Disclaimer is in chapter 1. So apparently Tenhawk has resumed posting fanfiction on one of his own sites ( t . evancurrie . ca ) and on patre on (username tenhawk).
The next morning, woke up early and opted to head out for a jog, knowing that he if slacked on his conditioning he'd pay for it in more ways than one come the near future. He was sweating by the time he got back, letting himself in after a short knock on the kitchen door was answered by an invitation from Emma Granger.
"You're up early," She told him with an amused glance at his condition. "And you look like someone turned the hose on you."
"I started training with some people, and if I don't keep it up… they're know…" He said with a grimace, "and they'll do something about it."
She laughed at him and waved airily toward the stairs, "Off with you then, get cleaned up. Breakfast will be up shortly."
"Thanks!" Xander called as he headed up, first to the spare room and then to the small bathroom he'd been told he could use the night before.
After washing up, he headed back down with a damp head but a generally much cleaner demeanor and found that Hermione and her father were both up and already tucking into the meal set out. Xander dropped into the open seat with a plate of food free and greeted the table with a cheery grin.
"Morning," Daniel said with a matching smile. "Have anything planned for the day?"
"Probably check in on Harry," Xander said, "see if he wants to head in to Gringotts or keep his head down. Either option could happen, so plans are hard to make until we chat with him."
"Fair enough. Hermione?"
"Yes, Mom?"
"If you're going with him, I insist you wear a helmet," Emma said sternly, holding up a hand to stave off objections. "I don't care how safe you claim it is."
Xander and Hermione shared a glance, both shrugging. They were both smart enough to recognize a fight they wouldn't be winning, all things considered.
"Take my card," Emma said, handing it over to Hermione. "Find yourself a good one that fits, and wear it."
"Yes Mom."
Xander considered it himself, "I probably should too. We may not need it for safety, but if we're on the roads for whatever reason it'll get less attention. We'll call Harry while we're looking, meet him at Diagon maybe."
"Fine." Hermione sighed, "I suppose that makes sense."
The table chuckled, mostly at her irritation with the demand, but quickly got about the business of polishing off the food before cleaning off the table.
"I'll handle the dishes," Emma said, "you two be off if you're going somewhere. But be careful!"
"We will mom!" Hermione called as she dragged Xander out the door.
Number 12 Privit Drive.
Harry washed up quickly after clearing the table after breakfast. Vernon had already left, heading for work as soon as he'd finished scarfing down his meal.
He was surprised when Dudly quietly helped him clear the table and then went on to dry the dishes.
"You ok, Dud?" Harry asked, honestly a little concerned.
"I'm ok. Just…" Dudley looked around, checking for his mother. "Are those things going to come back?"
Harry shook his head, "I don't know. I don't why, or how, they got here this time."
Dudley looked a little white, but nodded, "Oh."
"Just… look, if you're feeling cold, get inside the house," Harry told him, "It's protected here. Ok? In fact, anything strange happens… you run for the house. Ok?"
Dudley nodded as they finished up the dishes, "Ok."
Harry just cleaned up the counter, putting the dish rag in the sink. "I'm heading out for the day."
"Where are you going?"
"The bank," Harry said, "after that… I don't know. Maybe my family home."
"Your family? They had a house?"
"A castle, I guess?" Harry shrugged. "I don't know. Haven't seen it. Need to figure out where it is first. More things nobody bothered to tell me about."
He sighed, grabbing some things he'd brought down before breakfast. "You take care, ok Dud? And remember… anything weird happens…?"
"Run for the house, I got it." Dudley nodded firmly.
"Alright, see you later," Harry said awkwardly.
Outside he made his way down to the road, then turned left and headed for the safe point to summon the Knight Bus.
Diagon Alley.
Xander stored his bike in the portable door, looking around curiously. He'd never been to the alley this early in the day before and it looked pretty different with far fewer people running around.
"You call Harry while I'm getting things cleaned up in here," He called out to Hermione as he rolled the bike in and whipped his wand around a couple times to get any dirt off the tires.
Outside he could hear Hermione making the call and chatting enthusiastically. When he got out, she grabbed his arm even as he closed up and shrunk the door.
"Come on, Harry's at Fortescue's waiting!"
Being dragged along to an ice cream shop was an amusing feeling, though Xander could have done without the smirks he was getting from shop owners who seemed to have nothing better to do at the moment than watch the floor show out in the alley.
At Fortescue's they found Harry waiting, a small iced order in front of him as he waved them over.
"Early for Ice cream isn't it?" Xander asked.
"It's never too early for ice cream, Xander," Hermione chastised him, waving for the shop owner's attention as she made an order for herself.
Bowing to peer pressure, and honestly thinking the treat looked pretty good, Xander feigned reluctance as he made his own order. In short order the trio were eating away cheerfully as they talked about their plans for the day.
"I'm hoping to find Potter Keep," Harry admitted. "Maybe there will be something in my vault?"
"Ask the goblins too," Xander said, "They might have records of your properties."
Harry nodded, frowning a little, "I looked through the records they gave me before, but while it's mentioned… there's nothing on the location."
"That might mean that it's been hidden," hermione sighed. "In that case, your vault would be the best chance."
"Right. Well, let's hope, I guess?" Harry tried forcing enthusiasm into his words, but it mostly came out as a question.
Hermione reached over and gave him a one armed hug, "Honestly, Harry, we'll find it."
Xander laughed openly at him, and even Harry had to smile after a bit. He nodded firmly, then finished up his ice cream.
"Right then, let's go… ow!"
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked, eyes darting up to his forehead as Harry held his hand pressed up to it. "Is it your scar? Is it…"
She leaned in, whispering, "you know who?"
"No. Brain freeze," He whimpered.
Xander burst out cackling, head thumping into the table as Hermione puffed up and glared at them both.
"Honestly, you two… come on, let's go," She grumbled, pulling them along as they hurriedly dropped money on the table and waved to Fortescue on their way out.
Gringotts Vault.
Xander hung back again as Harry and Hermione roved through the vault, looking for anything that might tell them where Potter Keep was located. He didn't feel completely at ease with rummaging around through the debris of someone else's life, even if it was technically his friend's property now. There was something faintly goulish about it, he supposed, or maybe just intensely private.
Hermione didn't have any similar issues, though, that was pretty obvious as she dug through the books that had been piled up in the corner in some haphazard fashion.
"Harry! These are incredibly rare spell books and…"
"Hermione, I get it," Harry said wearily, not that Xander blamed him. It wa the fourth time she'd made the same objection, "but I don't have anywhere better to store them for now. Just look for any evidence of Potter's Keep, ok?"
Hermione seemed caught between outrage at the state of the books and concern for her friend, making for an amusing expression, but she reluctantly nodded and moved on to the next book in the pile.
"Hey Harry," Xander called out, having just had a thought.
"yeah?"
"Did you try the Grimoire?"
The pair turned and looked in his direction.
"What?" Harry blinked.
"The Grimoire, you know the book your mom helped write that kinda has an imprint of her in it?" Xander asked. "Maybe the book could give you an idea?"
"Uh… I…" Harry stammered, "I didn't think of it?"
"Ok," Xander nodded, "Do you have it?"
"No," Harry slumped, "It's at home."
"Alright, just a second." Xander said, setting his portable door down and pulling it out to full size. In a moment he'd slipped inside, and they could hear him rummaging around for a bit before he came back out and tossed his own copy over to Harry. "Give it a shot."
"Thanks!"
Harry flipped open the book, looking through for the section where he could write his own notes in to speak with the… personalities that lay within. A quill was fished out of Hermione's pocket, with a little exasperation at Harry not having his own, and he started to scribble out some notes.
