Chapter 2
At Diagon Alley
Harry flew off, stunned at what he just did. He never thought He could have pulled that
off. He continued flying toward London.
He went right to the Leaky Cauldron. He landed in the
lobby, and took off the cloak. Everyone gasped.
"Sorry, sorry about that."
Harry went and rented a room, room number 14, to be exact. Once he had settled, an owl came
swooping through the window, carrying a letter. It dropped the letter on Harry's head, ruffled
its feathers importantly, and flew off.
Inside the letter was a note of everything he needed for
the new school year.
He decided he would go to Diagon Alley. He got out his wand, took the list, and went outside the Leaky Cauldron. He tapped the second brick from the left, on the third
column, and stood back as the entrance to Diagon alley appeared.
First, he went to Gringotts, and
extracted his money.
Next, he went to the robe shop to buy new robes.
He also went to the
Apothecary, and to the Miscellaneous Wizarding Needs shop.
He bought everything he needed, so he decided he would buy a couple of extra things.
In Quality Quidditch Supplys, he saw the newest
Quidditch broom, the Lightning Streak. How he wished he could have it. It costs 135 galleons.
Instead, he bought new Quidditch robes, and went to another shop full of Wizarding games.
He decided to get a new Wizard Chess set for Ron, and got a 50 galleon gift certificate to Hermione
for Flourish and Blotts.
Finally, he went to the ice cream shop, and bought a triple deluxe
chocolate fudge cone. He ate it, finished the rest of his homework, and started to leave for the
Leaky Cauldron.
Suddenly, someone called his name. "Harry!" He turned around. It was Hermione.
But she looked different. Very different.
"Er...hi," he said uncertainly.
"Harry, You-know-who is going to put one of the three Unforgivable Curses on you."
"How do you know?"
No reply. Harry turned and left.
Suddenly, he heard the word no wizard or witch ever wants to hear: Crucio.
It sounded like Hermione was saying it.
Harry whipped around and saw Hermione with her wand raised high. Harry ducked, and her curse missed her target.
Harry leapt up and shouted "Stupefy!"
Hermione went to the ground, not moving. Harry moved closer, making sure she was stunned.
When Harry was sure of that, he used the banishing charm and banished her into the lobby.
Harry heard faint gasps and screams. Harry quickly ran to the Leaky Cauldron. It was very late now. It
was past 9:30.
When he got inside he saw a mediwizard bent over her. The mediwizard was about
to revive Hermione when Harry shouted, "Wait! Don't!"
The mediwizard turned around. Harry could read his nametag saying 'Hi! I'm Joe!' Harry said,
"She's my best friend. She tried to use the Crutacious Curse on me just a few moments ago. Please don't take her to Azkaban."
"Ohmygosh! You're Harry Potter!"
The Mediwizards eyes performed the familiar rake upwards toward his
hairline.
"Hey! Everyone! Harry Potter is here!"
There was a sudden rush for everyone to come and meet Harry.
"Look," Harry said. "I just want you to revive my friend."
"Well, she isn't exactly your friend if she tried to put one of the Unforgivable Curses on you,
is she?"
"Well...er, I don't know why she tried to do that, but just revive her, okay?"
The mediwizard knelt down
beside her again and mumbled "Enervate."
Hermione slowly came to. When she was fully awake, she looked at Harry and started struggling against the mediwizards clutches. Finally, she gave up,
panting.
She raised her wand and shouted, "Petrificus Totalus!" Then Joe's arms and legs snapped
to his sides. He fell over, a look of horror upon his face.
Quickly, all the other wizards in the pub gathered around her. Hermione quickly raised her own wand, and shouted "Wadi Wasi!",
just as all the other wizards shouted "Stupefy!" There was a blinding flash of white light, some
yells, screams, and bangs, and then Harry could see again.
He saw Hermione advancing toward him, a demonic glint in her eyes. Harry looked around and registered one fact: everyone in the pub -
except for him and Hermione - were stunned. There were also bottles, wands, and an assortment
of heavy items littering the floor.
Suddenly, there was a noise, a faint noise, as though it was
like someone struggling. He looked up and saw Hermione. She had stopped walking, and was moving
in jerky movements, her face contorted with a strange expression.
Then, as suddenly as she
started, she stopped. Except this time, there was no demonic glint in her eyes, there were the
eyes of regular, kind Hermione. Her facial expression was exhausted, and she tried to be saying
something.
"Harry...Dark Lord...captured, me...put curse on me...run, its too late...I cant...resist it...any
...more..."
She screamed, a strange painful scream, and suddenly, she was advancing toward Harry
again.
"Crucio! Crucio! Crucio!" With each curse hitting him, Harry doubled up more, he was in
so much pain, he was hearing a cold, mirthless laugh, his vision was blackening, he heard very faintly the word stupefy,
and then Harry's world went black.