Chapter 10: Diagon Alley
~~~~
Ginny sat down at her desk, lighting her wand with a quick incantation. She pushed a vibrant blue strand of hair out of her eyes, before reaching far over in her wobbly chair to retrieve her journal from under her mattress. The chair gave a lurch causing Ginny's stomach dropped.
Maybe if I just stand up to get it. She thought, standing out of her chair, and crouching by her mattress to pull the leather bound book from beneath it. She pulled it out, still kneeling, and ripped a piece of parchment from the pages. She placed the parchment between her teeth, as she stuffed the book back underneath her mattress, her knees cracking slightly as she stood up. She sat back down on her wobbly chair, and spread out the parchment on the smooth wooden surface of her desk. She absentmindedly began to chew on the tip of her quill. Her mind racing over what she wanted to say. She placed her quill on the sheet, and began to write.
Colin,
Hello, Have you gone to Diagon Alley yet? I hope you haven't, and if you have, would you consider going again? I want to see you, I'm going today at 2:30pm, it is now 2:00pm. Please come! Owl me back immediately. I have to go steal Ron's owl now. Hope to hear from you pronto!
-Ginny
She jumped up from her chair, and whispered 'nox.' The light from her wand disappeared, as she walked up the creaking stairs toward Ron's room on the top floor.
Pig was perched on a bar stretching across the center of his cage near the window. He was going mad, his wings beating mercilessly against the metal of his tiny cage. Ginny picked up the owl treats from the windowsill, and placed some in the palm of her hand. She opened the cage door, stepping back quickly as Pig flew out with great energy, nearly taking a chunk out of her face. He fluttered near her head hooting happily.
"Calm down, you stupid git!" Ginny shrieked, groping the thin air, trying to snatch the energetic owl from above her head. She finally caught him in her free hand, so only his feathery head was protruding from the top of her closed fist. She held out the owl treats, which he ate gratefully.
"Ok, I'm going to give you this note and your going to give this to Colin as soon as possible. NO pit stops!" Pig hooted once, and Ginny opened her fist. Pig extended his leg so she could tie the parchment to it. "Go quickly." With that Pig flew out the open window. Ginny watched him disappear in the distance.
When she came back into the kitchen, she was surprised to see Harry, Hermione, and Ron still sitting around the table.
All three teens looked up from their conversation when Ginny came back into the brightly-lit kitchen.
"Why aren't you in Diagon Alley?" Ginny inquired from the doorway.
"We were waiting for you," Harry stated as if it were obvious.
"Right-I was under the impression, that I was to go alone, or find someone else to go with," said Ginny frowning.
"Gin! I was joking!" said Ron, throwing his arms up in defeat.
"We want you to come with us," said Hermione. Harry nodded showing her he wanted her to come.
Ron also nodded, "look Gin I'm sorry if I offended you earlier. It was a joke."
Ginny did a double take, Ron admitting he was wrong! Someone must have put him up to it. Ginny smiled despite herself.
"It's ok, Ron." At that moment Pig came charging into the room. Ron ducked his head as Pig flew right towards it.
"Bleeding Owl!" he shouted.
Pig perched on her shoulder as she pulled off the letter. She flipped it open, and scanned the untidy scrawl.
Gin,
I'd love to meet you there at 2:30, at Zonkos? See you there! Colin
Ginny grinned and looked up at her brother. "I'm meeting Colin anyway."
"Can I come with you and Colin, Gin? I don't think I can manage by myself with these to lovebirds playing hard to get all day." Ron and Hermione blushed crimson, and glared at Harry. Ginny chuckled.
"We do not!" Ron burst, obviously embarrassed beyond words. Harry and Ginny shared a look before smiling knowingly at their two friends who were suffering from denial.
"Well-" Ginny said chuckling slightly, "we better go then." She grabbed the floo powder from above the fireplace.
There was a small fire in the grate, as Ginny pinched a small amount into the flame. The small fire grew, and began to glow emerald green. It licked the side of the brick fireplace, as she stuffed a small black velvet pouch of floo powder in her pocket, so she would have a way to get back, and stepped into the fire. She could see the colorful flames licking her legs, but all she could feel was a comfortable tingling warmness.
"Leaky Cauldron!" She swirled away, in a flash of color and noise, leaving the Burrow. Ginny closed her eyes, as she spun, finally opening them when she began to feel herself slowing down. When she was thrown out of the fireplace, she instantly gathered her bearings. She brushed the soot off of her robes as she looked around.
The Leaky Cauldron was dark and dingy, she didn't like it much, but it was the only way into Diagon Alley. She waved to Tom behind the counter, before she lurched violently forward. It felt like the knight bus had run into her. She was dangerously close to falling face first into the stone cold ground, but she managed to steady herself. Harry, who had stumbled out of the fireplace just behind her, now grabbed onto her shoulders roughly, in an effort to steady himself. It was common knowledge that Harry had bad experiences with Floo powder. He was dangerously close to falling, and bringing Ginny with him, but with her help, Ginny managed to gather Harry's and hers bearing.
"Whoa! Sorry Harry, guess I should have moved," she giggled.
"Acually, I'm glad you were there to break my fall. If you weren't, I would have made an even bigger git of myself," he chuckled. He was silent a moment, before Ginny noticed him tilting his head slightly, looking at her more closely. "I see you're hair's turning back to normal--I must say, I kind of liked blue."
Ginny playfully punched his arm as the flames grew green again. Harry pushed Ginny lightly out of the way when Hermione fell out of the fireplace, landing face down on the dirty stone floor.
"Tough traveling Hermione? Maybe we should have just stayed where we were," Harry grinned, as Ginny finally cracked and burst into hysterical laughter. She hadn't had this much fun in a while, and the sight of Hermione lying face down on the floor was too much for her. Harry soon joined in, and the two teens had to hold on to each other to stay standing. They didn't even see Ron enter and bend help up Hermione. A wave of guilt quieted Ginny somewhat, but it was just too funny to waste. Plus she deserved a laugh, even if it was at Hermione's expense.
"Oh sure! Laugh it up! Your friend makes a fool of herself in public, and you two think it's the funny! Real nice," Hermione said with an air of sarcasm in her voice.
"We're sorry Hermione, but you had to see yourself, it was priceless," Ginny giggled. Fresh tears blurred her vision, and she felt herself grab onto Harry's arm to steady herself.
"I'm kind of sorry I missed that." Ron grinned down at Hermione, who glared steadily back, but couldn't help but crack a smile.
Ginny swiped a hand over her sparkling eyes and grinned.
"Alright, if we're done making fun of Hermione, can we go? I want to go to Flourish and Blots," Hermione stated.
"Who would have guessed?" asked Ron sarcastically.
"I suppose so," said Ginny, shaking her head.
The four teens turned, and waved one final goodbye to Tom before exiting The Leaky Cauldron through the back door.
Ginny linked arms with Harry, not thinking about it, and swung his arm while walking behind Ron and Hermione. When they reached the outside, Harry reached into his robe pocket, and retrieved his wand. He raised it to the brick wall. The wall sprang open, and Diagon Alley was spread out before them.
Hermione immediately began walking in the direction of Flourish and Blots, While the rest stopped and grinned at her retreating back.
"Should we tell her?" mumbled Ron. "Um-Hermione, don't we need to go to Gringotts first? You will need money to buy your books, won't you?" shouted Ron smiling broadly at her.
Hermione twirled on her feet, walking briskly in the direction of Gringotts. Ginny noticed a crimson blush blossoming over Hermione's cheeks. She tried to keep a straight face, but feeling Harry's arm vibrating with silent laughter under hers, it was hard to do.
"Oh just laugh. Don't give yourself a heart attack trying to stop," Hermione said snippily as they caught up with her.
Ginny and Harry promptly burst out laughing.
"We're not laughing with you we're laughing at you," Ginny giggled. "What's wrong Hermione? You're acting really.out of it."
"Oh, I'm fine," Hermione took her place with Ron, and the four teens walked to Gringotts, and gathered up the amount they needed from each vault. When they were done, Hermione made her way toward Flourish and Blots again.
Hermione got her course schedule out and began to read. Ron looked over her shoulder, and read it. His blue eyes grew to the size of saucers.
"Head girl? What? If you're Head Girl, then who's Head Boy? When were you planning on telling us?"
Hermione blushed. "You'd find out eventually, and I felt bad-I thought you- would feel bad that you aren't Head Boy."
Ron's eyes narrowed in confusion. "I wouldn't do that! I didn't even want to be Head Boy! Do you think I would want to follow in Percy's footsteps? Hermione this is great!"
"That's what I thought to."
He stopped and grabbed Hermione in a bone-crushing hug.
"Congratulations Hermione! Somehow, I knew you would get it!" He picked her up, and swung her around. She couldn't help but giggle.
"Put me down you prat," Hermione yelled, pounding her fist into his back.
Harry and Ginny who were momentarily speechless walked up and gave Hermione a hug, when Ron put her back on the ground, messaging his injured shoulder blade.
"Wow, Herms! I knew you'd be Head Girl," Harry said patting his friend on the back.
"OI GIN! OVER HERE!" all four teens whirled around. A blonde boy with strikingly blue eyes was trying to catch up.
"Oh, Hey Colin. I'm so sorry, am I late?" asked Ginny.
"No actually, I'm early. I saw you in the crowd, so I decided to just come and meet up with you."
Ginny smiled at him, before he turned to the other three.
"Hello, Harry, Ron, Hermione?" he said with slight nod in their direction.
"Hello," Hermione said smiling. Ron and Harry nodded. Ron and Harry were still a little distant with Colin because he helped her hide out.
Ginny glared up at Harry and her brother, who continued to watch Colin. Colin on the other hand was acting as if nothing out of the ordinary happened.
"Well I'm gonna hold true to my promise, and go off with Colin. You three have fun." Ron and Hermione nodded. Ginny slid her arm out of Harry's, and she replaced his arm with Colin's.
~~~~
The last thing he wanted was for Ginny to leave the group, he wanted to keep an eye on her, and if true be told he was angry that he couldn't spend more time with her, especially with Ron and Hermione mindlessly flirting all day. It would drive him slowly insane, and now he had no one to share that joy with.
He watched as Ginny laced her arm with Colin and grin up at him, laughing at whatever he was saying. His insides clenched, and he turned away from where they were walking. He didn't dare look back, afraid of what he would see; he just followed Ron and Hermione with his head bent, wishing that they didn't notice how his mood had rapidly changed.
No such luck. Hermione turned around, and stared at Harry. An annoyingly knowing smile plastered on her smug face. Harry decided to ignore it, and follow her to where the books were.
Ginny sat down at her desk, lighting her wand with a quick incantation. She pushed a vibrant blue strand of hair out of her eyes, before reaching far over in her wobbly chair to retrieve her journal from under her mattress. The chair gave a lurch causing Ginny's stomach dropped.
Maybe if I just stand up to get it. She thought, standing out of her chair, and crouching by her mattress to pull the leather bound book from beneath it. She pulled it out, still kneeling, and ripped a piece of parchment from the pages. She placed the parchment between her teeth, as she stuffed the book back underneath her mattress, her knees cracking slightly as she stood up. She sat back down on her wobbly chair, and spread out the parchment on the smooth wooden surface of her desk. She absentmindedly began to chew on the tip of her quill. Her mind racing over what she wanted to say. She placed her quill on the sheet, and began to write.
Colin,
Hello, Have you gone to Diagon Alley yet? I hope you haven't, and if you have, would you consider going again? I want to see you, I'm going today at 2:30pm, it is now 2:00pm. Please come! Owl me back immediately. I have to go steal Ron's owl now. Hope to hear from you pronto!
-Ginny
She jumped up from her chair, and whispered 'nox.' The light from her wand disappeared, as she walked up the creaking stairs toward Ron's room on the top floor.
Pig was perched on a bar stretching across the center of his cage near the window. He was going mad, his wings beating mercilessly against the metal of his tiny cage. Ginny picked up the owl treats from the windowsill, and placed some in the palm of her hand. She opened the cage door, stepping back quickly as Pig flew out with great energy, nearly taking a chunk out of her face. He fluttered near her head hooting happily.
"Calm down, you stupid git!" Ginny shrieked, groping the thin air, trying to snatch the energetic owl from above her head. She finally caught him in her free hand, so only his feathery head was protruding from the top of her closed fist. She held out the owl treats, which he ate gratefully.
"Ok, I'm going to give you this note and your going to give this to Colin as soon as possible. NO pit stops!" Pig hooted once, and Ginny opened her fist. Pig extended his leg so she could tie the parchment to it. "Go quickly." With that Pig flew out the open window. Ginny watched him disappear in the distance.
When she came back into the kitchen, she was surprised to see Harry, Hermione, and Ron still sitting around the table.
All three teens looked up from their conversation when Ginny came back into the brightly-lit kitchen.
"Why aren't you in Diagon Alley?" Ginny inquired from the doorway.
"We were waiting for you," Harry stated as if it were obvious.
"Right-I was under the impression, that I was to go alone, or find someone else to go with," said Ginny frowning.
"Gin! I was joking!" said Ron, throwing his arms up in defeat.
"We want you to come with us," said Hermione. Harry nodded showing her he wanted her to come.
Ron also nodded, "look Gin I'm sorry if I offended you earlier. It was a joke."
Ginny did a double take, Ron admitting he was wrong! Someone must have put him up to it. Ginny smiled despite herself.
"It's ok, Ron." At that moment Pig came charging into the room. Ron ducked his head as Pig flew right towards it.
"Bleeding Owl!" he shouted.
Pig perched on her shoulder as she pulled off the letter. She flipped it open, and scanned the untidy scrawl.
Gin,
I'd love to meet you there at 2:30, at Zonkos? See you there! Colin
Ginny grinned and looked up at her brother. "I'm meeting Colin anyway."
"Can I come with you and Colin, Gin? I don't think I can manage by myself with these to lovebirds playing hard to get all day." Ron and Hermione blushed crimson, and glared at Harry. Ginny chuckled.
"We do not!" Ron burst, obviously embarrassed beyond words. Harry and Ginny shared a look before smiling knowingly at their two friends who were suffering from denial.
"Well-" Ginny said chuckling slightly, "we better go then." She grabbed the floo powder from above the fireplace.
There was a small fire in the grate, as Ginny pinched a small amount into the flame. The small fire grew, and began to glow emerald green. It licked the side of the brick fireplace, as she stuffed a small black velvet pouch of floo powder in her pocket, so she would have a way to get back, and stepped into the fire. She could see the colorful flames licking her legs, but all she could feel was a comfortable tingling warmness.
"Leaky Cauldron!" She swirled away, in a flash of color and noise, leaving the Burrow. Ginny closed her eyes, as she spun, finally opening them when she began to feel herself slowing down. When she was thrown out of the fireplace, she instantly gathered her bearings. She brushed the soot off of her robes as she looked around.
The Leaky Cauldron was dark and dingy, she didn't like it much, but it was the only way into Diagon Alley. She waved to Tom behind the counter, before she lurched violently forward. It felt like the knight bus had run into her. She was dangerously close to falling face first into the stone cold ground, but she managed to steady herself. Harry, who had stumbled out of the fireplace just behind her, now grabbed onto her shoulders roughly, in an effort to steady himself. It was common knowledge that Harry had bad experiences with Floo powder. He was dangerously close to falling, and bringing Ginny with him, but with her help, Ginny managed to gather Harry's and hers bearing.
"Whoa! Sorry Harry, guess I should have moved," she giggled.
"Acually, I'm glad you were there to break my fall. If you weren't, I would have made an even bigger git of myself," he chuckled. He was silent a moment, before Ginny noticed him tilting his head slightly, looking at her more closely. "I see you're hair's turning back to normal--I must say, I kind of liked blue."
Ginny playfully punched his arm as the flames grew green again. Harry pushed Ginny lightly out of the way when Hermione fell out of the fireplace, landing face down on the dirty stone floor.
"Tough traveling Hermione? Maybe we should have just stayed where we were," Harry grinned, as Ginny finally cracked and burst into hysterical laughter. She hadn't had this much fun in a while, and the sight of Hermione lying face down on the floor was too much for her. Harry soon joined in, and the two teens had to hold on to each other to stay standing. They didn't even see Ron enter and bend help up Hermione. A wave of guilt quieted Ginny somewhat, but it was just too funny to waste. Plus she deserved a laugh, even if it was at Hermione's expense.
"Oh sure! Laugh it up! Your friend makes a fool of herself in public, and you two think it's the funny! Real nice," Hermione said with an air of sarcasm in her voice.
"We're sorry Hermione, but you had to see yourself, it was priceless," Ginny giggled. Fresh tears blurred her vision, and she felt herself grab onto Harry's arm to steady herself.
"I'm kind of sorry I missed that." Ron grinned down at Hermione, who glared steadily back, but couldn't help but crack a smile.
Ginny swiped a hand over her sparkling eyes and grinned.
"Alright, if we're done making fun of Hermione, can we go? I want to go to Flourish and Blots," Hermione stated.
"Who would have guessed?" asked Ron sarcastically.
"I suppose so," said Ginny, shaking her head.
The four teens turned, and waved one final goodbye to Tom before exiting The Leaky Cauldron through the back door.
Ginny linked arms with Harry, not thinking about it, and swung his arm while walking behind Ron and Hermione. When they reached the outside, Harry reached into his robe pocket, and retrieved his wand. He raised it to the brick wall. The wall sprang open, and Diagon Alley was spread out before them.
Hermione immediately began walking in the direction of Flourish and Blots, While the rest stopped and grinned at her retreating back.
"Should we tell her?" mumbled Ron. "Um-Hermione, don't we need to go to Gringotts first? You will need money to buy your books, won't you?" shouted Ron smiling broadly at her.
Hermione twirled on her feet, walking briskly in the direction of Gringotts. Ginny noticed a crimson blush blossoming over Hermione's cheeks. She tried to keep a straight face, but feeling Harry's arm vibrating with silent laughter under hers, it was hard to do.
"Oh just laugh. Don't give yourself a heart attack trying to stop," Hermione said snippily as they caught up with her.
Ginny and Harry promptly burst out laughing.
"We're not laughing with you we're laughing at you," Ginny giggled. "What's wrong Hermione? You're acting really.out of it."
"Oh, I'm fine," Hermione took her place with Ron, and the four teens walked to Gringotts, and gathered up the amount they needed from each vault. When they were done, Hermione made her way toward Flourish and Blots again.
Hermione got her course schedule out and began to read. Ron looked over her shoulder, and read it. His blue eyes grew to the size of saucers.
"Head girl? What? If you're Head Girl, then who's Head Boy? When were you planning on telling us?"
Hermione blushed. "You'd find out eventually, and I felt bad-I thought you- would feel bad that you aren't Head Boy."
Ron's eyes narrowed in confusion. "I wouldn't do that! I didn't even want to be Head Boy! Do you think I would want to follow in Percy's footsteps? Hermione this is great!"
"That's what I thought to."
He stopped and grabbed Hermione in a bone-crushing hug.
"Congratulations Hermione! Somehow, I knew you would get it!" He picked her up, and swung her around. She couldn't help but giggle.
"Put me down you prat," Hermione yelled, pounding her fist into his back.
Harry and Ginny who were momentarily speechless walked up and gave Hermione a hug, when Ron put her back on the ground, messaging his injured shoulder blade.
"Wow, Herms! I knew you'd be Head Girl," Harry said patting his friend on the back.
"OI GIN! OVER HERE!" all four teens whirled around. A blonde boy with strikingly blue eyes was trying to catch up.
"Oh, Hey Colin. I'm so sorry, am I late?" asked Ginny.
"No actually, I'm early. I saw you in the crowd, so I decided to just come and meet up with you."
Ginny smiled at him, before he turned to the other three.
"Hello, Harry, Ron, Hermione?" he said with slight nod in their direction.
"Hello," Hermione said smiling. Ron and Harry nodded. Ron and Harry were still a little distant with Colin because he helped her hide out.
Ginny glared up at Harry and her brother, who continued to watch Colin. Colin on the other hand was acting as if nothing out of the ordinary happened.
"Well I'm gonna hold true to my promise, and go off with Colin. You three have fun." Ron and Hermione nodded. Ginny slid her arm out of Harry's, and she replaced his arm with Colin's.
~~~~
The last thing he wanted was for Ginny to leave the group, he wanted to keep an eye on her, and if true be told he was angry that he couldn't spend more time with her, especially with Ron and Hermione mindlessly flirting all day. It would drive him slowly insane, and now he had no one to share that joy with.
He watched as Ginny laced her arm with Colin and grin up at him, laughing at whatever he was saying. His insides clenched, and he turned away from where they were walking. He didn't dare look back, afraid of what he would see; he just followed Ron and Hermione with his head bent, wishing that they didn't notice how his mood had rapidly changed.
No such luck. Hermione turned around, and stared at Harry. An annoyingly knowing smile plastered on her smug face. Harry decided to ignore it, and follow her to where the books were.