Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley walked down Diagon Alley,
talking and laughing together. It had been one of Harry's better summers,
now that he could threaten his Aunt and Uncle with the appearance of
Sirius; he had no trouble from them. He and Ron were discussing the
Quidditch World Cup, which they had all gone to see last week. In between
them walked Hermione, deeply engrossed in "The Giver". She was walking and
reading at the same time, so she was depending on Ron and Harry to guide
her across the streets. Harry had promised Ron a decent broomstick, so they
all walked into the Quidditch supplies shop, and began discussing which
broomstick would be best.
"I don't suppose you'd get me a Nimbus 2001, would you?" Ron asked.
"No, I'm not that rich. You don't even play Quidditch, all you need is a pleasure broom!" Harry responded. Ron gave the Nimbus on display a last wistful sigh and moved on.
"How bout a Cleansweep? Harry suggested, fingering his pocketful of galleons, with a look at the Cleansweep 5 on sale.
"Fred and George have cleansweeps. And they just sold them for Nimbus 500's. Those were the quality Quidditch brooms a couple years ago." Harry gave Ron a look. "Ok! So it was more than a couple years ago." Harry laughed.
"Cleansweeps are good brooms. Not made for Quidditch, or racing, but good solid easy flyers, you won't fall on it, and their comfortable for traveling." Harry said, moving towards the Cleansweep 7s.
"Oh, come on Harry, at least get me a Golden Arrow! There're best for aerobatics."
"Oh sure, I'd love for you to go crack your head open." Harry said sarcastically.
"Well Mom, here's a Golden Arrow on sale, only 25 galleons!" Ron said, imitating a radio announcer.
In the end, Ron got his Golden Arrow, and lost his claim to a Christmas and birthday present from Harry that year. It was their last day before going to Hogwarts, and they decided to have Sundaes at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. Ron produced five precious sickles to buy a newspaper, and started laughing. Harry and Hermione looked at him for a minute, until, shaking her head, Hermione took the paper from Ron (who was practically rolling around on the floor) and stared.
"That's not funny!" Hermione said, her eyes wide. She showed Harry the front page, and Harry covered a snicker. There was Sirius, but not looking like Sirius at all. The Daily Prophet had made him appear to be more like a monster. Snarling, the picture of Sirius shouted, "I've emptied Azkaban, watch out!" Yes the picture was funny, but the news it brought wasn't. Azkaban had been emptied. How? No one knew, but it was believed to be the work of Sirius Black. It of course wasn't, but Harry and Hermione froze all the same, staring at the picture. Death eaters, even worse, insane death eaters, and were on the loose. Hermione gave an involuntary shiver against Harry, and it wasn't her ice cream. Harry was glad they would go to Hogwarts tomorrow.
The next morning was chaos. Harry thanked the stars he wouldn't have to live it again. Everyone had to get out of the Leaky Cauldron, and into Mr. Weasley's new car. Well, it wasn't new, it was used, but it was new in the sense that Mr. Weasley had just gotten it. Harry loaded his trunk, trying to tune out all the noise and confusion around him. That was difficult, as Mrs. Weasley was shrieking at the twins, who each had an extra trunk full of pranks that they just wouldn't leave at home, Ginny was wailing about how she couldn't find her best robes, Mr. Weasley seemed to think colorful language would make the car run, and Ron and Hermione were yelling about Scabbers and Crookshanks-again.
When everyone had sorted things out, and they had reached King's Cross, they were late, very late. Remembering what had happened when they were late in second year, Ron and Harry went first through the barrier to platform 9 ¾. They waited for Hermione, who came in with Ginny, last. The train was starting to warm up, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione just barely made it in the train. Panting, they looked down the long hall of compartments.
"No! There's not going to be a single one left!" Ron moaned.
"Oh, come on, there'll be something." Hermione said, taking Ron's wrist and pulling him toward the nearest compartment. Full. Sighing, Hermione tried the next compartment. Full.
"Well, we could just stand." Harry said a little hopelessly.
"Oh, don't be ridiculous, we can't stand that long!"
"Yeah! My feet are already tired from running here!" Ron whined. Harry frowned. There were two adult ministry wizards standing beside a compartment door.
"That's strange, I've never seen Ministry wizards on the train before." Hermione said, heading down to that side of the train. The train was moving by now. Hermione talked to the ministry wizards, then beckoned to Harry and Ron.
"They say they're here to ensure a mind magician doesn't escape. That's all they would say." Hermione whispered, with a glance at the two ministry wizards.
"Wow, I've heard about those. They're supposed to be really powerful." Ron said, awestruck. "I wonder if this one's going to Hogwarts?"
"Um, mind magician?" Harry asked, feeling a little indignant.
"Wizards who don't use wands, or many words, just their minds. I read about it in "Early Forms of Wizardry". They also can create magical creatures, they were the first magical people, and the secret to creating magical creatures was lost with them." Hermione recited.
"That's cool. Wonder why that one wants to escape, who couldn't want to go to Hogwarts?" Harry said, doubtfully. Hermione and Ron shrugged.
"The ministry wizards also said there's an open compartment beside them, but only if we want a bumpy ride." Hermione said, looking puzzled. Harry frowned and Ron shook his head. Bumpy ride?
"Whatever, it's a seat, isn't it?" Ron said, jumping toward the compartment beside the one with the ministry wizards. Hermione sighed, and followed. Harry gave the guarded compartment one last look, then joined Hermione and Ron.
"I don't suppose you'd get me a Nimbus 2001, would you?" Ron asked.
"No, I'm not that rich. You don't even play Quidditch, all you need is a pleasure broom!" Harry responded. Ron gave the Nimbus on display a last wistful sigh and moved on.
"How bout a Cleansweep? Harry suggested, fingering his pocketful of galleons, with a look at the Cleansweep 5 on sale.
"Fred and George have cleansweeps. And they just sold them for Nimbus 500's. Those were the quality Quidditch brooms a couple years ago." Harry gave Ron a look. "Ok! So it was more than a couple years ago." Harry laughed.
"Cleansweeps are good brooms. Not made for Quidditch, or racing, but good solid easy flyers, you won't fall on it, and their comfortable for traveling." Harry said, moving towards the Cleansweep 7s.
"Oh, come on Harry, at least get me a Golden Arrow! There're best for aerobatics."
"Oh sure, I'd love for you to go crack your head open." Harry said sarcastically.
"Well Mom, here's a Golden Arrow on sale, only 25 galleons!" Ron said, imitating a radio announcer.
In the end, Ron got his Golden Arrow, and lost his claim to a Christmas and birthday present from Harry that year. It was their last day before going to Hogwarts, and they decided to have Sundaes at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. Ron produced five precious sickles to buy a newspaper, and started laughing. Harry and Hermione looked at him for a minute, until, shaking her head, Hermione took the paper from Ron (who was practically rolling around on the floor) and stared.
"That's not funny!" Hermione said, her eyes wide. She showed Harry the front page, and Harry covered a snicker. There was Sirius, but not looking like Sirius at all. The Daily Prophet had made him appear to be more like a monster. Snarling, the picture of Sirius shouted, "I've emptied Azkaban, watch out!" Yes the picture was funny, but the news it brought wasn't. Azkaban had been emptied. How? No one knew, but it was believed to be the work of Sirius Black. It of course wasn't, but Harry and Hermione froze all the same, staring at the picture. Death eaters, even worse, insane death eaters, and were on the loose. Hermione gave an involuntary shiver against Harry, and it wasn't her ice cream. Harry was glad they would go to Hogwarts tomorrow.
The next morning was chaos. Harry thanked the stars he wouldn't have to live it again. Everyone had to get out of the Leaky Cauldron, and into Mr. Weasley's new car. Well, it wasn't new, it was used, but it was new in the sense that Mr. Weasley had just gotten it. Harry loaded his trunk, trying to tune out all the noise and confusion around him. That was difficult, as Mrs. Weasley was shrieking at the twins, who each had an extra trunk full of pranks that they just wouldn't leave at home, Ginny was wailing about how she couldn't find her best robes, Mr. Weasley seemed to think colorful language would make the car run, and Ron and Hermione were yelling about Scabbers and Crookshanks-again.
When everyone had sorted things out, and they had reached King's Cross, they were late, very late. Remembering what had happened when they were late in second year, Ron and Harry went first through the barrier to platform 9 ¾. They waited for Hermione, who came in with Ginny, last. The train was starting to warm up, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione just barely made it in the train. Panting, they looked down the long hall of compartments.
"No! There's not going to be a single one left!" Ron moaned.
"Oh, come on, there'll be something." Hermione said, taking Ron's wrist and pulling him toward the nearest compartment. Full. Sighing, Hermione tried the next compartment. Full.
"Well, we could just stand." Harry said a little hopelessly.
"Oh, don't be ridiculous, we can't stand that long!"
"Yeah! My feet are already tired from running here!" Ron whined. Harry frowned. There were two adult ministry wizards standing beside a compartment door.
"That's strange, I've never seen Ministry wizards on the train before." Hermione said, heading down to that side of the train. The train was moving by now. Hermione talked to the ministry wizards, then beckoned to Harry and Ron.
"They say they're here to ensure a mind magician doesn't escape. That's all they would say." Hermione whispered, with a glance at the two ministry wizards.
"Wow, I've heard about those. They're supposed to be really powerful." Ron said, awestruck. "I wonder if this one's going to Hogwarts?"
"Um, mind magician?" Harry asked, feeling a little indignant.
"Wizards who don't use wands, or many words, just their minds. I read about it in "Early Forms of Wizardry". They also can create magical creatures, they were the first magical people, and the secret to creating magical creatures was lost with them." Hermione recited.
"That's cool. Wonder why that one wants to escape, who couldn't want to go to Hogwarts?" Harry said, doubtfully. Hermione and Ron shrugged.
"The ministry wizards also said there's an open compartment beside them, but only if we want a bumpy ride." Hermione said, looking puzzled. Harry frowned and Ron shook his head. Bumpy ride?
"Whatever, it's a seat, isn't it?" Ron said, jumping toward the compartment beside the one with the ministry wizards. Hermione sighed, and followed. Harry gave the guarded compartment one last look, then joined Hermione and Ron.
