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SIYE Time:6:29 on 29th March 2024
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A Different Life
By millie

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Category: Alternate Universe
Characters:Albus Dumbledore, Draco Malfoy, Harry/Ginny, Hermione Granger, James Potter, Lily Potter, Luna Lovegood, Minerva McGonagall, Neville Longbottom, Nymphadora Tonks, Other, Remus Lupin, Ron Weasley, Severus Snape, Sirius Black
Genres: Action/Adventure, Angst, Drama, General, Romance
Warnings: Dark Fiction, Death, Mild Language, Mild Sexual Situations
Story is Complete
Rating: PG-13
Reviews: 29
Summary: *ABANDONED. CHECK REWRITE ON PROFILE* Voldemort underestimated Lily Potter's brilliance when he tried to kill the Potters on Halloween of 1981. As a result, James and Lily live and Voldemort is vanquished. This is the story of Harry, Heir Potter, as he grows up the way he was supposed to and takes his place in the Wizarding World.
Hitcount: Story Total: 9556; Chapter Total: 892





Author's Notes:
I am sorry for taking so long to update. Life happens and I was busy. My reasons are detailed in the author notes at the end of the chapter.

Thank you for reading,

Millie15128




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Chapter Six
New Chapter of Life


3 July 1991

Potter Manor, Glasgow

Harry was an early riser. He enjoyed the cool evenings and the darkness of the night but there was something about watching the sun come up and hearing the birds twitter that appealed to Harry’s heart. Besides, he always functioned better in the mornings. However, this didn’t mean that he always woke up at the crack of dawn; he also didn’t wake up close to noon like his brother, William. This is why it was weird that he was the last in the family to wake up when he usually was the first.

Harry shuffled into the kitchen and dropped into his seat, rubbing his eyes sleepily. He looked around at his already seated family, which, surprisingly, contained Uncle Remus, Uncle Sirius and Aunt Marlene as well (why were they here?), and blinked once and twice and then one more time.

“Why is everyone staring at me?” he asked, unnerved slightly. No one responded. He looked at his Dad and Uncle Siri who grinned at him, Uncle Moony who smiled, Aunt Marlene who gave him a thumbs-up, Lizzie was also grinning like a maniac while William, who usually wasn’t awake till he had breakfast, was also smiling at him though there was an undercurrent of something like…..sadness?

He was sure his mum would give him answers so he turned towards her, and to his horror, realized that tears were swimming in her eyes. She didn’t say anything, just nodded at the table. He looked down and froze. The table, which he previously thought only contained this morning’s breakfast was also playing host to a yellowish envelope.

With slightly shaking hands, he reached towards it and picked it up.

Mr H Potter,
Family Suite #1
Potter Manor
Glasgow, Scotland

He turned the envelope over and traced the purplish seal of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy. Below the logo was Hogwart’s slogan and Harry knew enough Latin to understand that it meant ‘Never tickle a sleeping dragon’. He felt a huge smile form on his face and looked up to see everyone looking at him with various expressions of excitement and anticipation.

“Go on, then,” said Uncle Padfoot, when he couldn’t take it anymore. “Open it!”

Harry tore the seal and took out the piece of parchment inside.

He ignored the part about Dumbledore and instead read through the paragraph that told him that he was accepted into Hogwarts. He smiled slightly when he saw Auntie Minnie's signature. He wondered why only the Deputy Headmistress' signature was present; shouldn't the Headmaster's signature be present as well? The part detailing his various achievements didn't count.

He dropped the parchment he was holding and picked up the other one.

He skimmed through the course books and uniform and frowned slightly when he read that first years wouldn't be allowed to bring their own brooms. Maybe he could sneak his Comet Two Sixty to Hogwarts without his mother finding out?

He was also excited to get a pet. The only pet he had was Marauder who was a dog and so couldn't come to school. Marauder was also not only his but of the whole family. His parents had promised him that they would buy him an owl when he started Hogwarts.

He only noticed that his hands were shaking when he had finished the whole letter.

Harry looked up again. “I got it,” he said, wonder and awe obvious in his voice. “I actually got it!”

“You did, sweetheart,” said Lily, wiping her eyes. “And you got these as well.” She motioned to the kitchen counter where a pile of envelopes were waiting for him.

Harry frowned slightly. Truthfully, he had never thought he would go to any other school than Hogwarts even though Dumbledore was its Headmaster. “Which-which schools have invited me?” he asked uncertainly.

Sirius ticked them off his fingers. “Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, Durmstrang Institute, Ilvermony School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Koldovstoretz in Russia, Uagadou in Uganda, Castelobruxo in Brazil, Australian Institute of Magic, Varázsiskola in Hungary, Mahoutokoro in Japan, and lastly, The Swiss School of Magic in Switzerland.”

Harry gaped at him. “That’s like…every major school approved by the International Confederation of Wizards!”

Lily smiled gently at him. “We know it's a lot to take on, Harry. But you have to remember that you are the only person alive to have ever successfully survived the Killing Curse. It would be an honour for all these Headmasters and Headmistresses if you attend their school and it would also increase publicity.”

“But why?” asked Harry in a puzzled voice.

Lily sighed and wondered how she should explain the politics of the world to a ten-year-old. Almost eleven year old, she reminded herself. Before she could formulate a response, James jumped in.

“Harry, imagine if the Minister for Magic said he loved wearing Madam Malkin’s robes. What do you think would happen when people hear that?”

Harry thought for a moment and came to the most logical realization. “They would all start to buy Madam Malkin's robes.”

James smiled in the satisfaction that he understood. “Exactly! So if, for example, you choose to go to Beauxbatons, then people would start sending their children to Beauxbatons too.”

Harry stared in disbelief. “So, you’re saying I’m as famous as Cornelius Fudge?”

Sirius smiled in amusement. “Harry, you’re probably more famous than Cornelius Fudge.”

Harry gaped at him in astonishment before shaking his head in denial. A sudden thought hit him. “Hang on! My birthday isn’t until the end of July. Why did I get the later today?”

“Harry, your birthday is the last day you can send your confirmation,” Aunt Marlene answered. “For a Muggle-born, that’s not enough time to decide. Or for example, someone's birthday is on the 31st of August, that's just one day before September 1st. I remember you told me Ron received his letter on his birthday because that’s four months before the deadline, but you received it weeks before your birthday.”

Harry nodded. “Neville probably received his today as well.”

Uncle Remus spoke up. “You’re going to have to choose between all the schools, Harry.”

Harry grimaced. “How am I supposed to choose?”

“We have books on all these schools in one of the libraries.” reminded Lizzie. “You can gather information and decide which one you like best.”

“Good idea, Lilibet!” smiled Sirius and Lizzie blushed in reply.




7 July 1991

Diagon Alley, London

Harry did go to the library and gather information. He was turned off from Ilvermony when he learned they don’t have Quidditch, Beauxbatons was way too high and fancy for him especially when he learnt that Fleur Delacour went to that school so that was another option refused. The schools in Japan, Russia and Hungary were taught in their native languages so that was out (translations charms and potions can only do so much), the schools in Brazil and Uganda divided their school depending on their blood which was something he hated, and the Australian school and Durmstrang were too far away.

That left Hogwarts.

The only flaw in Hogwarts was that traditionalist people were very few and far in between and Harry was a traditionalist. The other thing was that Hogwarts was also divided with blood prejudices. Even though the school itself didn’t do it, it didn’t change the fact that many students considered others beneath them only because of their parentage. Harry didn’t believe that Slytherins were evil like Ron did, but that’s because his mum and dad had taught him that appearances were misleading and to never judge a book by its cover, or by their blood or house. That didn’t change the fact that many people at Hogwarts did think of themselves as superior, according to what his parents had told him.

There was also the matter of the Headmaster.

Unlike Molly and Arthur Weasley, his parents didn’t sing the old wizard’s praises, they usually cautioned him to be wary of him because they were sure that one day they would cross paths, even if Harry didn’t go to Hogwarts. He was also told that Dumbledore had tried to take Harry away from them after the events of that long-ago Halloween and place him with his aunt, whom his mother still met once a month but Harry hated her. Dumbledore had also sealed their will and ignored all the other people listed as guardians. Mum and Dad were sure that Dumbledore would try something if he went to Hogwarts, and if he didn’t, well, Dumbledore would try his hardest to make sure Harry did. Not that he would be able to do anything, they assured him.

So, after taking advice from everyone in his family, immediate and extended, (which included the Longbottoms, the Tonks, Uncles Moony and Padfoot, Aunt Marlene, Grandpa and Grandmama, and even Granddad and Grandma!) he had chosen Hogwarts.

And now they were off to Diagon Alley. Harry couldn’t wait! He was so excited that he could barely sit still, let alone stand properly in the Floo to notice that his brother was not as happy as the rest of them that Harry was going to Hogwarts.

“Harry, control yourself! If you’re incapable of taking the Floo yourself, then you’re coming with me!” Mum threatened.

Harry stifled his grin before nodding meekly and disappearing in a crackle of green flames. He landed gracefully at the backroom in Leaky Cauldron where they were going to meet the Longbottoms in an hour to have lunch.

But first, they were shopping for his school supplies.

One by one, Dad, Mum, Lizzie and William stepped out of the fireplace before all of them made their way towards the secret entrance of Diagon Alley. Harry made sure to flatten his messy hair over his scar so that no one would notice it. Dad tapped the third brick from the left with his wand and stepped back and watched as the bricks shifted aside to reveal the crowded cobblestone streets of Diagon Alley.

They made their way towards the snowy white building of Gringotts. Harry couldn’t open his trust vault since he wasn’t eleven yet so Dad took money out of his vault which was not the family vault but the vault where his salaries from the Auror Department went as well as the proceeds from Lily’s apothecary.

Two nauseous roller coaster rides later, they were standing in the bright sunlight outside the Wizarding bank.

“We’ll get your robes first, Harry,” said Lily as she led them not towards Madam Malkins but towards Twitfit and Tattlings which was on a side street rather than on the main road. Harry entered the slightly cool shop where they usually purchased most of their formal robes. One of the workers here, Mary MacDonald, was mum’s friend from Hogwarts and Harry knew her as Aunt Mary.

“Merry meet, Aunt Mary!” Harry waved cheerfully.

“Merry meet, Harry, Lizzie, William,” she replied, smiling warmly. “How’re you three?”

“We’re fine, Aunt Mary,” answered Lizzie while William tried to blend into the background. He hated clothes shopping and would have much preferred to shop for telescopes. “How are you?”

Aunt Mary laughed slightly. “Oh, I’m fine. Thank you for asking. Now, I believe you’re here for your school robes, Harry? I can’t believe you’re going to Hogwarts, it seems just yesterday that you were born!”

Harry shifted uncomfortably. He had no idea how he was supposed to respond to that.

“Now, step up here, Harry, and we’ll get your measurements.” She motioned to a wooden stool and Harry did as she asked. A second later she was waving her wand and the yellow measuring tape which was lying on the counter sprang into the air and started to take his measurements.

Ten minutes later, the Potter family left the shop with three sets of fine black robes, two winter cloaks and a hat. Their next stop was to buy a telescope for Harry. After that, they bought a pewter standard size two cauldron but refrained from buying anything potion related since Lily felt she would just give Harry what he needed from her own apothecary. Their next stop was Flourish and Blotts which was one of Harry’s favourite shops because of the vast amount of books.

Along with buying all the school course books, they also bought Potions for Dummies by Irodore Utior and How to Brew by Iwyn Dusim because Lily was appalled that these weren’t mentioned in the course books. She resisted the urge to give whoever was the Potions Professor a piece of her mind. The book that was actually in the course was too advanced for the students who hadn’t been brewing before like Harry did. She was sure he would be able to brew every potion given in Magical Drafts and Potions. Muggle-born students, however, didn’t have the same liberty and would be far behind.

Lily made a point to instruct Harry to share his books or tutor those who lagged behind in Potions.

They also bought a Defence Against The Dark Arts book called Defense for Beginners because James felt the book in the course was too advanced. Harry begged to buy Hogwarts: a History but Lily refused since he could just take the copy that they had in the library.

The exchange with the cashier was a bit frosty on both sides. The reason being the Harry Potter Adventure Books that Flourish and Blotts had launched a few years earlier without James' permission. James' solicitor had made a good case and they had been sued. All of the profits acquired with the Adventure Books were transferred to the Potter account even though the manager tried very hard to strike a deal that would include the continuation of the production of Harry Potter Books with half of the profits sent to James'. James' refused.

The money they recieved was later used to fund the Lily Evans Scholarship which provided course books and uniforms for children who could not afford to come to Hogwarts.

Other instances like this included the time when the toy shop in Diagon Alley started manufacturing Harry Potter Action Figures. They had asked for permission but, when refused, they went ahead with the manufacturing, anyway. They were also sued.

After the book shop, they went into a dark shop labelled Trisha’s Trunks: All Shapes and Sizes. Instead of buying a normal standard school trunk, they bought a five-compartment trunk with a password. There was a compartment for clothes which had drawers like a dresser, a compartment for books which had shelves just like a library along with a self-categorising alphabetic system, a compartment for potion ingredients and cauldron, a compartment for miscellaneous items like parchment, ink and quills and the last compartment for personal possesions which registered a person's magical core and would only open for that person.

The last place they went was Ollivanders and Harry couldn’t contain the shiver that went down his spine. A wand was the thing he wanted the most! They entered the slightly dusty shop and found it empty which had the kids looking around in confusion.

“Don’t worry,” James grinned. “He’s around here somewhere, just don’t get startled when he pops up suddenly.” Despite his warning, all the kids jumped in the air when a soft voice broke the stillness of the shop.

“Good afternoon.” An old man was standing in front of them with wide silvery eyes.

“Merry meet, Heir Ollivander," said Harry formally, repressing the awkwardness that he was feeling.

“Merry meet, Heir Potter. Yes, I’d thought I’d be seeing you soon,” he turned his creepy gaze on Lily. “Lady Lily Potter. It seems only yesterday you were here buying your wand. Ten and a quarter inches, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work.”

Lily smiled slightly. “Right as always, Heir Ollivander.”

Heir Ollivander turned to look at James. “And you, Lord James Potter. A mahogany wand chose you, eleven inches, pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration.”

James grinned at him before the man turned to face Lizzie and William and scrutinised them for a few seconds before turning back to Harry. He stepped close enough that Harry could see himself reflected inside his silver eyes, and touched a long finger to the scar on Harry’s forehead.

“I am sorry to say that I sold the wand that did it,” he said softly. “Thirteen and a half inches, yew. Powerful, very powerful….” To Harry’s relief, Dad placed his hand on Harry’s shoulder which made Heir Ollivander step back a bit. He came back with a measuring tape.

“What’s your wand arm, Heir Potter?”

“I’m right-handed.” said Harry confidently.

“Hold out your arm.” Harry held out his arm and the next several minutes were spent with the magical tape measuring him in the weirdest of places while Heir Ollivander explained the difference between magical cores and shuffled through several boxes.

“That’s it,” Heir Ollivander said and the tape measure dropped to the floor while the wand maker handed Harry a wand. “Try this one, Heir Potter. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Just give it a wave.”

Harry did as asked and almost blew out the entire shop. He hastily placed it on the desk in front of him and noted out of the corner of his eye that Mum and Dad were looking impressed by the amount of power he showed. He grinned.

Harry was starting to get worried when after half an hour a wandstill hadn't chosen him. The longer it went on, the more excited Heir Ollivander seemed to get and the more disheartened Harry was feeling.

“Don’t worry, Heir Potter, we’ll find your perfect wand. How about you try this one, a bit of an unusual one, I’ll say, holly and phoenix feather. Eleven and a half inches. Nice and supple.”

Harry took the offered wand and, feeling a sudden warmth in his fingers, gave it a quick wave. Instantly, red and gold sparks burst out of the tip of the wand and showered the room with light. Dimly, he heard his parents cheer and his siblings' whoop but he was still staring at the piece of wood in his hands. He had a wand! He had already been practising magic for a year but that was with an ancestor’s wand, Andrew Potter to be precise; this was his. His own wand!

Harry handed the wand back to the shop owner who wrapped it in a brown paper all the while muttering “Curious….curious……”

“Excuse me,” said Lily when she couldn’t take it anymore. “But what's curious?”

Heir Ollivander rounded the desk and handed the wrapped wand box to Harry while also staring intently at him. “I remember every wand I have ever sold, Lady Potter. And it just so happens that the phoenix who gave Heir Potter’s wand its wand core, gave one other feather, just one other.”

“Oh?” James cocked his head to the side. He didn’t understand what was so curious about it.

“Yes, it’s surprising that you are destined for this wand, when, why, its brother gave you your scar.” He said, motioning towards Harry’s forehead who shivered slightly.

“Thank you, Heir Ollivander,” said James abruptly. “But we’ll be taking our leave now.” He handed the man seven galleons for the purchase and led his family back towards the Leaky Cauldron where they were supposed to be having lunch.

Harry looked down at his wand. Suddenly, he didn’t feel all excited about this wand anymore. Couldn’t another wand have chosen him? he thought. He felt someone nudge him on his right and then another on his left. He looked up from perusing at the box in his hands to see his siblings surrounding him. Lizzie was rambling on obnoxiously while William intervened occasionally with humorous comments. He smiled slightly. No matter how annoying they were sometimes, they knew his moods well. And how to cheer me up. he thought when Lizzie made a particularly bad joke about Sirius.




31 July 1991

Quae Magica Marketplace, Glasgow

“Why are we here? I thought we had done all the shopping,” said Harry as he walked alongside his father. He had been woken up on his birthday with a face full of water, courtesy of his godfather and siblings. He had had his favourite breakfast before his mother had told him to get dressed because his father was taking him to the Diagon Alley equivalent of Glasgow and she refused to answer him why.

Dad smiled down at him. “We’re here for your birthday present, of course!”

Harry looked up. “Really?” he asked excitedly. “What is it?”

“Anything you want!”

“Really? Anything I want?”

Dad looked a bit nervous at what he had unleashed on the market before he hitched a smile on his face. “Of course! But only one!” he added, suddenly stern.

“Of course!” Harry agreed immediately before his gaze swung towards Ludo et Scopulas Street (Sports). Quae Magica Marketplace was designed differently than Diagon Alley. Its entrance was through the fountain in Glasgow City Centre. The water in the fountain had an enchantment to detect magical signatures which, when detected, made the water revealing the entrance to the marketplace. It led to the Epileum per Circuitum. (Roundabout in the middle of the market) The centre deviated into several streets and alleys each selling a specific category like the Animalium Avenue (Animals), Mundanus Boulevard (Muggle items) and Vestes et Calceamenta Lane (Garments and Shoes) “Can I get a broom? I heard that Nimbus has released their latest broom! Please, Dad?”

James looked uncomfortable. “Harry, you might not want to get one…” The truth was Sirius had already bought a Nimbus Two Thousand for Harry’s birthday something that Lily gave him a lot of grief over but he remained firm saying it was his godfatherly duty. He had also asked James not to tell Harry, and a Marauder never broke his word. And he didn’t want to ruin the surprise for their son.

“Why not?”

“Just not.”

“Why not? You said I could get anything I want.” Harry didn't whine but he was close to it.

“Yes, I did. I, however, may have forgotten to mention that your mother forbids anything Quidditch related,” he said, ridiculously pleased with his answer.

“Why?”

“I don’t know, you should ask your mother,” he said when Harry made to interrupt again. He should have known that Harry’s curious mind wouldn’t settle on that answer.

Harry sighed in disappointment. "Alright, fine," he said sulkily before looking around, trying to figure out which street he should go to.

Harry frowned when he felt a slight tug. It felt as if someone was calling him, and curiously he followed it into Animalium Avenue. Harry could feel his father's footsteps behind him as he stepped into the street. There were all sorts of shops like the reptile shop or the owl emporium. There was also a specific shop for toys and care items for pets. Harry felt the tug guide him towards Owl Emporium: Birds Of All Types.

The emporium was unlike the one in Diagon Alley. While the one in Diagon Alley was smelly and crowded, the emporium in Quae Magica Marketplace was a lot more modern and had high standards. It was bigger on the inside than on the outside and had self-cleaning cages sitting on shelves that were lining the walls. There was a counter in the middle of the shop with a bored cashier sitting behind it. On the right side was the staircase which led to the more exotic type of birds like parrots and birds from South America. Carrier pigeons were also sold here.

Harry led his father towards the shelves where the owls were resting because he felt the strange tug which he now recognized as his magic leading him there. There were no shelves here, instead, there were wooden perches on which all sorts of owls rested. There were tawny owls, eagle owls, scops owls, even snowy owls but no owls that interested him. He went into the very back, his father following him confusedly. It was darker in the back of the shop, from the little light that reached here, Harry noticed a Snowy owl sitting on the small window near the ceiling.

Harry didn't know what made him do this, but something inside him called to the owl. He held his arm out and waited patiently as the owl's amber eyes scrutinized him for a moment before spreading her wings and landing lightly on his arm. Dad gasped behind him but Harry couldn't understand why.

"Harry, do you know what that owl is?" asked Dad faintly.

Harry gave him a puzzled look. "I thought it is a Snowy owl."

Dad shook his head. "It's not a Snowy owl, it's a Moon owl," His voice was tinged with awe.

"A Moon owl? I've never heard of this breed?"

Dad replied, "That is not surprising, Harry. Moon owls are very rare and can only be found under the full moon. I have never seen one before but I recognised it from pictures. Moon owls are about as rare as Phoenixes and some people speculate that they have similar powers as a Phoenix. Moon owls need to bond with a human to live. If they don't bond, then they turn back into snowy owls. Only one in five hundred snowy owls is born a Moon owl."

Now, Harry was awestruck too. "Are you saying that this owl has chosen to bond with me?"

Dad nodded. "Yes, that is what it looks like. It is also possible that he or she would be able to communicate with you. It is also possible that you would have your wand changed. Most of the time, a feather or some part of a wizard's familiar is merged into the wand to make it more stable. We'll have to see if your wand still works for you like it did when we bought it. But I bet anything that it won't."

"Cool!" said Harry excitedly. Nothing sounded more amazing to him than being able to communicate with his familiar. As for the other part, he would deal with that later. It was probably a good thing that he got his wand changed; he didn't want to keep sharing a wand with Voldemort.

They took the Moon owl to the cashier at the front desk who raised his eyebrows at their choice.

"Are you sure you want to take her, sir?" He asked. Harry noted in his mind that it was a female. "She's a right difficult owl to maintain, doesn't let anyone close to her, and has chased away many customers with those sharp talons. She doesn't stay in a cage either." Inside, he was wondering how these people managed to get the owl to descend from its spot in front of the window. He remembered when Lucius Malfoy had wanted to buy that owl for his son who was just starting Hogwarts. The owl had refused to get close to the man and when Malfoy tried to seize it, it actually drew blood.

"We'll manage, sir, thank you for your concern," responded Dad.

The cashier nodded uncertainly but didn't say anything else. "Would you like to buy booklets on the proper care of an owl? If you would like, you can get the whole package which includes owl treats, a perch and a cage for travelling."

"Let's get a perch and owl treats," said Harry. "Such a beautiful creature shouldn't be locked up so I don't think we should get a cage."

Dad smiled. "You're right, Harry." He relayed what they wanted to the man who disappeared through a door behind him and came back with two packages of owl treats and a polished wooden perch which was painted golden.

"That'll be fifteen Galleons."




Diagon Alley, London

"Aren't we going home?" Harry asked when Dad told him to Floo, not back to the Manor but to Diagon Alley. Harry was holding a pinch of Floo powder in his hands right in front of one of the public fireplaces in Quae Magica Marketplace. The fireplace would lead him straight to the Manor, and while usually a security concern (since anyone could Floo in if they knew the address), the old Pureblood Manors had found a way around that too. The cloakroom or more commonly known as the Floo room was the outsider's Floo and Apparition point of the Manor. Wards prevented those not keyed in to get no further than the Floo room meaning they couldn't access the rest of the house.

Dad replied, "It's your eleventh birthday, Harry."

Harry stared for a moment and was about to respond with duh, I know that already when his eyes went wide with comprehension. It was his eleventh birthday. The day he would get to officially become the Heir of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter. "Really?"

Dad nodded and smiled reassuringly. "Go on, then. I'll be right behind you."

Harry dropped the powder into the fireplace and, stepping in, he cried out, "Diagon Alley!" The usually spinning sensation enveloped him, and before long, he was stepping gracefully away from the fireplace making way for his father who had just Flooed in as well.

Silently, they made their way through the crowded streets towards the white marble buildings that towered over the shops. Dad nodded at the goblins guarding the entrance and Harry followed his example. The guards nodded back. The entrance hall gleamed golden from the light of the overhead chandeliers and Harry felt as if he was coming here for the first time. He was, for some reason, viewing everything differently now that the time had come. He was going to walk out of this bank, the Heir of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter. He had already been the Heir before, seeing as he was the firstborn son, but he would officially take on the Heirship today. He had never been so excited and nervous at the same time before.

Dad asked one of the tellers, Silverfang, to take them to Ironclaw, the Potter's Account Manager. A younger goblin, who went by the name of Griphook led them to the shiny door with the gleaming plague on it.

Dad knocked on the door and was answered with a growling 'Come in'. Harry entered the office behind his father. He had never actually been in here before. The goblin was sitting on a chair behind a gleaming wood desk with bookshelves behind him and two leather padded chairs in front. James and Harry both sat down in the chairs.

"Hello, Ironclaw, may your blade shine and your enemies cower before you," said James politely. Harry repeated the same thing.

Ironclaw grinned, an expression that made him look very creepy, in Harry's opinion. "Hello, Lord and Heir Potter, may your gold flow for years from now."

Harry took a deep breath, knowing that his father wouldn't be the one saying anything, he would. This was his moment. "As Heir of my House, I wish to do a full inheritance check and claim my Heirship ring."

James and Lily had agreed that it would be beneficial for Harry to find out his inheritance. They had debated briefly in telling him themselves but settled on their original plan since there were many more Houses to his name than there should be. People were so grateful to Harry after he defeated Voldemort that they wrote him in their will to inherit their line if they didn't have any heir already.

The first time James had been contacted of this happening, he had tried his best to make Lord Summers reconsider but had given in when the man said that his daughter had been killed by Death Eaters and just knowing that Harry had a hand in their master's death made him want to show his loyalty in some way. Since he had only one daughter, he had no heir and his line was going to die anyway, so why not hit two birds with one stone?

They had a whole vault full of clothes and toys that Harry got as tokens of appreciation and gratitude. James and Lily regularly donated them to charities but there always seemed to be more the next time they checked the vault.

Ironclaw nodded and took out a ritual bowl, a parchment that was glowing gently and a silver dagger. "You will need to give seven drops of blood for the inheritance check."

Harry swallowed but bravely took the knife and positioned his hand over the parchment. Dad placed his hand on his shoulder and squeezed reassuringly. Harry closed his eyes and slashed his palm. He didn't cry out but he was unable to stop the wince of pain. Dad's hand tightened on his shoulder. Harry opened his eyes and counted the number of drops that fell on the parchment and removed his hand when the required drops were complete. Dad healed his hand, ensuring that no scar would be left.

Black lines started forming from where his blood had fallen, branching off and forming sentences and numbers. When everything was done, Ironclaw handed Harry the paper. It read:

Inheritance check of Harry James Potter:

Parents: James Fleamont Potter and Lily Rose Potter nee Evans

Heir to the Ancient and Most Noble House of Potter by Birthright

Heir to the Ancient and Most Noble House of Peverell by Birthright

Heir to the Ancient and Most Noble House of Gryffindor by Birthright

Heir to the Ancient and Most Noble House of Slytherin by Rights of Conquest

Heir to the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black by Last Will and Testament and Birthright

Heir to the Noble House of Summers by Last Will and Testament

Heir to the Noble House of Pendra by Last Will and Testament

Heir to the Ancient House of Sicklebee by Last Will and Testament

Harry's jaw dropped. There were so many Houses! And... "Gryffindor!? Slytherin?!" He asked, shocked. He turned to look at his dad whose eyes had widened too.

James nodded and ignored the Slytherin bit at the moment. "Yes. The Potters have descended from the House of Gryffindor. Linfred of Stinchecombe was the son of Jameson and Violetta Gryffindor. He purposely didn't use his last name after he found out how much people held the Gryffindors in high regard. Much like what you have to go through with the public."

Harry nodded. He understood that. "And Slytherin? The only way that can happen is if Mum is not actually a Muggle-born but born to a line of Squibs. I don't think the Potter line can come from both Slytherin and Gryffindor."

James' eyes had widened when he had read that. He hadn't known about that; he wondered how that could have happened. "As for Slytherin, I am not so sure about that since it says by rights of conquest, not birthright and you know what rights of conquests are. You defeated Voldemort and since he has no other heir, it is most likely that you were the only one eligible since you defeated him. I didn't know he was the Heir of Slytherin, though," he murmured, almost to himself.

He looked down at the parchment again. "What about the Houses of Summers, Pendra and Sicklebee? I wasn't aware that we had any relation with them."

James' face twisted into an amused expression. "We don't. These people named you their Heirs through their Last Will and Testament as a token of gratitude for defeating Voldemort."

Harry didn't understand why anyone would give away their line like that but didn't say anything. Instead, he focused on another part that bothered him. "Why am I Heir to the Black family?" Harry loved Uncle Siri and he knew his godfather loved him too but he didn't understand why he was the Heir. What about when Uncle Siri would have his own children?

James nodded. "I know what you are wondering but Sirius didn't have any choice. When Arcturus Black died, it was revealed that he had passed over his own son and made Sirius his Heir. Thus, when Sirius claimed the Lordship of the House of Black, he needed to have an Heir too. If he didn't, then it would automatically go to Draco Malfoy, since Andromeda hadn't been reinstated by then and Bellatrix didn't have a child. Narcissa was the closest Black relative but the Blacks are a patriarchal family so Draco Malfoy became the closest male Heir.

"However, Sirius blood adopted you two days after you were born, bringing you into the Black family as well as providing protection for you if something ever happened to us."

"I thought Voldemort didn't start hunting you until after I was almost a year old?" Harry asked curiously.

James shook his head. "On the contrary, the prophecy was made before you were born, we went into hiding under the Fidelius after you were one. Sirius made you his heir in blood, magic and love because he had no one else that he could. Sirius also loves you to death and he was at the stage in his life when he didn't want to ever get married."

Harry's eyes rose up to his hairline. "What do you mean? What about Aunt Marlene?"

"Not everyone wants to get married, Harry," said James gently. He didn't expect Harry to understand but it didn't hurt in trying either. "Sirius and Marlene didn't get together until two months before your first birthday. Sirius never used to date anyone in Hogwarts." James neglected to mention that Sirius didn't genuinely date anyone, but had been with so many girls, James had lost count. He never said anything, though, since he knew it was Sirius' way of coping with the emotional abuse his family heaped on him.

Harry didn't think he understood, but then again, he didn't want to marry anyone either. He imagined himself doing things that he had seen his own parents do. Kiss each other, bring flowers or just give your partner a back rub when they are stressed. It all sounded like one big commitment.

Harry decided to just move on from this topic. "Can I claim my Heirship now?" he asked. He already knew what to do, since Dad had made sure he knew all the traditional rituals and spells.

"Do you want to claim the Heirship of the Houses of Gryffindor, Slytherin and Black as well?" James asked. "Sirius said he wouldn't mind. In fact, he would actually prefer you would do it. It might be good to hold onto the Heirship till Sirius wises up and proposes to your Aunt."

Harry ignored the dig at his uncle. "What about the House of Peverell?"

"Your mother and I decided that if William wants, that Heirship will be his when he turns eleven. If he doesn't, then you can take it. Lizzie can't claim anything since all these families are patriarchal except maybe the House of Pendra."

Harry dithered on the decision before deciding to just claim the Black Heirship and be done with it. "What about the Houses of Gryffindor and Slytherin?"

"That's entirely your choice, Harry. You can choose it or leave it. I never claimed the Heirship or Lordship of Gryffindor. You can become the Lord of House of Gryffindor when you are seventeen just like any other Lordship, barring extenuating circumstances. As for Slytherin, that's entirely your choice as well. Both choices have their pros and cons, do what you think is best." Unlike what people would think, he wasn't being an irresponsible parent, he was doing what needed to be done. It was better for Harry that no one influenced him into accepting any Heirship since it was a very important decision.

Harry frowned as he thought about it. He knew that there was an invisibility feature in all Heirship and Lordship rings so he wouldn't have to wonder about anyone going crazy over it. "Alright, I think I'll claim the Heirships of the Houses of Potter, Black and Gryffindor. I'll think about Slytherin but I'm not really sure."

James nodded. "Go ahead," he smiled. "I'm right beside you."

Harry, grateful for the support, picked up the dagger again and positioned his hand over the ritual bowl. He cut a slash in his palm again and waited for the required three drops of blood to fall in the bowl. "I, Harry James Potter, do hereby claim Heirship of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Potter as is my birthright." The three drops of blood that had spilt into the bowl started glowing right before a flash of gold light enveloped Harry. The Potter Family totem flashed into existence. The griffin roared loudly and flapped its wings before disappearing.

The golden light didn't dissipate as one might have thought but instead slowly seeped into Harry who felt as if he was being wrapped in a cocoon of warmth. The Potter Family Magic felt like home and comfort and his own magic welcomed it. The golden light disappeared entirely into his body and Harry couldn't help but grin. It felt amazing.

He looked down at his hand and noticed the ring that had appeared there and resized to fit him. It was the same ring that he had seen often in younger photos of his dad. It had a griffin sitting on its hind legs with raised wings on a beautiful garnet stone. Around the gold band were the words: "Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat" (Fortune Favours the Brave), the Potter Family motto.

Harry slashed his palm again and allowed the three drops of blood to fall. "I, Harry James Potter do hereby claim the Heirship of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black as is my birthright." The drops of blood glowed again, but instead of golden, they glowed with an eerie black light. The black light slowly enveloped Harry. The difference between the magic of the two families was vast. There was none of the warmth present in the Black Family Magic. It was cool and sharp yet Harry felt completely safe. The light disappeared inside him again, repeating the same ritual as before. The totem flashed into place: a black viper with its fangs bared.

Harry looked down at his hand when it all was over. The Black Heirship ring had merged into the Potter one forming one single ring. The Black ring had the same black viper curled up on an onyx stone. Engraved on the silver band were the words: Tourjous Pur.

Harry took a deep breath and slashed his palm again. "I, Harry James Potter, do hereby claim the Heirship of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Gryffindor as is my birthright." The drops of blood glowed. This time a deep red light enveloped him in its embrace before slowly seeping inside him. The totem of Gryffindor flashed into existence and the lion roared. The warmth was present again with a sense of power and authority that had not been there in the Potter Family Magic. The ring materialised on his hand and merged with the other two.

Harry stared at it. He knew what the other two would look like but he had no idea what a Gryffindor Heirship ring would look like. It had a roaring lion that was similar to one on the Gryffindor House symbol at Hogwarts with a gold band. The lion was sitting on a blood-red ruby. On the gold band were the words: Be daring, Be brave, Be chivalrous. Harry shivered. Those were the qualities used to describe Gryffindor House at Hogwarts.

Harry looked up at his father who smiled warmly and pulled him closer. Harry closed his eyes and let the warmth of his father's hug chase away the deluge of emotions.




Master Suite, Potter Manor

James entered the bedroom and called out, "I've turned off the lights, love. Isabella has retired as well and all the kids are in bed." He frowned when he realized that his wife wasn't even there. He could have sworn that he had seen her enter the bedroom earlier. He saw the curtains flutter in the breeze that shouldn't be there and suddenly realized where his wife was.

He opened the curtains silently to see her standing on the balcony looking up at the night sky. She was wearing a silk nightgown and had her hair in a messy bun at the base of her neck. James loved seeing her in these unguarded moments where she was free from the stress of everyday life and no expectations were thrust upon her. Her arms were wrapped around her middle, shielding her from something that only she could see.

She jumped slightly when James wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. She relaxed after a second and leaned back against his chest. Together, they looked up at the stars.

"Don't cry, love," he said softly when he felt warm tears hit his hand. He pulled back and gently turned her around. Her beautiful green eyes were red around the edges and tears were silently making their way down her cheeks. He used the rough pad of his thumb to wipe them away and pulled her into his chest. Her head was tucked under his chin and rested right above his heart.

"He will be alright, Lily, don't worry," James said reassuringly. Ever since that night, Lily had gotten really protective of her kids and rarely let them out of her sight when they were in public. The Manor was the only place that she was completely sure they were safe. It wasn't obvious enough that the children would catch on or would think of her as overbearing, but it was always in the back of her mind. If she had her way, James knew she would have placed a tracker on them that would update her about the status of their health and location.

Lily sniffed once and wiped her tears away before speaking. "I know he's going to be alright; my brain knows this but my heart refuses to accept it. I keep thinking about the dangers that are present at Hogwarts like a Bludger crashing into the stands during a match, him sneaking into one of the older greenhouses and getting strangled by a Venomous Tentacula, maybe a potion goes wrong and sets him on fire, or maybe Dumbledore tries something completely insane and we won't ever get our son back!"

"Listen here, Lily, none of that is going to happen. Madam Hooch personally oversees the balls before a match and no student can tamper with them. Harry isn't imprudent to sneak into a potentially dangerous place no matter how much mischief he gets into. As for Dumbledore, he would be stupid to try anything. Harry knows not to trust Dumbledore and he has his Heir ring and his mirror for any potential problems."

Lily looked up at him and smiled tremulously. James wiped the rest of her tears away and smiled back. "It will be alright. In no time at all, Harry will be back for Christmas and once again making you pull your hair out."

Lily chuckled. "That he will. Thank you, James. You always know what to say. If only you had been like this during your fifth year, I might have gotten together with you earlier."




2 August 1991

William's Suite, Potter Manor

"William, have you seen my- what's the matter?" Harry burst into his brother's room with the frenzy that was his norm these days but stopped short as he noticed the tears on William's face.

William looked up from the picture he was inspecting. "N-nothing's wrong, H-harry. Y-you were looking for something?" He stuttered and attempted to hide his tears by ducking his head. He tried to hide the picture as well but Harry was too quick for him. Using his Seeker skills, he grabbed the picture quickly. It was of him and William of last year's Samhain. Harry threw his hand over the other's shoulder in the moving picture and both of them grinned widely before bursting into laughter. Harry didn't remember what his sister (who was behind the camera) had said, but it had been extremely funny.

Harry sat down next to William on the bed and squashed his desire to tease him. He felt that it would not be appreciated at the moment. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing! Why don't you go and pack for Hogwarts or whatever you do these days?" He snapped and snatched the picture from Harry's hands and stuffed it into his bedside drawer.

Harry frowned. William was usually very mild-tempered and this display of anger and irritation was highly unusual. "What's going on, William? What have I done?"

"You've done nothing, Harry. After all, how could you do anything wrong? You're going to Hogwarts after all!"

Harry frowned even harder. Was William jealous of him? No, that was not it, William was never jealous of anything. Then what was his problem? "Why are you so mad, William?" he asked, getting a little annoyed with his little brother.

"You're leaving!" he shouted, finally turning around. His face was flushed and his eyes were red. There were tear tracks on his cheeks. William's shout attracted Lizzie whose room was right next to his. She was standing in the doorway watching the drama unfold with wide eyes.

Harry stood up slowly and glared at him. "I'm well aware of that, thanks. But I don't understand what your problem is!" He noticed out of the corner of her eye, Lizzie facepalming yet he still didn't understand what was his brother's problem. Lizzie's reaction made him feel a bit stupid, though.

"He'll miss you, Harry!" said Lizzie, stepping into the room. "That's why he's crying and why he has been sad since the day you got your letter."

Harry felt comprehension flood him followed by another wave of confusion. "Why didn't you tell me?" he asked William who was staring at the ground.

"Because you are so excited to leave," he mumbled. "I didn't think you would miss us."

Harry understood. He had been so excited since his letter came but, always in the back of his mind, there was the thought that his siblings weren't coming with him. Lizzie was at the age where she was more excited to go to Hogwarts but William did not want to go because he felt Hogwarts was snatching Harry away from him.

In some ways, Harry was closer to Lizzie than he was to William. William was his little unassuming brother who looked up to him and admired him while Lizzie was closer to him in age and didn't see him as the older-brother-role-model; he could be younger than her for all she cared.

"Of course, I'm going to miss you!" said Harry letting indignation creep into his voice.

"You certainly don't act like it!" William retorted.

"Yeah, you don't." Lizzie agreed matter-of-factly.

Harry pulled a face before smiling wryly. "You just wait until September, I guarantee, I'll miss you then."

William chuckled and wiped his eyes. He looked at Harry again for confirmation. "Are you sure you'll miss us?"

Harry grinned. "Of course! Who else am I going to play pranks on?"

Lizzie smiled mischievously. "The teachers."

"Good idea!" William chuckled before hugging Harry. Harry hugged him back and held out an arm for Lizzie who quickly joined the group hug.

None of them noticed the red-haired woman watching tearfully from the door.




3 0 August 1991

Harry's Suite, Potter Manor

Harry looked up when he heard a knock on the door and called out "Come in!" The door opened revealing his father, godfather and uncle looking uncharacteristically solemn. His father was holding a leather satchel in his hands.

Harry waved them in, and they came, sitting around him on the bed, giving him the unnerving feeling of being surrounded.

"What's going on?" He asked uncertainly.

"Harry," said Dad formally. "The time has come. You are leaving for Hogwarts soon and Prongs, Padfoot and Moony feel that you should be officially inducted into the Marauders."

"There are a few things that need to be done before you can be a Marauder. Firstly, the existing original Marauders comment on your Marauderness." started Uncle Sirius.

"Marauderness?" Harry huffed out a laugh, though there was a giddy feeling inside of him. All his life he had looked up to the Marauders, the awesome group of loyal friends who joked and pranked yet loved and defended and he would finally be a part of it.

Remus nodded seriously. "Yes, Harry. Marauderness. It includes your sense of humour, your pranking skills and your capability to defend those you love. I believe Mr Padfoot is going to comment on your sense of humour."

Uncle Sirius straightened. "Mr Padfoot states that Mr Potter's sense of humour is remarkable. He laughs at Mr Padfoot's funniest jokes and is rather amusing himself. I believe Mr Moony will comment on your pranking skills."

Uncle Remus crossed his arms adopting a formal pose. "Mr Moony believes that Mr Potter's pranking skills are far beyond those of his age. He comes up with the most ingenious of pranks and is very sneaky. My favourite was the one where he exchanged Mr Prong's hair with stag fur who didn't notice them until the morning after."

Harry grinned. That had been a lot of fun. Dad had shrieked so loud that he had heard it all the way in his own room.

"I believe Mr Prongs will now evaluate your ability to protect those you love."

Dad pulled a set of parchment from the satchel and adjusted his glasses. "Mr Prongs remembers that Mr Potter defended his sister, Elizabeth Potter from a lizard that had gotten into the house when he was five. He also used accidental magic to stop his brother, William Potter, from falling from his training broom. He cared for his mother, also known as Pride when she was ill and his father, known as Prongs, was gone on an Auror mission. I believe all these instances point to Mr Potter's caring and protective nature."

"Mr Potter passed the Marauder test with flying colours!" Dad grinned and Uncle Siri and Uncle Rem followed his example, dropping the formal act.

Harry grinned, and unable to stop himself, he cheered loudly.

"We were going to give you a nickname until we realized how hard it will be without an Animagus form to base it on," Dad said. Harry gasped when he realized what Dad was implying. Dad noticed his excited look and shook his head. "Your mother and I agree that it won't happen until your third year at the very least so, in the meantime, we left Prongslet as your nickname."

Harry felt crestfallen that he had to wait for two years but he got excited again when his dad took something out of the satchel and held it out. It was a golden dog tag hanging on a gold chain. On the dog tag were the words:

Prongslet
31 July 1980


Dad leaned forwards and fastened it around his neck. Harry stared at the dog tag and couldn't believe this was actually happening. This was almost as big of a moment for him as when he had accepted the Heirship of the House of Gryffindor.

"There is also something else for you to take but you have to promise to share it with your siblings when they start Hogwarts," said James. When Harry nodded, he pulled out a worn piece of parchment from the satchel. It didn't look to have any particular properties but Harry still gasped.

"I thought you said Filch confiscated it in your last year!"

Sirius put on a mock disappointed expression. "Harry, Harry, Harry, do you really think we were so stupid to make only one map for all four of us? The map that got lost was Peter's map. Our's are still safe and sound."

Harry realized it made sense. It would not be practical for there to be only one map for all of them because if one of them got caught, the others would still have their's. Which is exactly what happened. Peter was on guard duty and instead got caught by Filch while they set up a prank and, while James, Sirius and Remus managed to escape along with their maps, Peter's map was taken.

"This one was mine," said James, lovingly patting the map in his hand before extending it to Harry. "It's yours now."

Harry took it with arms shaking from excitement. "This is so cool!"

"One last thing," said James. Harry looked up excitedly. James pulled out a silvery flowy material from the satchel. "The Invisibility Cloak."

James hadn't known the origins of his cloak since he had never read the story of The Three Brothers. However, Harry had, and he knew what the relationship was between the Peverells and the Brothers.

"This is the invisibility cloak?!" asked Harry, awestruck. The material that flowed in his hands felt as soft as silk and as if water was woven into the material. In the very corner, a symbol was drawn: a triangle with a straight line which was covered by a circle. The Deathly Hallows. "This is mine now?"

"Since you are the firstborn Heir of the House of Peverell, it actually belongs to you but you only get to keep it if you share it with your siblings," said James firmly. "Especially since William is going to take the Heirship of Peverell."

Harry nodded. "Of course, I'll share it with them!"

"How'd you get it back, James?" asked Remus curiously. He had wanted to ask earlier but there had never been the time or he had forgotten.

"The cloak always comes to those it belongs to. It didn't belong to Dumbledore, it belonged to me and it came to me when I called. I don't think Dumbledore has even realized that I took it back."

"What do you mean "you took it back"?" asked Harry, frowning. "Why did Dumbledore have it?"

"I gave it to Dumbledore a few weeks before Voldemort came to our house," explained James. "I was wary of him back then but didn't distrust him as I do now. I gave it when he asked because I knew if he tried anything, I would get it back."

"Why did he even find out about it?" asked Sirius.

"He wasn't meant to but I accidentally mentioned it in an Order meeting and he heard me. Thankfully, he didn't come to me until the meeting was over."




Aut hor’s Notes: Parts of the story have been taken from 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone/Philosopher's Stone'.

Harry, Lizzie and William call Fleamont and Euphemia, Grandpa and Grandmama, and they call Andrew and Rosemary (their Muggle grandparents), Granddad and Grandma.

  Some people might find it weird that they are paying for Harry’s school supplies from his trust vault when instead, his parents should pay for it from their own money but there is a reason there is a trust vault. The trust vault was made for Harry to last seven school years as well as for anything else he might need to buy till he gets a job. The trust vault is also replenished to a fixed amount every year so technically it is the parent’s money he is using. Now, he can waste it all because he has an unlimited amount (until the amount in the family vault finishes) or he can use it wisely.

I am so sorry for being so late in updating but as I said in the notes of my last chapter, me and my beta both went on vacation. While my beta came back on the twelfth or thirteenth, I didn't come back until the eighteenth and then I have taken part in GLMC (Global Learners Mathematics Cup) and I had to prepare for that and I had missed a couple of weeks of school due to me not being home so I had to complete my missing work and study for tests. Then my cousin came who lives in another country so I spent most of my time with her especially since she spent her birthday with us. Then it was my mother's birthday so I didn't get the time. After that, I went o another city that is a half-hour car ride away from where I live to drop my cousin off at her university but my aunt lives there so we spent the weekend there.

This chapter covered some of the things that I feel I missed in the earlier chapters like people advertising Harry Potter products and James and Lily getting angry at that. Hope you enjoyed reading.

P.S Can anyone recommend good and complete Slytherin Harry Potter fics. Preferably Harry/Ginny or Harry/Daphne and not slash. Dumbledore bashing is preferred and Weasley bashing is acceptable. I have already read Travel Secrets, Paradigm Shift, Evitative, Unexpected Consequences, They Shook Hands, Alpha Potter and many more.

Also, any good Harry-goes-back-in-time-to-the-Marauders -era fics? I have read A Mishap and an Opportunity, Hold Me While I'm Here, Timely Error, and many others whose names I can't remember. So, I would hope that it is one that I haven't read. And, also one where, preferably only Harry goes, and the Marauders are suspicious of him.

Thank you,
Millie15128


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