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2 - Harry Listens to His Elders







"Guess who I met today outside of Gringotts?"



"The new draft pick for Quidditch, Victor Krum."



"No, but that would have been just as great."



"Is that a hint? Just as great as Victor Krum? Cho Chang, right?"



"No Cho would have been three times better than Harry Potter."



"This girl is better than Victor Krum, your quidditch hero and Harry Potter, the boy who saved this family from ruin?" Grace dropped what she was doing and gave her son her undivided attention. "If Ms. Chang means this much to you, it is time your Dad and I extend a marriage contract to the Chang family, son."



"It's time to offer, Mom."



"I thought you'd at least be of age before you knew it was time. What makes you so sure?"



"I did the marriage compatibility test before the end of term. I know I was supposed to wait until we discussed my obligations as a MacKenzie and a Diggory. I knew at the beginning of this year. After I lost focus on anything else around me whenever she was there, I realized the compatibility test would only confirm what I could see for myself.



The real problem began when I noticed other Ravenclaws trying to force their attentions on her. I cursed two different boys for threatening her personal space. You told me before I left for Hogwarts if I ever was forced to act to protect an unmarried woman/girl that I needed to check the compatibility test before I was forced to duel anyone. The time had come. I did what I had to do. Now, you both need to find out what the Changs will accept for her hand."



"As soon as Amos comes home, we will floo the Changs. So who did you see in Diagon Alley?"



"I thought we answered that before, we discussed Cho. Harry Potter. Hagrid left Harry Potter on the stairs of Gringotts on his first trip to Diagon Alley. Ian and I took him with us to Leit. We ran a few errands together and we left Harry in Hagrid's care 3 hours later."



"I am going to owl Minerva and find out why Hagrid is doing orientation for muggleborn and muggle raised wizards. They need to do better. Did you tell Harry you'd accompany him when he came back to shop or that we owe him and we want to repay our debt?"



"No. Ian canceled his debt. Wyatt is on the verge of canceling his. You and I need to figure out a way to explain all this to him. He made sure to only ask questions related to what was in front of him. I'm sure when he has a chance to learn more about our world he will have a large number of questions including life debts."



He is supposed to owl before we go back to Hogwarts. If you want to write him an explanation, I will include it."



Ian left Diagon Alley and went to the Ministry. Gale, in the midst of the backlog of pureblood complaints against muggleborns, did not notice Ian entering her department.



:"When will you be ready to go home?"



Gale scowled at Ian. "I told you that I don't need you to pick me up from work everyday. How long have we had this same talk?"



"Three years."



"Well?"



"Let me put it in a different way, so you understand it differently and we won't have this same 'talk' week after week, hmmm?"



"If you can convince me of this, I'll give you what you have asked me for."



"You want to work, right?"



"Yes."



"You want to work on your passion?"



"Yes."



"You don't want to work on MacKenzie magics because it is rubbish pureblood traditions, right?"



"Of course."



"So I had to agree to muggleborn sensibilities to marry you, right?" He raised his hand and ticked off each point. "Women's liberation?" "Self-determination for each individual family member? "You rejecting all my notions of what hearth and home mean so our relationship can mature over time like your parents?"



"Yes to all of that. We've been over this already. What is new in this that will make me understand?"



"In our marriage contract, I agreed that you would do all your heart's desire in exchange for what and under what circumstances?"



"Like Iwouldn't remember! I am not going to lose my magic for failing to comply with those terms. You have to fulfill all your individual life debts, begin to clear away some of the antiquated obligations from the MacKenzie family, and have the resources necessary for children. What does this have to do with my job at the ministry bustling through pureblood barriers to muggleborns?"



"You give me children. If you are unwilling or unable, I can and I will find alternative means to replenish the MacKenzie family to pre-war numbers, correct?"



"Yes. It is not as if you will be able to get Harry Potter to accept your service for alife debt. He won't be an adult for another 7 or 8 years. It is plenty of time to have our place set up for children, Ian."



"Our time is now. We are a love match, Gale. Forty five MacKenzies died before 1981. Ihave four ways of discharging my 'antiquated pureblood obligations:'

1) ask you to individually bear 45 children

2) get at least 9women to bear me 5 children a piece in 10 year and a day ceremonies

3) blood adopt 45 orphaned children

4) request Cedric, Grace and Amos Diggory bear 45 MacKenzies

or some combination in between.



I ran into Harry today. I've sought every other holder of all my debts big and small. I am even. This is the start of those obligations you read through everyday. There is no way you can work in this office and not know that I will do whatever is required to get this undeniable yolk off my neck."



Gale fainted dead away. Ian went to Gale's department chair, explained to her that he had a family emergency, and asked her to excuse Gale from her Ministry schedule in exchange for all the overtime Gale had worked. Gale would do all of her Ministry related tasks from the comfort of home. Ian collected an onyx interdepartmental owl post box, set up a work from home duty schedule, and advised Maddy, his house elf, to collect all of Gale's work before the close of business.



Maddy knew exactly what was required. Ian showed her precisely how much work Gale had produced in 3 years that went unnoticed or unacknowledged by the Ministry. Gale's new home office would include several muggleborn who agreed with Gale's politics. The ministry would not pay for any of their work. This team of muggleborns had an obligation to the MacKenzie family to discharge and he was collecting his debt by getting them to fulfill Gale's dreams.



Ian had decided Gale would need to learn how to /delegate/. She would now have to learn to set the agenda and chart out the future. She wouldn't accept any help prior to this because she thought women's liberation meant: DO EVERYTHING FOR AND BY YOURSELF. Ian read extensively about these muggle movements so he knew how to equip himself for their future family before he married Gale. Ian also knew that every work that Gale did to equalize treatment of muggleborns would have to be undercover and unremarked. He had read his family journals extensively so he could try to pinpoint the reason Voldermort chose to exterminate his entire line. Their legacy would be upheld, but he would do things smarter this time.



Harry spent 4 days straight going over his Hagrid Day of Fate. The first thing he did when he came home is to figure out how much more money he had at his disposal. Gringotts gave him the money meant for his 8th (500 galleons); 10th (2000 galleons); and now 11th (5000 galleons) birthdays. The ledger laid out how much he would have access to on May 1st, but did not give him an overview of all the Potter assets. The money from Hogwarts was taken from his trust vault, but he didn't have direct access to it.



Harry decoded the first two steps of his Potter legacy puzzle box. The first Potter had worked his way out of tenancy to a muggle lord for a period of 20 years. Asgrad Potter watch this landholder's sons pillage and plunder that nobleman's wealth without knowing how defend what they didn't work to gain or adding to the estate. The landholder was part of a holy order of clerics who used faith as a means to dominate the will of the neighboring town. His sisters were sold off to pay off his mother's debt. His father had been killed in the crusades and he was too young to defend and fight for his family.



The second step of his Potter legacy puzzle box were games of logic and common sense. He was too young in the modern muggle era to be placed in Asgard's position, but he had to reason through the choices which faced Asgard. If he made poor choices, he lost access to his ticket from the Dursleys. Each day the Potter puzzle gave him new and different scenarios to reason through. He had 6 months to begin scoring correctly. If he didn't take it seriously this ancestor, Asgard, ensured no unworthy Potters would diminish the fruit of his life's work.



Harry was frustrated as anyone who had freedom dangled in front of his face, but he could not reach his inheritance yet. In four days, he had experienced four Potter legacy puzzle failures of his own making. His cousin, his aunt, nor his uncle had anything to do with his failure. It was all his fault. As a consequence of his puzzle failures, Harry reviewed the introduction to underaged wizardry for ways he could win with less than 3000 galleons remaining to his legacy.



Harry decided the glass was half full. 3000 galleons beat what he had when Hagrid took his first step into Harry's life.



In reviewing the acts he could get away with, he found a Druid ritual that gave everyone justice for their actions. After the Dursleys went to bed, Harry carved runes in the bottom of the kitchen table and chairs. Harry needed awin. The Potter legacy may be beyond his reach, but there was going to be reckoning between himself and the Dursleys.



"Boy! Where is my breakfast? It is 7 a.m. I am sitting in front of a placemat with no breakfast."



"Today we are going to eat together like a family, Uncle Vernon."



"A family, did you say family?"



"Sure. You, Aunt Petunia, Dudley, and me eating together for one meal before Hagrid returns to take a report of the changes you've made since his last visit."



"What!"



"Yeah, remember what he said when he gave Dudley the pig tail? He'd like to see agreat big Muggle like you..." Harry trailed off so that Vernon could fill in the blanks. Hagrid had said no such thing. What Vernon did not know about Hagrid could only help Harry.



"What is it you want us to do? Eat together."



"Only for this morning."



"Okay. You bless the table, Mr. Family Man."



Petunia and Dudley joined the table after Harry had set the places. Once Harry sat down, he held their hands in a circle.



Harry invoked the ritual phrase: "Magic, I call you to judge between them and me. If I am found lacking, punish me. If they are found wanting, redeem them for me."



Harry knew the accounting for all their behavior would take them from birth to this moment. The ritual described in his book suggested it would feel like days, months, and years; but to the outside world it is but a moment.



Lily Evans Potter took the form of judgement. Lily and Petunia's mother, Rose Rosier Evans, stood as a defense against punishment. Magic was the decider in chief. The entire Dursley contingent was overwhelmed with Harry's unbroken spirit, but in the final calculation it was the teachings Rose Evans instilled in her children which made Magic rule the way it did.



Harry won his independence from any Dursley action. Lily addressed Harry specifically.



"Son, you have done well today. I have watched you suffer for 10 years without being able to change your fate. This house is yours. The inheritance from the Rosiers goes to the males of the family. Mom, Tuney, nor I could direct the funds in this family. We only received a dowry each. My father received the benefit of that dowry the same as Vernon has benefitted from our magical kin. Once he rejected what they were and what we are, he stole Dudley's inheritance from him. The sole reason the Dursleys have retained this house is because it worked toward your good: health and upkeep.



Rose stepped forward to plead her case to her grandson. "I didn't raise Petunia like this, baby. I have only worked for what's best for my family. I wanted to have magic of my own, but that wasn't meant for me. I accepted that life would be different for me than all my brothers.



I left London for muggle schooling when I turned 17. It took me more than a decade to be educated enough to function in this world. I taught your aunt all about the magical world. When Lily received her letter and Tuney didn't she began to hate her for it. I was killed before Lily went to Hogwarts. Tuney knew my family's history and chose not to tell Lily about her family. You have agreater inheritance on the Rosier side than you know.



Practice everyday. This ritual has served you well for today, but in order to inherit from my family your understanding of Old Magic must be on par with the purebloods. This book is only the tip of the iceberg. The Rosiers don't inherit until they are 14. Make use of the next 3 years because it is a ritual which will release you.



Magic stepped forward and unbound the house. It left an encyclopedic reference set. The set contained the grievance, punishment, and redemption required for each Dursley. Their collective furniture was moved to the front yard of 4 Privet Drive. A step by step guide left in Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley's luggage.



Magic gave Harry his own reference set for his failings, his future pursuits, and its expectations of his talents. Magic filled Harry's house with all of Lily and James' missing possessions.



In real time, this justice ritual took less than 2 minutes but it changed Harry's path even more than the Hagrid Day of Fate. He wondered what was next.







3 - Decisions, decisions, decisions





Hagrid sat in his hut disgusted with himself and Dumbledore. For over 60 years, he was first Hogwarts student and then Keeper of Keys and Ruler of All Grounds.



Where had all this gone wrong for him?



Before he picked up that package---a week ago---the Goblins must have done something to him. Hagrid needed answers. He had been sick ever since that visit.



He was sick enough to leave Harry at Gringotts. Hagrid went directly through the Leaky Cauldron to St. Mungo's Hospital. The healers ran a series of tests to narrow down causes to his sickness.



His Gringotts visit somehow broke down a potion addiction from a potion induced imperious. The healers had wanted to get Madame Pomfrey to continue his cure at Hogwarts. Instead he asked them to take an Oath of Silence on all discussions related to his health and his visits to St. Mungos. The healers referred him to several other private healers and hospitals across the world.



Four hours later, his head finally cleared up enough to return to Gringotts, ask about his vault and discover he had an inheritance of his own. His father, Hagrid whom the Keeper of Keys was named after, was known as a scholar on giants. The Department of Mysteries took over Hagrid's giant research when he left Britain with Hagrid's mother, the giantess Fridwulfa.



The first thing Hagrid found confusing was he had two separate memories of the same event. Prior to Hagrid's expulsion at Hogwarts, his mother and father had left Britain. The second set of memories was Hagrid's father died at twelve. He had no memory of going to his father's or mother's funeral. In fact, he didn't remember the Goblins contacting him about his inheritance. Hagrid didn't even have to settle his father's estate or pack away his belongings. It was disturbing.



When Hagrid returned to the teller line, he asked for Rattler. He didn't wait long. Rattler led him to a conference room.



"What did you give me earlier today?"



"A potion cleanser."



"Why?"



"Your inheritance. We have asked you each visit for 50 years to come in for astatement of your accounts. As an adult, we can't force you to acknowledge or receive your balances or visit your vaults. If you don't do something soon, you will lose your accounts to the ministry.



We gave you a potion cleanser because we think your mind has been tampered with. You were under Ministry control when you went to Azkaban. We think they tried to cheat you out of your vaults.



You haven't even checked your balance from your Hogwarts' paycheck. Fifty years is a long time not to review your account, don't you think?"



"I have avault."



"Yes. I've discussed this matter with you every time you've come to the bank."



"What have I done?"



"You've promised to return, but you are usually here on Hogwarts' business. I've also sent you owls with no response."



"What do I have in my vault?"



"You have 3 vaults."



"I should only have one vault, right? My account from Hogwarts?"



"Yes. You have money from Hogwarts. You also have your father's research and your legacy from Britain's giants."



"Giants left Britain with Fridwulfa. What money or possessions did they have?"



"No. Giants have not left Britain. Gringotts is not just a wizard's bank, Hagrid.



The Giants have plenty. They have been waiting for the monarchy to ascend to their throne. The interim years after Fridwulfa abdicated have been difficult for the Giants. You need to release their funds so they can continue their life here in Britain."



"What!?!"



"The little people, as Giants call the rest of us, tried to hunt down and displace the British clans. Fridwulfa contracted Gringotts to ward Giant territory to keep the wizards and muggles away. She also insured your clan would be able to exist as they have throughout time by leaving plenty of livestock and wilderness areas for the Giants to explore and tame.



The problem is your clan wants to merge with several other European tribes through marriages, businesses, and adoption in some cases. They haven't been able to act because you haven't taken up your responsibility. You were supposed to liaison to the little folk.



Why haven't you fulfilled your role?



The drifters were involved in the last wizard blood war. The Giants have continued to remove themselves from contact from wizards, but have left half wizards available to the wizarding world.



When will you take up your position of trust for your people?"



"I have no idea what you are talking about."



"That is the problem, Hagrid. I will take you to your vaults, but you need to come back here to release the funds of Fridwulfa's clan, your heritage.



The rest of that day was a blur of activity in Hagrid's vault. He had spent the next few days finding a property to live separate and apart from Hogwarts.



Gringotts warded his new property from wizards, muggles, and anyone else who had bad intent. He sat in the hut in Hogwarts trying to figure out what he had to show for his time at Hogwarts. He didn't have a clue, but he knew where to start looking.



Day 8 since The Hagrid Day of Fate



A bubble map of options and choices he could make lined Harry's dining room. He used his Gringott's ledger to determine whether any of his money making possibilities made sense.



Griphook said he would answer any questions about his accounts, so he asked. He figured Griphook was on the other side of the ledger and vetted each idea honestly. If Griphook told him it cost more than 3000 galleons, he torpedoed it because it would put him in the deficit. Harry had already lived with nothing. He wasn't interested in returning to that state.



While he lived at Hogwarts during the year, Harry thought his property should make him money. He ran the following conversation by Griphook:



Harry: I have property in muggle London with a portal to Diagon Alley to rent. How much will it cost me to get Gringotts to ward 4 Privet Drive?



Griphook: What kind of wards are you looking for?



Harry: I read wards can block theft, bad intent, fire, bugs, and destruction. What else do you offer and/or recommend?



Griphook: The ones you list will cost 250 galleons to install. The yearly upkeep is 25 galleons.



Harry: Could I include this cost in rents?



Griphook: If I answer that, you will need to hire Gringotts for rental management.



Harry: I will take that as a yes. Do Dwarves still build underground living spaces?



Griphook: Yes.



Harry: Do you have contact information for Dwarf builders?



Griphook: We can give you a good Dwarven builder for a fee. Our referral is aguarantee their work is above reproach. If they fail, we recover the cost for that initial fee.



Harry: How much will they charge to build a dwelling?



Griphook: For 4 Privet Drive?





Harry: I have two properties. My parents' house and 4 Privet Drive.



Griphook: Both will be 1000 galleons. The Dwarves will put together a basement sized cavern space.





Harry: Is that priced by the number of feet underground or carving out the space?



Griphook: It is priced by the dwarves carving out the initial space. Once they clear out the space, you wizard are the one that determine how many feet you need.



Dwarves stabilize the above ground structure so it doesn't sink. If you want 100 feet of space underground, the Dwarves set up lines identifying what is there. Muggle sewer, water, power/electrical, oil/gas, or any other structural composition doesn't change their ability to set the space up.



They've delved deep into the earth and have been living there for more than a few millennium. When they come don't insult them by doubting their tunneling capability. If you do, they won't do the work.



Harry: Do elves extend power, water, and sewer lines?



Griphook: It is included and assumed.



Harry: When can they come out?



Griphook: Today. They can complete both today.



Harry: Will you come with them?



I want you to come and sell me on Gringotts property management services while the Dwarves put together these dwellings.



Griphook: We'll be there after sundown.



Harry used Wyatt's and Leit's books to expand all 4 bedrooms, the cupboards, the kitchen, the attic and the garage space. The symbols to expand 4 Privet Drive took him two days to learn.



The difficulty came in trying to expand these areas relative to the physical place 4 Privet Drive inhabited. Harry used the the Mac Delight box as a guide to work out the method to expand his living room. The pocket space a Mac Delight contained did not function as a living space.



He needed more reading material. Leit and Wyatt's instruction manuals helped him get to the point he was in redesigning his home, but he simply needed more information.



He realized in the last 8 days that he needed Muggle schools to apply most of furniture/upholstery and underaged wizardry texts he received. The math involved in the symbol magic was too complex for the spells and potions practice the next 2 years Hogwarts gave him.



He figured the groundwork he laid at Privet Drive should give him sufficient money to pay whatever bills Vernon used to pay. Any renters could come in and furnish this place whatever way they liked.



He took his commercial trunk to new and gently used shop where Aunt Petunia donated their clothes and furniture. He asked the workers to move his selections to the back of the store where he would wait for the 'movers' to pick it up. The Muggle money he withdrew from the Gringotts wallet barely equated to 30 galleons.



He discovered he would be able to purchase all kinds of major appliances if he stuck with Muggle purchases.



His Wyatt book offered three bonuses that made that 1000 galleon cost worth the cost: it listed ways that Muggle technology could be used in an all magic environment. He hadn't even considered the possibility that any Muggle item would be incompatible with magic life. If the magic world lived amongst Muggles for so many centuries, why wouldn't they spread this adaptation for common use?



The second bonus was he learned he could transfer any book he was reading to his wall space. He could write out his ideas anywhere and transfer the entire concept to his notebook. The more interesting use would be at Hogwarts when the teacher lectured from the chalkboard. At least, he assumed they would have a chalkboard. He just needed to figure out what classrooms they would be using.



The last bonus was the portal he had created between the Surrey Library and his cupboard under the stairs. He couldn't live in the pocket space the Mac Delight provided but he could travel in between two points. He went to the library every night to find books to help him understand what he was reading from the Hagrid Day of Fate.



Muggles did some things better than wizards. It was true vice versa as well. He figured as long as the final result worked; it made no discernable difference.



Harry had to seek out Ian's advice for all the invitations welcoming him to come to magic school. The amount of mail he received on a daily basis was staggering. There was a device upholders used to string together separate fibers until they reached completion, the stroder. Harry used the stroder to bind the offers together and send a notebook copy to Ian.



In spite of his inheritance, most of the schools referenced free tuition and board if Harry came to their school. They told him his name recognition could triple their enrollees.



Harry could only go to Hogwarts. His Gringotts ledgers had entry detailing the date they paid Hogwarts for the first year. He had spent time writing each school aletter asking if the schools would allow another student to attend in his place using that free tuition and board, then he might be willing to come to their school the following year.



He told each school no matter what he decided to do they could depend on him coming to their school and promoting education for all magic users. He asked if they had a summer school program and if they would be willing to send him a means to get there.



He only received five outright rejections. Because the boy who lived was the most famous child in the magic world, Harry had received an offer from each and every school program. Some schools were big as 1000 students per year of instruction. The majority of the offering schools were apprentice styled relationships. Each trainer had no more than 10 pupils.



The sheer range and number of offers were staggering. Harry hoped Ian could tell him if there was anyway to match all the offers minus the 5 rejections with students looking to be educated. Most of these schools did not have an age limit. Ian might be able to tell him how Harry could get a copy of each student's experience if such a thing was even possible.



Harry noticed over the last 8 days that he received questionable items from witches young and old. He didn't know what he was supposed to make of all explicit material. Since Cedric said he would answer any questions Harry had, he bundled up all the photographs, articles of clothing and devices for Cedric to give him some answers.



He used the stroder to give himself a copy of the attached letters so he could politely thank these ladies for their general interest. Maybe Cedric could even figure out whether there was a wizard dating service akin to Lonely Hearts where he could match the witch to the right wizard or muggle.



He knew he didn't have the wherewithal to accept all this personal stuff from people he didn't know. He did know if he stopped to answer just his mail, he wouldn't have time to do anything else. Maybe Harry needed hire other people to read or to answer his mail.