CHAPTER NINE
Fortescue's Ice Cream Shop
A month had passed since the day Sybill Trelawney was rescued from the mountains near
Hogsmeade. New Aurors were being trained. It was a long process, but the Ministry managed to get a
total of eight-nine Aurors by the last week of July.
Of course, news of the "betrayal in the Ministry" was still being thrown around. At any
moment, people would accuse others of passing information to the Dark Lord– even if they were just
getting a cup of coffee.
Percy Weasley looked extremely strained and ignored his family at all times. He tried to talk to
Ginny. She wasn't particularly fond of him though.
Mr. Weasley and Mrs. Weasley took everyone to Diagon Alley by way of floo powder.
Hermione, Ron, and Harry were going to meet her parents later on, but first, they went to Fortescue's
Ice Cream Shop. Hermione got some chocolate chip and cookie dough. Harry got a milkshake. Ron got
mink chocolate.
Professor Umbridge was very unusual lately. Ron still wondered what she was doing down in
Room 13 in the first place and WHY was she on the off limits floor. He had told Hermione and Harry
about the room. Harry looked curious, but Hermione just examined her nails as they sat at a table
outside.
"HONESTLY, if any one you had ever bothered reading Hogwarts A History, you would know
about Room 13. It was created in the year of 1592, I believe, to keep track of all the deaths and
records of how they died. It would come in handy during many trials of people who were falsely-
accused of killing someone. The deceased person would show up in their files, and tell who killed
them. The room is off limits to many people and only appears to those that say the password.
Someone probably forgot to put the vanishing charm on it when they left..." Hermione explained.
"Wait!" Ron said. "When I was in there, the door disappeared behind me."
"Maybe somebody wanted you to discover the room. Maybe there was something in there...
They didn't want anyone else to get in there, so they made is disappear," Hermione said with a
quizzical look on her face.
"But then Umbridge came in..." Ron said. "She got in by saying the password. But why was
she in there?"
Harry interrupted. "I have a question. If we knew the names of wizards that were killed when
Sirius supposedly killed thirteen people... they would shop up in those files right?" Hermione nodded.
"Then if we looked up their files, wouldn't say that they were killed by Wormtail and not Sirius?"
Hermione clasped a hand to her mouth. "Oh my God! Every new person who dies gets their
file sent to the Minister of Magic first and then he forwards them to the files."
"Who was Minister 13 years ago?"
"Fudge took a hiatus for one year to fight Voldemort... I believe the new Minister was
Professor Umbridge!" Hermione realized.
"Professor Umbridge might have been monitoring the room... which means that she went
down there to make sure you did not discover any file from that night! UMBRIDGE FRAMED SIRIUS!"
Harry yelled.
"OH MY GOD!" Ron said. "OH MY GOD!!"
"We have just stumbled upon some really classified information," Hermione said. "Dumbledore
needs to know."
"We can tell him whenever we fine him. He should be at Headquarters," Ron said. "I still want
to know who sent me to that room and why the door vanished."
Harry stared at his milkshake.
"Sirius."
"What?" Hermione said.
"Maybe Sirius did," Harry repeated.
"He's dead Harry," Ron reassured him.
"Maybe he isn't... maybe something went wrong that night when Bellatrix tried to kill him."
"He fell through the veil!" Hermione said.
"Their spirits..." Harry thought but never finished his sentence.
They sat in silence at that round table with the large umbrella over them.
"Ok, let's not dwell over this," Harry said. "We will tell Dumbledore soon!"
"Good! Let's get over to Gringotts please... and then meet my parents. Then we can go
shopping!" Hermione said as she threw her half eaten ice cream into the trash can.
They came out of the marble white wizard bank with bags full of galleons, sickles, and knuts.
They decided to stop at the book store first. Hermione said it was urgent that they all get their books.
They each took out their lists. Hermione had two or three more volumes than Harry and Ron to get,
because she took Arithmacy and Muggle Studies.
Inside Flourish and Blotts, Draco Malfoy spied on them as they walked through each row of
books. He decided to start a quarrel and jumped out at them as they turned a corner.
"I told you I would get you Potter," he sneered.
"Go to hell, Malfoy," Harry said and pushed him of the way.
"Warentinga!" Malfoy bellowed and Harry went flying into the book case. Harry's hands
started smacking himself.
Hermione stepped forward and touched Malfoy on the back. He turned around.
"And what do you wand, you filthy mudblood?"
Hermione smiled and punched him in the face.
"THAT you stupid prick-ass monster!" she screamed and punched him again in the stomach.
By this time, the owner of the shop was howling at them in anger. He helped Harry up but dragged
Malfoy out of the store.
"Get your books!" he demanded. "Then get out! I do not want people fighting in my store!" he
said scurvily. "I'll help you get your books!" He went from mean to cheerful.
They paid for their new belongings and took off to The Leaky Cauldron. Ron tapped the bricks
and they all walked through the new whole in the wall. Mr. And Mrs. Granger were talking to two
wizards at the bar. Tom, the owner of the joint, waved at the three and told the Grangers of their
arrival.
Hermione ran to them and hugged them both.
"Mom, dad, this is Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley."
"Everyone calls me Ron," Ron told them.
"Well hello boys," Mrs. Granger said. "What have you been up to darling?" she asked
Hermione.
"We just bought our books and got some ice-cream. How has your trip been?"
"We have been out around the town a bit. We also stay in here or go into the Alley... just to
see everything. It's so brilliant there!" Mr. Weasley said. "We exchanged some of our money for
these... ahem... galleons, sickles and koots."
"Knuts, dad?" Hermione asked.
"Oh yes, yes, knuts."
"Well, I am staying with my parents tonight," Hermione said to Ron and Harry. "Just get back
to your parents Ron... before they leave at least!"
"Don't worry!" Ron said.
"I'll be back at the Ministry tomorrow... maybe the day after."
Harry and Ron nodded. They said their good-byes to her parents and walked off to find Mr.
and Mrs. Weasley. It was still the late morning. They found them at the Quidditch store, admiring the
brooms. Ginny was looked at new gloves for his position on the team. She wanted to audition for
Keeper this year, but wasn't sure if there would be Quidditch since the new school was in the Ministry.
What was exciting was that Bill and Charlie were going to drop in at the Ministry tomorrow.
Ron was very revved up.
Mr. Weasley bought Ginny the gloves she wanted and they headed off to another store for a
fun-filled day at Diagon Alley.
Fortescue's Ice Cream Shop
A month had passed since the day Sybill Trelawney was rescued from the mountains near
Hogsmeade. New Aurors were being trained. It was a long process, but the Ministry managed to get a
total of eight-nine Aurors by the last week of July.
Of course, news of the "betrayal in the Ministry" was still being thrown around. At any
moment, people would accuse others of passing information to the Dark Lord– even if they were just
getting a cup of coffee.
Percy Weasley looked extremely strained and ignored his family at all times. He tried to talk to
Ginny. She wasn't particularly fond of him though.
Mr. Weasley and Mrs. Weasley took everyone to Diagon Alley by way of floo powder.
Hermione, Ron, and Harry were going to meet her parents later on, but first, they went to Fortescue's
Ice Cream Shop. Hermione got some chocolate chip and cookie dough. Harry got a milkshake. Ron got
mink chocolate.
Professor Umbridge was very unusual lately. Ron still wondered what she was doing down in
Room 13 in the first place and WHY was she on the off limits floor. He had told Hermione and Harry
about the room. Harry looked curious, but Hermione just examined her nails as they sat at a table
outside.
"HONESTLY, if any one you had ever bothered reading Hogwarts A History, you would know
about Room 13. It was created in the year of 1592, I believe, to keep track of all the deaths and
records of how they died. It would come in handy during many trials of people who were falsely-
accused of killing someone. The deceased person would show up in their files, and tell who killed
them. The room is off limits to many people and only appears to those that say the password.
Someone probably forgot to put the vanishing charm on it when they left..." Hermione explained.
"Wait!" Ron said. "When I was in there, the door disappeared behind me."
"Maybe somebody wanted you to discover the room. Maybe there was something in there...
They didn't want anyone else to get in there, so they made is disappear," Hermione said with a
quizzical look on her face.
"But then Umbridge came in..." Ron said. "She got in by saying the password. But why was
she in there?"
Harry interrupted. "I have a question. If we knew the names of wizards that were killed when
Sirius supposedly killed thirteen people... they would shop up in those files right?" Hermione nodded.
"Then if we looked up their files, wouldn't say that they were killed by Wormtail and not Sirius?"
Hermione clasped a hand to her mouth. "Oh my God! Every new person who dies gets their
file sent to the Minister of Magic first and then he forwards them to the files."
"Who was Minister 13 years ago?"
"Fudge took a hiatus for one year to fight Voldemort... I believe the new Minister was
Professor Umbridge!" Hermione realized.
"Professor Umbridge might have been monitoring the room... which means that she went
down there to make sure you did not discover any file from that night! UMBRIDGE FRAMED SIRIUS!"
Harry yelled.
"OH MY GOD!" Ron said. "OH MY GOD!!"
"We have just stumbled upon some really classified information," Hermione said. "Dumbledore
needs to know."
"We can tell him whenever we fine him. He should be at Headquarters," Ron said. "I still want
to know who sent me to that room and why the door vanished."
Harry stared at his milkshake.
"Sirius."
"What?" Hermione said.
"Maybe Sirius did," Harry repeated.
"He's dead Harry," Ron reassured him.
"Maybe he isn't... maybe something went wrong that night when Bellatrix tried to kill him."
"He fell through the veil!" Hermione said.
"Their spirits..." Harry thought but never finished his sentence.
They sat in silence at that round table with the large umbrella over them.
"Ok, let's not dwell over this," Harry said. "We will tell Dumbledore soon!"
"Good! Let's get over to Gringotts please... and then meet my parents. Then we can go
shopping!" Hermione said as she threw her half eaten ice cream into the trash can.
They came out of the marble white wizard bank with bags full of galleons, sickles, and knuts.
They decided to stop at the book store first. Hermione said it was urgent that they all get their books.
They each took out their lists. Hermione had two or three more volumes than Harry and Ron to get,
because she took Arithmacy and Muggle Studies.
Inside Flourish and Blotts, Draco Malfoy spied on them as they walked through each row of
books. He decided to start a quarrel and jumped out at them as they turned a corner.
"I told you I would get you Potter," he sneered.
"Go to hell, Malfoy," Harry said and pushed him of the way.
"Warentinga!" Malfoy bellowed and Harry went flying into the book case. Harry's hands
started smacking himself.
Hermione stepped forward and touched Malfoy on the back. He turned around.
"And what do you wand, you filthy mudblood?"
Hermione smiled and punched him in the face.
"THAT you stupid prick-ass monster!" she screamed and punched him again in the stomach.
By this time, the owner of the shop was howling at them in anger. He helped Harry up but dragged
Malfoy out of the store.
"Get your books!" he demanded. "Then get out! I do not want people fighting in my store!" he
said scurvily. "I'll help you get your books!" He went from mean to cheerful.
They paid for their new belongings and took off to The Leaky Cauldron. Ron tapped the bricks
and they all walked through the new whole in the wall. Mr. And Mrs. Granger were talking to two
wizards at the bar. Tom, the owner of the joint, waved at the three and told the Grangers of their
arrival.
Hermione ran to them and hugged them both.
"Mom, dad, this is Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley."
"Everyone calls me Ron," Ron told them.
"Well hello boys," Mrs. Granger said. "What have you been up to darling?" she asked
Hermione.
"We just bought our books and got some ice-cream. How has your trip been?"
"We have been out around the town a bit. We also stay in here or go into the Alley... just to
see everything. It's so brilliant there!" Mr. Weasley said. "We exchanged some of our money for
these... ahem... galleons, sickles and koots."
"Knuts, dad?" Hermione asked.
"Oh yes, yes, knuts."
"Well, I am staying with my parents tonight," Hermione said to Ron and Harry. "Just get back
to your parents Ron... before they leave at least!"
"Don't worry!" Ron said.
"I'll be back at the Ministry tomorrow... maybe the day after."
Harry and Ron nodded. They said their good-byes to her parents and walked off to find Mr.
and Mrs. Weasley. It was still the late morning. They found them at the Quidditch store, admiring the
brooms. Ginny was looked at new gloves for his position on the team. She wanted to audition for
Keeper this year, but wasn't sure if there would be Quidditch since the new school was in the Ministry.
What was exciting was that Bill and Charlie were going to drop in at the Ministry tomorrow.
Ron was very revved up.
Mr. Weasley bought Ginny the gloves she wanted and they headed off to another store for a
fun-filled day at Diagon Alley.