Chapter Two

A Visit To Diagon Alley

Mr. Weasley took Ginny's hand and stepped into the fireplace.

Mrs. Weasley held out a pot of floo powder and Mr. Weasley took a handful.

"Diagon Alley" Bellowed Mr. Weasley

The green flames came alive and covered them. In a flash they were gone. Then Harry stepped into the fireplace. He focused on Diagon Alley, Yelled it out and dropped his floo powder. The warm tickle of the flame enfolded him and he was off and back on his feet in Diagon Alley before he had time to think about it. He turned around and there was Ron, with Hermione and Mrs. Weasley right behind him. They all stepped away from the fireplace and went out through the doors into the bright sunlight next to Gringotts Wizard Bank.

"Well…" Mrs. Weasley said, "we better get into Gringotts and get some money for our supplies. "

With that they all turned and climbed the many stairs into the bank. Harry stop at the door to read the warning again.

Enter stranger but take heed

Of what awaits the sin of greed

For those who take but do not earn

Must pay most dearly in their turn

For if you seek beneath our floors

A treasure that was never yours

Thief, you have been warned, beware

Of finding more then treasure there

Gringotts was full of traps for the dishonest. Dragons that will cook you to a crisp, vaults that would suck you inside if you try to open them, and layers and layers of twisting and turning tunnels that you will never be able to get out of without a goblin. Harry hurried forward into the bank and walked up to the counter to a goblin.

"Vault 687 please" said Harry "Here is my key"

At the next two counters where the Weasleys and Hermione also getting ready to enter there vaults.

"Very Well" Said the Goblin "Follow me"

The goblin entered one of the many doors off the main room and Harry followed. They got into a lorry and suddenly took off at breakneck speed down though the twist and turns of Gringotts. They stopped as quickly as they started and the goblin got out of the lorry to the right, Harry almost handed him the light and key without thinking. The goblin opened the door to vault 687 and stepped back. Harry shuffled forward into his vault and scooped up handfuls of Gold Galleons, Silver Sickles and Bronze Knuts into a bag he had in his pocket from the huge pile that sat in his vault, for 11 years he didn't think he had two pennies to rub together, then he found out that his parents left him enough wizard money to get him through school and then some. He felt bad for Ron and his family. They were such warm gentle people, so full of love but their pockets were not as full. They struggled everyday, having to buy second hand things, but no matter how tight their money was they were proud of their family and giving to the people they cared about. Harry turned to leave the vault and got back on the lorry with the goblin in tow. Moments later he was standing outside the bank in the warm sun waiting for the Weasleys' and Hermione. In the distance he saw Draco Malfoy and his father Lucius heading down Knockturn Alley. Now there were a couple of people that could not be more unlike the Weasleys'. Lucius and Draco were purebloods just like the Weasleys but unlike them they let it go to their heads. They thought all half bloods or muggleborns, Mudbloods as they called them which was a very nasty name, should not be taught magic that it should be reserved for the purebloods only. Hermione was a muggle-born witch and you could not meet a sweeter or smarter girl. Draco and Lucius just had major issues the great gits that they were. Just as Harry was thinking about following them to find out what they were up to, the rest of his friends joined him on the steps and started to talk all at once.

"Ok where should we go first?" asked Mrs. Weasley

"I want go to go to the Apothecary," said Hermione

"Dad, take me Flourish and Blotts" Ginny added

Ron grabbed Harry and Hermione's hands and pulled them towards Quality Quidditch Supplies, as the rest of them headed towards Flourish and Blotts. Hermione let herself be lead by Ron even though she really had no interest in going. The Apothecary was just past the Quidditch Shop so she figured why not. At least she was getting away from the rest of them and could spend time with the two most important people in her life other then her parents of course. Hermione looks up as she is being pulled into the Quidditch Shop.

"Blimey, mate" Ron said as he whistled, "it's the newest model of racing brooms, a Nimbus 2006."

"Bet its even faster then the last model," said Harry

Staring off into space, gaze fixed on the broom Harry remembers the first time he ever flew. It was his first flying lesson with Madam Hooch, while the thrill of being in the air never left him it was nothing compared to the feeling the first time he played Quidditch and had caught the golden snitch. Harry was the youngest person to make the house team in over a century. That was 5 years ago when he first came to Hogwarts…. Harry slowly came back to the present and realized Ron and Hermione were in their own dream world. Somehow he knew Hermione was not thinking about Quidditch. Harry cleared his throat and they snapped back to reality.

"Can I go to the Apothecary now?" Whined Hermione

Without waiting for an answer she headed off. Ron realized what she said and yelled after her

" I'm not going in there it smells…Harry and I are going to the ice cream parlor. We will meet you there…"

Hermione waved over her shoulder to say she heard him and disappeared into the crowd. Harry and Ron looked at each other and smiled

"Girls, I will never figure them out as long as I live." mused Harry as he shook his head.

Hermione arrived at last and was happy to be there. She was taking advance potions this year and wanted to make sure she had everything she needed. She knew it was going to be a small class as Professor Snape made it clear that he would not accept anyone that did poorly on their O.W.Ls. She was glad she did well on all her O.W.Ls. If she ever wanted to make something of herself when she got out of school, she needed to have plenty of good things to show off when she went for a job. She walked in to the shop, not really watching where she was going and she paid for it. She crashed right into someone.

"I'm sorry," she said with out looking up

"I'm sure you are Miss Granger…" She heard the man drawl and knew in an instant who she had run into, she looked up into his eyes.

"I'm Sorry Professor Snape my mind was somewhere else."

"I know…I hear you are in my advance potions class this year," he continued

"Yes Sir, I am" Hermione mumbled

"Very well then.. Since you are here I might as well make sure you get the right ingredients for our potions" he finished

He reached out and took her by the shoulder leading her towards the back of the store. His hand on her made her feel strange. Not fearful but something else. They stopped, facing the back wall of the shop where countless bottles sat filled with everything from Unicorn hair to powered horn of the bicorn. Professor Snape leaned forward pressing himself to her back and reached above her head to take down a large blue jar of powder. Hermione shivered involuntarily with the pressure of his body against hers.

"Cold, Miss Granger?" he asked under his breath

"N-No I'm Fine Professor" Hermione stuttered

Professor Snape handed her the jar and she read the label, Ashadite it said.

"Do you know what to do with it Miss Granger?" he asked with a bit of a smile

"No Sir, I don't…"she admitted

"Well then it looks like you better pay extra close attention in my class or I may just have to keep you after until you get all my questions right….I'll see you in class Miss Granger" He turned on his heels and was gone. Hermione stood for a moment in shock. How could she have known what it did…she would have to go to the library tomorrow when she got to the school and find out. Something just felt weird right now, Snape was long gone but yet she could still feel him standing behind her pressed up against her when he had to reach for the bottle. She had to get out of there fast her mind was playing tricks on her. She quickly gathered up the stuff she needed, paid for it and almost ran to the ice cream parlor to meet Harry and Ron. Somehow when she was outside in the bright sun again everything felt better but she still had a strange lingering feeling.

When she entered she saw Harry and Ron had almost finished eating huge bowls of ice cream.

"Hey Hermione" said Harry "Get everything you need for you lessons with Snape?"

"I bet that old bat is hanging upside down in his dungeon as we speak." said Ron

"You want me to order you something Hermione?" asked Harry as he took a mouthful from his bowl

"No, I'm not hungry," replied Hermione

They both looked at her in shock.

"You ok Hermione you seem out of it?" asked Ron

"Yeah I'm fine" Hermione responded

The boys finished up and headed out of the parlor. Heading straight across the way they entered Madam Malkin's to get new robes. Ron backed into the corner to wait. Harry pulled him forward and said in a hushed whisper,

"I'm buying you a new robe this year as a thank you for letting me spend the summer at your house, and don't argue with me if you do I'm just going to buy it anyway and make you take it so you might as well pick the one you want."

Harry then pushed him forward to be fitted for his robe. Ron was red in the face but a small smile peeked out as he looked at Harry with a thank you in his eyes. Harry just looked back at him with a no problem mate look. Hermione and Harry also got fitted and they took their packages, paid and left the store. Once again outside they turned right and headed back to Gringotts. There stood the rest of the Weasleys and if it had not been for all the packages around their feet Harry would have sworn they had never moved while they were gone, for they were still talking in loud voices and it seemed as though nothing had changed over the last two hours.

They walked up to them and Ron coughed loudly to announce they were back. Mr. Weasley turned to them.

"Are you all done with your shopping?" He asked

"Yes Sir, said Harry "we're all finished"

"Good, Good" Mrs. Weasley said "then I think its time we all head back to the burrow, eat some supper and tuck in for the night, we have another long day ahead of us tomorrow."

She then turned and walked away with everyone following back into the building right next to Gringotts and walked up to one of the many fireplaces on the walls. One by one they all got in and went back to the burrow for a great supper and Harry's last peaceful night at the burrow.