The Hidden Snake of the Lions (Harry Potter SI): Chapter 9

I stared at the Half-Giant that sat on my floor with a relatively large cake packed in a squished box.

On some levels, it feels good to know that the world has changed much from what I remember from my old life.

Back in the day, people like him would have been heavily discriminated against and would almost be on the level of slaves.

It is no exaggeration to say that the Wizarding world of that time was basically a semi-medieval society.

Not to mention how much Ranrok’s rebellion escalated the issue and caused a lot of problems for half-breeds or people with Magical Creature blood in their ancestry.

There were some good people, to be sure. One of my best friends, Ominis Gaunt, was one such person.

He belonged to a pure blood family, an ancient one at that, but he held no ill will towards most people. Granted, the way he spoke most of the time grated people’s nerves, not to mention his blindness weirding people out, but beneath that prickly nature was a kind heart that genuinely cared about his friends.

He had even used the power of his family name, something that he loathed to do, to help Sebastian out of Azkaban after all the debacle where he accidentally killed his uncle. Not that I kept silent since, during the one year that Sebastian was imprisoned, I had also gained a considerable level of political power thanks to my prodigious talent in potion crafting and my proficiency in ‘hunting’ dangerous magical creatures.

The fools never knew that I wasn’t really killing those magical creatures and instead storing them up in the Vivarium. Later on, Poppy would get in touch with her contacts to smuggle these beasts out of Hogwarts and help them resettle in their natural habitats, or they would be placed in a sanctuary where they could peacefully live their lives.

Looking at the jolly bloke who was staring at me nervously as Vritra hissed in distress and anger at the way he entered our house, I couldn’t help but smile.

Yes. Things are much, much better nowadays for all sorts of people.

Shaking my head to get rid of those thoughts, I spoke out seriously.

“You said your name is Hagrid, right?”

“Yes. Harry. I have been instructed by Professor Dumbledore to take you to Diagon Alley so that you can get your material for the school year.”

You are a little late on that front, buddy.

However, this could be an opportunity I can take advantage of.

“Oh! And also, before I forget, here!”

He pushed forward the squished box and opened it to reveal a somewhat intact cake.

His bright smile felt like it could light up a room.

“Happy Birthday, Harry!”

……………How strange. I thought I was done feeling emotional fluctuations.

Looking at the man, for a split second, I was reminded of many, many happy occasions that I shared with my loved ones in all of my lives.

Even back before I was Adrian-No!

I shook my head and forcefully suppressed those memories.

I promised myself that I was done with my first life, that I would never think back to that time ever again when I was reborn as Adrian.

Pushing aside all those feelings, I took a deep breath and stared seriously at the man.

“I am not a naïve child, Hagrid. I know very well that a school like Hogwarts would not send their groundskeeper, as you said you were for a single child. So, what is your angel here? What do you gain from this?”

Hagrid gave me a dry stare.

“You say you are not naïve and behave as if you are cautious of me. But if you are really serious about all that, why are you discreetly pulling that cake towards yourself?”

“……This and that are two different things. Besides, you must be seeing things.”

“That right?”

It is quite shameful that I am unable to meet his eyes when he questions me like that.

There are many, many downsides of having an adult mind within a child's body. But the biggest flaw is that utter lack of control over my emotions and instincts, which lead a great deal of humiliation for my pride.

Case in point, the way my body is instinctively craving for that cake and is pulling it towards me.

And given the excited hiss that Vritra gave as the cake got close, she is craving that thing just as much as my body.

“Putting that aside. I need to ask a few questions, Hagrid.”

The half-giant grinned at my words.

“Ask away!”

“You said that the school sent you here to help me pick up the material for the school. So, does that mean the school was about to pay for my stuff since I don’t have any of the currency for the Wizarding world?”

Hagrid looked confused at my words.

“Huh!? Why would the school pay for you when you already have your inheritance from your parents?”

“…..Hagrid. I don’t have any inheritance. The Goblins at Gringotts said that the key to the vault is with Dumbledore.”

Hagrid nodded at my words but still looked confused.

“That is true. He gave me the key today so that I could give it to you and help you get the money from the vault for your stuff. But what I am confused about is why you don’t know any of that. I mean, your Aunt and Uncle should have told you about all of this from the very beginning, right? About your inheritance, the house you have in Hogsmeade, and your official deed as the heir to Lilly and James Potter.”

Anger once again bubbled to the surface within my mind, but I controlled it much better than I could do more than a year or two ago.

I had thought that the Dursleys were terrified enough of me to not keep anything secret within this house. But I guess their fear of the Wizarding World runs deeper than I had assumed.

An oversight on my part.

Oh well, not like it matters to me anymore.

Once I get to Hogwarts, hopefully, I’ll never have to see their faces ever again.

“Hagrid. They never told me any of that. In fact, they kept me away from the wizarding world for the majority of my life. If it were not for my ‘accidental magic’ which affected them some time ago, they would never have revealed anything to me.”

Half-truths, all of them.

It is true that the Dursleys hate anything to do with Magic. I saw that first hand growing up until I snapped that day.

The only lie I told here is about them telling me anything about magic and that the spells I used to traumatize this family were accidental. A necessary lie, but a lie nonetheless.

Even for Wizards, my story would be bizarre enough to warrant a thorough study. And knowing what I know, that study would come at the expense of my life.

I also don’t want to end up in the Azkaban so early in my life because I used magic on muggles without proper authorization.

I really, really, hate how much of a bureaucratic and restrictive mess the modern Wizarding World has become.

It showed how naïve Hagrid is with how easily he accepted my story full of holes and nodded seriously.

“Worst kind of Muggles, the Dursleys. If it were up to us, we would never have placed you in their care.”

I nodded at these words.

“I understand. But we are digressing from the topic. You said you wanted to give me the key to my inheritance?”

“Ah! Yes! Sorry about that. I tend to get carried away and distracted a lot.”

I can see that, you big buffoon.

……But I can’t say I don’t like it.

I hid my smile as the half-giant started to pat down his coat.

Such purity of heart is extremely rare to see, and I sincerely hope you never end up losing it.

I watched as the man finally fished out a key and placed it in my hand.

“Here you go! Key to Vault 687, your parent’s personal Vault.”

I nodded my head absentmindedly as I palmed the key, lost in memories as I remembered the day I saw this key disappear from the Potter home a few days before the attack back then.

Dad had taken this key with him along with a will that he and Mum had drawn up, saying that he was making a few contingencies, just in case.

“So, shall we go? Harry?”

Hagrid’s words pulled me out of my mind and back to reality.

With a deep breath, I nodded my head.

Time to see just what kind of contingency my father in this life had made.