AN: Thanks so much for all the support going out for this fic. All of you who favorite(53!) and follow(72!) me and this story really inspire me. Special thanks to TwilightEclps, pfeil, Paddy Gurl, serialkeller, thunder18, lightsoul34, anthony37, and JannaKalderash for reviewing. I'll try to get the next chapter up either tomorrow or Saturday. Final word count before author's note: 2,538.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter franchise.
Harry was having the best summer of his life. All of his friends had dropped by the Burrow at least once to see him, and today they were all coming. The Quidditch team was going to practice in the field behind the Burrow, with Lee commentating and Ron and Ginny watching. Hermione and Percy said they would watch too, but Harry was pretty sure they were just going to have an "intellectually stimulating" conversation. And actually, he was kind of worried about Ginny. She seemed nervous around him, and being nice to her just made it worse.
"Let's go!" Oliver hollered. Harry raced down the stairs with his Nimbus when Oliver shouted "Stop!"
Harry froze. "Don't run with a broom like that! She's a beauty," Oliver crooned at it.
"You can try it out if you like," Harry offered.
Oliver didn't reply, just gently took the broom from Harry and cradled it to his chest.
"Come on Harry!" Alicia said excitedly. He grinned and ran out to the yard. Lee had his microphone all set up in a tree so that he could see more of the action than from the ground. Hermione and Percy sat on a bench, Hermione chattering away and Percy, to his credit, actually listening. On another bench sat Ron and Ginny. The ginger girl flushed and hid behind her brother when she saw Harry.
"Now, I'll release the snitch, and you give it a five-minute head start," Oliver told him. He passed the quaffle to Angelina and handed Fred and George their beater bats. The twins rose into the air and Oliver released the Bludgers, which rose up into the air and immediately headed for a twin each.
"And now, the Gryffindor Quidditch team!" Lee announced dramatically. "Oliver Wood, captain and keeper, Alicia Spinnet, Angelina Johnson, and Katie Bell as chasers, Fred and George Weasleys as bludgers, er, I mean beaters, and finally Harry Potter as seeker!" The "spectators" all roared as the team flew around the mock pitch, Fred absent-mindedly hitting away a bludger.
And then the game began. Harry had been given explicit instructions to hold up the snitch for Lee to see how many times he'd caught it, and Lee would make a note of it. At the end of the game, Lee would add it all up. For one hour, Oliver would be trying with all his might to block the chasers, and for another hour would just let them practice their aim. George had joked that Oliver would be acting like Scott Roberts, the Ravenclaw keeper. Roberts never paid attention, so the chasers would have a chance to get in a lot of scores. Everyone would definitely try their best and hope to win the cup this year.
In one hour, Oliver blocked all of the chasers throws. In the second hour, the chasers made all of their passes and throws. In two hours, Harry caught the snitch twelve times. The bludgers never got near the other players the whole time. The crowd had screamed themselves hoarse. Harry hadn't felt this good in a long time.
Mr. Weasley shouted "Who wants lunch?"
Mr. Weasley was pretty interesting too. He liked to ask Harry, Hermione, and Katie questions about the muggle world. From what Harry could tell, Mrs. Weasley didn't exactly like Mr. Weasley's enthusiasm for all things muggle, just tolerated it. Mr. Weasley had the same red hair as his children, although a bit less in terms of amount. He generally let most things go and simply tried to keep the peace between his family. He had been more than happy to let Harry stay at the Burrow, but Harry suspected Mrs. Weasley wouldn't have been swayed regardless.
Harry was happily munching on a sandwich and talking with Oliver about the current season when a loud pop was heard and a creature with floppy, bat-like ears and large eyes appeared in the Weasleys' kitchen. The creature was wearing something that resembled an old pillowcase and had wrinkly pink skin. Everyone stared at it and it stared at everyone until it saw Harry's scar.
"Mister Harry Potter Sir!" It shrieked in a high, grating voice that made Harry cringe. "Dobby has come to warn you. Mister Harry Potter Sir must not go back to Hogwarts!"
"Says who?" Ron demanded hotly.
"Dobby is trying to keep Mister Harry Potter Sir safe. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named will hurt Mister Harry Potter Sir."
"He's back?" Hermione gasped.
"Not He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, miss. He is not trying to hurt Mister Harry Potter Sir! He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has friends!" Dobby moaned.
"Yeah, well, Harry has friends too," Lee retorted. Harry felt that warm feeling again.
"Friends that don't write to Mister Harry Potter Sir?" Dobby inquired slyly.
"You've been taking the letters then? It's been a house elf this whole time?" Percy asked.
"Wait a moment, aren't you the Malfoy house elf?" Mr. Weasley scratched his balding head.
Dobby let out a yelp and gave one last warning. "Mister Harry Potter Sir mustn't go back to Hogwarts!" And then he popped away.
"What was that?" Harry asked.
"That was a house elf. They're bound to serve one family for their whole life. If they don't, their magic gets a severe drain. I'm not entirely sure why they love serving so much, but I've learned that it's best not to ask. The only way a house elf can be set free is if their master gives them clothes. Any article of clothing will work, really, but the elves start bawling at the thought," Mr. Weasley explained.
"But that's awful!" Katie exclaimed.
"It's like slavery," Hermione chimed in.
"Not really. Only if you get a really bad family like the Malfoys as your master," Mr. Weasley said calmly.
Harry, meanwhile, was thinking about more than house elves. Dobby had said that Voldemort had friends, which meant that it was actually not Voldemort himself, but a minion that was going to cause trouble. And Dobby was the Malfoy house elf, which meant that it was either the Malfoys themselves of friends of the Malfoys.
"Ready for another game, Harry?" The twins chorused.
"Not another game," Oliver cut in. Everyone glanced at him in surprise. "I was hoping I could take Harry up on his test ride offer."
"Sure," Harry agreed. Maybe it would take his mind off the warning.
An hour later, everyone except Hermione (who was afraid of heights) and Ginny (who had gone back to her room) had ridden the Nimbus. The Quidditch team and Lee sat under a willow tree to discuss possible tactics for the upcoming year, but they got sidetracked.
"They say England's got a good chance of going to the World Cup," Lee said cheerfully.
"Wouldn't it be amazing to be on the World Cup team?" Oliver said dreamily.
"Wouldn't it be amazing if we were all on the World Cup team?" Angelina countered.
"Wouldn't it be amazing if I were commentator at the World Cup match?" Lee corrected.
"Only one problem-"Fred began.
"-Fred and I will be working-" George continued.
"-at our joke shop," They finished together. They were all silent for a moment as they considered this.
"Well, we'll just have to refuse unless the let the best beaters in England play with us," Angelina said. They all grinned.
"I dunno if I'll be able to commentate without McGonagall there to yell at me," Lee said, resuming their conversation. "Today felt weird without her yelling 'JORDAN!'" They all laughed.
"We could sign autographs!" Katie beamed.
"We'll be known all over the world," Angelina sighed.
"And best of all-"George started.
"-we'll be rich!" Fred completed.
Harry already had all of these things, but he knew it would be different. This would be for something he'd done, something he'd remember. He'd have earned all of it himself. He could see it now. All of them on their world class brooms, zooming around a stadium much bigger than the one at Hogwarts, Lee's voice echoing throughout, the feel of the snitch when Harry caught it and won the game…the whole scene followed Harry everywhere, including his dreams that night.
The next morning Mr. and Mrs. Weasley took all of the kids to Diagon Alley. It was Harry's first ever experience with the Floo network. He vaguely recalled Hermione mentioning something about in the car, but he still wasn't sure what it was.
"Just take a pinch of this Floo powder, dear, and throw it into the fire," Mrs. Weasley instructed. "Wait for the flames to turn green, then shout out the name of your destination, in this case Diagon Alley, and step into the fire. You have to yell loud and clear or you won't end up in the right place."
He had to step into flames? Harry's unease must have shown on his face, because Percy cleared his throat and spoke up.
"Mum, remember last time Ron got lost?"
"What? No I didn't-Ow!" Ron yelped as George stepped on his foot. "I mean, yeah. Of course."
"Did he?" Mrs. Weasley appeared mildly disconcerted. "Oh dear, I hope it doesn't happen again."
"I was thinking that I could Floo with Harry, George with Ginny, and Fred could go with Ron. That way, nothing should go wrong," Percy suggested.
"Yes! Good thinking Percy. Right, let's get going. Harry and Percy first," Mrs. Weasley said happily.
Harry gulped. Calm down, he told himself. You've walked through flames before.
But that was different. That was a life or death situation. This you trying to get books for school. Going through flames now was unnecessary.
"Hold on tight," Percy encouraged. "Diagon Alley!" He shouted, and Harry shut his eyes tight and stepped forward.
All at once he felt like getting out. He managed to get some green ashes in his mouth. He felt as though he were in a tornado, being tossed around and dizzy. He kept spinning faster and faster when Dobby's words echoed in his head.
"He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named will hurt Mister Harry Potter Sir!"
Was this how he would die? Being thrown from fireplace to fireplace, feeling ill with green powder in his system? But then Percy tugged on his arm and they stepped into a familiar restaurant.
"The Leaky Cauldron!" Harry gasped.
"It's technically the entrance. You might want to clean up before the other get here." Percy gestured to Harry's clothes, which were covered in green soot. Harry flushed and hurriedly brushed off all of his clothes and, for good measure, shook out his hair.
The Weasleys, with their bright red hair, were very easy to find. The large family set off to Gringotts, although Ron glanced longingly at Quality Quidditch Supplies, where it seemed that yet another new broom had been released. First, Harry and the Weasleys went to the Weasley's vault. Harry tried not to look, but he still saw that Mrs. Weasley cleared out almost the whole vault, and she still didn't have very much left. Next, they went down to Harry's vault. Instantly, Harry felt wasteful and spoiled, but he knew that offering any money to the Weasleys wouldn't work. Still, he vowed to himself, I'll have to donate some money.
"Now, you two said that Hermione is going to meet us in Flourish and Blotts? We'd better head over there now. We should get all your schoolbooks," Mr. Weasley said. "Looks like your Defence teacher is a big Gilderoy Lockhart fan."
"Who wouldn't be?" Mrs. Weasley gushed. "He's so charming and brave and handsome, and he can write."
Fred and George made faces behind Mrs. Weasley's back. Fred made a fake gagging motion. George puffed out his chest and gave a cheesy smile in imitation of Lockhart. Percy joined in, batting his eyelashes frantically. Altogether they created such a funny image that Harry and Ron began laughing boisterously. Mr. Weasley glanced back at them for a moment, but Mrs. Weasley stayed focused on books.
"Oh, look Arthur! Lockhart's holding a book signing today," Mrs. Weasley beamed, pointing to a large banner hanging over Flourish and Blotts.
"Hermione probably knew about it. That's why she picked today to go," Ron whispered.
"I think she gets the newsletter," Harry whispered back.
Ron snorted. "Typical."
Gilderoy Lockhart had thick wavy blonde hair and a blindingly white smile. He wore periwinkle robes and a pointed wizard's hat. Every woman in the bookshop sighed and eagerly awaited his signature, including Mrs. Weasley.
A short, fat, balding man tried to shove his way through the crowd and pushed Ron.
"Oi!" Ron yelled. "What's that for?"
Gilderoy Lockhart heard him, glanced up, and saw Harry.
"Well, well, well," he boomed. "Even Harry Potter showed up to my little book signing." He gave a big smile to the crowd and then put his arm around Harry. "So tell me Harry, what brings you here? Besides me, of course."
All the women sighed again.
"Er, well- I need my books," Harry began.
"Ah yes, Hogwarts," Lockhart interrupted. "I believe all of my books are going to be used for your Defence Against the Dark Arts class. Well, do I have a surprise planned for you. Not only will my books be used in that class, but I myself will be in that class. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I will in fact, be Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry's Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. And, to celebrate, I shall give Harry all of my books, free of charge."
The whole bookstore burst into applause. Harry felt his face turn red.
"Now, Harry," Lockhart murmured through clenched teeth. "Smile nice and big, and together we'll make the front page."
It turned out that the man who knocked Ron over was a reporter for the Daily Prophet. The flash from the camera repeatedly blinded Harry, and Lockhart's arm around Harry tightened with every click. Finally the photographer decided he was done. Harry wriggled away and moved towards Ginny.
"Here, you can have my books. I'll get my own," Harry muttered.
"Bet you loved that didn't you Potter?" Draco Malfoy drawled from behind Harry.
"Leave him alone!" Ginny defended him.
"Got a new girlfriend, Potter?" Malfoy sneered.
Ron and Hermione popped up to help Harry.
"Bet you're surprised to see Harry here," Ron snarled.
"Not as surprised as I am to see you in this shop. Will your family go hungry for a month just to make a futile attempt to educate you?"
"Come on kids, let's go," Mr. Weasley appeared to take them away.
"What a pleasant surprise, Arthur." Lucius Malfoy, Draco's father, showed up just in time to prevent the Weasleys from leaving. Draco looked a lot like his father, but Mr. Malfoy had long, shoulder-length hair and he carried a cane with him. "I do hope the Ministry is paying you overtime for all those raids you've been going on lately." He saw Ginny's secondhand A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration and curled his lip. "Obviously not. Honestly, you disgrace the name of wizard and don't even earn decent pay?"
"We both have different ideas of disgrace," Mr. Weasley said tightly.
"Clearly," Lucius sneered. "And just when I thought your company couldn't get any worse," He added, spying the Grangers.
And then, without warning, Arthur Septimus Weasley pushed Lucius Abraxas Malfoy into a bookcase.