Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, and never will.
Chapter 4
Coming to Hogwarts
Minerva McGonnagal was waiting outside the grounds for the newcomer. It wasn't unusual for a transfer student to visit Hogwarts every decade or so, but this one was here to stay till graduation. What was his name again?
That's right, James Emerson! Interesting. In his fifth year and living alone?
Albus wasn't here then to welcome the student, because of all that fuss with the Tri-wizard Tournament, so the duty passed on to the next highest in command. Minerva sighed. There he was!
A carriage could be seen on the horizon, with two threstrals pulling it laboriously. He was whistling happily by himself, looking like a perfectly fine Hogwarts student in the plain black robe, enjoying the morning.
The carriage went over several hills before James could see his new and old transfiguration professor. He smiled and waved, happy to be back at Hogwarts again. Minerva looked taken back at the warm hello. She nodded and helped James get his trunk off the carriage, the threstrals snorting irritated all the while. She took a good look into his face, and was shocked to see Lily's eyes looking at her but with a James Potter's face. She gasped the first thing that came to her mind.
"Harry?" His face scrunched up in confusion. By then she had already noticed the differences between the newcomer and her favorite student.
"No. James, remember?" For one, his hair wasn't messy or untamed. It was controlled and brushed back in waves, his shoulders broader, face fuller and taller, making him look so attractive- Minerva shook herself out of it. James Potter's charm, it seemed.
"Oh… Yeah. Are you related to the Potter's or Evan's in any way?" The man smiled sheepishly.
"Yeah, my mother used to be an Evan. Why?" She explained immediately. So there was a connection!
"You have Lily Potter's eyes." He nodded.
"Family trait. They say we look into their souls, it seems. Aunt Lily was a good woman." Minerva nodded.
"So where did you previously learn magic?" She wanted to assess his skills.
"Homeschooled by tutors from around the globe. My parents wanted me to learn and pick up all kinds of skills, it seemed. Learned languages for one." He continues to keep describing his different tutors, talking about their backgrounds in the accent their races make when speaking. Minerva was impressed hearing him speak while walking relaxedly around the castle to reach the main doors. She felt as if it was an old friend speaking to her, but it couldn't be possible since she had only met him. Then again, his relation with Lily and James Potter looks may have caused that. But it was more. Minerva could feel that she knew him, somehow.
Before long, they at the doors to the Great Hall. Harry turned to her.
"So, I read about the sorting in Hogwarts. Have you decided what house I'm in?"
"Godric Gryffindor, one of the founders created the Sorting Hat, a magical artifact that can read minds and tell what house you belong in from your characteristics. Don't worry; it will keep any secret it finds in your mind." She assured him. He nodded, already knowing that, but of course not telling her.
They opened the grand doors quietly, and Harry found three other teachers waiting for him with a stool and a hat. Severus Snape was putting on his custom sneer. Dumpty Pomona Sprout stood chattering with Filius Flitwick about plants, she being cleaner than Harry ever saw her. Filius squeaked excitedly when he saw the new student. He straightened up, and Snape glared at James.
Snape's features turned briefly into one of surprise, then hate, and then just glaring. James turned to Minerva, confused. Seems like Severus would have a new Potter-look-a-like to bully on.
"We're sorting you right here, and you'll be lead to your room by your head of house." He nodded nervously. He could remember his first year when he got sorted so long ago. He sat on the stool, and place the hat on his head. He could feel the hat go through his meager occlumency like it was water.
The hat's sarcastic voice permeated his head.
My, my, what a mind, James. Or should I say Harry?
Let me get down to business then, the teachers are waiting.
You have the traits of all the founders, both different in potential and strengths.
You are a good fit for Ravenclaw, because you inherited your mother and her sister's clever mind, and nurtured it from growth.
You would make friends, the ones you so desire there in Hufflepuff, because you are always and forever will be loyal to your friends and family, a trait you developed when you surrounded yourself with loved ones in school, treasuring it immensely.
You will succeed and achieve your goals and make dreams reality in Slytherin, because from your great mind comes also along with it genius-like cunning and ambitions, a quality that has grown for a long time, in your sub-consciousness, but you are unaware of the great responsibility to see beyond mere goals, to see the future of the world. There, you could make great allies, great plans, and great deeds done. But forever allies, for no one would offer friendship. You could redeem Slytherin's reputation there, and be forever immortal in history.
But in the end, I recommend you for Gryffindor, because of the simple fact that nothing in your nurture has driven you towards bravery, honesty or chivalry, the thing that your friends most scoff upon, but yet the tiny spark that may eventually heat up into a inferno that is what you call foolish and impudent remains deep in your heart. Your recent actions, defeating the veil, going to Hogwarts to change things for yourself proves it. This house has the most potential for you, and I do not lie. There you can learn more, make friends and accomplish whatever you want. There, is what likely the only and best decision for you is if you wish to make it back to the other universe you call home.
So as the great, all-knowing Sorting Hat, I will give the choice of deciding your fate to the one whose head I'm sitting upon. There was peaceful silence for a while, when James was thinking.
I understand your train of thought Harry, and respect your decision. Oh, and as a favor, for Christmas could you send a bottle of leather-polish? I'm rather partial to the fumes, and I'm not the fit young pointy hat I used to be. A bit of polishing and cleaning up is what I need.
As the second time I've sorted you, I will see you in "GRYFFINDOR"
Minerva showed him the dorm rooms for the night and then flooed him back home. He was careful to mutter the words 'Potter Manor' under his breath when going home, so that Minerva wouldn't hear, and investigate. The last thing he needed was Albus Dumbledore on his tail.
Albus Dumbledore was to him a manipulative coot. He was usually the mastermind behind all the troubles in Hogwarts. He made plans for everyone, and denied information to others. He made no effort in maintaining peace in between the houses, and even encouraged rivalry and fights by employing Snape, however important the greasy git was.
The man tried to control everyone. In his old world, his brother and father and sister were so enamored by the saint that they willingly blinded themselves from his mistakes. Harry needed to change everyone's perspective of him and maybe kick him out, if not for revenge on not taking care of his brother then just for the greater good of the Wizarding World.
No doubt he would be interested by James Emerson and would be on his tail.
Anyways, he was to go to Platform 9 and ¾ with the other students, to experience the 'friend-making' opportunity. Harry couldn't wait to meet his new classmates!
But for now, he had other things to take care of.
He was wondering about his, Harry's vault in this world. He had already visited the ministry for the records of the Potter Couple's Wills, but they were never announced, which meant that it was Dumbledore's work. This Harry probably also danced to his tune, and was ignorant of probably everything while totally worshipping the old man. James would have to fix this.
So he needed to see the Gringotts account, and claim the vault to stop Dumbledore from screwing around with it. As the Supreme Mugwump he would be able to orphan Harry once he sealed the will, and steal from the Potter's Trust Vault, which James feared.
So James needed to get to the vault this year, and claim it before Dumbledore uses it to pay for all his Tri-wizard expenses.
He immediately went to Gringotts after the Hogwarts Sorting to do an inheritance test.
The Goblins were waiting for him, the ever-faithful Griphook bowing him in.
"The inheritance test is waiting for you this way." He politely snarled. The goblin lead James down the Entrance hall, into a deep tunnel. The tunnel kept going and going, and after a minute, they reached a door. Griphook wrenched open the door, and shoved James unceremoniously inside.
Inside was a huge, smooth cavern, with a flat platform in the middle. Three goblins waited for him, one holding a bowl, one holding a parchment with quill, and another holding a sharp knife.
James walked up to the platform, standing there.
"What do I have to do?" The goblin with a knife gestured to him to come.
He warily approached, and the goblin gave the knife to him. He gestured to James that he had to slice his hand and let the blood drip into the bowl, and told him to mimic. for some reason or another he wasn't going to ask, the three goblins seemed to be mute.
James took a deep breath, before running the knife across the center of his palm, letting the blood drip slowly into the shining bronze bowl the second goblin offered him. The runes on it glowed for a sec, and it looked strangely like a pensive. The blood in it flashed green for a second, before flashing a great variety of colors, ending in a myriad pool. The goblin hesitated for a second, before putting the bowl on a device that sucked the blood out.
He gestured to goblin #3, who had written a list silently for Harry. He held the results of James's inheritance test to James. His eyes widened at the list.
Bloodline tests for:
Harry James Potter
Claimable Lineage:
Ravenclaw (heir)
Gryffindor (heir)
Slytherin (heir)
Hufflepuff (heir)
Davron (heir)
Potter (heir)
Edison (heir)
Peverell (heir)
Vault statuses:
Ravenclaw Vault (After passing tests):
Liquid Assets: 2,000,000 galleons, 250 sickles, and 1,000 knuts.
Other assets: Ward stones of Hogwarts, Ravenclaw's thinking stool, Ravenclaw's Diadem, Ravenclaw's library, Shrine of the Gods, The Raven Statue, the map and the bronze key.
Gryffindor Vault (After passing tests):
Liquid Assets: 20,000,000 galleons, 10 sickles, and 1 knut.
Other assets: A note, Gryffindor's sword, Gryffindor's armor, Sorting Hat, Godric's Hallow, 25% share in Ollivander's, The Lion Statue, several trinkets, the map and the Gold key.
Slytherin Vault (After passing tests):
Liquid Assets: 15,000,000 galleons, 20 sickles, and 10,000 knuts.
Other Assets: A note, Chamber of Secrets, the Founder's Villa (France), The Moses's Staff, The Locket of Slytherin, 5% share into Ollivander's, The Snake Statue, several paintings, the map and the Silver key.
Hufflepuff Vault (After passing tests):
Liquid Assets: 10,000 galleons, 150 sickles, and 200 knuts.
Other Assets: Hogsmead, the Quidditch Pitch, the Greenhouse, the Black Lake, The Beaver Statue, several furniture, the map and the Obsidian Key.
Davron Vault:
Liquid Assets: 200,000 galleons, no sickles, and 2 knuts.
Other Assets: 5% share in Leaky Cauldron, 10% share Madame Malkin's, 2% Ollivander's.
Potter Vault:
Liquid Assets: 20,000,000 galleons, 20,000 sickles, and 15 knuts.
Other Assets: House in Godric's Hallow, Marauder's Map, Letter to Harry, Box of Books, promise rings, Potter Seal ring, iron gauntlet, two wands, King Solomon's Bracelet, random junk, and the Potter Sword.
Edison Vault:
Liquid Assets: 500,500 galleons, 500 sickles, and no knuts.
Other Assets: The Edison Grimore of Technomancy, Magic Book of Electricity, the magical ipad, 20% share of Apple Inc., The electric Kindle of Magic, several proto-type inventions, Thomas Edison's list of ideas, Edison Square (America) and Edison Garden (America).
Peverell Vault:
Liquid Assets: 67,590 galleons, 4,000,000 sickles, and 8 knuts.
Other Assets: The Deathly Hallows; The Elder Wand (Dumbledores), the Invisibility Cloak (Potters), and the Resurrection Stone (Gaunt), and the Tale of the Three Brothers.
Harry looked at the money, objects, and assets that belonged to him in awe.
Ravenclaw's Library and Diadem were myths, as well as Gryffindor's sword and armor, Slytherin's Locket plus Chamber of Secrets and Moses's Staff? The staff was a legend. King Solomon's bracelet he had no idea what it was, but the Potter Sword? The Edison line he knew passed from his mother, who had been born from a Ravenclaw and a Edison before they were murdered by Death Eaters.
The one he was shocked most was the Peverell Vault. Few have heard the legend of the Three Brothers, and fewer knew they were real. So he has technically inherited the Deathly Hallows? He read it in awe. Wait.
It said the Potter's owned the cloak! So... Would that mean his dad's awesome Invisibility cloak was THE invisibility cloak?
The Gaunts were a line of Slytherins who ended with Tom Riddle, aka Lord Voldymort. So Tommyboy had one? The Resurrection Stone was pretty dangerous.
And then Dumbledore. Of course, being in possession of such artifact was sooooo him. Not only the manipulator had powerful magic, he augmented it with the unbeatable wand.
There was some other questions he had.
Why did all the Founder's vaults have keys? And statues, and maps? was this some kind of treasure hunt thingy?
Shrine of the Gods? What type of freaky name was that?! Again, this was Ravenclaw's vault, so awesome stuff was to be expected. He would really have to research these stuff.
A line catched his eye. (After passing tests)
Tests? What tests?
James turned to the tree Goblins.
"I intend to claim every vault, but what does this mean, after passing tests?"
Author's Notes: Please comment and Review! Harry meets James (Harry)! Dumbledore bashing!