Part 3
The next morning, Harry woke up to the sound of a few Filibuster's no-heat wet-start fireworks. He instinctively grabbed his wand from his bedside table, and jumped up, looking around. The sound of George's laughing brought Harry's attention to him. Harry put down his wand, and walked over to Sirius, who was with the twins.
"so, Sirius, what happened last night?"
"Harry, lets just say that you will have a distraction this year at school. Whatever you do at school out of the ordinary, will be covered up by these two, who might be the next generation of Marauders." At this compliment, Fred took a bow. George, who was busy stacking dung-bombs under Ron's bed, looked up and followed his brother's lead.
"how about you guys stay here for the rest of the summer?" Sirius said "I sent an owl to your mother last night. I think we'll get a reply by tomorrow."
"that would be great!" Ron said, getting off from his bed "what's that smell?" George burst out laughing.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
They spent a week playing Quidditch and Wizard Chess. There was a small clearing in the grove behind Sirius' house. Ron was still the chess whiz Harry remembered him to be, and he was challenging anyone he could to a game. At the end of the week, they got their Hogworts letters. Harry studied his list of books, like everyone else. It had all of the books by Gildory Lockheart.
"hmm…" remarked Fred "it is apparent that we have to buy a full set of Lockheart's books. The new teacher is probably a witch." 'I wish' Harry thought.
"Ron, there is a letter here from Hermione." Sirius said, handing Ron a letter.
"dear Ron, and Harry if your there," Ron read,
"I hope that everything went okay while you tried to rescue Harry. Could you please let me know if you are okay? I've been really worried about the whole idea. I'm very busy with school work at the moment, and were going to get my school supplies next Wednesday. Why not meet in Diagon Ally?
"don't forget that you two are members of CSAD (Community for Saving Animals in Danger)!
"Love from Hermione."
"So does next Wednesday sound good for getting books?" Sirius said.
"Sounds okay to me." Harry said.
So when Wednesday came, everyone got up early, so they could spend a long time at Diagon Ally. They used Floo Powder, even though Harry could Apparate. He wasn't supposed to attract attention from other people who don't know he was supposed to protect Hogworts from evil wrath of Voldemort.
After Harry got some money from his vault, they set off to meet Hermione and get school supplies. They saw Hermione just coming through the gateway when Harry and Ron walked by on the way to Quality Quidditch Supplies. Before either of them could say anything, Hermione dragged Harry and Ron to Flourish and Blots to buy their books for the upcoming school year. As Harry expected, Gildory Lockheart was inside signing books. Harry quickly took out a handkerchief and wrapped it around his head, covering his scar. They edged along they line, until they were close enough to see Lockheart, Harry praying that Lockheart didn't recognize him without the scar. To his relief, he didn't. As they inched along the line towards the front, Lockheart just took a book from the pile next to him, signed it while giving small talk to the person he's facing, then moves on to the next book. To their surprise, they saw Mr. And Mrs. Weasly a few feet ahead of them. Mrs. Weasly was constantly straitening her hair, and Mr. Weasly looked like he'd rather be anywhere else at the moment. When they got their books signed, Harry, Ron, and Hermione joined Mr. and Mrs. Weasly and Ginny in buying the other books for school. As they were exiting the store, who should they encounter, not one, but two Malfoys.
"hello, Lucius." Said Mr. Weasly rather forcefully.
"Arthur." Mr. Malfoy acknowledged Mr. Weasly's presents with a nod.
"nice cauldron your daughter has, Weasly. How much do you think a museum will bid for it?" this was more than Mr. Weasly could take. He lunged at Lucius with his hand ready to punch. Harry braced himself for the fight he knew would erupt. Books flew everywhere, pages falling out of them. This is what Harry was waiting for. At the end of the fight, Mr. Malfoy will put Riddle's diary in one of Ginny's books, thus making her vulnerable to Voldemort's past self, making her open the Chamber of Secrets. Just as Harry had expected, Mr. Malfoy had thrown a battered copy of "Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration" back into Ginny's cauldron when they broke apart from the fight. When no-one was looking, Harry reached into Ginny's cauldron, and took out Riddle's diary. He couldn't help but scowl at it. As he put the diary back in his pocket, Mr. Weasly stormed out of the store, Mrs. Weasly at his heal. Harry was thanking his lucky stars that Lockheart didn't notice him.
the rest of the day was spent looking around Diagon Ally. Harry walked into the Magical Menagerie. He waited until the woman at the counter finished advising an old witch, who looked oddly familiar, on the care of magical cats, who had the ability of smelling strongly of cabbage. Harry walked up to the counter and asked the woman if they had any snakes for sale.
"I think so. let me check." she disappeared to the back of the store. While she was gone, Harry looked around some more. He came across some interesting creatures, like a combination between an owl and a cat. The women came back holding a Boa Constrictor. Harry smiled at the irony. However he looked at the situation, he would still have to cope with Boa Constrictors.
"here you go." The woman said. "we very rarely sell snakes. Last time we sold one was about fifty years ago. That's the last one we have." Harry paid the ten Galleons for the snake, and left the store.
"we are going to have to talk when we get home." Harry said in Parsletounge to the Boa Constrictor. "we need to decide on a name for you."
When Harry, Ron, Fred, and George went back to the Leaky Cauldron to go back home, Harry said: "you guys, I'll see you later. I just want to see what's over there. I was never there before." Harry pointed towards some dark corner of the pub. He left before anyone could protest. When he saw everyone was gone, he Apparated back home instead of using Floo Powder. That definitely wasn't his favorite way to travel.
The next morning, Harry woke up to the sound of a few Filibuster's no-heat wet-start fireworks. He instinctively grabbed his wand from his bedside table, and jumped up, looking around. The sound of George's laughing brought Harry's attention to him. Harry put down his wand, and walked over to Sirius, who was with the twins.
"so, Sirius, what happened last night?"
"Harry, lets just say that you will have a distraction this year at school. Whatever you do at school out of the ordinary, will be covered up by these two, who might be the next generation of Marauders." At this compliment, Fred took a bow. George, who was busy stacking dung-bombs under Ron's bed, looked up and followed his brother's lead.
"how about you guys stay here for the rest of the summer?" Sirius said "I sent an owl to your mother last night. I think we'll get a reply by tomorrow."
"that would be great!" Ron said, getting off from his bed "what's that smell?" George burst out laughing.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
They spent a week playing Quidditch and Wizard Chess. There was a small clearing in the grove behind Sirius' house. Ron was still the chess whiz Harry remembered him to be, and he was challenging anyone he could to a game. At the end of the week, they got their Hogworts letters. Harry studied his list of books, like everyone else. It had all of the books by Gildory Lockheart.
"hmm…" remarked Fred "it is apparent that we have to buy a full set of Lockheart's books. The new teacher is probably a witch." 'I wish' Harry thought.
"Ron, there is a letter here from Hermione." Sirius said, handing Ron a letter.
"dear Ron, and Harry if your there," Ron read,
"I hope that everything went okay while you tried to rescue Harry. Could you please let me know if you are okay? I've been really worried about the whole idea. I'm very busy with school work at the moment, and were going to get my school supplies next Wednesday. Why not meet in Diagon Ally?
"don't forget that you two are members of CSAD (Community for Saving Animals in Danger)!
"Love from Hermione."
"So does next Wednesday sound good for getting books?" Sirius said.
"Sounds okay to me." Harry said.
So when Wednesday came, everyone got up early, so they could spend a long time at Diagon Ally. They used Floo Powder, even though Harry could Apparate. He wasn't supposed to attract attention from other people who don't know he was supposed to protect Hogworts from evil wrath of Voldemort.
After Harry got some money from his vault, they set off to meet Hermione and get school supplies. They saw Hermione just coming through the gateway when Harry and Ron walked by on the way to Quality Quidditch Supplies. Before either of them could say anything, Hermione dragged Harry and Ron to Flourish and Blots to buy their books for the upcoming school year. As Harry expected, Gildory Lockheart was inside signing books. Harry quickly took out a handkerchief and wrapped it around his head, covering his scar. They edged along they line, until they were close enough to see Lockheart, Harry praying that Lockheart didn't recognize him without the scar. To his relief, he didn't. As they inched along the line towards the front, Lockheart just took a book from the pile next to him, signed it while giving small talk to the person he's facing, then moves on to the next book. To their surprise, they saw Mr. And Mrs. Weasly a few feet ahead of them. Mrs. Weasly was constantly straitening her hair, and Mr. Weasly looked like he'd rather be anywhere else at the moment. When they got their books signed, Harry, Ron, and Hermione joined Mr. and Mrs. Weasly and Ginny in buying the other books for school. As they were exiting the store, who should they encounter, not one, but two Malfoys.
"hello, Lucius." Said Mr. Weasly rather forcefully.
"Arthur." Mr. Malfoy acknowledged Mr. Weasly's presents with a nod.
"nice cauldron your daughter has, Weasly. How much do you think a museum will bid for it?" this was more than Mr. Weasly could take. He lunged at Lucius with his hand ready to punch. Harry braced himself for the fight he knew would erupt. Books flew everywhere, pages falling out of them. This is what Harry was waiting for. At the end of the fight, Mr. Malfoy will put Riddle's diary in one of Ginny's books, thus making her vulnerable to Voldemort's past self, making her open the Chamber of Secrets. Just as Harry had expected, Mr. Malfoy had thrown a battered copy of "Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration" back into Ginny's cauldron when they broke apart from the fight. When no-one was looking, Harry reached into Ginny's cauldron, and took out Riddle's diary. He couldn't help but scowl at it. As he put the diary back in his pocket, Mr. Weasly stormed out of the store, Mrs. Weasly at his heal. Harry was thanking his lucky stars that Lockheart didn't notice him.
the rest of the day was spent looking around Diagon Ally. Harry walked into the Magical Menagerie. He waited until the woman at the counter finished advising an old witch, who looked oddly familiar, on the care of magical cats, who had the ability of smelling strongly of cabbage. Harry walked up to the counter and asked the woman if they had any snakes for sale.
"I think so. let me check." she disappeared to the back of the store. While she was gone, Harry looked around some more. He came across some interesting creatures, like a combination between an owl and a cat. The women came back holding a Boa Constrictor. Harry smiled at the irony. However he looked at the situation, he would still have to cope with Boa Constrictors.
"here you go." The woman said. "we very rarely sell snakes. Last time we sold one was about fifty years ago. That's the last one we have." Harry paid the ten Galleons for the snake, and left the store.
"we are going to have to talk when we get home." Harry said in Parsletounge to the Boa Constrictor. "we need to decide on a name for you."
When Harry, Ron, Fred, and George went back to the Leaky Cauldron to go back home, Harry said: "you guys, I'll see you later. I just want to see what's over there. I was never there before." Harry pointed towards some dark corner of the pub. He left before anyone could protest. When he saw everyone was gone, he Apparated back home instead of using Floo Powder. That definitely wasn't his favorite way to travel.