Chapter Three
Harry and Hermione had stayed overnight at the Leaky Cauldron. Hermione had tried to convince the Grangers to stay the night, but they had politely declined and spent the night at a muggle hotel.
They hadn't as yet seen Harry and both children were dubious about the impending encounter. They were planning to meet for the last time in the Leaky Cauldron, before the Grangers went back home and Harry and Hermione met up with the Weasleys, before boarding the Hogwarts express the next morning.
Hermione was sitting in the bar waiting for her parents. She sat, fidgeting with the napkins and coasters. The door swung open, admitting a cool breeze along with her parents, who still looked uncomfortable, even though they had been in the wizarding world many times before.
She stood and walked over to them, dragging them to her table.
Her mum noticed her discomfort and asked her with slight alarm 'What's wrong darling?'
Her dad followed the question with one of his own. 'Where's Harry?'
'Um, well mum and dad, Harry is upstairs waiting for me to come and tell him that he can come down.'
Her mum looked puzzled 'Well, why is he waiting up there? Tell him to come down, I want to see what he was so eager to get in London yesterday.'
Hermione started fidgeting again. 'Well, that's why I made him stay upstairs. You said he could buy anything he wanted with the money you gave him, but I don't think you meant this, and I'm here to give you some warning to soften the shock.'
Her dad raised his eyebrows. 'What are you talking about sweetie?'
'Harry has made some, erm, changes to his appearance.'
'What kind of changes?'
'Um.'
Her dad started to look annoyed. 'Just bring him down here, it cant be all that bad, we wont overreact.'
Hermione reluctantly rose from her seat and went to speak to Tom.
She came back in a couple of minutes. 'Tom is going to ring for Harry, but first he is going to pour you a couple of drinks.'
Tom appeared behind her just as she said this. 'Here, Mr and Mrs Granger, I think you are going to need this, on the house.'
Hermione's mum smiled her thanks and took a small sip. She pulled a small face.
'Euuurrggghhh, that's strong, is that what wizards usually dri-auuugghhh.'
Her glass fell to the floor with a crash as she looked up at the slightly Gothic teen standing behind her husbands chair.
'H- Harry? Is that you?'
Anthony Granger, looking at his wifes shocked face turned slowly in his chair to look at him. Hermione hid her face in her hands.
'Um, hi Aunt Maree, Uncle Anthony. Do you like my new look?'
The silence that followed spoke for itself.
'Aunt Maree? Uncle Anthony?'
'Mum? Dad?'
Her father blinked a couple of times. 'Harry Potter? What the hell are you playing at? What kind of.'
What ever he was going to say was lost in the flurry of movement that followed this statement. The whole pub had heard his outburst. Tom and Hermione groaned collectively and looked at each other in concern.
People were looking over at the table, and upon seeing Harry started whispering and muttering, some of them standing up for a better look. They started moving towards the table, each of them speculating as to why Harry had suddenly changed his appearance.
Suddenly an old lady squeaked put 'he is getting ready to declare his open support for the Dark Lord.'
An uproar followed that account and the crowd began to either stampede towards Harry or away from him, causing a few fights to break out. The Grangers stood in shock but Harry sat down on a chair, a small ironic smile playing about his lips.
People were now screaming and running into the street, bringing more frightened citizens into the pub with them. Glasses smashed to the floor and chairs overturned. Tom hid his eyes from the scene.
Suddenly a different yelling came from behind the growing rioters as a sea of red started to fill the pub. The entire Weasley family, who had heard the ruckus had come to see what was happening in the usually quite and respectable pub.
The elder Weasley boys, hearing the accusations being thrown, started yelling and dragging people out of the pub. Mrs Weasley took Ginny upstairs and Mr Weasley, Ron and the twins began to make their way towards the middle of the room where most of the commotion seemed to be based.
Suddenly the crowd froze and were silent and the Weasley clan gazed in surprise as a slightly familiar looking, black clad, excessively pierced, young teenage boy clambered onto a table and raised his hands for quiet. The mouths of the red-heads simultaneously fell open as a familiar voice filled the room.
'Enough! What is the matter with you people? Can I not even dress differently without causing a riot? If one of you was to suddenly inherit some money and spend it on your appearance would the rest of the world jump to the conclusion that you were supporting Voldemort? Now I am going to ask you very kindly to mind your own business. I am going to ask you to not go out into Diagon Alley and gossip about how the Boy who Lived has changed his appearance. And if I hear one more word about how I am in league with Voldemort I will find out who started the rumour and I will sue them for every knut they own. It is none of your business how I chose to or not to dress. I am ashamed that people in the wizarding world would behave so rashly. Now that you have nearly completely trashed Toms pub, I am going to ask that you tidy it up, and between you split the damages, and I suggest that you tip him very handsomely or he may press charges against some of you for damaging his property. Please leave me and my family alone and do not even think about starting rumours about them. Thank you, I hope you enjoy the rest of your day.'
With that, Harry jumped off the table, picked up a chair that was lying at feet and walked through the silent crowd and up to his room, followed by the Grangers and Weasleys.
Harry and Hermione had stayed overnight at the Leaky Cauldron. Hermione had tried to convince the Grangers to stay the night, but they had politely declined and spent the night at a muggle hotel.
They hadn't as yet seen Harry and both children were dubious about the impending encounter. They were planning to meet for the last time in the Leaky Cauldron, before the Grangers went back home and Harry and Hermione met up with the Weasleys, before boarding the Hogwarts express the next morning.
Hermione was sitting in the bar waiting for her parents. She sat, fidgeting with the napkins and coasters. The door swung open, admitting a cool breeze along with her parents, who still looked uncomfortable, even though they had been in the wizarding world many times before.
She stood and walked over to them, dragging them to her table.
Her mum noticed her discomfort and asked her with slight alarm 'What's wrong darling?'
Her dad followed the question with one of his own. 'Where's Harry?'
'Um, well mum and dad, Harry is upstairs waiting for me to come and tell him that he can come down.'
Her mum looked puzzled 'Well, why is he waiting up there? Tell him to come down, I want to see what he was so eager to get in London yesterday.'
Hermione started fidgeting again. 'Well, that's why I made him stay upstairs. You said he could buy anything he wanted with the money you gave him, but I don't think you meant this, and I'm here to give you some warning to soften the shock.'
Her dad raised his eyebrows. 'What are you talking about sweetie?'
'Harry has made some, erm, changes to his appearance.'
'What kind of changes?'
'Um.'
Her dad started to look annoyed. 'Just bring him down here, it cant be all that bad, we wont overreact.'
Hermione reluctantly rose from her seat and went to speak to Tom.
She came back in a couple of minutes. 'Tom is going to ring for Harry, but first he is going to pour you a couple of drinks.'
Tom appeared behind her just as she said this. 'Here, Mr and Mrs Granger, I think you are going to need this, on the house.'
Hermione's mum smiled her thanks and took a small sip. She pulled a small face.
'Euuurrggghhh, that's strong, is that what wizards usually dri-auuugghhh.'
Her glass fell to the floor with a crash as she looked up at the slightly Gothic teen standing behind her husbands chair.
'H- Harry? Is that you?'
Anthony Granger, looking at his wifes shocked face turned slowly in his chair to look at him. Hermione hid her face in her hands.
'Um, hi Aunt Maree, Uncle Anthony. Do you like my new look?'
The silence that followed spoke for itself.
'Aunt Maree? Uncle Anthony?'
'Mum? Dad?'
Her father blinked a couple of times. 'Harry Potter? What the hell are you playing at? What kind of.'
What ever he was going to say was lost in the flurry of movement that followed this statement. The whole pub had heard his outburst. Tom and Hermione groaned collectively and looked at each other in concern.
People were looking over at the table, and upon seeing Harry started whispering and muttering, some of them standing up for a better look. They started moving towards the table, each of them speculating as to why Harry had suddenly changed his appearance.
Suddenly an old lady squeaked put 'he is getting ready to declare his open support for the Dark Lord.'
An uproar followed that account and the crowd began to either stampede towards Harry or away from him, causing a few fights to break out. The Grangers stood in shock but Harry sat down on a chair, a small ironic smile playing about his lips.
People were now screaming and running into the street, bringing more frightened citizens into the pub with them. Glasses smashed to the floor and chairs overturned. Tom hid his eyes from the scene.
Suddenly a different yelling came from behind the growing rioters as a sea of red started to fill the pub. The entire Weasley family, who had heard the ruckus had come to see what was happening in the usually quite and respectable pub.
The elder Weasley boys, hearing the accusations being thrown, started yelling and dragging people out of the pub. Mrs Weasley took Ginny upstairs and Mr Weasley, Ron and the twins began to make their way towards the middle of the room where most of the commotion seemed to be based.
Suddenly the crowd froze and were silent and the Weasley clan gazed in surprise as a slightly familiar looking, black clad, excessively pierced, young teenage boy clambered onto a table and raised his hands for quiet. The mouths of the red-heads simultaneously fell open as a familiar voice filled the room.
'Enough! What is the matter with you people? Can I not even dress differently without causing a riot? If one of you was to suddenly inherit some money and spend it on your appearance would the rest of the world jump to the conclusion that you were supporting Voldemort? Now I am going to ask you very kindly to mind your own business. I am going to ask you to not go out into Diagon Alley and gossip about how the Boy who Lived has changed his appearance. And if I hear one more word about how I am in league with Voldemort I will find out who started the rumour and I will sue them for every knut they own. It is none of your business how I chose to or not to dress. I am ashamed that people in the wizarding world would behave so rashly. Now that you have nearly completely trashed Toms pub, I am going to ask that you tidy it up, and between you split the damages, and I suggest that you tip him very handsomely or he may press charges against some of you for damaging his property. Please leave me and my family alone and do not even think about starting rumours about them. Thank you, I hope you enjoy the rest of your day.'
With that, Harry jumped off the table, picked up a chair that was lying at feet and walked through the silent crowd and up to his room, followed by the Grangers and Weasleys.