A/N It's the weekend! So I'm back again! I've been writing the fic out on a
little sketch pad.. But I decided that it doesn't go with the story so I'm
redoing all that I wrote! R/R, please!
Kevin-McKay: Thanks for reviewing. I update whenever I can, but as I can only post on the weekends it makes it a bit hard.
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'Five days...' Harry thought as he went down the stairs. 'That's next Wednesday, so it all works out.' Another thought came into his mind. 'Wait, I don't want Dudley near Hermione!'
"Stop making so much noise!" his aunt's angry voice interrupted his thoughts. "You'd think we had an elephant going down the stairs!"
"Yeah, and what about when Dudley does it.?" Harry muttered under his breath.
"What'd you say?"
"Nothing, nothing." Harry said quickly, going quietly down the last few steps into the kitchen. Aunt Petunia was washing the dishes while Uncle Vernon was reading.something in the paper.
"Uncle Vernon?"
His uncle grunted. Harry took this as a sign he was listening.
"Next Wednesday. me and my friends are going to go get our school stuff, okay?"
"Dudley goes too."
Harry nodded slowly. 'Dang.' "Of course."
"We'll drive you, like we said."
"Um actually, Ron's dad is going to come and pick me up."
Uncle Vernon paled. "The fre- the man who blew apart our fireplace and covered half the room in soot?!"
"Yeah, him. Only this time he won't be traveling by Floo Powder."
"Floo Powder?"
"Er its one of our ways of transportation." Harry began slowly.
"No, I don't want to know." His uncle said gruffly and went back to reading his paper.
"So I can go, right?"
"Yes, yes."
Before his uncle could change his mind-though Harry doubted he would- Harry was gone, back up the stairs, quietly this time, and in his room. Pulling out his calendar, he circled next Wednesday. Sitting down on his bed, he stared at the calendar. "Only five days." he muttered to it. "Just five more days."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Five days actually passed much quicker then Harry had expected. Before he knew it, it was almost time for Mr. Weasley to be there.
Harry was packing his trunk in his room (Hogwarts, A History was in the bottom of it); he didn't plan on coming back to the Dursleys, not if he could go stay at Sirius's house with Ron for the remainder of the summer.
For a few days he had considered telling Dudley what it would be like to travel by a portkey, but then decided against it. He would be decent to his cousin, but he had his limits.
Running a hand through his messy hair, Harry went to see what Dudley was doing. He knew that Dudley was in his room, he could hear the TV from his room, but didn't know if Dudley was ready to go or not.
Without bothering to knock he went in. "Dudley?"
His cousin barely looked up from his candy bar, his piggy eyes glued to it and the television.
"Ready to go? We're leaving pretty soon."
"We won't be gone that long. So yeah, I'm ready."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Do you have the money from your mum?"
"Er no."
"Then I suggest you go get it."
Dudley sighed and lifted himself up. Harry thought it looked like a great effort, but said nothing, just moved out of the way as Dudley waddled out of his room and down the stairs. Harry followed him, keeping a few feet behind Dudley's massive bulk, to the kitchen.
"Mum, I need my money." Dudley said, holding out a fat hand. Aunt Petunia put a few large bills into it. Dudley's hand clamped shut on the money, shoving it into his pocket.
"When will he be arriving?" Aunt Petunia asked, turning to Harry.
"Uh any minute-" Harry never got to finish his sentence. Arnold Weasley and Ron appeared on top of him, knocking the breath out of him, holding what looked to be like an old tire. "Harry!" Ron said cheerfully from his seat on Harry's stomach. "How are you, bud?"
"Ron. Mr. Weasley. get off me!" Harry gasped. The two obeyed instantly, both turning a bit red at the ears.
Aunt Petunia was in shock, party from the fact that there was a dirty old tire on her clean white floor, and party because there were now two people standing in her kitchen.
"Okay boys." Mr. Weasley said, rubbing his hands together. "We must be going. The portkey is set to leave in five minutes, back to-" Mr. Weasley stopped. "Home. Yes, home."
"Ron, help me grab my trunk." Harry said, leaving the kitchen and starting up the stairs. Ron followed, sniggering. "Does he get bigger every summer, Harry?" He asked, not bothering to hide his grin or keep his voice low.
Harry just nodded, not wanting Aunt Petunia to hear him agree.
With Ron's help they got his trunk down the stairs and into the kitchen in a matter of minutes. "Alright dad, we're ready to go."
"Dudley, just grab onto the tire.. Yes, that's right." Mr. Weasley said, looping one arm around Harry's trunk as the boys all grabbed onto the tire.
Harry felt that jerking feeling behind his naval just as Uncle Vernon chose that moment to come into the room. "What the h-" he was cut off. They were gone. Sighing, he turned to Petunia. "Why doesn't anybody tell me these things?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
They arrived in the middle of the kitchen at 12 Grimgauld (sp?) place. Dudley fell down, landing on his side, but the rest managed to stay up.
"Harry! You're here!" Hermione and Ginny came into the room, both grinning widely and not paying the least bit of attention to Dudley. Glancing behind him, he saw his cousin getting up with Mrs. Weasley's help.
"Hi Hermione, Gin." Harry said, giving them a small wave. "When do we go get our stuff?"
"Now." Mrs. Weasley said. "We'll be doing Floo Powder this time, though. Makes it much easier. Now, Harry, why don't you introduce your cousin to us?"
"Er. Dudley, this is Hermione, Ginny, Ron, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley." Harry said, pointing them out in her. "Guys this is, Dudley."
Only Mrs. Weasley said hello to Dudley. All the others had heard too much about him from Harry to like him all that much.
"School shopping at Diagon Ally? Can I come too?" Tonks asked, coming into the room and almost tripping over Harry's trunk.
"Er. I guess." Mrs. Weasley said slowly, looking Tonks over. From her short, spiked bubble gum pink hair to her shockingly pink cloak, Tonks was. noticeable. "Any chance you can tone down the outfit a bit there?"
"What? Like this?" Tonks scrunched up her face, like she was trying to remember something. Her hair grew longer, shoulder length, and turned a deep shade of brown. Seeing Mrs. Weasley still frowning at her cloak, Tonks grinned and went to get one of a different shade.
"Alright, we're all here" Tonks had come back down in an emerald cloak, which Mrs. Weasley seemed to approve of. "Oh, dear. you won't know how to travel by Floo Powder, now would you?" Mrs. Weasley was looking at Dudley as she spoke.
"What's Floo Powder?" Was all Dudley asked as Mrs. Weasley passed around the flowerpot. They all took a handful and stepped closer to the kitchen fireplace, except Dudley, that is. Harry's cousin was staring nervously at the flowerpot, as if he was expecting it to bite him.
"Now, dear, just watch Ron go first.. Ron.." Ron stepped into the fireplace, threw down the powder, and said quite clearly, "Diagon Ally!" Then. he was gone. Dudley gasped.
"W-where'd he go?!" he demanded, shocked.
"Where he said he was going, Diagon Ally. Harry, you next.." Harry stepped into the fire, only barely listening to Mrs. Weasley explaining to Dudley how to use the Floo Powder. "Diagon Ally!"
Then he was there, coming out of a fireplace in some shop or another. Ron helped him up. "Alright, now, lets just wait for Hermione and we can go!" Ron said cheerfully.
"Hermione and Dudley," Harry corrected. "Tonks and your mother can get Ginny's stuff, I guess. We also have to stop at Gringotts. Dudley needs to exchange his money."
"Oh. Right. Him." Ron sighed. "Well, we can always look at the quidditch shop while we wait! It's right across the street, perfectly within seeing distance. And besides, there's a new broom! A Nimbus 2002 at that! But it's not better then a Firebolt, I read about it."
"Nothing better then a Firebolt is going to come out for years." Tonks said, having appeared through the fireplace. "And let me come too! I had to use a different fireplace; Dudley got stuck in the kitchen one. And the idiot won't even use the Floo Powder to get himself out!"
Harry and Ron were laughing very hard. Tonks rolled her eyes and dragged them to the Quidditch shop window.
"See, Harry? Told you!" Ron said cheerfully. "The Firebolt still has the front window all to itself. The Nimbus 2002 is over there, partially hidden by those books!"
"Think Malfoy'll get one?" Harry asked, trying to get a better look at the hidden broom."
"Maybe. Why are you thinking about Malfoy anyway?"
Harry shrugged. "Just sizing up the competition."
"Malfoy? Competition? Are you nuts? We've only lost to Slytherin when you weren't on the team, Harry, and you know that."
"Yeah. Not on the team." Harry sighed. "Hope you guys'll do better this year."
"What are you talking about? You're on the team, Dumbledore told us!"
"Huh?"
"That's right." Tonks said. "Now that Umbridge is gone, your back on the team."
Harry brightened considerably. "Really?"
Tonks smile warmly. "Really."
"Harry, Ron, Tonks, get back over here!" Mrs. Weasley called, waving them towards her. An ashen Dudley stood next to her, along with Ginny and Hermione. The three obediently walked away from the quidditch shop to them.
"Alright," Mrs. Weasley said. "Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Dudley, you four shop together. Tonks and I will get Ginny's stuff." Mrs. Weasley handed Ron a small pouch full of money. "I know your father got a raise at the Ministry, but he hasn't gotten paid yet." She explained, noticing the look on Ron's face.
"Well? What are we all standing around for? Go!" Mrs. Weasley shooed them away.
"C'mon Dudley." Harry said. "We've got to go to Gringotts first."
"Huh?" Dudley looked perplexed.
"Gringotts, the bank." Harry said shortly. With Ron and Hermione on either side, he started off towards the snow white building. Dudley followed.
Upon entering the bank, Harry decided that he should of told Dudley that Gringotts was run by goblins. Unfortunately, it happened to skip his mind earlier. When he saw the goblins, Dudley let out a small squeak of fright and looked like he was about to faint. The trio ignored this and went up to a free clerk.
"How can I help you?"
"Dudley, give me your money." Harry commanded, holding out his hand. Dudley just shook his head and plopped the money down on the counter. Harry sighed. "We need to exchange this for our money, and I need to get some out of my vault."
"Alright." The goblin said. "I'll have someone take you down." He turned to Dudley. "You. Wait here." He called over another goblin to take Harry down to his vault. "Go with him." He said before disappearing behind the counter.
"Come on Ron, Hermione." Harry said, following the goblin.
"W-wh-what about me?" Dudley asked, shaking.
"Wait here." Harry said cheerfully before disappearing after the goblin through another door. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ All right, chapter five is done! I hope to get chapter six up by tomorrow. And I know the fic started out really corny at first, but its getting better. right?
Kevin-McKay: Thanks for reviewing. I update whenever I can, but as I can only post on the weekends it makes it a bit hard.
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'Five days...' Harry thought as he went down the stairs. 'That's next Wednesday, so it all works out.' Another thought came into his mind. 'Wait, I don't want Dudley near Hermione!'
"Stop making so much noise!" his aunt's angry voice interrupted his thoughts. "You'd think we had an elephant going down the stairs!"
"Yeah, and what about when Dudley does it.?" Harry muttered under his breath.
"What'd you say?"
"Nothing, nothing." Harry said quickly, going quietly down the last few steps into the kitchen. Aunt Petunia was washing the dishes while Uncle Vernon was reading.something in the paper.
"Uncle Vernon?"
His uncle grunted. Harry took this as a sign he was listening.
"Next Wednesday. me and my friends are going to go get our school stuff, okay?"
"Dudley goes too."
Harry nodded slowly. 'Dang.' "Of course."
"We'll drive you, like we said."
"Um actually, Ron's dad is going to come and pick me up."
Uncle Vernon paled. "The fre- the man who blew apart our fireplace and covered half the room in soot?!"
"Yeah, him. Only this time he won't be traveling by Floo Powder."
"Floo Powder?"
"Er its one of our ways of transportation." Harry began slowly.
"No, I don't want to know." His uncle said gruffly and went back to reading his paper.
"So I can go, right?"
"Yes, yes."
Before his uncle could change his mind-though Harry doubted he would- Harry was gone, back up the stairs, quietly this time, and in his room. Pulling out his calendar, he circled next Wednesday. Sitting down on his bed, he stared at the calendar. "Only five days." he muttered to it. "Just five more days."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Five days actually passed much quicker then Harry had expected. Before he knew it, it was almost time for Mr. Weasley to be there.
Harry was packing his trunk in his room (Hogwarts, A History was in the bottom of it); he didn't plan on coming back to the Dursleys, not if he could go stay at Sirius's house with Ron for the remainder of the summer.
For a few days he had considered telling Dudley what it would be like to travel by a portkey, but then decided against it. He would be decent to his cousin, but he had his limits.
Running a hand through his messy hair, Harry went to see what Dudley was doing. He knew that Dudley was in his room, he could hear the TV from his room, but didn't know if Dudley was ready to go or not.
Without bothering to knock he went in. "Dudley?"
His cousin barely looked up from his candy bar, his piggy eyes glued to it and the television.
"Ready to go? We're leaving pretty soon."
"We won't be gone that long. So yeah, I'm ready."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Do you have the money from your mum?"
"Er no."
"Then I suggest you go get it."
Dudley sighed and lifted himself up. Harry thought it looked like a great effort, but said nothing, just moved out of the way as Dudley waddled out of his room and down the stairs. Harry followed him, keeping a few feet behind Dudley's massive bulk, to the kitchen.
"Mum, I need my money." Dudley said, holding out a fat hand. Aunt Petunia put a few large bills into it. Dudley's hand clamped shut on the money, shoving it into his pocket.
"When will he be arriving?" Aunt Petunia asked, turning to Harry.
"Uh any minute-" Harry never got to finish his sentence. Arnold Weasley and Ron appeared on top of him, knocking the breath out of him, holding what looked to be like an old tire. "Harry!" Ron said cheerfully from his seat on Harry's stomach. "How are you, bud?"
"Ron. Mr. Weasley. get off me!" Harry gasped. The two obeyed instantly, both turning a bit red at the ears.
Aunt Petunia was in shock, party from the fact that there was a dirty old tire on her clean white floor, and party because there were now two people standing in her kitchen.
"Okay boys." Mr. Weasley said, rubbing his hands together. "We must be going. The portkey is set to leave in five minutes, back to-" Mr. Weasley stopped. "Home. Yes, home."
"Ron, help me grab my trunk." Harry said, leaving the kitchen and starting up the stairs. Ron followed, sniggering. "Does he get bigger every summer, Harry?" He asked, not bothering to hide his grin or keep his voice low.
Harry just nodded, not wanting Aunt Petunia to hear him agree.
With Ron's help they got his trunk down the stairs and into the kitchen in a matter of minutes. "Alright dad, we're ready to go."
"Dudley, just grab onto the tire.. Yes, that's right." Mr. Weasley said, looping one arm around Harry's trunk as the boys all grabbed onto the tire.
Harry felt that jerking feeling behind his naval just as Uncle Vernon chose that moment to come into the room. "What the h-" he was cut off. They were gone. Sighing, he turned to Petunia. "Why doesn't anybody tell me these things?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
They arrived in the middle of the kitchen at 12 Grimgauld (sp?) place. Dudley fell down, landing on his side, but the rest managed to stay up.
"Harry! You're here!" Hermione and Ginny came into the room, both grinning widely and not paying the least bit of attention to Dudley. Glancing behind him, he saw his cousin getting up with Mrs. Weasley's help.
"Hi Hermione, Gin." Harry said, giving them a small wave. "When do we go get our stuff?"
"Now." Mrs. Weasley said. "We'll be doing Floo Powder this time, though. Makes it much easier. Now, Harry, why don't you introduce your cousin to us?"
"Er. Dudley, this is Hermione, Ginny, Ron, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley." Harry said, pointing them out in her. "Guys this is, Dudley."
Only Mrs. Weasley said hello to Dudley. All the others had heard too much about him from Harry to like him all that much.
"School shopping at Diagon Ally? Can I come too?" Tonks asked, coming into the room and almost tripping over Harry's trunk.
"Er. I guess." Mrs. Weasley said slowly, looking Tonks over. From her short, spiked bubble gum pink hair to her shockingly pink cloak, Tonks was. noticeable. "Any chance you can tone down the outfit a bit there?"
"What? Like this?" Tonks scrunched up her face, like she was trying to remember something. Her hair grew longer, shoulder length, and turned a deep shade of brown. Seeing Mrs. Weasley still frowning at her cloak, Tonks grinned and went to get one of a different shade.
"Alright, we're all here" Tonks had come back down in an emerald cloak, which Mrs. Weasley seemed to approve of. "Oh, dear. you won't know how to travel by Floo Powder, now would you?" Mrs. Weasley was looking at Dudley as she spoke.
"What's Floo Powder?" Was all Dudley asked as Mrs. Weasley passed around the flowerpot. They all took a handful and stepped closer to the kitchen fireplace, except Dudley, that is. Harry's cousin was staring nervously at the flowerpot, as if he was expecting it to bite him.
"Now, dear, just watch Ron go first.. Ron.." Ron stepped into the fireplace, threw down the powder, and said quite clearly, "Diagon Ally!" Then. he was gone. Dudley gasped.
"W-where'd he go?!" he demanded, shocked.
"Where he said he was going, Diagon Ally. Harry, you next.." Harry stepped into the fire, only barely listening to Mrs. Weasley explaining to Dudley how to use the Floo Powder. "Diagon Ally!"
Then he was there, coming out of a fireplace in some shop or another. Ron helped him up. "Alright, now, lets just wait for Hermione and we can go!" Ron said cheerfully.
"Hermione and Dudley," Harry corrected. "Tonks and your mother can get Ginny's stuff, I guess. We also have to stop at Gringotts. Dudley needs to exchange his money."
"Oh. Right. Him." Ron sighed. "Well, we can always look at the quidditch shop while we wait! It's right across the street, perfectly within seeing distance. And besides, there's a new broom! A Nimbus 2002 at that! But it's not better then a Firebolt, I read about it."
"Nothing better then a Firebolt is going to come out for years." Tonks said, having appeared through the fireplace. "And let me come too! I had to use a different fireplace; Dudley got stuck in the kitchen one. And the idiot won't even use the Floo Powder to get himself out!"
Harry and Ron were laughing very hard. Tonks rolled her eyes and dragged them to the Quidditch shop window.
"See, Harry? Told you!" Ron said cheerfully. "The Firebolt still has the front window all to itself. The Nimbus 2002 is over there, partially hidden by those books!"
"Think Malfoy'll get one?" Harry asked, trying to get a better look at the hidden broom."
"Maybe. Why are you thinking about Malfoy anyway?"
Harry shrugged. "Just sizing up the competition."
"Malfoy? Competition? Are you nuts? We've only lost to Slytherin when you weren't on the team, Harry, and you know that."
"Yeah. Not on the team." Harry sighed. "Hope you guys'll do better this year."
"What are you talking about? You're on the team, Dumbledore told us!"
"Huh?"
"That's right." Tonks said. "Now that Umbridge is gone, your back on the team."
Harry brightened considerably. "Really?"
Tonks smile warmly. "Really."
"Harry, Ron, Tonks, get back over here!" Mrs. Weasley called, waving them towards her. An ashen Dudley stood next to her, along with Ginny and Hermione. The three obediently walked away from the quidditch shop to them.
"Alright," Mrs. Weasley said. "Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Dudley, you four shop together. Tonks and I will get Ginny's stuff." Mrs. Weasley handed Ron a small pouch full of money. "I know your father got a raise at the Ministry, but he hasn't gotten paid yet." She explained, noticing the look on Ron's face.
"Well? What are we all standing around for? Go!" Mrs. Weasley shooed them away.
"C'mon Dudley." Harry said. "We've got to go to Gringotts first."
"Huh?" Dudley looked perplexed.
"Gringotts, the bank." Harry said shortly. With Ron and Hermione on either side, he started off towards the snow white building. Dudley followed.
Upon entering the bank, Harry decided that he should of told Dudley that Gringotts was run by goblins. Unfortunately, it happened to skip his mind earlier. When he saw the goblins, Dudley let out a small squeak of fright and looked like he was about to faint. The trio ignored this and went up to a free clerk.
"How can I help you?"
"Dudley, give me your money." Harry commanded, holding out his hand. Dudley just shook his head and plopped the money down on the counter. Harry sighed. "We need to exchange this for our money, and I need to get some out of my vault."
"Alright." The goblin said. "I'll have someone take you down." He turned to Dudley. "You. Wait here." He called over another goblin to take Harry down to his vault. "Go with him." He said before disappearing behind the counter.
"Come on Ron, Hermione." Harry said, following the goblin.
"W-wh-what about me?" Dudley asked, shaking.
"Wait here." Harry said cheerfully before disappearing after the goblin through another door. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ All right, chapter five is done! I hope to get chapter six up by tomorrow. And I know the fic started out really corny at first, but its getting better. right?
