Harry frowned as he read the last section of the supply list, before the 'reminder' that first year students weren't allowed their own broomsticks.
Students living in the muggle world will also need:
- At least one and no more than three combat knives with basic muggle repelling enchantments. If multiple knives are brought they should all be identical.
- At least one and no more than two sheaths suitable for holding their knives with basic muggle repelling enchantments. Wand storage additions are recommended but not required.
- Non-magical Self Defense for the Witch or Wizard by Thomas Brown.
"Why do those living in the muggle world need knives?" Harry asked.
"Ah," Hagrid replied. "That's the ICW's doin. Big stink years ago over kids not havin any way to pertect themselves without violatin the statute. Dumbledore said somethin about havin a surprise for ye, there."
"Oh."
Harry put that out of his mind for now, only for both him and Hagrid to be caught short after getting money and whatever that package Hagrid had from the bank.
"Please hold on a moment," Griphook said. "There's still one more piece of business to take care of today."
"We've got a lot of things to pick up," Hagrid challenged.
"And this will cover at least part of your list," the goblin replied. "It's also us delivering a birthday gift for Mister Potter here."
Hagrid fidgeted for a moment before sighing. "Well, alright. Can't keep him from a birthday gift."
Griphook led them to a room where another goblin was waiting with a large box sitting on a table. "Mister Potter, this is Ragnaff."
"Good morning," Harry greeted the goblin.
"Good morning to you as well," Ragnaff said. "Now get over here so we can get this over with." Harry moved over to the table and the goblin continued. "Mister Potter, I want you to know that this is very unusual, but was also one of the most interesting projects I've ever worked on. Ten years ago the nation was approached by Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, and Filius Flitwick about creating these for you. They were concerned both about the challenges you'd face in the future and dismayed about how your caretakers would treat you. The three of them proved themselves before spending many hours over five years working with me, a particularly intelligent bypass of our laws on ownership of items like these.
"Though even they don't know the full story behind what
I've done to them. Took it as a bit of a challenge, I did, and I dare say that I surpassed myself. Learned quite a bit as well, of course. Now then, open the box up."
Harry nodded slightly before opening the box, revealing what looked to be two matched knives in sheaths. The handles looked to be wrapped in a leather of some kind, with jewels around the pommels surrounded by lots of little carvings. The sheaths themselves were black and looked to be made of a scale-covered material. After a quick look at Ragnaff, Harry picked one of the knives up and carefully removed it from the sheath, revealing a silver blade with 'Potter' seemingly etched in it. The knife even glowed for a moment, before settling down.
"One matched set of combat knives," Ragnaff said. "With every useful enchantment we could put on them and the sheaths. Muggle repelling, ever-sharp, self-cleaning, sure-grip, anti-summoning
unless you're the one doing the summoning, and many others. The sheaths themselves also have generic notice-me-nots and can't be removed by anyone other than yourself when you're wearing them. All four are already magically bound to you. There's a manual with instructions and care details included."
"Thank you," Harry said, amazed at the knives.
"I was paid handsomely for my part in creating them, but you're welcome all the same. Now then, even with instructions putting them on can be tricky, so I'll show you that now. No need for you to remain unarmed any longer than necessary."
Harry had worn the knives out of the bank, one on each arm. Ragnaff had even recommended that he wear at least one when bathing 'just in case', alternating which so as to not neglect cleaning under either sheath more than the other. Thanks to the notice-me-not enchantments the two went unnoticed through the rest of his shopping. Hagrid even had to be reminded of them before they attempted to get a more 'standard' set of knives.
A ponce named Malfoy, obviously not noticing the knives, had gone on about how it was 'barbaric' that those living with 'filth' had to have knives while also whining about how his mother wouldn't permit him to bring knives of his own 'to show the filth how it was done'. On top of several other topics, none of which endeared Harry to the git. The boy's comments about Hagrid hadn't helped either.
On the other end of the spectrum, Ollivander
had, somehow, picked up on the existence of the knives in their sheaths. He'd been inordinately fascinated with the knives themselves for some reason as well. That was okay, though, as the man had been able to show Harry how to properly store his new wand in one of the slots available in addition to pointing out where some other tools should go based on the shapes of the openings. Apparently he had slots for some material-gathering tools. Ones Ollivander would use for gathering wand-making materials but that Harry would likely find to be more useful for gathering potions ingredients.
It was only after Harry had gotten home and settled in with Hedwig that he remembered the instruction manual for the knives and sheaths. He dug that out of his things and read through it, finding that he was definitely out of his depth when it came to most of the descriptions. But it was a handwritten additional page jammed in the back that caught his attention the most.
Mister Potter,
I believe Dumbledore suspects what I've done to your knives, but he did not ask and I have not confirmed it for him. Thanks to the use of some of your blood, goblin spell-crystals, and taking advantage of a ritual to cleanse an artifact from one of the vaults I was able to make your knives function as wands.
You should endeavor to keep this fact secret, for if your enemies do not know about it then it will serve you best. At the same time, they aren't wands and thanks to not incorporating wood in their construction they shouldn't trigger the infamous trace used to track underage magic.
You can consider this additional feature to be my gift to you, for your birthday and for the trouble you saved the Goblin Nation as a babe. My spouse, on the other hand, has written the instructions for the shrinking and feather-light charms on the backside of this page. They may be useful when you are going to and coming from the train.
-Ragnaff