Disclaimers: See the first chapter.
Snippets From the Potterverse
Chapter 28 - Back To School Shopping
The end of the summer holidays was drawing near, and one day in the last week of August, an owl arrived at 12 Grimmauld Place bearing booklists.
That time of the year already, Sirius sighed on the Underground (Ron and Remus had refused to set foot on the Knight Bus). Back to school. Seems like the holidays just flew by, am I right?
Being stuck at Grimmauld Place, even though they sometimes got out for some fresh air, had been not fun at all, and the holidays had certainly not flown by. But the kids just nodded, so as not to make Sirius and Remus feel bad. They had, of course, tried their best to make the children happy and comfortable. If only they had a better house, Harry reflected, they would be the best surrogate parents in the world.
They got off the train and walked a few blocks to the Leaky Cauldron. Remus pulled Sirius through the pub before the bottles behind the bar could tempt him, and they went out back and tapped the third brick from the left above the dustbins, opening the entrance to Diagon Alley.
All right! What's the first thing on the lists? Remus asked cheerfully.
Hermione shouted. She and Remus giggled, grabbed each other by the hand and dashed off to Flourish and Blotts', leaving the others to follow at a more leisurely pace. Remus and Hermione loved nothing better than going to libraries and bookshops, looking for things they hadn't read before. But knowing how much those two read, it was amazing there were any books left untouched.
The bookshop was crowded with Hogwarts students, and Sirius felt a trifle claustrophobic. He leaned against the wall beside the door and waited for his lover and the children.
Mr. Black!
A voice at his elbow made him jump. He looked down to see two Indian-looking twin girls and another girl with long, light brown hair standing beside him, looking adoringly up at him. He gulped. They were very familiar.
Er - can I help you, ladies? he asked.
You're so hot! one of the twins cooed. Sirius remembered them now - they were the same girls who had been drooling over him at the train station and the ice cream shoppe.
Er.... thanks... Sirius began backing away from them. I'm... argh!!! He turned and bolted.
After him! Parvati cried. She, Padma, and Lavender chased after Sirius. His waist-length black hair made him easily visible in the crowd.
Sirius ducked into his nearest refuge, Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes. Fred and George looked up from the counter, where they were waiting on several customers.
What's wrong, Sirius, mate? George asked, concerned.
Hide me! Sirius cried. He tried to crawl behind the counter. Hide me, they're after me!
Who? The dementors? Fred asked.
No! Rabid, drooling fangirls! Sirius wailed. But before he could say anything else, the door burst open and Parvati, Lavender, and Padma stood in the doorway.
There you are! they shrieked, running forward and grabbing Sirius by the arms. They pulled him kicking and screaming to the door, while the twins and their customers stared.
Sirius yelled, catching sight of his lover in the crowded street. Help me!
Accio mate! Remus cried, and Sirius found himself flying out of the girls' grasp and landing (albeit painfully) beside his lover.
Now, girls, you know he's taken, Remus reprimanded lightly.
Sirius' fan club replied.
