The rest of the family traipsed in through the back door a few minutes
later, and the spell was broken. After everyone had eaten, and the dishes
were cleaned, Harry went upstairs with Ron to pack his stuff.
"I'll meet you at Gringotts, 9 o'clock on the Saturday before we leave then. Alright?" Ron didn't wait for an answer. "I don't know how I'll handle being on me own again with you gone!" he moaned.
"What about Hermione?" Harry wondered.
"She's leaving soon. Her parents are taking her to Russia,"
"Hmmm....Russia. Isn't Durmstrang somewhere round there?" Harry teased. Ron punched him in the arm.
"Ow, that actually hurt Weasley!" Harry exclaimed, surprised. Ron wasn't sure whether that was a compliment or an insult, so he said nothing.
The boys traipsed downstairs again, carrying Harry's load. Remus, Anya and Sirius were standing by the fireplace, talking to Mr and Mrs Weasley.
"Well....goodbye. Thanks for having me," Harry said, not sure if that's what he should say in this situation.
"No trouble at all dearie. Our Ron would learn a great deal from you Harry!" Mrs Weasley bustled over and gave him a warm hug. Mr Weasley strode over and shook Harry's hand vigorously.
"Always a pleasure!" he said, grinning widely. Bill, Charlie and the twins all gave him a slap on the back, but Percy pompously shook his hand. Penelope gave him a light kiss on the cheek, and Hermione and Ginny both gave him hugs and a kiss (on the cheek of course!) "Ready to go now Harry?" Anya asked. He nodded, and dragged his belongings over to the fireplace. He grabbed some Floo powder out of the ceramic pot, and waved goodbye. The rest of the holidays passed rather uneventfully for Harry, until one morning, 2 weeks before the start of school, Anya came round for tea.
"Sirius, I think you need some new robes. The ones you're wearing seem a little short, and well..kind of tight," she said, noticing that Sirius had grown much musclier since the trial. He had regained the athletic figure of his youth.
"You mean I'm fat?" he asked, alarmed. Remus snorted, and looked down into his tea when Sirius glared at him.
"No, no..just bigger. I'm guessing you've been borrowing Remus's robes, and he is at least a head shorter than you!" Anya assured Sirius. He accepted this explanation, and went back to drinking his tea.
"I have an idea," Anya ventured, noticing the exaggerated roll of the eyes from Sirius, and sending him a glare.
"It concerns you stupid!" she teased, and he shut up.
"I propose we go into Diagon Alley today, and get Sirius some new robes, Harry his schoolbooks and Remus a remedy potion for his dreadful cold.
"I didn't tell you that I had a cold!" Remus said, surprised.
"Well look at you. You're sniffling, you've sneezed at least 10 times since I've been here, and you've coughed up most of you lungs. Unless that's just an adverse reaction to Sirius's cologne of course!" Anya paid Sirius back for his silliness earlier. He smirked at her, but conceded defeat. He knew she had always had a way with words, in their younger days, she and him had been involved in many long, tenacious arguments, just for the sake of showing off their speaking abilities. Remus laughed as well as one can when they are inflicted with the flu, and accepted Anya's offer of a flu remedy.
Half an hour later, the trio were on their way to Diagon Alley. Once there, Anya pulled out her wand to tap the bricks, allowing them entrance to the street. She walked briskly to 'Madame Malkins Robes for All Occasions' and practically pushed Sirius in the door. Once inside though, she spent almost 15 minutes talking to the sales girl about how the double seaming gave robes that extra flounce when you spun around. Lolita, the sales girl, demonstrated how hers was seamed this way, and so twirled more. They then discussed the benefits of adding this seam to wizards' robes, until Sirius nosily cleared his throat.
"Am I here for a reason, or am I just eye-candy?" he smirked at Anya, but smiled charmingly at Lolita. Anya bristled, and gave Lolita a few last- minute instructions as she marched out he door, pulling Harry by the arm.
"I think 5 normal robes, and 2 dress robes should do it. Bye sweetie!" she yelled out to Sirius. Lolita looked at Sirius.
"Is that your wife?" she asked. He shook his head sadly.
"Nope, just some crazy woman I met on the way here!"
Anya walked Harry into Flourish and Blotts, pulling his book list out of her handbag.
"How'd you get that. They haven't sent them out yet?" Harry asked.
"I'm a teacher at Hogwarts, remember?" Anya gave him a little distracted half-smile, while she pulled books off the shelf. She continued going up and down the aisles, until a neat pile of books was assembled on the front counter. Pulling out her purse, she paid the sales-man. Harry looked embarrassed.
"I can pay for my own schoolbooks," he muttered.
"Oh, I know you can dear! But I've missed out on almost 16 years of your life, I think the least I can do is buy you your books!" Anya dismissed Harry's objections with a wave of your hand.
"Harry, you must know, money is really not a problem for me," Anya said quietly under her breath, talking only to Harry. He nodded. Anya was rich. He had a loaded godmother. And if he had been any other child, especially Dudley, he would've milked it for all it's worth. But instead, Harry just went on with his life. He knew Sirius had no troubles with money, but neither did Harry. He guessed he was lucky, but he would rather have parents who loved him than all the money in the world. Harry held open the door for Anya, as she carried his books.
"Let me take them," he offered, and Anya gratefully held out the heavy load. Harry realised he must be stronger, as the load barely registered with him. He just walked alongside Anya, till they were back at Madame Malkins.
"Arr, Harry, I just have to duck into another shop. I'll meet you and Sirius out the front of Gringotts in 10 minutes. OK?" Anya smiled, almost nervously, then quickly left, when Harry nodded his head in agreeance.
He opened up the door to Malkins, and the little bell above the door tinkled. Lolita's head popped up over a stack of robes.
"Hi! Sirius is just trying on some robes. You're welcome to sit and wait!" she was a very perky person, anyone could see. Sirius sauntered out of the dress room, in fitted navy blue silk robes. Lolita clapped her hands in delight.
"They look excellent!" she cried. Sirius winked at her and walked over to Harry.
"What'd you reckon mate? Not too girly are they?" he said quietly. Harry grinned.
"Nah, they're good,"
Sirius nodded, and half-swaggered back to Lolita.
"I guess we'll take these ones too," he said. Lolita enthusiastically nodded her pony-tailed head. Sirius quickly changed, and met Harry at the counter, where Lolita was carefully folding each robe in tissue paper.
"Actually, can you keep one set out. These are a little short!" Sirius flashed her a grin, and she quickly handed over a black set of every-day dress robes. Sirius went back to change, and Lolita set about folding up the rest of the robes. When the robes were paid for, and Harry was rid of Lolita, the pair exited the dim shop for the bright sunlight.
"So where are we meeting Ms. Williamson?" Sirius asked, looking around.
"Gringotts," Harry supplied. They made their way down the street, keeping an eye out for Anya.
However, when they got to Gringotts, they saw something that would stay with them for their entire lives.
When Anya had left Harry in Sirius's care so abruptly, she felt guilty. Until she reminded herself, that she was leaving him to get him a present. She knew his birthday was coming up, and had needed time to herself to find him the perfect present, to make up for the years of nothing. She let out a soft sigh, she knew that no present in the world could make Harry forget the fact that she neglected him for 15 years. Walking toward the Quidditch shop, she suddenly was jerked back. Looking around, she noticed Gringotts, and started walking toward it, not really knowing what she was doing. All that she heard was a voice inside her head telling her to walk toward Gringotts. So she did.
When she arrived inside, she barely noticed the odd stares goblins were giving her. She just continued to walk up the stairs. Up and up, she climbed, not noticing what floor she was on, or why she was doing this. She reached the door leading out onto the top floor of Gringotts. The top floor had no offices however, it was the roof. Walking over the side of the building, she steadily climbed up onto the side of the roof. 'Jump' she heard a voice inside her head say. She bent at the knees, reading to spring off. 'No, stop, don't jump!' another voice. She stood up straight. 'JUMP' a voice commanded. Anya again, bent at the knees, ready to jump. ' Say goodbye to everyone. You will never see Sirius, Remus or Harry again,' the voice commanded. Just as she was about to leap off the building, the second voice interrupted the first. 'What do you think you're doing. Get down off this ledge, this is ridiculous. Why do you want to jump off?' So there was Anya teetering precariously on top of the tallest building in Diagon Alley, torn between jumping and staying alive.
"I'll meet you at Gringotts, 9 o'clock on the Saturday before we leave then. Alright?" Ron didn't wait for an answer. "I don't know how I'll handle being on me own again with you gone!" he moaned.
"What about Hermione?" Harry wondered.
"She's leaving soon. Her parents are taking her to Russia,"
"Hmmm....Russia. Isn't Durmstrang somewhere round there?" Harry teased. Ron punched him in the arm.
"Ow, that actually hurt Weasley!" Harry exclaimed, surprised. Ron wasn't sure whether that was a compliment or an insult, so he said nothing.
The boys traipsed downstairs again, carrying Harry's load. Remus, Anya and Sirius were standing by the fireplace, talking to Mr and Mrs Weasley.
"Well....goodbye. Thanks for having me," Harry said, not sure if that's what he should say in this situation.
"No trouble at all dearie. Our Ron would learn a great deal from you Harry!" Mrs Weasley bustled over and gave him a warm hug. Mr Weasley strode over and shook Harry's hand vigorously.
"Always a pleasure!" he said, grinning widely. Bill, Charlie and the twins all gave him a slap on the back, but Percy pompously shook his hand. Penelope gave him a light kiss on the cheek, and Hermione and Ginny both gave him hugs and a kiss (on the cheek of course!) "Ready to go now Harry?" Anya asked. He nodded, and dragged his belongings over to the fireplace. He grabbed some Floo powder out of the ceramic pot, and waved goodbye. The rest of the holidays passed rather uneventfully for Harry, until one morning, 2 weeks before the start of school, Anya came round for tea.
"Sirius, I think you need some new robes. The ones you're wearing seem a little short, and well..kind of tight," she said, noticing that Sirius had grown much musclier since the trial. He had regained the athletic figure of his youth.
"You mean I'm fat?" he asked, alarmed. Remus snorted, and looked down into his tea when Sirius glared at him.
"No, no..just bigger. I'm guessing you've been borrowing Remus's robes, and he is at least a head shorter than you!" Anya assured Sirius. He accepted this explanation, and went back to drinking his tea.
"I have an idea," Anya ventured, noticing the exaggerated roll of the eyes from Sirius, and sending him a glare.
"It concerns you stupid!" she teased, and he shut up.
"I propose we go into Diagon Alley today, and get Sirius some new robes, Harry his schoolbooks and Remus a remedy potion for his dreadful cold.
"I didn't tell you that I had a cold!" Remus said, surprised.
"Well look at you. You're sniffling, you've sneezed at least 10 times since I've been here, and you've coughed up most of you lungs. Unless that's just an adverse reaction to Sirius's cologne of course!" Anya paid Sirius back for his silliness earlier. He smirked at her, but conceded defeat. He knew she had always had a way with words, in their younger days, she and him had been involved in many long, tenacious arguments, just for the sake of showing off their speaking abilities. Remus laughed as well as one can when they are inflicted with the flu, and accepted Anya's offer of a flu remedy.
Half an hour later, the trio were on their way to Diagon Alley. Once there, Anya pulled out her wand to tap the bricks, allowing them entrance to the street. She walked briskly to 'Madame Malkins Robes for All Occasions' and practically pushed Sirius in the door. Once inside though, she spent almost 15 minutes talking to the sales girl about how the double seaming gave robes that extra flounce when you spun around. Lolita, the sales girl, demonstrated how hers was seamed this way, and so twirled more. They then discussed the benefits of adding this seam to wizards' robes, until Sirius nosily cleared his throat.
"Am I here for a reason, or am I just eye-candy?" he smirked at Anya, but smiled charmingly at Lolita. Anya bristled, and gave Lolita a few last- minute instructions as she marched out he door, pulling Harry by the arm.
"I think 5 normal robes, and 2 dress robes should do it. Bye sweetie!" she yelled out to Sirius. Lolita looked at Sirius.
"Is that your wife?" she asked. He shook his head sadly.
"Nope, just some crazy woman I met on the way here!"
Anya walked Harry into Flourish and Blotts, pulling his book list out of her handbag.
"How'd you get that. They haven't sent them out yet?" Harry asked.
"I'm a teacher at Hogwarts, remember?" Anya gave him a little distracted half-smile, while she pulled books off the shelf. She continued going up and down the aisles, until a neat pile of books was assembled on the front counter. Pulling out her purse, she paid the sales-man. Harry looked embarrassed.
"I can pay for my own schoolbooks," he muttered.
"Oh, I know you can dear! But I've missed out on almost 16 years of your life, I think the least I can do is buy you your books!" Anya dismissed Harry's objections with a wave of your hand.
"Harry, you must know, money is really not a problem for me," Anya said quietly under her breath, talking only to Harry. He nodded. Anya was rich. He had a loaded godmother. And if he had been any other child, especially Dudley, he would've milked it for all it's worth. But instead, Harry just went on with his life. He knew Sirius had no troubles with money, but neither did Harry. He guessed he was lucky, but he would rather have parents who loved him than all the money in the world. Harry held open the door for Anya, as she carried his books.
"Let me take them," he offered, and Anya gratefully held out the heavy load. Harry realised he must be stronger, as the load barely registered with him. He just walked alongside Anya, till they were back at Madame Malkins.
"Arr, Harry, I just have to duck into another shop. I'll meet you and Sirius out the front of Gringotts in 10 minutes. OK?" Anya smiled, almost nervously, then quickly left, when Harry nodded his head in agreeance.
He opened up the door to Malkins, and the little bell above the door tinkled. Lolita's head popped up over a stack of robes.
"Hi! Sirius is just trying on some robes. You're welcome to sit and wait!" she was a very perky person, anyone could see. Sirius sauntered out of the dress room, in fitted navy blue silk robes. Lolita clapped her hands in delight.
"They look excellent!" she cried. Sirius winked at her and walked over to Harry.
"What'd you reckon mate? Not too girly are they?" he said quietly. Harry grinned.
"Nah, they're good,"
Sirius nodded, and half-swaggered back to Lolita.
"I guess we'll take these ones too," he said. Lolita enthusiastically nodded her pony-tailed head. Sirius quickly changed, and met Harry at the counter, where Lolita was carefully folding each robe in tissue paper.
"Actually, can you keep one set out. These are a little short!" Sirius flashed her a grin, and she quickly handed over a black set of every-day dress robes. Sirius went back to change, and Lolita set about folding up the rest of the robes. When the robes were paid for, and Harry was rid of Lolita, the pair exited the dim shop for the bright sunlight.
"So where are we meeting Ms. Williamson?" Sirius asked, looking around.
"Gringotts," Harry supplied. They made their way down the street, keeping an eye out for Anya.
However, when they got to Gringotts, they saw something that would stay with them for their entire lives.
When Anya had left Harry in Sirius's care so abruptly, she felt guilty. Until she reminded herself, that she was leaving him to get him a present. She knew his birthday was coming up, and had needed time to herself to find him the perfect present, to make up for the years of nothing. She let out a soft sigh, she knew that no present in the world could make Harry forget the fact that she neglected him for 15 years. Walking toward the Quidditch shop, she suddenly was jerked back. Looking around, she noticed Gringotts, and started walking toward it, not really knowing what she was doing. All that she heard was a voice inside her head telling her to walk toward Gringotts. So she did.
When she arrived inside, she barely noticed the odd stares goblins were giving her. She just continued to walk up the stairs. Up and up, she climbed, not noticing what floor she was on, or why she was doing this. She reached the door leading out onto the top floor of Gringotts. The top floor had no offices however, it was the roof. Walking over the side of the building, she steadily climbed up onto the side of the roof. 'Jump' she heard a voice inside her head say. She bent at the knees, reading to spring off. 'No, stop, don't jump!' another voice. She stood up straight. 'JUMP' a voice commanded. Anya again, bent at the knees, ready to jump. ' Say goodbye to everyone. You will never see Sirius, Remus or Harry again,' the voice commanded. Just as she was about to leap off the building, the second voice interrupted the first. 'What do you think you're doing. Get down off this ledge, this is ridiculous. Why do you want to jump off?' So there was Anya teetering precariously on top of the tallest building in Diagon Alley, torn between jumping and staying alive.