HARRY POTTER IS BROKEN
I don't own Harry Potter. I do own the story and any original characters that I create. I seek no profit from my writings in the Harry Potter Universe. The rights are owned by J K Rowling and whoever happens to own Warner Bros.
Harry Potter returns to 4 Privet Drive a broken boy. He's seen another boy callously cut down in front of him, he's been forced to duel Voldemort, seen the ghosts of his parents and been told how proud they are of him. Then Dumbledore makes him return to Durzkaban, instead of spending the Summer with Sirius. Harry is emotionally exhausted.
At 15, Harry did not know a lot of things. He had no idea about the prophecy. He did not know about horcrux. He does not know why his scar hurts when he's around one. The prophecy is in one of James notes in his Journal. Sirius has been recuperating at a Health Spa his family owns in the South of France. It's not far from Beauxbatons and a fairly major Veela colony. Sirius still feels guilty that he was not the Secret Keeper.
Harry Potter went back in time again, starting as the 15-month-old toddler left on the Dursley doorstep. He's at Durmstrang, now, after his suspension from Hogwarts.
Last chapter was shorter than I thought it was. A computer snafu. About 1600 words that I thought were saved, were not. They covered Harry's quidditch games against the other 7 pods in his year.
Harry had made Seeker. The Beaters were Gaius and Marius, The Chasers, like the Gryffindor team, were all girls: Margo, Gina and Serena. The Keeper was Paul. If they wanted to play the second years, they'd have to beat all the other 7 pods in their year.
Harry had 12 subjects to study every week, plus two for certificates and quidditch practice. He was taught in German. Fortunately, Harry had a potion and a spell to speak other languages. There were other students in the pod whose native language was not German. There was a German class, too. Harry was working harder than he had ever done at Hogwarts, according to older Harry's memories. Moreover, Harry was enjoying working hard. He had never slacked off the way older Harry had in primary school. He was not being affected by lazy Ron Weasley whose table manners would put a pig to shame.
Harry had half his pod of 20 as friends, now. He'd never had as many friends in older Harry's memories. He'd worked on his social activities at primary school. The other 10 members of his pod were acquaintances, too.
Paul, his quidditch captain, was not a slave driver liver Oliver had been, but he was very sharp. Their first game was over in five minutes. Pod 2 was up 40-0, when Harry caught the snitch. Harry spotted Paul watching pod 1 demolish pod 7 260-10. He was making notes. Harry smiled. The pod spoke English when they were alone. Most of the pods spoke a language other than German.
A week later and Harry was taking the game seriously against pod 1. This was defensive struggle for pod 7. Paul pulled off some fine saves. 2 hours and 50 minutes into the game, the snitch had not deigned to put in an appearance. All the other matches had finished and a crowd was forming to watch this match. There was no score. Harry was helping his teammates out, whilst the pod 1 seeker was watching from on high. It was end to end stuff.
Eight minutes later the snitch appeared. Harry decided to get the pod 1 seeker to follow him as he dived for the ground. Their seeker swallowed the bait and pursued Harry down to the ground. At the last moment, Harry pulled up. The seeker from pod 1 ploughed into the ground. Harry continued upwards and catch a very surprised snitch that had no chance to move. A perfectly executed Wronski Feint.
The injured seeker was taken to the Infirmary on a cart, with the rest of his team following behind. The battered and bruised pod 8 team spent an hour relaxing in the communal bath. They spotted the residual scars from the beatings Harry had received from Vernon Dursley before he could stop them. Pod 8's team had to report to the infirmary. They each received a medical check-up and got to drink a couple of the pepper up potions.
Harry had several bones that had not reset properly. These were vanished and Harry was placed in a body bind for a night whilst the skele-gro rebuilt his bones. Harry had a guard of honour drawn from other years' pod 8s with him the whole night – longer than a night; from afternoon. The whole of Durmstrang had seen how exceptional he was at quidditch.
The European Digest, a weekly publication that had a Europe wide readership, except in magical Britain where hardly anyone took it. It included the longest ever game in Durmstrang history at three hours between two first year teams. It reported on Harry's perfect Wronski Feint and on evidence of mistreatment at the hands of his relatives. The repaired bones were listed.
Hermione Granger took the European Digest. She had stretched her allowance to buy the paper. It did mean she had to cut down on the pages of parchment she bought. That did mean she had to shorten her essays. She showed the European Digest to her friends, who now included Ernie MacMillan, Heir to the Noble and Most Ancient House of MacMillan.
Hermione read the article to her friends. Ernie could not believe first years could play for three hours. Harry's Wronski Feint surprised all those who were quidditch mad, which described all of them except Hermione and Neville. That Harry was now the hero of Durmstrang was a worry to all of them. He might not want to come back. The paper described how pod 8's next opponent was pod 3 who had been defeated by pod 5.
Harry Potter's status was still unclear. It was accepted that Harry had cause to kill Dumbledore. Snape had given a couple of lines of prophecy to You-Know-Who. He was fair game, too. Most of those he had taught (not properly) expressed pleasure that Snape was dead. No-one could understand why Harry had killed Quirrell. They did not believe Harry's contention that Quirrell had Voldemort growing out of the back of his head.
Harry had announced that he had a blood feud with all Death Eaters and their families. It was not generally known. 50 of the 68 Slytherins Harry had killed did fall into that category. 18 did not. They wanted Justice. Of course, many of the 50 had parents who had claimed the Imperious Defence. Minister Diggory had been forced to re-open those cases. Alleged Death Eaters were now dying at regular intervals.
Members of the Wizengamot were also amongst the dead Death Eaters. This complicated matters. Avery, Rowle, Travers and Yaxley were killed. Flint had narrowly escaped death, being wounded. He was with his retainers and six of the 10 were killed. 10 others in Azkaban were kissed and then thrown through the Veil. Surviving alleged Death Eaters in the Wizengamot were demanding protection.
Harry was oblivious to all of that. He and Cassie were learning German. They pushed each other. They were nearly at the level where they did not need spells or potions.
Harry next quidditch match against pod 3 was one in which he caught the snitch after 10 minutes and pod 8 won 160-0. He followed that up with a win 170-10 over pod 4, a week later. Harry had become the new Quidditch sensation at Durmstrang. He had acquired enough German to not need the potion. His friend Cassie was in the same position.
Harry's extra curricula activities included making a portkey to take him from Durmstrang to Hogwarts and back again. He had, he thought, stopped Hermione getting attacked by a troll on Halloween. But. Harry was not sure time did not try to straighten itself out. The troll attack was when he and Hermione had become friends. He knew he should not even have taken Ron with him. That trip on the train was the only time RON HAD EVER WORN HAND-ME-DOWNS. Harry felt angry with his 'earlier' self that he had not spotted that obvious trick to make him like Ron.
By Halloween, Harry and Pod 8 had won all 7 quidditch matches. They were the year 1 pod going into the eliminator. Harry had got to know all the Pod 8s. Harry was pleased to get to know them all. Harry was pleased to have received his quidditch and flying certificates. All that meant was that he now had time to learn all about the Knights of Walpurgis. Durmstrang did not do Halloween. It did do Walpurgis Night.
Harry had no real wish to do anything on October 31st except mourn his parents. He was in what he called his combat gear. His Quidditch gear, Durmstrang style. He grasped his portkey and said the transmission word. He felt like he was being ripped in two as he travelled to Hogwarts.
Harry arrived outside of the disused girls loo on the second floor of Hogwarts. The door was in pieces. Hermione was screaming. One small leap for man, one giant leap for mankind, Harry thought as he launched himself onto the troll's shoulders and stuck his wand up its nose. Hermione quietened down. Harry was sure help was on its way. He did not want to be found here.
Hermione looked up. Shocked. Harry?
"Use Wingardium Leviosa on the troll's club. Make it brain itself." Harry yelled at Hermione. She did. Harry got off before the club smashed him into paste. Harry smiled at her and vanished. He avoided Sprout and the DADA professor arriving. Harry had been seen by two ghosts, though. Moaning Myrtle and the Grey Lady had seen him. Hermione saw the sheet of parchment with names on it. She put that inside her cardigan.
"Explain yourself, girl," the DADA professor demanded.
"This morning, after Charms class, Wayne Hopkins said I had no friends who weren't bought. I fled and spent the rest of the day here, crying. Then this troll burst in and I screamed. No-one came to help so I tried the spell we'd learnt that morning. It brained itself with its own club. How'd the troll get in, anyway?"
"Pupils were playing games outside until it got dark. We've been using the troll to patrol the grounds. The door must not have been shut properly and it got inside," Headmistress Sprout said. "20 points to Ravenclaw. Now off to the Infirmary with you."
Hermione went. Madam Pomfrey had her get changed into her night things. How had they got there? Hermione's mind was not on her clothes, but on Harry Potter.
How had Harry known where to appear to save her from the troll? How had Harry known when her birthday was, when she had not told him? None of the spells Harry had used in his confrontation in the Great Hall had been first year spells. How had he learnt them, when everyone said he'd been living with magic hating muggles until he got his Hogwarts Letter?
Hermione spent the next few weeks researching. She had had a rather unwelcome interview with Moaning Myrtle and the Grey Lady. They had taken her to the Room of Requirement and sat her down and asked who she was friends with. She said that was Neville, Susan, Hannah, Ernie, Daphne and Tracey from her year and Cedric from year 3.
The Grey Lady pointed out that they were all Hufflepuffs. Hermione was not friends with any Ravenclaw. Myrtle said Hermione had to make friends in Ravenclaw or upper years would start picking on her. She spoke from experience.
Wayne Hopkins was expelled. Cedric persuaded the other Hufflepuff first years to give Hermione a chance. They did. Hermione did reach out to the Ravenclaws in her year. They did not like that she was so friendly with Hufflepuffs. Of course, Hermione scheduled time to make friends with Hufflepuffs and make time to befriend Ravenclaws.
Hermione reasoned Harry had access to higher level spells. Everything she had read said children under 11 could not use advanced magic. They just did not have enough control over it. It being magic. Harry would have needed tutors and they could not have kept quiet about tutoring the Boy-Who-Lived. Drink had a way of loosening tongues that Oaths should have kept silent. The Daily Prophet had not said anything about wizards dying or loosing their magic and given how much of a gossip rag it was, it would have.
As impossible as it sounded, Harry Potter was a time traveller. It was the only thing that fitted everything that Hermione Granger knew. The Ministry time-turners were single use with a maximum journey time of 5 hours. The had been set like that since the Mintimble debacle. She'd gone back 5 centuries and come back and aged. A footnote in an obscure book Hermione had found in the Hogwarts library said the time-turners were all leased from House Potter.
Hermione's eyes went wide. The Potters were Timelords. Not very good ones, since Harry was the last. Then again, the Timelords of Gallifrey had been whittled down to one. Maybe Gallifrey was not a fictional place.
This was huge. Hermione thought. They were friends, whenever he'd come back from. She had a friend. Harry had not seemed to know what he was doing when he'd made her and her family a Protectorate of House Potter. That was obviously a change. Dumbledore had been out of Hogwarts for 4 years. Out of his other jobs. It had taken him 4 years to get them all back and then Harry had killed him. Had Harry operated behind the scenes to remove him? Hermione did not know. She did not see how he could have.
The list Harry had left named 30 Death Eaters who needed to die. Once again that was not something you'd expect an eleven year old boy to want. Hermione sent Hedwig off to Amelia Bones with the list. Harry's present to Hermione had been Hogwarts: A History.
Hermione's 3 books on magical Britain in the 20th century had included., asa footnote that whilst battle-mage Lord Charlus Potter was finally reducing the Gaunts to penury and winning the 5-century rivalry between Houses Potter and Gaunt over the Peverell legacy, Gellert Grindelwald was exterminating all the Potter wizards and witches in the US. Lord Potter stabilised Potter affairs in MACUSA and chased Grindelwald out of America, he did not finish eliminating the Gaunts. If he had, Voldemort would never have been born. At least one writer knew that Voldemort was a Gaunt.
Hermione had not known the Potters had assets in the US. She would have to buy a book on MACUSA. Perhaps, she could persuade her parents to holiday in the USA over Christmas. Now, where should she go? Time to write to the MACUSA liaison at the Ministry.
The Daily Prophet got on its high horse. During Dumbledore's four-year absence from Hogwarts, Hogwarts had doubled in size, admitting many Muggleborns. Consequently, on his return he'd excluded them, once again. The Muggleborns had not taken that laying down and had formed the Manchester Muggleborn Academy (MMA).
The Ministry had tried to shut it down or rather get the Wizengamot to do it for them. The Potter proxy, Andromeda Tonks was using her votes to block this. She was being supported by House Black. Lord Black had excoriated Amos Diggory and accused him of being an Imperioused stooge of Dumbledore.
The Daily Prophet was supporting the Minister and attacking Lord Black. Rita Skeeter was accusing Andromeda Tonks of supporting Black in an attempt to get back into House Black. She had been expelled for marrying Muggleborn Ted Tonks.
Lord Black had not endeared himself to the Muggleborn, when he had declared that he wanted to keep Hogwarts reserved for true Wizards and Witches. There was a great deal of name calling in the letters section. The MMA continued in existence. Unlike Hogwarts, it was not a boarding school. It was a day school and used portkeys and floo travel, not that many Muggleborn household had that installed. Those that had, uninstalled them upon learning that the Ministry could override them and send in the Aurors.
MACUSA sent Hermione a response telling her how to access the Wizarding mall in downtown New York. They included details about opening hours and the conversion rates to the Dragut from dollars. She wrote and told Harry about it. She wrote to her parents asking if they could go and spend Christmas and the New Year in New York.
Hermione's parents thought that was an excellent idea. Hermione wrote to tell Harry that news. MACUSA got back to Hermione asking her to confirm the marriage of James Potter to Petunia Evans, as she was a Protectorate of House Potter.
Hermione wrote back saying that Lily Evans was Harry Potter's mother. Petunia lived in Little Whinging with her husband Vernon. Hermione had not been able to get more than that out of Harry. She hadn't got an address out of him. She advised, based on this unwillingness to reveal information that, if MACUSA were to check, whoever they sent should dress as up to date muggle as possible.
MACUSA did indeed check up. They found Harry's school records and the address on there. An Inspector was sent in his best non-Maj clothing.
One cold dismal December morning he rang the front doorbell of 4 Privet Drive. Petunia opened the door.
"Yes, she said.
"I've come about James Potter and his estate," the Inspector said.
"And you are?" Petunia enquired, her eyes full of greed.
"Claims adjustor Revillins." He was not, but did not see why he should give his real name.
"Do come in, Mr Revillins."
Petunia showed Mr Revillins to the kitchen tale, where he sat down.
"Our records indicate that you were married to James Potter."
"That freak. Oh no. My husband of 15 years is Vernon Dursley. I have one wonderful son, named Dudley who is 11 and attends Smeltings, a private boarding school. Lily, my sister, another freak, was married to that no good Potter."
"Well, thank you for your time," Mr Revillins said and got up to leave.
"What just like that. You're going?"
"Yes. I can confirm that Lily Evans was married to James Potter. I can ensure no more bounty hunters with license to kill are sent after you or Lord Potter. Lord Potter recently killed Albus Dumbledore citing Line Theft for sending him to his odious, obnoxious magic-hating muggle relatives. Lord Potter, being, of course James Potter's son, Harry. Good day to you." Revellins apparated back to his office in the Ministry building. MACUSA updated its records and removed the authorisation for bounty hunters to hunt Petunia Evans and Lord Harry Potter.
Harry had got letters from Hermione. He had not replied as December approached. The Quidditch season was over. In the eliminators Harry and Year 1 had beaten year two 180-20. Krum and his 4th years had beaten the 3rd years 320-10. The sixth years had beaten the fifth years 190-70. Year 7 had a bye.
In the draw for the semi-finals, Krum got to face the 7th years and Harry and his firsties had drawn year 6. Krum caught the snitch and the 4th years won by 160-0. The game was over in ten minutes. The 6th years used their physical presence to totally dominate Harry and his firsties. They racked up 14 scores. Paul made half a dozen world class saves, at least to Harry they were. Harry caught the snitch and the shell-shocked 6th years lost 140-150.
The final was rather anti-climactic. It was over in two minutes. Harry caught the snitch. He outflew Krum. Krum was not the flyer he would be against Ireland in the 1994 world cup and Harry had experience on him. Harry's wronski feint turned out to be no feint. Pod 8s across Durmstrang held a party for the ages that evening. Harry woke up the following morning next to a naked 4th year girl. He was equally naked. He also had his first ever hangover. Harry resolved that what happened at Durmstrang, stayed in Durmstrang. He did not consume the hangover potion antidote until he was safe in his own dorm room.
As a reward, the victorious Pod was allowed to go into the nearby town. Harry bought as many English versions of books about the Knights of Walpurgis as the bookstore had. Harry bought a couple of German books about the Knights as well. If for no other reason than he'd have occasion to keep his German current.
Cassie finally received an answer from her grandfather. Yes, he had gone to school with Arthur Weasley … at Durmstrang. Casssie's grandfather was not sure how Arthur Weasley had not aged as much as he should or how he had attended Hogwarts.
Harry spent a couple of weekends at Nurmengard. The place needed cleaning and Harry set some time to doing that. His main purpose was to read what Gellert had said about the Headmaster's office and the traps that needed to be disarmed. Gellert had killed the Headmaster there. Harry was picking his brain, so to speak.
The final Friday of term and Harry got out the Hand of Glory and prepared for his assault on the fortress Office that was the Headmaster's last place of refuge.
Harry used his unregistered wand to disarm the traps and hide his progress from items that would warn Karkaroff of his coming. The Hand of Glory allowed him access to the inner sanctum.
Karkaroff was awake. Harry had not expected that. It made no difference.
"I am no Death Eater. Not anymore. I gave evidence against them. Please don't kill me."
"You did not name nearly ENOUGH. Diffindo." Karkaroff was dead. Harry felt nothing. Not even satisfaction. He made his way out. He cast Colloportus Maxima on the door. He removed all traces of his being there, including wiping the camera that would have recorded his movements. Gellert had been most insistent that one was there. Harry covered his tracks or rather removed all tracers of his ever being there.
The following morning, Harry ate breakfast and departed Durmstrang with the rest of the pupils. The portkey activated. Harry and Cassie ended up at King's Cross station. They hugged. Harry gave Cassie all of his remaining 'thalers. She hugged him again. Harry purloined a trolley from King's Cross. It was easier than lugging his luggage around. He turned it into a portkey for his home in Godric's Hollow. He made sure he had an activation phrase for his return there later that evening.
Harry went to the solicitors and picked up his keys. His books he had put away in the bookcases his builders had thoughtfully provided. He changed into his good clothes for muggle mingling. He would need his vault key. After the solicitors, Harry bought some food. Money. He had some muggle money, well after a trip to the bank. He drew out £50. That should suffice. He picked up his emergency stack of sickles and his bottomless bag.
Harry had Hermione's itinerary. He quite liked the idea of visiting America. He had not been there. He needed to stay somewhere. That meant going to the MACUSA Liaison office in the Ministry building. He would have to wear his Hogwarts cloak. Perhaps his Wizengamot one would be better, make more of a statement. Harry wore his Wizengamot cloak. He wore a cap that hid his now faded scar.
Diagon Alley, on a Saturday was very busy. There were at least 1500 people there. That was half the magicals in magical Britain. To a boy whose experience was Little Whinging, it was busy. Harry entered through the front door of the Ministry building.
He stopped off at the Wall of Life. He was checking who was alive. Lucius Malfoy was. He'd been masquerading as Abraxas Malfoy. Hedwig, who had showed up, took Harry's note to Lord Black. Of Harry's 30 names on a list that he'd recreated after losing the one he'd made a long time ago, objectively, 22 were still alive. The 2 Carrows were still abroad. He'd go Death Eater hunting in the Summer.
Harry had to queue at the MACUSA Liaison front desk. Just like Muggles, Harry thought. Once Harry reached the desk and explained what he wanted, he was shown into an office where a MACUSA Inspector awaited.
"Hello, Lord Potter. I am Inspector Revellins. You're interested in a trip to New York for our Yule festivities and seeing in the new Year at Times square.
Our records had you as the son of James Potter and Petunia Evans, a non-maj, as we say across the pond. As such, you were liable for death. We were once nearly exterminated by the non-maj and any union between us and them was punishable by death. That Act was repealed in 1985, but not applied retrospectively. Bounty Hunters could still kill you and Petunia. Recently, we were alerted to the fact that Lily Evans, a magical, was your mother and married to your father. I had the unpleasant task of interviewing Petunia Dursley, now, and determining that she was not your mother. The authorisation to Bounty Hunters has now been revoked.
Now, you need somewhere to stay and there are fees, one off, to enter MACUSA and the USA. It covers use of portkeys to and from the US. Now, here are a selection of hotels that still have space."
Harry spent time discussing his options and taking advice on how much spending money he'd need. Apparently, Americans were big on tipping. According to Mr Revellins over half the money hotel staff made was from tips. It meant their employers did not pay them what they should.
This trip would not be cheap. The hotel stay was 5000 galleons or $50000 for 14 nights. It was not even the most expensive. For what that hotel wanted, Harry could buy a place, pay his utilities and taxes in a fairly decent neighbourhood. The one-off fee was 1000 galleons or 2000 draguts. Harry was advised to take $5000 in spending money. Harry read pay tips and 1000 draguts for the New York MACUSA Mall. It was an experience every magical should have. Harry wondered how much MACUSA was making from providing this service. Harry would be making a considerable withdrawal from his trust fund.
Harry posed for all the photos muggle and magical needed and provided blood and signed paperwork before he left for Gringotts.
Harry still had three bookstores to visit. 2 in the Alley and one in Knockturn. Harry wanted the three books that Hermione had made reference to on the train. He also wanted a book on the pureblood families from before Dumbledore's rise to power in 1946.
Harry found the books he wanted in Flourish and Blotts (F ). The cost would be 50 galleons. They would not provide credit. The Witengamot Press (WP) had the big tome on Wizengamot Acts. 40 galleons. That was subsidised, too. Again, no credit.
The Old Bookstore (OB) in Knockturn had the book Harry was looking for. 20 galleons. The owner let Harry have it on credit and threw in the pamphlet that did not have the Potters as one of the Sacred 28. Harry had found a modern book that omitted the Potters, too. He sent a message to Andromeda Tonks to threaten Blood Feud were that not corrected.
At Gringotts, Harry was ushered in to see his Account Manager. At the last moment, Harry remembered to pay his 2 knut fee. Harry was going to give Hermione 100 galleons equivalent in dollars and draguts.
The Account Manager did not approve of Harry withdrawing 7210 galleons in dollars and draguts. Harry had spent nearly 10000 galleons in five months. The Account Manager did point out that if Harry did not stop his reckless spending, his Vault would be emptied long before he had reached his 7 years at Hogwarts. Harry agreed and said he'd find a way to top his Vault up. It did not refill every year, automatically.
Harry picked up his currency and galleons from the currency desk. He made sure he had everything he had ordered. He put various amounts in envelopes: $50000 for the Hotel; 2000 Draguts for MACUSA; $5000 for Harry; 1000 draguts for Harry; $500 for Hermione; 100 draguts for Hermione; 50 galleons for F 40 galleons for WP and 20 galleons for the OB.
Harry rushed to the bookstores to pay their money and buy the books. He made the desk at MACUSA Liaison with minutes to spare before their 5pm shutting time.
Harry was breathless from running. He did put his documents in the envelope marked MACUSA draguts. The hotel booking forms went into the Hotel $ envelop. Harry had paid out what he needed to. He had his portkey transfer time on the ticket. It was a direct transfer to the hotel.
Then it was a portkey back to Godric's Hollow. Harry had a light tea. A couple of sandwiches and a cup of tea was Harry's choice. The Hogwarts' Express was due in at 7pm. Harry wanted to meet Hermione as she got off the train and have a trolley waiting, for her to use.
Harry had a shower and put on some good clothes. He'd have to wear his Hogwarts cloak. He'd gotten used to his Durmstrang uniform. Karkaroff had been eliminated. Harry had earned all of what he achieved there through his own efforts. It had not been by blood or reputation. It certainly had not been by his Boy-Who-Lived moniker.
Harry returned to Platform 9 and three quarters at King's Cross Station for 6:45pm. Harry was thinking about how to get Dumbledore Castle restored, when Hermione hugged him. She had spotted him.
"I got you a trolley for your stuff," he said, lamely. He removed the portkey that he had forgotten to earlier.
"It's good to see you," Hermione gushed. She was still hugging Harry.
"Do you think I could breathe?" Harry asked. Hermione reluctantly stopped hugging him.
"Did you know that you have accompany in the US called Potter Inc?" Hermione inquired.
"I did not know that," Harry replied.
"Oh, yes. They, the managers, have been treating it as their own since your Great Uncle died."
"Great," said Harry. "Something else to sort out."
"Barrelson and Partners at Law are your legal people over in the States. They have an office in New York. If you came with us, you could go see them." Hermione was eager for him to go with her family.
"I've booked a 14-night stay in New York at the Sheraton in Times Square. I've had to pay for a suite. The only one they had left. I leave in a day or two."
"Oh, we're staying there. We fly out tomorrow. Let me introduce you to my parents." Hermione took off towards the wall separating magical and muggle. Harry walked briskly to catch up.
Hermione introduced Harry to her parents. They invited him to dine with them. Whilst hermione was taking the trolley back to its stand, Harry gave her parents the enveloped with the money in them for Hermione. He did not think they looked pleased. Harry explained that a book he'd read on Protectorate of Houses said that the Head of the House had to give a gift. It did not tell him how much.
"I'd ask Hermione, but that would rather defeat the object of the exercise, which is to surprise her."
As they were driving in the car, Mrs Granger gave Hermione her envelopes. Hermione worked out how much Harry had spent. Her words were not those of thanks.
"That's the minimum, Harry."
"If I tried to withdraw any more money from my account this year, I think I'll make my Gringotts account manager mad. I do not think that would be advisable." Harry saw Mrs Granger shudder.
"I don't think that would be a good idea, either."
"I told you Hermione would know," Harry said. The Granger parents laughed.
At the restaurant, it was steaks all around. Hermione and Harry had a cola. They talked about the holiday, the things they wanted to see and do in New York. On the morrow, they would all leave for New York.