Harry waited for the first instructor to arrive for his interview in a small tavern outside of London that morning. Gringotts suggested the location, citing how they often used the rooms in the back to hold meetings since the entire grounds were well-warded thanks to the owner being a former Auror. Harry was enjoying the time away from the Potter estates to run a few errands out in the open, and he used glamour spells to change his hair and eye color while plain muggle makeup covered his curse scar.
The first dueling instructor to arrive was a sleekly dressed man that Harry took an instant dislike to. He glanced around the tavern’s room with a look of disdain before taking a seat without bothering to introduce himself.
“Instructor Danvers, I presume?” Harry asked when the man sat in silence for several moments, not bothering to acknowledge him.
“Indeed, where are your parents, child? I do not deal with contracts and payment schedules through my pupils," he said with an arrogant sniff.
“Then you will be ill-suited for my employ, sir.” Harry snapped, standing. “My parents are dead, and I have been declared of age. I handle my contracts and payments, sir, neither of which I will be offering. Please see yourself out.”
“Well, I never,” The man blustered, reminding Harry too much of his Uncle as he turned red, “I would have never taught such a spoiled child.”
“Then it is a good thing you will not be teaching me, sir. Please show yourself out.” Harry repeated, retaking his seat and starting to go over the next file until his next appointment arrived.
The next dueling instructor seemed more promising. However, Harry wasn’t going to count on it working until the interview was complete. He, too, was a bit overweight and frankly harmless looking rather like Arthur Weasley.
“Mister Thorburn?”
“Yes, thank you for coming, Master Regis. Please have a seat.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” The man said, taking a seat with a smile, “The goblins were quite secretive in exactly who required a dueling instructor.”
“There are several reasons for that. However, I cannot reveal them until a contract is signed between us.”
“Of course,” the man said with a nod, “May I ask what exactly you require? Are you looking to brush up for your Newts or the Auror entrance exams?”
“I’m looking for something a bit like Auror training but more focused on protecting myself from attacks and defending those around me,” Harry said firmly, watching the shock filter over the other man’s face at this flat statement.
“Son, no wizard who’s not going on to become an Auror needs that kind of training,” Regis said with no small amount of pity.
“What about the attacks from the Dark Lord and his death eaters?”
“Surely you don’t believe that drivel from the papers? He who must not be named is dead and gone; those are just some rogue wizards trying to scare the locals.”
“I’m afraid I disagree with you, sir. Thank you for coming, but I will be using a different instructor.”
“Come now, Lad, I can train you as you need, I just don’t think you need that level of training.” The man cajoled, with clearly false empathy.
“I do think I need to be pushed as fast and as hard as an instructor is capable of doing. You won’t be able to do that, Mister Regis.” Harry said firmly, standing and opening the door for the older man.
“Very well, thank you for the interview then, Mister Thorburn. I hope another instructor can give you what you need.”
“Thank you. Have a good afternoon, Mister Regis.” Harry agreed, giving the man a polite nod.
“You as well, lad,” The man said, frowning, unhappily leaving the room with several backward glances.
The next applicant was even worse and was dismissed after barely two minutes of conversation. The fourth applicant looked Harry over with a sharp eye as he entered the room. Most wizards trended towards out of shape or vaguely fit if they’d play quidditch, but this man was lean and muscular, noting out the entrances and exits of the room with a glance. Harry approved immediately, and he’d trained himself into the same habit long ago, thanks to the Dursleys.
“Master Pitman?” Harry asked, rising.
“Yes, I take it you are to be my pupil?” Pitman said, pausing to one side of the table.
“Yes, Hadrian Thorburn. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Harry said, moving around the table to shake the man’s hand.
“At least you are not looking to be as hard a study as some of my former students," he said, taking a seat once Harry had returned to his. “Do you mind if I ring for refreshments?”
“No, sorry; I should have thought to offer something,” Harry said with a small blush, tapping the bell that would summon a barmaid. Once their orders were taken, he settled back in silence until the food and drink arrived, and the door was shut and warded again.
“Now, to business; what exactly are you looking for in an instructor?” Pitman asked, sipping at his butter beer, “You’ve already dismissed Regis and Danvers, so I’m guessing you’re not just looking for a standard education to round out Hogwarts training.”
“You arrived early to see who else I was interviewing,” Harry stated, chuckling.
“I like to know the lay of the land before going into any situation, no matter how trivial.”
“A good ideology,” Harry agreed with a nod. “Frankly, I’m looking for Auror-level training that I can adapt to protect myself and those around me. My family was against the Dark Lord, and his Death Eaters have attacked my relatives over the years, mostly resulting in their deaths. I don’t plan to seek out vengeance, but I want to be prepared if they decide to attack me as well.”
“A sound strategy, it never hurts to be prepared for the worst, especially if you know that the criminal elements are aware of you and willing to act.”
“What are your beliefs on the Dark Lord and his followers?”
“While I cannot say if the Dark Lord is resurrected or not, his followers have never stopped being a problem for the wizarding world and need to be put down like the dogs they are. I do not like the pacifist turn the wizarding world has taken while following Dumbledore’s policies. A man should have the right to defend himself and his home from attack without having to wait on Aurors that will not be using lethal spells.”
“So you believe that the Death Eaters should be put to death?” Harry pressed.
“While I understand that they might have valuable information for the war effort, which prompts the Aurors to attempt capture if they are holding a wand at my loved ones, I would be aiming to kill or incapacitate them in some permanent fashion. There have been few consequences to their actions, with the moneyed families buying out their sentences and breaking them out of prison. I believe that Aurors should have the right to use lethal force against Death Eaters and that regular wizards attacked in their homes should be allowed the same.”
“What do you see me learning if you were to instruct me? What would be the schedule we use? I’m currently the Head of my House and have a busy schedule, I’m afraid.”
“I am sorry to hear that you’ve been made Head of House at such a young age, Mister Thorburn.” Pitman said with a frown, “A full schedule will complicate things, but we should be able to work around it. Most of the first month of training with my students is simply getting into better shape. You’re ahead of the curve there. I would recommend adding a morning run to your schedule every day you can. We can meet three days a week in the afternoons for spell training. The first week or so is spent on learning to limit how much magic goes into each spell or to amplify it. Most wizards wear themselves out by casting massively draining spells at the beginning of a fight. We want to limit how many spells you have to fire, which means accuracy and speed training. That will probably be all we have time for before you are called back to Hogwarts.”
“Would you be able to give me pointers on what I will need to continue training with once our sessions end? I plan to continue training as I can at Hogwarts.”
“Aye, if you can fit in training a few nights a week, you should be in good form for next summer.”
“I think we can come to an agreement, Mister Pitman. When would you like to head to Gringotts to finalize the contracts?”
“Now is as good as any, Mister Thorburn. Have you any other appointments today?”
“I’m also interviewing for a sword master this afternoon,” Harry said, moving to gather up his things.
“Might I recommend Sword Master Simmons? He rarely takes students, but I think he will take you on if I put in a good word. We work well together and can tailor our lessons to complement each other.”
“Thank you. I did request an interview, given his reputation, but he refused, saying he wasn’t taking students.”
“I’ll talk to him tonight and have him send you a letter with when he’s available.”
“I appreciate that, Mister Pitman,” Harry said with a grin, “Would you like to take the floo first? We’re headed to Gringotts bank, Account Manager Gold Kris’ office.”
“You first, Mister Thorburn. Do you need to settle up for the room?”
“It has already been paid for,” Harry said, taking some of the floo power from the urn on top of the fire and casting it in. “Gringotts bank, Account Manager Gold Kris’ office.”
Harry ducked through, quickly moving out of the way and placing himself where he could see both Gold Kris at his desk and the fireplace. Pitman arrived a moment later, spelling the soot from his robes as he took in the room. Gold Kris took in their movements with a small, toothy smile.
“Thank you for coming, Master Pitman. I take it you are willing to sign a contract with Mister Thorburn for an apprenticeship?” Gold Kris asked, gesturing them both to take a seat.
“A modified apprenticeship, but yes. I do not believe Master Thorburn will have time for a full apprenticeship with his duties.”
“There is one other small matter that must be discussed before the contract can be signed. Would you be willing to take a vow of silence on all activities and information you learn while working with Mister Thorburn?”
“It is rather unusual, but I think Mister Thorburn’s situation is rather unusual, so I see no reason to argue. Will you be our binder?”
“Of course.” Gold Kris said, hopping down to come around his desk. The oaths were quickly made, and the spell cast, sinking into both party’s wrists.
“Now, do I get to know what exactly is going on?” Pitman asked, retaking his chair.
“Of course, Mr. Thorburn, if you please?”
Harry merely drew his wand and started canceling the glamor covering his hair and eye color. A pocket handkerchief was used to rub off the makeup concealing his scar before he returned to his seat and waited on Pitman’s reaction. The man watched the reversal in silence, a small grin blooming as Harry took his seat.
“You do know this is going to make your training more difficult, Mister Potter.”
“I’m looking forward to it, sir,” Harry said with an answering grin.
“Shall we get down to business, gentlemen?” Gold Kris said with a sharp-toothed grin; today was looking to be a profitable one for the bank.
An hour later, Harry shook Mister Pitman’s hand goodbye and agreed that he would be ready and waiting to work when he arrived next Monday. He would hear within the next few days if Master Simmons was willing to teach him or not, none of the other instructors had seemed a good fit, so he was hoping Simmons would work out. He decided to change his schedule around once the instructors started arriving, continuing his potions practice for an hour each morning before going on a run. After that, he would study whatever subject he was working on that week until his instructors arrived for his lessons.
“If you have the time, there are several items I need to bring to your attention.” The goblin said, pulling Harry out of his musings.
“Of course, what’s happened?” Harry asked, retaking his seat in front of Gold Kris’ desk.
“Did you receive my note about Potions Master Snape?”
“Yes,” Harry said with a grimace. “I agree that removing his bindings to the Dark Lord would help the man and the war effort, but I need a way to disguise myself before I can do so. I’m investigating a possible method tomorrow and will send you a message as soon as I know if it is viable.”
“Good, the other matter was his request to allow other current and possibly former students the same offer. You have quite a few heavily warded properties that could house the students and their families until the war is decided.”
“I agree that they should be able to use the properties, but I think I need a safeguard on the loss of income while the properties are occupied.” Harry continued quickly, holding up a hand to prevent the goblin from interrupting. “Not because the loss will be significant, I think the people retreating from the Dark Lord will need a way to be connected to the outside world, even if it is a small one, a way for them to feel that they are still contributing to the war effort.”
“What exactly are you proposing, Mister Potter?”
“Employment contracts for while they are living on Potter land.” Harry stated, “I want to offer Snape the opportunity to use the potion supplies stored in my warehouses. He would be able to experiment and create as he wishes, but House Thorburn would receive a percentage of any potions he creates while in residence and any potions that he wishes to sell. He can take one or two apprentices or simply use the students as helpers to mass produce healing potions and other items that would assist in the war. Any person he wishes to bring to the property must either be in lessons of some sort or contributing to the House in some way, no matter how small.”
“Would you turn anyone away?”
“Not if I have an alternative, but all known Death Eaters must be strictly bound with vows against their magic. I would like both your and Snape’s help in drawing up the vows. If they refuse to take the vows, then I won’t be able to house them. The House wards will not allow a dark mark onto the property and would likely kill the wearer.”
“Very well,” Gold Kris said with a nod, “These are the homes you currently have that are fully warded and would able to have the Fidelius charm applied.”
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
“Would an elf be able to hold a secret?”
“I am not sure, Mister Potter, I don’t think it has ever been tried. It would make for a rather potent protection for what wizard would ever think to try and get the secret out of a house elf?”
“Exactly, they tend to be rather underestimated, but I find that many species are underestimated when it comes to wizards.”
“Perhaps that can be changed in the coming days.”
“I hope so, Gold Kris, I truly do,” Harry said with a small laugh. “Can you ask Snape for a head count of how many he thinks will need to be housed? I know these properties are livable, but I want the Potter elves to go through them before someone moves in.”
“Of course, I will ask him at our next meeting.” Gold Kris said, making a notation. “Also, the wand maker you selected is available to make a custom wand. He would like to meet with you on Friday.” The goblin said, handing over the invitation.
“Wonderful, I also want to see if it is possible to customize a family wand that might serve as a replacement for my Holly wand.”
“Egret is the best at what he does, even more renowned than Olivander in many circles, considering he is willing to bend the law slightly when the need is great enough. If anyone can help you, he should be able to do so.”
“Is there anything else we need to review?”
“Your lawyers have started reviewing the properties that were deeded to you or the Boy Who Lived over the years. Most are in bad repair, but some have promise. Here is the current list and their conditions.” Gold Kris said, handing over the paperwork.
“Good, I’ll get them my decisions in the next few days,” Harry said, glancing over the documents.
“They have also sent out a blanket response to all betrothal offers, refusing all contracts as politely as they can. There may still be some backlash from the late responses.”
“Nothing we can do about that.” Harry said with a grimace, “What else?”
“The scribes have finished copying out the Prophecy and the legends that accompany it. Please take care that this volume does not fall into the wrong hands, Mister Potter," he said, handing Harry a large tome.
“Of course, I’ll make sure it is locked in the Potter bank vaults once I’ve had a chance to study it so that the goblin nation is aware of its location,” Harry said, resisting opening it right then and adding it to his bag.
“Lord Ragnok is also asking for a meeting at the end of the month to hear what your plans are for the school year and if you are thinking about approaching any other species as the change bringer.”
“There are other bound species? Like who?”
“Many were bound in ancient times to control their natures or as a protection against the wizarding and human races. Not all are ones I would advocate releasing from their bindings, Mister Potter.”
******
Neville glanced over the latest letter from Harry, frowning as he thought through what Harry was hinting at. It wasn’t like Harry to dance around the truth, so he must have a good reason for it. Folding up the letter, he steeled himself to go find his grandmother. She would need to be the one to make the final decision. He found her a short time later in her study, working through the estate paperwork, they were trying to find enough income to have the goblins come in and rework the wards on the manor.
“Grandmother, do you have a moment?” Neville asked politely from just inside the doorway.
“Just a moment. Come in and take a seat, Neville.” Augusta replied, waving him to a chair.
Neville came in and went ahead and called for Tibby to refresh the tea set sitting on the edge of the desk. Once it was ready, he poured both of them a fresh cup, waving the house elf away with a soft word of thanks as he took a seat across from his Grandmother’s desk. He saw her frown at him, thanking the elf, but it was something his mother had supposedly done constantly, and it hurt that no one treated the elves well.
“What do you need, Neville?”
“I received a letter this morning from Harry Potter. He was notified by Gringotts that several items he stored in his vaults were spelled with harmful emotional and mental entanglement spells. Several of the items were his Hogwarts supplies, and he wished me to know that Gringotts has agreed to scan both the vaults and the wizard or witch that owns them for harmful spells along with offering treatment to any issues found.”
“And just how much are they charging for this service?" she demanded with a sniff, goblins weren’t known for their charity.
“One galleon.”
“That cannot be right. No goblin would take such a loss of income!” she sputtered, reaching for the letter Neville offered.
“Harry said that someone was using similar spells to defraud an account, and Gringotts is doing a branch-wide sweep. The matter is being brought up to the other branches, and it might mean a sweep of every Gringotts branch.”
“Good heavens, why haven’t I heard of this? It should have been in the paper.”
“It sounds like Gringotts is keeping the identity of the affected anonymous,” Neville said nervously.
“Something that the Ministry would never allow if the victims went to press charges." she scoffed, rereading the letter.
“They might if the victims were underage,” Neville added, watching as his grandmother set the letter down, brow furrowed in thought.
“I take it you wish for your Hogwarts items to be scanned?" she asked, tapping at the stack of paperwork absently with a quill.
“And myself,” Neville added nervously.
“The galleon will come out of your accounts," she said, shuffling her paperwork. “Who do I need to contact to make an appointment?”
“Account Manager Gold Kris at Gringotts,” Neville said, sagging with relief.
“I will see about you getting to the bank later in the week," she said with an air of finality. “How are your studies going?”
Neville settled back in his chair with relief as he chatted about the current projects in the greenhouses. Sipping at his tea, he let his mouth run as he examined his grandmother. He’d expected more of a backlash against going to be scanned, but since it was anonymous and if he was paying, it could not be connected back to the House if the news got a hold of the story. She was more tolerant of his work in the greenhouses since the attack at the Ministry and his rising grades in Defense, thanks to Harry’s help.
He would send a letter to Luna to check and see if she was getting the scans done and if she might meet him in the Alley later that day for lunch. He was still trying to get his grandmother to agree to an engagement in the coming years, but for now, they were allowed to tentatively start courting. While both Houses were agreeable to the match, House Longbottom could not afford to make a match without an incoming dowry, and the Lovegoods were not known for being wealthy.
Neville hoped to prove his worthiness to his House by solving their financial woes. He had converted several of the greenhouses to produce rare and difficult-to-grow potion ingredients. He would harvest everything he could this summer and sell through Gringotts. Several plants were very rare, and he hoped to make a decent profit. During the last week or two of summer, he would present the money and plans for future sales to his grandmother.
If he could prove that he could support his House, then his grandmother would have no valid argument against the engagement. Even without a dowry, if he could support his family even during his final school years, then he could double that support when he graduated. He had been toying with the idea of an apprenticeship with Professor Sprout or maybe another Master Herbalist, but he wasn’t sure if he could run both a House business and do the full five-year apprenticeship he wanted.
*****
Harry walked into the dimly lit shop, eyes flickering over the gleaming wood and stone of the wand makers’ shop, so different from the overflowing shelves and dust of Ollivander’s shop. Soft gleams of crystal and brass drew his eye to the display cases lining the shop. Each case held several dozen wands of every design and material imaginable, some thin and delicate as twigs, while others were nearly canes or walking sticks.
“It’s nice to see such a young man willing to be on time for his appointments.” An older man said, coming out of a side door, “Lord Thorburn, I presume?”
“Yes, thank you for seeing me, Master Garnet,” Harry said with a smile, shaking the offered hand. Master Wand Maker Egret Garnet was a well-dressed older gentleman in a white pleated shirt and brocade vest with his sleeves rolled up to let him work. His hands were heavily callused, however, showing the dedication he had put into his craft.
“Your missive from the goblins was rather intriguing. May I see the wands in question?”
“Do you have the contract ready?” Harry said instead, making no move to draw out the wands.
“I do, I must say that most of my clientele are not looking for such anonymity. If you are planning to take my creations and do some illegal deed, then we need to part ways here.” Garnet said firmly, gesturing for Harry to follow him into his office.
“Nothing like that, sir,” Harry said with a sigh, “I recently found out that my magical guardian was abusing my trust. I had spells placed upon myself and my belongings, wand included, to influence and control my mind and magic.”
“Have these spells been dealt with?” Garnet asked, voice rich with concern.
“For the most part, some spells have been left in place.”
“I can understand your need for secrecy then; I take it your guardian is not aware of your rejection of his services?”
“Not as of yet.” Harry said with a brittle smile, “I hope to keep that fact concealed until I come of age, but I doubt it will stay buried that long.”
“It will not come from me, I can assure you.” Master Garnet said, signing the contract with a flourish and allowing Harry to take the quill and sign as well. Once that was completed, the contract disappeared with a small pop making its way to Gold Kris’ office for filing.
“Thank you, Master Garnet.”
“Egret, please. Now show me the wands you wish to be altered," he said, gesturing Harry over to a long work table in the back of the room. Harry pulled out both his old wand and the new ebony wand, laying them on the table.
“Ah, a Garrick Olivander wand,” he said with a smile, taking the first wand and running his fingers over the shaft while tracing glowing runes that hung about him with the other hand. “Holly and phoenix feather, layered with magic tracers, suppression spells, and a modification spell to force your magical talents to lean towards only light spells, most interesting.”
“Can you remove the spells?”
“I can remove most of the spells, the suppression and modifications spells certainly, however, if I remove the magical trackers, the person who placed them will know immediately if they ever see you casting and their notes don’t match,” Egret said putting the Holly wand down and picking up the next. “This should be easy enough to enhance to match your core more easily; this wand should match your core even better than the Holly once it’s complete. I can add runic engravings to allow it to handle your full potential; it’s already very well-matched as it is. Ebony with griffon and ice owl feathers suspended in phoenix tears, an unusual but powerful combination. I would say it is an old Ruthann creation however, since there is no maker’s mark, it is hard to say for certain; it certainly is of an old enough style.”
“How long should the work take?”
“I’ll have the Holly done in an hour or two, but I’ll need the other for at least a day to complete the carving.”
“I understand, please take all the time you need,” Harry said with a smile. “I’ll come back in two days to pick up the finished wand.”
“I must say, Lord Thorburn if all your commissions are as interesting as this one, I would not regret having you as a repeat customer,” he said with a laugh, showing Harry to the door two hours later with his newly unspelled Holly wand in his wand holster.
“Enjoy the rest of your day, Master Garnet.”
“You as well, good sir. Thank you for your business.”
*****
“Kreacher!” Harry called once the portkey deposited him into the now cleaned and refurbished rooms at Grimmauld Place. The elf popped in, dipping into a low bow.
“How can Kreacher help the Master?”
“Report Kreacher, how are the tasks I left you with?” Harry asked, moving through the first floor and taking in the changes.
“All hidden places have been cleaned. Potter elves help with replacing furniture needed, and House Black is ready for guests.” Kreacher said, puffing up proudly.
“Good work, Kreacher. What of the items stolen from House Black? What have you managed to retrieve?”
“Kreacher has brought back many things.” The elf said, gesturing for Harry to follow him to another room where the items were laid out on a long table.
Harry pulled out the list of missing items and began to check off what had been returned. Much of what had been stolen by the Order was still missing, but most of the books and some small trinkets had been returned. He was surprised that the Weasley matriarch stole most of the jewelry and other items of value.
“Were any of the Order members aware of you retrieving the items?”
“No, Master. They is not seeing Kreacher.”
“You fetched the books from Hermione as well?”
“It is a muggle home, Master, and had no wards to prevent it.”
“What items have you found that were sold?”
“Smelly one from order sold much in Knockturn Alley. Most still there, Kreacher can buy?”
“Yes, go ahead and get the black property back, but if they try to double the cost or try to raise it on you, leave the shop, and I will go back later to retrieve them,” Harry said with a sigh, he would have to do that as soon as he had a solution to his disguise. “Place everything back where it is supposed to go. The jewelry needs to go to Gringotts to be placed in the House vault.”
“Yes, Master. Kreacher will do.” The elf hesitated, wringing his hands as he wavered.
“What do you need, Kreacher?”
“Kreacher was given a task to complete by Master Regulus. Kreacher was not able to complete it.” The elf said, pulling out a blackened locket and chain.
“What did your old Master order you to do to the locket, Kreacher?”
“Master had Kreacher take the locket and drink the nasty potion in a dark cave. Master Regulus replaced the locket with another. Master told Kreacher to destroy it, but he cannot.”
“Thank you for telling me this, Kreacher. I will destroy the locket as your old Master requested. The goblins have methods to remove all magic from an item. We can destroy the shell after that.”
“Thank you, Master. Thank you.” Kreacher sobbed, twisting his ears as punishment for not trusting his new master.
“You are not to hurt yourself, Kreacher,” Harry said, helping the elf up. “You have served House Black well in giving me this to dispose of. I may have some other duties for you soon if things move as I hope. Several dark families may start staying at some of the unoccupied properties, and I will need your help in finding other elves to staff the houses.”
“Master needs Kreacher?”
“Yes, in fact, let’s go to the bank now. I want the curse breakers to check you over. How long did you have the locket?”
“Since Master Regulus ordered it destroyed.” The house elf said, his tone uncertain.
“Then we need to make sure such a dark object did you no harm,” Harry said firmly.
“Why would Master want to help Kreacher?” Harry sighed and forced himself to deal sternly with the elf; he doubted Kreacher would know what to do if he showed him outright kindness.
“Because I am your Master, and I want my property to reflect the honor and status of House Black. Would it do to have others seeing elves of House Black injured?”
“No, Master.” The elf said, pulling himself together and straightening his toga.
“Exactly,” Harry said with a nod, gathering his bag. “I will floo to the bank now. Join me when I call for you.”
“Yes, Master.”
Harry left the elf, twisting his long-fingered hands in the edge of his toga. He was not looking forward to handing this item over to the goblins. If it was what he thought it was, then they would need to start the search for the other possible Horcruxes soon.
“What do you think, Gold Kris?” Harry said with a sigh as Kreacher was led away to be healed with strict instructions to abide by the healer’s commands. The locket had been secured in a sealed metal box until they were able to deal with it.
“It does appear to have the same energy as the fragment within your scar.” Gold Kris said, grabbing up a quill and quickly writing several notes. “There was another tainted object found during our search of the Black vaults.”
“What was cursed?”
“We believe it to be the Hufflepuff Cup, an heirloom of Helga Hufflepuff. Ragnok is not pleased to find such dark objects within the Bank and asked that you allow us to purge the cup as soon as possible.”
“No, please leave them in the most secure vault I possess. I want to wait until we are ready to strike before destroying them in case he becomes aware of the damage to his soul.”
“Very good,” a small crystal paperweight glowed a steady green for a moment before fading as the goblin tapped it, “I will have the items moved to the Peverell vault.”
“Thank you, Gold Kris,” Harry said with a sigh, quickly spelling his hair and eyes a different color while pulling a muggle knit cap over his scar.
He needed to move. He was used to being constantly busy and moving during the summer, thanks to the Dursley’s ridiculous chore lists each day. Staying inside like he had the last few weeks was starting to make him claustrophobic.
His first stop was to several of the bookstores in the Alley. He’d planned to order books using the catalogs, but he needed a way to only search the last ten years or so of publications. Most of the books he looked at were simply updated versions of what he already had at Potter Manor.
He picked up several new books about wizarding law and a few spell books that looked interesting in Flourish & Blotts before heading on to the shadier side of the alley. He wandered through several secondhand shops. He found more books and a pair of quidditch gloves that fit well enough to use for practice.
Harry wandered the length of the alley, stopping on occasion to browse through various shops with no real destination or purpose. He’d never really had the opportunity to buy things in the wizarding world that weren’t for school or when he didn’t have a strict eye watching his every movement. It was relaxing to browse the junk shops looking for gems in the rough, with the shop owners mostly ignoring him as he picked through massive tables and bins of every item imaginable.
His watch pinged softly to remind him that it was fifteen minutes until his appointment with the lawyers at the bank, so he took the small armload of books and doodads to the shop register. The old man eyed the various subjects of the books with a grin as he started to ring everything up.
“Ravenclaw, are you? I tend to get the more adventurous ones wandering through my shelves during the summer, looking for the harder-to-find texts. How are your studies going, lad?”
“Rather well, I’ve been trying to focus on potions the last few weeks,” Harry said, smiling at the man.
“Ay, I’ve heard how hard the potions master at Hogwarts is now, but you need a stern hand in that class. One mistake can be fatal with potions, lad. Tell you what; will you let me add a few items I know that might help your studies?”
“Of course, anything that you might think could help.”
“Into herbology?” he asked with a side glance at the strange purple-looking seedling Harry had grabbed from a sunlit corner, moving quickly through the shop and plucking volumes from every surface.
“My friend is a bit of a prodigy, and I’m hoping to convince him to help me study this year. The plant I picked up is for his birthday.”
“Sound strategy,” The shopkeeper agreed, coming back and dropping his armload onto the desk. “Here we are. Magical Plants and Potions explains the properties of the ingredients and how they react to each action, such as what direction you stir and how many stirs. Goldfinch’s Guide to Animagi and the Inner Animal is a good starter guide for learning to become an animagus. Defense and Detection, the best guide I’ve found for training a curse breaker, Ten Thousand Simple Spells and their Uses,” he said, dropping a massive tome on the pile, “a spell for pretty much any situation, and it makes a great doorstop when you’re not using it. Last, we have two runic dictionaries and A Basic Rune Primer, along with Warding with Blood, Stone, and Runes. That should come to be two galleons.” The old wizard said, taking the coins with a grin, shrinking the books, and wrapping them securely so that Harry could slip them into his shoulder bag. The plant was wrapped in cloth and put into stasis so that it could be transported without damage.
Harry thanked the man and headed out with a laugh. If everyone was this helpful, he might get more of his studying done than he’d planned. He spent the little time left before a late dinner adding all his new books and several primers on various subjects he wanted to study into two of the blank trance books. He wanted to cram in as much knowledge as he could to give him a solid base to work from once the summer was over. Once he was at Hogwarts, he would at least be able to practice most evenings if he could lose his friends.
He doubted he’d be able to continue to use the books once he went to Hogwarts, what would he pass off the trance as? A vision from the Dark Lord? That would go over well. He spent a pleasant dinner with his grandparents before he went to bed, used the next trance book, and spent two hours reorganizing his mind.