Power Potter's, London, 31st July (Friday)
"A house elf?" asked Theo in disbelief.
"What's a house elf?" asked Hermione sheepishly.
"I know something that Hermione doesn't?!" almost shouted Ron in disbelief.
"Don't shout! - chastised Daphne before turning to Hermione - A house elf is a magical creature about this big who is devoted to serving a wizarding family by cleaning the house, cooking, taking care of the garden or any other household chore their owner orders them to do."
"Owner?! Like a slave?! You have slaves!?"
"They're not slaves!" protested Theo in indignation.
"You own them! That's slavery!"
"They're house elves! They like to serve!"
"You mean they can't choose not to! Do you at least pay them?"
"We don't need to pay them! We feed them!"
"You wouldn't need to feed them if they had the money to buy food!"
"GUYS!" Harry shouted, silencing the two before the argument could get any more heated..
"Uhh… Hermione? - asked Ron in a timid voice, trying his best not to aggravate the already tense situation - House elves don't eat."
Hermione blinked.
"What do you mean they don't eat?"
"They don't eat. - repeated Theo, having regained his composure. - It's just a part of their biology. I'm not even sure whether they have a stomach or not."
"But… if they don't eat food, where do they get their energy?"
"Their master's magic" "Dreams" "Ambient magic"
The three Slytherins looked at each other, confused as to the others' responses to Hermione's question. Harry looked at them in confusion.
"You don't know?" he asked, with a pinch of incredulity.
"House elves feed on the natural magic around the wizarding world. From things like wards and runes."
"No! They need to actively take some of the magic from their master to survive. The more powerful the wizards, the more house elves they can have!"
"What are you two talking about? They feed from dreams, that's why they like to hang around kids and geniuses so much!"
Silence fell in the room as the group puzzled together the information they had just learned. House elves' nature was, apparently, not as cut and dry as they believed at first. And with such different ideas as to what they actually were…
"Is that going to be this year's extracurricular activity?" asked Harry, sliding a Chiles rellenos towards Ron.
Theo shrugged. "I guess so. I never really paid too much attention to house elves to be honest, they're just… there."
"I guess. Still…" started Daphne, before being interrupted by Ron's desperate cough and gasping for air.
With a smirk, Harry handed him a water bottle and watched the redhead emptying it down his throat.
"Bloody hell. What was that?"
"Chiles rellenos. Edwin sent me some from Guatemala."
"As I was saying - continued Daphne - a house elf shouldn't be able to intercept mail. I didn't even know they could leave the house without their master's permission."
"Yeah, Tierra said something along those lines… Is it really that bad?"
"Absolutely."
"100%"
"It's a good thing she's already sent a letter to the Department for Magical Creature, then."
"Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures" corrected Hermione.
Ron shrugged. "Same thing. She should probably go in person. I mean… if that elf was taking your letters…"
"Good point - agreed Theo, reaching for a second Chiles rellenos - better safe than sorry."
Ron looked at the boy in disbelief.
"How in Merlin's beard can you eat those?"
"They're not that spicy."
"What do you mean 'not that spicy'? My mouth was on fire! I drank a whole bottle and I can still taste the spices!"
Theo smirked.
"Maybe I'm just better than you."
Ron pouted dramatically, his exaggerated expression stealing a giggle from Hermione and Sally.
"Say, since we're talking about creatures… Do you have any idea what that is? Sir Harold sent it as a birthday gift."
Harry showed them the package he had received for his birthday: a silver and green box containing a large bright yellow egg with brown stripes placed on top of red velvet.
"Cool." mouthed Ron
"If it's in a Slytherin box it's gotta be a snake, right? With you being a Parselmouth it only makes sense."
"He didn't write what it is?"
Harry shook his head, handing over the letter.
Dear Harry,
Happy birthday.
Since you are now twelve, I figured it's about time you started working
on having your own familiar.
I got this old egg and, if the grimoire of its previous owner is anything to
go by, it'll make for a great familiar.
It's a couple of centuries old, but it should still be hatchable.
Best of luck.
Sir Harold Zettler,
Pentex BoD
"Ok, so we know it's a snake."
"And that it's apparently magical."
"And old."
"More creature research?" suggested Hermione
"Or we could just ask Hagrid. He probably knows." pointed out Daphne
"I guess we'll have to see when we're back at Hogwarts".
The group spent the following few hours talking about their vacations while eating O'Tolley's and chatting the night away, until it was time for Zafrina to escort Hermione to the Leaky Cauldron, where her parents were waiting, while everyone else Floo back to their homes.
Diagon Alley, London, 19th August 1992 (Wednesday)
Arthur Weasley had arrived at Power Potter's that morning to drop off yet another massive pile of papers for Zafrina to look over. The man rarely visited in person, but today he was accompanying his family on a shopping spree to pick up everyone's Hogwarts materials and, as agreed, would accompany Harry for his school shopping as well.
Sir Harold had been particularly interested in the second year's DADA curriculum and the author of their textbooks, a famous wizard adventurer, model and author named Gilderoy Lockhart. After all, titles such as 'Gadding with Ghouls', 'Voyages with Vampires' and 'Wanderings with Werewolves' were bound to attract the Metuselah's curiosity.
Arthur had been extremely happy about the increased amount of work, and the associated pay rise, from Power Potter's. He had actually confided in Barnaby that were it not for his salary almost doubling in the past few months, he wasn't sure if he would have been able to afford the books for all of his kids, especially with little Ginny now entering Hogwarts.
They met up with Hermione, her parents, Molly Weasley, Percy, Fred, George, Ron and Ginny on the marble stairs in front of Gringotts
"You must be the Grangers! - said Mr Weasley delightedly. - We must have a drink! What's that you've got there? Oh, you're changing Muggle money! Say, I always wondered…"
Harry said hello to his friends and a rather red-faced Ginny as they started to lead the way. Percy was soon off to buy some supplies of his own, while Fred and George ran off with one of their friends from school.
Harry, Ron and Hermione decided to enjoy a large strawberry and peanut-butter ice-cream while waiting for Ginny to pick her wand. On the way down the street, they eventually reconnected with everyone else and reached their final stop for the day: Flourish and Blotts.
As they approached the book shop, they were surprised to see a large crowd trying to get in. The reason for this was proclaimed by a large banner stretched across the upper windows:
GILDEROY LOCKHART
will be signing copies of his autobiography
MAGICAL ME
today 12.30 – 4.30 pm
"We can actually meet him! - Hermione squealed. - I mean, he's written almost the whole booklist!"
"Yeah… I'm rather curious myself…" added Harry, thinking back at the letter he had exchanged with Sir Harold.
A harassed-looking wizard stood at the door.
"Calmly, please ladies ... don't push, there ... mind the books, now …"
Eventually, the group managed to get inside. As the Weasley and Granger parents placed themselves at the end of the long queue that wound right to the back of the shop, where Gilderoy Lockhart himself was signing his books, each of the kids grabbed their books and sneaked back up the adults in line.
"Oh, there you are, good - said Mrs Weasley - We'll be able to see him in a minute …"
Gilderoy Lockhart came slowly into view, seated at a table surrounded by large pictures of his own face, all winking and flashing dazzlingly white teeth at the crowd. The real Lockhart was wearing robes of forget-me-not blue which exactly matched his eyes; his pointed wizard's hat was set at a jaunty angle on his wavy hair.
A short man was dancing around taking photographs with a slick, elegant camera bearing the Power Potter's logo. Seeing the man using his products made Harry smile.
"Out of the way, there! This is for the Daily Prophet."
Gilderoy Lockhart heard him and looked up, flashing his smile in a very practiced manner. Just how long had the man spent practicing this move? He stared for a second before leaping to his feet.
"It can't be Harry Potter?"
The crowd parted, making way for Lockhart to seize Harry's arm and pull him to the front. The crowd burst into applause and Harry's face burned as Lockhart shook his hand for the photographer.
"Nice big smile, Harry - said Lockhart through his own smile. - Together, you and I are worth the front page."
When the man's grip relented, Lockhart threw an arm around his shoulders and clamped him
tightly to his side.
"Ladies and gentlemen - he said loudly, waving at them to silence the chatting. - What an extraordinary moment this is! The perfect moment for me to make a little announcement I've been sitting on for some time! When young Harry here stepped into Flourish and Blotts today, he only wanted to buy my autobiography, which I shall be happy to present him now… free of charge."
The crowd applauded.
"Again, he had no idea - Lockhart continued - that he would shortly be getting much, much more than my book, Magical Me. He and his school fellows will, in fact, be getting the real, magical me! Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have great pleasure and pride in announcing that, this September, I will be taking up the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"
The crowd cheered and clapped and Harry found himself the entire works of Gilderoy Lockhart all but shoved into his arms. Staggering through the crowd, he made his way to the edge of the room, where Ginny was standing next to her new cauldron.
"Bet you loved that, didn't you, Potter?" said a voice Harry had no trouble recognising as belonging to Malfoy.
"Famous Harry Potter. Can't even go into a bookshop without making the front page."
"Leave him alone, he didn't want all that!"
Malfoy sneered, looking at the little redhead up and down.
"Potter, you've got yourself a girlfriend? Was that the best you could get?"
Ginny went scarlet as Ron and Hermione were struggling to find their way over.
"Oh, it's you." said Ron, noticing Malfoy and sneering in disgust.
"I'm surprised to see you in a shop, Weasley. - sneered back Malfoy. - I suppose your parents will go hungry for a month to pay for that lot."
Ron went as red as Ginny. He started towards Malfoy, but Harry and Hermione grabbed the back of his jacket.
"Ron!" said Mr Weasley, stopping his youngest from attacking the blonde as he reached over with Fred and George.
"Well, well, well… Arthur Weasley."
Lucius Malfoy stood with his hand on Draco's shoulder, sneering in the same way. Harry could see where Draco had gotten his 'I'm better than everyone else' attitude now.
"Lucius" said Mr Weasley, nodding coldly.
"Busy time at the Ministry, I hear. All those raids ... I hope they're paying you overtime?"
He reached into Ginny's cauldron and pulled, a very old, very battered copy of 'A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration'
"Obviously not - he said with an evil smirk. - Dear me, what's the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizards if they don't even pay you well for it?"
"We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizards, Malfoy."
"Clearly. - said Mr Malfoy, his pale eyes straying to Mr and Mrs Granger. - The company you keep, Weasley ... and I thought your family could sink no lower."
With a metal thud Ginny's cauldron went flying as Mr Weasley threw himself at Mr Malfoy, slamming him backwards into a bookshelf. Dozens of heavy spellbooks came thundering down on all their heads.
"Get him, Dad!"
"No, Arthur, no!"
For a second Harry wondered if anyone would notice him smacking Draco in the head with Ginny's metal cauldron, but as the crowd stomped backwards, he let that particular thought go. Hagrid stepped towards and in an instant he had pulled up both a Mr Weasley with a lip cut open and a Mr Malfoy with a black eye.
Lucius, still holding Ginny's book, thrust it at her, his eyes glittering with malice.
"Here, girl. Take your book. It's the best your father can give you."
Pulling himself out of Hagrid's grip he beckoned to Draco and swept from the shop.
"Yeh should've ignored him, Arthur. - said Hagrid, putting Mr Weasley on his feet - Rotten ter
the core, the whole family, everyone knows that. No Malfoy's worth listenin' ter. Bad blood, that's what it is. Come on now, let's get outta here."
The assistant looked as though he wanted to stop them leaving, but after a second he seemed to decide it wasn't worth the hassle and let them go.
"A fine example to set to your children ... brawling in public … what Gilderoy Lockhart must've thought …" muttered Molly
"He was pleased." said Fred.
"Didn't you hear him? He was asking…"
"... that bloke from the Daily Prophet…"
"...if he'd be able to work the fight into his report."
"Said it was all publicity." finished the twins in chorus.
A subdued group headed back to Power Potter's, where they enjoyed a calm, uneventful afternoon before they left through the fireside in the back after saying their goodbye to the Grangers, who were leaving through the Leaky Cauldron for the Muggle streets.
King's Cross station, London, 1st September 1992 (Tuesday)
Harry, Zatrina and Glen Graytwig had arrived at the station almost thirty minutes early. While Barnaby would have loved to accompany Harry, he was a tad too noticeable and would have certainly attracted too much attention.
The group was saying their goodbyes in front of the wall between platforms 9 and 10, when Harry's trolley, instead of phasing through the wall like it was supposed to, slammed hard against it, attracting the attention of nearby muggles.
"Are you alright, dear? - asked Zatrina, reaching for Harry in a mother-like tone - See? That's why I tell you not to run with the trolley!"
As the muggles went back to their business, Glen approached the wall.
"What happened? Are we too soon?"
Glen shook her head.
"No, the passage should be open. Someone's been tampering with it."
Harry growled.
"Dobby again?"
"Most likely. - Zafrina turned to the witch. - can you fix this?"
"I can, but I don't think I can cast spells in here without anyone noticing. Maybe we can go to the bathroom, apply a few notice-me-not charms and…"
"That'll take too long. - cut her off Zafrina. - I'll make a distraction. Don't think about it and focus on your spellwork."
Zafrina leaned against the wall, her hand resting on a validation machine as she closed her eyes. The station's loudspeakers sparked to life with a sudden noise, catching everyone's attention. As Glen flashed out her wand, the screeching of nails running on a blackboard echoed at maximum volume within the building, covering up Glen's incantation. With an overload of electrical current, a few lightbulbs exploded, causing a few screams of panic before the horrific noise ended. With heavy breathing, Zafrina looked at an oddly sweat-covered Glen pushing Harry through the wall without anyone noticing the boy's disappearance.
On the train, Harry met up with his group of friends, including a heavily panting Ron who had almost missed the train, and told them about the events at the station.
"That was Miss Lessard? - asked a wide-eyed Sally - How did she do that? I thought she was a muggle!"
"She's a Psychic."
"Oh, one of those almost-a-squib-but-quite-as-bad that I read about on the Prophet last month? - asked Hermione, eyes sparkling with curiosity. - How does that even work? Can my parents become Psychics'"
"She went into one of the many enhancement programs of Sir Harold and she got the powers to control electronics. Or… control some electronics, at least. I'm not sure whether anyone can become one, but I heard from Sir Harold it costs about ten million pounds to give someone Psychic powers."
Hermione winced as she heard the number. There was no way her parents would ever go for something that expensive.
"So, that's what Psychers can do? My parents told me they met one a while ago, but didn't really explain what they were, and the articles don't really go into details except saying they are essentially Squibs that can do one or two spells… I think they were asking Sir Harold if they could have one."
Hermione narrowed her eyes at Theo "What do you mean 'have one'?"
"Hire one! Merlin's beard, Hermione, wizard don't do slavery anymore! I wasn't suggesting my parents wanted to buy people!"
"Speaking of relatives. - interrupted Ron, in an obvious attempt to change the subject before a fight could break out. - do you think it'll be ok if my sister Ginny joins us from time to time?"
He looked at Harry.
"She was asking a lot about you."
"Absolutely not! - vetoed Daphne. - If we start hanging out with your sister, that means that next year Astoria will ask the same and I won't have the excuse to tell her no."
"I thought you liked your sister." offered Sally.
"I do like her. From a distance."
Ron raised his hands in defeat.
"Fine. I'll tell her she'll make friends. I'm pretty sure she'll be in Griffyndor, but if she's not…"
"...We'll keep an eye on her, don't worry." reassured him Sally.
Notes
Here we start the group's investigation on house elves! If you wanna throw in your speculation, this is the moment to do it! Their secret won't stay a secret for long!
Harry's got an egg! I haven't given him Hedwig, so he has, according to Hogwart's regulation, room for another familiar. I am 100% sure none of you will guess correctly what it is, but I hope you'll like it by the time it gets revealed (won't be anytime soon)
Say hello to Lockhart, our favorite fraud and the character everyone seem to like bashing the most. I... won't do that. I have a bit of a unique take on his character and I can't wait to show it to everyone. I hope by now you have gotten used to my writing style enough to understand I don't like bashing (at least not without reason), so expect the unexpected!
Zafrina's powers are revealed! Well, you already knew that she could manipulate tech, but now you see a practical application of her power.
I kinda skimmed through the Psychics being integrated in the wizarding community, but so far in the story (end of Goblet of fire) I only have 2 (technically 3) Psychics and I don't really plan to add more of them. But in case me implying wasn't enough... Psychics in the wizarding world are seen as either a step above or one step below Squibs. But at the same time, they are rare enough to be categorized as individuals rather than their own class of citizen. Plus, Zafrina has the backing of Sir Harold, who has minister Fudge in his pocket, so (within reason) he can pretty much do whatever he feels like
