Chapter Three – A New Day Has Come

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"It's not worth doing something unless someone, somewhere, would much rather you weren't doing it."
― Terry Pratchett

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The next morning Harry woke at his usual early time despite how little sleep he'd gotten the night before and grabbed some clean clothes out of his bag before heading into the bathroom, he took a quick shower and pulled on his clothes. Harry could feel his heart thumping in his chest and he couldn't help his nervous pacing, eventually Harry forced his mind to calm and consciously slowed his heart-rate, taking deep slow breaths as he did.

When he was calm enough Harry pulled out his Magical Law – Werewolf edition book and opened it to where he left it the night before and kept reading it. He liked the way it was laid out, the laws simply defined and sensible, Harry had almost finished it when there was a knock on his door. Harry stood and made his way to the door, opening it to find the receptionist from yesterday, she smiled politely at him.

"Mr Potter? Mr Kennerly would like for you to have breakfast with him if that is agreeable to you?" She said, Harry nodded and stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him.

"Of course," Harry agreed and followed her down the hallways to a small but elegant dining room where Ryan was waiting for him a generous selection of breakfast foods available.

Ryan smiled at Harry when he entered the room. "Did you sleep well?"

Harry shrugged and sat across from him. "As well as could be expected thank you, and yourself?"

"Well enough," They ate in companionable silence and when they finished Ryan passed Harry a clear plastic document folder. "Your new birth certificate, various forms of ID, passport, apparation licence, background information and emancipation documents," He told Harry. "I've kept your parents names as what they were except for the last name, remember its Jones now, they died in a car accident… well its all in the folder, if I were you I'd practice writing and signing your name," Harry nodded and resisted the urge to flick through the folder, he could do that later. "We have a private plane leaving today at one, you'll leave here in one of our cars at eleven, any questions?"

Harry blinked at him in silence before shaking his head. He cleared his throat. "No, I – thankyou for this,"

Ryan clapped his hand on Harry's shoulder and squeezed gently. "You'll be ok," He murmured and Harry closed his eyes. "You're a good boy," He said thoughtfully. "I'd have liked to have met you under better circumstances,"

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Harry looked out the window of the luxurious private plane and as it left the ground his heart lightened, Harry watched England fall away and let out a relieved sigh.

Freedom.

Harry thought about it as the plane flew through the air. He'd never been free before. There had always been the Dursley's keeping him beaten down, keeping him in his 'place' and then there was Hogwarts with the whole boy-who-lived garbage trapping him in the mould of the perfect Gryffindor and his friends keeping him as the ideal that they thought he should be.

No expectations. No one to live up to. No one expecting him to be like his dead parents. No fighting for a cause he didn't know anything about.

The only thing tying him down was his new citizenship and his (non-magical) oath of Allegiance.

Freedom.

Harry smiled quietly to himself.

He like freedom.

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Once they landed in Washington Harry was escorted to a hotel by a young agent with the Secret Service. "What's it like to be an agent?" Harry asked curiously as he dropped his backpack and fished out the bag with his money in it – Agent Simon Bell had orders to help Harry set up a bank account.

Simon shrugged. "I like it, having a purpose is nice – I mean I don't do much right now but eventually I'd like to get a chance to protect the President,"

Harry nodded thoughtfully and buckled himself into the car seat. "So you believe in the whole… truth, justice and the American way?"

The agent laughed. "Yeah, yeah I believe in truth, justice and the American way," He snickered a little. "What about you?"

"Oh, I've been a American citizen for about a day now, so ask me again in a year or two but I like the idea," Harry told him, the rest of the drive was filled with quiet small talk. "So why this bank?" Harry asked as they pulled into a parking space.

"They don't really asked questions, most of the managers are aware of magic and they know to keep their mouths shut," Harry nodded in understanding, no questions would be good.

Setting up a bank account was relatively painless – and no questions asked beyond the normal. Harry left the bank with print offs of his account details and balance – which still made him choke on his tongue when he saw it, a promise of sending his bankcards to the hotel within a week and roughly ten thousand in exchanged cash.

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When Harry got back to the hotel he stripped off and curled up under the covers and quietly started crying until he fell asleep for the next twenty hours, the stress of the last few days getting too much for him. His body and mind took the time to refresh and rejuvenate, his mind slowly cataloguing Greyback's memories as they came to him.

Harry woke to find his mailbox's runes glowing in steady pulses. He groaned as he pulled it out of his backpack and opened it to find several letters inside, Harry winced as he pulled out seven letters and the last two days papers, he put them on the desk and eyed them silently for long moments before he shoved them in one of the draws and stepped away from the desk. He had things to do today.

Harry pulled some clean clothes out of his bag and headed into the bathroom with a sigh, a quick shower and the usual hygiene spells and Harry was ready for the day. He put his mailbox back in his bag and swung the backpack over his shoulder, making sure his keycard was in his jeans pocket and then he was off, he was going exploring.

He spent the day taking several tours and getting used to the ramp up his senses had gotten, getting the occasional memory from Greyback as the day went on. When the sun started to set Harry caught a taxi back to the hotel that the government was paying for and ordered room service as he unpacked the souvenirs he's brought during the day, including a copy of the Declaration of Independence and a large map of America. He also brought a laptop computer, two spare batteries for it, a iPod and a stack of iTunes gift cards, both of which he had charging.

After a quick shower Harry looked at his shoulder in the mirror of the brightly lit bathroom, he ran exploring fingers over the pink scar tissue. More like a dog bite than a human one, Harry thought to himself as he stared at it before starting when there was a knock on the door. He pulled on a shirt and made his way to the door to find his food had arrived, he gave the young man a twenty dollar tip and savoured the food as he ate the pasta dish with enjoyment.

Once he was finished with dinner he stacked the dishes onto the trolley they came on and wheeled it outside the door to his room. With that done Harry used a mild sticking charm to attach the map to one of the walls and pulled out two packs of darts from his bag. Harry closed his eyes, took a steadying breath and quickly tossed the six darts at the map with his eyes still closed, he smiled quietly to himself before opening his eyes.

He took in the where the darts had stuck into the map and pulled open his laptop and set about researching the places speared by the darts using the hotel's wireless connection. St Louis, New York, Las Vegas, Detroit, middle of nowhere New Mexico, Los Angeles. Harry hummed to himself as he researched them, ruling out both New Mexico and Las Vegas quickly, he was not interested in living in the middle of a desert and most of Vegas's attractions were closed to him until he was twenty-one.

Detroit sounded less and less appealing as he read more about the city. St Louis, New York, Los Angeles… He'd have to visit them before he made up his mind but he liked the thought of L.A. and its warmth and beaches… with that in mind Harry clicked out of his current tabs and set about setting up his iTunes account and downloading music he liked. On a whim he typed in the Weird Sisters and blinked when he found four albums, he grinned to himself and downloaded them too. By the time he was ready to sleep Harry had a decent music library started and loaded on his iPod, he fell asleep to the sound of Matchbox Twenty playing through his laptop's speakers.

The next morning Harry woke up to find that he no longer needed glasses and found himself doing a happy dance around his room, laughing brightly Harry pulled the darts out of the wall and unstuck the map. He got dressed in dark jeans and a green t-shirt, shoved his feet into a pair of black Converse sneakers and ran his brush through his shaggy, long hair, the personal hygiene spells applied almost absently and then he was swinging his backpack over his shoulder and stuffing the earbuds in his ears as he nearly bounced down to where the breakfast buffet was being held on the ground floor of the hotel. He cheerfully greeted the other guests and hotel workers, wishing them a good morning before serving himself up a plate of crispy bacon, scrambled eggs and toast and finding a small table to eat at. He ended up going back for a large bowl of cut summer fruits before grabbing two of the free bottles of water and leaving the hotel to sightsee for the day.

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Harry ignored the letters sitting on his desk for two days before he forced himself to read them. He picked up the one addressed in Dumbledore's loopy hand writing and brought it to his bed where he lay down and with great trepidation he opened the envelope, took note of the list of tracking spells and the portkey that had been on the letter (listed on back of the envelope) and unfolded the parchment inside.

'Dear Harry,

My boy I am so sorry for what happened to you but you should not have run away like you did.

Why did you not come to me first? It was reckless and careless that you ran away from Remus the way you did. It was actions such as these that led to Sirius's death, Harry and I would have thought you had learned better now…

Please Harry, tell me where you are so that I can arrange for you to be collected and brought to Hogwarts for safe keeping. It is not safe for you out there alone with Voldemort and his Deatheaters after you. Professor Snape has graciously agreed to brew you the Wolfsbane potion without charge, so you need not worry about that.

Your friends miss you terribly and are very worried for you, Harry.

Yours sincerely,

Albus Brian Wulfic Percival Dumbledore

Headmaster of Hogwarts, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot'

Harry dropped the letter, buried his face in his pillow and screamed into it. How dare that meddling old bastard try to manipulate him like that? Well fuck him and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry was done with them.

Harry kept his face buried in the pillow for a while longer before lurching out of his bed striding into the bathroom, he felt dirty just reading Dumbledore's letter. Twenty minutes later Harry was out of the hotel's bathroom and scrubbing a towel through his hair as he walked back into the main room. Harry adjusted the towel around his waist and took a seat at the desk, he picked up his pen and pulled his notebook in front of him, it took him three letters before Harry had one he was happy to send back.

'Mr Dumbledore,

While it is regrettable that I was changed against my will I'm actually quite enjoying being a werewolf so far, the added strength, speed, agility and enhanced senses are really something. Granted I haven't been through a full moon yet but I've got faith that I can get through it. And as a bonus I woke up today and discovered I no longer needed my glasses.

My leaving was not reckless nor was it ill advised.

I've see the way the British Wizarding world treats its werewolves and given how I was treated in my second year at Hogwarts just for speaking to a snake and during my forth year for being entered into the Triwizard against my will and not to mention the slander, lies and discrimination I was forced to endure last year… well I fully expect that the general consensus is that I'm 'Dark', evil, joining Voldemort and a danger to everyone around me.

I didn't come to you because I didn't – and still don't – think you could help me.

I'm a werewolf now, that won't change, it can't change and even if it could be reversed I don't want it to be. I am content with who I am. With what I am.

I refuse to hate what I've become.

Because of the laws drafted by the Umbitch and others before her I cannot continue at Hogwarts, neither can I own property, have a job, be served in public, have children or marry. All these things are punishable by either a hefty fine, prison time or death.

…yeah…

I won't be returning to your biased and backwoods country.

I don't believe in prophecy, I don't believe in destiny. I believe that actions have consequences, I believe that we choose how we live the lives we lead.

I'm choosing to live the best life I can for myself.

And as such I'm letting you know that I will not be replying to you again Mr Dumbledore.

I hope that you defeat Voldemort quickly, I have every faith in you and the Aurors and your Order of the Phoenix.

Best of luck,

Harry J. Potter'

Harry sealed in into an envelope, addressed it and tossed it in his mailbox. He shivered as a droplet of water made its way down his back and he used the towel around his shoulders to dry his back off as he decided to get the rest of the letters over and done with. He opened the one from Ron with some trepidation.

'Dear Harry,

Couldn't believe when I was told about you getting bitten by Greyback mate. It sucks. Dumbledore sent one of the Order members to ask us if we knew where you'd gone or if you had plans for if something like this happened… Told him 'no' which is the truth, didn't tell him I had it narrowed down to four countries, three if you didn't want to learn a new language…

I'm not asking where you are and until there's either a cure for lycanthropy or Britain changes the laws I don't want to know, ok?

Just tell me you're out of the country and safe? Please?

Mum might send you a howler for worrying her and not trusting Dumbledore to keep you safe but I think you did the right thing. You wouldn't be safe here.

The twins agree with me but Ginny just keeps crying… I asked her why and she said that she couldn't marry you now because you're a werewolf. I nearly hexed her and I shouted that it wasn't like she had a chance before you got bitten.

Anyway make sure you don't write anything that could be used to track you down.

Miss you mate,

Ron'

Harry felt a lump in his throat, maybe Ron was a better friend than he'd thought, he opened Hermione's next.

'Dear Harry,

Oh Harry I'm so sorry this happened to you. Tonks came to talk to me that morning about if I knew where you were and Harry I'm really glad I don't because I think I would have told her out of shock.

The last year has really made me think about how I react to adults who have authority over me… I don't think I like the way I just bow down to them, especially after last summer. I was wrong not to write to you.

I remember all that research we did on werewolves back when we worked out that Pro- Mr- Lupin was one. You were right to leave, Harry. Werewolves are even more discriminated against here than Muggleborns.

Please don't write me anything that could be used to track you down as I expect that Ron's and my mail will be monitored by Dumbledore. I would like to know what it's like to be a werewolf if you wouldn't mind telling me and I hope you're continuing on with school in someway even if it's not in a formal setting.

Be careful Harry,

Love your friend,

Hermione'

"Oh," Harry said to himself quietly. "I didn't expect either of them to choose me like this," He felt guilty about his less than charitable thoughts before he was bitten and his assumption that they'd choose Dumbledore over him again. Harry pulled the next one to him, the twins.

'Dearest partner,

We're sorry you got turned without your permission but we've been penpals with a boy we knew since our first year and he says that being a lycan (apparently those who embrace it are lycans – not werewolves – and once you accept and embrace it you're practically immortal and have full control of yourself) is actually the best thing that has ever happened to him.

Michael is living in Canada with his family now so if you're heading that way we can give you his phone number so you can talk to him about it. We're thinking of asking to be turned in a few years but since it's not something we can take back after we're still thinking about it…

We're glad you ran Harry, it's not safe here for you and we like you too much to want to see some bigoted moron kill you for being what you are now.

Good luck Harrikins and we hope to see you again one day.

Gred and Forge'

Harry thought about that for a while before moving onto the next one – Ginny. He winced as he read it, it was full of teary regrets and rants about how it was all his fault that he was a werewolf now… Harry shredded it and shuddered at the thought that if things had been different he might have been forced to marry her one day. The next letter was from Luna.

'Hello Harry,

The nargles told me what happened and I'm glad to congratulate you on your transformation. I understand that it wasn't a gentle change but you will be better off now. Within a year I expect you to be happy with your new family and would like to ask you keep a space open for me to join your family as a sister in two and a half years.

Congratulations again Harry,

Love your soon to be sister,

Luna'

Harry paused at that and carefully put the letter aside, Luna was asking him to turn her when she was eighteen and she thought he'd have a 'family' within a year. "Huh," He said quietly running a hand through his damp hair before moving onto the last letter.

'Dear Harry,

I'm sorry about you getting bitten but I'm really glad you managed to escape with your life. I hope you've made it out of the country by now and I have to tell you that Moody is looking for you.

He asked me where I thought you might be and I basically told him to bugger off.

Stay safe Harry,

Neville Longbottom'

He smiled at the letter and got started on his replies, starting with a letter to his old account manager.

'Account Manager Orac,

Although I am no longer your client or a client of Gringotts I would be grateful if you would suggest someone here in America who could do as good a job as you did with managing and growing my money.

Thankyou for your consideration,

Harry Potter'

Harry made a copy of it and put the original in his mailbox and sent it off before moving onto his friends.

'Dear Ron,

I'm sorry I couldn't say goodbye but after I was bitten by Greyback I had to leave straight away or I wouldn't have been able to escape at all.

Thanks for the letter mate, I'm going to miss you. You were my first friend you know?

Being a werewolf isn't too bad actually… my appetite is much bigger now (about the same as your normal one, ha ha) but my senses have gone through the roof and yesterday I woke up and no longer needed my glasses! How awesome is that?!

I'm out of the country and safe, new identity and all and my mail is going through a Gringotts box so I can't be tracked through the mail.

Tell your mum and dad thanks for all they did for me and make Snape's and Malfoy's lives a living hell for me when school gets back. You and Hermione better stick together and I hope you keep the DA going… only maybe the name should be 'Defence Association'?

I hope you like the gift I left you, it was going to be your Christmas present but now it's more of a don't-forget-me gift. You should be getting it soon.

Anyway take care of yourself Ron and don't do anything stupid, you had better live a long and wonderful life!

Your friend,

Harry

p.s I was wondering if you wanted to start a long distance chess game? Could be interesting…'

Harry copied it, put it in an envelope and addressed it before dropping it in his mailbox and started his letter to Hermione.

'Dear Hermione,

I'm sorry I couldn't say goodbye but you know I couldn't stay, not with the way Britain treats its werewolves and given how badly people reacted to me speaking to snakes? They would have killed me before too long.

Thankyou for the support Hermione, it means a lot to me.

Hermione… I know you don't want to hear this but given that you have the distinction of being both a Muggleborn and one of my friends you'll be targeted. I think you should consider leaving the country or at least organising wards for your parents house. Gringotts offers this for roughly a hundred galleons, which is just over two thousand pounds but it could save you life one day! And if you're worried about your mail I suggest asking about a Gringotts mailbox, I got a major discount for returning all the goblin made items in my vault so I'm not sure how much it costs but they cancel all spells, poisons, potions and portkeys and all your mail is completely private…

Anyway I hope you like your 'don't-forget-me' present, which you'll be getting soon and I'll be happy to tell you what its like to become a werewolf. So far my senses have sky rocketed, my appetite could now rival Ron's and I woke up yesterday to find I no longer need my glasses!

Good luck for the upcoming school year and best of luck for your exams, I'm planning on hiring a tutor for magical and mundane subjects, I don't want to be forced to live in only one world.

You and Ron better stick together and I hope you keep the DA going… only maybe the name should be 'Defence Association'?

Your friend,

Harry'

He copied that one too, addressed it and tossed it in the box before moving onto the others.

'Dear Luna,

Thankyou for all the help you gave me last year, you were a very good friend and I love your creativity. I'm sorry I couldn't say goodbye before I fled but you understand why I couldn't stay.

I hope you like your 'don't-forget-me' gift which you'll get soon and of all the people I know I think you would make the best use of one of my heirlooms. It's called the Marauders Map and my father and his friends made it when they were in school. To activate it simply tap it with your wand and say "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good" to close it tap it again and say "Mischief Managed". Please share it with Ron and Hermione when they need it and play a few pranks on people ok?

I'm going to miss you Luna but I look forward to having you as my sister in a couple of years… I'm sure you'll be able to find me on your own.

If it wouldn't bother you would you mind being my penpal? In case you haven't heard the term it would mean we'd write to each other regularly.

Anyway, good luck with your OWLs and keep safe and I'll let you know when I meet my new family,

Your soon to be brother,

Harry'

'Dear Devil Twins,

Thanks for telling me about your friend and I'll let you know what I think of being a werewolf (give me time), so far I like it though… it fixed my glasses!

I hope you like the 'don't-forget-me' gift you'll be getting soon and I hope you give the Deatheaters hell. I'm sorry I couldn't say goodbye but you know how the Wizarding world treats werewolves, I couldn't stay.

I've given Luna the Marauders Map and I was wondering if you could send her some of your more interesting pranks? She's very creative and who would think of Luna when looking for a prankster?

Take care boys and keep each other safe,

Your friend,

Harry'

'Dear Neville,

Thankyou for the help you've given me over out time at Hogwarts and especially the last year. You're a hell of a wizard Neville and I'm proud I got to call you my friend, I'm just sorry I wasn't a better one over the years. I hope you like your 'don't-forget-me' gift which you'll be getting soon. I'm sorry I couldn't say goodbye but you know how the wizarding world treats werewolves.

I'm going to miss you Neville. Would you do me a favour and keep an eye on Luna? Do your best to stop the Ravenclaws from bullying her? Thanks Nev.

If you want to write to me I promise I'll write back but it might take me a while.

Anyway look after yourself and I hope that you get your vengeance.

Your friend,

Harry'

'Dear Ginny,

I'm sorry I couldn't say goodbye before I left but I just wanted to say thankyou for your help at the Ministry.

Good luck with your OWLs this year.

Harry'

Harry made a copy of each of them before addressing the envelopes, slipped the letter in and in Luna's case the Map and dropped them in the post box, watching them disappear in a flash of light as the lid closed. He pulled another sheet of paper to him and pause with his pen ready to write, Harry shook himself and forced his pen to the paper.

'Professor McGonagall,

I'm withdrawing from Hogwarts.

Thankyou for all the support you've given me over the years but as I was bitten by Greyback during this summer I cannot return to Hogwarts, nor can I stay in Britain if I want to be treated like a human being.

I don't require a copy of my school records as I will be hiring tutors and taking the International Preliminary Standards Exam when my tutors feel I'm ready for it.

Given that my Firebolt is probably still chained in the dungeons I'd like to give it to the Gryffindor House Team, to be used by the Seeker, the broom is not to be given to the current Seeker but to be used by whoever holds the position for as long as the broom lasts.

Anyway, I hope you're healing well and that Gryffindor wins the Quidditch Cup,

Harry J. Potter'

Harry sent that letter off too before putting down his pen, he stood and was about to leave his desk when a thought occurred to him and he sat back down, picking up the pen as he did.

'Aunt Petunia,

As you've realised by now I've left your home.

For good.

I'm sorry if you've been harassed by the wizards and witches that follow Albus Dumbledore blindly but the morning I left I was bitten by a werewolf at the park that Dudley routinely vandalises. I left as soon as I packed the things I was taking with me.

I don't consider you family. You are my mother's sister and I'd like to think that if things had been reversed my parents would have taken Dudley in and treated him as their own.

You and your husband while trying to be 'normal' became child abusers and I hate you for it.

Until I started primary school I didn't know I had a name, I thought it was 'Freak' or 'Boy'… I lived in the cupboard under the stairs instead of in one of the two spare rooms you had… I often went days without food… I have scars from the beatings from Uncle Vernon gave me… you used to swing hot frying pans at my head…

As far as I'm concerned you and your disgusting family are the 'freaks'.

While I honestly won't grieve when you die I feel the need to give you this warning.

If I were you, I'd move far, far away.

There is a war happening Aunt Petunia and it's highly likely that you and your family will be targeted. If you and Uncle Vernon love your son, you'll move.

Goodbye Aunt Petunia, I won't miss you and if there is any … rightness in the world I'll never see you again.

Your nephew,

Harry J. Potter'

Feeling lighter Harry sent that letter off too and relaxed in his chair; it felt good to get his letter writing over with and to know that his friends agreed with his choice. Harry spent the day lounging on his bed and tapping away on his computer signing up for various social networks, checking out youtube and clicking any link that sounded interesting. He eventually found a website that let you download pirated music, movies, TV shows and read-aloud books, he then proceeded to download anything he could think of, turning to imdb for ideas.

He ordered dinner and kept watching his newly downloaded Criminal Minds, he liked Morgan and Reid the best out of the cast, Harry finished off the first season and the first episode of season two before he put the computer aside and fell asleep.

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Harry followed the tour guide through the White House and memorised everything she said, he'd chosen the tour as a spur of the moment discission and was surprised to find he actually enjoyed it. When the tour finished Harry collected some souvenirs including a snow globe with a miniature White House in it and a couple of other things.

He had lunch at a quiet café and found himself people watching for a while as he listened to music and flicked through the Magical Directory – North American Edition 2013. He found the Washington, DC section and read it over, he looked at the city map with the highlighted Magical District and found the street he was currently on. "Huh," He said to himself as he noted how far it was, Harry debated walking but decided to get a taxi there instead. He paid the taxi driver and following the map in his book he ducked into an alley that no one was paying any attention to and could feel the strength of the wards once he was five meters inside the alley, another two metres and he was suddenly in a well lit and covered street.

Harry snagged a passing woman and gave her a shy smile. "Excuse me, I'm looking for a wandmaker? Mine got broken yesterday,"

"Oh you poor thing," She winced for him. "Was it your original one?"

Harry nodded. "Yes, ma'am and I feel naked without it,"

She checked her watch briefly before nodding to herself. "I've got time to show you there, come with me,"

"Thankyou ma'am," Harry told her gratefully as he followed her across the street and down two more before she left him outside a shop that was the opposite of Olivander's. Harry walked inside to find it bright, well lit, not a speck of dust and the wands in display cases not on bookshelves. The friendly looking woman behind the counter was also a nice difference from the creepy old man.

"Hello, a late bloomer?" She asked, standing and pushing her brown hair off her face.

Harry shook his head. "No ma'am, I just need a new one, my old one isn't reacting to me the same way and I want to see if I get a better result from a different wand,"

She frowned at that and held out her hand for him to shake, when Harry would have let go she held on for several seconds longer with her eyes closed before nodding understanding and opening her eyes. "Yes," She agreed. "That does happen quite often when someone becomes a lycan, was it voluntary?"

"…No, but I'm liking it so far," He said warily.

She eyed him closely before nodding again and waving him around the counter. "I'm Michelle, we'll need to make one from scratch for you,"

"Harrison," Harry replied, surprised that it felt natural to do so. "How could you tell?"

Michelle smiled over her shoulder as she led him into the back workshop. "As a wandmaker I'm much more in tune with magic than most Magicals and lycans all feel… like there is something wild in their core,"

"Huh," Harry said and took the seat she waved him to, bringing out a bundle of sticks which she spread across the table and grabbing several wooden boxes placing them on the side of the table.

"Run your hand about an inch over them, pick out any which feel right," Michelle instructed, Harry did so and paused over four different woods. Michelle packed the others up and had him run his hand over them again, three felt more right than the fourth and she smiled widely at him. "Interesting, I've only made one other wand with three woods in it," She put them to the side and emptied a box of feathers onto the tabletop, Harry repeated the action pulling out a beautiful, long, blue/green feather just shorter than his forearm. "Tail feather of an Augury, a storm bird," None of the other feathers called to him and they were about to move on when Fawkes flashed in overhead and landed on the table. "A phoenix," Michelle breathed out awed by the sight.

Harry just felt his heart leap up into his throat but calmed when Fawkes cooed at him and rubbed his head against Harry's shoulder, the one he had been bitten on. "Hello Fawkes," He said awkwardly and the phoenix trilled happily at him before turning around and shaking his tail feathers out until three fell out, he turned around again and eyed the three red/gold feathers. Fawkes picked up one of them in his beak and passed it to Harry with a happy trill, the second was placed over the Augury's tail feather and the third he hopped across the table to pass to Michelle. He hopped back over to Harry and stretched out his neck to preen Harry hair for a moment before disappearing in a burst of flame.

"…In all my years I've never witnessed anything like that," Michelle said after a long moment in silence and Harry looked at her startled by the break in the silence. "Don't worry though Harrison, while I might tell my apprentice about this one day, I won't be telling anyone else… it's too special,"

Harry took a chance. "His feather is in my original wand and he saved my life once, I guess he wants to stay in my life somehow," His fingers played with the feather gently, despite his connection to Dumbledore Harry did like the phoenix. Very much so.

Michelle had Harry try the dragon parts to see if any reacted but none did, next were unicorn hairs and then an assortment of other magical creature parts but none of them felt like they belonged with Harry so they moved on. Michelle tipped a bag of sparkling gems onto the table and Harry passed his hand over them in a now familiar gesture, plucking out five that reacted to him, a second go over them had him discarding two of them.

"Very interesting, do you know what you have chosen?" She asked and Harry shook his head. "Moonstone, emerald and a black opal, the woods that reacted to you? Ebony, hazel and cherry," Michelle smiled warmly at him. "You'll do interesting things with your life," Harry paused hearing an echo of Olivander 'We can expect great things from you Mr Potter after all the Dark Lord did great things, terrible yes, but great', he wasn't sure he like being told that. "It will take a day to craft this, come back before close tomorrow,"

Harry nodded and stood, carefully storing the feather in his bag. "How much will it be?"

"Three hundred and seventy five dollars,"

"Do you want me to pay now or tomorrow?" Harry asked as they walked back into the main room of the shop.

"Tomorrow is fine," Harry gave her a smile and left the shop, he spent the rest of the day wandering around the Magical District, buying several things that caught his eye including a new watch, dragon hide wallet and several sets of clothes with comfort and cooling charms on them. Harry caught a taxi back to the hotel and as he was passing the front desk one of the concierges stopped him.

"Mr Jones?" He said politely, catching Harry's attention. "A letter came for you today," He said offering the teen the thick envelope with his new bank's emblem in the corner.

Harry grinned happily at the man. "Thanks, have you had a good day?"

The concierge looked slightly bemused but nodded, giving Harry a small but genuine smile. "Yes, it's been a good day and yours?"

"Yeah," Harry grinned. "Today has been great," He tore open the envelope as he entered the elevator hearing faintly behind him – "Now why can't everyone who stays here be as cheerful and polite as that boy?" and smiled to himself as the door closed and he pressed the button for his level. He pulled three cards out of envelope and studied them, one was black with a golden centurion in one corner, the bank's logo in another, his name and card number embossed on the front also in gold; the second was a pearlescent white with the bank's logo on it with black lettering; the third was a pearlescent bottle green and had silver writing.

Harry opened the door to his room and pulled the letter from the bank out of the envelope, he kicked the door closed behind him and read over the letter from the bank manager. The green one was his debit card, directly connected to his bank account; the black one was a Centurion credit card (only the richest in the world had one, it was a status symbol); the white one was also a credit card but much more low key than the black one. Harry slipped the cards into his new wallet – complete with very strong anti-theft charms – and moved his other cards from his old wallet into the new one as well as his cash.

He flopped onto the comfortable bed and gave a content smile. Who would have thought that being bitten by the British Wizarding world's most hated and despised monster would be the best thing that had ever happened to him?

͋Ͽ∞§₰Ϡ ҂ ҉ ҂ Ϡ₰§∞Ͼ ͋

Harry picked up his new wand after lunch the next day and felt warmth course through his as his magic rushed through him. The wand itself was a beautiful piece of craftsmanship; it was ten inches long, the three different woods twirled around each other in a spiral, the three precious stones were also a twirled together in a spiral set in the base of the wand.

With his new wand in its holster and his old one shoved in his bag Harry spent an hour wandering the Magical District before he decided to go back to his hotel.

Once he was back in his room the teenager pulled out his old wand and stared at it for a long time in silence. Eventually he sat back in his seat and gripped the wand tightly at each end, with one decisive motion he snapped the slender length of wood between his hands. It broke with a loud crack and the echo of a phoenix's song. Harry stared down at the two pieces of wood in his hands and he dropped them onto the desk, rubbing a shaking hand through his hair he sighed and left the ex-wand on his desk.

After a while of just laying on the bed in silence Harry pulled his mailbox out of his bag and pulled out a stack of letters and several copies of the Daily Prophet. A glance at the latest one was all he needed to see.

Harry Potter Becomes Werewolf! Dark Lord's Strike Against The Light! Where Is Harry Potter Now? Does This Mean The Boy-Who-Lived Is Now Dark?

Harry sighed and threw the newspaper across the room. He pulled over a letter instead and opened it.

'Dear Harry,

I'm glad you made it out ok and awesome news about your glasses!

Ginny told Mum about getting a note from you and then mum tore through my room to find the one I got from you so it's a really good thing that you didn't write anything that was too important.

Harry… Mate… I now own 40% of the Chuddley Cannons?! I have to tell you that I just stared at the notice from Gringotts for a long time when I got it.

Do you get what you've given me mate? Before this my chances of work after Hogwarts were pretty dim really, it was either get a job under dad at the Ministry or beg the twins for a job once they get set up properly with their joke shop… Harry, this gives me options. This means a lot to me mate.

And I got to see the twins speechless when they found out they had 30% of Zonko's and you'd given then your shares of their business.

Ginny bitched that you hadn't given her anything and I told her that was because you were our friend. Not hers. Mum's got me doing all Ginny's chores for saying that but it's true isn't it?

Bill and Charlie have layered the Burrow in wards including some lethal ones for any who mean harm to the family. Bill's trying to convince mum to let him put the house under the Fidelius but she says no so far which I think is stupid… I sent Bill and Charlie over to Hermione's and they warded her place too which is a real relief to me.

About the D.A., I agree with you about the name change and was thinking that maybe you could help us come up with a list of spells to practice? I've decided that I'm going to get everyone in the group to get a Patronus going by the Christmas holidays. I'm also thinking that quick and nasty spells are the way to go, that way we can do a lot of damage and then run away to survive another day. What do you think?

Also a long distance chess game sounds great! Do you mind if I play black? It's how we usually play and I think it feels right to play it that way.

Anyway I have to send this off with the twins' letter, if I send it with Errol Mum'll read it… can you send the next letter via the twins? They said that was ok until school goes back and then Hermione said you could send it through her.

Be safe mate,

Ron'

Harry smiled helplessly at the letter and pulled the next letter to him.

'Dear Harry,

Congratulations on not needing glasses anymore! You must have been so happy J

Thanks for the advice Harry but the day after I got your letter Ron sent his two oldest brothers over and they set up wards all over our house. I got a mailbox yesterday, I asked Bill about them (He works for Gringotts) and he gave me a price for it, it turned out cheaper if I paid for a long term rental, so I paid for ten years which cost three hundred pounds… so it was actually cheaper than if I got a muggle one for the same amount of time!

I've talked it over with mum and dad about leaving the country if things get really bad here but they don't want to listen, so I'll spending this year thinking about it… I'm seventeen this September Harry, I could choose not to go to Hogwarts next year, take my NEWTs early or later or just skip them and study for the International Standards tests… we'll have to wait and see.

But if I do leave then I'm thinking of going to Australia… I've been there before and I loved it but my choice is fifteen months away…

Thankyou for the gift Harry, owning that much stock in the Daily Prophet is generating me a nice income, most of which I'm putting away so I'll have something to live on either way this turns out… I'm also funnelling money out of Mum and Dad's bank account… they don't even miss it.

Ron and I had a brief discussion about the D.A. and we agree to keep it going and change the name. Any spells or ideas you recommend would be wonderful.

…Don't isolate yourself.

I know you Harry Potter. I know what you're like and I know that before you got our first letters you must have been thinking the worst of us… and I don't blame you. You don't trust easily and regaining your trust after losing it is hard.

Find some good friends, be they werewolves, vampires, goblins, wizards, muggles or whatever… and live, enjoy your life.

Love Hermione'

Harry re-read it three times before putting it aside and reaching for the next one pausing for a moment as a thought occurred to him, house elves would help protect them too… something to think on anyway.

'Dear former-partner,

We were stunned speechless when we got the letter from Gringotts. Thankyou Harry, we appreciate it, with this and what we've earned so far we have enough to get an apartment for ourselves, we haven't yet but we will soon we think.

Congratulations on your eyes! Very cool for you.

When Ginny told mum she got a letter from you, mum ripped Ron's room apart to find his. We told her that you didn't write back to us and we have your letter hidden somewhere safe. We read the note you sent Ginny… nicely played.

We'll send Luna some goodies for you, it'll be interesting to see what she does.

We have to send this off before mum finds out.

Good Luck,

Forge and Gred'

He really did like the twins, the next letter was from Ginny and Harry tossed it without reading it, he wasn't interested in what she had to say, the one after that was from Neville.

'Dear Harry,

Thankyou for the gift. I had a look at the plant store earlier today and brought a couple of new plants for myself.

I think both of us could have tried harder to be better friends but the last two I felt I could really call you my friend and I'd love to write to you when we both have time.

I'll keep an eye on Luna for you, I'll make sure she's safe.

I'm really glad you got out of the country as soon as you did.

Best of wishes,

Neville'

Harry grabbed the next envelope and noticed Dumbledore's handwriting on it, he rolled his eyes and put it aside, he'd read it last.

'Hello Brother,

Thankyou for the gifts, they were very thoughtful.

Congratulations on your eyes correcting themselves and your new wand, it's very pretty.

Since we're going to be family may I ask you questions in our letters? And don't worry, yes I have a Gringotts mailbox.

I think I'll turn Dumbledore's beard into worms as my first prank…

Your Sister,

Luna'

Harry pulled out the binder with the letter he'd already received and sent and flicked to Luna's section, he read his reply to her last letter and there was no mention of his eyes in it and seeing as he'd only got his new wand today… Yeah, Luna was definitely some sort of seer.

'Mr Potter,

I'm sorry to hear of your misfortune and that you're leaving Hogwarts two years early.

I am glad to hear that you are planning on continuing your schooling and have a plan to do so.

I agree with your wishes about your Firebolt and the idea that it is to be used by all Gryffindor seekers, not just one.

Thankyou Mr Potter I am healing quite well.

Good luck with your new life Mr Potter.

Minerva McGonagall

p.s. Although it is not my place to say this, I do believe you made the right discission about leaving for a more… enlightened place.'

Stuffy but kind, Harry decided, that was what she was, stuffy but kind.

'HARRY POTTER!

HOW DARE YOU RUN OFF LIKE THIS! WE'RE ALL WORRIED SICK -.'

Harry stopped reading and checked the back of the envelope it came in… yes it had a Howler charm on it as well as a tracking spell, he put it aside, Mrs Weasley could wait.

'Mr Potter,

I suggest a very clever wizard named Jonathan Nichols, who is based in the city of New York. His work address is (dfghjkjhgfdfgh). I suggest confidentiality and secrecy oaths before you discuss business.

Account Manager Orac'

Harry smiled and put that one separate from the other letters.

'Mr Potter,

We understand that you were infected by a werewolf and would love it if you would be willing to do an interview with us.

The Daily Prophet'

He rolled his eyes but put it aside to think about it. He flicked through the other letters and was surprised to find letters from the D.A. and a few members of the public – all positive. And then Harry remembered Orac saying something about hate mail and how they weeded it out. Finally he pulled Dumbledore's letter to him.

'Dear Harry,

I'm sorry you feel that way about my ability to keep you safe, it saddens me that you feel that way. I'm glad that you are making the best of your situation but regardless you should have come to me when this tragedy happened… I can still help you Harry, we can help you contain the monster inside you.

My boy I must caution you about giving the monster growing inside you free reign. It will seek nothing but destruction of everything around you as it grows stronger with everyday closer to the moon you spend away from England and my help.

It was cruel of you to evict us from 12 Grimmauld Place without any warning Harry, if you had spoken to me about it before you made the rash discission to sell all your properties I would have organised to buy it off you privately… I fear this is one aspect of the monster inside you that you are beginning to show…

It is not safe for you to be contacting your friends while we don't know where you are… you could be putting them in danger.

Please Harry, let me help you. I will organise for the Order and Severus to teach you magic, there are hidden rooms in Hogwarts you could stay in… I'm sure that the werewolf laws will be revoked sooner than later. You are still very helpful in the war against Voldemort.

Best regards,

Albus (too many names and bloody titles to write again)'

"Thrice cursed manipulative motherfucker!" Harry screamed into his pillow, he wasn't turning into a monster! He wasn't! It had just been the smart thing to do to sell off all the properties.

Harry shook his head and downed a vial of Dreamless Sleep that he'd brought from a pre-made potion shop. He'd deal with it in the morning.