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Chapter 5 - Chapter 5 Wandmaker reminisced.

"O-Okay." Harry said as Griphook began guiding him towards one of the many doors leading out of bank's main hall...

Thankfully for Harry, account manager Silverclaw didn't ask his to sign anything and only provided him with the information about the state of the Potter assets. And, just like the teller in the main hall said, the house Potter currently had three vaults. One of those, of course, was Harry's trust vault. It was also the only vault the young wizard could access at the moment. The other two vaults contained monies and valuable items of house Potter respectively. Harry would gain limited access to those vaults upon becoming a heir to the house Potter, which could happen no sooner than on his thirteenth birthday. And to gain full and unrestricted access, he will have to wait until the age of majority.

Account manager Silverclaw also informed him about the properties owned by the Potters: a small manor in south-eastern Wales and a cottage in the village of Godric's Hollow. Alas, the former was little more than a foundation after a major fire in 1983, and the latter... Well, after that fateful Halloween night nine years ago, the Ministry for Magic decided to turn it into a monument, thus making it completely impossible for the young Potter to restore or rebuild it. In retrospect, he should have inquired, whether something like that was even legal, but back then he simply was too overwhelmed by everything to wonder about that.

Finally, account manager Silverclaw offered Harry the information about the shares in magical businesses that were owned by the house Potter. However, seeing as he could in no way affect those until he became a heir to the house Potter, the young wizards politely declined the offer. At that point, one of the assistant goblins brought a newly-forged key to the trust vault, and Harry excused himself from his account managers office to go and collect the gold he will need today for his school shopping.

As Harry finally emerged from the bowels of Gringotts, he found professor Flitwick waiting patiently for him in the bank's atrium.

"I take it, your business with Gringotts if concluded for today, Mr. Potter?" The Charms Master asked. Upon the green-eyed boy's nod, he continued: "In that case, let us start shopping for your school supplies. I suggest, we visit Redwood & Tanners' first; they sell various bags and trunks." That sounded like a very reasonable idea, so Harry nodded in agreement. "I would also recommend you to spend some extra gold on having the trunk of your choosing upgraded with additional security and protection enchantments. Adding a permanent featherlight charm to you trunk would also be a good idea." Once again, the that sounded like a very good suggestion, and the young Potter was intent to follow it.

In the end, Harry ended up buying a pretty large trunk with three compartments. It was not a basic model, so it came with a few enchantments already in place, but, following professor Flitwick's advice, he had several more of the useful enchantments layered onto it. Of course, that wasn't exactly cheap, but the green-eyed boy was sure that those were money well spent.

With a trunk acquired, it was the time for Harry to start hunting the other things he needed to buy for Hogwarts. Following yet another of his guide's suggestions, the next shop he visited was Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. And in addition to his uniforms, the young Potter also bought a couple of causal outfits of the kind that wouldn't stick like a sore thumb in a non-magical world.

Next, Harry stopped at Flourish and Blotts to acquire the textbooks he will need for his classes. After some thinking, he decided to buy some books the explained magical law and customs as well: something was telling him that he might find himself in the need of that knowledge before long. And professor Flitwick appeared to be silently approving of his thoughtfulness and thirst for knowledge.

After that, the shopping became something of a blur to the young Potter – he barely remembered visiting an apothecary to get the potion ingredients and vials, or Potage's Cauldron Shop to get, well, a cauldron – and before he knew it, he had everything he'll need at Hogwarts, except for a wand. And was there any better place to get one than Ollivanders'? The Hogwarts' Charms Master didn't think so, and Harry decided to once again trust his judgment.

"Good afternoon." A soft voice said almost as soon Harry and professor Flitwick entered into the store. A few moments later, Mr. Ollivander revealed himself as he stepped out of the storage area at the back of his shop. "Filius Flitwick, aspen and unicorn tail hair, eight and a half inches, swishy. I hope, it serves you well." The aged wandmaker inquired.

"It does." The diminutive wizard confirmed. Nodding, the shop owner turned his attention to Harry:

"Mr. Potter? I must say, this is a surprise. I wasn't expecting you for another year." The green-eyed boy found himself unsure of how he should respond to this since he had no idea why he got enrolled into Hogwarts a year earlier than was normal. Thankfully for him, Mr. Ollivander decided that he wasn't really interested in an answer to that question. "Shall we find you your wand, Mr. Potter?" Upon Harry's nod, he asked his next question: "Which is your wand arm?"

"Uh... Well... I'm right-handed, sir." The young Potter replied.

"Hold out your arm." He requested while pulling a measure tape out of his robe's pocket. "It seems only yesterday your mother was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work." The wandmaker reminisced as he measured Harry from shoulder to finger, then from wrist to elbow, from shoulder to floor, from knee to armpit and, finally, round his head. "Your father, on the other hand, favored a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favored it – it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course."

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