A Promise Kept - Chapter 3 - Inevitable Adventures

Inevitable Adventures

She watched as the coffin containing her husband’s remains was lowered in the ground a short distance away from where his parents own graves had yet to gather any moss with how recently they had died.

Lily cried unashamedly at her loss, something she had being dong much of recently whilst mourning.

It was an odd process to endure.

There were moments she felt as though she was coping, that all would be well despite her heartache, but in the very next, she would be a sobbing mess, unable to see a light at the end of the tunnel she found herself in.

Now, at least, her husband could rest as a hero to her and their son, having sacrificed himself, so that they might live.

Even so, there was little relief to be had.

With what had happened to Frank and Alice less than a week after Voldemort’s fall, the very worst of the Dark Lord’s followers may now be in Azkaban, but Britain was scarcely any safer.

Many others still remained at large, and as Sirius had so candidly pointed out, some would never see the inside of a cell or spend a moment with the dementors.

If that was so, Lily had lost what little fait she’d had in the Ministry of Magic and couldn’t be more pleased to be away from it all.

Texas was not her home, but what had once been was lost to her.

Even being within Godric’s Hollow filled her with dread, but Harry seemed to be at peace here. It was where the Potters could find their magical roots, and perhaps he could feel that, despite what had happened to his father.

Nonetheless, it was not safe for her son, nor for her, and as the ceremony came to an end, she bade her husband farewell before she, Harry, and Sirius, the only attendees the man would allow at the burial, left the church grounds.

Lily did not know when or if she would ever return, but she knew it was likely.

Harry would one day wish to know what had happened to his father, and though she was immensely proud of James, it was not a conversation she was looking forward to sharing.

It was one thing to live it in the aftermath of the tragedy itself, but to revisit it again…

It did not bear thinking about.

Lily had not returned to Britain since.

Sirius did so regularly to attend to his responsibilities as the Lord Black, but with what had proven to be farcical trials of many of the captured Death Eaters seeing them walk free and cleared of all their crimes, Lily had not risked the life of her son.

Instead, they had built a life here, and though she missed Britain, it had been worth it to see Harry thrive as he was.

“Where is Harry?” Lily asked as Sirius entered the kitchen.

“Mucking out the griffins,” he snorted amusedly, holding up a placating hand. “Don’t worry, I told him he has to keep his feet firmly on the ground.”

“And when has Harry ever listened to that?” Lily huffed.

“Since I told him I’d take his broom if he didn’t.”

Lily could only shake her head.

In so many ways, Harry was just like his father. He was cheeky, quick-witted, mischievous, and often found himself in trouble, but he was so very different to James in others, some rather concerning.

He was overly protective of those he cared for, to a fault, vengeful towards those that wronged him, and although he was not so quick to lose his temper, when he did, it was already rather unpleasant at his young age.

Lily hoped he would get a better grasp of it as he grew up, and had given him endless amounts of outlets for the anger he carried; flying, farming, and even various muggle martial arts at Sirius’s suggestion.

 They certainly helped, though not as much as she wished, but she understood.

Harry had spent much of his life being plagued by the nightmares of what had happened that Halloween night, something he had recounted in the most vivid of detail the night they had finally discussed it.

Flashback

“He didn’t stand a chance against him, did he?”

Lily frowned t her unusually sober son.

He’d just woken up from another nightmare, and though they had become somewhat less frequent over the years, they were still regular occurrences.

“What do you mean?” Lily asked, dreading the answer.

“Dad. He didn’t stand a chance against the Dark Lord.”

“You remember?”

Harry nodded as he wiped the tears from his eyes.

“He tried to turn the door the table into a wolf, and the broken mirror into spikes.”

Lily frowned.

Harry couldn’t possibly remember that because she had taken him upstairs before the Dark Lord had managed to cross the threshold of their home.

“He did?”

Harry nodded once more.

“The Dark Lord laughed before he killed him, and then he came for us. You tried to stop him from getting to me…”

Lily wrapped her arms around the boy.

How he could remember it all in such a way was beyond her. Did he truly, or was it merely his dreams being worse than the memories of what had occurred?

“Don’t worry, Mum, I’ll be able to protect you from him one day.”

She met the gaze of the boy, so full of determination and sincerity, and she could only offer him a sad smile.

“Harry, the Dark Lord is dead.”

“No, he isn’t,” Harry denied. “But he will be.”

There was an odd coldness to his voice, an edge that no seven-year-old should be capable of, and yet, it was as undeniable as it was purposeful.

Regardless of her own thoughts on the matter, Harry truly believed in the words he spoke, and Lily held him a little longer until he fell asleep once more, carefully covering him in his duvet before leaving the room.

“How is he?” Sirius asked worriedly.

Lily said nothing for a moment as she pondered the conversation, along with everything she had extracted from Sirius after he had retrieved their belongings from the ruins of their home.

“Shit,” she cursed, something she was not wont to do so often. “He remembers.”

“He remembers?”

Lily swallowed deeply as she nodded.

“He remembers everything, Sirius, even what he didn’t see.”

The man shook his head.

“How is that possible?”

End Flashback

They’d consulted Tullius on the matter, and the Healer had been able to offer little insight, but had assured them he would look into it. Thus far, he’d come up with nothing definitive, but Lily had not forgotten that conversation with her son, nor how it had changed him.

Harry was still just a boy, one that certainly took after James and Sirius in his ways, but he was much more studious and determined than either of them had ever been.

Often, she would catch him reading her books on Charms, or perusing things way beyond what he would be capable of even if he had a wand, and yet, he still read, still absorbed all he could and asked her or Sirius when he was not certain of something.

“Surely he cannot understand this,” Lily sighed, placing a book on defensive magic in front of Sirius.

“I think he understands more than you give him credit for. He may look like James, Lily, but he is just as much your son as he is his. I remember you when you were not much older than Harry. You constantly had your head in books and were much further along than the rest of us by the time we got to second year. For Harry, it is different.”

“How?”

“Because he has an ingrained purpose about him, something that none of us had beyond finishing our time at Hogwarts. Harry is haunted by tragedy, and to him, his goal in life is to ensure that never happens again. His father was murdered, and he will do whatever it takes to make sure that doesn’t happen to you.”

“It is my job to protect him,” Lily pointed out.

“For now,” Sirius agreed, “but one day, much sooner than you would like to admit, he will be the Lord of your family, and it will be his job to protect you. Besides, he is your son, and he understands your loss more than anyone else can. Why else do you think he is the way he is? Why do you think he spends so much reading these books?”

Lily did not wish to admit it, but she knew that Sirius was right.

The dreams, memories, or whatever it was that haunted her son had shaped him in ways that none should be subjected to, and yet, he seemed to thrive off the torment, push himself harder and further because of it, and was becoming quite the young wizard in his own right.

Lily was proud of her son but also worried for him.

Harry seemed to be taking too much upon himself, and although she knew he would have something of a difficult child in dealing with what he’d experienced, she’d not expected him to become so intent on what he seemed to be.

It frightened her, and with him due to receive his first wand tomorrow, she did not expect him to relax.

If anything, he would only become more determined, more motivated, and more likely to find himself in trouble.

“You made the right choice.”

Sirius’s words pulled her from her thoughts.

“One day, he will inevitably want to go to Britain, and all eyes will be on him, especially when he takes up his seat on the Wizengamot. People will be watching him to see what kind of man he is but now is not the right time for that. Sending him to Ilvermorny instead of Hogwarts is the right thing to do.”

Lily nodded as she released a deep breath.

Harry had wanted to attend Hogwarts, to follow in the footsteps of her, James, and Sirius, but Lily could not bring herself to allow him to do so.

No, Britain wasn’t safe for her son, perhaps never would be, but whilst it was her job to protect him from the evils of the world, she would do just that, even if Harry could not see it was for the best.

“Sirius, about tomorrow…”

“I have already visited the Valley. It is quiet enough, and portkeys are permitted. That is why I chose it to complete his shopping, but Lily, he will be alone when he goes to school in September. He’s going to have to get used to it.”

Lily nodded reluctantly.

She knew that Sirius was right, but she was struggling to loosen the reins. Harry was all she had left in the world, and with his determination to venture out into it, she felt she needed to hold him even closer.

“I know,” she conceded.

Sirius offered her a sympathetic smile.

“Believe me, I get it, and so does Harry, but it is frustrating for him. He understands why he has been kept away from much, but as he gets older, he’s going to want more. The best way for that to happen is for you to make allowances instead of him rebelling against you.”

“And you are the expert.”

Sirius nodded as he grinned.

“You knew what we were like at school. Me, James, and Remus were sheltered growing up, me because I was there prospective heir, and it was the same for James. Remus was another matter entirely,” he added with a frown.

The werewolf had reached out to Lily, questioning whether she was safe with Sirius watching over her, and the Lord Black had not taken kindly to the assumption that she wasn’t.

He’d refused to write to Remus, and the werewolf had not contacted them since receiving quite the polite but firm reply from Lily.

“Anyway, a part of why we liked to sneak out of school and get up to the things we did was because we weren’t allowed to when we were younger. It was our freedom, and we took full advantage of it.”

Lily had not missed that he hadn’t mentioned Peter.

Over the years, Sirius had ventured to Britain on several occasions to look for the man that had betrayed her family, but to no avail.

Peter was hiding, and though he was not officially wanted for committing any crimes, he evidently knew better than to show his face.

“Do you think Hary will do the same?”

Sirius’s grin widened.

“Oh, he’s going to be a troublemaker. It’s in his blood…”

“And influence,” Lily pointed out, nodding towards Sirius.

The man beamed proudly, and she narrowed her eyes at him.

“Well, dinner is almost ready. Will you fetch him from the stables?”

“Of course,” Sirius acquiesced, bowing elaborately before taking his leave of the house.

Lily was truly grateful for the man and all he’d done for her and Harry, even if he was still plagued by his bouts of immaturity.

Between him and Harry, the home could be quite chaotic, though both knew not to allow Lily to be caught in the crossfire of their ongoing pranking shenanigans.

Both would undoubtedly rue that day.

She shook her head in a mixture of frustration and amusement as continued with her cooking.

As intense and troubled as Harry could be, it truly was good to see him not lose that side to him that reminded her of her late husband.

(Break)

He leaned on his shovel as he watched the griffins grazing in the paddock.

The herd they had acquired began with one injured baby they Harry had found near one of the ponds on the land owned by the Blacks. It had been squawking loudly next to its deceased mother, which had been attacked by something undoubtedly monstrous.

Harry had dug the grave himself, and Sirius had helped him bury the majestic creature, whilst the baby had looked on.

Ever since, it had latched onto him, following him around as he went about his work on the grounds, not leaving his side whenever he left the house.

The bigger the griffin grew, the more protective of him it became, and the bond that had developed them was something Harry would not be without.

It only become that much more meaningful when he learned that his grandfather, Charlus, had rescued a herd of griffins himself, and that they had resided within the grounds of the Potter home back in Britain.

Over the past few years, others had arrived in drips and drabs, likely from other broken herds, but now, Harry looked after almost two dozen of the creatures.

Nonetheless, his bond with the very first was the strongest, and even during his very worst days, those that saw him wanting only to lock himself away from the world, Harry came here to be with them.

Under his care, Aurelius and his herd had thrived.

He’d forgone naming the babe for more than a year, expecting to wake up one morning and he would be gone, but he’d chosen to stay here, and Harry had given him his name for the beautiful colour of the feathers he’d developed as he’d grown.

Sirius had told him that golden griffins were quite rare, but the colour of his companion mattered little to Harry. So long as he was happy, healthy, an able to help him sneak away for the occasional flight, he would feel privileged for the company.

“You know, most people who look after them end up missing at least a finger or two.”

“Maybe I will,” Harry replied thoughtfully, smiling as Aurelius began walking towards him as he spotted Sirius. “I think it is more likely you’ll be missing some fingers.”

Sirius laughed.

“No, he likes me and your mother well enough, but I wouldn’t push my luck with him where you are. He might just decide he doesn’t like me so much.”

“Then it is a good job I am well behaved.”

Sirius snorted as he shook his head.

“Are you ready for tomorrow?”

“To finally get out of here for a while?”

“Harry…”

“I know. You don’t need to tell me again that this is all for my protection. I get it, Sirius, but sometimes…”

“You just want some freedom.”

“Is that too much to ask?”

Sirius said nothing.

Harry did understand why he couldn’t have a normal life like most other children, that he was still in danger, even more so than his mother realised, but that didn’t stop him wanting to have his own space and time away from here.

“You will have it soon enough come September. So, have you given any thought to which wandmaker you will visit?”

“Wolfe,” Harry answered. “Even though he specialises in thunderbird wands, he can work with just about anything.”

“You have something in mind.”

Harry nodded as he removed the golden feather from his pocket.

It was the very first one that Aurelius had shed; one of many fond memories Harry had shared with the griffin.

Flashback

“You’re bigger than me now,” Harry sighed as he stroked between the griffin’s eyes.

It had always calmed him as a babe, and he leaned into the touch, purring, growling, or whatever the equivalent was for such a creature.

“You’re not going to eat me, are you?”

Aurelius pawed the ground, chirping loudly in protest, and eliciting a chuckle from the boy.

“No, you wouldn’t do that, even though you could. It’s not like I have a wand to defend myself from you, and even if I did, I doubt it would do much good.”

Aurelius ruffled his feathers in response, and one fell from his chest.

The griffin eyed it curiously before picking it up in its beak and placing it in Harry’s hand.

It felt warm to the touch, like it was a part of him, and for several moments, he simply basked in that oddly familiar feeling, even though it was completely new.

End flashback

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a wand with a griffin feather for a core. They’re not known for bonding with people so easily. I can only think of two others who have been so fortunate. One of them was your grandfather and the other, Newt Scamander, but even in his book, he never wrote of a feather being given to him.”

“The bond I share with Aurelius is special.”

Sirius smiled as he nodded.

“It is,” he agreed, “and if Wolfe can make it work, then you might just have something special from Aurelius.”

The griffin chirped loudly, flapping his wings and covering Sirius with dust.

“It seems I have offended him again,” the man said dryly. “Come on, dinner will be ready soon.”

Harry gave the creature a final pet before following his godfather, as excited as he was nervous for what the next day would bring.

(Break)

He watched as the rest of the members of staff took their seats around the Slytherin table in the Great Hall. The only person missing was Quirrell, who’d decided to travel for the summer.

Severus had spent some of the break in Spinner’s End, but for the final month, he would be in the castle, preparing for the return of the students, which included an inevitably inept group of first years.

It was only a moment after they were settled that Albus entered carrying a large stack of parchment, and Severus knew it would be a long afternoon.

He’d been the Potions Master now for seven years since Slughorn had finally decided to retire, and Albus had all but insisted Severus take the position, and that as Head of his former house with it.

It was not how he’d envisioned his life when he’d been a student here, but here he was, all but beholden to the man that had saved him from a lengthy stint in Azkaban.

Severus was not like Lucius nor any of the other purebloods he’d thrown his lot in with. He was a half-blood, and the Prince family his mother had hailed from had been all but destitute.

All Severus had was the house that had belonged to his muggle father before his death, and something of a generous salary to live on.

Everything else he’d ever cared for had long been taken from him, and in truth, he did not even know what the future held.

One thing he was certain of was that the coming school year would be most interesting, though not in a way he was relishing.

The upcoming school year would see the biggest influx of children of former Death Eaters; Malfoy, Nott, Parkinson, Crabbe, Goyle, and the Carrow twins to go along with those already established within the castle.

It would spell trouble. Severus could already sense it, especially with the inclusion of a certain boy who would be arriving.

Lily’s son.

Having been partly raised by Black, it was inevitable that he would be a delinquent, and if he harboured as much hatred for the Death Eaters as he should, the school could become something of a warzone.

“Thank you all for joining me,” Albus offered, shuffling through the pieces of parchment before handing each of the members of staff a sheet. “As you can see, there is much for us to cover. First on the agenda is my assurance that you will all be receiving the funding you requested, thanks largely to a generous donation made by our newest governor.”

Severus did not miss the disdain in his voice.

Lucius, despite being caught up in the arrests at the end of the war, had managed to take advantage of the chaos within the Ministry of Magic to see himself clear of spending any time in Azkaban.

Had Bagnold done the right thing and questioned those captured under Veritaserum, the man would still be rotting in a cell.

The controversy surrounding Barty Crouch and his son being named amongst the Dark Lord’s followers had caused great upheaval. Barty Sr had resigned in disgrace, and many of those that should have been imprisoned for their part in the war escaped warranted justice in the aftermath.

Bagnold had resigned shortly after Crouch, and Fudge had wanted no part in pursuing those that were quick to line up to curry favour with him.

It had been a mess, and the unlikely Minister of Magic had never truly addressed it.

“So, we are to accept Lucius’s bribery,” Minerva spoke up.

“Donation to the school,” Albus corrected, though his tone was not convincing. “It is funding we could certainly use, and so long as Mr Malfoy does not attempt to use it as leverage in his new position, I see no reason not to accept it.”

The other professors murmured amongst themselves.

Although he’d become something of a philanthropist, the people of Britain had long memories. They had not forgotten what Lucius and his ilk had done.

“Moving on, you will see the list of declinations for the upcoming year,” Albus sighed. “Seven in all have decided not to accept their places here at Hogwarts.”

“Potter?” Minerva asked. “Why would Lily not send her son here?”

Severus frowned as he consulted the list for himself, just the name of the woman being spoken more than enough to see him hang his head.

There it was.

Harry Potter had officially declined his place here.

“Were you given a reason why?” Minerva pressed.

She had been fond of James Potter when he’d been a student here; his skill in Transfiguration outweighing how much of a nuisance he and his friends had been in the woman’s eyes.

“Lily does not believe it is safe for her son here,” Filius answered. “He will be schooled at Ilvermorny.”

Minerva only shook her head disappointedly in response.

Severus knew the Charms professor was still in contact with Lily. He too had written to her some years prior but had not received a reply.

It was something of a sore point for him, but no less than he deserved for his own transgressions.

“Hogwarts is the safest place in Britain,” Aurora Sinistra protested.

“Lily does not believe Britain is safe at all, and with good reason,” Filius spoke up. “We all know what happened and who managed to avoid Azkaban. I agree with her. It is best Harry Potter does not attend.”

“It will certainly ensure there is less unpleasantness between the houses,” Albus mused aloud, “but I will not pretend I am not disappointed.”

Given what was known about that Halloween night, the boy was something of an enigma, but Severus could not ignore the relief he felt.

Seeing her son every day would only serve to remind him of the life he had left behind, and seeing James Potter’s son would remind him of his own time here as a student.

Severus despised the boys’ father for all he’d done to him, for taking the one person away from him that truly meant something.

No, it was for the best that Hary did not come to Hogwarts, for Severus, and for the atmosphere of the school itself.

(Break)

The magical district of Death Valley was much bigger than Harry had anticipated, and much busier than his mother was pleased with. He felt as though he was a toddler being guided across a street with how closely she was watching him when her gaze was flitting towards any who came within ten feet of them.

“Relax, Lily,” Sirius urged.

She released a deep breath and nodded but still held the same tension.

“So, we have your books, your potion supplies, and robes along with some new clothes. All that is left is your wand and a companion.”

“I don’t want a companion,” Harry muttered. “I don’t see why I can’t take Aurelius.”

“Because he is an enormous griffin that doesn’t like anyone else except for you,” Sirius pointed out. “Why not an owl or a toad?”

Harry shook his head but shot his worried mother a look.

“I won’t need an owl to write to you, not with the gift you got yourself for my birthday.”

“That is your gift, Harry.”

He quirked an eyebrow at the woman.

She had harmed a trio of boxes so that messages could be instantly sent between her, Harry, and Sirius; an undoubtedly clever bit of magic that his mother was wont to do.

“I know, and I am grateful. It just means I don’t need another responsibility, and definitely not a toad. Who chooses a toad as a pet?”

“My friend Alice had a toad at Hogwarts.”

“Didn’t it get eaten by an owl?” Sirius asked with a grin.

Harry snickered as his mother shook her head and decided to drop the subject.

“Shall we get your wand?”

It was what he had been waiting for since he’d received his confirmation letter from the school, since he’d been much younger and seen what his mother was capable of with hers.

Harry had fallen in love with magic the very first time he had seen her produce her patronus; a stag, for his fallen father.

Now, it was finally time for him to truly begin his own journey, and for that, he would need a wand.

He felt himself filled with a sense of nervous excitement as he was led to where Mr Wolfe conducted his business, and as he entered the shop, it all but vanished as his senses were assaulted by dozens upon dozens of different magicks he could feel.

“Are you alright, Harry?” his mother asked worriedly.

He nodded.

“I’m fine.”

He was.

He’d never told his mother just how sensitive he could often be to the world around him, knowing she would only become even more protective over him.

He had mentioned it to Tullius, the Healer that often visited him, and the man had put any concern he had to rest, pointing out that so long as it did not make him feel unwell, such sensitivity could be a good thing.

“Ah, good morning, and how may I help you?”

The voice pulled Harry from his thoughts, and he looked up to be greeted by the eager gaze of an older man who, despite his advanced years, stood strong with keen eyes.

“Harry is here to purchase his first wand,” Sirius explained.

The man quirked a curious eyebrow.

“It is rare that I have a Brit in here,” he mused aloud. “Most choose Ollivander for their wand.”

“Well, Harry will be attending Ilvermorny.”

The man hummed before offering him a smile.

“Well, I did not expect that I would have the honour of providing Harry Potter his first wand. Do not worry,” he added reassuringly. “You have my utmost discretion. My name is Shikoba Wolfe of the Choctaw tribe, wandcrafter, and my mother would say troublemaker.”

With a flick of his wand, he drew the blinds in the shop and locked the door.

“Now, Mr Potter, let us see what we can find for you,” he declared, scratching his chin thoughtfully. “Yes, I expect you will be an interesting one.”

He said nothing else before disappearing into what was likely a workroom at the back of the shop.

“Are all wandmakers mad?” Sirius asked. “Ollivander is.”

“Maybe it’s the ingredients they are sniffing all day,” Harry offered. “Potioneers are the same.”

Sirius snorted as Lily levelled a glare at him, but Harry just offered her a winning smile in return.

Before she could chastise him however, Wolfe returned carrying several shrunken trunks in his arms, which he placed on the counter.

“Now, let me see,” he murmured as he restored them to their regular size. “Wood first, I think for you. Yes, wood is a good place to start.”

He unlatched three of the trunks and grinned as Harry perked up at the sudden influx of magic that assaulted his senses.

“You feel it,” Wolfe stated. “Follow it, Harry Potter. Trust your instincts.”

Harry did so and found himself standing in front of the middle trunk that he was drawn to and looking upon several samples of various woods.

“You need only take the one that calls to you,” Wolfe urged.

Reaching into the trunk, Harry removed a block of dark wood.

“Mahogony,” Wolfe murmured.

“Just like your father,” Sirius broke in, “and your grandfather.”

“It must be in your blood, Harry Potter, but there is more, isn’t there?”

Harry nodded as he reached into the trunk once more and removed another block, this one considerably paler.

“Elder,” Wolfe said curiously. “A difficult wood to master, but one certainly worth the journey if you are successful. It is as powerful as it is rare to find in the hands of a witch or wizard.”

He packed the trunks away, and Harry took a moment to familiarise himself with the woods that had chosen him.

It truly was as though he could feel them in his blood, as though they were already a part of him. It was strange but not unwelcome.

“Now, for your core,” Wolfe announced as he placed six trunks on the counter. “Some must be separated from others, or I wouldn’t have much of a store left.”

He opened the lids and Harry felt something calling to him from the middle one. Without being prompted, he stepped forward and reached in, removing a glass vial.

Within was an iridescent feather, shimmering between hues of gold, silver, blue and green.

“I remember this creature well,” Wolfe chuckled, holding up his hand and pointing to a prominent scar. “I tracked it for weeks, but I got one of his feathers eventually, and he got me.”

“What was it?” Harry asked.

“A thunderbird,” Wolfe answered. “A particularly stubborn and vicious one. They don’t like having their feathers plucked, but this one…”

He broke off as he shook his head.

“It bit you?”

“A bite would’ve been a mercy. No, it struck me with lightning.”

He rolled his sleeve up to show a myriad of scars, undoubtedly from his rather hazardous profession, but it was the one he traced with his finger that ran the length of his arm, branching out in various directions until it reached just below his neck.

“It then proceeded to stalk me for several miles, bringing a great storm with it. I like to think it was for a worthy cause, and now, I am certain of it.”

Harry nodded as he eyed the three different components, frowning as he reached into his pocket and retrieved the feather he’d been gifted by Aurelius.

“Is it possible to add this too?”

Wolfe carefully took the feather, between his thumb and forefinger and his eyebrows disappeared into his hairline.

“A marvellous beast,” he whispered, “and quite the bond you share with it.”

He fell silent, and Harry felt his mother’s hand come to rest on his shoulder.

“Yes, your wand will be a volatile one, Mr Potter, but a powerful one if you prove yourself worthy of it. The griffin and the thunderbird must accept one another. At the very least, it will be most interesting.”

He said nothing else as he once more returned to the room at the back of the shop, and Harry looked towards his mother and Sirius as a gentle, soothing music began to play.

“I suppose we wait,” Sirius said with a shrug.

They did so, listening to the music and the occasional sound of Wolfe at work that reached them, until a sudden pulsing of magic pulled Harry from his thoughts once more.

How long they had waited, he didn’t know, but only a moment later, a dishevelled Wolfe emerged, wiping a layer of perspiration from his brow as he shook his head.

“Just as I thought, as powerful as it is volatile, but if it truly is a match for you…”

He opened a mahogany box that matched one part of his wand, and Harry simply marvelled at what the man had created.

“Mahogany and elder, eleven- and three-quarter inches, with a feather from both a golden griffin and a thunderbird.”

The wand itself was almost black but with subtle swirls of white and gold running through it when it caught the light in a certain way. The tip of the handle had been shaped into two intertwining claws, and Harry carefully reached out his hand to take it.

He had been waiting for as long as he could remember for this day, and as he grasped the wand, he felt his own magic and that of the two creatures begin to pulse through him.

For several moments, it was quite overwhelming, and when he finally felt as though he could breathe once more, he found it was laboured and hitched in his chest.

“Quite astounding,” Wolfe said thoughtfully, beaming from ear to ear, “but I expected it.”

“You did?”

Wolfe nodded.

“Your wand is quite unique. In all my years, I have never combined elder with thunderbird, and a more stubborn one could not have chosen you, but the mahogany and griffin feather forced them to co-exist. You see, thunderbirds and griffins usually avoid one another out there. Both are powerful creatures in their own right and respect one another enough to avoid conflict. In this instance, they were forced to confront one another and ultimately decided that you were worth putting their differences aside for.”

“What if they hadn’t?” Sirius asked.

“I cannot say for certain, but I expect it would’ve been most unpleasant for me. Fortunately, that is not something we have to consider. Now, Mr Potter, I think we can expect some exceptional things from you. Do come and visit me from time to time. I am most curious to see how your bond is forged and hear of your inevitable adventures.”

Harry merely nodded in response, at something of a loss as to what to say and allowed himself to be steered from the shop after Sirius had paid for Wolfe’s work.

He only had eyes for the wand he now carried, felt much safer for it despite his inexperience with magic, and couldn’t wait to return home where his journey would truly begin.

Harry had not forgotten the promise he had made to his mother the night they’d spoken of what had happened when he’d been but a babe.

Lily and James Potter had sacrificed all they’d had so that he might live, and now, it was time for Harry to ensure that it his father’s death nor mother’s loss had been in vain.

He would keep his promise to the woman that had given him life, would ensure that the Dark Lord could cause her no further harm.

“Inevitable adventures,” he whispered, echoing the ominous words of the wandmaker.

“It means unavoidable, Harry,” Sirius explained.

Harry nodded and caught sight of his mother’s pale expression before he took her hand, giving it a comforting squeeze. He could not alleviate her fears for him with a lie, nor make any promises he couldn’t keep, but to him, the only one that mattered was the one already given.

Lily Potter would not like all that was to come, and although Wolfe could not possibly know just how apt his assessment was, Harry knew that much was truly unavoidable to right the wrongs of the past so that he may truly live a life worthy of all that had been sacrificed for him.