Apparition.
That was the magic Lucas had just used.
Back when he had been recovering at the Worley family estate, he had specifically asked Mr Worley to teach him the spell.
Naturally, Mr Worley had agreed immediately.
At this point, as long as Lucas didn't abduct his daughter, the man was perfectly happy to support whatever he wanted.
And for someone carrying the Great Magician template, learning Apparition had been ridiculously easy. Lucas had mastered it faster than most adults learned basic household charms.
CRACK!
A sharp sound echoed through the air.
Harry suddenly felt as though his entire body had been squeezed through a tiny rubber tube.
His stomach twisted violently.
A second later, both of them appeared inside a narrow alleyway not far from the Leaky Cauldron.
Harry immediately bent over and started vomiting breakfast onto the pavement.
Lucas waited patiently beside him.
"The first Apparition experience usually isn't pleasant," he said sympathetically. "Some people faint. One bloke I heard about screamed for ten minutes afterwards."
Harry wiped his mouth weakly. "I think I'm dying."
"You're fine."
After Harry finally recovered enough to stand properly, Lucas led him towards the street ahead while casually explaining what had happened with the Dursleys.
More specifically, he explained the fake "magical contract."
Harry burst into laughter the moment he heard Vernon had been tricked into signing it.
Honestly, seeing the Dursleys get fooled so thoroughly felt incredibly satisfying.
Even the lingering nausea from Apparition faded considerably after imagining Vernon panicking over fake magical punishments.
Naturally, Lucas carefully left out the part where he had bribed Vernon with gold.
Instead, he simply explained that he had arranged a small "living allowance" from Harry's parents' remaining funds.
"You'll still need to return to Privet Drive during holidays," Lucas said while walking. "But trust me, from now onwards they'll treat you better than Dudley."
Harry looked doubtful.
"If they don't," Lucas continued calmly, "tell me immediately."
Then he added with a grin, "Though remember not to expose the contract trick. Confidentiality matters."
Harry nodded seriously.
"Thank you, Lucas."
His voice carried genuine sincerity.
Lucas shrugged casually. "Professor Dumbledore asked me to pick you up. Besides, if there's an easy way to improve someone's miserable childhood slightly, why wouldn't I do it?"
Harry's eyes practically glowed with gratitude.
Lucas secretly nodded to himself.
Step One: success.
Trust always began with gratitude.
And nothing created gratitude faster than helping someone during the worst period of their life.
Even adults often fell for that emotional instinct.
Harry, meanwhile, was still an innocent eleven-year-old who had never experienced genuine kindness before. To him, Lucas already looked almost heroic.
Soon, the Leaky Cauldron came into view.
Harry stared in surprise.
People walking along the busy London street constantly glanced away from the shabby old pub without seeming to properly notice it. Some unconsciously avoided walking too close entirely.
"It's hidden from Muggles," Lucas explained casually. "Most non-magical people barely register it exists."
He pointed towards the old wooden sign swinging above the entrance.
"The Leaky Cauldron. I've been staying here recently while waiting for Hogwarts term to begin."
Then Lucas pushed open the door and stepped inside.
Warm noise and chatter instantly flooded out from the pub.
The Leaky Cauldron looked old, crowded, and slightly gloomy, but the atmosphere inside felt lively and strangely welcoming.
The moment they entered, a bald man behind the bar spotted Lucas and waved enthusiastically.
"Lucas! You didn't return last night," he called out cheerfully. "By the way, your hotpot recipe's brilliant. I was wondering if I could add it to the pub menu."
"Go ahead," Lucas replied easily. "Honestly, if you start serving it regularly, I won't have to cook my own anymore."
Tom laughed loudly.
"Perfect! Then your meals here are free from now o—"
Suddenly, his eyes landed on Harry's forehead.
More specifically—
On the lightning scar.
Tom froze.
His voice suddenly became shaky.
"W-Wait… could it really be…"
The pub gradually fell silent.
One by one, heads turned towards Harry.
Then the entire room exploded.
"HARRY POTTER?!"
Harry nearly got buried alive.
Witches and wizards rushed over from every direction trying to shake his hand. Some stared at him in awe. Others looked emotional enough to cry.
Harry himself looked completely overwhelmed.
Although Lucas had already warned him about his fame, Harry never imagined it would be this ridiculous.
Meanwhile, Lucas quietly scanned the crowd.
Then he spotted him.
Professor Quirrell.
The man wore the exact same ridiculous purple turban from the original story and moved with awkward, nervous stutters.
Even now, Quirrell still approached Harry to shake his hand.
Lucas's eyes narrowed slightly.
Underneath that turban sat Voldemort himself.
That alone made Quirrell one of the most dangerous people in Britain.
Lucas casually kept the encounter brief before smoothly pulling Harry away from the crowd.
Eventually they escaped through the rear of the pub and entered a small enclosed courtyard surrounded by brick walls and overflowing rubbish bins.
Harry finally breathed in relief.
"Are all wizard pubs like that?"
Lucas smirked. "Only when famous celebrities appear inside them."
Then he pointed towards the brick wall ahead.
"Watch carefully, Harry. You'll need to remember this later."
Standing beside a dustbin, Lucas raised his ebony wand.
"Count three bricks up from the bin," he explained calmly, "then two across."
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
The wall immediately began moving.
Bricks twisted and folded apart automatically, opening into a magnificent archway leading towards a bustling magical street beyond.
Harry's jaw dropped completely.
Diagon Alley.
Shops lined both sides of the cobbled road beneath colourful signs and hanging banners. Owls flew overhead carrying parcels while crowds of witches and wizards wandered between magical storefronts.
Harry stood there speechless.
Lucas grinned slightly before walking inside.
"Well? Coming?"
Harry hurried after him.
While they walked, Lucas gestured towards Harry's Hogwarts letter.
"Still have it?"
Harry quickly pulled it out.
"Good. Open the second page. That's your school supply list."
Harry scanned the parchment nervously.
Wands.
Potion cauldrons.
Robes.
Books.
Everything looked unbelievably expensive.
After a moment, Harry lowered the letter awkwardly.
"Lucas… I don't actually have any money."
He hesitated slightly.
"The Dursleys never really gave me pocket money."
Lucas blinked.
Then he casually pulled a small golden key from his pocket and dropped it into Harry's hand.
"Your parents left you a fortune."
Harry froze.
"That's the key to your family vault."
Harry stared at the tiny key like it might explode.
"So first," Lucas said calmly, "we're visiting Gringotts."
As they headed towards the massive white marble bank at the far end of Diagon Alley, Lucas entertained Harry with stories about goblins.
"Don't insult their craftsmanship," he warned seriously. "And definitely don't attempt to rob the bank."
Harry blinked. "Has someone tried before?"
Lucas grinned.
"Apparently goblins consider dragons, underground death traps, and eternal curses to be 'basic customer security.'"
As the two boys disappeared deeper into Diagon Alley, a cloaked figure slowly emerged from the shadows of a nearby alleyway.
The man's face remained completely hidden beneath his hood.
Silently, he watched Lucas and Harry walking away.
Then after several moments—
He vanished.
Meanwhile, inside Gringotts, a goblin clerk carefully inspected Harry's vault key before nodding sharply.
Lucas then produced another sealed letter.
"Professor Dumbledore also instructed me to retrieve an item from Vault Seven Hundred and Thirteen."
The goblin's sharp eyes immediately changed slightly upon seeing Dumbledore's seal.
Harry looked curious.
"What's in Vault 713?"
Lucas shrugged. "No idea. Dumbledore's mission, not mine."
Naturally, that was a lie.
He knew exactly what sat inside the vault.
The Philosopher's Stone.
Soon afterwards, a goblin named Griphook led them onto one of Gringotts' underground mine carts.
The tiny vehicle shot forwards instantly like a rocket.
Harry screamed.
Lucas looked delighted.
The cart raced wildly through twisting underground tunnels at terrifying speeds before finally arriving at Harry's vault.
Once the heavy doors opened—
Harry stopped breathing.
Mountains of gold coins glittered inside.
Silver Sickles and bronze Knuts spilled across the floor beneath piles of Galleons.
Harry stared blankly.
"All this… belongs to me?"
Lucas nodded casually.
"Your parents left it for you."
Harry looked completely dazed.
Lucas helped him pack enough money for two school terms before explaining the wizarding currency system.
"One Galleon equals seventeen Sickles. One Sickle equals twenty-nine Knuts."
Harry blinked.
"That sounds complicated."
Lucas sighed dramatically. "Exactly! Took me ages to memorise."
Harry thought about it for several seconds.
Then he tilted his head slightly.
"It actually doesn't sound that hard."
Lucas fell silent.
....
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