CHAPTER TWO
Back to Diagon Alley
As Harry's last few days at the Dursley's drew near, he found himself amidst one of the biggest fights he had had in a long time. Dudley had burst his door open earlier that night, causing the lock to fly across the hall and land on Uncle Vernon. Uncle Vernon, in turn, sprang from the bed yelling about intruders and suddenly flew out of the room, bursting into Harry's and tripping over Hedwig's cage, causing him to hit the foor with a thud and Hedwig to fly onto Harry's lap, waking her up and leaving the poor owl screeching for hours.
"MAKE THAT BLOODY BIRD SHUT UP!" Uncle Vernon was bellowing hours later, as Hedwig continued to squeal from her early morning fright.
"I can't," Harry said, rushing to get his clothes on, "She won't until she's had her owl treats."
"Well give her the damn things!" Uncle Vernon cursed, choking down a small pear fourth.
As the day wore on, Harry recieved his list of school supplies via owl post. Ah, how could he have forgotten? He would be needing to travel to Diagon Alley tommorow. But the problem was getting a ride.
"Uncle Vernon," Harry said polietely, recieving a 'HMPH?' from his uncle. "I have to go to Diagon-I mean I have to go to the shops to get my new school supplies."
"Yes? What of it?"
"Well, I was wondering if you could take me, tommorow maybe-"
"Take you? To get some ruddy magic books? I should say not!"
"But Uncle Vernon-" Harry stammered, trying to figure out exactly what to say. And then it came to him. Sirius. "My godfather will be quite upset if I don't have my supplies when I return to school."
Now Uncle Vernon stopped. His face went into one of slight terror, for good reason. For Sirius was a convicted murderer on the run, and only a few people, including Harry, knew of his innocence. However, Harry had forgotten to tell his uncle of his innocence.
As his mustache began to twitch, he fought off the urge to say no. And finally, heaving a sigh... "Bloody fine. I'll take you. Mind you, I won't be going in those shops with you."
Harry gave a slight smile at his victory. He knew his uncle would have never considered taking him, had he not been reminded of his godfather.
So the next day, Harry arrived in London with his uncle. Mr. Dursley let Harry out in downtown London, and left him there to go get what he said were tools his workers needed at Grunnings. Harry, however, believed that he was only making an excuse to get out of being seen around Harry.
Harry walked down the street, and finally made his way into the Leaky Cauldron, a pub un-seen to the muggle eye. Then, he walked down into the cellar, tapped the correct bricks, and Diagon Alley, one of the few places in London that was for wizards only.
The streets were filled with wizards wearing robes of all colors and pointy emerald green, black, dark blue, and all other colors of hats you could imagine. He already recognized three fellow Gryffindors, (the house he had been sorted into at Hogwarts in his first year) and these students were Neville Longbottom, Dean Thomas, and a younger student he knew as Colin Creevy.
Upon seeing Harry, Colin raced over to him, panting as he carried two large books under his arms that he had just bought at Flourish and Blotts.
"Hello Harry!" He said ecstaticaly. "Can't wait to get back to Hogwarts, can you? Mum and Dennis are still in Flourish and Blotts buying the rest of our books! I'm getting an owl this year! Isn't that amazing?"
"Yeah Colin," Harry said, trying to sound as if he were excited. "Well, have to run, books and supplies and stuff, you know."
As Harry pushed his way through the crowded streets, ignoring the occasional wizard to gawk at his lightening bolt shaped scar, he pulled his list out of his pocket once more, and looked down it. There were slightly a few more books required for this year than the last, along with several other required items. Realizing this, Harry dug into his robes to pull out a dirty brown sack, who's contents jingled merrily in his hands.
He opened it up, and pulled out the coins that he had in there. He only had two galleons and one silver sickle left. This was certainly not enough to buy his school supplies. Before he could even go in a shop, he would have to go to Gringott's, the wizard's bank.
After five minutes of politely moving through the crowd, Harry finally stood within feet of the giant, white bank. It was several stories high, and leaned a different way the higher you got, with broad white columns supportng the weight.
Moving towards it, he quickly recognized five red headed people. The Weasleys. They were his best friend at Hogwarts, Ron, the youngest one, Ron's sister Ginny, and the oldest ones who would be seventh years this year, the twins Fred and George Weasley. Standing in front of them, wearing raggedy old clothes she had sewn herself, was a plump lady who was their mother, Molly Weasley.
Harry came scurrying after them, and walked inside behind them. Inside, there was a long row of tables on either side of the room, with hundreds of Goblins sitting at each.
Harry came up behind the Weasleys, slightly panting from all the walking. None of them had turned to see him, for they were standing still deep in conversastion.
"C'mon mum, this is our last year at Hogwarts." Came Fred's painfully begging voice.
"Yeah mum," George added.
"Look boys!" Mrs. Weasley said, her voice growing louder, "There is no way I am going to give them back to you. I've been telling you all year not to even start up your Weasley's Wizard Wheezes again-yet you did. And I will not be giving them back."
"But mum!"
"HARRY!" Ginny had whipped around at hearing Harry's footsteps behind them, and spotted him, her hair falling gracefuly back onto her shoulders.
The argument stopped abruptly. Mrs. Weasley, Fred, Geroge, and Ron, whipped around. Mrs. Weasley's frown turned into a slight smile, as she gave him a, "Hello Harry, dear." Fred and George seemed to almost forget the arguments as they both greeted Harry in their usual gleeful tones.
Ron came running over to Harry, a broad grin spreading across his face.
"Hello Harry!" Ron said happily.
"Hullo Mrs. Weasley, Ron, Fred, George...Ginny." He added, nodding to each of them.
"Here to get your money, are you dear?" Mrs. Weasley said.
"Um, yeah." Harry began, "Where's Mr. Weasley?" He added, noting the missing family member.
"Oh, he's about." Mrs. Weasley said, shaking her head. "Wanted to head out to Muggle London to catch a glimpse of them. Sometimes I wonder why Authur wasn't born a muggle."
"Nutters about them, he is." Fred said. "I s'ppose he'll be here in a bit though, he said he would meet us at Flourish and Blotts after we got our money."
A silence came over them for a few moments, and then, finally breaking the silence, Mrs. Weasley spoke up. "Well then, shall we go on? Harry, you can ride with us to yours and our vault, afterall, you shouldn't be alone. Well, let's go then!" She beckoned them on to follow her to the front of the room.
They boarded the mine cart with one of the chauffer goblins, and, although a bit crowded, began to ride down the mines, passing various vaults as they twisted and turned.
"Uh, I think I'm gonna be sick," Ron said, miserabley. "I didn't remember it being this bad."
"Now, now dear." Said Mrs. Weasley, patting him on the back. "We'll be there soon, afterall."
Harry and Ron hadn't been to Gringotts or Diagon Alley for two years, because last year they were at Quidditch World Cup for the last year, and Mrs. Weasley had come to buy their supplies.
Harry soon remembered the feeling of the ride, and therefore it did not make him sick in the least, he even slightly enjoyed the ride. Even though he doubted any of the Weasley's had ever been to a carnival, he had been only once with the Dursely's, because Mrs. Figg had been busy tending to someone's garden far off in Scotland. Harry only got to ride on ride, a rollercoaster the Dursley's had put him on with Dudley, so that Dudley would have someone of both sides of him, (Uncle Vernon on the left) to make sure he didn't fall out. Of course, it was impossible for Dudley to have fallen out, for when they had attempted to get out, he had become jammed between the safety bar and the seat. Eventually, the fire department had to be called, who had to chop the cart into pieces to free him.
Finally, after a few more minutes of twisting a turning, the cart stopped at a rusty old vault.
"Now stay in here, the lot of you," Mrs. Weasley said, climbing out of the cart with the goblin. She handed the key to him, and the goblin inserted the key and turned it, then ran his long finger nails through a criss in the vault door. It opened to reveal a very small amount of money. There was no more than ten galleons and fewer than twenty sickles. This almost made Harry sick at his stomach, knowing what they would see when they reached his vault.
After the Weasley's had gathered all of their money, they set off in the cart again on their way to Harry's vault. This time, Ron did not seem as sick and even talked to Harry.
"Harry," he said, avoiding the others attention, as he and Harry were sitting in the back, "did you get the letter I sent?"
"Yeah," Harry replied. He had almost forgotten the letter, due to the commotion of the holidays ending plus he was still in shock over what he had heard from his Aunt Petunia, still in disbelief, though not daring to mention it to them.
"So," Ron said again, "Whaddya reckon that's all about? What do you make of it Harry?"
Harry jerked around. "I dunno. I was wondering that myself."
The conversastion ended there, and no one spoke from there on out until they reached Harry's vault. He hastily went in it, gatherin a sackful of galleons, knuts, and sickles, then came out, stuffing the sack into his pocket as to keep it's loud jingling from sounding around the Weasleys, who did not have but enough money to make but a small amount of sound.
Once they arrived at Flourish and Blotts, they divided. Fred, and George left to go check out the newest jokes at Diagon Alley's local joke shop, while Ginny went to get some ice cream at the ice cream parlor. Ron, however, stayed with Harry and Mrs. Weasley since Harry had to buy his books; Mrs. Weasley would be buying everyone else's.
Mrs. Weasley strode inside, leaving Harry and Ron standing outside. Harry wasn't yet completely ready to go buy his school books just yet. He stood at the window of Quality Quidditch Supplies, (which was right next to Flourish and Blott's) looking at the various new types of brooms. None of them, however, outrivaled his-a Firebolt. Even the newest in the Nimbus Series, the Nimbus 2002, couldn't outmatch his.
After looking through the store for a moment, Harry and Ron left, Harry with a new pair of arm braces and a small Qudditch Player's Journal, he bought one for Ron, too.
"Harry, look!" Ron said, walking away from the store. He was pointing in the direction of a young boy who they also went to Hogwarts with. He was a tall, sleeked haired whitish-blonde headed boy who was also the seeker on the Slytherin team. Harry recognized him at once as Draco Malfoy. Standing beside him was his father, who he resembled a great deal, Lucius Malfoy.
Harry pulled Ron and himself back behind a pile of tattered out-dated old books sitting outside the door of Flourish and Blotts, not wanting to be seen by them.
"Sh!" Harry said, shushing Ron. "I don't feel like dealing with Malfoy today, let's just wait here until they leave."
Ron nodded.
But they didn't leave, and just as Harry and Ron were poking their heads from behind the books intending to go on into the store, they saw Ron's father, Authur Weasley come into view, stroding straight in the direction of Lucius.
"Ah, Authur," Lucius said in a sneer. "I suppose you'll be heading to the Wizard's Clothing and Pawn today? I hear they have a good deal of old clothes at very low prices. Why, even you might be able to afford them. They would surely look newer than what you have on."
"Lucius," Mr. Weasley said in a would-be happy tone. "Good day, isn't it? And apparently you feel the same, I see you are still able to be a slimey old obnoxious-"
"Shut-up Weasley." Said Draco, stepping into it. "Atleast my dad can afford to be slimey and obnoxious, I'd be suprised if your family could-"
But Mr. Malfoy had hushed his son. "Now, now Draco. Play nicely. After all, I'm the adult here. You shouldn't be so rude to your elders, even if they are poor as-"
"I must be going Lucius," Mr. Weasley broke in, "I have to get my wife now and I have a meeting with Dumbledore later this evening."
"Ah, yes. Dumbledore," said Mr. Malfoy, gazing in an observant tone off into the sky, rubbing his chin, his snake head cane in his other hand. "I suppose, that even someone as low class in the ministry as you would know, Authur, that the minister of magic is not please. Not pleased indeed. Fudge has even said how he thinks he's losing it. I'm set to pay a visit to the school in a few weeks, and I daresay that my, ahem, report, may very well send Dumbledore into an early retirement. Such a loss. Pitty. But I'm afraid that with his ramblings on--"
"What ramblings are you talking about, Malfoy?" Mr. Weasley said, becoming agitated at Mr. Malfoy's dragging on.
"Well, surely you know. The old man declares that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Name is returning, afterall." And with a sly smile, Mr. Malfoy began to raise his eyebrows.
"And you disagree with him, of course, Malfoy. I daresay you would like to see nothing more than him coming back. And I know you were one of those behind the muggle attacks last year at the cup, but I have yet to prove it. You would be a fool not to believe that he is returning. After the death of Amos's son, the Diggory boy. Harry Potter himself, witnessed it."
"Oh," said Mr. Malfoy, rubbing his hands over the head of his cane, as his son smiled in a way that made Harry want to punch him, "And you deem this boy trustworthy? I suppose you were not reading The Daily Prophet last year. After all the scandals about him that got it-"
"Rita Skeeter is a liar." Mr. Weasley argued.
"Yes, well. I must be going Authur. I'll see you at the ministry tommorow, I suppose? Yes well then, come along Draco."
The Malfoys left, leaving Harry free to go in and buy his books. After he had finished purchasing his supplies in Diagon Alley, he said good-bye to the Weasleys and headed back to muggle London where he waited a few minutes for his Uncle to show up. When he finally did, Harry left with him and returned to the Durlsey's for his last night there. Tommorow, he would be heading to King's Cross, and from there he would board the Hogwart's express to return to school. He fell asleep that night in deep anticipation, dreaming of returning to Hogwarts.
Back to Diagon Alley
As Harry's last few days at the Dursley's drew near, he found himself amidst one of the biggest fights he had had in a long time. Dudley had burst his door open earlier that night, causing the lock to fly across the hall and land on Uncle Vernon. Uncle Vernon, in turn, sprang from the bed yelling about intruders and suddenly flew out of the room, bursting into Harry's and tripping over Hedwig's cage, causing him to hit the foor with a thud and Hedwig to fly onto Harry's lap, waking her up and leaving the poor owl screeching for hours.
"MAKE THAT BLOODY BIRD SHUT UP!" Uncle Vernon was bellowing hours later, as Hedwig continued to squeal from her early morning fright.
"I can't," Harry said, rushing to get his clothes on, "She won't until she's had her owl treats."
"Well give her the damn things!" Uncle Vernon cursed, choking down a small pear fourth.
As the day wore on, Harry recieved his list of school supplies via owl post. Ah, how could he have forgotten? He would be needing to travel to Diagon Alley tommorow. But the problem was getting a ride.
"Uncle Vernon," Harry said polietely, recieving a 'HMPH?' from his uncle. "I have to go to Diagon-I mean I have to go to the shops to get my new school supplies."
"Yes? What of it?"
"Well, I was wondering if you could take me, tommorow maybe-"
"Take you? To get some ruddy magic books? I should say not!"
"But Uncle Vernon-" Harry stammered, trying to figure out exactly what to say. And then it came to him. Sirius. "My godfather will be quite upset if I don't have my supplies when I return to school."
Now Uncle Vernon stopped. His face went into one of slight terror, for good reason. For Sirius was a convicted murderer on the run, and only a few people, including Harry, knew of his innocence. However, Harry had forgotten to tell his uncle of his innocence.
As his mustache began to twitch, he fought off the urge to say no. And finally, heaving a sigh... "Bloody fine. I'll take you. Mind you, I won't be going in those shops with you."
Harry gave a slight smile at his victory. He knew his uncle would have never considered taking him, had he not been reminded of his godfather.
So the next day, Harry arrived in London with his uncle. Mr. Dursley let Harry out in downtown London, and left him there to go get what he said were tools his workers needed at Grunnings. Harry, however, believed that he was only making an excuse to get out of being seen around Harry.
Harry walked down the street, and finally made his way into the Leaky Cauldron, a pub un-seen to the muggle eye. Then, he walked down into the cellar, tapped the correct bricks, and Diagon Alley, one of the few places in London that was for wizards only.
The streets were filled with wizards wearing robes of all colors and pointy emerald green, black, dark blue, and all other colors of hats you could imagine. He already recognized three fellow Gryffindors, (the house he had been sorted into at Hogwarts in his first year) and these students were Neville Longbottom, Dean Thomas, and a younger student he knew as Colin Creevy.
Upon seeing Harry, Colin raced over to him, panting as he carried two large books under his arms that he had just bought at Flourish and Blotts.
"Hello Harry!" He said ecstaticaly. "Can't wait to get back to Hogwarts, can you? Mum and Dennis are still in Flourish and Blotts buying the rest of our books! I'm getting an owl this year! Isn't that amazing?"
"Yeah Colin," Harry said, trying to sound as if he were excited. "Well, have to run, books and supplies and stuff, you know."
As Harry pushed his way through the crowded streets, ignoring the occasional wizard to gawk at his lightening bolt shaped scar, he pulled his list out of his pocket once more, and looked down it. There were slightly a few more books required for this year than the last, along with several other required items. Realizing this, Harry dug into his robes to pull out a dirty brown sack, who's contents jingled merrily in his hands.
He opened it up, and pulled out the coins that he had in there. He only had two galleons and one silver sickle left. This was certainly not enough to buy his school supplies. Before he could even go in a shop, he would have to go to Gringott's, the wizard's bank.
After five minutes of politely moving through the crowd, Harry finally stood within feet of the giant, white bank. It was several stories high, and leaned a different way the higher you got, with broad white columns supportng the weight.
Moving towards it, he quickly recognized five red headed people. The Weasleys. They were his best friend at Hogwarts, Ron, the youngest one, Ron's sister Ginny, and the oldest ones who would be seventh years this year, the twins Fred and George Weasley. Standing in front of them, wearing raggedy old clothes she had sewn herself, was a plump lady who was their mother, Molly Weasley.
Harry came scurrying after them, and walked inside behind them. Inside, there was a long row of tables on either side of the room, with hundreds of Goblins sitting at each.
Harry came up behind the Weasleys, slightly panting from all the walking. None of them had turned to see him, for they were standing still deep in conversastion.
"C'mon mum, this is our last year at Hogwarts." Came Fred's painfully begging voice.
"Yeah mum," George added.
"Look boys!" Mrs. Weasley said, her voice growing louder, "There is no way I am going to give them back to you. I've been telling you all year not to even start up your Weasley's Wizard Wheezes again-yet you did. And I will not be giving them back."
"But mum!"
"HARRY!" Ginny had whipped around at hearing Harry's footsteps behind them, and spotted him, her hair falling gracefuly back onto her shoulders.
The argument stopped abruptly. Mrs. Weasley, Fred, Geroge, and Ron, whipped around. Mrs. Weasley's frown turned into a slight smile, as she gave him a, "Hello Harry, dear." Fred and George seemed to almost forget the arguments as they both greeted Harry in their usual gleeful tones.
Ron came running over to Harry, a broad grin spreading across his face.
"Hello Harry!" Ron said happily.
"Hullo Mrs. Weasley, Ron, Fred, George...Ginny." He added, nodding to each of them.
"Here to get your money, are you dear?" Mrs. Weasley said.
"Um, yeah." Harry began, "Where's Mr. Weasley?" He added, noting the missing family member.
"Oh, he's about." Mrs. Weasley said, shaking her head. "Wanted to head out to Muggle London to catch a glimpse of them. Sometimes I wonder why Authur wasn't born a muggle."
"Nutters about them, he is." Fred said. "I s'ppose he'll be here in a bit though, he said he would meet us at Flourish and Blotts after we got our money."
A silence came over them for a few moments, and then, finally breaking the silence, Mrs. Weasley spoke up. "Well then, shall we go on? Harry, you can ride with us to yours and our vault, afterall, you shouldn't be alone. Well, let's go then!" She beckoned them on to follow her to the front of the room.
They boarded the mine cart with one of the chauffer goblins, and, although a bit crowded, began to ride down the mines, passing various vaults as they twisted and turned.
"Uh, I think I'm gonna be sick," Ron said, miserabley. "I didn't remember it being this bad."
"Now, now dear." Said Mrs. Weasley, patting him on the back. "We'll be there soon, afterall."
Harry and Ron hadn't been to Gringotts or Diagon Alley for two years, because last year they were at Quidditch World Cup for the last year, and Mrs. Weasley had come to buy their supplies.
Harry soon remembered the feeling of the ride, and therefore it did not make him sick in the least, he even slightly enjoyed the ride. Even though he doubted any of the Weasley's had ever been to a carnival, he had been only once with the Dursely's, because Mrs. Figg had been busy tending to someone's garden far off in Scotland. Harry only got to ride on ride, a rollercoaster the Dursley's had put him on with Dudley, so that Dudley would have someone of both sides of him, (Uncle Vernon on the left) to make sure he didn't fall out. Of course, it was impossible for Dudley to have fallen out, for when they had attempted to get out, he had become jammed between the safety bar and the seat. Eventually, the fire department had to be called, who had to chop the cart into pieces to free him.
Finally, after a few more minutes of twisting a turning, the cart stopped at a rusty old vault.
"Now stay in here, the lot of you," Mrs. Weasley said, climbing out of the cart with the goblin. She handed the key to him, and the goblin inserted the key and turned it, then ran his long finger nails through a criss in the vault door. It opened to reveal a very small amount of money. There was no more than ten galleons and fewer than twenty sickles. This almost made Harry sick at his stomach, knowing what they would see when they reached his vault.
After the Weasley's had gathered all of their money, they set off in the cart again on their way to Harry's vault. This time, Ron did not seem as sick and even talked to Harry.
"Harry," he said, avoiding the others attention, as he and Harry were sitting in the back, "did you get the letter I sent?"
"Yeah," Harry replied. He had almost forgotten the letter, due to the commotion of the holidays ending plus he was still in shock over what he had heard from his Aunt Petunia, still in disbelief, though not daring to mention it to them.
"So," Ron said again, "Whaddya reckon that's all about? What do you make of it Harry?"
Harry jerked around. "I dunno. I was wondering that myself."
The conversastion ended there, and no one spoke from there on out until they reached Harry's vault. He hastily went in it, gatherin a sackful of galleons, knuts, and sickles, then came out, stuffing the sack into his pocket as to keep it's loud jingling from sounding around the Weasleys, who did not have but enough money to make but a small amount of sound.
Once they arrived at Flourish and Blotts, they divided. Fred, and George left to go check out the newest jokes at Diagon Alley's local joke shop, while Ginny went to get some ice cream at the ice cream parlor. Ron, however, stayed with Harry and Mrs. Weasley since Harry had to buy his books; Mrs. Weasley would be buying everyone else's.
Mrs. Weasley strode inside, leaving Harry and Ron standing outside. Harry wasn't yet completely ready to go buy his school books just yet. He stood at the window of Quality Quidditch Supplies, (which was right next to Flourish and Blott's) looking at the various new types of brooms. None of them, however, outrivaled his-a Firebolt. Even the newest in the Nimbus Series, the Nimbus 2002, couldn't outmatch his.
After looking through the store for a moment, Harry and Ron left, Harry with a new pair of arm braces and a small Qudditch Player's Journal, he bought one for Ron, too.
"Harry, look!" Ron said, walking away from the store. He was pointing in the direction of a young boy who they also went to Hogwarts with. He was a tall, sleeked haired whitish-blonde headed boy who was also the seeker on the Slytherin team. Harry recognized him at once as Draco Malfoy. Standing beside him was his father, who he resembled a great deal, Lucius Malfoy.
Harry pulled Ron and himself back behind a pile of tattered out-dated old books sitting outside the door of Flourish and Blotts, not wanting to be seen by them.
"Sh!" Harry said, shushing Ron. "I don't feel like dealing with Malfoy today, let's just wait here until they leave."
Ron nodded.
But they didn't leave, and just as Harry and Ron were poking their heads from behind the books intending to go on into the store, they saw Ron's father, Authur Weasley come into view, stroding straight in the direction of Lucius.
"Ah, Authur," Lucius said in a sneer. "I suppose you'll be heading to the Wizard's Clothing and Pawn today? I hear they have a good deal of old clothes at very low prices. Why, even you might be able to afford them. They would surely look newer than what you have on."
"Lucius," Mr. Weasley said in a would-be happy tone. "Good day, isn't it? And apparently you feel the same, I see you are still able to be a slimey old obnoxious-"
"Shut-up Weasley." Said Draco, stepping into it. "Atleast my dad can afford to be slimey and obnoxious, I'd be suprised if your family could-"
But Mr. Malfoy had hushed his son. "Now, now Draco. Play nicely. After all, I'm the adult here. You shouldn't be so rude to your elders, even if they are poor as-"
"I must be going Lucius," Mr. Weasley broke in, "I have to get my wife now and I have a meeting with Dumbledore later this evening."
"Ah, yes. Dumbledore," said Mr. Malfoy, gazing in an observant tone off into the sky, rubbing his chin, his snake head cane in his other hand. "I suppose, that even someone as low class in the ministry as you would know, Authur, that the minister of magic is not please. Not pleased indeed. Fudge has even said how he thinks he's losing it. I'm set to pay a visit to the school in a few weeks, and I daresay that my, ahem, report, may very well send Dumbledore into an early retirement. Such a loss. Pitty. But I'm afraid that with his ramblings on--"
"What ramblings are you talking about, Malfoy?" Mr. Weasley said, becoming agitated at Mr. Malfoy's dragging on.
"Well, surely you know. The old man declares that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Name is returning, afterall." And with a sly smile, Mr. Malfoy began to raise his eyebrows.
"And you disagree with him, of course, Malfoy. I daresay you would like to see nothing more than him coming back. And I know you were one of those behind the muggle attacks last year at the cup, but I have yet to prove it. You would be a fool not to believe that he is returning. After the death of Amos's son, the Diggory boy. Harry Potter himself, witnessed it."
"Oh," said Mr. Malfoy, rubbing his hands over the head of his cane, as his son smiled in a way that made Harry want to punch him, "And you deem this boy trustworthy? I suppose you were not reading The Daily Prophet last year. After all the scandals about him that got it-"
"Rita Skeeter is a liar." Mr. Weasley argued.
"Yes, well. I must be going Authur. I'll see you at the ministry tommorow, I suppose? Yes well then, come along Draco."
The Malfoys left, leaving Harry free to go in and buy his books. After he had finished purchasing his supplies in Diagon Alley, he said good-bye to the Weasleys and headed back to muggle London where he waited a few minutes for his Uncle to show up. When he finally did, Harry left with him and returned to the Durlsey's for his last night there. Tommorow, he would be heading to King's Cross, and from there he would board the Hogwart's express to return to school. He fell asleep that night in deep anticipation, dreaming of returning to Hogwarts.