AN_ hey guys...back after a while...exams going on, tho I don't noe y I bother studying, coz im gonna flunk em all anyway...well, thanks to all the lovely ppl who reviewed, I love u guys...and yes, from now I'll try to update more often.

Now on to the chapter.

Chapter 4-

Diagon Alley.

'We're here!' Ron announced, jumping out of the bus and staring around Diagon Alley. Mione stepped out almost delicately, and spread out her arms, as if trying to absorb the sunlight. Harry noted this and grinned. His little friend, book work Mione Granger had definitely acquired something desirable this summer.

The minute Mione noticed the perverted way in which Harry was looking at her, her arms snapped back to her sides, and she glared at him.

'Staring is rude,' she retorted.

'I'm sorry,' Harry quickly dropped his gaze, but the impertinent grin remained on his face. Ron noticed this, and he and Harry exchanged a discreet high-five behind Mione;s back.

'First stop, Gringotts,' Harry said, as they walked down the paved path, and pass the Leaky cauldron.

'Why don't we stop here for a drink?' Ron inquired.

'Good idea,' Mione agreed. 'I'm massively thirsty...this is some hot summer.'

'I see you- er- have chosen appropriate clothing to meet the heat?' Harry said, mischievously.

'I see you have grown so perverted, I don't even want to think of it,' Mione observed.

'Good observation.' Ron said, 'anyhow, you're right...it is kinda hot. Well, I can't exactly say no to a Firewhisky.'

They walked into the leaky Cauldron. Inside was cool, and dark, and Mione shivered just a little. They walked up to the counter, and Tom, the innkeeper, greeted them.

'Hello folks!' he said, cheerfully. 'Harry! Doing well?'

'Yes, thanks, Tom.' Harry said. 'Nice to see you again. How are things going with you?"

'The usual,' Tom said, rolling his eyes. 'A bunch of guests left because I got the Convention of vampires over for the weekend. They've been given a special room, and they call every half an hour asking for Goblets of Blood...can I get you something?"

'Three Fire Whiskies, please,' Harry said.

Tom pointed out an empty table for four which was near the window.

'Why don't you settle down over there? I'll have your drinks over in a jiffy,'

'The three went and sat by the table. From there, they could see the street outside, and Muggles rushing by. Mione watched them, absently. She noticed a rather tall, dark man, who looked vaguely evil. He had a dark crop of hair. He was dressed in a black t-shirt, and blue jeans. The t-shirt had a lizard draped across its back. The man stopped in the middle of the street, and looked around. His eyes locked with Moines's for a minute, and his gaze seemed to intensify. Mione shuddered and looked away.

'There's some weird chap out there,' she said, pointing. The boys looked around and spotted him.

'Hey!' Ron said, incredulously. 'He's eyeballing you! No one eyeballs my girl! I mean- Mione!' he said, hastily, seeing the look on Mione's face.

'He's not eyeballing me...' Mione murmured, staring at the man, who was looking in the direction of a small ramshackle shack, in one corner of the alleyway.

'Stop being modest!' Ron said. 'Forget him. He's just another perverted creep.'

He turned around and grinned at Tom who had brought the Firewhisky.

Mione stared at the man for a long time, but he didn't look back at her. Finally, she shook her head and convinced herself she was being paranoid. She turned to her drink and took a long swig of it.

Immediately, a pleasant feeling washed over her, like warmth on a freezing day. She felt light and sweet. Another swig brought her to euphoria it was as if she had been in hell all along, and had suddenly come to heaven. There was nothing much to see of course...just Harry and Ron enjoying their drinks, with their eyes as unfocused as hers, and Tom bustling about. But the feelings...she felt...sublime.

She continued taking long swills of her drink. Very soon, it was over. She pushed the cup away.

'We. Need to be...getting along...'Ron said, struggling to gather his thoughts. Mione didn't want to gather her thoughts. She liked them like this.

At that minute, however, Tom came up.

'Finished?' he asked, 'Good. Here. Drink this. It'll take care of your light headedness.' He handed them small cups of something bitter, that immediately cleared their brains.

'That's better,' Harry said, rubbing his head. 'Listen, Tom, can you save a room for us- no- two rooms?'

\'Sure,' Tom said. 'Get your supplies; I'll have your rooms and some tea ready for you when you come back.'

The three left the Leaky Cauldron, and went up to the brick wall. Mione took out her wand and tapped a brick. Immediately, an arch way was formed, and the three stepped through it. The first thing they saw was a large, shiny white marble building with gold lettering spelling Gringotts on the front. They hurried towards the bank, and climbed to the porch. Mione paused for a minute, and looked at the glass doors.

'Hey!' she said, in surprise. 'They've changed the poem on the front door!'

'Blimey,' Ron muttered, as he leaned forward, and began reading.

By day, By night, we do not guard,

Our treasures of silver and gold,

By means of slaughter, evil or discard,

But by means of tales untold.

We have in us the inner power,

We have the utmost sinew

, We have the capability to cause others to cower

, Our means are yet young and new.

'Blimey,' Ron said, again.

'What on earth does that mean?' Harry wondered.

Mione bit her lip. 'It means...' she began. 'It has something to do with....him....'

Harry's face immediately contorted with bitter anger. The last year, he had faced Voldemort again, and had come out of it alive. But not without causalities, because he came out clutching the corpse of Neville Longbottom. The dark Lord had captured Neville and held him hostage, demanding that Harry give himself up for his friend. But the battle that followed had been decisive. Neville, rather than have Harry surrender for him, had killed himself. Harry could remember it as if it were yesterday.

Mione put her arms on Harry's.

'Calm down,' she said, 'It's a warning the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters. It speaks of a power that Voldemort doesn't know about....Love...Dumbledore told us too, remember?'

'Yes,' Ron said breathlessly. 'Mione's right, Harry. Calm down. Let's go open our vaults.'

'Yeah...' Harry said, with obvious effort. Then, with an attempt to redeem the original flow of the conversation, he asked, 'So, you have a vault, Mione?'

'Yes,' Mione replied. 'Dumbledore helped me get one over the summer.

They opened the doors, and stepped into the cool, chilly hall. Their footsteps echoed across the marble floor. They crossed the room, and arrived at a tall desk, a stately looking goblin sitting behind him, his long fingers pressed together.

'may I help you?' he asked, with icy civility.

'We would like to open three vaults, please,' Harry said, 'vault no.712, vault no. 435, and vault no....'

He paused and looked at Mione.

'765,' Mione supplied.

'Have you your keys?' The goblin asked in the same tone.

The three produced their keys. The goblin inspected them closely, and then handed them back.

'They seem to be in order,' he said, 'I will have a goblin lead you to your respective vaults.'

He summoned a goblin, and gave him crisp instruction. The goblin, whose names transpired to be Martok, lead them to a mine like corridor, and they climbed into the iron cart that was perched at the top of the tracks. He gave the cart a little push, and they were speeding down the steep slope.

Mione closed her eyes, and felt the wind whipping her face. She opened her mouth, and sucked in cold, musty air. She could feel Harry and Ron bending their heads a little to avoid the wild rush of air to either side of her.

Very soon, the cart ride was over, and they had arrived at Harry's vault. Two wild car rides later, they were once again in the sunny premises of Diagon Alley. Mione blinked at the bright, buttery sunlight.

'We can go to Flourish and Blotts first,' she suggested. The trio walked across the bookstore. They opened it, and Mione repressed a shudder.

The same man she had seen earlier was standing there. She noticed that his tanned skin was smooth and unblemished. His hands were long-fingered, and elegant. His eyebrows were elegantly slanted, and very thin. His mouth was a thin, dark crimson line across his face, and he had a subtly curving shin, and thin cheeks. His hair was very spiky, but elegantly so, unlike Harry's

. On his chin was a small, glinting stud. He had a small ring on one of his ears, and plenty of thick, silver rings on his fingers. He had changed out of the t-shirt and jeans, because he was wearing a black silk shirt, and black leather pants, along with a cloak, that had silver embroidery on it. His eyes, she noticed, were pale green. For a minute, they locked with hers, and she felt a flash of horror.

Ron, sensing her uneasiness, pulled her away to another set of books. But Mione could not shake off the man's icy stare.

AN- well, that's it? What do u think please read and review!!!