Part Seven: To Diagon Alley
The Great Hall was lit up like a candle from the enchanted ceiling, the suns rays filling the entire room. Teenagers lounged at their House tables, bagels and other breakfast foods halfway to their mouths. The Headmaster, Snape and Professor McGonagall were the only teachers at the Head table. Snape had a sour look on his face, and was watching McGonagall as if she were the worst thing since swiss cheese (I hate that stuff). Dumbledore was watching Snape with a bemused smile and his eyes twinkled gayly. He was pretty relaxed for someone who had told seven boys they were fated to save the world the night before.
Gryffindor's Golden Boy, the famous Harry Potter, and the new student Heero Yuy walked into the Great Hall early, Hermione Granger directly behind them. Ron Weasley, a familiar part of the Gryffindor Trio, was noticably missing. Harry led his friends to an empty section of the Gryffindor table and sat down, Heero on his left, Hermione on his right. Before they could start eating, Gryffindor 5th year Ginny Weasley rushed into the Hall and slipped into the seat directly infront of Harry. She grinned at the Boy Who Lived and began buttering a piece of toast. Harry smiled back tightly. He suspected that Ginny still liked him, even after her Michael Corner stint.
Heero ignored the new comer and began to gather eggs, bacon and toast onto his plate sparingly, then started to eat it mechanically and efficiently, one section at a time. Hermione stared for a moment, then also began to eat. Harry followed soon after, only interrupted by the arrival of Ron and Seamus Finnigan. The two Gryffindor's came in and sat near the others. Seamus shoved a rolled up pancake into his mouth, and heartily began eating eveything else at top speed, but Ron stood up again and approached Harry.
"Harry?" Ron said softly. "Harry, I'm sorry I didn't wait for you to answer me last night."
"What do you mean?" Harry asked, finally turning to look at his supposed friend.
Ron smiled indulgently. "I apologize for not giving you time to explain yourself. I know you wouldn't have anything to do with a Malfoy. You either, Hermione," he said.
Hermione and Harry looked a bit surprised, then resigned. "Ron, you're being pigheaded again. Honestly, must you--" Hermione was interrupted by Trowa and Quatre's entrance into the Great Hall, followed by Wufei. They approached the Gryffindor table and saluted Heero, then sat down, Trowa and Quatre on the left of Ginny, and Wufei on her right.
"03 reporting," Trowa said.
"04 reporting." "05 reporting."
"Let's hear it," Heero said.
"Hufflepuff House is very...muted. No loud colors or loud people. The Hufflepuffs are very subdued but friendly," Quatre said. Trowa just nodded, having the same to report. Quatre decided it would be prudent not to mention Relina Pemberton-Dorci.
"Ravenclaw is very quiet. Not many say much because they are all studying something or other," Wufei said. Heero nodded, contemplating. Finally, he looked up.
"I need blue prints of each common room and dorm. Make five copies so everyone can have one. I'll make one and give it to you. When Duo arrives, inform him of the new developments," Heero said.
"Sir!" the three answered. Trowa and Quatre relaxed against each other, and Wufei began picking curiously at a plate of roasted apples, something he'd never seen before. Previously ignored, Ron spoke again.
"Look, Harry, I know I said I'd give you a chance and all, but all these people are friends of that boy, and--" Ron was interrupted by three people entering the Great Hall. Draco Malfoy, Duo Maxwell, and Blaise Zabini waltzed in, Draco and Blaise looking as elegant as ever, and Duo grinning like it was Christmas.
"Morning, all," Draco drawled, gliding elegantly toward the Gryffindor House table. Blaise just nodded to everyone but Ron, and Duo ran up to Heero and threw his arms around him. Draco and Blaise slid into seats beside Hermione.
"Mornin', Hee-chan!" he cried happily, giving Heero a big kiss on the cheek. "How's my little soldier doin'?" Heero grimaced as Duo began cooing loudly into his ear. Finally, he snapped and pushed the braided boy away.
"New mission information, Duo. Go see Wufei about it and leave me alone," he said monotonously. Duo pouted cutely, but obeyed, slipping into the seat beside Wufei to talk. Everyone at the table settled back into their routines, completely forgetting poor Ron again.
"That's IT!" the redhead exploded, throwing his hands in the air and drawing the stares of most of the Great Hall. "I've tried to be patient, Harry, but every time I try to forgive you, these people--" Here he pointed at Duo, Heero and the others. "--interrupt me. And to top all that, Malfoy is sitting at the Gryffindor table. Last chance, Harry. What in the hell is going on!?"
Harry stopped eating his toast and turned in his seat to look at the agitated Weasley, a cold look in his usually sparkling green eyes. "You want to know what's going on, Ron?" he said. Ron nodded. "You really want to know?" The redhead nodded again, this time warily. "Well, I'll tell you. I am friends with Draco Malfoy now. We got to know each other a bit better yesterday, and he's not as much of a prat as he was before. Besides that, Hermione became firm friends with him over the summer, and knows him better than any of us ever will. I think her opinion is worth something." Harry pinned Ron with a hard glare and continued.
"And Heero here is a fellow Gryffindor. He's brave, like us. Courageous, like us. And unbaised, like you used to be. He is friends with Duo, Trowa, Quatre and Wufei, making them subsequently my friends. And yes, Duo is a Slytherin, just like the dreaded Draco Malfoy," he said. "Blaise is okay, and even if we don't quite trust him, Draco does. So I believe it's time you got off your self righteous high horse and apologize to all of us properly, or I might just give Draco free reign to do what's necessary to keep you in line. Comprende?"
Ron stared at Harry as if he'd lost all sanity. Hermione took it the wrong way, resulting in adding her own jab. "It's Spanish, Ronnikins. It means 'do you understand'," she said, smirking. "And another thing. Draco, Duo and the guys are wonderful people. You mess with them, you mess with me."
Absolute quiet settled over the Hall, then the redhead exploded for a second time. "What the HELL is WRONG with you people?!!! First you tell me you're friends with Malfoy, then you tell me you're friends with the long haired nancy boy too. Now you're telling me that Hermione's a sellout? I thought I meant more to you than that, 'Mione!" he yelled. "I don't know WHAT kind of immoral things you were doing with Malfoy over the summer, but I thought you knew better than th--" Ron was cut off by a strong hand clamped tightly around his throat, effectively cutting off his air supply. His wide blue eyes bulged as he gasped for oxygen. Heero was on his feet, his hand clamped around Ron's neck.
"What did you call Duo?" he asked softly and quietly, not moving any muscles but the ones on his face, and the ones in the hand clamped around the rude redhead's neck.
Defiantly, Ron's blue eyes blazed. "A long haired nancy boy," he wheezed proudly, even with his limited oxygen. Heero's dark eyes flashed as he stared at the redhead in astonishment. Several of the table's occupants gasped at the redhead's audacity.
"Be careful, Ron," Hermione said, betraying how much she still cared for the thick headed boy. "You don't know who you're messing with. He's a soldier."
"Pah! A soldier? Him? He's just a sixteen year old boy in denial," Ron taunted, gratified by the startled look in the Japanese boy's eyes. "What, you didn't think I noticed the little looks you sent that girly boy since last night? You're in love, Yuy, and it's disgusting!"
Hermione gasped again, this time along with Ginny, Draco and most of the others. Surprisingly, Draco was the one who stepped forward. "Love is love, Weasel. Don't ever cheapen it with you're petty insecurities and closemindedness. Some of us don't mind liking persons of the same sex."
"A nancy boy too, Malfoy?" Ron snarled, grinning cruelly. "How terribly fitting."
Draco and Heero snapped at the exact same moment. Heero threw Ron away from him so that he slammed into the Hufflepuff table, causing several of them to move away in fright. Draco stepped forward, a dangerous look in his eyes, and whipped out his wand.
"Ready to accept your punishment, Weasel?" he asked, raising the carved wood to directly before Ron's eyes. "Let's cover you with the dirt you are. Humare!" Suddenly, piles of rich, worm filled dirt appear over Ron's head and began to drop onto him, clinging to his robes and hair.
Ginny stepped forward and pulled out her own thin wand. She smiled grimly at her older brother. "Let's add a bit of water, hm?" she said softly. "Cataracta!" A gush of murky sewer water rushed onto the dirty Ron, turning him into a pile of foul mud. The Weasley sputtered in indignation and embarassment, wiping mud from his smoldering eyes. The famous Weasley temper was in evidence.
"Let me do the last one," came Harry's smooth, tightly controlled voice. He moved to the front of the group, pulling out his pheonix feather cored wand. He aimed squarely at Ron's lower areas. "Lightning spell okay?" he asked. Ron 'eep'ed and everyone else laughed.
"No, Harry. It's okay," said Quatre, Trowa close behind. "Let the poor boy go."
"Quatre, this is no time for compassion--" Wufei began angrily.
The petit blond spun on him. "Do you think I'm being compassionate?" he asked, laughing sardonically. "No. I just believe that leaving him to Duo and Heero would be better. A bonding experience, in a way."
"Yeah, leave 'im to us," Duo said coldly, standing and moving beside Heero. They both smirked evilly, rivaling even the famous Malfoy expression of contempt and malevolence.
Suddenly, a scolding voice interrupted the little show. "I'm afraid Mr.Weasley will not be left to anyone," said the familiar voice of Dumbledore.
"Damn," muttered Snape, who stood a few feet behind the headmaster.
"Don't you have Time Tables to pass out, Severus?" Dumbledore asked pointedly. The greasy haired Potions Master 'harrumph'ed but turned away and began handing the Slytherins their class schedules. Dumbledore focused all his attention on the group of teens before him. He pointed his wand at Ron. "Scourgify!" he said, waving the carved wood at the muddy boy. Ron was instantly cleaner, but still had several dirty smudges on his face and robes.
"Thank you, Professor," the youngest Weasley boy said, pushing himself unsteadily to his feet.
"Don't thank me, Mr.Weasley. Thank Ms.Susan Bones for informing me of the situation. If she had not, you, Mr.Yuy and Mr.Maxwell might have done something irrational, and I'd be giving them two weeks detention with Filch along with you," the headmaster said. Ron sighed in relief. "Luckily, I only have to give you the detentions. Isn't that nice?"
"Smashing, sir," Ron murmured, his mind suddenly taking a holiday.
"I believe spending the rest of the day in Gryffindor Tower sounds quite good. Don't you agree, Mr.Weasley?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes, quite," Ron said mechanically. He stood and jerkily made his way out of the Great Hall.
"What did you do to him, Headmaster Dumbledore?" Hermione asked.
"An advanced form of premature mind control. Another skill I acquired in my old age," said Dumbledore. At the looks on his students' faces, he smiled. "It is perfectly legal, I assure you." With the headmaster's assurance, the group of teens relaxed. "Now, to the reason I've approached you. I believe today would be the ideal time to go to Diagon Alley for school supplies."
"Yes! I knew it! May I go, Professor?" Hermione piped up quickly. Dumbledore didn't even look slightly surprised.
"Of course, Ms.Granger. In truth, I had planned for five of my students from yesterday to escort each of the foreign exchange students. Mitchell Pemberton will not be going, since he arrived from Beauxbatons and already has his school things," Dumbledore informed them. "I will allow you to choose who you wish to escort you, and Severus will accompany you to the Alley as adult supervision. Is this understood?"
"Of course, Professor. We'll be fine," said Harry.
"Good. I'll leave you to yourselves now. Check in with Severus when you are ready to go," Dumbledore replied. He smiled at his students and glided away.
"So, who do you wanna go with?" Harry asked immediately, turning to Hermione.
"If I could, I'd like to go with Draco. I haven't gotten a chance to talk to him face to face much since we became friends," she said, grinning at the blond Slytherin.
"We can talk later, Hermione," Draco said. "I've got plans."
Hermione looked thoughtful for a moment, then smiled. "Alright. I guess I'll go with Wufei, then. I believe he will enjoy exploring Flourish and Blotts."
"Good. I will accompany Yuy. It seems we need to have a discussion," Draco said. "Agreed, Yuy?"
"Hn," Heero said, but nodded his head anyway.
"I would like to go with Miss Virginia Weasley," said Quatre. Though slightly displeased (she wanted to go with Harry), Ginny nodded and smiled at the small blond.
"Guess I'll go with Blaise," Trowa said. The dark haired Slytherin nodded cooly.
"Well, it's me and you Harry Potter," Duo said happily. "We'll have ever so much fun!"
"Uh, sure," Harry said, throwing an unsure look to Hermione. The bushy haired girl just grinned and mouthed 'Don't worry.'
"We better get Snape. The sooner we're gone the sooner we're back," said Ginny. The others nodded, and all of them moved toward the Potions professor.
"Professor?" Draco said, being the only one aside from Blaise brave enough to willingly speak to the professor.
"Yes, Mr.Malfoy?" he said, turning and allowing a sardonic smirk to slip onto his sallow face.
"Potter and the others are ready to be taken to Diagon Alley," Draco answered. Snape just nodded once and swept out of the Great Hall. Draco glided after him, the others hurrying behind. Outside of the Great Hall, Snape moved through the Entrance Hall to the Staff Room. Once inside, he headed for the fireplace and grabbed a pouch of some dust from the mantle.
"Floo Powder. Who's first," he snapped, as the other teens filed into the room.
Heero and Duo stepped forward. "We are!" Duo said excitedly. Without further ado, he shoved one eager hand into the pouch and pulled out a hand full of green dust. Flinging it into the flames, which flared green, he stepped into them, pulling Heero with him. "Diagon Alley!" he yelled clearly, and promptly disappeared.
"Next," Snape said coldly, studying the pale face of one of the exchange students. "How about you?" he said to the small blond, smirking satisfactorily as the pale boy began to tremble. "It's quite easy. Just throw the dust into the fire and say your destination clearly."
"A-alright," Quatre said, stepping forward. A warm hand grabbed onto his, and the petit blond looked up into the loving green eyes of his boyfriend. "Thanks Trowa. Ready?"
Trowa nodded. He allowed Quatre to grab some dust and throw it into the fireplace, then dragged his boyfriend into the green flames and said," Diagon Alley!" The last that was seen of them was a swirling green scarf.
Wufei and Hermione stepped forward immediately, and disappeared not a moment later, going through the Floo process quickly and efficiently. Blaise and Ginny followed, the Weasley redhead's face rivalling her hair since she had to wrap an arm around the dark haired Slytherin's waist.
Snape, Harry and Draco looked at each other all at the same time, absolute silence reighning at the moment. Predictably, Harry broke it. "Guess it's me and you, Malfoy," he said, then blushed lightly and looked down. Draco shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably, uncharacteristically shy. Finally, the Slytherin Ice Prince grabbed a bit of Floo Powder and threw it into the fire. When it flared green, he grabbed Harry's hand tightly. "Ready, Potter?" he asked, a new challenge in his voice.
"Always," Harry said, grinning. They disappeared in a flash of green flame as Snape rolled his eyes.
~~~***~~~
Harry and Draco tumbled out of the fireplace located in the Leaky Cauldron, landing on the still tipped over Blaise and Ginny. The dark haired Slytherin was trying to shake the Weasley girl off his sleeve, where she clung in surprise and fright.
"It's just a bloody rat, for Merlin's sake! A rat, I say. You've seen them! Your ponce of a brother has one!" Blaise cried, swatting at the girl with more energy as she clung tighter. Ginny continued to shriek as the rat, which was small, with white fur and red eyes, scurried past. She finally relaxed her hold on Blaise, turning to see Harry and Draco dusting themselves off. She blushed bright red and scuttled behind Hermione.
"I say!" Blaise continued, as he examined his ragged and abused robe sleeve. "This was a pure Egyptian velvet robe, and she ruined it! I'd sue if I had any chance of getting more than a half-eaten bar of chocolate and a worn throw rug." Completely ignoring the glares thrown at him by Harry and Hermione, Blaise shook his robe sleeve once more, then sighed. "Guess I'll be visiting Madam Malkin's again. I'd rather it be Gladrags, but what can you do?" he said, shrugging.
Draco stepped in. "What in Salazar's name possessed you to wear pure Egyptian velvet on an outing to Diagon Alley?" he asked.
"I wasn't planning a trip out into the common world this morning, Draco. First day of school and Hogwarts was my playground," Blaise said. "That barmy old coot once again ruined my plans, so here I am, in velvet, in a common pub."
"First off, Dumbledore might be barmy, but that just adds to his genius," Hermione said.
"And second," Draco drawled. "Father and I stayed here plenty of times, with good service and decent meals."
"Glad you liked it, Master Malfoy," said a cheery voice. "This yours?" Everyone turned to see Tom, the proprietor, holding up a slightly singed and sooty Snape, a hip flask engraved with an elaborate 'S' clutched in the professor's hand. Snape was mumbling something about innuedo and the need to sleep. Then, Snape promptly passed out. "What should I do with him? He's pissed beyond anything," Tom said.
"Got a free room?" Duo asked. Tom nodded. "Drop the stiff in there and take care of him. We'll be back to pay for your help."
"Of course, Mr...." Tom began.
"Maxwell. Duo Maxwell. I run, I hide, I do every--" Duo was cut off by Heero's hand clamped over his mouth. He immediately licked the hand, startling the perfect soldier into letting go. "Seems we gotta go. Caio." And Duo led the other teens to the back of the establishment where they met a brick wall.
"Great. A dead end," Wufei said, annoyed.
"Wait. I know this one," Draco said, moving to the front of the group. He pulled out his wand and tapped a series of bricks on the wall. The wall shimmered as he put his wand away, then morphed into an archway. And the Gundam pilots got their first glimpse of Diagon Alley.
***Tsuzuku or TBC***
The Great Hall was lit up like a candle from the enchanted ceiling, the suns rays filling the entire room. Teenagers lounged at their House tables, bagels and other breakfast foods halfway to their mouths. The Headmaster, Snape and Professor McGonagall were the only teachers at the Head table. Snape had a sour look on his face, and was watching McGonagall as if she were the worst thing since swiss cheese (I hate that stuff). Dumbledore was watching Snape with a bemused smile and his eyes twinkled gayly. He was pretty relaxed for someone who had told seven boys they were fated to save the world the night before.
Gryffindor's Golden Boy, the famous Harry Potter, and the new student Heero Yuy walked into the Great Hall early, Hermione Granger directly behind them. Ron Weasley, a familiar part of the Gryffindor Trio, was noticably missing. Harry led his friends to an empty section of the Gryffindor table and sat down, Heero on his left, Hermione on his right. Before they could start eating, Gryffindor 5th year Ginny Weasley rushed into the Hall and slipped into the seat directly infront of Harry. She grinned at the Boy Who Lived and began buttering a piece of toast. Harry smiled back tightly. He suspected that Ginny still liked him, even after her Michael Corner stint.
Heero ignored the new comer and began to gather eggs, bacon and toast onto his plate sparingly, then started to eat it mechanically and efficiently, one section at a time. Hermione stared for a moment, then also began to eat. Harry followed soon after, only interrupted by the arrival of Ron and Seamus Finnigan. The two Gryffindor's came in and sat near the others. Seamus shoved a rolled up pancake into his mouth, and heartily began eating eveything else at top speed, but Ron stood up again and approached Harry.
"Harry?" Ron said softly. "Harry, I'm sorry I didn't wait for you to answer me last night."
"What do you mean?" Harry asked, finally turning to look at his supposed friend.
Ron smiled indulgently. "I apologize for not giving you time to explain yourself. I know you wouldn't have anything to do with a Malfoy. You either, Hermione," he said.
Hermione and Harry looked a bit surprised, then resigned. "Ron, you're being pigheaded again. Honestly, must you--" Hermione was interrupted by Trowa and Quatre's entrance into the Great Hall, followed by Wufei. They approached the Gryffindor table and saluted Heero, then sat down, Trowa and Quatre on the left of Ginny, and Wufei on her right.
"03 reporting," Trowa said.
"04 reporting." "05 reporting."
"Let's hear it," Heero said.
"Hufflepuff House is very...muted. No loud colors or loud people. The Hufflepuffs are very subdued but friendly," Quatre said. Trowa just nodded, having the same to report. Quatre decided it would be prudent not to mention Relina Pemberton-Dorci.
"Ravenclaw is very quiet. Not many say much because they are all studying something or other," Wufei said. Heero nodded, contemplating. Finally, he looked up.
"I need blue prints of each common room and dorm. Make five copies so everyone can have one. I'll make one and give it to you. When Duo arrives, inform him of the new developments," Heero said.
"Sir!" the three answered. Trowa and Quatre relaxed against each other, and Wufei began picking curiously at a plate of roasted apples, something he'd never seen before. Previously ignored, Ron spoke again.
"Look, Harry, I know I said I'd give you a chance and all, but all these people are friends of that boy, and--" Ron was interrupted by three people entering the Great Hall. Draco Malfoy, Duo Maxwell, and Blaise Zabini waltzed in, Draco and Blaise looking as elegant as ever, and Duo grinning like it was Christmas.
"Morning, all," Draco drawled, gliding elegantly toward the Gryffindor House table. Blaise just nodded to everyone but Ron, and Duo ran up to Heero and threw his arms around him. Draco and Blaise slid into seats beside Hermione.
"Mornin', Hee-chan!" he cried happily, giving Heero a big kiss on the cheek. "How's my little soldier doin'?" Heero grimaced as Duo began cooing loudly into his ear. Finally, he snapped and pushed the braided boy away.
"New mission information, Duo. Go see Wufei about it and leave me alone," he said monotonously. Duo pouted cutely, but obeyed, slipping into the seat beside Wufei to talk. Everyone at the table settled back into their routines, completely forgetting poor Ron again.
"That's IT!" the redhead exploded, throwing his hands in the air and drawing the stares of most of the Great Hall. "I've tried to be patient, Harry, but every time I try to forgive you, these people--" Here he pointed at Duo, Heero and the others. "--interrupt me. And to top all that, Malfoy is sitting at the Gryffindor table. Last chance, Harry. What in the hell is going on!?"
Harry stopped eating his toast and turned in his seat to look at the agitated Weasley, a cold look in his usually sparkling green eyes. "You want to know what's going on, Ron?" he said. Ron nodded. "You really want to know?" The redhead nodded again, this time warily. "Well, I'll tell you. I am friends with Draco Malfoy now. We got to know each other a bit better yesterday, and he's not as much of a prat as he was before. Besides that, Hermione became firm friends with him over the summer, and knows him better than any of us ever will. I think her opinion is worth something." Harry pinned Ron with a hard glare and continued.
"And Heero here is a fellow Gryffindor. He's brave, like us. Courageous, like us. And unbaised, like you used to be. He is friends with Duo, Trowa, Quatre and Wufei, making them subsequently my friends. And yes, Duo is a Slytherin, just like the dreaded Draco Malfoy," he said. "Blaise is okay, and even if we don't quite trust him, Draco does. So I believe it's time you got off your self righteous high horse and apologize to all of us properly, or I might just give Draco free reign to do what's necessary to keep you in line. Comprende?"
Ron stared at Harry as if he'd lost all sanity. Hermione took it the wrong way, resulting in adding her own jab. "It's Spanish, Ronnikins. It means 'do you understand'," she said, smirking. "And another thing. Draco, Duo and the guys are wonderful people. You mess with them, you mess with me."
Absolute quiet settled over the Hall, then the redhead exploded for a second time. "What the HELL is WRONG with you people?!!! First you tell me you're friends with Malfoy, then you tell me you're friends with the long haired nancy boy too. Now you're telling me that Hermione's a sellout? I thought I meant more to you than that, 'Mione!" he yelled. "I don't know WHAT kind of immoral things you were doing with Malfoy over the summer, but I thought you knew better than th--" Ron was cut off by a strong hand clamped tightly around his throat, effectively cutting off his air supply. His wide blue eyes bulged as he gasped for oxygen. Heero was on his feet, his hand clamped around Ron's neck.
"What did you call Duo?" he asked softly and quietly, not moving any muscles but the ones on his face, and the ones in the hand clamped around the rude redhead's neck.
Defiantly, Ron's blue eyes blazed. "A long haired nancy boy," he wheezed proudly, even with his limited oxygen. Heero's dark eyes flashed as he stared at the redhead in astonishment. Several of the table's occupants gasped at the redhead's audacity.
"Be careful, Ron," Hermione said, betraying how much she still cared for the thick headed boy. "You don't know who you're messing with. He's a soldier."
"Pah! A soldier? Him? He's just a sixteen year old boy in denial," Ron taunted, gratified by the startled look in the Japanese boy's eyes. "What, you didn't think I noticed the little looks you sent that girly boy since last night? You're in love, Yuy, and it's disgusting!"
Hermione gasped again, this time along with Ginny, Draco and most of the others. Surprisingly, Draco was the one who stepped forward. "Love is love, Weasel. Don't ever cheapen it with you're petty insecurities and closemindedness. Some of us don't mind liking persons of the same sex."
"A nancy boy too, Malfoy?" Ron snarled, grinning cruelly. "How terribly fitting."
Draco and Heero snapped at the exact same moment. Heero threw Ron away from him so that he slammed into the Hufflepuff table, causing several of them to move away in fright. Draco stepped forward, a dangerous look in his eyes, and whipped out his wand.
"Ready to accept your punishment, Weasel?" he asked, raising the carved wood to directly before Ron's eyes. "Let's cover you with the dirt you are. Humare!" Suddenly, piles of rich, worm filled dirt appear over Ron's head and began to drop onto him, clinging to his robes and hair.
Ginny stepped forward and pulled out her own thin wand. She smiled grimly at her older brother. "Let's add a bit of water, hm?" she said softly. "Cataracta!" A gush of murky sewer water rushed onto the dirty Ron, turning him into a pile of foul mud. The Weasley sputtered in indignation and embarassment, wiping mud from his smoldering eyes. The famous Weasley temper was in evidence.
"Let me do the last one," came Harry's smooth, tightly controlled voice. He moved to the front of the group, pulling out his pheonix feather cored wand. He aimed squarely at Ron's lower areas. "Lightning spell okay?" he asked. Ron 'eep'ed and everyone else laughed.
"No, Harry. It's okay," said Quatre, Trowa close behind. "Let the poor boy go."
"Quatre, this is no time for compassion--" Wufei began angrily.
The petit blond spun on him. "Do you think I'm being compassionate?" he asked, laughing sardonically. "No. I just believe that leaving him to Duo and Heero would be better. A bonding experience, in a way."
"Yeah, leave 'im to us," Duo said coldly, standing and moving beside Heero. They both smirked evilly, rivaling even the famous Malfoy expression of contempt and malevolence.
Suddenly, a scolding voice interrupted the little show. "I'm afraid Mr.Weasley will not be left to anyone," said the familiar voice of Dumbledore.
"Damn," muttered Snape, who stood a few feet behind the headmaster.
"Don't you have Time Tables to pass out, Severus?" Dumbledore asked pointedly. The greasy haired Potions Master 'harrumph'ed but turned away and began handing the Slytherins their class schedules. Dumbledore focused all his attention on the group of teens before him. He pointed his wand at Ron. "Scourgify!" he said, waving the carved wood at the muddy boy. Ron was instantly cleaner, but still had several dirty smudges on his face and robes.
"Thank you, Professor," the youngest Weasley boy said, pushing himself unsteadily to his feet.
"Don't thank me, Mr.Weasley. Thank Ms.Susan Bones for informing me of the situation. If she had not, you, Mr.Yuy and Mr.Maxwell might have done something irrational, and I'd be giving them two weeks detention with Filch along with you," the headmaster said. Ron sighed in relief. "Luckily, I only have to give you the detentions. Isn't that nice?"
"Smashing, sir," Ron murmured, his mind suddenly taking a holiday.
"I believe spending the rest of the day in Gryffindor Tower sounds quite good. Don't you agree, Mr.Weasley?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes, quite," Ron said mechanically. He stood and jerkily made his way out of the Great Hall.
"What did you do to him, Headmaster Dumbledore?" Hermione asked.
"An advanced form of premature mind control. Another skill I acquired in my old age," said Dumbledore. At the looks on his students' faces, he smiled. "It is perfectly legal, I assure you." With the headmaster's assurance, the group of teens relaxed. "Now, to the reason I've approached you. I believe today would be the ideal time to go to Diagon Alley for school supplies."
"Yes! I knew it! May I go, Professor?" Hermione piped up quickly. Dumbledore didn't even look slightly surprised.
"Of course, Ms.Granger. In truth, I had planned for five of my students from yesterday to escort each of the foreign exchange students. Mitchell Pemberton will not be going, since he arrived from Beauxbatons and already has his school things," Dumbledore informed them. "I will allow you to choose who you wish to escort you, and Severus will accompany you to the Alley as adult supervision. Is this understood?"
"Of course, Professor. We'll be fine," said Harry.
"Good. I'll leave you to yourselves now. Check in with Severus when you are ready to go," Dumbledore replied. He smiled at his students and glided away.
"So, who do you wanna go with?" Harry asked immediately, turning to Hermione.
"If I could, I'd like to go with Draco. I haven't gotten a chance to talk to him face to face much since we became friends," she said, grinning at the blond Slytherin.
"We can talk later, Hermione," Draco said. "I've got plans."
Hermione looked thoughtful for a moment, then smiled. "Alright. I guess I'll go with Wufei, then. I believe he will enjoy exploring Flourish and Blotts."
"Good. I will accompany Yuy. It seems we need to have a discussion," Draco said. "Agreed, Yuy?"
"Hn," Heero said, but nodded his head anyway.
"I would like to go with Miss Virginia Weasley," said Quatre. Though slightly displeased (she wanted to go with Harry), Ginny nodded and smiled at the small blond.
"Guess I'll go with Blaise," Trowa said. The dark haired Slytherin nodded cooly.
"Well, it's me and you Harry Potter," Duo said happily. "We'll have ever so much fun!"
"Uh, sure," Harry said, throwing an unsure look to Hermione. The bushy haired girl just grinned and mouthed 'Don't worry.'
"We better get Snape. The sooner we're gone the sooner we're back," said Ginny. The others nodded, and all of them moved toward the Potions professor.
"Professor?" Draco said, being the only one aside from Blaise brave enough to willingly speak to the professor.
"Yes, Mr.Malfoy?" he said, turning and allowing a sardonic smirk to slip onto his sallow face.
"Potter and the others are ready to be taken to Diagon Alley," Draco answered. Snape just nodded once and swept out of the Great Hall. Draco glided after him, the others hurrying behind. Outside of the Great Hall, Snape moved through the Entrance Hall to the Staff Room. Once inside, he headed for the fireplace and grabbed a pouch of some dust from the mantle.
"Floo Powder. Who's first," he snapped, as the other teens filed into the room.
Heero and Duo stepped forward. "We are!" Duo said excitedly. Without further ado, he shoved one eager hand into the pouch and pulled out a hand full of green dust. Flinging it into the flames, which flared green, he stepped into them, pulling Heero with him. "Diagon Alley!" he yelled clearly, and promptly disappeared.
"Next," Snape said coldly, studying the pale face of one of the exchange students. "How about you?" he said to the small blond, smirking satisfactorily as the pale boy began to tremble. "It's quite easy. Just throw the dust into the fire and say your destination clearly."
"A-alright," Quatre said, stepping forward. A warm hand grabbed onto his, and the petit blond looked up into the loving green eyes of his boyfriend. "Thanks Trowa. Ready?"
Trowa nodded. He allowed Quatre to grab some dust and throw it into the fireplace, then dragged his boyfriend into the green flames and said," Diagon Alley!" The last that was seen of them was a swirling green scarf.
Wufei and Hermione stepped forward immediately, and disappeared not a moment later, going through the Floo process quickly and efficiently. Blaise and Ginny followed, the Weasley redhead's face rivalling her hair since she had to wrap an arm around the dark haired Slytherin's waist.
Snape, Harry and Draco looked at each other all at the same time, absolute silence reighning at the moment. Predictably, Harry broke it. "Guess it's me and you, Malfoy," he said, then blushed lightly and looked down. Draco shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably, uncharacteristically shy. Finally, the Slytherin Ice Prince grabbed a bit of Floo Powder and threw it into the fire. When it flared green, he grabbed Harry's hand tightly. "Ready, Potter?" he asked, a new challenge in his voice.
"Always," Harry said, grinning. They disappeared in a flash of green flame as Snape rolled his eyes.
~~~***~~~
Harry and Draco tumbled out of the fireplace located in the Leaky Cauldron, landing on the still tipped over Blaise and Ginny. The dark haired Slytherin was trying to shake the Weasley girl off his sleeve, where she clung in surprise and fright.
"It's just a bloody rat, for Merlin's sake! A rat, I say. You've seen them! Your ponce of a brother has one!" Blaise cried, swatting at the girl with more energy as she clung tighter. Ginny continued to shriek as the rat, which was small, with white fur and red eyes, scurried past. She finally relaxed her hold on Blaise, turning to see Harry and Draco dusting themselves off. She blushed bright red and scuttled behind Hermione.
"I say!" Blaise continued, as he examined his ragged and abused robe sleeve. "This was a pure Egyptian velvet robe, and she ruined it! I'd sue if I had any chance of getting more than a half-eaten bar of chocolate and a worn throw rug." Completely ignoring the glares thrown at him by Harry and Hermione, Blaise shook his robe sleeve once more, then sighed. "Guess I'll be visiting Madam Malkin's again. I'd rather it be Gladrags, but what can you do?" he said, shrugging.
Draco stepped in. "What in Salazar's name possessed you to wear pure Egyptian velvet on an outing to Diagon Alley?" he asked.
"I wasn't planning a trip out into the common world this morning, Draco. First day of school and Hogwarts was my playground," Blaise said. "That barmy old coot once again ruined my plans, so here I am, in velvet, in a common pub."
"First off, Dumbledore might be barmy, but that just adds to his genius," Hermione said.
"And second," Draco drawled. "Father and I stayed here plenty of times, with good service and decent meals."
"Glad you liked it, Master Malfoy," said a cheery voice. "This yours?" Everyone turned to see Tom, the proprietor, holding up a slightly singed and sooty Snape, a hip flask engraved with an elaborate 'S' clutched in the professor's hand. Snape was mumbling something about innuedo and the need to sleep. Then, Snape promptly passed out. "What should I do with him? He's pissed beyond anything," Tom said.
"Got a free room?" Duo asked. Tom nodded. "Drop the stiff in there and take care of him. We'll be back to pay for your help."
"Of course, Mr...." Tom began.
"Maxwell. Duo Maxwell. I run, I hide, I do every--" Duo was cut off by Heero's hand clamped over his mouth. He immediately licked the hand, startling the perfect soldier into letting go. "Seems we gotta go. Caio." And Duo led the other teens to the back of the establishment where they met a brick wall.
"Great. A dead end," Wufei said, annoyed.
"Wait. I know this one," Draco said, moving to the front of the group. He pulled out his wand and tapped a series of bricks on the wall. The wall shimmered as he put his wand away, then morphed into an archway. And the Gundam pilots got their first glimpse of Diagon Alley.
***Tsuzuku or TBC***