4 Chapter 3: The Journey Begins

What should Harry's (Merlin) boggart turn into? (Please don't comment that the boggart should turn to its original form).

PS: Today is one of my worst day, read the note at the end of this chapter to find out why.

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It was my birthday today and I woke up early in the morning to the tapping sound. As I opened my eyes, I saw an owl with a newspaper in its beak rapping at the window. So, I opened the window and took the newspaper.

The owl then kept trying to get something from Hagrid's overcoat and I kept shooing it off when Hagrid woke up and said.

"Pay him, He wants payin' fer deliverin' the paper. Look in the pockets."

I just fiddled in the coat which was full of things like a bunch of keys, slug pellets, balls of string, peppermint humbugs, teabags, and the British wizarding currency which hasn't changed in over millennia. While I was searching Hargird was yawning as he said.

"Give him five Knuts, The little bronze ones."

So, I put five knuts in the expansion charmed leather pouch which was tied to the owl's leg. Hagrid meanwhile was stretching and I had a thought while looking at money.

"Say, Hagrid. Where did my parents keep their money?" I asked a question that had been bugging me. In the past, Goblins were responsible for minting the wizarding currency all over the world, but there were debates about removing the Goblins from the currency system, and that had led to several Goblin rebellions in the past. I wonder who handles the current currency system now.

"Yeah, the first stop for us is Gringotts. Wizards bank run by goblins," he said while heating some of the sausages that were left last night.

While we were eating the sausages, Hagrid told me to not mess with the Goblins and that this Gringotts place is the safest place in the world except for Hogwarts. He also told me that he had some work in Gringotts and something about it being Hogwarts business. I mean if it was Hogwarts business then he should have kept his mouth shut, but meh it's not like I care.

After eating the breakfast, we got on the boat that Uncle Vernon had hired yesterday and Hagrid enchanted the paddles to row by themselves. He was then reading the newspaper and I was thinking of how Gringotts would look in modern times. That was until Hagrid mumbled something under his breath that took me by surprise.

"Ministry o' Magic messin' things up as usual."

I had thought that the wizards and witches would live in secrecy but never imagined that they would form an actual ministry. But well, now that I think about it, it sounds like a logical choice, and as I wasn't able to keep my mouth shut any longer.

"There's a Ministry of Magic? So what do they do?" I asked excitedly.

"Course," said Hagrid. "They wanted Dumbledore fer Minister, o' course, but he'd never leave Hogwarts, so old Cornelius Fudge got the job. Bungler if ever there was one. So he pelts Dumbledore with owls every morning, askin' fer advice."

He then went on to explain how the main job of the Ministry is to hide the existence of wizards and witches from the muggles. Just like that we came to the other side of the sea and got a train to London. Hagrid had given me the muggle money since he didn't understand how to use it. On the train, we talked about several things and Hagrid told about his desire of having a pet dragon, but according to him, the dragons were heavily regulated and mainly bred in Romania.

We were currently on the street of Charing Cross Road in London's West End. Hagrid seems to know where we are going but he kept pointing at every little thing. That was until we reached a tiny, grubby-looking pub that Hagrid was pointing at.

"This is it," said Hagrid, coming to a halt, "the Leaky Cauldron. It's a famous place."

It was a tiny, grubby-looking pub located between 48 Charing Cross Road (Quinto Bookshop) and 12 Great Newport Street (Ashley Associates Chartered Surveyors). The pub itself had many powerful spells of concealment and so people crossing by didn't even glance at it. As I was marveling at the concealment charms and wards placed on the building, Hagrid had dragged me inside.

It was a dark and shabby place and as we entered everyone seems to know Hagrid, but just then the bartender named Tom seems to recognize me.

"Bless my soul," whispered Tom, "Harry Potter... what an honor." Just as the bartender said that everyone had gathered around me and I was reminded of the fact that Hagrid told me yesterday. I was once again famous in the whole wizarding world and this time without even trying.

In the crowd of people, Hagrid had introduced me to a person called Quirrell who is a professor at Hogwarts. He was a pale young man who looked very nervous with his left eye twitching continuously.

"P-P-Potter," stammered Professor Quirrell, grasping my hand, "c-can't t-tell you how p-pleased I am to meet you."

He then went on to tell me that he was going to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts while saying that he had to buy a book on vampires. Though he looked terrified about the very thought of Vampires.

The people kept shaking my hand and it lasted for a whole ten minutes before Hagrid was successful in separating me from the crowd. Hagrid then led me through the bar and out into a walled courtyard with a trashcan and a few weeds where he tapped the bricks in a particular order while he explained to me why Quirrell seemed afraid of quite literally everything.

Just as Hagrid tapped the bricks in a certain way, it started to quiver until a small hole appeared which grew wider and wider until there was an archway long enough even for 12 feet long Hagrid to pass without trouble.

"Welcome," said Hagrid, "to Diagon Alley."

We stepped through the archway and I looked back over my shoulder and saw that the archway shrink instantly back into a solid wall.

It was a sight to behold, there were a lot of ancient styled shops selling different things like books, cauldrons, broomsticks, ice creams, writing materials, potions ingredients, sweets, pets, robes, and lots more.

But the place that we were currently headed towards was a snowy white building that dwarfed all the other shops besides it. It was the wizarding bank Gringotts. There was a goblin standing by the bronze doors wearing a red and gold uniform who bowed as we walked in. Now we were facing a pair of silver doors with words engraved on them:

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.

The only thought that came to my head after reading it was, 'The Goblins still like these cringy lines'

As we entered the marble hall, there were about a hundred goblins seated on high stools behind a long counter. Every goblin was busy doing something. Behind the seated goblins were about 200 doors that led to different halls for obvious reasons and the goblins were showing people in and out of these halls.

We made our way to a free counter where Hagrid asked to visit my safe and something about You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen. After showing the Goblin a key to my vault which Hagrid pulled from god knows where and a letter from this so-called Dumbledore, he called a goblin named Griphook who led us through one of the doors and into a cave where we rode a small cart.

After a series of turns and twists, we came in front of a door that had the number 687 engraved on it. Griphook unlocked the door and a lot of green smoke came out, as it cleared I was left to see the ridiculous amount of gold, silver, and bronze coins inside the vault.

"All yours," smiled Hagrid.

This just raised a huge question in my head. Maybe my Father was a pureblood wizard or a descendent of a pureblood wizard because frankly, one man cannot possibly earn this much, and if I heard correctly then this is just my 'safe' and not the family vault, but meh, I already have about seventy trillion galleons stored safely in Camelot. The goblins of that time were very furious at my handy work because 98% of the total flowing currency was not in Gringotts or anywhere in Britain as a matter of fact. Yeah, that was one hilarious prank I pulled on the goblins that I was rather proud of.

Anyways, Hagrid gave me a brown money pouch that had a simple Extension Charm applied to it to be able to carry a decent amount of money. So, I filled the pouch with 100 Galleons, 100 Sickles, and 100 Knuts. After which we were headed for Vault 713 which was even deeper that my safe vault. In vault 713, there was a grubby little package wrapped up in brown paper lying on the floor. It might look normal to a regular eye, but I can clearly feel the huge magical energy that resides within the small package. Still, I didn't question it as it was not my problem.

After the ordeal with Gringotts, I was left thinking about how I should fritter- I mean use the money wisely when Hagrid spoke, still a little pale due to the ride in the cart.

"Might as well get yer uniform," said Hagrid while nodding towards a clothes shop with the writing above the shop reading 'Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions'. Hagrid had gone off to buy a drink in Leaky Cauldron because he was still feeling a bit under the weather. So, I went to the shop alone while Hagrid got to rest for a bit.

Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed in an all-purple robe.

"Hogwarts, dear?" she asked.

"I would prefer if you have one made with Acromantula silk," I said before she could continue. She paused for a second before smiling again as she nodded in approval.

"Got the lot here- another young man being fitted up just now," she said while smiling.

The uniforms for Hogwarts are readymade if I have to guess from her tone. So, there are even readymade uniforms made out of Acromantula silk even though it is quite rare. Well, some people just can't buy the regular uniform, well not that I am any different.

In the back of the shop, a second witch was taking the measurements of a young pale boy with blonde hair and a pointed face as he was standing on a footstool. Madam Malkin made me stand on a stool right next to him as she slipped a long robe over my head and begin to pin it to the right length.

The blondy started a small talk and asked about a sport called quidditch and since I didn't know anything about it, I just hummed in agreement with everything he said until the topic changed.

"Know what house you'll be in yet?" he asked. If I am not wrong I saw the Hogwarts logo has a representation of four animals that the founders are related to. So I am guessing it will be based on the founder's strongest trait. According to which I will fit the most in... I don't know.

"Won't know until we are sorted, although I am more curious about how we will be sorted" I said while wondering what the founder would have done for this.

"Well, I guess you are right, my father said that it is a sort of pseudo-secret that no first years know how they are sorted until moments before the infamous sorting ceremony, though I will most certainly be sorted into Slytherin," said Draco proudly.

"Well, good for you buddy," I said. not at all interested in what house he gets sorted into unless, of course, he is an interesting person which I cannot confirm now, so let's just leave it.

Just then Hagrid was seen standing outside of Madam Malkin's shop holding two large ice creams.

We then talked about Hagrid, and he informed me that Hagrid frequently sets his hut on fire, which I wouldn't be surprised if he actually does that, but still, he was a good guy at heart from all the time I spent with him.

Then our talk shifted to my parents as I informed him that they were dead and thus Hagrid being my guide to buy the school supplies.

His views about muggles were not that great but I can understand that since most of the pureblood families must have made sure that they pass on their hatred of muggle-borns to the next generation. I mean a thousand years ago, muggle-borns were mostly spies and helped muggles in killing a lot of wizards that time, but I had dearly hoped that this would not happen. Maybe I was being a bit too optimistic.

Our chat finished with my size being measured as Madam Malkin stitched a name tag on every one of my robes. Though she was a bit shocked when heard my name. Meanwhile, the blondy was waiting for his parents to pick him up.

The total clothes cost was 15 galleons, but it's not like I care.

As I got out of the shop with a bag full of clothes in my hand. Hagrid gave me the ice cream as he asked.

"What's up?"

"What's Quidditch?" I asked. I had to wait so long just to find out what this supposed sport was. The curiosity had almost killed me.

Hagrid then went on to explain Quidditch as best as he could while I ate the ice cream and quenched my curiosity. We then went to buy a trunk with a standard Extension charm to fit the school supply which was a galleon.

Then we went on to buy all of the school supplies. I had brought some extra books, mainly to learn what all happened in the past thousand years. Just like that, all my school supplies except the wand were bought.

Hagrid bought me a beautiful snowy owl as a present for my birthday. I had also bought food and supplies for the owl whom I named Hedwig, and I like how it looked.

We were now going to buy myself a wand from Ollivander's, I can't believe their family had survived for more than two thousand years. I remember teaching Baton Olivander about wandlore, as most of the wandmakers in Britain had died out. That was some two thousand years ago and now here I am standing in front of their shop, to buy a wand for myself.

Although I don't need a wand, it is still cool to get one in the new era. With that thought in mind, I entered the store with Hagrid just behind me. So after the owner failed at sneaking behind my back he went on to describe the wands of my late parents and then apologized for selling the wand that gave me the lightning scar on the forehead. He also described Hagrid's wand in great detail.

"Which is your wand arm, Mr. Potter?" he asked.

"I'm am ambidextrous" I answered to which Mr. Ollivander responded that any had will do. He then went on to measure my body with his magical measuring tape while I was wondering why the distance between my nostrils would have anything to do with a wand. That was until Mr. Ollivander stopped the measuring tape.

"That will do."

He then went on to explain to me about wands at some length, although I already knew everything about wandlore and after checking about a dozen or so wands I was finally matched with a wand made of Holly wood and phoenix feather, eleven inches. The wand was decently compatible with me, although it would never match my personal wand, meh, it's usable.

What was unusual however was that this wand had a twin wand, meaning that the phoenix that gave the feather for this wand gave another feather and that wand was used by none other than moldy- I mean Voldemort.

Though he frequently repeated one of the lines that I had thought Baton- 'The wand chooses the wizard.'

After the visit to Ollivander's, I had everything that I would need for my first year of Hogwarts, plus some extra books for my own knowledge. On the way back home, I was busy thinking about how fun it is to enjoy some things as a kid, I mean in my previous life I was never able to enjoy my life. Every day I got up with the fear that I might be burned alive by some muggles, but that was some seven thousand years ago. Well, guess I'll enjoy my childhood in this life.

Just like that while I was busy in my dream world, we had already reached Paddington station where we ate a hamburger while Hagrid said that life at Hogwarts is full of adventures and oh boy do I love adventures.

As I was boarding the train back to Surrey, Hagrid handed me an envelope.

"Yer ticket fer Hogwarts, " he said. "First o' September — King's Cross — it's all on yer ticket. Any problems with the Dursleys, send me a letter with yer owl, she'll know where to find me….See yeh soon, Harry."

So, I boarded the train and Hagrid apparated to god knows where.

The next month was spent very productively. I had read lots of books that I had bought to get some background knowledge of the current times in the Wizarding world. Books like Quidditch Through The Ages, Hogwarts a History, Ministry of Magic: A Guide To All The Departments, Wizarding Etiquette, Harry Potter: The Boy Who Lived, and my personal favorite 'The History of British Wizarding World'.

I had also upgraded my trunk to have two rooms. The first room is about a thousand square feet and will be used to store all of my personal belongings like books, robes, school materials, and a lot more. The second room is a two hundred square feet room with one bed and the temperature of this room is controlled with the help of ancient runes. All in all, it was a pretty solid trunk for emergency travel. The last set of runes placed on the trunk makes it feather-light.

On the last day of August, I had asked if Uncle Vernon would leave me to Kings Cross.

"Where is this school anyway?" he asked after.

"Oh it's in Scotland, near Dufftown" I replied since I didn't see a point in hiding it.

"The train will leave for Hogwarts at eleven in the morning," I informed.

At which point uncle Vernon had agreed and so on the first of September 1991, by 10:30 in the morning Uncle Vernon and I were on King's cross and surprisingly Uncle Vernon was pulling the cart with my trunk and Hedwig. Though he had a particularly nasty grin on his face.

"Here we are, and for your information boy. There is no train leaving for Scotland at Eleven," he said with a wicked grin. Though I was busy looking at a barrier between platforms nine and ten. It had loads of wards placed on it.

"Well then I will see you the next summer vacation," I said and dragged my cart towards the warded barrier, and after trying to put my and through it, I passed straight through the barrier. As I opened my eyes, a scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform that was not so crowded. Probably because there is still half an hour before the train departs for Hogwarts.

So, I entered the train that was relatively empty and sat in an empty compartment. I sat on the seat and removed A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch, and started reading. Waiting for my magical journey to begin.

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Today is a very bad day for me. Firstly I woke up to find that my standard 12 result was out. I already knew that I hadn't performed so well in my exams, mainly because I didn't even go to college even once in these two years because of the Covid pandemic. So, I got 66%, which is obviously not a great score and so my Father is furious at this and he wants me to stop using my Laptop from tomorrow till August as my entrance exams are in August.

So, guys fair warning guys, that I might not be able to upload anything till the end of August, but I will try my best to sneak in some 'me time' when dad isn't around. Ah, I hate how Asian parents behave.

Anyway, wish me luck guys.

Anyways, let me know what you all think.

Remember spread Love, not Hate.

With that Author-Kun is signing off.