Chapter 10: Shopping in Diagon Alley
Several weeks after his rescue and Harry had settled in at the Ranch fairly easily. He was used to doing chores and had fun helping the ranchers feed the cattle or brushing the horses.
He currently shared a room with Billy but not long after he arrived people started to build a home about 200 yards from Jackson's home. Everyone hoped to have it finished by Christmas. The home was going to be Margaret's for her and her two children.
Harry had happily agreed to let Margaret adopt him and the paper work was still going through. It was taking longer for Harry to get adopted than Hermione as Margaret had no real claim to the boy.
All the same though Harry was happy with Margaret and was excited when he and Hermione got their letters at breakfast the day before his twelfth birthday. Billy of course got his as well as well as….
"All right a prefect badge!" Billy grinned pinning the golden badge onto himself proudly.
"Great going Billy," Margaret grinned looking up from over Harry's shoulder as she read his letter.
"That's my boy!" Jackson smirked.
"Hey I gave birth to him," Elizabeth quipped and smiled at her son, "It's wonderful dear."
"Well this calls for a trip to Diagon Alley you think?" Margaret asked as an old grey owl flew in and dropped to the floor. Everyone blinked at the creature oddly as it stood, shook itself, and hopped up beside Harry.
"Errol always does that," Hermione explained having gotten owls from Ron before. Harry open the letter and grinned handing it to Hermione.
"Ron's going to Diagon Alley today too!" Harry exclaimed.
"Well send a note. Will meet them in Flourish and Blotts," Margaret smiled.
Harry nodded and wrote a quick note with the pen and paper Jackson passed and sent it off with the bird before finishing his breakfast.
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An hour later found Margaret, Billy, Hermione, and Harry walking down the streets of Diagon Alley.
They first went and replenished on parchment, quills, and ink then to Madam Maulkins for Billy to have new robes. He had already out grown the others. After this though the four entered Flourish and Blotts finding it crammed with people as some wizard by the name of Gilderoy Lockhart was signing his latest book.
"Hey Aunt Maggie the list says we need all his books for Defense class! Bloody hell you don't think he's the teacher do you?" Billy asked.
Margaret shrugged and was about to answer when a voice called, "Harry? Harry Potter!?"
She turned just in time to see Harry jerked onto the platform in the tiny shop by a wizard with golden locks and blue eyes.
"Nice big smiles Harry together you and I are worth the front page," Lockhart grinned as the cameras flashed.
"Excuse you! Let go of him," Margaret snapped pulling Harry to her.
Harry suddenly feeling very small; well smaller than normal, wrapped himself around the tall slim woman.
"Who are you? You look familiar," Lockhart stated as the group around him quieted watching the exchange.
"Margaret McGonagall if you must know. Two time winner of Witch Weekly's Most Cunning Witch Award and seven time winner of the Wizarding Rodeo Federation Barrel Racing," Margaret snapped, "Harry is in my custody and I refuse to let a blow hart like you badger him. Good day!" She turned to leave and was accosted by several cameras and reporters; Lockhart looked put out.
Billy was able to sneak his cousin and soon to be cousin away from the onslaught of flash photography and they met up with the Weasley children heading to the exit. Unfortunately as luck would have it they ran into Draco and his father Lucius.
"My, my Harry Potter? And Miss Granger?" Lucius sneered looking at the two. Draco nodded to his father.
"Yes Draco told me all about you. You're parents are muggles are they not?" Lucius asked.
"Actually my name is McGonagall. My mother is over there," Hermione replied pointing to where Margaret was starting to make progress of getting rid of the paparazzi.
"McGonagall?" Lucius glared but his tone changed and he looked at all the red heads.
"Red hair, tatty second hand books…you would have to be Weasleys," he stated picking a book out of Ginny's cauldron for a minute before putting it back. Harry noticed something extra in the cauldron.
"Oh good grief those people never get enough when I surface," Margaret huffed as she came up behind the children the same time Arthur did.
"Lucius! How wonderful to see you. Give Narcissa my regards please. Come on kids. Ice cream…my treat," Margaret said hurriedly and herded the kids out before anything happen.
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"Mum…mum there's something in Ginny's cauldron," Harry whispered as they walked to Fortesque's.
Margaret was thrilled Harry had called her that and gently nodded as they entered the shop.
When the others weren't looking Maggie slipped something small and black out of Ginny's cauldron and into her purse.