Chapter 3
Chris woke Harry up early the next morning. He wanted to know everything Hagrid had to say last night. He was to busy getting ahead of himself to pay attention.
"The first thing you should know is that Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia lied. Our parents didn't die in a car crash, a wizard who went bad killed them. He showed up to our house and killed Dad and then Mom. Hagrid said he tried to kill us too but the curse backfired and killed him instead. The curse gave me my scar. Hagrid said you weren't effected by the curse but I think that's why you-"
"What's the name of the wizard that killed our parents. You kept saying he, but I want his name."
Harry looked a bit conflicted, "Hagrid said people don't like the name so I'm only going to say it once. Voldemort."
Chris was about to comment on why people didn't like Voldemort's name when there was a tap on the window. He looked over and saw an owl tapping its claw in the window, a newspaper held in its beak.
Harry went straight to the window and jerked it open. The owl swooped in and dropped the newspaper on top of Hagrid. The owl then fluttered on the floor and began to attack Hagrid's coat.
"Don't do that."
Harry tried to wave the owl out the way, but it snapped its beak fiercely at him and carried on ravaging the coat.
"A little help here Chris."
"No way Harry. I think you've got it covered."
Harry gave his brother an annoyed look, that Chris promptly stuck his tongue at.
"Hagrid!" said Harry loudly. "There's an owl-"
"Pay him," Hagrid grunted into the sofa.
"What?"
"He wants payin' fer deliverin' the paper. Look in the pockets."
Chris watches as Harry looks through all of the pockets in the coat before pulling out a handful of coins.
"Give him five Knuts," said Hagrid sleepily.
"Knuts?"
"The little bronze ones."
Harry counted out five little bronze coins and the owl held out its leg so he could put the money into a small leather pouch tied to it. Then it flew off through the open window.
Hagrid yawned loudly, say up and stretched.
"Best be off boys, lots ter do today, gotta get up ter London an' buy all yer stuff for school."
Harry gave Chris a sad look, "How are we going to pay? We haven't got any money."
Chris have Harry a look, "Harry did you think I was drawing pictures for people free of charge."
Chris teaches into his sock and pulls out a wad of money, "I had to hide it from our family otherwise they would have taken it. This should be enough to buy out things."
"Don't worry about that," said Hagrid, standing up and scratching his head. "D'yeh think yer parents didn't leave yeh anything?"
"But if their house was destroyed-"
"They didn't keep their gold in the house, boy! Nah, first stop fer us is Gringotts. Wizard's bank. Have a sausage, they're not bad cold- an' I wouldn't say no teh a bit o' yer birthday cake, neither."
"Wizards have banks?"
"Just one. Gringotts. Run by goblins."
Harry dropped the big of sausage he was holding so Chris gave him the rest of his.
"Goblins?"
"Yeah- so yeh'd be mad ter try an rob it, I'll tell you that. Never mess with goblins, boys. 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 proudly. "He usually gets me ter do important stuff fer him. Fetchin' you- getting things from Gringotts- knows he can trust me, see."
"Got everythin'? Come on, then."
"Still got yer letter, boys?" Hagrid asked.
Chris took the parchment envelopes out of his pocket and handed Harry his.
"Good," he said. "There's a list there of everything yeh need."
Chris unfolded the second piece of paper.
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 of similar)
- One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags
Set books
All students should have a copy of each of the following
- The 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 glass or crystal phials
- 1 telescope
- 1 set brass scales
First-year students may also bring and owl Or a cat Or a toad
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST-YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS
"Can buy all this in London?" Harry asked.
"If yeh know where to go," said Hagrid.
Chris felt like they had been walking for hours when Hagrid finally stopped.
"This is it," said Hagrid, coming to a halt, "the Leaky Cauldron. It's a famous place."
It was a tiny place. If Hagrid hadn't pointed it out, the twins might have missed it.
As Hagrid led them inside Chris couldn't but feel underwhelmed. The place was kind of shabby on the inside. There wasn't very many people inside and they all seemed to know Hagrid, even the bartender.
"The usual, Hagrid?" He asked, reaching for a glass.
"Can't, Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business," said Hagrid, putting a hand Chris and Harry's shoulder.
The bartender seemed lost for words, meanwhile it seemed as if the entire building had gone silent.
"Bless my soul," he whispered, " Harry and Chris Potter...what an honor."
He hurried out from behind the bar, rushed forward towards Harry and seized his hand. Chris took a step back before he could grab him as well.
"Welcome back, Mr and Mr Potter, welcome back."
Everyone was looking at them. Suddenly there was a great scraping of chairs and then Chris found himself moving behind Harry as everyone tried to shake their hands. Chris had a problem with touching people. He wasn't trying to be rude, but he tended to get weird thoughts when he touched people for the first time. Last night after shaking Hagrid's hand he'd had a strange dream about dragons.
The only person he didn't have to touch to get the thoughts was Harry. Sometimes he just had to look at him and he'd get the thoughts along with an odd headache.
Suddenly a pale young man was standing in front of them.
"Professor Quirrell!" said Hagrid. "Boys, Professor Quirrell will be one of your teachers at Hogwarts."
"P-P-Potters," stammered Professor Quirrell, grasping Harry's hand, "c-can't t-tell you how p-pleased I am to meet you."
What sort of magic do you tech, Professor Quirrell?" Harry asked.
"D-Defense Against the D-D-Dark Arts," muttered Professor Quirrell, as though he'd rather not think about it. "N-Not that you need it, eh, P-P-Potters?" He laughed nervously, but Chris though about how true that was. Together at barely a year old he and his brother defeated a dark wizard that was stronger than everyone else. That should make him and his brother the strongest wizards ever according to their logic. Chris could definitely use this.
While Harry spent the next ten minutes shaking other peoples hands Chris was smiling on the outside, but on the inside he was thinking about how he could use this Twin-Who-Lived thing to make sure his brother, and any friends he made for that matter, would be taken care of. At last, Hagrid managed to make himself heard over everyone talking to Harry.
"Must get on- lots ter buy. Come on, boys."
Someone shook Harry's hand one last time before they all walked out of the store and Hagrid led them to a small courtyard where there was nothing but a trash can and a few weeds.
Hagrid grinned.
"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?"
"Oh yeah. Poor bloke. Brilliant mind. He was fine while studyin' outta books buthten he took a year off ter get some first-hand experience... They say he met vampires in the Black Forest, and there was noasty bit o' trouble with a hag- never been the same sice. Scared of the students, scared of his own subject- now, where's me umbrella?"
Harry looked a bit nervous at the possibility of vampires and hags, but Chris was quite sure he'd like to see one in person one day. Hagrid meanwhile, was counting bricks in the wall above the trash can.
"Three up...two across..." he muttered. "Right, stand back."
He tapped the wall three times with the point of his umbrella.
The brick he touched quivered In the middle, a small hole appeared- it grew wider and wider- a second later they were facing an archway onto a cobbled street that twisted and turned out of sight.
"Welcome," said Hagrid, "to Diagon Alley."
Chris's eyes widened in amazement. The sun shone brightly on a stack of cauldrons outside the nearest shop. Cauldrons-All Sizes- Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver- Self-Stirring- Collapsible, said a sign hanging over them. It was quite an eye-full.
Everywhere Chris turned there was something new to wonder at. As they walked Chris couldn't help but take note of the stores he'd like to visit when they left Gringotts. Speaking of ...
They had reached a snowy white building that towered over the other little shops. Standing beside its burnished bronze doors, wearing a professional looking uniform, was what Hagrid confirmed to be a Goblin.
The Goblin was about a head shorter than Harry and Chris. He had a swarthy, cleaver face, and a pointed beard. He bowed as they walked inside so Chris bowed back, not noticing the shock on the Goblin's face as they inside. Only to face a second set of doors with words engraved on them:
Enter, stranger, but take heed
Of what awaits the sin of greed,
For those who take, but do not earn,
Must pay 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," said Hagrid.
They walked through the doors and walked to a counter.
"Morning," said Hagrid to the goblin. "We've come ter take some money outta Mr. Harry and Chris Potter's safe."
"You have their key, sir?"
"Got it here somewhere," said Hagrid, and he started emptying his pockets onto the counter.
"Got it," said Hagrid at last, holding up a tiny white key.
The goblin looked at it closely.
"That seems to be in order."
"An' I've also got a letter here from Professor Dumbledore," said Hagrid importantly, throwing out his chest. "It's about the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen."
The goblin read the letter carefully.
"Very well," he said, handing it back to Hagrid, "I will have someone take you down to both vaults. Griphook!"
"What's the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen?" Harry asked. Chris, however, didn't really care. Although he was proud of his brother for speaking up and asking questions.
"Can't tell yeh that," said Hagrid mysteriously. "Very secret. Hogwarts business. Dumbledore's trusted me. More'n my jobs worth ter tell yeh that."
"If you can't tell us then why can we go down to the vault with you?" Chris asked.
Hagrid gave a serious look, "That's a good point. Once we go to yer vault we'll take you back up and then I'll go down to the vault myself."
"But what will we do while you're doing that?"
"You can get yer unifroms done at Madam Malkin's is what you'll do."
Chris looked at Harry and Harry grabbed his hand.
"Don't stress," he whispered, "We'll have a lot of fun getting our uniforms done."
Chris nodded and squeezed his twins hand before letting go to climb in the cart.
The second they climbed in the cart took off. Riding in the cart is what Chris assumed riding a rollercoaster would be like. It was exhilarating.
When the cart came to a stop Hagrid got out and leaned against the wall to gather his strength back,
Griphook unlocked the door. A lot of smoke came billowing out and when it cleared both boys gasped. Inside was piles of coins
"All yours," smiled Hagrid."
"All ours," Chris muttered.
Hagrid gave the twins both a bag to put coins into.
"The gold ones are Galleons," he explained. "Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle, it's easy enough."
Chris and Harry hurried to fill their bags with money. Harry giving Chris a hand when Chris got confused. When they were done they went back to Hagrid.
"Right, that should be enough fer a couple o' terms." He turned to Griphook. "To the lobby and then down to Vault seven hundred and thirteen please, and can we go more slowly?"
"One speed only," said Griphook and Chris gave a little fist pump.
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 and Chris on a stool on the left an right of him, "Now which one of you wants to go first."
"You can do my brother first Madam." Chris answered before Harry had the chance to. Madam Malkin slipped a long robe over his head and began to pin it to the right length.
"Hullo," said the boy, "Hogwarts too"
"Yes," said Harry while Chris nodded.
"My father's next door buying my books and Mother's up the street looking at wands," he said. "Then I'm hoping to convince Father to look at the racing brooms. They are worth admiring even if first-years can't take them to school."
"We saw them earlier," Chris said. "They looked pretty cool."
"They are really amazing. Perfect for a game of Quidditch. Do you play Quidditch?" the boy asked.
"No," Chris said trying to sound like he knew what Quidditch was. Meanwhile Harry was standing there silently wondering what it was about this boy that got his brother talking so much. Chris usually just let Harry do the talking when they met someone new. Hagrid was the exception.
" I do-Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house. Do you know what house you'll be in yet?"
"I'm not sure," said Chris, glad the boy hadn't caught on yet.
"Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they, but I know I'll be in Slytherin, my whole family has- imagine being in Hufflepuff, I don't think I could go home if that happened."
Chris stored this information away for later. Wondering why the boy thought he couldn't go home if he didn't get into Slytherin.
"I say, look at that man!" said the boy suddenly, nodding towards the front window. Hagrid was standing there grinning and holding a tray of ice cream.
"That's Hagrid," said Harry. "He works at Hogwarts."
"Oh," said the boy, "I've heard of him. My Father says he's sort of a servant."
"He's the gamekeeper," said Harry. He did not appreciate this boy talking about his new friend and he didn't understand why Chris wasn't defending Hagrid as well.
"My Father said he's sort of savage - lives in a hut in the school grounds and every now and then he gets drunk, tries to do magic and ends up setting fire to his bed."
Harry opened his mouth to defend Hagrid when Chris said, "Your father seems to say a lot of things. Hagrid is actually quite nice my twin and I are spending the day with him to gather our school supplies. If you'd like when school starts I can introduce the two of you and you can gather your own opinion."
Harry glared at both Chris and the boy but neither seemed to pay any mind.
"I suppose." said the boy. "Why are you with him anyway. Where are your parents."
"They're dead." Harry said shortly. This time it was Chris who glared.
"They passed when we were babies. We live with our Aunt and Uncle now.
"Oh, sorry," said the boy, and while Harry didn't think he sounded sorry at Chris just nodded. "But they were our kind, weren't they?
"They were a witch and wizard. If that's what you mean. Our relatives however are not."
The boy frowned for a moment and glanced towards the window. "My father doesn't think they should let the other sort in. He says they should keep it in the old wizarding families. What's your name anyway?"
Chris was about to answer when Madam Malkin announced that she was finished with Harry's robes. Harry, still angry with his brother, stormed out of the store without a backwards glance. Chris wanted to go after him but Madam Malkin pulled the robe down over his head and got started right away.
He looked at the boy who was still waiting on an answer, "If I tell you, you can't make a big deal out of it."
The boy looked confused but nodded anyway.
"I'm Christopher Potter and the boy that stormed out of here was my twin brother Harry Potter. Your turn, what's your name?"
The boy seemed to be stunned into silence and even Madam Malkin paused before going back to her work.
"If I tell you, you can't make a big deal out of it," he said mirroring Chris's words and Chris nodded. "I'm Draco Malfoy."
He seemed to deflate before standing up a little straighter, preparing to put on his Malfoy Mask, when all Chris did was look at him.
"Don't take this the wrong way Draco, but I have no idea who you are. My brother and I have been living with muggles for the past ten years so it's been a weird adjustment."
Draco nodded."In that case, when you go to buy your school books. Might I make a few suggestions to add to your list?"
All in all the trip to Diagon Alley was a success. Chris got everything he needed for school plus the books that Draco recommended. It didn't take long for Harry to forgive Chris, once Chris gave Harry a pout and promised to do his chores all was forgotten.
Hagrid helped Chris and Harry onto the train that would take them back to the Dursleys, then handed them each an envelope.
"Yer ticket fer Hogwarts," he said. "First o' September- King's Cross- it's all on yer ticket. Any problems with the Dursleys, send me a letter with yer owl, she'll know where to find me...See yeh soon, boys."
The train pulled out of the station and Harry spent the ride looking out the window, while Chris read the books he bought that were about the wizarding world and the way things worked.
Neither could wait until September first so they could finally get to Hogwarts.