The first year_Part I
Finally, Harry was on the way to Hogwarts. As the train rounded the corner, the platform disappeared from sight. When Harry sat back down, the compartment door slid open and a girl with long light brown hair in a ponytail came in.
"Hello, may I sit here?" she asked
"Of course," Harry said, gesturing to the empty seat across from him.
"Thank you."
The girl sat down and held out her hand with a smile.
"Ellie Klein. Nice to meet you. I am a first year."
"Harry Potter. Glad to meet you, too. I am also a first year."
Both shook hands, and Ellie didn't show any reaction to Harry's name like the red-headed family on the platform. So Harry thought she might be a Muggle-born or from another country because of her accent. Before he could ask her, the compartment door opened again, and the youngest red-headed boy came in.
"Can I share? Everywhere is full."
"Sure," Harry said, pointing to the seat next to him. The red-headed boy sat down next to Harry and saw him with a nervous expression.
"I'm Ellie Klein. Nice to meet you," Ellie introduced first.
"I'm Ron, Ron Weasley. Nice to meet you, too," Ron said awkwardly to Ellie.
"I'm Harry Potter. Nice…" Harry couldn't finish his sentence.
"Are you really Harry Potter?" Ron's eyes became as big as saucers.
Harry nodded with a sheepish smile and Ellie looked at both boys with curiosity.
"Is Harry famous in the UK?" Ellie couldn't help but ask.
"Famous? Are you mental? How don't you know Harry Potter?" Ron's face and voice couldn't hide his bewilderment. "You don't know the Boy Who Lived at all?"
"No, I've never heard that name. And what is the Boy Who Lived?" Ellie wanted to know what Ron was talking about.
"No way!" Ron's jaw dropped. Harry was quite embarrassed.
"I was born and lived in the US, though my daddy is a British No-Maj. I returned to the UK two years ago and went to a mundane primary school. So I don't know British magical society well. Do I have to know you and the boy whoever?"
"Uh…." Harry couldn't say he was famous for what he had no memory of.
"By the way, what is No-Maj?" He decided to ask an easy question.
"Oh, Americans call non-magical people No-Majs while the British call them Muggles," Ellie answered lightly.
"Can't believe it! Haven't you read the Daily Prophet? He…" Ron was still in shock.
"No, my mom doesn't subscribe to that, and she rarely contacts British magical society," Ellie's tone was calm.
"Then, your mum is a witch?" Harry interrupted to avoid an awkward situation.
"Yes, my mom is an American. But my mom's father and grandparents escaped from Germany to hide from Grindelwald gangs."
"Grindelwald?" Harry had no idea who he was but felt that he should be as bad as Voldemort.
"Yes, he was a really really bad wizard in Europe in the '30s and early '40s. Many good people had died because of his gang, including my great-uncle," Ellie replied with passion.
"Sounds like Voldemort," Harry said casually, and Ellie nodded.
"What? You are saying his name?" Ron shouted with horror. Ellie had no idea of Ron's reaction, unlike Harry.
"What's wrong with that name? Vol de mort means 'fleeing from death' in French. So it means he is just a coward who is most afraid of his own death,' Ellie said curiously.
Harry was taken aback by Ellie's casual explanation, especially since he remembered how Hagrid had been afraid to even say Voldemort's name. Ron was equally surprised that a half-American witch would refer to You-Know-Who as a coward. Then something suddenly dawned on him.
"Wait! You said you don't know about Harry Potter or the Boy Who Lived, but you know You-Know-Who? How could you!?" Ron couldn't help shouting at Ellie.
"Because most American magical society knows about Voldemort, but they don't believe that a baby defeated him. Only a few books mentioned that a baby survived his Killing Curse and Voldemort disappeared since Halloween 1981." Ellie answered nonchalantly, but it was not enough to satisfy Ron.
"Most Americans don't believe in the Boy-Who-Lived? That's nonsense!" Ron exclaimed.
Unlike Ron, Harry started to consider that they might be right. How could a baby possess such power to defeat a formidable villain like Voldemort?
"Of course, my mom and I, like most American magical folks, think that Harry's parents put a very powerful protective charm on him. That's why the Killing Curse was reflected back to the caster. There is ancient magic that can protect people from fatal curses." Ellie stated matter-of-factly.
Ellie's words hit Harry hard. While Hagrid and the people at the Leaky Cauldron thought that Harry had defeated Voldemort, he agreed that it was his parents who had protected him.
"I think Ellie is right," Harry agreed, leaving Ron dumbfounded
"B, But…." Ron stuttered.
"I have no memory of that Hallowe'en night. And it is more plausible that my Mum and Dad put me under a protective charm. Hagrid said they were very talented witches and wizards," Harry saw, nodding at Ellie.
Ron still couldn't bring himself to agree with Ellie. It seemed like Hell would have to freeze over before he did. Wanting to change the subject, Harry asked Ellie about her life in America. While Harry and Ellie chatted away, Ron tried to recover from the shock. Finally, the red-headed boy joined in the conversation when Harry asked him about the British magical society.
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The rest of the journey was enjoyable. Harry purchased some snacks from the old witch's food cart. And they shared everything, including Ellie and Ron's sandwiches. Afterward, they played exploding card games and board games that Ellie had brought with her.
In the afternoon, Neville Longbottom and Hermione Granger opened the compartment door and asked if they had seen Neville's toad. Ellie advised them to ask the Prefects for summoning the toad, and Neville and Hermione left contentedly.
After a while, the compartment door slid open again, and Draco Malfoy entered with two of his friends. Malfoy offered Harry friendship, but Harry refused after Malfoy insulted Ron's family. Malfoy then attempted to intimidate Harry and Ron. However, Ron's pet rat bit one of Malfoy's friends, and the three boys departed from the compartment. Ellie was quite annoyed by the unexpected visitors and cast a locking charm on the compartment door to prevent any further disturbances. Peace was restored.
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After the train journey ended, Hagrid led the first years to ride boats to reach Hogwarts. During the sorting ceremony, Ellie was sorted into Gryffindor, along with Neville and Hermione, while Malfoy was sorted into Slytherin. When it was Harry's turn, the sorting hat recommended Slytherin. But Harry begged to be sorted into Gryffindor like Ellie, rather than being in the same house as Malfoy. The hat ultimately sorted Harry into Gryffindor.
All Gryffindor students, except Ellie, were excited to have Harry in their house, and Ron joined the Gryffindor table. Harry was happy to be sorted with his friends in the same house and enjoyed the great food, despite Dumbledore's mention of a terrible death.
As Harry lay down on his four-poster bed in Gryffindor Tower, he felt excited about his new life.
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Harry's expectation of learning magic was soon shattered. While some classes like Transfiguration and Charms were good, others were terrible. In primary school, Harry loved reading history books in the library while hiding from Dudley and his gang. However, Prof. Binns, the only ghost teacher at Hogwarts, put all the students except Hermione to sleep with his monotonous lecture during their first history class. So Harry had to read other history books borrowed from the library, as Ellie did, and didn't pay attention to Binns' lectures to study magical history in class. The subject he most anticipated was Defense Against the Dark Arts. However, Prof. Quirrell stuttered so much that it was hard to understand what he was saying in class.
The worst class was Potions because Snape didn't give any lecture but insulted Harry and took points from Gryffindor without proper reasons. Harry and the other first-years complained about Snape during mealtime. But older students told them that Prof. Dumbledore had not taken any action.
The one who practically helped Harry was Ellie. She advised Harry and other Gryffindor dorm mates to buy other books by owl order. Those books explained how to prepare potion ingredients and brew potions properly for beginners. Thanks to those books, Harry and Neville could brew potions well. However, they couldn't escape Snape's malicious criticism.
Although Ron was born and raised in a magical family, his knowledge and performance were not much better than Harry's. On the other hand, Hermione, the Muggle-born witch who had no prior knowledge of magic before Prof. McGonagall's visit, was outstanding. She was almost the first student to perform new spells successfully in class. Her homework usually earned full marks. Her only weakness was flying broomsticks.
As for Ellie, she was quite unusual. Her spellwork was quite good. She often succeeded in casting new spells faster than Hermione. However, she did her homework very quickly with minimal effort. Her grades were good but not full marks. Harry thought that she studied hard in non-magical subjects, which was uncommon among Gryffindor students. As far as Harry knew, she might be the only Gryffindor to have extra lessons to learn non-magical subjects every Saturday morning from her mother. Ron asked Ellie why she learned non-magical subjects since she was a half-blood witch. The pure-blood wizard boy couldn't understand why someone like her needed them. Ellie's answer was simple. She wanted to go to a No-Maj university like her mom. She had graduated from one in the US and become a columnist for No-Maj newspapers. Ellie also said that learning non-magical subjects was a condition to entering Hogwarts. She was supposed to go to Salem Academy in the US where her mom had graduated.
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Harry couldn't believe his luck. He had become the youngest seeker in a century! When Prof. McGonagall ordered him to follow her after catching Neville's Remembrall at the first flying lesson, he couldn't have felt more miserable. However, it turned out that he had been chosen to join the Gryffindor Quidditch team as their seeker, rather than being expelled from Hogwarts.
Ron and Ellie congratulated Harry, but Malfoy confronted him during dinner. After Ron accepted Malfoy's challenge to a wizard duel, Hermione tried to stop Ron and Harry but failed. When they returned to the Common Room, Ellie persuaded them that it was a trap set by Malfoy.
"It's obvious, isn't it? Malfoy won't appear but slip Filch that somebody will appear at the Trophy Room at midnight. Then both of you will be caught and lose lots of House points, and he will sneer at you as soon as he sees your long faces in the Great Hall the next morning," she said calmly.
"You might be right. But what if Malfoy really does come at midnight and mocks us for being cowards the next morning?" Ron asked worriedly. Harry agreed with Ellie that it was a trap, but he also shared Ron's concerns.
"Why do you even care? Just snap at him that he is a fool for trying to lure you with such a shallow trick," Ellie replied, her eyes sparkling dangerously.
"Right….." Harry knew the game was up.
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Neville didn't return to the Common Room until the three of them had finished their homework near curfew time. Ellie checked the time on her wristwatch and looked worried.
"Neville is late. He should have come back before curfew"
"Hm… I don't think he will be staying in Hospital's Wing tonight. Broken arms are easy to fix, anyway." Ron muttered.
"Then why hasn't Neville returned yet?" Harry started to worry. What if he had been caught by Filch on his way back to Gryffindor Tower?
Suddenly, Hermione, who just finished her homework, stood up and rushed to the portrait hole. Harry, Ron, and Ellie followed her a few minutes later. They could see Neville standing in front of the Fat Lady portrait with tears in his eyes.
"Thank Merlin, you came out to find me! I forgot the password and begged the Fat Lady to let me in," he said, relieved.
"Good thing you weren't too far from the portrait," Hermione said, also relieved.
Everyone returned to the Common Room, however, Ron seemed like to be thinking about the Trophy Room.
"Harry, do you really think Malfoy won't show up?" Ron grabbed Harry's arm and whispered.
"Yes, I don't think Malfoy has the guts to show up. He's just a coward," Harry whispered back.
"If you think so….." Ron reluctantly agreed and sat next to Ellie, who asked about Neville's condition. Neville was just happy to have his Remembrall back.
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The next morning, Ron and Harry couldn't help but smile triumphantly when they saw Malfoy's astonished face. Ellie also burst out laughing after looking at Malfoy. Hermione was in a good mood since there was nothing wrong with Harry and Ron the night. However, Malfoy was furious that Potter and Weasley had not been fooled.
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On Hallowe'en, Prof. Flitwick taught the levitation spell in Charms. Harry and Seamus made a good pair just like Ellie and Dean. However, Ron and Hermione were angry about having to work together. When Hermione corrected Ron's pronunciation, Seamus accidentally set fire to the feather, and Ellie made her feather rise and hover around her. Prof. Flitwick clapped and praised Ellie's success. A few seconds later, Hermione also levitated her feather.
After class, Ron complained to Harry and Ellie about Hermione. "She's a nightmare. Hone…Urgh!"
But before Ron could continue, Ellie unexpectedly smacked the back of his head. "Oh Ron, there's a fly was on your head."
Then, Ellie dragged Hermione to the next class. Harry and Ron could hear Ellie saying to Hermione, "You don't need to care about the words of Dodo. They are too stupid to understand the advice."
Ron was really annoyed that Ellie was on Hermione's side and hit his head and mocked him. However, he couldn't argue with Ellie when she glared fiercely at him in the next class. Harry thought Ron always treated Hermione harshly. So he didn't help Ron this time.
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At the Hollowe'en feast, Ron forgot his annoyance with Ellie as soon as he saw the table full of food. Harry, Ellie, and Hermione also enjoyed the Hollowe'en decorations and food. However, the good atmosphere suddenly turned chaotic after Prof. Quirrell's screamed, "Troll's in the dungeons!"
Every student screamed, but then they followed Dumbledore's order to move to their common rooms anxiously.
"How could a troll enter the school?"
"Don't know. I heard they are really stupid."
"Maybe it was Peeves's Hollowe'en joke."
"If that's true, I hope the professors quarantine him. He annoys me too much."
After every student returned to the Gryffindor Common Room, the feast resumed with more food. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ellie sat at the same table and shared Hollowe'en stories from the US and UK, both muggle and magical. After a long and pleasant conversation, they all became friends.
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The next morning, students heard that the troll was found in the girls' toilets on the 1st floor by professors at breakfast. Harry, Ron, Ellie, and Hermione saw Snape limping on his way to the High Table.
"Look, Snape is limping," Harry said to his friends.
"Yeah, I can see that," Ron said as he ate his toast.
"Maybe he got injured while tackling the troll," Hermione said with concern.
"It's pity he didn't lose his head. We could've gotten a proper Potions teacher." Ellie said matter-of-factly.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione's jaws dropped with astonishment. However, Ellie casually ate her bacon. Sometimes, this half-American witch said radical or scary things
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Finally, the day of the first Quidditch match arrived. Harry hardly ate breakfast. But he felt free in the sky, and Gryffindor's friends' banner looked so supportive. Ellie put off her extra class to Sunday morning and joined Ron, Hermione, Neville, Seamus, and Dean to support Harry. Later, Hagrid joined them.
While Harry chased the golden snitch, his Nimbus 2000 suddenly tried to buck him off. Hagrid and Gryffindor's dormmates were in shock to see that scene. Hermione checked spectators with Hagrid's binoculars and then ran to Snape. She ran too fast and accidentally knocked Prof. Quirrell down but didn't notice it.
Meanwhile, Ellie also checked the crowds with binoculars and then ran to Prof. McGonagall. Before she asked her head of the house, Hermione reached Snape, and her bright blue flames burned his robe. Snape yelled and stood up to put out the fire. He didn't know who did it.
At that moment, the Nimbus 2000 stopped moving, and Harry rode his broomstick again. The crowds gasped in relief. Before their focus was back on the match, Harry suddenly dived and hit the pitch. Then he coughed, and the Golden Snitch dropped to his hands. Gryffindor had won the match!
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After the match, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ellie had a cup of tea in Hagrid's hut. Ron and Hermione insisted that Snape cursed Harry's Nimbus 2000, but Hagrid didn't agree with them.
"But I saw him! Snape stared at Harry without blinking and chanted continuously!" Hermione burst out.
"Quirrell did the same thing before you bumped into him. I saw him, too." Ellie said calmly.
"What? Then two tried to kill Harry?" Ron was astonished.
"I don't think so. One might try to kill, and the other to save. That's my guess," Hermione quickly recovered from the shock and said.
"I agree. But we don't know which one tried to kill Harry yet," Ellie's tone was laced with concern.
"It must be Snape! He hates Harry and every Gryffindor knows it!" Ron declared triumphantly.
"Rubbish! They are Hogwarts teachers. They don't have a reason to harm Harry," Hagrid protested against four pre-teens.
"The fact is that Harry was in big danger during the Quidditch match, and it was not supposed to happen. I highly suspect that it had not happened before Harry's first match. If the same accident happened before, Hogwarts would have failed to prevent it. It's very disappointing. Hogwarts must protect its students, whatever happens," Ellie pointed out coldly.
"I … don't think … this kind of accident had happened … before…" Hagrid was embarrassed at Ellie's accusation of Hogwarts.
"Then, someone tried to attack Harry during the match. Hogwarts must investigate this case and find out the culprit to protect Harry," Ellie said sharply.
'Yes! Hogwarts must do it immediately!" Hermione agreed and so did Ron. "Same here."
"Prof. Dumbledore will make it clear. He's a great man, yeah…." Hagrid mumbled, but Ellie raised one eyebrow suspiciously.
"Anyway, I don't want my Nimbus trying to buck me off next time," Harry sighed.
"Of course not!" Ron, Hermione, and Ellie chorused.
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The first term at Hogwarts had ended. Now Harry was on the Hogwarts Express with Hermione, Ellie, and Neville, on their way to enjoy the Christmas holidays. Ron had stayed back at Hogwarts with his brothers, as his parents had gone to Romania to visit Charlie. Although Harry was supposed to stay at Hogwarts like Ron, Ellie invited him to her house. Initially, Harry refused her invitation, as nobody had ever invited him before. However, Ellie had insisted that he should tell her parents the truth about Hogwarts, as they wanted to know whether their daughter had exaggerated the life and study at Hogwarts. Malfoy had often taunted Harry for the lack of contact from his family. So he was surprised to see Harry at Hogsmead station that morning, and Harry had looked at him with a sneer. Thanks to Ellie's locking charm on the compartment door, the journey to London was delightful, without any unpleasant visits.
After the Hogwarts Express arrived at King's Cross station, students went through the barrier between Platforms 9 and 10 in twos or threes. Ellie dragged Harry to her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Klein. They greeted Harry warmly and kindly. After Mr. and Mrs. Klein greeted Hermione's parents pleasantly, Harry and Ellie said goodbye to Hermione and Neville and moved to the parking lot.
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Ellie's house in Birmingham looked similar to Private Drive. The garden was clean, and the inside of the house was filled with electronic appliances, such as a TV, refrigerator, cleaner, and so on, like a Muggle house. Mrs. Klein noticed Harry's curious looks and explained that they lived like a No-Maj family. The only magical place in the house was the basement, where Mrs. Klein brewed potions. Ellie led Harry to the guest room and told him to unpack his trunk and rest. Harry couldn't believe he was at a friend's house for the Christmas holidays.
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Living at Ellie's home was really different from Private Drive. Ellie and her parents treated Harry kindly, and they enjoyed activities such as watching TV, making cookies, and decorating the houses together. Ellie and Harry also did many things together, such as playing various computer games and listening to various pop and rock music. Mrs. Klein's food was delicious and less greasy than Hogwarts.
What Harry was most surprised about was that Mrs. Klein and Ellie used magic without a wand. They happily said that wandless magic was more practical to use in the mundane society without worrying about detection from No-Majes. Ellie commented that banning magic outside of Hogwarts was useless for magical families because the Ministry of Magic could not identify who cast the spell if the student lived with another wizard or witch.
"But Mrs. Klein, I heard that it is very difficult to perform wandless magic. How did you learn it?" Harry couldn't help asking.
"Oh, dear. All magical kids do accidental magic without a wand. Wands are just the way to channel your magic to actually do magic, so witches and wizards grew accustomed to wands. Of course, I must admit that wands make it easier to do magic. But what is most important is focusing and harmonizing your magic."
Mrs. Klein answered kindly and suggested that she could teach Harry wandless magic. Harry was dumbfounded by her suggestion and couldn't answer.
"You must accept it. I will help you. And don't worry about the Ministry. They think all the magic in this house is done by Mom, not you or me." Ellie seems excited, and Harry nodded in his bewilderment.
Mrs. Klein indeed taught Harry wandless magic from theory to actual practice every afternoon, and Ellie helped Harry to understand the theory and do magic without a wand. Harry couldn't believe his luck and anticipated using wandless magic on Malfoy after Christmas Holidays.
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During tea time, Mr. and Mrs. Klein asked Harry questions about Hogwarts, and he tried to answer in as much detail as possible. Ellie often added her own comments to Harry's responses.
Mrs. Klein occasionally remarked that Hogwarts was very different from Salem and that Ellie had been right about some things. Ellie had complained about many aspects of Hogwarts, from unprofessional teachers to the old-fashioned lifestyle that required extra lessons on Saturdays.
Mr. Klein was interested in Quidditch and Hogwarts Castle. But he was disappointed that there were not as many clubs and sports teams as in Muggle schools. He was also concerned about Prof. Snape's mental state as a psychology professor, given his hostile attitude towards Harry, lack of teaching, and extreme favoritism towards his own house. Harry and Ellie wondered if there were regulations to check the mental health of Hogwarts' teachers and discussed the possibility of getting Snape sacked due to his unstable mind.
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The day before Christmas Eve, Harry and the Kleins went to Diagon Alley for Christmas shopping. Harry visited Gringotts and met with his family account manager, Sharpclaw. Mrs. Klein had insisted that Harry meet his family account manager to learn more about his family's fortune and history. When had been upset when she realised that Harry had not been informed about his family and muttered some harsh words in German. Mr. Klein calmed her down and explained to Harry that it was not his fault that he didn't know about his family's history, but rather the fault of his magical guardian. They helped Harry prepare a list of questions to ask the account manager about his family and his magical guardian.
When Harry entered Sharpclaw's office, he was too nervous to sit down and just stared at the Goblin. Sharpclaw suggested he take a sear and began the conversation.
"Mr. Potter, I had hoped to see you last summer, but it's good that we can finally meet now," said Mr. Sharpclaw.
"I apologize, Mr. Sharpclaw. I wasn't aware of the need to meet with the family account manager," replied Harry politely, though Mr. Sharpclaw appeared surprised.
"What? Haven't you received the statements I sent you twice since last September?" asked Mr. Sharpclaw.
"I'm sorry, no. I haven't received any mail from Gringotts," Harry replied, feeling confused.
"Gringotts will need to investigate this matter. How could you agree to meet me without knowledge of my presence?" said Mr. Sharpclaw, his tone still sharp.
"Mrs. Klein, the mother of my friends, suggested that I meet with you because I am the only member of the Potter family and need to learn about our family business," explained Harry, feeling grateful to Mrs. Klein.
"Very well, then let's get started right away. Time is of the essence!" declared Mr. Sharpclaw, taking out a piece of parchment and a knife from his drawer. Harry's eyes widened in surprise.
"Before we proceed, Mr. Potter, you must prove yourself. Please prick your fingertip with this knife and let a drop of blood fall onto the parchment," instructed Mr. Sharpclaw. Harry followed the instructions, and words began to appear on the parchment: "Harry James Potter, son of James Fleamont Potter and Lily Elizabeth Potter (née Evans)." Harry breathed a sigh of relief.
Mr. Sharpclaw smiled and handed Harry some prepared statements. As he scanned them, Harry was too stunned to speak. The Potter family fortune was beyond his wildest dreams. The Potters owned several properties throughout the UK and Europe, as well as numerous investments in both magical and muggle businesses, in addition to hundreds of millions of Galleons. Harry couldn't believe his enormous wealth.
"I had no idea I owned so many houses in the UK. Are they all vacant?" Harry asked, already planning to move into one of them.
"The flat in London and the house in Hogsmeade have been rented out. Potter Manor has been vacant since your grandparents' deaths. The Potter Cottage in Godric's Hollow became a government monument after your parents' death, so you won't be able to use it. However, you can move into Potter Manor now. And just so you know, you won't be able to access the money in the Potter Family Vault until you come of age."
Harry was disappointed by Sharpclaw's answer but decided to ask again. "Potter Cottage? Is that where my family lived?"
"Yes, the damage was too severe to fix so the Ministry of Magic made it a monument to remember You-Know-Who's downfall."
This answer reminded Harry of the question list he had made with Mrs. Klein the night before. So he took out the parchment from his pocket and showed it to Sharpclaw.
"I summarised the questions here. If possible, please check them and give me the answers, Mr. Sharpclaw," Harry asked cautiously. Sharpclaw read the questions carefully and released a sigh.
"Mr. Potter, I had no idea that you were completely ignorant about your family. The Potter family is one of our most valuable customers, and you are the last remaining Potter. So I will answer your questions as much as possible for further business."
Harry's face lit up with hope.
"First, the Ministry of Magic recognizes Albus Dumbledore as your medical guardian. He declared himself as your magical guardian the day after your parents' death. However, Gringotts admits that Sirius Black, your godfather, is your magical guardian."
"What? I have a godfather? Where is he and why hasn't he raised me?" Harry almost screamed due to the unexpected news.
"Sirius Black has been in Azkaban, the magical prison, on the charge of betraying your parents and killing one wizard named Peter Pettigrew and 12 Muggles since 2nd of November, 1981. But he didn't have an official trial. That's why he remains your magical guardian in Gringotts. Second, your parents left their will, but it was sealed by the Chief Warlock of Wizengamot, Dumbledore. Only I can let you read the will kept in Gringotts as the Potter family's account manager. So you will get the most answers from the will."
Harry was very confused but decided to confirm his parents' will first, so asked Sharpclaw to listen to the will. Sharpclaw left his office for a second and returned with a silver basin, which he filled with a vile liquid. He then touched the basin with his long finger and two people rose from it and began speaking.
"I am James Fleamont Potter and this is my wife, Lily Elizabeth Potter. This is our last will and testament. We both declare that we are sound of mind and this will was made by our own accord and with no external influence.
First of all, we must announce that the secret keeper of the Potter Cottage is Peter Pettigrew. If we do not survive after the war with Voldemort, then Peter is the one responsible. We led everyone to believe it was Sirius Black to give us an additional layer of security.
To our son Harry, we will leave everything we have: Potter Cottage in Godric's Hallows, Potter Manor in Devon, a flat in London and a house in Hogsmeade, cottages in France, Italy, and Cyprus, the entire content of the Potter family vault, and the investments attached to it. We love you Harry, our son. We are sorry that we can't be there for you to see you grow."
"Harry, when you see this, James and I didn't survive. I love you, my baby, and it hurt me that I can't see you grow. But I believe you will be cared and loved by your guardian and wonderful friends."
"Sirius, I know you love Harry as your own, not a godson. So we name you Sirius Orion Black to be our child's guardian. Please take care of our son, love him, and let him know everything he needs.
Remus, please supervise Sirius to prevent him from spoiling Harry rotten, and teach him manners and the ways of the Muggle world."
"Frank and Alice, please check our child regularly to keep the Marauders spoiling him, and help Neville and Harry become friends."
"We love you, Harry, now and forever."
The last sentence was spoken in unison by James and Lily. With that, the figures sank back into the basin. Harry was left speechless and motionless, shedding tears silently. Sharpclaw removed the silver basin from the desk and gave Harry enough time to digest the will. Finally, Harry wiped his tears and could ask the question that had been bothering him the most.
"Mr. Sharpclaw, where are Remus, Frank, and Alice? Why haven't they contacted me?"
"Frank and Alice Longbottom were cursed into insanity a week after your parents' death. They have been in St. Mungo's Hospital since then. And I have no idea where is Remus Lupin is now. He disappeared from the magical community in Britain a long time ago," Sharpclaw answered in a softened tone.
"Longbottom? Then Neville Longbottom is their son?" Harry couldn't hide his surprise.
"Yes, he is. He's been living with his grandmother since the attack," Sharpclaw replied.
Realizing that he had urgent matters to attend to, Harry moved to the next important topic.
"I want to make sure Sirius Black gets an official trial. You said he never had one. Can you deal with that? Or can you recommend a good barrister?"
"Mr. Steven Maison was the barrister for the Potter family during your parents' time. As far as I know, he wanted to contact you, but Dumbledore refused his offer of legal services. If you want, I can contact him and arrange a meeting with you in Gringotts."
"Yes, please do that. I want to meet him before the end of the Christmas holidays," Harry replied.
"Certainly. I will let you know the date as soon as it is set."
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After making an additional withdrawal and transferring some Galleons to Pounds, Harry realised that more than an hour had passed. He hurried to Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour where he was supposed to meet the Klein family after finishing his Gringotts business. Although Mrs. Klein had promised to wait for him while Ellie and Mr. Klein went shopping, Harry worried that she might have left. Finally, he arrived at the ice cream parlour and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Mrs. Klein, Ellie, and Mr. Klein waving at him.
"Come on, dear. Did you have a good meeting with your family account manager?" Mrs. Klein asked softly.
"Yes, I learned a lot about my family. Thank you for your advice, Mrs. Klein," Harry replied, smiling.
"Good. Let's continue our shopping then. Harry, I just came back from Flourish and Blotts. But I can go there again with you," Ellie said, beaming with joy.
"Harry, is it okay that you don't eat ice cream?" Mr. Klein asked, looking worried.
"Of course, it's okay, Mr. Klein. I don't think I'll have enough time to buy all presents today," Harry reassured him, standing up to show that he was ready to leave.
"Then let's go. We should hurry up to buy presents in the No-Maj markets, too," Mrs. Klein said, standing and paying for the ice cream.
Harry decided to focus on shopping now and discuss everything with the Kleins later that night.
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The Kleins and Harry returned to the house after shopping at Diagon Alley and Muggle London shopping spots in the evening. It was Harry's first Christmas shopping, and he was really delighted to buy presents for his friends, his first time doing so. Moreover, he bought several clothes following the advice of Mrs. Klein and Ellie. They disliked Dudley's old rags and told him that as the heir of the prestigious Potter family, he should wear proper clothes. Actually, Mrs. Klein had asked Harry on the first day whether she could burn his "horrible" clothes to ashes.
After dinner, they moved to the sitting room, and Harry told Ellie's family what he'd learned about his family at Gringotts. Mr. Klein and Ellie seemed really angry and shocked at Harry's abnormal situation, but Mrs. Klein's face turned like that of a scary predator and she muttered something quickly. Mr. Klein noticed her foul mood and put his hand on her shoulder to calm her down. Mrs. Klein took a deep breath, then told Harry her suspicion of a Mail Redirection Ward on him and asked to diagnose him. As soon as Harry agreed, she waved her hand over him without incantation. Suddenly, Harry felt something, but he couldn't describe what it was.
"I was right! I think Dumbledore put that ward to prevent you from getting hazardous mail from Voldemort's followers. Maybe he forgot to remove the ward when you entered Hogwarts. I heard he's really old, over 100 years," Mrs. Klein said triumphantly, and Ellie nodded.
"Does that mean I couldn't have received any mail from anyone who knew my parents and Gringotts because of that ward? And can you remove it?" Harry asked delightedly.
"Dear, I just lifted it, so you can receive all mail including Gringotts' statements now. But you should be careful because evil ones can send you cursed letters to harm you."
"Don't worry Mom. I'll teach Harry how to check mails wandlessly before opening." Ellie gave a smile to Harry, and he expressed his gratitude to Mrs. Klein and Ellie.
They discussed his parents' will, his magical guardian, his house, and Sirius Black. Mr. and Mrs. Klein advised Harry to contact Lupin to get information about his parents, not to mention the plan of meeting with a barrister yet. Harry agreed to follow their advice. Ellie offered to visit Godric's Hollows to find Potter Cottage and the graves of his parents with her family. But Harry declined, feeling that they had already done too much for him. Mr. Klein suggested he ask Lupin to visit there together when they meet after Christmas, and Mrs. Klein agreed to invite Lupin. Harry thanked them again.
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Harry had a happy and delightful Christmas at Ellie's house, where he received his first-ever Christmas presents. Ellie gave him Instruction Books for Muggle-borns and a quill writing workbook. Mr. and Mrs. Klein gave him winter boots and hats with heating charms. Hermione gave him a box of Chocolate Frog, Hagrid gave him a roughly cut wooden flute, and unexpectedly, Ron's mum sent him homemade fudges and a home-knitted jumper. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon sent him a note with a 50-Pence coin. But what made Harry most happy and emotional was receiving his parents' photos from Lupin, who received Harry's letter on Christmas Eve. Harry looked at the photo hungrily for a while. Ellie and Mrs. Klein embraced him and urged him to unpack the last present, which turned out to be an Invisibility Cloak that belonged to his father. The note had no signature, so Mrs. Klein waved her hand in a few different movements and found out it was from Dumbledore.
During Christmas lunch, Harry enjoyed a variety of delicious British and German foods and desserts and later played with wizard crackers that gave him a new wizard chess set and packs of balloons. After lunch, he went to the cinema with the Kleins to see "Beauty and the Beast" while munching on popcorn. Overall, It was a perfect Christmas day for Harry, and he felt grateful to Ellie and her parents.
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On New Year's Eve, Harry went to the Gringotts to meet Steve Maison and Sharpclaw. Sharpclaw's letter was the Portkey that transported him directly to Sharpclaw's office. However, Harry didn't enjoy moving by Portkey and felt dizzy when he arrived. A middle-aged man with dark brown hair and eyes kindly helped him up and led him to a chair. Harry found out that the man in front of him was Steven Maison, his father's old barrister.
"Harry, it's great to finally meet you. I'm Steven Maison and my father was Potter's barrister. I succeeded him and wanted to meet you. But Dumbledore assured me that you were safe and happy, so there was no need for legal help. How have you been? You look just like James but with Lilly's eyes." Steve smiled sadly but seemed pleased to see him. However, Harry couldn't believe that Dumbledore had said that he was safe and happy.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Maison. However, I have never met Professor Dumbledore, and I was very unhappy living with my aunt and uncle. They hate me because I am a wizard, lied to me about my parents, and treated me poorly."
Harry tried not to show tears. Steven seemed shocked but carefully put his arm on Harry's shoulder.
After taking deep breaths, Harry began to share his ten miserable years with the Dursleys, Dumbledore's Mail Redirection Ward that prevented him from receiving mail, the ignorance of his heritage, and his parents will.
"I want to help Sirius Black receive an official trial. If he didn't betray my parents and Peter Pettigrew was the real traitor, we must know the truth about what happened. Can you help me?" Harry asked cautiously.
"I know that your father and Sirius Black were as close as brothers, making it hard to believe Sirius betrayed James. And I understand that Sirius killed Pettigrew as he led You-Know-Who to kill James and Lily. But I can't believe Sirius murdered 12 muggles with Pettigrew. It's out of his character for him. So, I will do my best efforts to have him try and clarify what happened. If he's innocent, he will regain custody of you, and you can leave those horrible Dursleys and live with Sirius." Steven said with confidence. Harry beamed at his words.
Sharpclaw listened to their conversation interestingly and spoke up, "I think Arcturus Black could help you, Mr. Maison. Although he is secluded and sick, he will not remain silent while his grandson rots in Azkaban without a fair trial. Moreover, Sirius Black is the heir of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black." Sharpclaw smiled maliciously.
"Yes, the Head of the House of Black will be really helpful! He has great influence in Magical Britain due to his power and wealth. Could you contact the Black account manager and inform him of Potters' will and the lack of a trial, Sharpclaw?" Steven asked Sharpclaw with enthusiasm, and Sharpclaw nodded.
"Absolutely, I'll contact Raftang. He must be thrilled to use Black fortune to investigate," said Sharpclaw.
Steven then explained his plan to get Sirius Black an official trial with the help of his grandfather. He also talked about investigating Harry's file in the Magical Child Care Service Department in the Ministry of Magic to find out if Dumbledore was really his magical guardian. Harry agreed, hoping to get answers about his true situation
After their meeting, Steven and Harry left Gringotts and went to the Leaky Cauldron together. When they arrived, the Klein family enjoyed Butterbeer. Steven politely refused the drink but greeted Ellie and her parents pleasantly. Harry was surprised when he saw Steven disappear from the green flames in the fireplace of Leaky Cauldron. Ellie explained to him that Steven used the Floo network to get to his office. Mrs. Klein told Harry that her house wasn't connected to the Floo network and bought him a bottle of Butterbeer, which became his favourite drink.
The Kleins and Harry left Leaky Cauldron and took the underground to the British Museum. They had a great time exploring the museum, especially Harry who visited for the first time.
Later that evening, they had dinner with the Granger family at a fine restaurant located not far from the museum. Harry, Hermione, and Ellie stories about their Christmas holidays. Hermione visited her grandparents and saw the musical, the Phantom of the Opera, which she fell in love with. Three pre-teens agreed that it was a pity Magical Britain didn't have various entertainment like TV, movies, and musicals.
They went to the South Bank to enjoy fireworks and celebrate New Year's Eve. Ellie and Hermione hugged Harry with a Happy New Year. Harry thought the muggle side of London was beautiful and awesome.
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The most meaningful incident of the Christmas holidays was Harry's meeting with Remus Lupin. Harry asked him to meet and tell the stories of his parents, and Remus agreed to meet Harry. However, he declined Mrs. Klein's invitation for dinner and instead visited Ellie's house on a Sunday afternoon. He looked tired and already had grey hairs, despite his young age, but his amber eyes were kind and tender. Harry and Ellie led Remus to the sitting room, where Mr. and Mrs. Klein offered him a seat on the couch.
"Harry, it's good to see you again. You were a toddler the last time I saw you. Do you enjoy your holidays?" Remus said gently, his eyes bright with joy.
"Yes, Mr. Lupin. Ellie's family gave me a perfect Christmas. And thank you again for the photos. I was over the moon," Harry said delightedly.
Ellie added, "Yes, Harry forgot to unpack his other presents and only saw the photos."
"Please call me Remus or Moony. It was my nickname your parents called me," Remus smiled warmly.
Remus told Harry and the Kleins stories about James and Lily Potter, including their adventures at Hogwarts. Harry was thrilled to hear stories about his parents, and the Kleins occasionally asked questions about Hogwarts and Magical Britain. However, Harry didn't mention that Sirius Black was not his parents' secret keeper and that he didn't have a trial. Steven said Sirius Black's case was confidential, so the less knew, the better. Harry showed Remus the Invisibility Cloak and the note, and Remus confirmed that the cloak's previous owner was James and the handwriting in the note was Dumbledore's indeed.
Harry asked Remus to visit Potter Cottage and the graves before returning to Hogwarts. However, Remus promised Harry that they would visit Godric's Hollows together next summer instead, and Harry agreed to it.