Chapter 2 - Changes
Sirius Black had been arrested for something he'd been clearly innocent of. Unfortunately, the jury he'd faced had been unable to find any evidence supporting him, and they'd had no choice to send him to Azkaban - again - for something he didn't do. This time the crime hadn't been so wicked, but it was still dangerous.
When the new train had been built, Sirius had been one of the first passengers. Another passenger, Alfred Funnywand, was a master of shapeshifting. He was half shapeshifter (his father was one), and he used this to his own advantage.
He shifted into the form of Sirius, and held up the train until the Ministry of Magic turned up to find an unconscious Sirius, and Alfred, with a wand, standing over him. There had been no evidence to say that Sirius hadn't held up the train, but everyone knew he was innocent.
He'd been sent back to Azkaban, which had been reformed into different sections. The Dementors were still in use, but only for the high security inmates. Some cells now had different guards, wizards and witches, and this is where Sirius had been sent. Harry knew that Sirius was being released soon, and that he was planning to go to Argentina afterwards, but he didn't know when the exact date was... until now.
They walked from the platform into the Muggle world, where they were at once lost in the crowd. They followed the streets until they reached the familiar Diagon Alley, where they turned into the Leaky Cauldron. They each asked for the drink of their choice - Sirius didn't want anything too strong, so butter beer was the drink he preferred, whereas Harry had something slightly stronger. They laughed over their drinks in good spirit for three hours before they decided to move on.
Ginny Weasley had developed a liking for Muggle things - clothes, food, almost everything - and Harry always brought her something back from the Muggle world everytime he visited, and this trip was no exception. In the past, he'd brought back hair clips, dresses, skirts, chocolates, a CD player and some CDs. Now he didn't know what to take back, so Sirius said he'd help.
They wandered through almost all the novelty stores in the Muggle part of London, and nothing seemed to suit what he was looking for.
A new shop stood out from the rest, it was painted bright red, with green trimmings and a giant blue and orange dragon across the front. The dragon looked strangely like Norbert, once Hagrid's pet dragon, but in different colours.
Harry and Sirius walked closer to the shop, curious. The name of the shop was sprawled in a very fancy font, but it was readable. It read 'Draco's Dungeons', and was filled with Muggles walking in and out in droves.
What shocked Harry was when he recognized someone - Lucious Malfoy - standing out the front. The uncontained look of disgust on his face as he walked inside the building was startling. There was only one thing that could have caused such disgust for Lucious, and that was Draco doing something with Muggles - who he'd been trained to hate.
After what seemed like an eternity, which in reality was about ten minutes, Lucious stormed back outside the building, and headed towards the train station.
Harry looked at his godfather, and they both walked over to the store and walked inside. It was a costume shop, which also sold novelties.
A forlorn, but angry looking Draco Malfoy stood in behind the counter. He was fiddling with something near the cash register, but looked up when the door's chime went off.
When he saw Harry standing in the doorway, with Sirius standing behind him, he put down what he'd been working on and stalked towards the front of the building. "Shop's shut, Potter. Run along now, and tell *everyone* you see that Draco Malfoy owns a Muggle's shop. And get out!"
Harry looked startled. "What the hell? Malfoy, of all the things to get into!" Sirius put a warning hand onto Harry's shoulder. "Let's go, before we cause trouble...."
Harry nodded and they both turned and walked out of the building.
Draco shut the door as they left, flipped the sign so it read 'Closed', and walked back to the counter. He looked at the papers his father had given him.
It was a disownership form - two actually. One from the Muggle world, and one from the Wizarding world. He would no longer be a Malfoy - well, he would, but he would be nothing to do with his father any longer.
There were a few specific things he would have to do, and then his father would take him back. Otherwise, once the Ministry of Magic, and the mayor of the city signed the forms, there was no turning back. It was his turn to decide - did he want to stay in the Muggle world with his store, or did he want to keep the privileges of being a Malfoy?
He sat down, and put his face in his hands. His father was cruel sometimes, most-times actually, and he knew how to change things around to suit himself - something he himself been particularly good at during school.
What would he do without the shop? It was his life now But what would he do without his name, his birthright, in the wizarding world? It was a big decision....
Back at the school, the girls in the Griffindor common room were gossiping. Ginny's presents from Harry were usually big news, and now all of the girl's were sitting around listening to some of the stories Ginny had to relate.
One girl, a first year by the name of Ivy Tromedlov, was listening intently to the stories - she was the youngest student ever to attend Hogwarts, at only nine years of age. She was very powerful, and had been displaying signs of magic since she was born.
Ginny was quite taken with her, and they'd become good friends despite the age barrier. Her older sisters, quads, Danielle, Jade, Lynette, and Kirsty, were split up throughout the four houses, but none of the four were close to their sister.
"...and the weekend I was allowed on leave, away from the school, I didn't even go home!" trailed off Ginny, slyly.
Ivy's eyes grew wide and she exclaimed, "Where did you go then?!" Ginny smiled. "I went out with Harry! We spent Saturday, and Saturday night in Hogsmeade, and went to the Muggle world for Sunday...."
Ginny grinned, caught in a fit of giggles. She knew what everyone wanted to ask, and she knew that they would be too embarrassed to ask her.
"...and no, nothing happened. Harry's too much of a gentleman for something like that...."
Ginny looked at Ivy, who blushed and hid her face. Jana, a fourth year, smiled. "What did he buy you, Ginnny?"
Ginny grinned again and held out her hand. A bracelet, silver and red, glinted in the light. "It's Muggle jewelry. I love it!"
Their conversation continued, amidst much giggling, until Professor McGonnagal walked into the room. "Girls, girls, it's way past your bedtimes, and you have a big day tomorrow. I suggest you all go to bed, or else you'll have detentions. Good night."
She waited until everyone had gone to their rooms before leaving.
Ivy snuck into Ginny's room when everything was quiet. Ginny had been expecting her, and was sitting on the edge of her bed. "What's up, Ivy?"
Ivy looked at her feet. "You know before, when you said nothing had happened then, has it ever? I mean, oh, never mind...." She blushed, and stared intently at her feet.
Ginny laughed. "Not yet, it nearly did once, but not yet...."
Ivy looked up shyly. "When?" It was Ginny's turn to look embarrassed. "Last year." Ivy looked shocked.
"But... you were both *here* last year! How...?"
Ginny smiled. "Harry was a head boy last year, and he got a suite, with Hermione, 'cause she was head girl. When Hermione went out for a weekend for personal reasons, I snuck out and went there. We got to talking, and things led on. I nearly went through with it, but said no. Harry didn't mind, he just said we'd wait 'til I was ready before anything happened. Nothing happened at Hogsmeade because we weren't even in the room that night - there was a big party on, so we went to that. There was no chance for anything to happen."
Ivy looked down again, and spoke in almost non-existent whispers. "But if there had been?" Ginny smiled. "Something probably would have happened."
Ivy looked very embarrassed. "Oh. Good night, Ginny." Ginny smiled at her friend. "'night Ivy."
Sirius Black had been arrested for something he'd been clearly innocent of. Unfortunately, the jury he'd faced had been unable to find any evidence supporting him, and they'd had no choice to send him to Azkaban - again - for something he didn't do. This time the crime hadn't been so wicked, but it was still dangerous.
When the new train had been built, Sirius had been one of the first passengers. Another passenger, Alfred Funnywand, was a master of shapeshifting. He was half shapeshifter (his father was one), and he used this to his own advantage.
He shifted into the form of Sirius, and held up the train until the Ministry of Magic turned up to find an unconscious Sirius, and Alfred, with a wand, standing over him. There had been no evidence to say that Sirius hadn't held up the train, but everyone knew he was innocent.
He'd been sent back to Azkaban, which had been reformed into different sections. The Dementors were still in use, but only for the high security inmates. Some cells now had different guards, wizards and witches, and this is where Sirius had been sent. Harry knew that Sirius was being released soon, and that he was planning to go to Argentina afterwards, but he didn't know when the exact date was... until now.
They walked from the platform into the Muggle world, where they were at once lost in the crowd. They followed the streets until they reached the familiar Diagon Alley, where they turned into the Leaky Cauldron. They each asked for the drink of their choice - Sirius didn't want anything too strong, so butter beer was the drink he preferred, whereas Harry had something slightly stronger. They laughed over their drinks in good spirit for three hours before they decided to move on.
Ginny Weasley had developed a liking for Muggle things - clothes, food, almost everything - and Harry always brought her something back from the Muggle world everytime he visited, and this trip was no exception. In the past, he'd brought back hair clips, dresses, skirts, chocolates, a CD player and some CDs. Now he didn't know what to take back, so Sirius said he'd help.
They wandered through almost all the novelty stores in the Muggle part of London, and nothing seemed to suit what he was looking for.
A new shop stood out from the rest, it was painted bright red, with green trimmings and a giant blue and orange dragon across the front. The dragon looked strangely like Norbert, once Hagrid's pet dragon, but in different colours.
Harry and Sirius walked closer to the shop, curious. The name of the shop was sprawled in a very fancy font, but it was readable. It read 'Draco's Dungeons', and was filled with Muggles walking in and out in droves.
What shocked Harry was when he recognized someone - Lucious Malfoy - standing out the front. The uncontained look of disgust on his face as he walked inside the building was startling. There was only one thing that could have caused such disgust for Lucious, and that was Draco doing something with Muggles - who he'd been trained to hate.
After what seemed like an eternity, which in reality was about ten minutes, Lucious stormed back outside the building, and headed towards the train station.
Harry looked at his godfather, and they both walked over to the store and walked inside. It was a costume shop, which also sold novelties.
A forlorn, but angry looking Draco Malfoy stood in behind the counter. He was fiddling with something near the cash register, but looked up when the door's chime went off.
When he saw Harry standing in the doorway, with Sirius standing behind him, he put down what he'd been working on and stalked towards the front of the building. "Shop's shut, Potter. Run along now, and tell *everyone* you see that Draco Malfoy owns a Muggle's shop. And get out!"
Harry looked startled. "What the hell? Malfoy, of all the things to get into!" Sirius put a warning hand onto Harry's shoulder. "Let's go, before we cause trouble...."
Harry nodded and they both turned and walked out of the building.
Draco shut the door as they left, flipped the sign so it read 'Closed', and walked back to the counter. He looked at the papers his father had given him.
It was a disownership form - two actually. One from the Muggle world, and one from the Wizarding world. He would no longer be a Malfoy - well, he would, but he would be nothing to do with his father any longer.
There were a few specific things he would have to do, and then his father would take him back. Otherwise, once the Ministry of Magic, and the mayor of the city signed the forms, there was no turning back. It was his turn to decide - did he want to stay in the Muggle world with his store, or did he want to keep the privileges of being a Malfoy?
He sat down, and put his face in his hands. His father was cruel sometimes, most-times actually, and he knew how to change things around to suit himself - something he himself been particularly good at during school.
What would he do without the shop? It was his life now But what would he do without his name, his birthright, in the wizarding world? It was a big decision....
Back at the school, the girls in the Griffindor common room were gossiping. Ginny's presents from Harry were usually big news, and now all of the girl's were sitting around listening to some of the stories Ginny had to relate.
One girl, a first year by the name of Ivy Tromedlov, was listening intently to the stories - she was the youngest student ever to attend Hogwarts, at only nine years of age. She was very powerful, and had been displaying signs of magic since she was born.
Ginny was quite taken with her, and they'd become good friends despite the age barrier. Her older sisters, quads, Danielle, Jade, Lynette, and Kirsty, were split up throughout the four houses, but none of the four were close to their sister.
"...and the weekend I was allowed on leave, away from the school, I didn't even go home!" trailed off Ginny, slyly.
Ivy's eyes grew wide and she exclaimed, "Where did you go then?!" Ginny smiled. "I went out with Harry! We spent Saturday, and Saturday night in Hogsmeade, and went to the Muggle world for Sunday...."
Ginny grinned, caught in a fit of giggles. She knew what everyone wanted to ask, and she knew that they would be too embarrassed to ask her.
"...and no, nothing happened. Harry's too much of a gentleman for something like that...."
Ginny looked at Ivy, who blushed and hid her face. Jana, a fourth year, smiled. "What did he buy you, Ginnny?"
Ginny grinned again and held out her hand. A bracelet, silver and red, glinted in the light. "It's Muggle jewelry. I love it!"
Their conversation continued, amidst much giggling, until Professor McGonnagal walked into the room. "Girls, girls, it's way past your bedtimes, and you have a big day tomorrow. I suggest you all go to bed, or else you'll have detentions. Good night."
She waited until everyone had gone to their rooms before leaving.
Ivy snuck into Ginny's room when everything was quiet. Ginny had been expecting her, and was sitting on the edge of her bed. "What's up, Ivy?"
Ivy looked at her feet. "You know before, when you said nothing had happened then, has it ever? I mean, oh, never mind...." She blushed, and stared intently at her feet.
Ginny laughed. "Not yet, it nearly did once, but not yet...."
Ivy looked up shyly. "When?" It was Ginny's turn to look embarrassed. "Last year." Ivy looked shocked.
"But... you were both *here* last year! How...?"
Ginny smiled. "Harry was a head boy last year, and he got a suite, with Hermione, 'cause she was head girl. When Hermione went out for a weekend for personal reasons, I snuck out and went there. We got to talking, and things led on. I nearly went through with it, but said no. Harry didn't mind, he just said we'd wait 'til I was ready before anything happened. Nothing happened at Hogsmeade because we weren't even in the room that night - there was a big party on, so we went to that. There was no chance for anything to happen."
Ivy looked down again, and spoke in almost non-existent whispers. "But if there had been?" Ginny smiled. "Something probably would have happened."
Ivy looked very embarrassed. "Oh. Good night, Ginny." Ginny smiled at her friend. "'night Ivy."