Allow me to quote the Hogwarts acceptation letters: "Students may bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad." True, Ron brings a rat, but Scabbers doesn't do anything. I'm just trying to keep with school rules here…that's why no one got a Puffskin or a Crup or anything like that.
And why doesn't it fit for Takuya to have a frog? I always figured he thought a bit out of the box, no matter what he did. Besides, frogs are cute!
Disclaimer: Don't own either one, don't sue either way.
Chapter 7: A Few Near Misses
Their third day on Diagon Alley was really quite enjoyable.
The group had split into two separate ones, going off to explore the Alley a bit better while Kenkyo…Well, they really weren't sure what their teacher was doing, though she claimed it was final arrangements for their trip to Hogwarts the next day. Either way, it left the students free reign over where they went.
Izumi was finally allowed inside the Quidditch place, much to Junpei's chagrin, and was quite enjoying herself with all the brooms and equipment. Tomoki and Takuya had discovered a joke shop the day before and were now dragging Kouji and Kouichi in to see.
"Come on, you two, it isn't that bad!" Takuya urged, pushing Kouji along from behind. "This place is really great!"
"Just slow down a bit, Takuya…" Kouji mumbled in distasted. "We've barely had time to digest breakfast."
Tomoki and Kouichi were trailing behind the other two, quite a bit more slowly and with less force. They glanced at each other and privately cracked up, covering the mouths with their hands to hide their chuckles.
"Very funny, you two." Kouji muttered, as they came to the door of the most colorful shop on the block.
The sign was changing colors every few minutes, so that none of the letters in Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes were ever the same color at the same time. The store itself was smaller than the other store, but it also looked newer, with a lively paintjob of bright reds, golds and oranges.
Kouichi paused a moment by the large display window to the right of the door. Inside was a festering, murky swamp, complete with sludge-water, cattails, and more than a few bugs. The sign leaning against a large rock read: "PORTABLE SWAMP! (as see on the fifth floor of Hogwarts) Great for large-scale kabangs and tormenting old bats! Ten galleons for twenty meters."
"Weird, huh?" Tomoki piped from next to him. "And look at the other window!"
Kouichi looked and nearly burst out laughing. A long-limbed, yellow and green toad was doing a tap dance on a three-legged stool, complete with cane and top hat. The grin on its face reminded him of Takuya's new pet. There was music for it to dance to coming from an old wizarding radio, and it seamed to be performing simply for the sake of drawing in customers.
"How weird…"
"Hey!" Takuya called, opening the door and keeping one hand on Kouji's shoulder. "Enough window-shopping, you two! Wait'll you see the inside!"
The door shut behind them, but instead of a bell or tone announcing their entrance, it let out a noise vaguely like an elephant trumpeting. It surprised all of them, but was rather close to Kouji's right ear, so he leapt to the left in startled attempt to get away.
His actions knocked a box to the floor, dumping out a blue-covered book. It landed on its binding, falling open and beginning to cackle like a hag as two large red apples rolled out and bounced away. Tomoki scrambled down and slammed it shut.
Koji had a very amusing look on his face. "What…the…heck?!"
"Sorry 'bout that." they all jumped again at the sudden voice, that seamed to be coming from the potted plant next to Kouichi. "New merchandise, you know?"
The twins, at least, were quite relieved when a red-haired man stuck his head around the edge. He was only a few years older than they were and built a lot like Junpei, slimmer than their friend, but short and stocky in the same manner. His freckled face was round and pleasant, currently stretched into a playful grin.
"Just developed those last month. More of a joke for wizards with Muggle relatives." he picked up the book and the apples, biting into one and handing the other to Kouichi. "A bit of a laugh when they come home for the hols. We're planning on putting them in the window tomorrow and moving the toad into the back."
Said toad was currently sitting on the stool, a bowler replacing his top hand and a piece of paper held open in front of him. His mouth was opening and closing, as though giving the news that was now playing on the radio.
The red haired man put the book back in the box, his eyes alighting a moment on Takuya, then on Tomoki. "So, you two are back, eh? See you brought a couple of friends."
"Yup." Takuya grinned. "Yesterday was a ball, and Kouji could always use a little lightening up anyway…"
"Oh, shut up, Takuya." Kouji muttered, rubbing his right ear. His brother was trying rather hard not to laugh. "Kouichi…"
"Sorry." the elder coughed once, getting it out of his system. "But these things are rather fun, Kouji."
"At least one of you has a sense of humor." Takuya grinned, ignoring the death glare his friend was giving him.
The storeowner looked at the two a moment, his grin getting even wider when he noticed the similarity. "Well well." he nodded. "Just a second, gents."
He strode a bit further towards the back of the store. "OI! George!"
An identical head suddenly stuck itself out of the back room. "Yeah, Fred?"
"Come over here. Got a couple of interesting new customers."
"That so?" the other came to stand beside him. They were obviously identical twins, and they didn't have the hairstyle difference Kouji and Kouichi had. It was impossible to tell one from the other.
"Eh, now." the newer-come one grinned just a bit. "Nice to meet you. I'm George Weasly, bookkeeper and co-owner of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes…"
"And I'm Fred Weasly, co-owner and chief of advertising." the first one winked. "We already know you two…Tah-koo-yah and Toe-moe-key, right?"
"Yup." Takuya and Tomoki grinned at the same time.
"So the two of you must be more of the transfers to Hogwarts." George nodded to the remaining Japanese students.
"Yeah." Takuya put a hand on Kouji's shoulder. "This is Kouji, and his mirror image over there is Kouichi."
Fred's grin widened a bit. "Another pair of twins, eh?"
"The Patils should be happy."
"They're a pair you'll meet up at school. Should be about your age."
"Girls, though. Kinda cute, but a little young."
"Eh, they can handle it. So, you guys looking for anything in particular?"
Kouji was having a rather hard time keeping track of what they were saying, and felt very relieved that he and Kouichi chose to keep their own…connections…to private conversations. Well, that and translating what the elder was attempting to say when speaking to strangers.
Said older brother just smiled, shaking his head.
Tomoki leaned over the table. "We're just looking." he said. "We really don't know what to get."
"We can help you with that." George grinned even wider. "Our picks of the month are always top-sellers."
"If you like getting in trouble, that is."
"Only if you get caught."
"That's one rule to learn at Hogwarts, never get caught if you can help it."
"Now for a milder trick, there's these things over here…"
After getting what they needed from Gringotts, and buying their new books and such, Harry, Ron and Hermione started exploring the alley a bit more carefully. First they stopped by Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor and bought three large cones, then they went to Quality Quidditch Supplies, to check out the newest acquisitions. But there was nothing too interesting, though an unfamiliar girl with long, blonde hair certainly thought it was. She was examining last year's Cleansweeps and rattling on to a large boy that was standing near her.
"See, I told you. Not near as straight as the Inazuma 250, but the carving is definitely straighter. They say it's a good Chaser broom, but it's really better for a Keeper than anything else. A Chaser has to be able to turn on a dime, and the uneven twigs increase the drag…"
The large boy was only half-awake, from the looks of him, and wasn't quite as interested in the brooms as his friend. He was watching a poster of the Holyhead Harpies flying through a fast-paced game with the Chudley Cannons on the next wall. The orange-robed team was, so far, loosing spectacularly.
The three friends quickly exited the crowded store, and went down the street to the newest shop yet…Number 55, Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes.
The door mooed like a cow as they entered. The twins were currently assisting a group of four kids they didn't know, all of whom looked rather confused as the shortest of them was fed a Fever Fudge from the Skiving Snackboxes. His face turned a flushed red with the sudden fever, sorely freaking out his friends until Fred-or-George fed him the opposite end and he was back to normal.
"Just a little joke, gents, just a little joke." George-or-Fred said reassuringly. "We've tested all our products repeatedly, the effects are almost never permanent."
A kid with a long black ponytail swinging under a blue bandana said something in a language they couldn't understand. It was, however, easily interpreted as, "ALMOST never?!" by the look on his face.
About that point, Fred-or-George spotted the others at the door.
"Eh, Fred!" Oh. George. "Lookie here! It's our favorite little brother!"
"I'm your only little brother." Ron said automatically.
Fred came over while George rang up a few Canary Creams and a Skiving Snackbox for a boy in a yellow baseball cap. "Welcome to Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes." he winked. "Can I help you?"
Hermione was still looking around the store in awe. "You guys really are doing well, aren't you?" she breathed. "This is amazing…"
"Thank ye kindly." George mentioned as the four kids exited the store.
"Glad you like it, Hermione." Fred reached around and picked up a random banana from a bowl of fruit and pealed it. "Of course, we couldn't have done it without liberal financial help."
Ron and Hermione both glanced at Harry, who shrugged and busied himself with some of the items on the shelf. He picked up a feather quill, which suddenly wiggled out of his hand and started tickling him under the nose.
"You guys are getting really good at this." he mentioned, trying to bat it away before he sneezed.
Hermione had found something called Pop-Out Storybooks and were looking at them in interest, until one suddenly fired a suction-cup arrow at her that stuck to her forehead. Ron was watching the frog in the window as it did back-flips to past the time during commercials. Fred had finished the banana and was currently hiccupping green, red and purple bubbles.
"So…" George brushed his hands off. "See anything you like?"
They left the shop with their arms full. Ron and Harry had both loaded up on fireworks and fake wands, while Hermione had a few of the Pop-Out Books to show her parents.
When he arrived back in the room, Harry found Hedwig waiting for him with a short reply message from Tonks.
Wotcher, Harry!
Hope you're enjoying the Alley. Your owl here's quite smart, followed me around until I took your message. Didn't realize it was her until somewhere 'round Kent. Can't say much at the moment, though, I'm sort've settling in for a new assignment for Dumbledore. Speaking of which, this year should be quite interesting around Hogwarts… But sorry, Harry, I'm not gonna spoil it for you. You'll just have to wait until Dumbledore makes the announcement!
Hope you have a good trip, and I'll be seeing you around.
Tonks
TBC…
Ack…the ending really sucked. The next chapter will be better, I promise!!
And I'm mean…They didn't meet yet, heh heh!
