Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Chapter 3

6 years later, one day in July

"They're here, they're here!"

Harry, startled, sat up straight in his bed not quite realising where he was and where that noise had come from. But then the words seeped into his sleepy brain. They're here. Their letters! They had finally arrived! He grabbed his glasses from his nightstand, jumped out of bed and ran down the stairs. In the hall he was greeted by Hermione's wide grin and a letter she held in her outstretched hand. "What took you so long?" she teased him as he took the heavy envelope from her. He mumbled something incomprehensible and walked past her into the dining room. His sister followed him and they sat down at the table facing each other.

"Would you just open them, please?" their mum cried out exasperated nervously wringing her hands. "Mom's more nervous than we are" Hermione said jokingly to her brother and they laughed but finally broke the purple wax seals on their envelopes and pulled their letters out. Harry read his out aloud:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF

WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,

Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Furthermore you will find instructions on where you can buy school supplies and how to find it as well as on how to get to the school train at the beginning of term.

Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Their mum let out a small squeak of joy and jumped up and down in excitement for her children but immediately stopped when she saw Harry's expression. When he spoke he sounded confused. "Why would they call me Mr Potter? You legally adopted me. I'm Harry Granger, not Potter." He looked as though he might cry. "I'm just as much part of this family as Hermione is, aren't I?" he asked his mother his voice breaking slightly.

Elisabeth immediately pulled him into a tight embrace and gave him a kiss on his hair. "Of course you are, honey! No one would ever think otherwise!" She said reassuringly. Hermione chimed in. "I think it's because you're kind of famous in the wizarding world. Mum and dad said that when they told us about it and Severus also mentioned it a few times. And they always refer to you as Harry Potter because only Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall and Severus knew that we have adopted you. So I bet it's just a matter of habit. The latter said that they 'await our owl', so when we send them our answer we just include a note that you're name is Granger and that you would like to be addressed with that name. I'm sure they will respect it." Harry freed himself from his mother's embrace and looked at his sister thoughtfully. "You think so?" She nodded heavily and Elisabeth gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Alright then." He gave in a small smile appearing on his face again. "When will we go to Diagon Ally then?"

"Well I thought we could go on your birthday."

XXX

On the morning of his birthday Harry woke up early excited to finally see Diagon Ally. He had been aching to see it since he had first read about it in his birth mother's diaries. He stretched pleasurably and put on his glasses. A look to Hermione's bed proved his presumption that his sister had already gotten up. The boy hurriedly went through his morning routines and went down to breakfast fifteen minutes later ready to leave.

The moment he stepped into the dining room his family started singing 'Happy Birthday' and a big chocolate cake with eleven burning candles on top of it sat in the middle of the dining table. Next to it were a few presents and a small parcel. He grinned widely. When his family finished their song they came up to him and one after the other hugged him and wished him a Happy Birthday then they all sat down at the table. Harry blew his candles out and Elisabeth helped everyone to a piece of cake. "Who's the parcel from?" Harry asked around a mouth full of his delicious cake. "Severus, I think. An owl brought it about 20 minutes ago. I still can't believe I'm saying that." His mother answered him cheerfully. Intrigued, Harry looked at the small package again. Savouring his next fork of chocolate cake he thought back to the first and only time he had met Severus Snape in person.

He had come to their house a week after they sent him the letter via Professor McGonagall since she was the only person in the wizarding world they knew how to contact. He had hardly said anything, simply staring at Harry, his face void of any emotion until Elisabeth had nervously started to make conversation. She had told their visitor about the text books they had been reading and how Harry seemed to be particularly interested in Potions. At this the man had abruptly turned to look at her. 'What did you just say?' he had demanded with a shocked face and when she had repeated it he had stared at Harry again, agony in his eyes. 'Your mother loved Potions. We both did.' Harry had had no idea what to answer so he had stayed silent and after a few seconds Severus Snape had continued tears shining in his eyes. 'She was an exceptional person.'

With this he had stood up and left without another word. A few weeks later an owl had brought a letter for Harry. It hadn't said anything about the man's sudden departure but only said that he would be willing to keep up a correspondence with Harry and answer any questions he had about the wizarding world and especially potions.

"Harry, dear, do you want to open your presents now?" his mother interrupted his train of thought holding Severus' parcel out to him. His face lit up and he took the package from her ripping the paper. A letter fell out and revealed a book called 'Asiatic Anti-Venoms'.

"No way!" he yelled immediately recognising the title. It had been referenced in some of the other potions books he had already read and he had asked Severus in his last letter whether he thought it would be a good addition to his library on the subject. He picked up the letter that had fallen out of the parcel and ripped it open eagerly.

Dear Harry

I wish you a happy birthday and hope you enjoy 'Asiatic Anti-Venoms'. You asked about it in your last letter and to answer your questions: Yes, I believe it is a well written treatise and anti-venoms are a very import part of the science that is potion-making. Every self-respecting aspiring potions master should learn how to make them but more importantly he has to learn to deduce which anti-venom is needed.

I suspect that you and your sister have received your Hogwarts letter by now. I congratulate you. But I must admonish you to treat me formally when you get there. I will be your Professor and Head of Slytherin House. Nonetheless I am curious to see whether your enthusiasm regarding Potions remains in the theoretical realm or if you will show any talent in the practical application of your knowledge.

Again I congratulate you on your birthday and wish you a pleasant day.

Severus Snape

XXX

Two hours later the Granger family walked down Charing Cross Road looking for The Leaky Cauldron.

"There it is!" Harry pointed to a shabby looking building with a sign out front. "It doesn't look very inviting, does it?" Hermione asked sceptically but their parents squinted and rubbed their eyes. "I don't see anything. Elisabeth, you?" Keith asked his wife but she simply shook her head.

"The letter said you wouldn't be able to see it." Hermione pointed out. "We just have to take you by the hands and lead you inside, no worries." They did as Hermione explained and as soon as they stepped through the door - Elisabeth and Keith thought it was a rather weird experience to see their child open an invisible door - the two adults' eyes widened for a room magically appeared around them.

Hermione thought the interior looked just as uninviting as the exterior but Harry went straight up to the bar and addressed the man behind it.

"Excuse me, sir, but my sister and I are first-year Hogwarts students and it said in our letters that someone here could direct us to Diagon Alley?" Tom, the barman, looked at him surprised, not used to seeing muggleborn first-years without a Hogwarts Professor to show them to Diagon Alley. Then the boy ran his hand through his hair - nervous because the barman took so long to answer, had he said something wrong? - and Tom spotted the scar on his forehead. He dropped the glass he was wiping and stammered nervously: "O-of course, Mr Potter. Please excuse my rude behaviour. What an honour to meet you!" And he hurried out from behind the bar and shook the boys hand enthusiastically. Harry was too stunned to answered and merely looked at his mother in search for some help.

She stepped forward clearing her throat and friendly smiled at the barman. "Thank you for the warm welcome. But would you be so kind as to show us to the way to Diagon Alley? I'm afraid we have a lot of shopping to do today and are already a bit behind on schedule."

The man blinked twice before her words seeped into his brain and he scrambled to do as asked. "Of course, of course. A lot of school supplies to buy. Follow me." And he led them to a small door in the back.

When they all had stepped through they were standing in a small backyard that was surrounded by a brick wall. The barman took out a wand and Harry and Hermione strained their necks to get a better look at it - excited to see a wand for the first time. But then they were distracted when upon having the wand tapped on it the wall started to move!

It opened up an archway revealing a street full of weirdly dressed people, cheerful children running around and pretty shops with the most peculiar merchandise. One offered dragon dung for 10 sickles the pound while another store window showed only what seemed to be a simple broom but many young people where crowded around admiring it. Then the siblings spotted Flourish Blotts, a book store, and immediately tried to walk towards it but their parents caught them and practically had to drag them away from it towards a big marble building at the end of the street with the name Gringotts written across it.

When they stepped into the grand hall of the bank they saw two long lines of counters with odd looking creatures working behind them.
Harry whispered to his sister. "Eehm, Hermione. What are those?"
"I'm not sure but I think they are Goblins. They fit a description I read in one of Lily's books but I can't remember reading anything about them working at a bank." she whispered back eyeing one of the bank employees carefully.

They looked a bit lost standing there in the middle of the hall and so they were approached by one of the - probably - Goblins.
"Good day, sirs and madams. Can I help you with something?"
"Ehrm yes. My name is Keith Granger, our two children Harry and Hermione here are starting at Hogwarts and therefore we need to exchange some money please." Their dad said pushing the two forward a bit. The Gobling looked them over and his eyes seemed to widen for a second when studying Harry but when the boy blinked they were back to normal. Then the banker nodded and directed them to a counter.
"You can exchange muggle money for wizard gold at this counter. If Mr Potter wishes to draw something out of his vault he has to bring his key to one of the counters over there." The Goblin pointed to the other side of the room before slightly bowing and walking away.

"I have a vault?" Harry asked confused.
His mother nodded. "Yes. Lily and James Potter were rather wealthy and you inherited all their money. Professor McGonagall gave us the key when she brought you to us and we have been keeping it save until you are old enough to have the control over it."

Harry and Hermione looked at each other wide eyed. He was rich!
"We are rich!" he said to his sister excitedly but she shook her head. "No. You are, Harry.
"Don't be stupid Hermione! You are my sister and we have shared everything as long as I can remember! I won't stop with it now! What's mine is yours!" He said decidedly and to emphasise his point he went to stand next to his father who was already talking to the Goblin at the exchange counter.

With a faint smile Elisabeth Granger put a comforting hand on Hermione's shoulder who was shocked at her brother's passionate reaction.
She had never been prouder of her children than in that moment.