Most of the time, though, they were the ones asking questions, while Hagrid picked out whatever he could talk about and answered them.
Everyone was curious about this unexpected guest, especially Mr. and Mrs. Granger. They couldn't help asking subtle questions, hoping to learn more about Hogwarts.
It was clear they wanted to analyze Hagrid and use him to get a rough idea of what the Wizarding World was really like.
Harry thought they might have been overthinking it.
Someone as sweetly thickheaded as Hagrid probably wasn't going to give them any useful information.
Besides, Hagrid couldn't go three sentences without bringing up Fantastic Beasts. Things like Trolls and Acromantulas would only make the Grangers feel even more uncertain about the Wizarding World.
Hermione, however, was very interested.
Or rather, once she learned that Hagrid was a half-Giant and that many creatures from legends really existed, she couldn't help looking forward to her studies as a witch even more.
"So... Hagrid, did you come to see me just to celebrate my birthday?" After everyone had enjoyed a pleasant meal together, Harry asked curiously.
"Not entirely. Dumbledore actually asked me to go out and take care of something, er..." Hagrid replied bluntly, but then realized what he'd said and hastily changed the subject. "Anyway, if it weren't your birthday, Harry, I might not have agreed to make the trip! You haven't had much contact with the Wizarding World, so after we eat, I'll take you and Hermione to Diagon Alley to get your school supplies."
"Thank you so much, Hagrid!" Harry smiled, but his mind was already racing.
Dumbledore's errand probably had something to do with that bank.
Harry had only watched one of the movies, so before he went to Hogwarts, he needed to recall as much of the plot as possible!
After the birthday lunch, Hagrid took Harry and Hermione to the legendary Diagon Alley.
Mr. and Mrs. Granger had wanted to come along, too, but Harry persuaded them not to.
Harry had always believed the Wizarding World was no safe place. If the Grangers wanted to know anything, they could just ask him or Hermione. The less they interacted with unrelated wizards, the better!
Besides, Harry vaguely remembered that many of the wizards in the movies dressed like the witches and witch doctors from old superstitions. If the Grangers saw what they looked like, they'd surely worry about Hermione's future.
They walked, took the Underground, then walked again. Between their idle chatter and Hagrid's complaints about how inconvenient everything in the Muggle world was, they finally reached the famous place Hagrid had mentioned.
"We're here. The Leaky Cauldron."
Following Hagrid's pointing finger, Harry and Hermione saw an extremely filthy, shabby little pub.
It was tucked between a large bookshop and a record store, with a completely unremarkable entrance. Probably any remotely sensible person would overlook it.
Even when Harry had spent last year moving between various pubs in London to hide, he would never have chosen to duck into a place that looked so unsafe!
Before he could grumble about it for long, however, Hagrid pushed both Harry and Hermione inside.
Harry didn't want to pay much attention to what was going on inside the Leaky Cauldron. In fact, he barely had time to look around. The moment he and Hermione entered, all sorts of oddly dressed people surrounded them.
They excitedly called out to him and crowded forward, constantly trying to shake his hand. Even Hermione, standing beside him, was nearly pushed aside.
It was also the first time Hermione had seen firsthand just how famous Harry was in the Wizarding World!
Harry, though, couldn't be bothered to deal with these people. Not one of them could get his name right.
Harry Potter was the name of the Boy Who Lived in their minds, but to Harry, it was now only useful as a reference to the original story.
He didn't want to bear the name of the Boy Who Lived anymore. He didn't want anyone controlling him. He wanted to make his own way...
Harry Granger!!
"All right, please give Harry some space! I still need to take him to Diagon Alley to buy things!"
Hagrid was obviously a regular here. A few loud shouts were all it took for him to rescue Harry and Hermione from the crowd.
They went together to the pub's back courtyard. While Hermione was marveling at the moving wall, Harry had already memorized the pattern Hagrid tapped out with his umbrella.
Beyond the wall, a whole new world appeared before Harry and Hermione!
"Harry, Hermione, welcome to Diagon Alley!" Hagrid said with a smile.
The afternoon sun shone over the cobbled street. Shops of every kind lined it, and crowds of people came and went in all sorts of exquisite, unusual clothes. Everything was so new and strange.
"So this is the wizards' shopping street? It's so much fun!" Hermione had to make a tremendous effort to tear her eyes away. Then she shot Harry a rather reproachful look.
Hmph! He'd actually tried to keep her from having anything to do with the Wizarding World!
Clearly, he'd wanted to enjoy such a fun place all by himself~
Hermione knew Harry had only been looking out for her, of course, but girls were entitled to be a little unreasonable now and then.
Harry, however, didn't look nearly as dazzled as Hermione. Instead, his expression was somewhat strange.
Diagon Alley was a very noisy place.
The noise wasn't the vendors calling out or passersby chatting. It wasn't the various cries coming from the pet shops, either. It was something else: a mysterious, low murmur.
The sound came from all directions, as if hidden in inconspicuous corners or floating throughout the entire space, droning without pause.
When Harry gripped the Space Ring and silently recited "Clear Mirror Still Water," the sounds grew much clearer.
The chaotic noise faded away, replaced by all sorts of lively, calling voices.
Some were high and passionate; others were soft murmurs. Each voice seemed to have its own unique rhythm and melody, yet together they formed a remarkable harmony, playing one lilting tune after another.
Harry didn't know what these sounds were, but he was certain of one thing... he was probably the only one who could hear them!
Hermione Was Going to Be the Housekeeper
Hermione looked around greedily. Everything seemed fascinating, but as she kept looking, she suddenly pulled a long face.
"Hagrid, how are we going to buy things? Can we use pounds in the wizarding world?"
"Of course not. The shops in Diagon Alley don't take pounds," Hagrid explained matter-of-factly. "But we can exchange our money first. There, see? That's the Wizarding World's bank, Gringotts."
Following Hagrid's gesture, Harry and Hermione saw a remarkable building.
It was a towering, snow-white structure, two whole stories taller than the shops around it. It stood out like a crane among chickens.
"Gringotts is a bank run by Goblins. It's probably the safest place in the whole Wizarding World... except for Hogwarts, of course," Hagrid explained. "Hermione can exchange her pounds for Galleons here, and she can also open a vault. Harry doesn't need to, though."
"Why doesn't Harry need to?" Hermione asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Because all his money is kept here!" Hagrid led the two children to a Goblin teller who was working at the counter. "We'd like to withdraw some money from Mr. Harry Potter's vault... Er, Harry, you have to understand. The Goblins don't know you've changed your name."
Hagrid really did care about Harry's feelings. Once he'd learned that Harry didn't like his old name, the big man—who seemed as if he ought to be terribly careless—had taken pains to be considerate at every turn.
Harry appreciated his kindness.
"Do you have his key, sir?" the Goblin teller asked.
"I do!" Hagrid dumped nearly all the odds and ends he had on him onto the counter. After searching under the impatient Goblin's gaze, he finally found a shining gold key.
"There's one more thing..." Once the Goblin had confirmed the key was genuine, Hagrid handed over a tightly sealed letter. "This is a letter from Professor Dumbledore. I've been instructed to retrieve something from Vault 713."
"Er... Vault 713? Oh, all right... Your letter and key are both in order. I... I think I'll have Griphook take you there."
The Goblin teller seemed flustered at the mention of Vault 713. He barely glanced at the letter and key before shoving them back to Hagrid, as if passing off a pair of red-hot potatoes.
Griphook, the Goblin who'd been called over, looked just as unwilling. He glared resentfully at the teller sitting above him before leading Hagrid and the children away with a mournful expression.
"Vault 713... Is there something special about it?" To Hermione, who had only just entered the Wizarding World, so many things were new. She wanted to ask about everything they encountered.
"Sorry, Hermione. That's top-secret! Even if Harry asks, I absolutely won't tell him!"
Unfortunately, Hagrid could keep his mouth shut when it mattered.
With Griphook leading the way, the three rode a little cart along the maze of tracks. Hermione shrieked with delight the whole way, while Hagrid looked rather uncomfortable.
As for Harry, he remained focused on listening to the sounds.
The sounds beneath the bank were clearer than those in Diagon Alley, and more uniform, too... especially deep underground. Harry even thought he heard a shout so explosive it broke into a screech!
Hagrid had said that dragons guarded the underground vaults at Gringotts...
Could that have something to do with the sound Harry had heard?
"We're here, Harry. This is what your parents left you."
Griphook stopped the cart in front of a small door along one of the passages. He unlocked it with the key, and Hagrid and the children saw a golden glimmer inside!
Copper coins piled up like mountains, bundles of silver bars, and heaps of gold coins!!
"Seriously? All of this belongs to Harry?!" Hermione rubbed her eyes in disbelief. "Oh my goodness, Harry! You're secretly rich!"
"Well, now you're a little rich girl, too~" Harry put the key into Hermione's hand as she stared in shock. "Hagrid said you needed to open a vault, but I don't think there's any need."
"I... I can't!" Hermione shook her head in a panic, trying again and again to return the key. "Your parents left all this to you. I don't have the right to spend even one copper!"
"Hermione, just keep the key." Harry smiled and shook his head. "Rights are whatever I say they are. Besides, this money came from my parents. That's exactly why I want to share it with my family now."
His parents' inheritance was certainly a valuable fortune to Harry, but those coins meant less to him than the Granger family did.
Besides, unlike Hermione, Harry still didn't want to enter the Wizarding World. Rather than hold on to a pile of money that was useless to him, he'd rather use it to support Hermione.
Harry simply didn't want Hermione to attend Hogwarts. He wasn't actually against her learning magic, and he knew full well that studying magic would cost a great deal.
They took some money from the vault, then went with Griphook to the legendary Vault 713. After watching Hagrid tuck a certain small pouch into his coat, the three of them left Gringotts together.
What Harry found a little strange was that the pouch Hagrid had taken seemed rather flat.
At the same time, the three of them failed to notice Griphook behind them wiping the sweat from his forehead in relief.
On the way back, Hermione stopped chattering and asking questions. Instead, she fell quiet. Naturally, it was because of the key in her pocket.
She'd never expected Harry to be serious!
He'd just handed her the key to a fortune that, according to Hagrid, was enough to let someone live comfortably in the Wizarding World for years!
Family...
Hermione felt she'd finally begun to understand how much that word meant to Harry.
No... she couldn't just accept this!
The moment they left Gringotts, Hermione quietly made up her mind.
She wouldn't accept the money. But as part of the family, and as Harry's older sister, she felt it was her duty to help him plan how to use his fortune!
Mm-hmm... Hermione didn't yet realize that the new role she'd just chosen for herself was what most people called...
A housekeeper~
"Why don't you two go have a look around on your own? I'd like to go to the Leaky Cauldron for a refreshing drink. You won't mind, will you?" Hagrid put on a pitiful expression on purpose. "You know how awful those carts at Gringotts are~"
Harry and Hermione certainly didn't mind such a small request.
In fact, Hermione had been eager to escape Hagrid's blunt, straight-to-the-point approach to shopping.
As for Hagrid, he thought he'd come up with a brilliant excuse~
He really was going to have a drink at the Leaky Cauldron, but what he actually wanted to do was prepare a proper birthday present for Harry.
Even those Muggles had prepared a lavish birthday feast for Harry. How could an old friend who'd been away from him for eleven years—at least, that was how Hagrid thought of himself—fall behind?!
So, without Harry knowing, Hagrid slipped into a pet shop called Eeylops Owl Emporium.
Shopping Was for Complaining
Once Hagrid had left, Hermione finally got her wish and began her and Harry's... "wander around the shops without buying anything" routine.
The reason they had to look around was that shopping, whether for something big or small, was every woman's nature, and Harry had to indulge Hermione.
As for why they hadn't spent any money, they didn't need to buy anything besides wands and school uniforms.
As soon as Harry received his Hogwarts letter, he'd contacted Scamander... Incidentally, they'd used a landline to communicate.
It was almost the twenty-first century. Who in the real world was still so OUT that they used owls?
Following Scamander's advice, they'd crossed off most of the items on the school supplies list.
First were the textbooks. Scamander had told Harry that Hogwarts's textbooks were much like those at real-world universities: they went for years, sometimes even decades, without being updated. So buying new books was really no better than using secondhand ones.
As hidden and actual top students, Harry and Hermione knew just how valuable the textbooks and notes of previous generations of top students could be. They completely agreed with Scamander.
As for secondhand textbooks, Scamander had already used his connections to get some ready for them.
Speaking of the Wizarding World, there was a pure-blood family with a long history, lots of children, and a habit of producing top students, but which was very poor...
Before you continue