"I'm sorry!"
Emerald trotted through the crowd of Diagon Alley, trying to keep up with the boy who was so desperately trying to get away from her. Harry, Ron, Khalida, Anime and Mercury kept just behind, the blue haired girl stuffing her fist in her mouth as she tried to hold back her manic laughter. The escapee couldn't get too far ahead from the blonde before she managed to grab his shoulder and spin him round, surprising the both of them. Harry and Ron caught up with Emerald and the boy she was so desperate to catch. Ron was acting like Anime in that he was resisting the urge to grant himself a chuckle. Neville Longbottom, a hapless boy in their year and House at Hogwarts was sporting a new hair-do, courtesy of Emerald and her experimentation of wands. His dark hair had only just about stopped burning, although it still smouldered quite satisfactorily.
Emerald shifted her feet uncomfortably. "I'm sorry. I didn't know the wand would shoot fire out like that. I really didn't mean to burn your hair like that."
Neville, who looked very much as uncomfortable as Emerald and considerably paler, shook his head, making pretty patterns with the thin columns of smoke that still floated from his head. "T..That's alright. I mean, one of the wands I tested when I first got my wand blew up a whole shelf of wands..."
Anime couldn't help herself and burst out into a full fit of giggles. Ron followed soon after, shaking his head. "Sorry, Neville! I know it must be frightening, but it IS funny, you have to admit, mate."
Neville blushed brightly and tried to pout and Emerald looked ready to burn Ron too. Anime managed to stop herself laughing long enough to put an arm around the shoulders of Neville and Emerald. "You two are just too much! Lighten up, or you'll bust a vein with your worry!"
"We have good reason to, Ani-chan. Neville's hair is crispy fried and I didn't exactly make a good first impression by burning a student's hair and half a store, either."
Anime simply waved a hand nonchalantly. "So what? Merc flew through the window and SY-chan and I blew up half the store whilst testing our wands."
"That comment fails to comfort me, somehow..." Emerald muttered.
Anime simply chuckled and grabbed Neville and Emerald by the hand, dragging them along at the alley. "I know what'll cheer us up!"
Minutes later, Anime threw her fist in the air, beaming like Christmas came early. "Now THAT'S an ice cream sundae!"
What was placed in front of Anime could be classed as a piece of culinary art. A sundae glass at least a foot tall was filled with layer after layer of custard, sponge cake, chocolate fudge, strawberry syrup, and vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice cream. To top is all off, a flock of swans sculpted out of whipped cream, a whole strawberry and a generous helping of hazelnuts crowned the glorious dessert. The girls and boys didn't know whether it was meant for eating or display. All around, little children were gaping jealously at the dessert to end all desserts. Without wasting any time at all, Anime grabbed a spoon off the table and begun shovelling the cream into her mouth. The others, on the other hand, opted for ice cream floats or soft drinks. Harry took a sip of his own drink before speaking.
"So, what was the name of the school you went to? In Cairo." he asked.
"We were privately tutored." Khalida answered, being the first to swallow her drink.
"Really? Could they do that in Cairo, then?" Ron asked.
"Yes." Mercury answered shortly. "Special licensing laws."
"Oh..."
The atmosphere created soon became thick enough for Anime to eat through. Emerald took a nervous sip of her own float and decided to break the ice. "So... Harry? What's Hogwarts like?"
Harry beamed. "Hogwarts is the best. Ron knows I may be biased, but really, it is great."
"So what does the school look like?" Khalida asked.
"It's a big old castle. Loads of people get lost in it in their first year, but you find your way around quick enough." Ron answered. "And there's the lake, the Quidditch pitch and the Forbidden Forest."
"Forbidden Forest?"
"It's out of bounds to all students. It's a dangerous forest with werewolves and centaurs, though they aren't so bad..."
"Sounds like fun!" Khalida exclaimed, eyes beaming.
"Not as fun as you would think..." Harry muttered, sipping his drink. "But... the lessons are good enough, and same with the professors. Transfiguration is tough if you get on MacGonagall's bad side, Potions is a nightmare with Snape if you're not a Slytherin. Charms, Herbology and Astrology are alright."
Khalida pouted and poked the lump of ice cream in her soda with her straw. "They sound okay..." she mumbled slowly.
"But there's loads others." Neville spoke for the first time since ordering his juice. "Herbology is the easiest subject, but there's also Divination and Care for Magical Creatures."
Khalida drew her eyes up. "Magical Creatures?"
"Yeah, Hagrid is a great teacher. In his first year of teaching, he got us Hippogriffs and Harry flew all around the grounds; but he had to move onto Blo Worms when he was forbidden to use Hippogriffs when one attacked a student."
"But Malfoy deserved it!" Ron interjected. "And he made Buckbeak do it."
Harry left Neville and Ron to talk it out, continuing the list of creatures for Khalida, who now took immense interest with the idea of magical creatures (and especially dangerous ones). "There were also the Blast-Ended Skrewts and they do exactly what they sound. And then there was the Thestrels last year..."
"And what do they do?" Khalida asked, definitely perked up, eyes sparkling.
"Well, Threstrels are like horses with wings and scales, they eat flesh... oh, and they can only be seen by people who have seen death before."
"Then the four of us should have no problem!" Anime butted in in-between mouthfuls of ice-cream and hazelnuts. Khalida promptly gave the blue-haired girl a swift and sharp kick in the shins should she reveal anymore, prompting the girl to choke on a hazelnut chunk. Emerald got up and immediately slapped Anime on the back to no use. The boys looked on, shocked and tried to think of what to do to help the choking Anime. Khalida shot Mercury a look in the midst of the mini chaos, who nodded and extended a finger under the table and aimed for Anime. In a split second, a burst of lightning crackled and crashed into Anime's leg. The electric shock worked its way through Anime's body, giving Emerald a second hand shock when she still had her hand on Anime's back. However, the quick shock also served to bring back the hazelnut, shooting it out and ricocheting it off an unsuspecting wizard's hat. A few more coughs and a gulp of water brought Anime back down to normal breathing levels. Rather than make a comment, Anime simply threw her head back and laughed.
"That was a close one, right?" Anime said with a chuckle, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly.
"Is she for real?" Ron whispered to Harry. "She acts as if it's happened before."
"It has." Emerald interjected. "That must be the fortieth time she's choked on something."
"Fifty-second this year." Khalida corrected. "The best one was when she choked on a stuffed rabbit's ear. Thirty seconds before she brought the cotton wool up."
The three Gryffindor boys simply stared in disbelief as the trio of girls argued on Anime's best choking record, with Mercury quietly sipping her own drink. Hardly inconspicuous, guys... she mentally cringed. Something fluttered overhead, catching Mercury's eyes. A snowy owl fluttered down and landed on a witch's shoulder across the street, relinquishing a letter to the woman. Mercury watched the exchange before glancing at the boys.
"I've noticed that there are a few owls about. Do they serve some kind of purpose?"
Ron nodded. "Owls are dead useful. They make great pets and deliver your mail, too. I've got one, and so's Harry. They allow pets in Hogwarts."
Mercury looked back at the bird with some consideration. Although in truth she didn't really need one, an animal companion would be a welcome relief from her other three rambunctious comrades. "Where can we purchase one?"
"The Magical Menagerie would be your first stop, I guess. You can get all sorts in there."
"Pets? Wow! I want a pet!" Anime interrupted. "Are you getting one, Merc-chan?"
"Yeah... I wouldn't mind a bird."
"Look around. I'm sure there's a nice girl somewhere..."
The boys didn't notice, but Mercury sent another bolt of static at Anime, making her give a satisfactory squeal of surprise. The boys glanced around the table questioningly, aware that they'd probably be asked to leave with anymore commotion. "Why don't we go to the Menagerie next, then, after we've finished?"
"It'll take Anime forever to finish that monster." Khalida commented, pointing at the barely half-way eaten sundae.
Anime thought for a moment, a spoon of ice cream in her mouth. When the piece of cutlery was removed, she slowly spoke. "Well... I suppose... I could let you guys share..."
Spoons were instantly shoved around by the other girls and Anime nearly regretted making the offer. It wasn't her fault if she rarely ever offered food around and every offer needed to be pounced on.
"This place... it's so... so... HOMEY!"
Khalida had to keep her voice down, but nevertheless, no one could mistake the sound of glee in her voice. The Magical Menagerie was filled from floor to roof with every animal imaginable and beyond. Snakes, rats and rabbits that moved from being hats one moment and rabbits again in another, as well as other unknown creatures filled every cage and tank, forcing each girl to stop and stare. Harry had already spoken to the woman behind the counter, allowing the girls to look around eagerly. Finally, everyone had stopped at certain cages, cooing over animals that interested them. Emerald and Mercury had both paused at the owl cages, whilst Anime was pawing over the cats and Khalida at the wall covered with snake tanks.
"So what pets are we allowed in school?" Emerald asked.
"Owls, rats, cats or toads." Neville piped up. "Almost everyone has an owl or cat though."
"What do you have, Nev?" Anime asked, still looking at the cats.
"Well, uh... I have a toad."
"I like reptiles..." Khalida mumbled, seemingly entranced with the slithery customers behind the glass. Harry threw a nervous glance at the Egyptian girl, hearing every word the snakes were saying in Parseltongue.
"Young mistress... take me..."
"I will be your loyal pet..."
"Feed me... free me..."
And for some reason he couldn't identify, he suspected that Khalida understood the snakes or at the very least had a certain rapport with the serpents. Maybe she would make a good Slytherin, but she didn't seem bad enough to qualify for that house... He wasn't given time to dwell on that feeling however, when a squeal of delight broke through almost everyone's hearing and indeed probably some thin glass as well. Anime pointed at a kitten in a showcase, obviously now besotted. "That one, that one! Oh, he's so sweet! He put his paw up to my hand and everything!"
The woman smiled and helped Anime find the kitten in the litter; a little dark grey thing with green eyes and a small voice. It obligingly pawed at Anime's finger as she poked the air in front of his face. "You're so cute! I'm going to call you Dani!"
Whilst Anime played with Dani and paid for him, Mercury and Emerald had pointed out the owls they liked the look of and paid for them too. It was a while, but the girls with their pets helped drag Khalida out of the Menagerie when she wouldn't stop insisting on buying a snake. Harry threw Emerald a glance.
"So what kind of owl did you get? I didn't see."
Emerald smiled and released Khalida's arm to lift up the cloth covering the cage. Inside, a snowy white owl slept peacefully. Emerald smiled and cooed at him for a moment before replacing the cloth. "So, what breed is he?"
"A snowy owl. I have one, too. Hedwig. She's stretching her wings at the moment."
"Don't they fly away if you let them go?"
"No; they're very well trained. Tell an owl where you want a letter to be sent, and it will take it straight there."
"Wow..." Emerald sighed, smiling at the owl behind the cloth. Harry diverted his eyes away, amusing himself with just staring at the two girls and two boys slowly releasing the purple and black haired girl when she agreed not to go back to the Menagerie for an anaconda. "Have you decided on a name yet?" Harry asked Emerald. "For your owl?"
"Djin." Emerald answered immediately. "His name's Djin."
"Someone you know?" Harry asked.
"Why do you ask?"
"You just sound so sure about the name, that's all."
Emerald smiled again. "Well... yeah, I suppose; Djin IS someone I know."
"Is Djin..."
"We're here!"
The seven teenagers soon arrived at the Leaky Cauldron, preventing Harry from enquiring who Djin was. With little effort, the girls nodded their goodbyes and retreated to their rooms, leaving the boys downstairs. "Sorry, but we promised Professor MacGonagall that we would stay in our rooms today until she came back tomorrow." Emerald explained.
"Yeah. Who knows what'll she say when she finds out we bought our wands and some pets without her!" Khalida called out, carrying her own shopping.
The girls soon disappeared. The three boys found booths and just sat down, not realising how much they actually needed to sit and breathe since meeting the girls. For some reason, just being with them was tiring enough.
"So... who were they again and where did they come from?" Neville asked.
The days seemed to fly by. Harry returned to Privet Drive with Aunt Petunia, having spent a good few days in Diagon Alley. It was a welcome relief to have been back at Diagon, but for some reason, he was equally happy to be back in Privet Drive. Which was strange really; for nearly fifteen years, all he ever remembered was wishing and hoping to be gone from the house and street. Being back in the magical community did have some welcome advantages. He saw his school friends and exchanged results; he even saw Malfoy in Diagon Alley, but made sure to swing himself and Aunt Petunia away. Hermione was walking into the Leaky Cauldron the morning Harry and Aunt Petunia were leaving. She too was surprised with seeing Aunt Petunia in Diagon Alley but pleased that things seemed to be looking up for her friend. Harry hardly had time to warn Hermione before having to catch their taxi – no doubt, though, Hermione would meet the new girls somehow. It was amazing how much scrapes they got into when they try not to. Emerald was testing her new wand in her and Khalida's room, but apparently lost her temper with it and ended up burning her bed, which wasn't the only bed incident. Anime ruined another bed, too; this time by letting her 'Monster Book of Monsters' loose, which promptly tried chasing Dani. She argued by dropping the whole bed on it was the only way Dani could have escaped. Khalida had caused a sudden mass outbreak of nosebleeds in the Leaky Cauldron when she came downstairs wearing pretty much her underwear. Everyone later argued that see through chiffon was no way appropriate as skirts and shirts, though Khalida begged to differ. Mercury was no better, even as the quiet one of the group of girls – she was seen beating a wizard around the head with one of her new school books when he tried stealing a bag of coins she hung off her belt.
The next few days running up back to the school term were hectic enough. What with Harry's packing, last minute summer homework and normal correspondence with Dumbledore (no worries about Voldemort yet, but he will be escorted to the station by some trusted friends), he nearly forgot about Uncle Vernon and Dudley. Nearly, that is, until three days before the first of September. It was as normal an evening as it could get since father and son left. Aunt Petunia was having a cup of tea in front of the television watching the evening news and Harry was reading up on his History of Magic – he had some serious revision to do before his accelerator course in Hogwarts. Then about seven thirty in the evening, there was some furious banging on the front door. Uncle Vernon was standing on the doorstep, looking less than happy to be anywhere near the place. Harry kept just out of reach, watching the proceedings out of sight. Aunt Petunia was close to crying, asking for her husband and son's return. Turns out though, Uncle Vernon only came for Dudley's school things. No mention of where the duo might be staying or how Dudley was doing. It took almost half an hour for Uncle Vernon to collect all of Dudley's school belongings in a bag, with Aunt Petunia trailing behind him, asking questions and handing him things she thought Dudley might need.
"Oh Vernon, please tell me. Is he eating well, at the very least? Is he well? Answer me, Vernon. I'm missing him. He's my son."
"Your son, eh?" Uncle Vernon snorted once he managed to leave through the front door. "Well, maybe you should worry more about what all this is doing to him. I told you nothing but trouble would come from accepting that thing into the house."
"Harry's our nephew."
"YOUR nephew, Petunia. Your nephew, your problem. Goodnight."
Harry felt not only a newfound hatred for his uncle, but a pang of guilt. He had gotten used to this new Aunt Petunia and now hated seeing her cry quietly at the front door which Uncle Vernon shut behind him. He slowly crept up quietly to his Aunt, looking up just in time to see the car pull away and off into the night. Tentatively, for he still was getting used to this, he placed a hand onto Aunt Petunia's shoulder.
"It's okay, Aunt Petunia... I'm sure he didn't mean it... Once I go back to school, he'll be back. It's because I'm here he's like this..."
Aunt Petunia simply shook her head and wiped her eyes with a handkerchief she kept in her sleeve. "Don't even try, Harry. I... This rift's been between us since we first got married, because I was a witch's sister. I should have expected this; I shouldn't be so surprised..."
Still, Harry stood with his Aunt, one hand on her shoulder in a lame attempt to comfort her. They remained that way for a while until Aunt Petunia lifted her head, a new mask of sternness over her tears. "Weren't you supposed to be revising for school? Where's that book of yours, I'm going to test you..."
"So... He's who we're meant to help, huh..."
SAEM were gathered around a private table in the Leaky Cauldron, speaking with Professors Dumbledore and MacGonagall and Fudge. MacGonagall and Fudge were less than pleased with discovering that the girls had made an unscheduled wander into Diagon Alley more than once, and even less pleased with the fact they had met Harry Potter. Dumbledore, however, was pleased.
"Yes. The not-so-young Harry Potter is your main priority in this. He's under a lot of pressure, what with the threat of the Dark Lord Voldemort out and fast gaining support from his old friends... I'm quite pleased you had the opportunity to meet him outside of school."
"Dumbledore!" Fudge exclaimed. "Are you sure it's wise to praise them for disobeying us?"
"Hey! We do have a choice, y'know! We are the ones doing you the favour." Khalida interjected, annoyed by the fact that MacGonagall and then Fudge had told them off for disobeying. "The four of us can and will walk out of this and you won't see scale nor hair of us."
Dumbledore hushed the two factions, suddenly in the role of mediator. "Now now, please. We are all civilised beings here. I'm sure this was merely a misunderstanding."
Fudge sniffed, displeased. "Well, I hope you girls are happy then, though I dread to think of the bill you've run up for the Ministry."
"It's not like you can't afford to pay up. All governmental institutes always have more money than they can get away with..." Mercury said, her green eyes burrowing into Fudge, making him squirm. He really didn't want to be shocked by her and kept his mouth shut.
"So, what's the plan then?" Emerald spoke up, directing her gaze at Dumbledore.
"Like we agreed, you will be going to Kings Cross Station on the First, and be escorted straight into platform nine and three quarters. There, you will board the Hogwarts Express and be taken directly to the school. From the moment you board the trains, you are students, albeit unusual ones, and secretly employed to guard the castle and protect its students and teachers. But during times in the school year, one or more of you may be called out to assist the Ministry in dark magic activities involving the Dark Lord. Other than that, you will go about as normally as you can until the end of your contract, which expires on the twenty-ninth of July of next year or at the fall of the Dark Lord, whichever come first."
Mercury nodded slowly. "Fine... Can we go now?"
Dumbledore smiled congenially. "I shouldn't see why not. I believe the three of us had said what we wanted to say. And these are your tickets..."
Dumbledore slid four tickets for the train to Hogwarts, each girl picking one up and inspecting the parchment. "... you will be fetched at seven in the morning and driven down to the station. Your escort will be there waiting for you. Sorry about the time you need to set off, but we think it'll be sensible to take you to the station before the main throng of students arrive. I'm sure you need a little less chaos now, don't you agree?"
Anime was the only girl who grinned with any true sheepishness as she struggled with keeping Dani still in her arms; the other three were just smiling. They couldn't help but warm to Dumbledore at least. It was true he was the first person to be nice to them since the beginning of this new saga in their adventure...
"Harry! Hurry up!"
Harry pushed the last of his toast into his mouth, quickly rinsing his plate and placing it on the side. Aunt Petunia waited at the front door, the taxi driver dragging Harry's trunk into the car. Harry paused for a moment, looking at the woman who was now deliberating how to fit the case in. As he watched, the woman driver looked up and grinned at Harry, giving him a wink before returning to pondering her dilemma. Harry smiled. Nymphadora Tonks, an Auror for the Ministry and member of the Order of the Pheonix, appeared to be posing as their driver for the day. Aunt Petunia didn't seem to recognise her, which was probably a good thing and very understandable. Today, Tonks has black hair and wore something that could constitue as a typical taxi driver's uniform; the last time Aunt Petunia saw her, the young woman had bubblegum pink hair and was dressed like any other teenager. Aunt Petunia called for Harry to hurry up one more time before she entered the car. Grabbing his coat with his ticket and Hedwig's cage (Hedwig was flying to the Hogwarts Express), he locked the front door and hopped into the taxi.
"Everyone strapped in, I hope." Tonks called to the back as she started up the engine. "Good good. We want to make good time, don't we? Kings Cross Station, here we come!"
"I'm sure I know her from somewhere..." Aunt Petunia mumbled, her eyes scrutinising the back of Tonks' head as they pulled out of the street. Tonks glanced into her rear-view mirror and gave Harry a knowing smile before looking back on the road, manoeuvring through traffic like a pro. Sinking back into his seat, Harry couldn't help but smile. Somehow, he felt really good about this year, regardless of the possible danger from Lord Voldemort.
Anime: Another day, another chapter, ne?
Ahearn: You have been busy... and it's nice to see you away from that game, Mistress.
Anime: So sue me - SIMs is very addictive. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! And I'll leave you now so that I can update another. And remember kiddies - reviews make a happy authoress an even happier authoress!