One trip through the caves later, Hairy and Albus unleashed themselves upon Diagon Alley ready to do some shopping.

They hit the clothing shop first, where Hairy had to be convinced that students were required to wear the school uniform robes at Hogwarts and therefore wizard robes were not a waste of his gold. This didn't stop the goblin boy from haggling as best he could with the experienced seamstress over the price. This exchange set the tone for the rest of the day as Hairy bought his school supplies, alternately refusing to buy things on his list and accusing the shop owners of overcharging him.

Albus was happy enough to let his new student assert himself in the shops, not at all bothered by having to rationalize some of the purchases. He had long ago concluded that the Goblins had made a game out of wizard economics. Hairy almost looked disappointed when the harried clerk at the bookstore gave in to his demands for a lower price on his charms text immediately, and when the owner of the apothecary made a counter offer Hairy's eyes lit up and there began an intense discussion on the value of flobberworms. As entertaining as this diversion proved, it was not enough to keep Albus's mind from pondering the logistics of having Hairy attend Hogwarts. The boy was a rather obvious goblin after all, some of his accusations at having been overcharged during check out had not been unfounded, discrimination being what it was.

Despite his prominence and skill in politics, Albus didn't like getting involved. That was why he had continued being a professor all these years, it kept him from being sucked into the tedium of the political theater. Schoolwork had always been a valid excuse for shirking responsibilities.

If it was revealed to the public that Harry Potter had become a goblin however, there would be riots in the streets.

Today, so far, none of the other shoppers had found the boy noteworthy other than to think he was just another oddity that the eccentric headmaster had picked up. Friends and students kept their small talk short in the presence of a creature, and had avoided staring. Thus Hairy was allowed to retain his anonymity even in the crowd and attached to Albus. At school things would be different. The moment Hairy stood up for sorting, both his identity and species would be made obvious to all the school at once.

An alias would do no good. Firstly, Hairy was a goblin and that was reason enough for suspicion, parents would have questions and they would bring the issue to the attention of the school governors and ultimately the Ministry. So no, an anonymous goblin could not attend Hogwarts. More importantly, every one with half a brain knew to expect Harry Potter to enter Hogwarts this year, and although Hairy's scar was obscured by his mane, it was still there, vivid as the day it was made. So Hairy would have to go to Hogwarts as himself, but also as a human in appearance. That was the problem. Polyjuice didn't hold well on the Fae, even the lightest glamour charms had no effect on goblins, and it was out of the question to have the inhuman features that Hairy sported removed either physically or magically.

Certainly if one were to vanish his tail, cut off the antlers and liberally apply makeup there would be little left to separate him visually from the rest of the young wizards who would go to school with him. But it would be very rude to do so, and if Albus were to suggest it Hairy would undoubtedly decline his spot at Hogwarts.

So Albus continued to puzzle things out in his mind as he directed Hairy around the shops, stopping to inform the boy along the way that the owls were used to deliver post and were not for eating. This however put them both in the mind for food, and it warranted a stop at the ice cream parlor.

To Albus this seemed like a good enough opportunity to broach the issue of hiding Hairy's goblin-ism during the school year. So he did. And received yet another surprise.

"Should be easy." Hairy shrugged. "I'm not very goblinish in the first place."

"I really think you are, given the number of stares you are receiving today. Please take no offense, Hairy, but you really do look quite strange."

Hairy grinned into a spoonful of marrow deluxe ice cream. He was a bit self-conscious about how straight his nose was. "Thanks. But really though, all I figure is hide my tail up in those robes and put a hat on. Easy."

Albus took a moment to contemplate the validity of this solution as he savored his limoncello gelato. A school appropriate hat with a sticking charm and an undetectable extension charm would hide away antlers and pointed ears. He could even tuck his wild hair under it. The tail wrapped around his waist would be well out of the way. The dark facial markings could be explained away as tattoos so Hairy would not have to depend on any fallible makeup. Simple and effective. Any other oddities people noticed could be rationalized under the excuse 'well he's the Boy Who Lived, isn't he?'

"Brilliant."

"Hm."

So they went to buy a hat for the boy goblin after finishing their late ice cream lunch, much to the confusion of the local hatter. He ended up with a slightly large newsboy cap in a brownish color. A few magical adjustments later, and some wrestling with hair that was nearly sentient given how unruly it was, and Hairy looked about fifty percent more human. It would help more if the boy had on robes instead of his armor, but it was close enough for now and Albus knew how to pick his battles. More importantly he had saved the best for last and was quite eager for the final stop of the day.

The student teacher duo walked into a dingy shop and Hairy sneezed into the dust.

"Bless you, young man." says a voice from the shadows in the back of the shop. "Why Albus, is that you, its been years..." Piercing eyes appeared in the gloom, and honed in on the wand held loosely in Albus's hand. All of a sudden the entire little old man is in Dumbledore's face sounding very upset. "That's not the wand my father sold you. You come here after decades, toting a wand that barely likes you and- Good Lord, is that a goblin?"

The little old man was now in Hairy's face, and since he indeed was a goblin and thus prone to reacting violently to surprises, he nearly took off the man's nose with his teeth. It was a close thing and confirmation enough for the wand maker.

"Hairy," Albus placed a hand on the boy's shoulder to make introductions," this is Mr. Ollivander, who will be selling you a wand today. Garrick, this is Hairy Potter, a goblin who will be attending Hogwarts this year, and thus, needs a wand."

This got Ollivander even more flustered. "There are laws you know! He would be put to death for touching a wand, never mind owning and using one! And I, I could be arrested! And fined! I could lose the shop! What if they put me in jail? No, no no! I won't do this Albus, even if he is the Boy-Who-Lived, and why is he a goblin anyway? Just what did you do?"

"I did nothing but place him in the care of his family," Albus defended himself carefully. "years ago. I have not meddled, as you would say, in Hairy's life since then. It was his cousin I believe who wished him away and the Goblin King took him in, as he would do for any other child. I had nothing to do with any of it, other than granting him a place at Hogwarts."

As Garrick and Albus continued bickering, Hairy began browsing the stacks of wands, shopping around for one to buy on his own as he had done the other times when the professor got caught up chatting to his friends.

Hairy knew very little about wizard wands, or even wizards in general. But one thing he did know was that wizard wands were like magic weapons. That was how they had won all the wars, with their little handheld twigs. Very few goblins had really truly magic weapons, they were the ones who got famous. Hairy's own mace was just a big hunk of metal in a very pointy shape. But today, he was buying a wand. A real magic weapon that he would learn to use at Hogwarts, so he couldn't just pick up any twig. Hairy had to pick out the best one for him from all of the twigs in the shop. Just like any other weapon, you had to pick one you were good at, not just one you liked. When he had just started fighting he had used a pike like most infantry but he found himself always inching forward on it, and smashing more than stabbing or cutting. Hairy was a natural with a mace.

Now he had to find a wand that felt natural to him as well.

It was tricky stuff.

Unbothered by the old men making a racket in the front of the store, Hairy began in the back, taking down boxes, opening them, and checking their contents. Each wand was carefully removed and scrutinized, then if it looked okay Hairy would sniff at it. Many didn't pass this test, and the discarded wands were shut up in their boxes and dropped on the floor. Hairy took the good ones in hand and ran his thumb along the side, as one would check a blade for sharpness. He was lucky that the professor had a lot to catch up on with this friend, because none of the wands he had checked yet were quite right for him to go into battle with.

Lots of them were too long or too short. Many were just too thin. Some were too fancy and a decorative weapon might as well not be a weapon at all. Sometimes the wood was the wrong color, or too soft. At least a third of them smelled a little poisonous. So far Hairy had gone though almost all the wands at eye level and had only set aside a handful that seemed not to complain under his hand. And the adult were still talking, though by now at least they had gotten onto the subject of wands again.

Perhaps one of them would remember that Hairy was around and help him find a perfect wand.

It was not to be. He had found a good one that had just the right feeling of magic, and was wading back to check out through boxes knee-deep before the wizards realized what he'd been up to the whole time. What caught their attention was the sudden and bright flare that shot out at their heads when Hairy swung his preferred wand about like a sword. Ollivander, when he got over the shock, was blessing his luck that no other customers had walked in and seen this scandal in action and Albus was wondering just how much he would need to bribe Garrick with in order to get this purchase over with.

The shop was closed up quickly, though it was a bit late to be taking such precautions and Ollivander at once set upon Hairy and the wand in his hand. The first thing he did was to whip the wand out of the boy's hand and mutter about the mess and the fuss and all the laws that were surely being broken by him even being in the shop, but he slowed to a halt when he recognized the wand in his hand.

Ollivander pushed the wand back into Hairy's lax fingers and prompted fervently,"Give it a wave."

The another bright flare shot from the wand tip, just as it had before. It was incontrovertible evidence that the boy matched the wand in his hand. Never mind how the boy had found a matching wand on his own, but it was that wand. The wand that held the only matching core to the wand sold to the boy who would become the Dark Lord.

Ollivander knew no other word for it but Fate.

Silence reigned over the shop while Garrick reeled, gaping from his discovery, Albus observed and deduced from what little was obvious and Hairy just wondered what was suddenly wrong with the old shop keeper and if it was catching.

This revelation started yet another intense conversation between the professor and his old friend, though this one was held in whispers since apparently goblins were still not to be trusted, even if he had decided to sell them a wand. Hairy, being a goblin of exceptional hearing, understood that his wand had a phoenix feather in it that was just like the one in You-Know-Who's, although he himself did not know who, nor care as it sounded like the old man was going to sell him the wand for keeps.

Hairy departed the wand shop fourteen galleons lighter and plus one wand. He was so thrilled that he didn't even mention the obvious price hike. Dumbledore left with the firm understanding that he now owed Garrick lots of favors plus a trip into the Forbidden Forest to collect wand materials.

So the pair walked back to the goblin bank as the sun set. It had been a long and productive day Albus decided, but he found himself not yet ready to return to his post. He took a careful seat on the marble stairs, "Hairy, do sit down, there are yet some things I would like to tell you."

Plopping down next to the headmaster and dropping the full trunk he had carried with inhuman ease, Hairy looked out at the empty alley, wondering what more there could be to tell. Today had been the second time in his life that he was immersed in a whole new world. This had been the first time he'd been out in the real sun in the past who knows how many years. Before today his life had been only the rush of battle, the desperation of war and distant memories of the crude care that passed for childhood in the Dursley house. Today had been the brightest and easiest day of his life, full of promise and fun.

"Goodness, today has gone by so fast we haven't had much time to just talk. Perhaps I should have asked this first, but better late than never. Are you excited for Hogwarts this year?"

"Sure I am. It's important isn't it. And you said it would even be fun." Hairy, unbeknownst to Albus who took pride in this statement, was not referring to the importance of education or destiny or even bettering interspecies relations. He was thinking of the reconnaissance and training value this seven-year trip through the wizarding world would have during the next war. Goblins were still too heavily involved in the war below ground with the fairies to make a move any time soon, but that was a good thing really because it would stop the King from trying to jump the gun. Again.

"Yes, I'm so glad you see it that way and there is no doubt in my mind that you should find Hogwarts fun. You know you won't be the only goblin, our own Professor Flitwick has goblin blood just a few generations back, you ought to get along nicely."Albus expressed this wish aloud, though he knew that Filius had encountered prejudice from both societies. "I expect you should like it at Hogwarts just as you do your own home."

"Good."

"You do like living down with the Goblins then?"

"Well, sure, especially since we got the war started up. Before that it was a bit odd."

"This is the second time I've heard this war referenced, I do hope it's not serious."

"Nah, territory scuffle if I've heard right. King wants the Great Grey Lake for something so we get to fight it out of enemy land." Hairy said nonchalantly. They were still several miles from their goal and the Goblin forces would likely slow down without him at the front lines, so there would probably still be some fighting leftover by the time he got back. "No problem."

"Well, I'm glad you seem to have enjoyed yourself at least."Albus said, disquieted by the ease with which Hairy had transitioned from his old life with the Dursleys into the wild life of a goblin. "Good to see that you can adjust well at least Hairy. Tell me do you remember your aunt's house, from before you were a goblin."

"Before?" Hairy didn't remember anything solid from before he was a goblin. He knew there was something before, but it must have been years ago, back when he was young, and changelings didn't hold memories half as long as they did grudges. He did recall somethings though. "It was very small. Smelled lemony for the most part. I didn't like it very much."

"Hmm" Albus supposed there was no helping that situation." Do you remember anything about the school you went to before, or what you learned there perhaps?"

"I can still read, if that's what you mean." Hairy said in his loftiest voice. "It's useful."

Dumbledore chucked, "Not quite what I meant, but good to know all the same. Hogwarts will probably operate differently than what you would remember of muggle school anyways. A little more than a month from today, that's September the first Hairy, you will have to come back above ground and go to Kings Cross Station. You will board the train leaving from platform nine and three-quarters at eleven o'clock. That will bring you to Hogwarts, and do remember to bring all of your new school things and wear your disguise of course. After that you will officially be a student and I look forwards to having you."

Hairy only gave another toothy grin in response.

"Might I trouble you to help an old man up off the ground, Hairy? Thank you." Dumbledore said once standing "Now it is time that I get back to Hogwarts and for you to go back to ground for a while. I shall see you soon Hairy, have a lovely summer."

With that Albus Dumbledore popped away leaving Hairy to his own thoughts on the steps of the bank, already imagining his next great adventure.