A hundred thanks to JKRowling for having given us the Phenomenon of Harry Potter. This is my miniscule attempt at continuing the legacy.
I have just two words for you … READ ON
Chapter 6. Diagon Alley
Hagrid was taking a new class of Care of Magical Creatures, teaching about Hydras. Draco Malfoy was sitting right at the back, discussing something very interestedly with a smirk on his face. Hermione was listening with all her interest, taking in every word. Ron was giving out a silent yawn and winking at Harry.
"So class we shall learn abo't the defense mechanisms of the Hydra. So, who wants to be the first to see it. Seeing everybody taking steps backwards, Harry put up his hand". Hagrid beamed at him. "Yeh kno', Hydras are 'bout fifty feet in height an' you 're th' only brave boy …" Hagrid was saying blissfully, not knowing that he had beaten the daylights out of Harry Potter. "… but this is very small, so you don ave to wory" he finished.
Having said so, Harry noticed a small head peeping out of the bushes. It some what resembled a snake's. Harry looked down at it and patted it slowly. Then the animal came out of the bushes revealing its whole body, rooting Harry to the spot. The creature was definitely small, by Hagrid's standards. Hoping the twenty foot or so thing was harmless and fixing his gaze on the Hydra's head (which was now a good twelve feet from the ground), Harry stood frozen to the spot his sweating hand still in front.
The alarm bells in his brain went off when it told him with a smile, "You smell good, you must be my lunch. So nice of Hagrid". Seeing three additional heads pop up from behind the bushes, he backed away calling out to Hagrid who replied encouragingly, "It wants to make friends with you, go on".
Harry prepared to turn and run. Too late, four of the Hydra's heads were tugging at his shirt and he was tugging at Hagrid's moleskin coat. Hermione was saying, "Wait Harry, I want to draw it". Draco Malfoy was biding him bye-bye. Ron took two steps forward, followed by four more but backwards.
Then as the Hydra's heads rocketed towards Harry, he ducked, slipping in the process and fell to the ground. When, it advanced, he rolled aside and …
!! THUD !!
"HARRY WAKE UP?" came Ron's frightened yell from his side. Harry saw his friend looking down at him. Realizing that he was lying on the floor, he got up and seated himself on the bed, massaging his painful chest slightly. "So that was a dumb dream after all", he thought feeling lighter, as his chest pain began to subside and a wave of relief swept through him.
Looking out of the window, he concluded that the time was probably around ten o'clock as the sun had risen to a considerable height, shedding its light on the scarce number of trees and the other houses that Harry could see. No Hydras around. He breathed more freely.
"What's the matter, mate?" muttered Ron fearfully, cutting through his thoughts. "All was fine till you twitched and flopped over the end of the bed."
"er-We don't have Care of Magical Creatures, do we?" asked Harry turning towards his friend, while taking in a huge relieved breath. "Yeah, we do. It isn't hurting is it?", the redhead asked him again looking towards his forehead. "Nope, no problem at all". The lines of worry on Ron's face got ironed out.
"Are you going out somewhere?" asked Harry eyeing the sparkling green robes Ron was wearing.
"Fred and George gifted it to me", came the proud answer.
"Today we need to buy our books from Diagon Alley. We will be starting in a matter of minutes", came Hermione's voice from the place which Harry guessed could be the door. Turning to see her, he found her holding a book in her hands. Shaking his head as if to knock out his drowsiness, Harry stood up.
His two best friends were looking at him. The bedroom was quite large. In a flash Harry understood that it was the room adjacent to the one where he had read the Compelling Compendium for Charmwork.
Exactly at that moment, the last vision, came flowing back to him. A slight shiver sailed through his body and he sunk onto the bed.
"Are you fine, Harry?" Hermione was wearing an expression of pure concern. Seeing the troubled look on his face, she started seriously, "You had better tell Dumble…".
"Yeah, in case you are hungry we can go to the kitchen and have some stuff. Thanks to Fred and George who left the goodies behind for us", said Ron, massaging his stomach. "But you just had some stuff now. More will just spoil …" Hermione broke in.
"Harry can have the goodies, I shall sit and watch him", came the sarcastic reply.
Getting the scent of an oncoming quarrel, Harry interjected, "I better get ready. Don't want to be late, do we?"
Both his friends nodded and the three walked to the bathroom at the end of the first floor corridor. Fairly quickly, Harry managed to wind up his bath and to his astonishment, there were robes waiting for him to be worn in the bathroom. He finished his bath fairly quickly and came out feeling refreshed, though the vision still lurked in his mind.
Ron and Hermione were standing patiently. The redhead spoke up rather quickly, "I am hungry, you must be too".
Harry returned a nod. His friend's appetite wasn't alien to him. The trio started a trek to the kitchen.
"Have you finished your Potions essay, Harry?" asked Hermione abruptly, as they reached the stairs.
Before he could think of an excuse, Ron butted in irritatedly saying, "Alright, I'll try to do it now". Noticing the look on Harry's face, Ron suppressed a grin, turned towards Hermione and added persuasively, "Without your help around, it just seems impossible."
It was common knowledge that Hermione would always complete her studies before time. At least with reference to studies, Ron was the exactly opposite side of the spectra. He deduced that she had probably found out about Ron's incomplete homework and chuckled inwardly. However he had an odd feeling that Ron was trying to flirt with Hermione. After all he knew that Ron had some sort of crush on Hermione. He grinned inwardly
She replied, "You could do it on your own …", while trying hard to hide the pink tinge which was beginning to creep up her face. Ron interrupted her midway, "…and get a 'T' for my efforts." and announced, "I'm going ahead, mate". He waited as if considering something and disappeared around the door.
As Ron left the room, Hermione turned to Harry and said hopefully, "If he could just attempt writing his homework once…". He threw her a sideways look and muttered softly but loud enough to reach her ears, "Well, he wasn't wrong Hermione" and added quickly, "See you in the kitchen". With that Harry marched off downstairs. A pink tinged Hermione took the path to the kitchen, after Harry's footsteps had died out.
* * *
In a corner of the living room on the ground floor, some of the members of the Order had discussed matters. The main meeting had gotten over just some time back. Dumbledore had left quite quickly, wanting to sort the Ministry work which he now had. The only people left were Lupin, Kingsley, Tonks and Moody. Crookshanks was purring near Lupin's leg and looking at Hedwig and Errol who were perched on Tonks shoulders hooting at each other.
"Sirius will not come back, Remus", said Moody, trying to gauge Lupin's thoughts. Tonks and Kingsley stopped in the midst of their talk and turned to look at the pair.
Remus simply shook his head lightly. "I am wondering about the prophecy that the children uncovered at the Department of Mysteries. I feel Voldemort is out to kill Harry". He expected some counter answer but to his astonishment no one countered him. "You know, I had that odd feeling too", Kingley's deep voice reached Lupin's ears.
Shrugging his shoulders and staring into space Lupin continued, "There seems to some link with Harry and that prophecy. Dumbledore had told us to keep the prophecy out of Voldemort's hands, it sure must have been important. I know that it had A.P.W.B.D on it having overheard Ms. Granger talking about it."
Moody was staring into space his magical eye fixed into the walls, with a ghostly face looking even more prominent as the room light illuminated his face.
"The encounter in the second year was just a coincidence, Remus", said a shuddering Mr. Weasley.
"Still, Harry came out of it alive", so saying Lupin looked at Mr. Weasley who had just arrived in the room.
"In his fourth year. He fought Voldemort himself. Cedric Diggory though was killed. Well, Dumbledore himself has told us so." Lupin paused to regain his breath. He said more slowly, "Now, how many people do we remember that survived a direct encounter with Voldemort."
Lupin was looking for a solid reason, even as the collective murmur, "Albus Dumbledore" floated through the room.
Attempting to lift the depressing mood taking over him, Tonks said, "Harry unlike James seems to be fond of DADA, doesn't he?" All she received was a silent nod.
After a moment of silence which seems to stretch for a couple of minutes, Moody spoke up in a hoarse voice, "Voldemort was hell bent on killing the Potters. I remember his Death Eaters trying to get past me, Sirius and Fabian near Hogwarts to get to the Potters. Fifty of them I suppose, all thought the three Potters to be at Hogwarts. They were talking about getting the Potters at all costs. Lucky, Dumbledore arrived on time".
Lupin remained silent, "Was the prophecy, the doom of Harry or Voldemort?" This thought evidently shifted to Harry's well being. He was pondering on something else now. Sirius and Harry together always reminded him of Sirius and James. Now, Sirius was no more. Lupin closed his eyes and gulped painfully as he remembered the vow that they had given James, just before leaving Godric's hollow on that fateful day.
James and Lily were shaken up but James had been calm since Dumbledore had told them to stay under the Fidelius at Godric's Hollow. He could even remember Lily Potter cradling her son tearfully. James had been silent as darkness itself. Sirius had after constant prodding uncovered the reason of James's silence. It was then that the three Marauders Sirius, himself and Peter had vowed taken a vow of protecting Harry.
The words still echoed in his head, "We promise you James and Lily, that in any case if anything happens to both of you (or does not Sirius had added jokingly) we will always be there for Harry and see that nothing happens to him".
Exactly, after giving that vow, later in the noon, Wormtail had betrayed them. Both the Potters were killed by Voldemort. Sirius had been branded as a murderer and was on the run, Lupin had himself suspected Sirius of murdering the Potters. He had been further troubled by a bout of guilt since he couldn't get to Harry after all this had happened.
"Potter's waken up.", Moddy's growl ploughed through his thoughts. "He's fallen from the bed", Lupin was on his feet before he knew it and stopped only when Moody told him that Harry seemed fine and in conversation with his two friends.
"Calm down, Remus", Kingsley said the only words which occurred to him at that moment. Lupin remained silent.
Remus said, "This idea of going to Diagon Alley for Potter and the others doesn't seem to be proper". "Yes, Even I am wondering why Dumbledore said so. The crowd will simply drive Harry mad. Still Dumbledore's ideas always are perfect, Sirius used to tell me", said Tonks, her voice underlined with worry.
"I hope they don't ask him about Sirius", she added. "There will be hundreds of Aurors around", growled Moody.
Lupin thought again, "Let all of them come back properly".
After a matter of minutes Mr. Weasley said sternly, "We will be hidden escorts Remus, I suppose we were about to go to now. Ah – Hello Fred, Could you tell your brothers and the others to get ready for Diagon Alley in a few minutes?". Fred had just walked in carrying a medium sized package alongwith Fletcher who was carrying a bag of something.
Seeing Mr. Weasley, both of them stopped in their tracks.
The redfaced redhead replied, "Dad, I'll tell them". Fred and Mundungus exchanged the bag and the package and the former disapparated with a crack.
Mundungus gave a huge smile and sat down beside Remus and the two exchanged a glance. Fletcher then placed the package on the table and opened it. Seeing the contents of the packages. Mr. Weasley said with a grin, "Mundungus, You better hope Molly doesn't see you handling those toilet seat covers, with either of the twins around".
He received a glare, the reply said, "These aint covers. They are Fred an' G'orge's jumbo pack of egg shaped cookies for me".
* * *
Below in the kitchen three redheads were discussing something very intensely. It wasn't everyday that you could catch Ginny Weasley talking at length with her mischievous twin brothers. The three were discussing so deeply that they were oblivious to the fact that Ron Weasley had entered the room.
"Hi you three", exclaimed Ron Weasley.
"Has Harry woken up?" asked Fred the concern showing in his voice.
"Yeah, he has and is fine. Maybe, he still remembers the last vision", said Ron deep in thought.
"Did he tell anything?" cut in Ginny thinking something. "No, he's just woken up.", came the reply somewhere near the cookie jar.
Turning to the jar kept on the table, Ron opened it and he popped two into his mouth.
"These are really good, George. Have some Ginny", he said munching on the cookies.
"After all, it is us, who have made the Vomiting Victuals after careful planning and testing", responded Fred. He spat out both the cookies onto the table.
Loud laughter exploded through the room. "Oh, we … didn't … mean these … cookies", said George choking on his words, as their brother returned murderous looks.
"Hi Fred, George", greeted Harry. The twins managed nods. Ginny was out of breath from laughing hard. Ron was munching on the cookies, determinedly not looking at the three. "Hi Ron …"
Ron simply uttered a feeble hello and lifted the jar of cookies. Harry walked over looking questioningly at the twins. He sat down beside Ron and took the jar.
"Hey, Harry those are just cookies, try these", announced Fred (or George whoever it was) holding up a jar of some stuff the contents of which Harry didn't feel like guessing. It didn't look bad but he only knew the twins too nicely. He gave a half sigh of relief when Ginny announced, "Perfectly eatable Chocolate Cocktails or Choctails". She took a one of them and popped it in her mouth.
He looked at Ron, who returned a shrug and joined the others. Ron took a half Choctail and ate it almost hesitantly.
Harry looked at Fred who nodded his head and he popped it into his mouth too.
"This is really great guys", he replied astonished that the twins could make something worthwhile Really great stuff. Two small Choctails had managed to fill his stomach fully. Ron took another one of that stuff and tossed it into his open mouth in reply.
"Started a Fast Food Inn?" asked Harry now grinning, as a McWeasleys flashed across his mind.
"Not exactly, Once while we were seeing the dark side of Mum …", started George thoughtfully.
"… when she was raining hailstones…", continued his twin.
"… I asked her whether she could tell us how her cookies were so delicious", grinned George one-sidedly.
"To our astonishment, she diverted from yelling to telling in a trice …", said Fred, his eyes sparkling.
"… and she threw at us the awesome idea of selling proper homemade cookies too", finished George looking proud.
"Guess what?", said Ginny enthusiastically. "Once these two decided to make them, they've made roaring business out of these too. Mum has even become more cooler to their idea of a Joke Shop."
Harry knew Mrs. Weasleys was against the idea of the twins starting a Joke Shop. "She isn't angry with me after all", he thought as his heart lightened considerably.
Perhaps, his expression had showed on his face as Ron gave him a bright look and said, "You see if it had been me giving them Galleons, I would be working in their Joke Shop 'cause you see Mum would've kicked me out of the house".
"Well, if you don't study for your NEWTs you will surely be", came Hermione's stern voice near the door.
Ron went completely blank for a moment. The twins immediately disappeared with a 'See you later, work to do'.
"What was that for?" asked Hermione looking stunned and insulted.
"Yeah, NEWTs", replied Ron, now shaking mildly with laughter, "Surely, we don't have NEWTs till next year".
Harry had a fleet vision of Fred telling him "You've got NEWTs this time, its OK". As he turned towards his best friend, his eyes met Ginny's. Understanding that it was supposed to be a prank, both of them immersed themselves looking at the Choctails.
"But Fred and George told me a lot about all the NEWTs, he said that there was Healing, Advanced Potions, Curse Designing which, …", Hermione's words were drowned in a sea of laughter from the three sitting around the table. "We don't have … NEWTs … till next year … Hermione", Ron was talking in between guffaws.
"I thought …", she was interrupted again as Harry cut in saying, "Fred didn't tell you that, did he?" He unsuccessfully stifled his laugh on remembering Fred talking to Hermione at length previously, just after he had returned from St. Mungos.
Her face fell. She said in a flattened voice, "I was really looking forward to the NEWTs".
Hermione hit her head hard as she realized something more, "Oh I remember now, at the Career Counselling, they had told that it is the selection for NEWTs this year. Damn those two. They have even given me the book list. I think …",
"… I'll won't mind working for Fred and George if we ever happen to have NEWTs this year", interjected Ron now oogling at her, as Ginny and Harry broke into laughter.
The four of them continued talking, when the topic of Neville came up again.
"He is really practising hard. You should see how he disarmed me thrice in a row in the last DA meeting", beamed Harry proudly.
"Yeah, Bellatrix seems to have made a big impact on him", said Ron, looking around as if Bellatrix would apparate onto his head.
"Lavender seems to have taken a liking to him suddenly. I heard her telling Parvati that she would try to ask him to Hogsmeade this year", said Ginny in a sort of offhand voice.
"I wonder what he saw in that ball-like prophecy when it broke. You didn't see it when it broke, did you?", Hermione asked Harry, deviating from the subject altogether.
His heart nearly skipped a beat. Even as Harry's stomach clenched, he couldn't help noticing, that she wasn't meeting his eyes when she said that. Turning around he found Ron and Ginny looking at him fixedly and understood. They wanted to see whether he would tell them the prophecy, that is, if they thought he knew about it. Hermione had planned the meeting in the kitchen. He coaxed his mind to think quickly.
Making an imitation of a person screwed up in concentration he said, "There was a figure of something transluscent in it. I couldn't hear it as the voice was too soft, add to it the commotion of the fighting going on". He added, "Did you ask Neville say anything? Did he hear anything?" knowing very well that Neville hadn't heard anything.
"No mate, he said was that the prophecy broke into pieces and somebody faint was visible to him", said Ron in a thoughtful voice. Harry though was looking at the table afraid that his beating heart would give away the full truth. He looked up just in time to catch Hermione's eye. She seemed to be doing some quick thinking.
She said, "He said that he had seen somebody like Dumbledore in it but the eyes were magnified".
"Wonder why he never told me then?" Harry replied arranging his face into a puzzled expression, his insides taut. He could tell Hermione was trying to decide something.
Before she could open her mouth, he cut in smoothly, "When do we go to Diagon Alley?" hoping somebody would respond to this excuse.
Thankfully, Ron clamped onto this excuse. Harry could have sworn Hermione had glared at Ron, "I suggest we ask the people sitting in the living room", even as Fred and George apparated right beside him simultaneously with a loud crack, making everybody jump.
"Dad says we could get a move on", George said in a loud and clear voice. "All children are requested to bring their wands".
Hermione, Ginny, Ron and Harry nodded but Harry could feel Hermione's eyes boring down on the back of his head.
All of them separated and went to get their wands. Harry scurried away, silently thanking his stars.
* * *
An hour later Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Harry, Fred and George were in Florean Fortescue with Mrs. Weasley looking over them. They had travelled by Floo Powder.
All the group were arranged around a table. The Parlour was bustling with people. Harry couldn't understand why Mrs. Weasley had smuggled him inside hidden between the other Weasleys. Ron was muttering something as Hermione's eyes were fixed on a bookstore.
"Be quiet Ronnie", Mrs. Weasley didn't look very bothered.
"Ronniekins, shut up", cooed Fred.
"Quiet Fred, don't you keep teasing him", recoiled his mother. Ron returned a vile smile at his brother.
Harry looked around, his eyes met Hermione's. She looked at him for at while and her pursed lips suddenly turned into a wide smile. She motioned him to turn around.
"Hello Hagrid, over here", Mrs. Weasley was waving her hand over her head.
"Hello everyone", He heard Hagrid's low voice just above his head. "Hi Hagrid", he said turning around, smiling widely.
"Hi Harry, great to see ya in six' yer", beamed Hagrid in a soft rumbling voice. On looking around, he bent lower and whispered, "Remember firs' year. Same table. Dudey's tail". Dudley, thought Harry.
The sight of Hagrid itself made Harry feel warm. He simply smiled wider and returned a nod, even as he was sure Hagrid hadn't talked in such a low voice before.
"Mum, we could have an ice-cream", groaned George. "Ronniekins would like it too. Ginny, Hermione, What do you say?" Fred was talking something with Hagrid.
"And what about Harry?" asked Ginny.
"We are there, don't worry?" George stated as his prefect brother snorted derisively.
"That is out of question", hissed Mrs. Weasley. "An ice-cream for him too, it would be fine", she said as Harry returned a nod.
"But Mum …", started Fred. "NO", she said, probably a bit more enthusiastically.
The people next to their table in the Leaky Cauldron had turned over. Hagrid swiftly moved between Harry and the others so that Harry's vision was totally blocked. He could hear Hagrid exchanging pleasantries with the other person. It then struck him that Hermione had told him about his photo in the papers, just as he tried to look by Hagrid's side. He tried to turn away and just in time.
"Blimey, aren't you Ron Weasley", said the person unsurely seeing Ron directly in the face. Ron nodded his head mutely. "You, helped in catching You-Know-Who's followers didn't you?"
Harry instinctively moved his chair soundlessly further behind Hagrid's back as the voice approached nearer. "You were rescued by Harry Potter before, weren't you?" If Ron was shocked, Ginny Weasley was npw stricken with fear. Slowly, two more people entered the group, asking all sorts of questions. Mrs. Weasley looked a bit pale and surprised as well. She hadn't thought about this. The group surrounding them was growing, albeit very slowly. There were five people after a matter of minutes.
Peering out behind Hagrid, Harry saw all the people in the Parlour, slowly and steadily getting up towards them. His anger had begun to rise, "Can't they just leave them alone?" Hagrid was shaking slightly, he could have brought out both the girls and Ron easily but Harry had understood that Hagrid was tryng to shield him. He motioned Hagrid to go by thumping his hand on the giant's back. Hagrid whispered, "They will be fine, you will not".
His anger rose further. It was then that he heard someone say in a loud rude voice, "You are Harry Potter's girlfriend, aren't you?" In his anger Harry automatically yelled out, "No she's not".
The small crowd that was beginning to form lapsed into pin-drop silence. All the heads jerked around, Mrs. Weasley, Fred and George whisked away both the girls. Ginny was still trembling from head to foot. Hermione was slightly better, she was taking regular breaths trying to calm down.
"Blimey, Harry Potter is here", Harry could hear the first person's voice. He could see Mr. Fortescue a short distance away giving him a smile and a wave of his hand. In his third year, Harry had run away from home after inflating his Aunt, Marge Dursley. Instead of being arrested, Cornelius Fudge had put him up at the Leaky Cauldron. It was then that Harry had been a regular visitor to the Fortescue ice-cream parlour for a short spell and had befriended Mr. Fortescue.
As all people turned around, Hagrid caught hold of his hand and all of them moved quickly out of the Parlour. After a few minutes they were quite far away.
"Whew, What the heck?", Ginny let out a relieved breath. She was still shaking slightly. "Damn them, what do they think we are?" hissed Fred angrily. Ron was looking at his sister and Hermione. Harry could feel three pairs of eyes fixed onto his back. Turning around he got a good shock. A grinning Mr. Weasley and Kingsley Shacklebolt were looking at him alongwith Mrs. Weasley. Hagrid was patting Ginny on her shoulders and she was shaking with each pat.
"Real tough time, eh?" said Kingsley, now grinning.
"It was so disgusting dad", Ginny was talked her face screwed up in disgust. "All the nonsense they were asking, about what happened, that man said …", her voice died away. All heads turned towards Hermione. She squirmed uncomfortably and looked at Harry. He hadn't taken a word of what they were talking about. Ron and the twins walked forward, on noticing what he had seen.
He was busy looking at a huge banner, flashing directly above the Quality Quidditch Supplies. Some one was giving a speech about it, he didn't hear it.
"I wish I had it now", he heard Ron sigh beside him amidst the excited chattering of the various people who were pointing at it. One boy was throwing a tantrum, his parents were too mesmerized to see him. The banner said in clear bold words.
THE FIREBOLT WAS ONE OF A KIND OF THE PAST
WE NOW PRESENT
THE THUNDERBOLT
THE ULTIMATE IN FLYING EXPERIENCE.
PERFECT CONTROL, BALANCE AND PRECISION - NAVIGATE CURVES, L-BENDS, SOMERSAULTS, U-BENDS AND BRAKE INSTANTLY AT SPEEDS WHICH YOU ALWAYS DESIRED.
MADE FROM UNBREAKABLE METALLIC ALLOY WHICH MAKES IT WEIGHTLESS. DON'T EVEN FEEL THE WEIGHT OF THE THUNDERBOLT AS YOU CARRY IT AROUND.
PERFECTLY DESIGNED ULTRA THIN ALLOY TWIGS MAKE FOR EXCELLENT AERODYNAMICS WHICH GIVE THE BEST STABILITY AT HIGH SPEEDS.
TOTALLY TAMPER PROOF - EXCEPTING THE OWNER NO ONE ELSE CAN BEWITCH IT.
EACH BROOMSTICK HAS ITS OWN REGISTRATION NUMBER.
SUPERFAST ACCELERATION AT 230 MILES AN HOUR IN 8 SECONDS UPGRADABLE TO 250 MILES PER HOUR IN 8 SECONDS, COMBINED WITH UNBREAKABLE INSTANT BRAKING CHARMS ENSURE SAFE USAGE OF BROOM. FOLDABLE AND CAN BE EASILY STORED.
UNDETECTABLE ANTI-THEFT CHARMS ALLOW THE OWNER TO KNOW ABOUT HIS BROOM ANYWHERE ON EARTH.
BROOM STICK SERVICING KIT AT LOWER PRICES IF BOUGHT ALONGWITH THE BROOM
PRICES CAN BE NEGOTIATED.
"Welcome to the Quality Quidditch Supplies", someone said sweetly.
"Uh … Yeah", he replied. Loud laughter erupted from behind him. He heard Ron sigh and both of them exchanged a nod. Apparently, Ron had been locked onto the banner too.
"It ten minutes since you four were staring at that banner". Harry and Ron turned towards Mrs. Weasley. Fred and Ginny were still looking at it but with an ice-cream in hand. All the others were busy with ice-creams too.
"What about us?" asked Ron, staring at Fred who was surprised at the ice-cream in his hand. Ginny was still busy with the banner.
"Mr. Rockwell, two for them please", announced George, his nose high in the air. A person came out from the adjacent pub. Minutes later Harry and Ron were sucking on two excellent multiflavoured ice-creams, with the others sitting in the pub. Kingsley and Mr. Weasley were on sharp lookout for trouble.
Hagrid was taking a swig from an exceptionally large jar of beer. Mrs. Weasley was telling Hagrid something about unhealthy habits.
"Aren't these great?" cooed Hermione "How'd you make it?" she asked looking interested.
Fred and George looked at each other and replied together, "That you had better not ask".
Seeing her face, Ron and Ginny snorted into their respective ice-creams.
Having finishing the ice-creams, Harry stood up and he was got a rude surprise. The scene in front of him was fluttering like a flag. He dropped to the chair with wobbly knees, wondering whether his specs needed ot be changed. The other alternative was of course Voldemort. Oddly, his scar hadn't hurt. The twins looked at him and Fred strolled upto him, "Sorry Harry, I forgot to tell that dumb idiot that we needed the usual ice-creams. He has given you the Cool Concussions".
The what. Harry sat down on the chair, "At least, the ice-cream is of the Joke Shop". He simply tried looking around, through his fluttering vision.
Mrs. Weasley however didn't know. She was looking on terrifiedly as Ron's body shook sideways. Ginny was cursing the twins horribly, she had already closed her eyes. Hermione was blinking her eyes furiously and rubbing her eyes with a hanky.
"You two, What was in the ice-cream?", Mrs. Weasley said in a low voice, trembling with fury. The smile on the twins' faces faded out smoothly.
"Oh … You see … Mum … That man …", gulped Fred as his mother got up angrily.
"Ca'm down Mrs. Weasley, its that ice-cream I suppose. Kool Coksuhn I think", rumbled Hagrid's voice. He continued, "It gives a sort of fluttering image in front of your eyes does it".
"It is Cool Concussion but how did you know?", asked the twins together, both totally stumped.
Harry saw Hagrid break into a huge smile, "I hear the teach'rs talk abut them. They seem'd to like it".
"I bet my wand Snape hates it. He can very well do with a concussion, but higher up", whispered Ron. Harry nodded his head reflexively.
Even since he had entered Diagon Alley, a strange feeling that many people were watching him had taken over. He turned around as if searching for someone. His mind was now alerted. He saw Ron arch his brows and replied by shaking his head.
"What it Harry dear? Fred …", started Mrs. Weasley but Harry cut her off by assuring her that he was fine. She was still angry at Fred and George though.
As Ginny and Hermione nodded nauseously, she gave up and went off to join Kingsley, Arthur Weasley and Hagrid. The twins were talking something between.themselves.
Even as Harry was hearing Hermione who had started on her house elf liberation front, he could feel many eyes fixed on him. Instinctively, he clutched his wand and looked behind. "What's the matter, mate?" Ron was clearly worried now.
On the opposite side of the table both girls had stopped their conversation and were looking at him curiously. A moment later all four were huddled together. He glanced, Fred and George talking with Hagrid. He said, "I feel as if we are being watched by too many people". To his utter surprise, Hermione replied, "Same with me" and Ginny stared at both of them.
Hermione spoke first, "I have a feeling we are being tailed by the … members".
He whispered, "So do I, but I feel there are just too many.".
Ginny interrupted, "I think both of you need a butterbeer".
Ron was looking around expecting ten people to apparate instantly.
"Seems odd, I never generally see Hagrid together with Kingsley and Mr. Weasley …", said Hermione thoughtfully.
"I've seen them loads of times together". Fred and George had arrived. Fred took a seat between Harry and Hermione, George sat between Ginny and Ron.
Fred continued, "Don't worry, there are the members around. Seems for your protection, Harry". Ron couldn't help clucking his tongue as Hermione took in a breath, which Ron had labelled the know-it-all breath.
It was George who spoke now, "I think they are coordinating their movements for moving on".
Harry stared at Fred as Hermione exclaimed silently, "Coordinating?"
Their short discussion finished as Mrs. Weasley, announced that they would get the books now.
The whole procedure to get the books wasn't as bad as Harry had thought. It went very smoothly. The Bewitching Bevy of All Wizarding Books, was where they had taken new books. Hermione had bought more books than usual. He had decided that he would get down to some serious DADA, Potions and Transfiguration this time. The biggest problem was that everywhere people would start gather on seeing them. It was becoming very difficult to escape from the public. At last, after all the books were purchased. All of them sneaked out of the last bookstore Bag of Books just before people managed to get to their heads.
With a loud sigh of relief, everybody entered a now emptier Florean Fortescue Parlour. They dumped their books on the big round tables and sat all around it.
Mr. Fortescue was now looking at them, while cleaning a jar. Harry scampered off to greet Mr. Fortescue. Minutes later he was back, a grin on his face, a medium sized parcel in his hand.
"What is that Harry?" asked Hermione eagerly. "Probably, books", replied Ron keeping a straight face and tearing the parcel open. "Just a dumb bag".
Ron said quietly, "Is that a gift for Hermione?"
"Nope, for me", whispered Harry. Looking at Hermione amusedly he continued, "It has something special". Ron looked at him now thinking deeply.
Hermione made a noise between a hiss and a moan as she pored over her books.
Turning to Ron he said, "You can fit any number of books into it and never feel the weight". Hermione was looking at him now.
Ron snorted loudly, "She's in for a treat today". Hermione was muttering hopelessly, "Atleast I study, the bag will be useful to me. All my plans for the 6th year, SPEW…".
Harry and Ron tore away their eyes from each other.
He set the bag onto the table as Hermione looked longingly before switching over to her own pile of books.
Turning around, Harry let out a strangled groan.
Colin Creevey and Dennis Creevey were headed towards him tugging their parents along. He could hear Herrmione moan, "Not any more" and her head was on the pile of books. "Hi Harry" said Colin out of breath, Harry managed to keep a straight face and nodded with a forced smile.
For some some the Creeveys and Weasleys were talking. Ron was getting massively irritated as the younger Creevey was bent on getting details about his classes, books, Potions. Thankfully, Hermione and Ginny were kept occupied by Colin who was shooting intermittent smiles at Harry. He had put down his head on the table and closed his eyes.
After the Creeveys had talked to Harry (he was relieved that the elders Creeveys weren't like their kids), they moved on. As the evening approached the number of people began to swell. Harry had a feeling, the people were gathered to talk to them. However, even the Weasleys and Hermione were neglecting everybody else.
For quite a while, all of them were relaxing. Some people around were starting to edge nearer towards their group.
Mrs. Weasley announced, "OK, so we make a move on now".
She and Mr. Weasley didn't seem to be a bit tired, they were talking in full swing. Kingsley on the other hand was conversing with Fred and George in his deep voice. After a while Harry was surprised to see the twins sell off another fake wand. Fred (or George) met his eyes and winked. Ron was humming a familiar tune along the lines of the Weird Sisters. Nobody made an attempt to move.
Grinning back Harry settled down on a chair, sipping some water. The odd feeling that he was being watched had still not settled. Ginny walked over from the other side of the table and sat beside him, looking fidgety. She kept looking at him for a while. It was after some time that she spoke up, "There are too many people around".
Harry nodded his head now he was sure that many people were near them.
"Is is hurting again?" asked Ginny her voice now shaking. "Yeah, happens all the time", he replied casually, his hand was rubbing his scar. This had become almost natural for him. It was then that a cold feeling shot through his head and he stood up. Hermione and Ron was peering at him now.
"What the hell is it mate?" Ron was now more alarmed. Hermione had called out to Mrs. Weasley.
Harry had clutched his wand in his hand and already stood up surveying the surroundings. All the others stopped all their activites and looked at him. He could feel hundreds of eyes concentrated on him.
"Pick up your wands", he hissed. All of them stared blankly at him. Mrs. Weasley was coming over to him her brows curved in worry, "Harry dear, you must be tired. Why don't you sit down for some time?". From the corner of his eye he managed to notice Mr. Weasley, who was on full alertness. Kingsley and Hagrid had stopped their talk and he could see that Hagrid's very form was now keeping the people from approaching.
Hagrid's rumbling voice reached his ears, "Wha' summat a Harry?"
As if in answer, complete darkness settled as fourteen dementors appeared from nowhere near the book store, as they advanced six more appeared from the same spot. Harry thought his mind would explode as, hundreds of cracking noises occurred. The next moment thirty Aurors were surrounding the people sitting around the table.
A loud war cry of EXPECTO PATRONUM was heard as twenty Patronuses charged down the Dementors. A loud NOOOO told him a Dementor had done its job on someone. The yell was followed by some more. Even as Harry spoke 'Lumos' he saw the Patronuses begin to flicker and vanish gradually.
As the Dementors advanced, Harry could hear his mother crying. He could even hear Hermione's feeble attempts to create her Patronus. He mustered up a good thought of winning the Quidditch Cup and yelled EXPECTO PATRONUM. A silvery mist floated in front of him.
EXPECTO PATRONUM. He could hear his mother pleading for mercy …
His chest was beginnning to pain slightly. He saw Sirius falling through the veil and froze to the spot.
As the Dementors advanced, not caring for his chest pain he gave a loud shout, EVERYBODY THINK OF GOOD THOUGHTS.
Four Dementors were advancing on him now, he could hear Mrs. Weasley shriek and fall with a thud. He closed his eyes praying and his thoughts became worse.
The pain in his chest was rising slowly, he shouldn't have yelled. His dad was yelling at his mother to run, Snape was telling him off, he was falling from his Nimbus onto the ground.
As the form of Harry Potter on a brand new Thunderbolt holding the small Snitch, above a jubilant Gryffindor team swam into view, Harry summoned all his strength.
EXPECTO PATRONUM.
A sharp spearlike spasm of pain shot through Harry's chest and he began to massage it forcefully as his legs buckled but he forced himself to remain standing.
A silver stag erupting from his wand successfully knocked out two of the advancing Dementors. The other two made for the fallen Aurors. As he stepped forward he could feel Ginny twitching horribly gainst his leg. As the Dementors fell back, in the light of his Patronus, he could see the outline of the massive form of Hagrid lying on the floor, very still. He forced his watery eyes onto his Patronus. Six Aurors had produced Patronuses which were still traversing on the top of what Harry realized were bodies. His insides melted and he pressed every bit of himself to think of Quidditch.
The Patronuses were keeping the Dementors from advancing quickly but the number of Dementors was quite large. He tried to think but his mind wouldn't work.
As his silvery stag ran through his body charging at the Dementors at the back, he felt contented and warm and that gave him an idea. He commanded the stag to run through his friends and then the Aurors who were trying very hard to conjure up Patronuses. Suddenly, he felt an otter rush through him. Turning around he saw Hermione, she returned a weak smile. Looking at the ground, he found Ron still shivering badly unable to conjure a Patronus.
Harry's eyes lit up even as his chest gave a shiver as his stag ran through some more Aurors knocking Dementors and two more Patronuses shot up, a lion and a giraffe. The other Aurors grasped the point and some directed their Patronuses towards their colleagues. Slowly more and more Patronuses originated as Aurors woke up.
He yelled out again to think of good thoughts and that the Dementors were retreating. Next he directed the stag onto his friends. The pain in his chest was much more now and he was scrubbing it with both hands, trying hard not to drop his wand. It was proving difficult to arrest the pain now. His legs buckled again and this time he dropped to the floor, his face twisted with intense concentration as he fought to control the pain.
As his stag and Hermione's otter ran through the others, Ginny shuddered and opened her eyes, and closed it again. Fred could only manage a silver mist before he sank back onto the ground. Mrs. Weasley was shaking badly. His hand was still massaging his paining chest like clockwork but the pain seemed to increase stubbornly.
Even as he looked around, around forty Patronuses were swimming in his view and the Dementors had stopped advancing. But Harry was tired enough, the pain in his chest was not interested in subsiding. He most unwillingly lay down. The chest pain stopped increasing but his scar had started to burn. He muffled his yell by stuffing his fist in his mouth knowing that anymore shouting would rip apart his ribs.
Rubbing his burning scar with his wand hand, massaging his chest with the other, the last thing he ever saw was the fearful face of Arthur Weasley and four Aurors as they came into view and began to fade away.
Even as he twitched about horribly as the throbbing in his scar became worse, he could make out a huge silvery phoenix fluttering directly above his head He barely saw the outline of somebody lift a wand and a jet of white light zooming towards him.
As the cold lifted and the spell hit him on his face, all his thoughts were sucked away, every muscle of his body loosened only blackness remained.
The next moment Harry Potter was lying motionless on the floor of Florean Fortescue Parlour. He didn't even move as somebody dropped beside him and began massaging his chest. He didn't even sense the frightened look of Hermione Granger, nor see the calm face of Albus Dumbledore, last of all the awed faces of the other Aurors.
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* deep breath *
Hermione forgets about NEWTs and OWLs (last chapter).
This is not an error. Ginny had answered Fourteen OWLs and Ron had looked at her oddly.
Hint: What can you sum up when Miss Studious started forgetting about studies?
I hope I covered up the previous delay by writing this chapter. How waz et? ;-)
Please do mail your thoughts, suggestions, personal (related to the story ;-) questions (answers), ideas to to karthiks@gawab.com. Though my exams have neared, I will surely reply as fast as I can.
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