Harry Potter and the Founders Vault
Disclaimer: The same as always.
Year 2: The Brother Wand
Harry and Harper had decided to meet Hermione and Neville in Diagon Alley to collect their supplies. Tim had come with them to Britain but had told the siblings he had business elsewhere, and so had dropped them off at the Leaky Cauldron. They stopped by Gringotts to get money from their Vaults before meeting up with Harper and Neville outside.
"Hey!" Hermione said with a smile hugging the two. "Have a good summer?"
"Yeah, it was fun thanks," Harper stated. "Professor McGonagall came over to personally deliver our Hogwarts letters."
"Wow, that's pretty cool," Hermione responded, wide-eyed at that.
"Hey, belated birthday Neville," Harry added to Neville.
"You too, Harry," Neville smiled. Both celebrated their birthdays in late July, after all.
"Did you get our gifts?" Harry added.
"The communication notebook like you three have," Neville said with a grin. "Did you get my gift?"
"From both of you," Harry said with a smile, thanking them for the gifts. "So, anything interesting happen over the summer?" Hermione and Neville both shook their heads, obviously having a normal summer.
"We had a little weirdness," Harper said. "Aside from Professor McGonagall being in the States," she chuckled at this. "But a House Elf from here, called Dobby, came over to give us a warning about Hogwarts for this year."
"We convinced him we were attending American school this year, to get him off our backs," Harry added.
"We?" Harper asked turning to look at her brother.
"Okay credit where credit is due, it was Harper's idea and she convinced him," Harry said with a nod.
"That is weird," Neville mused thinking it over. "He had to be defying his master's orders going to you. Or maybe was on them? Maybe someone was trying to scare you away?"
"I don't know," Harry said with a shrug.
"This whole system seems awful to me. An entire species in slavery," Hermione pouted, knowing of House Elves by now.
"They are bonded to their family," Neville dismissed. "Come on, Harper, Harry, help me out with this one."
"With what? Sorry Nev, but House Elf slavery was outlawed in America at the same time as all other forms of slavery," Harry stated, and Hermione gave a smile at that.
Neville didn't seem to know what to say at this, so decided to change the topic. "Erm. Can I see the Gryffindor key?" Neville asked; Harry chuckled at the change of tact, but took the key out from under his shirt, as he wore it all the time – except when he was playing baseball, which was when he gave it to Harper to hold for safe keeping. "Wow!" Neville muttered, looking it over before Harry put it back under his shirt.
"So, where's your new wand?" Harper asked Neville, remembering he had broken his wand at the end of last year.
"I've actually got to go get one," Neville said. "My gran gave me the money."
"Where is your gran?" Hermione asked, looking around as if expecting the woman to loom over their shoulders.
"Catching up with friends at Florean's Ice Cream Parlor," Neville dismissed, glad to be away from his gran.
"Wait, you haven't had a wand all summer?" Harry asked, surprised by this.
"It's not like we can use magic outside of school," Hermione pointed out, to which Harry and Harper looked at each other. "Wait, are you two allowed to? We got that little slip of paper before leaving Hogwarts telling us…?"
"We didn't," Harper shrugged at this as Hermione frowned.
"Minors are allowed to use certain magic in their own home in the USA, and others while under supervision," Harry explained of the US system now. "Plus, we took a summer course in Defense at our local school."
"Oh. Wow," Hermione frowned, not having known that, but proud her friends had taken summer courses, too. She would have loved to take a summer course herself if any were available.
"I have to go to Ollivanders," Neville spoke up. "Could you three come with me? The one good thing about taking my father's wand was not having to go there. Ollivander scares me a bit."
"Sure Nev," Harry said with a nod and the four maneuvered themselves through the crowded street to the small store. It was dark inside, but the door was open, so the friends let themselves in, taking a moment to notice the shelves upon shelves of tiny boxes containing various wands.
"Wow," Harper breathed, not having seen a wand shop like this before.
"Hello?" Harry called out, noticing the shop appeared empty of all human life.
"Mr. Potter," a voice spoke, and the group jumped as older man seemed to appear out of thin air from behind a shelf. "I expected you here last year." His eyes were large, full of wonder and his white hair stuck out at odd ends. He looked quite eccentric.
"I, er, bought my wand back home," Harry spoke. "In America. I'm not here to buy. Just here with my friend."
"Ah yes, Mr. Longbottom. I was expecting you last year as well," Ollivander muttered, moving toward Neville now.
"I… I was using my father's wand," Neville said, clearly nervous at this.
"Ah yes. Poor Frank Longbottom," Ollivander mused, sadness creeping across his face as he muttered, "12 inches, ash wood, and unicorn hair. Both the core and the wood don't like new owners. I doubt the wand took to you very well."
"You can say that again," Harper mumbled, Ollivander glancing to her now, curious.
"And you would be?" Ollivander asked.
"Harper Evans," Harper said. "I'm Harry's sister. We got our wands together last year."
Ollivander gave a small smile at this before turning to Hermione. "And Ms. Granger. Dragon heartstring, vine wood, and 10 and three fourth inches. I trust your wand is still in good condition?" Ollivander asked, and Hermione gave a smile, taking out her wand for Ollivander to look over. "Yes, yes… very well kept," he observed the wand for a moment before passing it back to Hermione. "Now, I know we are looking for a new wand for Mr. Longbottom here, but before we do, do you mind if I see your two wands?" He asked Harry and Harper.
The siblings looked at each other for a moment before both took out their wands.
"Oh," Ollivander said, taking Harry's wand first. "Two types of woods, I've heard of this method. The main wand is Elder Wood, while the handle is Flame Tree Wood…" Harry was impressed by how fast the wandmaker knew that, bringing the wand up to his face, he shook it, before smelling it. "You have two cores, too. Griffin Feathers and Wampus cat hair. Interesting combination, very interesting. Good for defensive magic and mental magic. It would be attracted to someone who seeks trouble – or at least someone who gets into a lot of trouble. It's a very nice wand, Mr. Potter. Not one I would make myself, but very powerful indeed," and with that, he gave a flourish and a flock of small canaries shot from it, momentarily circling Harry before flying out of an open window.
Ollivander handed the wand back to its owner and then took Harper's wand, looking over it now. "Ah yes. Simpler than your brother's: one wood, maple; beautifully crafted. One core. A…" Ollivander paused for a moment bringing the wand closer, a frown coming across his face. "A Thunderbird Tail Feather. Very good for transfiguration. The wand prefers an owner that seeks adventure, not wanting to be in one place to long." Ollivander now waved the wand and produced a small bouquet of flowers, which he handed to a surprised Harper. "Very nice wands both of you," he passed the wand back to its owner too.
"Now, Mr. Longbottom," Ollivander turned to Neville. "Your wand arm?" Neville held out his right arm, which he had used for his wand last time, and Ollivander was fast in starting to measure it, using a very old-looking measuring tape that seemed to have a mind of its own as he left to grab a box. The tape continued measuring and was just assessing the size of Neville's nostrils when Ollivander returned, placing a wand into Neville hand, batting the tape away. "Dragon Heart String, redwood, 9 inches. Give it a wave." Neville waved the wand, only to produce a small explosion. "No, definitely not."
The wand maker grabbed another wand box and came back with the wand from with. "Cherry and unicorn hair, 13 inches," Ollivander said, placing the wand in Neville's hand; Neville waned it, but nothing happened. "No." Ollivander took the wand, replacing it with another. "Phoenix Feather, Ebony, 9 and a half inches." That caused a bigger explosion. "Oh heavens no. How about this one? Griffin feather, 7 inches, Larch… oh goodness no," he snatched it from Neville's hand before the boy even had a chance to wave it.
The wand maker wasn't giving up, though. In fact, the more wands that rejected Neville, the happier he seemed. Harry, meanwhile, decided to take a seat on the only seat in the shop while Harper and Hermione chuckled at the various explosions that Neville was causing. He'd just exploded a fishbowl when Ollivander took the wand from the boy and tossed it in the very large pile forming.
"I wonder…" Ollivander paused, having grabbed a particularly dusty box from the back now. "Try this one. 11 inches long, Holly, and Phoenix Feather."
Neville took it, extremely hesitantly, and gave it a wave. Instantly a glow surrounded him as red and gold sparks flew from the wand tip. It looked like this wand had chosen him. "Way to go, Nev," Harper said, glad to finally have a wand for her friend.
"Interesting, very interesting," Ollivander, however, mused as he took the wand back, examining it.
"What?" Neville asked.
"I remember every wand I ever sold, Mr. Longbottom," Ollivander stated. "Every single one. And the Phoenix who gave the tail feather for this wand gave just one other. It is curious, Mr. Longbottom, that you should be destined for this wand when it's brother gave Harry that scar..."
"Again, with the scar. I have no scar," Harry pointed out, jumping out of the old chair, and taking off his baseball cap, showing his scar-free head.
"If you had come to me for your wand last year, I would have known that Mr. Potter," Ollivander snapped back – very unlike the man.
"Burn, Harry," Harper said with a laugh and Harry had to admit, it was a good comeback. But Neville wasn't paying attention as he stared at the wand now in Ollivander's hand, which the man was already boxing up.
"The brother wand to this wand is You-Know-Who's wand?" Neville muttered, worried now. "I don't…"
"Neville," Harry said, seeing where this was going, moving over to Neville now. "The fact Voldemort's wand has a core from the same Phoenix means nothing. The wand is not evil. Voldemort's wand is not evil. It depends on how the wand is used by the owner."
"Mr. Potter is right," Ollivander nodded at Harry, "although speaking the name aloud is very unusual. Nevertheless, I think we can expect great things from you, Mr. Longbottom. After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things. Terrible things yes, but great."
Harper could see the words of Ollivander didn't seem to calm Neville, so decided on a different tact. "Where do you get your tailfeathers? Is it from one of Newt's reserves? If so, we might be able to introduce Neville to the Phoenix," Harper said, thinking that if Neville met the Phoenix he might calm down. The wand was obviously old, but Phoenixes had the potential to live very long lives.
"That's a good idea," Hermione voiced, thinking meeting the Phoenix might be a good idea for Neville. She too had been taken aback by the revelation of the wand's origins.
"These particular feathers came from a Phoenix who is the familiar to a powerful wizard," Ollivander mused.
"Fawkes," both Harry and Harper said together, surprising Ollivander.
"Who?" Neville asked.
"Dumbledore's Phoenix," Harper and Harry once again said together.
"Dumbledore's Phoenix donated the feather?" Neville said, a smile coming across his face at this.
"Well, yes," Ollivander said, not seeming to know what to say to Harry and Harper knowing what Phoenix he meant so soon.
"Don't worry Nev," Harper said.
"We'll get sent to Dumbledore office at some point this year," Harry continued for Harper there.
"And you can meet Fawkes then," Harper finished.
Neville gave a smile to his two friends before paying Ollivander for the wand, the four friends leaving the shop, and a somewhat shellshocked Ollivander, and walking towards the bookshop. They had to pause at the queue going out of the door – a sign outside told them why.
"Meet Gilderoy Lockhart?" Harry groaned as he read the sign.
"We can actually meet him!" Hermione squealed. "I mean he's written almost the whole booklist."
"Don't sound too excited Mione," Harper sighed, making her friend look at her.
"The man is a fake," Harry supplied.
"How can you say that?" Hermione rounded on her friends, seeming offended.
"When mom saw the booklist, she went out and bought 'Fakehart' right away," Harper said.
"Fakehart?" Neville asked. "Is that one of his books too?"
"No, it's a book that goes into details on why Lockhart is a fake," Harry supplied. "We'll show it to you both," Harry said with a nod. "Probably banned over here."
"Well, Gran says he must exaggerate," Neville mused. "She doesn't believe half the things he claims to do – and nothing gets passed my Gran."
"Well, Barnaby back home met Fakehart a few times when he was in school – apparently the man couldn't even win a simple duel against a student," Harper mused at this.
Hermione didn't seem that happy her three friends weren't impressed, but they managed to squeeze their way in the store, regardless, and took The Standard Book of Spells – Grade 2. They got to the front, aiming to pay for this book regardless, when they noticed the Weasleys.
"Out of the way! This is for the Prophet," a man with a camera stated, pushing passed Ron and stepping on his foot to get a picture of Lockhart.
Harper and Harry giggled at Ron's complaint but stopped when the twins noticed them.
"Well, if it isn't Harry Potter and Harry's Girls," one of the twins stated. "Plus, Neville." The two frowned at Neville, who went red in the face in the presence of the twins. "Is he officially a part of your group now?"
"Yep!" The trio said together, Harper putting an arm around Neville.
"You're going to need a new group name," the two now mused.
It seemed that their conversation though had caught Lockhart's ears, who might have heard Harry's name and was now gaping at him.
"It can't be? Harry Potter!" Lockhart called.
"I think we need…" Harry's sentence was cut off as the man from the paper turned to see where Lockhart was staring before grabbing Harry and dragging him towards the author.
"The end of his sentence was 'a rule against saying his name too loudly in public outside of school'," Harper sighed as the crowd whispered, watching her brother face the other wizard, a little stunned at the way he'd been taken.
"Big smile, Harry. Together, me and you are worth the front page!" Lockhart stated.
"I'd rather not…" Harry said to Lockhart, trying to push the man off him.
"Oh, poor lad, it seems he's a little camera shy," Lockhart said to the gathered crowd within the shop, and Harry had to roll his eyes. "But what an extraordinary moment this is! In fact, it's the perfect moment for me to make a little announcement I have been sitting on."
"This can't be good," Harper muttered to herself. Neville, Fred and George chuckled at the remark.
"When young Harry Potter here, came in today to buy my book, Magical Me," Lockhart continued, which Harry had to roll his eyes again at this, "which I will now present him, free of charge, he didn't realize soon he and his school friends would be getting the real, magical me. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have the pleasure of announcing, come this September, I will be taking the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"
A feeling of dread came over Harry as the entire collection of Lockhart's books were shoved into his hands and, before he could even react, the man from the Prophet managed to take a photo of him, being presented the books by Lockhart. Harry groaned, making his way over to his friends and the Weasleys. He then dropped all the books into the youngest Weasley's cauldron, not wanting them.
"Take them," Harry said to the girl, surprising her. She didn't seem to know what to say. She even seemed stunned as she looked at Harry, but Harry wasn't paying attention now.
"Why do I feel like we're going to be missing Professor Quirrell?" Harper added, and Harry had to nod. The man might have been unable to understand with his fake stutter, but at least he wasn't a complete fraud who clearly only wanted fame and fortune.
"Bet you loved that, Potter," a familiar voice called, and Harry almost had to groan once more. "Famous Harry Potter. Can't even walk into a bookshop without getting his picture taken."
"Draco, what in the last year we've been together makes you think I care about fame?" Harry asked the blonde boy now.
Draco obviously didn't know how to respond to this remark, so turned his attention to Harper. "What, you got a boyfriend now, Evans?" Draco said looking at the flowers Ollivander had summoned, still under Harper's arm. "Bet, it's one of the twins here."
"Why? Make you jealous?" Harper asked, but before anyone could say anything else, Arthur Weasley had come up.
"Hey kids, good to see you again. It's a bit crowded in here. How about we go outside?" Arthur tried.
"Arthur Weasley," a droning voice called; a man appeared behind Draco, who looked like an older version of the boy. His hair, however, was much longer than Draco's, going down his back, while he carried a cane with a snake's head upon it. He was smirking at Arthur, however.
"Lucius," Arthur remarked, coldly.
"Busy time at the Ministry? All those raids," Lucius droned. "I hope they are paying you overtime…" Lucius went into the Weasley girl's cauldron avoiding the books Harry put in it and took out an old, battered copy of The Standard Book of Spells - Year 1. "Clearly not. What's the use of being a disgrace to the name of Wizards if they don't pay you for it?"
"We have very different ideas of what disgraces wizards, Lucius," Arthur said.
"Clearly," Lucius chuckled, but before the kids knew what was happening Arthur had charged at Lucius and there was a good old fashioned fist fight happening in the middle of the bookshop.
Harper patted her friends' shoulders and pointed, the four getting it as they quickly paid for their standard book of spells – all while Molly Weasley shouted at her husband, Draco and the twins egged their fathers on, and the staff of the shop tried to prize the two men apart – and exited the shop, just as Lucius threw the book back at the Weasley girl.
"So, we're not going to buy Lockhart's books, right?" Harper asked once they were out of the shop with only the one book each.
"Absolutely not!" Harry said.
"Harry, Harper," Hermione sighed, seeming displeased at her friends. "He is our Defense teacher. I'll have to get my books later…"
"Well, he's not my teacher," Harry stated, shaking his head giving Harper a look. They would have to figure something out. There was no way they were learning anything with Lockhart – it would make them fall behind for their summer courses, but they'd have to talk to Mato and see what they could do.
It was then that the Weasleys exited the store with Molly still shouting at her husband, who had a black eye forming, while the twins were joyously telling him how cool that was.
"Harry, Harper!" This was Tim coming up. "Hermione! And you must be Neville...?" Neville nodded. "How about I take you all…?"
"Harry, Harper, Hermione, Neville. I'm so sorry you had to see that," it was Molly speaking briskly now. "And who are you?" Molly looked to Tim.
"Timothy Evans, I'm Harry and Harper's father," Tim said, holding out a hand but was surprised by a hug he received from the woman instead.
"Oh! Your children saved my Ron last year," Molly was saying; Ron had a frown on his face but didn't say anything.
"Oh, well, I am proud of them," Tim said, not seeming to know what else to say as he broke from the embrace. "I was just going to take the kids for some lunch. Do you want to join?"
"Of course," Arthur stated politely, but Molly pretended not to hear her husband as she too responded.
"We'd be delighted! How about the Leaky Cauldron?" Molly smiled.
"Perfect," Tim stated, indicating for them to lead the way now.
-Harry Potter-
Albus Dumbledore was in his office, looking over some paperwork when he heard a sound in the fireplace. He turned to see an elderly man's face looking out of his fire and didn't blink an eye at the appearance.
"Garrick Ollivander," Dumbledore smiled, recognizing his old friend. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"
"I thought you would be interested in knowing the second wand has chosen an owner," Ollivander stated, and Dumbledore paused – he had expected Harry to get that wand, but it was clear Harry had not gone to Ollivander for a wand so hadn't visited the shop.
"A first year?" Dumbledore asked.
"No," Ollivander commented. "A second year. Neville Longbottom."
Dumbledore paused for a moment and thanked Ollivander, who vanished from the fireplace with a pop.
"Fawkes, I need to go have a word with an old friend," Dumbledore called, and Fawkes flew up to Dumbledore, who grabbed the bird by its tail before both vanished in a flash of fire.
…
Albus Dumbledore now appeared outside a small cottage overlooking a cliffside. Waves lapped lazily below as the sun gave the cottage a cozy, homely, look. The Hogwarts Professor smiled to himself as he moved across the threshold of the properly, Fawkes swooping happily besides him, and knocked on a door.
An impossibly old woman answered.
"Perenelle," Dumbledore said with a smile. "Is Nicholas in?"
"Oh, hello Albus, please, go on through," Perenelle Flamel smiled, opening the door, and moving aside to let Dumbledore and Fawkes through. Nicholas, similarly, tall, thin, and pale as the Professor, although with no beard and hardly any hair at all now, was in a living area. "Nick, we have company," Perenelle stated, Nick looking up from his chair.
"Albus," Nicholas chuckled, standing up as the two men embraced before Perenelle, and Nicholas indicated for Dumbledore to sit. "So, what brings you this way? Peren and I were just discussing our Wills. You know we have enough Elixir for the next two or three years."
"Plenty of time," Dumbledore smirked, although a little sad knowing he'd have to say goodbye to his elderly friends eventually. "I know since the Stone's destruction that you have limited time left."
"Yes, yes," Nicholas waved this off. "But what troubles you? You look like a man with deep concerns."
"Well, I need advice, old friend," Dumbledore acknowledged, and Nicholas and Perenelle waited for him to continue. "You remember the Prophecy I told you about, many years ago, about the downfall of Lord Voldemort?"
"I remember," Flamel nodded as Perenelle looked on. "It indicated that Harry Potter is the Chosen One. The one to stop the Dark Lord himself."
"Well, after that Halloween, that was what I thought," Dumbledore agreed. "Harry is prefect. He's powerful and smart. He knows love and is brave. The sword of Gryffindor chose him as its new owner." That seemed to surprise the two Flamels, who didn't interrupt. "And last year he, a mere 11-year-old child, went up against Lord Voldemort himself and didn't flinch as he face him."
"So, what is the problem, Albus?" Perenelle asked.
"There are two about whom the Prophecy could be," Dumbledore mused, "and the lightning bolt scar that Voldemort left on Harry is gone."
"How?" Nicholas asked.
"I asked his adopted parents – Lily's cousin and his wife. It seems Native American wizards took it off with some of their magics. It contained some very dark magics," Dumbledore mused, remembering the conversation.
"Ah, Native Americans," Nicholas said with a smile. "You know, a while back we stayed with a tribe and learned some of their magics. They are very interesting people."
"Aren't they just?" Dumbledore smiled. "I would have to find out more soon. Minerva herself went to America to discover more about their education, recently, and visited the Native Americans–"
"Albus," Perenelle interrupted the talk of Native Americans. "You didn't come here to talk about the Natives."
"No, yes, very true," Dumbledore sighed. "The Prophecy. Well, before that Halloween night there were two possibilities," Dumbledore said. "Two boys who could fit the mold. Harry, and Neville Longbottom." The two waited for Dumbledore to continue. "Voldemort's wand, the core was from Fawkes' feather."
"I remember, you allowed Garrick two feathers from Fawkes. Tom Riddle received the first wand but the other remained unclaimed," Nicholas stated, his eyes going wide now as he realized what Dumbledore was saying. "Neville Longbottom got the brother wand?" Nicholas asked, and Dumbledore gave a nod. "No mark on either boy, but Neville is the one with the connection to Lord Voldemort now. I can see why you are troubled, Albus."
"You said Harry could become the man the world needs," Perenelle spoke up. "But can Longbottom?"
"I don't know," Dumbledore admitted. "Last year he was using a wand that did not react to him well, but maybe with a better wand now he could grow magically. He has some bravery in him and is definitely loyal. He's a Hufflepuff, but I don't know if he has the nerve. I guess we will see when he goes against the Hufflepuff task for the Founders' Vault."
"Excuse me?" Nicholas frowned at this.
"Harry Potter, his sister Harper Evans, and their friend, Hermione Granger, began the quest last year. At the end of the school year, I believe, they asked Neville to be their Hufflepuff," Dumbledore said.
"Do they have any keys yet?" Nicholas asked, knowing of the Vault.
"Harry has the Gryffindor key," Dumbledore said.
"That is interesting," Nicholas frowned.
"The two boys, both the possible downfall of Lord Voldemort, and both going after the Founders' Vault," Perenelle voiced, Dumbledore looking to her now. "I would suggest keeping an eye on them both," Perenelle mused.
"Indeed," Dumbledore nodded. "Either could be the result of this prophecy."
"Or both," Nicholas stated, Albus frowning at his friend now.
"Or both indeed," Albus muttered as Fawkes gave a small cry of agreement in the corner of the room.
-Harry Potter-
That night, Tim and Cassidy were up late, talking about Tim's recent visit to London.
"So, no luck?" Cassidy asked.
"I tried searching while the kids were in Diagon Alley but we're trying to find a rat with one finger missing," Tim mused, "and in a city... I just don't know how to start. I checked all the places Sirius said Pettigrew used to hang out, but no one has seen him. He's laying low. For all we know, he's far away from England."
"Should we bring Harry and Harper in on this?" Cassidy asked. "They've spent a lot of time in the United Kingdom now."
"Do you really think Peter Pettigrew will be hanging around Hogwarts?" Tim asked and Cassidy had to admit he had a point. "Give me some more time to work on the law-side of things. If we hit more dead ends or something changes, then we will bring them in."
"What more do you think you can do regarding the laws?" Cassidy asked.
"James Potter was a part of a group of four friends in school. Himself, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew and a fourth," Tim said. "Remus Lupin."
"The werewolf," Cassidy said.
"We're not bringing the kids in, but we're going to bring him in," Tim said. "When the kids go back to school I am inviting Remus over – and telling him everything."
Post Chapter Note: I don't think anyone expected this chapter. With Neville becoming more important, I can't have him using his father's wand. He needed one of his own and I needed to include Voldemort's brother wand. I also want to throw in some confusion about the prophecy because Neville needs some love, being the other boy said prophecy could have meant.
Hope you enjoyed.
Karry Master OUT!