Wards and Friends

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After finishing up in the kitchen, Harry went upstairs to get dressed. He chose a simple but smart outfit—neat trousers and a crisp shirt, fitting for a twelve-year-old wizard about to handle some serious business. Once dressed, he called for Misty.

"Ready to go to Diagon Alley, Misty," Harry said, adjusting his shirt one last time.

Misty appeared with a pop, her eyes bright. "Yes, Master Harry. Hold tight," she chirped, and with a second pop, they were gone, landing softly in the bustling, magical street of Diagon Alley.

Harry made his way through the crowd, heading straight for Gringotts. The towering white building stood imposingly at the far end of the Alley, goblins moving briskly in and out, their expressions stern.

As he entered, Harry was immediately struck by the cool, marble grandeur of the bank. He approached the counter, where a goblin looked up at him with a barely concealed sneer.

"I have an appointment with Mr. Grimbletack," Harry informed the goblin.

The goblin grunted, peering down at a large ledger. After a moment, he nodded curtly. "Follow me," he said, leading Harry through a labyrinth of corridors until they reached a large, ornate door.

Mr. Grimbletack was waiting for him, his desk piled high with papers and ancient-looking books. "Mr. Potter, a pleasure as always," the goblin said, gesturing for Harry to sit.

"Thank you, Mr. Grimbletack," Harry replied, taking a seat. "I need advice on some security enchantments for my home."

Grimbletack looked above his glasses, his sharp gaze meeting Harry's as he ventured, "It's about the rumors I heard regarding the end-of-year fiasco at Hogwarts?"

Harry grinned, appreciating the goblin's well-informed nature. "As always, you're informed."

Grimbletack returned the smile with a slight smirk. As the manager of the Potter Vault, he had a vested interest in Harry's wellbeing, not just as a client but as the last of the Potter lineage. "What do you have in mind? As you know, due to special circumstances involving your headmaster, warding around your house is quite challenging. First of all, it would be impossible to work without notifying him."

Harry nodded, already aware of the complexity. His magical guardian was Dumbledore, and the wards tied Harry to his mother's sacrificial spell that protected him against Voldemort. This spell was intrinsically linked to Petunia's existence, thus any ward that could be placed around the Evans household might potentially damage that protective magic.

"Yes, I understand the limitations," Harry acknowledged. "But there must be some additional precautions we can take that won't interfere with Dumbledore's wards or my mother's protection spell."

Grimbletack tapped his fingers on the desk, mulling over the possibilities. "We might consider adding a series of discreet, non-invasive spells. For example, alarms that alert you to unauthorized magical activity without altering the existing protections."

"That sounds promising," Harry responded, eager to fortify his temporary home without triggering any unintended consequences.

"We could set up a perimeter that detects magical entry or attempts at intrusion. It wouldn't block anything but would give you a heads-up. Think of it as a magical tripwire," Grimbletack suggested.

"Perfect. And about the inside of the house? Can we do something similar?" Harry asked, thinking of how to ensure their safety indoors.

Grimbletack nodded. "Certainly. We can install a few internal sensors. They'll alert you if any unknown magic is used within the house. It's like having your own magical security system."

"Let's arrange that then. How soon can we set this up?" Harry inquired, thinking about the urgency given the impending start of the school term and the mysterious warning from Dobby.

"I'll need a couple of days to gather the necessary resources and set up a team. I suggest we aim for the end of this week," Grimbletack proposed, already flipping through his calendar.

"That works for me. Thank you, Grimbletack. I really appreciate your help with this," Harry said, feeling a bit more relieved that he'd have some form of warning system in place.

"Of course, Mr. Potter. It's my duty and pleasure to assist you," the goblin replied with a rare grin. "I'll send you an owl with the details and timing."

As Harry stood to leave, he added, "And Grimbletack, let's keep this between us for now."

Bidding goodbye to Grimbletack, Harry stepped out of Gringotts and made his way toward the Leaky Cauldron. He had arranged to meet Daphne and Tracey there as girls were coincidentally coming to Diagon Alley today as well. Seizing the opportunity to catch up with his friends since he was already in Diagon Alley. It had been a while since he had seen them—since before his trip to France—and he was genuinely excited. They knew he had been in France, but not about his training with Nicolas Flamel.

"Seems like you're building quite the fortress, Master Harry. What's next? Dragon-guarded gates?" Nigel joked as they approached the pub.

"Ash is growing up nicely, why not," Harry retorted, pushing open the door to the Leaky Cauldron.

The familiar, slightly musty aroma of the pub welcomed him. It was early enough that the usual crowd hadn't yet filled the space, making it easier to spot Daphne and Tracey at a table near the back.

"There's the man of the hour!" Tracey called out as he approached, waving him over with a bright smile.

Daphne, more reserved but visibly pleased to see him, nodded her greeting. "We started to think you'd forgotten about us, Harry."

"As if I could," Harry grinned, taking a seat across from them. "France was busy, but not enough to forget my friends."

"So, spill it, what was so important in France that you vanished all summer?" Tracey leaned forward, her curiosity piqued.

"Just a lot of studying and... cultural experiences," Harry said, deciding that vague truths were the best option for now.

Daphne, ever observant, raised an eyebrow. "Sounds intriguing. Learn any new tricks?"

Harry chuckled, "A few things here and there. But how about you two? How was your summer?"

As the girls launched into tales of their own summer adventures, Harry listened attentively, interjecting with questions and the occasional laugh. It was nice, he thought, to just sit and chat without the looming shadow of dark wizards or cryptic warnings.

After a while, Tracey, with a mischievous gleam in her eye, said, "Enough about us, Harry. Tell us more about France. Did you bring us anything?"

Harry feigned shock. "What? My delightful presence isn't enough?"

Daphne laughed softly. "Always the charmer, Harry. But seriously, any interesting finds?"

Harry chuckled, "Well, I might have picked up a few things." As he spoke, he reached into his bag and discreetly pulled out two carefully wrapped items from his inventory. After Nicolas Flamel questioned him about sudden disappearance of Replica Philosopher's Stone, Harry had become more cautious with how he used his inventory. Previously, he'd dazzled his friends by magically producing gifts, casually attributing it to "just a bit of magic," but now he chose to keep the workings of his magical storage more discreet.

Tracey and Daphne eagerly unwrapped their gifts. Tracey found a beautifully bound journal with an enchantment that recorded not just written notes but also captured the thoughts and context the writer had while writing. This was not just any journal; its pages were charmed to organize content into themes and ideas automatically, making it an invaluable tool for someone who loved to delve deep into their studies and personal reflections.

"Tracey, I thought this might help with your studies and your personal projects," Harry said as he handed it over to her, explaining the unique features. "It sorts your notes for you, and it can even playback your thoughts from when you wrote them."

Tracey's eyes lit up with excitement as she took the journal, flipping through the empty but promising pages. "Harry, this is amazing! It's like having a Pensieve in a book!"

Harry smiled, pleased with her reaction. "Exactly! I figured it'd be perfect for organizing your research and when you're brainstorming for our study sessions."

Tracey quickly got up to hug Harry, chuckling as she wrapped her arms around him. "I love it! This will organize all my chaotic plans next year," she beamed.

"Or your mischiefs," Daphne teased from the side, earning laughter from Harry and a playful pout from Tracey.

Daphne's package contained a set of enchanted bookmarks. These weren't ordinary bookmarks; they were charmed to reflect the scenery of the book's setting, shifting visually according to the reader's mood and the plot's tone. As Daphne pulled one out, the bookmark displayed a serene lake that shifted to a dark forest as she smiled, then pretended to frown.

"Harry, this is wonderful," Daphne said, genuinely impressed as she hugged him. "It'll make reading even more immersive."

"I thought it might add a bit of magic to your study sessions," Harry replied with a grin.

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