A Father's Love

By Teacherbev

Chapter 4:

After the darkness of Olivander's wand shop, the afternoon sun momentarily blinded the duo as the stepped out into the alley once more.

Flitwick looked down at his timepiece and then glanced up and around them in thought.

"It's only just half three. Is there anywhere else that you would like to look, Harry?"

"My father's journals mentioned him learning how to use a wand holster and how he wished he had bought one to start out with. Is there somewhere I can get one now?"

Flitwick grinned down at the small boy and clapped his hands together.

"Why certainly we can. I know just the shop to get one from. Now most children just keep their wand in their bag or in a pocket but I have always felt that it would be better to get used to having one always at hand. It also protects the wand and keeps it safe. Just follow me and pay attention to the shops that we pass."

Harry dutifully nodded his head and easily kept up with the small professor who wasn't much taller than he was. He was watching the shops that they were passing when he stopped suddenly and turned to a shop window.

"Harry, Harry?" Professor Flitwick turned around once he noticed the boy was no longer following him. He had to go back two shop fronts until he stood beside the mesmerized child and chuckled.

"Ah, I suppose you would like to go in here first?"

"Yessir, I didn't even know they had such places. My parents' journals never mentioned such a place." Harry was practically quivering with excitement at the shop's display.

"Well, there wouldn't be. This shop has only been here five or six years. Apparently they are quite popular in the colonies but they haven't really caught on much here. Most older families think they are too 'muggle' and most muggle born just shop on the muggle side for them. I do believe they are rather expensive compared to their muggle counterpart, but I really don't know all the particulars. Let's go inside and you can ask the proprietor all your questions."

The two entered the small shop and Harry immediately went past the display cases of glasses frames and over to the display of magical contacts. He glanced up to find the shop owner had appeared and was walking towards him.

"Can I get a pair of contacts? What do they do that muggle ones don't?"

The wizard chuckled, a startlingly high pitched little giggle for such a large man. He stroked a wisp of his long grey hair out of his eyes and then rubbed his bristly chin in amusement.

"Why yes, young sir, you can purchase contacts here. That's why they are on display. And there are multiple different options for spells to be placed upon them depending upon what you choose and the cost. But the major difference is that you come to my shop once a year and I replace them for you, otherwise you never have to remove them. And after you stop growing, at around 25 for men, you only have to come in once every 5 years to have them checked. But I will warn you they do cost just a tad bit more than their muggle counterparts." He looked at Flitwick and saw the Professor nod that the boy could have them. "Well, let's just get you in the back to check out your eyes and fit a pair to you."

It only took slightly more than half an hour to have his eyes checked, options chosen, lenses fitted and have his money pouch lightened by quite a bit before an exuberant Harry left the shop, his feet barely touching the ground as he glanced all around, delighted at how crisp and clear everything all around him was. Flitwick followed, his chuckles blending into the noise of the now overly crowded and busy Alley.

A quick check of his timepiece once more and Flitwick hustled Harry down the street.

"I believe we just have enough time to get you a wand holster before I have to leave you off at the Cauldron to meet your uncle. Come along, spit, spot, we must hurry now."

Harry followed along, a wide grin still splitting his face at the idea he no longer had to hassle with glasses, no dirty or broken lenses, no blind in the rain, no needing his glasses on to find his glasses, no more lost screws or bent frames, the list was almost endless but it was now behind him. He could hear his father complaining about how he had hated his own glasses and how come they weren't available while he had still been alive but Harry tuned them out, he still had much to do.

After quickly making his purchases in the tannery shop, a wand holster, a pair of self-sizing dragon hide boots, and a weightless, space expanded book bag to replace the backpack he was carrying, and the two hustled through the crowd back to the Cauldron. The tiny professor had a quick word with the busy barman and bent closer to have a quiet word with Harry before floo-ing back to Hogwarts.

"Now here is your ticket to the Hogwarts Express. It leaves from King's Cross station on September the 1st at 11 sharp. From the muggle side you find platforms 9 and 10 and then just walk straight ahead through the wall between them. It's an illusion, the wall isn't really there for anyone magical. If your relatives want to come on the platform to see you off, they must be touching you or they cannot come through or even see you disappear through the wall. 'Muggle-repelling wards' you see. If you have any questions you can owl me at the school, just tell your owl my name and she will find me. As I explained, postal owls are magical and don't need an address to find the recipient if they are close enough. Now good luck, and I will see you on the 1st."

Harry shook Flitwick's hand and then pulled him into a brief hug while thanking him for all of his help. He watched fascinated as the green flames flared and the professor was gone with a small whoosh. He made sure the bartender was busy with customers before once more exiting through the gateway to the Alley. He stepped out of the crowd and into a small dark alleyway to plan the next few items with his parents.

'So should I call Roxy to come and take me to Potter Place and come back to shop more or should I just get it all done today?"

Lily and James could tell their son was getting tired and slightly overwhelmed at all the noise and bustle of Diagon Alley. But an audible growl of his stomach settled the matter for all of them.

'First you have to claim the Headship of House Potter to call the Head Elf Roxy to you. I am sure that Dumbledore had some kind of blockage on you or the elves would have found you long ago. It is getting rather critical for you to re-bind them to the house or the oldest will begin to weaken and die and the youngest will have to leave to find a home elsewhere.' Harry knew that the elves lived a symbiotic life with their families. In return for work and keeping their master's secrets, the family supplied them with the magic they needed to live and procreate.

'How do I do that, Dad?'

'Just repeat after me and the magic of the family will do the rest. We had to be away from Privet Drive or both the ministry and Dumbledore would have picked up the magic and come to investigate.'

'Ok, I'm ready.' Harry took a deep breath and squared his shoulders.

'I, Harrison James Potter, do accept the Headship of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter. I swear to uphold the old magiks, and vow to keep those magiks strong and pure to the best of my abilities. I will do the best that I can to support and protect my family. So I swear, so mote it be.'

As soon as Harry finished repeating back what his father said, there was a brief flash of white and he felt a sudden warmth on his right ring finger. Startled, he looked down and just caught a gold ring just shrinking down to fit his small finger. The ring was plain except for an enameled coat of arms that was raised and engraved into the flat top. He just stared at it while his father explained, 'the ring can be used to seal letters and affixed to charges from magical shops so you don't have to carry large sums of galleons around with you. That's why it is raised like that, to leave an impression when it is pressed into something. Now think, 'hide from sight', yes, just like that. Good job, son!'

'Now, call' He didn't finish his instructions to his son before a small pop announced the arrival of Roxy, their head house elf. The poor being looked decades older and bedraggled from the last time he had seen him. It must be the lack of a bond with a master James thought.

"Master Harry, Roxy is being able to find you. Thank you for calling me, all of us elves is beginning to feel the ending of ours magic. Is you being ready to renew House Potter bonds with us, Young Master?" Roxy asked hopefully.

"Yes, I need you to take me home now, and we can renew the bonds right away. I have been kept from you just like you have been kept from me but now I will live in my rightful home and we can be a family once more." Harry replied.

Roxy grinned, his smile took years off his weathered face before he grabbed his master's arm and with a small pop the two disappeared from the small dark alley. The multiple tracking charms placed upon the boy from both the ministry and the Headmaster over the years broken and left behind and the House of Potter was free at last.