Harry wandered around the shops for a bit, though at least half had already
closed for the day. He *was* making sure to stay in relatively crowded
areas; He'd had plenty of warnings about being careful tonight, but he'd
really wanted to get away from those there.
Not to mention the fact that Skeeter had been ever so slowly inching her way towards them. He'd snorted when he'd realized it -did she really think he wasn't going to notice?
He moved down another ally, leaving the groups of young people and families behind. Despite the hour there were still heaps of people wandering around -Hogsmead was growing with every new attack. He'd been down this particular ally only once or twice before -it didn't have much that was interesting for people his age.
He noticed a place he hadn't seen before. It was obviously a weapons store of some sort. He opened the door and entered, finding himself vaguely curious.
It looked like they specialized in swords and daggers, but that wasn't all they had. He only had a chance to give the store a quick survey before a voice asked, "What are you interested in?" He looked to the speaker -a man with brown hair who appeared to be in his thirties. He was obviously foreign, with a slight accent.
"Well, I've had some sword training. A little with daggers. Mostly martial arts though."
"Really?" The man picked up a thin sword and tossed it at Harry. He caught it despite his surprise.
"You want to -duel?"
"Indulge me?"
He changed his stance and raised his sword in response.
Two minutes later he had no sword, five minutes later the man was helping him up from the floor. He grimaced at the man. "Now that I've managed to beat you up -nice to meet you, I'm Malik Dacruz."
"Harry Potter."
The man reacted like he would to any name, shaking Harry's hand. "Are you interested in some training?"
"Like what?"
"You could decide -I'd just be doing this for fun. I haven't been in back in England long, I was living in Greenland." Harry tried not to show his surprise. Generally people were moving *out* of England right now. Hermione had told him that Lisa Turpin's family was moving to America as soon as she graduated.
"-I would think we could start with swords," the man said with a grin. He looked somewhat amused when he said that, and Harry smiled in return. "- and anything else you are interested in. Have you thought about using a staff?"
"A staff?" Was he serious?
"They actually can be useful magic wise -but it's a different kind of magic that most wizards here probably couldn't learn anyway."
"Alright, I suppose it's good idea -when?" He would inquire about the man -but he seemed alright.
"Hmm. Come back in a week or two and we'll figure it out."
************************************************************************
Hermione noticed Harry walking back into the Three Broomsticks a half an hour later and waved him over. She tried not to show the relief she was feeling -it would only irritate Harry. He greeted her and the rest of the people sitting at the table, then sat down. She noted his thoughtful look and made a mental note to ask him where he went- if she asked now he might not appreciate it.
Ariana had an innocent look on her face. Hmmm. "I noticed you running off after the three" -she added several fake coughs here- "came by." Hermione smirked at her drink.
Harry was saved from replying by Neville coming over and sitting down. She could tell he wanted to talk to Harry.
Neville asked, "Hey. Have you guys -thought about what you are going to do? I mean, your going to be an Auror right?" He directed that last question to Harry.
Hermione could tell he wanted to talk about something important to him. Harry answered, "I don't know, really, why do you ask?" He could see it too apparently. Neville wasn't very hard to read, but Harry *was* good with people. Hermione decided to let him talk.
The young man sighed. "I think I'll be an Auror. My parents were, you know."
Harry looked like he understood what was bothering him. "Really? Well, I had assumed that you were going to do something with Herbology -You were the best at it in school."
Neville smiled, "Well, yeah. But, England needs Aurors now, right?" Of course Neville would want to talk to Harry about this.
After a moment Harry said, "Yes, but a lot of people are planning to become Aurors. Like Ariana there-" She nodded "-and Ron. We can't *all* be Aurors."
"I want to help-"
"You will be helping, by doing what you are good at. It would be a waste to let your talent with Herbology go unused. You should do what you would be happy doing."
Neville looked happier, and he turned to Hermione. "Smashing speech Hermione."
Hermione beamed -he wasn't the only one that had said so. Harry agreed, then asked, "Where's Ron?"
She nodded to her left. A couple of tables down, amidst a particularly loud group, were Ron and Brian arm wrestling. The twins were taking bets. She heard Harry let out a laugh.
Later, when she was walking away from a conversation with Professor McGonagall. She'd asked Hermione to call her Minerva. The change wasn't so startling as it might have been. 'Minerva' had a code of conduct with her students, but she and her friends had gotten to know the teacher better through the Order. In fact, they'd gotten to know all their teachers on more equal terms.
Someone grabbed her arm briefly to halt her, and she found herself looking at Blaise Zambini. She couldn't conceal her surprise; She also noted that they were not exactly in a crowded area.
The other woman let go quickly, no doubt finding it distasteful to be touching a mudblood. "Yes?" She tried not to sound hostile. She was a nice, respectable person. Though perfectly justified in hexing Zambini if she was insulted.
"Draco found out that Potter killed his father. He isn't happy." Zambini had an odd expression, like she wasn't sure she wanted to be saying this. "Thought you should know."
Hermione's cautiousness was forgotten. "What is he planning?"
"I don't know exactly what he is planning. He is planning something though -he wants vengeance." With one last glance at Hermione she quickly walked away.
************************************************************************
The older Harry sold one last dagger then closed the store. He'd recognized the man as a Death Eater and had sold him a 'special' dagger; Laced with several spells that he hadn't told the man about.
He hadn't really needed to convince his younger self to accept training -he already wanted it. Yes, the young man had surreptitiously looked at his arm for the Dark Mark. He wasn't naïve now or then.
************************************************************************
Anticlimactic meeting, wasn't it?
Not to mention the fact that Skeeter had been ever so slowly inching her way towards them. He'd snorted when he'd realized it -did she really think he wasn't going to notice?
He moved down another ally, leaving the groups of young people and families behind. Despite the hour there were still heaps of people wandering around -Hogsmead was growing with every new attack. He'd been down this particular ally only once or twice before -it didn't have much that was interesting for people his age.
He noticed a place he hadn't seen before. It was obviously a weapons store of some sort. He opened the door and entered, finding himself vaguely curious.
It looked like they specialized in swords and daggers, but that wasn't all they had. He only had a chance to give the store a quick survey before a voice asked, "What are you interested in?" He looked to the speaker -a man with brown hair who appeared to be in his thirties. He was obviously foreign, with a slight accent.
"Well, I've had some sword training. A little with daggers. Mostly martial arts though."
"Really?" The man picked up a thin sword and tossed it at Harry. He caught it despite his surprise.
"You want to -duel?"
"Indulge me?"
He changed his stance and raised his sword in response.
Two minutes later he had no sword, five minutes later the man was helping him up from the floor. He grimaced at the man. "Now that I've managed to beat you up -nice to meet you, I'm Malik Dacruz."
"Harry Potter."
The man reacted like he would to any name, shaking Harry's hand. "Are you interested in some training?"
"Like what?"
"You could decide -I'd just be doing this for fun. I haven't been in back in England long, I was living in Greenland." Harry tried not to show his surprise. Generally people were moving *out* of England right now. Hermione had told him that Lisa Turpin's family was moving to America as soon as she graduated.
"-I would think we could start with swords," the man said with a grin. He looked somewhat amused when he said that, and Harry smiled in return. "- and anything else you are interested in. Have you thought about using a staff?"
"A staff?" Was he serious?
"They actually can be useful magic wise -but it's a different kind of magic that most wizards here probably couldn't learn anyway."
"Alright, I suppose it's good idea -when?" He would inquire about the man -but he seemed alright.
"Hmm. Come back in a week or two and we'll figure it out."
************************************************************************
Hermione noticed Harry walking back into the Three Broomsticks a half an hour later and waved him over. She tried not to show the relief she was feeling -it would only irritate Harry. He greeted her and the rest of the people sitting at the table, then sat down. She noted his thoughtful look and made a mental note to ask him where he went- if she asked now he might not appreciate it.
Ariana had an innocent look on her face. Hmmm. "I noticed you running off after the three" -she added several fake coughs here- "came by." Hermione smirked at her drink.
Harry was saved from replying by Neville coming over and sitting down. She could tell he wanted to talk to Harry.
Neville asked, "Hey. Have you guys -thought about what you are going to do? I mean, your going to be an Auror right?" He directed that last question to Harry.
Hermione could tell he wanted to talk about something important to him. Harry answered, "I don't know, really, why do you ask?" He could see it too apparently. Neville wasn't very hard to read, but Harry *was* good with people. Hermione decided to let him talk.
The young man sighed. "I think I'll be an Auror. My parents were, you know."
Harry looked like he understood what was bothering him. "Really? Well, I had assumed that you were going to do something with Herbology -You were the best at it in school."
Neville smiled, "Well, yeah. But, England needs Aurors now, right?" Of course Neville would want to talk to Harry about this.
After a moment Harry said, "Yes, but a lot of people are planning to become Aurors. Like Ariana there-" She nodded "-and Ron. We can't *all* be Aurors."
"I want to help-"
"You will be helping, by doing what you are good at. It would be a waste to let your talent with Herbology go unused. You should do what you would be happy doing."
Neville looked happier, and he turned to Hermione. "Smashing speech Hermione."
Hermione beamed -he wasn't the only one that had said so. Harry agreed, then asked, "Where's Ron?"
She nodded to her left. A couple of tables down, amidst a particularly loud group, were Ron and Brian arm wrestling. The twins were taking bets. She heard Harry let out a laugh.
Later, when she was walking away from a conversation with Professor McGonagall. She'd asked Hermione to call her Minerva. The change wasn't so startling as it might have been. 'Minerva' had a code of conduct with her students, but she and her friends had gotten to know the teacher better through the Order. In fact, they'd gotten to know all their teachers on more equal terms.
Someone grabbed her arm briefly to halt her, and she found herself looking at Blaise Zambini. She couldn't conceal her surprise; She also noted that they were not exactly in a crowded area.
The other woman let go quickly, no doubt finding it distasteful to be touching a mudblood. "Yes?" She tried not to sound hostile. She was a nice, respectable person. Though perfectly justified in hexing Zambini if she was insulted.
"Draco found out that Potter killed his father. He isn't happy." Zambini had an odd expression, like she wasn't sure she wanted to be saying this. "Thought you should know."
Hermione's cautiousness was forgotten. "What is he planning?"
"I don't know exactly what he is planning. He is planning something though -he wants vengeance." With one last glance at Hermione she quickly walked away.
************************************************************************
The older Harry sold one last dagger then closed the store. He'd recognized the man as a Death Eater and had sold him a 'special' dagger; Laced with several spells that he hadn't told the man about.
He hadn't really needed to convince his younger self to accept training -he already wanted it. Yes, the young man had surreptitiously looked at his arm for the Dark Mark. He wasn't naïve now or then.
************************************************************************
Anticlimactic meeting, wasn't it?
