Chapter 2

Even though Harry and Hagrid had left the shack in the middle of the night, it took them several hours to get to London. Harry took out the list of school supplies and re-read it.

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:
Three sets of plain work robes (black)
One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)
Please note all pupils' 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 Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set of glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set of brass scales

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

"Can we buy all this in London?" Harry wondered aloud, not expecting an answer. Why would he ever bring a toad for a pet? Or maybe it was a familiar?

"If yeh know where to go," said Hagrid.

They walked passed book shops and music stores, hamburger restraunts and cinemas, but nowhere that looked as if it could sell you a magic wand. Were there really shops that sold spell books and broomsticks?

"This is it," said Hagrid, coming to a halt, "the Leaky Cauldron. It's a famous place."

It was a tiny grubby-looking pub. If Hagrid hadn't pointed it out, Harry wouldn't have noticed it was there. Most people walked by it with out glancing at giving Harry a peculiar feeling that only he and Hagrid could see it. Before he could mention this, Hagrid had steered him inside.

For a famous place, it was very dark and shabby. A few old women were sitting in a corner, drinking tiny glasses of sherry. One of them was smoking a long pipe. A little man in a top hat was talking to the old bartender, who was quite bald and looked like a toothless walnut. The low buzz of chatter stopped when they walked in. Everyone seemed to know Hagrid; they waved and smiled at him, and the bartender reached for a glass, saying, "The usual, Hagrid?"

"Can't, Tom. I'm on Hogwarts business," said Hagrid, clapping his great hand on Harry's shoulder, making Harry's knees buckle.

"Good Lord," said the bartender, peering at Harry, "is this – can this be – Bless my soul, Harry Potter...What an honor!"

He hurried out from behind the bar, rushed toward Harry and seized his hand, tears in his eyes.

"Welcome back, Mr. Potter, welcome back."

Harry didn't know what to say. Everyone was looking at him. The old woman with the pipe was puffing on it without realizing it had gone out. Hagrid was beaming.

Then there was a great scraping of chairs and the next moment, Harry found himself shaking hands with everyone in the Leaky Cauldron. Harry could tell by that Hagrid wasn't exaggerating about him being famous.

After about ten minutes, Hagrid was able to make himself be heard over the people.

"Must get on – lots ter buy. Come on, Harry."

Hagrid led him to a small, walled courtyard, where there was nothing but a trash can and a few weeds.

"Told yeh, didn't I? Told yeh you was famous."

"I noticed." was all Harry could say.

"Three up ... two across..." Hagrid mutterered. "Right, stand back, Harry."

Hagrid tapped the wall three times with the tip of his umbrella and a hole appeared that grew wider and wider and a second later they were facing an archway large enough even for Hagrid, and archway onto a cobble street that twisted and turned out of sight.

"Welcome," said Hagrid, "to Diagon Alley."

Harry wished he had eight more pairs of eyes as he and Hagrid walked down the alley. He was trying to everything at once: the shops, the things outside, the people doing the shopping.

Soon they were at Gringotts bank.

Once they were inside the bank, Harry noticed several creatures a head shorter then Harry that had clever faces, very long fingers and feet.

"Yeah, those are goblins." said Hagrid before they walked up to a desk.

"Morning," said Hagrid to the goblin sitting at the desk. "We've come ter take some money outta Mr. Harry Potter's safe."

"You have his key sir?"

"Got it here somewhere," said Hagrid, and he started emptying his pockets onto the counter, scattering a handful of moldy dog biscuits over the goblin's book of numbers. The goblin wrinkled his nose. Harry watched the goblin on their right weighing a pile of rubies as big as glowling coals.

"Got it," said Hagrid at last, holding up a tiny golden key.

"The goblin looked at it closely.

"That seems to be in order."

"An' I've also-"

"Uhh…Hagrid?" asked Harry, interrupting. "Why do you have my key?"

"Dumbledore entrusted meh with it," said Hagrid, puffing out his chest alarmingly.

"Then why did Dumbledore have it?"

"Well, he's Dumbledore," was the confused reply. The goblin watched with interest.

"Griphook! Go fetch the James and Lily Potter's will. We have a question as to why Dumbledore had Mr. Harry Potter's key!"

Griphook obeyed immediately and returned shortly with a small glass ball in his hand.

"This is Mr. and Mrs. James Potter's will. It was filed three days before they died. it's still sealed, which means it hasn't been read. After you read it, a binding contract declares all other contracts or documents that interfere with this will null and void. To read it, simply put your hand on it and you'll find out why Dumbledore had your key." Griphook said.

Harry put his hand on the glass ball and heard a voice coming from the ball. "We, James and Lily Potter, leave all our possessions, both monetary and physical, to our son Harry James Potter for him to use when he reaches 15. Furthermore, a trust fund of a half a million galleons will be set up for him to use in case of our premature death as of today. The key for such trust fund will be left with his legal guardian.

"In the event of our premature death we give custody over Harry to his godfather Sirius Orion Black. If he for whatever reason is unable to fulfill his dutyas a guardian we award the custody to Remus John Lupin. In that event, we use the veto against the Ministry's Restriction for Dangerous Magical Creatures which is our right as a family with a seat on the Wizengamot. Under no circumstances is custody of Harry to be given to Vernon and Petunia Dursley. If both chosen guardians are unable to perform their duty as guardian, custody is to be given to a family of Albus Percival Wolfric Brian Dumbledore's choosing that can love Harry as their own child, magical or non-magical. Harry's guardian or guardians will be given full access to the Potter family vault as well as the Potter Manor for Harry's well being."

Harry and Hagrid were both all stunned. THe two goblins seemed stunned, but Harry couldn't be sure. They were hard to read.

"If that's the Potter's will, why was Harry here sent go live with people who his parent's didn't want him livin' with?" Hagrid said after a moment of silence.

"I am afraid I don't know," the goblin in front of them said. "It seems very odd and it raises more questions then answers. I will inform my superiors of this and we will begin an immediate investigation. In the mean time, we will contact Mr. Lupin that he now has custody of Mr. Potter as Sirius Black is in Azkaban Prison for treason and mass murder."

"Why did my parents need to use a veto for Mr. Lupin becomes my guardian?" Harry asked.

"It'll be because Remus is a werewolf, Harry. Most people don't like werewolves an' there's laws bannin' werewolves from doin' things. They think they're monsters, but anyone who knows Remus knows he's no monster. He was a good friend of yeh parents and wouldn't harm no one. Knew him when he was going to Hogwarts and years after that. Anyways, before the will, I was going to say I also got a letter from Professor Dumbledore here. It's about you-know-what in vault seven hundred and thirteen."

The goblin at the desk read the letter carefully.

"Very well," the goblin said. "Griphook, take them to both vaults."

Griphook first took Harry and Hagrid to the vault which housed Harry's trust fund using a cart that was like a wild roller coaster ride. Harry was amazed to see the mounds of gold, silver and bronze coins inside of it. It was a good thing that the Dursley's would never know about it, otherwise they would try and take it away from him because they always complained about how expensive it was for them to raise him. They were probably lying, but they'd still take it.

Hagrid helped Harry pile some of it into a bag.

"The gold ones are Galleons," he explained. "Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle, it's easy enough. Right, that should be enough fer a couple o' terms, we'll keep the rest safe for yeh." He turned to Griphook. "Vault seven hundred and thirteen now, please, and can we go more slowly?"

"One speed only," said Griphook.

"What's in vault seven hundred and thirteen?" Harry asked.

"Can't tell yeh that," said Hagrid mysteriously. "Very secret. Hogwarts business. Dumbledore's trusted me. More'n my job's worth ter tell yeh that."

A short while later, they were at vault seven hundred and thirteen. Griphook opened it by stroking it's door with one of his long fingers. Hagrid went inside the vault and came back with a tiny package that he put into one of his many coat pockets before going back into the cart.

After another wild cart ride, they were back in Gringotts' lobby. The goblin that they talked with earlier told them that they had contacted Remus Lupin and said he would pick up Harry at Gringott's in a few hours. That relieved Harry, as he was not looking forward to returning to the Dursleys after letting slip about the cupboard to Hagrid. Uncle Vernon said that he'd wish he'd never been born if he told anyone about it. His uncle usually followed through with his threats.

Shortly after, they left Gringotts. Harry didn't know where to go to first with all the money he had. He didn't know how many Galleons there were to a pound so he didn't know how much he had, but he knew he definitely had more then Dudley ever had. He purposely pushed that out of his mind, though. Dudley no longer mattered.

"Might as well get yer uniform," said Hagrid, nodding toward Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. "Listen, Harry, would yer mind if I slipped off fer a pick-me-up in the Leaky Cauldron? I hate them Gringotts carts." He did still look a bit sick, so Harry entered Madam Malkin's shop alone, feeling nervous.

Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve.

"Hogwarts, dear?" she said, when Harry started to speak. "Got the lot here – another young man being fitted up just now, in fact."

In the back of the shop, a boy with a pale, pointed face was standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long black robes. Madam Malkin stood Harry on a stool next to him, slipped a long robe over his head, and began to pin it to the right length.

"Hello," said the boy, "Hogwarts, too?"

"Yes," said Harry.

"My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands," said the boy. He had a bored, drawling voice. "Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow."

Harry was strongly reminded of Dudley.

"Have you got your own broom?" the boy went on.

"No," said Harry.

"Play Quidditch at all?"

"No," Harry said again, wondering what on earth Quid-witch could be.

"I do – Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house, and I must say, I agree. Know what house you'll be in yet?"

"No," said Harry, feeling more stupid by the minute.

"Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they? But I know I'll be in Slytherin, all our family have been – imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"

"Mmm," said Harry wishing he could say something more interesting.

"I say, look at that man!" said the boy suddenly, nodding toward the front window. Hagrid was standing there, grinning at Harry and pointing to two large ice creams to show he couldn't come in.

"That's Hagrid," said Harry, please to know something the boy didn't. "He works at Hogwarts."

"Oh," said the boy, "I've heard of him. He's a sort of servant, isn't he?"

"He's the gamekeeper," said Harry. He was liking the boy less and less every second.

"Yes, exactly. I heard he's sort of a savage – lives in a hut on the school grounds and every now and then he get's drunk, tries to do magic, and ends up setting fire to his bed."

"I think he's brilliant," said Harry coldly.

"Do you?" said the boy, with a slight sneer. "Why is he with you? Where are your parents?"

"They're dead," said Harry shortly. He didn't feel much like going into the matter with this boy.

"Oh, sorry," said the other, not sounding sorry at all. "But they were our kind, weren't they?"

Harry turned to face the boy, not paying enough attention. Madam Malkin dropped her wand, and when it hit the ground, and bright light shot out of the tip, and his robe started shrinking. Madam Malkin got a cross look on her face.

"My dear, you can't move so much while I'm measuring. I'm going to have to start over now, so please keep still."

Harry apologized and only moved his head this time when he turned to the boy again. "Frankly, I have no idea what you're talking about. I've just learned about the wizarding world last night, so either stop talking or explain things." Harry usually wouldn't be so impolite, but Harry had decided that he had to start off strong in the school year, so he wouldn't get pushed around in Hogwarts. He had a chance to start over again.

The boy immediately got a look of disdain on his face. "You're a mudblood, then?"

"Meaning what exactly?" Harry asked impatiently, extremely fed up with the boy.

The boy looked close to yelling at him, though Harry wasn't sure why. He wasn't as rude as the boy. "Muggleborn."

"No, my parents were magical. I was just raised by my muggle relatives."

The boy's disdain faded somewhat, but it was still there. "What is your surname, then? Mine is Malfoy. You should remember it."

Harry tried not to sneer at the arrogant brat – there was no other way to describe him. But before Harry could answer, Madam Malkin said, "That's you done, my dear," and Harry, not sorry for an excuse to stop talking to the boy, hopped down from the footstool and rushed out to where Hagrid was waiting for him.

Harry was rather quiet as he ate the ice cream Hagrid had bought him (chocolate and raspberry with chopped nuts).

"What's up?" said Hagrid.

"What's Quidditch?"

"Blimey, Harry, I keep forgettin' how little yeh know – not knowin' about Quidditch!"

"Don't make me feel worse," said Harry. He told Hagrid about the boy in Madam Malkin's.

"Malfoy. Sound's like he's taken' after his father. His father was one of You-Know-Who's followers. One of the first to come back to the good side after You-Know-Who vanished. Claimed he was bewitched into following You-Know-Who! Codswallop. He didn't need bewitching to join You-Know-Who. The Malfoys are all into the dark arts."

"So what is Quidditch?" Harry asked again.

"It's our sport. Wizard sport. It's like – what's it again? – soccer in the Muggle world. Everyone follows Quidditch. Played up in the air on broomsticks and there's four balls - sorta hard ter explain the rules."

"And what are Slytherin and Hufflepuff?"

"School houses. There's four. Everyone says Hufflepuff are a lot o' duffers...And there's not a witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin. You-Know-Who was one. Though Sirius Black wasn't in Slytherin if I recall... He was in Gryffindor with yeh parents and Remus. Gryffindor's a good house fer the brave." Hagrid said.

"What is the other house?"

"Ravenclaw. People say Ravenclaws know everything or try teh." Harry got the strong feeling that the four houses weren't as black and white as Hagrid said, but he didn't comment.

Soon, they bought Harry's school books from a store called Florrish and Blotts and most of the other school supplies from various shops Harry needed except for one.

"Just yer wand left – oh yeah, an' I still haven't got yeh a birthday present."

Harry felt himself go red.

"You don't have to -"

"I know I don't have to. Tell yeh what, I'll get yer animal. Not a toad, toads went outta fashion years ago, yeh'd be laughed at – an' I don't like cats, they make me sneeze. I'll get yer an owl. All the kids want owls, they're dead useful, carry yer mail an' everythin'."

Twenty minutes later, they left Eeylops Owl Emporium, which had been dark and full of rustling and flickering, jewel-bright eyes. Harry now carried a large cage that held a beautiful snowy owl, fast asleep with her head under her wing.

"Don' mention it," said Hagrid gruffly. "Don' expect you've had a lotta presents from them Dursleys, locked up in a cupboard and all. Just Ollivanders left now – only place fer wands."

A magic wand... This was what Harry had been really looking forward to.

Ollivander's shop was narrow and shabby. Mr. Ollivander seamed a little creepy and had difficulty finding the right wand for Harry, but he seemed to enjoy the challenge of finding a good match. After trying what seemed like all the wands in the store, Harry finally found a good wand. Or the wand found him. Whatever.

"Curious... curious..." Ollivander said, standing uncomfortably close to Harry.

"Sorry," said Harry, "But what's curious?"

Mr. Ollivander fixed Harry with his pale stare.

"I remember ever wand I've ever wand I've ever sold, Mr. Potter. Every single wand. It just so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather – just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother – why its brother gave you that scar."

Harry swallowed.

"Yes, thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand choose the wizard, remember... I think we must expect great things from you, Mr. Potter... After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things – terrible, yes, but great."

Harry shivered. He wasn't sure if he liked Mr. Ollivander too much. He paid seven gold Galleons for his wand, and Mr. Ollivander bowed them from his shop.

The afternoon sun hung low in the sky as Harry and Hagrid made their way back to Gringotts. Its was a very interesting birthday for Harry to say the least. Finding out he was a wizard (magic was real!), making his first friend, and getting a new home with a werewolf that was knew his parents. Harry's life was looking up.

Chapter End Notes:

That's chapter two. Please read and review. Next chapter will probably be shorter and most likely not have any stuff that was written by other people. These changes in Harry's life are going to get bigger and I have no clue where they are leading too. Anything could happen.