~•~•~•~
| Right Where We Left Off. |
~•~•~•~

Ki hissed proudly, "Well done, Harry. Now, when are we going to Diagon Alley? After all, you'll be needing your sssssschool sssssupplies." Harry let his grin shine through. "Well, we'll have to wait until the weekend when Vernon's off work. I don't think Petunia will be up to the drive right now," Harry told Kiearah. Said woman was looking frantically between the boy and snake, clearly trying to figure out if they were actually having a conversation.

Harry quickly penned a note back to Professor McGonagall.

Dear Professor McGonagall,

Thank you for informing me about my acceptance into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am honoured and excited to begin my magical education at Hogwarts. I eagerly await the start of the school year and look forward to meeting you and the other professors.

I do have a question regarding pets. I have an unusual pet, Kiearah, and I was wondering if it would be possible to bring her with me to Hogwarts? She's a snake and quite friendly, but I understand if there are regulations against bringing certain pets.

Looking forward to your guidance.

Sincerely,
Harry James Potter

He sent it off with the owl. Sitting back down in his armchair, he continued to watch his aunt. As morning wore on, Petunia grew more and more clumsy. Harry could see sweat starting to form on her brow. "Something wrong, Aunty?" he asked. She looked at him, a twitch in her eye. "N-nothing, Harry. W-what makes you say that?"

Harry smiled slightly. "Nothing at all, Petunia, just curious." A few minutes later, he heard a crash in the bathroom. Petunia had now moved on to her other jobs. He stood up to investigate and found a pot smashed on the floor. "What's this?" he asked, tone clipped.

"I, I, uh, b-broke a pot," Petunia stuttered, bending down to pick up the pieces.

"No shit, Sherlock. You're sure nothing's wrong?"

Fear was unhidden in her voice when she echoed, "Nothing at all..."

Harry nodded in a way that said he didn't believe her in the slightest. He smirked slightly as he turned to leave the room, calling behind him, "Just remember, you brought this on yourself."

~•~•~•~

A few hours later, he was sat on the sofa while she cleaned the table, trembling as she did. "You seem to be having a tough time, Petunia," he remarked casually, setting his book aside as amusement laced his tone. "Maybe next time you'll think twice about refusing the potion?"

She looked up at him, defiance shining in her trembling eyes. "I don't need your pity."

He laughed darkly. "It's not pity; it's a lesson." With a sigh, he turned back to his book and her to her work. He almost felt bad for her, almost.

~•~•~•~

By the time Vernon and Dudley arrived home from work and school, Petunia was practically falling apart at the seams. They both ran to her aid.

"What did you do to her?!" Vernon shouted at Harry.

"Nothing she didn't do to herself," he shrugged in response, his arms crossed as he watched the scene unfold.

"Please, Harry! Please! I need it!" she begged her nephew.

He frowned. "Need what?" he asked, knowing perfectly well that she wanted more Blood-Replenishing Potion.

"The potion! Please!"

Harry mock-thought for a minute before slowly removing the small vial from his pocket. "What, this?"

He held it up, snatching it away when she tried to grab it.

"Yes!" Tears rolled down her anguish-etched face.

"Alright, alright, open up." When she did so, he poured twenty drops into her mouth. Her face washed with relief, colour coming back instantly. "Remember, never refuse it again, alright?"

She nodded frantically, thanking him over and over again. Overall, Harry was quite pleased with the day.

~•~•~•~
| Three Days Later |
~•~•~•~

That Saturday, it was time for Harry to go to Diagon Alley, along with a reply from the Deputy Headmistress of the school he was oh-so-excited to go to.

Harry grinned. "Ki! You're coming to Hogwarts with me!"

Kiearah let out a hiss of excitement.

Harry wrapped Kiearah around his shoulders and set off downstairs. After waking the household, having Petunia make breakfast, and administering the potion to the family, he turned his attention to Vernon. "Vernon, I'll need you to take me to London this afternoon. I need to get my school supplies from Diagon Alley."

Vernon nodded in confirmation, and their morning continued as normal. At twelve o'clock, Harry and Vernon left Privet Drive and started their journey to London. Once there, Harry got out of the car and, to Vernon's utmost confusion, started to stride towards... nothing.

On one side of the street, there was a large bookshop, and on the other, a record shop. Noticing his relative's confusion, Harry turned back, grabbed Vernon's hand, and started to once again stride towards nothing. It was only once they were a couple of metres away from wherever Harry was leading him that Vernon saw it: a small, grubby little pub.

How was Harry going to get school supplies here? Just before the two walked in, Harry downed a potion, making his face slightly blurred. They entered the grubby pub, and Harry walked straight towards the bar. "Hullo," he said to the bartender, "could you, uh... help me get into Diagon Alley?"

"'Course, son. Let's see 'ere, what's ya name?" Harry froze for a moment before replying, "Harrison Evans, pleased to meet you." The man smiled, coming around the bar and shaking Harry's hand. "Tom. And you, sir?" Tom asked Vernon. Only an elbow in his side stopped him from saying his actual name. "Von. Von Evans"

After the pleasantries were over, Tom started to lead Harry to the back, but Harry stopped him. "Uh, Uncle? Perhaps you'd better stay here?" Vernon nodded gruffly, sitting down at the bar. As Harry and the man left, Harry whispered to Tom, "My uncle, he's a... Muggle." The old bartender nodded in agreement. "Betta' 'e stays 'ere then."

They walked until they were standing in front of a seemingly ordinary wall, Tom lifted his wand and started to tap bricks in a very specific order. Eventually, a small hole formed in the bricks, gradually growing larger and larger until it was big enough for a man twice the size of Tom. The old bartender's eyes glinted as he looked out upon the shoppers. "Welcome to Diagon Alley."

Harry thanked him and sent him on his way. After Tom left, Harry allowed his eyes to widen at the sight of the street before him. Shops stood tall and proud, and parts of some buildings were even moving. Wanting to get right to work, he pulled out his Hogwarts letter, unfolding the small slip of paper that was his list.

As Harry's eyes scanned the paper, thoughts whirled inside his head. "Where first?" he asked Kiearah. She seemed to think for a moment, looking at the list over his shoulder before replying, "Gringottsssss Wizarding Bank. We need your money firssssst." He nodded, and as they set off towards the old marble bank, a murder of six crows flew in the sky above.

The first thing Harry noticed as they walked up the stone stairs leading to the bank was two small guard-like creatures standing at the entrance. "They're goblinssss. Bow to them, it'sssss resssspectful," Ki whispered in his ear. Harry gave the tiniest of nods before giving a low bow to the strange creatures.

They looked at him quizzically for a moment before bowing back and giving him entry to the building they were sworn to guard. Upon stepping through the massive doors, Harry walked up to one of the desks, where a goblin with pale, waxy skin and big pointy ears greeted him.

Once again, at Kiearah's suggestion, he bowed. The goblin looked up, blinking at the gesture before he too bowed his head. "I'm, uh..." Harry leaned in closer, speaking in a low whisper. "Harry Potter. I need to make a withdrawal, please."

The goblin's eyes widened marginally, and he regarded Harry with a sort of curiosity as he replied, "Do you have your key, Mr Potter?"

Harry stilled for a beat before Ki whispered in his ear, "Bloodtesssst."

The goblin, having not noticed Harry's scaly companion before, jumped only slightly upon seeing her. Harry ignored this, asking to have a blood test done.

The goblin nodded. "GRIPHOOK!" Harry started as the creature suddenly shouted. He assumed this was the name of another goblin, as one came walking around the corner just moments after being called. This new goblin, Griphook, Harry reminded himself, led the way through a small door.

Harry, expecting more marble, was rather surprised when they stepped into a corridor made of moist stone bricks. After walking for a couple of minutes, the unlikely trio arrived at a heavy-looking stone door. Harry noticed a plaque on the stone, stating:

Grallruk's Office, Potter Accounts Manager

Harry wondered who 'Grallruk' was. However, he didn't get much time to ponder this before Griphook was pushing the door open. He held his arm out to indicate that Harry should go in. Harry bowed his head to the goblin before making his way inside. "Thank you," he called behind him.

Inside the office, it was much like the corridor Harry had just left: stone floor, stone walls, and a large stone desk in the centre of the room. Behind the desk sat a squat goblin with a pair of wire-rimmed glasses perched on his long nose and hair protruding out of his ears. Harry assumed this was 'Grallruk.'

"Ah, Mr Potter, to what do I owe this visit?" Grallruk asked, looking at the young wizard over his glasses.

The wizard in question wilted slightly under the goblin's stern gaze. It felt as though the creature was staring into his very soul. He cleared his throat. "I've come to have a blood test, sir," Harry told him in a voice filled with far more confidence than he felt, bowing low.

Grallruk nodded, inviting Harry over to his desk. Once Harry was seated, the wizened goblin pulled out a sheet of old, yellowish parchment and a small dagger engraved with runes. "Apply seven drops of blood onto the paper," he stated, waiting for Harry to do as he asked.

Harry hesitantly picked up the dagger and pricked his finger. To his surprise, it didn't hurt at all. He held his bleeding finger over the paper and counted until the seventh drop splattered the page. After he was done, he stared, amazed, as ink started to spread across the parchment.

Harry stared at the paper sitting innocently on Grallruk's desk. "I-I wha-how-who..." eventually made its way out of his gaping mouth. Kiearah did a snake version of a tut and lifted her tail to close his mouth. "Ssso uncouth," he heard her mutter.

The goblin frowned, turning the paper towards him. As he read, the only sign of surprise was his eyes widening marginally. After he was done, a slow smirk spread across his face. "Welcome back, Heir Slytherin."