Harry Potter and the Magic of Love

Chapter 2: Diagon Alley

Harry went back downstairs to the kitchen and sat down for lunch. After a while of talking with the girls, Ginny stayed up in her room for most of the day, Fred, George, Ron and Percy, Mr. Weasley came in. "Morning, Weasleys!" he announced. "Nine raids today. Nine!" Harry remembered what Ron said about his dad working in the Ministry of Magic. "Who are you?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm Harry. Harry Potter." Harry said holding out his hand.

"Are you really? When did he get here?" asked Mr. Weasley curiously. Hallie and Annie exchanged a look and tucked into their lunch.

"Your sons went flew that car of yours to Surrey and back last night. Not to mention, they got the girls as well." Mrs. Weasley said holding a spatula.

"Did you really? How did it go?" asked Mr. Weasley proudly. His wife smacked him on the shoulder and he changed his attitude about it. "That was wrong boys, very wrong indeed." Ron grinned. "So, girls, how did you like the flight?"

"Well, being the first time flying in a car, it was good," said Hallie. "The only time I ever flew was to camp, but that was in an airplane."

"Ah, that's interesting." Mr. Weasley said interestedly. "Honestly, it's curious how Muggles can survive without magic! Anyway, I'm glad you got here safely. Annie, the last time your mother sent a picture of you, you had longer hair, who cut it?"

"That would be Hallie's doing, thanks," said Annie, "The night before camp ended, which was yesterday, Hallie had this brilliant plan of switching places on our parents, but Ron, Fred and George came over and brought us here."

"Well, you look gorgeous," said Mrs. Weasley making Annie smile and blush a little. "I see you got your ears pierced? Did your sister do that, too?" Annie nodded. "As I said, you look gorgeous." George explained that Hallie's dad didn't know she was at the Burrow. "Oh, dear! Arthur, send Erroll to Nick explaining where Hallie's at so he doesn't get too worried. If nothing else, Apparate there and explain what's going on." Mr. Weasley nodded and left.

Mr. Weasley came back nearly two hours later with a small smile. Mrs. Weasley asked what had happened and he told her and the others. "Well, Mr. Parker wasn't too happy with this, but he said that he was at least proud of his daughter at meeting her family." he said sitting down. "Your dog, Sammy, really likes me, by the way. He bit my right on my ass, and I have teeth marks to prove it."

"Oh, sorry!" said Hallie. She looked sincerely sorry about the bite. "Sammy doesn't know you, so he'll try and protect my dad and Chessy."

"Yes, well, at least Chessy was nicer. She actually served me some cornbread and chili, and gave me the recipe for it." said Mr. Weasley handing over a small piece of paper. "It's not that hard to make, it seems, so Molly can make it for dinner tonight." As they were sitting down, A small owl screeched and hit the window.

"Oh, that'll be Erroll with the post," said Mrs. Weasley. "Percy, could you fetch him?" Percy got up and grabbed eight letters from Hogwarts and announced them. "There's two for Hallie and Annie!"

"Never misses a trick, that man," said Mr. Weasley. "That's unusual. Normally when Muggleborns find out they are witches or wizards, Hogwarts teachers usually come to to tell them."

"Yeah, Hagrid did last year," said Harry thoughtfully. "I was thinking that maybe Professor McGonagall or Snape would come to tell you girls." Shrugging, he read his letter. "Wow, most of these books are coming from Gilderoy Lockhart. Something must be up if we're getting a whole set of his books."

Fred read his list and frowned. "Mum, this lot won't come cheap. Looks really expensive."

"We'll manage," said Mrs. Weasley looking at everyone. "There's only one place to get these, and that's Diagon Alley. Hallie, Annie, you can go with Harry and Ron to get your wand, potion ingredients, books and robes. Fred and George can do what they want, and Ginny will go with Arthur and I."

"If you want, I'll buy your wands for you," said Harry as they all stood in line by the fireplace. Both girls gave him a quick hug as Mrs. Weasley handed them all a handful of sparkling powder. "What do I do with this?" Ron went first, stepped into the fireplace, yelled 'Diagon Alley!' and threw down the powder and vanished. Harry, Hallie and Annie did the same, one at a time and landed on a stone floor. "Where are we?"

"I don't know, but I'm really scared now," said Annie looking around. "You have to remember we have never gone to Diagon Alley, and I'm sure this is not it." Harry shook his head and looked at his glasses. He tried to remember the spell Hermione Granger used, but couldn't so he put his glasses back on.

"Are you okay, Harry?" asked Hallie helping him up. Harry grunted as they got up, looked out the window and dragged the girls into a closet. "What?"

"That's Draco Malfoy and the man with him has to be his father!" Harry whispered. Sure enough, Draco Malfoy and a man walked in with a box and tried to sell it to the owner. Malfoy was coming to their cabinet and was about to open it when Mr. Malfoy's walking stick hit the door.

"What did I say?" he hissed. Draco repeated what his father said when they walked in. "Exactly. Come! We have more shopping to do. Mr. Borgin, you can keep the box, and I assure you, I shall return later with more of my-er-items." Mr. Borgin bowed deeply and went into the back of the shop to put the items away.

As the Malfoys left, Harry led the girls to the door, barely managing to escape Mr. Borgin, and went out onto a dark street. "Knockturn Alley? This is not good," said Annie. "God, what are we going to do?"

"Harry?" boomed a gruff voice. All three looked around and saw the sillhouette of Rubeus Hagrid, the man Harry mentioned at the Burrow. "What are yeh doin' out here in Knockturn Alley? Dodgy place, yeh know."

"Yeah, I figured that," said Harry as Hagrid led him and the girls out of Knockturn Alley. "What are you doing here?"

"Me? I'm here ter find some Flesh-Eatin' Slug Repellant," said Hagrid holding up a large metal can. "Ah, I see yeh met Hallie and Annie. I was supposed to fetch them at camp, but Dumbledore told me that the Weasleys already did."

"Oh, yeah, they did," said Hallie. "Um, could you please show us where Ollivander's is?" Hagrid nodded and led them to Ollivander's Wand Shop. "Thank you. Harry's going to help us out with what we need."

"Yeh should go to Gringotts first," said Hagrid. "Yer money's in there, right?" Harry said he had enough to last for half the year, and Hagrid nodded. "Well, if yeh'll be fine here, I'll leave yeh to yer shoppin'. Bye!" Harry and the girls waved and found Hermione Granger running up to them.

"Harry!" she yelled engulfing him in a hug that made Hallie jealous beyond comparison. "How are you? What happened to your glasses?" Harry stammered to answer, but couldn't, so Hermione pulled out her wand and said, "Occulus Reparo!" and instantly repaired his glasses.

"I'll definitely have to remember that one," said Harry replacing his glasses on his face. "Um, Hermione, these are Ron's cousins, Hallie Parker, and Annie James." Hermione shook their hand, which Hallie reluctantly agreed to do. "I'm taking them to get their wands, and then to King's Cross with the Weasleys."

"How about I accompany you guys?" asked Hermione excitedly. "Did you get their other supplies yet?" Harry and the girls shook their heads. "Perfect! We can go together!" Hallie groaned. "Something wrong, Hallie?"

"Oh, of course not," said Hallie trying to sound happy about this arrangement. "Accompany us if you want." Hermione looked skeptical, but didn't say anything, and tagged along to the Apothecary, Ollivander's, Eeylops' Owl Emporium, and Flourish and Blotts.

After hitting the Apothecary and getting their potion ingredients needed, Harry took the girls to Ollivander's Wand Shop. "Mr. Ollivander, nice to see you again!" said Harry shaking the man's hand. "My wand's working fine, I just have two girls that need to get their wands."

"Ah, a couple first years, eh?" said Mr. Ollivander eyeing the girls knowingly. "Well, let's see...a pair of twins, so I'm guessing you don't want twin cores?"

"Honestly, sir, it doesn't matter to us whether we have twin cores or not," said Annie. "As long as the wand is right for us and we are right for it." Mr. Ollivander told her that she would do well studying wand lore after Hogwarts. "Thank you, sir, but I'm only going to first year. I don't even know what occupation I'll be persuing in six years."

"Well, let's find your wands, shall we?" said Mr. Ollivander nodding. He went to the back of the shop and picked out a few boxes. "Now remember, you two, the wand chooses the wizard or witch, and you get which one chooses you. Miss Parker, you will start off." Mr. Ollivander handed Hallie a willow and unicorn hair wand, twelve inches and she waved it. Apparently this was not her wand because when she waved it, the spell it shot off hit Harry in the head making him sway slightly. "No, no and definitely not. Try this one. It is a cherry and dragon heart-string, eleven inches."

Nearly two wands later, Hallie got hers: holly and Thestral hair measuring at ten and a half inches. Three wands later, Annie got hers which was oak and dragon heart-string and measuring eleven and one-quarter inches. "Very good, girls," said Harry hugging them both making them blush, but not as much as Hallie who blushed as red as her hair. "Uh, sorry if I made you two blush, but you girls are the best things that happened to me."

Hallie and Annie smiled and said in unison, "You're the best that happaned to us, too, Harry." Hermione gave a giggle and led them to Eeylops Owl Emporium to buy the girls' owls. Hallie bought a brown owl and named it Brownie, while Annie found a tawny owl and named it Glider. They also bought treats for them and Hedwig, and then went to Flourish and Blotts to get their books.

"Okay, so we got your potion ingredients, robes, owls, and wands. All we need is your books, and we're off to King's Cross Station for the Hogwarts Express. Hermione, are you okay?" said Harry. He asked this question because Hermione was thinking deeply. She snapped out of her thoughts and looked at him.

"Yes, fine," she said hesitantly. "I was just thinking about all the books we need. I have enough for them, but they're mostly Lockhart's books." Harry nodded and held the door for her and the girls, who thanked him and walked in. "Hmm, I memorized the list, and we need A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot, The Standard Book of Spells: Grade One and Two by Miranda Goshawk, and all of these books by Lockhart. That's going to cost a bit."

"I honestly don't think that's what you were thinking about, Hermione," said Annie picking up the books she and Hallie needed. "Blimey, a Sickle each for these books? Lochart's are more expensive. At least two Galleons!" Harry told her that he'd pay for them himself along with his books. "Harry, you're so sweet, but you don't have to do that."

"It's fine, really." Harry said looking her in the eyes. "I want to do this because that's the guy I am. I'm not like Malfoy who has money but doesn't help others." Hallie gave him a very loving look that both Ginny and Hermione noticed. Ginny scowled and looked away. "Anyway, if this Lockhart guy is as big-headed as I think he is, I'll probably be in tomorrow's issue of The Daily Prophet."

"Thank you all for coming!" said Lockhart as Harry and the girls stood in line by Mrs. Weasley to get their books signed. "Good Lord, is that Harry Potter?" The photographer grabbed Harry by the arm and slid him behind the table by Lockhart. "Ladies and gentlemen, when Mr. Potter came in here, not only was he coming in here to buy my autobiography, but he is now getting the complete set along with tthat book free of charge!" The rest of the group in the book shop applauded Harry as he got his picture taken and was handed a large pile of books. Harry handed them to Mrs. Weasley to get signed and went to the front of the shop toward the door only to see Draco Malfoy coming down the stairs.

"Well, well, if it isn't Harry Potter!" said Malfoy stopping at the foot of the stairs. "Famous Harry Potter can't even go into a bookshop without making the front page." Hallie was getting angrier by the minute, and Harry now understood why she and Annie were related to the Weasleys.

"Leave him alone, you slimy git!" Hallie growled glaring at Draco Malfoy. "If you don't you won't just have me, but you'll have my twin to deal with and she's much worse."

"Look, Potter, you've got yourself a girlfriend," sneered Malfoy. "Look, girl, I'm not one to be reckoned with, so you better back off, you filthy Mudblood!" Harry heard that word and almost drew his wand, but stopped as Draco's father came up.

"Draco, play nicely," he said patting his son on the shoulder. "Mr. Potter, I'm Lucius Malfoy. Forgive me." Lucius used the handle of his walking stick to pull back Harry's bangs. "Your scar is legend, as is the wizard who gave it to you."

"Voldemort killed my parents." Harry said angrily. "He's nothing but a murderer." Mr. Malfoy stepped back, looking Harry up and down. "Now, if you'll excuse us, we'll be late for the train."

"Not so fast, Mr. Potter," said Lucius looking at Hallie and Annie closely. "Ah, let me see...red hair, anxious expressions, you must be related to the Weasleys." Hallie said she was proud to be related to them and nothing would change that. "So you have pride in being related to blood traitors, I see?"

"Sir, I wouldn't mess with Hallie," said Hermione. "She's not one to be messed with and, dare I say it, she might use magic on you once she knows the right spells." Draco started to laugh at this comment, but stopped when Lucius held up his hand.

"Yes, Draco told me about you, Miss Granger," said Lucius, "and your parents. Muggles, aren't they? Ah, Weasley Senior. Things must be busy at the Ministry with all those raids. I hope they're paying you dearly for it?" He looked at Mr. Weasley's robes and Ginny's books. "Judging by the state of these books, I say not. Dear, dear. What is the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard when you don't pay well for it?"

"We have a different view of what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy," said Mr. Weasley waspishly. "Come on, every one, we better be going to King's Cross if we're going to make it to the train on time."

"Well, I will see you at work, Arthur," said Mr. Malfoy coldly. "As well, I think Draco will see Mr. Potter and his comrades at school. Good day."

The trip to King's Cross Station was not very enjoyable as Hallie and Annie were still angry with Draco Malfoy's words and the last word he said. After parking the car and heading toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten, Hallie, Annie, Fred, George, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Ginny, and Percy all went through the barrier. Harry and Ron ran at the barrier seconds after they did and crashed. "Why can't we get through?" hissed Harry angrily. Ron hit the brick barrier with his fist. It was solid. "That's not good. Maybe we should wait by the car until your parents get back."

"The car?" said Ron. Harry stopped in his tracks as he walked toward it and turned to face him. "Harry, we could fly the car to Hogwarts. Mum and Dad know how to Apparate home, you know, vanish and reappear at home."

"Ron, this is insane," said Harry looking his friend in the eye. "Flying a car to Hogwarts is an all-time low for us. It could get us into trouble, possibly expelled!"

"Harry, we have to get to school, and even underage wizards are allowed to use magic in certain situations. It's wizard law!" Harry pondered this and agreed finally. "Good, so let's go to the car and we can get to Hogwarts!"

As they got into the car and hovered above the street, Harry said, "Ron, most Muggles aren't accustomed to seeing a flying car."

"Uh, right," said Ron jabbing the Invisibility Booster. "We'll be invisible so none of them can see us." Harry nodded and the car became invisible after a few seconds. "Okay, so all we have to do is watch for the train, and we'll follow it to Hogwarts."

After watching for the train for two hours, Harry started to doze off until he heard a whistle close by. Ron suggested that they were close to the train and had Harry look out the window. The tracks were there, but the train was nowhere to be seen, at least until he and Ron looked behind them and swerved off to the right. Harry's door opened and he was hanging by one hand on the door jam. "Harry! Grab my hand!"

"I'm trying, but you're hand is all sweaty!" said Harry finally grabbing onto his hand. "I think we found the train." Ron nodded. "Okay, so let's just be a few feet behind and above from now on, right?"

"Yeah!" said Ron. "At least we know it's nearby and we can follow it." He slowed the car down a bit so they could follow close behind and had to fly over the mountains so they could reach Hogwarts. "There's the castle! We're really close now!"