DISCLAIMER: HARRY POTTER, characters, names, and all related indicia are trademarks of Warner Bros. © 2001.
***
As the bricks in the Leaky Cauldron moved aside, Diagon Alley was swamped with wizards of all sorts. There were not any Hogwarts students yet because their letters had just been sent out that morning. Harry had to get all of his books and some new robes because he was still growing and his old robes were getting rather small.
"Now then, to Gringotts, Harry. You have your keys?"
"Yes, of course."
They walked down the street and into Gringotts Wizarding Bank.
"Harry Potter, vault 312 and 5,746."
"Excuse me, Mr. Potter, but we do not have a vault 5,746."
Harry placed the large key on the counter.
"Oh yes, that vault. Yes, yes, of course."
The usual green smoke came billowing out of his vault and then they continued on. They rode in the car for at least half an hour until they finally came to the very last vault in the caves and caverns.
"Vault 5,746. Key please."
Harry handed the goblin the key. The goblin opened the door and moved out of the way. Harry had never seen so many things. There was more wizard money in this vault, there was the deed to his parents' land, which was now still empty except for their house's remains, and there was a letter.
Dearest Harry,
By now you have probably heard of your godfather Sirius Black from Albus Dumbledore. He looks suspicious, but he is very kind, and he would never hurt anyone unless he had reason to.
This vault is the biggest vault in Gringotts and has the most things. Everything that we had ever owned is in this vault. There's even the first wand your great-grandfather Potter ever had. Oh, those were the good old days.
I am sure that Mr. Dumbledore will be able to explain to you what the rest of these things are.
Now you have enough money to build a new house and you Sirius can move in. He will take care of you.
We love you,
Mum and Dad
"Harry, are you all right?"
Harry had tears in his eyes. Quickly wiping them away he said, "Yes, of course, why wouldn't I be?"
"Of course," Professor Dumbledore said.
They walked into the tailor shop after that to get Harry's new robes.
"You just go in their and get your robes, Harry, and I'll be right back. I have to do some shopping too."
"Ok, professor."
"I wonder what he has to get," Harry thought, "Oh well."
Harry browsed through the isles of cloaks and robes looking for his size. He finally found a whole section of them and also found some new dress robes for the grand ball that was held every four years. The dress robes he had now were the ones that Mrs. Weasley had picked out for him the year before and they were a little. . . well, out of style.
"Ya, that's what I heard too."
Harry couldn't help but overhear the conversation of the two warlocks in the next isle.
"They say that his parents were really killed by he-who-must-not-be-named; that they staged their death to get their boy famous and make some money for them."
More gossip about him. Harry had gotten used to this by now. He was famous because he couldn't be killed by one of the unforgivable curses put on him by Lord Voldemort. But where the people always came up with these new rumors, he had no idea.
"And what about his relationship with that Granger girl. Well even if his parents were killed, surely someone fulfills those roles so she doesn't have to."
Even though he liked Cho, he couldn't date her after what he let happen to Cedric, he just couldn't. But date Hermione?! She was his friend, not his girlfriend.
"And then that Weasel boy trying to interfere and drowned him at school; why, I thought they were friends."
Harry just walked up to the counter. He couldn't take much more without blowing his temper.
"That will be two Galleons and seven sickles."
"Prices sure have gone up a lot since last year."
"Well, with gossip of Hogwarts closing down, one can't be too careful."
Okay, he hadn't heard that one, but he wasn't going to say anything. He walked out the door and started to look for Professor Dumbledore, but he was no where in sight. He still had to get his books so he went to the bookstore without the professor.
"Messy Wizards" by Orea Johnson
"Pointed Hats and other fairy tales" by Dubby Johnson
"The Standard Book of Spells Grade 5" Teats Johnson
Those were the only books he had to get? And why are they by people from the Johnson family? Harry figured that he would ask Professor Dumbledore when he saw him. Oh no, Harry had forgotten all about Professor Dumbledore! Harry ran back to the tailor shop but Professor Dumbledore wasn't there. He looked all over what seemed like the whole world, but there was no sign of Professor Dumbledore.
Harry didn't know what to do. He couldn't find Professor Dumbledore and he heard that Hogwarts was closing
down.
"Harry Potter?"
Harry turned around to see who it was.
"I can't believe I found you. I have been looking for you for, well, I would say about ten years
now."
"Why?"
"Well, to tell you about what happened. I was sent to tell you what happened the night that your parents
died."
***
"Yes, Minerva, I realize its against the rules, but what else can I do?"
Professor Dumbledore had gone to Professor McGonagall's home to tell her that Harry was staying with him at
Hogwarts.
"Albus, you don't understand, you are putting the school in more danger than it already is."
"I know, Minerva, I know. But know I must attend to our young friend for he is worried."
"I hope you know what you are doing."
"Me too, Minerva, me too."
***
Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing. Someone to tell him exactly what happened. He was so excited he
couldn't contain it.
"My name is Natalie, Natalie Johnson. I am going to be your new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, so I knew I
would run into you sooner or later."
"So what was it like?"
"What darlin'? Oh, well, me and your mum were real good friends for a while, until she met your dad. He was a
bit wild with her he was. I sure was glad when she met James Potter though."
"But Natalie, James is my father."
"Oh, dear, um, maybe we should continue this talk some other time. Bye now"
"But Natalie, wait. . ."
Harry was too late though, she had gone as quickly as she had come. He couldn't believe what he had just heard
though. Maybe who he thought was his dad, wasn't his dad.
"Harry, I am sorry it took so long. They didn't have what I was looking for so I had to go to- Harry
what's wrong?"
"Can we just go back to Hogwarts? I am feeling a bit, weird."
'What I need to do is talk to Hermione, but to do that I have to wait until school starts,' Harry said to himself.