Chapter 4
After having breakfast, Minerva showed them the music room, the dining room (for when they have guests), the gallery, the art room, Minerva's office, the potions lab, the astronomy tower, etc.
Eventually they got to the library. Harry started walking through the many shelves of books in the English section almost immediately. Percy was just standing there until something caught his eye at the back of the library.
Curious, Minerva followed him over to what she saw to be the Greek section. She saw him staring at the spines of the books in wonder before pulling one off it's shelf. His eyes started darting back and forth as he read, astonishment clear in his gaze.
"What is it Perseus?" Minerva asked, startling him.
"I-i prefer Percy ma'am. It's just that, I've always been dyslexic. Never before have I been able to read anything until now."
"Percy, you're reading in Greek."
He looked up at her in surprise.
"Greek? Isn't that a dead language? I don't remember ever learning Greek!"
Minerva studied him for a moment.
"It is peculiar though not unheard of for people to suddenly know languages they had never learned." She said, waving it aside.
In reality she was just storing away this of occurrence for further thought at a later date. There was something different about the older Potter. What that something was, she didn't know.
"You can take as many books as you'd like out of this room. After all, this is where you'll be staying from now on." She said, smiling at Percy.
He looked around at the shelves and picked out about five different spell books. He had never been able to read before so even though he'd heard others complain about having to read, he couldn't help but feel excited.
He had thought that he would be bored after finding out that house elves did all the work. He hadn't enjoyed practically being a slave but he didn't know what to do when he wasn't working. Now that he could read, he could already tell that he would never be bored.
Minerva told Harry and him to relax, explore, or just have fun until lunch after which she said they'd all go to get Percy's school supplies. Over the next 4 1/2-5 hours, Percy read through three books titled The Standard Book Of Spells: Grade 1 by Miranda Goshawk, A Beginner's Guide To Transfiguration by Emeric Switch, and Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger. As he put aside the potions book, Percy found himself very excited to actually get his wand.
He made his way down to the kitchen wishing that he had grabbed a book about wands from the library. In both the spell books it talks about certain spells/subjects working better with different wands. Percy promised himself that when they got back, he'd go back to the library and look up his wand.
Minerva was sitting at the table with Harry. Percy could only see his brother's hair over the book he was reading. He chuckled to himself.
The house elf Binky appeared as he sat down.
"What would Master Percy be wanting for his lunch?" She asked in her high squeaky voice.
"I don't know, what do you like?"
Binky stared at him, not knowing how to answer for a moment.
"I enjoy peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, Master Percy."
Percy smiled.
"That sounds perfect. Thank you Binky."
She smiled shyly back before disappearing with a crack.
Minerva smiled at him.
"Mrs. McGonagall, is there some way that I could learn more about Hogwarts before actually going?"
"Of course." She waved her wand and a book came flying into the room.
It was in Greek but Percy could read it perfectly. Hogwarts: A History was scrawled across the cover. She handed it to him and smirked in amusement as he immediately opened it and started reading.
When Binky came back with Percy's sandwich, he looked up to thank her before going right back to his reading.
When the three finished eating, Harry and Percy ran up to their new rooms to drop off the books they'd been reading and met Minerva in the entrance hall of the castle. Together they walked outside to just past the wrought iron gate.
Both boys grabbed one of Minerva's arms and after a brief moment of the feeling of being crushed in a tiny tube, they found themselves in the middle of a bustling marketplace.
Percy turned to her as they started walking towards a big white building.
"Why did we have to go outside the gates before leaving?"
Minerva glanced at the curious young boy before looking to his brother. Though the two of them physically looked so similar they couldn't be more different when it came to their manner.
While Percy always seemed intent on being completely aware of his surroundings, Harry looked to have his head in the clouds. Percy peered into all the darkest shadows of the place whereas Harry was content to take in all the light, magic, and wonder of this new world.
"Because, as you will learn when you continue to read Hogwarts: A History, certain charms and wards can be placed around properties, objects, rooms, and dwellings that prevent certain spells and/or types of magic from being performed. One such ward is placed around my family'sancestral home preventing apparition, which is how we got here."
"And where exactly is here."
"This, Percy, is Diagon Alley. It is also accessible through a pub called 'The Leaky Cauldron' in London."
He nodded and stayed quiet as they walked into the great white building that McGonagall said was called Gringotts. There were tall desks lining the hall and behind each desk was a creature with a pointed face and a disdainful sneer. McGonagall led the two up to the nearest available desk.
"Excuse me, I am here to take the Potter boys to their vaults and to see the Potter account manager, Silverclaw," she said in her usual brisk tone.
The man, Percy assumed that it was male, looked up from the papers that were on his desk and observed them for a moment.
"Very well." His voice was low, rough, and nasally. "Griphook!"
Another one of them came over to them.
"Take professor McGonagall and the Potters to Silverclaw's office."
Griphook nodded before turning to the trio and motioning for them to follow him.
He led them through winding hallways until they arrived at a large red door. He let them inside before saying "Silverclaw will see you shortly," before turning to leave.
"Thank you Mr. Griphook," Percy said.
"Yes, thank you," Harry added.
Griphook froze for a moment, shocked. Then, he smiled at the boys.
"It was my pleasure Messrs Potter."
He then left, closing the door behind him. Percy turned to Mcgonagall.
"I'm sorry but, what are they?"
"It's alright, Percy. They are goblins. They are in charge of our entire financial system."
Percy nodded, seeming interested but Harry's face lit up.
"Cool!"
At that moment another goblin came into the room and sat at the desk.
"Hello Professor, Mr. Potter, Mr. Potter." He greeted.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Silverclaw." Percy
The goblin raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
"Mr. Silverclaw, I do believe that no one has looked at the Potter vaults in the last eight years but now that the last two Potters are being brought back into our world, they will need access to some of their finances, especially as young Percy will be attending Hogwarts come September."
Silverclaw nodded. "Messrs Potter are unable to remove money from the vaults other than their trust vault until they turn fifteen though any relics within may be removed. We can go over the contents of their vaults, their shares, and stocks now if you'd like."
"I'm sorry Mr. Silverclaw but my brother and I have just moved into a new home this morning and would like to become accustomed to it. If you wouldn't mind, could we just look around whatever vaults we have briefly today, collect some money from our trust vault, and make an appointment to look at all this at a later date?"
Silverclaw looked impressed at Percy's logical take on things.
"Of course Mr. Potter if you and your brother would just provide three drops of blood to verify your lineage or seven for a more extended family tree."
He offered two pieces of enchanted parchment and a silver dagger, expecting some hesitance. Harry glanced over to Percy quickly and grabbed the dagger, pressing it firmly to the pad of his left index finger until it drew blood. He let seven drops fall on the paper and watched as writing appeared.
Harry James Potter
Lily Evans James Potter
It went on back several generations before two unexpected relatives were discovered.
An ancestor of James Potter was Godric Gryffindor and Lily Potter (née Evans) was related to Helga Hufflepuff. This meant that Percy and Harry were related to two of the founders of Hogwarts.
Percy took the dagger and sliced his own hand open, dripping seven drops onto the other piece of parchment. It started out the same as Harry's.
Perseus Potter
Lily Evans James Potter
But then a third name appeared in shining gold ink.
Poseidon.