Chapter 5
"To Be Famous"
Everything went well as the trio ventured Diagon Alley. They went for a short visit at Fred and George's joke shop. Right at the door of the joke shop, was a sign saying…
HARRY POTTER RULES!
(Of course, Harry had to react at this one, but yet again, he was forgiving, especially in this kind of fix, it was after all, Fred and George's twisted mind.)
"Whew… Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes… Who would've thought Fred and George would be this successful?" said Hermione once they got inside. Harry still in a shocked trance after that greet he saw at the door.
"If it wasn't for Harry here, I bet they'd still hide from Mum. And I would still be one of their testers. Thanks for ending those days, mate." said Ron, grinning. "Oh, and add that sign back there and presto, people just swarms in, Fred and George must really be pulling up as many strings as possible for success." He smirked at this one.
"Oi! Hey there, Ron, Hermione… and of course! Dear, dear, Harry. The man behind our success! Not that it wasn't known anymore, sorry mate, it's just a way of giving our appreciation for the financial help." Fred smirked playfully as he got to them first through the crowd. It was really obvious that they were busy. The trio could just barely see George's irritated face when two young boys started playing those fake wands and had accidentally whacked him from behind.
"Yeah, thank you VERY much, Fred. You'd almost think I'd storm here and rip that sign off or better yet burn it to smithereens, (Of course, Harry was half saying the truth!)" Harry said sarcastically, and continued. "Boy, George seems to have the time of his life. How're you lot doing?"
"As I said, if it wasn't for the Boy-Who-Lived here, we're really busted with mum. So, Harry, do try these on!" Fred, with that wild grin in his face, brandished a weird green-framed glasses into Harry's hands. "They're quite… surprising, to say the least…"
And what Harry saw is way out of the line…
"Fred… is this… like those see through things…?" Harry muttered, well aware of Ron and Hermione's eyes on him. He quickly removed the eyeglasses and wore back his own spectacles.
"Well… yes, I'm afraid it is. We'd just like to test it to you, because I'm sure our eyes deceives us sometimes… It's better to test it to someone else… Better be you, right?" Fred continued, "You should've seen George's face when I gave it to him and Katie was around… It earned him a pretty red hand mark on his face for half a week!"
"Shut it, Fred. Heya, Harry, guys. Just go on about the store, maybe we'll catch you later back at home? Fred, I need your butt in here, now. These guys are too mental for me!" George said, evading the playful whacks of the two boys. "Hey, hey! Watch it! I've got to tell you, Fred, these two have to be prohibited here!"
"Why?" asked Hermione.
"They've been going here to and fro. Honestly, these two kids maybe our protégées, George…" Fred smirked, which earned him the look courtesy of the now frustrated Fred. "Oops, yeah, yeah, I'm coming. Bye guys!" With a wave of a hand, George was off towards the chaos.
"Yep, too busy alright. Let's go, maybe we'll drop by in a more convenient time." Ron said.
The travel back to the Burrow was uneventful. The only things in Harry's mind before he fell asleep were broomsticks and Ireland seeker.
Next morning, Harry woke up in a total fuss, which made him feel totally annoyed. But, what awaited his presence downstairs at the kitchen will surely annoy him further.
"Harry, err… It's the news at the Daily Prophet…" Hermione cautiously said, handing Harry the newspaper. Worry and Anger evident at her face.
The Boy-Who-Live for Ireland Seeker
He's young, he's rich, and he's famous. Yet, Harry Potter still wants more, writes Rita Skeeter. Earlier today, this reporter was informed that The-Boy-Who-Lived, Harry Potter, had just signed up the try-out for the position of seeker of the prestige Ireland team while shopping at Diagon Alley yesterday.
The tragic hero was said to have been the former Gryffindor Seeker in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. But according to some sources, Dolores Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister, Former Hogwarts Inquisitor and Former Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, had given Mr. Potter a life-long ban because of some rather disturbing conducts.
"Potter gave me sets of punches here and there just because I said something rather unimportant. I think he better be careful of what he does." says Draco Malfoy, a sixth year student. "Professor Umbridge was definitely right in giving him that Quidditch life-long ban. I think that wouldn't allow him to just try-out for the position of seeker at the Ireland team, surely?"
Harry never got to finish what he was reading because of the anger swelling up inside him. He can feel the crumpled paper at his palm being slowly burned, but he didn't care how it happened. Oh, how he hated Rita Skeeter and her blasted quill. It was the blasted Fame again.
"ME? WANTING TO BE MORE FAMOUS! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THIS FREAK! I NEVER WANTED TO BE LIKE THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE! STUPID SCAR, STUPID FAME, STUPID COW, STUPID PRO—" Harry stopped.
He didn't want them to discover what he had hidden for so long now, don't he?
"Harry, please, just calm down… And—wait. Were you about to say Prophecy?" inquired Hermione, her eyes showing suspicion.
"DON'T CHANGE THE TOPIC HERE, HERMIONE. I THOUGHT YOU'VE HANDLED THIS BLOODY SKEETER? LOOK! SHE JUST SNAPS HER BLASTED FINGERS AND HER STUPID SELF-WRITING GOOD FOR NOTHING QUILL WORKS AGAIN!" Harry's voice increased further. He was totally unaware of Ginny, Fred, George and Mr. And Mrs. Weasley looking shocked at the background.
"I know, Harry, I know. Maybe she thought that after I let her write back then, that means, she can write again…" Hermione muttered.
"Wait a minute, mate. Calm down. It wasn't Hermione's fault, really. She was as shocked and angry as everyone else here," Ron continued, "I for one was also wondering… Is there something that you've been hiding from us since… err… that day when we went to the Ministry?"
Even more silence took over the room. Too quiet that it was ear splitting. Harry was now looking everywhere except the expectant faces of his two best friends. Why did Ron just have to open up that topic? Harry can almost visualize in his mind the way Sirius gracefully fell through the veil… This made his mood in a complete chaos.
The crumbled paper in his hand was now shreds and some ashes because of his accidental magic. The Weasleys were well aware of this by now because of the smell of burned parchment. But still, they were as stiff as statues. Mr. And Mrs. Weasley must've known some part of the Prophecy because their eyes were showing far more different effects than of these of the Weasley children and Hermione.
"There's nothing that needs to be said. I'll just be in my room." Harry muttered.
Miserably, Harry trudged back up to the room, feeling like he just lost his appetite. Being famous had its disadvantages and Harry was the perfect proof of it.
