Chapter 23: Concrete Angel
"And I knocked down my porridge bowl right in front of him!" Ginny moaned as she walked side-by-side with Zoey. They had arrived at Diagon Alley not more than two minutes ago and were now hoping to catch sight of Harry for he had made a slight technical error when working with the Floo Network. In other words he didn't appear in his designated destination.
"Why is it even called 'Diagon Alley", Zoey whispered to Echo as Harry took a handful of Floo powder and held it up as he took his place in the fireplace, "It sounds an awful like diagonally."
Echo opened her mouth to reply but was stopped when Harry coughed out "D-Dia-gon Alley," and disappeared into the flames.
"He's doomed," Echo said.
"Why's that?" Zoey panicked.
"He didn't say it clearly," Echo shrugged before taking a handful of Floo Powder for herself.
"Just play it cool with him," Zoey advised, "Be yourself….Well…that's what I hear from all those Witches Magazines. I wouldn't really know"
Ginny laughed at Zoey's awkward expression, "Where did you read that article? What magazine?"
"Does it really matter?" Zoey asked, "They all say the same thing 'Be yourself' or 'make him fall in love with the real you' I wouldn't say it's a bunch of rubbish since it's true but it's so obvious isn't it? Why would witches like us need to be told that? It's natural instinct isn't it?"
"I wouldn't really know. Dad says that muggle girl's have magazines that say the same thing," Ginny said as she looked around Diagon Alley. She stopped and stared longingly at Ollivanders Wand Shop.
"So it is natural instinct," Zoey laughed as she grabbed hold of Ginny's arm, "Come on we have to find Harry and stop by at Gringotts first"
Ginny numbly nodded her head as she allowed Zoey to drag her off. She was still staring back at the wand shop. Zoey squeezed through the crowd and was faintly reminded of her First Year of Hogwarts when she tried to make her way through the Hogwarts students so she could reach her Herbology class in time. Zoey chuckled under her breath.
When she finally reached Gringotts she caught sight of The Weasleys, Echo, Harry, Hermione and Hagrid.
"Mornin' Zwei," Echo spoke as soon as Zoey had reached her.
Zoey raised an eyebrow at her friend. They had already greeted each other at breakfast. Zoey shook her head and greeted her in return.
"Now that we're all here we can go get what we need," Mrs. Weasley said as she turned around and entered Gringotts Wizarding Bank.
Zoey looked around Gringotts and marveled at its size. She hadn't visited the bank in ages for she never needed to take much money out. She remembered her first time in the bank and got a bag full of galleons, sickles and knuts enough to sustain her for three years. Zoey tapped the bag inside her pocket it was pitifully empty.
Zoey was so distracted by the Goblins who worked in Gringotts that she jumped in surprise when she heard Mr. Weasley exclaim delightedly: "But you're muggles!"to Hermione's parents.
Zoey laughed as Mr. Weasley jumped excitedly over the Muggles money. She felt Fred tap her shoulder.
"We're leaving," Fred said to her as he pointed at Harry and Ron who were following a goblin who was going to lead them to the underground vaults.
"Right," Zoey muttered and looked behind her to see Echo having a conversation with Hermione. Echo had said that she already got all the money she needed. Zoey shook her head before quickly following Harry and Ron. She reached into her pocket and pulled out two keys, one silver and one a shimmering green, which had a silver chain around them. She wrapped the chain around her wrist and held the green key firmly in her hand as she sat in the small, goblin-driven cart.
Zoey felt like she was going to be sick the moment they stopped at the Weasleys Vault. She stumbled out and almost fell if Ron didn't catch her.
"You alright, Zoey?" Ron asked as he helped her back up.
"Yeah…thanks," Zoey then looked at Ron with wide-eyes, "Blimey Ron! Did you grow again?"
Ron blushed but it went unnoticed by Zoey for she had followed Harry into the Weasleys vault. Zoey's face fell a bit when she saw that it only contained a small pile of silver Sickles and one Galleon all of which Mrs. Weasley swept into her bag.
"George, don't hit your brother's head!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed when she turned around to leave.
"He's not George, I am!" George said in shock when he thought her was going to get in trouble for something he did not do.
"Sorry dear," Mrs. Weasley apologized, "Fred, apologize to Ron!"
Zoey watched as Ron rubbed the back of his head and Fred glaring at Ron. Zoey's eyebrows knitted in confusion. She really didn't want to witness a fight especially hundreds of feet below the ground.
When Fred refused to apologize Mrs. Weasley rolled her eyes in exasperation before turning to Zoey. "Last stop is your vault dear," she said as she climbed back onto the cart. Zoey bit her lip as she climbed back onto the cart. She closed her eyes as she felt the cart go back in motion.
"Vault seven hundred and ten," the goblin said as he stopped the cart.
Everyone exited the cart and watched patiently as Zoey, once again, stumbled out of hers. She caught herself before giving the green key to the goblin. The goblin opened the vault and everyone gasped.
Inside Zoey's vault were galleons, sickles and knuts pilled up one another to form mountains so tall that they had to crane their necks to see the top. There were cubbyholes and treasure chests that they were sure held galleons and the like within them. Zoey nervously pulled out her bag from her pocket and walked over to one of the cubbyholes to sweep all of its contents into her bag. She straightened up before looking at the Weasley boys' shock expressions.
"Merlin, Zoey," Fred breathed out, "How loaded are you?"
Zoey blushed.
"Fred! That's rude of you to ask!' Mrs. Weasley scolded as she walked back to the cart.
"It isn't mine," Zoey said as she sat back down into the cart, "It belongs to the Emeraude's"
"So? It's still yours isn't it?" George asked, "You are an Emeraude aren't you?"
"Yes, well… they don't really like me entering the vault that much…," Zoey trailed off as the cart started to head back to the surface.
"Is that why you filled you bag to the brim?" Harry asked
"Yeah… I'm estimating that it's enough to last me four years…," Zoey said as she looked inside her bag.
"Why's that? You could always come back before the new school year can't you?" Ron asked as he too looked into Zoey's bag.
Zoey swiftly closed her bag, "It's not that easy," she said.
Back outside they all separated. Percy left to get new quills while Fred and George went off with Lee Jordan. Mrs. Weasley and Ginny went to get robes and Mr. Weasley insisted on taking the Grangers out for a drink. Echo had disappeared long before they came out from the underground vaults.
"She said she saw something that caught her eye," Hermione said before walking off with Harry and Ron.
Zoey bit her lip. She had an hour before going to Flourish and Blotts to get her books. Zoey placed her keys in her pockets and held tightly onto her bag as she headed back into the crowd. She stopped in front of the Magical Menagerie.
The shop was very cramped and noisy and every inch of wall was covered with cages. As Zoey stared at a transforming rabbit she wondered vaguely what she was even doing in the shop, she wasn't really a fan of animals.
"Hey there, Zee! What are you doing here? Looking for a pet?" Someone said from behind Zoey making her jump and turn in around in surprise. It was Bridgit.
Zoey placed a hand over her heart, "Don't scare me like that," Zoey said with a smile, "I don't really know. I'm not that fond of animals to be honest"
"Ohh, to bad, I love animals. I actually have a pet, but he's not allowed in Hogwarts," Bridgit said with a pout.
"Really?" Zoey said as she led Bridgit out of the Magical Menagerie, "What kind of pet is it?"
"A puppy!" Bridgit answered getting a child like tone in her voice.
Zoey's eyes widened, "Oh really? So who takes care of him when you're away? Is he with you now?" Zoey asked as she looked down and searched the ground as if thinking the dog would suddenly appear.
Bridgit laughed, "I thought you weren't fond of animal Zee? But yeah he's here, but I keep him somewhere safe," Bridgit answered patting the backpack she was carrying, "And as for who takes care of him…well I leave him with my uncle," she answered Zoey's question with her voice turning slightly odd.
Zoey who was making her way through the crowd all the while holding onto Bridgit so they wouldn't be separated looked at her in shock. "You keep him in there?" Zoey exclaimed as they stopped in front of a Music and Book store.
"Yup, my puppy, well Shinji is right in here with toys, water and food! He's a teacup poodle you know," Bridgit answered as she opened her bag.
Zoey gasped as the white dog popped out with its tongue lolling out of its mouth.
"Isn't he cute?" Bridgit asked, petting the little animal.
"Y-yeah…cute," Zoey stuttered out as she continued to stare at the dog. Shinji was absolutely adorable but Zoey found herself scared to touch him. What if she did something wrong?
Sensing Zoey's thoughts Bridgit placed Shinji on her hand, "You can pet him if you want, he doesn't bite"
Zoey reached out her shaky hand and let her pointer finger touch the top of Shinji's head. She moved her finger in circles all the while keeping an arm's length distance.
"Don't tell me you're scared of Shinji?" Bridgit asked, smiling widely, as she saw Zoey's face when Shinji licked her finger.
Zoey didn't respond, she kept her lips tight in a firm line as she held back her scream .She didn't know what to do next. When Bridgit noticed Zoey's look of horror, she placed Shinji back in her bag after giving him a hug.
"Okay Zee, Shinji's back in the bag you can breathe now," Bridgit said smiling at Zoey.
Zoey breathed out and smiled in return. She then began to hear a soft tune coming from the back of her. She turned around and caught sight of a guitar, "I thought that was a muggle instrument," she said as she pointed at it.
Bridgit looked towards the direction where Zoey was pointing and smiled when she saw the guitar. "Do you happen to know the song 'Concrete Angel'?" Bridgit asked Zoey from out of the blue.
Zoey's eyes glazed over a bit as the tune played in her head. It was a lovely song and Zoey couldn't help but hum along when she heard it but something in the song just made images appear in her head. It's message perhaps? "It's a muggle song isn't it?" Zoey asked.
"Yup, do you know it?" Bridgit asked again
"I – I may have listened to it once or twice," Zoey muttered, "But yeah I know it…. Why do you ask?"
Before Bridgit answered Zoey's question, she had already dragged her to the spot where the guitar was. "Because I can play, so why don't we put on a little show to get people into a shopping mood?" Bridgit answered, getting the guitar.
Zoey watched in horror as Bridgit began to tune the instrument, "You can't be serious!"
"I'm always serious," Bridgit answered, getting a look from Zoey, "Okay, no, not really, but come on! Please!" Bridgit said, making a funny puppy dog face.
Zoey raised an eyebrow at Bridgit, "You know that doesn't work on me," she said. Suddenly, someone tapped Zoey shoulder and when she turned around to see who it was she saw the shop owner smiling and holding out a microphone.
"No – I – err – I'm not -"
"Oh yes we will!" Bridgit cut in, taking the microphone and giving it to Zoey by force.
Zoey's eyes widened as Bridgit dragged her outside the shop and held her guitar. Zoey looked to the crowd and so most of them stopping to watch what was going on.
"Ready?" Bridgit asked as she started to count down. She started to play.
A beautiful melody ran through the air and the witches and wizards were amazed at the soft sound Bridgit was creating. Zoey gulped as she held onto the microphone with shaky hands. She felt her knees buckle up when more people stopped to watch.
"I don't see how this is going to put them in a shopping mood," Zoey mumbled softly before taking a deep breath.
"She walks to school with the lunch she packed
Nobody know what she's holding back
Wearing the same dress she wore yesterday
She hides the bruises with the linen and lace, oh"
"The teacher wonders but she doesn't ask
It's hard to see the pain behind the mask
Bearing the burden of a secret storm
Sometimes she wishes she was never born"
Zoey took another deep breath before holding the microphone closer to her mouth as she began the chorus
"Through the wind and the rain she stands hard as a stone
In a world that she can't rise above
But her dreams give her wings and she flies to a place
Where she's loved Concrete Angel"
Zoey closed her mouth as Bridgit's playing once again flooded the air. Images of herself being pushed around by her aunt flooded her mind and she felt her eyes water. Zoey took another deep breath.
"Somebody cries in the middle of the night
The neighbors hear but they turned out the light
A fragile soul caught in the hands of fate
When morning comes it will be too late."
Zoey repeated the chorus as she remembered the days she woke up from another beating from her aunt. The pain that traveled down each and every limb of her body, the scars she would see on her arms and legs and the bruises that formed on her back and stomach.
"A statue stands in a shaded place
And angel girl with an upturned face
A name is written on a polished rock
A broken heart that the world forgot"
Zoey ducked her head as she repeated the chorus for the last time.
"- Where she's loved…. Concrete Angel," she held the note for the necessary length before placed the microphone at her side. She took deep breaths as the crows erupted in applause. She felt her cheeks warm up as she evened out her breaths. She then heard the soft clattering of coins pilling on top of each other.
Zoey looked to her right and saw Echo standing a little bit away from her holding a black bowlers hat out and had a sort of greedy look in her eyes. People were approaching her and placing galleons, sickles and knuts into the hat.
"Pay up. That tear-jerking performance wasn't free," Echo said as she took a bit out of her pastille.
Zoey's eyebrows shot up as she faced Bridgit, "Why are they paying her?" she asked in shock.
"I have no idea," Bridgit said before yelling, "Hey, Echo! We were playing over here and you start collecting money? When did you even get here?"
Echo turned around while still holding her pastille in one hand and the bowler hat in the other, "Nothing is for free."
"Life is free isn't it?" Bridgit answered, smirking.
"I thought this show was," Zoey said as she looked back at the crowd, "Okay… Thank you all for your generosity… err – you can go now"
The crowd obeyed and slowly went back to their own business. Echo shrugged as she walked off into the Music and Bookstore.
"Yes, thank you very much!" Bridgit added to the crowd who still remained and followed Echo into the store taking Zoey with her. Bridgit and Zoey returned the instruments.
Zoey watched as Echo went through the aisles of books. "You should give back the money," she said as Echo began to scan the books.
"Shush-shush," Echo spoke as she picked up a book and placed it back after getting a good look on the cover, "You would expect me to remember the faces of those who gave me their money?"
"And you couldn't use your own money because…?" Zoey asked as she made a hand motion telling Echo to explain.
"My money's exact for our school materials. If I use it I would be one or two books short," Echo deadpanned.
Echo picked up a book and smiled when she saw the cover. She ate the remained of her pastille and held the book to her chest and headed towards the counter. Echo placed the bowler hat on the counter and piled up the amount she needed.
Zoey sighed exasperatedly and looked at her watch, "Let's hurry on to Flourish and Blotts." She said as she turned around and left the store.
And here's Chapter 23~ Yey! Bridgit makes her appearance again! *Clap clap clap*
And here we see Zoey sing~ yehey!
Okay... I had something to say but then my friends called and now I'm like... gurrgle... brain dead.
Lol, I would love to credit and dedicate this to "ZoomSkater14" and "HayleyParadox" for helping me with this chapter and also "yvonna" for her question. You guys really inspire me with your curiosity.
I do not own the song "Concrete Angel" I am just a humble person who loves the song and thought it fit Zoey.
what else... weekend now! More updates! Yey!
I thank you all for your reviews, alerts, favorites and questions!
You are all beautiful
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