Chapter 2
Diagon Alley

Harry woke early the next morning to sound of Hedwig squabbling with Pig, Ron's owl. "Oh, be quiet you two," he mumbled and started to roll over again when the bedroom door burst open.

"Harry, Ron, get up." Hermione shouted, running into the room the two of them shared and yanking the covers off of Harry before turning to do the same thing to Ron.

"Uh, what's going on, Hermione? What's the big deal?" Ron asked, sleepily, not even opening his eyes to look at Hermione. "It's too early." He complained.

"Our school letters are in," Hermione shouted, waving around three pieces of paper.

Harry quickly put on his glasses and sat up. He saw that Hermione was really holding three envelopes each addressed to one of them. If their school letters were in, then that meant...

"So what?" Ron asked not moving from where he laid. "It's just our supply list."

"No, you idiot," Hermione frowned, "Our O.W.L results."

Ron sat straight up, his eyes opening wide. "They're here?" He asked hoarsely.

Hermione nodded, handing Ron one of the letters. "Here's yours, Harry." She said, handing Harry a letter.

Harry stared at the envelope. It was much thicker than any of his previous school letters had been. He wondered if that was normal or if it was proclaiming doom.

"Have you opened yours, Hermione?" Ron asked, staring at his letter as if it would explode in his hands at any moment.

Hermione shook her head. "I thought we could do it together." She stated.

"Mine's thin." Ron said, miserably. "Fred said the thin ones are the bad ones. I must have failed every one of my O.W.L.'s."

"You don't know that, Ron." Harry stated. "Go ahead and open it."

"Not until you open yours." Ron said.

"Boys, please." Hermione frowned. "We'll open them together."

Harry looked at Ron, who shrugged. It sounded like a good idea to him. "Alright," Harry said, "On the count of three. One, two, three." All three of them tour open their envelopes and pulled out a letter containing a list of their classes and letters next to each one. Harry quickly scanned his list, skipping to Defense against the Dark Arts first. He grinned. As he expected, he received an Outstanding. Next he looked for Transfiguration and found that he had gotten an Exceeds Expectations. Excellent, he thought. Then his eyes moved to Potions and his mouth fell open. No, he thought, it can't be.

"I can't believe it." Ron said, grinning. "I didn't totally fail Potions. And I got an Outstanding in Defense against the Dark Arts."

"Well, what did you expect?" Hermione asked, matter-of-factly. "We had Harry as a teacher. Of course, you did well. I made nothing less than an Exceeds Expectations." She said proudly, then turned to Harry and asked. "How did you come out?"

Harry only shook his head. "Potions," he croaked, then cleared his throat and tried again. "My score in Potions..."

"Did Snape fail you?" Ron cut in.

"You know you can fight that, Harry." Hermione said, frowning. "I did a little research about the matter just in case something like this happened. I suspected Snape might try to influence your grade for the worse. I was in the room with you when you were doing your practical. You were doing very well. I'll vouch for you."

"So will I," Ron stated. "Snape can't get away with failing you."

Harry shook his head. "He didn't fail me." He said, and handed his letter to Hermione.

Hermione took it, and her mouth fell open in a little surprised "O". "You received an O, Harry. That's Outstanding."

Harry nodded. "I know." He said, pulling out the other letters in his envelope. He shifted to the school list and groaned. There was a three page list of ingredients that would be needed in Advanced Potions. That explained why his envelope was so thick. How can this be happening to me, he wondered. He was looking forward to not having to deal with Snape for his final two years at Hogwarts. Now he was in his class, again. "I have Advance Potions." He announced as one might announce he was going to die in a little under three hours.

"Oh, man. Harry, I'm sorry." Ron said speaking to Harry as one might speak to someone who had just announced he was going to die in a little under three hours.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Oh, please, it's not that bad. You should be proud of yourself, Harry. That's a very difficult class to get into. I know I would be proud."

"Are you going to be in Advanced Potions?" Harry asked, looking at Hermione hopefully.

"Er, well, no. I scored an Outstanding, but I'm not taking the class."

Harry brightened a little. "I have a choice?"

"Well, of course you have a choice, but you have to stay in, Harry, if you intend to be an Auror."

Harry immediately darkened again, and then turned on Ron. "Please, tell me you're going to be in this class."

Ron shook his head. "Sorry, Harry. I only barely passed the O.W.L."

"I'm going to be that class by myself...with a bunch of Slytherins."

"Oh, Harry." Hermione said, trying to sound reassuring. "I'm sure there will be other Gryffindors there."

Harry looked at her as if she was most naive girl in all of London. "Yes, I'm sure there will be." He said, sarcastically.

Hermione harrumphed. "Well, get dressed. We're going with Mrs. Weasley to Diagon Alley to pick up our school things. And Ron, she said you need new robes again. Something about you refusing to stop growing." With that, Hermione turned on her heels and walked out, leaving the boys to get ready for the day.

"Don't worry, Harry." Ron said, as he climbed out of the bed. "I'm sure it won't be that bad."

"Do you really believe that?" Harry asked, looking over at Ron.

"No." Ron answered. "It just seemed like something I should say."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Diagon Alley was just as Harry remembered it. He was actually a little surprised to see wizards and witches going about their day just as they had always. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he had expected to come here and find the Wizarding world in a total panic. There was an undercurrent of fear where ever he went, but nothing like the mass panic he had thought he would find. He was glad. Maybe the Wizarding world would give Voldemort more of fight than he was looking for.

"Give me your potions list, dear, and I'll pick up your ingredients."

Harry looked over at Mrs. Weasley. "Oh, sure. Here." He handed her the three pages of parchment. She raised an eyebrow at the list, but didn't comment and walked off leaving Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny with Professor Lupin.

"Don't forget, mum, I need quills." Ginny called after her mother then she turned to Lupin. "Can we go to Honeydukes. I feel like ice cream."

"Sure." Professor Lupin, answered. "I think that would be alright."

"There's a Honeydukes on Diagon Alley?" Harry asked thinking of the small ice cream parlor in Hogsmead.

Ginny nodded. "It's a branch of the one from in Hogsmead. It just opened at the beginning of the summer."

"It's a lot like the original," Ron added.

Harry nodded as he trailed beside Lupin. Even on Diagon Alley, no one left Harry or the others alone. Mr. Weasley had been with them earlier, and then left to go to work, but not before Mad-Eye and Tonks had joined them. They hung out with Harry and the others, while Mrs. Wesley picked up the school books they would need (Advanced Transfiguration for Transfiguration class, The Eye of Defense for Defense against the Dark Arts, The Stars and the Future that only Harry and Ron would need for Divination, and finally Expert Potions for Harry). They discussed who they thought would be teaching Defense against the Dark Arts this year, though Harry, Ron, and Hermione kept their inside knowledge to themselves, until Mrs. Weasley returned with Professor Lupin. Mad-Eye and Tonks said good-bye to Harry and the others then, and ran off to do whatever it was an Auror and an ex-Auror did on the weekends.

Harry didn't mind though. Even with the constant baby-sitting, he was enjoying his walk through Diagon Alley. It was nice to be out in the Wizarding world, not trying to hide, talking and laughing with his friends. Even though he knew Lupin and all the others were there to keep an eye on him, they acted as if they were with him because he was a good friend. It didn't feel like he had rotating bodyguards, and that alone made what they were doing okay.

"I think I'll get a bowl of strawberry ice cream." Ginny said, grinning brightly, and Harry thought she was very pretty when she smiled that way. "I haven't had a bowl of strawberry ice cream in forever."

Ron frowned. "You had a bowl yesterday, Gin."

"I know." Ginny said, laughing lightly. "Forever."

Hermione laughed. "Ginny, I didn't know you had such a thing for ice cream."

"I didn't either." Ginny answered. "I think I picked it up from Dean, though his favorite flavor is chocolate."

Ron growled. "You're still seeing that guy?"

"Oh, Ron. Don't start." Ginny stated, rolling her eyes.

"Well, I just don't see what you see in him...I mean, Dean?"

"Hey, look there's Hagrid." Harry said, mostly because he didn't feel like hearing Ron and Ginny argue over Ginny's choice in boyfriends. He had made the mistake of asking Ron how Ginny was doing yesterday, and wound up spending the entire night listening to Ron rant about Dean. Personally, Harry liked Dean, though he was a bit confused about how he felt when he heard Ginny was going out with him. He thought he felt a pang of---was it---jealousy?

He shook away the thought and turned back towards Hagrid and waved. The half giant stood out easily in the crowd. As they approached Hagrid, they saw that he was leading someone, a girl. She looked to be about his age. She had long dark hair, pulled into a high ponytail that flashed copper and red in the sunlight. She wore tiny oval glasses that accented her large eyes. Harry couldn't tell if her eyes were pale green or grey, but he did think they were very pretty. She followed behind Hagrid, arms loaded with books.

" 'Lo, Harry." Hagrid called, leading the girl through the crowds, to their small group. "Ron, Hermione, Ginny. How are, ya?"

"We're fine, Hagrid." Hermione answered as Hagrid caught her up in a bear hug.

Hagrid released her, and wrapped his huge arms around Harry, Ron, and Ginny in turn. "It's good, ter see yer all." He stated. "Mighty good." He looked up and noticed Lupin standing behind them and grinned. "Professor Lupin. O' course, I shoulda expected ya. How are ya?"

"Very well, Hagrid." Lupin answered. "Who is your friend?"

Hagrid looked back at the girl. "This here is Mindy James." He answered. "She's transferring ta Hogwarts this year."

"Oh, really?" Hermione asked. "What year are you?"

"Sixth." Mindy answered, glancing around at the group. "And you all?"

"We're all sixth year too." Harry answered. "Except Ginny," He said, waving at Ginny. "She's in fifth year."

"By the way." Ginny said, smiling brightly. "I'm Ginny Weasley."

"And I'm her brother, Ron." Ron introduced himself.

"I'm Hermione Granger." Hermione said.

"And I'm Harry Potter." Harry said, tentatively, and grinned when Mindy showed absolutely no reaction to his name at all. Not even the almost immediate and involuntary eye flick to the scar on his forehead. It was a relief, to meet someone who didn't already know who he was. Or at least, did a very good job of pretending not to know who he was.

"We're heading for Honeydukes." Lupin said to Hagrid and Mindy. "Would the two of you care to join us?"

Hagrid looked down at Mindy. "What do yer think? Feel like ice cream?"

Mindy looked at the group and then said. "Yes, I think I would like that."

"Well, I'll take these." Hagrid said, taking the load of books out of Mindy's arms. "You guys go ahead." He fell back in step with Professor Lupin allowing the kids to take the lead.

"Have you ever been to Honeydukes?" Ginny asked, looking at Mindy as she led the way to the little ice cream parlor.

"Once or twice." Mindy answered.

"What school are you transferring from?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, uh, Aussie. That's in Austria."

"Oh, I've heard of that school." Hermione said, nodding. "They have a very good Transfiguration program. You must be quite advanced."

At this, Mindy broke into a broad grin. "You wouldn't believe." She answered.

The group stepped into Honeydukes and chose a table next to the window. Lupin and Hagrid sat at a different table a little ways from where the kids were sitting. They all ordered, Ginny making sure to get her bowl of strawberry ice cream, with extra strawberries.

"Do you know what classes you have?" Ginny asked, digging into her bowl of "strawberry goodness" as she called it.

"Oh, yes." Mindy answered, pushing back her bowl of plain vanilla and pulling out her book list. "I have Divination (which she said as if she would rather eat dog poo than be in the class) and Transfiguration. Um, Astronomy, Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures, and Potions."

"You're in Advanced Potions too?" Harry asked looking up from his crackling hot fudge Sunday (that was crackling rather loudly).

"Yes." Mindy said, and then looked up. "Are you in Advanced Potions?"

Harry sighed and nodded.

Mindy grinned. "I'm so proud of you, Harry."

Harry looked at the girl across from him. Proud of me? "Huh?"

"Oh," Mindy said, blushing slightly. "What I mean, is that I hear that is a very difficult class to get in. You should be proud of yourself."

"That's what I told him." Hermione said, nodding in agreement. "He wouldn't listen to me."

Harry shook his head. "Well, I can't force myself to be happy about being the class. I still don't know how I managed to get in, in the first place. And can you believe the ingredients list?"

Mindy laughed. "I haven't had to buy so many ingredients before in my life, and trust me, that's saying a lot."

Harry grinned. "I hope you get sorted into Gryffindor." He said. "Then I won't have to be miserable and alone in that class. Then I'll only just be miserable"

"What do you mean miserable?" Mindy asked.

"I mean Snape, the professor. He has it out for me." Harry answered.

"Yeah," Ron added. "He hates Harry with a passion."

"Why?" Mindy asked, frowning.

Harry shrugged. "I don't know. I think it has something to do with me being born, though." He sighed, again then smiled. "At least I'll have one friend in the class."

Mindy smiled and nodded then said, "I'll do my best to keep Professor Snape off your back."

Harry looked at her. He didn't know what the girl could do against Snape, but he appreciated the gesture. "Thanks."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mindy waved good-bye to her new friends, and followed Hagrid back down the roads of Diagon Alley, stopping only once to pick up a cauldron.

"So, what did yer think o' Harry and the others?" Hagrid asked, as they walked down the street (well, Hagrid walked; Mindy had to trot to keep up with his long strides).

"I thought they were very nice." Mindy answered, smiling to herself. She didn't expect them to be anything else. She had taught them all, of course, and they had always been model students; despite the trouble they tended to get themselves into. She was feeling very proud of herself. She had accomplished the first part of her mission--she had befriended Harry Potter.

She didn't really think she would have a hard time doing so, but she had to admit, she had been worried. It had been a long time since she had to make friends with a group of sixteen and fifteen year olds. But they all had made it remarkably easy. They were all very open and willing to allow for a new friendship, a trait not common in most tight-knit groups. Now she understood why Harry, Ron, and Hermione were so popular in their year, and why Ginny was so popular in her year.

Everything had gone well, though she had almost blown her cover earlier when she told Harry she was proud of him. The statement had just popped out of her. She had helped Harry the previous year study for his Potions final, so that he could get into Advanced Potions and achieve his goal of becoming an Auror. After working with him for a bit, she must confess she hadn't thought he'd get into the class. She was just glad their hard work had paid off.

"I'm glad you all hit it off." Hagrid was saying. "They're a good bunch ta get mixed up in, if yer going ter get mixed up in a bunch." Hagrid smiled slightly. "Though they do tend ta get themselves in a bit trouble from time ta time."

Mindy nodded laughing. "I know." She agreed, without thinking about what she was saying.

Hagrid raised an eyebrow at her. "Yer do?"

Mindy glanced up at the half-giant, suddenly realizing her mistake. "Oh, I've heard...stories." She answered weakly, trying to cover her second slip of the day. Pretending to be someone else was turning out to be a lot harder than she thought it would be.

"Oh, right." Hagrid nodded, accepting the explanation without question. "Their reputation would go ahead o' them. Well, here ya are." He added, as they reached the brick wall that led to the alley behind the Leaky Cauldron. Hagrid touched one of the bricks with his wand and the wall slid away revealing the almost run down pub and hotel. "Do ya need me ter come up with yer?" Hagrid asked, shuffling her books around.

Mindy shook her head. "No thank you, Hagrid. I can make it from here." She answered.

"Are ya sure, Mindy? Yer supplies are a bit heavy."

Mindy nodded. "I'm sure."

"Well, alright then." Hagrid said, as he dumped her school books into her newly bought cauldron.

Mindy immediately dropped the cauldron under the weight of the books. Hagrid looked at her, but she smiled reassuringly and said, "It is okay, Hagrid. Really, I'm fine. Thank you for showing me around today and introducing me to your friends. I had fun."

"It was nothing." Hagrid said, waving the thank you away with one large hand. "Are yer sure yer don't need help with that?" He added nodding towards the cauldron loaded with books and other school supplies.

Mindy nodded. "I'm fine, really."

Hagrid shrugged. "Well, if yer sure." He said. "I'll see ya when the school year starts." He waved one large hand and stepped back through the brick wall, which immediately closed behind him.

Mindy waited for the wall to fully seal, before pulling out her wand. Dumbledore had promised she wouldn't be restricted by the underage magic code, and a feather weight charm should do the trick to lighten her load. She started to wave her wand, but stopped. She suddenly had the distinct feeling she was being watched. She lowered her wand and looked around. The alley was empty, save for her. But she knew a pair of eyes was watching her. She could feel them on her back.

Mindy took a step back from her things, and began scanning the roof tops for the unseen person. But her search turned up nothing. She looked around again, and thought she spotted something sitting behind one of the rafters of the Leaky Cauldron. She strained to see whatever it was, but then it was gone. All she saw in the evening light was a single black feather floating down towards her. She caught the feather in mid-air and looked at. It was only an ordinary owl feather. She looked at the spot she had thought she saw someone. All she saw was shadows.

Shrugging it off, Mindy decided the feeling of being watched was just her newly teenage imagination acting up. Raising her wand again, she performed the feather-weight charm. Laying the black feather on top of her books, she picked up her cauldron and carried her things inside the pub and up to her room.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Feel free to Review if you're reading all of this for the first time.