Chapter 5
After going back to the Burrow at the start of summer, me, Ron, Fred George and even Ginny hadn't stopped pestering Molly until she allowed Harry to come and stay. It hadn't taken long for her to agree anyway. It was nice to back home: the familiar gnomes running around the garden and the smell of bread baking in the oven.
Moony came and took me to his house for the first three weeks of the summer and it was great to see him. I was a little upset when Harry didn't reply to my first letter but brushed it off, instead, I spent most of the time sitting in the garden with Moony, reading and talking mostly about my past year at Hogwarts. On the last night of my stay, he got out a dusty box and showed me some pictures of his own days at Hogwarts. He looked so young and happy, his arm around my dad, laughing like the best-friends they were.
There were so many questions I wanted to ask but I refrained and when Moony went inside to make dinner, I sat looking through the pictures a little longer. As I was packing them away, one caught my eye. At first I thought it was Harry but then I noticed that it was too old to be Harry. However, the likeness was uncanny: the hair was a total giveaway. But there was no scar and the eyes were completely different. There were three other people in the picture; a handsome black-haired man who had his arm slung round the Harry look-alike; my dad, then there was Moony, clutching a book, standing next to him and a chubby boy in the background jumping to get into the photo. I finished putting the photos away but tucked this one into my pocket.
We Flooed back to the Burrow the next morning where I was immediately accosted by Ron.
"Have you heard from him? Allie! Has he answered your letters?" he said grabbing my arm and yanking me up the stairs.
"Bye Moony!" I shouted back down to my godfather. "Ron, are you talking about Harry?"
"Yes, of course Harry, who else?"
"No, I've only heard from Hermione, and a few others from Hogwarts, but not Harry,"
"He hasn't answered any of my letters." We burst into his room to find Fred and George sitting on the bed.
"Sup, Alli-cat." they said in unison.
"What's the plan then." I asked. The twins always had a plan.
"We'll give him a couple more weeks-"
"-that'll make Mum less suspicious-"
"-then we can go get him."
"How?" said Ron. Our first idea was brooms, but we'd be too easily noticed by the Muggles. Then it hit me- well Ron's pillow did.
"Come on Allie, think- you're supposed to be smart." moaned Ron
"Yeah well we can't all be geniuses like you," I said sarcastically. "We can still fly- but go by car."
"And that's less conspicuous than a broom?" said Ron copying my tone. I rolled my eyes and smacked him round the back of his head.
"It's got an invisibility booster dumb ass."
Those next few weeks were tense. It took all my will not to just jump in Arthur's Ford Angela and drive to Harry's right then. Of course there was the tiny insignificant fact I was only eleven (twelve in a few days time) and couldn't drive.
We thought we were busted when Molly gathered us all together. We sat in the living room, backs straight thinking the worst punishment we would have.
"Why did Molly call a family meeting? I hate family meetings." I whispered so she wouldn't hear us.
"Dunno." said Fred. He turned to Ron "What did you do?"
"What do you mean what did I do? What did you two do?" he said disgruntled.
"We didn't do anything-"
"-we're innocent angels." They leant back in using smirking.
"Guys, seriously as long as we stick together, it won't matter who did it." Ginny said sighing, even she was there. We all jumped guilty as Molly walked in.
"It was Ron's fault-" cried Fred and George immediately, pointing wildly at Ron.
"What!"
"-we saw him with our own eyes!"
"- no way! It was them two!"
"So much for 'sticking together'" I muttered rolling my eyes as Molly looked between us suspiciously.
"What on earth are you on about?" she said "I honestly don't care who's blown something up this time. I was just going to tell you that me and your father have agreed to fetch Harry by the end of next week."
We sighed and dropped back into our seats. Molly left casting furtive glances at the twins. But next week was too late and so we agreed to still go and get Harry. He could be here by the weekend.
That night, I watched as Strix flew over the horizon, over the treetops before disappearing into the distance. I frowned, staring at the framed picture I kept on my desk. It was at Christmas: me Harry, Ron and Hermione were playing in the snow under my favourite willow tree, by the lake. We were drenched and freezing but bright-eyed and laughing all the same. This would be the fifth letter I sent to Harry and I could bet I wouldn't get a reply again.
My birthday came a few days later and while most of it was spent plotting Harry's rescue, I had a great time. Moony brought me a small trunk that was enlarged on the inside so I could fit any capacity of things in there. Most of my precious things had just been put in a small box and shoved at the back of the wardrobe were no one could find them. Now I took them out and placed each item lovingly into the trunk.I locked the trunk just as Ron came bursting in.
"We'll go in two days, when mum's at Seamus' house, visiting his mum."
When Molly had left the house me, Ron, Fred and George all crept to my room. I unlocked the sash window and pushed it up. One by one we clambered out and edged along the flat roof to the edge where there was a drainpipe we could shimmy down. I went first, being an expert, got down in less than five seconds. I had lost count the amount of times I had escaped this way when I had been grounded.
I jumped in the car just as the others got down the pipe. I started it up just as George got to it.
"Nice try Allie, budge over." pouting I slid over to the passenger seat as he got into the drivers seat. The others climbed in the back and we set off. At first the car was jerky. It was loud but there was no one to hear us as Arthur was at work and Percy was with his 'girlfriend'. Ginny had gone with Molly so we were in the clear.
George pushed down on the accelerator and we rose steadily into the air. It got a little getting used to but eventually he got it was we flew through the night sky towards London. We wouldn't have managed the journey in one night if we hadn't used the speedo button and we rocketed forwards reaching Surrey, Little Whinging in half the time. It was the middle of the night when we found Privet Drive.
We found number four and circled the house. I knew which room was Harry's at a guess: it had bars on the window. Slowly we approached the window and pulled up along side it. A confused pale face peered out at us before looking shocked and opened the window as far as it would go.
"Hiya Harry." I said grinning.
"Allie! Ron, Fred, George!" he exclaimed "What are you all doing here?"
"Rescuing you of course." I said "I told you I would."
He beamed before racing round his room grabbing things and throwing them into his trunk. He closed his curtains for a second then reopened them, I looked at him confused until I realised he'd got dressed. I smirked as he finished packing.
"Better, stand back," warned Ron as he opened the car door and clipped a hook around the bars. We accelerated away and the bars were wrenched from the window pulling the panes of glass with them, landing on the garden floor with an almighty groan and crash. That was sure to have woken the Dursleys and so quickly we backed up so Harry could chuck his trunk in and then whizzed round for him to climb in next to me. He passed me Hedwig who I shoved on the backseat.
"Hurry Harry," I urged as the door slammed open, revealing a very large purple faced Vernon Dursley.
"Potter!" he screamed running at Harry. He took a mighty leap and landed in the car. I grabbed hold of his arms and pulled. Dursley had his foot locked tightly in his hand and was refusing to let go. I wrapped my arms around Harry but was almost pulled out myself. Another three pairs of arms heaved us back in and Harry's foot slipped from Dursley's hand.
Cheering, George accelerated away quickly into the night and we looked back to see Dursley looking petrified at the blue Ford Angela flying away from him.
"So, Arthur said you'd got an official warning from the Ministry for using magic?" I said, casually as we glided over Surrey.
"You know were not allowed to use magic outside school." said Ron.
"Bit rich coming from you," Harry said pointedly, looking around the car.
"Doesn't count" I grinned. "It's Arthur's. We didn't enchant it."
Harry made a face at me before proceeding to tell us all about a House-elf that had appeared in his room, about a week before. Harry seemed rather dazed and ecstatic he was finally free. It took us longer to get back to the Burrow as it was getting lighter and lighter.
At about 8.00am we pulled up outside home. Quickly we backed the car into the garage and darted across the yard into the kitchen, after a quick double check there was no one there. As quiet as mice we walked through the kitchen grabbing a hunk of bread on the way. Harry was mesmerised. He walked with us, gazing around and stopping every few seconds to admire something. His mouth was practically on the floor.
"It's not much," said Ron through a mouthful of food "But its home."
"I think it's brilliant," Harry replied honestly.
"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" Merlin! I jumped guiltily and hid the bread behind my back. Molly stood in the doorway, her face like thunder glaring at us all. She was the same height as me but shorter than all her sons. That didn't stop them from withering under her burning gaze.
"Harry!" she said sweetly, "How wonderful to see you dear."
She rounded on us again, her hair slightly static in her rage.
"Beds empty! No note! Car gone! You could have died! You could have been seen!" she yelled.
"They were starving him Molly-" I said pathetically as her eyes shot daggers at us all.
"- there were bars on his window." put in Ron. I glanced at Harry who looked just as terrified as we did, nodding his head furiously.
"Well, you'd best hope I don't put bars on your window Ronald Weasley." she snapped dangerously. "Come now Harry, time for a spot of breakfast."
We gathered around the table, Molly muttering and grumbling, cooking the breakfast a little haphazardly. Every so often she would send a dirty look at her sons and me then slam a pot down or break something, repairing it with a flick of her wand.
"There you go Harry," she said piling his plate with food enough for four men, "Tuck in."
"Mum! Have you seen my jumper," said Ginny as she ran into the kitchen in her night gown, hair frizzled up everywhere. She froze, catching sight of Harry, before squealing and running back up the stairs.
"What did I do?" he asked perplexed.
"Ginny, she's been talking about you all summer."
"Morning Weasleys!" shouted a jolly voice from the yard.
"Morning Arthur! Morning Dad!" we all chorused.
"What a night. Nine raids. Nine!" he said, dropping his things next to the back door and sitting down at the head of the table. He sighed heavily and looked round at his family. I sniggered as he focused on Harry looking bemused.
"And who are you?"
"Oh, I'm Harry Sir, Harry Potter."
"Good Lord, are you really?" he exclaimed. "Ron and Allie have told us all about you of course, when did he get here?"
That's when I excused myself and ducked out of the kitchen. I could sense the others following quickly behind me. We raced around the back of the house, leaving them to it, as Molly's voice came floating after us: "WHAT DO YOU MEAN HOW DID IT RUN?"
Grimacing at each other, we slouched into the garden, yawning and grumbling, to do our monthly de-gnoming chore. The garden was huge and loads of gnomes lived in the wild undergrowth.
"Muggles have garden gnomes, too, you know," Harry told us as we crossed the lawn.
"Yeah, I've seen those things they think are gnomes," said Ron, bent double with his head in a peony bush, "like fat little Santa Clauses with fishing rods . . . ."
There was a violent scuffling noise, the peony bush shuddered, and Ron straightened up.
"This is a gnome," he said grimly.
"Gerroff me! Gerroff me!" squealed the gnome, small and fat, resembling a large potato.
"To be honest, I think it's cute." I said, grabbing another running past my knees and holding it at arm's length. "You know, the way they run around making mischief."
"Bit like you then," remarked Fred.
"Yeah but I'm prettier." I smirked then hit him with the gnome which promptly attached itself to his hair. He spent the next fifteen minutes trying to shake it off until it pulled a chunk of hair out, while me and the others were in stitches. Ron could barely take his stance ready to show Harry how to throw them out the garden.
We made it into a competition to see who could fling the gnomes the furthest. It turned out to be Harry who, when one sunk its teeth into his finger, whirled it about fifty feet.
The rest of the holidays were so much fun with Harry there. We spent the rest of the days, mucking about outside enjoying the warm weather. Most days we went down to the brook and while the boys fished, I lay and sunbathed. Once they all ambushed me and picked me up, dumping me in the brook. Luckily, I managed to drag someone with me: Harry. We sat in the water; bums soaked, laughing our heads off.
Other days we played Quidditch, Ginny joining in; we played three a side, giving me a chance to show off some off my Chaser skills. I reckoned I was pretty good; I out flew Ron, Fred and George. I challenged Harry to a race but my broom against his Nimbus meant I had no chance.
"I will beat you one day." I vowed. Harry just grinned and nicked the Quaffle off me scoring a goal. We went down to the village, for Molly, to the market and bought the weeks groceries. There we all bought ice-creams and spent the journey home trying to make sure they didn't melt all over our fingers by eating them as quickly as possible. Needless to say we all had aching stomachs after.
A week after we received our Hogwarts letters, we got ready to go to Diagon Alley.
"Harry, you go first, dear."
"But Harry's never travelled by Floo powder before, Molly." I said glancing at him. He looked at me confused.
"Floo powder?"
"Well, Ron why don't you go first and Harry can see how it's done." Harry turned to watch Ron and stared very hard at him. Standing next to Harry now, I realised how tall he'd gotten. He was at least an inch taller than me and his hair had grown slightly longer but still tufting out randomly. Ron was even taller and still hadn't grown into his long limbs.
I backed away as Ron stepped into the fireplace and only just managed to pull Harry back as Ron shouted: "Diagon Alley!" and dropped the powder. The fireplace burst into green flames and Ron disappeared. I shielded my face from the sudden heat and brushed a few specks of my cloak.
"You see, it's quite easy dear, don't be afraid." soothed Molly. I looked at Harry to see him looking horrified at the idea of disappearing in a large amount of green fire. Molly beckoned him and I pushed Harry's back gently forwards. Harry stepped in and took the Floo powder. I grinned reassuringly and he took a deep breath and said: "Diagonally!" and he too disappeared.
"What did he say, dear?"
"Diagonally."
"I thought he did." I muttered. It was my turn next and I jumped in taking a deep breath. Releasing the powder I felt myself being pushed in from all angles until I tumbled out of the other end, covered in soot. Coughing I wiped myself down and looked around. We were in the Leaky Cauldron. No sign of Harry.
"Hey," I said to Ron. "Harry here?"
"No why?"
"Oh. He said 'Diagonally'. Wonder where he'll end up?"
The rest of the Weasleys followed behind me, Molly bringing up the rear looking extremely worried and frantic. We headed out onto the street and into Flourish and Blotts first. Fortunately, Molly's love of Gilderoy Lockhart over-ruled her worry for Harry and she ran in to get our books and then get them signed. The booklist was complied of all his books.
"Bet the new Defence teacher is a witch." Ron muttered moodily, turning the bright pink book over in his hands, disgustedly.
I stood at the door looking up and down the street, waiting anxiously for Harry. I thought I saw him when I was ambushed by a mass of thick brown hair.
"Hermione!" I choked. "It's so good to see you."
"It's great to see you too! How have you been? Did you get my letters? How are Harry and Ron? Did you have a good summer? What have you-"
"Woah, Hermione, slow down!" I laughed and we went inside laughing and chatting, her parents following, before she similarly accosted Ron and almost suffocated him. While everyone was talking I glanced out the window and noticed Hagrid walking past with…
"Harry!" I yelled. I grabbed Hermione and ran out the shop. Harry was absolutely filthy. Where ever he had come out, the chimney obviously hadn't been cleaned in decades. We hurried back in the shop where Molly was still waiting with out books at the front of the now huge queue.
I'd never really liked Lockhart or his books so I walked around the shop browsing the thousands of volumes on shelves that ran all the way up to the ceiling. I knew they'd be ages yet. I wandered up to the second floor which was almost deserted. I moved along the gallery and peered down at the crowd below.
I jumped slightly at a small rustling sound in the shadows. I turned quietly and realised someone was sitting in a small armchair reading. I didn't realize until it was too late that it was in fact Malfoy. I snorted as I looked at the front cover of the book.
"Pride and Prejudice, Malfoy?" I smirked, he jumped up, shoving the book deep into his pocket. "Never took you as the romantic type."
"Shove it, Black," he spat. My eyes flashed dangerously and I whipped out my wand, pointing at his throat.
"Don't call me that." I snarled "That isn't and will never be my name."
He stared straight back into my eyes until I lowered my wand, cursing myself, I put it away.
"What's up, Alexia. Too scared to do it?"
"No. Unfortunately, we're related and I have a strict policy about killing family members." I huffed and sat down in the second armchair next to him.
"Jeez, don't remind me please. It's bad enough just knowing." he said grumpily, plonking himself down next to me. I glanced at him curiously. I wasn't in the mood for a fight today and it was obvious he wasn't either. Well not with me.
"So why were you reading Pride and Prejudice? Romance and Muggle? Actually why were you reading full stop?" I asked.
"I wasn't. I was merely scanning it for witty retorts."
"The Prince of Slytherin, can't come up with his own comebacks? And here I was thinking you were almighty."
"Haha funny Prewett." I watched him even more intrigued than before. He just sat there. No nasty comments. Nothing. He wasn't even sneering. A loud cry went up from downstairs and I rose to look down. Gilderoy Lockhart had arrived, and, oh look: Harry was tucked under his arm, a look of bewilderment on his face. Bet Harry was loving this.
"Bloody Hell." Malfoy stood next to be gazing down. Now he was sneering.
"Calm it Malfoy, it's not his fault." Bless Harry. He looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here right now.
"Urgh, Stupid Potter," said Malfoy venomously. "Famous just because of a stupid scar. Reckon if I carved a scar on my head people would worship me too?"
"People do not worship Harry," I snapped.
"You do." I glared at him, angrily.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Make of it what you will." He stalked away, cloak billowing out. I ground my teeth together and followed. Stupid, stupid Malfoy. Just as we reached the bottom of the stairs, Harry and the others appeared and Malfoy couldn't resist.
"Bet you loved that didn't you Potter?" he sneered "Can't even go into a bookshop without making the front page."
"Leave him alone." I retorted.
"Oh look Potter, you've got yourself a girlfriend!" He smirked nastily at me and I flushed red. I went to take out my wand again but there was no need. Lucius Malfoy had arrived. Or maybe there was a need.
"Now, now Draco, play nicely." Malfoy senior used his cane to push his son out of the way who glanced at his father before backing off. "Mr. Potter. Lucius Malfoy. We meet at last" he extended his hand which Harry took stiffly. He jerked Harry towards him and moved his hair, revealing his scar. "Forgive me. Your scar as legend, as of course is the wizard who gave it to you."
"Voldemort killed my parents," Harry said coldly as Malfoy let him go. "He was nothing more than a murder.
"You must be very brave to mention his name. Or very foolish"
"Fear of a name, only increases fear of the thing itself." said Hermione wisely.
"And you must be Miss Granger; yes Draco's told me all about you… and your parents. Muggles, aren't they?"
"Let me see. Red hair, vacant expression…" he picked up one of Ginny's books that were in her cauldron. "Tatty second-hand books, you must be the Weasleys."
He dropped them back as everyone glared back at him. Then he started on me.
"Ah and this is Alexia… Prewett. Yes and your family are quite a different story are they not? Your mother dead and your father- well a disgrace if I might say so-"
"Well you can't say so and if you don't mind we're going to be late for an appointment so if you would kindly move-" He stepped aside and let us pass but before I could leave, he gripped my arm and whispered in my ear.
"You would do well to watch yourself girl. Do not cross me. I am a dangerous man." He sneered and nodded curtly letting go of my arm. I stormed from the shop, slamming the door on the way out. I let out a scream of frustration as soon as I was out of earshot of the book shop.
"Where does he get off doing that? To kids as well," I yelled as I reached the others. I was so angry I wanted to hit something and that something turned out to be Ron. A little later we met up with a mortified Molly and a dishevelled Arthur. Apparently Arthur had seen our confrontation with Malfoy and ended up fist-fighting in the middle of the shop. She stalked off home, us following in her wake, mumbling something like; "-can't take them anywhere-".
We left Hermione at the Leaky Cauldron and Flooed back to the Burrow and kept out of Molly's way over the next few days. The end of the summer vacation came too quickly for my liking. On our last evening, Molly conjured up a sumptuous dinner that included all of my favourite things, ending with a mouth watering treacle pudding. Fred and George rounded off the evening with a display of Filibuster fireworks; they filled the kitchen with red and blue stars that bounced from ceiling to wall for at least half an hour. Then it was time for a last mug of hot chocolate and bed.