Chapter Three: Diagon Alley

Harry sighed as he collapsed into the room he shared with Ron.

It had been an extremely tiring day.

After the Sorting Hat incident in Dumbledore's office, it had taken Minako and Harry three more tries to land correctly in Diagon Alley.

From there, everything went downhill.

Minako and Hermione both had constant arguments over their points of views on different things, they ended up running into Draco Malfoy, who shamelessly flirted with the oblivious raven-haired girl, then, he and Harry had gotten into a fight, ending with:

Harry now had a split lip, three large bruises on his left arm, five on his right, and an extremely aching stomach.

Hermione had cast a spell to cover up the wounds so that Mrs. Weasley wouldn't freak out. It didn't help him that Minako had beat him in the head repeatedly for 'being such an idiot that you would get into a fight over something so trivial as a Quidditch match.'

'Little does she know, it was more about her.' Harry grumbled in his head. This was so not going well. He was really glad that he was going to be at Hogwarts in just a few hours.

Dinner had already ended and Minako was yet again drinking out of that small Capri-Sun pouch of hers. What was even in that thing? Did he even want to know?

'That girl.' She intrigued Harry. She was such a mystery. He never knew what she was going to do. Harry grimaced and shivered at the thought of what had happened when they had taken a break at the Leaky Cauldron for a drink.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat in a booth, butterbeers in front of all three of them.

Hermione was going on about how much she had studied while she was on her vacation in China. The Chinese wizards had a totally different perspective on life and death then they in Britain did.

Harry laughed at some of the stories she had. He stopped when she pulled out a package and handed it to him.

"Here, Harry. I got this as a late birthday present for you since I wasn't here to give it to you."

Harry blinked and took it. He smiled. "Thanks, 'Mione! It means a lot to me that you thought of me while you were in China. By the way, do they have those Amazon warriors there? If they do, did you get to see one?"

Hermione had to laugh at her best friend's expression. He always was one to want to know about anything foreign.

Harry had said that he wanted to be an auror for his future career. Then he would be able to travel, and do all kinds of cool stuff. Yet, he knew that there was going to be a lot of work involved.

Hermione smiled. "Sorry Harry. But, did you forget that the Amazons died out? Didn't you read that book I gave you last year?"

Harry looked sheepish and she knew he hadn't.

Hermione sighed. "You are hopeless, Harry."

Harry smiled innocently. Something he did very easily. It fooled many people.

The only people it didn't fool were: Minako, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Fred and George, Percy, Ron's parents, and any of the teachers that had known Harry for more than five seconds.

Harry was anything but innocent.

Ron laughed. "Drop the innocent look, mate! It don't work on Mione and me!"

Harry had to laugh with this. "Yeah, guess you're right. By the way, Ron, thanks so much for stealing me from the Dursley's. That summer was becoming hell!"

The other two sighed.

"So, Harry. Who was that girl that came out of the fireplace with you?" Hermione asked.

"Who?"

"Y'know, the girl with the raven hair and purple eyes? The one who came out of the fireplace of the Leaky Cauldron with you?"

Harry gasped. "Oh yeah, you mean Minako Yami, the girl with the paranoia complex?"

Ron laughed. "That's a nice way to put it, mate. But…what do you mean, 'paranoia complex'?"

Harry sighed. "You mean you don't know what a paranoia complex is, Ron?"

Ron looked clueless.

Harry sighed for what seemed to be the fifty-millionth time that day. "Ron, a paranoia complex is a psychotic disorder characterized by delusions of persecution with or without grandeur, often strenuously defended with apparent logic and reason. It could also mean an extreme, irrational distrust of others. If you take both of those, I'd say you had our little exchange student in a nutshell."

Ron snickered, and Hermione was shocked.

"Harry James Potter, that's not a very nice thing to say! Though, I am quite surprised that you know exactly what a paranoia complex is."

Harry shrugged.

Ron suddenly stopped sniggering, and pointed over Harry's shoulder.

Harry groaned. "She's right behind me, isn't she?"

The other two nodded.

Harry looked up, and smiled innocently.

Minako smiled back innocently as well, and then said in a voice coated with feigned sugar. "Potter-san, I would appreciate it if you would not insult me behind my back. Especially when I'm right behind you."

The teen gulped and nodded. 'Man, she can be scary.'

Harry groaned. 'I'm bored.'

The raven-headed wizard rose from his bed, and walked slowly over to the window. He leaned crossed arms on the windowsill, the window already being open.

Harry's emerald-green eyes searched quickly over the dark forest… 'Oh well, I'll just go take a walk.'

He made sure to stay away from the forest.

:Morning:

Harry, near dawn, climbed in through the window of Ron's room, only to hear….

"Ahem."

Harry turned, and saw Mrs. Weasley.

"Um, morning, Mrs. Weasley!" Harry smiled cheerfully.

"Now, Harry, what were you doing sneaking in through the window at this time of the morning?" Mrs. Weasley's foot tapped impatiently, and Harry knew he was in trouble.

"Um, just went for a walk in the forest. Nothing happened, I swear!" Harry gave Mrs. Weasley his most honest and adorable look, and Mrs. Weasley visibly melted.

"Okay, Harry dear, but…don't do that again! Ron woke up in the middle of the night and found that you were gone! I've been sitting here all night waiting for you to come back!"

"Sorry, Mrs. Weasley. It won't happen again." Harry promised.

Mrs. Weasley smiled, then left. "Oh, Harry, get your trunk downstairs as soon as possible, we're leaving for the train station in one hour!" Mrs. Weasley called to Harry over her shoulder.

Little did she know, Harry's fingers had been crossed when he'd made his promise.

A/N: Well, there's the end of this chapter. Sorry, I was really busy with…stuff. Not going into detail. Please read and review!

Sincerely, Kit.