Twisted Fascination

I jolted awake upon hearing a woman scream in my dreams. I blinked rapidly, trying to clear the fog from my mind. I then tensed up upon seeing the still unnamed man sitting back in a chair I knew didn't exist earlier. I quickly assured myself that magic was real and that I wouldn't be badly hurt by it. Calming myself down, I silently stood up and took a glance outside.

The first rays of dawn were making their way over the horizon.

I decided to simply gaze out at the horizon until an owl flew up to the window. I jolted back in surprise before the owl began to tap on the window. I hesitated before opening the window.

The owl swooped in and dropped a rolled up newspaper onto Hagrid, who didn't stir in the slightest. The owl then flew over to Hagrid's coat and began to attack it, Harry giving a yelp of surprise from where he laid under it.

I immediately went over and tried to shoo the owl. "The dormice are not for your consumption. Get."

The owl hooted at me indignantly, flapping its wings like it was offended or something.

"I don't speak bird," I pointed out to the owl, "But I'm sure you understand English, so go." I once again tried to shoo the bird away, only to be nipped at. I stared down at the owl incredulously before suddenly narrowing my eyes fiercely.

"H-Hagrid, there's a bird!" Harry exclaimed, clearly fearful of what would happen if an adult didn't interfere right away.

"Pay him," Hagrid grumbled from where he laid on the sofa.

"What?" Harry asked incredulously.

"He wants payin' fer deliverin' the paper. Look in the pockets," Hagrid directed.

Harry quickly began to scavenge the pockets. He pulled out all manner of keys, some slug pellets, balls of string, peppermint humbugs, and teabags before finally coming across a handful of strange-looking coins.

There were small bronze ones, medium silver ones, and large gold ones.

"Give him five Knuts," Hagrid directed sleepily.

"Knuts?" Harry repeated questioningly.

"The little bronze ones," Hagrid clarified.

I rolled my eyes before going over to the newspaper on Hagrid. I gently lifted it off of him and began to look over the front page. I paused quickly, however, upon seeing the picture on the front moving. I blinked a few times, my mind not comprehending what I was seeing for a moment. I quickly overcame that and began to look over the newspaper again.

It seemed like your average newspaper, if you didn't count all the magic topics being discussed.

I was flipping the page as Harry counted out the five bronze coins, giving them to the owl, who wore a small leather pouch on his leg. I was about ready to read the next page of the newspaper when Hagrid suddenly grabbed it from my hands and began to read it himself. I was insulted by that, but I quickly compartmentalized my anger to use later.

The owl, having delivered the paper and collected the payment, flew from the little shack and back to wherever it came from.

Hagrid yawned loudly as he stretched. "Best be off, Harry, Colton. Lots ter do today. Gotta get up ter London an' buy all yer stuff fer school."

I flicked my eyes to the unnamed man, who was now standing up. I noticed that he seemed to be more alert than even I was, signaling that he was probably awake for longer than I.

"Um, Hagrid?" Harry asked hesitantly as he continued to stare down at the coins.

The giant hummed in acknowledgement as he pulled on his giant boots.

The unnamed man flicked his black stick at the chair, and it turned into a moth-eaten blanket.

I paused for a moment, my mind trying to wrap around how a blanket could turn into a chair. I shook it off quickly, however, upon deciding that magic was unlike anything I had ever experienced before.

"I haven't got any money," Harry said somberly, "And you heard Uncle Vernon last night… He won't pay for me to go and learn magic."

"Don't worry about that," Hagrid waved off dismissively, standing up and scratching his head. "D'yeh think yer parents didn't leave yeh anything?"

"But if their house was destroyed-"

"They didn' keep their gold in the house, boy!" Hagrid exclaimed, "Nah, first stop fer us is Gringotts. Wizards' bank." He then produced some sausages and proceeded to cook them over the still lit fire.

Harry, being as curious as ever, asked, "Wizards have banks?"

"Just the one," Hagrid clarified, "Gringotts. Run by goblins."

Harry's jaw dropped. "Goblins?"

"Yeah," Hagrid confirmed as he rotated the sausages so they could cook on the other side. "So yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it, I'll tell yeh that. Never mess with goblins, Harry. Gringotts is the safest place in the world fer anything yeh want ter keep safe - 'cept maybe Hogwarts. As a matter o' fact, I gotta visit Gringotts anyway. Fer Dumbledore. Hogwarts business." Hagrid drew himself up importantly as he served the sausages. "Also, I could do with a bit o' that cake."

"What does Dumbledore want you to get?" Harry pressed as Professor Snape rolled his eyes.

"He usually gets me ter do important stuff fer him. Fetchin' you - gettin' things from Gringotts - knows he can trust me, see?" Hagrid asked, looking quite sure of himself.

"In any case," the unnamed man interjected, "Finish your food and collect your things. We're leaving soon."

I quickly ate my sausages before awkwardly giving back the plate he had served me sausages on. I then got my bag and looked at the two men expectantly.

Harry soon got his own bag, and the four of us set off.

The sun was shining brightly outside, allowing the sea to gleam in its light. The sky was clear, as if the storm from last night never even occurred.

The boat that Vernon procured was still there, which was rather surprising considering the storm that had happened last evening. There was still quite a bit of water in the bottom of it.

My nose wrinkled in disgust at the thought of getting in, but I did so anyway.

"How did you get here?" Harry asked as he looked around for another boat.

"Flew," Hagrid answered as he got into the boat, followed by the man in black.

"Flew?" Harry repeated in awe.

"Yeah - but we'll go back in this. Not s'pposed ter use magic now I've got yeh." Hagrid gave this companion a long look. "Seems a shame ter row, though."

The man obviously held in a heavy sigh before tapping the end of his stick to the boat twice.

We suddenly moved forward as if the boat had an engine attached to it.

"Why would you be mad to try and rob Gringotts?" Harry inquired, still hung up on the fact goblins and the sort actually existed.

"Spells - enchantments," Hagrid said, unfolding the newspaper as he spoke, "They say there's dragons guardin' the high-security vaults. And then yeh gotta find yer way - Gringotts is hundreds of miles under London, see. Deep under the Underground. Yeh'd die of hungry tryin' ter get out, even if yeh did manage ter get yer hands on summat."

Harry sat quietly for a moment, but it was a brief moment.

"Ministry o' Magic messin' things up as usual," Hagrid muttered as he turned the page.

"There's a Ministry of Magic?" Harry asked, sounding surprised.

"'Course," Hagrid answered, "They wanted Dumbledore fer Minister, o' course, but he'd never leave Hogwarts, so old Cornelius Fudge got the job. Bungler if ever there was one. So he pelts Dumbledore with owls every morning, askin' fer advice."

"But what does a Minister of Magic do?" Harry pressed.

"Well, their main job is ter keep it from the muggles that there's still witches and wizards up an' down the country."

"Why?"

"Why?" Hagrid repeated, sounding incredulous that my brother would even ask such a thing. "Blimey, Harry, everyone'd be wantin' magic solutions to their problems. Nah, we're best left alone."

At that precise moment, the boat gently bumped into the harbor wall.

Hagrid folded up the newspaper and we clambered up the stone steps onto the street.

Passerbyers stared a lot at Hagrid and the still unnamed man walked through the little town to the station. They had clearly never been taught manners and/or subtlety. Of course, it didn't help that Hagrid kept stopping to point at ordinary things and go, "See that, Harry? Things these muggles dream up, eh?"

"Hagrid," Harry painted as he tried desperately to keep up with the giant and his stoic partner, "Did you say there are dragons at Gringotts?"

"Well, so they say," Hagrid said before giving a wide grin. "Crikey, I'd like a dragon."

"You'd like one?" Harry repeated, dumbfounded.

"Wanted one ever since I was a kid," Hagrid confirmed before noticing something, "Here we go."

We had reached the station, and there was a train to London in five minutes' time.

I quickly snatched the paper bills from Hagrid upon seeing him bumbling around with them. I paid for four tickets as Harry apologized to Hagrid about my behavior. I received the four tickets in return and turned to look at the giant man sternly. "If you truly wish to keep your society a secret, I suggest you talk a bit quieter about the things you do not understand." I then handed out the tickets and promptly abandoned the group to head off to the proper platform.

The unnamed man was quick to fall into step with me, though he sneered while doing so.

Harry followed after us, leaving Hagrid to take up the rear.

I was quick to jump onto the train before the doors could close. I decided to be a somewhat generous person and held the door open for the other three, who quickly made their way on. I then found appropriate seating and headed over, sliding into a booth as nonchalantly as one could when dealing with a group of Neanderthals.

The Neanderthals in question joined me, though it looked like the unnamed man would rather die.

Hagrid, who took up two seats, pulled out a canary-yellow quilt and began to knit it together.

"Still got yer letters, boys?" Hagrid questioned as he counted stitches.

"Naturally," I answered as I continued to stare out of the window from my seat.

Harry pulled his letter out in confirmation.

"Good," Hagrid approved, "There's a list there of everything yeh need."

Harry pulled out his letter and unfolded the second piece of paper. He read it over before asking, "Can we buy all of this in London?"

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

"But first, we must go to the bank," I reminded my brother.

"Right," my brother confirmed, looking more eager than ever.

The unnamed man rolled his eyes, a sneer on his face.

"You know, you have yet to introduce yourself," I said as I looked at the unnamed man.

"You will address me as Professor Snape," he said in a tone that spoke of how he loathed my mere existence.

"Very well," I said, "Professor, I was curious about a few things."

"And they are…?" He trailed off, his black eyes looking at me expectantly.

"Do you have a system of hierarchy outside of the Ministry?" I inquired.

He raised a black eyebrow at the question. "You need to be more specific."

"I wish to know about your government and the consensus of the people in general," I reiterated.

Harry quickly decided to step into the conversation. "He wants to know about the people in power and what people think of them."

"I know what he said," Professor Snape snapped at my brother before looking at me critically. "Why do you wish to know?"

"I don't wish to look like a fool in front of everyone before I am properly introduced into the world you two come from," I answered honestly.

"Yeh'll be fine. Plenty o' muggleborns attend Hogwarts, an' they're treated like any other witch an' wizard," Hagrid piped up.

"Muggleborn?" Harry repeated right away.

"Witches an' wizards born to muggles," Hagrid clarified.

"What are they called when they're born to both wizards?" Harry asked curiously.

"That depends on the blood of the parents," Professor Snape stated. "If they are both wizards born from wizards, they will most likely be pureblood. If they are a muggleborn and of magical blood, they will be considered a half-blood. If you're not pureblood and you're not a muggleborn, you're automatically a half-blood."

"What are we?" I asked.

"Half-bloods," Professor Snape answered lazily, "Your father was a pureblood, but your mother was a muggleborn."

I made a mental note of that before deciding to switch topics. "About your system of government - is the Minister elected like in the muggle world?"

"Yes," Professor Snape confirmed.

"I see. And what of the hierarchy beyond that?" I pressed.

The man seemed annoyed as he answered, "In Great Britain, the Minister is advised on wizarding matters by their staff members and by the other Heads of Departments. They also chaired the Wizengamot to pass Wizarding Laws, or to hear important trials, though the verdicts were decided by majority vote, including that of the Minister themselves. Many other wizarding countries also have Ministers and have similar governmental systems, such as the Bulgarian Minister or the Zauberminister of wizarding Germany. The staff of the Ministry pretty much follow Britain's muggle Ministry with a Minister, an advisor, a secretary, a senior undersecretary, and so on and so forth. There are several departments in the Ministry of Magic, all focusing on some aspect of magic and wizarding government."

I hummed softly before pressing forward with more questions. "If the Ministry resembles Great Britain's own government, does that mean there's a Parliament?"

Professor Snape answered, "The wizarding parliament is known as Wizengamot. It predates the British Ministry of Magic itself, dating back to the days of the medieval Wizards' Council. Its administrative headquarters are located in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, which is a floor below the Minister for Magic and his supporting staff's floor."

I opened my mouth to ask another question, only for Harry to butt in.

"What does the Department of Magical Law Enforcement do?" My brother asked, even though it should have been obvious.

"Harry, what does the executive branch of our government do?" I asked as I massaged my temple.

"Erm, that's the law-making one, right?" He inquired.

"It's the one that makes sure the laws are followed," I corrected, a headache starting to form at his sheer lack of knowledge.

"Oh…" Harry thought about it for a moment before saying, "Yeah, but what does the wizard executive branch do?"

The man looked so done with life as he said, "We have Aurors, which are the wizard-equivalent of your muggle policemen and other criminal justice workers," Professor Snape answered in a dry tone. "It holds many different subdivisions that work together to uphold the wizarding world's laws. All other departments, save for the Minister's department and the Department of Mysteries, answer to the DMLE. They work to rid the wizarding world of Dark wizards for the safety of wizardkind."

"What does the Department of Mysteries do?" Harry asked before I could even think about opening my mouth.

"No one knows, as the workers there are sworn to secrecy," Professor Snape drawled out in a bored tone. He clearly had no interest in what I deemed as interesting.

"Which reminds me," I said, using that as a nice segue to my next topic of interest, "How has Hogwarts not been discovered by muggles yet?"

"There are plenty of wards around Hogwarts to keep it both safe and undiscoverable to muggles," Professor Snape stated.

I hummed softly before asking, "What, exactly, are wards?"

"They are protective enchantments used to protect an area for an extended period of time. These spells can shield specific areas, and can have a wide variety of applications, with many different types of protective enchantments existing," he answered.

"I see," I said, "I was also wondering about Hogwarts hierarchy."

"There is the headmaster and a deputy headmistress," Professor Snape explained, "Following their directions are teachers, who also teach and make sure that the school's rules are enforced. There is a head boy and a head girl, who both ensure the student body follows the rules, along with two prefects from each house. The prefects are in their fifth and sixth year while the head boy and head girl are in their seventh year."

"And are there different sections of Hogwarts to be aware of?" I inquired.

"There are four houses to be sorted into at the beginning of your first year," the man said, "The will be the houses you stay with for your seven years at Hogwarts. They are Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Gryffindor."

"How do you get sorted into a house?" I pressed.

"It all depends on you," he said, "Beyond that, I cannot discuss it."

I nearly pursed my lips, but decided to back off on the subject. "Do the different houses represent something?"

"Slytherin is for the cunning and ambitious. Ravenclaw is for the quick-witted and wise. Hufflepuffs are loyal. Gryffindor is for the brave and adventurous," Professor Snape said, though he sounded like he despised every house but Slytherin.

"Very well. Is there anything important to know before we go to Hogwarts?" I questioned.

"I think yeh'll do jus' fine," Hagrid assured me.

I nearly rolled my eyes at the man.

If he could get expelled from Hogwarts during his third year, he surely didn't know the first thing about the importance of school and keeping a decent reputation up.

"If you insist on knowing everything, I would suggest picking up a book on basic etiquette," Professor Snape stated, implying that I was some sort of insufferable know-it-all.

I internally huffed before sitting back, done talking with the pompous man. I turned my focus back toward the window, waiting for the train to arrive at the proper station.

London soon arrived, and Harry was eager to look around, as he and I had never been to that city before.

I rolled my eyes as I followed after Professor Snape and Hagrid. I at least trusted the Professor to get us to where we needed to be. I didn't think Hagrid knew how to get to wherever we needed to go the muggle way.

Hagrid, after all, got stuck in the ticket barrier on the Underground and complained loudly that the seats were too small and the trains too slow. He was the same as a pesky child, and it greatly irked me to think that he was one of two people trusted with our safety.

We climbed up a broken-down escalator leading to a bustling road lined with shops, listening to the giant man complain even more about a lack of magic.

I was in the process of rolling my eyes when Hagrid came to an abrupt stop.

"This is it," he said, "The Leaky Cauldron. It's a famous place."

I raised an eyebrow at the tiny, grubby-looking pub. I had noticed that it didn't fit in, so I assumed it would have stuck out like a sore thumb. I was wrong, however, as average people seemed to not notice it. I quickly figured that wards must surround the place and to just not question it for now.

The four of us entered the dark and shabby pub, which appeared to have doubled as an inn.

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 similar to a toothless walnut.

The low buzz of chatter seemed to stop upon us entering.

Everyone seemed to know Hagrid, meaning he was a regular at the dingy establishment. They all smiled and waved at the man.

The bartender reached for a glass while asking, "The usual, Hagrid?"

"Can't, Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business," the giant in question said, clapping his hand down on Harry's shoulder.

"Good Lord," the bartender gasped, peering at my brother as if he couldn't believe his eyes. "Is this - can this be…?"

The entire Leaky Cauldron went silent as people looked at my brother.

"Bless my soul," the old bartender whispered, "Harry Potter… what an honor." He rushed out from behind the bar, rushed toward Harry, and seized his hand while tears came to his eyes. "Welcome back, Mr. Potter, welcome back."

Everyone looked at Harry in shock for a moment. Then, they all quickly scrambled over to my brother, eagerly to get in their own handshake while introducing themselves.

I held in a sneer as I watched my brother get all the positive attention. I instead took to memorizing the people's looks and names for later use.

"Doris Crockford, Mr. Potter, can't believe I'm meeting you at last."

"So proud, Mr. Potter, I'm just so proud."

"Always wanted to shake your hand - I'm all of a flutter."

"Delighted, Mr. Potter, just can't tell you, Diggle's the name, Dedalus Diggle."

"I've seen you before!" Harry exclaimed as Diggle's hat fell off in his excitement. "You bowed to me once in a shop!"

Diggle practically glowed in satisfaction as he cried out, "He remembers! Did you hear that? He remembers me!"

Harry shook even more hands, especially Crockford's, as they kept coming back for more.

Finally, a pale young man made his way forward, looking surprisingly nervous. One of his eyes twitched uncontrollably, and he looked extraordinarily paranoid.

"Professor Quirrell!" Hagrid loudly greeted before saying, "Harry, Professor Quirrell will be one of your teachers at Hogwarts."

I waited for him to introduce me, but I was rather annoyed when the conversation continued.

"P-P-Potter," Quirrell stammered as he grasped Harry's hand shakily, "C-can't t-tell you how p-pleased I am to meet you."

"What sort of magic do you teach, Professor Quirrell?" Harry inquired.

"D-Defense Against the D-D-Dark Arts," Professor Quirrell stuttered out, eyeing the glaring Professor Snape wearily. "N-Not that you n-need it, eh, P-P-Potter?" He gave a nervous chuckle. "You'll be g-getting all your equipment, I suppose? I've g-got to p-pick up a new b-book on vampires, m-myself." He looked terrified at the thought.

I felt rather dubious about Hogwarts' teaching if that man was a professor on Defense Against the Dark Arts.

Snape continued to sneer as the man slinked off as the crowd continued to pester him for taking up so much of Harry's time.

It took almost ten minutes for Hagrid to pull Harry away from the crowd. "Must get on - lots ter buy. Come on, Harry."

Doris Crockford shook Harry's hand one more time.

Hagrid finally led Harry away from the crowd and toward where Snape and I were waiting by the backdoor to the pub.

Outside on the patio, there were a few weeds and a trash can.

Hagrid grinned down at Harry. "Told yeh, didn't I? Told yeh you was famous. Even Professor Quirrell was tremblin' ter meet yeh - mind you, he's usually tremblin'."

"Is he always that nervous?" Harry asked.

"Oh, yeah. Poor bloke. Brilliant mind. He was fine while he was studyin' outta books, but then he took a year offer get some first-hand experience… They say he meet vampires in the Black Forest, and there was a nasty bit o' trouble with a hag - never been the same since. Scared of the student, scared of his own subject - now, where's me umbrella?"

How competent of a teacher can you be if you're scared of your own subject? I thought dubiously.

Snape chose that moment to pull out his black stick. He quickly tapped a certain brick on the wall three times with his stick.

The brick quivered and wriggled. In the middle of it, a small hole appeared. It grew wider and wider until it became a large archway that could fit even Hagrid inside of it without the giant man crouching. The archway led to a cobbled street that twisted and turned out of sight.

"Welcome," Hagrid said as he grinned down at my brother, "To Diagon Alley."

Diagonally? Really? That's the best they could come up with as a pun and street name? I thought with a rather blanched expression.

We went through the archway, which quickly shrunk and returned to its normal self as soon as he were all on the other side.

The sun shone brightly on a stack of cauldrons outside of the nearest shop. The sign said:

Cauldrons

All Sizes

Copper, Brass,

Pewter, Silver

Self-Stirring

Collapsible

I noticed the way Professor Snape briefly glanced over all the cauldrons before nodding once to himself. I figured that he had approved of them and made a mental note of the store's official name and location in this diagonally-running alley.

"Yeah, yeh'll be needin' one," Hagrid said upon noticing my brother staring at them in disbelief, "But we gotta get yer money first."

We continued through the alleyway, glancing at various things for sale.

A plump woman outside of an Apothecary was shaking her head as she said, "Dragon liver, sixteen Sickles an ounce, they're mad…"

A low hooting came from a dark shop with a sign saying;

Eeylops Owl Emporium

Tawney, Screech,

Barn, Brown,

and Snowy

Several boys about our age were pressed against a window, clearly not knowing to keep their disgusting paws off of glass so that others don't have to look through their left-over fingerprints. They were all peering at a broomstick, one that apparently brand new and the fastest broom ever created if their words were to be trusted.

There were shops selling robes, shops selling telescopes and strange silver instruments I had never seen before, windows stacked with barrels of bat spleens and eels' eyes; tottering piles of spellbooks, quills, and rolls of parchment; potion bottles; and globes of the moon.

"Gringotts," Hagrid said suddenly. 

I looked at the snowy white building that towered over the other little shops and wondered how, exactly, it wasn't discovered beforehand.

Standing besides the burnished bronze doors were little beings in scarlet and gold uniforms.

"Yeah, that's a goblin," Hagrid said quietly to Harry, who was staring impolitely.

The goblin in question was about a head shorter than Harry and I. It had a swarthy, clever face, a pointed beard, and long fingers and feet.

We walked up the whitestone steps and we're bowed in through the doors by the goblin.

Another air of doors greeted us, these ones made from silver. The doors, together, had an engraving on them.

Enter, stranger, but take heed

Of what awaits the sin of greed,

For those who take, but do not earn,

Must pay most dearly in their turn.

So if you seek beneath our floors

A treasure that was never yours,

Thief, you have been warned, beware,

Of finding more than treasure there.

"Like I said, yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it," Hagrid said, shuddering a bit.

I eyed the goblins cautiously before they bowed us into the bank.

A vast marble hall greeted us. About a hundred more goblins were sitting on high stools behind a long counter, scribbling in large ledgers, weighing coins in brass scales, and examining precious stones through eyeglasses. There were several doors leading off the hall, and even more goblins were leading people in and out of them.

Hagrid, Harry, Professor Snape, and I made for a counter.

"Morning," Hagrid chirped at the free goblin, "We've come ter take some money outta Mr. Harry and Colton Potter's safe."

"Do you have their keys, sir?" The goblin demanded right away, eyeing Hagrid suspiciously.

"Got Harry's here somewhere," Hagrid said as he began to empty his pockets onto the counter, earning a disgusted look from the goblin.

Professor Snape pulled out a small, golden key and handed it off to the goblin, who examined it closely before nodding.

"Sir, if I may ask," I said as I looked at the goblin, "What type of account is our safe?"

"It is your average 455 account," the goblin stated.

"I ask you to forgive me for wishing for you to clarify, as I was raised by muggles," I said as I stared at the goblin expectantly.

"It's a Hogwarts School Savings Account," he stated, "Most wizarding parents set a savings account for their children to use when going to Hogwarts."

"I see. Is there an interest rate on the account?" I pressed.

"0.25%," the goblin answered.

"Is there a fee to withdraw money from the account?" I pressed.

"Because you are here before your first year at Hogwarts, there will be no fee. That goes for your years throughout Hogwarts. Once you have ended your schooling, the accounts' funds will automatically be slit evenly into two separate bank accounts for both you and your brother," the goblin said.

"I see. Do we have a manager for our account?" I pressed.

"Of course," the goblin said.

"Here it is!" Hagrid exclaimed as he finally pulled out a golden key. He handed it over proudly, and the goblin examined it before nodding.

"That seems to be in order."

"An' I've also got a letter here from Professor Dumbledore," Hagrid said importantly, throwing his chest out. "It's about the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen."

The goblin snatched the letter and examined it carefully. "Very well," he said, handing the letter back to Hagrid. "I will have someone take you down to both vaults. Griphook!"

"If I may continue with my questions," I said as I once again stepped up to the plate while we waited for the other goblin to show up. "I wish to speak with our manager."

"He's coming shortly," the goblin stated. "May I ask about what you two will discuss."

"I wish to know about the stock market and what would be best to invest in at the moment," I said honestly, causing the goblin's eyebrows to raise. "Though I trust our parents to have left a decent amount in our school funds, I expect to face dilemmas that will need money in the future. Such is how to real world works, after all."

The goblin gave a singular nod. "Very well. I shall have someone prepare a look at the stocks for you while you are down in your vaults."

"Thank you," I said sincerely, bowing my head down a bit, earning a sharp grin from the goblin.

Griphook the goblin led the four of us toward one of the doors leading off the hall.

"What's the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen?" Harry inquired.

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

Griphook held the door open for us.

Instead of the marble continuing, a narrow stone passageway lit by flaming torches greeted us on the other side of the door. The passageway sloped downward steeply, and there were little railway tracks on the floor.

Griphook whistled, and a small cart came hurtling down the tracks at us.

The cart stopped before it could hit us and allowed us to get in.

We all fit, surprisingly enough, and we were off.

At first, we hurtled through a maze of twisting passageways. Then, after going through many twists and turns, the cart went deeper underground. We passed by an underground lake where stalagmites and stalactites appeared to be growing.

"I never know," Harry called to Hagrid over the noise of the cart, "What's the difference between a stalagmite and a stalactite?"

I nearly pinched the bridge of my noise in exasperation, as I had answered that question in the past at least four times.

"Stalagmite's got an 'm' in it," Hagrid answered shortly, "And don' ask me questions just now. I think I'm gonna be sick."

I cringed as I shuffled away from the man as much as I could which wasn't far considering Professor Snape was there on my other side.

The cart stopped at last at a small door in the passage wall.

Hagrid stumbled out of the cart, only to lean against the wall to get his knees to stop shaking.

We followed, all in significantly better condition than him. 

Griphook unlocked the door with one of our keys.

A lot of green smoke came billowing out. 

Harry gasped loudly as it cleared.

Mounds of gold coins, columns of silver coins, and heaps of little bronze coins greeted us.

"All yours," Hagrid said with a bright grin.

Hagrid produced a small bag for Harry while Professor Snape gave me one of my own.

"Roughly how much does school supplies cost?" I questioned.

"Considering it's your first year, I'd take sixty Galleons' worth of money," Professor Snape said.

"Er-"

"The gold ones are Galleons, the silver ones are Sickles, and the bronze ones are Knuts. There are twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle and seventeen Sickles to a Galleon," Professor Snape drawled out in boredom.

I quickly entered the vault and quickly filled the bag I had, which was able to hold a surprising amount of coins considering its small size. I made sure I had enough Galleons before just adding in some Sickles and Knuts just to be safe. I left the vault and entered the cart, where everyone else was waiting.

"Vault seven-hundred and thirteen now, please, and can we go more slowly?" Hagrid asked as he looked at the goblin pathetically.

Said goblin gave a wide and wicked grin. "One speed only."

We gathered speed as we went deeper underground. The air became colder and colder as we hurtled around right corners. We rattled over an underground ravine.

Harry, always the brave one, leaned over to try and see the bottom until Hagrid groaned and pulled him back upright.

At last, we arrived at vault seven-hundred and thirteen. It had no keyhole to unlock it, so there was, presumably, magic embedded into the door.

"Stand back," Griphook demanded. He stroked the door gently with one of his long fingers, and the door simply melted away. "If anyone but a Gringotts goblin tried that, they'd be sucked through the door and trapped in there."

"How often do you check inside and see if anyone's inside?" Harry asked.

Griphook gave another wicked grin as he said, "About once every ten years."

Hagrid entered the surprisingly empty vault where a single, grubby package wrapped in brown paper laid on the floor. He grabbed the small package and tucked it deep inside his coat.

Harry looked like he desperately wanted to ask what it was, but he knew he'd get no answer.

"Come on," Hagrid said, "Back in this infernal cart, and don't talk to me on the way back. It's best if I keep me mouth shut."

One wild card ride later, we were back at the door we started at, surprisingly enough.

Hagrid and Harry began to venture off, but I quickly stepped in my brother's way. "You should really look at stocks to invest in."

Harry groaned loudly. "That's so boring though. Can't you do it for me?"

"No," I denied, "If you want your money invested, you should do it yourself."

"Then I won't do it," he said stubbornly, crossing his arms childishly and turning his head away from me.

Already annoyed, I stepped out of his path. "Fine, then. Don't come crying to me when you've used up all your funds. I won't be bailing you out."

Harry stuck his tongue out at me, after rolling his eyes of course. He then hurried off, Hagrid following behind while throwing me an awkward glance.

I clicked my tongue in annoyance before turning my attention to Griphook, who was waiting around for some odd reason.

As if being able to tell what I thought, the goblin said, "I am the manager of the Potter family's funds. I heard you wished to take money from your schooling funds and invest it."

"Indeed," I confirmed with a nod.

"Follow me," the goblin demanded.

Professor Snape was basically forced to follow me by his professional duty to keep me safe.

Griphook led me to a different door and opened it up, revealing another stone passageway lit by flaming torches, though this one lacked the rail tracks. He led me down the hall and to a door on the left, opening it to reveal a room that looked just like any normal stock exchange place.

I was taken to a desk of sorts.

Griphook proceeded to insult me by asking, "Do you wish for help on basic procedures?" 

I was about to snap at him for daring to ask when I paused. "Is it anything like muggle stock exchanges?"

"There are similarities," Griphook said, not giving a clear answer.

"I will ask for your help if I feel it necessary," I said before looking back at the various stocks to invest in. I immediately spotted one that seemed rather profitable and turned my attention to Griphook. "The Daily Prophet is the main newspaper in the wizarding world, correct?"

"In Great Britain, it is," Griphook answered.

"Very well," I said before turning my attention toward the stocks once again. "Is there a stock for Hogwarts?"

Griphook immediately eyed me suspiciously. "Why do you ask?"

"Most schools in the muggle world have a donation account of sorts. I believe it will be beneficial to put some money in there for the sake of tax write-offs." I paused before looking at the goblin. "Are there such things as tax write-offs here?"

"There are, though most people donate to St. Mungo's Hospital," the goblin stated.

"I will donate to Hogwarts," I said, "Donate as much as needed for the sake of earning that write-off. Now, let me ask about the company that developed the Nimbus Two-Thousand broomstick."

"That would be the Cloudy Broom Company," Griphook said at once, "Their stock shares are high right now, so it wouldn't be as profitable to join them now."

"It doesn't matter so long as they develop another broomstick within the next year or two," I waved off dismissively, "I'd like to buy a single stock, the fee taken from the trust fund Harry and I have together."

"Very well," Griphook said with a nod. "Will all fees be taken directly from the account?"

"For now, yes," I confirmed, "Now, I also wish to invest in Perwin's Parchment."

"May I inquire why?" Griphook asked as he stared at the company who didn't have many investors.

"The main parchment company, Plimoth's Parchment, already appears to have many investors. That leads me to believe that they are a bigger company. Their prices will be higher in terms of parchment. It also appears to have a monopoly going, as Perwin's is the only competitor I see. Perwin's is bound to have lower prices and more cared-for products if the business is so small. It would be best to invest now that it's small and watch my profits grow." I thought over my next decision before saying, "Buy five stocks. I'm sure I'll make it back in the long-run."

"Very well. Is there anything else?" Griphook asked.

"What are your commission prices?" I inquired.

He gave a grin. "7.5%."

"If that's the case, I want you to buy one stock of a company you trust in," I said as I glanced back at the stocks. "I believe you are well-informed and won't let the money go to waste."

"Of course," he agreed. "Will you do anything with the Daily Prophet?"

"No, not now," I denied, "Perhaps in the future."

Griphook nodded once.

"Well, I believe that it is all I shall do now," I said as I glanced around.

"Very well," the goblin said, "Follow me."

I did so, asking, "The rest of the Potter funds… Are they also guarded well?"

"Of course," Griphook said, "Fleamont Potter paid for a dragon to guard the funds as well as several wards placed for good measure."

"Excellent," I approved.

Griphook opened the door back to the marble hall, and said, "It was a pleasure doing business with you."

"There's no need to lie," I said honestly, "I'm sure I was an annoyance with all my questions."

Griphook looked surprised by my response, and he didn't look like he knew how to reply to something like that.

I nodded my head once before heading off to buy my school supplies.

"I hope you realize we're behind schedule now," Professor Snape drawled in an irritated sort of tone.

"I hope you realize two boys, especially at our age, won't be able to survive the entire seven years of our schooling with that amount," I tutted, "Especially considering how boys grow. We'll need all sorts of clothes and other equipment. Furthermore, we should look into the future and prepare for events that otherwise aren't expected."

Professor Snape stared down at me oddly for a moment before saying, "You seem a bit insightful for your age."

"Living with Vernon does that to you, especially considering his high position in the drill company," I said honestly. "He needs to rant to someone who can understand him."

"Ah…" The man in the black clothes didn't seem to have anything insightful to say about that. "In any case, we should get your trunk first."

"Lead the way," I directed.

He did so, leading me through the crowd of people and toward a certain shop that sold nothing but trunks.

"Welcome!" Someone inside the shop, presumably an employee, exclaimed cheerfully. "Can I help you find something?"

"I'm looking for a trunk for Hogwarts," I said honestly.

"Ah, Hogwarts. I remember my years there," the man said with a bright grin. "I was Hufflepuff myself."

I hummed, feigning interest.

"Well, let's see…" The man walked over to a nearby trunk and patted it gently. "This trunk is a basic model, but it's used by many students."

"Is there a lock?" I asked.

"If you want one that locks, we have plenty," he said as he motioned for me to follow him back a bit.

I did so, and I quickly threw a glance at a few trunks with different things advertised. I paused at a trunk that was supposedly fitted with an expansion charm. "This trunk… Is it available with a lock?"

"This trunk does, but most first-year students can't fill it up," he said.

"It doesn't matter," I waved off, "I'm looking for a long-term trunk."

"Right," he said, "These particular trunks also have a Feather-Light charm added to it to help make it easier to carry."

"Excellent," I approved. "I'll buy one."

He gave a singular nod before motioning for me to once again follow him.

I did as wordlessly commanded and found myself in front of a trunk that was a bit small on the outside, but rather wide and deep on the inside. I gave a grin before asking, "How does the lock work?"

"It's password based," he said, "You create a password and a wand movement for it to unlock itself."

"How much does it cost?" I asked.

"40 Galleons," he chirped.

"Very well," I said, "I'll definitely buy it."

"Excellent!" He chirped before picking up the trunk as though it weighed nothing. He brought it over to the counter where I paid for the trunk. He gave me a receipt before shaking my hand. "Pleasure doing business, Mr…"

"Colton," I said, not interested in the whole Potter business going around.

"Mr. Colton," he said, though he did look at me a bit oddly afterward.

I nodded once before taking my trunk by the handle and lifting it from the counter. I surveyed the weight before nodding once to myself. I then bid the man goodbye before heading off with Professor Snape to somewhere else.

The man took me to a store called Ollivander's.

The shop was surprisingly empty, save for a man with moon-like eyes fluttering through the shelves. He paused as soon as he saw me, and it looked as though he was seeing a ghost. He swallowed some saliva before approaching the front counter. "Colton Potter… I was wondering when you might come. I must admit, I expected you to be with your brother."

I nearly sneered at the thought of my brother, but managed to keep that urge in check. Instead, I replied, "Harry and I split up at the beginning of this endeavor. I doubt we will remain at each other's sides from now on."

"Yes, I can see that now," the man mumbled softly, causing my brow to furrow slightly. "Now, hold out your dominant hand."

I held out my right arm without much thought.

He brought out a tape measure with silver markings and began to measure various places, though the tape measure quickly took over.

"I must ask," I stated slowly. "What wand did he have?"

The man fumbled for a second, clearly not expecting such a question.

Snape, who had tensed up behind me, also seemed to have been caught off guard.

The wand-maker threw a worried glance over at me as he answered, "I have made many wands in my life-"

"And I would expect you to remember the important ones," I said as I narrowed my eyes sharply.

He swallowed thickly before nodding, turning his gaze to his many rows upon rows of boxes. "I do, Mr. Potter, I remember them all…" He gave a heavy sigh before explaining, "The wand I gave him was made of yew wood, had a phoenix feather core, and was 13 ½" long."

I stared at him as he pulled out a brown and gold box and began to come closer, only to seemingly second-guess himself.

He walked back into the shelves, out of sight.

I waited patiently for a mere moment before questioning, "His wand… Was it powerful?"

"Wands are only as strong as their proper owners," Ollivander answered as he came back toward me, holding a black box in his hand. "A wand will choose its master, and that master must then master magic in order to make their spells stronger."

I hummed, making a mental note of that as he lifted the lid on the box.

He showed me the wand that was twisted, yet straight at the same time.

I lifted up the wand and gave a simple flick.

Golden sparks left the end of my wand, and Ollivander lowered his gaze to the box.

I furrowed my brow a bit, knowing that the wand felt right, but also knowing that such a reaction felt truly off to me.

"Blackthorn wood, phoenix feather core, 13 ¾", unyielding flexibility," he listed off, almost sorrowfully. He looked up to me and explained, "You are destined for powerful things, young Mr. Potter. It is up to you whether you will use that power for good or bad."

"We all have our own definitions of what good and bad means. No two people generally think the same, and therefore it really is up to me to decide whether I use my powers for what I believe is good or not," I stated, causing Ollivander to nod slowly.

"In any case, that will be seven galleons," he said.

I handed over the seven golden coins and watched him present the box to me. I placed the wand away in the box before turning my head toward Snape. "Do robes have wand holders, or is there a special holder that one must buy?"

"Wand holders are against uniform policy at Hogwarts," the man informed me.

I hummed softly before nodding once. I turned back to Ollivander, who had closed the box and was holding it out toward me. I gently took the box holding my wand and gave a small bow of my head. I then turned heel, ready to leave the place, when a thought occurred to me. I turned slightly and asked, "What's his real name?"

The man paled drastically before muttering, "Please, leave."

I was unsatisfied, but I accepted his wishes nonetheless. I figured, by how tense Snape was, that he wasn't expecting me to ask such questions. I suppose it did make me seem a bit morbid.

Snape walked silently through the crowd before ducking into a large shop.

I followed after him without question, only to be led into some dark corner of said store.

He whipped around, looking quite cross. "Potter, I don't know what you think gives you the right to ask these questions, but it is time that you stop."

I looked up at him with a blank expression, fed up with his attitude. "I shall stop asking and simply read a book about him then."

"You won't find that information in a book," he said with a scoff, "It was dark times for everyone, and no one wishes to relive the horrors of that time period."

I lowered my gaze for a moment before smirking. I looked back up at the man and asked, "Then shall I prove to be worse than he ever was? Would that give me the answers that I seek?"

He grit his teeth as he looked down at me. "You're just like your father, acting self-righteous to get what you want."

"Yes, so self-righteous that he died protecting his family," I drawled before waving him off dismissively. "In any case, I will be finding out more about him, whether you approve or not."

The man glared down at me, as if that could possibly bend my will to his liking.

"I shall start by finding his name, then spread out to the rest of his past. I assure you that all the gory details will be mine to discover, whether they be a mark of darkness to the general public or not." With that, I turned heel and began to walk away, giving the man a chance to calm down from the anger that was obviously spiking in his being. I went to the nearby bookstore, Flourish and Blotts, for the time-being and found a book on wand-lore so I could understand more about wands, as well as a book on wizarding politics, and some more history. I purchased the books with my Galleons before heading off to where I left Snape in Wrigley's Wizarding Supplies.

Surprisingly, he was still there, just in a different area of the store. He appeared to have calmed down as he looked at different brass scales for measuring what I assumed to be potion ingredients.

I eyed all the different scales before turning my gaze back to the Potions Master, whose professional opinion I trusted at the moment, even if he did despise me and would probably set me up for ruin if he wasn't still forced to be acting in a professional capacity.

Eventually, the man acknowledged me by flicking his hand toward two different sets of brass scales. "Choose between these two."

"Which do you believe is best for a Hogwarts student in their first year?" I questioned right away.

"These scales should hold up for your first four years," he said as he motioned to the scales manufactured by Waagen. "However, these scales will be useless at the end of your fourth year, meaning you would need to buy a whole new set of scales." He then pointed to the Gradindelning Scales, which looked pretty much the same as the Waagen ones. "These have replaceable parts, which means the parts won't last as long as the other one. However, it also means that you won't need to buy a whole new set of scales after four years. It's up to you to decide between the two."

I immediately motioned at the Gradindelning Scales and asked, "Do the ingredients for potions affect how often the parts need to be replaced?"

"Yes," the man confirmed right away.

I hummed softly before questioning, "How expensive are replacement parts, and are they interchangeable with other models from the same manufacturer?"

Perking up just a faint bit, the Potions Master answered, "The parts aren't very expensive, and they aren't interchangeable from one model to another."

"So, if ever this model goes out of production, I'm basically out of luck in terms of parts," I realized aloud. I immediately looked at the Waagen Scales and said, "Well, I am making the obvious choice. Besides, I'm sure that bronze scales will improve in four years."

Snape nodded in approval before gently picking up a Waagen scale.

I flicked my eyes over the scale for a moment before pausing. "Is the company's seal always so different from one product to another?"

Snape quickly moved the scale around, only to pause. He then looked at the scale on the shelf that was behind the original scale he picked up. Finally, Snape calmly put the scale back before quickly making for the front counter, myself in tow.

The poor cashier was looking bored out of their mind when they noticed Snape coming up with a dark look on his face. He immediately squeaked in surprise before shrinking down as if he had done something to warrant smiting from God, Himself.

"Where is your manager?" Snape demanded to know.

"I-I believe he's out for lunch, sir," the cashier stuttered.

"Mr. Tarnish, I believe it wise that you tell me the truth," the man threatened not-so-subtly as he leaned toward the obviously scared boy that looked right out of high school, or rather Hogwarts, considering it was the wizarding world.

"E-erm-"

"Ah, to what owe the pleasure, Snape?" A rotund man asked as he basically strutted from the back of the large shop.

"Mr. Slease," Professor Snape said dryly, "I shouldn't have expected anyone else."

The man frowned deeply. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Why are you selling counterfeit Waagen scales?" The man asked point-blank. "Depending on your answer, I may just have to inform the Daily Prophet."

I watched as Mr. Slease flinched minutely before straightening up.

"I haven't any idea what you're talking about," he lied so obviously, it actually caused me to pity him.

"Very well, you've tipped my hand," Professor Snape said as if he had no other choice.

"If you aren't going to buy something, I suggest you leave-"

"Severus!" Someone else cut in.

I looked to the owner of the new voice and found a woman happily coming forward, her blonde hair and pale blue eyes matched with pale skin and surprisingly youthful looks.

"Narcissa," Professor Snape greeted with a nod of his head.

"What brings you here, Severus?" The woman asked, obviously close to the man.

"They are selling counterfeit Waagen scales," the man said with absolutely no remorse. "I wish to know why."

Immediately, the woman's face changed into one of cold wrath. She looked at Mr. Slease with nothing short of fury as she said in a severe tone. "Is that so? I'm sure the Ministry would love this."

"You have no evidence," Mr. Slease said boldly.

"Beyond the fact the seals on the scales vary from one to the other despite having the same manufacturer?" Snape challenged with a raised brow. "You'd be correct."

Mr. Slease broke out in a cold sweat right then and there. "I-I haven't any idea what you mean."

"We shall see about that," Snape said curtly before turning heel. "Come along, Potter."

I did so, and the woman followed after me.

"Potter, you said?" The woman questioned. "This isn't Colton Potter, by any chance, is it?"

I was vaguely surprised that she knew my name, but quickly dismissed it as unimportant.

"It is," Professor Snape said with a single nod.

"I heard you were living with muggles for the past few years," the woman said as she looked down at me with a surprisingly blank expression.

"Not by choice, I assure you," I said honestly.

"Do you not like your family?" She questioned.

"No, and they do not like me," I admitted, "Hence why I am here with someone else."

The woman shot a glance at Professor Snape before returning her gaze toward me. "If they don't like you, why do you stay with them?"

"Where else will I go?" I questioned, "Even if I were to run, I would simply be sent back. Such is the way of the world I reside in."

She frowned deeply at my response, and she looked genuinely contemplative of my words.

"It doesn't matter," I waved off dismissively, "I will soon be among my own kind at Hogwarts. I will only have to deal with them during summer break."

"I see…" The woman trailed off before glancing up at the shop's sign.

The store was Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment.

Inside was a much nicer place filled with globes, telescopes, and many other magical devices.

Professor Snape immediately walked over to the scales and made sure they were legitimate before nodding. "This is the seal of a true Waagen product."

I looked at the seal before humming softly. "Is that the proper price as well?"

"Indeed," Snape approved.

"I'll talk to my husband about this," the woman assured Professor Snape.

"I would appreciate it," Snape said with a nod.

"Now, I should really get going. I have to meet Lucius and Draco at the Apothecary." She gave the man a brief nod before her eyes flicked down to me.

I nodded once in acknowledgement before she went on her way.

"Let's get your telescope and phials now," Professor Snape said as he began to walk to a different area of the store.

"My list said either glass or crystal phials. Which do you think is better for potions?" I inquired right away.

"You will hardly be needing crystal phials for your first three years of Potions, unless, of course, you are truly incompetent," he said.

"The glass won't get too warm from the potion?" I asked curiously.

"Not if you follow the instructions," the man said as he threw a dubious glance my way.

I felt a bit irked, but I played it off as cool. We got to the phials, and I came to the conclusion that crystal was truly superior to glass in holding Potions just by looking. However, I also knew that they were a bit too expensive for my tastes. Therefore, I settled for a set of glass phials.

From there, Professor Snape led me over to the telescopes.

I examined all of the telescopes before picking out a brass one that seemed to be decent enough, not that I ever used a telescope before or anything.

Professor Snape nodded once before leading me over to counter.

I had to hand over 14 Galleons and was allowed to put my bought supplies into my trunk. From there, I was led to a bookstore called Flourish and Blotts.

Snape looked at me sternly and said, "You will go get two books, and I will get the rest. Do not dawdle."

"Understood," I said before receiving the titles of the books. I headed off into the shelves and got the first one without any trouble. As I was getting the second one, my hand brushed up against another person's. I sneered as I recoiled my hand, giving the man whose hand touched mine a dirty look.

He was giving me an equally as dirty look, which only intensified upon seeing my clothing.

"It's rude to stare, or do wizards like you know no manners?" I asked calmly.

"I wouldn't have expected a mudblood like yourself to know anything about manners," he retorted right away.

"Oh? I half expected a pureblood such as yourself to be inbred to the point of mental retardation. You are clearly worse if you are judging my blood status based on clothing alone," I shot back without hesitation.

The man looked ready to slap me when Snape rounded the bookshelf.

"Potter! I told you no dawdling!" The man snapped at me.

"Oh, do forgive me. I was merely trying to have a nice conversation with this rubbish, but it appears to not know what mere civility is," I replied before grabbing my desired book off the shelf. I made sure to not bother with looking at the pureblood wizard as I walked over to Snape, who was looking at the other man like he was hiding away all emotion.

"Potter?" the man behind me asked.

"Oh, you aren't completely stupid, I see," I stated before looking up at Snape. "Shall we get going? I hope not to dawdle anymore." I then tried to walk toward the check-out, only to quickly be stopped by Snape.

"Apologize," he demanded as he glared down at me.

"I apologize for keeping you waiting," I said.

He was clearly rolling his eyes inside his mind. "Not to me, you dunderhead."

I sneered a bit, earning a harsh glare. I internally sighed before turning heel. I looked at the pureblood and nearly scoffed at his expectant expression. "I am sure sorry for hurting your pathetic pride. I hope you can learn from this experience, if nothing else."

The man's smirk died, and his glare returned.

Snape inhaled deeply through his nose before demanding through grit teeth, "Apologize correctly."

"I refuse," I stated as I kept my eyes on the man.

"Now," he hissed.

An idea struck my mind, and I gave a smirk. §Sorry,§ I hissed as though I was talking to a snake.

The man stepped back, his gray eyes going wide. "Y-you're-"

I stepped toward him. §Aw, are you frightened?§

He stepped back once more before suddenly remembering his pride. He firmly planted his feet into the ground before demanding, "You aren't scaring me."

• I'm not?§ I asked before cooing, §I could say a spell to kill you, and you would never know…§

"Potter, that is quite enough," Snape said firmly.

I snickered as I stepped back, "Ah, you're lucky there's no cameras. Imagine everyone seeing your face when I spoke the snake's tongue."

"It's called being a parseltongue," he informed me in a curt tone of voice.

"Actually, snakes call it being a 'Speaker', but I wouldn't expect someone like you to know about it," I said just as curtly.

"Severus, this boy is clearly in need of a lesson on manners," the man said as if I wasn't right freaking there.

I was tempted to mock him, but I refused to stoop to that man-child's already subpar level. "In any case, I did apologize, whether you understood it or not. What do you say in reply?"

The man looked at me like I had some gall. "You were the one who-"

"As I happened to see it, giving a child such a look would only encourage a response like that," I interrupted sharply.

"Potter, we are going to have a few words on your lack of respect-"

I felt my left eye twitch, and the man's eyes widened as he withdrew his wand.

As flames quickly drew toward him, appearing out of thin air, the man made this barely visible shield. The flames bounced back toward me and didn't show any signs of stopping.

I clicked my tongue as I waved my hand toward the flames, making them disappear as if they never existed. "That, I will apologize for. I have yet to get that under my full control."

The man and Snape were both tense, as though I had suddenly proven to be a ticking time bomb. Nevertheless, they both seemed to calm down at my words, even if it was only by a fraction.

"I believe I shall head to the check-out so you two may gossip about me behind my back," I stated before slipping past Snape and heading off toward the counter.

"Lucius, don't even think about it," Snape said warningly.

"But-"

"No," he demanded firmly before following me.

I pretended like I was clueless as to Lucius's stare, placing my books on the counter, followed by Snape doing the same with my other books. I paid for them and quickly placed them into my own trunk based on size.

We went off to another shop called Scribbulus Writing Implements. Nothing of interest happened there beyond buying many rolls of parchment, multiple quills, and several jars of ink. From there, we went to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.

"Hogwarts, dear?" Madam Malkin, a squat, smiling witch dressed in mauve, asked.

"Indeed," I confirmed with a simple nod.

"Got the lot here - another young man is being fitted up just now, in fact," she said.

In the back of the shop was a black boy with dark brown, slanted eyes and a shaved head. He seemed to be rather bored as he was being fitted for robes. He took one glance at my clothes before asking, "Are you a muggleborn?"

"Halfblood," I replied casually. "Yourself?"

"Halfblood," he answered simply. "I'm taking it that it will be your first year."

"You would be correct," I approved.

"It will be my first year as well," he stated before looking down at the robes he was wearing with distaste. "These uniforms seem rather boring, especially compared to Durmstrang's."

"Probably to make us seem like one unanimous student body," I said, recalling the purpose for the muggle school uniform I was faced with wearing in high school. "That way, there will be less instances of bullying and such, at least according to adults."

The boy's bored expression shifted slightly into vague interest. "You believe there will be bullying despite us all wearing the same robes?"

"There always is," I said, "It will be abundantly obvious who has the money and who doesn't based on the school supplies. That alone will divide up the students, not to mention the houses themselves."

"What did you say your name was?" The boy questioned.

"It's common courtesy to give your name first when asking," I chided gently.

"Blaise Zabini," he said, "Now, may I have your name?"

"Well, since you asked so politely," I said as I gave him a lazy grin. "My name is Colton Potter."

Zabini looked rather surprised. "You're a Potter?"

"Indeed," I said as my grin died. "Harry's older brother, not that I truly matter much."

"Why would you say that?" The boy asked.

"Well, everyone is only interested in Harry, being the Boy-Who-Lived and all that…" I made a vague hand-motion. "I'm simply the other one that was there that night."

"Do you remember anything?" He asked curiously.

"Mia filgio!" A woman said sharply as she came into the back area.

The boy paled rapidly as he looked at the woman with a hint of fear. "M-Madre-"

The woman proceeded to lecture the boy quickly in a foreign language, and the boy barely held in a massive cringe.

Once she finished, Blaise looked more than a bit cowed. He turned toward me, his eyes not meeting mine, and he said, "I apologize for asking such an insensitive question."

I waved it off dismissively. "I'll be asked many more times, so it's best to prepare now. To answer your question, I do remember something."

He perked up a bit looking interested. He didn't ask for me to elaborate, however, as he didn't want to be lectured again by the woman. Instead, he turned to the lady and said, "Madre, this is Colton Potter."

"Damiana Zabini," the woman greeted with a slight accent as she gave a curtsey.

"I would bow, but I am a bit pinned up at the moment," I said as I glanced down at the various pins in the oversized robes.

She chuckled as if amused. "Tell me Colton, what House do you wish to be in?"

"I do not seek a particular house, but rather a place where I will fit in," I admitted.

She hummed softly. "Do you know what houses your parents were in?"

"I believe, based on their actions, they were both from Gryffindor," I said honestly.

"Ah, yes. The house of bravery," she said, "Personally, I went to Durmstrang, but I believe it wise for my son to attend Hogwarts."

"How was Durmstrang?" I inquired.

She gave a sharp smile. "It served me well."

I immediately made a mental note not to cross the woman and nodded once in reply.

"You're all done, dear," Madam Malkin said as she finished with the younger Zabini's uniforms.

Blaise Zabini was freed from the school robes, revealing well-tailored robes underneath. He was clearly from a higher-class family, and he would most likely end up with others like him.

"I'll see you around, Colton Potter," the black boy said.

"I look forward to it, Blaise Zabini," I said as I nodded my head once.

He headed off to the front of the shop, along with the woman that was presumably his mother.

I turned my focus to Madam Malkin, who was still making sure my robes would fit. "I would also like to have four additional pairs of robes. I've heard green looks good on me, so I will order two of those and two plain black robes."

"It will take longer if you do," she warned.

"I have no problem with waiting," I said honestly.

She gave a nod. "Very well then."

After about half an hour, I paid for my school robes, cloak, and four additional pairs of robes. I then left the shop with an agitated Hogwarts professor.

"Why do you insist on taking so long?" He snapped at me as he hurriedly led me to a shop called Slug and Jiggers Apothecary. He ordered several potions ingredients for my first year at Hogwarts. After making me pay for them, he tucked the large case of various oddities into my trunk. "Now, come along. Your brother is probably already waiting for you."

"I honestly doubt that," I said honestly. "And I want one more thing before I go."

"You are insufferable," the man said as he glared at me.

"I've heard worse before from Dudley," I commented dryly before heading over to the Daily Prophet's main office. I ordered myself a year's subscription and paid for it out of my Galleons so that the goblins wouldn't take another access fee. I gave my name, as well as my main address and the information that I would be at Hogwarts for the majority of the year. With everything settled, I received a single newspaper and headed off with Professor Snape to the Leaky Cauldron.

Unsurprisingly, Harry and Hagrid weren't there.

Professor Snape scowled deeply upon realizing what time it was and that my brother and the giant man weren't anywhere to be seen.

"Come, eat something. I'm sure your blood sugar is too low to do you any good," I said as I took a seat at the bar. I looked over the menu and was about ready to order when Professor Snape finally sat down next to me. I passed him the menu as I ordered a salad and ice water.

Professor Snape looked at me oddly before ordering his own meal.

I received my ice water soon, as well as my salad. I was in the process of eating it when Harry and Hagrid stumbled into the pub, looking like they were carrying everything instead of having it nearly packed into Harry's trunk. I gave a small sigh of disapproval before continuing with my meal.

Harry and Hagrid came lumbering over, both looking worn out from all their shopping.

"Eat quickly, and we should be able to make the next train," I said, causing Harry's stomach to grumble.

My brother quickly sat down and ordered a hamburger and fries, along with a carbonated beverage.

Hagrid ordered a meal of his own.

I was quick to finish my salad and asked, "Harry, have you even thought of organizing your trunk?"

"Can't you do it for me?" He asked with a whine, clearly not wanting to bother with it.

"Very well," I grumbled, not wanting to be stared at the entire way back to Little Whinging because he couldn't be bothered with packing his trunk. I was quick to tuck away everything in a proper location, causing the trunk to be quite heavy. "Your trunk doesn't have a lock?"

"It'll be fine," Harry said with a roll of his eyes.

I internally sighed as I closed up his trunk and made sure it would stay latched shut. I then looked at the time and said, "You have five more minutes."

"Fine," he grumbled before perking up. "This is my owl."

"Did you pick out a name?" I asked.

"Er - no," he said before looking at his owl carefully. "I'll pick out a name for her later."

I felt bad for the owl, as Harry was never original.

He'd probably pick a name from a book and call her that.

I quickly shrugged it off and turned toward the bartender. "I would like the bill for the four of us."

"You're not paying for my meal," Professor Snape snapped before looking at Tom. "We'll have two separate bills."

The bartender nodded before fetching two checks.

I quickly paid for Harry, Hagrid, and I while the man in black paid for his own meal. Finally, we left and made for the Underground.

We rode from there to Paddington station.

Once there, Harry said, "Everyone thinks I'm special. All those people in the Leaky Cauldron, Professor Quirrell, Mr. Ollivander… but I don't know anything about magic at all. How can they expect great things? I'm famous, and I can't even remember what I'm famous for. I don't know what happened when Vol-, sorry - I mean the night my parents died."

Hagrid gave Harry a kind smile behind his wild beard and eyebrows. "Don' you worry, Harry. You'll learn fast enough. Everyone starts at the beginning at Hogwarts. You're be just fine. Just be yerself. I know it's hard. Yeh've been singled out, an' that's always hard. But yeh'll have a great time at Hogwarts, I did - still do, 'smatter of fact."

Professor Snape chose that moment to turn to me, as we stood before the train to Little Whinging. He pulled an envelope from an inner pocket of his robes and said, "Do not lose this ticket. It will allow you to board the Hogwarts Express. On the first of September, at eleven o'clock, the train will leave King's Cross station in London. Do not miss it."

"Very well," I said, accepting the envelope from him. "I'll see you again soon."

"Indeed," he said with a slight sneer.

I boarded the train with my trunk before helping Harry with his.

Hagrid gave Harry his ticket and a meaningful farewell.

I simply opened up the Daily Prophet and began reading.

The train began to pull out of the station.

Harry went to wave to Hagrid, but realized the giant man was nowhere to be seen. "He was just there a second ago…"

"Probably wizard teleportation," I muttered, "Now sit down, and get your ticket ready."

With a heavy sigh, Harry sat down and awaited to arrive back in Little Whinging.