Updated: June 17th, 2017
Chapter 4: Summer's End
The next few days of summer were spent with Harry. In the mornings, we'd eat breakfast in the Leaky Cauldron where we watched the other guests. There were funny little witches from the country who were here to shop; old wizards arguing about the latest article in Transfiguration Today; wild-looking warlocks; dwarfs; and Harry though he saw a hag once.
After our meal, we'd go into the back and head through the archway to Diagon Alley. Our last days of summer were spent exploring shops and eating at different cafes under the brightly colored umbrellas. The other shoppers would come up to us and take a seat whether we wanted them to or not. They'd show us their purchases or, to my dismay, talk about Sirius Black. It seemed everywhere we went there was a wanted poster or two with his maniacal face on it. I tried not to show my true feelings about the subject.
Since I had finished my homework at home, I'd help Harry with his. It was quite obvious he didn't want to do it so I would dictate what he should write. We would sit outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor in the sunshine for hours, occasionally getting help from Mr. Fortescue himself. And, being the nice man he was, he gave me and Harry free sundaes every half hour until we couldn't eat anymore.
After a couple of days, Harry had to go to Gringotts to get more money. He spent as much as he wanted on whatever he wanted. I couldn't even stop him from buying a very expensive set of solid gold Gobstones. He was also tempted to buy a moving model of the galaxy in a large glass ball, but I dragged him out of that shop before he could buy it too. Much to his dismay, I brought him along with me into some more feminine shops filled with exotic perfumes, jeweled accessories, and brightly colored, expensive cloaks.
"How about these," I asked my friend. I was holding up a pair of pink crystal chandelier earrings. I could tell Harry was getting annoyed and bored. We had been in this shop for about an hour now. My shopping basket was pretty much empty besides some red and gold knee-high socks, an 'H' charm necklace for Hermione's birthday, and mango scented perfume in a crystal bottle.
Harry made a face and I sighed. I picked up another pair when Harry said, "What about these? They're called Mood Earrings."
I took them from my friend and looked them over. I smiled widely. They were just like those fake mood rings that American No-Maj children love. I had one when I was growing up at the orphanage. It never worked because after about a month it turned black and stayed that way. I threw them in my basket and practically skipped to the front counter to pay. Harry waited for me outside and when I emerged I was carrying my bag of purchases and wearing my new mood earrings.
After my shop, we stopped at Quality Quidditch Supplies. There was a small crowd in the shop and we were curious to know what they were staring at. We edged inside the small store, squeezing around witches and wizards until we saw what was in the glass incased podium. A beautiful broom was mounted inside. My jaw dropped to the floor. It was the Firebolt. The fastest broom in the world at 150 miles an hour in 10 seconds. Harry stared at the broom even as the other shoppers left.
We still had our school supplies to buy though. We stopped at the Apothecary to replenish our potions supplies (well, I went in because Harry was still gawking at that broom). Harry needed to get new robes at Madam Malkin's and we also needed our new books. On that list was The Monster Book of Monsters (Hagrid had personally delivered that to us), Unfogging the Future, Intermediate Transfiguration, and The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Three.
The next morning, I was woken by the sounds of passing trains. I groaned as I rolled over to get out of bed. Solo was perched on the bed post sleeping soundly. I muttered about how lucky owls were to sleep in the day. I dressed in jeans and a red tank top. I pulled my black hair into a ponytail and applied light makeup. When I opened my door, Harry was standing there with his fist up.
"Hiya Harry," I greeted him warmly.
"Hey, Cora," he noticed the rips in my jeans his eyebrow raised.
"I got into a little fight with The Monster Book of Monsters."
"You too, then," he looked down at his shoes. I giggled. One of his shoes was perfect, the other…well let's just say Harry needed to buy a new pair of shoes. I closed my door and joined him out in the hall. Just as we were about to head down the stairs, a ragged rat ran passed us followed by an ugly orange cat. As we moved down the stairs a smile appeared on Harry's face.
"I'm warning you, Hermione. Keep that bloody beast of yours away from Scabbers or I'll turn it into a tea cozy!"
"He's a cat, Ronald! What do you expect? It's in his nature." Harry and I reached the bottom step, smiling at the argument our friends were having. Ron was protectively holding Scabbers while Hermione was stroking her ugly hissing cat.
"A cat? Is that what they told you? Looks more like a pig with hair if you ask me."
Hermione huffed, "That's rich coming from the owner of that smelly old shoe brush."
Hermione spoke to her cat, telling it to ignore Ron's rudeness. Ron looked up, seeing me and Harry. He smiled, "Harry! Cora!"
"When did you two get here," Hermione asked.
"A few days ago, actually," I told her.
Ron's eyes lit up, "Do you want to hear about Egypt?"
We sat in a line at a table looking at the article about the Weasleys' in the Daily Prophet. The headline said: Grand Prize Winner Visits Egypt! Ron smoothed out the clipping for us. Hermione sighed, her cat purring in her arms. I guessed she had heard about this a hundred times or so. Harry asked Ron what Egypt was like.
"Brilliant! It's got loads of old stuff. Mummies. Death masks. Tombs and –"
"You know that ancient Egyptians worshiped cats," Hermione leaned over me to boast. Ron rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, along with the dung beetle."
From behind us, the other Weasleys arrived. Molly was laden with shopping bags and Arthur was trying to help her. Percy walked in the pub like he owned the place, Hogwarts Head Boy badge shining brightly. Ginny walked by, muttering a 'hello' without looking at us. I knew she still had a huge thing for Harry. Then, in came the twins in all their glory. They'd be starting their fifth year and were still loads of trouble. Full of double trouble (oh see what I did there, double trouble…because they're twins…yeah).
George leaned down and snatched the clipping away from Ron. "Not showing that clipping about again, are you, Ron?
"I haven't shown anyone," he retorted.
"No, not a soul," Fred laughed. "Unless you count Tom, the day maid, the night maid –"
"–the cook, the bloke that came to fix the toilet –"
"–and that wizard from Belgium," I wasn't able to hold in my laugh. I loved it when they finished each other's sentences. It was so funny and a little cute.
"Harry, how nice to see you," Percy came over, holding out his hand.
"Hello, Percy," Harry sounded amused.
"I certainly hope you're well," he said pompously, shaking Harry's hand. I thought it was rather amusing to watch. And then… "Coralynn! Good to see you as well."
I cleared my throat. I decided to play the part with a terrible British accent, "Yes, yes, well things aren't so bad, ol' chap. And yourself?"
I almost lost it when Percy didn't catch on, "Splendid!"
"Harry," Fred pushed Percy away from us and bowed deeply. "Simply splendid to see you old boy –"
"Marvelous," George jumped in, pushing Fred away and grabbing Harry's hand. "Absolutely spiffing. And Coralynn! Wonderful to see you too!"
George grasped my hand, kissing it lightly. Fred placed his hand on his twin's head and pushed him off. He got down on his knee, taking my other hand and kissing it, "Spectacular seeing you here, my lady. The sun shines just a little brighter when you're in the room."
If I wasn't laughing so hard I'd be embarrassed. Percy scowled at his brothers' display just as Molly walked over, "That's enough now, boys."
"Mum," Fred jumped up, exclaiming. He seized her hand too and shook it. "How really corking to see you –"
"I said that's enough," Molly scolded her twin sons. Harry and I smiled at my godmother. She took Harry's face, "Good to see you again, Harry."
"Good to see you too, Mrs. Weasley."
Molly turned to me and pulled me into one of her bear hugs, "Oh and Cora, dear. I'm glad to see you're well. How was your summer?"
I didn't want to lie to her. So I told her the half-truth, "Thanks, Molly. I'm fine. My summer was wonderful. Living with the Tonks' has been amazing!"
"Well dear, I'm glad to hear it."
"Cora," Arthur greeted. "How are you?"
"Alright, thanks," I replied. "And you?"
"Marvelous," he turned away from me and looked at Harry. The two walked away and I listened in on the conversation Molly, Fred, George, and Ginny were having.
"George's nose looks positively massive in that photograph," Fred stated as he looked closely at the picture.
"That's your nose, Fred," Ginny rolled her eyes.
"Bloody hell! Is it really? Take after your side of the family, don't I, Mum?"
Molly looked as if she was going to smack her son upside the head. "Why can't you two act like Percy? Second Head Boy in the family! I noticed they haven't made you two prefects."
"What would we want to be prefects for," George asked, revolted at the idea. "It'd take all the fun out of life."
Ginny and I giggled. Molly snapped, "You want to set a better example for your sister!"
"Ginny's got other brothers to set her and example, Mum," Percy put in as he passed us. She joined him as they went upstairs to their rooms. When they disappeared, George sighed heavily.
"We tried to shut him in a pyramid," he told me. "But Mum spotted us."
After dinner that night, the Weasley family, Hermione, Harry, and I all sat at a long table talking about school. Apparently, the Ministry wasn't going to take any chances with Sirius Black and provide Azkaban guards to the school. From what Arthur was saying and how Molly reacted, that wasn't a good thing. As it got later, our table got smaller and smaller. Soon I was the last one there. With a long yawn, I got up and left for bed.
Crouching on the landing were Fred and George, laughing quietly as they listened to Percy turning his and Ron's room upside-down looking for something. I heard him shout to the youngest Weasley male about his badge. It had gone missing.
Rolling my eyes, I approached the twins. I held out my hand, "Give it here."
"Aw, Cora's come to ruin our fun," George snickered as he placed the badge in my hand.
"We've only been improving it," Fred whispered. I looked down at the silver badge. It now read Bighead Boy. I felt the corner of my lips rise into a smirk.
Clutching the badge, I knocked on the door. Fred and George scampered away, still snickering. A disheveled Percy answered the door. I held out my hand, returning the badge. Percy looked like he could hug me as I gave him a you-know-who-took-it look. He muttered the names of the twins darkly and shut the door in my face.
That night, as I listened to the muffled trains outside, I wondered why I didn't feel scared. Sirius Black, my father, had killed 13 people with one curse. No one but the adults knew we were blood and I was pretty sure I was not going to tell anyone. And what about the whole Black being You-Know-Who's right-hand man? Shouldn't I be scared of that too? Arthur said, that with Hogwarts and Dumbledore, we'd all be safe. Honestly, I didn't even believe that. Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban in a blink of an eye. Couldn't he get into Hogwarts just the same?
I felt mostly bad for Harry. If he knew – if I told him…it'd kill him. They say Black is out to get him; to finish what he started 12 years ago. Harry was a strong person. I know he can look after himself. I mean, he did get passed You-Know-Who three times already. I hated that his every move would be watched until the danger of Sirius Black had passed.
"I won't let Sirius Black kill Harry," I whispered to myself. That was a promise I intended to keep.