Diagon Alley
An hour later they were once again in front of the bank and blinked into the morning sun, still surprised about how calm their visit had turned out to be. Harry had feared that their cart would crash, a dragon might eat them or that the goblins would come up with another, more creative way to end their lives, yet here they stood safe and sound in Diagon Alley. Bill and Ragnok must've prepared their trip thoroughly and he decided to buy the eldest Weasley brother an extra-expensive christmas gift this year.
''So'', Ron moaned. ''What now?''
- ''I need a new wand'', Hermione said. ''I don't want to use that thing of Bellatrix's anymore.''
- ''Me too'', Ron said who was still using Wormtail's old wand. ''Let's get to Ollivander's.''
''Harry and I need to collect a couple of other things first'', Ginny said lightly.
''Do we?'', Harry asked surpisedly.
''Do you?'', Ron asked suspiciously.
''Oh, of course. We'll see you at the ice cream parlour, okay?'', Hermione said easily and pulled Ron with her.
''What's going on?'', Harry asked.
Ginny grinned and kissed his cheek. ''I just wanted a peaceful, undisturbed shopping tour with you, Potter.''
- ''When did you two come up with that?''
- ''Last weekend. Come on now, before those goblins change their minds and blow you off these stairs.''
As expected, Ginny didn't pull him into Madam Malkins or Twilfitt and Tatting, but into Quality Quidditch Supplies.
''What are we buying?'', he asked smiling.
''I need new Chaser's gloves and you need a new firebolt.''
Harry laughed. ''I do?''
- ''Your old one's lost, isn't it? And as far as I know, even the Chosen One can't catch the Snitch without a broomstick, so how are we supposed to win the Cup if you don't buy a new one?'' She eyed him critically. ''You're making fun of me, aren't you?''
- ''I'd never dare.''
When they left the store with their new gloves and broomstick, they ran right into Malfoy and his mother.
''Potter.''
- ''Malfoy.''
- ''Well, this is convenient'', Narcissa said briskly. ''I must speak with you as it is, Mr Potter.''
- ''Whatever about - oh, that inheritance stuff'', Ginny said.
Narcissa shot an irritated glance towards her.
''There are no secrets between Ginny and me'', Harry said. ''So what's this inheritance about? What's it got to do with me?''
- ''Well, as Sirius's heir, you could claim inheritance on the Lestrange-''
- ''I'll pass on that'', Harry said coolly. ''I don't want anything that belonged to Bellatrix.''
Narcissa nodded, obviously not very surprised. ''In that case, I was wondering whether you might talk to my - sister - to convince her to accept her part of the inheritance.''
- ''Andromeda?'', Harry asked. ''I hardly think she'll want -''
- ''She should take it'', Narcissa said shortly. ''For...for the boy.''
Ginny stared at Mrs Malfoy as if she'd grown an additional head.
''I'll talk to her'', Harry said calmly.
''That would be all. Draco?''
- ''You go in, mother. I need a word with Potter.''
After Narcissa had vanished into the store, Malfoy looked down at the package in Harry's hands.
''A new firebolt?''
- ''Yeah'', Harry said shortly and then cleared his throat. ''Tanks. For Avery.''
Malfoy nodded just as shortly. ''I did it for my father, don't get any ideas.''
He pulled out his wand and Ginny winced, but Harry stayed calm and didn't reach for any of the two wands which he had in his new holsters. Malfoy had nothing to win if he cursed him in the middle of Diagon Alley.
''From Ollivander's?''
- ''Kaufmann'', Malfoy said. ''From Switzerland - and even that bloke gave me a look when I told him my name.''
- ''That's never going to change, Malfoy.''
- ''We'll see. I'll see you at school, Potter. Weasley.''
With that he followed his mother into the Quidditch store.
''He's actually going back to Hogwarts?'', Ginny asked in disbelief. ''Why? What does he expect?''
Harry shrugged pensively. ''What else could he do? At least, he's got the other Slytherins there... besides, no one's going to give him a job at the moment.''
- ''That's right'', Ginny said. ''But he doesn't need a job, does he? They've still got enough gold for a couple of lifetimes. Malfoy will never have to work.''
- ''Maybe he just wants to get away from his parents'', Harry guessed. ''Must be pretty tight with them. Anyway, what now?''
After a short trip to Madam Malkins where Ginny bought new robes and Harry a new school uniform, they bought new school books, potion ingredients and food for Arnold at the Magical Menagerie. There, Ginny gave him a tentative smile when she saw him staring at the snowy owls.
''Are you ready to buy a new one yet?''
Harry took a deep breath. ''No, but does it matter? I need a new owl if I don't want to keep sending Kreacher around with my messages.''
- ''What about the school owls?'', she asked softly.
Harry nodded slowly. ''But that would only delay the problem for a year.''
- ''Maybe you'll feel better then.''
Finally, he decided against buying a new owl, watched Ginny pay twelve sickles for Arnold's food and stepped back into the sun with her.
''Speaking of Kreacher'', she said pensively. ''Er, would it be very bad if we asked him to take our shopping home?''
- ''Hermine should better not see that'', he said grinning.
''That's why I'm asking now'', Ginny said mischievously.
''Kreacher'', Harry said loudly and the house elf appeared, bowing deeeply.
''Master Harry calls and Kreacher comes. What does Master wish?''
- ''Kreacher, please take our shopping to Grimmauld Place'', Harry said friendly.
''Kreacher lives to serve the noble House of Potter'', the elf croaked, bowed again and then disappeared with the bags full of Quidditch supplies, potion ingredients and books.
As expected, Hermione and Ron were already busy eating two huge chocolate sundaes when they arrived. Ron looked at them suspiciously.
''Where have you been?''
- ''Everywhere'', Ginny said. ''Quality Quidditch Supplies, Madam Malkins, Magical Menagerie-''
- ''Then where's your shopping?'', he asked.
Ginny threw her red hair back. ''Oh, I suppose we lost it at that room which we booked in Knockturn Alley to-''
- ''Kreacher collected it'', Harry said grinning, before Ron suffered a heart attack. Hermione raised her eye brows when she heard about this barbaric example for house elf enslavement, but she didn't say anything.
''Harry's got a new firebolt'', Ginny said after Harry and her had also ordered two sundaes.
Now, Ron grinned widely. ''Two firebolts on one team? That looks like the fourth Cup win in a row, if you ask me!"
- ''Malfoy also bought one'', Harry said.
''He's coming back to Hogwarts?'', Hermione asked sharply.
They nodded, but Ron only shrugged. ''That's not gonna change anything. If he couldn't beat Harry when he had the better broom- isn't that Dung?''
The other three turned around to follow his look and then moaned loudly, for it really was Mundungus Fletcher who targeted a group of people with his wand from a side-alley. While they looked, single galleons shot out of the purses of his viuctims and landed in his free hand.
''Harry-'', Hermione started, but Harry and Ron had already gotten to their feet: disturbance of peace or not, they couldn't ignore blatant theft in the middle of Diagon Alley.
''Expelliarmus!'', Harry called and Mundungus's wand fell to the ground wich caused the still flying galleons to land there, too. Their owners turned around in confusion and noticed the thief, who winced and tried to run away, but-
''Petrificus Totalus!''
Ron's curse hit Mundungus full in the back and he went stiff as a board before crasing on the cobblestones face-forward. His victims pulled out their own wands, but Harry and Ron jumped between them and Mundungus quickly.
''That's quite unnecessary, Ladies and Gentlemen'', Harry said hastily. ''Mundungus Fletcher, you are under arrest.''
Mundungus's victims put their wands away when they faced the famous Harry Potter and the only slightly less famous Ron Weasley. Instead, they started to bicker about the galleons on the ground. Harry took Mundungus's wand, pulled its owner up and liftet Ron's curse.
'' 'lo, boys'', the thief mumbled. ''Nice bit o' spellwork. Listen, you'll let me go, won't ya?''
- ''You're arrested, Dung, didn't you pay attention?''
- ''Come on, boys, we're old pals, aren't-''
- ''You're one to talk'', Harry growled. ''Ron-''
Behind them, Mundungus's victims started to draw their wands against each other although Hermione and Ginny tried to talk reason into them.
''Take care of that before we have to arrest them, too'', Harry sighed. ''I'll take him to the ministry.''
- ''Ministry!?'', Mundungus squealed. ''Boys-''
- ''Shut it'', Ron said sharply. ''Harry, take him out of here before they decide that they want to finish him off instead of hexing each other!''
Harry grabbed the fidgeting Mundungus's arm and pulled him with him into nothingness.