Harry Potter and the Secrets of Alchemy

Chapter 6- Shopping and Birthday Surprises
July 31, 2008

Harry woke up to Hedwig flying in and landing on his chest. Hedwig pulled out one of her tail feathers and dropped it on Harry's chest. Harry figured he could use Hedwig's gift as a special quill. Before Harry could put the feather in the truck, Hedwig gave hooted at him, and she shook her leg. Harry reached out and pulled a letter from around her leg. As he read it, Harry's face turned bright red.

'Harry,

You didn't tell Hermione about the letter did you. You know she broke up with me a few days ago. Come on, mate, you have everything, and you can't even let me have 2 girls. I know you are protective of Hermione, but she is just a muggle-born. You know you can have tons of girls anytime you wished. I know Hermione broke up with me for you. Happy birthday, you prat. Bill wants you at his wedding, but stay the bloody hell away from me.

Your former Mate,
Ron'

Harry couldn't believe it. Hermione wouldn't have mentioned seeing the letter. He was just being the jealous prat that he always was. He had no problem losing Ron's friendship like he told Hermione, and he didn't want to get back with Ginny. His only real problem was he didn't want to lose ties to the rest of the Weasley’s. He really liked Bill, Charlie, and the twins.

If that was the way Ron wanted it, Harry wasn't going to hold his tongue. He, suddenly, knew what the first thing he was going to do with his new special quill. He reached into his trunk and grabbed some ink and parchment. The room was filling with magic as he wrote his letter.

'Ron,

Good to know where you stand. I don't want to be friends with someone that believes I care about fame or fortune. You don't know me at all. You saw the shite hole I lived in, and you pull this shite. I didn’t show Hermione or tell her about the letter, but she doesn't deserve to be with someone that only wants her to shag on the side. You know something tell Ginny that I don't need her hero worship anymore. I don't care about you, Ginny, or your mother’s plans for one big happy family. You and Ginny leave me and Hermione the hell alone if that is all you two care about.

Good Riddance,
Harry'

Hermione came into the room while he was writing the letter. She could see his body covered with what looked like lighting. She couldn't help marvel at the pure magical power sparking all over his body. She walked up to Harry dodging a few items as they flew around the room.

"Harry? What is wrong?" Hermione asked him with an edge of concern.

Harry broke out of his rage at the mere sound of Hermione's voice. The items floating around the room dropped out of the air. Harry flinched for a moment. He grabbed the letter out of the air with his Quidditch reflexes and handed it to Hermione.

Hermione was angry. Ron had accused Harry of stealing her. She wasn't even with Harry at the moment she wrote the letter. She took a deep breath. She had come to give Harry something special for his birthday, and she hadn't planned on Ron trying to ruin Harry's birthday.

"Harry. We are getting ready to leave. I have something special for you. We will deal with Ron later." Hermione told him with venom in her voice when she said Ron's name.

Harry was taken back. Hermione had a special gift for him? What would she consider special? He assumed it was a limited edition of some book he had never heard of. She had given him a book or just once a broom care kit.

"What is this special present?" He asked and was shocked to see a smile on her face.

"I, Hermione Jane Granger, swear my never ending loyalty, love, and soul to belong to Harry James Potter." Hermione said holding her wand above her head.

Harry watched as a golden beam shot out of Hermione's wand. The golden beam circled around her coming to rest over her heart. He couldn't believe she had just given herself to him. He knew there was no way to reverse it. Once a wizard swore an oath, they could never take it back or be released. Sadly, the oath being broken meant the death of the person swearing the oath.

"Hermione? Why?" Harry asked confused.

"I am yours now and forever. I love you that much." Hermione told him. "Now get dressed so we can go."

Harry watched as Hermione left the room. He quickly tied his letter to Ron to Hedwig's leg, and sent her off. Harry quickly got dressed, and then walked down to the car. His head too full of what Hermione had just done to notice as they pulled up to the Leaky Caldron. He didn't snap out of his thoughts until they finally reached Gringotts.

"Lord Potter, can I have a moment please?" He heard a goblin he hadn't met before call him.

"I am sorry. Whom may you be?" Harry asked the goblin after walking up to him.

"I am Ragnork. I wasn't expecting you to be here so early." The Goblin informed him.

"Ok. Can I bring Hermione with me?" Harry asked, and he turned to the Grangers adding, "That is if it is alright by you."

"Sure, Harry. We will meet you outside when we are done." Jane replied.

"Miss Granger can come of course." Ragnork answered.

Harry and Hermione followed Ragnork into a small office in the back. They all sat down, and Ragnork pulled a box out of his desk. Ragnork stayed silent for a moment before finally speaking.

"Your parents had a very special vault here. No one other then myself knew about it. I am going to need you touch this box so I can verify that you are indeed Lord Potter." Ragnork said with his eyes not leaving the box on his desk.

Harry looked at Hermione questioning what he should do. He only saw her sigh and nod. He reached and touched the box. His eyes almost jumped out of their sockets when it opened. There was a golden hammer in the box with the words 'Potter's hammer of truth' inscribed on the head of the hammer. Harry took it in his hands, and felt it shock him for a moment.

Harry felt a rush of magic from the Hammer. Suddenly, Harry fell out of the chair unable to let go of the golden hammer. There was a blinding light for a second, and Harry reappeared shaking like he was under the torture curse.

Hermione watched as Harry's body changed. His scar disappeared from sight. This hair grew out, and suddenly became very tame settling on his back. Harry's glasses broke, and fell to the floor. Muscles that she never realized that he had appeared, and his clothes ripped as he grew to be as tall as James used to be. All in all, Hermione figured he looked like a mix of James and Sirius. He had become very much the lady killer.

Harry picked himself up. He looked in a mirror that Hermione fished out of her pocket, and he couldn't believe what he saw. He looked at the hammer that still wouldn't let him drop it. His eyes shifted to Ragnork, and asked without words what had happened.

"I am sorry, Lord Potter. The hammer is keyed into your family line. It breaks the family binding on your powers. The Potters were metamorphmagus as well as alchemist. You will find that you have a lot to learn about your family. I know this comes as a surprise, but it can't be helped as the Potters were very secretive about their abilities. They didn't even trust Dumbledore with their secrets. They have left you two vaults. There is one with your family fortune, and the other filled with alchemy equipment, spell books, and various other such necessities." Ragnork told Harry still not totally meeting his eyes.

"Can I have you deliver my supplies later to my new home? I will need a list of the Potter and Black properties." Harry asked Ragnork.

"I am sorry, but I can't give you a listing of the Black properties as Sirius isn't totally dead. You are only the good faith caretaker. Lord Black even though he no longer has a body is still alive. You see the Veil is a portal to the midway point between life and death. I am afraid that there are no Potter properties left as they were destroyed by Voldemort during the first war." Ragnork explained.

"Thank you. I will make arrangements to find my own place. Who would I have to see to buy Property?" Harry asked Ragnork.

"There is a real-estate agency down the street. I know more than one of Dumbledore's properties are up for sale." Ragnork told him.

"Is there anything like a muggle credit card for here?" Harry asked him

"Yes. One moment please." Ragnork told him.

Ragnork reached into his drawers. He pulled out what looked like a golden credit card. He took Harry's key and touched it to the card. He handed them both to Harry.

"It works just like a muggle credit cards. Is there anything else?" Ragnork asked him.

"Yes. If you would, please put Hermione on my account." Harry supplied.

"Of course, Lord Potter." Ragnork said pulling out a key for Hermione.

"We shouldn't need anything else. Have a good day, Chief Ragnork." Harry told him tucking the hammer into his pocket as it shrunk to fit.

Harry and Hermione left and caught up with the Grangers. They walked down the street to the real-estate office. Harry looked for a new place to live. Harry's eyes almost popped out when he found the Shrieking Shack was up for sale.

"Hermione. What do you think of me fixing up the Shrieking Shack?" Harry asked Hermione.

"Sounds good. I doubt we can win the war alone. I think we should go back to Hogwarts, and we can live off grounds to make hunting for Voldemort's soul pieces easier." Hermione said only so Harry could hear.

"I guess you are right. We can use all the help we can get. What are you going to tell your parents? I mean you are moving out with me." Harry asked Hermione.

"They already know some of what is going on. I talk about everything with Mom. She is going to throw us a going away party after the wedding." Hermione explained.

"Well the Shrieking Shack it is." Harry said with a smile.

Harry bought the Shrieking Shack, and he renamed it Potter Manor. As he and the Grangers left, they split ways. Harry went to Ogdoad's Odds and Oddities. It was a weird shop. It was filled with pots full of several items he had never seen before.

As Harry looked around, he was greeted by an olive skinned wizard. The wizard was almost 7 feet tall, and he had an Egyptian accent. He reminded Harry a lot of Hagrid. He was very different then the wizards he was used to seeing. He carried a long staff with a diamond at the top.

"Welcome to Ogdoad's. It is nice to meet you. I am the owner Omar Ramesses." The Egyptian wizard greeted him.

"It is wonderful to meet you. I am Harry Potter. I have undergone some slight changes." Harry told him.

"It is wonderful to meet you too. This is a shop dedicated to transfiguration, and to a lesser extent alchemy. Sadly, no one really practices alchemy anymore." Omar told him.

"Actually, my family does, and I am going to learn the trade." Harry supplied.

"Good, I bet I will be seeing a lot of you. We deliver alchemy supplies by mail. Just send me a post with what you need." Omar told him handing him a wizards catalog.

"Thank you. I will." Harry told him and added, "I have to go. I will keep in touch."

Harry left the shop. He was very happy that he had found a supplier for his new alchemy needs. He found the Grangers waiting for him at the car. During the ride home, Harry told Hermione about Ogdoad's Odds and Oddities. He had only finished as they pulled into the drive way of the Granger's house.

In the next hour, they exchanged gifts. Hermione gave him a book about ancient runes and blood runes. Jane Granger gave Harry a book of charms wrapped with a card that said to open it later and a wink. Robert Granger gave Harry a pocket watch like the one hanging at the Weasley’s showing all their names, and their condition.

"Did you like your presents, Harry?" Jane Granger asked him.

"Yes, thank you." Harry answered wondering what the charms book was all about that he couldn't open it until later.


"It is time for you two to retire. You both have a wedding to go to tomorrow, and our party after that." Robert told them.

Harry and Hermione went upstairs for bed. They only stopped to give each other a goodnight kiss. Neither Harry nor Hermione really wanted to part. Hermione entered her room, and she started to giggle knowing exactly what her mother had given Harry. Hermione knew that Jane had given Harry a book on anti-pregancy charms, and Hermione planned to use everyone of the sex charms in the book. She giggled until she finally fell asleep with her clothes still on.