"Breakfast boy!"

Harry cursed as he brought up the dishes to the table. Thankfully Aunt Petunia decided that Dudley shouldn't have to experience his cooking today and she would take control over the kitchen; but that didn't mean that he was left free. No no no, Aunt Petunia gave out orders left and right while he was forced to obey them. His back still hurt after accidently falling from the stairs. Dudley seemed happy after reporting the happy incident to his mother.

Serving breakfast, he made his way to his cupboard. He cursed again as he lay on his bed. Falling with a thud on a bruised back was not a good idea. He took off his shirt and examined the bruises he sported now. They ran mostly on the either side of his spine. He closed his eyes to concentrate; he needed to heal them. Taking slow labored breaths he willed them to go away. To heal. Slowly but surely the bruises faded away. Almost like melting into his skin to reveal new unsullied skin. He let out a sigh of relief. He had been lucky this time. Usually he had to sit for hours wishing for his body to heal. Maybe I'm getting better, he thought. The trick was to concentrate, utilize his entire will power for these trivial injuries to heal. He shuddered when he thought about anything major. Dudley broke his rib once. That took a solid week!

"Oi Freak! Its here!" a voice yelled.

He jumped up and raced towards the hall. Dudley and Petunia stood on either side of the 'high chair' or the 'head chair' on which Vernon sat. Vernon was clutching the letter with all his might. Harry could tell because his fingers were white.

"Give it to me, Uncle" he said quietly. Vernon sneered but offered him the letter nonetheless. He knew the consequences of emotionally upsetting the freak. Hadrian opened the letter revealing many folds of parchments written on with green ink.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf Warlock,

Supreme Mugwump of the ICW)

Harry idly noted the titles as he flipped towards the next side of the letter.

Dear Mr. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find the list of all necessary books and equipment.

Sincerely,

Prof. Minerva McGonagall

Harry gawked as he eagerly turned the parchment again.

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)

2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

4. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags.

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The 'Standard Book of Spells' (Grade 1)

by Miranda Goshawk,

'A History of Magic'

by Bathilda Bagshot ,

'Magical Theory'

by Adalbert Waffling,

'A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration'

by Emeric Switch,

'One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi'

by Phyllida Spore,

'Magical Drafts and Potions'

by Arsenius Jigger

'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'

by Newt Scamander,

'The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection'

by Thomas Evergreen

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set brass scales

All items shall be available in Diagon alley

DO NOTE: Once again, Hogwarts will allow first years their own broom.

"Great!" Harry exclaimed. "When are we going? Today? We haven't got a lot of time!"

Vernon's expression turned gleeful. "We aren't taking you! Your Parents are!"

Harry's face turned stormy. He hated his parents. He still remembered. He still remembered the night he was abandoned. His eidetic memory wasn't likely to forget. A dark night. James and Lily Potter, he thought vengefully, had gone out for the first time in months, for quality time. Soft footsteps and the nursery door crumbling apart. A hooded man that glared at him. He remembered not being able to identify the feelings in the eyes of the man. Hate? Confusion? Or Both? But it didn't matter. A green flare hit him, and all the world was black.

When he returned, the old bearded man proclaimed Harry a squib whilst at the same time pronouncing his twin Roderick Charlus Potter the 'boy who lived'. Fear had taken him that day when they left him on the stone pavement like a milk bottle. Never again, he thought. One day, they will pay, he promised himself.

"When do they come?" he asked.

"An hour" Petunia replied. Harry nodded solemnly.

He went upstairs to dress up. He needed to be presentable. He garbed himself in black, grey rather, the colour had faded after repeated use. He looked at himself in the mirror. The emerald eyes never failed to remind him of the green flare, Avada Kedavra. He was entranced by the beauty of his own eyes. I'm probably a narcissist, he thought. He looked at his face once more. No no, this won't do! I have to look better than him!

He slowly changed his face, morphing it into something he considered desirable. Usually he wasn't concerned by such petty needs and stuck to his normal face as much as possible, unless he was stealing books from the library; but today, he needed to look perfect. He had been waiting for this day. The day when his parents would come to pick him up when they realized he was a wizard. Honestly, Harry scoffed, who could mistake me for a squib! He had been performing accidental magic ever since he could remember, flying toys for himself and Rod. They probably thought that it was his, he thought with his look, he went on. It was almost time.

XXX

There they were, his parents, standing in front of him outside Privet Drive No. 4. His mother looked exactly as he remembered her, while his father now sported a beard. Roderick, on the other hand, looked very different. He was chubby with a round face. Brown hair and eyes of mud, Harry couldn't recognize his twin anymore.

They all wore expensive garments, robes adorned with intricate patterns in gold and red. The necklace on Lily's neck didn't look cheap either.

Lily gave him a nervous smile, trying and failing to look motherly.

"Harry dear, I'm Lily and this is James and Roderick" she introduced, pointing at the two males, they nodded in conformation.

"Roderick is your twin brother…" she began, "and is famous. You see Harry, there was this Dark Lord You-kno-"

"I know the story!" Hadrian cut in impatiently. "I also know that you abandoned me, your first born! You sent me off so that Roderick could enjoy all his comforts without having to share!"

James frowned. "That's not true Harry, we thought you were a squib! After all, you never performed accidental magic. You can hardly blame us for that!"

"What! Are you serious?" Harry said incredulously. "I was the one who was always performing magic!"

"Don't lie you squib! You never did any magic! It was all me!" shouted Roderick in between. Harry fumed and was about to retort when Lily interrupted.

"There's no need for that dear. Harry is just a little bitter"

"A little bitter?" Harry laughed scornfully.

"Enough of this! Let us all go to Diagon Alley and shop what we need, and Harry, you clearly know what happened. All we can say is that it was for the best" said James with a tone of finality.

Harry's jaw dropped and James caught hold of his arms and apparated.

The twisting feeling of apparition was not Harry had felt before. He almost threw up and was barely able to hold it in his stomach.

'Ollivanders, makers of fine wand since 382 BC'

Harry and his family entered the shop. It looked like no one bothered dusting it in years. The place had an old smell to it. The place also smelt of a wood polisher. Racks of small black boxes lined the shelves and Harry guessed that there were more than a hundred. He heard the sliding of a shelf and from behind came an old man with the craziest Einstein hair Harry had seen and creepy grey eyes that seemed to gaze at his very soul.

"Ah, the potter twins! I was wondering when you'd finally show up, Hadrian Potter. I was shocked to learn of your existence from Dumbledore last month! Anyways let's start with you, young Roderick, eh"

Of course, he would choose my brother, He was, after all, the 'important' son.

"Excuse me Ollivander" butted in James. "Is it possible for James to get a custom wand? After all, he'll need a well suited wand to defeat enemy Death Eaters"

Ollivander seemed annoyed. "Auror Potter, I will make a custom wand for young Roderick if all the wands in my shop fail to suit him. I highly doubt if it will come to that" he snapped back and motioned Roderick to come forward.

Rod went forward with a smug expression on his fat pudgy face. "Which is your wand arm?" asked Ollivander. Roderick raised his right hand to Ollivander and within seconds tapes sprang out of drawers and started measuring his hand, specifically his palm and fingers. When the tapes were done they went back to their drawers and a note materialized in front of Ollivander and he frowned at it. He went to the bottom of his many racks before returning with a bunch of boxes. He opened up the first one and presented it to Rod.

"10 inches, dragon heartstring, quite stiff" he proclaimed, handing the wand to Rod. Rod to the wand and stood there dumbly.

"Well give it a wave!"

Rod waved the wand expecting something to happen. Nothing did. Ollivander seemed disappointed as well. Usually something happened. He presented Rod with a dozen more wands and nothing happened. Harry was starting to get impatient and he could tell the others were as well.

Ollivander gave another wand and this one had different results. A warmth enveloped the air and muddy brown sparks came out of the end of the wand. "9 inches, apple wood, hippogriff nose hair, very stiff" proclaimed Ollivander.

Harry was literally bubbling with laughter in his head while his face only showed a sly grin. He didn't know an effing about wandlore but definitely knew that the wand that chose Rod was not an impressive one. Almost insulting. Hippogriff nose hair?

"It seems Roderick, that you don't need a custom wand after all" said a smug Ollivander. "Even the oddest of customers will find a wand in my shop"

Roderick was, on the other hand, quite horrified. "No way! I want a different one. The wand doesn't even look good and is definitely not powerful!"

Almost insulted, Ollivander replied, "The wand chooses the wizard potter, not the other way around." James didn't say a word. Maybe he knew that there was nothing that could be done.

"Come forth, Hadrian" Ollivander called. With a jolt he remembered that it was his turn. Excitement and sudden nervousness filling him, Harry stepped forward.

"Which is your wand arm, Hadrian"

Unsure, Harry replied, "Both, I guess. I am ambidextrous sir" Ollivander's eyes widened in surprise. "It is rare to meet an ambidextrous in the wizarding world, Hadrian Potter. We'll just have to measure both-"

"DAD, can we go now? Harry and I are twins, so we should end up with similar wands so there is nothing to see here and you can pay for both wands as all wands are of the same price!"

His dad sighed. Both parents looked at Harry for confirmation. Harry nodded. He didn't care. The only problem would be finding them after getting his wand. Well, he'd been planning on exploring Diagon Alley anyways, he supposed. The potters sighed and left with a promise of buying all the books and materials for him. The only thing he'd have to be there for robes, which was reasonable.

"I feel sorry for you, lad. The audacity and arrogance of your brother even exceeds your fathers, which is quite troubling itself."

Harry waved of the sympathy and raised both of his arms, while the tapes did their work. When they were done the note that materialized in front of Ollivander mad the wand maker frown even more deeply than the one he gave while it was Rod's turn.

"What's wrong" Harry asked, confused. All of a sudden Ollivander went up to the door and flipped the sign telling that the shop was closed. "You, young man, are going to try every single wand in my shop"

XXX

Here he was, trying wand number fifty-two, already tired of this. He was about to speak up when Ollivander got up with a jump and scurried off to another shelf. Harry was just about to follow him when Ollivander came back with a dusty old box that looked decades old.

"This wand, my boy, is a very, very, special wand. Albus Dumbledore gave it to me about 60 years ago."

He opened the box and there it was, a wand 15 inches long that seemed to shine with ethereal beauty, which looked ancient and new at the same time. Guided by instinct, he reached out with his hand to grab the wand.

Black coloured sparks immediately came out of the wand and a cool feeling enveloped him and ice started forming everywhere. He immediately knew that this was his wand and it had chosen him. He could literally feel his magical core dancing.

Ollivander took out his wand from his robes and banished the ice, instead of melting it, which would have flooded the entire shop. He had a grave expression on his face and said "Hadrian, your wand is an ancient wand, rumoured to be crafted by death himself! Read the story of the three brothers to understand the origins of the wand. The owners of the three objects that you'll learn about in the story were your ancestors, namely Antioch, Cadmus and Ignotus Peverell; and be, careful," The next thing he knew, he was out of the shop!

XXX

Harry walked down the alley, slightly unnerved by his experience at the wand shop. Ollivander said that his wand was special and ancient, rumoured to be crafted by death himself. How is that even possible, he thought.

He had also told Harry to read the story of the three brothers and something about them being his ancestors, Antioch, Cadmus and Ignotus Peverell. Oh, he was definitely going to read the story, because he needed answers, and fast.

And yet there he was, marvelling at the sight before him. There were wizards and witches bustling everywhere. He saw different shops, some which were very small, but looked bigger on the inside while looking through the windows. Some looked like different buildings were put together, one on top of the other and all on the brink of collapsing on each other but held together by magic.

He entered a few shops and was intrigued by the interiors of the shops. Everything was magical, there was no light bulb or anything but instead a circular ball of light floating around in the air, although some shops also seemed to use lamps and torches. He soon exited, driven out by the noise of the crowd of customers. All the families were here with their children for their Hogwarts shopping. He continued walking on what could be considered as the main street.

Instead of walking towards the great marble building that was Gringgots, which would have been the smart thing to do, he walked towards the direction opposite it, down the slightly sloped path.

He saw different types of wizards everywhere. Some of them wearing expensive clothing and having a pompous air around them. With all of that they also had a certain elite aura around them. They all seemed to have a calm, cool expression fixed on their faces. They seemed to ooze superiority. They all seemed very quiet and self-preserved. Harry immediately guessed that they were a kind of aristocrats in the wizarding world and that they were important, maybe even in the functioning of the wizarding government. On the other hand, he saw some poorly dressed redheaded folk who unlike the rich guys, were loud and obnoxious. All of them had freckles, which was okay, and a little dirt on their faces, which was not okay. Seriously, didn't these people take a bath or something? Harry could literally smell the stench of their clothes, which looked like it was about 10 years old and had never been through a wash.

He could hear a commotion nearby. Curiosity getting the better of him, he followed the noise. He went towards the left through a particularly crowded street and saw what the big deal was.

'DAILY PROPHET AND THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC PRESENT THE 1 MILLION GALLEON PRIZE TO THE PERSON WHO CAN ANSWER THIS RIDDLE' said a yellow and red colour banner.

So, this is a kind of lottery, he mused. So, if he answered this riddle right, he would instantly become a millionaire in the wizarding world. The riddle definitely had to be tricky, if so many people couldn't get it right.

He saw a queue of people attempting the riddle. A million galleons were a lot of money and people were definitely taking their chances. It turns out the people who attempted to answer the riddle and failed to do so would have to then pay about 20 galleons as a penalty. Most of the attempters were of the middle class although there were a few wizards dressed in drab who were crying at their failure to answer the riddle which had made them 20 galleons poorer.

It was good business, really, for the ministry and the daily prophet, because of they put a hard enough riddle that nobody could answer, and about 50 people tried every day for a month, they could earn about 28,000 galleons per month! As long as it was a hard riddle so that they didn't have to pay up the million galleons, the lottery was just easy money. Harry had to hand it over to them, this was a brilliant idea! It was extremely risky to put this kind of an idea into action as the loss could be a million galleons! However, if they did it right, then this could be a very easy money making scheme.

Harry had always been good at riddles, and usually got them right. He had started debating if he should give the riddle a try. He didn't have 20 galleons but wouldn't need it if he could answer the riddle right. This could make him a millionaire, but the issue of paying up 20 galleons if he answered wrong still remained. After a few minutes of debating, he decided he would try the riddle out.

Taking a deep breath, he went to stand in the queue, which had now grown short, with just a few wealthy wizards in front of him.

After a few moments he heard one of the angry poor wizards screaming.

"This Riddle doesn't make any sense! I am going to report this to the ministry you bloody morons!"

"This is by the ministry, you fool! And don't dare say a word! You swore an oath!", shouted back a person who had to be an employee.

The incident made Harry nervous. The man could be right, they could just put up a senseless riddle that couldn't be answered! Like 'What came first, the chicken, or the egg?' Harry started another internal debate in his mind, only to discover that he was next.

"What's a kid like you doing here?" asked a gruff voice. Harry looked up to see a large man. He had brown hair and eyes with a scruffy beard on his chin. He was wearing a robe that could be the equivalent of a suit in the wizarding world and he seemed to be in charge of the place.

"Is it not obvious, sir? I am here to try my luck at this riddle." answered Harry as politely as he could. The man and two others started laughing at this point. "You sure kid?"

Harry just nodded his head in response.

"You know what, if you get the answer wrong, you don't have to pay anything. However, you still have to sign the oath of secrecy." the man said.

Harry sighed a breath of relief. Now, even if they gave him an unanswerable riddle, there would be no consequences for him. He nodded his head. "Sir, you said that I have to sign an oath of secrecy. Could you please elaborate?" asked harry.

"Aye kid, all you have to do is sign this piece of paper which binds your magical core to an oath of secrecy that you will not reveal the riddle in any manner to anyone." the man answered back. Harry nodded and immediately took out a pen from his pocket and signed it. The man took the paper back from him, not checking the name on it, but instead narrowed his eyes, eyeing the pen warily. Nevertheless, he laid a box in front of Harry on the desk. Harry nearly jumped when a clown head jumped out of the box. He looked at the man for an explanation.

"You have to ask it for the riddle, and it shall tell you boy" he explained. Harry's eyes widened in surprise. Magic was truly wonderful!

In a clear voice Harry said, "Tell me the riddle" and after a slight show of hesitation, said "please".

The clown bobbed its head and recited-

"I have been heard countless times, but not seen in any of the times. I will not speak back until I am spoken to"

Okay. That doesn't sound so hard, he thought. It was a relatively simple riddle, he would just have to break it down, bit by bit.

'Many have heard me countless times but not seen me in any of the times', Okay, it was obvious that it was a sound and not a thing or anything like that and most importantly has been heard many times.

'I will not speak back until spoken to'. A sound that can exist only if one spoke to it. A sound that can exist only if one spoke to it. What could it be? And then it struck Harry. The answer was plain and simple and clear as day! An echo!

"An echo" answered Harry immediately. The clown bobbed its head and burst into flames.

"You got it?" the man asked incredulously. He couldn't believe it. No one up till recently answered the riddle, not even those pompous Ravenclaws. Harry nodded and the ashes of the clown was the only confirmation the man needed.

"Who are you kid? I am Theodore Pitt by the way" said the man in a polite tone, while ushering Harry inside a cabin.

"I am Hadrian Potter, Mr. Pitt. It's been a pleasure meeting you Sir"

"Potter? I thought there were only three of them. Are you a distant relative?" asked Theodore.

"Well, sir. I am Roderick's older brother but was abandoned by my parents after they mistook me for a squib when Roderick became the boy who lived. I was left with my muggle relatives and only recently did I get my Hogwarts letter."

The man was horrified! "That's terrible lad, I knew that fame had gone into their heads, but I didn't know that this was the extent of it! Wait till this gets out kid-Mr. Potter. I bet they'll be ruined. To think that I thought of them as heroes!" he exclaimed.

Harry shrugged, but inwardly he was shaking with glee. He would finally get his revenge if the potters suffered public humiliation. He knew he shouldn't hold on to his anger, but that didn't mean he could let go of it.

"Sir… How would I get the money? I mean, surely, you won't just hand me a sack filled with a million galleons would you?" he asked, mustering as much uncertainty into it as he could. The man laughed. "No, certainly not! They money will be sent to your personal vault at Gringgots. And oh! If you don't have a personal account, Gringgots will make one for you, you just have to collect your key" said the man.

Harry became thoughtful. This solved most of his problems, as he didn't want his family taking his money, even thought they were most probably a hundred million galleons richer than him. This also made sure they couldn't track his spending, and, finally he would have a personal vault and wouldn't have to ask for permission to get money; and he could always keep adding money. Financial independence didn't sound bad either.

He finally looked up at the man and asked "Sir, is there a way to keep this quiet? I don't want the whole world to know about this"

The man shook his head, "There's no way, to do that, Mr. Potter, I am sorry but news like these…" he shook his head again "They don't keep quiet for long"

Harry was not surprised. After all, some random eleven year old kid winning a million galleons for answering a riddle. He didn't think so.

Mr. Pitt interrupted his musings and said, "Well Mr Potter, I have to write to the ministry that someone answered the riddle" He furrowed his eyebrows.

"Wonder what they think when they get to know it was an eleven year old boy who hasn't started even Hogwarts yet who answered it" Harry just grinned back.

"Is this a cue to leave Sir?" The man nodded back. Harry turned his back and walked out of the door. The area was relatively empty, and it seemed that the crowd had disappeared. He started walking uphill, towards Gringgots.

—

He arrived at Gringgots to see an angry Potter family waiting for him.

"Do you have any idea how long it's been" his father asked in a scathing tone. Harry barely blinked. "About an hour" he replied casually. James Potter turned red. His mother then quipped up saying "Harry dear, we finished the shopping for you, except for your robes of course. We didn't know your size and so we didn't buy it "Harry immediately saw an opportunity.

"That's fine mother. And I also think I should go buy them alone" seeing his parents' unsure stares, he quickly added "I just want to get a feel of the wizarding world mother and this is a perfect opportunity for me."

Although they still looked unconvinced, they nodded began twisting into space, a sign of apparition. The last he saw of them was Rod sneering at him.

After they were out of sight, he quickly went past the entrance. He saw goblins for the first time, though he already had an idea of what they looked like. He went to the telling counter and asked, "Excuse me, by I recently won a lottery that was by a collaboration of the Daily prophet and the Ministry. I just wanted to get the details and collect my key and I was wondering if you could tell me who I could talk to".

The goblin barely even looked up and pointed at a desk 20 feet away from him, 'New vaults and Money - New customers'. Harry muttered a thanks and walked towards the other desk.

"Sir, I recently won a-" Harry began only to be cut off by the goblin. "I know, I know I heard your miserable voice over there!" snarled the goblin. "We received the letter from the ministry and the money is now in your vault. I suppose you want your key now?" He asked. Harry nodded.

"We need your blood" the goblin said

"You need my what!"

"How do you suppose we identify that it's you and not an imposter in the future. In fact, how would we know it's really you?" the goblin shot back. Harry nodded taken aback by the sudden retort.

"How much?"

"Just a pinprick"

Harry complied.

"Sir, I was also wondering if there was a way to withdraw money without coming to Gringotts or a way to pay without carrying a huge sack of gold everywhere."

The goblin nodded. "Yes, there is the way of bank slips" he growled. "Every shop in Britain has bank slips for their customers. Customers sign them with the truth ink and the shops submit the slips here to make the transaction" Harry nodded, listening intently.

"Does this work abroad?" he asked.

"Aye it does. The shops don't necessarily have the slips with them but if they do the transaction is still possible. The only requirement is for there to be a gringotts branch.

XXX

Harry was walking down the street when he came across Madam Malkin's. It was apparently the only clothing store worth the knut according to a wizard he asked. He entered the store and say that there was only one woman there and she was busy with some other customers. He saw that there was a bench where people were sitting and assumed it was a line and people went to the madam turn wise. He was right. With a sigh he went and sat beside a boy with platinum blond hair.

"Who are you?" asked a bored drawling voice. It was the blond boy.

"No one of importance" Harry said coolly.

The boy didn't seem to care about the unenlightening answer and shrugged.

"I'm Draco Malfoy, heir to the Magical House of Malfoy, twelfth generation pureblood. I'm waiting for mother to finish up with the robes. Boring, that's what it is. Can't wait to get a new broom you know? It's the first time Hogwarts is allowing first years to bring one. I'm going ask mother if she can get me a nimbus."

Harry was unsure how to respond. Just as he was about to, the boy got up and joined a witch with black hair and pale skin. Harry thought she was quite beautiful.

He waited for a minute more before it was his turn.

"What do you need dear, the usual Hogwarts uniform?" the madam asked. Harry nodded and said "Yes mam, I'd also like a full wardrobe. I'm new to the wizarding world you see, don't have a single robe." The madam nodded, assuming Harry was muggleborn.

She began measuring Harry and commented that Harry was quite fit for an eleven year old. Harry just brushed it off. When the measuring was done Harry was presented with the choice of what he wanted. He brought a few emerald robes, a few sapphires, and a set of seven of black ones.

XXX

'Trunks for All Purposes'

Trunks were displayed like furniture in a muggle furniture store. The main crowd was at the standard student trunk section. Harry immediately went to the expensive side where a black trunk had caught his eye.

The Trunk was black with emerald embroidery in the front. The latch with the lock was also of an emerald. The trunk had three compartments, all magically expanded. The first one was for books, the second for clothes and the third for other stuff. Harry brought the trunk with a few damage resistant charms, a locking charm resistant and a password unlockable lock for a sum of 500 galleons. In Harry's opinion, it was money well spent.

Harry next went to the leaky Cauldron deciding he would spend a few nights there. There was no way he was returning to the Dursley's. He was also going to need a lot more books than the normal ones. Maybe even on the forbidden 'Dark Arts'. That sounded more like Harry's thing. He idly realized that his parents hadn't given him any money. How did they expect me to buy all of this? He had to send an owl to ask them to send his stuff.