(A/N: To whomever asked if the romance came between Harry and Sally, my answer is this: OH DEAR GOD NO! That disturbing and wrong. Read the reviews, some people already figured it out. To GinnyPotter, who suggested renaming the first chapter 'When Harry Met Sally' that wasn't lame, it was hysterical. It hadn't even accord to me! I burst in to uncontrollable laughter and my brother thought I had finally lost it. Now a note to all of you; it DOES get better. When I wrote this part I didn't have a plot. Just please stick it out.)

Chapter 5

London

Harry's how came 5 days later. Dudley had outgrown his school uniform. He was so huge that the school didn't carry his size anymore, so Vernon and Petunia had to take him to London the next day to get it made special. Harry planed on hitching a ride.

"I'm coming with you to London tomorrow," Harry told his Uncle, and not waiting for a reply, left. He didn't think Uncle Vernon would have argued any way. Harry's so called 'family' had been a bit frightened of him since he had yelled at them. Harry supposed that was because last year when he yelled, he had blown up his Aunt Marge.

So the next day Harry was sitting in the back seat of the Dursley's car on his way to London. When they parked Harry turned to the Dursleys.

"Look, I'm heading off to my part of town. I'll get myself home, not that you care. Bye." Harry set off towards the Leaky Cauldron, leaving looks of resentment on his Aunt and Uncle's faces and a look of jealousy on Dudley's.

After telling Sally to hide, Harry entered the Leaky Cauldron, and was greeted by a familiar voice. "Mr. Potter!" Harry looked up to see Tom the bar tender. "What can I get you?"

Harry was uncomfortably aware of the people watching him because Tom had called him 'Potter'. "Well, I need a room for tonight."

"Certainly! Any luggage with you?"

Harry shifted, "No." Tom's eye's showed slight surprise and people in the bar listened intently.

"Your not running away are you Mr. Potter?" Tom had tried to inject some humor in his voice, as though he were joking, but it was obvious he really thought that it might be true.

"Not really, more like escaping for a night. I'm going back tomorrow, today I need to do some shopping. I'll be back, all right?" Tom nodded and he exited out the back door.

Harry pulled out his wand and muttered, "3 up, 2 across." He tapped the brick and the wall opened up to Diagon Alley.

Harry, upon spending quiet some time here last summer, knew this place very well. He headed strait to Nancy's Jewelry. Opening the door, he was greeted by a young witch.

"Good morning, I am Miss. Nancy. Who might you be, dear?"

"Harry,"

"And how may I help you Mr. Potter?" Harry jerked.

"How did you know my last name?"

"Simple dear, I recognize you from your pictures in the paper. Is there a reason your here?"

"Ah... yes. I need a necklace."

"Any special occasion?"

"13th birthday."

"Let me go see," she disappeared behind a curtain.

Sally poked her head out of his pocket. "Reminder, I can't breath nor move in here."

"Sal, after this we'll go get you a cage okay? Let me get Gin's gift first."

"What was that dear?" She had returned.

"Nothing,"

"Well there are many more where these came from, so be sure you find the right one." She placed a huge rack in front of Harry.

While Harry looked through them, Miss Nancy talked.

"I bet 'Teen Witch' would love to know who the lucky girl is."

"She's just a friend," Harry said absently. "Plus she reads that I think. I don't think she'd like seeing her own name published in it, I know I wouldn't."

"Then you better not pick up a copy, there's an article about you in there almost every month. Right along with the Unauthorized Harry Potter Fan Club advertisement."

Harry blanched. "What is wrong with people?" he muttered to himself.

After going through many necklaces, Harry finally spotted one he wanted.

Every part of it stood for something; it was a simple gold chain, similar to the one Ginny had given to him. The charm was a red heart, a bigger version of the one on the ring. The heart was surrounded by a gold snake with red eyes. The whole necklace screamed out Ginny.

"I'll take this one,"

"The Snake's Heart. That one is met as a gift. It glows when the giver is near."

"It's perfect." Harry bought it and left, Sally was starting to squirm in his pocket.

Next it was down the road to Magical Menagerie. When Harry walked in the witch looked up to him. Her eyes widened in surprise as she looked up to Harry's forehead. "May I help you?"

"What do you have for snakes?" The witch set down her heavy spectacles and led him to a corner of the room. There was a cage of snakes and Harry heard them whisper excitedly when he approached.

"We have a fine selection of magical snakes. Each with it's own unique po-"

"No, I have a snake, I need a cage and supplies and stuff."

"Oh, well, what do you have?"

"Nothing,"

"Why did you go and get a snake and not buy any supplies?"

"I didn't get her, I sorta, well I," Harry gave a frustrated sigh. He reached in to his pocket and pulled out Sally.

"Air!" Sally gasped.

"I found her."

The witch was obviously shocked to see that this boy was carrying a snake he had found in his pocket. She gapped open mouthed as Sally wound around his neck.

"How- how long have you had that snake?"

"About three weeks. Look can I just get a cage?"

"Oh, yes. Well we have numerous cages, some are made to fit a magical snake's power. But as your snake isn't magical-"

Harry interrupted before he could stop himself. "She is, she is magical."

"How would you know that?"

Harry shifted uncomfortably. "I, well I,"

"You are Harry Potter aren't you?" Harry nodded. "There were rumors a few years ago about you being a Parselmouth. It's true isn't it? That's why you have that snake so well trained already. You can talk to it."

Harry cringed, knowing with his luck it would probably be in the paper tomorrow, but nodded. Harry was a horrible liar, so he avoided doing it as much as possible.

"Well then let's get you a cage. I'm sure you spoil the poor creature, so your going to want a good one." The witch seemed to realize Harry was touchy about his fame and acted as though he were just some kid that walked in.

"Of course. And you know she deserves the best of everything." Harry smiled and she returned it. They spent a while picking things out with Sally hissing a comment once and a while. It was only while Harry was buying his things that she addressed who he was again.

"I know this may sound stupid, but as I love animals, I think that your being able to converse with snakes is astounding. I was hoping you would say something to your snake so I could hear it, but as you didn't, I'm asking if you could say a few words in Parseltongue."

"I don't see why not," Harry said in Parseltongue. The witch smiled wide.

"That's really quite amazing. Thank you."

Harry thanked her for her help, told Sally to get back in his pocket and left the store. He headed back to the Leaky Cauldron laden with his bags.

"Is my room ready?" Harry asked. Tom nodded and motioned for Harry to follow him. Harry put his things down in his room and then went back down to the bar for a drink. After ordering a Rettub Beer, which cooled you down instead of warming you up, he sat down in a corner booth and pulled Sally out of his pocket.

"Ssso can I sssee what you got Ginny?" Sal asked.

"Mhmm," Harry pulled the small black box out of his pocket. He opened it and showed the necklace to Sally.

"It'sss perfect!"

"I know." Harry never noticed the reporter sitting at the table near him.

Harry's day was hardly over. After exchanging some of his money for Muggle money, Harry left for Muggle London. After putting up with Dudley's lame clothing for almost 14 years, Harry was more then ready to try something more stylish. Sally, it seemed was good at that sort of thing. She helped Harry find jeans and various tee shirts. After that, Harry got some needed new glasses. His prescription was low, and the thick black frames were dorkish. Her found some thin gold frames that almost disappeared on his face they were so unnoticeable. Then came a hair cut. Harry turned down the offer for dreadlocks to manage his unruly hair, that connected him with his father. But he did take the barber's suggestion of getting it bleached. Looking in the mirror, he decided it didn't look too bad and it was a nice change, but he wouldn't do it again. Then, changing in to some of his new clothes in a cafe, Sally looked him over.

"Well, don't you look good, Missster Hottie. But you misssing one thing."

"What?" Harry asked, wonder what else he could possibly change about his appearance.

"Get your ear pierced."

Harry's eyes widened. "Oh no. Sal, I never told anybody this, but I can't stand needles. No, I can't, I won't, no, never."

Sally gave what could only be described as a snake smirk. "Can't ssstand needlesss but doesssn't mind a three foot long sssnake fang? Intresssting. I think sssomebody needsss to face a childhood fear."

"No, Sally, I can't"

But a few minutes later, Harry found himself looking at all the earrings he had to chose from. When the girl at the counter turned her back, Harry pulled Sally out of his pocket. "Sal, choose one."

"Why me?"

"Because you're the one making me do this."

"That one." Sally jabbed her tall at an earring. If Harry would have seen it earlier, it would have been the one he choose. It was a gold snake with red eyes. The back of the earring was designed to look like the back of the snakes mouth, so it would appear to be biting the ear.

Harry squinted his eyes when the gun thing went through, and did his best not to cry out. He managed it well and after a few minutes of pressing his lips together tightly, the pain subsided.

He went back to the Leaky Cauldron, and when he entered, Tom looked up at him and his eyes widened. "Merlin's beard what happened to you?"

Harry smiled. "I thought I'd look my age this year."

"Yes, but, God, I can hardly recognize you." Neither of them heard the camera click on the other side of the room.

"I find that a good thing. Can you help me? I need to find a way home tomorrow. Is the Knight Bus still up and going?"

"Yes indeed. I can have them come and pick you up at around 10 o'clock tomorrow if you'd like."

"Yes please, that would be great."

Harry slept well that night for the first time in quite some time. No Dursleys going to the bathroom to wake him up. No loud snoring in the other room. The next morning he had his breakfast with some nice witch from France who just couldn't stop talking. Catching a ride on the Knight Bus, they dropped him off at Number 4, Privet Drive.

Harry rang the doorbell, as the door had yet to be unlocked from that night. Vernon opened it and when he saw Harry, his eyes widened and he was rendered speechless.

"Good afternoon Uncle Vernon," Harry said smiling sweetly. As Harry walked through the living room to get to the stairs, his Aunt and cousin stared.

"Oh, right. I'm leaving again on the 21st, before you all get up, and you'll probably all be asleep before I come back. Thought you might like to know." And his disappeared up the steps.