Harry Potter and the Founder Vault
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Only OCs and certain ideas.
Year 1: Diagon Alley
Tim, Harry, and Harper walked into the magical street from the back wall of the Leaky Cauldron; Tim had spent until this day getting an international portkey set up for Harper and Harry so that they could use it multiple times throughout the years. The portkey had to bring them to London, where their passports would be checked to have them legally enter each country, but it worked.
Harry was smirking as he walked besides his adopted father and sister. That morning Tim had given Harry his wand – Elder and Flame Tree wood, with Griffin feather and Wampus cat hair core. Today was the first time Harry had held it since it had chosen him in that little wand shop back home, and it was nice to have it back. Both Harper and Harry had their wands in a wand hostler connected to their hip.
They were used to magical shopping malls, but this was different in the way it was another country. A street, with shops lined on either side, met their eyes and they had to be impressed how Britain handled their shops, even if it was small compared to the ones they knew.
The siblings were curious though as they followed Tim to the large snow-white building known as Gringotts – they knew of this bank as it had branches in America, but unlike Britain it wasn't the only magical banking system.
"So, is Dumbledore coming himself?" Harry asked. He was wearing a simple pair of jeans and a t-shirt with a baseball hat with his favorite team, the Diamondbacks, on it. He rarely went anywhere without wearing a baseball cap.
"If he is, I would like to ask him a few questions," Tim said darkly – he'd never got over the way Dumbledore had left Harry with the Dursleys. Everything he knew about the man indicated he was a good man, but he definitely made mistakes on this one.
"Harry is that yeh?" A voice called, and they turned to see a very large man in an over-large coat supporting a large brown beard. He moved over to them, the people in front parting for him due just to his sheer size. "I haven't seen you since you were a baby. Barely bigger than a kneazel kitten. You fit right into me hand." The man had a friendly smile on his face. "You look a lot like your father, but I swear you had your mother's eyes though... green."
"Oh," Harry said and mumbled "Finite oculus," to remove the color changing aspects of his contacts. "I wear contacts that change my eye colors sometimes." His eyes were now their normal green from the blue he usually supported.
"Ah well, how rude of me. I am Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at 'ogwarts. Dumbledore sent me to meet wi' yeh," Hagrid said, Harry having a slightly hard time understanding his rural way of speaking. "But call me Hagrid. Happy birthday, 'arry." Hagrid took a box out of his pocket and opened it to reveal what seemed to be a handmade birthday cake with the words 'Happy birthday' on it. "Baked it meself," Hagrid confirmed.
"Wow… Thank you," Harry said as he looked at the cake and turned it to show Harper. "I'll have this later…" Harry closed the box and opened a backpack he had on him – the box only just fit into the bag.
"You must be 'arry's cousin. Professor McGonagall told me all about 'arry's new circumstances, so I got this for you." Hagrid started searching through his pockets and brought out a letter that was identical to Harry's acceptance letter, only it had Harper's name on it – and even included which bedroom she was in at their house:
Ms. Harper Evans
The Medium-Sized Bedroom
1980 Orenda Street
Phoenix
Arizona
United States of America
"Do you have Harry's key to his trust vault?" Tim asked Hagrid, knowing from his wife that Hogwarts had had the Potter key since Lily and James' death.
"Ah, yes," Hagrid said, digging into his pocket again and coming out with a small key. "Here ya go," Hagrid gave the key to Harry who looked at it, wondering how much money was in this vault left to him. "You must be Lily's cousin?" He directed his attention to Tim.
"Tim Evans," Tim said politely, holding out his hand for the large man to take.
"Nice teh meet yeh," Hagrid said, taking Tim's hand and shaking it. "I have some business inside Gringotts meself. Mind if I join ya?"
"That would be fine," Tim said. "Maybe we could have dinner later and you could tell Harry and Harper more about Hogwarts – and maybe even about Harry's parents if you know anything? I told him all about Lily, but my knowledge of James was limited to the few times I met him and stories Lily herself told."
"I'd be delighted," Hagrid said, a big smile appearing on his face as they walked into the bank. There was a Goblin at the door, noticeable for his short stature, swarthy, clever face, pointed beard and very long fingers and feet.
Now they were facing a second pair of doors with words engraved upon them:
Enter, stranger, but take heed
Of what awaits the sin of greed,
For those who take, but do not earn,
Must pay most dearly in their turn.
So, if you seek beneath our floors,
A treasure that was never yours,
Thief, you have been warned, beware of finding more than treasure there.
"Yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it," muttered Hagrid as the three family members took in the words for a moment before continuing through.
A pair of goblins bowed them through the doors, and they were in a vast marble hall. About a hundred more goblins were sitting on high stools behind a long counter, scribbling in large ledgers, weighing coins in brass scales, examining precious stones through eyeglasses. There were too many doors to count leading off the hall, and yet more goblins were showing people in and out of these. Hagrid made for the counter, Tim, Harry, and Harper following behind.
"Bets on Hagrid being half-giant," Harper whispered to Harry, who looked at Hagrid from behind and gave a nod. Neither had a problem with it, they just knew it when they saw it.
"Harry Potter would like to make a withdrawal," Hagrid said when they got to one of the Goblins at the counter, and Harry looked around, wondering if anyone heard him. Harry's fame in America was more of curiosity on how he survived, but he wasn't some kind of savior there – he knew that would change here.
"And does Mr. Potter have his key?" The goblin asked, looking over at the boy now, and Harry handed over the key.
"Oh, and I need to retrieve th' you-know-what from vault you-know-which," Hagrid said, handing over a letter to the goblin, who glanced over at the letter as Harry and Harper shared a look.
"Well, everything seems to be in order," the Goblin said after a moment.
"If it wouldn't be too much trouble," Tim said, interrupting the Goblin – he had let Hagrid take the lead, but he needed a word to understand everything here. "Is there a way I could speak to someone about Harry's finances here?" Tim wanted to know exactly what Harry had here and if anyone had gone into Harry's accounts during the ten years Tim had him.
"And you would be?" The Goblin asked.
"Harry's legal guardian," Tim said. "Timothy Evans."
The goblin gave a nod. "I will contact the Potter Account manager and let him know. He should be ready for you by the time you're done with the vaults," the Goblin said. "Griphook, take them to vault 687 and vault 713."
"What's the You-Know-What in Vault 713?" Harry asked as they all followed behind Griphook.
"Can't tell yeh that," Hagrid said, mysteriously. "Very secret. Hogwarts business. Dumbledore's trusted me. More'n my job's worth ter tell yeh that." Again, Harry and Harper shared a curious look with one another.
Griphook held the door open for them. Harry, who had expected more marble, was surprised. They were in a narrow stone passageway lit with flaming torches. It sloped steeply downward and there were little railway tracks on the floor. Griphook whistled and a small cart came hurtling up the tracks toward them. They climbed in – Hagrid with some difficulty –and were off.
At first, they just hurtled through a maze of twisting passages. Harry and Harper had been on rollercoasters before, when Tim and Cassidy had brought them to amusement parks and enjoyed it, the cart and tracks reminding them of one. The rattling cart seemed to know its own way though, because Griphook wasn't steering.
Their eyes stung as the cold air rushed past them, but they kept them wide open. Once, Harry thought he saw a burst of fire at the end of a passage and twisted around to see if it was a dragon, but too late – they plunged even deeper, passing an underground lake where huge stalactites and stalagmites grew from the ceiling and floor.
They came to a sudden stop in a passageway lined with doors, and Griphook extracted himself from the cart, followed by Hagrid – who looked very green.
"Vault 687," Griphook called, taking the key from Harry, and opening up the vault before them. The three American's mouths opened at what was inside: piles of gold, silver, and bronze money greeted their eyes. Tim had looked up the British magical money system and knew them as Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts.
"Whoa, Harry," Harper said. "You're rich."
"That would be a correct statement," Griphook spoke from the door as Harry took a money bag in the vault and took some of the coins inside it.
Hagrid turned to Griphook. "Vault 713 now, please, and… can we go more slowly?"
"One speed only," Griphook replied, to a groan from the half-giant.
Back in the cart, they were going even deeper now and gathering speed. The air became colder and colder as they hurtled round tight corners. They went rattling over an underground ravine, and Harry leaned over the side to try to see what was down at the dark bottom, but Tim pulled his son back.
Again, they stopped at another vault, this one older than the one that contained Harry's money, and again, all exited the cart.
"Stand back," Griphook called importantly. He stroked the door gently with one of his long fingers and it simply melted away. "If anyone but a Gringott's goblin tried that, they'd be sucked through the door and trapped in there."
"How often do you check to see if anyone's inside?" Tim asked, curious.
"About once every ten years," Griphook stated, with a rather nasty grin.
Something really extraordinary had to be inside this top security vault, they were sure, and Harry leaned forward eagerly, expecting to see fabulous jewels at the very least – but at first he thought it was empty.
Then Harper hit his shoulder and pointed to a grubby little package wrapped up in brown paper lying on the floor. Hagrid moved forward and picked it up and tucked it deep inside his coat.
"Come on, back in this infernal cart, and don't talk to me on the way back, it's best if I keep me mouth shut," said Hagrid and Harper chuckled while Tim patted the man sympathetically on the back.
One wild cart ride later they stood blinking back in the atrium of Gringotts, Harry and Harper pleased with the unexpected rollercoaster ride, while Tim seemed nonchalant about it. Hagrid though looked even greener than when they had got out at Harry's vault.
"Ragnar, should be ready for you now," Griphook turned to Tim.
"Listen. I'm going ta get a drink and make us a reservation fer dinner at th' Leaky Cauldron," Hagrid said to Tim, giving Harry a pat. "Oh, an' find Harry a birthday present. Meet ya in a few hours."
Before Harry could protest that Hagrid didn't have to get him a present, the half-giant was gone and the three were led to an office just beyond the atrium by Griphook. They were alone for a minute before an older goblin wearing glasses and a three-piece suit joined them.
"Ah, Mr. Potter, the young heir returns," the goblin spoke, and Harry paused at the way he said it. "I knew your father and your mother – and your grandparents. My family have been taking care of the Potter family estate for a very long time. Before it was even called Potter. I am Ragnar."
"Hello, Ragnar," Tim said, taking the lead here. "I'm Timothy Evans." For the second time today, Tim found himself shaking hands with another magical being.
"Harry's guardian, yes. For big clients like Mr. Potter, we make sure we know who has control. We were going to send you a letter once the adoption went through but then thought for Mr. Potter's safety it might be better to leave this meeting until now. I was waiting for the day young Harry and his family walked into our doors. Now if this is about transferring some money to one of our American branches, we can…"
"Whether or not Harry wants some of his trust fund money turned to American money is up to him," Tim interrupted. "I was actually curious about his trust vault. Someone not in the family had the key and I was just hoping no one had accessed it."
"I assure you, Mr. Evans, if anyone other than a fellow goblin, outside of the Potter family, accessed his vault, there would be serious repercussions for all," Ragnar stated darkly, but started looking through files on his desk. "Well then, the trust fund of Harry Potter was opened by Lily and James weeks after birth and the first time it was accessed was today," Ragnar said, and Tim let out a sigh of relief.
"Wait," Harry spoke up. "You said I am a big client. I mean, there was a lot in that vault but there has to be a lot more people with a lot."
"That's not the only vault the Potter Family has," Ragnar explained. "Mr. Evans, how about I give you a little overview of the Potter estate?"
"I think that would be a good idea," Timothy said with a nod, glancing to Harry who looked eager now.
"First, let's go over his stocks," Ragnar said. "Lucky for Mr. Potter here, the Potter family has taken the option of letting us invest a certain amount of money and also get out of investments. Most wizarding families prefer we don't touch their money at all." Timothy had always thought Gringotts was simply rent-a-vault and store gold with no interest or anything to it. He was glad to hear there was this option. "As of such, we managed to keep gold flowing into your vaults, with the agreed upon fee for taking care of it. The money being taken in is enough to pay for the fees on all the vaults the Potter family owns, taxes on their houses, and some put away."
Ragnar waved a hand over the paperwork and muttered, "Replicata," and the paperwork instantly doubled. "A copy for you," he separated the original from the copy. "It's both muggle and wizarding companies. Plus, listings of all the houses inside the Potter estate," Ragnar handed the files to Timothy. "Now as for the vaults. Obviously, you know about his trust vault; then there is the Potter Family vault, which has been open almost since the beginning of Gringotts itself. It holds the majority of the Potter Family gold and other Potter heirlooms. It is locked though and cannot be accessed until Mr. Potter is of age. This is the vault the money from investments go to and pays the fees if needed. If Mr. Potter's trust vault were to get low, it would be refilled from this vault."
"Wow, Harry," Harper breathed at that. Harry himself amazed at what he apparently owned.
"The Potter family are not the richest people we have, but they are up there," Ragnar explained, seeing the amazement. "Apart from the family vault and the trust vault, there are a number of other vaults. One is a vault Ms. Lily Potter made when she was in school. She kept it open after her marriage for her pay to go into. There isn't much in this vault. I would suggest closing it and putting what is within into Harry's trust vault."
Ragnar then took a breath as he looked through papers.
"When they were going into hiding, Mr. and Mrs. Potter made several treasury vaults in case the worst happened. It's something done when people fear death is possible and to make it easier for non-children to collect what they are being left. As the Potter Will was never read, these vaults were never transferred to the intended recipient and still belong to Mr. Potter. Lily and James did leave who each was meant for. First off, we have a vault for the Alice and Frank Longbottom. There is no money within, since the Longbottom's are as rich as the Potters, but some personal items of value to the family."
"Then we have a vault for Mr. Remus Lupin," Ragnar said. Harry knew about his father's friends in their Marauders group, as they called them. "Money and some other things left for him. And then a vault for Mr. Sirius Black," Harry's fist tightened – the man who betrayed his parents, Tim and Cassidy had learned all about this betrayal soon after adopting Harry and they had relayed this information when they felt appropriate.
"And finally," Ragnar continued, "a vault for Mr. Timothy Evans."
"What?" Tim asked.
"Some personal objects and money. A lot of money," Ragnar said, handing over the piece of paper.
"That is a lot," Tim said, shocked Lily was going to leave this to him. "Could this…?" Tim had been planning, when he was here, to have the bank account for Harper's education transferred into British money to pay for Hogwarts, but with fees for transferring the fund and the exchange rates, he didn't even know how much he would have. "Could I use this to pay for my daughter's Hogwarts education."
"Ah yes. Hogwarts tuition is a strange thing." Ragnar mused. "The Ministry long agreed that all British wizards and witches deserve a Hogwarts Education, so for Muggle-Borns or those family too poor to pay, they get money from a special Ministry fund we have here in Gringotts. Any family with enough money to pay though, has to pay. We had several Muggle-Borns in over the past few days exchanging muggle money for wizarding money," Ragnar explained. "It's not a perfect system, however. For example, some of our larger Wizarding families have to pay for their eldest, but once the latter children enter Hogwarts, the Ministry fund supplies the tuition for them. However, they do still need to pay for their own supplies."
"There are large families like that?" Tim voiced, bemused at this concept.
"Indeed. Your children will attend Hogwarts with some of these types of families," Ragnar stated, not giving too much away. "But yes, there is more than enough money in the Evans vault for a full seven-year Hogwarts education, with supplies and then extra," Ragnar confirmed. "We could transfer it into a trust vault for your daughter so she could access it without you but keep it under the Potter family vaults so the Potter main vault will pay fees."
"I wouldn't want to take money from Harry," Tim said instantly at this. He and Cassidy had been having many late nights discussing financing for a Hogwarts education – it was slightly higher than any of the schools Harry and Harper had been considering before accepting this.
"Dad, there is a lot in there… more than I will ever use," Harry said, now putting an arm around Harper. "Do it."
"Okay," Tim said with a smile, looking back to Ragnar. "And Harry, what do you want to do with the other vaults?" He knew what he would decide, but this was Harry's ownership.
"Can we give the Longbottoms and Remus Lupin theirs?" Harry asked.
"We can," Ragnar said with a nod.
"As for Sirius Black's vault…" Harry paused. "Can we just leave it?" He didn't want it joined into any of his vaults right now and didn't want to look through it.
"It is a small vault. The fee for keeping it open is barely anything. We can leave it until you are ready to handle it," Ragnar said with a nod. "And Lily's Potter's vault?"
"What you suggested. Put the money in my trust vault," Harry nodded.
"I will get the proper paperwork for Mr. Evans to sign," Ragnar said, leaving the room.
"Damn Harry," Harper finally spoke. "Your mom and dad knew what they were doing."
"Lily was a very smart girl," Tim added, "I'm sure she knew what she was doing, more than James."
"I can see James just going with the flow," Harry nodded. "But leaving items for others in case the will was never read… very clever."
"Like I said…" Tim began, but the door opened, and Ragnar came back in, holding some more paperwork.
"This is to transfer your vault into a trust vault for Harper Evans and a transfer of money to Hogwarts for her education." Ragnar said, placing the first pieces of paper he had in front of Tim and showing him where to sign. After it was signed a key appeared out of thin air. "For you, Ms. Evans." Ragnar handed the key to Harper. "How about you and Mr. Potter go get some gold for it for your shopping?"
"Go," Tim said, seeing the two wanted to run off now. "Wait outside the bank for me before going shopping." Tim turned, knowing Ragnar wanted something else in private as Harry and Harper moved back into the bank. "I know that tactic Ragnar, getting the kids out of the room… what do you want to talk about?"
"Yes, well, I can see that Mr. Potter is not ready to hear this. Everyone needs someone to blame for a death as horrible as James and Lily's was. But Sirius Black is innocent," Ragnar said.
"What?" Tim asked, shocked himself.
"Sirius Black is the sole heir of the Black family – a family maybe even richer than the Potters. Others have tried to take the claim, but we have stopped them for three reasons: Sirius Black never received a trial; Lily and James' will that was not read said who their secret keeper was, and it was not Sirius Black; and Sirius named Harry his heir," Ragnar explained. "We Goblins are not allowed to interfere in Wizarding laws, but we can protect the gold. Now, as a wizard and Harry's legal guardian, the Black Family fortune and what to do about the wrongly imprisoned Lord Black is up to you."
"I see…" Tim breathed, still taking this new information in. For so long he'd thought Sirius Black had betrayed his friends, but this wasn't so, it seemed.
-Harry Potter-
Harry and Harper were on the street outside Gringotts. The two had seen the vault that was now Harper's and taken some money and both were itching to get shopping.
"Hey, dad," Harry said, seeing his father coming out of the bank. "Did everything go okay?"
"Yes," Tim said, a little too fast and making the two look at each other. "What do you two need for school? Start with the bookstore."
"We actually have most of the books," Harper said, having her acceptance letter out and making Tim pause. "We got most of them for Junior Magic school. Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling was a few years ago. We have also used One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi. I think we use a different potions book though."
"And Newt signed our Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them book. Actually, we have the newest additions and our list are asking for the earlier additions," Harry said. "We didn't use this history book though. And this book of spells is not used in America, I think."
"That's not worrying at all," Tim said, taking the list from Harper frowning at the books.
The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble
Tim tried to remember when Lily found out she as a witch what she had to buy, but he wasn't sure. Certainly, they told them and had schooling before they turned 11 though.
"We also obviously have our wands, cauldron, phials, and scales," Harper said.
"We don't have a telescope though. Our Astronomy classes, the telescope was provided so we need one of our own," Harry said. "And we need the uniform: Three sets of plain work robes in black," he read off the list, "one plain pointed hat in black, one pair of protective gloves in dragon hide or similar and a winter cloak."
"Well, that's a robe shop," Tim nodded to a shop nearby called Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, which supported what looked like male and female Hogwarts outfits in the window.
"Hey dad, could we get some extra potion ingredients and some more advance books?" Harper spoke. "If we're ahead, it might be fun to continue some studying on our own."
"Sure," Tim said with a nod, looking over the list again with a frown. He wondered if encouraging Harry to go to Hogwarts and getting Harper in was a mistake now, but they had accepted Hogwarts and rejected the other schools. It was too late to change their minds. "You two go get measured for your uniforms and I'll go get your telescope and some potion ingredients. We'll go to the bookstore together."
"Cool," the two nodded as they went into the robe shop.
"New students?" Madam Malkin, a squat woman dressed all in mauve, addressed the pair. "I'm measuring another boy in the back, if you could wait here…" she nodded to Harper who smiled as Madam Malkin indicated for Harry to come to the back first to be fitted.
The other boy she mentioned was a pale youth with a pointed face and blonde hair; there as well a second witch, working on pinning up his robe, too. Madam Malkin had Harry stand on a stool next to the boy and slipped a long robe over Harry's head before she starting to pin it.
"Hello," the boy said. "Hogwarts, too?"
"Yes," Harry nodded.
"My father's next door buying my books and my mother's up the street looking at wands," the boy droned, and Harry raised an eyebrow at that. He thought you had to be present to get your wand. "Then I am going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow. Have you got your own broom?"
"I got one for my birthday last year," Harry said truthfully. Both him and Harper had got brooms last year to take their flying test at their school.
"Oh, you're American," the boy raised an eyebrow, Harry figuring he had just noticed the accent. "How ghastly. Why on Earth would Dumbledore let an American in?"
"He has his reasons," Harry said, deciding not to comment on the ghastly remark. He was liking the boy less and less.
"Well, whatever. You must play Quidditch at least," the boy asked.
"No, I don't. It's not really a popular sport back home and I never got into it," Harry said truthfully. The wizarding sport played on brooms had fallen out of favor in America a long time ago. There were some teams though, but Harry had never gotten into it. He preferred running and actually exercising when he played a sport.
"Well, I plan on trying out for my house team when I can," the boy went on and Harry was finding him irritating. "Given any thought on what house you will be in? Of course, no one really knows until you get there, but my family has been in Slytherin for generations, so I am almost guaranteed that. Could you image being a Hufflepuff? I think I would leave, wouldn't you?"
"I haven't given it much thought. The house system is not something American schools really do," Harry remarked. The only school he could pick out off the top of his head that did it was Ilvermorny.
"American schools must not be very good. I can see why you want to go to Hogwarts," the boy smirked, and Harry had enough of him.
"Actually, America has many great schools, some of the best in the world and I had my pick. I have personal reasons for wanting to attend Hogwarts that are really none of your business before you ask," Harry snapped, and he could see the boy was shocked at the tone Harry took.
"You're done dear," the witch told the boy.
He stepped down and turned to Harry.
"Well, I guess I'll see you at Hogwarts," he said before leaving.
After that, Harper was brought back and being fitted just as Harry was done. Harry had been quiet, thinking about the other boy, but didn't say anything as Harper was fitted.
Leaving the robe shop with their clothing in bags, they quickly found Tim, who also had bags for the supplies he picked up. With that, the group headed for the bookstore.
"Grab whatever extra books you want," Tim told them as they entered the bookstore, which was filled to bursting with books – and people. "But we're meant to meeting up with Hagrid again soon. So, be quick."
The two started looking around the store for other books, the schoolbooks they needed being front-and-center, ready for the students looking for them. Harper picked up a beginner defensive spells book.
"I can't find the potion book," Harry said, surprising Harper as she was looking through a bookshelf. The two had been looking for the next potion book from the series they had been using in junior magic school. "Did find this one though, which seems cool. And got this."
Harry held out another book that said 'fun spells' on it.
"Maybe learn to play a prank or two," Harry said.
"We do have a test subject," Harper said with a wink and Harry laughed. The pair sometimes gave Boyd a hard time, but if anyone else harmed their little brother, they would be the first to get revenge.
"What are you looking for?" Harry asked, noticing Harper was looking at books on magical myths and legends. "Another lost magical object?"
"Not exactly," Harper mused and heard Tim calling for them. "I'll tell you later." Harry gave a nod as they went to go pay for the books.
Soon, they were headed for the Leaky Cauldron and saw Hagrid waiting out by the open archway that linked Diagon Alley to the pub. In his hands was a cage with a beautiful snowy white owl inside.
"Happy birthday Harry!" Hagrid called.
"Whoa! You got me an owl?" Harry asked, moving over, and taking the cage, not believing it. The owl was asleep, her head under her wing.
"She's a good owl. I asked if she's good fer long flights an' she is. Can make it ta America and back," Hagrid explained. "I hope this is okay?" His eyes turned to Tim at that and so did Harry's.
"Well, you two are going to need to be able to write us," Tim smiled, and Harry grinned as he took the cage.
"I shoulda asked you first," Hagrid reasoned.
"I was going to suggest to Harry about getting an owl," Tim mused. "He's a little upset that Lucy can't go with him to Hogwarts."
"Who's Lucy?" Hagrid asked.
"His crup," Tim said.
"Oh, I love crups!" Hagrid said happily. "Few years back I had a litter at Hogwarts. Got a coupla students to help me train them before they were adopted into their new homes. Well, I got us a table waiting. Come on, Harry, I can tell you all kind of stories about yer mom an' dad."
Harry smiled as the group went into the Leaky Cauldron.
-Harry Potter-
Minerva McGonagall was looking over the history of Harry and Harper's junior magic schooling that had been sent over. It seemed that America used a different grading system than them, but the school seemed to know that and had included the grading scale. All the grades were good, but the subjects were what was surprised the professor.
They had some Muggle subjects such as Maths, English, and Science. Plus, it seemed they had to take some type of sports related class called 'Gym' – Harry's said he had done baseball and fencing, while Harper had taken a few years of swimming. The History class seemed to be a combined Muggle and Magical history classes. Then there was Herbology and Astronomy. The pair had been taking years of these subjects, including a specialized one that had to deal with potion ingredients as they had been taking potions classes as well – at least for the last year.
There were two notes in their files that they had passed tests to get out of flying and care of magical creatures' classes. There was also magical theory classes. It seemed like a lot, but these classes were spread out for at least five years already.
Minerva wasn't sure what to do with this information – the two students seemed to have been given an education that when they got to 11 that they could jump right into the actual spell practice. Minerva knew muggles taught their students from a young age, that at the ages of 4 or 5 they were already in some mild schooling and it got more difficult as the years went on. It seemed America had taken that idea and used it for magical students as well.
She had been a teacher for a long time though and had seen many students walk in and out of these doors. Muggles who had years of schooling and were used to things like homework and study had good work ethic but no knowledge of actual magic, while wizarding students who only had some home schooling were not used to the work but usually had a bit more knowledge. Eventually the muggle students gained knowledge and the magical students gained work ethic and the two evened out.
This was new though. These two had work ethic combined with a lot of knowledge in some subjects, but no spell casting knowledge. She was going to have to figure out what exactly to do and would have to talk to the other teachers as well. One thing for sure: she was wondering if she could get a system like this into action here.
-Harry Potter-
It was night and they were back in Arizona when Harper had snuck into Harry's room. Her wand lit up to find Harry was sitting on his bed – Lucy, the crup, was sleeping on the bottom of the bed and the owl's cage was open – she probably went out hunting.
"You got Lumos down," Harper grinned seeing Harry's wand was lit up too.
"Easy spell," Harry said. "Wonder if mom and dad would take us to the shooting range to try some defensive spells?"
"We can ask," Harper said.
"So, did you name the owl?" Harper asked.
"Hedwig," Harry smiled. "It's a name that spoke out to me when looking through A History of Magic."
"That would be rebranded to A History of British Magic," Harper pointed out. "They sorely lack American history, and only vaguely mention Europe and Asia…."
"True," Harry mused. "They don't even mention the magical side to the American Revolution." Muggles were not the only people who revolted during the revolution. The Magical side had as well. In fact, some of the founding fathers of America were wizards and others had been let in on the magical community so they could fight side by side.
"So, what are you up to?" Harry had to ask, and to answer this, Harper gave Harry the book she was holding. It was opened to the page about the Founders' Vault. "You think it exists?"
"Wouldn't be surprised," Harper said. "That school is packed with mysteries. I want to find it."
"Yeah, I am in," Harry said.
"Really?" Harper asked.
"Can't let you do this without me," Harry said and Harper smiled. "But what prank do you want to pull on Boyd tomorrow?"
"Well, the Fun Spells book has a lot of suggestions," Harry chuckled, pulling out the book to show Harper.
-Harry Potter-
In their bedroom, Tim and Cassidy were discussing what the Goblin had told Tim about Sirius Black.
"What do we do about this?" Cassidy asked.
"The British Ministry of Magic is completely insane," Tim said. "I don't even know where to begin on getting him free. I am going to need to talk to people quietly. Figure this out. And we can't tell Harry. I don't know how he would react to Sirius being innocent or that he has to rot in one of the worst prisons on Earth until I can get him out."
"If Sirius is innocent though, it means whoever really did betray Lily and James is still free," Cassidy pointed out and Tim nodded, having thought of that himself. "And we're sending our kids to Hogwarts. Are we doing the right thing?"
"I thought of that earlier, but that was just because I wasn't sure how great their education system is after seeing the books the two have to get," Tim said. "They have each other. And maybe we can teach them how to throw a cutting curse at least."
Cassidy gave a nod as they started to get into bed.
"What happens to Harry if Sirius goes free? He is Harry's godfather," Cassidy pointed out.
"We're his parents," Tim calmed Cassidy. "But when we get Sirius free, we have a new member to the family."
Cassidy smiled as the two settled down into bed.
"You know Harper went downstairs to Harry's room, right?" Cassidy asked.
"It's Harry's birthday. Let them have some fun," Tim dismissed. "We'll break it up if they set the house on fire." Cassidy laughed as Tim put an arm around his wife and the two settled down.
Post Chapter Note: And there you have it. We hope you liked this.
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