Chapter 5

As soon as Arabella and Harry got to the Leaky Caldron they went to the bartender and ordered five butterbeers, and told the bar tender when Ron and Hermione got there to tell them that they were at the back table in the back of the room. The bartender nodded with a toothless smile that sent shivers down Arabella's back, Harry noticed.

As soon as they got to their table Harry asked her what was wrong, "I just can't take it. The way poor Tom looks. I mean you'd think he'd have the sense to get fake teeth. Just none there at all scares me." With that Harry was shaking all over with laughter, and when he finally looked up he didn't see Arabella anymore, but old Ms. Figg.

"What did you do that for?" Harry asked her.

"I'm suppose to be dead, and the only ones that know that I'm alive are: Dumbledore, Moony, Snuffles, Ron's Parents, Ron, Hermione, and you. So not a word to anyone, but maybe one day we'll tell Ginny." Arabella said with a wink at Harry.

"HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU! I DON'T SEE GINNY LIKE THAT! I FANCY CHO CHANG!" Harry yelled with the Potter Anger.

Just then Harry heard giggles at the door of where Arabella and he were at. It was Hermione and Ron , in which Ron spoke up. "Well, we kind of already knew that, and you'd better not like Ginny like that, because you'll have six of her older brothers after you." Ron said cracking his knuckles.

"Oh, lay off him Ron." Hermione said rolling her eyes, "Oh, yeah. Sorry Arabella…."

"No, No. Hermione. When we're in public you call me Ms. Figg," Arabella said looking sick. "I'm suppose to be dead."

With some weird looks from Ron and Hermione, Harry told them everything. Arabella told them even more, and as the Dark Lord knew that Arabella had been Lily's best friend, and Peter Pettigrew already informed the Dark Lord that Arabella was still very much alive. So she transfigured herself into an old bitter woman so that they couldn't figure out who she was. All the Death Eaters also knew that Arabella was Harry's Secret Keeper while he was at the Dursley's. So that Lord Voldemort couldn't just show up at the Muggle house with Harry powerless and kill him. After she explained all this, all three teenagers looked at her in awe.

"You see, how much protection we need on Harry, here." Arabella said concluding her story.

"Yes, we do Ara…., I mean Ms. Figg," Hermione almost blew their cover. "But, why?" "Hermione, I have no clue. I never talked to Lily or James about it, because we didn't expect them to die but, after they passed away Dumbledore told me what I've told you. That's all I know. Anyways, I've got to go see Dumbledore about a mission with Remus and Sirius. So you three go shopping, and we'll meet each other back here at 6pm. Please, Harry be careful and get all of your Hogwarts stuff, and anything else you need." Before he could respond she apparted with a "pop".

In Hogsmede…

Ginny and Mrs. Weasley were walking into the only salon in Hogsmede, Madam Antoinette's Palace to Make You Beautiful. At least that's what the sign said.

"So," Madam Antoinette said in a French accent. "Your Mizz Ginny? Nice zoo meet oo. Now woold you like a pem a diffent cooler or…"

"No! She shall not!" Mrs. Weasley said sternly at Madam Antoinette who looked at her as if the Giant Squid ate her alive. "I've already told you that we want a cut that shapes her face, and to teach her how to put make-up on properly."

"Fine, Fine! Now, Kellie will do oo hare, and Sherrie will do oo make-oop." Antoinette told Mrs. Weasley and Ginny. So Ginny first walked over to Kellie first.

"OOOHHH!" Kellie, a very pretty blond said as soon as she saw Ginny. "I'm doing your hair! It's going to be so much fun!" Kellie said exited and finally Ginny wasn't nervous anymore.

At Flourish and Blotts….

"Now, we can get our books then I think that's all we need. We've gotten everything else. So we can go to that Quidditch store you two boys want to go to, before we have to meet Arabella back in," Hermione looked at her magical watch. "Forty-fie minutes." As if that was a cue Harry and Ron hurriedly got their books and Hermione paid for them and drug her out of the store to Quality Quidditch Supplies.

At Hogwarts in Dumbledore's office…

"Okay, so we've got all the protection we can have on Harry, right?" Sirius asked with much concern for his godson apparent in his tone of voice. Arabella was back to her beautiful self and grabbed Sirius's hand in support he looked at her and smiled.

"Yes, Sirius. It's the best we can have, and Harry is to go back to the Dursley's in less than a week.

With that Dumbledore stood up and led them to his fireplace so they could take the Floo Network back to Remus's house. With that Sirius kissed Arabella goodbye and Sirius went to Remus's and Arabella transformed her self back to old Ms. Figg to go back to the Leaky Caldron to meet up with Harry and his friends.

Back in Diagon Alley…

"But, Hermione," Ron whined as she was pulling the boys away from the Quidditch store. "We still have five minutes to get back to the Leaky Caldron. We don't have to leave now!"

"Are you kidding me? It takes ten minutes to get back there. So COME ON!" With that the boys followed her back to the Leaky Caldron with disappointed lurking on their faces. Once they got to the Leaky Cauldron, they ate dinner and said good-bye. As Hermione and Ron went back to the Burrow and, Arabella and Harry went back to Arabella's house.

As soon as Hermione got back she went straight up to Ginny's room to finish her letter to Krum:

Dearest Krum,

I'm glad that your parents said that it was okay for me to spend the rest of the summer with you in Bulgaria, but my mum and dad said it was too far for me to go with a boy that was 18 years old and I've only been with since December. Also, I've been doing a lot of thinking about our relationship. One, we're so many miles away from each other and we've got to quit acting like we can make this work when we both know that we can't. Second, your legally too old for me and my parents have pointed that out to me time and time again. Third, over this summer since we haven't seen each other, I've met someone else. Actually, I've known him since I got accepted to Hogwarts, but I've finally noticed that he fancies me as much as I fancy him. You're a very nice and sweet guy. I hope we can still be friends. You'll find someone else, we just weren't meant to be. I'm very sorry, but we can't keep living this lie.

Always,

Hermione

'That's perfect,' Hermione told herself. Tying the note to Krum's raven Hermione sent him on his way. Hermione sighed, 'Now she could start her life with Ron.' Just then her mouth dropped to the ground, Hermione couldn't believe what her eyes were showing her.