Hermione sat in the back of the dirty little cab as the driver weaved in and out of the London traffic. The meter kept rolling, it was up to almost ten pounds already. Sighing loudly, she watched the big fat raindrops hit the window and roll down the side of the cab. She never liked London; it was too wet and cold for her. The cabby yelled as a large red truck swerved in front of him, he slammed on the horn to let the driver hear his indignation. All the noise was giving Hermione a headache, how she wished she could just be at the Leaky Cauldron already. Soon, she thought to herself, soon I will be having tea with Dumbledore and I will find out exactly what he wanted.
"Well now, thas an odd thin' for a youngin' to be havin' in her purse now isn't it?" The driver was looking at Hermione through his rear view mirror. Hermione looked down at her clutch and noticed the end of her wand was sticking out.
"I believe I am paying you to drive me someplace, not ask questions." Hermione's cheeks flushed as she tucked her wand back into her purse.
"Jus tryin' to make a bit o' conversation now milady, no need to get your knickers in a twist." He shrugged as he pulled off to the curb. A small sign hung above the door with the words The Leaky Cauldron swayed gently in the wind and dripped water. Hermione handed the man his eleven pounds and exited the cab.
"I'd be keepin' an eye out miss…there be not so nice wizards about these days." His voice lowered, "They say You-Know-Who is coming back and a young witch as yerself ought to be at school."
Hermione frowned; she thought for sure he was a muggle! He nodded in her direction and pulled away from the curb. Well now, that's not something you see every day, Hermione thought to herself, a wizard driving a cab. She ignored his words; everyone was talking about Voldermort and about how he was coming back. Hermione, of course, knew he was well alive…she remembered the horrors of the past five years that she and her friends had been forced to endure.
The grimy door of The Leaky Cauldron was shut tight against the cold, it took Hermione shoving hard against it to get it open. As she stumbled inside, the patrons all took a collective glance up at her and back to what they were all doing. She glanced over the crowd and spotted the blue cap and long white beard of Dumbledore. He was sitting in the corner with a drink in front of him as well as beside him; so someone else is here as well, she thought.
"Dumbledore." Hermione greeted her headmaster with a nod and stopped at his table. He smiled and motioned for her to sit.
"Hello Ms. Granger, we are waiting for our other member to come back from the restroom before we get started." He motioned to the barkeep as he took a long sip from his glass. The woman brought a steaming mug of butter beer and set in front of Hermione. She took a long drink from the warm brew, glad to wrap her half frozen hands around the glass.
"What's she doing here?" A familiar voice sneered in distain from behind Hermione; she sighed and winced as Draco Malfoy stood next to Dumbledore, wearing his trademark scowl.