Hogwarts Letter
The Hogwarts owl was indeed looking for them.
When the trio left the Leaky Cauldron, they were welcomed by the sight of Saphira hissing vicious insults at an unknown owl perched on their couch. Notus and Hedwig were screeching at it as well. Thorn was trying to pounce on it.
About five minutes later, Harry had them all calm enough for him to take the letter from a tired Hogwarts owl. The eleven year old decided to show it to Jayden and Gabriel before he promptly tore open the very letter he had been waiting three long years for.
It was addressed to Mr. Potter, Second largest bedroom, and his very important address he would like to have been kept secret. He began to read.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Mr. Potter,
We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl no later than 31 July.
Yours sincerely,
Minvera McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
Harry took out the list of equipment and started looking at it, but found absolutely nothing he didn’t already have. The robes were the only thing he needed to buy.
“I’ve already read all these books at least a year ago at this point,” Harry frowned. “Even the history of magic one.”
“Well of course you have,” Jayden chirped. “Do you really think I would make you go to school unprepared? Come on, we’re going to go practice all those spells until you drop.”
Harry groaned. Jayden was always serious about making him pass out from exhaustion and then revive him, rest, and go back to training.
——————————————————————
Harry walked into Madam Malkins hoping nobody but the owner was there. That was not to be so, however. He instantly saw a blond head so bright and self-important it could only be a Malfoy.
Wasn’t a Draco Malfoy in his relationship?
Crap.
“Hogwarts, dear?” Asked a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve. “Got the lot here- another young man being fitted up just now, in fact.”
Harry almost made his displeasure known, but then remembered how much political power Malfoys had. It could be useful to be a friend of their son.
The eleven year old saw Malfoy features immediately when he was lead to the back- a boy with a pale, pointed face was standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long black robes. Madam Malkin started to do the same to his emerald ones.
“Hello,” said Malfoy Jr. “Hogwarts, too?”
“Quite fortunately, yes. Wouldn’t want to be seen at a school other than Hogwarts in England.”
Malfoy Jr. nodded in agreement. “My father’s next door buying my books and Mother’s up the street looking for wands,” said the menace. He sounded bored. “Then I’m going to go convince them to get me a racing broom. Quite inconvenient, I think, that first years like myself can’t have our own brooms. I think I’ll somehow smuggle it in, I suppose.”
Why did this guy talk so much?
“What year are you in? I bet you’re allowed to have a broom already. Would you smuggle mine in?” Harry was getting annoyed fast.
He took a deep breath. “No, as much as I would love to be involved in illegal activities, I’m a first year like yourself. Have you tried a simple notice-me-not charm?”
Malfoy gaped at him. “But- how are you a first year, if you’re so tall? And why didn’t I think of a notice-me-not charm?”
“I grow fast, that’s how I’m so tall. But a notice-me-not charm will probably be noticed my the house elves anyways. I’m sure it’d be worth trying, however.”
“You could probably pose as a third year long enough to fool those stupid bats,” Malfoy proclaimed. “Would it be suspicious if you took two?”
“Most definitely,” Harry agreed.
Malfoy suddenly looked at him pointedly. “Are you one of us, or one of the mud- muggleborns?” He demanded.
“My father was a pureblooded wizard, and my mother was a muggleborn.”
He sneered. “I suppose that pureblood wizard of yours is a blood traitor?”
Harry didn’t bother giving a verbal answer after that. He just removed the glamour from his scar and lifted his bangs for Malfoy to see the scar.
“Harry Potter!” Malfoy exclaimed. “I’m Draco, Dr-“
“Draco Malfoy, I know.”
Malfoy looked positively delighted. “So you weren’t raised by those muggles, were you?” He beamed. “Finally Dumbledore isn’t stupid enough to hide a wizard in with muggles.”
“Actually he still is,” Harry sorrowfully reported. “I was raised by them for seven years until I escaped. I live with a wizard now.”
Malfoy nodded his acceptance. “I think we’ll be alright friends, don’t you think?”
Harry hummed. “Perhaps.”
——————————————————————
After his encounter with Malfoy Jr., Harry proceeded to raid the apothecary. And the book store. And the pet store, just in case his familiar was there. Surprise, it wasn’t.
While he was looking in some of the dustiest sections of the already dusty bookstore, someone kept coughing and sneezing quite loudly.
“Do you have asthma?” Harry demanded after the man’s 73rd cough. He was counting them now.
“Ah, uhm, no.. sorry. Just quite sick right now.” The man was wearing shabby clothing and his light brown hair was already greying, despite being quite young. There were stress lines on his face.
“You remind me of someone,” Harry said, narrowing his eyes. “What is your name?”
The stranger seemed unwilling to answer but he did anyways. “Remus Lupin,” he mumbled. Harry’s eyes lit up.
“Remus Lupin? Like the friend of James Potter, Remus John Lupin?” Remus eyed him suspiciously.
“Who’s asking?” He questioned.
Harry smiled, delighted. “Harry Potter.”
Remus stiffened, and the next moment, Harry was being pulled into a very firm hug by a sobbing Remus Lupin.
“Oh Harry, I’m so sorry I didn’t try to contact you earlier, it’s just, Dumbledore told me not to and that you were already with a loving family and you didn’t- n-need me.. and-“
Harry stopped the quietly rambling man and hugged him tightly. “I forgive you, Remus. Did you ever get your inheritance from Dad?”
Remus shook his head, burying it in Harry’s unruly hair so much like James’ was. “I didn’t know there was one, and Dumbledore sealed it anyway, so I couldn’t have gotten anything…”
“We’re gonna get you your inheritance, whether Dumbledork likes it or not.” Harry said determinedly.
Remus looked at him sadly. “That would be great, Harry, but no heir can withdraw that much money. The will is the only way to get it since the system is automatic.”
Harry’s eyes would have been sparkling with mischief, but he didn’t want to look like the picture of Dumbledore he saw on his chocolate frog card, so they didn’t.
“That’s where you’re wrong. I’m the emancipated Lord Potter-Peverell, so I don’t give a fuck about the sealed will. I can open it, accuse Asslicks of the many charges against him, and get Sirius Black freed from Azkaban.”
A glimpse of happiness suddenly overtook Remus’ face, and he hugged the child harder before letting go of him.
“Come on, then. We have a lot to do.”
——————————————————————
While Bloodcrusher, Harry, and Remus were scheming, Snape and Malfoy Jr. were having a lovely conversation.
“Did you flaunt your political power and wealth over anyone today, dearest godson?” Severus asked.
Draco grinned. “Certainly! I found this new mudblood panicking at book prices, so, naturally, I started to brag. It was amazing. I also met Harry Potter today, did you know? Why is he so tall? I honestly thought he was a third year or something, so I asked him to smuggle in my broom. Too bad.”
Severus smiled at the last comment. “Harry Potter, did you say? What was he like?”
Draco eyed Severus suspiciously but answered anyways. “He was… nice enough. Expressed how much the other magical schools in England are quite wimpy- I agree wholeheartedly, by the way- and when I voiced that I think we would be the bestest of besties, he said ‘perhaps’! I’m now Harry Potter’s bestie, Sev! Isn’t today great?”
“Indeed.” Severus drawled out. “I’ll admit, I’ve met the boy before as well, at Gringotts when my lordship was removed. I had my doubts about him at first but he seems good enough.” Lies, lies, lies. He is very good, perhaps too good for a Death Eater.
Draco seemed very happy. “I hope he gets into Slytherin,” he sighed dreamily. “Although we all know he’ll be in Gryffindor.”
Severus hummed. He knew Harry well enough to know he would certainly not be getting into Gryffindor. Or Hufflepuff. It was an even match between Ravenclaw and Slytherin.
“You never know,” he said finally. “Did he seem like one of those grubby Gryffindors?”
Draco seemed to contemplate this for some time. “No,” he finally answered. “However, his mother and father were both in that house, and why would you defeat a dark lord as a child just to go into a house other that Gryffindor?”
“You never know,” Severus repeated before standing up and leaving the room.