointed teeth.
"You are an interesting wizard, Harry. I hope to get to know you more if time permits. You are unique among wizards and I find that refreshing. Ahhhhh we're here." said Riptongue as they reached a large oaken door. A gold plate with a name plate saying Griphook adorning its face. Riptongue knocked on the door and opened it after getting a growl from the other side.
"Griphook, a Mr. Potter is here to see you." said Riptongue with a bow followed closely by Harry to the surprise of the goblin sitting behind his desk. Wizard don't bow to goblins...ever.
"Indeed. But if I remember correctly, Mr. Potter is a 10-year old boy and not a middle aged man." challenged Griphook with a raised eyebrow.
Harry grinned and waved his hand to dispel his glamour, reverting to his real age and looks. The casual use of wandless magic shocked the two goblins into silence. Not only was the child polite to goblins, he was quite powerful as well considering his ease in using a glamour without a wand.
"I apologize for the subterfuge Master Griphook. As I explained to Riptongue, I need to hide my real identity behind a glamour to ensure that I arrive here in Gringotts in one piece." explained Harry with a grin.
Griphook nodded and beckoned for him to enter.
"Please be seated Mr. Potter. Thank you Riptongue from bringing him to me."
"Thank you as well, Riptongue. May your gold continue to flow and your enemies fall by your blade." said Harry to the goblin teller who was again surprised at the formal address.
Riptongue grinned.
"Aye, Harry. May your wealth grow and your enemies be bloodied as you pass." replied the goblin teller before exiting the room, closing the door behind him with a click.
Griphook was giving Harry a curious stare.
"You are an interesting wizard, Mr. Potter. Not many treat the goblin race with respect as you did a few moments ago." said Griphook as he beckoned for Harry to take a seat.
"As I told Riptongue earlier, respect given is respect earned and it's terribly stupid to cross the person in charge of your wealth." explained Harry with a grin mirrored by Griphook.
"Correct but it seems that common sense has never been a wizard's strong point I'm afraid. Now onto business, I expected you here earlier but it matters not. If I remember correctly, you have something for me, Mr. Potter?" asked Griphook.
Harry nodded before pulling out his father's letter from his pocket and handing it to the goblin who took it and read its content. He placed the letter on the table and put a diamond on top of it, causing said jewel to glow.
"The letter is genuine." said Griphook before removing the jewel and handing the letter back to Harry who immediately pocketed it.
"Please, Master Griphook, call me Harry. I have never put much stock into formalities unless it is needed. According to my father, there are things I need to do when I visit?" asked Harry, immediately getting down to business.
Griphook nodded.
"Correct. Before you father passed away, he updated his Will and gave me specific instructions to follow when you visit us for the first time. There are three things you will need to do upon your entry. First, you need to take a Heritage Test to determine your identity, as well as your lineage. Second, you are asked to take an Abilities Test to determine the extent of your magical capabilities. I have further instructions after that depending on the results. Lastly, your parents' Will shall be read. Any questions Harry? And please, I extend the same courtesy so call me Griphook."
Harry nodded at the offer.
"What do I need to do for these test, Griphook?" asked Harry, curiosity peaked at the mention of the two tests.
Griphook took out a silver dagger and two pieces of parchment.
"The process of both tests is quite simple. All you need to do is to prick your finger deep enough to draw a steady flow of blood and place 5 drops each on these parchments. These are spelled parchment that will react to your blood to reveal the information we need." explained Griphook as he pushed the three items towards Harry.
Harry grimaced at the mention of blood but complied. He steeled himself and took the dagger before deftly sliced the skin on his index finger deep enough to draw blood. He carefully placed 5 drops of blood on each parchment. They glowed for a bit before letters began appearing. Griphook took the parchment and began to read the content. Shock, awe, and a grin marred the goblin's face as he perused the results.
Harry, on the other hand, was busy sucking his finger waiting for it to heal which didn't take that long since he channeled a bit of magic into the wound to expedite the healing process. He saw Griphook's rapid change of emotions and raised an eyebrow.
"I take it the result is…different?" asked a very curious Harry.
"Oh no, I find the results enlightening and explained so much. Read them and see for yourself." said Griphook as he slid the two parchments towards Harry who took it and began to read.
Heritage Test
Name: Harry James Potter
Father: Lord James Potter-Gryffindor (deceased)
Mother: Lady Lily Ravenclaw-Potter (deceased)
Houses:
Heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter
Heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Gryffindor
Heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Ravenclaw
Heir Apparent to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black
Monetary Assets:
Potter Vault: 12,360,421 Galleons 1,226,412 Sickles, 620,000 Knuts
Trust Vault: 50,000 Galleons, 10,000 sickles, 5,000 Knuts
Gryffindor Vault: 525,600,316 Galleons
Ravenclaw Vault: 361,300,424 Galleons
Black Vault: (Unauthorized – Requires Head of House to access)
Trust Vault: 20,000 Galleons
Harry raised an eyebrow at the result of the Heritage Test and was about to ask a question when Griphook raised a hand to stop him.
"Please read through the rest of the results Harry then I'll happily answer all the questions you may have."
The Potter heir nodded and read the second test.
Lineage Test
Name: Harry James Potter
Magical Rank: Sorcerer (Mage 1st Rank)
Elemental Affinity: Shadow (Major), Fire (Minor)
Active Abilities:
Wandless Magic (100%)
Parselmouth (50%) – Status: Source Currently Blocked (Soul Fragment)
Animagi (Untrained)
Mind Arts Master (100%)
Telekinetic (100%)
Telepathic (80%)
Passive Abilities:
Mage Sense (Ocular-untrained, Mental-partial mastery)
Harry was shocked at what the Abilities Test was showing him. He looked at Griphook who was grinning at him, as if itching to explain everything.
"I trust that you understood what you read?" asked Griphook. "If not, I can go over everything to make it clear. I understand that this is your first foray into the magical world and there are some things that I'm sure that you'll find confusing despite the number of books your parents left you."
Harry shook his head and placed the parchments on the table.
"Let's pretend that I have no knowledge of the Wizarding World and you explain it to me in detail to make sure that I don't miss anything by pretending to actually know about it." asked Harry which got a proud nod from Griphook.
"A wise choice, Harry. I think it's best if we start first with your Heritage Test?" Griphook asked the Potter Heir.
Harry nodded and made himself comfortable on the chair waiting for the Account Manager to start.
"As the Heritage Test told you, you are the heir of the Potter, Gryffindor, and Ravenclaw houses. Potter and Gryffindor can be explained easily since the Potter is known to be Gryffindor heirs since the Wizarding World was in its infancy. The Ravenclaw house, however, comes at a surprise. From the results, we can safely say that your mother, Lily Evans Potter, was more than what she knew herself to be. From what I gathered, your mother is a direct descendant of Rowena Ravenclaw, making you, Harry, a pureblood if the standards of the Wizarding Heirarchy is to be followed." explained Griphook in excitement. The size of the Potter and Gryffindor accounts brought him a lot of status in the Goblin Heirarcy. The addition of the Ravenclaw account ensures that he would be elevated yet again.
"It's quite shocking that my mother is not a muggleborn as she believed herself to be. Any idea why she didn't know?" asked Harry in couldn't believe that her mother was the lost Ravenclaw Heir.
Griphook shrugged.
"I have no idea. The only way for her to determine her actual heritage is to take the Heritage Test here in Gringotts since only Goblin Magic is capable of tracing bloodlines down to its roots except for one potion that takes a year to brew. Lady Potter didn't know about this method and we had no idea about her past to suggest that she takes the test."
Harry nodded for Griphook to continue.
"Now, for the house of Black. Sirius Black holds the title of Lord Black but he is currently incarcerated in Azkaban for betraying the Potters…" the goblin was interrupted by an indignant shout from Harry.
"What? How can my godfather be sent to Azkaban? He never betrayed my family!" exclaimed Harry in indignation, power rolling off him in waves as his emotions escaped his control. This awed the goblin since the amount of power Harry was releasing was more than that of an average wizard.
"You didn't know?" Harry shook his head at this. "Sirius Black was found guilty of betraying the Potters by revealing the location of their home under Fidelius Charm. Are you by chance familiar with how the charm works?"
Harry nodded.
"Yes, I'm familiar with the Fidelius Charm since the information is in one of the books my dad gave me though I didn't bother to learn it enough to cast one since it was too complicated without knowing the basics. However, your information is wrong Griphook. Sirius Black was never the secret-keeper. The title belonged to Peter Pettigrew." explained Harry to the shock of his Account Manager.
"What? But he was convicted by the Wizengamot since it was widely known that he was the secret-keeper." shouted Griphook. If the Potter Heir was correct then the Wizarding World was in deep shit since incarcerating an innocent to Azkaban was a huge crime, more so if the victim is a Lord of an Ancient and Noble House.
Harry just shook his head to deny the revelation.
"I have my parents' diary. My parents explained that they switched secret keepers after the charm was cast by Albus Dumbledore so the identity was well-kept. However, they noted in their diary that why they switched. Sirius will act as a decoy while Peter remains in the background to keep him and the secret safe." explained Harry, furiously racking his brain for a way to get his godfather out of prison.
Griphook nodded.
"There may be a way but we'll talk about that later Harry. Let's continue with the rest of the test since there are a few things that need to be explained properly. Before that, can I interest you in something to drink?"
"Tea would be perfect thank you. I need something to calm my nerves." confessed Harry who was quite shocked at the plight of his godfather. No wonder he wasn't around to look after him.
Griphook chuckled and waved a clawed hand, conjuring a tea set complete with steaming hot tea with some cakes on the side.
"Help yourself, Harry, while I finish the explanation of your Heritage Test."
Harry nodded and poured himself a cup of tea and added a dollop of milk to add to the taste. Seeing this, Griphook took out a wine glass and a whiskey that released a bit of flame much to the boy's shock. Griphook saw this and grinned.
"Firewhiskey is a common beverage in Wizarding society. The fire is more aesthetic than real so no worries." the gobnlin explained before taking a sip of his drink.
"You're a distant relative of the Black Family. I believe that your grandmother was Dorea Black, making you one of the main heirs. The other heir to contest your claim is the current heir of House Malfoy, Draco Malfoy, son of Licius Malfoy and Narcissa Malfoy nee Black. However, with the current Lord being your godfather, your claim is much stronger than that of the Malfoys."
"Let me get this straight. I have a stronger claim to the Black family and can acquire the Lordship if it is not contested, Am I correct?" Griphook nodded. "But if Draco Malfoy contest my claims then what is the due process?"
"The only way to make your claim valid and incontestable is for the current Lord to name you his heir. If such is the case that the Lord cannot or did not state an heir then a test is necessary, mostly by wearing the Black Family ring and let the Family Magicks decide the outcome." explained Griphook with certainty while giving Harry a look of interest.
"Should I be worried about this right now?" asked Harry, not really wanting to add another to his already long list of titles. This was getting ridiculous, even for him.
"Not right now since Lord Black is still alive though currently…ummm…detained so to speak." said Griphook getting a growl from the Potter heir "Now for your Abilities Test. But before we go into that, I need to explain how the test works."
"The Abilities Test is a piece of Goblin Magic that determines the potential of a person in terms of both magical power and abilities. Using your blood as a medium, the enchantment on the parchment determines the peak of your growth by correlating it with your age. To put it simply, your blood holds the information of your current magical growth; the parchment takes that information and analyzes it to give you an exact scale of your magical prowess and abilities."
Griphook took another sip of his Firewhiskey before continuing with the explanation.
"In terms of your Magical Rank, there are 4 tiers in terms of power. The lowest two tiers in the Magical Ranking are your average Witch and Wizard followed by the Warlock. If you base it on the Merlin Scale, an average witch and wizard will have a power level ranging from 100 to 300. Warlocks are above that from 301 to 500. The only difference between the two is the strength of their magical core which is power-based. Are you with me so far?"
Harry nodded but decided to ask a question.
"What or who belongs to those below 100?" asked Harry, curious about the number since it wasn't included in the goblin's explanation.
"Those below 100 are muggles and squibs. If you base it on theory, all being have magic in their system though muggles constitute this as something called 'bio-energy'. Muggles are normally from 1 to 50 while squibs range above that. Such is the case, one of the reasons they are given their specific rank is because of amount of magic in their blood, enough to make use of magical objects and enchantments though to a minor degree but not enough to manipulate magic or to use a wand."
Griphook looked at Harry to see if the young Potter Heir had a question. Getting a shake from the boy, he continued.
"The upper two tiers belong to Sorcerers and Mages. They are also ranked according to power but only at a slight margin. The only difference is the unique abilities that these two ranks possess. Sorcerers are adepts at mind and body magic. A majority of your passive and active abilities clearly states that you are a Sorcerer, this includes mastery of Telekinesis and Telepathy, as well as Wandless Magic. It is also safe to note that Sorcerers are the most powerful Occlumencers and Legilimencers. There are only two other known Sorcerers at this time, Albus Dumbledore and Voldemort. There are two others but we are not sure as to their exact rank since they were untested. Their power clearly places them under this banner but their mind magics is limited to the use of a wand and requires eye contact though they can do minor feats without one."
"So I take it they of them have similar abilities to my own. What is the Merlin Scale of Sorcerers and Mages? And can you explain to me the Mage rank, as well as being my Mage 1st Rank?" asked Harry as he was curious as to what his Abilities Test showed him.
"Certainly, the Merlin Scale of a Sorcerer ranges from 501 to 800 while a Mage starts from 801 to 1000 being the highest. I'm not sure as to what your Merlin Scale is since the parchment lacks that information but there is a spell we can use to determine that if you wish."
"Yes please, can you do the spell now?" asked an excited Harry. His childlike curiosity demanded that he find out how powerful he was.
Griphook nodded and pulled out a parchment from the drawer of his table. He placed it on the table and murmured a Goblin spell while waving his fingers over it as if tracing an invisible pattern. The parchment glowed white before dying down. "Please place 10 drops of blood on this parchment so we can determine your Merlin Scale. The wizards have another version of this but I am not familiar with the spell so we'll just have to make do with what's available."
Harry nodded before picking up the athame again and sliced his finger. He pinched it a bit ignoring the sting and letting 10 drops of blood to fall on the parchment. As the last drop of blood fell on the paper, it glowed white before letters appeared on its surface.
Merlin Scale
Name: Harry James Potter
Rank: Sorcerer (Mage 1st Rank)
Merlin Scale (BMM): 725
Merlin Scale (AMM): est 960
"Whoah!" exclaimed Harry, unable to believe what the paper was telling him. "What does BMM and AMM mean?"
"Indeed. BMM means Before Magical Maturation while AMM means After Magical Maturation. It is widely known that a witch or wizard matures in terms of magic when the body reaches the peak of their growth – in this case between the age of 17 and 25. The result simply states that with your current speed of growth, you will reach 960 when your body matures. However, this number is purely hypothetical at best since it will increase or decrease depending on the effort you put in mastering your magic and abilities." whispered Griphook, a bit awed at the revelation that the boy in front of him was a powerful magic user, more powerful than any he had heard of except to those who have trained with the art for decades. "I suggest that you keep this a secret Harry. If the Ministry finds out about your current power, they will have a field day, putting you in a spotlight considering you're already in one."
Harry nodded. He definitely didn't want more attention to be piled up on him.
"Uhhh…good idea. Why don't you explain to me that difference in terms of my abilities as a Sorcerer and theirs? You mentioned a difference before in regards to the development of my abilities."
"Quite. Your growth as a Sorcerer is somewhat unique. As each wizards and witches differ in their magic, more so in terms of a Sorcerer since your own belief shapes your magical abilities. Your Occlumency is similar to Dumbledore and Voldemort, powerful in its own right considering the vaunted control you have over your mental capabilities. However, would it be safe to say that your brand of Legilimency doesn't involve eye contact or a wand?"
Harry shook his head in negative.
"The way you geared your powers borders on the lost art of Telepathy, the Art of the Subtle Mind. This includes the ability to read and transmit thoughts without the need of eye contact or a spell. Telepathy also includes total domination of the mind, allowing the Telepath to invade and sway the weak-minded to his or her thinking. Unlike the Imperius Curse, Telepathy allows the Telepath to plant suggestion that is well nigh undetectable. Also, they don't have your Telekinetic abilities unless they utilize their wand to do so."
Harry nodded and gestured for Griphook to continue since he clearly understood the difference of abilities between him and Voldemort.
"Mages are known as Elemental Witches and Wizards. Unlike Sorcerers, Mages utilize their energies to exert control over the forces of Nature. Mages have their internal ranks as well, starting from lowest to highest. The 2nd Rank Mages are limited to the minor control over a single element. The 1st Rank Mages control the elements though they specialize in one or two. Your control over Shadow and the minor ability in Fire manipulation places you under this tier. Finally, a Master Mage or a Mage Adept controls ALL elements. Only one person has ever reached this rank and that person is Merlin Ambrosius."
"Now let's discuss your specific abilities. Some are self-explanatory, like your control over your wandless magic. Some witches and wizards can do wandless magic to a degree but not with the same efficiency as yours. Dumbledore and Voldemort are considered as wand Sorcerers who rely too much on their wands and didn't bother to train their wandless abilities since all Sorcerers are adept in this art. Considering their age, training to master this is almost impossible since wandless magic training should start at a young age before they even held a wand to allow them to switch between the two flawlessly. You are very lucky in this regard Harry."
"Next is your mastery over the Mind Arts. Mind Arts Mastery indicates your control over your mind. This doesn't involve its application, like Telekinesis and Telepathy. Suffice to say, your mind is your own and you are quite immune to the suggestions of Telepathy and the control of the Imperius Curse. Your Telepathic ability is only at 80% since there are still a few parts of it that you haven't tried yet. What are you capable of in terms of Telepathy?"
Harry thought for a bit before answering the question.
"Let me see. I can read minds and even plant suggestion to a degree. However, this is mostly on muggles and never with a magical being due to the lack of target practice." Harry said this with a cheeky grin. "I haven't tried sending out thoughts as of yet since I never knew I was capable of it but I'll give it a try soon."
"Not to worry Harry. But if you are open to an advice?" at this Harry nodded. "Sending thoughts is similar to planting suggestions; it just requires more power and a more active approach. We goblins have a minor talent in this form of Telepathy."
"Really? That's interesting. I never thought to use it that way." mused Harry while eyeing the goblin who raised an eyebrow. Wanting to give it a try, Harry reached out towards the goblin and sent out his thoughts with an extra kick in power.
"Griphook. Can you hear me?"
The sudden voice of Harry James Potter in Griphooks mind shocked him a bit.
"Harry?" the goblin tentatively thought hoping that Harry could receive it.
"Interesting…It seems that I need to keep a constant contact with the mind I'm mentally speaking to in order to converse properly. This requires more study." thought Harry to Griphook who nodded. His next statement was voiced out loud. "Sorry for doing that, Griphook. I got too curious for my own good. I apologize if I overstepped my bounds."
Griphook shook his boy in front of him never ceased to impress.
"None at all, Harry. You didn't read my mind or bypassed my shields. You only projected your thoughts to me and I was able to receive it outside my shields so no harm done. I suggest that you cultivate this ability. Sorcerers are known to converse with others anywhere in the world. Distance is irrelevant when it comes to the mind."
"Thank you, Griphook. Again I apologize. Please continue." said Harry with a slight bow of respect which was returned by an awed goblin.
"You're welcome. Anyway, next is your Parselmouth ability. I am quite disturbed why you have this skill since it's a Slytherin Family trait. I would surmise that when you defeated Voldemort, a copy of his abilities were transferred to you. However, the presence of a Soul Fragment concerns me greatly." said Griphook with a growl.
The memory of the 'nightmare book' popped up in Harry's mind upon hearing Griphook's explanation. He immediately addressed his Account Manager.
"Griphook, can you please explain to me what a Soul Fragment is. I might have an idea about it but I need the information first."
Griphook nodded before launching into the explanation of Soul Fragments.
"A Soul Fragment is a piece of a person's soul usually attached to an object that will tie the mortal body to this realm, making it so that the person is unable to enter the afterlife. His body can be destroyed but his soul will live on as a spirit. The soul can be revived to a new body if they knew the correct ritual. Wizard-kind coins this as a Horcrux. Splitting one's soul requires the ultimate act of Evil, murdering an innocent soul along with a ritual to split the caster's own soul and attach it to an object to anchor him or her to this life. Goblins abhor this method as it is a perverse way to attempt immortality." explained Griphook with a growl of anger.
Harry was silent as he pondered his next question.
"Hypothetically, is it possible for a Horcrux to be placed inside a living being and does it have a representation in one's mindscape?" gearing his questions to cement the theory he had regarding his 'nightmare book'.
Griphoook thought about the question and gave his most educated guesses.
"It has never been proven that a living being can serve as a receptacle of a Soul Fragment. But it is quite possible since it is a vessel all the same, though a living one with its own soul. However, the two souls will be fighting for dominance until such time one is conquered. As to your other question, yes, everything in one's body has a place in your mindscape. Does this mean that the Soul Fragment of Voldemort has a mental representation in your mindscape?"
Harry nodded with a grim look on his face.
"Yes. I can't explain it in detail but I can transmit to you my memory of the event as I was busy organizing my memories. If you would allow me to create a link to your mind, I will send you the memory." Harry asked in a whisper. With a nod from Griphook, Harry immediately reached out and touched Griphooks mind and focused on the memory.
Griphook felt the touch of Harry's mind on his own and immediately accepted it inside his shields. The memory that passed through was crystal clear, showing Harry wrestling with a book tied to his magical core via a sickly green thread. When the memory ended, the goblin felt Harry leave his mind as silent as his entry. The control in which the Potter Heir had over his powers was awe inspiring. Dumbledore and Voldemort have nothing on Harry James Potter when it comes to the mastery of the Mind Arts.
"Thank you for sharing thememory Harry. I can safely say that the 'nightmare book' as you called it is a Soul Fragment of Voldemort. It is currently leaching on the energy you absorbed the night the Dark Lord was defeated. But since you locked it up in your mind vault, it ceased to pull at your magical core, thus liberating a portion of your core to your own use. However, what you did was a temporary measure and requires a Goblin Ritual for it to be properly removed." Griphook informed the Potter Heir.
"You mean there's only one way to remove a Soul Fragment possession?" asked Harry in dread.
Griphook shook his head.
"No, there are two known ways to remove a Soul Fragment, whether in an object or in a living being. The first, most common method, is to destroy the vessel. If you choose this method then you will have to die for the Horcrux in your head to perish. I think this method is not a desirable one, correct?"
Harry shook his head vigorously telling the goblin that he had no plans of leaving this life early because of Voldemort.
"If that is the case then the next and final option for you is the Goblin Ritual I mentioned." said the goblin with a grin.
"What does this ritual entail and are there any known side-effect when a human takes it?" asked an excited Harry Potter. Getting rid of Voldemort from his mind was a welcome experience no matter how much this would cost him or how painful the ritual would be.
"None whatsoever. This ritual is an old Goblin Ceremony that can be considered a cleansing and exorcism ceremony by wizard kind. The runic circle you're required to stand on will utilize and empower your magical core to push the spirit out of your body. The spirit will be trapped by the same circle and slowly drained of its energies until it is no more. In most case, the Soul Fragment's energy will be added to your own as well as any powers that come with it. Our Curse Breakers are often subjected to this Ritual due to their work in the Egyptian Tombs which is considered to be the most heavily cursed among other tombs in the world;" explained the Goblin. "though they rarely get a power boost since most of the involve spirits have long been drained of their magical abilities to power a specific curse or protection."
Harry nodded with a determined look on his face.
"I'm willing to pay whatever it takes to get Voldemort out of my head, Griphook. When can I take this ritual?" declared Harry getting a nod from Griphook.
"Done. In regards to payment, our employees are offered this service for free since they work for us. But in your case since you are our biggest account holder to date, I would suspect the Goblin Council will be offering this for free. I will get back to you on this one since the preparation takes time."
"How long would it take?" Harry asked desperately but his stoic mask was in place.
"A year, or even more. We usually have a ritual circle prepared but it was currently used when one of our Curse Breaker team who were heavily possessed by an Egyptian Priest. Rest assured, I will send you a letter immediately when I receive word from the Goblin Council and once the ritual circle is renewed."
Harry gave Griphook a smile.
"Thanks Griphook. This means a lot to me. Now that's out of the way, can we continue with the discussion regarding the rest of my abilities?"
The goblin chuckled.
"Quite right. Obviously, you need to train your Animagi abilities since you are capable of it. There are plenty of books you can find or you can raid the Potter Vault since it hosts the largest collection of Ancient Magicks since the conception of the Wizarding World. But we can get to that later." Griphook grinned when Harry's smile turned to a pout . "Patience young one. You will have your books later." Harry gave him a sheepish grin. "Last, but certainly not the least, is your passive ability. Mage Sense in your case is both ocular and mental. It would be safe to say that you can sense the presence of magic through a mental probe?" inquired Griphook since he didn't know the extent of his young charge's magical training.
"Yes. I can usually sense magic when I scan the surrounding area with my mind. When magic is present, I get a form of static, like a ringing in my head." mused Harry. He got the same feeling when he practiced his mental sensing abilities in his room. It seems that Privet Drive was surrounded by a powerful magic that is unknown to him since he wasn't the source of it. He COULD feel that it wasn't hostile so he didn't bother with it.
"Good. You just need to practice this skill to master it. Ocular Mage Sense involves the actual seeing of spells and enchantments as vivid colors depending on its intensity. Again, you can find a book on this ability inside the Potter Vault. Speaking of which, let's now discuss your Father's will."
"Isn't it supposed to be a joint Will?" asked Harry.
"No. Only the Head of the family can create a Will in regards to the House. Your mother is the Lady Potter but the family is patriarchal so the responsibility falls to the late Lord James." explained Griphook.
"I see. I think we can forego the actual reading of the Will. However, I would like to know the highlights that pertain to me or directly to the Family Account." Harry asked his Account Manager. He already took up a lot of time with the goblin and wanted to explore Diagon Alley as soon as possible.
"Of course." Griphook took out a rolled parchment from one of his many drawers and unrolled it. "Let me see. Normally, the Will is sealed by the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, namely Albus Dumbledore and cannot be read without his permission." Harry was about to protest but Griphook beat him to it. "I said 'normally' young one. This doesn't apply to you. Since the instruction of the Head of a Family is more important than the Ministry, the Will can be read to you and only you as its sole recipient not including those who are bequeathed by the family." At Harry nod, he continued. "Now let me see here. It says that money is given to Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew, one million Galleons each. Is this alright with you Harry?"
"Yes to Remus Lupin and a big fat no to Peter Pettigrew. He betrayed my family so he doesn't deserve a single Knut from the Potters." declared Harry with clear venom in his voice.
"Agreed. Mr. Lupin will also be getting a summer cottage in Wales for his 'furry little problem' and is not negotiable for return. Everything else is left to you with clear instruction that you take up the mantle of the Head of House Potter and Gryffindor and granted Emancipation immediately upon reading of this Will. Do you want this?" asked the goblin giving Harry a look that clearly promised untold pain if the boy said no.
Harry gulped at the look directed at him.
"Y-yes. I want to follow my father's decree of Emancipation and will GLADLY accept the role as Head of the Potter and Gryffindor House."
"Good…very good." Griphook nearly purred which practically scared Harry out of his wits. "Fortunately for you, I have all the documents at the ready. All you need is to sign on the dotted line and a drop of your blood to verify your identity and to make sure that you're not under any…compulsion spells and potions." He handed said document and quill to the boy who had his eyebrows raised at the quick creation of the document. Griphook ignored the unasked question but opted to instruct the boy on what to do. "Just use the tip of the quill to prick your finger and let a drop of blood fall on the parchment."
Harry did as instructed. The document glowed blue before it split into two copies. One of the copies disappeared while Griphook took the other that was left on the table. Seeing Harry's questioning look, he explained.
"After verifying the signature and blood, the parchment automatically creates a copy and sent directly to the Ministry for filing. This is the original copy and will be kept under my care until needed."
"Is there anything else I need to do?" asked Harry, impatient to be off.
"Just one more thing, Lord Potter." The sudden formality made Harry look at the goblin. "Get used to the title since people will be calling you Lord Potter when they discover your position as the Head of House." He snapped his finger and three small boxes appeared on the table in front of the young Potter Lord. "These are the Head of House rings that you need to wear on the fingers of your right hand."
Harry looked at them curiously, checking out the different crests inlaid on each lid. "Why three?"
"Potter, Gryffindor, and Ravenclaw." said Griphook while pointing to each box.
Harry nodded and opened the boxes and placed the rings on the fingers of his right hand. Harry glowed in different colors as he placed each ring on their respective fingers. He glowed blue for the Potter Ring, gold for Gryffindor, and bronze for Ravenclaw.
"What did the glowing mean?" asked Harry as he admired the beauty of the rings.
"It meant that the rings found you worthy of wearing them." explained Griphook as he pulled out another box out and placed it on the table. Harry eyed it warily. "Not to worry. This is just your complimentary card and bank drafts to make it easier for you to shop at the Alley. Unless of course…"
Harry hurriedly took the box out of Griphooks hands. "No. I am grateful that you provided them for me." this caused the goblin to grin. Harry opened the box and saw a gold card, a pouch with a large golden G embossed on it, and a wallet filled with Gringotts bank drafts. "Can you explain their uses to me?" asked Harry as he took the card and eyed it carefully.
"Certainly, young Lord. The card you're holding is the Gringotts Card that is reserved for use only to our top clients, namely you, of course. It is already attuned to your magical signature. You can use it at a total amount of 10,000 Galleons per store. If you're going to spend more than that amount then you need to use the Gringotts Draft which has an unlimited spending limit on it. Just press the Family Ring on the indention as to what account you want to use for the purchase and state the amount. The pouch is a direct access to your vault. If you need small amounts of money for everyday use then all you need to do is think of the amount and reach inside. That also works for muggle money and conversion rates are waived due tot your status. Easy to use."
Harry nodded, pocketed the card, pouch, and the wallet containing the drafts before standing up. He was about to leave when Griphook stopped him.
"I prepared a list to help you in your shopping in Diagon Alley. There are some shops in Knockturn Alley that you need to visit as well to make your life a whole lot easier to deal with." With a snap of a finger, a paper appeared on the table which the goblin handed to the Potter Lord. "Once you purchased an owl, make sure you send it to me so I can send you some documents regarding your accounts and properties, as well as investments that needs to be double-checked. Is this to your liking?"
"It is Griphook. Now if you'll excuse me, Diagon Alley awaits."
Deciding to shock Griphook this time, he gave the goblin a cheeky grin and walked towards a shadowy corner of the room. With a wave of farewell, Harry walked through the shadow to the shock of an awed goblin.
Edited by Corruptmonk
May 23, 2012