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Harry Potter (Modified) - Book 1 by Shades of Grey
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Harry Potter (Modified) - Book 1

Shades of Grey

AN- In this chapter I promise that something will actually happen! Sorry to all who like Malfoy though... That's all I'm gonna say for now.

H/H FOREVER!

Bye!

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' One of the most important things you'll learn about magic, Harry, is that nothing is ever as it seems.' and with that Hagrid walked over to a dustbin by the wall and counted three bricks up and two across, winked at Harry then tapped the brick with his wand.

The brick quivered a bit, then rippled and the ripples spread out to form an archway of sorts that then faded away to revel Diagon Alley.

Diagon Alley had the atmosphere of a small village and in fact it wouldn't have looked much different from most muggle towns if it weren't for all the magical creatures on store signs, like dragons and unicorns and other more fantastic things that Harry couldn't begin to name. The only other difference was in the people. Almost everyone there was dressed in robes of one type or another and Harry wasn't even sure all the "people" were actually human!

' Well Harry lets see that list of supplies.' Hagrid asked Harry.

' Huh?' Harry didn't remember any list, but then he hadn't read the whole letter as he hadn't believed it. He pulled out the envelope it was in and found that there had been a list of the school supplies he would need attached to the back as the note said.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY

Uniform

First year students will require:

1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)

2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry nametags

Set Books

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginners' 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

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad

PARENTS ARE REMINIDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE

NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

Handing the list to Hagrid Harry asked ' Why would students want any of those animals at a school?'

' Well actually probably no one wants a toad as they went out of style long ago, but cats are useful for carrying messages in the castle as well as their usually having other powers, but owl, and other birds for that matter, are darn useful whether they end up having any special powers or not. Like carrying messages and yer post. Say why don't I buy you one? An animal for Hogwarts I mean. I haven't get yeh a birthday present yet.' Hagrid said the last part with some embarrassment.

' You don't have to...'

' I know I don't. Tell yeh what, we'll pop into Eeylops Owl Emporium once we've got everything else you'll need and I'll get yeh a bird. Yeh'd be laughed at for havin' a toad and cats make me sneeze.' Hagrid said as he led them to the bank. He had explained that there was only one bank in the wizarding world and that was Gringotts. Harry saw what Hagrid said was a goblin guard at the front doors. Beside it, carved into the wall was a poem:

Enter stranger but take heed

Of what awaits the sin of greed,

For those who take but do not earn,

Must pay most 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.

' It's been said before and I'll say it again. " Yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it".' Hagrid muttered as he saw what Harry was looking at.

As the passed through the doors Hagrid started going through his pockets looking for something. ' Ah-ha!' He said pulling and oddly shaped piece of green stone from his pocket and walking up to a free goblin.

' We're here to get some money from Mr Harry Potter's safe, here's his key.' Hagrid said and held up a tiny golden key. ' As well Dumbledore sent me here to get the you-know-what from vault seven hundred and thirteen, here's my authorization.' this time he held up the funny shaped stone.

The goblin glared at the key for a moment then nodded in satisfaction then took the stone from Hagrid, held it close to his mouth and whispered something that Harry couldn't hear but for some reason it made his head spin. Then the stone started to glow and the light coming from it seemed to press on the back of Harry's eyes. Blinking didn't help and neither did closing his eyes. The light seemed to seep through his eyelids until he could have pointed out exactly where the stone was even with his eyes closed. Then, all at once it stopped.

Harry shook his head a little to clear it then carefully opened his eyes and then sighed. His field of view was covered with the after image of the stone. Fortunately his vision cleared quickly and he was able to see again. What he saw was the goblin giving him a puzzled frown and Hagrid giving him a worried one.

' What's wrong Harry? Yeh said yeh were fine in the leaky cauldron but if yeh want we can find someplace for yeh teh stay before we get yer school supplies and...' Hagrid started but Harry cut him off.

' No I really am fine it was just that the light from the stone hurt my eyes.'

Now Hagrid took on the look that the goblin had been giving Harry. ' Light from the stone? What light?'

Harry was about to reply when the goblin saved him the trouble. ' I believe that.. Harry you said your name was? that Harry may be referring to the reaction of the magic in your authorization stone to my checking charm. Us goblins have the ability to see magical reactions and changes and it's not COMPLETELY unheard of for a human to have the same ability. If this is the case then it is nothing to be worried about but it is rather quite useful.' Turning to Harry he said ' Tell me. What colour did the light appear to be? Could you still see it when you closed your eyes?'

' It was a really bright blue and yes I could still see it with my eyes closed.' Harry replied.

' Well then that is definitely what happened. You have the ability to see magic when it's changing or when it's reacting to nearby magic.'

' Will it be like that every time? How can you stand it?' Harry asked. If he was unable to see every time he saw a bit of magic react to something he wasn't going to be much of a wizard.

' Oh no. The only reason it was so strong was because the reaction was so strong in the stone. The charm I used was quite a strong one. And I assume that this is the first time you've seen something like this?' Harry nodded. ' Well then it was also because you're not yet used to it. With time it will dim until it is manageable. You are starting at Hogwarts I assume?' Again Harry nodded. ' Well then this should be useful in your charms lessons.'

All through this little discussion Hagrid had been standing there with nothing to say and was starting to look as though he felt a little left out. Harry turned to him and smiled at the look on his face.

' I guess we'd better get to my safe then?' Harry asked him.

' Uh. I guess we'd best.' Hagrid answered, then turned to the goblin. ' So will yeh take us to Harry's safe now?'

' Of course. Right this way.' the goblin said then turned and led them to a platform where they got onto a sort of mine cart. The goblin then tapped the side with its middle finger and said ' Seven hundred thirteen.' and the cart took off.

To Harry it was the most fun he'd had in a long time but Hagrid didn't take it so well and even started to look a bit green before they finally stopped to get out at what Harry assumed to be vault #713. Hagrid asked the goblin to open the door which it did and to Harry's surprise all that was there was a small dirty paper wrapped package. He had expected something grand with jewels and gold and whatnot.

' What in there?' he asked of Hagrid, but Hagrid refused to tell saying that Dumbledore had trusted him not to Harry didn't press the matter. Then they were off to vault 11, which was Harry's apparently.

Here Harry found the jewels and gold that he had expected in the other vault.

Hagrid let out a low whistle as Harry stood there gaping. ' I knew that the Potters had a lot of money but.... wow!' was Hagrid's response to the sight.

' Y-you mean all this is... is all mine?' Harry demanded incredulously.

' Heh heh. Yep. It all belonged to yer parents and now it's all yours. Let's get what we need and go. You can explore and find out what else they left you some other time.'

Explore was right as the vault must have been at least as big as half of the Dursleys' house.

They grabbed a sack full of what Hagrid called galleons and left.

On their way out the doors the goblin stopped Harry for a moment.

' If you ever feel like trying out a job at a bank once you're out of school just come here, I'm sure we could use your talent. And if you have the time this year or another I would be happy to teach you what the colours and shades of magic that you see mean. Just ask for Griphook or me, Kalib.' Kalib said then let Harry go and turned away looking like he was already calculating sums in his head.

' Arrgh. Harry I suppose we should go get your school robes at Madame Malkin's, but would yeh mind if I left yeh with her teh get yer robes? Only those carts don't much agree with my stomach and I'd like ter visit the leaky cauldron again for a pick me up.'

' Of course Hagrid. I don't mind. You've already been more helpful to me than I had any right to ask.'

When they got to the store an assistant told them that Madame Malkin herself was here today and since it was Harry Potter HIMSELF she was sure to want to do his measurements herself if they wouldn't mind waiting a bit as she finished with the student she was working with at the moment.

No, they told her, Of course they wouldn't mind waiting and Harry sat down in the chair that the witch showed him to and Hagrid left for the leaky cauldron promising to talk to the patrons still there so as to satisfy their curiosity in the hopes that they would be more likely to leave Harry alone when he asked.

After a while Harry got bored and having nothing more interesting to look at than shelves full of robes he started meditating to pass the time, but didn't let himself get to deep into it so that he would be aware of when they needed him for his fitting.

About and hour and a half later, which seemed like seconds to Harry, Madame Malkin swooped into the room to curtsy before Harry. Harry was quite alarmed at this. He was starting to wish people wouldn't treat him like this for something that he had done before he could even form thoughts let alone remember anything. Her grand robes, which made her look all the more elegant only made it worse for Harry. They fit loosely but still managed to show off her fine form quite well, but aside from their shape the most stunning thing was their colour. It seemed to change with Harry's thoughts. Rainbows and stripes were flashing everywhere in impossible ways, with two colours being in the same place at once and neither mixing nor blocking one or the other. All in all it was quite overwhelming and all she had done was curtsy.

' Please don't do that ma'am. It's rather embarrassing and there's really no reason for it.' Pleaded Harry as she rose from her curtsy and he got his first look at her face. It was surprisingly old. Not that she was elderly but her eyes told Harry that she was much older than her face and body looked. He guessed that she was just a few years older than Hagrid. The second thing he noticed was that her face was flushed as though she was either annoyed or embarrassed or both.

' Of course there is. Even without the fact that you're the one that stopped you-know-who I've kept you waiting much too long, I beg your pardon for the inconvenience.' she said in an almost silky voice sounding very self-possessed.

' Really? I hadn't noticed that I'd been here too long.' Harry said, which earned him a puzzled glance from the assistant witch.

' You're too kind. Now I assume you're here for your school robes? Very well, this way if you please.' she stated briskly then turned and went through the curtains she had emerged from and led Harry to a fitting room where the other boy she had been measuring was waiting.

The boy had a pale pointed face with an arrogant look to it and the shape of his mouth had a sort of sneer to it even though he wasn't sneering at the moment. His hair was perfectly straight and parted right down the middle. It hung halfway past his ears and was so pale a blond that it seemed almost white next to the black robes he wore.

Harry felt an instant dislike of this boy but reminded himself not to judge a sword by it's sheath, a saying he had picked up from Mr. Osakawa. Harry's sensei had often used the saying in reference to Harry himself.

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AN- Okay he DID meet Malfoy but nothing has happened yet. I promise after this chapter Harry will actually talk to Malfoy. I know, I know! He was supposed to in this chapter and I really thought he would but I don't plan this story. I just sit down and type and follow Rowling's basic plot. So therefore pretty much everything happens that's supposed to I just won't know when it'll happen 'til I type it.

PS: What does everyone think of Harry's little trick with seeing magical reactions? He can't see magic being used or see magical traps (too cheap in a fight or somethin') and it won't matter until I've gotten to year five (if I do!) but I'd like to know your opinions of it.

Two reviews! J

VipyGirl831: Thanks for your review, but I think you were a little too hard on yourself. Besides, I'm not the best writer. It takes me FOREVER to get new chapters out! And don't worry about seeing more of my writing. From chapter three on it's all me!

Kabal: Wow. Me? One of "The Greats"? I don't even consider myself on a level even close to any of the authors you mentioned, but nonetheless your review certainly made me feel good! J Thanks! I'll be posting chapters two at a time up to chapter 21. After that… who knows? Thanks again for the review, I'm really glad to hear you've been reading and enjoying the story.

H/H FOREVER!

Bye!