I don't own the story or the characters of Harry Potter, this work is entirely fan-made. The rights to everything Harry Potter belong to J.K Rowling. I also have no beta or proof-reader (at least not a human one) so expect some mistakes from time to time.
Before you start the chapter, I would like to personally thank the user: fhl1234 for being a loyal and dedicated reader and a constant reviewer. I know you have been reading my stories for a while and I hope you continue to do so. Thanks to everyone else who reads this too.
When August 20th rolled around, the soon-to-be 3rd years of Hogwarts were ready to go shopping in Diagon Alley again. They only needed one thing: an owl carrying their letters. The young Potter twins were two of the most excited for this new year of learning. This year, they could take their elective courses and on top of that, their Uncle Remus would be teaching them in Defence Against the Dark Arts, previously nicknamed the simple, yet explanatory 'Defence' class. Harry had chosen his subjects carefully this year, to make sure that they all aligned with not only a good education, but a happy one. He had applied for Ancient Runes, Arithmancy and Care of Magical Creatures, the same as his sister, who had also wanted to take Divination. Harry didn't tell anyone else his reason for forgoing the study of Divination, but secretly, it was because the same 'seer' who had given the prophecy that involved him and Neville was teaching the subject at Hogwarts. Harry didn't want his death or the fate of the universe predicted and/or shared with the whole of the year; it was a popular subject to those who wanted an easy pass. Hermione was a little disappointed with him for not choosing as many subjects as her, given that no-one else in the year had taken all of the elective classes but understood why, as he had the Rogue Society to run and the Duelling club to go to every weekend. Zoe just shrugged when he told her and his parents didn't want to try to make decisions for him, as some parents did, like the Weasley matriarch Molly, who had reportedly made her twin sons Fred and George take four subjects which their brothers before them had taken. They weren't pleased but mentioned to Lee Jordan rather loudly in the common room that they would not be going to divination classes and would instead be working on their own secret project. The house could only guess as to what they were working on.
Hermione was the most hardworking and intelligent person in their year, though this didn't make Harry's worries for her less relevant. He had asked her why she was taking all of the subjects under the sun when he was at her house previously, to which he got an exasperated sigh. "Harry, don't be so dramatic. I haven't taken every course. I wasn't able to take Alchemy because it was only available after a few more years of work and there wasn't enough demand in the last few years. I haven't taken Xylomancy either, it wasn't interesting enough on top of the base Divination." Harry raised his eyebrows. Hermione punched him on the arm for that. "Ow! Hermione, have you been taking strengthening solution or something? That kind of hurt." Her face dropped and she went to cradle his arm. "Oh, I'm sorry, I must be stronger than I look. I mean, I have been carrying around a bag full of books for two years running. That might have something to do with it. Can I get something for your arm?" She asked with a grimace. Harry inwardly smirked and saw an opportunity. Though he had to be careful, they were still in Hermione's parent's house. "You could kiss it better." Hermione put her hands on her hips and shook her head, then obliged and pressed her lips gently to his arm, which had started to redden. "That feels much better now. On that note, my lips hurt as well." She tilted her head rose to his height again. She smiled "I love you and your silly brain, Harry, or should I say, Mr Kemble." Ever since she had discovered the cover name that Harry had used on the Knight Bus, she had teased him about it, to the point that she had started to call him John on purpose to annoy him. "Where is that from, anyway?" She asked with a puzzled look at her own joke. He grinned and his cheeks grew pink with embarrassment. "I was reading through some of my mum's old Shakespeare plays, and found one called 'The Winter's Tale'. The main character, King Leontes, who was played once by a man named John Kemble in 1811 is married to the Queen of Sicily, Queen Hermione. So naturally, when I was thinking about coming to your house, I thought of the person closest to Hermione, and well, I think his name better suits me than Leontes." Harry was grinning sheepishly by the time he was finished explaining. "That is the sweetest and weirdest thing that you have ever told me."
"Do you both still have your lists?" Lily asked for the third time that day. Harry groaned and Zoe rolled her eyes. "Yes, mother. Harry has his list and I remember mine fully. You surely haven't forgotten how my ability works already, have you." Lily raised her eyebrows at her daughter. "I'm going to let that one slide for now, since I had forgotten that you have a very good memory. But, please, refrain from talking like that to me or your teachers. Though you are both teenagers, I will not have you two besmirch our family's propriety." Zoe looked down after smiling briefly and gave the reins to Harry. "We'll be fine, Mum. If we aren't home by 2, then feel free to send Dad and the Aurors after us. Besides, Hagrid will be there, as will Hermione's parents." Their mother sighed and looked down at her children with pride. They really had grown up this last summer. "I am so proud of you both. Going to Diagon Alley on your own without us." She went to embrace them but they recoiled in sync as if planned. "Mum, we're both thirteen now, you don't need to hug us at every available opportunity." Zoe whined. "I can and I will use a full body-bind spell on you both until I can hug, so you had better just let me." They both let out audible sighs and let their mother embrace them. First Harry, then Zoe after him dropped a handful of floo powder into the large hearth and said "The Leaky Cauldron." In a puff of green flames, they were gone.
Mr and Mrs Granger were waiting in a booth at the Leaky Cauldron with their daughter, who was currently sipping her drink as if there lay a hidden treasure at the bottom. When she eventually stopped draining her glass, her parents asked her a serious question. "Hermione, sweetie, we obviously can't see you on your birthday to give you a gift and we have been thinking…" Dan Granger said, trailing off, apparently unable to say any more. Emma continued for him "Would you like a pet to keep you company at Hogwarts? Perhaps an owl, like your friends have, or a cat?" Hermione's face spread into a large smile at that, and she leapt into her parent's arms and hugged them tightly. As she squeezed the life out of her parents, a whooshing sound came from the floo exit left of the bar. First, out strode a soot-covered Harry Potter, who brushed some black powder from his shoulder as he quickly stood out of the way of the fireplace. Seconds after, his sister, a similarly dirty robe covering her shoulders came striding out after nearly stumbling on the hearth. "Thank you, Tom." The twins thanked as the barkeep waved his wand and cleaned the soot from their cloaks. They slid a few sickles to him for his kindness and went to find their group. A large man lumbered over to them as they reached the Grangers' table and greeted Harry and Zoe in a bear-hug. "'Ello 'Arry, Zoe. Are yeh all ready for shopping? Got yeh money with yeh?" They nodded and said hello to Hermione and her parents, Harry kissing the former on her cheek. "'Righ then, first stop, Flourish and Blotts!" he boomed as the whole group headed towards the brick wall into Diagon Alley.
Hermione's face brightened up at the prospect of an hour of looking through books for not only schoolwork but enjoyment too. Secretly, she wanted to get Harry a copy of 'The Hobbit' by one of their favourite authors: J.R.R Tolkien. Her birthday gift to him was his own set of 'The Lord of the Rings' that was not his mother's copy, which she now read adamantly upon the return home of her son and daughter. And though she doubted that a wizarding book store would have those kinds of fantasy novels, one could dream. After finding the textbooks that would be needed for this coming year, she surreptitiously looked through another section before her parents or the Potters could catch her for the novel for Harry. In truth, she wanted to read it together, with him, but she didn't have to tell him; he would probably read it to her anyway. "Very Slytherin thoughts, Miss Granger." A voice came from behind her. "What?! No, no I was just thinking about schoolwork. Yes, school textbook work." She tried to convince herself as she stammered through her poorly thought-up lie. "Oh, don't be so silly, Hermione. I won't tell him that you plan on getting him a book you both want to read. That's just shameful." She said with a sarcastic tone and a smirk to match. Hermione made a face at her and told her to pester someone else. "Very well, I won't bother an innocent bookworm any longer." Zoe then turned around and marched to the next aisle in the bookstore to look for the 3rd year charms book.
After visiting several more shops scattered around the alley, they eventually came to the one called 'The Magical Menagerie' opposite Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour. The sounds coming from within were dramatically diminished by what Hermione assumed was a silencing charm, though when she entered and let the door close, her ears were assaulted with an astonishing amount of noise for the small store. Animals of magical and non-magical heritage were lining the walls in cages or boxes and some were in glass containers for easy carrying. Hermione strayed away from the insects and amphibians immediately, though she thought the salamanders were quite fascinating. The owls were screeching at the prospect of a potential new owner and some of the ravens were squawking as if they were trying to break the glass on the opposite side of the room. Hermione was too busy gazing in wonder at the animals to notice another customer in the shop. He turned around after picking up his purchase and stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of Hermione. "Oh, great. Even out of school I can't avoid you. Do you find it funny to try to bump into me every time your boyfriend gets bored with you." Ronald Weasley sneered, though less like Malfoy than she would have thought. Hermione couldn't believe her luck herself. "Obviously I don't make it my life's ambition to have to talk to you. Or even to look at you. You make no impact on my life. And for your information, Harry is here with me, as is his sister." The red-headed boy gulped audibly and made to leave the shop before the woman at the counter called to him. "Don't forget your rat-tonic, he won't be very well if you do." Ronald angrily turned back to the counter and swiped the tiny bottle from the hands of a shocked girl. She muttered something along the lines of 'tosser' and went into the back for a moment, presumably to clear her head of the annoyance. When he had thrust the bottle into his pocket, Ronald went to open the door, shooting Hermione a horrid glare before coming face-to-face with Daniel and Emma Granger. His face became noticeably more inscrutable as he strode from the Menagerie. "Friend of yours?" Hermione's father asked. "Never in a million years, Dad."
As the young lady manning the counter at the shop came back to the front, she looked considerably less miffed and greeted Hermione and her parents with smiles and a customary greeting, offering help. As Hermione opened her mouth to speak, a large orange ball of fluff bounded onto the counter and snarled at the door, which stood slightly ajar. Hermione instantly fell in love with the small tiger and went to stroke the animal behind the ears. It purred and flattened them as her fingers went to his head. "What is this one like? He's definitely a softie, but what breed is he?" The girl answered and told Hermione of the known side of the cats DNA. "His name is Crookshanks. Nobody wants him as anyone who comes close loses a finger or some hair, one man even had a chunk out of his nose when he bashed it trying to get away from the poor cat. He's acting rather odd though, he seems to like you very much." Hermione was sold on the cat, it seemed intelligent after all. "So, how much for him, and anything he needs?"
Hermione came out of the shop minutes later with a lighter money bag, two wide-eyed parents and a pet that looked like young Simba's ugly cousin. Harry caught sight of Hermione and the small tiger she was carrying from over at a table outside Florean Fortescue's and his eyes mirrored that of her parents. She beamed. "He's gorgeous, isn't he?" Harry apprehensively nodded and Zoe snorted. "That cub better not replace me, Miss." Harry joked as Hermione cocked her head. "Don't worry, you get weekends with me, Harry." She said back with a laugh.
More Ron interaction here. I thought it was time for some more rivalry between them. And Hermione gets Crookshanks!
If I made any errors, please feel free to let me know.
Stay Safe
-E