Authors Note: I ended up not going on a second vacation, so here's the third chapter!
Chapter -:Three:-
Eeylops Owl Emporium
After checking Number Four Privet Drive, a place I'd rather not visit ever again, I was at a loss as to where Harry could be. He must have been safe, or otherwise unharmed though, because . . . well, all hell hadn't broken loose yet.
"Not good?" Fang asked, coming to my side.
"We need an owl," was all I said in reply, determined to locate the missing boy.
"Diagon Alley?"
"Straight to Eeylops Owl Emporium," I agreed.
"Ooh!" Nudge exclaimed, clapping her hands together in excitement. "We're going to Diagon Alley! I just love it there! Everything is completely devoted to magic, and it's so cool! Can we stop at Flourish and Blotts? I want to pick up a few things, even though Dumbledore said he'd give us our supplies at school. Oh! And can we go to Madame Malkin's, and the Magical Menagerie, and then we can stop for ice-cream, and maybe go to the Quidditch store thing? I don't play Quidditch or anything, but I like watching it, and you and Fang like playing, so it would be good for everyone but Iggy! ZOMG! Didn't Fred and George open their joke shop this summer! We totally have to stop there! It would be rude not to, you know? I-"
"Iggy?" I whispered out of the corner of my mouth, as Nudge continued rambling.
"Yeah?" he replied, tilting his head down.
"Shut her up will you!" I whisper-yelled, making a face. He laughed and nodded his consent, loping over to her inconspicuously. Before she could do a thing his palm was raised, and the ground to either side of her was shaking. Two thick bands woven from long reeds sprouted, latching over her mouth and muffling her cry of outrage.
"Sorry Nudge," Iggy apologized with a sympathetic shrug. "But it's for your own good."
And with that I had to agree.
- }{ -
It may be surprising to you, but we can't just go flying into Diagon Alley. No, the magical wards which hide it from the Muggles are too strong for that. Instead, we have to enter it by the regular means; being either Apparition, through the Floo Network, or through the Leaky Cauldron.
Considering we have yet to master Apparating, and we have absolutely no connection that allows the use of Floo Powder, we have to settle for walking through a crowded bar full of rowdy, and completely wasted, wizards.
Joy.
"Hello there," a drunken man slurred, leaning in a little too close to me. His bushy gray beard brushed against my shoulder, and I recoiled instantly. Eeww! Fang shot him a death glare, and he shrunk back sullenly, turning around to hit on the unfortunate waitress instead. Fang wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me to his side protectively.
It was sweet . . . so cute it made me want to vomit. We were still on shaky ice though, since the incident in the bathroom, and I didn't want to jeopardize what little footing we had gained. I could take care of myself, though! He of all people should know that.
"I don't like it in here," Nudge whispered, her voice small. She must be awfully scared, because that was the shortest statement she had made the entire way.
I put a hand on her shoulder, steering her forward a little more quickly. I didn't consider myself a kid or anything, but this was no place for someone my age or younger. It seemed we had come in right as the afternoon rush hit, too, because this place was packed. Things were starting to get loud, and I didn't want to be around when a brawl broke out. Assuming of course that I wasn't the one to start it . . .
"Next time, we come at closing time!" I exclaimed once we had pushed our way through the last remnants of the crowd. I was now standing with my back to the brick wall that was our entrance to Diagon Alley.
"Agreed," Fang muttered gruffly, his expression still hard.
I rolled my eyes and then proceeded on to snatch my wand from my back pocket. I twirled it around my fingers a few times like it was a baton, before I tapped the bricks, three up and two across, three times. There was a slight shuddering, and then Diagon Alley opened before us.
Nudge gave an audible gasp behind me, a slight squeal escaping from somewhere deep in her throat. I turned around to face them all again, my hands on my hips. Time to be authoritative.
"This isn't a shopping trip. We're not running all around, 'ooh-ing' and 'ahh-ing' at everything we see," I said, glaring pointedly at Nudge. "We're on a mission, one that needs to be completed as soon as possible. Understand?"
Fang nodded, and Iggy saluted me saying, "Aye, aye Captain."
Nudge gave a heaving sigh before muttering, "Alright, alright."
"Good. Now follow me. No straying. If I have to come and search for you, expect a scene to be made," I warned them before setting off.
My rant was unnecessary though. Diagon Alley wasn't the bustling business center it had been the last time we visited. In fact, it was almost deserted. A complete barren wasteland. A few witches and wizards stumbled about here and there, clutching their belongings possessively, their heads whipping from side to side like someone was going to jump out and attack them. Dark figures slunk in the shadows, which made me think that the aforementioned were right to be wary. Some shady business was occurring.
There was one perk to the striking absence of so many people though, and that was that we were able to maneuver the cobble stoned streets much quicker than before. We were arriving at the door of Eeylops Owl Emporium before I even noticed the time passing by.
I shoved the door open, striding into the dark, enclosed space. I immediately became claustrophobic. The cages of rustling owls were so packed together. The walkway between the shelves barely allowed room for me to shimmy through. I ordered the flock to wait outside. I could handle this better myself anyway.
"Can I help you?" the attendant asked, eyeing me cautiously.
I gave him my best reassuring smile. "I need to borrow an owl."
His eyes narrowed dangerously. "Can't be done," he said dismissively, turning his back to me. He resumed stocking the shelves with some type of owl treat, his shoulders hunched over.
"What do you mean, it can't be done!" I exclaimed, my frustration shoving through. I was on a strict schedule here! I didn't have time to play games.
"If you want to use an owl, you have to buy one," he insisted.
"Look, I just have to send one message. And besides, I don't have enough money to buy an owl!"
He rounded on me, his jaw quivering. His voice dropped low, almost guttural and he hissed, "These are dark times missy. He Who Must Not Be Named his rising in power, and his dark agents are running to do his bidding. Haven't you seen the state of things outside? People are terrified. It's hard to know who to trust. I don't need you sending a message that could have important information on it, just so you can drop the owl off back to me. They'll trace it right to my doorstep. No, you can buy an owl, or else you need to scram!"
I fumed silently, giving him my best glare. Without a word I turned and stalked away, slamming the door open. I blinked at the sudden brightness, my hands curled to fists at my side.
"I see things went well," Iggy said after a moment.
"He wouldn't let me borrow one stupid owl. Said I had to buy one! We don't have enough money on us for that!"
"We could stop at Gringotts," Fang suggested.
"That'll take too long! And besides, I don't know where Dumbledore keeps our money," I replied in frustration, beginning to pace. It was a nervous habit of mine.
"Or we could just ask Hagrid where Harry is," Iggy mused, pointing to the big, galumphing giant walking in our direction.
"Iggy, you're a genius!" I exclaimed. "Hagrid! Hagrid, over here!" I shouted, waving him over.
"Hello Max . . . Fang, Iggy, Nudge. How are you kids doing this fine afternoon?" he said by way of greeting. I couldn't help but glance at the darkening sky. The air was churning miserably, and there was no sun in sight.
"Actually, not so good. Do you by chance know where Harry is?" I inquired.
"Should be with those wicked relatives of his, the Dursley's."
"But he's not. We checked there, and he was nowhere to be found," I insisted, frowning. If Hagrid didn't know where he was, then he must be in some big trouble. This wasn't good. Maybe if I had been doing my job instead of vacationing everything would be fine.
"That's strange. I wouldn't know though. You see, I've been on a . . . secret mission . . . for Dumbledore," he said, his voice lowering. He glanced around quickly, making sure no one had heard, but the street was empty.
"Do you have any money we could borrow then? I'll pay you back, I promise! But we need an owl, immediately. I have to find Harry. I just have this horrible feeling that he's either in big trouble, or he's about to be," I explained.
"Sure thing. Anything to keep Harry safe," Hagrid said hurriedly, fumbling with his many pockets. I swear, there are unlimited treasures in that ginormous trench coat of his.
"Thank you. You don't know how much this means to me."
"Just send me an owl letting me know you found him okay. Not the location, of course. That could spell danger in a time like this," he said gruffly, and I nodded agreement.
I knew a scant lot about the trouble that had been brewing in London lately. From what the owl man had said though, things weren't going well. Voldemort was making his existence known ever since the fight at the Ministry. I couldn't help but shudder at the thought. Many things had happened as a result of that night, most of them not good. I had learned my true destiny from the mouth of a god, for example. I also couldn't help but turn my thoughts to another night, two years ago. We all know Voldemort tried to recruit me that day in the graveyard. He had also been restored to his full form.
Not cool.
I took the money Hagrid chucked at me with another murmured thanks, and then I shuffled my way back into the dark shop. When I returned with a covered cage, Hagrid had disappeared once more.
"Ooh! I can't believe we finally got an owl! This is like, super cool. Isn't weird though, that we're two percent bird, and now we own a bird? Is that wrong? It's like a human owning another human as a pet. Oh well though. I guess it's kind of important to have one. Is it a boy or a girl? Ooh, what are we going to name him/her! What kind of owl is it?" Nudge was firing off the questions with record speed.
"Nudge, can you be quiet for two seconds!" I exclaimed in exasperation.
"I would have asked for five minutes," Iggy muttered, smirking.
I shot him a glare before turning back to Nudge and saying, "It's a boy, I have yet to name him, and he's a Tawny owl."
Before she could ask to see him I slid the cover off of his cage. He blinked lazily up at me, ruffling his brown and tan streaked feathers. Nudge squealed in delight, rambling on and on about how cute he was.
At least someone was happy.
Authors Note: So the flock finally gets an owl! I'm pretty sure I have a name for him, but I'll take any suggestions into consideration . . . so any ideas? Review!
