1 01-05
Ch.1 - The Unexpected Participant
Alexander Grey was not the same person he had been ten years ago. If you met the younger Alexander, you would see a young man who had hopes and dreams. Now, if you asked him what was his plan next week, he wouldn't know what to tell you. After all, plans and expectations were luxuries to him. A man on the run, with no place to return to, did not need such things.
He arrived in front of a lone house by the shore via 'Apparition'. Unlike the loud crack others might expect from that particular form of travel, his arrival produced a barely audible noise. He had become quite good with the spell to be able to minimize its noise as he had just done.
A tall redheaded man opened the door. Alex recognized him well enough. However, the prominent scars on the man's face surprised him. He was guided to a small living room without any words spoken between them. The decoration of the room was sparse, but, appropriate to those who wanted a quiet and peaceful life.
The scarred man was Bill Weasley. He and Alex were in the same year when they attended Hogwarts. And although they were sorted into different houses, they had become friends.
"Alex, it's been a long time, hasn't it?" said Bill, finally breaking the silence.
"Sure has. What happened to your face?"
"Werewolf."
"Wh—Are you?" asked Alex surprised."
"Yeah, unfortunately. But, we're managing."
They were silent for a moment. Alex was processing the information. The two of them sure have changed since last they saw one another.
"Well, at least you don't look so girly anymore," said Alex trying to lighten up the mood.
Bill snorted at that, bringing up a smile in his face. "So, what made you decide to visit? It has been a very long time since that mirror you gave me flashed."
Bill was referring to the Two-Way mirror that Alex gave him while they were in Hogwarts.
"I need your help, Bill. I heard that you're working for Gringotts. Is it possible that you know a way for me to leave the country?" he asked sincerely. He felt quite ashamed to show up rather suddenly after a very long time without any contact between them and ask his friend a big favour, but, he was grasping at straws.
"I might have something, although it's risky. Have you tried the muggle way?"
"I can't, somehow the Snatchers managed to put me on a watch list in the non-magical government. I'm a wanted man anywhere in this country, Bill."
"I may have something." He leaned in closer to Alex and lowered his voice. "I know a couple of illegal 'Portkey' maker that can take you to Europe. But like I said, it can be risky. No doubt the Dark Lord's men already know about them."
"Does our guest intend to stay for dinner?" they heard a woman's voice say. There stood a petite blond woman who had just come from the kitchen judging from her attire. However, that does not detract from her natural beauty.
"Oh! Um, this is my wife, Fleur." Said Bill flustered. He stood up and put his arm around the woman. "And this, hon, is my old friend from Hogwarts, Alexander Grey."
"Nice to meet you, Mrs Weasley. Call me Alex," greeted Alex. It was his first time hearing that his friend was married, to a very beautiful young woman, in fact.
"And you can call me Fleur, please." Being referred to as 'Mrs. Weasley' reminded her of her in-law. "So, will you be staying with us for dinner then, Alex? I made pot-roast. I have been studying British cuisine lately."
"I guess I'll have to join you then. I can't possibly turn down a dinner invitation from a beautiful lady such as yourself. You're gonna have to tell me how Bill here managed to catch someone like you," joked Alex.
×××
They were enjoying some wine after dinner. Fleur was happy to tell Alex how she and her husband met while working at Gringotts and how awkward Bill was. And Alex was glad to recount their adventures from their Hogwarts days to Fleur, telling her some of the funniest times they had there. Bill was glad that his old friend and his wife were getting along, although, he could do without them sharing all his embarrassing moments with one another.
All of a sudden, a wolf 'Patronus' came into the room and jumped around the table, making them all stop talking. Bill was obviously its intended target. The expression on his face changed from glad to worried. Obviously, he was receiving some grave news. Alex didn't know that a Patronus can be used to convey messages but decided not to ask about it at that time.
"I have to go to Hogwarts," said Bill sternly.
"What's happened? I'll come with you," declared Fleur. She was visibly panicked.
"No, my love. I need you to stay here. I promise I will return."
They argued for a while. Bill was adamant that he could not take Fleur with him. It took quite a lot of convincing, but, she ultimately relented.
"What's this about, Bill?" asked Alex, finally finding the moment to interrupt. He had long suspected Bill was involved in the resistance against the Dark Lord, he just didn't know to what capacity.
"I supposed I can tell you," said Bill, choosing to trust in his old friend. "Harry Potter has been spotted in Hogsmeade. My brother must be with him. And if they showed up in Hogsmeade, they must be heading to Hogwarts," Bill said heavily.
Alex understood his worry. If Harry Potter was there, the Dark Lord and his army would surely follow.
"You aim to fight them?" he asked. He didn't need to specify who 'them' was.
"Yes."
"I'll join you then," he said simply.
"You sure?"
"What else could I do at this point? I might as well fight. Besides you can use an extra wand."
Maybe it was what he's supposed to do. Resist until he drop. So be it, he thought.
"All right, but we'll have to go through Hogsmeade. Have your wand at the ready," said Bill. He knew they wouldn't be able to avoid fighting, and, Alex was a good man to have in a fight.
They arrived by 'Apparition' inside a tavern in Hogsmeade. Several people were already there. Among them, he recognized Mr and Mrs Weasley. Bill introduced him briefly to the others and vouched for him. From there, they reached Hogwarts via a tunnel hidden behind a portrait. After reaching the other side, they were received by Bill's brother, Ron, and Hermione Granger, a muggleborn witch.
Alex couldn't help but observe Hermione. He sensed something very familiar from her. It was desperation
The Weasley's and the other people there were all fighting for what was right and good. While they may have been on the losing end of the war, they retained their pride and dignity. Alex only had respect for such good people. Hermoine, however, just like him, was fighting for her survival and freedom. He could only sympathize.
He was also around that age when he realized that the world was not how he imagined it to be. The sky might be limitless, but, it had always been easier to fall than it was to fly.
They reached the Great Hall where they found Harry Potter standing defiantly in the middle of the crowd, accusingly yelling at Prof. Snape. When things got too heated up, Prof. McGonagall stepped in to protect the young wizard. The two professors had their wands pointing at one another.
Spells were fired and Alex was already holding his wand, ready to assist should the need arise. But, he didn't need to act, it seemed. Prof. Snape was only defending himself and not firing back. Then, he deflected an incoming spell which ended up hitting the two Death Eaters behind him, knocking them out, before escaping through the main window.
Alex raised his brow after noticing that Prof. Snape had picked up the wands of the fallen Death Eaters before escaping.
Perhaps Prof. Snape even fired his own stunners at them when he deflected Prof. McGonagall's spells, he thought.
As the room goes off in a thunderous cheer, he realized that the matter with Prof. Snape couldn't be that simple. Just by his manner of escape, Prof. Snape demonstrated his mastery in the duelling arts. Alex knew that he was a competent wizard from his years in Hogwarts.
Then, the room got darker. Some of the younger students started screaming in complete terror. A hoarse voice was whispering directly inside the head of everyone in the room.
It was the Dark Lord, himself, that was speaking to them. He offered that he would leave Hogwarts untouched only if they would surrender Harry Potter to him.
Alex did not buy any of it. After all, one should not deal with a lion who could simply take whatever it wanted.
A Slytherin girl instigated everyone to grab Potter. He was quickly surrounded protectively by the students who supported him. Professor McGonagall, then, asked the caretaker to escort all the Slytherin students to their dorms.
Potter and the professor exchanged some words and he made it clear that he needed time to accomplish something important in Hogwarts.
Alex couldn't believe how could these people entrust their fate to the young wizard. However, Bill made it clear to him how important the Potter boy was in the fight against the Dark Lord. So, he decided to just go along with the friend he trusted. He was fully expecting to risk it all anyway in the coming battle.
His only regret was not having the time and the method to call for more help. Surely there were other muggleborns out there who would rather die fighting than to live long in fear and indignity.
While the others were all busy preparing the defences of the castle, Alex was just leaning against the wall contemplating what was about to happen. He was surprised by all the anger building inside of him. Perhaps the incoming battle let him realized some of the deep emotions he was too afraid to admit. He thought about the things that led him there.
×××
When he lost his parents as a child, he was taken in by his paternal grandfather. He knew there were others who are less fortunate than him, but, he couldn't help but think how much his early childhood affected his outlook in life.
His grandfather was a stern man. He was not an abusive man physically, but, he was not someone you would expect to raise a child in a supportive environment. Discipline was paramount in his house. He definitely did not have the patience for any of the tantrums a grieving child may throw. So, Alex was pretty much left on his own devices.
As a young boy, Alex knew he had to live by his grandfather's rule to stay in his house. Despite everything, he learned an important lesson by living with the old man. And that was, no good thing would come to you unless you work for it. He could not wait to be independent.
When, finally, he received his invitation from Hogwarts, he was optimistic for the first time he could remember. Surprisingly, his grandfather was not averse to magic. Alex dreamed about living an adventurous life with the help of magic. Independence, freedom, excitement—he could have it all.
His time in Hogwarts was certainly exciting. He was a member of the quidditch team. He made some good friends and some enemies. There was never a boring day at Hogwarts. He performed well enough with his classes, and, he graduated with five N.E.W.T's.
However, it didn't matter how well he performed in Hogwarts. He could not find any decent jobs even with his qualifications. There wasn't anyone willing to even offer him an apprenticeship. Unless he was willing to do some less than legal work, it was impossible for him to make a good livelihood. All of this was because of his blood status, being muggleborn.
At first, he did not think too much about it. He thought that he'd win them over with his skills and work ethics. However, even when he was fortunate enough to land a legitimate job, his place of employment would get pressured to let him go. One of his employers even showed him an anonymous letter they received demanding the termination of his employment.
Eventually, he wound up doing some jobs on the criminal side of things. He stole small trinkets that he could sell for some quick money. He couldn't really steal something truly valuable. After all, he was stealing from other witches and wizards. Sometimes, he smuggled illegal artefacts and the occasional dangerous creatures.
That was when he fell out of contact with the few friends he had. He was too proud to let them see what he had become. In the back of his mind, something was telling him that it was better to be destitute than to be a scoundrel. But, it was hard to argue with reality.
When the Muggleborn Registration Commission was enacted, the same people that he had worked with were the ones who betrayed him first. At the way things were going, being a known thief was better than associating with muggleborns.
He heard of the trials presided by the 'delectable' Dolores Umbridge on the WWN. Muggleborns were being stripped of their status as witches and wizards and were being denied of their rights to even own a wand. Resisting can only lead to death or being taken to Azkaban.
So, he decided to run rather than submit himself to such a trial. At first, he found safety by staying out of the magical world. But, that ended when two policemen showed up in his apartment. He was a suspect to several gruesome murders which, he knew, we're actually committed by Death Eaters. He's been living in the wilderness ever since.
Ch.2 - The Battle of Hogwarts
Alex watched in amazement when the first volley of attacks rained down on Hogwarts. There must have been over a hundred wizards that laid siege of the ancient castle. The great barrier that was created with the help of the school faculty performed well enough stopping all of the attacks.
However, when Voldemort, himself, fired an overwhelmingly powerful spell at the protective barrier, it fell apart like a fading illusion. Even when they expected this outcome, some of the defenders of Hogwarts couldn't help but shriek at the sight.
Hope, it seemed, had abandoned them.
Alex wondered, How could a single wizard be capable of such a magical feat? Such raw power? It was no mystery how much Voldemort was feared.
The enemies rushed toward them like an approaching tsunami. There were giants, werewolves, and acrumantulas among them. It seemed like their worst nightmare had come alive.
As the giants were ploughing the stone men-at-arms of Hogwarts, the wizards who could fly have done so to cross the ravine. Being one of the defenders who were adept at flying, Alex had gotten on his broom and taken flight as a part of an impromptu flying formation made up of former and current Hogwarts quidditch players.
The battle raged on as Alex and his squad rained spell fire on the enemies while avoiding incoming spells as one would avoid a bludger. The other flying wizards recognized his skill and naturally began to follow his lead. This way, they were able to counter the onslaught of the airborne assault of the enemies.
However, the battle on the ground was a different matter. The defenders were just too outnumbered. Furthermore, they were comprised mostly of older Hogwarts students, while the enemies were more experienced and merciless fighters.
It took several spells before they could take down a giant, while the werewolves use their superior speed to flank their defences. There were also dementors who joined the chaos. Fortunately, they were repelled quite easily by a powerful omnidirectional Patronus charm.
After just an hour of fighting, the castle was already unrecognizable from how it was that morning. Even the stone of the castle was aflame. The courtyard was where the battle was heaviest. Whatever battle lines they had drawn earlier was long forgotten.
Alex swooped in and fired a 'Bombarda Maxima' at an area where enemy wizards were concentrated. He didn't bother looking at the result of his attack before retreating from some angry wizards who have taken flight to chase him by turning into a black smoke the way Death Eaters were known to do. His experience as a quidditch chaser enabled him to choose his engagements wisely, knowing when to press and retreat as the situation required.
He signalled his flight squad members and pointed at the giant in the middle of the courtyard. It seemed to be one of the giant leaders as it was wielding a large halberd and wearing some rudimentary armour.
They formed an attack line and dived toward the giant. The explosions came at quick succession as they peppered the monster with 'Bombarda' and 'Reducto'. The giant fell down like lumber, wailing in anguish.
However, even with a number of successful engagement on their part, their side was still on the losing end. With the Hogwarts wards shattered, the enemies were able to come and go into the castle. Alex decided to join the fighting on the ground. He left the command of the flight squad to a 7th-year student who performed pretty well despite her age.
He blasted one of the windows, then, he flew in the opening. He found himself in one of the classrooms, and from there, he proceeded to secure the corridor outside. He didn't have to wait too long before finding two wizards strutting along looking for more victims.
With their back against him, he quickly fired two 'Flipendo', knocking the enemy back. Then to finish them off, he sent a 'Diffindo' on each of their necks, killing them quickly with a big slash on their throats.
As a fighter, Alex preferred using simple spells whenever he could. They were easier and quicker to cast, and the results were much more predictable. He never really understood the purebloods' fear and reverence towards the 'Unforgivables' and the Dark Arts.
He had gone from one corridor to another in search of more enemies. Whenever he saw a fighter on their side, he lent a hand. If he found an enemy, he struck decisively. There was no point in holding back. Especially, when the enemy clearly could control dementors and escape from Azkaban whenever they wanted.
In one corridor, he found the current Head of the Department of Magical Enforcement, Corban Yaxley, who was retreating from wherever he came from along with two other Death Eaters.
"'Bombarda'!" shouted Alex as he fired the curse along their path.
The ground exploded sending pieces of the floor to all directions. The three wizards were thrown back due to the blast. He made sure the two Death Eaters were dead with a cutting charm to their necks, saving Yaxley for last. Then, he made sure to take the enemy's wand.
"Incarcerous," he worded. Yaxley was tied up tightly with a rope. He dragged him to a nearby room, locked the door, then sound-proofed the room with a spell.
Alex revived the man and greeted him, "Hello Yaxley."
" Who are you?" asked Yaxley quickly recognizing his situation.
"You don't know me. You and I don't really run with the same crowd if you know what I mean," said Alex with a grin.
"Mudblood! How dare you do this to me!?" yelled Yaxley.
" How dare I? I'll tell you. It was quite easy. I dare to do it because I have magic!"
"Your kind is a plague to our world! You should be glad that we let you live!"
"But you didn't, let us live, I mean. You persecuted us, imprison us, and humiliate us. And now, it's come to this. Purebloods, mudbloods, it doesn't matter. This war you started will eventually kill them all just the same," he said accusingly. "But that is for tomorrow, let's focus on the now. You are here lying by my heel. Mudblood and pureblood, only one of us will be walking away. I wonder who?"
"You wouldn't dare! The Dark Lord will hunt you, your families!"
Alex laughed aloud. "This is exactly how I want you to be!" he exclaimed. "Let's see how long you can stay proud! 'Crucio'!"
The spell caused Yaxley to scream, his body convulsing uncontrollably. Alex held the spell for about ten seconds.
After recovering his breath, Yaxley was still glaring at him defiantly. Just as when he was about to say something, Alex hit him with another curse.
He knew that he should be out there fighting, but he couldn't help himself. He tortured Yaxley until the man was drooling on the floor, body spasming uncontrollably.
"It looks like our time has come to an end," said Alex as he pulled up Yaxley's head by the hair, making sure that their eyes met. "I want you to know that a mudblood was the one that sent you on your way," he said calmly.
" No… Please…" pleaded Yaxley.
"'Diffindo'," he said softly. He put more than usual power in the spell causing Yaxley's head to be completely cut off.
Alex walked out of the room leaving the body there on the classroom floor. He knew some people would find it later. He could only imagine how they would react. Would they be shocked, horrified, or vindicated? Would they see the irony as he did?
Then just as before, the Dark Lord's voice was heard again throughout the castle. This time he said that he was ordering his followers to withdraw from Hogwarts, and, that Harry Potter should surrender himself to him at the Forbidden Forest before the night was over. If not, he would kill anyone who dared to hide the boy from him.
This allowed the defenders of the castle some much-needed break. When he reached the Great Hall, he saw where the Weasley family was gathered. Mrs Weasley was crying loudly. One of the Weasley boys, Fred, had died. He immediately went to Bill to offer his sympathies.
The Weasley's were just one of the many people grieving in the Great Hall. Nymphadora Tonks and her husband were also among the casualties. The most unfortunate, he found, were the number of students that died that night.
"I'm so sorry, Bill. He was too young," he said solemnly.
"He was such a joker, my brother," said Bill. "It feels like one of his jokes. I just didn't—"
"He didn't die in vain."
"I'll make sure that he didn't," Bill promised.
×××
Alex was resting in a quiet spot when he realized that Harry Potter was nowhere to be seen.
Did the boy go to the Forbidden Forest, he wondered. That boy, he said to himself, even if he was Harry 'goddamn' Potter, he surely couldn't do that to them.
Even if he didn't know the details, he believed that Harry Potter was the key to finally defeating Voldemort. The Order of the Phoenix made that clear enough. So, he could not let the boy get himself killed and let all they'd done be in vain.
He decided to go to the Forbidden Forest himself while using an invisibility charm. He followed the most likely route that anyone would take, and before long, he'd found Harry Potter.
He was about to give the Boy-Who-Lived a talking to when he heard him speaking. He couldn't make up the words from where he was hiding, but it was obvious enough to know that the boy was talking to someone. However, there wasn't anyone else there.
Was he talking to ghosts? He wondered. No, he would have seen it otherwise.
Harry Potter was holding a small stone before dropping it on the ground. After that, Harry went on to his destination.
Alex picked up the stone and wondered what it was. It was an eight-sided grey crystal with a strange symbol within. He decided to keep it as he had a feeling that it could be important later on.
He restored his invisibility and followed the direction where Harry had gone. When he found Harry, he was standing in front of Voldemort and his followers. He also saw Hagrid, the half-giant, held back in chains as he struggled in vain to get to Harry.
Before Alex could do anything, the Dark Lord sent a powerful Killing Curse towards Harry. A big explosion happened upon the curse's impact. Both the caster and the target were knocked over at the same time.
Alex was in disbelief of what he just witnessed. The Boy-Who-Lived was dead. And somehow, his death has affected the Dark Lord who had fallen over and was visibly disoriented. Alex didn't know what might have happened to the Dark Lord, but, the only thing on his mind was the dead Harry Potter.
Without thinking much further, Alex tighten his hold on his wand and charged.
"'Bombarda Maxima'!" he yelled, putting as much power as he could with the spell.
He followed it up with a quick 'Reducto' aimed at one of the wizards who was restraining Hagrid before the Death Eaters could recover from their surprise.
"Hagrid! Get Harry!" he yelled.
The half-giant roared like a bull and ran towards the fallen Harry. No one could stop him as he bulldozed everything that tried to stop him. Alex did his best to protect him from hostile spells.
After Hagrid had picked up Harry, Alex looked over to the enemy. He knew he had to stop them from chasing Hagrid. With Voldemort weakened, it might just be his only chance. There was one curse he could use to either stop the enemies or force them to retreat. Being inside a forest, he knew it could very well lead to his death.
"You forced me into this! Fuck you all!"
He held his wand aloft and cast 'Fiendfyre' with all the power he could muster. A continuous gout of cursed flame came from the tip of his wand, forming into a fiery bird as it descended upon the Death Eaters.
Then, a spell fired by Bellatrix Lestrange struck him from the side which blasted him away unconscious. His wand arm was missing, blown-off by the spell. The cursed flame was already fully unleashed, however.
Bellatrix had left the Dark Lord's side when the chaos started, too mad and impulsive to prioritize her weakened master. Before she could do anything else, she was engulfed by the cursed flame. In her last moment, she caught a glimpse of the fallen Voldemort and his snake as they burned before she was dead.
Anyone who did not have the presence of mind to dis-apparate was consumed by the fire. Whenever the flame stalled, it split up forming into more fiery beasts. Eventually, the fire has consumed all living beings on that side of the forest including its creator.
That event was later known as the Great Forest Burning. It was the single most destructive fire of the Magical world. There were more than a hundred pureblood wizards and witches that died in the forest.
Many of the creatures that lived there also perished in the flame, most notable were the werewolves and acrumantulas. It was a saving grace that the centaurs and the unicorns were on the other side of the forest and were able to escape before they got surrounded by the fire.
The most amazing news, however, was the death of Lord Voldemort and most of his closest followers. Another news being celebrated was the survival of Harry Potter when Hagrid carried him out of the burning forest.
The name Alexander Grey was known to every witch and wizard of Britain after that night. Speculations to his origins were a favourite topic among historians in the following years. Some claimed that he was a great hero, a martyr, while, others labelled him as a terrible villain. However, all of them would agree that Alexander Grey had forever changed the wizarding world.
Ch.3 - A Second Chance
The first thing he heard was the ringing of an old alarm clock. He opened his eyes and was surprised at the brightness that greeted him. As his eyes start to focus, he jumped up when he realized where he was.
Why was he there? Was it a trick, he thought.
Alex had woken up in his old bedroom at his grandfather's house. Furthermore, his body has shrunk down to when he was a child.
It couldn't be, he thought. He was a child. He was in disbelief as he looked at his reflection in the mirror.
He took off his shirt to examine his body. What has surprised him the most was the lack of scars that he accumulated over the years on his body.
He put his clothes back on and ran out of the room. He descended the stairs and heard the sound of someone cooking in the kitchen. There he saw his grandfather preparing a simple breakfast.
He noticed the newspaper and picked it up. It was dated 'Saturday, 24th of July, 1982'. He remembered that specific date. It was the day he got his Hogwarts letters. Meaning, if he really was back in the past, someone should be visiting them to deliver his invitation to Hogwarts.
"What has gotten into you, boy? Go and change your clothes, then you can eat," said the old man standing by the stove.
"Nothing, Grandpa Joe. I was just – I'll get changed right away," Alex said.
Joseph Grey was a hard man. He fought in the Second World War and continued to serve in the military after the war until his retirement with the rank of Sergeant. He lived a quiet life alone, until, he got custody of his grandson after the sudden loss of the boy's parents.
Alex did not have many fond memories of his grandfather. He remembered the old man as a strict disciplinarian with little patience for children. It was only in his adulthood that he appreciated what the man had done for him.
After going back to his room, he finally allowed himself to slow down and analyze his situation. He stood in front of the mirror still in wonder seeing his younger self.
If he was really back, how exactly did it happen? The last thing he remembered was fighting with all he had against the Death Eaters in the Forbidden Forest.
Did Hagrid successfully escaped with Harry? He must have died that night. Then, he woke up as if everything was a dream.
But it couldn't be a dream. He remembered them so vividly. He remembered things and people he wouldn't have known about had it never really happened.
And finally, he could feel the magic inside him. It was wild and excitable, just like a child's. And yet, it was also more powerful and pliant, like the magic of a trained wizard. Even if it was some complex illusion, he had to act as if it was real, and live his life accordingly.
But that was the biggest question. What exactly was his life? Was he reliving his old life or was he living a new life?
No… he couldn't possibly act like the past didn't happen. His existence was merely the continuation of his journey.
His past was just a portion of his life that he lived in a different timeline. Yes… That was what it was, just a different timeline, and not a different life. He could take whatever he learned from that past, and use it to create a different future this time.
He had to do things differently. After all, only an idiot would do the same thing and expect a different result.
×××
After he had his breakfast, the doorbell rang. It was the visit that he was expecting. Alex hurried up and opened the door. There, standing by the doorway, was Prof. McGonagall.
She was wearing a long green dress and carrying an old looking leather purse. She looked like a lady in her 50's. However, Alex knew she was much older than that.
"Hello, ma'am. Can I help you?" asked Alex, even though, he knew exactly what her reason for visiting.
" Good morn. My name is Prof. Minerva McGonagall. May I speak to your guardian?" she said. She maintained a respectful tone while being frank.
"Please come inside, professor. Let me just call my grandfather," Alex said before running to the living room where the old man was reading the papers.
"Grandpa, a lady is here to speak to you. Said she was a professor."
The old man stood up and greeted the professor. They went to the living room to discussed what she came for. She told them quite simply about the existence of magic and how Alex was a wizard, someone capable of magic. His grandfather only nodded in agreement, he certainly had witnessed some odd things happening around his grandson. This magic seemed to explain it all.
Then, the professor explained what Hogwarts is and that the boy is expected to learn how to use his magic according to the laws of their world. Alex was sitting by the side as he listened to a conversation that he had heard long before. McGonagall was doing a really good job explaining things simply to a muggle. Obviously, she had done this a thousand times before.
"Well, if it would help him how to properly use his gifts, then I would be glad to send him to, um, Hogwarts, was it?" said his grandfather.
"Very well Mr Grey, take this paper with the address for the Leaky Cauldron, let us meet in front of the tavern at 9 am next Saturday. From there we will go to Diagon Alley where we can acquire all the things required for the young lad to attend Hogwarts. Just keep in mind that we will be going with other families to do our shopping," said the professor.
And after that, the professor said her goodbyes and left. Alex was thankful that they lived in London. He didn't know how his grandfather would react if he had to travel a long way just to help him shop for his school things. He wondered how other muggleborn families who lived in Ireland or Scotland managed in their first visit to Diagon Alley.
×××
A week had gone by and they arrived at Charing Cross as written in the piece of parchment that McGonagall gave them. He had to point out where the tavern was exactly before his grandfather could see it as it was hidden with a muggle repelling charm. It seemed that McGonagall was already there along with a family of three.
Alex recognized the boy with them. It was Matthew Nichols that ended up in Gryffindor house. Although, there was little else he could remember about him. He introduced himself to the boy and decided that he would be paying more attention to the other muggleborn students this time around.
They waited for three more families to show up before finally entering the tavern. Prof. McGonagall greeted the proprietor of the Leaky Cauldron, Tom. She, then, led everyone to the back area of the tavern where she used her wand to tap some particular set of bricks on the rear wall of the yard.
The wall folded unto itself and everyone, except, the professor gasp in amazement. Alex even played along with the other kids, saying things like 'wow' and 'wicked'.
The professor first led them to the Gringotts Bank, explaining that they would have to exchange their monies as they only accept wizarding currency in Diagon Alley. They, once again, were stunned in amazement and wonder as they saw the goblins managing the bank.
Just as he remembered, a wizard Galleon was equivalent to around 20 British Pounds. The rate only seemed to increase as inflation in the muggle world happens. The wizarding world, however, do not have inflation. While the things on the market could come up and down in price, the value of the currency was the same.
The goblins control the production and storage of wizard currencies, and, they kept its value up by limiting production. Every muggleborn had probably wondered at the mineral value of the coins, however, they soon learned that attempting to melt them would only result in the coin reverting to tin. The goblins had simply enchanted them to appear as gold, silver, or copper. It was similar to how muggle currency was made of paper regardless of its monetary value.
Buying their school supplies was done quickly as the shops were located in proximity to one another. The last stop they visited was Ollivander's Wands.
Just as in the other timeline, the wand that eventually chose him was a 10 ½ inches long red oak wand, with a unicorn hair as its core. As he recalled from his knowledge of wand lore, red oak wands were pretty rare and compatible with those who are quick thinkers, a great wand wood for duelers. As for unicorn hair, one of Ollivander's three superior wand core, it was known for its loyalty and dependability which made it ideal for charms, despite not being as powerful as dragon heartstring. Alex was glad to be reunited with the wand that saw him through until the end.
After all the shopping was done, the total money they spent was around 40 galleons. Grandpa Joe gave him the remaining 10 galleons that he had left and told him that it was for him to use when he was in school.
Spending around 1,000 pounds for the whole school year was not that bad, especially considering it included boarding and meals. Hogwarts was a state-run school, so, all the students and parents only have to spend to buy school supplies and uniforms for each year.
Grandpa Joe had a good impression of the wizarding world. After all, few governments in the world can offer free tuition to all their children. It was one of the reasons why Alex couldn't be honest about his hardships with him in the other timeline.
The school term would start on the 1st of September as always. Alex only had a month to prepare for Hogwarts. He still had to make a trip to Diagon Alley, so, he politely asked his grandfather's permission to go. Since Grandpa Joe always encouraged him to be more independent, he gave his permission readily.
When he got to the Leaky Cauldron, he went to the back area straight away. He checked his surroundings before using a disguise charm that he learned in his years working as a smuggler on himself. Since he knew that he didn't have the Trace yet, the few weeks he had left was probably the only chance he had to get started on how he was planning on changing the wizarding world.
He justified to himself that that was the reason why he was given his second chance, to avoid the future he experienced in the other timeline. He knew exactly what kind of future was waiting for him if he chose to do nothing. Whatever he would have to do to accomplish his goals would be justified by its end results.
He looked like an adult man by the time he entered Diagon Alley. His clothes were transfigured into a long robe. There was nothing noteworthy about his face. He had learned that using a bland appearance was more practical when trying not to stick out.
Unlike a Polyjuice transformation, his disguise was only an illusion. However, unless he entered certain places that had wards that can detect disguises like Gringotts, no one should be able to see through his disguise. The place he was heading to was surely not that kind of place.
He turned into a small passage called Knocturn Alley and found the shop that he wanted to visit. Borgin & Burkes was the one-stop-shop for any shady wizards or witches. Therefore, it didn't have any wards that would screen their customers to maintain their discretion. That was also the reason why they managed to stay in business.
He went there to buy a book about the Mind Arts. He figured that the most important thing he could not risk being revealed was his knowledge of the most likely future. He already had a rudimentary grasp of Occlumency from the few things he heard from others. He had already formed some basic defences of his mind, and, he could detect any attempt to invade his memories unless it was done by someone with very advance skills in Legilimency.
He found a book that met his need on a dusty shelf, 'Mind Arts: A Guide to its Practices and Ethics' by Eldred Worple. The shop keeper did not ask him any questions. Alex paid 4 galleons for the book. He knew it was not a book that was openly distributed, so, he did not comment about its price.
When he got back to his home, he immediately reviewed everything he knew about the mind arts. Occlumency and Legilimency required a person to be in control of his or her feelings. That was something he would never be able to do the first time he went to Hogwarts. But with the mind of an adult and the experiences of someone who lived in the world of secrecy and lies, he was confident that he can be great with this particular branch of magic.
×××
The following week, aside from practising the mind arts, he had also done some research in the local library about the criminal groups in London. One night, he sneaked out of the house after he was sure his grandfather has fallen asleep. He used 'Apparition' to go to Camden where his first target was located.
After popping out in the middle of a park, he cast a muggle repelling charm on his clothes. A few minutes of walking and he arrived in front of a warehouse building.
"Homenum Revelio," he said waving his wand at the direction of the building. As a result, he was able to locate all the people inside the building.
While still under the repelling charm, he approached the entry door. "'Alohomora'," he cast at the doorknob.
It opened without complication. He found two armed guards who barely had the time to react.
"Stupefy!" Both guards were knocked unconscious.
Alex approached them fired severing charms at their throats. Just because they were muggles did not mean that he would be careless.
He did the same to five other people on the ground floor before heading to the upper level. After dispatching two more thugs, he finally went into the office room where the leader of the criminal group was sitting on a leather couch watching late-night television.
"Petrificus Totalus!" he fired at the man.
He wanted to make sure that the man was conscious. Then he walked in front of the unmoving man and pointed his wand on the man's head.
"'Legilimens'!" he said, louder than any spells he cast that day.
It was the first time that he was using that spell on a person. He wanted to be thorough.
"Where are you keeping the money?" he asked.
The man did not reply as he was completely paralyzed by the spell. However, using questions like that was enough to bring up the answer to the surface of the man's mind. This was the extent of Alex's skills with Legilimency at the moment.
After getting the information that he wanted, he killed the man with the same method as he did the others.
Alex took out a brush that he brought and write on the coffee table using the blood of the dead man. It said, 'We are everywhere,' followed by a circle. He was hoping that this would make the police suspect a rival criminal group instead widening their search for the killer.
He found the safe and open it with a spell. There he found about 150,000 pounds in cash. He quickly put them all in his bottom-less pouch. He wiped his fingerprints on the safe and then made the brush disappear with simple household charms.
Alex repeated the same operation several times, that week. He only stopped when the news was beginning to sensationalize his raids, calling it the works of a new criminal syndicate called 'The Circle'.
He had around 750,000 pounds which he divided among several accounts in multiple banks throughout the city using a false name and a disguise, only keeping 50,000 pounds for himself to carry. He made sure no suspicion was raised with a discrete Confundus charm on the bank personnel that he talked to. He used a number of P.O. boxes he paid for in adjacent neighbourhoods, not from where his grandfather's house was.
After that, he went to several stockbrokers and invested his money in some computer and automobile companies. He had also taken the advice of the brokers that he talked to and used a portion of his funds in buying more stable stocks.
Alex just had to remember which names and disguises he used on which particular case. With the memory retention ability that came with 'occlumency', it was easily done. Either way, he made sure that his financial agents were agreeable to receiving instructions from him via mail. This way, he was reasonably assured that he would always have an income in the muggle world.
He made a last trip that summer to Diagon Alley and exchanged more galleons with the goblin bank. He requested a private office where they conducted the exchange, that way, no one was privy to the fact that he was carrying more than a thousand galleons in his pouch.
He went around Diagon Alley and bought whatever he thought was useful to him. He purchased a travelling trunk complete with expansion, feather-weight, shrinking, and security charms. He bought a complete set of wizard outfit, so he wouldn't stick out too much every time he decided to go out in the wizarding world. He also purchased all the books required for the 7-year curriculum of Hogwarts and some more advance reference books.
Only after all that, he felt prepared that he could make the most of his time in Hogwarts.
Ch.4 - First Year in Hogwarts Again
It was the 1st of September, meaning it was time to go to Hogwarts. His grandfather had driven him to King's Cross Station. He was dressed very neatly, with his shiny black shoes, freshly pressed slacks, and his Hogwarts vest and tie. His short dark hair and deep blue eyes complete the look of an elegant little gentleman.
"Make sure to study as best as you can, understood?" Grandpa Joe said sternly.
"I will grandpa."
"Always be mindful of your actions, "
"I will grandpa." Alex was puzzled. He never had this kind of conversation with his grandfather before.
Grandpa Joe knelt down to his level and placed his right hand on his shoulder.
"Listen well, Alex. In this life, there will be moments when a man has to take drastic actions. Actions that would never be acceptable had the situation been different. However, a man can't cower in such a time," said the old man sincerely.
He didn't know why exactly he felt like saying these words to his 11-year-old grandson. But, ever since they found out about magic, his grandson seemed more mature and driven. He felt that he was quickly becoming a man and this would be the only time he could say these words to him before sending him away.
Alex could only nod seriously. He was actually touched by his grandfather's sincerity.
"The world is big and there are mysteries in it that are beyond our understanding or control, even with magic, I suspect. In the end, a man can only be truly responsible for his own actions.
"Every day we live on this Earth, we make hundreds of decisions, some more important than others. There are the things we decide to do and the things we decide not to do. We live by the consequences of both of them. The worth of a man, in the end, is in his actions.
"I am saying this to you now since it seems like you have to become a man by yourself in some distant place. No matter what kind of a man you become, I want you to be a man who is aware of his actions, be they good or not. You might not understand the meaning of my words right now, but, just remember my words and I'm sure you'll get them someday."
"I'll remember, grandpa," said Alex. He could only look at his grandfather.
"Well, you get along now. You don't want to be late," said the old man before watching his grandson go on alone.
×××
Alex was sitting alone in a compartment when a boy entered the room.
"Can I join you?" asked the boy. He had shoulder-length brown hair and clear grey eyes.
"Of course, come on in," said Alex with a smile. "I'm Alexander Grey, by the way."
"I'm Eugene Clay Rosewood. People call me Clay."
"You can call me Alex," he said. "Are you a first year, as well?"
"Yes. Quite exciting, isn't it? Hogwarts, I mean," said Clay. "My mom really likes to talk about Hogwarts. She said it was the most amazing place on Earth!"
They continued to talk about what Hogwarts might turn out to be for a while. Alex was glad to talk to him. In actually, he already knew Clay. They were sorted in the same house in Hogwarts and became best friends. However, shortly after graduation, something had happened to the Rosewood family. Clay had disappeared after that. Alex was determined not to lose his friend again.
"Alex, are you muggleborn?" asked Clay. Sometimes children can be frank without meaning to. However, Alex didn't mind. He knew better this time. There was nothing to be ashamed of being muggleborn.
" Yes, I am," he said simply. "That doesn't bother you, does it?"
"No! Not at all, it's just that I've never really talked to a muggleborn before. I only really stay in my families' property. What was it like, you know, living in the muggle world?" asked Clay.
"I can't really tell you, you know? It's a secret. Just like the magical world is hidden from the muggles. The muggle world is also hidden from the magical world."
"What!? I've never heard of that," Clay exclaimed.
"Well, it wouldn't be much of a secret if you heard about it. Only muggleborns are allowed to know about the two worlds. In fact, I might get in trouble with the authorities if they find out that I told you this," Alex jested.
He knew that Clay was a sheltered boy before Hogwarts. It was not a unique thing at the time. With the recent war going on, a lot of children practically stayed at home all the time.
"I won't tell, I promise!"
Looking at his serious expression, Alex felt bad about his joke.
"Relax, I am just joking. You don't have to be scared about it." He couldn't help but laugh about it. Clay also started laughing when he realized how silly it was.
However, what made it funny to Alex was how much truth it actually had. Only muggleborns really know about the two worlds. It was a great big illusion that divided the world into two. An illusion that was keeping the magical world a secret from muggles for their safety, while keeping the muggle world unknown to themselves for their own assurance. There were actually many laws that prevent muggle things from leaking into the wizarding world.
Although he agreed, in principle, that the magical world couldn't be exposed to the non-magical world, the wizards' attitude about muggles never made any sense To him. Just because they want to keep themselves hidden, doesn't mean they have to keep themselves ignorant. It was like a person, who was afraid of drowning, choosing not to learn how to swim on purpose. He only hoped that he could really create a different kind of future with the second chance he was given.
Hours later and they finally arrived in Hogsmeade. From there on, the first-year students were guided by Hagrid to Hogwarts via the boats.
He had complicated feelings when he saw Hagrid. He couldn't help but remember his last encounter with the half-giant.
When they reached the castle, Prof. McGonagall was waiting for them outside the Great Hall. She quickly explained about the sorting and the point system for the House Cup. Afterwards, she led them to the Great Hall for the sorting.
Then, Prof. McGonagall started calling out the names of the students to be sorted in alphabetical order. Soon enough it was his turn.
After hearing his name, he walked forward to sit on the lone stool placed on the front. When he put on the Sorting Hat, it spoke to him. He knew that he was the only one who could hear the Sorting Hat.
"Hmmm. What's this, now? Mature beyond your years. Not afraid to act when necessary, hm? A hard worker dedicated to his goals who also has a strong desire for equality among wizards. That's it then, better be HUFFLEPUFF!" said the Sorting Hat with only the last word being heard by the room.
Alex walked to the Hufflepuff table as they welcome him with applause. Clay was sorted into the same house when his turn came in. The two sat next to each other during the feast.
Hufflepuff was the house that was always overlooked. It was no wonder why few students were actually proud of being in Hufflepuff. There were many instances where students try their hardest to be friends with students from the other houses. It was also the house where most muggleborn students were sorted into.
In his opinion, Hufflepuff was the best of the houses. The students just wanted to study and improve at their own pace. And, there was less competition among its students. There was nothing wrong about being loyal, hardworking, or fair. In fact, they were the traits that people should be glad to be known by. Alex was determined to do what he can to promote his house better.
×××
The first week of classes went by without a hitch. He made sure to review all the books on his classes before coming to Hogwarts. Even if he already knew them, there would always be some new realization and deeper understanding of the subject when studying it.
He was able to answer all the questions that came to him, although he didn't bother on really proving himself to be the top of the class. He felt that it was not really fair to snatch the first place in student performance.
He settled in being known as a talented student, although, doing more than that may attract unwanted attention. He had to be careful not to show any knowledge beyond what was expected of his year. One of the teachers of Hogwarts might be a Legilimens. Being under the scrutiny of such would be the worst outcome.
There was also Prof. Severus Snape, the young potions master. He started teaching in Hogwarts in the previous term and he immediately assumed the role of head of the Slytherin House, since, there was no other faculty who was a previous member of the house. From the other timeline, Alex remembered him as a foul-tempered instructor of the potions class. Then, he became headmaster of Hogwarts in 1997. He was clearly working for the Dark Lord.
However, he had also taken out two Death Eaters before escaping from the castle that night. Alex did not know how to judge Prof. Snape's character. So, He decided he had better avoid earning his attention by making sure he was in the middle of the pack when it comes to his performance in the potions class.
The teacher whom he really wanted to impress was Prof. Filius Flitwick, charms master and head of Ravenclaw House. Charms had always been his best class, so, this time he wanted to do even better. He decided that he would be the best in charms in his year, earning points for his house while doing so.
And so, the days went by like the turn of a page. Alex spent most of his time in the Library reading books about charms and quidditch, at least that was what it looked like to everyone. In truth, he spent most of his time there to study the history and traditions of the wizarding Britain. He was compiling a list of this of everything a muggleborn student ought to know. When he was back in the dorms, he meditated and practised his 'Occlumency' further.
×××
One afternoon when they had a free period, he was approached by a female first-year in the Library.
"Hey, aren't you friends with Rosewood?" she suddenly asked him.
"Yeah, why?" he asked barely looking away from his books. He recognized the girl. She was Katie Robins, a muggleborn witch who was from the same house as he, but unlike others in his house, she prefers to do her studying by herself.
"You better go to the East Corridor, some Slytherin students are ganging up on Rosewood, " she said.
"What?" he asked. But, he ran out of the Library before the girl could answer.
When he arrived in the East Corridor, he was just in time to see what the problem was. Clay was surrounded by four older Slytherin students.
"Leave me alone, Travers, " Clay said.
"Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you? You're just like your family. Where were you when the Dark Lord called, huh?" said Travers?
"The Rosewoods are neutral in the war! You know this!"
"And what good did it do? Where is your father now? Still missing like a coward?"
"You don't talk about my father that way!" yelled Clay. He had already drawn his wand.
"And what are you going to do about it?" mocked Travers. His goons were laughing with him. "Did you finally remember that you are a wizard?"
Alex had to intervene before things escalated too much.
"Stop right there!" he said loudly. "Don't do anything you might regret later, Clay."
"Oh, this is rich. Yes. Listen to your 'mudblood' friend. Truly, how low can you be, Rosewood?"
"You shut your trap, 'Angus'," Alex said before Clay could say anything, emphasizing on the Travers' given name.
Angus didn't know why, but he was irked to hear his name spoken like that.
"You shut your mouth! You and your muggle parents don't belong in our world!"
"Whatever you say, 'Angus'. At least my parents loved me enough not to name me 'Angus'."
"Don't you dare mock me, you mudblood," Travers said in a low voice. He drew his wand and pointed it at Alex.
Any other boy would be panicking, but he had been through more threatening situations.
"And what are you going to do? Are you going to going to curse a poor defenceless 'mudblood'? You finally decided to let the others know your true colours, have you? I wonder how that would sound like to the others. Pureblood boy struck down an unarmed muggleborn out of hatred." said Alex playfully as if he wasn't in any danger.
Travers had paled at that. With the recent defeat of the Dark Lord, the current trend was indeed against him. He looked at the other students that were beginning to crowd the scene they were making.
"No, forget it. We'll leave you guys alone for now."
"Oh, and Travers, I better not hear anything about you harassing any Hufflepuff. You know what they say, they are incredibly loyal. One mistake and I don't know how many mouths could be talking about you." he couldn't believe what he was saying.
He just threatened a boy with some righteous 'gossipping'. Alex didn't really have the influence to pull something like that, but the Slytherin boy didn't know that.
Travers sneered at that. He couldn't really believe the idea of someone actually proud of being a 'Duffer. But, he, sensibly, decided to say nothing and leave.
"I can't believe you did that," said Clay who couldn't interject a while ago. "You know this won't be the end of it."
"I know, but from this year on, Hufflepuff will be different. We must have each other's back. Mess with one of us, and they mess with all of us. They must learn not to poke at a Badger's nest. You understand?"
Clay was nodding enthusiastically. It was as if he was hit by a sudden inspiration. He could see it now, a united Hufflepuff horde. He'll be sure to talk to the others about this. Unbeknownst to him, some students in the crowd were also nodding along.
×××
After the debacle, Alex went back to the Library to get the things he had left behind there. He saw that Katie Robins was still there looking over the books he was reading earlier.
Katie had long red hair that extended down to her lower back. She kept her hair in braids whenever she was out of her dorm room. She did not fit in easily with the other girls as she was taller than most of those of her age. Her big blue eyes could intimidate even an adult. From the other timeline, he remembered that she was especially talented at brewing potions and was the only Hufflepuff in their year to get a NEWT in Potions.
"I see you couldn't help yourself," he said from behind her.
She jumped up in surprise. "Oh! You're back. How did it go?" she asked.
"It was resolved without any problems. Why are you looking over my stuff?"
"Nothing. I was just curious, that's all. Why are you reading all this stuff anyway? 'Great Houses of Wizard Nobility', 'Pureblood Directory', 'The Sacred Twenty-Eight', 'Modern Traditions Wizarding Britain', none of these are required reading," she asked warily.
"There's nothing wrong with a little research. None of these are restricted materials. Besides, it would be wise to learn about them," he said.
"How do you mean?"
"You realized, we are in a different country now. This is no longer the U.K. that you know. They have a different government. Foreigners like us would do well to learn the local language and culture," he said frankly.
"You are scared of them, the 'purebloods', " she realized.
"Scared? Me? …hmm, that's right, I guess," he admitted.
They stared at one another for a moment.
"I'm Katie Robins, I'm not sure if you knew, " she said smiling while extending her hand to him.
He took her hand and said, "I'm Alexander Grey. It's nice to you, Katie."
The rest of the school year went by without any hitch. Alex did very well in his exams with him being top in Charms, while Clay was one of the best in Herbology. Alex had contributed around 50 points, all awarded by Prof. Flitwick, to the House Cup. The Hufflepuffs had finished with the second-most points. However, Slytherin had won the Cup with a comfortable margin.
Ch.5 - Giving Fire
After returning from Hogwarts, Alex was glad to see his grandfather again. The old man has taken a hobby, it seemed. A working table was set up in the garage. Apparently, the car was to be left on the driveway from that moment on. The woodworking tools were neatly organized on the side of the wall. The smell of wood dust and lacquer would most likely be permanent features of the garage.
Alex had gone around London to check on his mail from the several P.O. boxes that he was renting. He read all his bank statements and the updates on all his investment portfolios. Some of his investments have ended losing value, but most others also made him enough profit to cover the loss. He was glad that his investments, based on the price of the stocks, had grown by approximately 60 per cent.
He sent a letter each to all his stockbrokers to give them his instructions for the following. His investment portfolio was worth around 1.1 million pounds. He just decided to leave it at that. There was little he could do about them, being a 12-year-old boy.
The first thing he did that first half of his summer holiday was to buy a typewriter and a Ditto Spirit Duplicator Machine. It may be an outmoded form of printing, but he wanted to handle all the printing he needed personally to make sure he was not risking the 'Statute of Secrecy'.
He set up his little office on one side of the garage. He also taught his grandfather how to use his machines in case he might like to advertise his wood making services.
It took him two weeks to finish his master copy of the book that he wanted to publish. The title was 'Welcome to Magic: A Guide to the Wizarding World for Muggleborns and their Families'. He used 'Xander Greywolf' as his pen name. He felt like he was being silly with its similarity to his actual name. But, no one should be suspicious of a young muggleborn boy writing a comprehensive guide about the wizarding world.
The 100 pages book included explanations about the history and importance of the 'Statute of Secrecy', laws regarding the use of magic, the definition of the terms pureblood, halfblood, and muggleborn and their practical differences, recent histories, and political changes, and more pertinent information. The tone of the writing was straightforward yet lighthearted. Alex definitely did not want to make the muggleborns and their parents fear the magical world. However, he made sure that he was clear that the Wizarding Britain should be treated as a different country from the United Kingdom.
He included a note on the front page that the entire book was written by a muggleborn to help other muggleborns. Then, on the top of the last page, he wrote in bold typeface the word, 'Never Again.'. On the centre was the symmetrical symbol of two hands holding a ball of fire. The word 'PROMETHEUS' is written under the symbol.
Alex had compared himself to the titan who gave fire to the mortals in Greek mythology, just as he was aiming to share important information about the wizarding world to muggleborns. Hopefully, the comparison would stop there, he certainly did not want to be chained on a mountain and have some eagle peck on his liver.
As for the cover, he made some enticing graphics and with positive images and backed it with a paper board. The little book was very neatly packaged. He made exactly a hundred and one copies. Printing them with the Duplicator Machine was simple enough. The process had easily become monotomous.
He could duplicate more books with a charm, but such copies would not last. Furthermore, he was sure that the Trace was already applied to him, so he could not perform any magic unless he was in a place where there are other wizards around.
×××
He placed all of the books he made inside his trunk and headed to the Leaky Cauldron by taxi. He already received his Hogwarts letter for the new year, so he made a show to make himself look like an ordinary student doing his yearly shopping in Diagon Alley. He already have most of the books that he needed, so he only had to buy a couple of books plus the new ingredients he needed for Potions.
Then, Alex went to 'Eeylops Owl Emporium' to buy an owl. He browsed around the shop for a bit before stopping in front of an intelligent-looking owl. The shop keeper said that it was a 6 months old male owl who was fully trained as a post carrier. He didn't need much more convincing than that, he had a good feeling about the fowl. So, he purchased the owl at the asking price and named it Hermes.
Then, he went to 'Quality Quidditch Supplies' to purchase a broomstick. As a second-year student, he was allowed to bring a broomstick to Hogwarts. He found the newly released 'Comet 260' on display for the price of 150 galleons. It was certainly not a broomstick just anyone could buy. But, interestingly, this was the same model of broom that he was using at the Battle of Hogwarts. With a talented rider, this broom could keep up even with a 'Nimbus 2000'. At the moment, however, it was the fastest in the market. So, Alex bought the broom and put it inside his trunk.
×××
A man who was carrying around a trunk and an owl cage entered the Leaky Cauldron from its back entrance. He was sporting a dark blue robe that was complemented by the black lining on the inside. This was, of course, Alex under a disguise. No one might be able to recognize him, but he actually was disguised as his older self, older by 15 years exactly.
He approached the barkeep, Tom Maple.
"Mr Maple, I would like to speak with you in private, if you have the time," said Alex.
[AN: Tom, of the Leaky Cauldron, was never given a last name in the books. So, I made up one for him here.]
"Of course, um, mister…" said Tom trailing at the end.
"It's Greywolf… Xander Greywolf," said Alex. He thought of the name on the spot.
"Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr Greywolf. Please follow me over here," said Tom while leading him to a corner booth in the tavern.
They sat across one another and Alex motioned to take out his wand.
"Could I?" he asked. Asking permission to draw a wand was considered proper etiquette.
"If it pleases you."
"Let's keep things between us for now. 'Muffliato'," he said. The privacy ward would keep their conversation private.
"Now, on to the reason why I'm here," said Alex. "I have a proposition with you, Mr Maple. But I want to ask you a few questions first."
" Whatever it is, please feel free to speak frankly, Mr Greywolf."
"I'll do so, then. What is your opinion on muggleborns?" asked Alex. "Please answer honestly, I won't be offended whatever you say. I only need you, to be honest."
"I don't see a reason why a man should talk about something like this to a stranger," said Tom. He was just about to stand up, when…
"SIT DOWN, Tom!" Alex said, raising his voice.
Tom noticed that the man in front of him was still holding his wand from the moment he used it to set up the privacy ward earlier.
"Look here, Mr Greywolf. I don't take kindly to a man who threatens me in my own establishment. But if you have to know, I don't mind having muggleborns around. They make up half of my business anyway. And in case you're forgetting, the Leaky Cauldron has proudly served as the gateway between the muggle and the wizarding world. That has always been the case since the 'Statute of Secrecy' was enacted, and it will be the case for many years to come," said Tom with conviction.
Alex stared and watched the man carefully as he talked. He wasn't that well versed with 'Legilimency' to the point that he could scan a person's surface thoughts with eye contact. But from his experiences in dealing with thieves and liars, he had developed a skill in reading other people. This time, in particular, he was convinced that Tom was indeed telling the truth.
"I believe you," he said. "I suspected it as much. I just wanted to make sure that I came to the right person, Mr Maple," said Alex. "You see, I'm muggleborn myself. I'm not ashamed of admitting it. Having said that, there was a time in my life that I could not say as much."
"What do you want then?" asked Tom. He had never met a muggleborn who was so domineering as the man in front of him. He felt like he could die anytime if he was untruthful in any way.
"To put it simply, I want to help other muggleborns to do well in the wizarding world."
"How exactly are you going to do that?" asked Tom.
"I've written a small book. In it are useful pieces of information any muggleborns would find useful. And I want you to be the one who distributes the copies of this book."
"A book for muggleborns? How much would you be selling them?"
"They will receive it for free from you. Like you said, the Leaky Cauldron is the gateway to the wizarding world. You are in the position to pass on these materials. However, we both know that certain people may be irked by the idea of helping muggleborn integrate themselves into our world. I know that, with the defeat of the Dark Lord, they could not act so openly. But, they are still around. And, people don't change that easily. So, you will have to do it discretely," said Alex.
Tom thought about what Mr Greywolf said for a few seconds. He didn't hate the muggleborns, he himself was a halfblood. But could he really risk himself for others like that?
So, he said, "I get what you're saying. I too would like to help out muggleborns. After all, they always bring me business. But, like you said this could bring the attention of some dangerous figures on me. So, I guess what I'm asking is, why would I risk myself to help your agenda?"
So, they were finally in business, Alex thought. That was the best he could hope for from other people. He decided to make it clear that the consequences of either accepting or denying his request will be great.
"I'll tell you what you are going to do. You are going to help me out of the goodness of your heart. After all, you sympathize with the struggles of muggleborn in our society, and that is what you'll say to other people when they ask," he said.
Tom was frowning from what he was hearing, but his expression change when he heard the sound of coin. Alex took out a pouch filled with 300 Galleons and placed it on the table.
"This, however, is for my assurances of your fulfilment of my request and discretion. Make an oath right now that, one, you would offer one copy of the book to any first-year muggleborn that you see passing through here on their way back from Diagon Alley. Two, you would keep and care for the books until you have given away all of them to their intended readers. And, three, you would never speak or allude to about my description and the details of our meeting. Do this and you'll be 300 Galleons richer."
"Alright, we have an agreement," said Tom. No wizard liked to make oaths casually, but, 300 Galleons are equal to his earnings of 3 months. So, he made the oath carefully wording out his end of the deal.
×××
After going back home, he asked his Grandpa Joe to help him build an owl perch for Hermes. The bird hooted cheerfully when presented with his new perch.
For the remaining days of the summer break, he had done nothing except exercising and reading his books. He also bought a set of high school level textbooks so he could read them at his leisure.
After Hermes was all set up, he started exchanging letters with Clay. The Rosewood home was located in the North East region. So, it wasn't too far for Hermes to make the trip from London and back in a day.
He told Clay about his new broom and about his plans to try out for the quidditch team that year. He would invite Clay to try out with him, but, he knew flying wasn't Clay's favourite thing.
