The Leaky Cauldron

It had taken several days for Arthur to get used to his new circumstances. To be granted to get up whenever he wanted and whatever he ate in the wizarding world was just jarring. He could also go wherever he liked, as long as it was in the confines of Diagon Alley. Arthur didn't mind that because the long cobbled street was truly packed with the most fascinating wizarding shops in the world, so there wasn't any reason to break his word with Fudge.

He'd eat his breakfast every morning in the Leaky Cauldron where he'd be entertained by the other guests like funny little witches from the country, up for a day's shopping, venerable looking wizards that were arguing over the latest article in Transfiguration Today, wild looking warlocks, raucous dwarves and at one point, what can be described as a hag ordering a plate of raw liver from behind a thick wooden balaclava.

Then after he'd had breakfast, Arthur would go into the backyard, take out his wand and tap the third brick from the left above the dustbin before standing back when the archway to Diagon Alley opened up in the wall.

He'd spend long sunny days exploring the various shops and eat under brightly coloured umbrellas outside cafes, where fellow diners would show each other their purchases, sometimes discussing Sirius Black.

Arthur found doing homework more fun now compared to doing it in his bedroom or backyard at the Dentleys. He'd sit in the bright sunshine outside of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, finishing all of his essays, sometimes getting help from Florean Fortescue himself, who gave him free sundaes every half an hour along with him knowing a significant deal about mediaeval witch burnings.

When Arthur refilled his money bag with gold Galleons, silver Sickles and bronze Knuts from his family vault at Gringotts, he maintained self control to not spend the whole load at once, especially since, including his third year, he had five years to go at Hogwarts.

The only thing that tested his resolve was when he looked into his favourite shop, Quality Quidditch Supplies, a week after arriving at the Leaky Cauldron.

He saw a crowd of people gathering around the window outside of the store and so he managed to squeeze his way past everyone, who all seemed excited and then he finally noticed the newly erected podium where the most magnificent broom he had ever seen in his life was mounted.

"Just come out… prototype…." A square jawed wizard told his companion.

"It's the fastest broom in the world, isn't it, dad?" A young boy squeaked, swinging off his father's arm.

"Irish International Side's just put in an order for seven of these beauties!" The proprietor of the shop told the whole crowd. "And they're favourites for the World Cup!"

There was a large witch in front of Arthur that moved and could now read the sign next to the broom:

THE FIREBOLT

This state of the art racing broom sports a STREAMLINED, super fine handle of ash, treated with a DIAMOND HARD POLISH and hand numbered with its own registration number. Each individually selected birch twig in the broomtail has been honed to AERODYNAMIC PERFECTION, giving the Firebolt UNSURPASSABLE BALANCE and PINPOINT PRECISION. The Firebolt has an acceleration of 0 - 150 MILES AN HOUR IN TEN SECONDS and incorporates an UNBREAKABLE BRAKING CHARM.

PRICE ON REQUEST.

The part mentioning price on request was what made Arthur hesitate the most because it meant he didn't know how much gold the Firebolt would cost. And this was the thing he wanted the most in his whole life. He could get it and show off against the Slytherin Quidditch team, who all have Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones. However, he decided not to as he had never lost a match on his Nimbus Two Thousand and the skill of the flyer is most important.

Despite not buying the broom, he'd go back to the shop and simply look at the Firebolt.

Of course, there were some things that Arthur needed to buy. He needed to go to the apothecary and replenish his Potions' ingredients, go to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions to get new school robes because his old ones were too short in the arms and legs and the most important thing are his new school books, including books for his two new subjects, Care of Magical Creatures and Divination.

When he looked into the window of Flourish and Blotts, instead of the usual display of gold embossed spellbooks the size of paving slabs, there was an iron cage holding a hundred copies of The Monster Book of Monsters. There torn pages flying everywhere with the books grappling each other in wrestling matches and snapping aggressively.

Actually, now that he thought about it, the one he got from Hagrid could be for Care of Magical Creatures, so he pulled his booklist out and looked at it for the first time, seeing that it was indeed on the list for that subject.

Upon entering the bookshop, the manager came hurrying towards him.

"Hogwarts? Come to get your new books?" He asked abruptly.

"I already have one of them." Arthur pointed to the cage full of Monster Book of Monsters.

"Have you?" The manager said in relief. "Thank heavens for that, I've been bitten five times already this morning. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Yeah, I'll need Unfogging the Future by Cassandra Vablatsky." Arthur said, looking at his booklist.

"Ah, starting Divination, are you?" The manager asked, leading Arthur to the back of the shop, where a whole corner was devoted to fortune telling with a small table stacked with volumes like Predicting the Unpredictable: Insulate Yourself against Shocks and Broken Balls: When Fortunes Turn Foul.

"Here you are…" The manager said, having climbed a set of steps to bring down a thick, black bound book. "...Unfogging the Future. Very good guide to all your basic fortune telling methods, palmistry, crystal balls, bird entrails…."

Arthur partly listened to him, though, because he found himself looking at one particular book among a display on a small table: Death Omens: What to Do When You Know the Worst Is Coming.

"Oh, I wouldn't read that if I were you." An assistant said light, seeing what he was staring at. "You'll start seeing death omens everywhere, it's enough to frighten anyone to death."

Arthur just continued staring at the cover because it showed a black dog as large as a bear with gleaming eyes, a lot like the dog he saw right before the Knight Bus came and picked him up.

The assistant then pressed the book into Arthur's hands.

"Anything else?" He said.

"I'll, uh… need Intermediate Transfiguration and The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Three."

Ten minutes later, Arthur would leave Flourish and Blotts with his new books in his arms and headed back to the Leaky Cauldron, barely noticing he was bumping into several people.

He marched up the stairs to his room, entered and tipped his books onto the foot of his bed. It was clear someone came in to tidy the room up as well. The windows were also opened and the sun poured in, giving Arthur a chance to look out at the view of Diagon Alley.

"There's no way it was a death omen. It had to have been a stray dog. Besides, I thought it was black cats that brought omens." Arthur muttered to himself.

As the days continued on, Arthur would keep his eyes and ears open for David and Chrys as other Hogwarts students have already arrived since the start of term is close.

Arthur ended up meeting Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas and Michael McGonagall (Professor McGonagall's son), fellow Gryffindors, in Quality Quidditch Supplies as they were also ogling the Firebolt. And outside of Flourish and Blotts, he ran into the round faced, forgetful Neville Longbottom, who seemed to have mislaid his booklist and got told off by his strict and formidable looking grandmother.


On the last day of the holidays, he's yet to see David and Chrys, so there's a chance he'd first meet them tomorrow on the Hogwarts Express. He got up and dressed and went to take one last look at the Firebolt.

As he was thinking about where to have lunch, he heard his name being yelled and he turned.

"ARTHUR! OVER HERE!"

And there they were, outside of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. David's silver hair shimmered in the sunlight and Chrys' long brown hair was now in a single french braid as they waved at him.

"About time!" David grinned as Arthur joined them. "We went to the Leaky Cauldron and they said you left and we went to all the stores looking for you."

"Well, I got all of my school stuff the previous week. And how'd you know I was staying at the Leaky Cauldron?"

"Dad, obviously." David shrugged and Arthur raised an eyebrow in recognition that his dad's an Auror, so he'd hear of what he did to Marge.

"You actually blew up your aunt?" Chrys asked, sounding both stern and amused.

"First off, that hag ain't close to being my aunt. And second, I didn't mean to. It just happened. Besides, you try holding your anger in if she starts insulting your parents, especially your dad." Arthur replied as David roared with laughter.

"Dang… I'm honestly surprised you didn't get expelled." Chrys said.

"Forget expelled, I honestly thought I'd get arrested." Arthur replied as he looked over at David, who stopped laughing. "Does your dad have any idea why Fudge let me off?"

"He suspects it's because you're you." David shrugged. "You're the famous Arthur Pendergast, after all. You can ask him some more this evening. We're all staying at the Leaky Cauldron tonight, even Chrys. So we can all go to King's Cross tomorrow.

"Yeah, mum and dad dropped me off this morning with all of my Hogwarts things." Chrys beamed.

"Okay, so do you have all of your new stuff now? Do you finally have a new wand, David?"

"Yep." David pulled out a long, thin box out of a bag and opened it. "Fourteen inches, English oak and with a dragon heartstring core, which is fitting since apparently Merlins' wand is made with English oak." He showcased the wand, which had a pattern of trees on it. "We've of course got all our books." He pointed at a large bag under his chair. "Also, those Monster Books… that assistant looked like he was about to cry when we said we wanted two of them."

"And all of that?" Arthur asked Chrys, pointing at an absurd three bulging bags in the chair next to her.

"I'm taking more new subjects this year, remember? They're for Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, Study of Ancient Runes, Muggle Studies -"

"Why would you want to do Muggle Studies when you're a Muggle-Born with Muggle parents? You already know about Muggles." David questioned her, looking at Arthur who agreed with him.

"I want to study them from a wizarding point of view." Chrys replied casually.

"Chrys… no offence, but you'll end up becoming stressed and overworked with all of this." Arthur pointed out in concern.

"I said I'll drop any I don't like, remember?" She had them recollect. "Anyway, I still have ten Galleons. My birthday's in September and my parents said I can get an early birthday present."

"And what do you plan on getting?" David asked her.

"Well, I've always been keen on having an owl. I mean, Arthur has Athena and you have Errol -"

"Errol's the family owl, not mine specifically. I have Scabbers, remember?" David corrected her as he pulled said rat out of his pocket. "And I need to get him checked over." He added as he placed Scabbers on the table. "It seemed Egypt didn't agree with him."

Arthur noted how he looked more thin than usual and had a real droop to his whiskers.

"Well, there's a magical creature shop down there." Arthur said, now knowing Diagon Alley very well. "We can kill two birds with one stone. You can see if there's anything for Scabbers and Chrys can get an owl."

And so after paying for their ice creams, they crossed the street to the Magical Menagerie.

There wasn't much room inside as every inch of the wall was hidden by various cages. It also smelled badly and was also noisy due to the occupants of the cages all squeaking, squawking, jabbering and hissing.

The witch behind the counter was in the middle of advising a wizard on the care of double ended newts, making the three wait and examine the different cages.

Arthur found himself intrigued because he saw a pair of enormous purple toads that sat gulping wetly and feasting on dead blowflies. There was also a large tortoise with a jewel encrusted shell glittering near the window. And there were poisonous orange snails that oozed slowly up the side of their glass tank and there was a fat white rabbit that changed back and forth from a silk top hat with a loud popping sound.

Among those more magical creatures were the more normal ones with cats of every colour, a cage full of noisy raves, a basket of custard coloured furballs that hummed loudly and on the counter was a vast cage of sleek black rats that played a skipping game with their long worm-like tails.

The wizard with the double ended newt finally left and David approached the counter.

"Excuse me, is there something you can do about my rat? He's been under the weather since I brought him back from Egypt." David asked the witch.

"Bang him on the counter." She said, pulling out a pair of heavy black spectacles from her pocket.

He lifted Scabbers from his inside pocket and placed him next to the cage full of rats, who all stopped and scuffled to the wire to get a better look.

Scabbers once belonged to David's older brother Sam and compared to the glossy rats in the cage, he seemed like a veteran who's been through hell and back.

"Hm…. How old is this rat?" The witch asked him.

"Around twelve years at least. He's been with my family for a long while."

"What powers does he have?" The witch then asked as she examined Scabbers closely.

"He… actually doesn't have any." David replied with confusion. The rat had never shown any trace of anything. Her eyes then moved from Scabber's tattered left ear to his front paw that had a toe missing before tutting loudly.

"He's been through the mill, this one."

"He's been like that when Sam gave him to me." David said, sounding a bit defensive.

"An ordinary, common or garden rat like this can't be expected to live longer than three years or so." The witch told him. "Now, if you were looking for something a bit more hardwearing, you might like one of these…." She then indicated to the black rats, who started skipping again.

"Show offs." David muttered darkly.

"Well, if you don't want a replacement, you can try this Rat Tonic." She then said, reaching under the counter and had a small red bottle.

"Alright, how much is - OW!"

Something large and orange soared from the top of the highest cage and landed on his head before propelling itself at Scabbers, spitting madly.

"NO, CROOKSHANKS, NO!" The witch cried out as Scabbers shot from between her hands as though he were a wet bar of soap and landed on the floor before shooting out through the door.

"Scabbers!" David shouted as he ran out of the shop, Arthur following after him.

It had taken the two ten minutes to find Scabbers, who was taking refuge under a wastepaper bin outside of Quality Quidditch Supplies. David stuffed the trembling rat into his pocket and straightened up, rubbing his head.

"What the actual hell was that?"

"That was either a big cat or a small tiger." Arthur replied, sounding confused.

"Hey, where's Chrys?"

"Getting her owl, I guess."

The pair made it back through the crowded street back to the Magical Menagerie. Once they've reached it, Chrys comes out, yet not with an owl. In her arms was the large ginger cat.

"You actually bought that freak of nature?" David questioned, jaw dropped.

"I couldn't resist him, he's just gorgeous." Chrys said, glowing.

For the first time, Arthur didn't agree with her opinion. The cat can be best described as ugly. Its ginger fur was thick and fluffy, yet it was a bit bow-legged and its face was grumpy looking and oddly squashed, like it ran face first into a brick wall.

With Scabbers out of sight, the cat started purring with content in Chrys' arms.

"Chrys, that bloody cat nearly scalped me!" David reminded her.

"Well, I'll make sure he doesn't do it again." Chrys said with a stern look down at the cat.

"And what about poor Scabbers?" David then said, pointing at the lump in his chest pocket. "He'll need rest and relaxation! He won't get that with that menace around him."

"Here." Chrys slapped the small red bottle of Rat Tonic into his hand." I'll make sure he's always in my dormitory. I just couldn't resist him. The witch said he's been in there for ages because no one wanted him."

"Gee, I wonder why." Arthur muttered to David as they all set off to the Leaky Cauldron.


They all found Benjamin Merlon sitting in the bar, reading the Daily Prophet until he saw them.

"Arthur! Are you doing alright?" He smiled.

"I am, thanks." Arthur replied as he, David and Chrys all joined him with all their shopping.

Ben put down his paper, which allowed Arthur to see the picture of Sirius Black staring at him.

"Still haven't caught him, huh?" He asked.

"We haven't." Ben said, looking grim. "They've even pulled people from their regular jobs at the Ministry to find him, but no luck so far."

Shortly, Martha Merlon entered the bar, laden with so much shopping and following her was Jack and Kevin, the twins, who were about to start their fifth year at Hogwarts, the new Head Boy, Sam and the youngest and only Merlon girl, Mary.

After saving her life from a diary that thought for itself months ago can definitely make a bond grow as both Arthur and Mary greeted each other like they were siblings that haven't seen each other in a long while.

Sam came over and shook Arthur's hand, still being down to earth.

"Hey, Arthur. Nice to see you again."

"Same here, Sam." Arthur greeted back with a pat on the arm before the twins had their turn to greet him.

"Hello there, cub, we've heard what you did to your aunt. What did she do to get blown up?" Jack asked.

"She thought it was okay to insult my parents, even calling my dad a drunk." He replied.

"Dang… I'm surprised you didn't do worse, considering who you're descended from." Kevin whistled.

"Yeah, well… she's just a stupid tub who thinks she can just bully me and my cousin all she wants." Arthur muttered darkly.

"Hello, Arthur. Nice to see you're still taking good care of yourself." Martha came around after she deposited her shopping into an empty chair.

Dinner that night became a very enjoyable moment. Tom the innkeeper had put three tables together in the parlour for the seven Merlons, Arthur and Chrys to eat their way through a five course platter, which was delicious.

"So how are we getting to King's Cross tomorrow, dad?" Jack asked as he dug into a mouth watering chocolate pudding.

"The Ministry will provide a couple of cars for us." Ben said, making everyone look up at him.

"Why is that?" Sam asked.

"Well, because we no longer have one and also because they're doing me a favour." Ben said.

"And it's good we'll have a couple of cars because of the amount of luggage. It would be awkward if we were to go through the Muggle Underground." Martha noted.

"If only a certain someone put all his new things in his trunk. He's dumped them on my bed." Sam eyed David with some scathing, David's flushing red.

"David… why don't you make sure you're packed properly because we'll have little time to spare tomorrow morning." Martha called down the table.


Once dinner was finished, with everyone feeling full and sleepy, they all made their way upstairs to check their things for the following day. Both David and Sam were next door to Arthur.

He had just closed and locked his trunk right as he heard the sounds of things being moved about through the wall. He decided to see what it's about.

The door to number twelve was ajar and he saw both David and Sam searching throughout the whole room.

"Guys… what are you doing?" He asked them.

"We're trying to find Scabbers' Rat Tonic." David said as he searched through his trunk.

"Can you please go down to the bar and take a look for us, please?" Sam then asked Arthur.

"No problem."

Arthur didn't mind, he was already packed and he was still awake enough to do one more thing before going to sleep.

He went downstairs and when he was halfway through the passage to the bar, which was really dark, he heard a pair of voices coming from the parlour. They sounded like they were in a heated argument and he recognised them as Ben and Martha. Initially, he hesitated, not wanting to know why they're arguing but then he heard his own name being mentioned.

This had him move to the parlour door and listen in.

"...it just makes no sense to not tell him." Ben said. "Arthur has a right to know. I've kept telling Fudge this, but he stupidly insists on treating Arthur like he's some child. He's thirteen years old for crying out loud!"

"But wouldn't the truth terrify him? Is it wise to send Arthur back to Hogwarts with this hanging over him?" Martha questioned.

"Dear, he faced Voldemort in his first year and killed a freaking Basilisk in his second. I'm sure he can handle this." Ben retorted. "Besides, I only want him to be on his guard! This is necessary because he and his friends go wandering off by themselves, even into the Forbidden Forest! I find myself thinking what could've happened if Arthur wasn't picked up by the Knight Bus."

Arthur scrunched his face in thought. He'd never heard Ben sound this concerned before and that says a lot considering he's an Auror, who hunts down dark wizards, akin to police officers. This all must be linked with Sirius Black.

"He's not dead, though, so why -"

"Martha, do I need to remind you just how mad Sirius Black is supposed to be, based on what I've been told? He was even clever enough to escape Azkaban, which is considered impossible. It's been a month now and regardless of what Fudge says in the Daily Prophet, we're nowhere nearer to catching Black than inventing wands that can spell by themselves. All we know is what Black is after -"

"But Arthur will be safe at Hogwarts."

"Azkaban's supposed to be safe yet Black broke out from there, didn't he? So he will be able to break into Hogwarts."

"How do we even know if he's after Arthur -"

A loud thud on wood came from the room, clearly from Ben slamming his fist on the table.

"Fudge is trying to keep it quiet from the press! How many times do I have to remind you, Martha? Fudge went to Azkaban the night Black escaped. The guards told Fudge that Black was talking in his sleep for a while, saying the same words 'He's at Hogwarts… he's at Hogwarts.' Black is a deranged man, Martha, he wants Arthur dead. He probably thinks killing Arthur would bring Voldemort back. He lost everything when Voldemort was stopped by Arthur and spent twelve years in Azkaban by himself, brooding on that one thought."

There was a tense silence as Arthur leaned in closer, desperate to hear more because he felt like he needed to know.

"But what about Dumbledore? There's no way anything can hurt Arthur at Hogwarts with Dumbledore being Headmaster. Does he know of all this?" Martha asked.

"Of course he does. He was even asked if he minds Azkaban's guards stationed around the entrance to the school grounds. To say he wasn't pleased would be an understatement, but he ultimately agreed."

"Why would he not be pleased if they can catch Black?"

"Dumbledore flat out despises them, just like I do. This is just an instance where we have to join forces with those you'd want to avoid just to catch Black."

"But if they save Arthur -"

"Martha, I know those guards well enough to know that they won't save Arthur, if anything, they'll just go after him because of his past." Ben cut his wife off, sounding grave, which unnerved Arthur along with what he just heard about these guards. "Come on, it's late, Martha, we need to go to sleep."

Arthur heard a couple of chairs move and so as quietly as he could, he hurried off down to the bar and out of sight. He then heard the parlour door open and footsteps a few seconds later, telling him that they were climbing upstairs.

Arthur found the bottle of Rat Tonic lying under the table they sat at earlier. He then waited until he heard both Ben and Martha close their bedroom door and then he headed back upstairs with the bottle.

After he gave David the Rat Tonic, he shut himself in his room and lay under the blankets in bed.

Sirius Black is truly after him. It explains so much. It's why Fudge was so lenient with him, he was just relieved to find him alive. He made Arthur promise to stay at Diagon Alley, a place where many witches and wizards can keep an eye on him. And the fact that two Ministry cards are going to take them all to the station tomorrow is so that the Merlons can look after him until he gets on the Hogwarts Express.

Arthur started wondering why he wasn't feeling any fear. Sirius Black killed thirteen people with just one curse, after all and both Ben and Martha expected him to be panic stricken if he knew the truth.

Besides, Martha was right about Dumbledore and how Hogwarts is a safe place, partly because of him. He's the only wizard Voldemort ever feared, so by that logic, Black should be just as afraid of him.

What did make Arthur feel any kind of fear was what Ben said about the guards of Azkaban. Adding on top of how other people talked about them, and that they'll be stationed around the school, the fact that they may end up going after himself because of his past isn't the most reassuring thing to hear.

And of course, there's the fact that he won't be going to Hogsmeade, which will be ensured as no one would want him to leave the safety of the castle with Black on the loose. If anything, his every move will be watched until any and all danger has passed.

Among all of these thoughts, he did feel a bit offended with what Martha suggested among other things. It's like people didn't think he could look after himself, especially with what he did the previous two school years and when he was a baby. He escaped and defeated Voldemort three times already, one of which involved killing possibly the deadliest magical creature in the world. He wasn't useless, especially with how he figured things out with his friends.

Then the image of that dog among the bushes crept into his mind as he was about to sleep.

"I'm not gonna get murdered." He whispered to himself.


Chrys is gonna take some actually responsibilty in looking after Crookshanks, unlike Hermione.

And with Martha, the only thing she has in common with Molly is that she is genuinely concerned for Arthur and somewhat babies him around, though she'll grow out of it eventually.