Chapter One: Mystery Lady Ron huddled in the lee of the grimy brick wall, just at the entrance to Knockturn Alley and waited. He was eighteen and was about to forbid his mother's cautions about entering the place. His rebellion was coming late in his teens but it couldn't be helped. He had taken a supporting role to his best friend for so long that he desperately wanted to gain some notoriety of his own, at least amongst his peers. So there he stood, shivering despite the July sun beating down on him and waiting until the rest of the street was clear. Just in case someone tried to stop him.
At last, as his freckles reached their maximum obviousness, the street was empty and he made a dash down the long dark alley that led to the most dangerous part of the wizarding world that was still sanctioned by the Ministry. He kept his head down, making sure to meet no-one's eyes as he passed the few rough denizens until he reached the widening street where the shops that hosted the darkest arts were located. He risked a look upwards and blinked in the dim light. Somehow, the place was suffused with the emanations of what it housed and he had to squint to see into the windows of the shops. Pausing, he looked around carefully to get his bearings.
To his right were an shady looking inn, a shop with a worn porch and a grimy window that kept opening and closing to dispense what he assumed were foodstuffs, a couple of street vendors selling what appeared to be cursed charms and foreign magic like voodoo dolls and a dilapidated building with a partial sign still attached claiming to be the home of the best poisons and potions. He shuddered and turned to his left.
The other direction held more shops with each window more grimy and dirty than the last. He shook his head, wondering how anyone knew what the shops were selling. Gathering his courage and shaking back his shaggy red hair, he began to make his way towards the first shop.
As he reached the window, he peered inside and was startled to see a large picture of a Dementor staring back at him. He stumbled away, and found himself colliding with a beautiful woman with long chestnut hair. He stared at her as she helped him steady himself, and was amazed to find himself reacting sexually to her touch on his shoulder. His eyes were caught by her dark brown ones and he found that he had noticed that she too had a spray of freckles across her nose, much like his own. She smiled at him and then quirked an eyebrow.
"Are you alright?" She queried, her voice sweet and lyrical.
Ron swallowed hard and hurriedly licked his lips, hoping his voice wouldn't crack.
"Uhm, yeah, yeah I'm fine. Sorry." He was able to stammer without sounding like
a prepubescent teen.
"It's okay. I don't bruise that easy." She said and smiled at him again, causing more reaction than he liked to have in public. She continued, "If you don't mind me saying, you don't look the type be down here."
He felt his face flush redder than his hair as he tried to think of a response. She must have read his mind as she laughed.
"It's okay. Everyone explores down here at some point." She released his
shoulder and stood facing him. He noticed that she was shorter than him with
soft, womanly curves in all the right places. He felt his loins betray him even
more. He hoped she wouldn't notice.
"Well, yeah actually, me mum said I wasn't to come here, but I couldn't help
myself. I just wanted to...see, really, what all the fuss was about and since my
best friend is Harry Po -". He stopped short, hoping he hadn't said too much,
since Harry was a wanted man these days.
The woman eyed him carefully, still smiling and took him by the arm. As she led
him back towards the alley that led back to Diagon Alley, she leaned close and
spoke low.
"I know who you are dear, your hair gives you away and you look an awful lot like
your father. But Ron, I don't think you should say your friend's name out loud like
that. These days it's liable to get the same reaction as Voldemort." She finished,
her lips mere inches from his ear.
They had reached the Diagon Alley again as she finished where they paused.
"Don't look so amazed." She said laughing at him gently. "And close your mouth,
you're catching flies. Now come on, come have lunch with me and I promise to
reveal my sources."
She took him by the arm again and led him away.