Chapter Five: Shopping for Supplies
As usual, the group headed for Gringotts to get some more money. When they reached Harry's vault he tried as usual to hide the contents from Ginny as he piled handfuls of gold Galleons, silver Sickles, and bronze Knuts into his moneybag, at Sirius's vault even Harry was amazed, there was even more gold in there than there was in his own. "Uh, Civis. is there another Potter vault?"
The hobgoblin nodded. "The one we were in is just your trust fund. The Gryphon's Eyrie vault is on the high security level, vault seven hundred and fifteen. I have the key with me, do you want to see it?"
"No thanks," said Harry as the cart accelerated upwards on its way back to the reception area.
"Another day maybe."
As they exited the bank, Ron and Hermione rushed up to meet them, Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour followed at a slightly more sedate pace. Hermione flung herself on Harry as usual. "How are you Harry?" she asked when she broke away.
"I'm fine 'Mione," Harry assured her with a grin. "Having Sirius back and living with him, Professor Lupin and Tonks. it's great. Civis has been helpful too."
"Civis?" asked Hermione.
"That's right, you haven't met him." Harry turned to see where he was and beckoned him forward. "Hermione, Ron, Bill, Fleur. this is Civis Bonsocus, he's a hobgoblin and he's been looking after Gryphon's Eyrie since my family built it back in the Founders' time. Civis, this is Hermione Granger, one of my best friends, Ron and Bill Weasley, Ginny's youngest and oldest brothers, and Fleur Delacour, she's Bill's girlfriend and she was the Triwizard Champion for Beauxbatons two years ago."
"Charmed." said Civis, and bowed slightly.
"Harry, I've got to meet someone at the Daily Prophet in ten minutes. Can I leave you with Bill, Fleur and Civis?" Harry nodded. "Meet me at the Leaky Cauldron for lunch okay? And be careful, Diagon Alley's pretty secure, but be careful."
"I will be." Harry assured him. "See you later." Harry waited until his godfather had disappeared into the crowd and then turned back to his friends. He smiled to himself when he noticed that his two best friends were standing together, holding hands, although they didn't seem to be aware that they were doing it. "Where shall we go first?" he asked them.
"Might I suggest Madam Malkin's Harry?" said Civis. "And perhaps Gladrags?"
"He's right Harry," Ginny told him. "You need some more clothes. One's that haven't been worn by that slimeball cousin of yours first."
The others agreed and so they headed to that corner of the Alley, with Harry and Civis in the lead and Bill and Fleur bringing up the rear. When they entered Madam Malkin's, Harry gave Civis a nod and the hobgoblin began to distract Hermione and the two younger Weasleys. Harry then pulled Bill to one side and handed him a second moneybag from under his robes, the eldest Weasley's eyes bulged slightly in surprise. "Harry, I can't."
Harry held up his hand to get Bill's attention. "Bill, I know what your family's like about money, but hear me out."
"Okay."
"You work at Gringotts, so you've probably got an idea the size of my vault." Bill nodded in agreement. "I've got more money in there than I know what to with and I've only got another year at Hogwarts after this one. Even if I have live on my savings for a few years that's not going to be a problem." Bill nodded again. "And on top of that, Civis just told me that that was my. school fund, I guess. My family has another vault in the high security section with even more gold and probably other treasures too. That's not counting the fact that the paintings, statues and other valuables at Gryphon's Eyrie are probably worth a couple of million Galleons. So. if I give you. your family some very much needed gold occasionally, I'm not being charitable. In fact, you're probably doing me a favour by spending it. Okay?"
"Okay," said Bill. "I'll keep it, and I'll slip anything left to Ron and Ginny somehow."
"As long as that doesn't leave you short." Harry told him. "There's plenty more where that came from."
Bill grunted and moved away towards the section where men's dress robes were hanging and Fleur was waiting. Harry looked around and spotted the others clustered around the second-hand school robe racks. He went over to them and dragged Ron and Ginny back to the main part of the shop by their arms. Hermione followed without fussing, a slight smile on her face. "Bill says he's going to get you some new robes instead of those old ones. Both of you are prefects now, you have to look good." Ginny had mentioned to him that she had been made a prefect, when they were touring the flying horse stables with Sirius and Civis the night before.
An hour later, the four teenagers, Bill and Fleur exited Madam Malkin's, each with a wrapped bundle under their arm, Civis following behind them. Ron and Ginny each had two new sets of school uniform and two new cloaks: a heavy black one for winter wear and a lighter grey cloak for warmer weather. Hermione and Harry had bought themselves a couple of new sets of robes and a light cloak, and Bill and Fleur had a set of dress robes each and a new dragon hide jacket and boots for Bill. The next shop they visited was two doors down; the London branch of Gladrags Wizard Wear, after getting some good advice from Bill, Fleur and Civis - and ignored some questionable advice from Ron - Harry obtained four sets of new casual clothing; jeans, shirts and t-shirts, two new pairs of shoes, one in dragonhide and one in ordinary leather plus a couple of tracksuits. After handing over enough gold to pay for his purchases, Harry asked the assistant if it would be possible for them to send his packages up to Gryphon's Eyrie, the assistant promptly could on an expression that suggested he was in heaven, and replied that this would be done immediately.
The group made quick stops in the Apothecary and the stationers and then finally ended up in Flourish and Botts, all four students bought new copies of their books for the year and Harry grabbed a couple of other books recommended to him by Professor Lupin, Tonks and Civis. After paying for it all he looked around for the others, Hermione had buried her nose in a thick textbook in the Arithmancy section, Ron hovering at her shoulder, Ginny was browsing the second-hand fiction section, Bill and Fleur were in the Dark Arts section looking for new books on curse-breaking, and Civis was standing at the door watching the street. Harry walked over to Ginny, and rested a hand on her shoulder. Ginny turned and smiled. "Hi Harry, are we moving on?"
Harry nodded. "I'm going to and you can to come with if you want. Hermione's still absorbed in her books and Ron looks like he doesn't want to budge from her side. Bill and Fleur will keep an eye on them." He glanced at the book that Ginny still held in her hand, it looked like a medieval adventure story of some sort to him. "Are you going to get that?"
Ginny shook her head, "I'm just skimming through it. I'd like it, but I haven't got the money to pay for it. Maybe I'll get it for Christmas."
She moved to put it back but Harry reached up and closed his own hand over hers and took it from her. "I'll get it for you, Ginny."
Ginny blushed with embarrassment, something she rarely did around him anymore. "I didn't mean."
Harry reached up and pressed his hand to her lips, silencing her. "I know you didn't, Ginny. Let me buy it for you. Call it a Christmas or birthday present I should have given you before. Especially last year, I shouldn't have forgotten you."
"Okay Harry," agreed Ginny with a little smile. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." Harry told her and headed for the cash desk to buy the book.
As they were passing the cauldron shop, a young girl wearing Muggle clothing ran out and knocked Harry over. When Harry looked up at his 'attacker' it was almost like looking in a mirror - although the girl looked about ten or eleven, she had the same messy black hair that he did and wore identical round glasses, most strangely she also had his green eyes. "Hello," he said, pushing against her until they were both in a sitting position and then he helped her up. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," she told him. "Sorry for knocking you over like that."
"That's fine. I've had much worse done to me." Harry told her. "My name's Harry, Harry Potter. What's your name?"
"I'm Jamie Clayton, I'm an orphan."
"Me too. Are you here on your own?"
"No, She's with me." replied a voice from behind them.
Harry turned to see who it was. "Hi Professor," he said. "Have you seen Hermione yet?" he asked, knowing that his friend was one of Professor Jones' favourite students.
"No I haven't Harry," he admitted. "Is she in Flourish and Blotts?"
"Yes, and in she was in your section, when we left her and Ron a couple of minutes ago."
"Ron Weasley, is intentionally choosing to say in a bookshop instead of going to."
"Quality Quidditch Supplies." Harry supplied with a grin. He had found Henry Jones a rather amusing person to talk to ever since they met during his fourth year.
"That is odd. Was he reading?"
"No Professor. Just watching."
"As I suspected." Professor Jones replied drolly. "Have there been any developments?"
"Not that I've been told. No surprise there though."
"Indeed."
"Is Jamie related to you, Professor?"
"No Harry, Jamie's parents were Muggles. I'm taking her around as a favour to Albus." Jones told him. Then he appeared to be struck with an inspiration. "Would you mind showing her the rest of the Alley. After the ride at Gringotts and suffering through forty-five minutes of Octavos Ollivander's company, I need a drink."
"I won't mind," Harry admitted. "What do you think Jamie?"
"I'd like that Harry." Jamie replied.
"Okay then. Can you meet me in the pub by one o'clock?"
Jamie nodded and took the small bag of gold from Professor Jones before he walked away. "Where are you going now?"
"Quality Quidditch Supplies," Harry told her. "Would you like you meet my friends?"
Jamie nodded. "Yes please."
Harry took her by the shoulder and turned her around to face Ginny and Civis. The young girl started a little when she saw Civis. "Who. what are you?"
"Greetings. My name is Civis Bonsocus," Civis told her, bowing deeply. "I run Harry's house for him."
Jamie giggled slightly. "Hi." she turned to Ginny. "Are you Harry's girlfriend?"
Ginny blushed, "No Jamie, I'm just a friend. My name's Ginny, Ginny Weasley."
"Nice to meet you." said Jamie. "What's Quidditch?"
Harry smiled. "Quidditch is a wizard's sport, the wizard's sport really, we play it at Hogwarts. I'm the Seeker for Gryffindor and Ginny's my backup."
"But I want to be a Chaser though." Ginny told her.
"Seeker? Chaser? Gryffindor? I'm confused."
"Chasers are like strikers in football, there are three on each team and they try to put the Quaffle, a large red ball, through a set of goals guarded by a Keeper." Harry explained. "A team's Seeker tries to get a small, winged, flying ball called the Golden Snitch before the opposition Seeker. It's worth a hundred-and-fifty points and ends the game."
"Each team also has two Beaters, who fly around the pitch protecting their team from two large iron balls called Bludgers which try their best to kill anyone on the field except the referee." Ginny added. "Two of my brothers, Fred and George, played for Gryffindor until they left last year. The one's we've got for this year at the minute are pretty pathetic."
"Gryffindor is one of the four houses at Hogwarts," added Civis. "The other three are Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. I think Gryffindor's the best but then I'm probably biased."
"Why's that?"
"Gudroc, the man who first hired me to work at Gryphon's Eyrie, was the second son of Godric Gryffindor, the man who established Gryffindor House." Civis replied. "And most of my lieges and their families since have been Gryffindors too."
By this time, they had reached Quality Quidditch Supplies, Harry opened the door and the four of them entered the store. They didn't spend long in the store, Harry picked up a new set of pads and gloves and a small book on Quidditch tactics. He briefly considered getting a new set of robes but decided against it. At his recommendation, Jamie bought her own copy of Quidditch Through The Ages, Flying With The Cannons ("If you decide you don't like them, don't say anything in front of Ron."), and a couple of other Quidditch books. Ginny introduced them to two Gryffindor second years: Connor David and Henry Shaw, who she knew had wanted to try out after Fred and George had been banned from playing by Umbridge.
After a quick return visit to Flourish and Blotts to pick up Ron and Hermione and buy Jamie's books, the group headed to the newest shop in the Alley: Weasleys Wizard Wheezes. "Does your family own this shop?" Jamie asked Ginny.
Ginny nodded, "Fred and George opened it about two months ago. Harry gave them some money to get started."
"Which reminds me," said Harry. "Did the twins ever get you any new dress robes Ron? I think you mention they did but."
"Yeah they did," said Ron. "A set of maroon ones. Why?"
"Because I told them to in return for the Triwizard winnings."
"I hate maroon," moaned Ron. "Why did they have to get me maroon ones?"
"Because you look good in maroon Ron," Hermione told him. "Apart from the frayed cuffs, even your old robes didn't look too bad."
"You really think so?" said Ron, hopefully. Hermione nodded.
"Dress robes?" Jamie asked Civis in an undertone.
"More elaborate robes than are normally worn, usually made of velvet, wool or silk for men and satin or silk for women." he replied. "They are used for formal occasions like dances, weddings, funerals, that sort of thing."
"Thanks."
"No problem."
They entered the store and were soon approached by Fred. "Hi everyone. How are things? Whoa! Uh, Harry. who is that?!"
Harry grinned. "Fred, meet Civis Bonsocus, he's a hobgoblin and the warden of the Potter estate up in Scotland. Civis, meet Fred Weasley, he and his twin have been favourably compared to the Marauders."
"I see. then they have most certainly chosen an very appropriate business venture."
"You knew the Marauders?" said Fred, his eyes bulging in surprise.
"Intimately." Civis confirmed. He glanced at Harry, who nodded. "You know them too, well three of them."
"Really?"
"Yes. You would them better as: Professor Remus Julius Lupin, Mr Peter Pettigrew, Mr Sirius Lee Black. The fourth, who you never met, was Mr James Tiberius Potter."
"Professor Lupin was a Marauder?!" squeaked Fred. "No wonder we could never pull off a prank in his class." He paused then looked at Harry. "Your father was a Marauder? James Potter, a Head Boy?"
"Yes, he was Prongs, a stag; Sirius was Padfoot; Pettigrew was Wormtail, a rat."
"Appropriate too," commented Fred. "And Lupin was Moony obviously." Harry nodded. "What can we do for you?"
"Just thought we'd have a look around. Got anything new?"
"Nothing finalised, we do have one or two prototypes though, we've been too busy making enough to cover demand for what we've got. Lee's trying to find us some help but no luck so far."
They spent about a hour in Fred and George's shop, and when they left Harry carried a bag which contained several Weasleys Wizard Whizzbangs, a pair of Extendable Ears (improved model), a prototype of a See-Through Spyglass, which according to George was supposed to allow you to look round corners and see through solid walls. Hermione hadn't looked particularly pleased when Harry picked up that item but had conceded that in the right hands it could be quite useful.
By this time it was almost quarter to one so they had to hurry back to the Leaky Cauldron so that Jamie could meet up with Professor Jones and return to the orphanage where she lived. Harry, Ginny and Civis followed the two of them through to the front door to Professor Jones' car where they said goodbye. "I'll see you on the train," Harry told her, as he returned the friendly hug she gave him. "You remember how to get through onto the platform don't you?" Jamie nodded and then got into the passenger seat of Professor Jones' Land Rover.
"You were good with her." Ginny commented as they watched the car pull away.
"Yeah I know," Harry agreed, sounding slightly puzzled at this. "I just feel a, connection, with her I guess. Maybe it's because we look similar and we're orphans."
"Could be," admitted Ginny. "What do you think Civis?"
The hobgoblin had been hiding in the shadows outside the pub with his hood up hiding his face while they said their goodbyes. "Could be. But it could be something else. I'll have a think on it."
"You do that." Harry told him. "But I what some lunch so let's go back inside and find Sirius."
"Good idea."
After lunch, Sirius took them round a couple more shops, including an optiwizard where he bought Harry some new glasses, and Florean Fortescue's for ice cream, and then they all Flooed back to Gryphon's Eyrie.
Later that afternoon, Tonks, Sirius and Draper challenged Harry, Ron and Ginny to a match out on the Quidditch field south of the main keep, although the 'oldsters' eventually lost four games to one - Harry beat Tonks to the Snitch nearly every time - the play was sufficiently brisk that Harry had no trouble getting to sleep that night, and though he wasn't using Occulmency to shield himself, any dreams he had were Voldemort-free.
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As usual, the group headed for Gringotts to get some more money. When they reached Harry's vault he tried as usual to hide the contents from Ginny as he piled handfuls of gold Galleons, silver Sickles, and bronze Knuts into his moneybag, at Sirius's vault even Harry was amazed, there was even more gold in there than there was in his own. "Uh, Civis. is there another Potter vault?"
The hobgoblin nodded. "The one we were in is just your trust fund. The Gryphon's Eyrie vault is on the high security level, vault seven hundred and fifteen. I have the key with me, do you want to see it?"
"No thanks," said Harry as the cart accelerated upwards on its way back to the reception area.
"Another day maybe."
As they exited the bank, Ron and Hermione rushed up to meet them, Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour followed at a slightly more sedate pace. Hermione flung herself on Harry as usual. "How are you Harry?" she asked when she broke away.
"I'm fine 'Mione," Harry assured her with a grin. "Having Sirius back and living with him, Professor Lupin and Tonks. it's great. Civis has been helpful too."
"Civis?" asked Hermione.
"That's right, you haven't met him." Harry turned to see where he was and beckoned him forward. "Hermione, Ron, Bill, Fleur. this is Civis Bonsocus, he's a hobgoblin and he's been looking after Gryphon's Eyrie since my family built it back in the Founders' time. Civis, this is Hermione Granger, one of my best friends, Ron and Bill Weasley, Ginny's youngest and oldest brothers, and Fleur Delacour, she's Bill's girlfriend and she was the Triwizard Champion for Beauxbatons two years ago."
"Charmed." said Civis, and bowed slightly.
"Harry, I've got to meet someone at the Daily Prophet in ten minutes. Can I leave you with Bill, Fleur and Civis?" Harry nodded. "Meet me at the Leaky Cauldron for lunch okay? And be careful, Diagon Alley's pretty secure, but be careful."
"I will be." Harry assured him. "See you later." Harry waited until his godfather had disappeared into the crowd and then turned back to his friends. He smiled to himself when he noticed that his two best friends were standing together, holding hands, although they didn't seem to be aware that they were doing it. "Where shall we go first?" he asked them.
"Might I suggest Madam Malkin's Harry?" said Civis. "And perhaps Gladrags?"
"He's right Harry," Ginny told him. "You need some more clothes. One's that haven't been worn by that slimeball cousin of yours first."
The others agreed and so they headed to that corner of the Alley, with Harry and Civis in the lead and Bill and Fleur bringing up the rear. When they entered Madam Malkin's, Harry gave Civis a nod and the hobgoblin began to distract Hermione and the two younger Weasleys. Harry then pulled Bill to one side and handed him a second moneybag from under his robes, the eldest Weasley's eyes bulged slightly in surprise. "Harry, I can't."
Harry held up his hand to get Bill's attention. "Bill, I know what your family's like about money, but hear me out."
"Okay."
"You work at Gringotts, so you've probably got an idea the size of my vault." Bill nodded in agreement. "I've got more money in there than I know what to with and I've only got another year at Hogwarts after this one. Even if I have live on my savings for a few years that's not going to be a problem." Bill nodded again. "And on top of that, Civis just told me that that was my. school fund, I guess. My family has another vault in the high security section with even more gold and probably other treasures too. That's not counting the fact that the paintings, statues and other valuables at Gryphon's Eyrie are probably worth a couple of million Galleons. So. if I give you. your family some very much needed gold occasionally, I'm not being charitable. In fact, you're probably doing me a favour by spending it. Okay?"
"Okay," said Bill. "I'll keep it, and I'll slip anything left to Ron and Ginny somehow."
"As long as that doesn't leave you short." Harry told him. "There's plenty more where that came from."
Bill grunted and moved away towards the section where men's dress robes were hanging and Fleur was waiting. Harry looked around and spotted the others clustered around the second-hand school robe racks. He went over to them and dragged Ron and Ginny back to the main part of the shop by their arms. Hermione followed without fussing, a slight smile on her face. "Bill says he's going to get you some new robes instead of those old ones. Both of you are prefects now, you have to look good." Ginny had mentioned to him that she had been made a prefect, when they were touring the flying horse stables with Sirius and Civis the night before.
An hour later, the four teenagers, Bill and Fleur exited Madam Malkin's, each with a wrapped bundle under their arm, Civis following behind them. Ron and Ginny each had two new sets of school uniform and two new cloaks: a heavy black one for winter wear and a lighter grey cloak for warmer weather. Hermione and Harry had bought themselves a couple of new sets of robes and a light cloak, and Bill and Fleur had a set of dress robes each and a new dragon hide jacket and boots for Bill. The next shop they visited was two doors down; the London branch of Gladrags Wizard Wear, after getting some good advice from Bill, Fleur and Civis - and ignored some questionable advice from Ron - Harry obtained four sets of new casual clothing; jeans, shirts and t-shirts, two new pairs of shoes, one in dragonhide and one in ordinary leather plus a couple of tracksuits. After handing over enough gold to pay for his purchases, Harry asked the assistant if it would be possible for them to send his packages up to Gryphon's Eyrie, the assistant promptly could on an expression that suggested he was in heaven, and replied that this would be done immediately.
The group made quick stops in the Apothecary and the stationers and then finally ended up in Flourish and Botts, all four students bought new copies of their books for the year and Harry grabbed a couple of other books recommended to him by Professor Lupin, Tonks and Civis. After paying for it all he looked around for the others, Hermione had buried her nose in a thick textbook in the Arithmancy section, Ron hovering at her shoulder, Ginny was browsing the second-hand fiction section, Bill and Fleur were in the Dark Arts section looking for new books on curse-breaking, and Civis was standing at the door watching the street. Harry walked over to Ginny, and rested a hand on her shoulder. Ginny turned and smiled. "Hi Harry, are we moving on?"
Harry nodded. "I'm going to and you can to come with if you want. Hermione's still absorbed in her books and Ron looks like he doesn't want to budge from her side. Bill and Fleur will keep an eye on them." He glanced at the book that Ginny still held in her hand, it looked like a medieval adventure story of some sort to him. "Are you going to get that?"
Ginny shook her head, "I'm just skimming through it. I'd like it, but I haven't got the money to pay for it. Maybe I'll get it for Christmas."
She moved to put it back but Harry reached up and closed his own hand over hers and took it from her. "I'll get it for you, Ginny."
Ginny blushed with embarrassment, something she rarely did around him anymore. "I didn't mean."
Harry reached up and pressed his hand to her lips, silencing her. "I know you didn't, Ginny. Let me buy it for you. Call it a Christmas or birthday present I should have given you before. Especially last year, I shouldn't have forgotten you."
"Okay Harry," agreed Ginny with a little smile. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." Harry told her and headed for the cash desk to buy the book.
As they were passing the cauldron shop, a young girl wearing Muggle clothing ran out and knocked Harry over. When Harry looked up at his 'attacker' it was almost like looking in a mirror - although the girl looked about ten or eleven, she had the same messy black hair that he did and wore identical round glasses, most strangely she also had his green eyes. "Hello," he said, pushing against her until they were both in a sitting position and then he helped her up. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," she told him. "Sorry for knocking you over like that."
"That's fine. I've had much worse done to me." Harry told her. "My name's Harry, Harry Potter. What's your name?"
"I'm Jamie Clayton, I'm an orphan."
"Me too. Are you here on your own?"
"No, She's with me." replied a voice from behind them.
Harry turned to see who it was. "Hi Professor," he said. "Have you seen Hermione yet?" he asked, knowing that his friend was one of Professor Jones' favourite students.
"No I haven't Harry," he admitted. "Is she in Flourish and Blotts?"
"Yes, and in she was in your section, when we left her and Ron a couple of minutes ago."
"Ron Weasley, is intentionally choosing to say in a bookshop instead of going to."
"Quality Quidditch Supplies." Harry supplied with a grin. He had found Henry Jones a rather amusing person to talk to ever since they met during his fourth year.
"That is odd. Was he reading?"
"No Professor. Just watching."
"As I suspected." Professor Jones replied drolly. "Have there been any developments?"
"Not that I've been told. No surprise there though."
"Indeed."
"Is Jamie related to you, Professor?"
"No Harry, Jamie's parents were Muggles. I'm taking her around as a favour to Albus." Jones told him. Then he appeared to be struck with an inspiration. "Would you mind showing her the rest of the Alley. After the ride at Gringotts and suffering through forty-five minutes of Octavos Ollivander's company, I need a drink."
"I won't mind," Harry admitted. "What do you think Jamie?"
"I'd like that Harry." Jamie replied.
"Okay then. Can you meet me in the pub by one o'clock?"
Jamie nodded and took the small bag of gold from Professor Jones before he walked away. "Where are you going now?"
"Quality Quidditch Supplies," Harry told her. "Would you like you meet my friends?"
Jamie nodded. "Yes please."
Harry took her by the shoulder and turned her around to face Ginny and Civis. The young girl started a little when she saw Civis. "Who. what are you?"
"Greetings. My name is Civis Bonsocus," Civis told her, bowing deeply. "I run Harry's house for him."
Jamie giggled slightly. "Hi." she turned to Ginny. "Are you Harry's girlfriend?"
Ginny blushed, "No Jamie, I'm just a friend. My name's Ginny, Ginny Weasley."
"Nice to meet you." said Jamie. "What's Quidditch?"
Harry smiled. "Quidditch is a wizard's sport, the wizard's sport really, we play it at Hogwarts. I'm the Seeker for Gryffindor and Ginny's my backup."
"But I want to be a Chaser though." Ginny told her.
"Seeker? Chaser? Gryffindor? I'm confused."
"Chasers are like strikers in football, there are three on each team and they try to put the Quaffle, a large red ball, through a set of goals guarded by a Keeper." Harry explained. "A team's Seeker tries to get a small, winged, flying ball called the Golden Snitch before the opposition Seeker. It's worth a hundred-and-fifty points and ends the game."
"Each team also has two Beaters, who fly around the pitch protecting their team from two large iron balls called Bludgers which try their best to kill anyone on the field except the referee." Ginny added. "Two of my brothers, Fred and George, played for Gryffindor until they left last year. The one's we've got for this year at the minute are pretty pathetic."
"Gryffindor is one of the four houses at Hogwarts," added Civis. "The other three are Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. I think Gryffindor's the best but then I'm probably biased."
"Why's that?"
"Gudroc, the man who first hired me to work at Gryphon's Eyrie, was the second son of Godric Gryffindor, the man who established Gryffindor House." Civis replied. "And most of my lieges and their families since have been Gryffindors too."
By this time, they had reached Quality Quidditch Supplies, Harry opened the door and the four of them entered the store. They didn't spend long in the store, Harry picked up a new set of pads and gloves and a small book on Quidditch tactics. He briefly considered getting a new set of robes but decided against it. At his recommendation, Jamie bought her own copy of Quidditch Through The Ages, Flying With The Cannons ("If you decide you don't like them, don't say anything in front of Ron."), and a couple of other Quidditch books. Ginny introduced them to two Gryffindor second years: Connor David and Henry Shaw, who she knew had wanted to try out after Fred and George had been banned from playing by Umbridge.
After a quick return visit to Flourish and Blotts to pick up Ron and Hermione and buy Jamie's books, the group headed to the newest shop in the Alley: Weasleys Wizard Wheezes. "Does your family own this shop?" Jamie asked Ginny.
Ginny nodded, "Fred and George opened it about two months ago. Harry gave them some money to get started."
"Which reminds me," said Harry. "Did the twins ever get you any new dress robes Ron? I think you mention they did but."
"Yeah they did," said Ron. "A set of maroon ones. Why?"
"Because I told them to in return for the Triwizard winnings."
"I hate maroon," moaned Ron. "Why did they have to get me maroon ones?"
"Because you look good in maroon Ron," Hermione told him. "Apart from the frayed cuffs, even your old robes didn't look too bad."
"You really think so?" said Ron, hopefully. Hermione nodded.
"Dress robes?" Jamie asked Civis in an undertone.
"More elaborate robes than are normally worn, usually made of velvet, wool or silk for men and satin or silk for women." he replied. "They are used for formal occasions like dances, weddings, funerals, that sort of thing."
"Thanks."
"No problem."
They entered the store and were soon approached by Fred. "Hi everyone. How are things? Whoa! Uh, Harry. who is that?!"
Harry grinned. "Fred, meet Civis Bonsocus, he's a hobgoblin and the warden of the Potter estate up in Scotland. Civis, meet Fred Weasley, he and his twin have been favourably compared to the Marauders."
"I see. then they have most certainly chosen an very appropriate business venture."
"You knew the Marauders?" said Fred, his eyes bulging in surprise.
"Intimately." Civis confirmed. He glanced at Harry, who nodded. "You know them too, well three of them."
"Really?"
"Yes. You would them better as: Professor Remus Julius Lupin, Mr Peter Pettigrew, Mr Sirius Lee Black. The fourth, who you never met, was Mr James Tiberius Potter."
"Professor Lupin was a Marauder?!" squeaked Fred. "No wonder we could never pull off a prank in his class." He paused then looked at Harry. "Your father was a Marauder? James Potter, a Head Boy?"
"Yes, he was Prongs, a stag; Sirius was Padfoot; Pettigrew was Wormtail, a rat."
"Appropriate too," commented Fred. "And Lupin was Moony obviously." Harry nodded. "What can we do for you?"
"Just thought we'd have a look around. Got anything new?"
"Nothing finalised, we do have one or two prototypes though, we've been too busy making enough to cover demand for what we've got. Lee's trying to find us some help but no luck so far."
They spent about a hour in Fred and George's shop, and when they left Harry carried a bag which contained several Weasleys Wizard Whizzbangs, a pair of Extendable Ears (improved model), a prototype of a See-Through Spyglass, which according to George was supposed to allow you to look round corners and see through solid walls. Hermione hadn't looked particularly pleased when Harry picked up that item but had conceded that in the right hands it could be quite useful.
By this time it was almost quarter to one so they had to hurry back to the Leaky Cauldron so that Jamie could meet up with Professor Jones and return to the orphanage where she lived. Harry, Ginny and Civis followed the two of them through to the front door to Professor Jones' car where they said goodbye. "I'll see you on the train," Harry told her, as he returned the friendly hug she gave him. "You remember how to get through onto the platform don't you?" Jamie nodded and then got into the passenger seat of Professor Jones' Land Rover.
"You were good with her." Ginny commented as they watched the car pull away.
"Yeah I know," Harry agreed, sounding slightly puzzled at this. "I just feel a, connection, with her I guess. Maybe it's because we look similar and we're orphans."
"Could be," admitted Ginny. "What do you think Civis?"
The hobgoblin had been hiding in the shadows outside the pub with his hood up hiding his face while they said their goodbyes. "Could be. But it could be something else. I'll have a think on it."
"You do that." Harry told him. "But I what some lunch so let's go back inside and find Sirius."
"Good idea."
After lunch, Sirius took them round a couple more shops, including an optiwizard where he bought Harry some new glasses, and Florean Fortescue's for ice cream, and then they all Flooed back to Gryphon's Eyrie.
Later that afternoon, Tonks, Sirius and Draper challenged Harry, Ron and Ginny to a match out on the Quidditch field south of the main keep, although the 'oldsters' eventually lost four games to one - Harry beat Tonks to the Snitch nearly every time - the play was sufficiently brisk that Harry had no trouble getting to sleep that night, and though he wasn't using Occulmency to shield himself, any dreams he had were Voldemort-free.
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