Heya

Thanks to my reviewers: Lobo de Fuego, The Converse Queen, rowellylovesgryffindor, bluemickey22 and LadyLupin98

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone but Mia

Chapter 9: Diagon Alley at Night

"You're awake!" Fred exclaimed, walking into the flat. Mia looked over her shoulder from where she was making herself a cup of tea in the kitchen and smiled at him. It had been a couple of weeks since she'd almost been caught by the Snatchers, and it was now about half way through October. Mia had been going out less and less, fearful of what would happen if she ran into Sara's gang again.

"What's that?" she asked, turning around and nodding to something in Fred's hand. He smiled.

"It's a copy of the Quibbler," he told her, holding it out, "a customer brought it in today." Mia looked at him, confused, for a split second, before placing her cup down and taking the magazine. Unrolling it, she saw a picture of Harry's face on the front, with the words Support Harry Potter splashed above his head in bright colours. Mia quirked a smile.

"It's the only thing publicly speaking out for him," Fred explained, "I mean, its all mixed up with the usual wacko stuff it publishes, but its defending Muggle-Borns as well." She opened it to the contents page and looked down it. Fred was right: about half the stuff was the usual crazy stuff it published (like How to Find and Catch a Wrackspurt and Common Crumple-Horned Snorkack Habitats). But there were also pages title What's REALLY happening at the Ministry and Reasons to Support Harry Potter and Muggle-Borns and Their Benefits. She flicked through the pages, glancing over them.

"Thought it would give you something to do. For the next hour or so, at least," Fred said

"Thanks," she replied, turning another page.

"I'm gunna go back down to the shop," Fred said, nodding towards the door, "are you going out later?"

"Um," she thought for a second, "No, probably not."

"Just as good," he replied, "saw the Snatchers passing 'bout half hour ago." Mia looked at him solemnly. He really wasn't helping. Mia shot him a wry smile before he left, then, sighing, picked up her tea and made her way over to sit down on the sofa. She kicked her feet up and leaned against the arm rest, flipping The Quibbler open at the first page.

Within the next two hours, she'd down about three more cups if tea, and read the Quibbler from cover to cover (and some pages twice). She had actually become quite intrigued by all the creatures that the magazine claimed to exist. Some of the print was in tiny, curly scripts that gave her headache. Either that or it was in big, bold letters and she couldn't tell where one word ended and another began. But once she got the swing of it, it was all very interesting.

There were a lot of pages showing support for Harry as well. Even though there were some farfetched stories about where he might have been and what he might have done. They were entertaining, but completely unrealistic. Still, it was supporting Harry, and that's kind of the only thing that mattered.

The door opened and the twins came in, after closing up the shop. "Still alive, I see," Fred stated, with a slightly dry tone. Mia rolled her eyes and rolled up the Quibbler, "Well? How'd you find it?" he asked, nodding at the magazine.

"It was actually really good," she replied, pushing herself up off the sofa, "it comes out every month, right?"

"Yep," George said.

"Recon you could get me one next month?"

"Sure," Fred replied, "We'll get you one every month!" Mia grinned.

"Thanks," She said

Later that night, Mia groaned in frustration, and turned over, slightly violently. She was trying to sleep. Trying. She hadn't been using up any energy recently, what with not going out on her daily walks. She flung herself onto her back. She was surprised George hadn't woken up yet. He'd stirred a couple times, but he hadn't actually woken up. Wish I was a bloody heavy sleeper, her mind grumbled.

Maybe she should start taking a Sleeping Potion. Of course, there were several problems with that. The only Sleeping Potions that actually worked need a good few ingredients- ones she could only get at apothecaries. And, seeing as she had been practically banned from one of the only still-open ones in Diagon Alley, she doubted that would happen. Other, simpler Sleeping Potions took a while to get going, and even then they didn't offer the best nights sleep.

She stared over at the closed curtains, and shifted onto her side. It was utterly silent. The only sound was George's breathing. She wondered if anyone was outside. She folded her hands over her stomach and crossed her legs under the covers. She doubted it. Why would anyone go into Diagon Alley at night? All the shops were closed. All the cheap stall owners had gone home for the night.

Sighing, she sat up and ran a hand through her hair and looked around the dark room. She couldn't see much. Licking her lips, she leaned over and tapped the Gloww Ball Alicia Spinnet had given to her for her seventeenth birthday. The room lit up dully, changing colour along with the heavy orb.

She licked her lips and, without thinking, slid carefully out of bed and stretched slightly. Glancing back at George's sleeping form, she tapped the Gloww Ball again before creeping out of the room.

She hadn't left the flat in nearly a week. She had to get out. She had to get some fresh air. She had to stretch her legs.

As she tugged on a pair of shoes and a jacket, a part of her mind registered that what she was doing was probably quite stupid. But then another part argued that it was quite smart. The Snatchers wouldn't be around at this time. There was no one outside to harass. They'd either be in a busier part of the country, or sleeping. Or maybe dragging a newly caught Muggle-Born to wherever they were living, to keep there until morning- seeing as trials probably weren't being held at this time of night.

Quietly, she clicked open the door and padded downstairs. Opening the second door at the bottom of the flight, she glanced around the shop quickly, before trudging her way through it.

The shop seemed empty. That's 'cause it IS! She thought. It was true. There was no crowd of customers. No Fred and George managing the stock. No Verity running around like a mad woman trying to make sure chaos didn't erupt.

When she left the shop, she winced as the cold, night air hit her. She'd forgotten it was October, and starting to get cold. Only a few more months and it would be Christmas.

She breathed in heavily. Recently, she'd been getting all her fresh air from flinging the small windows in the flat open. Pulling her jacket closer, she started walking. It was so quiet! Even though people generally kept to themselves when they went shopping, people hardly went around by themselves, so there was always the small murmur of conversation. Or there was always the sound of yelling and laughing from the shop. Or sometimes there was the sound of Fred breaking a mug or plate, but that was usually in the morning, when he was eating breakfast.

She could practically hear the silence.

It was nice, in a way. She didn't have a faint, buzzing headache from the constant noise. Her mind could wander without being interrupted. But in another way, it was slightly eerie. It was a little bit like an old Muggle horror film, where everything was silent before the monster attacked. In this case, she guessed the monster was the Snatchers, and with silence like this, there was no doubt she'd hear them coming.

She circled Diagon Alley, almost oblivious to where her feet were taking her. There was no fear of Snatchers, or neighbours who knew of her blood-status shooting her anxious and suspicious glares. It was cold, but she soon forgot about that. She doubted she'd notice it started chucking it down with rain,

Eventually, her feet carried her back to the shop, where she stood for a moment. Unknowingly, she'd let a small, idle smile slide onto her face. She made her way back through the shop, and back up the stairs, making sure to click all the doors quietly behind her. She kicked off her shoes and hung her jacket up before creeping back into the bedroom.

She felt tired now.

As she slipped into bed, she huddled up against George, who shifted in his sleep so his arm was half draped across her waist. And she was asleep within the hour.

This chapter has been playing around in my mind for a long time, so I'm preying it lives up to the way I pictured it in my head.

Please Review!