Part Five

They Weasley's plus Erin and Harry stood in the living room getting ready to go to Diagon Alley. Molly held out the Floo Powder. "Ok, Erin, you first."

The girl nodded and took some the powder in her hand. She stood in the fireplace and said very clearly. "Diagon Alley." And then threw the powder down. In a moment she was whirling around glimpsing other fires and the next moment she stood in the fireplace to the Leaky Cauldron. She stepped out and brushed the dust off herself before taking a seat to wait for the others.

In a moment Ron appeared. "Harry will be along in a moment." He said cheerfully taking a seat beside the pretty girl. They waited…and waited and then Fred and George appeared. "Where's Harry?" Erin asked.

"He's not here?" They asked together.

"Well," Fred said a little uncertainly. "He botched it…"

Erin rolled her eyes. "Well, I'm sure he's only gone a grate or two too far. He'll be fine."

"He's been in tighter spots before." George said good-naturedly.

"Yeah." Erin said shaking her head.

There was little conversation until Molly and Ginny appeared and then a moment later Arthur appeared also out of the fire. There was a brief, but intense conversation and then they all agreed to just go on and Harry would meet up with them later.

They went to Gringott's first and Erin and the Weasley's parted so they could go to their own vaults. Erin volunteered to go to Harry's. He had given her his key and she went to get the money out, she was surprised they let her, but as it turned out her name was on the list of people that could…that was strange, but she thought she knew why.

Erin was the first one out, even though she had the two vaults to visit. She got the money out and went outside, they had agreed to meet on the steps outside of the bank. There she bumped into a woman with long curly hair. "Oh, I'm…Mrs. Granger?"

The woman looked a little surprised and then her eyes lit up. "Oh, you're one of Hermione's friends!" Her smile was wide and friendly. "I'm just waiting for Hermione and her dad to come out. You don't know how relieved I am too see you, dear. I am quite out of place among you magic folk."

"It's all right, Mrs. Granger. Wizarding folk are just like Muggles. Well, uh, not quite all the time…Mr. Weasley, Ron's dad is completely obsessed with Muggle things. A few weeks ago he wanted to know the function of a rubber duck."

She giggled and Erin could see where Hermione got her sense of humor. "Did you tell him?" She asked curiously.

"No, but I was thinking it. He was asking Harry, you haven't met him yet, but you'll like him. He's nice and sweet and has this adventurous streak."

"Oh, do you have a bit of a crush on him?" She asked knowingly.

Erin went red and smiled, but was saved from answering by a shriek and then all she saw was mounds of bushy brown hair as Hermione squeezed the life out of her. "Oh, I missed you so much!"

Erin returned the embrace fervently. She had also missed her best gal pal. When Hermione finally let go she turned. "Dad, you remember Erin!"

Mr. Granger nodded. "It's nice to see you again."

"You too." Erin chirped. "The Weasley's are inside, but Harry, he was with us… but we're guessing he went one grate too far…he'll be ok, he always is. I'm just worried because I am always with him and I'm not now."

Hermione nodded sympathetically. "I know, he'll be fine without you, hon. Just don't worry. He can take care of himself."

"I know…" She sighed. Mr. and Mrs. Granger were talking now leaving their daughter to catch up. "Did you tell your parents?"

"About all that stuff?" Hermione asked. "Nope, well, not all of it. I told them about our year and the highlights, but I wasn't dumb enough to tell them about the Sorcerer's Stone or anything. They'd have never let me back! So, do you think we'll have a quiet year, this year?"

"I doubt it." Erin said sighing. "We seem to attract trouble of all kinds, so I doubt we will have a perfectly peaceful year. And don't forget Voldemort is still out there, still biding his time until he can put another plan into action." Erin ignored Hermione as she winced at the sound of Voldemort's name.

"Oh, I bought you a birthday present, but I think it better to wait until we on the Express to give you to you."

"Sure." Erin said shrugging. She had never gotten a birthday present from someone outside her family before…so mostly just Remus. She wondered what it could be.

At that moment Ron wondered by with his hands in his pockets and whistling nonchalantly pretending he didn't see Hermione. "RON!" He was practically tackled with the hug Hermione gave him. Every laughed. "I missed you!"

"I missed you, too! But you don't have to kill me to say so!" Ron complained, although Erin noticed he wasn't complaining too much. She grinned and Ron gave her a wink.

The three of them were deep in conversation by the time they noticed Ginny hovering near them. Erin grabbed her hand. "Sorry, Hon, this is Hermione, Hermione, Ginny Weasley, she's starting Hogwarts this year."

"Hi, Ginny." Hermione said smiling. "Hoping for Gryffindor?"

The redheaded girl nodded. "Yes, everyone is in it and it sounds like the best house."

"It is." Ron said. "But we're biased." He grinned and for once he didn't mind having his little sister around. Actually for once he didn't mind being surrounded by girls, he was used to being surrounded by boys and it was actually nice.

The groups walked to Flourish and Blotts hoping that Harry would meet up with them there. Erin and Hermione selected their books and paid for them. It was crowded in there due to a book signing by Gilderoy Lockhart. Erin didn't want to see him, not at all. Hermione was standing in the doorway and Erin heard her give a little shout. "Harry!"

Erin was right behind her as she tore down the street. "Harry! Hagrid, it's so good to see you!"

Erin could see the giant of man coming with Harry. "Hello, Hermione." Hagrid said. And then he was surprised to be hugged. "Erin?"

"Who else?" She said squeezing him extra-tightly.

"Ok, ok, off with ya." Hagrid said getting red. It wasn't that he didn't like Erin or showing affection…he just wasn't used to it. "Well, you're all right now, Harry, I'll see you later."

"Ok, bye!" Harry said and Hermione echoed him.

Hagrid managed to untangle himself from the black-haired girl and leave. Erin just smiled and then turned to Harry. "We hoped you'd only gone one grate too far. Where were you?"

"Knockturn Alley." He replied.

"Excellent!" They turned to see Fred, George and Ron standing there.

"We've never been allowed in." George said sighing.

They started to walk back to Flourish and Blotts. "Nevermind that." Harry said. "I was in a shop and Draco and his dad were there—"

"Was Lucius buying anything?" Mr. Weasley was just suddenly there, and instead of the normally smiling face, he was stern.

"No, selling." Harry said.

"Then he's scared. He's afraid we are going to be raiding his home next." Mr. Weasley had a self-satisfied air about him. "Well, come along, Molly's waiting for us and holding our place in line."

"Do I have too?" Erin asked.

"Oh, Erin…how couldn't you want to?" Hermione whispered. "Gilderoy Lockhart…" Her voice and face were dreamy.

Erin looked at her repulsed. "Not you too." Erin groaned.

"What's wrong, Erin?" Mr. Weasley asked.

Erin gave him a look. "All these witches fawning over a man just because he's good-looking and because of all the stuff he's says he's done in his books? It's demeaning and abhorrent!"

He only looked slightly surprised to hear a 12-year-old use those terms. "I agree, but there's not much we can do." He sighed.

"Erin, come on." Harry said not having heard any of the conversation. He grabbed her hand and pulled her along with Ron and Hermione in the lead. She made no objections to that though.

They found Molly near the head of the line. "Oh, Harry, dear, thank goodness, we hoped you'd only gone one grate too far. Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, thanks." Harry said.

"Oh, there he is!" Molly said.

A tall blonde haired man came out of the back room posing for the camera. Erin made a gagging sound. Harry looked at her quite in agreement. He was still holding onto her hand, probably so he wouldn't lose her in the crowd. Lockhart suddenly stopped. "It can't be, Harry Potter…"

Harry's eyes grew huge. The photographer spotted him too. "Harry Potter!" And grabbed him pulling him forward, in return Erin was pulled forward because Harry was positively gripping her hand now. He did not want to be 'thrust into the lime light'.

"Erin!" He said pleadingly. Erin pulled back, the photographer may have been small, but he was ardent in his desire to get Harry up there.

"Come on, little girl! You can have been back in a moment!" He argued pulling harder.

Erin pulled right back. "He doesn't want to go up there!"

Then Lockhart stepped in. "Come on, Harry, together we rate the front page." And with that he pulled both Erin and Harry under his arms and smiled charmingly at the camera, with Harry looking surprised and Erin disgusted. After the photo they tried to get away, but Lockhart held them fast. "When young Harry and his girlfriend…" Erin blushed red. "…Stepped into Flourish and Blotts this morning they just wanted to purchase my autobiography, Magical Me and of course my autograph—"

"Wanna bet…" Erin said under her breath.

Lockhart continued as if he hadn't heard her. "Which I will present both of them now and the rest of my complete works, free of charge." The books were thrust into their hands and Harry, realizing that he had been gripping Erin's hand, let go. "And soon enough they will be getting the real me, for I have just accepted the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts." He smiled as the cameras went off again. "And now, we know Harry and what is your lovely girlfriends name?" He asked Harry.

Harry just wanted to get out of there as soon as he could. "Erin Lyancomp."

"Lyancomp?" Lockhart's smile faded for a fraction of a second. "I thought there were no more left…"

"Well, as you can see you're wrong." Erin said. "Now if you'll excuse us, please, I am sure you have books to sign."

"Ah, what a wonderful girl, thinking of others." He said taking back control of the conversation. "Yes, autographs! Step forward!"

Harry and Erin made a fast escape. "Oh, how wonderful." Molly said. "Give me those, I'll have them signed…"

"Molly," Erin interrupted. "I already bought a set of my own…so you can give those to Ron."

Ron went a little pink, but he was also looking extremely grateful at the pile. Harry nodded. "And you can give mine to Ginny, I can buy my own."

Mrs. Weasley was looking a little unsure, but also a bit grateful also…that meant they would only have to buy three second hand sets instead of five… "All right, dears, go on."

They took their leave with a sigh of relief. "I never want to go through that again." Harry said. "Thanks, though."

"No problem, but you're going to be getting some teasing." She said.

"Teasing?" Harry asked confused.

"Yeah, Lockhart called me your girlfriend." She reminded him. "They will definitely be putting that in the Daily Prophet. And everyone at Hogwarts reads the Daily Prophet…well, most of them."

Harry sighed, but then shrugged. "Ah well, you're a girl and you're a friend—"

"Well, well, famous Harry Potter, can't even go into a bookshop without making the front page." Malfoy suddenly stood in front of them.

Ginny scowled. "Leave him alone."

"Oh, look, Potter…" Malfoy grinned. "You've got yourself two girlfriends…"

The head of a cane was tapped on Malfoy's shoulder and they looked up to see a tall man with white-blonde hair. There was no guessing who this man was, they already knew. "Now, now, Draco, play nicely." Malfoy was swept to the side. "Ah, Harry Potter, we meet at last, forgive me." He drew him forward, "But your scar is legendary."

Erin pulled Harry back giving Lucius Malfoy a cold, hard glare. "Keep your distance."

Lucius did the slightest of double takes as he saw the black-haired girl. He licked his lips and tried to keep his face in an interested position. "You must be Miss Lyancomp, yes, I knew your parents…"

"I know." Erin said, the look not leaving her face, she narrowed her eyes even more. "Don't touch him again."

Lucius acted as though it hardly concerned him. "As I was saying, Harry, your scar is famous, as is the wizard you gave it to you."

"Voldemort murdered my parents." Harry said, he didn't like the man anymore than Erin did. He didn't notice he was gripping her hand again. "He was nothing but a murderer."

"You must be very brave to say his name…or very foolish." Lucius said condescendingly.

"Fear of the name only increases fear of thing itself." Hermione said.

"We have nothing to fear from a wizard that has no body of his own, a wizard that is a wreck and only holds sway by those who fear his name and what he once was." Erin said defiantly. She knew very well what Lucius Malfoy was.

Lucius decided not to acknowledge Erin, although it was in his breeding to, she was as pureblood as he was after all. He chose instead to acknowledge Hermione. "Ah, Miss Granger, is it?" Behind Hermione Draco nodded contemptuously. "Yes, Draco's told us all about you." His eyes moved over to where Arthur was talking to Mr. and Mrs. Granger. "Your parents…Muggles are they?" He said Muggles like someone would say 'animal'.

Erin's eyes flashed and Lucius' eyes darted back to her. He could feel the energy coming from her. "Malfoy, I would suggest you don't go any further down that vein or I will have to do something about it."

Lucius glared at her, but didn't say anything; he knew too well the blood that ran in those veins…she was the last, along with Draco…but she had the Lyancomp blood, the last of the Lyancomps and he knew better…she was still only a child…still not reached her full potential…her full power and knowledge…but if she was this powerful now…he didn't allow himself to continue thinking about it. Arthur Weasley put a hand to Harry's shoulder. "Children, it's mad in here, let's go outside."

"Well, well, Arthur Weasley, busy time at the Ministry, I see. I hope they are paying you well for it? All those raids."

Arthur looked up, but he didn't like Lucius any more than the others. "Lucius."

"I hope they are paying you overtime." He reached into Ginny's cauldron and pulled out a very, very old and worn out book. "Apparently not. Dear me, what's the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?"

"We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy." Arthur said and then he put a hand on Erin's shoulder. The inference was clear. 'Calm down.'

"Cleary." Lucius sneered. He knew he was treading on thin ground, but his eyes wandered to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley who had come up. "Associating with Muggles and I thought your family could sink no lower—"

Harry was able to stop Erin from doing anything, but he couldn't stop Arthur. Arthur had thrown himself past the two of them right into Lucius and the two were punching and throwing each other against the bookshelves. "Get him, Dad!" George shouted and then Mrs. Weasley, much to Erin's eye rolling, shouted. "No, Arthur! No!"

Then a voice came over the din. "Break it up, gents, break it up!" Hagrid was able to get to them and pull them apart. The two men glared at each other.

Lucius was the first one to break the stare. He turned to Ginny and thrust back her old book that he was still holding. "Take it, girl, it's the best your father can give you." He took his son by the arm and then after a look at Erin, who shot him such a look of contempt, they left.

All of them left after that. Mrs. Weasley was mortified at her husband's behavior. "What were you thinking? Brawling like that in public! With Lucius Malfoy of all people!"

Arthur sighed. "Molly, if I hadn't have done that, I knew for well sure that Erin would have."

Mrs. Weasley turned to look at Erin. "You, dear? But why?"

Erin was still pretty much upset at the whole situation. "Oh, you know embarrassing Ginny, treating Muggles like they were animals, making your family seem like less of wizards than ours." Erin hadn't realized what she had said until she realized everyone was looking at her.

"Ours?" Hermione asked.

Erin went scarlet. "Oh…Draco's mum is my second cousin." She said and didn't say another word. She had found out that much by writing to Remus and asking him about her family. He had told her what he knew, but he didn't know how she was related to the Weasley's. No one said any more as they continued their shopping.