Kaleb: #stirs cauldron#
Hermione: #throws in several ingredients#
Hazel: #peels banana promptly eats banana#
Ron: #checks Potions book#
Ginny: Is it done yet?
Harry: Almost, now we just have to let it sit and mature for… 1000 years and 22 days…
shadow, Tara & Starr: What!
shadow: Another failed attempt, we're never going to own Harry Potter -.-'
Ch. 3
The mid-August sun beat down on the streets of London as Hermione's mother drove up to the book store next door to the Leaky Cauldron, letting the car idle as Mr. Granger counted out some wizarding money for school supplies.
"Are you sure you'll be alright by yourself Hermione?" He asked nervously. He'd known his daughter was a witch for almost 6 years, and also knew that she could take care of herself, but like any parent it didn't stop the worrying. He only knew the bare minimum about the danger of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.
"Yes dad, I'll be fine. Diagon's full of other Hogwarts students if I need any help. Harry and Ron are supposed to meet me, so there shouldn't be any trouble." Nodding, Mr. Granger kissed his daughter's forehead. Hermione smiled and opened her door. "Bye Mom!" The door closed as soon as her mother had finished calling, "Bye dear!"
Hermione waved as she walked back to the Leaky Cauldron, she'd always liked independence, especially in the wizarding world. Getting her books and supplies on her own was something she'd done since her third year at Hogwarts, and it was not a privilege she wanted to give up. Her bright mood was immediately dampened when she saw how empty the bar was, and she didn't stop as she passed through, glancing around skittishly.
As she came out the dingy back door and up to the brick wall she pulled her wand out of her jacket pocket. Tapping the brick, she stood back and watched as the wall arranged itself into an arch. The lights and bustle of Diagon Alley filtered through to her ears. "It's good to be back." She grinned.
---
In front of Flourish and Blotts, two people were having a slight disagreement on where to go next. The taller of the two had light blonde hair, and was holding a bag full of various purchases in her hands. The second would have been her son, almost as tall as she was and sturdily built with short, darker, dirty-blonde hair and dark brown eyes.
"No, that's the ink shop, I'm positive, look at all the quills and such in the window." He said, pointing to the display of writing supplies.
"Well, then lets go get your writing materials." His mother beamed.
"That's not what we're looking for though!" He cried, slightly exasperated.
"We can get your robes when we find the shop, in the mean time, let's go get some parchment and ink. Maybe a new quill too." She chirped.
Hermione spotted the pair as she wandered towards Florean Fortesque's ice cream parlour, hoping that Harry and Ron might have found each other and stopped for a snack. The crowd of shoppers was thin, and she felt obvious as the only person wandering on her own. The pair caught her attention with their comic discussion. Now this I haven't seen before, they look new. She wandered up to the two, who really did look completely lost, and made an offer that would have turned Mrs. Weasley green with worry. "Hi, my names Hermione Granger, you seem a little lost... ?"
They stared at her for a minute as if trying to understand why she cared, and why she had approached them. "Yes." The mother said as she recovered fast. "I'm Alice, this is my son Greg – " Greg winced for some reason. " – He's going to be going to Hogwarts this year, but we've always done our shopping in Hogsmeade. Do you know where all of the stores are?"
Hermione nodded, vaguely aware that in the back of her head her mind was saying: I know where the best bookstores are... and another voice muttering something like: what are you doing? For all you know they're hunting Harry… She shook her head to clear it.
"Well then, that's excellent! Greg, dear, you go with Hermione and I'll wait over here at the ice cream place. Okay?"
Greg looked like he'd been smacked in the face, but he was too polite to object. "Ah, sure... alright…" He looked just as apprehensive, if not more about this idea then Hermione, who was definitely regretting her boldness.
"Perfect! I'll see you in a few hours then, have fun!" His mother passed him his book list and then disappeared into Florean's parlour.
"Well..." Hermione stammered, she was hesitant to give up her search for Harry and Ron so soon, but his mother had seemed so happy, and she didn't want to be rude. She glanced at the stream of furtive shoppers again. "...That's not quite what I was expecting, but alright. What do you need to get, Greg?"
"Gregory." He corrected her immediately.
"Pardon?"
"Could you call me 'Gregory'? I just don't really like having my name shortened."
"Well, Gregory, what do you need to get?"
Gregory gave her a small smile, he could tell right away he would get along fine with this girl for the afternoon. "We were looking for somewhere to get robes."
"Then you want Madam Malkins', it's up there." She turned and pointed up the street. "Shall we?" She asked a little hesitantly, resolving to stay in public places, and to keep looking for the Weasleys and Harry.
Gregory nodded and the pair walked up the cobbled alley to the robes shop.
---
Almost 2 1⁄2 hours later, Hermione and Gregory had managed to round up all of his school necessities, replenish Hermione's supplies, and meet a few other Hogwarts students who'd also come to get their books. Overall, they were rather pleased with themselves.
"So, you went to Eyrie Academy before?" Hermione asked as they started to wander back to Floreans parlour. "I never really thought about it before now - it's on the other side of Hogsmeade, right?"
Gregory nodded. "It's farther back into the forest then most people would think, but yes, that's where I've been going since I started school."
"So then, why did you transfer to Hogwarts? From the little I've read about Eyrie, it's not a bad school at all."
"Never had a transfer at Hogwarts, have you?" He smiled as she shook her head. "It's not incredibly common, most of the well known schools don't accept them, for obvious reasons. Professor Dumbledore agreed because my mother was a friend of his, other students were taken in too, I don't think I'm the only one."
"You didn't answer my question." She said, the corners of her mouth tugging into a grin.
Gregory sighed. "What's different about this year and last year...?" He asked, he sounded like he was trying to coach an answer from a five year old.
Hermione played his question answer game with vinegar, she was no simpleton. "Um... I'm not sure, Greg. What's different about this year and last year?" Her voice was as innocent as she could make it.
He shot her a look coated in annoyance that she was playing with him too. "Well..." He started, fighting to keep his voice under control. " – if I though really hard about it, I could think of one thing..."
Hermione's eyes grew wide and curious. "What's that, Greg?" She'd noticed his reaction to her response, and the purposeful shortening of his name. Her words stayed slow, and deliberately clear, as if he had a hard time understanding English.
His eye twitched once. She stifled a giggle.
"Hermione!" A voice called from behind them, a little ways away still.
"Ron!" Hermione called back. "Is that you!"
A flash of red hair and Ron was standing, tall and gangly as ever, in front of Hermione and Gregory. "Hi 'Mione. Harry, Ginny and me have been looking for you for ages." He smiled, gaze flickering over to look at the sandy haired boy standing beside Hermione. "Who's this then?" He asked as he jerked his thumb at Gregory.
"Oh!" Hermione jumped a little. "Sorry. Ron, this is Gregory from Eyrie Academy. He's transferring over to Hogwarts this year because of – Voldemorts return." She hesitated only a second, checking discretely to see what Gregory's reaction to the name would be. Ron gave a little shudder, and Gregory flinched visibly. "Gregory, this is my friend Ron."
The boys smiled and shook hands. "I've heard of Eyrie, other side of Hogsmeade. What house were you in?" Ron asked.
"Snowy Owl, I had some of, if not the, highest marks in the school. I could take my NEWT's this year if I really wanted." Hermione had to remind herself not to stare after a second. Finally! Someone who actually cares about what marks they get! She was practically glowing.
Ron stared openly. "Blimey, it's a good thing you met up with Hermione then. She's probably the smartest witch at Hogwarts." Hermione started at the unexpected compliment, her cheeks tinted a nice shade of pink.
"Really?" Gregory asked interestedly, his eyebrows were raised and he seemed most pleased with this new development.
"I keep my grades up." She said with a little grin.
As the three of them had been talking, Harry, Ginny and two girls Hermione didn't recognize came up to them. "Ron! Don't disappear like that mate, we've spent ages looking for you." Harry said lightly, he scanned the two people Ron had been talking to; there was a brown-eyed boy, and a girl beside him who had a striking resemblance to... "Hermione! Excellent, we've been looking for you."
"Harry!" Hermione's head snapped up in surprise. She smiled and noticed the girls with them. "Who're your friends?"
"Who's yours?" Harry replied, grinning impudently.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Gregory, this is Ginny and Harry, two of the best characters you'll meet anywhere." The boys smiled and shook hands. "Ginny, Harry, this is Gregory. He's coming into Hogwarts from Eyrie Academy."
Harry grinned. "Nice to meet you; Hermione, Gregory, this is Kaleb. She's transferring into Hogwarts too." Harry motioned at his accomplice.
"All," Ginny grinned, motioning to the group, "this is Hazel, she's also transferring to Hogwarts from Eyrie. Her and her mum have been family friends for as far back as I can remember."
"Hi." Hazel smiled, shaking hands with everyone in the group enthusiastically. When she shook Gregory's hand she added a quick. "I thought you looked familiar. What house were you?"
He stood up a little straighter and smiled. "Snowy Owl, yourself?"
Hazel chuckled. "Yeah, I definitely remember you. You're that one Amanda and her group found so interesting." He looked at her inquisitively and she just giggled again. "I'm from Red Fox, not surprised you don't really remember me. We never really talked."
He nodded slowly. "Fair enough. It's not a large school, but it's not like one person knows everyone."
The group made fast friends, despite how different the new comers were from the rest of them. They met up with Gregory's mother at the ice cream parlour, dropping off his school supplies and then departing to finish picking up Harry, Ron, Ginny, Hazel and Kaleb's school lists.
Things ran smoothly until they passed Olivander's wand shop. It looked as if someone was trying out the wrong wand rather enthusiastically - they stopped for a second, amazed at the damage being caused. Wands in boxes were flying off the shelves, the window sent out a spider web of cracks from its centre and the door shuddered violently on its hinges, it was chaos. A girl came flying out of the shop in a flurry of long auburn hair and pieces of paper that looked suspiciously like receipts, running headlong into Ron. The girls' momentum carried both of them into the middle of the street, where they tumbled roughly to the stone cobbles. Ron was the first to stand up, looking a little confused and more then slightly bruised. The girl was up a second after him, she shook her hair out of her eyes and then looked over to see whether whoever she'd run into was all right.
"What do you mean by attacking me like that?" Ron asked immediately, cutting off any chance of an apology.
Her eyes grew to twice their normal size, then narrowed into slits of annoyance. "I did not attack you!" She sniped back, refusing to let this boy she didn't know start a fight and win it. Meanwhile, Harry, Ginny and Hermione exchanged significant looks and called to Ron that they'd be at the Leaky Cauldron. They towed a stunned looking Gregory, amused Hazel and apprehensive Kaleb away from the scene in the direction of the pub, hiding grins at the looks of amusement on the newcomers' faces.
Ron either didn't hear his friends' departing remark or chose to ignore them; he was intent on his argument with the girl. "Then what do you call what just happened!" The other shoppers seemed completely unconcerned that two teenagers were standing a little out of the mainstream of traffic shouting at one another. Apparently this wasn't unusual.
She crossed her arms over her chest, she was wearing a brown corduroy jacket, jeans and boots that peaked out from beneath the hems. "Well, that would have been my sisters doing; she's not very experienced with a wand yet." She stated as if it were obvious, rolling her eyes and sending him another nasty look.
Ron's gaze flicked from the girl in front of him to Olivander's shop which was, surprisingly, still standing. "Your sister did that?" He asked incredulously, his voice loosing the edge of someone in an argument.
She just looked at him, an unreadable expression on her face, which cracked into a small grin. "Wait a sec., you have a little sister too, don't you?"
Ron nodded, letting himself smile too. "Kind of scary when they do that, isn't it?"
"I'm Starr Talenyn." She said, extending a hand. "Just moved here from Canada."
"Ron Weasley, current residence is Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Ron said, introducing himself and shaking her hand.
"You go to Hogwarts?" Her grin widened. "That's where I'm going this year!"
Now Ron just looked confused. "You're a transfer student too?"
"Oh there're lots of us, especially from the smaller schools." She explained. " Britain's not the only country with half-mad Caesar-wannabes, you-know-who's got contacts all over the world."
"I knew that..." Ron said uncertainly, he'd known nothing of the sort.
Starr shook her head. "Whatever, want to meet my little sister? I have a feeling you'll be amused." Ron let her lead him into the totalled wand shop, surprised to see that the person causing the havoc was indeed a small girl. There was a resemblance, though she had shorter, darker hair then her sister; and was dressed in a much more wizard-like set of robes; she couldn't have been more then 11 years old. Off to the side stood who could only have been their mother and youngest sister, small, short haired and brightly clothed.
"That's your sister?"
Starr nodded, "She's a little over exuberant sometimes."
---
Harry, Hermione, Ginny, Hazel, Kaleb and Gregory had spent the remainder of their time together wandering around Diagon Alley and drinking butter beers from the nearly deserted Leaky Cauldron. At 5:00pm when the shops began to close, Ron still hadn't met up with them.
"Do you think he's all right?" Hermione asked no one in particular.
Harry noticed Kaleb and Gregory exchange silent looks; they probably felt like outsiders for the first time that day. "He's fine Hermione, he probably got caught up in arguing with that girl and then went back to Floreans thinking that's where we'd gone. It's okay."
Gregory didn't voice any of the thoughts going through his head, he didn't really know any of them well enough to know how they would react if he brought up that he-who-must-not-be-named was free and hunting again. Kaleb was in a similar state, though she knew Harry well enough to predict his reaction.
They walked in silence for a while, all thinking separate thoughts until they had done a loop of the alley and found themselves staring blankly at the Leaky Cauldrons back door. Once they'd talked a little more, each went their separate ways. Hermione went to go wait at the bookstore next door for her parents; Gregory back to meet his mother at the ice cream shop, Harry to take the knight bus home with Kaleb (both his aunt and uncle had objected strongly to him having even a little contact with the wizarding world, but they had no means of preventing him), and Hazel and Ginny headed for Diagons fireplace, it was a standard meeting point for almost anyone who wandered the alley.
Meanwhile, as Ron's original party split up to go home, he and Starr had picked up all of her new school supplies and were happily left licking the last ice cream cones Florean had sold for the day.
Starr glanced at her watch, her grin slipping away. "I have to go meet my mom."
Ron nodded. "Alright, I suppose I'll be seeing you on the first day of school then?"
Star smiled a little. "It was good to meet someone at Hogwarts, I'll be looking forward to the train ride."
"Bye then." Ron said.
"Bye." Starr turned up the street and headed in the direction of Olivanders wand shop, her mother and two little sisters waiting for her.
Ron's gaze dropped to the ground. It had been a fun day, and it had definitely been good to see Harry and Hermione, but why did the whole thing have to pass so quickly? With a little sigh, he began to wander towards Diagon Alley's fireplace; it was time for him to go home.
