{The small bedroom, Number 4, Privet Drive}
'What the fuck did I drink yesterday?' I thought as I slowly woke up, trying to push past the dusty cobwebs of my dizzy morning thoughts. I stretched habitually as I tried to escape the embrace of my comfy... my comfy bed...
'Where is my comfy bed?' My eyes snapped open as I looked up at the dusty, blurry ceiling. It took a moment to realize something had gone very, very wrong.
'What the fuck happened to my eyesight?' I thought, rubbing my eyes. Normally, it was like this every day; the clogs were normally cleared by a swipe or two, and I was supposed to get my perfect eyesight back.
A sense of dejavu hit me as I tried to reach for something and my fingers curled around a wire frame. With confusion etched onto my face, I brought the round circular glasses in front of my eyes and realized that my eyes had not gone bad. I had just somehow become nearsighted after drinking two bottles of Jägermeister last night.
'Again, can someone tell me what happened?'
"Ian, are you there? What prank is this?" I shouted out, but there was no sign of any of my dormmates around. I looked at the room I was in, it was pretty small yet still larger than my room, a little dusty but looked lived in. I looked down at the oversized T-shirt that was hanging on my frame.
I felt a little weak and dizzy, or maybe that was the panic attack, but I soon saw one of the two doors leading out of the room was slightly ajar, and from the tiles I could tell that it was a bathroom. I dashed towards it, pushed past the gate as it slammed against the wall, and looked at the mirror in quiet disbelief.
'Well, fuck me.' I thought as I looked at the person staring back at me. It was a face that I was used to; at least most of my facial features were the same, except I looked a little gaunt, with some darker circles around my eyes. Still, it was the eyes that were the second most eye-catching part.
They were green. And not those pale greenish-bluish things that people like to pass as green, but an exotic deep green. There was that, and the scar etched onto my forehead that told me all I needed to know.
'Well, someone definitely is playing a prank on me.' I traced the mark on my forehead. It wasn't makeup like I expected. Tracing it, I could feel the roughness of scar tissue, an injury that never healed. An injury given to an infant on the day his parents were killed by a dark lord, a silly one, but a dark lord nonetheless.
My thoughts broke when I heard voices outside my door. It looked like an argument had broken out, but I was pretty sure they were coming closer. I tried to think, to remember what had happened as I looked into my green eyes in the mirror.
'Okay, let's just go with the flow. I have managed to coast through life once. I'm sure I could deal with a little breaking and entering.' I psyched myself up as I looked at my facial features and then at my height.
'Okay, let's just say I'm Harry Potter. I'm now stuck in this universe where magic is real... Okay, that's a plus point. I look like I'm around 18-19, so I'm pretty sure that my counterpart had already taken care of Voldemort. Amazing, that would help, and I don't know any magic... yeah, this is going to suck if I have to cram through 7 years of education in the next few months so as not to arouse suspicion.'
As I went through a checklist of what to do, I finally heard what was being said from the other side of the door.
"...and I'm telling you the boy is not here." I heard a gruff voice speak out. I would place the accent as British, not too familiar with the nuances of the difference between their regional dialect.
"I heard the boy, Mr. Dursley. Now, if you'll excuse me," A rather chipped voice said, and after a moment, a spell was cast, confirming my suspicions.
"~Alohomora~."
'Okay, why are the Dursleys still here? Pretty sure they ran away at the start of the Deathly Hallows. Please don't tell me I arrived here just to die,' I thought as I walked out of the bathroom and came face to face with... is that Prof. McGonagall?
'She looks... good... hot even.' I thought, then shook it off. Minerva looked much younger than she did in the movies or in the books. She looked older, middle-aged, and not at all a wrinkled mess. Her green dress flattered her curves as it stretched across her frankly voluptuous body. It was easy to tell she was who I thought she was because her name floated above her head. Otherwise, I would not have been 100% sure.
...
[Minerva McGonagall]
[10]
...
'What exactly does that 10 mean?' I thought.
"Mr. Potter, it's good to see you after all these years." The woman gave me a small smile, her lips curving up slightly as her eyes took in my appearance, a trace of nostalgia crossed her face for a moment.
I looked at her in confusion and finally said, "It's good to meet you, Mrs.?"
"You can call me Prof. McGonagall, dear," she said, smiling at me. Her smile didn't last long, though, as I was pretty confused about why she was implying we were meeting for the first time. Even though I went with her flow, I was also a little confused about the fucking floating screen above her head.
"Don't tell they didn't tell you about Hogwarts." Her kind smile vanished into a glare as she turned it toward the pudgy man with a grey mustache who had walked in behind her. And that would be Vernon Dursley.
'Alright, something even weirder than me being transmigrated into Harry Potter is going on,' My thought was quickly answered by Minerva.
"You see, my dear, you are not an ordinary boy. You are a wizard, Harry. Just like your parents were, your Mom and Dad," her eyes flickered toward Vernon and Petunia, the redheaded woman who had just walked in, before turning back to me. "And every witch or wizard goes to Hogwarts when they turn 18 to learn magic."
'...say what?'
-x-X-x-
{Living room, Number 4, Privet Drive}
"Let me introduce you to Miss Granger, Mr. Potter. She will be going to Hogwarts with you." Prof. McGonagall introduced me to Hermione. The brown-eyed brunette gave me a small smile, extended her hand, and introduced herself with an excited expression. "Hello, I'm Hermione, Hermione Granger, pleased to meet you."
...
[Hermione Granger]
[10]
...
'10 again, so it's not something like level or anything, what could it mean?'
"Hello, Hermione, I'm Harry Potter," I replied as I grasped her soft hand and gave it a firm shake. I noticed that she didn't immediately recognize my name, so she really hadn't been to the wizarding world yet.
'What weird dream am I in?' I thought as I turned to Prof. McGonagall.
"Right, we are already behind schedule, so if you would please follow us, Mr. Potter. We need to acquire your school supplies." She said, motioning toward the door. I was about to nod, but then I looked down at my clothes, I was still wearing the PJs that Harry had worn to bed.
"Can you give me five minutes to change, Professor?" I asked.
Prof. McGonagall also noticed my less-than-ideal state and nodded as I avoided Hermione's eyes and swiftly ran upstairs. While changing into more flattering attire was one of my goals, the other was finally taking a look at the glowing book that nobody seemed to fucking notice.
I closed my door and went straight for my nightstand. On it sat a black book that glowed golden, with shimmering glitter erupting every now and then.
'It's practically screaming pick me up.' I thought as I grabbed the leather diary. As soon as my hand touched it, the black book burst into light particles, an effect very familiar in video games, and vanished into my chest.
'Okay... what the fuck was that?' I thought as a glowing blue screen appeared in front of me.
...
[Uploading additional module #@!#@!]
[Unlocking Lust System]
[You can now summon the corruption diary at will]
...
'Lust System?' I thought and tried to follow the instructions. A black book appeared in my hand, and I almost fumbled it, surprised by its sudden appearance. I looked back to see no one there, then opened the black book.
...
[Greetings, user, to the corruption diary. All witches that meet the requirement of extractable traits and have met the user are listed below.]
[Each witch has a corruption rating from Level 0 to Level 5. Increasing a witch's corruption by each level grants the user one of their traits.]
[To increase a witch's corruption, increase their affection to the next level and entice the witch to perform lewd actions, either with your own charm and affection or with the help of Potions provided in the corruption shop to lower their inhibitions.]
[Each intimate action with a witch generates LP, which can then be used in the corruption shop to lower the inhibitions of a witch or increase their affection.]
...
'...'
I stared at each line, lost in thought. From my understanding, this corruption system was the key that would allow me to survive a straight-up fight against Voldemort, because no way in hell am I leaving it all up to fate.
'...wait a second. According to the prophecy...but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not.... Harry Potter is supposed to have a power that the dark lord does not know about.' I thought, connecting the dots, but still this felt a little incredulous to him. Surely this was not what Rowling meant.
'Anyway, no need to think about that.' I shook myself away and turned the page in the book, and sure enough, the first page was occupied by a moving picture of Professor McGonagall, along with some stats and the trait I could gain if I could corrupt her to the next stage.
...
[Professor McGonagall]
[Corruption Level: 0/5 {Strict Professor}]
[Affection Meter: 30/100]
[Inhibition Level: 10/10]
[Inhibition Meter: 0/100]
[Trait unlocked at Level 1: Calm Mind]
[Calm Mind(Blue): A supplementary trait that increases the success chance of a spell by 30%]
[Trait unlocked at Level 2: Locked]
[Trait unlocked at Level 3: Locked]
[Trait unlocked at Level 4: Locked]
[Trait unlocked at Level 5: Locked]
...
The page was set as described in the introduction section, with various stats that I just glanced at for now. My focus, though, was on the trait that I could unlock if I could get Professor McGonagall to corruption level 1.
'Calm mind, it doesn't seem like much, but then again this is not a children's book anymore. Who knows if there are conditions when spells can fail to be cast, so any trait that would increase my chance of casting spells would be pretty important.' I thought, and after reading through the stats once, turned the page to everyone's favorite brunette.
...
[Hermione Granger]
[Corruption Level: 0/5 {Model Student}]
[Affection Meter: 1/100]
[Inhibition Level: 10/10]
[Inhibition Meter: 0/100]
[Trait unlocked at Level 1: Fast Reading]
[Fast Reading(Blue): A supplementary trait that increases the speed of your reading and understanding of text by 30%]
[Trait unlocked at Level 2: Locked]
[Trait unlocked at Level 3: Locked]
[Trait unlocked at Level 4: Locked]
[Trait unlocked at Level 5: Locked]
...
'Okay, so level 1 traits are not going to be overpowering, but gaining them early would compound over time. I can also see what this 10 is all about. I think it corresponds with their inhibition level if I were to guess, though why it would be helpful to me was anyone's guess.' I thought as I turned the page once again, and as expected, it was blank.
I pondered for a moment as I willed the diary away, and it vanished into thin air. Done with the mystery, I stepped toward my closet and frowned. Not one piece of clothing seemed reasonable. Either it had patches sewn into it, or the ones that looked okay were too large for my current frame.
'Okay... I need to go shopping after visiting the vault.'
-x-X-x-
{Alley next to the Leaky Cauldron}
'Fuck,' I cursed as I nearly stumbled and put my hand against the nearby wall. I have taken plenty of roller coaster rides in my life... well, my past life, but nothing could have prepared me for that.
"Feeling alright there, Mr. Potter, Ms. Granger. It's not an uncommon reaction to apparation. I'm just glad that none of you felt the urge to paint the walls yellow." Prof. McGonagall said with her ever-clipped tone. Her accent bleeding through as she pointed her wand toward me and said, "Your hand, Mr. Potter."
I pushed the wall away with my hand and looked at it, it was covered with dust and grime. Before I could habitually dust it away with the back of my hand, a spell collided with it, and I felt my hand scrubbed by a raw sponge.
"Scroungify~" Prof. McGonagall cast before she put her wand away, her eyes turning to Hermione, who was staring at my now-clean hand in wonder.
"I'm quite surprised that you trusted that magic existed without asking any questions, Mr. Potter. Most students who have spent their lives in the Muggle world do not believe magic exists this easily." Prof. McGonagall said as she motioned for us to follow, and we made our way toward the alley's exit.
"Well, Professor," I stalled. It's not like I had a good excuse. I can't exactly tell her that there is a floating window above her head that told me who she was and that I had foreknowledge about her fate and mine.
"I don't believe you would gain anything by making a fool out of me. I'm not exactly anyone special," I replied as I shrugged, dialing down on my current identity of being an ordinary, clueless orphan who knew nothing about the magical world.
"...Trust me, Mr. Potter, you are anything but ordinary." Prof. McGonagall commented after taking my words in. She walked over to the black building that looked as if it had been burned to charcoal. She turned around and said, "Welcome home, Mr. Potter."
The door was pushed open by her as we were quickly ushered into the somewhat dimly lit pub. The first thing I noticed was the lack of light, with candles floating around the small space providing enough light to see the pub. Plenty of wizards and witches were walking around, wearing all manner of robes and other long, flowing garments.
My eyes flicked around as I took notice of the names and numbers hovering over the women's heads. The wizards were excluded from this special power of mine. It seemed to have taken my personal preferences into account. Still, the numbers hovering ranged from 5 to 10. No one went below that range.
"Welcome to Leaky Cauldron. We can have a taste of Tom's cooking some other time, as we have some appointments we have to keep. Come along, follow me." She said as we quickly navigated through the crowd, with plenty of people shouting out a greeting to Prof. McGonagall, as we arrived through a locked door into... a dead end, or at least what looked like one.
"Uh, Prof. McGonagall, did we take the wrong door?" Hermione asked, finally saying something after a long time. She was uncharacteristically quiet, not at all like the chatterbox know-it-all she was in the movie.
"Not quite, Miss Granger. You would do well to remember that not everything is as it appears," She said as she tapped her wand around the indent that looked like missing bricks.
As soon as she did that, the bricks broke free from their mold and started to move. They went in and out before they folded amongst themselves and rearranged themselves to reveal the real entrance to Diagon Alley. I knew what was going to happen, and I still stared at the transformation.
Looking at the moving bricks and the buildings that were leaning against each other, it finally hit me again where I was. I was in the Harry Potter universe, and I was going to go to Hogwarts.
'Sure, I would have loved it if I were anyone other than Harry, but I'll take what I can get.' I thought.
"How on earth are those buildings still standing? The strain on the lower columns would have meant that they should have toppled long ago," Hermione muttered as she too stared at the crisscross street in amazement and confusion.
"I think Newton would not be happy with the Wizarding world. I don't think his laws apply here," I quipped, getting a smile out of Hermione as she shook her head.
"Let's go, Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, before we buy all the bits and bobs that are mentioned in your letter, we need to go to Gringotts to apply for your scholarship, Ms. Granger, and to get money for your supplies, Mr. Potter." Professor McGonagall said as we slowly but surely made our way to the big, crooked, white building that had the name 'Gringotts Bank' carved into the stone.
The only place we even slowed down slightly was the Quidditch shop where Prof. McGonagall had a quick peek at the newly displayed Nimbus 2000.
'Wait, what year is it? How does the timeline exactly work here?' I thought as I looked around; there were no newspapers in sight, so I might have to table that thought for a later date, but the cars that I had barely paid attention to outside the Charing Cross Road seemed fairly modern.
"Here we are, the wizarding bank." Prof. McGonagall said, "Be careful and don't react too adversely when you get inside."
As we arrived through the doors, Hermione questioned, "Why would we react adver-...." Her voice faded, and I turned to look at her, staring at the goblins in shock. I grabbed her hand and pulled her, not wanting her to make a scene.
"I take that back," she finally muttered as she gave my hand a squeeze, which was my cue to let it go. Still, she gave me a grateful nod and took a couple of steps closer to me as we both followed Prof. McGonagall to the first open teller.
"Ahem," Prof. McGonagall cleared her throat to get the teller's attention and then spoke, "Mr. Harry Potter would like to make a withdrawal from his trust vault, and Miss Hermione Granger would like her scholarship loan approval forms."
"And does Mr. Harry Potter have his key?" The goblin spoke with sharp triangular teeth as he looked at me.
"Yes, it is right here," she said, turning to hand me a golden key.
I looked at it and then shook it toward the goblin for good measure, my mind going back to the scene of Harry opening his vault to see it swimming with galleons.
-x-X-x-
{Desk 13, Gringotts Bank}
If anyone was ever wondering whether banks in the wizarding world were faster than your bank on a Monday, I have news for you. They are not.
"Fill this form and sign at the bottom to acknowledge the terms of the loan," the teller said, and I swear I detect some kind of smug satisfaction in his voice.
'That bastard's having the time of his life making us wait, isn't he? This is already the fourth form, and why do they all lead up to the same thing?' I thought. From what I have gathered, listening to Prof. McGonagall explain the terms to Hermione at the same time.
For Muggle-borns, their tuition at Hogwarts is covered by a scholarship loan, which Gringotts provides, and the bank does not charge any interest until their seven years of education are done. After that, you are supposed to get a job and pay off the loan. For purebloods and half-bloods, the same option is available but without the seven-year reprieve from an interest climb.
'I know it's a benefit, but to call this a scholarship is a bit of a joke.' I thought as the teller brought out another form, which I can only speculate was a grin.
Before I could voice my speculation that this was harassment, another voice called out to Professor McGonagall, "Minerva, it's so nice to see you outside of the castle."
I turned around and, to be honest, I stared at her for a few moments before my eyes flicked up and away from her cleavage. She stood not too far from me, and she was one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen as she stood there, completely confident in her white dress that had a deep cleavage that exposed her busty figure with an ample amount of side-boob.
...
[Adorabella Greengrass]
[4]
...
Beside her stood a girl our age, dressed in pretty green robes that brought out her eyes. She looked much older than 18, as she was quite developed in the bust department, but her name told me she would be going to the school with me.
...
[Daphne Greengrass]
[9]
...
'The fanon's favorite fap material, well after Hermione, as many people still do enjoy vanilla pairings.' I thought, checking her out while she did the same. She looked uninterested, though, as I hid my scar behind my messy hair and my clothes weren't anything to write home about.
"Lady Greengrass, a pleasure." Prof. McGonagall replied with a rather clipped tone. Clearly, the ladies don't run in the same circles. Adorabella then turned to us and introduced herself.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. A warm welcome to the wizarding world from the Ancient and Noble House of Greengrass." She offered a warm smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Thank you. I'm Hermione Granger. A pleasure to make your acquaintance." Hermione, ever polite, was the first to respond.
"Harry Potter, thank you for the warm welcome," I replied in kind and watched their eyes widen for a brief moment, the bland look of disinterest wiped from their faces as they involuntarily leaned forward, which made my eyes flick downward toward the ample cleavage Adorabella was showing.
"Oh goodness, sorry about my candor, Mr. Potter. I didn't know that the savior of our wizarding world was among us." Adorabella said, her eyes lighting up with interest as they flicked up and down my clothes before returning to my scar, hidden behind a lock of hair. Then her questioning look turned to Prof. McGonagall, who nodded, confirming my identity.
"What do they mean by savior?" I whispered to Hermione, keeping up with my act of being a clueless idiot, kinda what Harry did throughout the story.
"How would I know?" Hermione whispered back, thinking she'd done a double-take and looked me up and down.
"And this form needs a signature at the bottom to acknowledge the terms of repayment that the bank is allowed to use in order to get the money back in case of failure or missed deadlines." The goblin grinned again as he extended a fifth form towards Hermione.
'I do not envy her,' I thought as I turned to look at Daphne, who was staring at me with an unusual intensity.
"Can I help you with anything?" I asked politely, which was apparently the right thing to say, as she smiled back and hopped closer.
"So did you actually battle a Dragon last summer?" She asked with a curious expression.
I gave her a strange look and asked, "Say what about a dragon?"
"Daphne, I told you those books are fictional, you can't believe anything you have read in those," Her mother admonished her before turning to me. "I'm sorry, Harry. During your absence from the wizarding world, a wizard has made quite a sum of money by using your name to write an adventure storyline about increasingly impossible feats."
"They are quite popular with children." She emphasized, and I nodded absentmindedly.
'I have read about this in fanon, but there was no mention of something like this in canon.'
"How much money are we talking about here?" I questioned Adorabella, whose smile widened at my question.
"Now that's a good question to ask. If you want, I can enquire about it through our family solicitors and get back to you." She winked at the end.
"Of course, a pleasure to make your acquaintance, my Lady." I extended my hand, and she placed her gloved hand in mine. I gave her knuckles a light kiss as she nodded, clearly delighted with the outcome, while Daphne gave her mother the stink eye.
"Let's go, Mother. We still need to go shopping for school. It was nice meeting you, Harry. See you at the train." Daphne said as she started walking away. Adorabella gave her a smile before she, too, turned around and walked away, her hips dancing as she moved seductively.
I watched her go for a moment, but my trance was broken by Prof. McGonagall. "Careful with Lady Greengrass, Mr. Potter. She is known to be a woman who likes chasing after affairs outside her marriage."
'Huh...if it's like that, who am I to deny her?' I thought as I shifted slightly, one advantage of wearing ill-fitting clothes was that it was pretty easy to hide my boner as improper thoughts about Adorabella appeared in my mind.
"What?" Hermione's confused shout broke me out of my daydreams.
'Wait, what did I miss?'
-x-X-x-
{Desk 13, Gringotts Bank}
...
"It's said that if I fail to make payments or if there are any significant delays, they have the right to make me repay my debts as a sex slave?" Her voice rose at the end, and I noticed Prof. McGonagall wave her wand, and the curious eyes turning toward us backed away.
All I needed was to look at Prof. McGonagall's grave face as she tried to form words to realize that what Hermione had said just now was pretty much the truth.
'Alright... so I'm not exactly in the canon universe. I already figured that out since I was 18 and going to Hogwarts. Still, that's a pretty fucked up provision to have included in a loan agreement.'
"It's the standard agreement that's agreed between the Ministry and the Goblins, Miss Granger... there is nothing I can do about it, my personal feelings set aside." Prof. McGonagall explained.
"But this is barbaric..." Hermione said as she looked around in distress before she finally said, "My parents could pay for my schooling. We have my college fund set up, and we have been saving to fill it for years. We could use that."
"Unfortunately, Miss Granger, the Goblins don't really care for Muggle currency much. Sure, you can get some galleons that way at the exchange station, but there is a limit to these conversions, and unfortunately they would not be able to cover the full amount of your school fees." Prof. McGonagall replied.
Hermione looked reluctant as she bit her lip and looked down worriedly at the contract. I'm pretty sure her mind is working at a hundred miles an hour trying to figure out what to do, but seeing such a golden opportunity in front of me, I couldn't exactly let it go now, could I?
"Prof. McGonagall, you said that this was the key to my trust fund, right?" I asked, holding up the golden key she had given me a few minutes ago.
"Yes, Mr. Potter," Prof. McGonagall replied with a smile on her face. And in that instant, it clicked for me as well: this whole trip, where she had come instead of Hagrid, was to judge my character as well as subtly guide me toward the good side.
'I'm gonna be honest, I almost didn't see it. Since I'm 18 and not an 11-year-old child who could still be led around by the nose and influenced by Hagrid's naivety. Dumbledore decided that it was a better idea to introduce the wizarding world through Prof. McGonagall,' I concluded. I would have been indignant at the hidden manipulations if not for this golden opportunity this provided me.
"Then can I assume that my trust vault gets refilled every year?" I questioned once again, and Hermione finally looked up from the contract, her eyes filled with conflict as she instantly connected the dots.
"Yes, Mr. Potter, you would be correct in assuming so," Prof. McGonagall replied.
"And I, since it seems like only rich kids get to have trust funds set in their name, then the amount of money in there is enough that I would not be able to spend it all unless I go crazy and start spending it on expensive stuff that I don't need. And there is enough in there to pay Hermione's tuition as well?" I continued through my line of questioning, ignoring Hermione's conflict.
"Yes, Mr. Potter. You have more than enough money to fund Hermione's tuition fees ten times over." Prof. McGonagall replied, giving Hermione a reassuring smile.
"Perfect." I replied, then turned to Hermione, but before I could speak, she refused, "No, Harry, I can't take money from you."
"I wasn't about to give it to you, Hermione, you see," I said, motioning toward my clothes. "I'm an orphan, with a family who hates me, so I can't even buy clothes that I clearly need, that fit me." My words made her protest melt away as pity crossed her face.
'Ding Ding Ding,' I thought and continued, "Since there is an exchange rate that the goblins follow, you can buy the wizarding money from me in exchange for Muggle currency, that way, I can finally wear clothes that belong to me and enjoy some of the things that I never got to do."
"Can we do this deal, please? You'll help me out a ton." I smiled at her as she hesitantly nodded, then lunged forward, wrapped her petite hands around my neck, and buried her face in my shoulders.
'Does hugging count as an intimate encounter? Will I gain LP for this?' I thought as I hugged her tightly.
I looked up to see Prof. McGonagall give me a proud smile and nod. Clearly pleased with this outcome.
"Good work, Mr. Potter," Prof. McGonagall said as she turned to the goblin who was sneering down at us. "We would like to get access to Mr. Potter's vault now, please."
...
"Are you sure this is safe?" Hermione asked, looking at the trolley cart and the metal beams that would serve as our track. The cart had 4 seats, and the goblin and Prof. McGonagall quickly climbed onto the front two seats, leaving the back two to us.
"Here, come, it will be fine," I assured her, bluffing my way through the encounter, even as my stomach flipped when I looked down at the ravine inside the cage. I felt her soft hand glide into mine, and I quickly jumped into the farther seat and helped her along to the closer one.
The trolley started rolling without warning as the goblin taking us pulled a lever. The trolley zoomed through the ravine, and while Hermione grabbed my hand and closed her eyes, likely praying for her life, I watched in fascination as we raced along the tracks and dozens of vaults flew by.
It took us a few minutes before the trolley slowed down as the goblin exclaimed, "Vault 687."
...
-x-X-x-
{Vault 687, Gringotts Bank}
~Clang Clang Clang~
The door to the vault slowly swung open, and the lamp light was instantly reflected back toward me by the pile of galleons in the middle of the vault. I looked around and noticed that there was nothing else in the vault except for the galleons, which made sense since this was just a trust vault.
"Giphook, can you tell me exactly how many galleons are in this vault?" I asked, staring at the massive pile of money in the middle.
"Vault 687 is set to get its quantity refreshed every year to 20,000 Galleons, as stipulated in the agreement signed by Fleamont Potter," The goblin recited quite quickly.
"And how much would we need for our school fees and shopping for supplies, Professor?" I asked Prof. McGonagall.
"The school fees for a first-year student for this academic year are set at 67 Galleons, 13 Sickles and 7 Knuts. This includes the cost of some of the expensive ingredients that Hogwarts provides for your potions class, and also your lodging and dietary needs." She clarified.
I nodded as I stepped into the vault and noticed that no one followed me in. I picked up a Galleon from the pile and weighed it, it wasn't particularly heavy, but hauling around a stack of coins would quickly become bothersome.
"Can I get a pouch or anything that can be used to carry the galleons, Griphook?" I tried to ask for an extension pouch like the one Hermione had in the seventh movie, but got a simple shake of the head in response.
'Okay, so I'm not giving this a 5-star review on Yelp. Now what?' I thought, but Prof. McGonagall, it seemed, was prepared for my current predicament.
"Here you go, Mr. Potter. You need to withdraw at least 31 galleons per person for first-year supplies. For Miss Granger's tuition, we can later make a signed agreement that would allow Hogwarts to take the required amount straight from your vault. Your tuition has already been paid by your grandfather, Fleamont Potter, 18 years ago."
'Huh... Pure-bloods and their weird ways. Don't tell me this was seen as a declaration of his belief that his bloodline would never produce a squib.' I thought, as I started shoving galleons into the pouch. Sure enough, the metal galleons seemed to vanish into the pouch, and it didn't feel any heavier.
I stopped once I had withdrawn around 1,000 galleons. It was a bit of an overkill, but I want a trunk like Moody's that was bigger on the inside than the outside. Hell, I'm willing to overpay for a suitcase like Newt's.
I walked back under Prof. McGonagall's neutral face and nodded to Griphook, who quickly closed the vault door, locked it with the key, and then gave it back to me. Securing the key to my fortune inside my jeans pocket, we turned around and got ready for another ride on the Gringotts roller coaster.
...
"So what are Galleons, sickles, and knuts?" Hermione asked as we started to walk out of the crooked bank building.
"Well, they are the denominations that make up the Wizarding world's currency, Miss Granger. A galleon is equal to 17 silver sickles, while a single silver sickle is worth 29 bronze knuts." She explained as we quickly arrived at our first destination.
I looked at the shop name, Scribbulus Writing Implements, by its name, it was easy to guess what it was. We walked in to see floating quills with feathers flapping around, trying to fly away from small chains that were binding them to the display case.
Aside from that, there were several other sights, with various types of parchment available for sale, but my focus instantly went to the quill, which was writing on paper while a pretty red-haired witch was dictating from a book, testing its effectiveness.
...
[Susan Bones]
[10]
...
'Now there's the hupplepuff queen for fanfics, should I introduce myself?' I thought, but was cut off as a black-haired man appeared from behind the counter with a beaming smile on his face.
"Welcome to Scribbulus Writing Implements. Are we here for the standard supply set for, let me see, first years?" He asked with a grin.
"Yes, two sets please," I replied, and turned back to look at Susan, only to find her walking deeper into the shops.
"You fancy the self-writing quills, they are guaranteed to make it easier to turn in your homework." He whispered as if he was sharing a secret, and I got my answer quite soon when Prof. McGonagall quickly reminded us, "Self-writing quills and other support-type quills, like the Quick Notes Quill, are banned at Hogwarts, Mr. Potter, and your professor would expect you to turn in your assignments written without the use of such quills."
"Yes, Professor," I replied, doing my best to act like a model student, an act that Prof. McGonagall saw through pretty quickly. Shaking her head, I turned to the man who had yet to introduce himself as he placed two bundles on the counter.
''That would be 12 Galleons and 14 Sickles." The man happily proclaimed. I quickly opened the pouch, and my hand disappeared until my elbow was gone. I stared with wide eyes at Hermione as I grabbed a handful of galleons, counted 13, and gave them to the man behind the counter.
As I reached to grab the two sets of supplies, Prof. McGonagall waved her wand and cast another charm, which caused the two rather bulky packages to shrink to the size of a matchbox.
"Now that's convenient," I commented as Prof. McGonagall placed those two packages into another pouch that seemed to magically appear at her waist.
"Let's go, Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, we have a lot of shops to visit in order to get your supplies."
The rest of the day turned into a marathon of whispered gasps as Hermione and I thoroughly enjoyed a day out shopping for our first year.
Although I had seen the movies, and they tried very hard with CGI to create the magical effect, it could not compare to the wonder you see when the potion master at the local apothecary showed you an invisibility potion by drinking it and then trying and failing to make a sale without his animated gestures.
After an exhausting day, and with Prof. McGonagall's pouch definitely a lot heavier than when we started and my pouch a little lighter, we arrived in front of an old, dusty shop, with a sign hanging overhead.
'''Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC'''
...
-x-X-x-
{Outside Ollivanders, Diagon Alley}
I stared down at the wand in my hand while Hermione was inside the shop. She had insisted that I go in first, and I didn't really feel the need to argue, as I was quite excited myself. Timeline-wise, nothing had changed. I still had the phoenix feather wand in my hand that had a connection with Voldemort's death stick.
Although it wasn't described in the books or movies beyond a brightening filter slapped onto the shot, I could clearly feel the warmth rushing through my body when I held my wand. It was hard to describe what it was other than an illusory feeling, but I could somewhat trace the magic- I'll call it mana for now- rushing from somewhere around my heart and deep into my body.
'The only place where I can clearly feel it is in my fingers, especially my right hand.' I brought my wand up close. The wand looked pretty basic compared to something like the Elder Wand; it had a simple wooden handle with a fade pattern from reddish to brown in between, then faded back to a lighter brown at the tip.
'I guess I'm stuck with the legacy of being his enemy.' I thought. A small blemish on an otherwise perfect first day. If there was a world that I would want to transmigrate into, it would be this one. Especially since the powers that I have awakened somewhat make it a more fun challenge to conquer.
'Come to think of it, I haven't had any time to myself to see if I have a status page or not,' I thought as a window appeared in front of me.
...
[Status]
[Name: Harry Potter]
[Level: 1 {0/100}]
[Traits: Boy-Who-Lived, Hidden Horcrux, Parseltongue*, Dark Arts Prodigy*, Transfiguration Inclination]
[MP: 180/180]
[SP: 20/20]
[LP: 14]
[Stats]
[STR: 2]
[AGI: 3]
[DEX: 5]
[END: 2]
[INT: 4]
[REF: 7]
...
'Okay... there is so much to take in now. Let's move through the stats pretty quickly, they all seem pretty basic considering my current body, though I'm not sure what INT would mean. The rest of the physical stats can be easy to take into account.' I thought as I leaned against the shop entrance, my eyes flickering to the lone wand that was sitting on display before I focused back on the window, focusing on the traits.
...
[Fame Trait: Boy Who Lived (Gold)]
[You are famous throughout the wizarding world for the scar that is etched on your forehead. As long as someone knows who you are and what that title entails, you get a % boost in affection gain.]
[+50% Affection gain to those who are thankful for the end of You-Know-Who]
[-50% Affection gain to those who are against you for ending You-Know-Who]
[+100% Affection gain to those who lived through the war and are thankful for the end of You-Know-Who]
[-100% Affection gain to those who lived through the war and are against you for the end of You-Know-Who]
...
'Wow, that's a big window.' I thought as I read through the trait and the bonuses it provides. At the same time, I tried to focus on the Fame trait itself to better understand how this works.
...
[Fame Traits:]
[Fame traits are acquired traits based on your reputation. They can be gained if substantial rumors about you are floating around among a localized population.]
...
'Hmm, so it's a social mechanic kind of thing. I bet Hermione could get a Know-it-all trait pretty quickly if she proceeded like in canon. That would likely have massive affection penalties, leaving her with no friends. And as long as someone had heard that she was a know-it-all, they would have a preconceived notion in mind...' I concluded the game was simulating the high school rumor mill through this system, although on a far larger scale.
'Still, I'm pretty sure that it would be a good thing for me, though I would have to make sure I end up in Gryffindor and not in Slytherin for it to be beneficial.'
Moving on, I looked at the next available traits one after another.
...
[Acquired Trait: Hidden Horcrux(Red)]
[You possess a fragment of another soul within your own. The fragment has been rendered dormant by the host's natural magical development, but its presence continues to exert a subtle influence upon the host, while forcing your magic to grow rapidly to suppress the influence of the foreign soul.]
[Grants trait: Parseltongue]
[Grants Trait: Dark Arts Prodigy]
[+200% MP]
[?]
[?]
[Warning: The soul fragment is not considered a separate entity by the system. Its destruction can result in severe damage to the host's soul under most circumstances.]
...
[Acquired Trait: Parseltongue*(Red)]
[You possess the ability to understand and speak the language of serpents.]
[?]
[?]
[Hidden Condition: The ability has been acquired through a foreign magical influence rather than an innate trait.]
...
[Acquired Trait: Dark Arts Prodigy*(PURPLE)]
[Your magical nature possesses an abnormal affinity toward the manipulation of destructive, corruptive, and dark magic.]
[+100% EXP gain for spells that require a harmful intent]
[+50-100% Chance to increase the power of dark spells, the chance increases based on your emotions.]
[Hidden Condition: The ability has been acquired through a foreign magical influence rather than an innate trait.]
...
[Acquired Traits:]
[Acquired traits are characteristics that develop as a result of external circumstances, experiences, actions, magical influences, or significant changes that the host experiences.]
[Unlike innate traits, acquired traits are not necessarily part of the host's original constitution.]
[Acquired traits may be gained through exposure to powerful magic, magical rituals, injuries, curses, major life events, possession of magical objects, or other sufficiently significant circumstances.]
[Some acquired traits may be temporary, while others can become permanently integrated into the host after some time or under certain effects.]
[Certain acquired traits may also evolve when the circumstances that created them change.]
...
[Innate Trait: Transfiguration Inclination (Blue)]
[You possess a natural affinity toward the magical alteration of matter.]
[+50% EXP gain for transfiguration spells]
[+25-50% chance to add more details to your transfiguration. The chance increases based on your focus and intent.]
...
[Innate Traits:]
[Innate traits are characteristics that originate from the host's soul, body, or natural magical constitution. They are not learned and cannot normally be acquired through training alone.]
[Innate traits are generally present from birth, although some may remain dormant until specific conditions are met.]
[Innate traits can develop, strengthen, weaken, or evolve as the host grows. Their potential is primarily determined by the host's natural constitution.]
[Examples include natural magical affinities, unusual physical characteristics, exceptional mental faculties, and inherent magical talents.]
...
I stared at everything, taking it in. I was lost in the implications of the Horcrux trait being a rather pleasant plus point rather than the whole lot of a burden that I was imagining it to be.
'The power that the dark lord knows not indeed...I can work with this. I just need to work on my physical stats over the summer before school starts.'
---
-x-X-x-
{Outside Ollivanders, Diagon Alley}
"Did Prof. McGonagall come back?" Hermione asked as she came out of the wand shop, her face was flushed as she was clutching her wand like her life depended on it.
I shook my head as I replied, "Not really. Let's wait at Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour, as she asked us to." I said as we nodded and began walking. A day of shopping had drained the energy from both of us, but after getting our wands, it was like a new burst of fuel had been injected into our veins.
"So how was it?" I asked as we passed through the doorway to the Apothecary. It still smelled horrible, so I quickened my pace a little.
"Warm, like some piece of myself that I had been missing," Hermione replied, as she looked down at her wand. It was lighter in color than mine, which complemented her fair skin tone.
"I can't wait to practice magic when I get home." Her smile morphed into a genuine grin as she clutched her wand with both of her hands.
'See, that's the reaction that a normal person must have when encountering magic. Not some bullshit like Harry's, like the boy almost put no effort into learning spells and was content with coasting through life with Ron.' I shook that thought away. I wasn't interested in following the path my predecessor was supposed to take.
We arrived at the ice cream shop, each lost in thought about the upcoming future. The building was crooked like any other, following the general theme of Diagon Alley. It was painted in yellow with the words Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour etched onto the shop.
Tables were set out front and occupied by people, and I saw Susan again. She was wearing a red dress that covered everything, yet its tight embrace left little to the imagination. Her red hair was pulled back, and the light freckles on her face gave her the girl-next-door kind of vibe.
This time, she sat at a table with ice cream in front of her, alongside another blonde witch whose hair was pulled into tight twin pigtails and whose figure was concealed in a tight blue wizard robe. I looked up at the new face to confirm her identity.
...
[Hannah Abbott]
[10]
...
'The Hupplepuff duo and niece to Amelia Bones. It won't hurt to make acquaintances with her.' I thought and nudged Hermione.
"They look like they are about our age, should we try and get some more information about the wizarding world?" I framed the question in a way that Hermione would have trouble saying no, and sure enough, her eyes lit up at that suggestion. She nodded and took the lead in approaching the two girls while I followed behind.
"Hello, are you first years as well, or do you go to Hogwarts by any chance?" Hermione asked as she leaned in.
While Hannah shyly looked away, Susan replied with a bright smile and a happy expression, "Yes! Hello, we are both going into our first year this summer. I'm Susan Bones. This is my friend Hannah Abbot, we are both proud Hufflepuff legacies." She replied excitedly and extended her hands toward the two empty seats in front of her.
Hermione took one as she introduced herself. "I'm Hermione Granger, a little new to the wizarding world. What is a Hufflepuff Legacy?"
"Oh, so you're a Muggle-born." Susan commented before she explained, "No worries. Hufflepuff is one of the four houses in Hogwarts, the other three are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. They are named after the four founders who a long time ago established the school." Susan explained, "Both of my parents went to Hufflepuff, so I'm considered a Hufflepuff legacy, that just means I'm more inclined to be sorted into Hufflepuff."
"So I'm assuming Hufflepuff is the house where all the kindered spirits are gathered?" I asked as I sat down. "I'm Harry Potter, by the way. Pleased to meet you."
The smile appearing on Susan's face and her excited nod froze when I said my name; even Hannah, who hadn't looked in my direction until now, looked back at me with wide eyes.
I shared a look with Hermione. This wasn't the first time it had happened today, and from the look of things, it wouldn't be the last. I looked around and asked, "What's with all the staring? It happens every time I introduce myself?" I asked, which made the two girls stare at one another before Susan answered.
"Well..." She started and then stopped. She looked at Hannah for help, who immediately avoided her eyes, leaving her friend to her fate. Rolling her eyes at Hannah, Susan turned back to me, and the happy smile on her face was gone. She leaned in closer and spoke in a hushed whisper.
"17 years ago, there was a dark lord who was spreading terror in the Wizarding world. No one could stand in his way, and only Headmaster Dumbledore and his order were able to save people from his attacks. Everywhere he went, death and destruction followed, countless families died throughout the long, drawn-out war before he was finally stopped."
She paused as she took in a breath. "No one knows how he died, but from what Dumbledore has shared publicly, the Dark Lord attempted an attack on the Potters." Her eyes searched for something in my expression as she continued, "Your parents didn't survive that night, Harry, but when the Dark Lord tried to kill you, he ended up killing himself."
I gave her my best confused expression, and Hermione next to me said, "But Harry would be 1 year old then, wouldn't he?"
"Yes, that's why it was celebrated as a miracle. The Killing Curse that was targeting you only left behind a scar, while the Dark Lord was vanquished, his followers scattered, and the gloom that had settled over Wizarding Britain was lifted," Susan replied. She hesitated for a moment and then added, "There was no reason to dig for detailed answers, as everyone believed Headmaster Dumbledore, and the people were already hailing you as their miracle... The-Boy-Who-Lived."
...
...
"The-Boy-Who-Lived... really, couldn't they have come up with something better?" I groaned out loud, trying to break the awkward silence for a moment as I pretended to try to outjoke my sadness after hearing my family's supposed life story.
'Alright, so acting clearly isn't my strong suit...'
-x-X-x-
{Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour, Diagon Alley}
"Now there is a sight that can not be tolerated, kids with frowns on their faces, not in my shop." An aged voice spoke as two scoops of ice cream were placed in front of Hermione and me.
"Thank you, Mr. Fortescue," Susan quickly greeted, as both Hermione and I repeated after her.
"The first one is on the house." He grinned at us, his scruffy beard moving along with it as he patted his belly and walked away.
I looked down at the ice cream, grabbed the spoon that had come with it, and tasted it. It tasted like sweet-and-sour lime toffee, but the texture was like pudding. I looked down at it for a moment before I turned to Susan and asked, "So was there any reward money for vanquishing a Dark Lord?"
I tried to joke again. Susan's eyes flickered for a moment before she grinned. "I would have to ask my Aunt, and I thought of the perfect prank. I'll owl you her answer later." I shared her grin and nudged Hermione, who was still stuck thinking about Susan's words.
'Clearly, the dangers of Magic hadn't occurred to her yet. Clearly, wherever power was involved, there would be people who would want to take advantage of another, it's a basic rule of human psychology.'
"So what was growing up in the wizarding world like?" I asked, hoping to change the subject. Both Susan and Hannah looked confused for a moment before they began describing what a typical day in their life was like.
"Nothing much, really. I have so many teachers coming and going that it makes my head spin, only during the summers could we have a little more free time." She complained.
Her words about teachers and classes did the trick as Hermione perked up and asked a little anxiously, "What kind of stuff are you taught? Are we very far behind?"
"No, no, it's not entirely magic-related, though some people do start learning the basic preparation steps for various potion ingredients in this last year. It shouldn't make much of a difference. Our magical cores are not really mature enough to handle channeling any amount of mana, so muggleborns, although, might have some disadvantage at the beginning, it all evens out in just a couple of months." Susan explained patiently.
"And you would be quite right with that assessment, Miss Bones." Prof. McGonagall's voice called out from behind us as Susan and Hannah quickly exclaimed and greeted her.
"Muggle-borns are some of the brightest wizards and witches to walk out of Hogwarts. Your mother, Mr. Potter, was one of the brightest witches of her generation, and she was a Muggle-born." Prof. McGonagall nodded as she accepted Susan and Hannah's greetings as she finished making her point.
"Oh," I nodded toward Prof. McGonagall and tried to pretend like I was lost in thought. To be honest, I hadn't really thought that people would scrutinize me so much.
"Let's get going. Before we sign this agreement, I think we need to talk to your parents, Miss Granger." Prof. McGonagall addressed Hermione, who had a complicated look on her face.
'She is likely trying to figure out how to explain this situation to her parents and then convince them that going to Hogwarts instead of the university is the best option.' I thought.
'Yeah, good luck with that, hopefully Prof. McGonagall will help her.' I thought as I took a couple more bites of the ice cream before telling her I was done. Turning to Susan and Hannah, I greeted them goodbye, "It was lovely to meet you both. See you at Hogwarts?"
Getting an excited wave and a shy nod, I turned to Prof. McGonagall, who quickly grabbed onto my shoulder as we were sent hurtling through the space once again.
...
...
We arrived in the backyard of a typical English house. The grass was trimmed neatly, and some flowers were growing in the bushes. Hermione quickly got her stomach to stop clenching as she walked over and pulled out a key from under the mat. She quickly opened the door as she ushered us into the living room.
With that done, she disappeared into the house and arrived a few minutes later. "Dad is holding down the fort at the office, but Mom is going to be back soon. Would you guys like anything to drink?" She asked.
I shook my head and turned to Prof. McGonagall. Although my acting was bad, I still knew that it was the right time to ask Prof. McGonagall for clues.
"Professor," I asked, getting her attention, "Susan said something about how my parents died facing a dark lord, and that's why they knew who I was..." I hesitated toward the end and left it at that, trying to look like I was trying to get as much information as possible.
She sighed as she basically reiterated Susan's words, while Hermione sat beside me and gently rubbed my back as I listened to the story of that night once again. We heard a car screech outside, and soon after, the front door opened as a woman in a white shirt and pants, wearing a white lab coat, walked in.
"Hermione, how was your trip to the Magical world, dear? I hope everything went well," I heard her say as I looked at the middle-aged woman.
"Everything was fine, Mum. Come here, we need to talk about something." She said, pulling her toward us.
The next few minutes went by as Hermione tried very hard to paint a very rosy and exciting picture of the Wizarding world, before she painted the goblins as horrible creatures who were trying to take advantage of the Muggleborns to get them to sign a horrible contract in order to get a loan.
Then she pointed toward me as I waved my hand in greeting, and the proposal was pushed forward. With that said, Prof. McGonagall pushed out two contracts: one that I would sign, which would give Hogwarts the necessary permission to withdraw funds for Hermione's tuition from my vault. The other was a straightforward contract stating how much money the Grangers needed to give me in exchange for the galleons.
After all the explanations, Mrs. Granger still looked a bit conflicted, but she agreed to the deal, and Hermione excitedly leaped at her to hug her. I shared an amused look with Mrs. Granger. Granger, now a red-faced Hermione, signed her name across the two contracts while I did the same.
"Shall we get going, Mr. Potter?" Prof. McGonagall asked, and I nodded. She had already emptied out Hermione's supplies onto their living room table, and we politely declined Mrs. Granger's invitation to stay for dinner as we walked back to the backyard.
"Wait, Harry, what's your phone number? I can call you later to set up the money transfer as agreed." Hermione asked.
'Right, I kind of forgot about that... and I forgot to buy Hedwig in Diagon Alley.' I felt the urge to smack my forehead as I shook my head at her and replied, "I'll owl you later to explain."
I waved my hand goodbye as Prof. McGonagall's hand once again appeared on my shoulder, and we were whisked away.
'I would like to buy a broom, please. I can't really handle this apparition business.'
-x-X-x-
{4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey}
We arrived at a neat, clean-looking backyard, and for a moment I felt déjà vu. The setting was almost identical to the Grangers', except for the house color and the flowers growing in the garden.
Almost instantly, we popped into the backyard, and the door leading to the kitchen opened. A frail-looking woman appeared, her initial look of aggression melting quickly once she caught sight of Prof. McGonagall. Minerva looked at Petunia in disdain before she turned to me and spoke, "Where can I leave your school supplies, Mr. Potter?"
"My room will do, Professor," I replied. If I were in a normal house, I would have told her the living room would work, but I can't exactly trust the Dursleys that much.
We walked over, and my bed was the only place for her to dump the supplies. She looked around my room and then spoke to me, "It's a good thing you did today, Harry. You have your mother's eyes and her kindness."
"Thank you, Professor," I replied as she gave me a weak smile before she walked out of the room. I followed her to the backyard as she gave me a train ticket to the Hogwarts Express, with the address 9 3/4 printed on it.
"I'll see you at Hogwarts, Mr. Potter," Prof. McGonagall said as her whole body collapsed into a singular point as she apparated out.
The smile from my face slipped as I took a deep breath and walked in. Petunia was already glaring at me, and upon seeing that Prof. McGonagall had left, a confident smile appeared on her face as she shouted, "Vernon!"
Ignoring her, I walked up the stairs and closed the door in her face as she tried to follow. My eyes scanned my supplies quite quickly. Everything was in my trunk, which had 3 different space-shrinking compartments and a potion-ingredient storage section with temperature and moisture modulation.
'Hopefully this works,' I thought as I focused on bringing my inventory up. As soon as I thought of it, a grid-like interface made of blue boxes appeared. I grabbed onto the trunk and focused on storing it, and the trunk vanished from my bed along with all of my supplies.
'That's one problem dealt with,' I thought, and as expected, the door was blasted open as Vernon stood, her face turning red with anger as he looked around for anything out of place.
"Where are the things you bought for this madness that you have brought into our lives?" He breathed out as he glared, his mustache twitching with anger.
"I brought nothing. I don't have any money, remember," I replied, trying to get him to leave.
"Of course you don't. Your whore of a mother and drunkyard father didn't exactly leave you with anything, did they? 18 years I have spent feeding and clothing you, and when I say you won't go to that blasting school, you won't." He started ranting.
Now I'm not Harry Potter, and Lily Potter isn't my mother. But that doesn't mean I'll stay and listen to this bullshit. I looked around the room, and a quick scan revealed there wasn't exactly anything worth taking from here.
Staring at the red-faced Vernon, who was glaring at me, I calmly walked up to him and then walked past him. I wasn't exactly going to sock him in the face, even though I really wanted to. He's built like a fucking boat, and my body isn't exactly strong enough right now. I ignored the ravings of a madman whose authority was being challenged for the first time.
'Maybe one day,' I daydreamed of cursing him with some harmless magic as I walked over to the main door and out straight away. Going over to the side of the street, I pulled out my wand from my jeans and extended my right hand along with it.
~BANG~
I felt a whoosh of air go past me as a loud voice erupted, and I squinted away from the beaming headlights as a gleaming purple, triple-decker bus stopped in front of me. The door slid open with a whoosh as a man in a purple uniform, they sure liked that color, spoke in a monotone voice, like something he had done a thousand times.
"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand hand, step on board) and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Stan Shunpike, and I will be your conductor this evening. Where would you like to go?"
"Neville Longbottom, to the Leaky Cauldron, please," I replied. Even though I had expected this scene, the appearance of the bus had been a bit too sudden, and my adrenaline was still spiking a little.
"Eleven Sickles," said Stan in a monotone voice, "payment before you board, but if you shell out fifteen you get 'or chocolate, and for fifteen you get an 'ot water bottle an' a toothbrush in the color of your choice."
I pulled a galleon out of my jeans pocket, I had slipped some in there earlier for easier access as I had been prepared to abandon ship at the Dusleys, don't look at me, who would want to live at an abusive home.
"Here, keep the change and just give me the chocolate," I said, I could do with a pick-me-up.
"Alright, up you go." Stan gave me a grin and a tip of his hat as he walked in, and I followed behind. I looked at the assortment of beds, and Stan quickly motioned for me to take a seat on the one behind the driver's seat.
I looked at the magical versions of Einstein, with white hair and big goggles, and as soon as I sat on the bed, Stan said to the driver, whose name I had forgotten, "Take 'er away, Ern."
Another loud bang reverberated as I was thrown onto the bed. Grabbing the railings, I looked out as the Knight bus zoomed past the streets while Stan winked at me. "Just for the tip, we'll drop 'ou off first."
I almost nodded but then turned to look at the empty bus.
'Yeah, I'm not exactly sure my tip has anything to do with it.'
-x-X-x-
{Outside Leaky Cauldron, Charing Cross Road}
~BANG~
I heard the knight bus hurtle away as I approached the door to the Leaky Cauldron. The once bustling pub had quieted down somewhat as I opened its creaky door. There were a couple of stragglers drinking firewhiskey in the corner, but other than that, only an old man with a hunched back was tending to the bar.
"Hello there, straggler, quite late to be out and about, innit?" He spoke as I walked over. He looked at me curiously, trying to place who I was or where he had seen me. Probably I must have left a faint impression when we passed through in the morning.
"How are you doing, Tom? Can I get a room for the night?" I asked, trying to blend in like a regular customer, but Tom was having none of it. Clearly, one of the requirements of being a barman was to have a pretty good memory for faces.
"Not so quick there. Who are you? I can't exactly let a criminal live here now, can I?" He inquired as he tried to get a good look at my face.
'Alright, nuclear option it is,'
I thought as I pulled my hair back, showing off my scar. "I'm Harry Potter. Can you not tell anyone that I'm here? I don't exactly want a crowd to form in the pub every day."
...
Tom stared wide-eyed at my scar before he hurriedly nodded. "Of course. It's an honor to have you here." He fumbled as he looked back at the wall and debated for a moment before pulling off a key from the wall, which he then extended to me.
"It's the only room on the third floor. Watch your head when you go up the flight of stairs," Tom said, getting his nerves in control.
"How much is it?" I asked, rummaging through my pocket to pull out some money, when Tom waved his hand. "How could I take money from you, Mr. Potter?"
"I'm planning to stay here for the summer, Tom. I can't reasonably live here that long without paying anything, now can I?" I asked as he thought about it hard before replying, "It's 1 Galleon a night."
'Huh, that's cheaper than I thought it would be.' I had guessed more, around 4-5 galleons, and I'm thinking that he's probably giving me a huge discount.
"Here, this will cover for today. I'll pay the rest tomorrow,' I said as I waved my hand at him and started walking away.
"If you need anything, just ring the bell on the nightstand and then shout what you want at the bell, I'll be able to hear your requests," He said as I nodded and walked up the stairs. Ducking my head, I walked up the creaking stairs and looked at the 6-7 doors on the first floor before moving on.
The second floor had a similar layout, and only when I reached the third floor did I see it had only one door, locked at the entrance. The bronze key unlocked the door, and I walked into a big open living room.
'Huh, kind of didn't expect the Leaky Cauldron to have a luxury option.' I thought as I looked around the open space and the living room table before I walked up to the bed and collapsed onto it.
I closed my eyes for a moment as I took a deep breath. Soaking in the comfort of my new bed for now, I sank into the pillows, and with a thought, a black leather-bound diary appeared in my hand.
'Let's see, I'm curious about what stats someone like Adorabella has-' I paused as I noticed that Prof. McGonagall's portrait had changed.
...
[Professor McGonagall]
[Corruption Level: 0/5 {Strict Professor}]
[Affection Meter: 100/100]
[Inhibition Level: 10/10]
[Inhibition Meter: 0/100]
[Trait unlocked at Level 1: Calm Mind]
[Calm Mind(Blue): A supplementary trait that increases the success chance of a spell by 30%]
[Trait unlocked at Level 2: Locked]
[Trait unlocked at Level 3: Locked]
[Trait unlocked at Level 4: Locked]
[Trait unlocked at Level 5: Locked]
...
The image of Professor McGonagall was the same as before, it's just the action in the loop has changed from a simple smile and wave to a smile and wink.
'Kind of makes me feel like I'm playing one of those weird porn games that have changing portraits of the characters based on the corruption stat.'
I stared at Prof. McGonagall's portrait for a moment before I moved on to Hermione and noticed the same thing, except her neutral face from earlier had transformed into a smile and a blush as she shyly waved at me.
...
[Hermione Granger]
[Corruption Level: 0/5 {Model Student}]
[Affection Meter: 100/100]
[Inhibition Level: 10/10]
[Inhibition Meter: 0/100]
...
'It's kind of interesting, but not exactly what I was focused on,' I thought as I flipped the page and paused. My breath hitched as I brought the diary closer and stared as Adorabella, dressed in intimate white lingerie, turned around, showing off her flawless body with a neutral expression. And a second later, she drops down into a squat and starts to rub her pussy over her panties.
...
[Adorabella GIF Stage 3 ]
[Adorabella Greengrass]
[Corruption Level: 2/5 {Hotwife}]
[Affection Meter: 10/100]
[Inhibition Level: 4/10]
[Inhibition Meter: 69/100]
[Trait unlocked at Level 3: Charms Inclination]
[Charms Initiate(Blue): You possess a natural affinity for wanded charm spells.]
[Trait unlocked at Level 4: Locked]
[Trait unlocked at Level 5: Locked]
...
I stared at her flawless body as she moved around, how her full breasts swung with her. I could feel my cock start to rise as blood rushed toward my groin. I held the diary in place, my eyes tracking Adorabella's every move as I unbuttoned my pants and my left hand dipped into my underwear.
...
...
...
'Okay, I'm not exactly proud of this, but I had to see if it was effective or not,' I tried to explain my debauched actions as I tugged myself back in and looked down at the mess I had made on the floor. I stared back at Adorabella's still swinging figure and closed the diary, putting it aside.
Opening my status page, I saw my LP had increased by 4 points, so the experiment was a success. At least I was self-sufficient if it ever came down to it.
'Now to deal with the mess.' I thought as I got my ass off the bed and walked over to the doors that were attached to my new living space, hoping one of them was a bathroom.