It was only after Michael left that Molly and Harry returned, laden with supplies. Instead of a Cleansweep Nine like last time, Ron was getting a broom from a line that had come out only just that year, one that was advertised for Keepers and only sold at Dusty Sweepers – the Talia Shield. It was currently advertised as the Firebolt of Keeping, and Oliver Wood had endorsed it after the war had ended as "being the right Broom for me." There were books galore, so many that even with Harry's help they were having trouble carrying them all.

After a quick hug and an even quicker visit to Mister Fortescue, the three of them were enjoying an ice cold snack. It was two in the afternoon, and Ginny at least was glad for the sundae she was eating. She'd had to grow up so quickly because of the war, and so she was going to take the time to enjoy her time here, even if she would have to put up with Umbridge again for the first bit of it.

She told Harry and Molly about what happened after they separated; about Lucius Malfoy's seemingly deranged sweeping of Diagon Alley with the True Shape spell ("Why is Malfoy looking for an animagus?"), and about the bizarre events in Ollivander's that involved a small white mammal of indeterminate species. Harry looked thoughtful, but before she could ask he shook his head and said "No, it couldn't be." She decided to save the conversation involving her ex-boyfriend Michael until after her and Harry could have some time alone.

Molly then went into detail about how Flourish and Blotts was packed with irate parents. "Slinkhard's not popular at all. He's very… he sees the world in black and white, I guess you could say. And his book was about as expensive as Magical Me. At least Lockheart was worth reading." Molly sighed somewhat wistfully; Ginny wondered if she still thought that the inept idiot was trying to demonstrate a memory charm and had forgotten he was holding a damaged wand. "And Dusty Sweepers... was very true to its name. Every broom there had been covered in dust, as though nobody was taking care of the store. They had discounts on everything, from Firebolts to huge family models imported from Utah. I can't see why they don't get more business than that."

Ginny and Molly looked at Harry, who was in the middle of taking a bite from his Bull Worm Supreme. There was an awkward pause, and after Harry swallowed he started to talk about how his trip into Muggle London went.

"First of all, we really should campaign to make Muggle Studies a core class at Hogwarts; much more useful than Astronomy at any rate. Wizards tend to stick out like a sore thumb when they try to dress like muggles, especially Dawlish."

Ginny sighed. "I'm guessing Dawlish was tailing you?" Harry nodded.

"Couldn't hex him without getting myself into more trouble than I need, but it was Dawlish. Even if he did catch me, what could he do to me?"

Molly rolled her eyes. "So you're still being followed… Anyway, what next?"

"I turned around and asked him if he knew where any jewelers were."

Jaws dropped. Ginny was starting to laugh. "You asked Dawlish, who was tailing you on Fudge's orders probably, if he knew where any muggle jewelers were?"

"What was I supposed to do, pretend he wasn't there? He stuck out like a lion at a dog show, Gin, and he's more like Percy than Crouch – he does what he's told because he expects the people in power to be trustworthy."

"But Fudge isn't-"

Harry held up a hand to quiet Molly. "I never said that, whatever you were about to say. I did some real talking with my relatives this time around, before the dementors attacked at least. Did you know that Vernon's second cousin on his father's side is an accountant whose family never talks to him?"

Ginny shook her head, but Molly gasped. "Our Squib cousin?"

Harry shook his head. "I don't think that is your squib cousin, but we shouldn't rule it out… where was I? Oh, right, Percy and Dawlish. They believe that the general public is smart enough to elect wise leaders, so they trust the elected leaders. As much as I hate to quote one of the men who made my life hell, distrusting the elected means distrusting the public."

"So you're saying that-"

"I didn't say that either, whatever it was. It's how those three – Percy and Dawlish and my Uncle – it's how they think. Where was I before that?"

"Muggle London, tailed by Dawlish."

"Ah, yes, thanks. It turns out that Dawlish's aunt is a squib that works in a jeweler's not too far from The Leaky Cauldron, so he took me there. He really wanted to nose into my business, so I told him a little of his future. I hope that doesn't come back to bite me in the ass later."

"What did you tell him?"

Harry laughed. "I tried to make it sound like Trelawney's prediction at the end of my third year." He coughed a little, and when he spoke again his voice was hoarse and raspy. "'When the leader of the wizards confronts his fears, when his lost knut becomes a galleon, the choice between freedom and enslavement must be made'. I really hope that doesn't end up in the Hall of Prophecy… does it count if I've already lived through it?"

Molly shrugged. "I never took Divination, so I don't know."

Ginny looked at Harry excitedly. "So, we're ready?"

Harry nodded, a great big smile on his face. "Well, mostly. We still have to wait for you to be done with Hogwarts before I can marry you, unless your parents, Sirius, and Dumbledore all give their okay."

"Why does Dumbledore have to give his okay?" Ginny asked.

Florian Fortescue had sat down next to them. "Have to give his okay to what?"

"For me and Harry to get married before I leave Hogwarts."

Florian smiled sagely. "Ahh… I really should look into getting Grandpa Cuthbert exorcised, a key part of History is Legend but he doesn't like to deal with anything that's not well documented. In this case, it's a legend involving why Salazar left Hogwarts. Everyone thinks it's because of the whole Muggleborns thing, but according to this older legend Salazar was actually cool with it as long as they didn't do the whole 'Magic Is Devil Worship' thing that was cool at the time. No, it was his and Godric's disagreements on whether young men could be trusted around young women that split up the founders."

He summoned a Lemon Sorbet from the shop and started to eat it. "If you've ever seen any boy try to get up the Ladies' Stair in Gryffindor Tower, you know what I'm talking about. Salazar trusted people to do the right thing without being told, and Helga did too. Rowena and Godric believed that the rules must be set forth before they can be followed. Salazar said that that sort of thinking was what muggles used to enslave each other, and Helga – a Muggleborn, if I remember properly – thought that was a slight against her parents, and things exploded from there."

He took another bite. "You know, this particular legend says that Slytherin's Monster was supposed to protect the school from those who would harm the students, not kill all those deemed unworthy to study magic. It was a really popular theory until about a hundred years ago, when Muggle rights became a major issue."

Ginny thought about that for a while. "Does any legend say what Slytherin's Monster was?"

Florian looked at her appraisingly. "Salazar was a known Parselmouth, and it was said in most of the legends that only his heir could command the monster. None of the legends actually say what it is. It would not surprise me if it was some kind of serpent." He turned to Harry. "If half the rumors I hear about you are true, boy, you're a Parselmouth that deluded yourself into thinking you were the Heir of Slytherin. True, or no?"

Harry shook his head. "I'm not a true Parselmouth, because I have to focus to know when I'm doing it. And no, I never honestly thought I was the Heir. What else did that rumor say about me?"

"That you rescued five girls from Slytherin's Monster and killed it with the Sword of Gryffindor."

"I rescued one girl, and she's sitting right there if you want details. But yes, I killed the Basilisk with the Sword of Gryffindor. Does that rumor say anything about why I survived?"

"The ghosts of the other three founders ripped out the teeth of the beast, and a phoenix gouged out its eyes before you jumped down its throat and slashed off its head from the inside."

"The phoenix is true, the ghosts don't exist, and I got bit on the shoulder."

Florian and Molly both gaped at him. After they recovered, they both asked "How did you survive that?"

Ginny laughed. "There was a phoenix there." A stray memory then struck her. "Mister Fortescue-"

"Please, call me Florian."

"Florian then. Did you say that Professor Binns is your grandfather?"

He nodded. "If it wasn't for the ice cream parlor, I'd probably have gone into teaching history by now."

Ginny looked at Harry, who nodded. He cleared his throat, and the same raspy voice from before came out.

"The time soon comes when history repeats itself. The eaters of death will seek to change what people can learn, but he who can teach will be preserved from their wrath for a time."

Ginny giggled; maybe Harry could fake his way into passing his Divination O.W.L. this time around? "We have to get going now, Florian. Please consider teaching; that prophecy sounds like you might be in danger."