DISCLAIMER:Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling except Dumbledore's house, and Savenna, and Mylzaya.

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CHAPTER 5: A TRIP TO DIAGON ALLEY

Harry found the next week rather enjoyable. Dumbledore was a very easy- going man, despite the way he acted, and his high stature, at Hogwarts. He would play chess and Exploding Snap with Harry, and was a very sore loser. He would complain the rest of the day if Harry beat him at Exploding Snap, but if he beat Harry at chess (which always happened), he would rub it in for several days. Every night they would all come into Harry's room, where Dumbledore would tell them stories of Lily and James Potter's years at Hogwarts. Dumbledore would always sit on the desk chair beside the bed, whereas Savenna would lay on her stomach on the end of Harry's bed.

"Of course, all the teachers thought I was off my rocket when I appointed James prefect," Dumbledore said with a smile. "Because at the very end of their fourth year, he and Sirius went and lit a Filibuster's Firework off in every single toilet in the school. Including the prefect bathroom."

"But how did they get in?" Harry wondered. "It's password protected."

"To this day, I have absolutely no idea," Dumbledore said. "I imagine that map and cloak had something to do with it." He gave Harry a wink. "Now, off to bed. You need to go to Diagon Alley tomorrow. School's in a few weeks."

"Good night, Harry," Savenna smiled, following her grandfather

Harry fell asleep with a smile, not because he enjoyed hearing about his parents, but because he had a thing for Savenna.

* * * * * * *

Harry woke up to the sound of giggling. Not sure of whether he was dreaming or not, he kept his eyes shut tight, hoping to fall back asleep. Just as he was slipping off, he heard more giggling. Harry was positive that he wasn't hallucinating, and he opened his eyes.

"Ahh!" he cried, scrambling back against the headboard. Savenna was there, and her face was about two inches away from touching Harry's.

Savenna burst out into a fit of giggles. It was hard to believe that she was nineteen. At times she acted like a small child.

"What are you doing in here?" Harry wondered, slowly getting over the shock.

"Grandfather sent me in to wake you," she laughed. "I wanted to see how long it took you to wake up with me standing over you. And it only took three and a half minutes!"

"You nearly gave me a heart attack," Harry glared, hitting her with a pillow.

"I'm so jealous," Savenna whined, looking around the room. "I wanted this room so badly."

"I can understand why," Harry said. "Tell Professor Dumbledore that I'll be down once I get dressed."

"Yes, sir," she saluted with a grin, and left the room, still giggling.

With a yawn, Harry threw off his covers and shuffled over to the dresser.

"Good morning, Masssster," Mylzaya hissed in a sing-song voice from the window sill. "It'ss a very ssssunny day."

"You're in a good mood this morning," Harry said, changing his shirt. "Any reaason?"

"Nope," Mylzaya shook her head. "Although that pessssky owl of yoursss didn't try and eat me lassst night."

"That's because I had a talk with her," Harry said, putting on his glasses.

"Professssor Dumbledore is writing a letter to your friendssssss," Mylzaya said randomly.

Harry nearly fell over as he pulled on his pants. "What? How do you know?"

"Becausssse I heard him tell Sssssavenna not to tell you," Mylzaya smiled.

"You're listening in on other people's conversations, you little snoop," Harry grinned. He dressed his feet and headed to the door. "Are you coming down?"

"No," Mylzaya said, shaking her head. "Maybe later."

"Okay," Harry shrugged. "See you when I get back."

Harry closed the door, but left it slightly open, and headed down to the dining room, where Savenna and Dumbledore were already seated.

"Good morning, Harry," Dumbledore nodded as Harry joined them.

"'Morning, Professor," Harry said, putting some eggs on his plate.

"I see Savenna woke you up," Dumbledore had a slight twinkle in his eyes.

"Yeah, and scared the living daylight out of me," Harry said, grinning at Savenna. She winked.

"Hurry up and eat," Dumbledore said. "Savenna's taking you to Diagon Alley. I hope you know where your list is."

"It's in my room," Harry said between bites. "Oh, Professor, do you think I could -"

"No," Dumbledore said shortly, busying himself with his toast.

"But you didn't even let me finish my question," Harry said.

"Harry, I know for a fact that you were going to ask if you could write to Ron and Hermione," Dumbledore said without looking at him. Harry gaped at his headmaster, for he was right. "You've asked me approximately thirty-two times in the past six days. My answer each time was no, and it still is no."

"But, Professor, how come you get to write to them?" Harry argued.

Dumbledore looked at Harry suspiciously. "How do you know?"

"Mylzaya told me," Harry admitted. "But I didn't tell her to look! She overheard you telling Savenna not to tell me."

"Harry, sometimes I wish you didn't have that talent," Dumbledore shook his head with a small smile. He sighed. "If it makes you happy, you can write something in the note. If it is intercepted, it won't be the end of the world. No one knows where this house is. The only way to get here is by portkey, or by Apparating. It is conveniently unplottable."

"Wow," Harry said, impressed. He set down his fork. "I'm done."

"Me too," Savenna said, wiping her mouth.

"Harry, come with me to my study," he saw the pout on his granddaughter's face. "Yes, Savenna, you can come as well."

Savenna squealed with delight and hurried in ahead of them.

"At times," Dumbledore whispered to Harry, "it's hard to tell what her age is."

Harry grinned. They entered the study, finding Savenna lounging behind the desk.

"Savenna, I'm going to have to ask you to remove yourself from my chair," Dumbledore said.

"But Grandfather," she whined. He stared at her, long and hard. "Fine. I'll sit over there." And with that she got up and flopped down into a chair on the opposite side of the room, right near the window.

"She can be so impossible sometimes," Dumbledore smiled, sitting down.

"I heard that!" Savenna yelled.

Dumbledore ignored her. He handed Harry a quill and a sheet of parchment. "Write what you'd like, but don't be so specific, and don't give anything away. And I promise I won't even read it."

Harry dipped the quill in the inkwell and began scribbling on the parchment.

Ron and Hermione- Hi! I hope everything's okay where you're at. A.D. won't tell me where you are. He's afraid I'll leave to stay with you. Anyway, everything is great here. A.D. is a lot of fun, believe it or not. His granddaughter is fun, too. I'll tell you about her, and everything else, when I see you. Well, I have to go and get my stuff for school. Bye!
-Harry

Harry stuck the letter in the envelope, and Dumbledore sealed it. "I think it will be safe to have Hedwig send it," he said. "Why don't you go on up and get her and your supply list?"

"Okay," Harry nodded, and ran up to his room.

It was chaotic. The curtains had been knocked down, and books were off the shelves. Mylzaya's basket had been overturned, and Hedwig was flapping around the room, screeching.

"MASSSSSSTER!"

"Mylzaya, where are you?" Harry called, flipping over the basket.

"I'm trapped in your trunk!" Mylzaya shrieked.

Harry flung open his trunk and pulled out a quivering black snake, as well as his list for school, which he stuck in his pocket along with his money pouch.

"What happened?" Harry asked, trying to calm her down.

"She - she tried to eat me!" Mylzaya said hysterically, glaring at Hedwig.

"Hedwig? Didn't I tell you not to eat her?" Harry yelled. Hedwig perched on the dresser, looking a bit guilty. Harry put Mylzaya in her basket. "I have to go, but so does Hedwig. I'll see you later." He turned to Hedwig. "Come on, Dumbledore needs you."

She appeared to be in a bad mood, because she shot Harry a nasty look and flew down without him. By the time Harry got down to the living room, Hedwig was gone.

"Ready, Harry?" Savenna asked, waiting by the fire.

"Yep," he nodded. "We're taking Floo powder, then?"

"Unfortunately," Savenna sighed. "I'd rather Apparate, but since you can't . . . "

"I'm old enough to," Harry pointed out.

"But you haven't taken the test yet," Dumbledore reminded, entering the room. "Now, I trust that you'll be home this afternoon. And Savenna, you are to keep a good eye on Harry. Don't leave him alone."

"I'll keep both eyes on him, Grandfather," she assured with a nod.

"Good," he smiled. "Now, go on. To the Leaky Cauldron."

Savenna took the small clay vase off the mantel and offered it to Harry. He took a pinch of the glittering powder and tossed it into the flames. He took off his glasses and tucked them in his pocket.

"Diagon Alley!" he said clearly, and, closing his eyes and tucking in his elbows, stepped into the emerald fire. He felt himself spinning and tumbling, and soon his feet hit solid ground. Opening his eyes, he slipped on his glasses and looked around to make sure he was in the right place. He gave a small smile of relief; he was in the Leaky Cauldron. He stepped out of the way for when Savenna came through.

"Hello, Harry!"

He looked up. Tom the bartender was waving from behind the counter.

"Hi, Tom," Harry said, walking over.

"Fancy a Butterbeer?" Tom asked. "It's on me."

"Sure," Harry said, and accepted the bottle.

"How's your holiday?" Tom asked, making conversation.

"Fine, thanks," Harry shrugged. He noticed a pile of soot on his shoulder and brushed it off . "How's your summer been?"

"The usual," Tom said. He began down wiping the counter. "Getting the strange folk. Oh, just a mo' ago a Weasley boy with a prefect badge asked if I'd seen you come yet this summer. He had a girl with him, with wild brown hair. And a Head Girl badge by the looks of it."

"You mean Ron?" Harry said hopefully. "And Hermione?"

"I can't tell one Weasley boy from another," Tom laughed. "But I told 'em no. They're still in the Alley, do keep an eye out for 'em."

"Harry! Let's go!"

Savenna skipped over, brushing ash off her skirt. "Hello, Tom."

"Hello, Miss Frinkle," Tom bowed slightly. "Care for a Butterbeer?"

"No, thanks," she said. She grabbed Harry's arm and pulled him away from the bar. "Come on, Harry. We got to get your stuff."

Harry grabbed his Butterbeer and followed Savenna out back.

"Your last name is Frinkle?" Harry asked as Savenna tapped the necessary brick.

"Yeah," she said. "I hate it though. It's so queer."

"I like it," Harry said, stepping into Diagon Alley.

"And you are such a suck-up," Savenna winked. "Now, first stop, Gringotts."

The bank was crowded, as it usually was in August, what with students coming before school. Once they had gone down to Harry's vault and he had filled his money pouch, they went back outside, where Harry heard familiar voices calling his name.

"Harry! Harry, over here!"

Right at the bottom of the steps was Ron and Hermione, waving frantically. Harry grinned and ran down, with Savenna right behind him.

"It's good to see you two again," Harry said after Hermione had nearly strangled him with a hug.

"Yeah, nice to see you too," Ron said. He looked at Savenna. "Who are you?"

"I'm Savenna Frinkle," she said, shaking their hands. "I'm gonna guess that you're Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger?" When they nodded, she said, "Thought so, I've heard a lot about you from Harry here, and my grandfather."

"Who's your grandfather?" Hermione asked.

"Dumbledore," Harry said in a low voice.

"Oh," Ron nodded. "Right."

"We've just been to the bank as well, so we can go shopping together," Hermione said brightly. "Come along."

"Harry, I can trust you to look after yourself," Savenna said. "Just don't tell Grandfather, or he'll go ballistic."

"I won't," Harry assured, and Savenna went off on her own.

"Blimey," Ron breathed, watching her. "She's an attractive girl if I ever saw one. Wonder how old she is."

"Nineteen," Harry said, leading them to Flourish and Blotts.

"Not much older than us," Ron said. "Wonder if she's looking for a boyfriend."

"Honestly, Ron, like she'd be interested in boys still in school," Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I dunno, she can be a bit immature," Harry said, pulling his list out for the first time. "Oh, I sent you an owl today."

"But I thought you weren't allowed!" Hermione hissed.

"Dumbledore was sending one to you, and he let me write a bit," Harry said, waving to Seamus Finnigan. "It wasn't anything interesting, though, so don't worry."

They soon left with their required books (although Hermione had two extra bags for 'light reading'), and they headed over to the Apothecary, where they purchased new Potions ingredients.

"Ugh," Ron groaned, stepping outside. "It's Malfoy."

"Where?" Harry and Hermione said in unison, craning to look over the crowd.

"Over at Madam Malkin's," Ron said. "With his mum."

Sure enough, Draco Malfoy was exiting the robe shop, looking more unpleasant than usual.

"Well, he can't very well be with his father, can he?" Hermione said as they headed over to to get ice cream.

"I guess not," Harry agreed. Lucius Malfoy was now in Azkaban, for being a Death Eater. "Oh, he had better not be Head Boy."

"Why are you complaining?" Hermione snapped."I'll have to deal with him more. I am Head Girl, after all."

"Yes, let's brag even more," Ron muttered.

Hermione glared. "Ronald Weasley, you could at least be a little happy for me. And besides, I thought you didn't want to be a Head Student? You didn't even want to be prefect!"

And that was just the first of the many arguments that would occur between Ron and Hermione that year.