By the time Tuesday came around, Harry hadn't eaten a thing. He refused to Floo the house-elves, despite Snape continually ordering him too, and had locked himself in his room. He spent a good part of each morning just crying, then cried himself to sleep on a night.

"Antares if you don't come you won't have to correct equipment for Hogwarts, and I do not wish to leave you here alone for too long,"

"No!" Harry yelled into his pillow. There was another shudder as Snape tried to blast his locking charms again. He heard the man curse softly before trying again.

"Please, James."

Harry was so shocked at the sudden change of tone that he forgot to refuse.

"Come on, you need to come."

Slowly he disentangled himself from the blankets he was curled under and took out his wand. He tapped the doorknob a few times and it sprang open to reveal a stern looking Potions Master.

"Get ready. We're leaving in ten minutes. I expect you in the Entrance foyer in that amount of time or I will come looking for you. You are coming to Diagon Alley whether you like it or not."

Harry muttered something and turned away. He walked over to his bed and pulled his pyjama top off over his head.

"Have you been eating?" Snape said suspiciously from the doorway. Harry winced.

"I don't eat much," he replied. He turned to see Snape regarding his body warily. Harry looked down at himself. What had been turned to muscle in Dumbledore's transformation was beginning to waste away. He blushed.

"You should eat more. I expect those muscles back by Friday," Snape reprimanded before billowing away. Harry bit his lip in annoyance, but got ready all the same.

Quite pleased with himself for getting to the Entrance foyer with only three wrong turns, Harry sat on the floor, patiently waiting for Snape to appear. He strode into the room after a few minutes and motioned for Harry to stand. They walked out of the manor in silence and down the drive to the gates. Snape stopped outside and pulled Harry over to the side.

"Am I correct in assuming you cannot Apparate?"

"Yes,"

"Brilliant." He muttered. "Come here,"

Harry stepped backwards.

"I need to absorb the shock of Apparating. I need to be touching you anyway, but you'll be sick if I don't absorb it," he said exasperatedly. "Come here,"

Harry stepped towards him warily, and once he was close enough Snape grabbed him and held him against his chest. Harry started to squirm away, but before he could get away the world seemed to melt around him, and suddenly he was standing at the entrance to Diagon Alley. He pushed himself out of Snape's arms and stumbled backwards. Snape raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"Meet me back here in two hours. Here is your list," he handed a piece of parchment to Harry. He billowed away, leaving Harry to mutter to himself.

The first thing he did was to take more money out of his vault. He passed many people he knew on the way there, but had to catch himself before he tried communicating with them. After all, they wouldn't recognise him in any way. Leaving Gringotts with an extra five hundred Galleons, he went into the first shop he saw – Quality Quidditch Supplies. He needed a new broom – Ron would definitely recognise his Firebolt. As he stepped into the shop he noticed Ron in the far corner fawning over a broom that looked pretty special. He walked over to him.

"Hey. Is that the latest model?" he asked. Ron looked up, surprised, his eyes glittering happily.

"Sure is. The Firebolt 42. State-of-the-art, made of mahogany, with ash tail, and it's got all the features of the original Firebolt plus more!" he said enthusiastically. But then his face fell. "I can't afford it though, it's two hundred Galleons. I've only got an old Cleansweep Seven,"

"Someone may get you a better one for your birthday," Harry suggested. Ron laughed hollowly.

"Not likely," he snorted. "I'm Ron Weasley, by the way!" he said brightly, sticking his hand out.

"James Antares," Harry shook his hand.

"That's my mum, over there, and my sister, Ginny…" he pointed out Molly and Ginny on the other side of the shop. Harry feigned ignorance.

"So you've only got the sister?"

"Oh no, I've got five older brothers too. Bill – the oldest – is working as a curse-breaker for Gringotts, Charlie is working with dragons in Romania, Percy's a prat and he works at the Ministry, and then there's Fred and George. They're twins, and they were the best pranksters Hogwarts ever had. They own the new joke-shop at the other end of the Alley," he puffed his chest out a bit at this. "I get discounts,"

Harry couldn't help but laugh.

"So are you coming to Hogwarts this year?" Ron asked as they left the shop. Harry nodded. "Do you know what house you're going to be in? Every single Weasley has been in Gryffindor so far,"

"Dumbledore came to see me over the summer, he says I'll be a Gryffindor,"

"Excellent! My girlfriend's in Gryffindor, so's my best - " he stopped abruptly and looked down. Harry frowned.

"Go on," he said. Ron blushed.

"I was going to say my best friend's in Gryffindor too, but he's not any more. He died over the summer," Ron mumbled. "His house caught fire and he was locked under the stairs. He couldn't get out and he didn't have his wand or anything,"

Harry was shocked to see a tear forming in the corner of Ron's eye.

"Has it been in the news?" he asked. Ron nodded.

"I'm surprised you haven't seen anything."

"Snape doesn't get the paper," Harry said without thinking, then immediately regretted it. Ron's eyes were popping out of his sockets.

"Snape?"

"Yeah, Dumbledore's making me stay with him for the last week of the holidays. My parents were killed by Voldemort not long ago."

"I pity you. As does the rest of the school. He's the biggest bastard you'll ever meet. You're not taking Potions are you?"

"Not sure actually," Harry consulted his list, and sure enough, the necessary equipment for Potions was there in green ink. "Yeah, I am,"

"You poor bugger. I dropped it after fifth year,"

"What subjects are you taking then?"

"Transfiguration, Divination, Care of Magical Creatures and Defence Against the Dark Arts. You?"

"Erm… Potions, Transfiguration, Defence, and Charms,"

"Great, that's two lessons we've got together. Come on, let's get our stuff for Charms and Defence,"

They spent fifteen minutes collecting various books for the lessons, and were sat eating ice creams when an all too familiar voice interrupted their chatter.

"Ron!"

They both turned to see Hermione running towards them. Ron grinned and stood to hug her. She sat down on the other side of Ron.

"This is my girlfriend, Hermione Granger. She's the best witch in our year." Hermione blushed. "Hermione, this is James Antares. He's starting new this year."

"Hi!" Hermione said brightly. "Which subjects are you taking?"

Ron groaned, and Harry laughed.

"Potions, Transfiguration, Charms and Defence,"

"Excellent, I'll be seeing you in some of those."

Harry excused himself from them and went to the apothecary to find his Potions equipment.

He left the shop ten minutes later with the basic Potions ingredients, plus some extras, a set of brand new crystal phials and a solid silver cauldron. He checked his watch. He had three quarters of an hour left. Checking Ron had gone, he scurried back into the Quidditch shop and bought a Firebolt 42 as quickly as possible. A few heads turned at the sight of a sixteen-year-old getting flustered because he wanted nobody to know what he had just bought.

He realised as he walked out of the shop that he needed some new robes. The extra four inches meant his old ones would no longer fit him. He struggled into Madam Malkin's with all his clutter and dropped it on the floor to one side. Madam Malkin swept him to stand on a stool, next to another boy. Harry turned to see who it was and burst out laughing, so hard that he fell off his stool.

"What's so funny?" Malfoy snapped, but Harry was too hysterical to reply. Madam Malkin frowned down at him.

"If you're going to behave like a little boy you can wait until you've calmed down." She said sternly. Harry tried to pull his face straight and stood back up onto the stool. Malfoy scowled at him.

"Sorry, I've been like this all day. I ate some Muggle sweet and it's made me go hyper," he lied, grinning. Malfoy looked satisfied enough. Harry couldn't help but giggle though. The whole situation was just hilarious. So ironic.

"So how come I haven't seen you around then?" he asked.

"I'm new. I'm only starting this year. I'm going to be in Gryffindor,"

"Pity. Gryffindors are all fools."

Harry bristled slightly but ignored the comment.

"So do you play Quidditch?"

"Yeah, Seeker,"

"Gryffindor could use one. Their last one died this summer,"

"You sound as though you weren't friendly with him," Harry attempted. Malfoy snorted.

"You could say that. I didn't hate him though, contrary to what I said or what people think. I was just a bit jealous, I guess."

This time Harry fell of the stool in shock.

"Really, if you can't stand still you're not going to be getting any robes!" Malkin said crossly. Harry mumbled an apology and stepped back up. It was hardly like Malfoy to be that open and honest.

"I suppose you'll end up making friends with the Mudblood and the Weasel then, won't you?" Malfoy sneered. Harry bristled again.

"Yeah, actually, I already have. I'd appreciate it if you didn't call them that."

Malfoy was frowning at him.

"What?"

"I could have sworn your voice reminded me of someone then. Never mind. You just remind me of Potter a bit. I think you and he would have been friends."

"Yeah, well… I'll never find out, will I?"

"Pity. I think he would have liked you."

"What's your name then?" Harry changed the subject.

"Draco Malfoy."

"James Antares. How much do you know about Snape?"

"Only that he's my godfather and I've known him since I was god knows how old. Plus he hates Gryffindors. Why do you ask?"

"Because Ron says he's a complete bastard, but he doesn't seem that bad."

"Met him already, have you?"

"Yeah, kind of, I'm staying with him for the last week of the holidays."

Malfoy smirked.

"Lucky you,"

"Right, you're all done now," Malkin said, straightening up. Harry stepped off the stool and bought some new casual robes in faded denim before leaving the shop. He suddenly slapped his head. He needed a new wand. He hurried over to Ollivander's as fast as he could with all his baggage and dumped it on the floor.

"Hello," said the man in his eerie voice from behind the counter. "Are you needing a new wand?"

"Yes," Harry said breathlessly. Then suddenly his stomach dropped to settle somewhere in his boots alongside his toes. The only wand that would work for him was his old one, but he couldn't use it, someone would recognise it…

"Here. Holly and dragon's heartstring,"

Harry swished, to no avail.

"Ash and phoenix tail feather.

"Cherry and unicorn tail hair.

"Yew and unicorn tail hair.

After five minutes, Harry was becoming desperate.

"Have you got any without a core in? Just the wand, I'll do the core myself."

Ollivander looked dubious, but reached under the counter and brought out several boxes.

"Are you wanting any particular wood?"

"Erm… have you got any holly ones?"

"Certainly. Ranging from ten to sixteen inches,"

"Can I have a twelve-inch one please?"

"I should think so. Here you go,"

He handed Harry a fairly long, dark brown wand that felt oddly light beneath his fingers. He paid ten Galleons for it and gathered his belongings before stepping out onto the street.

He checked his watch again. Five minutes. He gazed around the shops, looking for something interesting to buy. His eyes landed on a shop he had never been in before. Leaving his purchases on the floor and charming them against thieves, he entered the shop.

It was a jewellers, and many aristocratic witches were peering down their noses at diamonds and other various objects. Harry scanned the room. He spotted a dog tag on the counter and went up to the witch.

"Can those be engraved?" he asked.

"Yes, or cut out, whichever you prefer."

"I'll just have it engraved please."

"Write down what you want then, and I'll have it done in few minutes."

Harry grabbed the parchment and wrote down two letters: HP

"Is that all?"

"Yes please."

"Just wait there then,"

Harry sat on a chair and waited impatiently for her to engrave it. He was positively squirming by the time she called him back to pay.

"Twelve Galleons please."

He hurriedly emptied the money into her hand and ran out of the shop, stuffing the dog tag down his robes. He unlocked his clutter and struggled with it to the entrance to the Alley, where Snape was waiting impatiently.

"You're late," he snapped.

"Only by a minute!" Harry protested.

"You're still late,"

This time Harry didn't object when Snape drew him in to Apparate them back to his manor.

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