Harry started the day very early.
After canceling the protection wards around his room, a simple matter with his new wand requiring a simple flick of his wrist, he got dressed and penned a quick letter to the Weasley twins.
Guys,
It's Harry. You free this afternoon? Just wanted to drop by and say thank you for everything. I saw the shop, it's incredible, you'll be making a killing once you open. I'll drop by later, is 4pm ok? Write back.
-Harry
Tying the letter to Hedwig's leg, he sent her off down the street to the Weasley's shop. Harry quickly went down stairs, wearing a different shirt, but still in the same outfit as yesterday. He stashed his new wand in his pocket and ordered a quick breakfast, Tom shooting a smile at the young man he came to know affectionately as "Bob the Wizard". Tom wasn't stupid and he had a very strong idea as to whom the boy actually was, but he would never betray a guest, especially one such as "Bob", so he kept quiet, enjoying the banter between them.
Getting up and leaving the coins on the table, Harry walked into muggle London. He had a few things to pick up before he left tomorrow and had to get them before his appointment with the wizarding realty agency Lauder, Kirkland, and Smith at one o'clock.
Yesterday, before he went back to the Leakey Cauldron he had gone back to Gringotts and had changed a thousand galleons for ten thousand pounds, the exchange rate being one galleon to ten English pounds, with a 2.5 percent exchange fee. He had been loathed to exchange the money, but it would be required for his plans. He had to have capital in order to start his research and would need the cushion that money gave him.
Walking out into muggle London, he called a taxi and set off. His goal was to find some of the latest and highest functioning muggle electronics that he could find. His first stop was a cellular company's store. While there he picked up several of the top of the line phones, having to buy contracts for all of them, which he did under an assumed name. Over the course of the next few hours, he purchased a computer to which he would practice his theories, and a few simple electronics such as watches.
At about eleven o'clock, Harry entered a seemingly abandoned building. He had contacted an individual during the last school year, a muggle by the name of MacManus, who was a bit player in the diamond smuggling business.
Harry had developed a theory on the reason why electricity and electronics did not work with magic around them. In normal electrical system, electrons move through a medium and into a system where they are used to create work, thus by creating the effects of electronic devices. In a normal system, the electrons are created through use of a process, whether that is mechanical as in turbines, or chemical, as in batteries. When magic is added to the system, it interacts with the initial reactions to create problems, thus by rendering the electronic equipment useless. But, Harry reasoned, if they could use magic its self as a method of channeling the movement of electrons, then there would be no initial action to disrupt and electronics would be able to work without problems in moderately magical areas. Of course physical shielding with special alloys would be needed for electronics in places like Hogwarts or the magical alleys, where ambient magic was heaviest. And Harry had found out how to do it. He had discovered a book in Dumbledore's private collection that spoke about magical weapons and how they were built. In the 1600s, the French sword smith and Knight simply known as "Chevalier" had discovered a method of steel alloy forging that made steel impervious to most spells. He had been a wizard, but had been cast out due to his love of muggles and their culture. Thus his works had never been widely published. But Harry knew, and he was going to put it into practice very soon. But first he had to discover away to power his electronics and to discover a way to ensure they would run on his new power source.
As he walked further into the run down building, he heard a voice call from his back. Slipping his wand into his hand, Harry turned around slowly to find a short Irishman leaning against a support column, smoking a fag.
"MacManus," Harry said, recognizing the short weasel from their meeting last year, "Do you have everything I wanted?"
The Irishman flicked the fag away, the red tip tumbling end over end and sparking into nothing as it hit he wet concrete floor. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a black velvet bag, held it up, and jiggled it hearing the loose stones as they tumbled around in the bag.
"Magius," the heavily accented Irish voice sounded, "got everything you asked for, but as to whether or not you get it, its all up to you. You got what I asked for?"
Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out a manila envelope he had prepared earlier. The deal was for 0.25 million pounds for 500 karats worth of diamonds. Of course Harry wasn't about to give him a quarter million pounds, so he had transfigured the cash out of old prints of the Daily Prophet and had stuffed the bills into the envelope. Gesturing to a table on the side of the room, the two walked over and set them down, keeping a distance from each other. They reached over and took the offered goods at the same time, giving each other a wry grin.
Harry wanted to examine the diamonds he bought so he pulled open the draw string, and pulled a small handful out. They certainly looked real enough. Rough, but polished, they were of descent sizes and all held the light well like real diamonds, but Harry wouldn't be fooled. Picking one up, he held it to the light to examine the grain. It seemed good, but he would determine if they were real or not. Placing them on the table, he pulled a small hammer from his pocket he brought it down hard on the concrete and watched it drive instantly into the stone, confirming it was real.
"Told you Magius, I don't fuck around," he said with a grin.
"Forgive me if I don't trust a weasel Irish ginger like you MacManis," he said, sneering at the short Irishman, "but you did come through."
With that, Harry turned around, pocketing the diamonds. Harry really didn't need that many, but he required raw diamonds to inspect their shape and structure first hand if he was to begin creating them with magic. It was all part of his plan. The only structure that could adequately contain purified raw magic was a geometric crystal. Harry had thought to use other, less expensive, minerals such as quartz like those used in LCDs, but there had never been enough purity in the structure or mineral make up to actually hold magic. Since diamond was pure carbon and extremely strong, it had all the qualities he was looking for. Harry just had to find a way to purify the magic and to convert it into a stable form to be concentrated into the structure.
"Wait a second Magius," he heard from behind him. Harry had expected this, but had wished for the best. Someone was going to be very sore today and Harry was not going to be it.
Turning slowly Harry saw MacManus grinning at him, a gun held in his hand pointed strait at Harry, "I played your little game, but you made a big mistake in that Magius."
Harry grinned at the weasel, he was going to be so sore in the morning, "and what might that be MacManus?"
"You should've brought an insurance policy on your life," he said as his finger started to pull the trigger. Quickly, Harry sent a wandless disarming charm at him, which struck just before he squeezed the trigger, making the gun fly out of his hands. The muggle was shocked, his mouth gaping and his eyes bugging out of his head.
Harry chuckled to himself as he pulled his new wand out. A quick obliviate spell would cure him and maybe Harry could "persuade" the Irish thug to change his life around.
"The fuck is that Magius?" he said, looking at the implement, "you're not going to probe me are ye?"
Laughing hard, Harry pointed the wand at the weasel Irishman and shouted, "Obliviate!"
The man had a vacant expression, indicating the point in which suggestions or replacement stories could be added, "MacManus, you will go back to school, get a performing arts degree, and join a musical dance troop where you will bill yourself as the amazing MacManus, Ballerina Extraordinaire."
The tiny Irishman nodded dumbly and stumbled off.
Chuckling to himself, Harry walked out, 500 carats of diamonds in his pocket and set off back to Diagon Alley for his appointment with the relater. If he was going to do this, he at least needed a base of operations.
Frank Kirkland, one of the top selling wizarding relaters in all of London was anxious to meet his new client.
From what was said about Evan R Magius, he had to prepare himself. The rumors said he had shown up some time last year and was asking questions left and right. Seemed a pureblood, but no one even knew the name Magius from any old families in the UK. New money, some people had called him, but it was rumored that he knew all sorts of old traditions. Another odd thing about the wizard was his eccentric requests. He had a bunch of cash to throw around, yet he walked around in baggy muggle clothes. He would speak like a Pureblood then turn around and greet a half-blood or a half-breed like werewolf with a pat on the back and an offer to buy him a drink. Completely strange. No one could make head nor tails of the strange wizard, but one thing was certain, he was not someone to mess with.
"Mr. Kirkland?" his secretary Lana called, "I have a Mr. Magius here to see you."
Kirkland stood up, straitened his muggle suite, he preferred the ease of movement of the suite to his hot stuffy robes, and said, "Show him in Lana, and get us some tea please."
She nodded and opened the door all the way, to reveal a strange young man. He appeared to be roughly twenty, maybe younger, but he had a maturity about him that made him seem much older. He had long blond hair held back in a Pureblood pony tail, his features noble and aquiline, his eyes dull blue but strangely piercing. The man was dressed not in a robe as he thought, but in muggle clothes, a nice pair of black dress shoes, black slacks and a white long sleeved dress shirt. He was smiling genially and thanked Lana with a smile and a kiss to her cheek, who blushed heavily and ran out, eyes drawn to the young man.
"Ah, Mr. Kirkland, my I say it is a pleasure to finally meet you. You're reputation precedes you," he said holding out his hand for him to shake.
Kirkland smiled, he had just met the boy, but he immediately liked him, "Mr. Magius, it is a pleasure. And
I can say that your reputation precedes you as well. I did not expect someone so-"
"Normal?" Harry said, laughter in his eyes and grinning at the older man.
A slight jolt of uncertainty hit him. Had he insulted the man? Then he saw the grin on his face and realized that he had not. Laughing he replied, "Yes, something like that Mr. Magius."
"Please, call me Bob. Mr. Magius sounds like my father," he said good naturedly and taking the seat opposite Kirkland.
Laughing Kirkland replied, "only if you call me Frank, Bob."
Harry assented and nodded genially.
"So Bob, have you had a chance to look at our open properties that we have available? I know you wanted something small in London, and we do have a few there that come completely furnished," he said.
"Yes I have Frank. I was especially interested in the apartment on Crown Street. The one above the bar there. It seemed like a nice place, very muggle," Harry replied. Harry had located he apartment. Although the neighborhood was not the nicest, it was the kind of place he needed, far away from any major wizarding centers, close proximity to an electronics store, market only a block away, and a bar right below him. The fact that it was a strip bar wasn't lost on Harry. Get your mind out of the gutter, he told himself.
"Ah yes, the Gartley apartment on Crown Street. A lovely apartment, even if the neighborhood is a little though. It has been vacant for two years, since Mr. Gartley sold us the place. Partially furnished with basic amenities, close proximity to basic needs, a very good investment if I say so myself. When would you like to view the building? I have an open slot next Monday if you are interested," he said.
Harry smiled, "I've already checked out the apartment. I'm just here to buy," he finished with a smile. Harry had managed to sneak out of Hogwarts last year and checked out the apartment building. He had no intention of dragging this engagement on longer than usual and would pay everything up front right now.
Laughing at the older man's shock, he continued, "I had a chance to look at the place last year. I decided to purchase it after I found you had the deed to the building. I'd like to purchase it from you. Everything up front right now," Harry said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Erm, ok," Frank stammered out, "Let me just get you the papers and we can settle everything. Lana!" he called from the office.
"Yes Mr. Kirkland," she said, as she entered the room she shot Harry a smile. He winked at her and she blushed into her hair.
"Would you get the papers for the Gartley property for me, Mr. Magius would like to purchase it," he said.
She brightened, "Oh, I just happened to have it here with me," she fumbled around with the multiple folders she held in her hands, "Here it is," she finished, pulling a thin folder out and passing it to Frank.
"Thank you Lana," he said, opening the folder and retrieving the property summary report, the pricing trend and listing, the deed, and the small stack of ministry papers for registration and ownership rights.
"Yes, thank you very much Lana," Harry said, flashing the secretary a large smile, "you have been very helpful and the tea is lovely," he said sipping on the tea that she brought him earlier.
"Thank you Mr. Magius," she said, as she blushed and left.
Frank smirked, "I think my secretary has a thing for you Bob."
"Well, I think I have a thing for your secretary," he replied, smiling cheekily at Frank, "tell me Frank, is she seeing someone?"
Frank laughed, "I think she'd love to have a go at you Bob, although I don't think her husband would enjoy the experience."
Harry simply smiled at the other man. He had no intention of asking the secretary out. Sure she was good looking, but seemed about as shallow as a girl could get. If she was flirting with him that openly in front of her boss who knew she was married, and if Harry's suspicions were correct, she was married to, she wouldn't be much to talk to.
"So about the apartment?" Harry urged.
"Oh yes, um if you would sign these?"
Little over an hour later Harry walked out of the relater's office with three things, a new apartment, a date with Frank Kirkland's wife, and a very satisfied disposition.
Harry had already suspected who's wife it was when he started flirting with the woman. He wanted to test the wizard, to see how he acted under threat, and the man had failed miserably. Not enough guts to tell him whose wife he was flirting with and not enough respect for his wife to fight for her, so Harry dismissed him and asked his wife out, despite his reservation about her personality.
For the past two years he could feel himself changing. Recently with his incarceration in Azkaban, he had found that change permanently snapped into place. He was no longer the eternally shy boy who scuffed his shoes. He had become what he was supposed to be. A man. A man with a duty, a mission, and a man who knew his priorities. His outlook had changed as well. Gone was the black and white view he had before. Now he embraced strife and change. He now saw people like Frank Kirkland as he was, a coward, a sheep. It was because of people like him that he lost everything and spent a month in hell. No longer. He would not sacrifice himself for the sheep any longer, he would be the wolf and he would bring down both the shepherd as well as the sheep.
At one point in his horrendous incarceration in Azkaban, Harry actually started to agree with Tom. Why the hell should he spend his life in this shit hole just because the sheep said that he should? Harry was strong. He had done things with magic that would make the oldest Charms professors swear to return to first year Charms. Harry should raise his own private army and take his vengeance on everyone who betrayed him and kill any who stand in his way.
But then he thought of the people that died for him. His parents, Sirius, they had died so that he could have a chance at life. That he could live and be happy. And they had fought on the side of the light. They had fought for freedom and justice, even though they seemed nearly impossible at the time. And Harry would do the same. He would fight for those that fought for the things he cherished, freedom, love, and justice. And he would fight with honor. But it would be done his way, not anyone else's.
Those that didn't fight for themselves just did not deserve his respect. Smiling, he promised himself he would have a hell of a time with Mrs. Kirkland on their date next week.
Harry's thoughts were interrupted by a flutter of wings as Hedwig alighted on his shoulder.
"Hello girl, do you have something for me?" he asked Hedwig who nipped his ear affectionately. Harry reached over and untied the letter. It was from the twins, the twin joker hats and the three Ws confirmed it. Unrolling the letter he read.
Harry,
Hey mate. Nice to hear from you again. Cheers for escaping Durskaban. Heard what you did to Dumbledore and the rest of the Order of the Fried Chicken. Pure genius. Charlie said they were looking around for the beacon for hours until they found the snake. Even Dumbledore seemed amused by it. Anyway, you're always welcome here mate. Drop in any time.
-Fred and George
Harry smiled. I suppose I'll head there now, he said to himself.
Less than five minutes later, he found himself at the entrance of the Weasley's Wizard Wheezes Incorporated, the brightly colored sign nearly causing him a headache. Knocking on the door, Harry waited until he saw two familiar red heads pop into view. They looked at him obviously expecting a black haired green eyed boy with a scar, but seeing a snobbish looking Pureblood.
It was George that answered the door, "I'm sorry sir, but as you can see we're not open yet. Come back in a few months and we should have everything sorted out."
Harry tried not to laugh. Deciding to have a little fun with the twins he put on his best Pureblood scowl and addressed the twin, "I don't know who you are boy," he put the emphasis on boy, "but I just moved in next door and I am telling you to take down that horrendous sign. It is giving me a head ache every time I look out the window."
George scoffed in disbelief. Was this pompus inbred arse really telling him what to do? "I don't know who the hell you are you pompus git, but get the hell out of my store or I'll call the Aurors!"
Harry pushed his way in, enjoying riling up the "conservative" twin, now he was going after the hot headed one, "And who the hell is this? What are you idiots doing here? Playing with polyjuice potion? You realize that is illegal without the consent of the ministry or without a master's liscince in potion making?"
Fred looked at his brother as if he just saw a man jump up and down in the center of Daigon Alley wearing nothing but his birthday suit, "We're not using Polyjuice you inbred arse buggering git, we're twins!" he said, getting very angry, hand inching towards his wand.
"Ah, yes I can see that. One of you is uglier than the other," Harry said, with a look of understanding plastered on his face.
"You limey git, take that back. How dare you call Fred ugly," said George, turning red.
Fred looked back at his brother, eyes narrowing, "Me!? You're the ugly one. He was talking about you!"
"No way in hell. He was talking about you!"
"No, you!" argued Fred.
They went back and forth a few times, each calling the other worse and worse names, until something stopped them. Laughter. The limey inbred Pureblooded jackass was laughing at them, and what was even stranger, they knew that laugh.
Looking at each other questioning, George asked, "Harry?" tentatively taking a step toward the laughing man by the counter.
Tears stung his eyes as Harry continued to laugh, his sides hurting, but he still laughed. He missed days like this with the twins. Finally catching his breath he straitened up and passed his hand over his face, negating the glamour charms over his scar and the charms over his eye.
"Gotcha," he said, eyes heavy with mirth.
They stared at him, not moving, jaw dropped low to the ground. All of a sudden they exploded with laughter.
"Mate! That was the best prank anyone has pulled on us yet," Fred said, rolling on the ground.
"Definitely mate, no one has ever gotten us this good until now," George said, in a very similar state as his brother.
After about ten minuets of joking around, they calmed down and headed into the back. The store was rather of moderate size, the empty shelves and displays giving the effect that it was larger than it really was. It held three different areas, the main store front, the large warehouse in the back that held both the storage area and a small office built into a wall, and a loft where the Twins lived. The loft was nice. Like a two bedroom apartment with a small room to the side where the twins experimented. A moderate sized living room and a kitchen finished off the apartment. It was to the kitchen where they led Harry.
"So Harry, mate," Fred asked, once they had their butterbeers, "how's life been treating you?"
"Not too bad, escaped from Durskaban, made an arse out of Dumbledore and the Order of the Fried Chicken, got snogged by a pretty brunette, picked up a house, and made a date with the wife of my relater. In all it was a pretty good week," Harry said off handedly sipping his tea.
The two brothers were staring at him like he just grew two heads, "WHAT!?" they finally got out.
So Harry explained everything to them, with the exception of his future plans and his trip down Nocturn Alley. They sat riveted to the tale he spun, hardly believing what was being said, but knowing it was real since it was Harry that said it.
"-so after I left the office and paid for the deed, I passed Lana's desk. The door to her husband's office was closed and she was eying me up, giving me these 'I want you' looks. So I went over to talk with her. We started flirting. She's pretty hot, about my height, early thirties, tiny waist nice long legs, pretty blond hair, striking green eyes…and very sexually frustrated."
Fred was wiggling his eye brows suggestively, "Oh yeah? More mate, what'd she do?"
Harry laughed, "Well, as we were talking, she kinda placed her hand on my thigh and started to move up. And let me just tell you. She didn't stop."
"Ha! Our little Harrykins is growing up!" George said, jumping up and doing a little jig, "So you're going to see her again?"
"Yup, going out next week Wednesday, her husband's unaware," Harry said sipping his tea.
"Geez mate, you've really changed-"
"And for the better!" Fred added.
George smiled, "Yeah mate, remember when we saw him trying to talk to Cho the year before last my fine twin?"
"Indubitably my dear Mr. George. He was more nervous than Wormtail in a cage full of pythons. Nearly looked like he would wet himself if she talked to him!" said Fred.
Harry rolled his eyes.
"But now! Look at him, talking about stealing another man's wife, getting hand jobs in office buildings, and what, going to solve our little virginity problem are we Harrykins?" George teased, Fred sniggering away.
"Aw stuff it George, you're just jealous it didn't happen to you," Fred said.
"Of course my dear twin, as usual you've hit the nail exactly on the head, how did you know?" he asked, with mock ignorance.
"Because I am completely and totally jealous!" Fred answered, throwing himself down on the ground in front of a grinning Harry, "Oh please teach us master! We'll do anything!"
When George joined him, Harry put a stop to it and they went back to their tea.
"So Harry, what's up now? You're not going to school or anything. Want to come and work for us?" Fred suggested.
George's eyes lit up, "Yeah Harry that would be incredible. You could help us researching new pranks! They told us about your OWL results mate. Having you with us, our profits will skyrocket!"
Harry grinned, although it would have been nice to work with the twins, he had other plans, "That would be great guys, but I've kinda-"
"Oh no, Fred, I've feeling a positive no coming on"
"I do too my dear twin."
Harry laughed, "What would I have done without you guys. Geez. Ok guys, I'll tell you what. I'm going to be trying something out pretty soon, but if it falls through, I'll right back knocking at your door and we can make pranks enough to prank the ministry into submission."
The twins looked at each other, grinned, then turned to Harry, "Deal!"