Chapter 5: 11th Birthday Suprise
Harry Potter woke up on his eleventh birthday with a small smile on his face. Even though he had heard all about it, he had unfortunately never ventured to Diagon Alley before. Grandfather Alfred had said that it was too dangerous for him and so he hadn't tried venturing out of the grounds for anything other than his martial arts class, but now, he could finally see the biggest shopping district in Magical Britain.
He was quite excited even though he managed to hide it. He went to the bathroom and took a quick shower after finishing his morning chores. The walk-in closet in his bedroom showed many clothes that belonged to him. He picked a sky-blue shirt and a pair of black trousers, along with an informal open robe that fit him perfectly. After getting dressed, he headed to the family dining room to have breakfast. When he entered the study an hour later, the portraits all wished him a happy birthday.
"Happy birthday, Harry," Alfred wished him, the ghost drifting into the study. "We've discussed this. You know what you have to do today."
Harry nodded. He placed his hand on the Potter crest which was affixed to the wall. It contained two golden griffins facing each other with a large shield between them, with two intertwined swords. Harry closed his eyes as he said, "I, Harry James Potter, Scion of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter, do call upon my birthright and claim the headship of the Potter family. I vow to do my duty and bring honour to my clan. May Mother Magic bear witness to this blood oath of a Peverell!"
There was a pulse of magic as Harry's hand glowed. A ring appeared on his right ring finger. It had a large blue diamond, seamlessly placed on a platinum band. The inside of the diamond contained tiny, clear diamonds forming the Potter crest, which were implanted with magic by his ancestors.
" Natus Vincere," whispered Harry, closing his eyes in respect to honour the memories of his great ancestors. That was the Potter family motto, which meant 'Born to Conquer '.
"Congratulations, Harry," Alfred smiled at him. "I believe claiming headship does give you some autonomy over family matters. I'm not up to date with Magical Law. Talk to the goblins. They'll know better."
"I will, Grandfather," said Harry quietly as he exited the study. With confident strides, he reached the entrance hall. He took a pinch of Floo powder and stepped inside the ornate, granite fireplace and spoke clearly, "Diagon Alley," just as he was swallowed by a flash of green flames.
.....
When Harry exited the Floo, he was assaulted by new smells and visions. The place was beautiful. Several buildings were on either side of a large street and there was so much magic in the air that it was unbelievable. For someone who had grown up in isolation for the last four years, it was quite unnerving to see hundreds of people in the alley.
Harry buried his nervousness under his Occlumency shields as he walked towards the bank. He was not worried about being recognised. His appearance was quite different from what many people made him out to be and his scar was hidden behind a glamour charm. As he entered the marble building, he found a free teller and handed him a letter that had the seal of the Potter family on it.
"I would like to meet Ragnok, please," he said quietly.
The goblins were the only ones he had informed about his disappearance. Alfred had been quite insistent that he let them know that he was safe to ensure that the investments did not suffer as a result. He had penned a letter to Ragnok four years ago, but this was the first time he would be meeting the goblin.
"Griphook will take you to Ragnok's office," said the teller. Harry bowed to the goblin and was soon ushered into an opulent office.
"Greetings, Mr Potter," a voice welcomed him from behind a marble desk, the goblin observing the young boy with keen, black eyes. "I am Ragnok, the manager of the Potter accounts. What can I do for you?"
"Greetings to you as well, Ragnok," said Harry, acknowledging him with a bow. "I'm here to know the status of the Potter investments and vaults. I've been told that I'm not qualified or old enough to fully understand it, but I was hoping you could give me a brief explanation."
The next hour was spent in discussion as Ragnok explained, in simple words, about the various investments and the total worth of the Potter family. Harry knew it, but still, when he saw that the final number was in billions, he was awestruck.
"There is another matter which I want to discuss with you, Mr Potter," said Ragnok as he reached for a file containing a few sheets of parchment. "I've had time to go through this over the past few days and since you're here, I can deliver the news in person. I'm afraid I found an active betrothal contract between House Potter and House Greengrass that has been lying dormant for a couple of hundred years now."
It took all of Harry's self-control not to exclaim in shock. "Betrothal?" he asked, as his eyes bulged out.
"Indeed," nodded Ragnok. "This contract seems to have been formed by your great-great-grandfather, Lord William Potter more than one hundred and fifty years ago. It states that should either family be reduced to one member - like yours currently is - the betrothal contract will be activated and the last living member of the endangered family would be married to any son or daughter of the other's family who is similar in age."
"You are the last member of the Potter family. Lord Greengrass has two daughters, so according to this document, you are contracted to marry Miss Daphne Greengrass, who is also eleven years old, no later than your twenty-first birthday.
The agreement seemed to have been drawn only as a precaution, immediately after the Potter Massacre, to safeguard the interests of the members of House Potter and House Greengrass, but I believe neither party intended for the contract to come into effect. It was a safety net, but it seems to have activated recently due to a time-limit having been crossed, with you currently being the only Potter alive. It's not strictly unbreakable, but magical contracts are very tricky. I suggest you seek the advice of those who specialise in such areas of Magical Law to see if there is a loophole."
Harry's face remained impassive, but mentally, he was panicking. He didn't even know this girl. How was he supposed to get married to her several years from now? There was no telling how she would react since this predicament was not her or her family's fault in any way. He also knew that he wasn't the easiest person to get along with. He had no patience to deal with people. He was quite an introvert.
"Does Lord Greengrass know about it?"
"Not yet. There was a time frame after which the contract activates, which was why it wasn't discovered until now. I will have to inform him soon. I shall let you know of any further developments. If you'd like, I can forward this contract to a wizarding law firm to check if there is a loophole."
Harry's stiff posture did not relax but he exhaled heavily through his nose. "I was wondering how to deal with that. I have no legal knowledge. That would be greatly appreciated, Ragnok. Thank you."
Chapter 6: Destiny's Wand
The young Potter scion was then given a thin, solid gold card which acted as a debit card to use for any purchases he would make in the future. Once his meeting with the goblin concluded, he was led to his family vault. Harry withdrew a few hundred Galleons and also browsed through the male jewellery section. Normally, he wouldn't be anywhere near this place, but the protection some of it offered was too hard to ignore. He finally picked out a small chain with a platinum locket with the Potter crest engraved on the outside. He would put a picture of his parents on the inside if he wanted to or store something of value.
Once he exited the bank, Harry made his way to Twilfit and Tattings and, on the recommendation of Madam Twilfit, bought his uniform made of high-quality silk. At the next shop, he purchased a multi-compartment trunk with several protective enchantments. Some might call him paranoid, but his safety and security, not to mention privacy, were important to him. After that, Harry got his school books, potions ingredients and telescope. He shook his head in exasperation at the Boy-Who-Lived books and toys being sold. Harry understood the public's fascination with him after Alfred explained it to him. No one had ever survived the Killing Curse after it hit them and reflected it back at its caster. It was because of this that Harry was mentioned in nearly every book which mentioned the Killing Curse. He was famous internationally and there was no escaping his fame. He just had to get used to it.
The cover of the books showed a boy with messy black hair with round spectacles. A hint of a smirk formed on Harry's lips. His hair was no longer messy, with him using magic to give it a smoother appearance. Neither did he wear glasses, unlike his father, James, who was forced to wear them due to being allergic to spells cast on his eyes. Harry wondered why the public viewed him as a carbon copy of his father. The only part of the picture that was accurate was the eyes - vivid emerald green, just like his mother's.
He also bought a snowy owl which he took a liking to and finally, came to Ollivander's shop for a wand. Taking a deep breath, he pushed the door open and entered the shop. Just as he was about to open his mouth, he felt a presence next to him. Even with Occlumency, Harry was so surprised that he gasped.
"Ah, I knew I would see you one day, Mr Potter," said Garrick Ollivander, the wandmaker, softly as he edged closer to him. "It seems just yesterday when your mother and father were here buying their first wands. Let's see what we can do, shall we? Which is your wand arm?"
"I'm ambidextrous sir," Harry answered, extending both his arms.
"Oh!" exclaimed Ollivander happily, the magical tape automatically measuring the boy. "That is a surprise. Good, that's it. Now let's try this, shall we? Beech and Dragon Heartstring, nine inches; just give it a wave."
Harry waved the wand but the wandmaker snatched it back at once. He tried another, and another; the pile of wands kept growing but Ollivander seemed to get happier and happier after every try.
"Tricky customer, eh?" he commented as he emerged with another wand. "Not to worry, try this. Holly and Phoenix feather, eleven inches."
Harry took the wand but it gave out a wail and he immediately chucked it back at the wandmaker. "No, no, definitely not," the old man frowned. Thinking deeply, the wandmaker went inside his workshop and emerged a minute later with a small box. Ollivander removed another wand and handed it to him.
Suddenly, Harry felt warm as the wand heated up in his hand, releasing several multi-coloured sparks in the air as he swished it down. He smiled slightly as he felt the wand hum in his hand.
"Oh, bravo!" cried Ollivander happily. "I haven't sold one of these wands for quite some time now. They were crafted by one of my ancestors. The wand which you are holding is made of Yew and contains the tail feather of a Thunderbird. It is fourteen inches in length and quite rigid. That is a powerful wand, Mr Potter; use it well."
Harry nodded as he bought a top of the line wand holster too. Once it was firmly attached to his forearm, he paid for the wand and holster and exited the shop, quite happy. He finished shopping for a few more items and used the Portkey on his ring to get back home.
It had been a wonderful birthday.
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