Disclaimer: You guessed it, I own nothing.
Note to readers: I'm really sorry this chapter took so long to write. I meant to have it out earlier, but I went on vacation and didn't get a chance to write it. If it seems a little rushed, you're probably right, I guess I did rush a bit. Thank you so much for all the reviews, we're up to four! (I haven't got a single bad review so far.) You're all so wonderful. Here are some personal thanks:
To Kiota )- Thank you for liking my story and wanting to continue reading it. I'll continue writing it for the kind readers like you.
To Fire ) -Thank you for being my most loving (and lovable) reader. I wish I had more readers and reviewers like you (your review is very cheering). I'm glad you like my story and I know you will write amazing stories.
And especially to Tess ) – Thank you ever so much for being my favorite, most loyal, and kind (and first) reader. I especially want to thank you for coming back to read the second chapter, and review it. I absolutely love your story "Face the Truth" and hope to see the third chapter out soon. I can't wait to read it. The second chapter was quite a cliffhanger.
Chapter 3: Just a Mention
Harry was awoken a few hours later by yet another 'BANG' of the bus landing at yet another destination and Stan nudging him gently on his shoulder.
"'Arry. 'Ey, 'arry, wake up," he muttered in a hushed voice. "We're almos' teh London."
"Wha—...? Oh... er, thanks, Stan," Harry said in a half-yawn, rubbing at his eyes.
Stan sat down on the bed across from Harry, sitting up uneasily straight. As Harry looked up at him, he noticed that he looked very nervous. Harry got the strange and uneasy feeling that Stan was thinking of Rita Skeeter's article last year, "HARRY POTTER 'DISTURBED AND DANGEROUS'" because of his outburst only a few hours ago. Harry smiled an apologetic sort of smile, and Stan cheered up slightly.
"Another 'Ogwarts student woss on the bus t'day," Stan said, still a little nervous, in attempt to start conversation. "She looked 'bout yer age."
"Who was it? Did you get a name?" Harry said leaning forward with interest, immediately thinking of Hermione.
Stan shook his head. "Naah, didn't get a name. Strange enuff, she came alone. We's dropped 'er off at the Leaky Cauldron jus' b'fore we picked up 'choo."
"What's so strange about coming alone?" Harry asked, slightly curious because he too came alone.
"Well, when we's picked 'er up she wasn't alone. Someone was waiting wit' 'er. Probably 'er dad," Stan frowned. "She even turned to say good-bye, but 'e Apperated b'fore she could, the rude prat. The girl was real polite though, an' quiet. Barely said a word."
Harry leaned back in disappointment. He knew that if the girl's father could Apperate she couldn't be Hermione.
"Well, what did she look like?" Harry asked to keep the conversation going.
Stan furrowed his brow in thought. "She woss very pale..." he said slowly, as though trying to remember. "...'Ad blonde hair with red stripes... an' really dark blue eyes..." He suddenly grinned at Harry with a devilishly knowing look. "She woss quite the looker."
Harry frowned and shook his head with embarrassment, answering quickly, "I don't think I know her. Are you sure she goes to Hogwarts?"
"Well, now thacha men'ion it, she 'ad just a bit of an accent. Not much, but a'little," Stan said, furrowing his brow again. "Probably French, but she was readin' a 'Ogwarts supplies list." He shrugged.
The Bus came to a bumpy stop with a final 'BANG' and three muggle cars had to jump out of the way as it parked. "London! Leaky Cauldron!" Ernie called out.
Harry got up and Stan helped him with his trunk. They placed it down on the puddle-scattered front of the Leaky Cauldron and Stan turned to get back on the bus. As he stepped in the doorway he called back to Harry, "Take care'a yehself, 'arry. Be careful out thair."
Harry waved as the doors to the bus slammed shut, the bus starting to pull away and he called back, "I will." That was starting to become an automatic answer, whether it was true or not. He watched the bus until it turned a corner and was out of his sight, but he could hear it 'BANG' once more, and disappear. He heaved his trunk into the grimy, dimly lit pub, thin streams of white light peeking through the boarded windows and onto the dusty floor and tables. He wondered absently about the girl on the Knight Bus, but she was soon forgotten as he saw a group of redheaded people sitting at a table nearby. Harry recognized them at once as the Weasleys. He set down his trunk and walked up behind a tall, lanky boy, who he soon recognized as Ron. Harry leaned closer to him and quickly clapped a hand to Ron's shoulder.
"Hey, Ron!" Harry yelled loudly and cheerfully, right by Ron's ear.
Ron promptly fell over backwards with surprise, which was exactly the reaction Harry was going for. Ron instantly leapt to his feet with only a moment of hesitance before he spoke.
"Harry! I didn't think you'd get here! I sent an owl with Errol, but I didn't think you'd get it in time." This was the Ron who Harry knew so well, always wanting to be a good friend, and never disappoint anyone, always the same.
"I didn't," Harry replied, grinning. "I just came to London on the Knight Bus. I was hoping you'd be here."
At that, Mrs. Weasley rounded upon Harry. "You went on the Knight Bus? Alone? Oh, you poor dear." She pulled out a hairbrush from her handbag and tried to comb Harry's untidy hair. He didn't mind, for he hadn't gotten any motherly attention since the last time he had seen Mrs. Weasley at the third task, which wasn't exactly an affair he wanted to remember, but Ron obviously did mind.
"Mum, get off him," Ron groaned, pulling Harry away from Mrs. Weasley. "We need to go find Hermione."
"Fine," Mrs. Weasley said with a sigh, "but try to do something productive while you're out. Get more of the supplies on your list... find your father and brothers..."
"Yes, Mum," Ron groaned as he pulled Harry out of the Leaky Cauldron and out to the brick wall, leaving a worried Mrs. Weasley and a blushing Ginny behind. Ron tapped a brick on the wall with his wand (three up, two across), muttering to himself ("...you'd never think I became a prefect, the way she treats me...") and the entrance to Diagon Ally appeared before them.
If Harry thought the gawking and whispering at Hogwarts was bad, he was terribly mistaken. It seemed that the Tri Wizard Tournament had made him even more famous, and a little feared. It'd made him infamous. The crowds practically parted as they walked down the packed cobblestone street, the summer sun glaring down on their heads. A group of what looked like third-year girls had started to follow Harry and Ron, pointing and whispering. Harry started to turn around to tell the girls off, but he and Ron suddenly heard a familiar voice behind them.
"HARRY! RON!" Hermione called shrilly down the street. Harry ran over to her with Ron at his heels, both quite glad to get away from the fan club following them. Hermione met them halfway. She was standing on the balls of her feet with excitement.
"Oh, I'm so glad we met up here! The summer holidays seemed so long! I felt like I'd never see you two again! Though I can't wait to get back to school, this being fifth year and all, with O.W.L.s this year..." This was the Hermione Harry had always known and loved for the good friend that she was. She was always ready to get back to school, but always a watching out for him and Ron, always the same.
"Speak for yourself, Hermione. I could go for another few months of holidays," Ron spoke up glumly.
Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron and continued, "We better get to Gringotts so we can buy our school things."
Hermione turned and started down the street toward the large marble building with Ron walking along beside her. Harry walked just behind Ron, listening to them talking together, finding himself slightly surprised that they had both become prefects as he distantly took in their conversation and their displaying of their badges to one another, but he gradually slowed as he looked at the different shops. This was his fourth time in Diagon Ally, and he had seen quite a lot of it, but everything here was always more interesting the more times you looked at it, as was one of the many beauties of the wizarding world. Nothing stays the same – not really.
Ron and Hermione soon got farther and farther ahead of Harry, but it escaped his notice. He was giving a passing glance to the brightly colored umbrellas of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor when he came to the entrance of Nocturn Ally. A pained expression spread across his face as he saw a knobby old wizard selling Powered Acromantula Fangs for fifteen sickles each near the entrance, shaking the bottles of the sickly-looking powder at any unfortunate person to pass by. Harry began to quicken his pace, wanting to put as much space between the Acromantula Fangs and himself as possible, but a hint of blue and red he saw out of the corner of his eye made him stop.