Disclaimer: All that you recognize is J.K. Rowling's except for Jamie, Luka, and Ariana.
Chapter 2- The Leaky Cauldron
A great weight was taken off my shoulders when I saw Ron again. There was too much going on in my life back home, and being around the Weasleys made me feel like I was safe. The Mr. and Mrs. Weasley came back with my brother. The Leaky Cauldron was exactly how I remembered it, dim, dank, and home to some rather questionable company.
I was thrilled to be away from the house though; it had been a long time since we were able to do anything. My brother was green tinged again, so I dragged Ron a few feet away in case he blew. I still don't know why they haven't invented a spell yet to help those motion sick witches and wizards out there.
"How was Egypt? I've always wanted to go." I ask Ron turning back to my friends who has seemed to shoot up another few inches so that he has around one or two on me.
"All right. Fred and George almost locked Percy in a pyramid! Boy was mum off her rocker when she found out! I'm sure that some of the red on their faces is not just from sunburn!" Ron tells me breaking out into a goofy smile. I grin at my friend, and bounce on my toes a little.
"Too bad your mum found out. Imagine how much more unbearable he's going to be now when we go back to school. 'Look at me I'm Mr. Prefect bow in front of the shininess of my badge'!" I mimic sending Ron into snickers.
"Its good to see you as well Jamie. I'm glad to see that you're personality hasn't been changed over the summer." Percy Weasley says sneaking up on me from behind. I jump and give him a sheepish look as he turns his nose up at me and walks away from us.
"Yeah… he's been like that all summer. Becoming a right arse if you ask me…" Ron says in a lower voice in order to avoid the attention of his mum who was coming over to us.
"Jamie dear, you will be rooming with Ginny while we're here is that all right?" Mrs. Weasley asks coming over to us.
"That's fine Mrs. Weasley that will give the two of us time to catch up." I tell her smiling softly. Mrs. Weasley beams at me and trundles away to go and scold the red headed twins who were busy conning Willy into giving them some fire whiskey.
"Have you heard from Harry?" I ask Ron pulling him further away and closer to the door that goes out back to Diagon Alley.
"No, but Dad heard from the ministry that Harry ran away from home and that he is staying here now in the Leaky Cauldron, another one of the reasons why Mum and Dad are letting us stay here instead of going back home." Ron explains. I raise my eyebrow hearing that Harry had run away from his home.
"Really? Why did he run? Knowing Harry he must have done something or someone must have done something to him." I say shaking my head. I rub my forehead trying to fend off the impending headache that I feel coming on.
"I think he blew up his aunt or something…" Ron says trailing off. I snort covering up the laugh that wants to break through.
"Seriously you two, I don't understand why you think that breaking rules and hurting others is so hilarious!" An exasperated voice says from behind us. I spin around as a huge grin appears on Ron's face.
"Hermione!" Ron cries.
"Mione!" I cry racing forward and embracing my very tan friend. Hermione squeezes me back tightly then releases me to face Ron. He still has that giant dopey grin on his face and I shake my head. No not Ron as well! He probably doesn't even realize that he likes her! They both advance as like they were going to hug, but at the last moment they do some awkward shifting and end up embracing hands instead.
"Good to see you again 'Mione." Ron tells her shakily.
"Yes it is lovely to see you as well Ronald." Hermione replies. I groan and put my head in my hands.
"Ronald seriously?" I whine. Hermione shoots me a glare and I stick my tongue right back out at me.
"I'm going to go ask Mum if we can go and find Harry. He has to be around here somewhere. I already checked when we first came here." Ron says wandering back over to the hoard of Weasleys and Luka that have taken over one side of the dining room.
"So how was your trip? I saw some of the pictures but it must have been so exciting." I tell Hermione leading her closer to the exit so that we can hear each other over the increasing volume of the people in the bar.
"It was wonderful Jamie. Oh we must go back sometime. The French wizarding culture there is so much more refined then it is here. I hear that the girls who attend Beauxbatons Academy there are the best in their class!" Hermione squeals. I smile indulgently at my friend, as she rambles on about how fabulous her time in France was and how Hogwarts could take a few lessons.
Ron comes running back to us in a puff with an excited look on her face. "We can go! Let's get out of here before we're stuck looking over the family trip photos for a third time. I swear mum is prouder of a few out of focus photos rather than the fact that we could afford to go to Egypt." Ron tells us grabbing Hermione and me by the arm and leading us out the back door.
I take out my wand and tap the bricks on the back wall, and with a rumble the wall breaks apart and the entranceway to Diagon Alley is revealed. I can't help the grin that comes to my face. No matter how many times I see this place I can never get over how incredibly cool that this street is.
Witches and wizards stream in and out of the oddly colored and widely specialized shops. So we come up with a plan in order to try and find out where Harry is around here. After a few shops, we decide to take a rest outside of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor.
"This is hopeless he could be anywhere around here!" I cry pouting only just a little. It's not my fault that I really want to see my best friend. It's just that I haven't seen him in so long! Finally the crowd parts and a familiar head of unruly black hair comes into view.
"Harry! HARRY!" Ron shouts gleefully. I push away from my seat, and run out into the street throwing myself into the arms of my best friend, tackling him down to the ground. We're both a mess of limbs but I could care less. It really has been too long since I've seen him. It's really good to have all of my friends back together!
"J-Jamie… can't… breathe…" Harry wheezes from underneath me. With a blush and a rather nervous giggle I allow Harry to get up from the ground.
"Sorry Harry, it's just really good to see you." I tell him. Harry grins at me, and gives me a gentle hug in return.
"S'fine Jamie its good to see you as well. I've missed you." Harry tells me with a smile. I grin back at my friend and lead him back over to Ron and Hermione who hug him in hello as well.
"Finally!" says Ron, grinning at Harry as he sits down. "We went to the Leaky Cauldron, but they said you'd left, and we went to Flourish and Blotts, and Madam Malkin's, and —"
"I got all my school stuff last week," Harry explains. "And how come you knew I'm staying at the Leaky Cauldron?"
"Dad," says Ron simply.
"Did you really blow up your aunt, Harry?" says Hermione in a very serious voice.
"Yeah come on boy wonder did you really? Why can't I be there for all the fun stuff?" I pout sliding into a seat next to Harry.
"I didn't mean to," cries Harry, while Ron roars with laughter. "I just — lost control."
"Harry I lost control when I got so mad at Luka when he stole my doll that I turned his hair pink. Blowing your aunt up is a whole other level mate." I tell him with a snicker.
"It's not funny, Ron," snaps Hermione sharply. "Honestly, I'm amazed Harry wasn't expelled."
"So am I," admits Harry. "Forget expelled, I thought I was going to be arrested." He looks at Ron. "Your dad doesn't know why Fudge let me off, does he?"
"Probably 'cause it's you, isn't it?" shrugs Ron, still chuckling. "Famous Harry Potter and all that. I'd hate to see what the Ministry'd do to me if I blew up an aunt. Mind you, they'd have to dig me up first, because Mum would've killed me. Anyway, you can ask Dad yourself this evening. We're staying at the Leaky Cauldron tonight too! Jamie and Luka are staying with us. So you can come to King's Cross with us tomorrow! Hermione's there as well!"
Hermione nods, beaming. "Mum and Dad dropped me off this morning with all my Hogwarts things."
"Excellent!" says Harry happily. "So, have you got all your new books and stuff?"
"Yep earlier this summer as soon as we got the list Kingsley took us shopping. I think that he wanted to get us out of the house. Not much of the vacation having this summer." I trail off lost in momentarily unhappy thoughts.
"Look at this," grins Ron, pulling a long thin box out of a bag and opening it. "Brand-new wand. Fourteen inches, willow, containing one unicorn tail-hair. And we've got all our books —" He points at a large bag under his chair. "What about those Monster Books, eh? The assistant nearly cried when we said we wanted two."
"What's all that, Hermione?" Harry asks, pointing at not one but three bulging bags in the chair next to her.
"Hermione wanted to buy all of Flourish and Blotts but they didn't have a bag big enough for her to take all the books with her, so she had to settle on only a few." I interrupt before Hermione can answer. She pinches me in the arm, and glares at Harry and Ron who are laughing.
"Well, I'm taking more new subjects than you, aren't I?" says Hermione huffily. "Those are my books for Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, Study of Ancient Runes, Muggle Studies —"
"What are you doing Muggle Studies for?" cries Ron, rolling his eyes at Harry. "You're Muggle-born! Your mum and dad are Muggles! You already know all about Muggles!"
"But it'll be fascinating to study them from the Wizarding point of view," argues Hermione earnestly. I chuckle at her while shaking my head. The class did sound interesting, but I can learn all I would want to know about muggles from Harry and Hermione, why bother taking a class about it, there's fewer tests with friends.
"Are you planning to eat or sleep at all this year, Hermione?" asks Harry, while Ron and I snigger. Hermione ignores all of us.
"I've still got ten Galleons," she says, checking her purse. "It's my birthday in September, and Mum and Dad gave me some money to get myself an early birthday present."
"How about a nice book?" says Ron innocently. I high five him discretely underneath the table.
"No, I don't think so," says Hermione composedly. "I really want an owl. I mean, Harry's got Hedwig, Jamie's got Dionysus, and you've got Errol —"
"I haven't," says Ron. "Errol's a family owl. All I've got is Scabbers." He pulls his pet rat out of his pocket. "And I want to get him checked over," he adds, placing Scabbers on the table in front of us. "I don't think Egypt agreed with him."
Scabbers is looking thinner than usual, and there is a definite droop to his whiskers.
I eye the rat rather uncomfortably. I don't know how Harry and Ron can sleep with that thing in their room. Mice are one thing, they're small and cute, but rats are ugly as a toad.
"There's a magical creature shop just over there," says Harry, who knows Diagon Alley very well by now. "You could see if they've got anything for Scabbers, and Hermione can get her owl."
So we pay for their ice cream and cross the street to the Magical Menagerie. There isn't much room inside. Every inch of wall is hidden by cages. It is smelly and very noisy because the occupants of these cages are all squeaking, squawking, jabbering, or hissing. The witch behind the counter is already advising a wizard on the care of double-ended newts, so Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I wait, examining the cages.
A pair of enormous purple toads sit gulping wetly and feasting on dead blowflies. A gigantic tortoise with a jewel-encrusted shell is glittering near the window. Poisonous orange snails are oozing slowly up the side of their glass tank, and a fat white rabbit keeps changing into a silk top hat and back again with a loud popping noise. Then there are cats of every color, a noisy cage of ravens, a basket of funny custard-colored furballs that are humming loudly, and on the counter, a vast cage of sleek black rats that are playing some sort of skipping game using their long, bald tails.
I take a step closer to the cats because they are purring at me nicely, and its been a while since I've last been in a magical pet shop. Last time that I was here I was getting Dionysus and Luka was getting Sophocles.
The double-ended newt wizard leaves, and Ron approaches the counter.
"It's my rat," he tells the witch. "He's been a bit off-color ever since I brought him back from Egypt."
"Bang him on the counter," says the witch, pulling a pair of heavy black spectacles out of her pocket. Ron lifts Scabbers out of his inside pocket and places him next to the cage of his fellow rats, who stop their skipping tricks and scuffle to the wire for a better look.
Like nearly everything Ron owns, Scabbers the rat is second-hand (he had once belonged to Ron's brother Percy) and a bit battered. Next to the glossy rats in the cage, he looks especially woebegone.
"Hm," says the witch, picking up Scabbers. "How old is this rat?"
"Dunno," explains Ron. "Quite old. He used to belong to my brother."
"What powers does he have?" asks the witch, examining Scabbers closely.
"Er —" The truth is that Scabbers has never shown the faintest trace of interesting powers. The witch's eyes move from Scabbers's tattered left ear to his front paw, which has a toe missing, and tutts loudly.
"He's been through the mill, this one," she says.
"He was like that when Percy gave him to me," says Ron defensively.
"An ordinary common or garden rat like this can't be expected to live longer than three years or so," deliberates the witch. "Now, if you were looking for something a bit more hard-wearing, you might like one of these —"
She indicates the black rats, who promptly start skipping again.
"They are rather talented." I mutter to Harry who nods as well.
Ron mutters, "Show-offs."
"Well, if you don't want a replacement, you can try this rat tonic," says the witch, reaching under the counter and bringing out a small red bottle.
"Okay," says Ron. "How much — OUCH!" Ron buckles as something huge and orange comes soaring from the top of the highest cage, lands on his head, and then propels itself, spitting madly, at Scabbers.
"NO, CROOKSHANKS, NO!" cries the witch, but Scabbers shoots from between her hands like a bar of soap, lands splay-legged on the floor, and then scampers for the door.
"Scabbers!" Ron shouts, racing out of the shop after him; Harry follows.
It takes us nearly ten minutes to catch Scabbers, who has taken refuge under a wastepaper bin outside Quality Quidditch Supplies. Ron stuffs the trembling rat back into his pocket and straightens up, massaging his head.
"What was that?" He grumbles crossly.
"It was either a very big cat or quite a small tiger," says Harry. I chuckle and shake my head.
"I think that there's such a thing nowadays called a liger?" I say much to the displeasure of Ron.
"Where's Hermione?" Ron asks
"Probably getting her owl —" Harry responds.
We make our way back up the crowded street to the Magical Menagerie. As we reach it, Hermione comes out, but she isn't carrying an owl. Her arms are clamped tightly around the enormous ginger cat.
"That is a really funny looking owl." I comment.
"You bought that monster?" cries Ron, his mouth hanging open.
"He's gorgeous, isn't he?" says Hermione, glowing.
That is a matter of opinion. The cat's ginger fur is thick and fluffy, but it is definitely a bit bowlegged and its face looks grumpy and oddly squashed, as though it has run headlong into a brick wall. Now that Scabbers is out of sight, however, the cat is purring contentedly in Hermione's arms.
"Hermione, that thing nearly scalped me!" spits Ron.
"He didn't mean to, did you, Crookshanks?" says Hermione.
"And what about Scabbers?" rants Ron, pointing at the lump in his chest pocket. "He needs rest and relaxation! How's he going to get it with that thing around?"
"That reminds me, you forgot your rat tonic," Hermione says crossly, slapping the small red bottle into Ron's hand. "And stop worrying, Crookshanks will be sleeping in my dormitory and Scabbers in yours, what's the problem? Poor Crookshanks, that witch said he'd been in there for ages; no one wanted him."
"I wonder why," says Ron sarcastically as we set off toward the Leaky Cauldron.
"Great now I get to room with the furry tiger." I grumble, and Harry bursts out laughing beside me.
"Don't worry Jamie if all else fails you can always try and transfigure it into a button." Harry chuckles at me. I stick out my tongue at him like all mature people would do. I walk away from Harry leaving his chuckles behind me.
We find Mr. Weasley sitting in the bar, reading the Daily Prophet.
"Harry!" he says, smiling as he looks up. "How are you?"
"Fine, thanks," replies Harry as he, Ron, Hermione, and I join Mr. Weasley with all our shopping.
Mr. Weasley puts down his paper, and we see the now-familiar picture of Sirius Black staring up at us.
"They still haven't caught him, then?" Harry asks.
"No," says Mr. Weasley, looking extremely grave. "They've pulled us all off our regular jobs at the Ministry to try and find him, but no luck so far."
"Not even Kingsley has managed to find him yet." I say mostly to myself.
"Would we get a reward if we caught him?" asks Ron. "It'd be good to get some more money —"
"Don't be ridiculous, Ron," says Mr. Weasley, who on closer inspection looks very strained. "Black's not going to be caught by a thirteen-year-old wizard. It's the Azkaban guards who'll get him back, you mark my words."
At that moment Mrs. Weasley enters the bar, laden with shopping bags and followed by the twins, Fred and George, who are about to start their fifth year at Hogwarts; the newly elected Head Boy, Percy; and the Weasleys' youngest child and only girl, Ginny. Luka trails along behind them.
Ginny, who has always been very taken with Harry, seems even more heartily embarrassed than usual when she sees him, perhaps because he had saved her life during their previous year at Hogwarts. She goes very red and mutters "Hello" without looking at Harry. Percy, however, holds out his hand solemnly as though he and Harry have never met and says, "Harry. How nice to see you."
"Hello, Percy," says Harry, trying not to laugh. I roll my eyes at the exchange. No one has elected him ruler of the world yet, so he can get down off his high horse.
"I hope you're well?" says Percy pompously, shaking hands. It is like watching someone being introduced to the mayor.
"Very well, thanks —" Harry starts to reply.
"Harry!" says Fred, elbowing Percy out of the way and bowing deeply. "Simply splendid to see you, old boy —"
"Marvelous," says George, pushing Fred aside and seizing Harry's hand in turn. "Absolutely spiffing."
Percy scowls at them. "That's enough, now," says Mrs. Weasley. The twins turn to me with their mischievous grins in place.
"Why Lady Jamie it has been far too long since we've last met. I'm positively looking forward to having another smashing year with you." George tells me pretending to kiss my hand.
"Why yes indeed Lady Jamie Hogwarts would simply not be the same without you." Fred finishes mimicking a kiss as well. I chuckle at the boys with a grin.
"Alas I have missed you as well gents. My life has just not been complete without the pair of you!" I say in a fake grandiose manner. Both the twins' grins get even bigger at that.
"Hello, Harry, dear. I suppose you've heard our exciting news?" She points to the brand-new silver badge on Percy's chest. "Second Head Boy in the family!" she cries, swelling with pride.
"And last," Fred mutters under his breath.
"I don't doubt that," says Mrs. Weasley, frowning suddenly. "I notice they haven't made you two prefects."
"What do we want to be prefects for?" replies George, looking revolted at the very idea. "It'd take all the fun out of life." Ginny giggles at that comment.
"You want to set a better example for your sister!" snaps Mrs. Weasley.
"Ginny's got other brothers to set her an example, Mother," says Percy loftily. "I'm going up to change for dinner. . . ."
He disappears and George heaves a sigh. "We tried to shut him in a pyramid," he tells us. "But Mum spotted us."
Dinner that night is a very enjoyable affair. Tom the innkeeper put three tables together in the parlor, and the seven Weasleys, Harry, Hermione, Luka, and I eat our way through five delicious courses.
"How're we getting to King's Cross tomorrow, Dad?" asks Fred as we dig into a sumptuous chocolate pudding.
"The Ministry's providing a couple of cars," says Mr. Weasley. Everyone looks up at him. Thank god, no new flying car possessed by a demon spirit.
"Why?" asks Percy curiously.
"It's because of you, Perce," says George seriously. "And there'll be little flags on the hoods, with HB on them —"
"— for Humongous Bighead," finishes Fred. I can't help my snort of laughter. Everyone except Percy and Mrs. Weasley snort into their pudding as well.
"Why are the Ministry providing cars, Father?" Percy asks again, in a dignified voice.
"Well, as we haven't got one anymore," says Mr. Weasley, "— and as I work there, they're doing me a favor —" There's something that's not quite right there. Mr. Weasley looks like he's lying to us, but why would he be lying?
"Good thing, too," says Mrs. Weasley briskly. "Do you realize how much luggage you've all got between you? A nice sight you'd be on the Muggle Underground. . . . You are all packed, aren't you?"
"Ron hasn't put all his new things in his trunk yet," says Percy, in a long-suffering voice. "He's dumped them on my bed."
"You'd better go and pack properly, Ron, because we won't have much time in the morning," Mrs. Weasley calls down the table. Ron scowls at Percy.
After dinner everyone felt very full and sleepy. One by one they make their way upstairs to their rooms to check their things for the next day. I was rooming with Ginny and we were talking quietly about all the things that we were going to get to do at Hogwarts this year.
I can't wait to go on the trips to Hogsmeade. Kingsley signed our permission slips so we'll be able to leave castle grounds finally to the village below. Ginny is still rather afraid about going back to the castle. I don't blame her one bit since I'd be scared if I was in her position. I remind her that she won't be all alone though, for she could easily come and get Hermione and me at night.
That seemed to reassure her. Ginny has fallen off to sleep when I hear a noise from across the hall. I tiptoe out of the room as so not to wake Ginny when I run into Harry. The door to number 12 is open and I can hear Percy shouting from within. "What's going on in there? Did Percy finally snap and murder someone?" I ask her warily. Harry gives me a ghost of a smile as we creep our way closer to the door.
"It was here, on the bedside table, I took it off for polishing —" Percy yells.
"I haven't touched it, all right?" Ron roars back.
"What's up?" says Harry. I peek out from behind him.
"My Head Boy badge is gone," says Percy, rounding on Harry.
"So's Scabbers's rat tonic," says Ron, throwing things out of his trunk to look. "I think I might've left it in the bar —"
"You're not going anywhere till you've found my badge!" shouts Percy.
"I'll get Scabbers's stuff, I'm packed," Harry says to Ron. I quickly follow Harry down the stairs.
"I'm coming with, all done with packing as well." I tell Harry defensively when he gives me a look.
Harry and I were halfway along the passage to the bar, which is now very dark, when we hear another pair of angry voices coming from the parlor. A second later, I recognize them as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's. We hesitate, not wanting them to know we'd heard them arguing, when the sound of Harry's name make us stop, then move closer to the parlor door.
". . . makes no sense not to tell him," Mr. Weasley is saying heatedly. "Harry's got a right to know. I've tried to tell Fudge, but he insists on treating Harry like a child. He's thirteen years old and —"
I grip onto Harry's hand tightly. Why are the Weasleys talking about Harry like this?
"Arthur, the truth would terrify him!" says Mrs. Weasley shrilly. "Do you really want to send Harry back to school with that hanging over him? For heaven's sake, he's happy not knowing!"
"I don't want to make him miserable, I want to put him on his guard!" retorts Mr. Weasley. "You know what Harry, Ron, and Jamie are like, wandering off by themselves — they've even ended up in the Forbidden Forest! But Harry mustn't do that this year! When I think what could have happened to him that night he ran away from home! If the Knight Bus hadn't picked him up, I'm prepared to bet he would have been dead before the Ministry found him."
I stifle a gasp and move closer to Harry needing to be reassured that my friend is actually with me and all right. I can feel Harry trembling beside me.
"But he's not dead, he's fine, so what's the point —"
"Molly, they say Sirius Black's mad, and maybe he is, but he was clever enough to escape from Azkaban, and that's supposed to be impossible. It's been a month, and no one's seen hide nor hair of him, and I don't care what Fudge keeps telling the Daily Prophet, we're no nearer catching Black than inventing self-spelling wands. The only thing we know for sure is what Black's after —"
"But Harry will be perfectly safe at Hogwarts." Mrs. Weasley counters.
"We thought Azkaban was perfectly safe. If Black can break out of Azkaban, he can break into Hogwarts." Mr. Weasley says.
"But no one's really sure that Black's after Harry —"
There is a thud on wood and I jump. I'm sure that was Mr. Weasley banging his fist on the table.
"Molly, how many times do I have to tell you? They didn't report it in the press because Fudge wanted it kept quiet, but Fudge went out to Azkaban the night Black escaped. The guards told Fudge that Black's been talking in his sleep for a while now. Always the same words: 'He's at Hogwarts . . . he's at Hogwarts.' Black is deranged, Molly, and he wants Harry dead. If you ask me, he thinks murdering Harry will bring You-Know-Who back to power. Black lost everything the night Harry stopped You-Know-Who, and he's had twelve years alone in Azkaban to brood on that. . . ."
No not Harry! I won't let some murdering psychopath take my best friend from me, not after I've only just got him back! Harry squeezes my hand again to reassure me that he's still there and all right for the time being.
"Well, Arthur, you must do what you think is right. But you're forgetting Albus Dumbledore. I don't think anything could hurt Harry at Hogwarts while Dumbledore's headmaster. I suppose he knows about all this?" Mrs. Weasley says.
"Of course he knows. We had to ask him if he minds the Azkaban guards stationing themselves around the entrances to the school grounds. He wasn't happy about it, but he agreed." Mr. Weasley explains.
"Not happy? Why shouldn't he be happy, if they're there to catch Black?" She asks.
"Dumbledore isn't fond of the Azkaban guards," says Mr. Weasley heavily. "Nor am I, if it comes to that . . . but when you're dealing with a wizard like Black, you sometimes have to join forces with those you'd rather avoid."
"If they save Harry —" Mrs. Weasley starts.
"— then I will never say another word against them," says Mr. Weasley wearily. "It's late, Molly, we'd better go up. . . ."
We hear chairs move. As quietly as we can, we hurry down the passage to the bar and out of sight. The parlor door opens, and a few seconds later footsteps tell us that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley are climbing the stairs. I let out a shaky breath that I didn't know that I had been holding.
"Harry…" I start unsure about what I want to say.
"Not now Jamie." Harry tells me brusquely. I push down the hurt that ebbs up by his tone.
The bottle of rat tonic was lying under the table we had sat at earlier. Before my anger at Harry can grow too much, he reaches out for my hand again with a weak smile. "We'll talk about this tomorrow Jamie." Harry says softly. I give him a small smile back and take his hand. We wait until we hear Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's bedroom door close, then head back upstairs with the bottle.
Fred and George are crouching in the shadows on the landing, heaving with laughter as they listen to Percy dismantling his and Ron's room in search of his badge.
"We've got it," Fred whispers to us. "We've been improving it." The badge now reads Bighead Boy. Harry forces a laugh, and I chuckle at them. We say goodnight, and I give Harry a long look, but he ignores it and turns back into his room. I let a sigh go and shake my head, while creeping back into my darkly lit room.
As I lay down on my bed staring at the darkened ceiling, I think about all that I had overheard the Weasleys talking about. So Sirius Black was out to get Harry. Well that's tough for him because I'm not letting go of him without a fight, escaped mass murderer or not. It's with that final determined thought, that I slip off to sleep, where dark gruesome dreams await me.
A/N: Hey guys! I just wanted to say that I will start the first fan selection now for the story. So if anyone is interested the first challenge (or choice) is going to be what type of magical prank Jamie and her favorite Weasley twins will be playing this year! The suggestions will be open until I come upon the chapter in which I want to put the prank in, so I will warn you all in advance. Again, thank you all so much for reading, and I hope you enjoy! :)