Harry Potter and the Funders Vault
Disclaimer: The same as ever.
Year 1: Halloween
It had been two months now since they had started at Hogwarts, and they had been good; Harry and Harper had passed the Herbology and Astronomy exams with flying colors and now both of them had ended up in the 4th year classes and had started a friendship with some older classmate – especially a Hufflepuff named Cedric Diggory.
Harry though was somewhat happy that Professor Snape had decided not to let them move forward in Potions as the man's style of teaching needed getting used to. Harper teaming up with him kept the other Slytherins and Snape from torturing Harry, too, who still needed to figure out how to appease the man. Meanwhile, he and Harper did use some free time to continue their studies of Potions where they left off; keeping ahead would be a good way to keep on Professor Snape sort of good side.
The only class that was uncertain was Defense Against the Dark Arts, due to Professor Quirrell's reluctance and stutter, but Transfiguration and Charms were great. Both Professors McGonagall and Flitwick were good teachers and since both Harry and Harper knew the theory, they let them move ahead in the class with practicing spells.
Harry and Harper had become closer to Hermione, too, and had started friendships with several of their classmates including Susan Bones and Neville Longbottom. The only downside on the time was that Harry and Harper had made very little progress on the riddle for the Founders' Vault.
On Halloween, Flitwick had asked him to help tutor Wingardium Leviosa, since he had got the spell down a while ago, and so he was working with some of the Ravenclaws when he heard Ron Weasley saying the spell wrong and waving his wand around in the wrong direction.
Harry rolled his eyes but figured he would have to go help the boy. The two had stayed out of each other way since the 1st day, with Ron forming a close friendship with the other two boys in their dorm, Seamus, and Dean but they couldn't completely avoid one another, after all.
"You're saying it wrong," Hermione, who was sitting near Ron, explained before Harry could move. "It's Wing-gar-dium levi-o-sa, not Wig-ard-um levio-sar."
"You do it then, if your so clever. Go on, go on," Ron snapped, obviously frustrated.
Hermione gave the boy an eye roll, and then easily did the spell on her feather, making it easily float into the air above her.
"Good job Ms. Granger, 5 points to Ravenclaw," Professor Flitwick called, having caught this exchange, and Harry gave Hermione a wink as he continued helping other people as Ron slumped on the desk.
Once class was over, Professor Flitwick asked Harry to stay for a moment.
"Go ahead," Harry told Hermione as he went to the front of Class where Flitwick was standing on some books. Hermione liked to stick close to Harry in this class, although she got on well with her fellow Ravenclaws. "Yes professor?" Harry asked once everyone else had left.
"5 points to Gryffindor for helping me tutor," Professor Flitwick said, but then handed Harry two pieces of paper. "Two copies of the spells I think both you and Ms. Evans are ready to try out. Tell Ms. Evans if she can master Alohomora before her charms class at the end of the week, I will give her 20 points."
"Will do," Harry said with a smile. "But know she takes a challenge very seriously."
"I was hoping she would," Professor Flitwick said with a smile. "Now go, enjoy Halloween."
Harry gave a nod as he left the classroom and went to catch up to Hermione, but was surprised when he saw her running from Ron Weasley with tears in her eyes as she ran off.
"Mione?" Harry yelled out, picking up his pace but she was already gone.
Harry easily caught up to Ron with Seamus and Dean and grabbed the redhead's shoulder, wanting to know what happened.
"Hey, what did you say?" Harry asked, trying not to be angry. Ron was a bit hot-headed, but this could have been a big misunderstanding "What made Hermione so upset?" Ron didn't answer so his eyes turn to Dean; of his three roommates Dean was his favorite.
"He said she was a nightmare and that was why no one wanted to be her friend," Dean explained, a little reluctantly, and Ron gave him a look. Dean held up his hands in defense.
"I guess that makes me no one since Hermione is my friend," Harry pointed out coolly. "Weasley, remember what I said about making fun of my sister? Well, add Hermione to the list." Harry gave Ron a glare before turning to run to find Hermione. Making a lot of space between himself and his fellow Gryffindors as he ran into the next corridor.
"Hermione!" Harry yelled out, but she was nowhere.
"Harry?" It was Neville running up to him.
"Neville, have you seen Hermione?" Harry asked.
"No," Neville said. "But it's Harper." Harry paused, worried at this. "We were in Defense and then… well… she got sent to the Headmaster's Office."
"What?" Harry asked, not believing it.
-Harry Potter-
Harper almost couldn't believe it. She had been in Defense Against the Dark Arts class sitting next to Neville and Susan with Daphne and Tracey in front of them – Harper had begun a small friendship with her two roommates as the three got along well with each other, after all. The group had been working on silent study with Quirrell walking around the room, checking on them.
Harper had left her wand on her desk as she talked with Neville over the topic when Quirrell had walked past her desk. It was then that her wand had shot up in the air and the tip of it lighting up with a curse. Harper had gone to grab it, to try and stop the curse, but she was too late. Quirrell was hit on the back of his turban and fallen over. Harper shocked the turban had not fallen off as the man shuttered for her to go to Headmaster's Dumbledore office over the attack.
A Prefect had been summoned and she was brought to a Griffin Statue, which had moved aside to reveal a spiral staircase behind, which she went up. When she got to the office, a large round room filled with portraits and various objects on spindly tables, it was empty except for the sleeping portraits, the Sorting Hat on a shelf behind the desk, and the Phoenix that Harper eyes went to instantly. It was perched just behind the door.
"Hey there," Harper said moving closer to the bird. "Mind if I stroke your feathers?" The phoenix gave her a look and then tilted his head, allowing Harper to stroke him.
"It seems Fawkes likes you, Ms. Evans," Harper almost jumped, not having noticed Professor Dumbledore entered from the back, possibly his private quarters.
"Well, he's a good boy," Harper said.
"Impress me. How did you know he was a boy?" Professor Dumbledore asked as he took his seat behind his desk.
"Males are bigger than females," Harper said right away. "Then there's the coloring on the tailfeathers, which are different between males and females."
"Extraordinary," Professor Dumbledore said with a nod. "You do obviously know your phoenixes," Cassidy had sent her phoenix, a female named Helia, with care packages for Harry and Harper since they'd started; probably figuring the packages would be a lot for an owl to bring from America. Professor Dumbledore had noticed this on occasion, Harper was sure. "I would give you points for impressive knowledge, but there is a reason you are here."
"I didn't send a curse at Professor Quirrell," Harper said instantly, to a seat across from Professor Dumbledore's desk.
"Are you implying that he is lying?" Professor Dumbledore asked.
"No, a curse was sent at Quirrell from my wand, but I didn't send it," Harper stated. Dumbledore tilted his head, clearly waiting for more. "My wand core is a Thunderbird tail feather. They are known to fire curses off on their own. I haven't had much of a problem with it before, I figured because I know the Thunderbird who donated the feather, but I don't know. The wand didn't like Professor Quirrell. I tried to stop it, I swear."
Professor Dumbledore extended his hand at this. "May I?" Professor Dumbledore asked, and Harper nodded, taking her wand out of its holster, and handed it to the headmaster.
Professor Dumbledore looked at the wand for a moment and then took out his own wand. He mumbled a spell under his breath, which Harper could not hear, and after a moment's thought, he looked back up at Harper. "Well, your story has been proven true." Professor Dumbledore stated as he put his own wand away. "As such, I don't think a detention is called for. I will be taking 30 points from Slytherin for carelessness and advise that when you're not using your wand to keep it in its holder. That should keep it under control." Professor Dumbledore held Harper's wand out to the girl, who took it back.
"Thank you," Harper said, letting out a sigh of relief as she put her wand away.
"And I will say Professor McGonagall will be interested to know you have a Thunderbird tail feather wand," Professor Dumbledore said. "She's been requesting Ollivander to make her one for years, but his supply of Thunderbird tail feathers dried up many years ago."
"Okay," Harper said, not sure how to respond to this as she went to get up.
"I didn't excuse you Ms. Evans," Professor Dumbledore pointed out, making Harper pause. "I have been meaning to talk to you or your brother since the first day of classes about a certain book you took from the library."
Harper was glad she had been playing poker for a long time, as she had a good poker face to this statement. "I'm sorry?" Harper asked, as her hand went to her bag. She had the book on her.
"Ms. Evans, there is very little that goes on in my school I am unaware of. Besides, I believe I am the last person who tried to find the Founders' Vault back in my school days," the Professor pointed out lightly.
Harper knew when she had been beat so decided to drop the act. "Are you… are you going to stop us?" Harper asked.
"Oh no, I want the Vault found too. Besides, even if I wanted to stop you I could not. It's the right of any Hogwarts students to try to find the Vault," Professor Dumbledore explained. "I can't give you too much advise as you need to figure it out on your own. What I will say though, is nearly everyone fails because they cannot get one member of each house to sign on to the mission. You and Harry have got through the most difficult part however: Getting a Slytherin and Gryffindor to work together," Harper didn't know whether to roll her eyes or laugh at that. She knew how bad those two houses rivalries were after just two months in the school. "And I believe there is a certain Ravenclaw you two could ask to join. However, do keep your eyes out for a Hufflepuff."
"Yes sir," Harper said.
"Oh, and remember, sometimes different passwords led to different places," Professor Dumbledore spoke, and Harper raised an eyebrow. "Now you're dismissed." That was a clue she was getting no more information, and Harper knew better than to try.
With that, Harper picked up her bag and then turned to look at Fawkes. "Goodbye Fawkes, I'll see you again I am sure," Harper said, going to give him another pet. "Next time Helia shows up, I'll tell her to come up and say hello. I am sure it's been a long time since you have seen a female Phoenix."
Fawkes' head perked up and he let out a beautiful note, and then rubbed Harper head with his. "I think he would very much enjoy that," Professor Dumbledore spoke up with a nod and smile. Harper gave Fawkes one last pet before going to leave.
She was walking towards the Great Hall when Harry found her.
"Hey, I was just looking for you. Did you know Dumbledore has a Phoenix…?" Harper started out, but Harry cut her off.
"You got sent to Dumbledore's office!" Harry said.
"It's no big deal," Harper dismissed with a wave of her hand.
"Well tell me later – we need to find Hermione," Harry said.
"What's the big emergency?" Harper asked.
"Weasley made her cry and she ran off," Harry said.
"I should have let you punch him," Harper groaned at this, rolling her eyes. "I think we need to crack out that fun spell book."
-Harry Potter-
Harper and Harry had spent a while running around the castle, trying to find their friend, but it was only when they came across Padma Patil and her sister, who told them Hermione had been last seen in a girl's bathroom, crying for hours.
Upon finding the bathroom in question, Harry paused outside the door. It was a girls' bathroom, after all.
"I'll go in and make sure everything is decent," Harper spoke, smiling at her brother's hesitation as she moved into the bathroom. She heard the crying coming from the one closed cubicles. "Mione, come on, it's me. Harper," Harper gently knocked on the door. "Harry, come in. No one but us are in here."
Harry came into the room at this. "Mione, we're here," Harry said. "Come on; get out of there or we'll knock the door down."
The stall door opened at this, and Hermione came out. Her eyes red and puffy from crying and she had toilet paper in her hand, obviously having been using this as tissue. "Why do you listen to that…" Harper started, but Harry interrupted.
"Language," Harry pointed out.
"That jerk," Harper finished, glancing at Harry for this interruption. "Have you really been waiting two months to do that?" Harper asked and Harry gave a nod. Their first day of school, Harper had stopped Harry from swearing, after all.
"But Harper is right. Mione, you know you have friends. We're here," Harry said, putting an arm around Hermione. "And we're your friends. And anyone in this school would be mad not to want to be friends with you. You're smart and kind."
"Thank you, you two," Hermione said, putting her arms around them. "It was stupid. Just listening to Ron reminded me of all the bullies back at home, especially this one fat… well… pig and his friends. Oh, 'that freak', they use to say. 'No one will ever want to be her friend'. They used to chase me around."
"That's awful," Harper muttered.
"They just didn't understand how special you are," Harry stated, wanting to know who these bullies were. He'd like to show them a thing or two.
"Mione, you are our friend and because you're our friend…" Harper said, looking at Harry and giving him a nod. It was decided. Placing her hand in her bag, Harry nodded, knowing what Harper wanted to do. "…we want you to help us with something."
"Help?" Hermione asked as Harper took out a book. "What is that?"
"I think it would be better for you to read to find out," Harper said as Hermione took the book and opened it, reading over the first page and then the rest that had been written in the day Harper and Harry had taken it from the library.
"Founders' Vault…?" Hermione said. "I've never even heard of this."
"Harper had a book with the legends in it," Harry stated.
"And during the sorting, the Sorting Hat told us where to find that book," Harper explained, pointing at the book.
"And we need a Ravenclaw," Harry said.
"And there is no other Ravenclaw–" Harper assured.
"–we'd rather do this with," Harry finished.
"I'm actually getting used to that," Hermione chuckled, having found the twin-talk weird at first, but getting use to the two finishing each other sentences. "Can we get in trouble for this?"
"Nope, Dumbledore knows. He wants us to find it. He also said it's our right to try," Harper stated.
"Wait… he did?" Harry asked. "Are you ever going to tell me why you got sent to Dumbledore office?"
"My wand didn't like Quirrell. I told you, it was nothing," Harper dismissed. "Petting Fawkes was the most interesting thing there and the things he said about the Vault. He looked for it too and failed."
"Who's Fawkes?" Harry asked.
"Dumbledore's Phoenix," Harper said, and Harry's eyes went wide – he loved Phoenixes. Whenever a new one showed up at the reserve or were born, which was a lot rarer, he wanted to meet them instantly.
"And you think we can find this Vault?" Hermione asked, stopping anymore conversation about Fawkes. "Professor Dumbledore is one of the most powerful wizards…"
"But when he tried this, he was just like us," Harper pointed out. "A student. We can do this. Most people fail just because the houses can't work together."
"But we can work together," Harry said. "It's up to you but we could really use you. The riddle is kicking our butt."
Hermine looked between them and then turned the book to the first page again. She frowned as she read the words 'speak your names and your house before we go further'.
"Hermione Granger, Ravenclaw," Hermione said aloud, and her named appeared on the first page next to Ravenclaw. "Congratulations on getting a Ravenclaw. Now you only need a Hufflepuff." Hermione read the words that had appeared.
"Welcome aboard," Harper grinned.
"And I guess we should go to the Halloween Feast," Hermione said, closing the book. "I'm keeping this for a bit." Hermione put the book in her bag now.
"Yeah, I am kind of hungry," Harper mused, putting an arm around Hermione's shoulders now.
"Wait, do you hear that?" Harry asked, stopping them from leaving. The girls paused and listened. There was a loud noise coming from the hallway they didn't understand. Harry stepped forward and opened the door a crack.
"Back away!" Harry yelled out and moved fast – second later the door and part of the wall was destroyed as a giant troll came into the bathroom.
It was a horrible sight. Twelve feet tall, its skin was a dull, granite gray, its great lumpy body like boulder with its small bald head perched on top like a coconut. It had short legs thick as tree trunks with flat, horned feet. The smell coming from it was incredible. It was holding a huge wooden club which dragged along the floor because its arms were so long.
The three young wizards were stunned as the troll looked around and spotted them. It let out a cry as it raised it club, hitting the nearby sinks and sending water everywhere.
"Confuse it!" Harper cried to Harry as she and Hermione ran to the back as the troll hit his club against a few stalls.
"Oi, pea brain!" Harry yelled out, but it decided to advance on the girls, Harry having, just by luck, got to the safe side of troll, easily able to run, but not wanting to leave his sister or friend.
"Not helping!" Harper shouted as she and Hermione were now cornered.
Desperate to help now, Harry then did something that was both very brave and very stupid: he took a great running jump and manage to fasten his arms around the troll's neck from behind. The troll couldn't feel Harry there, but at least he had a better position being on the giant creature.
"Seriously?!" Harper asked, as Harry started hitting the troll on the back of the head, enough for the creature to sense something was off and try to knock him off. "We need to do something!" She turned to Hermione.
"Trolls… very resistant to magic. Hard skin. Their brains aren't any bigger than a pea and their skin is ever so thick–" Hermione started listing off facts on trolls she knows.
"You know the saying the bigger they are the harder they fall?" Harper voiced suddenly, and Hermione nodded. "Would it work?"
"Well, they have a high–" Hermione started.
"Yes or no?" Harper asked seeing Harry struggling to stay on the troll.
"Yes!" Hermione said.
"Okay, here is what we are going to do: I am going to blow up the remaining sinks. When the troll falls, you save Harry," Harper said.
"Wait, what?" Hermione asked as Harper took two vials out of her bag.
"And Harry said it was useless to make an exploding potion for fun," Harper remarked; she and Harry had continued their own potion education from where their junior magic school left off when they could. A mild exploding potion had been on the list. Harper now shook the vials until the liquid inside turned red and then tossed both of them at the remaining sinks.
There was an explosion as the sinks burst open and more water went everywhere, this time directly on the troll and the floor. The troll came out a roar as his feet started to slip on the water and then he tripped. "Wingardium leviosa!" Hermione stated, wand out, as Harry was flung in the air. The spell stopped Harry from falling to the floor and then Hermione brought him down gently. The troll, meanwhile, hit its tiny head on the way down on the debris and stopped moving.
"Man, I am glad you learned that spell fast," Harry stated once he was down on his own two feet.
"The troll…" Hermione, however pointed out.
"Oh man… We knocked out a troll," Harper said, moving over cautiously to the creature, having gone to make sure the troll was down and not getting back up. "Look at that. We make a great team: The brave Gryffindor providing a distraction; a sneaky Slytherin coming up with a cunning plan; and the smart Ravenclaw approving the plan and putting the final touches on it." Harper gave a smile as she put her arms around her brother and friend.
"That's all good and well, but what is a troll doing in Hogwarts?" Hermione asked, just as Professors McGonagall, Snape and Quirrell appeared, running into the remnants of the room – the last of whom let out a faint whimper and then quickly sat down on a flung toilet, clutching his heart.
"Seriously? I thought the powerful people who could have handled the crisis in two seconds showing up after everything was settled was a TV trope, but apparently not," Harper remarked, making both Harry and Hermione give a giggle.
"What on earth were you thinking of?" Professor McGonagall, with cold fury in her voice, said. Her lips were white. The three couldn't tell if she was shocked or angry at their takedown of the troll. "You're lucky you weren't killed! Why are you not in your common rooms as Professor Dumbledore requested?"
"He requested we go to the dormitory, Professor?" Harry asked, cocking his head at this.
"When it was revealed a troll was on the loose, yes," Professor McGonagall snapped.
"Well, we weren't at the feast," Harper pointed out reasonably, as if this were a simple answer to a Transfiguration question and they were in class, not talking over the unconscious form of a troll in which three 11-year-olds had managed to take down.
"And why not?" Professor McGonagall asked, her lips so thin now they couldn't be seen.
"We were going to honor my parents," Harry said instantly.
Harper, once again, was glad she had a good poker face. "Yeah, it's been 10 years since they died," Harper pointed out as Professor McGonagall seemed to deflate; Professor Snape however, narrowed his eyes at this explanation while Professor Quirrell looked like he was about to burst into tears, still sat on the toilet seat.
"Every year we light candles for them," Harry continued.
"We invited Hermione to join us this year," Harper said.
"These two were just going to go to the bathroom," Harry said.
"Then we were going to find the candles," Harper continued.
"When the troll came around," Harry completed.
Professor McGonagall gave a look at the three of them, letting out an audible sigh.
"Ms. Granger, is this true?" Professor McGonagall asked, turning to the only one who did not speak.
"Yes," Hermione said instantly, deciding to back up her friends. "And we knocked out the troll…" Hermione pointed at the troll, not sure what else to say
"Some mild damage to the bathroom," Harper added.
"Mild?" Professor Snape spoke, observing the damage to the bathroom; the hole where the door used to be, the smashed toilets and cubicles and the area where the sinks used to be, water still pouring out of pipes.
"Well then," Professor McGonagall ignored her fellow teacher's remark. "I will give you each 5 points… for sheer dumb luck! And as much as I can sympathize with wanting to honor your parents, I need all three of you to return to your respective common rooms. Immediately."
"Yes professor," Harry, Harper and Hermione said together and left before anymore could be said.
"Why didn't we just tell the truth? You two came to find me because I was crying," Hermione asked when they were far enough away from the bathroom and out of earshot of the teachers. At this point, however, this was where Harper would have to go a different direction to get to the Slytherin common room.
"Because Harry started a lie and once he did we were invested," Harper pointed out.
"It just came out," Harry said with a shrug. "See you tomorrow, Harper." Harper gave a nod as she went to head down to the dungeons; Harry and Hermione were able to walk together until they came up to the point where Harry would have to go the opposite way for Gryffindor Tower, and Hermione, the Ravenclaw Tower. "Want me to walk you all the way back to Ravenclaw Tower?" Harry asked now.
"I'll be fine," Hermione said with a smile. "Thanks, Harry." Hermione gave him a hug as she went up towards the Ravenclaw Tower. Once she had headed up the spiral staircase and easily solved the riddle to gain access to the common room, she was thankful the teachers had sent up food so she could eat a bit before heading to bed. Padma and some of her fellow year groups were still up and filled her in on the feast – apparently Professor Quirrell himself had discovered the troll, which at that point had been in the dungeons. How the troll had gone up several flights of stairs to reach the bathroom where Hermione, Harry and Harper had been in was a mystery, however.
Once she was in the bed, Hermione took out the Founders' Vault book and started looking at the riddle again, trying to make sense of it, but she was distracted as she turned back to the first page to see her name along with Harper and Harry. The two had included her in this – they had picked her out of all the Ravenclaws in the castle. They were really friends.
Hermione smiled as she put the book away. She would work hard to make sure they succeeded in this task.
Post Chapter Note 1: Well, Hermione is officially in! And yes, I am trying to keep this story as original as possible, but I do have to follow some of the books' plots. Don't worry though, as I will be putting interesting twists into the books plots with combining them with my ideas.
Post Chapter Note 2: I know this story isn't updated too often, but as my beta and I are about to start a large plot over in our other stories (Arrowverse-related), this story may not be updated for a few weeks now. I hope you can understand. On the plus side, most of Year 1 is now written in one form or another.
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Karry Master OUT!