The Academy of Magical Excellence: Book One
Disclaimer: This fic is a non-profit work based on JK Rowling's Harry Potter series.
AN: In case any people were wondering, yes several other canon characters will be attending the Academy as I believe they would fit well within the school.
Chapter Two: First Contact
The following morning Harry was allowed to wake up on his own and as he gently surfaced from sleep he wondered why he still had a feeling of overwhelming happiness in his chest. As he lay on the small bed that took up most of the space in his cupboard and opened his eyes the memory of the previous day trickled into his mind and he grinned. Rolling over to get dressed he stepped on into the hall and headed into the kitchen. There was a note left on the fridge and he read it feeling a little of his mood slip away.
Boy,
Don't take too much food, don't leave the house.
We will be back by seven, have dinner ready.
Aunt Petunia.
Harry supposed it was too much to ask for things to change too much, but he felt as though some of the constraints on his relationship with his mother's sister had loosened. Deciding to get some breakfast he pulled out some cereal, figuring Dudley wouldn't even notice some of the sugar packed cereals go missing. He wondered why he had never thought about the connection they shared. Thoughtfully munching his cereal he gave a little shrug to himself and finished up. Retrieving his letters he found the one with the telephone number for the Academy on it and took it over to the phone. Hesitant he checked the clock to see if it would be a good time to call, not certain if the school would have someone to answer the phone. He shook himself mentally as he logically thought they wouldn't put an invalid method of communication in their letters.
He picked up the phone and dialed the number, waiting with bated breath as the phone rang. He didn't have to wait long as the phone picked up on the third ring. A cool female voice spoke out.
"You have reached the The Academy of Magical Excellence, please state your name and business"
Harry swallowed nervously.
"Harry Potter, umm I need further information about my letter"
"Thank you Mr Potter, please hold"
Harry then had to wait five minutes, with what his uncle called 'damnable elevator music' when he was in these situations. Eventually though the voice came back.
"Thank you for your patience Mr Potter, you will be transferred to the Deputy Headmistress"
A click sounded inside the phone and a second later another voice spoke out. Very different to the cool woman before, this voice was refined, polite and it brought to mind a rather stern lady.
"Good morning, Mr Potter. I am Deputy Headmistress Genevieve Sawyer. How may I be of assistance today?"
"I need some more information about your school if that's possible but I'd prefer not over the phone, is there some way I could possibly meet someone from the school in person?"
There was a moments pause before Genevieve answered.
"We do have an arrangement for this, as we get this question fairly regularly" She said slowly "Those from mundane families often have a hard time believing the letter is real"
"I can understand that, ma'am" Harry said "I would still like to meet someone as soon as possible"
"Very well Mr Potter, I will arrange for one of our professors to meet with you today" Genevieve replied evenly "Is two o'clock suitable?"
"Yes" Harry responded eagerly "That's fine"
"Have a good day Mr Potter"
"You too ma'am" Harry said politely "Thank you for your help"
"You're very welcome" said the Deputy Headmistress before closing the connection.
Harry was grinning and it was all he could do to not go running out into the street excitedly, and he found it difficult to concentrate his attention on anything. He just bounced around, doing some minor chores he heard his uncle mention to his aunt over dinner the night before. Before he knew it it was two o'clock and there was a knock at the door. Rushing over he threw open the door eager to get his first glimpse of a real wizard.
The man stood on the porch was, well wild-looking. Tall and broad the man filled the doorway with shadow, a golden mane of hair cascading over his shoulders and framing a wide face with slanted eyes, a thin lipped wide mouth and an oddly flat nose. The man was swaying with an easy grace, as if poised on the balls of his feet. He was dressed in a well made suit that clearly showed off a defined body like an athlete. Harry was impressed, but didn't move to let the man in.
"Good afternoon" said the man, his voice low and deep "My name is Dexter Garrick, Professor of Defence at The Academy of Magical Excellence"
"Good afternoon, Professor. My name is Harry Potter" Harry replied, a rising wave of excitement coursing through him. "Please come in" he continued, stepping out of the way.
Dexter Garrick couldn't help the double take at the name, the name every wizard knew as the one who stopped Voldemort eleven years ago. His eyes flicked to the scar and he noticed Harry's questioning look. Professor Garrick crossed the threshold of Number Four, feeling the tingle of powerful wards touching his magic. Frowning at the fact that a mundane household whose resident magical had only just been introduced to the Wizarding world had wards, powerful wards. Wards more powerful than he had seen in a long time. Following the young boy into the sitting room he settled himself into an armchair and waited as the young wizard sat on the sofa.
"I am here to answer any questions you may have regarding The Academy" Professor Garrick said "So what would you like to know?" He finished, smiling slightly.
Harry's eyes widened as he noticed the elongated canines in the Professor's mouth and opened his mouth to comment before changing his mind. He didn't want to seem rude after all. He thought about what he wanted to know and mentally categorised them into school, wizarding world and other. Deciding to start with the school questions he spoke.
"What is mundane studies?" he began "Where do I get the supplies required?"
"In order, mundane studies is the study of non-magicals, their history and their technology. As for your supplies you would need to visit Diagon Alley" answered Professor Garrick.
"Why isn't mundane studies taught until third year when wizarding custom is mandatory at first?"
"A very astute question, young man" replied Professor Garrick "Wizarding custom is important to help wizards from mundane families such as yourself acclimate to the wizarding world faster and to avoid situations involving unintended offence. The class for Mundane Studies is a third year course because many students who go through it are wizards with no background in the mundane world, and they never will leave the wizarding world. It helps that the Wizarding Customs class is only one year long and goes into the details on why wizards hold certain traditions, which many students even from wizarding families are unaware of."
Harry sat for a moment absorbing the information he had been given, before choosing his next question.
"Why did it seem like you know my name?" he asked, piercing the professor with his emerald green eyes.
Professor Garrick shifted uncomfortably in the chair.
"I'm not sure I should be the one to tell you about your past..." he trailed off, unable to meet Harry's eyes.
"Does everyone in your world know my name?" Harry questioned
"Yes, I would think so" Professor Garrick replied hestitantly. "Alright, I'll tell you what you want to know, even if some of it is a complete mystery still. Eleven years ago the Dark Lord Voldemort was at the height of his power, attacking all over the country. Many great wizards died fighting him and your parents had escaped him three times before they disappeared. You were born in hiding, or so we assume and one year later at Halloween Voldemort came for your parents. What happened next is a mystery, but we do know that your parents died and Voldemort died with them. The only survivor of that night was you, Harry."
Harry was reeling. His aunt had told him the truth in a way. He, Harry at a year old had survived an attack by a man who clearly had no problems killing people and more than had the power to do so. The whole of the wizarding world knew his name, even what he looked like he realised. All those instances involving oddly dressed strangers. Harry always felt there was more to those occurances and now he knew.
"Thank you for telling me, Professor" he said quietly.
Professor Garrick nodded silently, wondering if he had done the right thing in telling this young man his own tragic past. He cleared his throat quietly.
"Are there any more questions you have for me at this time?" he asked, drawing the boy's attention again.
"How do I get to Diagon Alley? And how do I get to the school?" Harry asked, seeming to file the information away for future reference.
"Diagon Alley is in London, and there are many ways to get there. The easiest for you, Harry would be the Knight Bus. You simply hold out your wand hand, hmm your writing hand I guess and it will come to a stop and take you anywhere in Britain you wish to go. As for getting to the school, again there are many ways to get there but I would recommend the Knight Bus again, they know how to find us." Professor Garrick explained.
"Where do I get money for all this?" Harry said distractedly.
"Gringotts bank should be your first stop" answered Professor Garrick. "They should have an account for you, registered by your parents when you were born. In the meantime, here is a travel ticket for the Knight Bus."
He handed over a purple slip of parchment with silver lettering that read:
THE KNIGHT BUS
A WAVE OF YOUR WAND HAND AND WE WILL GET YOU WHERE YOU NEED TO BE!
This Voucher Valid for One Trip to Any Destination Within the UK
"Use it to get to Diagon Alley" said Professor Garrick. "If there is nothing else, Mr Potter, I must be off. I have a few more meetings today to attend to"
"No, thank you" Harry answered, tucking the ticket into his jeans as he stood.
Professor Garrick stood and followed the young man into the hall before stepping out into the waning summer sun. Turning back he offered his hand to the young boy, smiling as Harry reached out and shook his hand.
"If you need any more help, feel free to call the Academy and ask for me"
"Thank you, Professor" Harry said "I really appreciate all the help"
Professor Garrick bowed and turning on his heel, disappeared with a pop. Harry gaped at the first real display of magic he had seen. Slowly closing the door he turned back into the house and began preparing the dinner in a daze, his mind still whirling with the possibilities his new life would present. He also decided that he should get his supplies as soon as possible in order to be prepared for the start of term, which he recalled was the 1st of September. All too soon he heard the familiar rumble of Uncle Vernon's expensive car pulling into the drive and the combined chatter of voices which seemed to be his uncle loudly enumerating the problems with motorists (even though he himself was a bad driver) mingling with Dudley whining about being hungry. He couldn't really hear his aunt, but then she was usually the quietest member of the family aside from Harry himself. Laying the table swiftly he had just gotten the large steak and kidney pie on the table with the vegetables and gravy when the front door opened. The Dursleys filed in and left all the beach gear out in the hall before entering the kitchen where the delicious aromas of dinner emanated.
Petunia caught Harry's eye briefly and nodded slightly in approval of the food and sat daintily at the table as her husband and son dove right in. Harry took his chair and quietly helped himself to vegetables and a small slice of pie. Aunt Petunia ate quietly but seemed tense, as if she was bursting to ask a question. Harry was curious but held himself back and kept at his food while Dudley and Uncle Vernon sat back heaving large sighs of contentment. Harry could have sworn he heard Dudley's chair actually creak. He got up to clear the dishes and scrubbed all the pots and pans as the Dursleys occupied the front room and turned on the TV.
He headed back to his cupboard and laid down, a feeling of tiredness sweeping over him as he lay in silence turning over the information he had received. Not only was it true he was a wizard, he was a famous wizard. Maybe the most famous wizard in Britain. Harry wasn't keen on that thought, much preferring to stay out of the way, out of view and get on with his life. Unaware of the time that had passed he was startled of of the doze he had entered by a quiet tapping on his door. Opening it his Aunt was silhoetted in the gap by light from the lampposts outside.
"Did you get the information you needed?" she whispered.
"Yes" replied the surprised young boy, matching her tone.
"Have you decided which school you want to attend?" Petunia continued
"I have" answered Harry
"Good, I hope you have made arrangements for getting you supplies and getting to the school" said Petunia, seemingly satisfied as she straightened up.
"Yes" Harry said quietly.
"I don't want that life touching this family any more than it has to" said Petunia as she turned away.
Harry was left in the darkness wondering if the wizarding world would really be any stranger than his home life.
AN: Another chapter, with more on the way. I have the first third of this fic written so my edits take place in the week between updates. Again SYOC is running as I need students for The Academy. Criteria would be: Name, Year, Basic Appearance & Personality, Favourite Subject. Please submit in reviews. Next time: Diagon Alley and meeting new people.