Chapter 2
Harry was twirling his new wand in between his fingers, lost in thought. It had been two days since he landed at the Dursley's, he had not ventured out to Diagon Alley yet. The Knight Bus was an option but Harry knew he would be recognised and swamped in an instant. And as both in the future, and the present he could not apparate, getting there would be difficult.
There were no Order members stationed outside number 4 yet, so he could just get a muggle bus there. That settled it, Harry sat up straight and smirked. £5 and two hours separated him from freedom.
It was around 2 PM, so he reckoned that it would be close to evening when he arrived there. Enough time to rent a room at the Leaky Cauldron, but not to wander.
After rushing to Gringotts, Harry booked a room until September and munched down his steak and chips in his new room. It wasn't any bigger than his bedroom at the Dursley's, but it did have vastly better accommodations, even an en suite.
Once snuggled up in bed, Harry remembered the letters he had promised to write. He knew that Penny was unemployed at the moment, and wrote to her asking whether she took ancient runes and arithmancy, hoping that she would, he added that he'd be interested in tutoring in the subjects. The second letter to Hermione was a shorter one asking how she was doing, and confirming that he would like her to send last year's notes.
Letters wrote, he drifted off to sleep wondering if he could use magic during summer, since not only was he no longer around muggles, but had the elder wand. Which he doubted contained the trace. Harry knew better than to assume though, as surely Umbridge was working at The Ministry at this point, and knowing his luck he'd likely be expelled for casting a Lumos charm.
Fortunately though, he knew through being around the common room that neither runes or arithmancy required a wand.
The next morning, Tom gave him his wake up call and breakfast. After his toast and jam, the replies arrived with Hedwig. Hermione had clearly sent him the notes and textbook he had asked for, as Hedwig was somehow carrying it all with one leg.
Opening Penny's letter first he was happy to read that she did take both classes, and even got Outstanding in her NEWTs for both of them. She agreed that tutoring would be better than working on his own, and confirmed she'd be down for it. Harry quickly wrote a reply saying he would he in the Cauldron all summer.
Hermione's letter was as short as his own to her, she said her family would be going on holiday to Canada this summer, and wouldn't be able to correspond. Harry knew that her family went on holiday during summer from his future memories, but only remember teasing her about the French nude beach she went to after fifth year.
With the thoughts of nudity still fresh in his mind, Harry walked into the alley with a spring in his step. It all changed when he saw the blonde idiot spot him, tug on his father's cloak like an infant, then point to him. The Malfoy duo stormed over to him with the lack of subtlety he knew to expect with them.
"Fancy seeing you here scar head." Draco taunted, his insults not evolving beyond his first year.
"Go away Malfoy." Harry said sharply, as he began to try and walk off.
"What's wrong Potter, said your werewolf friend got the sac? I bet a galleon he won't find a job in Britain ever again. Dark Creature deserves it if you ask me." Draco continued, while looking to his smirking father for approval.
Harry shoved passed them both and hurried into a school supply shop. Having glanced over the extensive notes Hermione gave him, he realised he needed a rune etching kit. The small store had a selection of everything, even copies of every classes Hogwarts textbook from first to seventh year.
"Hey why isn't this shop more popular? It's perfect for getting everything you need for school." He asked the young man at the till.
"Well Harry Potter, how does it feel to be literally one step into Knockturn Alley?" he asked back.
"Not any different at all."
"Well tell that to all the kid's parents who refuse to step foot in here. We're practically on Diagon Alley anyway, but since Knockturn is so evil we get no customers."
That was silly, Knockturn Alley was a dangerous place to be, granted, but Harry didn't even realise he entered it when he slipped into this shop. He put that to the back of his mind as he scanned the shelves for etching kits.
The first one was for beginners, and was made of some sort of stainless steel. The label said that it was 'Hogwarts Recommended'. The other was made of titanium according to the sticker, it was also around five times more expensive.
"What's the difference between these two?" He asked the glum looking shop assistant.
"To be honest, one is cheap and a bit shit, the other is expensive and will last you for the rest of your life. Most people don't want to spend that much on a less popular subject like Runes. That's why I put those labels on them, saying that Hogwarts recommends them. Don't tell The Ministry though, I made it up."
Harry bought the more expensive kit, as well as all his school books for fourth year. It ended up being less than it would have cost at Flourish and Blotts, even including the rune etching kit.
"Tell your friends about us, seriously." The quirky man called out as Harry left the shop.
After retreating back to his hired room at the pub, Harry began reading the third year runes text book that Hermione let him borrow. With help from her notes, it was very simple. The only alphabet, for lack of better term, that you learn until your NEWT years, is Ancient Nordic, or the Elder Futhark. Furthark being the first six runes combined.
The absolute first thing Harry noticed, was that the scar on his forehead was definitely the rune Sowilo representing The Sun. From his prior knowledge of it originally being a Horcrux, he assumed that Tom intentionally marked it upon him to represent victory.
It was rather cocky of Riddle, which was to be expected he supposed. Nevertheless Harry began combing through the section on Sowilo to see what it could mean to his wellbeing. This time around anyway.
It turned out that as well as meaning victory, it also represented fire in both the mental and physical world. Internally it promoted dedication and persistence. All in all it boded quite well for Harry. Which was a surprise.
After another day of window shopping in Diagon Alley, he received another letter from Penny. She said that her availability was any day and all day. Penny also pointed out that if Harry was staying semi-permanently in the Leaky Cauldron he could've just floo called her. It turned out that she managed to pick up her own place, and the floo address for it was written neatly at the bottom of the parchment.
Harry, having never floo called anyone before, had to ask Tom how it worked. It turned out all you had to do was call the address out loud, and stick your head only into the green flame.
"17 Blackview Gardens." He half shouted, masking his nerves with volume. Once the fireplace bloomed into and emerald flame, and popped his head into it, eyes closed.
After a moment he opened them, and saw into the living room of what looked to be a flat. The room itself was full of cardboard boxes, some of which had the name 'Penelope' scrawled on the side in marker.
"Hello!" Harry shouted into the room, "Floo Call!"
A head popped through the door frame on the left.
"Harry?" Penny asked, her hair soaking wet.
"Is this a bad time?" He replied, hoping he wasn't an interruption.
"No it's okay Harry come on through." She said as she swiftly went inside the presumably bathroom and slammed the door.
Harry then leant forward, allowing the top half of his body to enter the floo. As he did so his body weight shifted off his feet and he rolled headfirst into the room.
After standing, he began to look around at his surroundings in more detail. It was definitely a flat, as a front door was to the right of the fireplace, and he was seemingly on the first floor of a house. On the left were three doors, two of which were closed. The final one led to a kitchen from what Harry could see. Overall the flat seemed rather smallish. Understandably so though, as Penny did just leave school and didn't even have a job yet.
"Sorry about that." Penny said, interrupting his thoughts, as she left what looked like her bedroom. "I was just in the shower."
"That was quick." Harry noticed.
"I guess it was, I mean once you can do basic hygiene spells, showers only take about 5 minutes. Do you not know any? I'm sure a prefect was meant to teach you them in your first year."
"No, I wasn't." He replied, feigning anger.
"Sounds like Percy forgot." Penny laughed while rolling her eyes.
"Are you two still dating, if you don't mind me asking?" Harry said on impulse.
"Why, are you interested?" She answered and winked, then continued when Harry began to blush "Harry I'm kidding, but no. He dumped me on the Hogwarts Express of all places."
"Well forgive me for speaking ill of those not present, but good for you. He's a fucking bell end." Harry said angrily, letting his future knowledge of the kiss arse, brown nosing Percy leak into his mind.
"He said since I got better NEWTs than him that it made him look bad." Penny finished, beginning to look sad.
Harry, remembering more about Percy, continued "Listen, he hates his parents even though they've done nothing wrong. He thinks all his siblings are immature, even the ones much older than him. Last year Ron said his birthday wish was to move out. Percy Weasley, not only doesn't deserve you, he doesn't deserve anyone."
"Thanks Harry." She said, smiling sadly. "I think we should start teaching you now..."
"Okay sure, I've already read though the third year textbook for Ancient Runes, but not for Arithmancy. So I think we should start with runes." Harry said excitedly bringing up his thick tome.
"I agree, a knowledge in Ancient Runes will only make Arithmancy easier anyway, so we may as well start there." Penny turned on the couch and faced Harry seriously. "Tell me everything you know about runes, and what they do."
Harry paused for a moment in thought, then said "They are basically spells that last a long time. At least that's what I've worked out. Every magic object that isn't: conjured, enchanted, or transfigured, is a result of runes."
"That's correct, now tell me why." Penny said, she really got into teacher mode quickly.
"If you're making a building, for example, and you need a room expanded magically, you would use a rune. However if it was only temporary, like a tent at a party, you'd use a charm?" Harry answered, beginning to question himself as he did.
"Not really. Although you could use a rune configuration to expand a room, it would require an immense amount of magic to sustain it forever. The advantage of charming a room expansion is that the magic begins high, then decreases over time. Runes are the opposite, they draw on magic over time getting stronger and stronger. If you wanted to make a building that you cannot portkey to or from, you set a series of runes up around the perimeter of the building, and make a spell that covers the inside of the perimeter. This is called a ward."
"So having a magic building is what makes you need a rune, because a charm would run out of magic?"
"I think we got off topic. Runes are not only used for warding buildings, they're also used for making magical objects that will not 'run out of magic' as you'd say."
"Like the sword of Gryffindor, or the sorting hat?"
"Exactly. When you enchant an item, all you need to know is the spell, and have a wand on you. If you're charming pots and pans to move around for you, runes aren't needed. If you're making an oven that can heat up on it's own, runes are needed. Do you see what I'm getting at?"
"I think so. Does that mean that not only do runes last longer, but it an item needs more magic to function it would need them too?"
"Yes, runes deliver magic much more evenly and efficiently than a charm will. They get stronger with time, unless the rune configuration is broken, and you do not need to give them a lot of charge to operate."
"Wow this is really enlightening, why isn't any of this in the textbook?" Harry asked amazedly, what Penny was saying was astonishing. It completely changed how he viewed magical items in the everyday world.
"Unfortunately you don't really get taught this until you begin your NEWTs. In third through fifth year all you do is memorise different rune languages and what they mean."
"Are you serious? The only language in the third year text book is Elder Futhark and I've only been looking at it a day and I already can remember most of it."
"I'm being deadly serious. Also I'm guessing you went to a muggle primary school?"
"Yeah.. why?" Harry said cautiously.
"Because third and fourth year Arithmancy don't get anymore complicated than long division."
"That's so stupid, I know magic raised kids don't really do school before eleven, but it shouldn't mean we have to do basic maths until we're like sixteen!" Harry said exasperatedly.
"That doesn't mean we will in your tutoring sessions, one of the reasons I agreed is that I knew you'd catch up so fast. Once we get to the cool stuff like making rune artefacts or creating our own spells in Arithmancy, you'll be a lot more interested I'm sure."
"I can't lie I'm definitely looking forward to it." Harry said, then to himself thought that if he made his own spells and weapons he could really bring the fight to Tom for once. Rather than always being on the back foot. "It helps that you're an excellent teacher."
"Are you saying that to sweet talk yourself out of paying?" Penny teased.
"Har Har. No I'm serious, you explained in half an hour what would've probably taken a year of lessons at Hogwarts. As for payment I don't really know how much to give you. I don't know how much people really make in the magic world."
"Thanks Harry, that really means a lot. I've always wanted to be a teacher, even before I learnt what magic was I wanted to teach History." Penny smiled and sideways hugged Harry. "As for payment think of it in pounds, then change to galleons."
"Okay that works, how about £25?" Harry asked.
"Then that'll be 5 galleons please Mr Potter." She said primly, holding her hand out expectedly.
Harry rooted around in his jeans pocket and brought out a handful of the golden coins. Choosing five he handed them over and began to stand.
"You could stay for dinner if you'd like. I'm sure you'd like a break from pub grub." Penny suggested with slight shyness.
Harry himself wondered if Penny was beginning to fancy him. Then remembered that even though he was eighteen about a week ago, he was currently a thirteen year old who was a good amount smaller than her.
"Only if I'm not intruding."
"Don't worry about it, you're my very first house guest after all. What kind of hostess am I if I don't offer you something to eat?"
After this, Penny began to make a pasta dish Harry had never seen before. It was definitely tomato sauce, the colour gave it away, but it tasted very strongly of some sort of rich meat.
"Would you like any help? I need an excuse to have a taste."
"Go away you, its almost done anyway. You can set the table though, all that stuff it probably in the smaller box next to the front door."
It was, and Harry quickly set the table for two. The placemats were cream, and covered in little blue flowers.
"Are these your favourite flower?" Harry asked as Penny brought the bowls to the table.
"Yeah they are, they're –"
"Forget-me-nots right?"
Penny looked a little shocked "I didn't peg you for a gardener Harry."
"I can't say I'm a huge fan of it, I more do it as a chore for my Aunt. She has a garden but hates gardening."
"Seems a bit counterintuitive."
"Her name is Petunia too."
Penny snorted into her mouth at that, then they both began to eat.
"Okay, this is amazing. Will you finally tell me what it is?" Harry said after savouring a few bites.
"Mushrooms and lentils."
"You're quite the chef Miss Clearwater."
"Thank you Mr Potter."
The two of them finished eating in a comfortable silence, enjoying the food. The time passed quickly until it was late evening.
"I think it's time for me to go." Harry said once they finished. "Thanks again for having me, and for the food."
"I should be thanking you, not the other way around. You are paying me after all."
"Still though, you were a great host. Really."
Penny moved in to hug him sideways again in front of her fireplace.
"See you in a few days then Harry?" She asked hopefully.
"I'm looking forward to it." He replied, before heading through the floo.
After Harry began reading his Arithmancy textbook, he started to agree with Penny that it was simple. The gist of it seemed to be that a single spell, for example Lumos, had a corresponding number applied to it. Lumos had a number of 3. This appeared to be the lowest number for any spell he could find, Reparo was 23. Every number seemed to be prime too, or at least he assumed as he didn't want to sit there and work out if some four digit number had any factors.
The meaning of the numbers was up for debate between Arithmancers. Some argued that it was a measure of the amount of magic required to cast the spell, where as others argued it was a measure of the rate of change of magic that occurred when casting a spell. Harry thought the latter made more sense, as from practice he knew that Reparo wasn't really any harder than Lumos to cast. But it do more overall compared to the little light spell.
As to be expected too, the third year textbook didn't go over how to create spells. It was only a sort of guide for each spell and what number it had. He hoped that next year he would start learning the basics of spell craft, but doubted it. His Runes tutelage gave him a good idea that it was going to be a while before anything actually interesting happened. Harry hoped that Penny was going to be as enlightening with Arithmancy as she was with runes, although from what he had heard around the common room, even seventh years don't make their own spells yet.
Frustrated, Harry pushed his textbooks away from him. His summer homework were essays going over everything covered in his third year, which would not be difficult. On his little camping trip Hermione had been keeping up their theoretical knowledge as well as their practical, which ended up going above and beyond what Hogwarts would cover in even NEWT years.
Harry remembered his friends and sighed. Ron and Hermione were his closest friends, here and in his future past. But he knew that the friends he was so used to being around wouldn't end up like that for several years. If Harry succeeded in stopping Tom before that, then they might not even have the same kind of relationships with each other. Sure they are friends now, but Hermione only every spent time with Ron and Harry in classes and doing homework. Ron too, was Harry's friend mainly by convenience. Sharing a room with him for so many years and spending time with his family over summer.
Harry thought about Ginny too, his sort of girlfriend. He knew that currently she was still obsessed with him, and couldn't see past him as the boy who lived hero that saved her from the basilisk. Besides that, she was twelve years old, and Harry was mentally eighteen. There was no way he would be attracted to her, or to really any of his peers at Hogwarts, for years.
Depressingly, the closest thing to a successful date Harry had ever had, was the Ancient Runes tutelage from Penny. Who he was certain wasn't into him. Harry definitely fancied her, both his adult mind and child body were telling him that. It was a shame he couldn't tell anyone about his time travel, it would make forming relationships difficult for a while. Both romantic and platonic. He could imagine chatting up some girl at a bar and his voice breaking, or some kid at school asking him on a date and he would have to hold back the face of disgust.
Thinking about his mid-adolescent self, he was reminded to get new glasses. Probably some nutrient potions too, the kind he knew Sirius would take when he would stay in one place for long enough. His short and skinny body weren't so unnatural for a thirteen year old, but he knew it wouldn't really develop into all that much when he grew up. At eighteen he was likely fully grown and was only 5'7", and was as skinny as he was now. It was no wonder Mrs Weasley was always worried about his health, he likely was malnourished.
Dawn broke, and Harry realised he did not shut the curtains properly last night. Awoken beyond his control, he begrudgingly stepped out of bed. He made a mental to do list for today: glasses, potions, find out more about the difficulties muggleborns faced in comparison to people brought up with magic. His conversation with Penny awhile ago sprang to mind again that morning.
He thought it wise to get more tutors, either that or increase his lessons with Penny. He could politely ask Snape if he knew any muggleborns who did very well on their NEWTS that could tutor him. While Harry knew Snape wasn't completely evil, he was still a dick to him at every opportunity. So his letter would have to be very self deprecating. He could imagine it now:
Dear Professor Snape,
As you're likely aware my knowledge and skill in the art of potions are severely lacking. My potions are at best mediocre and dangerous at worst. To not disparage your teaching, or your master of the art, I would kindly ask if you know any muggleborns that have a satisfactory level of NEWT potions. I am clearly in need of extra help, as you yourself have mentioned to me kindly.
Lots of love,
Hazza xoxo
Okay maybe Harry would write a few drafts before sending a letter off. While he was lost in thought, he realised he'd made his way to Gringotts again. The security on either side of the door where staring at him, as Harry was staring off into the distance while standing in the doorway.
He briskly marched into the bank, and over to a teller.
"Hello there, I would like to speak to someone who can go over my accounts please. The name's Harry Potter." He concisely said, as the teller didn't respond but turned and barked something into the desk.
A minute later a smaller goblin popped around the corner and walked to Harry deliberately slowly.
"Follow me." He said grumpily, and without checking quickly stepped back into the corridor. Harry rushed behind the creature and into the narrow and short hallway. He wondered if a fully grown wizard would even be able to fit in these rooms, then supposed that it was on purpose. Goblins fully grown were no taller than a ten year old, they could if they pleased make the bank to human scale. But there would be no need, and it would annoy the richer wizards especially if they had to duck.
"In there." The unknown goblin said, motioning to a door. On the door was a gilded name plate that read 'Medium Accounts Manager'.
Stepping into the room Harry was glad to find it quite a bit bigger than the corridors, on the wall opposite to the door was a wide low desk. Behind it was a wall sized window that reached up to the ceiling, some 9ft off the floor.
"Potter? I'm Findrock, accounts manager. I was assigned to your family's vaults after your parents died. You're still a boy, yes?" Findrock said all at once, finishing rhetorically.
"The main Potter vault will be inaccessible until you reach majority, your trust vault holds a maximum of 5,000 galleons, refilled once a year. My question to you is, what do you want? You can't get anything out the main vault so why are you wasting my time?" he finished in a snarl.
"I need to know some things. Firstly, what would happen if I withdraw all 5,000 galleons at once out my trust vault? Secondly, what properties do my family hold? I know I should be able to visit them even underage. Especially since I am, or will be, their sole owner." Harry replied, glad to have gleaned something from Sirius's explanation of how he could enter Grimmauld Place.
"Firstly, removing everything from your trust vault will result in a fee charged to you. Said fee will eclipse 5,000 galleons. So I suggest you do not empty the vault." Findrock said without emotion, while Harry sighed. There went his plan to get a place to live. "Secondly, as you are likely aware, the Potter's own two houses. Potter Manor, and a cottage in Godric's Hollow. Both of which were destroyed beyond repair. Further properties include a modest farm to the east of London, and the small house in Surrey. I believe it is being rented out to your aunt."
"I own 4 Privet Drive?" Harry blurted out incredulously.
"Yes, well Lily Potter did really. Bought it as an engagement gift for your aunt and uncle. They have been renting it since, first off her, then off Gringotts on behalf of you. Keeping to your mother's wishes we charge them slightly under the market average for a house that size." Findrock said, still almost monotonous.
"Can I evict them? Wait no, can I set up a company, sell myself the house, then evict them?" Harry asked. This would immediately solve his housing problems. The extra step would make it so neither his relatives nor Dumbledore would be able to trace it back to him.
"That's very shrewd of you Mr Potter. That can be arranged, the standard fee for setting up a business account is 1 Galleon, with a charge of 1% of all yearly revenue. I could handle the operations of moving the ownership to a new company if you would like, for a fee of course." Findrock grinned. His tone now practically joyous.
"I can handle that part myself. Could the business account be under the name Hallowed Investments please?" A little sentimental, but it would be a nice touch he felt.
"Fine." The Goblin grunted, clearly put out by the prospect of losing out. "The contracts will be owled to you tomorrow morning. If you have no more business, then I suggest you take your leave."
Wow. Goblins must really hate it when they can't make money. Harry was slightly bluffing when said that he would manage the documents of moving ownership. While nobody his age (eighteen or thirteen) should have any idea of property law, he did know that any solicitor worth their salt would still cost a fraction of what dealing with Findrock would.
Evicting the Dursleys. Now that was a thought. Harry would have said it was only in his dreams that he could be doing that, but not even his dreams were so ambitious. This was the first real shift from his timeline and the new one. He hoped it wouldn't change much, while the Triwizard Tournament would not be affected, it would mean the Dementors would not partially soul suck his cousin. Even if that wasn't such a bad thing. Dudley Dursley operating at 75% turned out to be quite nice to Harry before they broke off contact.
It would serve as a much more appropriate venue for his tutelage. Penny's small living room would not be suitable once they actually started crafting rune artefact etching, Harry was sure she didn't want it blown up.
Back at his room, Harry sent an anonymous owl to a solicitor regarding his property woes. Then laid down and recalled the day. Mid camping trip, Hermione had suggested they start meditation to relax. Unfortunately as she only really knew the definition of it, the trio just closed their eyes and guessed.
Harry felt his version was closed to successful meditating. Laid down, eyes closed, and visualised the day. Ron swore by his version, which sounded a lot like daydreaming. Hermione was surprisingly far off, for once. She confessed that her mind was always racing too much to ever get into a state that would be relaxing, and just closed her eyes and did nothing.
After his very short lie down, Harry had an idea. Or a thought. Or something in his head that didn't really feel good.
"I don't fancy Penny. She's just the first girl I've spent any amount of time with in the past year that isn't Hermione."
God he felt like such a loser.
AN: Thanks for reading. Favourite and review if you enjoyed, or didn't. x