Chapter 4: Alleys and Amour

Wandering down the street, they finally decided to split into groups. Harry and Ron went with Moody, Lupin and Shacklebolt, while Hermione and Ginny continued on with Tonks and Mrs. Weasley.

Since Mrs. Weasley (much to Hermione's delight, and Ginny's dismay) insisted first on getting her youngest daughter's reward for becoming Prefect and then heading to the bookstore, Harry and Ron gave her their booklists so she could pick up theirs as well. Harry reached into his moneybag and gave Mrs. Weasley enough gold for the books and added a little extra, in case he had forgotten to account for something.
After a cheery wave and plans to meet at Florean Fortisque's for lunch later, the girls departed to Flourish and Blott's while the male entourage headed to Madam Malkin's, as both boys needed new robes.

As their morning continued in Diagon Alley, Harry, Ron and the male portion of the advance guard laughed, joked, and had a generally jolly time. Heading first into Madam Malkin's, Harry purchased new robes, while Ron had his let down in the arms and length. After the Madam and her assistants had finished measuring Harry and tailoring Ron's robes, the boys were ready to leave the shop to pick up other items.

"Bye, lads!" called Madam Malkin, in her cheery Irish accent. "Be sure to pick your robes up before you head home! They should be done in a few hours!"

"Where to next, Ron?" asked Harry. "Your mum's getting our books at Flourish and Blott's, so what else do we really need besides refills on our potions kits?"

Ron looked at his feet.

"Oh, I um, well I, um, needagiftforMionesbirthday," he mumbled.

Moody looked over in apprehension, "You sure somebody didn't slip some Befuddlement Powder in those robes you were having altered, boy?"

Ron's ears brightened in a flush, "Um, no Professor."

Harry laughed, "You know Ron, if I haven't been hearing you mumble for the past five years I would have NO clue what you were talking about. But, I suppose I'm not your best mate for nothing."

He turned to Moody, Remus and Kingsley, "Where can we get gifts for Hermione's birthday? I imagine Ron wants to get her something a little nicer this year- don't you Ronnikins?"

Ron scowled, but didn't bother to contradict his best friend.

Kingsley chortled, "Well, boys, I think I know just the place."

Winding down a few back streets and alleys the younger wizards had never seen before, they gasped when they stopped in front of a small shop called "Amanda's Antiques and Amour".

Lupin let out a hearty laugh, "Kingsley, isn't this the store you got your wife's last anniversary present from?"

"You bet!" the other wizard concurred. "She hasn't stopped talking about it since.
"Boys, this is the best-kept secret of male wizards courting fine young witches for the past six generations, as Ms. Amanda never fails to remind me every time I stop in. If you can't find something in this store for the girl you're smitten with, then there's bound to be something wrong with her."

Moody let out a rough grunt, "Eh, well, this isn't really my cup of tea, so I'll wait outside to keep watch."

As Mad-Eye disappeared under his invisibility cloak, the rest of the men entered Amanda's Antiques and Amour with a sound of tinkling bells.

"Ah, Mr. Kingsley!" smiled the woman behind the cash box. "So good to see you! And who might these lovely young men be? They must be quite special for you to let them in on your little secret."

A young, petite woman (presumably Ms. Amanda herself) came gliding over to greet the party, and shook their hands cordially.

"Yes, Amanda!" smiled Kingsley, greeting her warmly. "These young men happen to be none other than Mr. Harry Potter and Mr. Ronald Weasley. If any young men were worthy to learn of your shop, these would be the ones."

Harry couldn't help but like Madam Amanda. He wasn't sure if it was the twinkle in her eyes that reminded him so much of his Headmaster and mentor, Albus Dumbledore, if it was because she seemed so genuine and friendly, or if it was more that she didn't jump around and squeal with excitement upon finding out that the "Boy Who Lived" had just entered her boutique. Harry had only been in Diagon Alley a mere few hours, but already he had been ogled, stared at, whispered about and pointed at more than most people are in their whole lives.

Despite everything, Harry couldn't help but notice that Madam Amanda had looked at him differently than he had ever been looked at before, even with the infamous scar he had been branded with since nearly birth. He had the distinct impression that beyond his scar, Amanda was seeing something that no one else in the shop (or the wizarding world, for that matter) could see. Shaking it off, he brought himself back to the real world and listened to Ms. Amanda's inquiry.

"Well, gentlemen," she asked kindly, "just what kind of gifts are we looking for today?"

Ron opened his mouth, and preceded to just choke on whatever words he might have had. Shaking his head, he shrugged at his friend, and so Harry jumped in and informed Ms. Amanda what they were looking for.

"Well, it's our friend's birthday coming up September 19th, and so we need to get her something nice. She'll be 17, and so I guess it's kind of a special birthday, being her coming of age and all."

Upon looking at Ron, Harry smirked, and added swiftly, "Oh. And she's his girlfriend, so he needs something REALLY good."

Amanda smiled, and took Ron by the hand.

"No worries, dear. We'll find something she'll never forget. Mr. Potter, am I to be sure that you aren't in need of any assistance that Mr. Kingsley and um, I'm sorry, sir, I didn't catch your name-"

"Lupin." Harry's old Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher supplied. "Remus Lupin is my name, and I'm sure he'll be fine. If he needs help, I'll be sure to step in for you."

"Ah, of course," grinned Amanda, "Well, Mr. Weasley, shall we be moving along, then? We'll see what we can find for this very special girlfriend of yours."

Harry chortled at the glares he was getting from Ron, but decided to leave him under the helpful guidance of Madam Amanda, and meander the shop on his own.

As far as gifts went, Harry didn't need anything special for Hermione, but he did think that looking for Ginny's Christmas present a little early wouldn't hurt. Besides, he didn't want to "owl the twins" for favors any more than necessary. Moving around the boutique, a shiny item in the window display caught his eye. For his best friend on her coming of age birthday, he didn't think he could have found a more perfect present.

Small, and seemingly insignificant in the corner of the window display, Harry carefully picked up an intricately carved wand holder. Small and silver, carved with running vines, leaves and asters, Harry knew that for Hermione it would be a perfect fit. Asters were the flower of her birth month and her vine wand would go along with the vine carvings in the silver. While normally, his best girl friend was quite the practical witch, he knew that she did have a soft spot for beautiful things. Just because her somewhat 'conservative' upbringing made her feel that she couldn't reason herself into buying things that she didn't "need" didn't mean that Harry couldn't purchase things that he knew she really would love.

Smiling to himself, he picked up the wand holder and continued his way around the boutique. While he knew that Ginny should receive a gift from him for becoming prefect, he realized that he wouldn't be able to get that particular item at "Amanda's Antiques and Amour". Gazing around the shelves, he hoped that something might just jump out and catch his eye, like the wand holder had.

"Hmmm…" he thought to himself, "What could I possibly get Gin for Christmas that she really would love, and yet never would think of receiving as a gift?"

As his thoughts wandered, so did his feet around the store. Making his way to the back, dustier shelves he noticed a somewhat large, carved stone basin sitting towards the top. Almost as if on reflex, his eyes widened and he raised his wand to levitate the piece down to his grasp. Barely in time, he stopped himself from doing and underage magic, and called Professor Lupin over to get it down for him.

"Professor," he breathed, "is this what I think it is?"

Remus smiled, "Well, Harry, if you were thinking that it's a Pensieve, you would be right. I'm surprised that she has one. Then again, being an antique shop open for six generations, I suppose I shouldn't be."

"Professor," Harry whispered, in complete awe at the magical object in his hands,
"I have been thinking about getting one all summer. I thought that it might help to find links and patterns to my dreams about Voldemort, and generally just help me sleep easier.
"Sometimes it's hard to figure out what's going on inside his head, because when I wake up, the dream starts to slip away- just like all dreams do."

Lupin was silent for a moment, as he thought to himself.

"You know, my boy, I think that might be a good idea. Granted, you'll probably have to have Dumbledore teach you how to use it and whatnot, but I think that he would definitely take the time.
"I've never used a Pensieve myself, but from what I've learned about them, it's a lot harder to siphon off thoughts into them than one might think."

Harry smiled as his professor, "Well, it can't be much worse than Occlumency, can it? I imagine that it will be awfully expensive, but if it helps us to defeat Voldemort, than price is really no object."

"Well said, Harry," said Lupin, unable to hide his pride at how much Harry had matured over the years.
"I'll take it up to the counter for you."

"Thanks, Professor." Harry carefully handed him the Pensieve, along with Hermione's wand holder.

Harry grinned to himself. He couldn't believe that he had found a Pensieve. He knew from what Professor Lupin had said, that they must be quite rare, and powerful. Focusing his attention back onto Ginny, he began to wander around the shop again.

Shelf to shelf, top to bottom, Harry looked for the perfect Christmas present for his one and only. Just as he was about to give up hope, he saw it.

Lying on a red velvet pillow, he couldn't believe he hadn't noticed it before. Carefully, as though it would shatter at his touch, he picked it up and brought it to the counter. Setting it alongside his other purchases, he waited for Ron to finish, and then Amanda carefully used her wand to wrap up all their objects.

"Ooh," she breathed, "I've been waiting to meet the wizard that would come in and buy that Pensieve. It's been in here since the shop opened, about 6 generations ago.
"Mr. Potter, I hope it serves you well. Not very many wizards are strong enough to be able to view their own memories in such a way, but you…"

Harry could feel the color rising in his cheeks at Ms. Amanda's compliment. He was glad that Ron was busy talking with Kingsley about his gift for Hermione.

"Well, Mr. Potter," continued Amanda, interrupting his thoughts, "I know that Divination isn't exactly the most precise art, but in my family there has long since been an ability to detect certain Auras. From the moment you walked into my shop, not only could I feel something about you, I could see it as well. Even if you weren't already special for being "The Boy Who Lived", I would be able to tell you that you are most certainly going to be a powerful wizard, and do very great things."

Harry began to protest that he 'wasn't that special, really,' but Ms. Amanda stemmed his flow of arguments with the raise of her hand.

"No offense, Mr. Potter, but I must confess that I quite often wondered whether or not the so-called "Boy Who Lived" was all that he was talked up to be."

She smiled, "Now I know. Mr. Potter, you will defeat Voldemort."

The sharp intake of breath from Ron signaled to Harry that he was, in fact paying attention to Ms. Amanda's every word, and his conversation with Kingsley seemed to have been put on the back burner.

"I know you can," she continued, "and if I cared to wager, this Pensieve just might help you unlock how."

Ms. Amanda smiled at Harry, and he couldn't help but meet her eye and feel she was speaking the truth.

"Any way, on a lighter note, I hope you'll come back to my shop, boys. I just know that we'll be seeing more of each other… Who knows, but may I dare to say that many a young wizard has come into my shop looking for items of the diamond quality. Maybe you might be two more."

Ron's face turned as red as his hair at this last statement, and even Harry's ears flared up.

"Thank you, Madam Amanda, I really appreciated all your help today." Ron managed to squeak, but then growing stronger with Amanda's gracious smile, he continued.
"I know she'll really love it, and I'll definitely come back here for her next gift, although I don't think I'll be able to afford any diamonds any time soon!"

Harry just smiled, and nodded. His instinct about Ms. Amanda when he had first entered the shop had been correct. Looking into her eyes, just before they walked out to join Moody, he felt as if there had been some sort of understanding between them.

"So she believes that I can defeat Voldemort…" he thought to himself. "I hope, for ALL our sakes, that she's right."