Chapter Five

A New Friend

Harry was staring at a badge with the letters 'HB' on it. He was staring fixated on the badge and didn't notice Hermione coming over to look over his shoulder. Her gasp broke Harry's gaze off of the badge.

"Harry, I didn't think you'd make Head Boy," she said.

Ron gave out a snort, "Yes, he gets the Head Boy badge and he didn't even get Prefect."

"Ron-" Harry started but Hermione interrupted him.

"Ron, Head Boy and Girl are selected by the professors and students."

"Yeah, and he will get to be Quidditch team captain since he has the most seniority," Ron angrily said.

An argument started between Ron and Hermione in which Ron left through the fireplace.

"Harry could I--" Hermione started until Harry cut her off.

"Yes," he replied knowing that she wanted to borrow Hedwig to send her to her parents with the news that she had made Head Girl.

Harry kept quiet to allow time for Hermione to calm down. They left after eating lunch for Diagon Alley through the fireplace. Harry followed after Hermione with Tonks following after him through the fireplace.

He had climbed out of the fireplace in a dimly lit room while he dusted the soot out of his hair and clothes. Hermione had done the same as Harry climbed out of the fireplace. Tonks had followed after Harry as they went toward a door which led to Diagon Alley. Tonks took out her wand and tapped on the wall which quivered and opened revealing the entrance to Diagon Alley.

"I will meet you lot back in the Leaky Cauldron after you have gathered your supplies. I need some things and if Ron has calmed down enough; he can return back with us," Tonks said and she left.

Harry and Hermione proceeded toward the wizard bank Gringotts, a snow-white building towering over the other shops. Harry had left Hermione, who had to exchange her Muggle money for wizard gold, while he went down to his vault to retrieve his gold. Hermione insisted they first get their robes since they would needed dress robes for Bill's wedding. They entered Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions to find the rest of the Weasley family getting fitted for their dress robes.

"Hello Harry and Hermione," Mrs. Weasley, a short, plump woman with flaming red hair greeted them as they entered. "Congratulations you two for receiving Head Boy and Girl," she said beaming at them. Harry could see Ron trying to look away from Harry since the argument between him and Hermione over Harry receiving the badge.

Harry and Hermione were beckoned to stand on some stools so they could get fitted for their robes as Mrs. Weasley talked to Madam Malkin to get them both some dress robes. The shop bell tinkled and Harry saw a with blonde hair enter with her family. Harry could see that the girl looked like the one he had seen with Hermione on the day she helped them move. Harry nudged Hermione on her hand since it was the closed limb to him. She looked up since she had her head down due to the fact the seamstress was stitching her collar.

"Hermione," the little blonde said approaching her, "what are you doing here?"

"You received your letter from Hogwarts?" Hermione inquired.

"Yes, but why didn't you tell me."

"I couldn't tell you or anyone else."

"Hermione it is nice to see you here," the dark blonde haired lady greeted her.

"Nice to see you too. Aunt Amber, is it alright if I help Emily get her supplies since I know where everything is?" Hermione asked her aunt.

"I see why not," her aunt replied.

"Excuse me," Mrs. Weasley interrupted. "Since they are related; I think she should stay with Hermione so that she can get on the train to Hogwarts."

"I think we should still see her off," Hermione's uncle interjected.

"If that was possible, but you will not be able to get onto the platform. We will be glad to watch over her and she can also attend my eldest son's wedding also. Is that okay with you Bill?" she said asking the elder of the flaming red hair siblings.

"Sure, I don't mind at all," he said.

"Okay and congratulations," Aunt Amber said, "you be good now," hugging her daughter. They left bidding goodbye to their daughter as she stood on the stool near Hermione.

Hermione's cousin, Emily, had been bombarding her with questions about Hogwarts, but Hermione told her that she had a book for her to read after they had gathered their supplies. They went to the local bookstore, Flourish and Blotts, to get their books after Emily was fitted for her school robes and dress robes for the wedding. Emily, however, wanted to get more books (much to Ron's displeasure and saying that she was a mini-Hermione), but Hermione told her that she already had those books and she could borrow them from her. They went to get her cauldron, the basic potions ingredients for her and some refills for themselves, get parchment and quills for her and themselves, her telescope, her scales, and lastly her wand.

They went towards Ollivanders to get Emily her wand. They entered the door with the tinkering of the shop's bell and into a tiny place.

Well, well, well," a voice said from the shadows of the shop and an old man with eyes that shined like a full moon does on a cloudless night. "Mr. Weasley, you had willow and unicorn-hair, fourteen inches long. Useful for casting a variety of hexes and curses. Miss Granger," his eyes traveled to Hermione, "vine and dragon heartstring, ten and a quarter inches. Excellent for transfiguration, and Mr. Potter," his eyes rested on Harry. "Holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches long. I believe your wand has been useful for casting a variety of charms when needed?" His eyes then traveled to Emily; who had been standing tentatively behind Hermione. "A new wand for you?" he asked before turning around to find a wand for her; while explaining to her the same lecture that Harry had heard when he got his first wand after measuring her wand hand.

"Here we go; birch and unicorn-hair, twelve inches, quite springy," he said as he gave her the wand but snatched it back. "Not quite right--ivy and dragon heartstring, seven inches, quite supple." She continued to try wands, but there was no match. "Try willow and dragon heartstring, ten inches, quite springy." A glow came from the wand and she had found her match.

They exited from Ollivanders and proceeded to get Emily a pet. Emily wanted to get an owl, but Hermione (along with Harry) stopped her idea since they told them that their "nice" neighbors, the Dursleys, are not what they seem to be.

"I thought they looked nice and their son acted nice," Emily said as they entered the Magical Menagerie.

"They are not that nice while they are inside their house, and my uncle can be quite nasty when it comes to being a wizard in his house," Harry told her.

"What do you mean?"

"I can tell you things that I had done that I had to be punished for."

"Why are you living there?"

"I'll tell you later," Hermione said to Emily in order to get her off the subject.

Despite Emily's attempts to get an owl; her eyes fell upon a cute snowy kitten with one blue eye and one amber eye. They left the Magical Menagerie and proceeded with their supplies back to the Leaky Cauldron. Emily was apprehensive about using Floo powder, but with Hermione's reassurance, she had the courage to use Floo powder.