70 Chapter 70: "Retrieving Death's Cloak"

Time flew swiftly, and before Harry knew it, the night before his journey to Hogwarts had arrived. The preceding weeks had been delightful rather than arduous. Having met his objective of matching a grown wizard in a duel for several minutes—a feat confirmed by Sirius's expert evaluation—Harry had scaled back his intense training schedule. Now, beyond his routine physical workouts and martial arts sessions, he devoted his energy mostly to refining his spellcasting abilities, deciding not to pursue any new magical disciplines for the time being.

During his leisure time, Harry found joy in the company of Susan and her visiting friends at the Bones Manor. Notably, he became acquainted with Hannah Abbott and the Greengrass sisters, Daphne and Astoria. Their friendship was unexpected, considering the Greengrass family's historically neutral position and the Bones family's alignment with the Light. This unexpected connection, Harry mused, might have been one of the many ripples he'd caused in the fabric of their world by making Sirius more politically active.

Harry harbored a deep empathy for the Greengrass sisters, especially Astoria, who was to marry Draco Malfoy in the future and doomed to die young due to her family's blood curse. Daphne's fate was less clear, but Harry assumed she either met an early end or suffered from the same curse. Despite their contrasting personalities—Astoria being lively and outgoing, Daphne more reserved and demure—Harry had grown fond of them and felt a strong commitment to change their bleak futures, adding the search for a cure for blood malediction to his to-do list. From the influence of Cordelia and Emma, Harry had found himself more drawn to the path of a healer than that of an auror.

Playing Quidditch with Cedric Diggory turned into a regular and enjoyable part of Harry's leisure time. Their friendly matches, set up with makeshift hoops in Cedric's backyard, not only brought them a lot of fun but also strengthened their budding friendship. Living in proximity to the Weasley family, Cedric had mentioned them a few times, but Harry had not yet had the chance to meet the Weasleys. Most of the older Weasley siblings were away at Hogwarts, and Harry preferred to form his own opinions about people before establishing any relationships.

With Fred and George Weasley, known for their mischief, starting Hogwarts at the same time as Harry, he felt it wise to be cautious. The Weasley family's close association with Dumbledore was another reason Harry hesitated to immediately seek out their friendship. Yet, he couldn't deny that being friends with the Weasley twins might be advantageous to avoid becoming the target of their notorious pranks at school.

The anticipation of starting at Hogwarts was heightened a week prior when Sirius presented Harry with an unexpected gift—an unmistakable snowy owl that Harry recognized as Hedwig from the books. Mixed feelings washed over Harry; while he was thrilled to have such a brave and intelligent companion, he was also unnerved by the thought that despite his interventions in the timeline, some events seemed predestined to unfold as they had in the books. This realization struck him particularly because he hadn't anticipated crossing paths with Hedwig, given the canon Harry met her nearly two years later in 1991.

Nevertheless, Harry warmly welcomed the owl into his life, attempting to name her differently as a small test against fate. However, the owl showed a distinct preference for the name Hedwig, effectively choosing it for herself. This development, while intriguing, did not dampen Harry's enthusiasm. With Hedwig, Harry assured everyone he would stay in touch with them through letters while at Hogwarts.

The night before his departure to Hogwarts was a hive of activity for Harry. Assisted by Mira, he was diligently packing his trunk, a task marked by a blend of excitement and meticulous planning. Despite his wishes for a magical trunk that could hold seemingly endless amounts of belongings, Hogwarts rules required him to choose a more conventional model. Yet, Harry didn't compromise on security; the trunk he selected was top-of-the-line, equipped with advanced protective enchantments to safeguard his possessions.

Mira had handled the acquisition of his other supplies from Diagon Alley, allowing Harry to focus on his other preparations.

While Harry was getting his things ready for Hogwarts, Harry's thoughts drifted to a particular item of immense importance and rarity—the Potter family's invisibility cloak. This wasn't any regular cloak; it was incredibly special, known as one of the Deathly Hallows, perfect for sneaking around after hours without getting caught. He had last seen the cloak when his grandmother used it to conceal him from Voldemort. Now, he had no clue where it was.

The cloak's whereabouts was a mystery though. It could have been secured in the main Potter vault or possibly kept by his father, James, on that fateful night. Another worrying possibility was that Dumbledore might have taken possession of it, given his interest in the Deathly Hallows.

Faced with uncertainty about its location, Harry was clear on one thing—the cloak rightfully belonged to him as the Potter family's heir. James had already lost his claim over the family's heirlooms due to his failed lordship test and Harry considered the cloak an essential part of his inheritance.

Thinking hard about how to find the cloak, Harry asked Mira, his trusty house elf, "Mira, do you remember the Potter family's invisible cloak? Do you know where it might be?"

Mira looked thoughtful for a moment before saying, "Mira remembers the cloak that makes people disappear, Master Harry, but Mira doesn't know where it is right now."

"Can you try to find it for me?" Harry asked, thinking about how useful the cloak could be at Hogwarts.

"Yes, Master Harry. Since you're the cloak's true owner, Mira can search for it," Mira said, her eyes shining at the thought of helping.

"Then, please go and see if you can find it. I'll keep packing here," Harry told her. "You might want to look with my dad, James, or Dumbledore since they're the most likely to have it. But be really careful around Dumbledore, and get away quickly if something feels wrong."

Mira nodded and disappeared with a quiet pop to start her search, leaving Harry to finish his packing. The cloak was very important to Harry and there was no way he was giving it up.

About an hour after she left, Mira returned to Harry, this time bearing the invisibility cloak. To anyone unaware of its significance, the cloak might have seemed ordinary, resembling nothing more than a shiny piece of fabric, something easily mistaken for a mere household item and perhaps relegated to storage or discarded.

"Mira has retrieved the cloak from the bad wizard at Hogwarts, Master Harry," Mira reported with a hint of pride. "Mira was very cautious, waiting for the right moment when no one would notice, before taking it. The bad wizard will surely be puzzled to find it missing tomorrow."

Mira's successful mission and her reference to "the bad wizard" left no doubts in Harry's mind; Dumbledore had been in possession of the cloak. Harry could only surmise that Dumbledore had held onto the cloak for many years, highlighting James's carelessness with a significant Potter family treasure. Harry was well aware of Dumbledore's fascination with the Deathly Hallows, making it unsurprising that he would withhold the cloak. The thought that Dumbledore might have eventually presented it to Charles was irksome, given that it was not his to bestow. Yet, retrieving the cloak felt like a significant victory for Harry.

"Thank you, Mira. You've done an excellent job," Harry thanked her sincerely, his hands grasping the cloak that was rightfully his.

Before anything else, Harry scrutinized the cloak meticulously for any signs of tracking spells or enchantments that could betray its use. Satisfied with its purity, he then indulged in testing its capabilities.

The cloak was as magical as it was practical; despite the odd sensation of moving about under what essentially felt like a sheet, it rendered him completely invisible. Catching sight of his head appearing to float without a body in the mirror brought a smile to his face. The knowledge that invisibility cloaks of such caliber were exceedingly rare, often losing their magic within a few years, made his possession of this enduring family artifact all the more special.

Eager to share his excitement and spread a little mischief, Harry decided to put the cloak to use by surprising Sirius, Amelia, and Susan with an impromptu prank. They were all gathered in the living room of the Bones manor, making it the perfect setting for his reveal.

With the cloak draped over him, Harry stealthily entered the room, unseen by the trio. At just the right moment, he unveiled himself, appearing suddenly with only his head visible, floating eerily in the air. The reactions were priceless—shock, disbelief, and then laughter filled the room once the initial surprise wore off. For Harry, the thrill of their amazed expressions was so pure and joyful, that he mused it could be strong enough to fuel a Patronus charm.

After the laughter had subsided, Harry shared the story of the cloak's return, carefully omitting its connection to the Deathly Hallows. He believed that some secrets were best kept close, and the fewer people who knew about the Hallows, the better.

Sirius, recognizing the cloak from the countless nights spent sneaking around Hogwarts with James, couldn't hide his amusement at Harry's retrieval. He was especially tickled by the thought of Dumbledore's bafflement upon discovering the cloak's absence, anticipating the awkward explanation James would have to endure.

With the night's excitement behind him, Harry turned his attention back to the final preparations for his departure. He finished packing his trunk, ensuring everything was in order for the morning. With a sense of satisfaction, Harry looked forward to the dawn of a new chapter in his life at Hogwarts.