Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I do own Marten Diggory and the Staff Draconis. A character in this and later chapters bears strong resemblance to the character Roland in Steven King's The Dark Tower. Several direct references will be made.

Author Note: Hey, it's D-Scythe! Did you miss me? I'm sure you're all very angry at me right now, but I did update, see! I'm pleased with how this chapter has worked out and believe it was worth the extra time (aggravation) and effort (losing sleep to find time to work on this) and hope you enjoy. As always, thanks to my many readers. This chapter is dedicated to Steven King. May you're publisher never falter and your Muse be ever helpful.

6. The Storm at Diagon Alley

When Harry awoke the next morning in the riot of orange color that was Ron's room, the previous night seemed to be a blur. He lay on the floor mattress enjoying the morning sun and listening to Ron snore when he was suddenly brought fully awake by the sound of someone running up the stairs. Two someones, as it turned out.

Fred and George, Ron's twin older brothers both burst into the room babbling happily. After a moment of sorting out amongst themselves who would speak first, George crowed happily, "He's done it!"

"Dumbledore's been let off!" Fred cut in.

At this point, Ron had been awakened enough to sit up with his eyes screwed shut in a squint and shout, "What the blazes are you doing in my room!?"

George scooped a wayward sock from the floor and chucked it at Ron's head, "Come off it Ron!"

Ron dodged the sock and came back up just as Fred was interjecting, "Dad just sent an owl from the ministry, and Dumbledore's been let off."

Ron's eyes popped wide open, "He has! Harry this is great!"

The door shut with a slam and Fred and George could be heard noisily descending to the kitchen. Harry nodded enthusiastically, "Yeah, but..." he trailed off and his expression fell a bit.

"But what?"

Harry shook his head, "Well, he's still been sacked hasn't he? I mean, this doesn't mean Fudge is going to give him his job back does it?"

Ron shrugged, "I think he might get it back. After all, the school governor's will want a final say, and Dad talks a lot about Murmoose and Sideson. He says they're both good guys who might stand up to Fudge."

Harry grinned. "No wonder Fudge looked so mad last night."

"Huh?" Ron blinked bewilderedly.

Harry quickly explained the arguments Fudge had been having with Murmoose and Sideson the night before. Then he pulled a shirt and some short on, and headed towards the door. As he headed down the narrow staircase, he passed Fred and George's room. Inside he heard a pop, followed by a loud squawk. A moment later, there was an even louder pop, and a bit of acrid smoke wafted out from under the door. Inside, Harry could hear Fred exclaiming, "Well that certainly won't work!" and George's retort of, "Well you said to make it stronger!"

Harry shook his head and continued down. When he arrived in the kitchen, it was a flurry of activity. Mrs. Weasley was bustling about preparing breakfast. When Harry entered, he ducked to narrowly avoid a jolt from her wand that landed under a stack of bread. Each slice popped up and toasted in midair before landing in a steaming stack on the plate. "Good Morning Harry! Have a seat at the table, I'll have breakfast ready in a minute." Harry made his way through the cluttered kitchen to the table where Ron's only sister Ginny was reading a book about flying charms.

Harry pulled out a chair and mumbled, "Morning Ginny." Ginny, who hadn't noticed him enter the bustling chaos of the kitchen, looked up with a surprised squeak, blushed crimson, and disappeared behind her book. Harry shook his head and glanced around the small kitchen.

Ron entered the room just as Mrs. Weasley was bustling over to the table with plates piled high with eggs, home fries, and toast. "Morning Mum," he managed through a yawn, "What are we doing today?"

Mrs. Weasley used a summoning charm to set the table and plopped the plate of food in the center. "We're going to London after breakfast to pick up your school supplies. Fred and George have been asking to come for a month so I'm sure they'll be glad to hear."

Fred and George emerged from their room a few minutes later, each with a bundle under their arm. Breakfast moved quickly and the boys all helped Mrs. Weasley clean up. Around Nine o'clock they all gathered round the kitchen fire place and used Floo powder to transport themselves to the Leaky Cauldron, a tavern that disguised the entrance to the wizarding market, Diagon Alley. Harry couldn't help but be reminded of his first trip to Diagon Alley by Floo Powder and his unexpected side trip to Knockturn Alley. This trip fortunately entailed no such excitement and Harry found himself emerging in the cozy lounge at the back of the tavern. He scooted to the side just in time to avoid Fred, who popped out about three seconds later. George came next and nodded to Fred.

"Harry," Fred said quickly, "We've got business, tell mum we'll meet her here at lunch time." Harry barely had time to nod before they were both out the back door and gone.

Ron emerged a moment later and glanced around. "Where'd they disappear to?"

Harry shrugged. "Business." Ginny stumbled out of the fireplace and staggered over next to Ron, looking a bit redder than usual.

Ron paled a bit beneath his freckles. "Mum's not going to be too pleased."

"And why is that?" Both boys spun around to see Mrs. Weasley standing behind them.

"Oh, er," Harry stumbled, "Fred and George just said they had some business to deal with."

Mrs. Weasley arched an eyebrow. "Business?"

Harry nodded slowly, "Er, They said they'd meet us here around noon."

Mrs. Weasley sighed and shook her head, "Oh all right. We'd best get to Gringotts." She led them quickly through the door that Fred and George had escaped through just moments before. Then she opened the secret door into the market. Harry felt a smile light up his face as the happy bustle of the wizarding marketplace unfolded before him. Mrs. Weasley swept through the crowded streets, swiftly leading the way towards the giant building that housed Gringotts bank. Harry noticed however that she seemed to be keeping a very careful eye out for her two wayward sons and couldn't help but wonder what business could be important enough to risk their mother's considerable ire.

The bank itself was it usual bustle of activity. Surly looking Goblins scurried back and forth attending to business, leading families to their vaults and helping negotiate transactions. Mrs. Weasley found an available spot at the counter and, a few words with the goblin teller later, all four of them were headed for the carts that would take them to their individual vaults.

Harry, as always, enjoyed the breakneck ride through the caverns below the bank. But his spirits dropped a bit when they arrived at the Weasley's vault. Though rich in spirit, the Weasley family had always been rather strained for currency. Harry felt a guilty pang thinking about the mountain of money piled in his own vault and knowing that the Weasley's would never accept any sort of charity from him.

He was therefor, pleasantly surprised when the vault was unlocked and revealed a pile of Galleons substantially larger than the last time he had visited. Harry realized that it would be rude to comment, but he was pleased to see that his best friend's family was doing a bit better for itself. When Mrs. Weasley was finished counting out how much would be needed for the school supplies, the vault was closed and the party clambered back into the cart.

Another wild ride and they had arrived at Harry's vault. Harry still felt a bit uncomfortable with so much money so he was not long in scooping as much as he could fit into his pouch and shutting the vault.

When the group emerged again into the sunlight, Mrs. Weasley told Harry and Ron to meet her at the Leaky Cauldron for lunch before grabbing Ginny by the shoulder and steering her towards the nearby robes store. Harry and Ron were both a bit reluctant to pick up their school supplies, so they stopped in Quality Quidditch supplies on their way to Flourish and Blotts. Harry noted with a bit of smug satisfaction that they had still not come out with a racing broom to surpass his treasured Firebolt.

Finally, he was able to drag Ron away from the display case where a full set of Chudley Cannons robes were being displayed. As they crossed the street to Flourish and Blotts, Harry noticed that rain laden storm clouds were gathering swiftly overhead. When he and Ron emerged twenty minutes later, the day had dimmed considerably and the air had developed the static feel that always precludes lightning. Harry tried not to let the impending storm bother him and instead led the way to pick up refills on their potions supplies, both now lugging considerable amounts of books, quills, and parchment.

The line inside the apothecary was long, and when Harry and Ron finally emerged with their refills of newt liver, salamander scales, mortroot and etceteras, a few heavy drops were beginning to fall from the sky. People quickly found shelter and sure enough, a few minutes later, the skies had let loose in earnest. Ron pointed to his watch and noted that it was a quarter to noon. Harry nodded and turned to follow when he suddenly grabbed Ron's shoulder.

"What?" Ron sputtered as Harry spun him around. "We'll be late, and Mum's likely to be angry enough as it is!"

Harry pointed down the street a ways. "Look, wonder what's the matter with him." He was indicating a tall man who stood stock still in the center of the street. The street was now nearly deserted because of the deluge, those who remained scurried along under the eaves of shops, but not this man. He stood still and stared up the street, past Harry and Ron, towards Gringotts and The Leaky Cauldron. Harry noticed that he was very oddly dressed. He was wearing faded denim jeans and a rough woven shirt that almost looked homespun. He wore large boots that appeared to have been used for a very, very long time.

Harry was wondering if he was lost and confused, but even from twenty feet away, he could read the look of intense concentration in his eyes. The man did not blink, and even in the heaven sent downpour his every muscle seemed tuned for action.

Everything that happened next happened at once.

A crack of thunder resounded as twenty thousand volts of electricity seared the sky.

A black robed figure burst, seemingly from nowhere, into being in the middle of the street, whipped forward a wand and screamed "Avada Kedavra!"

The man in the jeans and homespun shirt snapped his hand away from his belt before the lightning had even finished flashing.

A sharp, apocalyptic roar scythed across the slower rumble of the thunder.

The black figure was lifted from his feet and thrown twenty feet through the drenching rain before skidding to a bone-crushing landing sprawled along the cobblestones where he burst into blue flame.

His curse blasted off course and into the dark sky where its power vanished.

Harry blinked, trying to assimilate what had just happened, but the sequence kept getting jumbled in his head. He turned slowly to look at the man standing in the deluge. In his hand was something Harry though he would never see away from the Muggle world.

A smoking gun.

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Author Note: Am I allowed to have this much fun? Really, am I? Well, any who, please review as always!

If anyone knows what the distinction between Harry Potter fics and Harry Potter Author fics, could you please e-mail me at Sechsmarquise@hotmail.com? Same address for Questions, Comments, Hate mail, and Death Threats.

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