Muggle-Raised Champion

Unexpected Present

Disclaimer – I solemnly swear that JKR owns everything Harry Potter. Whether or not I am up to no good with her characters is for you to decide.

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4:05pm

Tuesday, 1 November 1994

Park near Stonewall High, Surrey

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"Welcome to adulthood, Harry," Bagman beamed, shaking Harry's hand.

Glancing at his watch, Harry let loose an exasperated growl.

"Sheesh, I'm late for work!" he exploded. "You guys said that you could get me there instantly? Well, now's the time to do it."

Bartemius Crouch's raised hand froze him as he half-stood from the bench seat.

"In a moment, Mister Potter," the wizard said. "Firstly we'll need to get you to show us where it is on this map." A map materialised from an outside pocket of his jacket. "But you may want to take a moment to think about things before you go rushing off."

"What things?" Harry snapped.

"The fact that you're about to leave Surrey to go to Hogwarts," Crouch replied. "You will need to quit your job."

Dropping back into his seat, Harry ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, you're right. I am going to have to quit, aren't I?"

"Not to mention do a spot of shopping," Bagman suggested. "At the very least you'll need school supplies and, if I might suggest it, some new clothes?"

Harry's eyes dropped to survey the old clothes of Dudley's that his Aunt Petunia had dyed for him before sewing on the badge that adorned his jumper. The man was right. He did need new clothes. Suddenly an image of a small gold key dropping into the bottom of the cavity under his floorboards blossomed into his mind.

"I'm going to need money for that," Harry said slowly before looking up. "I've still got the key to my vault at home."

"That'll be a help," Bagman beamed. "As will this."

Harry's eyes shifted to the envelope that Crouch had just placed between them. With a quizzical look at the two wizards, Harry picked it up and opened it. Its thickness was explained the instant that he looked inside it. His head snapped up, piercing the wizards in his gaze.

"A little something from the Ministry of Magic for the ... disruption that this is causing in your life," Crouch explained.

"How much is in here?" Harry asked sotto voce.

"A thousand muggle pounds," Bagman beamed. "Should be enough for some new clothes. And it matches this."

This was apparently a small bag of large gold coins.

"Two hundred galleons," Bagman stated, giving the combined answer of how much was in there and what the coins were called before Harry could ask.

With more money than Harry had ever seen in his life, if he discounted the mountain of gold inside the vault that his parents had left him, his mind suddenly went blank.

"We understand that this is a little overwhelming," Mister Crouch said gently, "but we really are on a tight schedule. We can give you the rest of today and tomorrow to get your affairs in order. The day after, you must be at Hogwarts."

"Okay, okay," Harry said slowly, trying to get the thoughts that had gone from nothing to a thousand miles a second back under control. "How will I be getting around?"