DISCLAIMER: HARRY POTTER, characters, names, and all related indicia are trademarks of Warner Bros. © 2001.
***
The doors opened slightly as Harry peeked in to look at the crowd. He had been waiting so long for this day, ever since that day when Professor Lupin had told him about his godfather. After his incident with Lord Voldemont at the Triwizard Tournament, Sirius had not wanted to leave his side. He had to however; he had to alert the others that day. He had to tell them that Voldemont was rising again. Harry moved over as the door opened to let him in. Professor McGonagall motioned for him to come in. Ever since that day when Cedric Diggory was killed by an unforgivable curse, Harry had waited.
Over the summer with the Dursley's, there had been ten attempts to kill Harry within the first week he was there. Uncle Vernon was past his temper point by then and he made Harry send Dumbledore an owl that Harry was no longer welcome at his house. Harry not being welcome was not the strange part; the strange part was that Uncle Vernon made Harry use Hedwig.
A week later when Dumbledore's reply came, Harry had been packed for five days.
Harry,
You'll just have to come and stay with me until Sirius has a house of his own. I'll be there to get you on Saturday at midnight.
Professor Dumbledore
Of course, Uncle Vernon was delighted to get rid of this burden that had been dumped on his doorstep fifteen years ago. He was so happy that he gave Harry an early birthday present.
"I was going to sell this to an antique shop or something, but seeing as you are leaving." Uncle Vernon handed Harry a box. "I was told to give it to you when you got your letter from that place, but things were just too busy."
"Thank you Uncle Vernon," Harry said, and for once in his life he actually meant it.
He opened up the box and there was a note inside with a large and very old key. Harry opened the note and a tear fell from his eye as he read.
Dearest Harry,
If you are reading this, then we are no longer with you. We are so sorry. If we are dead then that means that your father's friend Wormtail has betrayed us. He sold us out to a very evil creature called Lord Voldemont. Believe us when we tell you that he will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Be weary of him Harry.
Also if you are reading this, you have received your letter from Hogwarts. We are so happy for you.
The key that is enclosed is a key for the oldest, most special vault in a bank called Gringotts. This is the wizard's bank in Diagon Alley. Vault 5,746 is the very last vault in this bank and this is where your father and I have kept everything you will ever need in life.
A very special man named Albus Dumbledore will have the key to your other vault that has your money in it. He will also tell you everything else you need to know. He will also have to discuss something very important with you and your godfather, Sirius Black. You may live with him with our permission and our blessing. We love you.
Your dad and mum,
James and Lily Potter
Harry couldn't say anything. Obviously he knew most of this except for the vault part.
"Don't cry now, boy, toughen up," Uncle Vernon said, near tears himself.
Harry wiped the tears away quickly. "Oh. . .no, of course not."
Uncle Vernon got up and walked out of the room. Harry didn't know what else could happen. He had been allowed to do his homework during the day, none of his things had been locked away, and Uncle Vernon was being nice to him and hadn't thrown a fuss when Harry talked about wizard things. Harry got up and put the note and the key on his desk. He stood there a moment and thought about what just happened.
"It's Saturday!" Harry said to himself finally. He picked up the note and the key and put them in his truck. Even though it was only around dinnertime, Harry was more than ready to go.
Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia had warned Harry that if the doorbell woke them up or their Dudley Dums that they would make sure he would never eat again. Of course, Harry knew that they couldn't tell Professor Dumbledore what to do, but he didn't want to ruin his leaving. So when everyone went to bed he stayed by the front windows and looked for Professor Dumbledore.
Suddenly everything was blurry and Harry was falling. It was the same sensation as when he peeked into Professor Dumbledore's pensieve, except it was his own memories. He was watching himself and Cedric grab the cup and being whisked off to an unknown place. He watched Cedric die all over again, and he watched Voldemont be reborn. Then the part that made him cry was that he saw his mum and dad come out of the tip of Voldemort's wand again.
"Harry, you can remember this any time, right now we need to leave before someone comes to hurt you again."
Harry was suddenly back in the Dursley's living room by the front windows and Professor Dumbledore was tapping on the window. Harry jumped up and ran to the door.
"Sorry Professor, I must have dozed off."
"You didn't doze off Harry. Someone is trying to remind you of your fear. And now we must be off, get your Firebolt."
Harry started to say something, but Dumbledore already knew what he was thinking.
"Shrinking potion, Harry. Your trunk will fit in your pocket. Shall we be off then?"
Harry got onto his Firebolt with all of his things shrunk in his pocket and he and Professor Dumbledore both pushed off of the ground and into the sky.
By the time Harry and Professor Dumbledore got to Professor Dumbledore's house it was near daybreak.
"That is my home there Harry."
Harry couldn't say anything. He had never seen anything so big and beautiful. It looked bigger than Hogwarts, but it did look an awful lot like Hogwarts. Actually, when he was inside, it looked exactly like the entrance to Hogwarts.
"Harry, it is Hogwarts. I live here to take care of the building while everyone is gone for his or her vacation. I think it is best, however, for you not to stay in your room, especially by yourself. I'll make an extra bed."
"Thank you Professor Dumbledore."
Harry thought a while about the note he had finally received from his parents. He pondered whether or not to tell Professor Dumbledore. The last time he had kept something from Professor Dumbledore, things hadn't come out as well.
"You can keep Hedwig in the Owlry or she can stay with you. And I wouldn't be sending her out anywhere to tell Ron or Hermione where you are. If they send you an owl, it will find its way to you. We wouldn't want anyone to know where you are. . .at least for a while--"
"Professor?"
"Yes Harry."
"My Uncle Vernon gave me a letter that he was supposed to give me when I got my letter from Hogwarts. . .it was from my parents."
"Yes Harry, I know. They sent me the same letter so that I could help you along your way."
"Why didn't you tell me about the vault then?"
"Harry, if I had told you about everything that was in that vault, you would have invited Sirius to stay and the dementors would have found him. Then were would we be?"
"I guess you're right, but I want to go and look. Could we when I have to get my school things?"
"Sure. In fact, you can help me with the letters. They take forever to write. But now, we will go to bed. We have a big day ahead of us."
A week later, Harry and Professor Dumbledore started writing letters. Professor Dumbledore wrote the lists and Harry wrote the letters. The envelopes were already done so all they had to do was put them in the envelopes after they were written. It took them a week and a half to write all the letters. Harry had to remember to change the message for the letters going to the first years. He could probably recite the letters by heart from now on.
"We will go to get your things tomorrow, Harry."
"Okay, but we will have to stop by--"
"Gringotts, I know."