CHAPTER 3: Growing Shadows
Harry smiled as the bricks covering the secret entrance to Diagon Alley shuffled out of their way. Dudley grinned.
"No matter how many times I see that it's still bloody brilliant." the teen remarked before he followed Mr. and Mrs. Weasley down the steps into the alley proper. After the first storefront though his face twisted into a grimace. "This place has certainly seen better days."
"Are you that surprised?" Hermione muttered with a worried glance at the various boarded-up storefronts. "We're at war, remember?"
"Yeah, I remember," Dudley muttered.
"Honestly Hermione, Dudley's more at risk than you," Ron muttered. Hermione blinked before she bit her lip.
"Oh right… I'm sorry Dudley."
"It's alright," Dudley assured her. Then he grinned "but actually technically I'm not right? Since Grandad was actually a wizard? Or at least technically a wizard. Makes me a half-blood! So I'm only half scum!"
"Oh, thanks." Hermione griped, unimpressed. Dudley winced.
"I was just-"
"Oh no!" Hermione suddenly cut the teen off with a horrified whisper. Harry followed her gaze and felt his heart sink. The trio walked up to the gutted remains of Ollivander's shop.
"Bloody hell…" Ron muttered sadly.
"Everyone bought their wands from Ollivander,'' Hermione said sadly.
"There's got to be other people who make wands," Dudley argued quietly.
"Yeah mate," Ron confirmed, "but Ollivander was the best." The trio stood there for a few minutes. Then Snuffles began to whine and tugged Harry toward their destination. The teen realized they had fallen behind. Mrs. Weasley rushed back towards them just as they rejoined the group.
"Where have you been! I told you not to wander off!"
"Sorry Mum," Ron muttered.
"We were just talking about Mr. Ollivander," Hermione said. The Weasley matriarch's eyes drifted to the storefront and her brow knotted with worry.
"Let's just get you inside," she muttered. That's when Dudley saw it.
"Whoa!" he cried, staring at the building with a gap "That is the most oppressively orange thing I've ever seen!"
"No kidding!" Harry agreed with a grin.
"How are they even still in business?" Hermione remarked in shock. The storefront was the brightest thing for miles, and its animatronic display occasionally made laughing noises and let loose fireworks.
"Apparently they've got all sorts of booby traps set up to keep that crowd out," Ron remarked. "According to Fred and George, real trouble makers know how to avoid that stuff." Snuffles sniffed at the entrance before he sneezed and started snuffling like he was giggling. Then he lifted a paw and very carefully stepped around one of the stones on the steps. Harry spotted it too. It was very obvious. Umbridge pink. He grinned and nodded at Dudley. The teen grinned and followed Harry's lead. "I wonder what sort of things they me-" Ron began. But then he stepped on that stone. Instantly a tub of some kind of green slime fell on Ron's head. He froze and gagged. Then he pulled the bucket off of his head. As he swiped a hand over his eyes and brow to remove the sludge Hermione squeaked and covered her mouth with her hands. "What?"
"Your eyebrows!" she sputtered.
"My eyebrows?'' Ron demanded, then he turned towards the window and he saw that indeed his eyebrows had disappeared. As he swiped his hand up to remove the slime from his hair he gasped in horror as a huge chunk of his ginger mane was pulled away as well. "FRED! GEORGE!"
"Looks like we got another- oh it's just Ronniekins," Fred said as he poked his head out of the upper window.
"Just look at him!" George snickered.
"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS THIS STUFF?!" Ron screamed in anger.
"Ronald!" Molly cried angrily. Harry and Dudley were snickering under the eaves, having dodged the splatter of Ron's blunder. Hermione was poking at a globule of it curiously. It giggled as she did.
"We call it voldy-poo," Fred responded, resting his chin on his fist with a grin.
"After all! We figured the ole corpse munchers loved the ole bastard enough!" George reasoned
"Might as well look like him too!" The pair finished.
"YOU BETTER HAVE THE ANTIDOTE OR ILL HEX YOUR ARSES OFF!" Ron screamed angrily.
"RONALD!" Molly repeated.
"We'll be done to let you in!" Fred shouted.
"Just a jif!" George finished. Then the two disappeared.
"Voldy-poo!" Dudley sputtered.
"Bloody brilliant." Harry agreed.
"Mum!" Ron shouted, "Harry swore!"
"Ronald! Don't be a tattletale!" Molly said with a frown.
"Muuuum!" Ron whined in horror. The door opened. The twins smiled at the group leerily.
"Welcome!" Fred began.
"Our friends and family!" George continued.
"To the Weasley's Wizard Wheezes!" the pair cried in unison before sweeping their arms into the store. Harry, Dudley and snuffles were first, followed by a grinning Ginny and Hermione. Molly stayed behind with a furious Ronald who was now ranting at his still snickering older brothers. Arthur was wandering rather aimlessly with a curious grin. It was loud. And crowded. At first, Harry found it kind of refreshing. But soon the colour and sound was making him nervous. After a few moments, he realized that he'd managed to get separated in the hubbub. Suddenly he heard someone scream. He turned around, breath catching. But it was just a firework. Then suddenly he heard someone shouting his name. He spun around but the bustling stuffy crowd held no one he recognized. Then suddenly a hand grabbed his shoulder. He spun around, wand drawn. The boy who'd touched his shoulder, a Ravenclaw he thought he might know, jumped back. Harry winced and swallowed.
"Sorry," he muttered before he turned away. He had to get out of here.
"Hey Harry!" Fred and George suddenly shouted. Harry grimaced.
"Sorry guys but I need to take a breather, have you seen the others?" Harry asked hopefully. Instantly the twin grew surprisingly serious.
"Sure thing Harry. I think I saw Dudley down by the instant darkness powder." Fred said.
"I'll tell Ron and Hermione to meet you by the door," George added.
"And mum and dad.'' Fred finished after a glance at his brother. Harry nodded gratefully before he walked towards the display he'd seen early. Dudley was there, eyes screwed shut and fists clenched.
"Dudley?'' Harry called worriedly. "Dudley?" he tried again. It was so loud he wasn't sure the boy could even hear him. "Dudley are you-'' Harry began as he placed a hand on his cousin's arm.
"Don't fucking touch me, Potter!" Dudley snapped and slapped Harry's arm away. Harry flinched back. Dudley hadn't talked to him like that since they were twelve. Instantly the bigger teen groaned and mashed his palms into his eyes. "I'm sorry… I gotta get out of here."
"Me too." Harry agreed with a sigh "let's go."
"Right," Dudley said. The pair were silent as they made their way to the front door. Ron and Hermione were waiting just outside, Ron with a full head of hair once again. The twins were waiting for them with slightly worried frowns.
"We couldn't pull dad away from the muggle magic section," Fred said with a roll of his eyes. "Should never have stocked that stuff."
"Mum is busy keeping an eye on Ginny. She said as long as you're with Snuffles you'll be safe. Just don't go too far.'' George warned.
"Not that there's much to go to," Fred muttered. "Us, Malkins and Blotts are the only ones left." Fred reminded me.
"So stay out of Knockturn Alley alright ickle Ronnie?" George warned.
"Piss off." Ron snapped. Evidently, he was still miffed about the voldy-poo incident.
"Thanks for the tour." Harry muttered to the twins "sorry about-"
"It's alright. It can be a bit much." Fred remarked.
"Even for us sometimes." George agreed. Then they closed the door and the noise of the shop was silenced. Dudley released a slow breath.
"I'm sorry," he said with a sad look at Harry. "It was all just… too much."
"I was having flashbacks," Harry said plainly. Dudley's face looked distraught.
"What happened?" Hermione asked worriedly.
"The shop was just a bit too much for us," Dudley explained.
"It was just a bit overwhelming," Harry said tiredly "but I've er…" Harry gave a nervous wince "been seeing a psychiatrist… to deal with… stuff."
"Oh Harry, that's wonderful!" Hermione said with a smile
"What's a sigh-tricks?" Ron asked in confusion.
"Psychiatrist." Hermione corrected smoothly "It's sort of like a healer but for your mind. They help you talk through traumatic experiences."
"Oh!" Ron said before he blinked "but why does Harry need one of those?"
"Really Ronald?'' Hermione demanded of him in disgust.
"What?" Ron asked in confusion. Hermione scoffed furiously. Suddenly Ron made a noise. "Look."
"Ronald if you think-"
"No really look," he said before he nodded down the street towards the entrance to Knockturn. "Malfoy.'' With his unmistakable blond head, there was no doubt that it was Draco Malfoy standing and looking around nervously near the entrance to the seedier side of wizarding London. After a few moments, his mother stepped out of the shadows and the pair slipped into the alley.
"Let's go," Harry muttered before he walked towards the alley entrance. He stopped when Snuffles' leash suddenly tugged. He looked back at the dog with a huff. "Come on! It's obvious that he's up to something. Don't you want to know what it is?" Snuffles whined. "We're not gonna confront him or anything. Just see what he's up to." Suddenly Snuffles transformed, and Sirius unclipped his collar.
"Fine." he muttered, "but stay behind me at all times." Then he waved for the others to follow.
Harry held their breath as Sirius held a hand for them to stop. A pair of hags walked by hissing angrily at each other. Then Sirius rushed across the alley. He held up a hand again and transformed into a dog. He turned his head back and forth before changing back.
"This way." he muttered. Harry had to admit when he'd led the way towards the alley he hadn't realized how dangerous it could be. Sirius was an asset. As Snuffles he could hear and smell every danger they might be up against. Suddenly he stopped them. "Alright. This is a good vantage point." Sirius muttered before he cupped his hands. "Grab the fire escape." Harry nodded and put his foot in his godfather's hands. Then as he was boosted up he grabbed the slightly grubby and rusted ladder and pulled it down. It squeaked loudly as it fell. Suddenly a light on the other side of the wall flooded the courtyard.
"What was that?" a rough snarling voice bit out.
"It was nothing." the familiar voice of Draco Malfoy snarled. "Close the door you stupid mutt." Then the door closed again.
"Fenrir Greyback,'' Sirius muttered with slight apprehension. Then he led the way up the ladder. The group climbed all the way up the fire escape to the roof. Then they peered over the edge. As Harry peered into the grungy skylights of the building two stories below he sucked in a breath of recognition.
"Borgin and Burkes," he whispered.
"How do you know about this place?!" Sirius demanded.
"Long story," Harry muttered. Sirius huffed before he squinted down into the shop.
"Notice what the Malfoy boy is looking at?" Sirius remarked. Harry squinted and frowned.
"Some kind of wardrobe?" Dudley asked. Sirius hummed in thought.
"I have a theory," he whispered. "Might have Arthur follow up on it… but why would-" suddenly the door opened again. Sirius suddenly pulled the teens behind the lip of the roof, covering their mouths with his hands and arms.
"Grey!" Another voice growled out. "Get back inside."
"I can smell something." the werewolf snarled.
"Grey, we don't have time to follow your bloody nose." another voice muttered oily. Sirius gestured toward the fire escape. The teens nodded. Time to go.
"So what did you think Malfoy was looking at?" Harry asked as they walked back towards the twins' shop.
"I think it might have been a vanishing cabinet." Sirius muttered thoughtfully as he scratched at his beard.
"What's a vanishing cabinet?" Hermione asked curiously.
"They were quite popular during the war. But devilishly tricky to maintain. And potentially disastrous when broken." Sirius murmured.
"There you are!" Mrs. Weasley cried with a panic "Where were you?! Sirius! What happened? Were you attacked?"
"No no, we were just taking a little stroll around the block." Sirius assured the woman. Meanwhile, he gave Arthur a meaningful look. The man shifted on his feet behind his wife.
"Well, the stroll is finished. It's time to go." Mrs. Wealsey insisted. The teens all nodded. The day had been productive enough.
Dudley leaned against the door jam of Ron's room, watching Harry packing his new books.
"So what do you think Malfoy was up to?"
"You think he was up to something too?" Harry asked with a grin. He'd already said as much to Ron and Hermione. Ron said it was suspicious, but said whatever it was it didn't seem that bad. Hermione had read through Harry's interpretations and shot him down.
"Oh definitely." Dudley insisted "I've met him twice. And he was acting squirrely even for him."
"So you think I'm right?"
"Maybe." Dudley muttered.
"Maybe?!'' Harry cried exasperatedly. "Come on! He was hanging around with Fenrir Greyback! He's got to be!"
"Yeah but until you find proof you're just gonna come off as a paranoid nutter." Dudley said with a huff.
"Well you're no help," Harry muttered darkly.
"Just being realistic," Dudley said with an indulgent snort.
"Screw realism." Harry grumbled.
"You're having a mood swing." Dudley griped "Take your meds."
"You take your meds." Harry snapped even as he dug into his pocket and shook two pills out of the prescription bottle. At least these ones didn't make his skin crawl. But he did get irritable and cranky if he didn't take them regularly. After a few minutes, they started to take effect and he sighed. "Sorry for being an arse, Dudley."
"I was the one who hit you this morning." Dudley countered as he moved to sit on the floor next to his cousin.
"Guess we're both messed up huh?" Harry commented bitterly. Dudley pulled him into a side hug.
"Better than being messed up alone." he offered with a grin. Harry snorted but managed a smile.
"Dudley dear!" Mrs. Weasley suddenly called from below "Time to go!"
"I'll see you at Christmas." Dudley insisted.
"Yeah." Harry agreed.
"And hey!" Dudley cried as he stepped through the door. "Be careful with Malfoy, okay? I don't know if he's really a death eater, but a person like that, being that squirrely? He's bound to do something desperate. And desperate equals dangerous."
A/N: Hello!
First off: I am so very sorry!
It's been way longer than I had planned since the last update.
I have absolutely no excuse other than that I legitimately forgot that fan fiction even existed for a few days.
Rori Potter: Sirius is a constantly growing character, which is why he's so fascinating to write. He's capable of being very petty one moment and battle-hardened the next.
it's the # trauma
ILoveGeorgeEads: Thank you very much. I am indeed feeling much much better!
Guest: I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. I have personal experience with the pain of binge-ing a really good fic and then discovering that it hasn't been updated since 1785.
That's all for this week!
I will try not to leave so much time between uploads next time!
Thanks again!
Don't forget to keep on reading!
-TTC