Chapter 8: CH 8
Straightening back up and looking at Harry curiously, he said, "Well, Lordy be. So you are. If you'd told me your name when you first came in I would have known right away you'd be able to purchase one of our more upmarket models of trunk." With a scowl, Harry said, "I really am trying to remain incognito here. I don't like the fact I'm famous and don't want it bandied about I'm in the Alley. I'd not be able to get anything done, otherwise."
Nodding in response, Mister Porter said, "Well, as you're a high paying customer, I will keep your confidence, Mister Potter. If folks knew you were here you'd get mobbed pretty quickly."
Harry just deepened his scowl.
"However, are you aware you're entitled to have your House crest on your trunk, as well as your name?" the shopkeeper asked.
"No, sir," replied Harry. "However, if everyone else just gets their name, then I'll have that, too." Thinking a bit Harry then asked, "And can it be covered up for the time being? I don't want anyone to see it until I go to Hogwarts."
Thinking a bit, the shopkeeper said, "Certainly. I can put a Wizard Notice-Me-Not Charm on that small area that will mean people won't look at it. And you can remove it with a simple Charm Cancelling Charm when you board the Hogwarts Express on the 1st of September. It's a simple spell that you can do by simply waving your wand across the area and giving the incantation, 'Finite Incantatem'."
Harry gave a nod and said, "Yes, please. Do that. And, when the trunk's ready, can you have it delivered to The Leaky Cauldron in the name of Harrison Smith? That's my guardian. Tom has been kind enough to hold my things for me in my guardian's name until it's time to leave." "I can certainly do that for you, Mister Potter," replied the shopkeeper. "Tom often avails others of that service."
"Thank you," said Harry with a bit of relief. He hated lying about himself but he needed to do it if he was not going to get caught and sent back to his unloving relatives.
After paying for his new school trunk Harry exited the store, withdrew his sheet listing his school supplies, and read down to see what to do next. While he didn't actually need the list, as he had it all memorised, it gave him the excuse of keeping his head down and face covered.
'Hmmm - wand, telescope, cauldron, potion supplies, quills and parchment, and an owl plus things to take care of an owl,' he thought. 'I'll start at the bottom of the Alley and work my way back to The Leaky Cauldron, picking up things along the way.' Harry turned down the Alley and headed for the end.
Though he'd spent quite a bit of time sorting out new clothing and his trunk, the rest went pretty easily. The only delay was in purchasing his wand. He spent about half an hour in the store of the creepy old man before he found a wand eleven inches long, made of Holly with a phoenix feather core. According to the old man, it was supposedly the 'brother' wand to Voldemort's. That, too, he thought creepy.
Harry was glad when he was finally out of the store. He'd purchased his wand, a wand care kit and a wrist holster for it that he could affix to his off, left, arm. He donned the holster, pushed the wand into it and made a few practice draws with it before he left the store.
The rest of the trip back up the Alley meant he was able to collect the rest of his school supplies even quicker than he expected. Many of the shops he visited had already prepared 'kits' of what students would need for Hogwarts.
When he was finally able to return to The Leaky Cauldron he was able to use his own wand and open the portal himself.
Once back in The Leaky Cauldron, Tom saw him walk in and told him his new trunk was already in his room; and that dinner would be available from 5.00pm. Harry Harrison - was just to come down and let him know what he wanted and he'd have it all ready for him in a jiffy.
Harry gave his thanks and headed up to his room. He'd just had a pretty stressful day and knew he'd have an early dinner before finally getting to sleep in a real bed.
Once back in his room he unshrunk the rest of his things, unpacked them and repacked them into his trunk. All his school supplies went in one compartment; his normal wear and toiletries in the other. He left his books out for something to read.
Just after 5.00pm he picked out the books Harry Potter: The Boy Who Lived and An Introduction to the Wizarding World and carried them back down to the pub's common room. As soon as he sat, Tom came over and gave him a short menu of what was available for the dinner session.
He gave his order, and ordered a butterbeer when told the wizarding world did not stock 'fizzy drinks', and settled down to read.
After enjoying his first proper meal - ever Harry remained at the table for a while and continued to read. He'd already filtered out listening to the sounds going on around him and was deep into the fiction-masquerading-as-fact that was Harry Potter: The Boy Who Lived. The book contained just enough fact about what actually happened to make the rest of it - the fantasy - appear real. And he was livid.
On a couple of occasions while reading he had to set the book aside and firmly push his anger back into the background using his meditative techniques. At those times he also switched books to An Introduction to the Wizarding World, which he found dry but still interesting. It was while reading that book he came to understand a lot of what he saw and experienced while moving about the Alley and the pub.
It was also the second book that gave him an insight in how to deal with the first book. While it appeared laws regarding libel in the wizarding world had not caught up to it's counterparts in the muggle world, a good solicitor/barrister could still go after those who were using his name to profit. And Harry had a particular hate for those who wanted to use him - the Dursleys, included.
However, that was for another day. As the books clearly had a very good description of just what Harry Potter looked like, the next day would be used learning from Simple Cantrips for the Beauty Conscious for methods by which to disguise his appearance.
Noticing the common room emptying, Harry made his way back upstairs to his room, giving the old bartender a little wave as he walked by.
Once in his room Harry put his two books away with the others and settled down for his first night's sleep in a real bed. While lying there, before sleep claimed him, he reviewed his mental 'to-do' list for the next day.
Harry awoke at 5.30am the next day; the time he always had to rise in the mornings on a weekday, to make breakfast for the Dursleys. At first he was startled to realise he wasn't in his cupboard. It took a moment for him to realise he never had to go back to that place, ever again. He grinned.
Rising, he grabbed his newly purchased personal toiletries and headed for the communal bathroom. In there, he enjoyed a leisurely shower - something he'd never had at the Dursleys - and returned to his room to dress in his new 'civilian' wizarding robes. He found himself grinning the whole time. Not even his perpetual headache could dampen his mood. He did, however, hesitate before strapping his wand holster to his off forearm. It was going to take a little time for him to include it as part of his new automatic morning ritual.
He ducked downstairs to the common room and found Tom just starting to prepare for the new day. "Good morning, Tom," said a chipper Harry.
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