The goblin returned, followed by a young man. "I'm sorry, but all your relevant apartments and houses are currently occupied. They give you a nice income, although you'll only be able to access that money after you grow up a bit. We shall currently work with your original idea, of staying in that hotel for the rest of this month. Young Mr Weasley, who's recently joined our apprentice program, is willing to help you."
Harry looked at the young redhead man. Although not a competent judge of character, he thought that the man looked like a nice enough person. He hoped he could trust him. The man, though, seemed surprised as he noticed the peculiar scar on Harry's head. "Mr Potter, it is an honour to do anything to help you. My name is William Weasley, but you may call me Bill, as most do. I promise to do all I can for you and to keep it completely secret."
The goblin nodded its head approvingly. "You can discuss the details in here for a few more minutes, and then you should leave, so that Mr Potter can act on time."
They reached the hotel with half an hour to spare. They found a man, about forty, at the reception desk. He looked at Harry disapprovingly. "My daughter told me about you. Letting you stay for the night was against the regulations. I hope you don't expect us to act illegally, as that may cost us our license."
"No, sir, although I really appreciate your daughter's help. Had she not accepted me, I would have been forced to find some shelter under a bridge or some similar place."
The man sighed. "She does have a kind heart. I only hope it doesn't run us out of business."
Bill found it the right time to speak. "Well, sir, maybe I can help straighten things up. I'm his cousin, and I'm old enough to rent a hotel room. I'd like Mr Potter to move in with me until he starts school since the family he stayed with can no longer keep him, but I live in a very small apartment and there's simply no room for another bed. Will it be alright if I rent the room for the rest of the month and let my cousin use it?"
The man checked through some papers he was keeping in a folder. "I'm not sure it's really right to do so, but it doesn't seem to be against the regulations. I still must insist on having your credit card details, or on a down payment for a week, at least."
Bill seemed a bit unsure. "I don't use a credit card – it's too tempting, making one spend much more than is advisable. I can give you cash to cover the first few days, and I'll send some more by the end of the week. Don't you have reduced rates for long-term rentals?"
The man kept frowning, although he seemed glad that he could help Harry and still obey the regulations. "Well, for long-term rentals, we include breakfast in the basic room price."
Harry smiled at him. "Thank you, sir. You're just as helpful as your daughter."
Bill handed the man some banknotes and got a receipt. They then went back out. Once they walked a block away, they stopped. "Thank you, Bill. I really appreciate your help,"
"It was nothing. I would have helped even if it wasn't a part of my job. I'd like to get to know you better, though, and I think I can also help you learn a bit about the world you're going into."
Harry smiled. "That would be very welcome. I feel like I have a lot to learn."
"Would you like to meet me at Diagon Alley when I finish work?"
"No. Being famous in the magical world makes it safer if we meet somewhere else." He looked around, noticing a small café nearby. "We can meet there if you like."
Bill glanced at the place, noticing some booths that gave better privacy than the regular tables. "Yes, that should be fine. I'll be there shortly after six in the evening."
"Thank you, Bill. I really appreciate this."
–..–
Once they parted, Harry returned to the hotel. He first checked his room, making sure that Hedwig went away. He didn't expect her presence to be welcome. He then checked the rest of the room to see if he could easily stow his school stuff there. Eventually, he decided to leave it in storage at the train station. His big trunk and Hedwig's cage could attract some unwelcome attention, he couldn't let his books be seen by others, and he already knew he could afford to pay for the storage.
With that decision made, he had to see what he could do to occupy himself during the rest of his stay. He wondered if Bill could have any suggestions. Still, he had about half a day until they met again. Instead, he went back to the reception desk. This time, he found a woman there, who was clearly Selma's mother. They almost looked like the same person at different ages.