Winged Seer Wolf: Thanks. The original plot didn't involve the details as Harry learned magic on his own and I explained to my sister that plotholes are usually a turn-off to some readers. I also told her that a Godlike Harry was an overused plot though working his way to become powerful was more satisfying to read. In regards to Dumbledore, my sister already have the entire scene mapped out. She is currently making chapter 5 while I'm editing chapter 4. (shakes head) At this rate, she'll finish her story earlier than I do. Hmmmph (cue laughing from EVIL sister)

sirius009: My sister said: "If you don't like it, don't read it."

AlphaEmrys: My sister said: "Thank you and enjoy."

karthik9: My sister said: "Don't worry. I'll crank out as many chapter as I can."

Damn, I feel like my sister's secretary telling her of the reviews and typing her replies. *sigh*

Harry Potter: Shadow Sorcerer

Chapter 03: Shopping Time

Harry James Potter, newly minted Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter, Gryffindor, and Ravenclaw, walked out of the shadow in one of the smaller nooks in Diagon Alley that he noted earlier as a great place to Shadow Travel in and out due to the lack of people around. He snickered at the potential shock value he gave the cheeky goblin but shuddered at the potential reprisal that the aged Account Manager might do to him.

He walked out of the nook and saw that he was in between Ollivander's and a shop selling magical knick-knacks. He paused for a bit and read the note Griphook made for him to help with his shopping.

Lord Potter,

I took the liberty in providing you with ample direction to your shopping expedition to make sure that you have everything you need following your ascension as a Lord of three Noble Houses of Magical Britain. Please refer to the list and advice below:

Diagon Alley

Ollivander Wand Shop – the purchase of a Ministry-approved wand though I doubt you will be using one since you're already a Sorcerer. However, the old coot Ollivander might help you in the creation of a staff since it is a necessary focus for a wizard of your station.

Eyelops Owl Emporium – you need a post owl so I suggest you buy one.

Magical Menagerie – get a familiar. Sorcerers are known to have their own unique familiars. Tell the man behind the counter that Griphook sent you. He should direct or accompany you to their more…unique selections. Good luck.

Magical Travels – buy a multi-compartment trunk. The number of compartment is up to you. I suggest a five compartment trunk (expanded storage, expanded library, expanded potions compartment, expanded wardrobe, and an expanded wizard space to store things that you don't want other to touch or find out.

Flourish and Blotts – now that you have your trunk, I suggest you buy the books you want or need. Keep in mind that the books here are those approved by the Ministry of Magic. I will direct you to a more appropriate shop in Knockturn Alley for you to peruse rarer selections.

Madam Malkins – from the outfit you are wearing right now, I suggest that you stock up on Wizarding apparels. Please tell Madam Malkin that you are there regarding an order from Griphook, she'll know what to do.

Twilfitt and Tattings – same with Madam Malkins, just mention my name, they'll know what to do.

Slug and Jiggers Apothecary – potion ingredients and supplies. Enough said.

Scribbulus Writing Equipments – ink, parchment, and other writing supplies.

Knockturn Alley:

Borgin and Burkes – a store that sells a lot of Dark Arts paraphernalia. I suggest you visit this store to look for books concerning your shadow powers.

Ye Olde Dark and Dangerous – another store that specializes in books. Very rare and expensive books here but you can afford it. Just make sure you haggle since you don't want to get swindled and looked down upon by the occupants of the alley.

Elf Shoppe – get a house-elf. I'm sure you know all about them. You need one. Don't argue.

Hope this helps. Send your owl to me when you get one. I'll send you the documents and books you need to review before we discuss further items regarding your account.

Sincerely yours,

Griphook

Accounts Manager

Potter, Gryffindor, and Ravenclaw

Harry chuckled after reading the shopping schedule Griphook arranged for him. He was thankful that the aged goblin had the foresight to point him to the right direction or he'll be walking around the alley not knowing what to buy considering his new station in the Wizarding World.

Since Ollivanders was nearer, he decided to visit the wand shop first. With a few steps, he arrived at the entrance of the shop and opened the door. The tinkling of the bell announced his presence but no one was around.

"Interesting. Very interesting." a voice echoed in Harry's mind.

Alerted by the intrusion, he opened his mind and scanned the place. He found the source of the voice and immediately latched on to the presence.

"What's interesting?" he mentally asked the presence. There was a surge of shock and awe from the other end. He didn't get any answer from the voice but an old man appeared behind the counter as if he was standing there all this time.

"A Sorcerer and a powerful one at that. Welcome Mr. Potter. It seems that you are a year early to start your shopping for a wand before going to Hogwarts." exclaimed the old man who was eyeing Harry with interest.

"How did you know who I am? And who are you?" asked Harry with a little bit of hostility in his voice since he didn't like the way the man invaded his mind even if the man wasn't able to breach his defenses.

"How rude of me. My name is Ollivander, Mr. Potter. I own and manage this shop since my great-grandfathers did before me. Now as to my question?" asked Ollivander looking at Harry expectantly.

"My Account Manager, Griphook, directed me to your shop to purchase a staff or help in the creation of one." stated Harry, wanting to get down to business since the old man was quite creepy. He wanted to get the staff done and get out.

"A staff you say? How interesting. Indeed, for one with your power and rank, a staff is necessary for more powerful magicks. I daresay that a wand is quite useless to you at this point since you don't need one being adept at your abilities already. However, the creation of a staff can be complicated and requires certain items to power it before bonding it to you. Shall we get started then?" asked Ollivander with a slight giddiness to his tone. It seems the old man gets high in the creation of wands. Weird.

Harry nodded and approached Ollivander but stopped when the old man leveled him an intense stare.

"It seems that you already have two magical items with you that can be used as part of your staff. I sense your parents' wands. Care to bring them out Young Lord?"

Unnerve at how his secrets were being ferreted out by the mysterious wand maker, Harry complied and snapped the fingers on his right followed by the left. His father and mother's wand appeared in his hands before placing them on the table between himself and the wand maker.

"Your father's wand. Eleven inches made from Mahogany with dragon heartstring core, specifically a Hungarian Horntail. Clearly one of my more powerful wands suited for Transfiguration and Battle Magic." said Ollivander as he eyed the dark brown wand. He shifted his attention to the other.

"Your mother's wand on the other hand is one of the trickiest wands I have ever created. Quite powerful too. Ten and a quarter inches made from an old Willow tree with the heartstring of a particularly large mother dragon as its core, if i remember correctly, the core of this wand came from a particularly nasty Hungarian Horntail as well."

Ollivander then leveled Harry an intense gaze as if scrutinizing his soul.

"To create a staff, it is required to have two magically powerful objects, usually a core material, to be used with a wand you chose. A spell is recited to combine the objects and fashion it into a staff of power that is suited to your needs. The final touch is the inclusion of a gemstone, specifically one that is attuned to you and charged under the light of the full moon."

"Since we already have the cores of your staff, all you need to do is to find a wand that suits your magic and a gemstone that I will show you later. Open yourself to the energies of the wands in my shop using your mind and call out to the wand to come to you."

Harry followed the old man's instruction. He closed his eyes and expanded his mage sense. He immediately felt the different energies emitted by the magical cores and wood of the wands in the shop. One in particular hummed in resonance with his magical core. He held out his hand and called the wand over to him along with a release of his power.

A wand from the back of Ollivander's shop shot out of its confinement and slapped onto Harry's hand. Upon contact, both wand and sorcerer began to give off a golden glow followed by red and gold sparks shooting out from the tip of the wand. A phoenix song echoed around the shop until it disappeared when the glowing subsided.

Ollivander looked particularly giddy when he saw the reaction of one of his most powerful wands in the hands of a rather powerful young sorcerer. "Wonderful. Simply wonderful. Exactly eleven inches, Holly, with phoenix feather as its core. A very powerful wand in the right hands considering its brother who exhibited the same power. A wand that is perfect for any use in magic, though a bit more powerful if used in defensive and healing spells."

Harry heard the Ollivander murmur about his new wand. He couldn't believe the power of the bonding, it left him breathless.

"Brother? My wand has a brother?"

"Indeed Mr. Potter. The phoenix that gave the feather that resides in your wand gave off another feather. Thirteen inches, Yew, phoenix feather core. A very powerful wand. Its owner did great things. Terrible, yes, but great." explained the wand maker in an eerie, monotone voice.

"Who owned the wand?" Harry asked despite the fact that he knew that he wouldn't like the answer.

"The one who gave you that scar." Ollivander answered while pointing to a particular spot on Harry forehead where his scar was hidden under glamour.

"Voldemort." whispered Harry, holding his wand as if he was holding a poisonous snake…a very poisonous snake.

Ollivander saw this and immediately addressed the powerful young sorcerer in front of him with slight rebuke in his voice.

"Indeed, Mr. Potter. Voldemort owns the brother to your wand. Keep in mind, however, that wands are just tools. It is the intent of its master that turns them to evil use. Don't blame the wand that chose you since it's up to you whether it is used for evil or for good."

Harry realized the wrongness of his thinking and immediately sent an apologetic hum of his magic to the wand. He was surprised when the wand he was holding hummed in response as if telling him that he was forgiven and everything was alright. Smiling a bit, Harry turned his gaze to Ollivander who was giving him a soft smile.

"Now that I have my wand, I guess the next step is to find a gemstone?" inquired Harry, a bit of excitement in his voice.

"Yes, Mr. Potter." He pulled out a large suitcase from underneath the counter and opened the lid towards his customer. "Please use your wonderful senses to find the perfect gemstone to be used on your staff. You'll know when you find the right one."

Harry nodded and reached out with his magic towards the stones. All of them glittered in response but a perfectly-cut emerald the size of a golf-ball glowed a bright green. He adjusted his magic and directed it at the glowing gemstone and was rewarded when it glowed brighter.

"Perfectly done, Mr. Potter. An Emerald, mined in the Dwarven caves and blessed by the Goddess of the Moon during the Winter Solstice. One of the most powerful gems I have in my collection. Please take the gem and bring the two wands and your own wand to the back so we can begin constructing your staff."

Harry nodded and did as Ollivander instructed. He followed the wandmaker to the back of the shop after the old man flipped the sign on his door to make sure that no one enters without him knowing. The back of the store revealed a workshop filled with wood and jars containing components from magical animals to be used in wand making.

"Please place the three wands on the table. Make sure that your holly wand is in the middle, your father's to its right and your mothers on the left. Place the emerald directly above your wand." instructed Ollivander as the old man drew his wand from its holster.

Harry did as instructed and arranged it the way Ollivander wanted him to. He sensed the energies surrounding the wands and gemstone hum in harmony.

"Interesting. The components are attuned to each other. Your staff will be quite powerful." commented Ollivander while eyeing the four items on the table. "Please stand back Mr. Potter, I will begin the incantation to merge the items together. Your part will come after the staff is made."

Harry stood back a few feet from the wand maker who was now murmuring an incantation in a language unknown to him while waving his wand in intricate patterns. The wands on the table glowed for a few moments before merging together to form a single wand with wood as dark as ebony. Ollivander increase the volume of his incantation while continuing the patterns he was making in the air. This time, the emerald and the new ebony wand glowed brighter and brighter until it was too painful to look at.

Ollivander finished the incantation with a downward slash of his wand, its tip pointed at where the wand and emerald should be. A beam of bright light flew out from the tip of the wand maker's wand and hit the light. The magic emanating from it was tremendous and the shop rumbled at the amount of magic in the air. A few seconds later, the glow started to dim until it disappeared, revealing a cane…?

"Uhhh Ollivander, not that I'm an expert in the subject but that's not a staff…that's a cane." said Harry in an almost incredulous voice.

Ollivander shook his head.

"Kids these days. Think they know everything. I think it would be best if I show you Mr. Potter." He gestured towards the…cane on the table while conjuring a simple athame floating in the air in front of Harry. "Please take the athame and slash your palm and let the blood pool. Once you have enough before it overflows, drop the blood on the shaft and on the gem itself."

Shaking his head in exasperation but heeding the old man's instruction. He took the athame from the air and took a deep breath. He slashed the palm of his right hand causing a large wound. Blood began to pool on his cupped hand until it was almost overflowing. With a nod from Ollivander, Harry first poured the blood on the shaft making sure that it covered everything from tail to tip. The rest of the blood was dribbled onto the emerald.

With a flash of light, the cane glowed a bright green, red then blue. While glowing, it lengthened until it resembled a staff, at least 6 feet in height, easily dwarfing Harry's 4'10 frame.

"Now THAT, young Potter, is a staff." said a smug Ollivander giving Harry an 'I told you so' look. "The cane you saw earlier was the dormant form of your staff, not bound to anyone with its powers blocked until the right wizard, or in this case, sorcerer bonds with it. The length of the staff is proportional to the power of the materials and its bond with the owner." He held out his hand and a dark brown staff easily 5 feet in length was held in his hand. "As you can see, my staff is easily dwarfed by yours greatly giving evidence to the power you and your staff will wield." He explained before letting the staff disappear to who knows where. "Now pick up your staff and complete the bond."

Harry dazedly nodded and picked up the staff. The moment his hand touched the shaft, a hum of power emanated from him that sent out a shockwave that trashed Ollivander's workshop. Thankfully, the wards and protective enchantments Ollivander placed around the room prevented the magic from escaping the confines of the workshop.

Harry looked around the destruction he caused before giving the grumpy Ollivander a sheepish grin. Deciding to test the staff, he extended his magic to connect to it causing another hum of power, this time tightly controlled. He waved the the staff over his head and willing the workshop to be repaired to its original shape.

The emerald glowed a bit before a wave of magic was released. Broken wand blanks repaired itself before floating to its resting place and the jars of wand cores flying over to their respective shelves. Ollivander just gawked at the casual display of powerful magic that the young Potter Lord was displaying.

"Amazing. I have never seen anyone form a powerful bond with their staff so quickly. A powerful staff indeed. " said Ollivander before eyeing Harry who was giving his happily humming staff a look of adoration. "Thank you for repairing the damage Mr. Potter."

Harry gave the old wandmaker a sheepish look. "No need to thank me Mr. Ollivander. I was the reason why your workshop was wrecked in the first place so it's only right that I fix it up for you. I'm just awed at how easy my magic is controlled with my staff." then a thought occurred to him. "Ummmm…I don't know if this is an appropriate question but I don't think it is a good idea to walk around Diagon Alley carrying a 6-foot glowing staff around."

As if to answer his inquiry, the staff glowed again and shrunk back to its dormant state. Harry could feel that the power he could use with it was greatly reduced. "Ooookay. I think that question is moot at this point. So, How much do I owe you?"

"Why don't we discuss that back at the store?" Ollivander suggested.

With a nod from Harry, the two of them exited the workshop and walked towards the front of the shop.

"Let me see. You already provided two of the ingredients so all that's left is the gemstone and the actual creation of the staff. I think 200 Galleons should cover it." said Ollivander to the young Potter.

Harry nodded and handed his Gringotts Card over to Ollivander who took it and placed it on top of a box. It glowed for a bit then stopped, signifying that the transaction was completed. Ollivander took the card and gave it back to Harry who looked at the box with curiosity. Seeing the look, Ollivander opened the box and waved at Harry to come and take a look. Inside the box was a lot of galleons.

"This box is given to all shop owners that has an account with Gringotts, which is to say, all the shops that uses galleons, sickles, and knuts as currency. The box will automatically withdraw the correct amount from your vault to this box." explained Ollivander to a particularly awed Harry Potter.

"Now that you have your staff, I'll give you a few pointers to its use since you'll hardly find a book out there detailing its use since staves are only reserved for Sorcerers and Mages. There aren't that many a market for them due to the lack of demand so you won't find a lot of books on them."

"As I was saying, your staff has two forms. The cane form is its semi-dormant state and the power you can use with it is literally reduced to half. If you want to go full-power then you need to will your staff to revert to its original size." Harry staff glowed and lengthened into its 6-foot glory. "Good, it is now bonded to your thoughts and will sense your need and act accordingly. Unlike wands, a staff is somewhat sentient. It knows what you know and feels what you feel."

"Amazing." Harry breathed as he gazed at the happily humming staff he was holding.

"Indeed. Now, the staff, being sentient, can use its connection to your magic to be independent to a point. Now, raise your staff off the ground and let go. You'll be surprised at what it will do."

Harry did as instructed, expecting the staff to fall to the ground, but was surprised when it just floated a few feet off the ground, the emerald glowing a bit as if it found something amusing.

"Is it just me or is my staff laughing at me?" said Harry as he gave the glowing staff a mock-glare. In response, the emerald pulsed as if it was laughing. "Yes, it is definitely laughing at me." grouched Harry turning to see an amused Ollivander.

"As you can see, the staff has a mind of its own thanks to its bonding with you. That is the reason why your manipulation of magic through it was so easy since it shares your mind. It will know what to do as long as you know how to do it. Now to continue on with the lesson; due to the power of your staff, it is necessary for you to practice the output to avoid hurting someone. I suggest a warded room or a training chamber warded by goblin magic. Any questions?"

"Hmmm…any advice on staff care?" asked Harry, wanting to make sure that he could properly take care of his staff.

This got him a respectful nod from Ollivander.

"No need Mr. Potter. The staff is self-sufficient as long as you have enough magical power to sustain it. It is indestructible and immune to breaking even when it is hit by the Killing Curse – well as long as your power is stronger than the person casting the curse anyway but I suggest you shy away from doing so. If a Killing Curse is aimed at you, I suggest you run or conjure something to intercept its path." explained Ollivander, adding the last part as an afterthought considering WHO he was talking to.

"Oh, before I forget. Since the bond between you and the staff is still in its infancy, it is advisable that you keep it with you at all times. Just make sure that it's never more than a few feet away from you. Once the bond settles, you can leave the staff anywhere. It will come to your call wherever you may be. That is all you need to know about the staff. If you have any questions, feel free to send me an owl and I'll address them as best as I can."

Considering it as a dismissal, Harry bowed to Ollivander and grabbed his floating staff, willing it to its dormant form, before exiting the shop, happy with his purchase.

Harry, with cane in hand, decided to go to Madam Malkins first to get some Wizarding clothes to avoid getting stared at while shopping in the Alley. He received a few odd looks since he was wearing muggle clothing. He entered the shop and saw an old lady manning the counter.

"Good day Madam, may I speak to the owner of the shop?" Harry asked politely.

"That would be me young man, Madam Malkins at your service. What can I do for you?" said the now named proprietress of the shop.

"I was directed to your shop by my Accounts Manager at Gringotts named Griphook. He told me to inform you that he sent for me and you already know what to do."

Madam Malkin gave the young man a surprised look before nodding that she understood the somewhat cryptic instruction. She pulled out her wand and waved it at the front of the shop. The door closed with the sign flipping over and the shop window dimmed until the inside of the shop was hidden from the rest of the occupants of the Alley. Harry raised an eyebrow however when the lighting in the shop didn't change.

"Lord Potter. Welcome to my humble shop." Malkin greeted Harry in a formal voice with a deep bow.

Harry inwardly groaned. He will never get used to the genuflecting of the people towards his new station. His cane-staff hummed as if it was amused at its owner's plight. The young Potter Lord just ignored his new foci's amusement.

"Please, madam, call me Harry." he said with a smile which Malkin returned. "I think Griphook already told you what I would need from your store?"

"Yes," Malkin said with a nod "he sent me a letter earlier telling me that a Mr. Potter will be coming over to my shop requesting for a private audience. According to the letter, he wanted me to fit you with some muggle clothes, as well as a complete Wizarding wardrobe for everyday use. Is this to your liking?"

Harry nodded to confirm the order.

"Indeed. This is my first foray into the Magical World and wanted to fill my wardrobe with Wizarding wear to fit in. Can you handle it?" asked Harry since he wasn't sure that the old seamstress was capable of taking large orders.

Malkin released a warm laugh before leveling him an amused look.

"Not to worry my lord, I already have the items prepared in advance, I just need to get your measurements and make the necessary changes. Would you please drop the glamour so I can start to work?"

Harry gave Malkin a cheeky grin before waving his cane-staff in front of his body, willing the glamour to drop. Of course, Madam Malkin was quite surprised with casual display of wandless magic but she withheld her comment.

"Good, now stand there on the stool so I can start measuring you up." ordered the matron, shooing a startled Harry towards a stool in the middle of the room. Harry obediently stepped up to the platform and let go of his cane-staff which floated beside him much to the surprise of Madam Malkin.

"Is that…?" she left the last part hanging.

"Yes, that's my staff in its cane form. I don't think parading a 6-foot staff in Diagon Alley would be a good idea." said Harry with a cheeky grin.

Malkin smiled.

"You're correct. You will be the center of attention since the use of staves had been absent since some of the old Sorcerers and Mages disappeared from this world. Now let's start with the measuring shall we?" she waved her wand and all of Harry clothes, sans his boxers, disappeared, leaving Harry blushing to the roots of his hair. A measuring tape floated up and started flying around him, taking his measurements.

"MADAM!" whined Harry with a blush as he was caught off guard by the sudden disappearance of his clothes. It's not as if Harry was ashamed of his body, quite the opposite actually, but being almost naked in front of a woman, any woman for that matter, was a first time for him.

Madam Malkin just gave Harry a condescending stare.

"Tut tut Lord Potter. I'm a married woman and your body, while quite desirable, doesn't affect me at all. Now shut up and stand still while I get your measurements." said the matron while waving her wand in specific areas of Harry's body to get the right sizes for the charms on the pre-prepared clothes to take effect. She ignored the glare that the blushing young Lord was shooting at her.

Ten minutes of embarrassment later, Madam Malkin returned all of Harry's clothes on his person leaving the Potter Lord grumbling about cheeky old ladies. Getting his embarrassment under control, he turned to Madam Malkin who was clearly amused by his antics.

"Madam, is it possible to get a set of Wizarding clothes for me to wear right now while I shop around the Alley?" asked Harry while toning down the blush that was slowly appearing on his face. "I keep getting stared at by the patrons of the alley thanks to my muggle clothes."

"Of course, young man, though I daresay that it would be better if you shop WITHOUT your clothes. I'm sure you'll get a lot of discounts from the ladies manning the shops." said Malkin while giving the blushing lord a smirk.

"MADAM! PLEASE!" clearly blushing Harry shouted. He might be learned about the human reproductive system but the constant innuendos coming from the woman was definitely getting to him.

Madam Malkin gave off a loud tinkling laugh before pulling out the clothes she intended for Harry to wear for the day. Harry grabbed it before shooting off into one of the changing booths with his cane-staff following him, glowing in amusement.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Harry exited Madam Malkin's shop with a full blush. Of course, this was due to the compliments the kindly, yet amused Matron was showering him, mainly how dashing he looked for the ladies of Diagon Alley. After a hurried instruction in picking up the rest of the clothes later, Harry left the shop as if the hounds of hell were after him. The matron's amused laughed followed him until he closed the door, thankfully cutting it off from the source.

"Evil woman." grumbled Harry. He got an amused hum from his cane-staff. "Some help you are. Laughing at me all the time doesn't make me feel alright you know." He got an apologetic hum from the staff this time but there was still a slight undertone of amusement. "Hmmmph, see that I care."

Deciding to get the trunk before anything else, he immediately went over to the travel shop and chose the 5-compartment trunk that Griphook suggested. He asked if the trunk comes with a security feature which the owner listen down for him with a note that each of the additional feature costs an additional charge.

After perusing the list, he requested for specific charms to be added to the trunk, like a feather-light charm, an auto-shrinking feature, a blood lock, and of course, a shock charm for those with itchy were others available but Harry decided against them since they weren't practical and a waste of good money.

A hundred and fifty Galleons later, he exited the shop with a shrunken trunk in one of the expanded pockets of his robes.

His next stop was the Magical Menagerie since he was excited at the idea of getting a familiar of his own. He entered the shop to the noise of different animals in their respective cages. He approached the elderly man behind the counter. Deciding to be direct, he got down to business.

"Hi, are you the owner of the shop?" Harry asked politely.

"I am. Edward Moonfang at your service. How can I help you young man?"

"Griphook sent me here to peruse your more…rarer selections to look for a familiar." was Harry's reply to the confusion of some of the customers in the shop.

Edward gave him a speculative look and beckoned one of the ladies manning the store to watch the counter. He signaled for Harry to follow him to the back of the shop where a lone door stood. Gesturing for Harry to stand back, Edward pulled out his wand and mumbled an incantation before tapping the handle on the door. It glowed for a second before a loud click was heard signifying the door was unlocked and whatever security feature it may have was temporarily dispelled. Edward opened the door and ushered Harry in before doing the same.

"Please drop your glamour, Mr. Potter. Your identity is safe here." instructed Edward with Harry doing so.

"Why do I need to drop my glamour? I mean I can still keep it on while looking for a familiar, right?" asked a confused Harry. He was tired of always applying the charm though he realized that he was just being lazy since he could do so with a single thought.

"That is usually the case when you select an animal. However, a familiar for a Sorcerer…" Edward directed a gaze towards Harry's cane "…requires your actual appearance so the magical animal can judge you properly." This explanation got a nod from Harry. "Now, I'll stay right here and I want you to walk around and check out the different animals we have. You will surely feel the one destined for you. Call me if you find the right one."

Harry nodded and walked around, admiring the animals on display. There were magical animals in all shapes and sizes, quite different to the ones at the more visible sections of the shop. He read the tags attached on the cages that described their species – magical snakes, shadow wolves, snow tigers, even a sleeping nundu which scared him a bit since he read about the dangerous creatures and shuddered at the thought of getting one as a familiar. Thankfully, he didn't feel any attraction to the animal so he on to the next.

He reached the avian section and immediately felt a tug on his magical core. He followed the pull which lead him to a smoky-white egg easily twice the size of a basketball. He felt the pull from the egg and his magic was urging him to touch it. Deciding to identify the unmarked egg first before doing anything, he called Edward to him.

"Edward, what's this egg?" asked Harry as he observed how his magic and cane-staff hummed with magic clearly being released from the creature inside its shell.

Edward leaned down to examine the egg on its own padestal. He recognized it immediately.

"I'm not sure what it contains but I recognize it immediately. This egg was brought to this store by my great grandfather, Thomas Moonfang, after finding it abandoned during one of his excursions in the Himalayas." explained the shop owner while giving the egg a speculative look. "I moved it here 2 years back when it wasn't sold. A lot of wizards and witches were interested with the egg but no matter how hard they try, they couldn't make it hatch. Heck, one them even fired a Reductor Curse on it. It didn't even leave a scratch but the wizard who cast the spell was blasted back to the wall." Edward grinned when remembered the unconscious man who had the audacity to hurt those under his care.

"Interesting. My magic is telling me to touch it but I'm not sure if I should…" Harry trailed off while looking at the seemingly innocent egg with suspicion.

Edward smiled and clapped Harry on the shoulder.

"If you're magic is telling you to do so then you might as well follow it, lad. If you're magic is resonating with the creature inside then you can be sure that it is the right familiar for you. If not, then you can be sure that you have a loyal pet to keep you company. Let me just move away a bit just in case."

Harry gave Edward a look of horror as Edward moved away from him at a distance where he can observe everything. He glared at him and was rewarded with a grin. He huffed and faced the innocent looking egg that was urging him to touch it.

"Well, here goes nothing." said Harry with a sigh before reaching out with a hand to touch the egg.

It was a bit warm to the touch and very smooth. He was unprepared when he felt a strong tug on his core as his magic rushed down to the egg which grew very hot in his hands. He didn't notice his staff reverting to its normal form and started humming with power. The transfer of magic lasted for a few more second before it stopped. A crack appeared on the surface of the egg, slowly breaking it apart. He sensed the creature inside trying its best to get out of its shell, wanting to be free to meet its master.

Harry decided to help the creature by sending waves of magic towards it, hoping that his magic would strengthen the creature to finally break out of its shell. He was unprepared when the egg was covered with white flames that scorched the altar it was on. With a final burst of magic and flames, the egg exploded revealing a large, beautiful bird covered in white feathers, except for the tip of its wings and tail which was red.

The bird crooned a bit before trilling into a beautiful song that filled his heart with joy and power. His magic hummed in response to the song and reaching out to the bird. He unconsciously reached out with his hand and touched the bird's feathery head resulting in the both of them to be engulfed in white flames. Harry could feel that it was very hot but was surprised that he wasn't burned. Instead, the flames seemed to be comforting him, like a mother's embrace, and reaching out to his core as if searching for something. He felt a click inside him when the flames latched on to its core, making it grow a bit in size. The power he felt was amazing.

"Finally, my master, you're here." trilled the bird but he could clearly hear the words in his mind.

"Whoah. What happened?" asked a definitely confused Harry, his hand still on the bird's head.

"We just bonded Master. We now share magic and I will always be there for you till the end of time." said the bird in his mind while releasing a beautiful song of warmth and love.

Harry was about to ask another question when Edward spoke first.

"Amazing! You just bonded with a phoenix, a white one at that. Rare they are, rarer than the fire phoenix that is a familiar to Albus Dumbledore." Edward said in awe. This was his first time to see a white phoenix in real life. Many books described them to be myths but to see the real deal in front of him was something he could never forget.

The white phoenix trilled another song and launched itself into the air and flew around Harry before settling down on his shoulder and started rubbing its head to his cheeks. Harry smiled and reached out to scratch the phoenix's chest earning him a gentle croon of delight.

"Hello. Thank you for choosing me as your master." said Harry to the phoenix. "May I ask your name?"

"I don't have any name yet master. You must name me and it will be mine forever." stated the phoenix as it enjoyed Harry's ministrations. It crooned in delight when it discovered his master to have incredible hands. He knew the right places to scratch and it loved the sensation.

"Hmmmmm are you a male or a female?" Harry asked while running through some names in his head.

The phoenix trilled a warm note before answering.

"Female."

"Hedwig. I'll name you Hedwig. Is that alright with you?" inquired the Potter Lord. He remembered the name from one of his History texts. He knew the name would fit his new familiar.

The Phoenix nodded and trilled a happy note for finally being given a name.

Harry gave the phoenix one last scratch before turning to Edward who was staring at him in awe.

"So…how much for Hedwig? And can you give me the supplies needed to care for a phoenix? Money is not a problem. I want the best for my new friend." said Harry while giving Hedwig a smile. Hedwig, in response, just puffed up her chest much to his amusement.

Edward nodded and beckoned for Harry to follow him outside, too awed to say anything as of yet. Harry just followed him with an amused look which was also plastered on Hedwig's face. The staff was also glowing as well as if sharing the same sentiment with his master and his familiar. Harry noticed its released state and willed it back into a cane to avoid revealing itself to the public.

Everyone in the shop was staring at Harry and Hedwig in awe since having a phoenix on your shoulder tend to have that effect on people. Harry mentally sighed. "Great. More admirers. Sheesh." He grumbled under his breath.

Hedwig heard this, trilled a few notes of affection that calmed Harry down who gave her a grateful smile. She didn't say anything but rubbed her cheeks to his. Harry reached the counter where Edward placed a beautiful perch and a box.

"Here are the supplies you need for Hedwig here." Edward said gesturing to the phoenix. "I have a perch here made from oak. You need not worry about her setting it on fire since she only burns those she wants to. The tray at the bottom of the perch has a self-cleaning charm so you don't need to clean up after her. Here's an expanded box containing fresh fruits in stasis, as well as some phoenix treats. These are like candies so only give some to her a few at a time. Phoenixes are known to have this slight addiction to sugar or anything that's sweet, hence the fruits."

Harry looked at Hedwig who was eyeing the box with hunger in her eyes. Harry laughed and opened the box, took out a cherry and gave it to Hedwig who immediately picked it up with her beak and swallowed it whole. She swiveled her head and look at Harry in the eyes, clearly asking for more. Harry grinned, got one more fruit, this time a grape, from the box and tossed it over his shoulder which the phoenix deftly caught with a happy trill.

"That's enough for now, Hed. I'll give you more when we get home alright?" he got an affirmative note from a clearly happy phoenix.

Edward just gave the phoenix an amused look.

"If you want a refill of the fruits, just tap your wand at the box when its empty and it will refill from my stock. The cost will be automatically billed directly from your Gringotts account. The total is 10,500 Galleons. The 10,000 is for the phoenix and 500 for a year's supply of fruits. The perch is free of charge with my compliments."

Everyone stared at Harry with mouths open. The amount of money was staggering. Harry just shrugged and pulled out the wallet containing his Gringotts Bank Draft. He took one out and pressed his Potter Ring on the indentation and stated the amount. After a brief glow, the amount on the draft was filled along with his signature. He handed the draft to Edward who tapped it with his wand, it glowed blue for a bit telling him that it was genuine. He smiled at Harry who was clearly enjoying his new life partner.

"Thank you for the purchase. Come again if you need anything." said Edward with a smile as Harry placed Hedwig's supplies into his new trunk.

Harry nodded at Edward before shrinking the trunk again and replacing it back into his pocket. He left the shop and out into the alley while being subjected to awed looks courtesy of the beautiful white phoenix on his shoulder.

Since it was lunch time, Harry decided to eat something over at Florence Fontescue Ice Cream Parlor. He was amused when Hedwig also wanted one. Smiling at his familiar, Harry ordered a large Double Dutch Sundae while Hedwig settled for the Tropical Delights – Vanilla Ice Cream in a large bowl covered with slices of different fruits.

Shaking his head at his familiar's choice, Harry tucked into his meal when the order was placed in front of him. He was amused as he ate his ice cream when the passers-by in the alley looked startled at seeing a white phoenix clearly enjoying an ice cream treat for the first time. Hedwig was standing on the table picking up the fruits with her beak before swallowing, trilling softly after each bite to Harry's amusement.

After paying the meal with his card, he got up and left the shop while checking the rest of Griphook's letter.

At the Apothecary, Harry decided to buy ALL of the ingredients since he would be spending the entire year studying Potions being a total beginner on the subject. He might not be brewing immediately but he definitely wanted to study the ingredients first, or the various theories surrounding the art.

He did encounter a little bit of problem at the Apothecary since the owner wanted to buy some tears and feathers from Hedwig. He stopped annoying Harry when Hedwig pecked the shop owner on the head until he bellowed a surrender. After that small altercation, Harry spent spent an hour levitating the ingredients into the potions section of his trunk to be sorted later when he gets home.

After the Apothecary, he replenished his stock of parchments at the supplies store before heading over to Twilfitt and Tattings. He was treated with a bit more dignity, none of the embarrassing moments that Madam Malkins gave him. Harry assumed was maybe due to the high-class customers the store was frequently subjected to.

She did gawk, however, when Harry revealed his true form to the amusement of Hedwig.

After half-an-hour of measuring, he left the shop with a promise to come back later in the afternoon to pick up his orders. He was shocked at the amount he had to spend at the shop - roughly 950 galleons for two cloaks, two robes, and a three dress robes for functions - but he could never deny the fact that the clothes he ordered were definitely fit for royalty.

With all of his business in Diagon Alley finished, he decided to go down Knockturn Alley to get the rest of his shopping done.

Harry immediately noticed the dark aura permeating the place upon entering the seedy corner of Magical Britain. Hedwig was glaring at everyone even looking at them much to Harry's amusement.

He ignored the stares though he decided to take action when two drunken wizard tried to mug him. With a wave of his cane-staff, he levitated the two drunks before throwing them to a wall with a little push of his magic. The indentations they left were very obvious and everyone in the alley who saw his little display of wandless magic ensured that he wouldn't be bothered by anyone while shopping in the alley.

Harry noticed the aura of darkness was stronger when he entered Borgin's, especially when Harry picked up a dozen curses from various artifacts around the room with his mage sense.

"What do you want?" Borgin demanded from behind the counter, not caring if he was a customer or not.

Clearly, the difference between Diagon and Knockturn Alley was like night and day.

"I was led here by a reliable source that you sell certain books that I want to add to my collection. Price is not a problem but quality is." declared Harry, smirking when he saw the gleam of greed in Borgin's eyes.

"What books are you looking for?" the shop owner gave Harry a suspicious look. "You're a Light Wizard judging from the phoenix on your shoulder."

"How astute of you. I'm here to purchase books not to debate on the Light and Dark side of Magic. Now are you willing to do business or not? Don't waste my time so I can take my money elsewhere." Harry demanded, releasing a bit of his magic to make sure that he meant business. The sudden burst of magic in the room definitely scared the greedy shop owner.

"Fine. What books are you looking for?" asked a cowed shop owner.

"I need books on Animagus, Shadow Magic – specifically Shadow Mages or Sorcerers, and…some books on Spell Creation if you have them." Harry listed off the books he needed from the Dark Arts seller.

The first two books were part of Harry's project over the summer but the third request on Spell Creation was more of a hobby since he wanted to find out why he was able to create his own set of skills or abilities without having to go through Arithmancy to determine the effect of the spell. It wasn't a loss if the book doesn't provide him with the answer he seeks since he can always add it to his growing collection or have some use of it in the future.

Borgin was surprised at the list.

"Those aren't Dark Arts books."

"How…observant of you Mr. Borgin. As I told you, I am searching for books on specific topics. I don't care if they are Light, Dark, or borderline Grey Arts. I require information. That's it. Well? Do you have these books?" demanded Harry with a frown on his face that caused Borgin to break out in sweat.

Borgin immediately nodded before disappearing to the back of the shop. Harry checked the clearly dangerous wares the man was selling while he waited. Hedwig clearly wasn't happy with what she was seeing since she released a disapproving trill when Harry laid his eyes on an item that she didn't like or care. It took 10 minutes for Borgin to exit his hidden store behind the shop and placed the books on the counter. Harry perused the titles before deciding whether to buy them or not.

Animagus: The Magical Art of Shifting To Your Animal Form

Shadow Mages: An Introduction

Spell Craft: A Basic Guide to Spell Creation.

"These are pretty good books." commented Harry as he read some of the pages in the books. "I wonder why these aren't sold in Flourish and Blotts."

He didn't know that it wasn't sold in Diagon but he assumed that its existence in Borgin's shop must have a reason.

"Blame it on the Ministry. These books aren't Dark at all, well, except for the book on Shadow Mages since it is borderline Grey considering the information it contained. The other two is safe to read by anyone but it seems that Ministry wanted to control the British Magicals by banning certain subjects that will cause them to lose control." explained Borgin as he tallied up Harry's purchase.

"Indeed. Information is information. It is the person who will decide whether the information is to be used for good or for evil." said Harry with a sniff. Ever since reading about the Wizarding Government, he wasn't impressed by it especially on what they did to his godfather.

"That sums it up. Same with the Dark Arts. Knowing the spells doesn't make you evil, it's up to the person who used them." declared Borgin as he passed Harry the receipt who took it and checked the price. Harry raised an eyebrow when he saw that the books were reasonably priced considering their rarity.

"You left the part that the Dark Arts are addicting since most of the spells require negative emotions to power. I'm sure that any Light Wizard would fall to its corruptions if they aren't aware of the truth." said Harry before handing the card to Borgin who did the same thing with Ollivander before handing it back to Harry. "I'm sure, Borgin, that you overcharged me for the books but I'll overlook it for now. Send word by owl to Harold Evans when you have acquired more books under these subjects or other rare tomes that you think might catch my fancy. I'll pay handsomely for them."

With that, he left the shop with an awestruck Borgin following his exit.

Harry exited Borgin's shop with relief. He knew that in order to have a proper business relation with the man, he needed to make sure that he acted like a typical pureblood – pompous, rich, and snarky. Thankfully, his experience with the Dursleys taught him how to act as if it was the real thing.

Hedwig trilled a comforting tune before rubbing her head on Harry's cheek.

"I know girl. That place gave me the creeps." He said with a shudder. The amount of cursed items in the shop was starting to give him a headache. "If it wasn't for the fact that Borgin deals in rare books, I wouldn't step in there even if saves my life."

"Don't worry master, I'll always be here to protect you." said Hedwig in his mind, the loving overtones in her voice spoke volumes of her affections to him.

"I know, Hed. I'm thankful that I found you." said Harry with a smile as he scratched Hedwig's chest. "Shall we go shop for a house-elf? I think that will be our last stop here in Knockturn Alley for a while. We can visit the book shop here later when we have the time. We'll pick up the clothes and buy some books in Flourish and Blotts before heading home. Alright?"

Hedwig trilled in agreement and settled down on Harry's shoulder as the young Potter Lord moved to the next stop of their shopping expedition.

It didn't take long for Harry to acquire a house-elf. Of course, he had to haggle with the owner of the shop who sold these hardworking creatures to make the right impression. Eventually they settled on a price of 2,000 Galleons for a healthy house-elf named Flippy who immediately bonded with Harry without prompting. He told the elf to wait for him in the attic at Privet Drive after sending a mental image to the excited elf before popping away.

It was around two in the afternoon when Harry and Hedwig exited Knockturn Alley much to their relief. Considering that he already had his trunk, he stopped by Madam Malkins to pick up his order. He didn't stay long enough to be showered with innuendos by the portly matron. He immediately left much to the amusement of Malkins who expected him to return during Hogwarts shopping for his robes. Harry didn't see her rub her hands in glee as she vowed to come up with more 'conversational pieces' to make the young lord would be blushing red like a tomato. Harry suddenly shivered as if expecting something awful to happen to him in the future.

He also stopped by at Twilfitt and Tattings to pick up his expensive order. Thankfully, there weren't that many so it only took an hour for the owner to finish his order, enough time for Harry to pick it up without having to wait.

Considering that he already got Hedwig and after a brief conversation with the beautiful phoenix, Harry decided to forgo getting an owl since his familiar can carry letters anywhere instantly by flame travel. Heck, she could even bring people along if need be.

His last stop was to Flourish and Blotts where he spent the rest of the afternoon checking out different books he could add to his collection. He decided to avoid the Hogwarts books for now since there was a possibility of being assigned new books when his letter comes when reaches the right age.

True, this wouldn't have stopped him but he decided that the first two years of Hogwarts books was enough for now. He decided to advance at a normal speed this time though he was free to do independent studies if needed. He did, after all, decided to focus on his abilities first before moving on.

He decided to update his mini-library inside his trunk with the latest on core subjects, like Herbology, Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, Astronomy, and Runes. He was lucky that he found a book on Animagus but was dismayed when the information within only contained the experience of those who already found and merged with their animal forms. It was written pretty badly but he bought it anyway. He also bought books on rudimentary Curse Breaking and Warding since there might be modern techniques there not available in the old books he had down in the vaults. He made a mental note to ask Griphook to schedule a visit to the vaults to check the wonderful tomes stored therein.

As an afterthought, Harry subscribed to the Wizarding paper, the Daily Prophet, to keep himself updated on the latest news. He also subscribed to the Quibbler but the clerk told him that it was a waste of time. Harry decided to ignore the warning since there might be something good to read among its pages.

Finished with his shopping, Harry walked over to the secluded nook before shadow walking home. He shadow walked back to his attic quickly followed by a flaming Hedwig since his familiar adamantly refused to try to enter the "Land of Shadows" as she called it.

He was happy that Flippy already prepared him a meal when he arrived so the only thing he did was take a bath in his large transfigured bathtub behind a partition in one corner of the attic. He wore one of the wizarding robes he bought for home use and found it very comfortable and much to his liking. He vowed to buy more of it, even to the point of daring to enter Madam Malkin's shop just to do so. He shivered in fear at the thought of being subjected to the woman's innuendos.

He ate his meal with Flippy after spending a good part of the hour trying to convince the elf to dine with him. He was successful but the bawling and crying of the elf on how great he was got on his nerves. It didn't help that Hedwig and his staff were laughing at him for being bombarded by adoration from an awestruck house-elf.

Edited by Corruptmonk

May 23, 2012