Chapter 2 – Giselle's Jewelry Shop
Two days later, Michael showed up on Liz's front doorstep. Behind him, in the driveway, stood a car. "Wizards drive?" was the first thing she said to him.
"Sort of. You'll see," Michael answered. "Do you have all your stuff?" Liz pointed to a large trunk she was trying to pull along, with the cages of both her pets on each arm. "Let me help," said Michael. He took Luna and Sunny, leaving Liz to lug her trunk to the car, where the rest of the Weasleys, Rachel, and the twins were waiting.
"It's my grandpa's," said Michael, handing Sunny through the window to Theresa. "It goes invisible, and it flies. Dad fixed it for him."
"I don't know why, though," said Mr. Weasley from the driver's seat. "I hate this stupid car. In my second-year—"
"Ron, if we don't hurry, we'll never have enough time to shop," said Mrs. Weasley.
Liz heaved her luggage into the trunk of the car and climbed in. "Hi, Rachel," she said. "We finally get to see where Michael lives, huh?"
"Yeah," Rachel replied. "After we go shopping."
"Engine—on," said Mr. Weasley, turning the key. The ignition started up. Liz caught a glimpse of Emma peering out the window. "Invisibility Booster on." Mr. Weasley flicked a switch, and the automobile disappeared. Emma's jaw dropped and she stared, transfixed on the spot where the car had been. "And up we go!"
Liz felt herself lifting into the air. "What's happening?" Rachel cried.
"We're flying!" answered Michael.
The car swerved to the side, causing everyone in the backseat to squish against Liz, who was on the end. "Sorry," Mr. Weasley apologized, spinning the wheel. It swerved to the other side, and now everyone fell against Jessica.
"Oh, let me do it!" Mrs. Weasley snapped. Though Liz couldn't see them, she knew that Michael's parents had both Disapparated and switched places. With Mrs. Weasley at the wheel, the car righted itself.
"He can fix the car but he can't drive the car," said Jessica to the others in the magically-enlargened backseat.
"I heard that," Mr. Weasley said irritably.
The rest of the ride to the Leaky Cauldron was smooth. They landed before the dingy pub with a slight bump, and Mrs. Weasley turned off the Invisibility Booster when no Muggles were looking. All the children in the back seat managed to get out, and they went inside. They safely made their way through the building to the back wall, which was the secret entrance to Diagon Alley. Mr. Weasley tapped on the bricks with his wand and opened up the archway. "Here we are," said Mrs. Weasley. They entered.
"Gringotts! Gringotts!" screeched the twins, hopping up and down. Rachel moaned and buried her face in her hands.
At Gringotts, they went first to the Yates vault. It really wasn't full at all. Rachel gathered up some of the money for all three of them. Next they went to the Weasley vault, which made the Yates vault seem empty. Since Jessica needed so many new supplies for her new N.E.W.T. level classes, Mrs. Weasley gathered up quite a large amount of money out of the vault. Finally they came to Liz's vault, which was considerably larger that the Weasleys'. She took what looked like enough to get all her school supplies and maybe an extra book for her free time. After that, she went to the front desk and talked to the teller goblin to exchange Emma's money for wizard money to re-buy her Ancient Runes book. Then they headed to Flourish and Blotts to get their schoolbooks.
While Jessica helped the twins find the books they needed, Rachel, Michael, and Liz went to go get their new books. Liz found her Ancient Runes textbook and translator and the new books she needed. Then she followed Rachel and Michael around the shelves, browsing for a new book. The only satisfactory book she could find was calledEverything You Didn't Know About Ancient Runes."Maybe I can get Professor Stickler to assign some extra credit," she thought aloud, plucking the book off the shelf.
"You read too much," said Michael, taking his new Defense Against the Dark Arts book off the shelf. "I wonder who our new teacher will be? You know, since Pumjy quit?"
"Maybe someone good," said Rachel. "I mean, think about it. In first-year we had Garb, and, well, you know how he was. In second-year we had Nilworg, who turned out be in league with the Dragon and hypnotizing the whole school. And last year we had Pumjy, the one who wouldn't open his desk drawer because he was afraid of what might be inside. We deserve someone better."
"I agree," said Liz. "Someone who's not stupid or evil."
Just then, the twins caused a large commotion by knocking over a bookshelf. Mrs. Weasley ushered all of them out of the store before the manager, whom they had met before, could find out.
"I need new robes, Mum," Jessica said outside.
"It's your sixth-year," said Mrs. Weasley exasperatedly. "Can't you hold out two more years?"
Jessica pursed her lips and looked exactly like her mother did when a student didn't turn in homework. Mrs. Weasley gave up. "Fine. Let's head over to Madame Malkin's."
"But we don't need to go there, Mum," Michael protested. "We still need to go to the Apothecary, and I want to stop by Quality Quidditch Supplies for some more broom polish."
"Fine, you three meet us at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream in two hours," said Mrs. Weasley, "and be ready to leave."
"Do we have to go look at Quidditch things?" Liz complained as they set off up the main street toward the Apothecary. "It's so boring."
"There's a new jewelry shop right near there," said Rachel. "We can go there while Michael looks at Quidditch supplies."
At the Apothecary, they restocked on potions supplies. Then Michael headed to the Quidditch store, while Liz and Rachel went to the jewelry shop.
"Ooh, it's nice in here!" said Rachel as they walked in.
"It's a spell," said Liz. "Two spells actually. I think a Calming Charm and a Cheering Charm are on this place. Whoever came up with that was clever."
"That would be me," said a misty voice from the back of the store. Liz and Rachel moved toward it, and found a young woman who looked like a gypsy. She was covered in beaded shawls, making it look like tiny objects were dripping from every inch of her body. Each movement she made was accompanied by a loud rustling sound, and she seemed vaguely familiar to Liz. "My mother owns this shop. I am Giselle. Would you like to buy something?"
"We're just looking," said Rachel. "Thank you." She hurried Liz over to another corner of the store. "She's strange, don't you think?"
But Liz wasn't paying a speck of attention. She was staring instead at someone who had just entered the store. "Hide, Rachel, hide!" she hissed, diving behind a display case. Rachel stood there stupidly for a moment before Liz tugged on her arm.
"What ishe doing here?" Rachel asked.
Liz shook her head, at a loss for words. What was David Hannigan doing in a jewelry shop? He strode to the front counter, where the woman named Giselle was still standing patiently. "How much for one of these bracelets?" he asked her, fingering a bracelet with very distinct pattern on it.
"Five Galleons," she answered. He dug in his pocket for the money and handed it to her. She gave him the bracelet. Liz flitted behind each case to see his every step before the door shut behind him.
"What do you think he was doing here?" Rachel said. "He surely can't want that for himself. Isn't he going out with Bettie? But wait—remember last year on the train? It's for you! I bet he likes you and he's going to give you jewelry as a gift! How romantic!"
"Rachel, I've probably spoken to him four times in my life!" Liz said. "He hardly knows me!"
"You hardly know him, but you like him."
She had a point. Liz just sighed and said, "Come on, let's go get Michael and do something else."
Rachel blurted out every detail of the instance to Michael as soon as they saw him. He didn't really seem too interested in it. "So you saw David. It's probably his mum's birthday or something." Liz instantly agreed with this. Rachel shut up about it on their way to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes up the street, but Liz kept seeing her send sly lances Liz's way. She tried to ignore them, but she couldn't ignore the feeling in her chest that hoped Rachel was right.
At Ron's older brothers' store, they found Fred Weasley, manning the business counter, which was crowded with customers. "Hello, Michael! Three bags of Canary Creams, all right, that'll be one Galleon. Thank you. How are you doing, nephew? No, we're out of the Whiz-Bangs at the moment, why don't you come back tomorrow? I'll be right with you three! Wait, sir, I haven't give you your change!"
"We're just looking!" Michael called back to him over the din of the crowd. Fred nodded absently, now searching through a box of skin-colored recorders. Michael led them over to a section of the store with display jokes such as fireworks and banners. As Fred had said, they were out of Whiz-Bangs, but everything else was fully stocked. Next they checked out the sweets section, where Rachel picked out a mystery bag. "I gone one of those once," Michael said warningly, "and I still have the scar." Rachel paid him no heed. They checked out, said goodbye to Michael's uncle, and headed out to do some more browsing.
After almost two hours had passed, they headed to the ice cream parlor and got one scoop of ice cream each to tide them over until they got to the Weasleys' house. "What is it like, exactly?" Rachel asked. Michael started to answer but was cut off when his mother, his father, his sister, and Rachel's sisters reached them.
"Time to go," Mrs. Weasley said shortly. They headed back through the Leaky Cauldron to the car, where Liz made sure she sat in the middle this time. Mr. Weasley sat obediently in the passenger's seat so his wife could drive. Away they flew, into the pale blue sky.
The ride took hours. Liz alternated between sleeping and talking to Rachel and Michael, neither of whom were tired at all. Finally, they landed in a barren, empty field. Liz looked at Rachel confusedly, and Rachel shrugged.
"Show yourself," Mrs. Weasley intoned.
Liz, who had just taken Sunny's cage out of the car, nearly dropped it. Right before her very eyes, there appeared a house that could only be described with one word: huge. Rachel's jaw dropped. Michael didn't seem to notice. "Come one, let's go inside. Need help with Luna's cage, Liz?"
"Your house is so big!" Liz cried.
"I know. It's not a big deal."
"I call it Weasley Manor," said Jessica.
Liz looked up at the top of the house, nearer to the sky than Liz ever thought she'd be, and followed Michael with her trunk into Weasley Manor.