During the first walk with Hagrid around the Alley Harry had made a mental list what he would need no matter which school he decided to attend. He wanted a trunk that offered enough space for his things, would have potential to include more than the things for just one year and had a safety system that would only allow him to access certain parts. So the first thing he bought after getting a hundred galleons from his vault was a three compartment trunk with enlarged compartments. One compartment was a full wardrobe whose parts, like drawers for his socks, underwear, shirts, pullovers and pants, a part for hanging his robes without them wrinkling, a set of shelves for his shoes and some general hangers, could be chosen by labelled plates at the side of the compartment. Harry just had to place his hand on the symbol, for example a drawer for socks, and the compartment would turn to that part.
The second compartment was a general storage area that worked like the first compartment. With students of Hogwarts there always were many things they needed to transport and in case of potion ingredients some of them were better stored apart from other things or they could damage them. It wasn't much of a problem with the kit for first year, but the farther you advanced, the more dangerous ingredients you used. The apothecary normally packed them safely, but what the student did over the school year was another matter completely. So the labels were for the ingredient shelves, the writing equipment, parchment, ink and quills, he would have to practice before school to have his handwriting legible, the cases here were built specially to hold up to ten bottles of ink safely in a box with single partitions for each bottle. Then there was an area for toiletries and towels, another area for Quidditch gear and the last part for various things.
The last compartment was a miniature library with currently ten bookcases that could each hold about fifty books. The bookcases could be labelled by the owner of the trunk and the plates at the side would adapt accordingly. It was the perfect trunk for somebody like Harry who wanted to learn all he could, but not to stand out overly. It was the kind of trunk the well-to-do students would bring with them, but nothing most couldn't afford. Of course Harry made sure the convenience charms like a feather-light charm, an auto-shrinking feature, keying the trunk to him only and anti-destruction runes for elemental damage like fire and water were included. The trunk cost Harry thirty galleons, but he reckoned as he intended to use this trunk for a long time, at least the seven years at school, it would be a good investment.
.....
At Madam Malkin's Harry got the three sets of robes the supplies list demanded. There also was another boy that was fit for robes. He seemed to be his age. He had a strong tan, black hair, but very handsome features. He was accompanied by a very beautiful woman who shared the boy's dark shade of skin colour and his facial form. Though she had long, shiny brown hair and a model figure.
"Hello, dear, Hogwarts too?" Madam Malkin asked Harry.
"Yes, madam." Harry answered.
"You can take the footstool right next to Mr Zabini here." She said smiling.
Madam Malkin was a squat witch; she was wearing mauve coloured robes.
"Thank you, madam." Harry said and stepped on the footstool. Madam Malkin slipped a long black robe over his head and started pinning it at the right size.
"So, you are going to start at Hogwarts this year too." The boy said. "I'm Blaize Zabini." He introduced himself.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Harry Potter." Harry said, getting a little squeak from Madam Malkin who was pinning his robes, the witch that was doing the same for Blaize and interested looks from Blaize and his mother.
"Nice to meet you too, I wouldn't have thought to meet you before school, Potter. You had disappeared for quite a long time with nobody knowing where you were living. If you don't mind me asking, where did you grow up?" Blaze asked politely, under the approving looks of his mother. Blaize was handling this first impression with all the dignity and grace that was appropriate for a pureblood of house Zabini.
"No, I don't mind you asking. I was raised by my muggle aunt, but I'd have preferred to never meet her. She's the worst example of muggle you can get as is her husband. But I'm out of there for good now, so I prefer not to talk about them. I lived in Surrey." Harry said.
"I see. So you have attended muggle school. What are they like? I've heard some horrible stories, but I don't know if they are true or exaggerated." Blaize asked.
"After I stopped holding back to appease my relatives to not show up my stupid cousin and just did my thing, it was great. Once the teachers found out that I was smart and also had a talent for football, a muggle sport which can be compared to Quidditch in the wizarding world in popularity, I was supported by them. I rose to the top of my class without suffering the stigma of being a boring bookworm. Athletes are always liked well with their peers I found out, especially if they help winning competitions against other schools' teams." Harry said.
"Indeed. That observation also holds true in our world. I've been home schooled so far with a few other boys from families my mother is associated with." Blaize answered. "What house do you think, you'll be in, or didn't you have time to be informed about them yet?"
"No, I asked for more information about Hogwarts and the magical world in general before I accepted my place at Hogwarts. So I read Hogwarts a History to get more information on the school. I could be both Ravenclaw and Slytherin, but if I get a say in it, I'll go to Ravenclaw. Nothing against Slytherin, but I don't want to deal with the whole dark stigma that the house has. With my history people would think I was the next Dark Lord in training." Harry said.
"So you think you're cunning and ambitious enough to be considered for Slytherin house?" Blaize's mother asked.
"I always strive to be the best. I accept nothing but getting to the top and put all my energy in reaching that goal. But I also don't want to be seen for something people just assume. I want to be seen for my own accomplishments. Fame is fickle if you can't prove your worth and the media can tear people apart quickly. But going to the top the straight way will have people feel stepped on their toes and those that only concentrate on their studies don't build networks that they can benefit from later in life." Harry answered.
"Indeed an answer worthy of somebody with Slytherin qualities. It will be interesting to find out how your sorting went." She said.
Then Blaize was finished with his robes.
"Well, it was nice meeting you, Potter. I'll see you at school." Blaize said, holding out his hand.
Harry shook it.
"Likewise, Zabini." He answered.
.....
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