CHAPTER 12: SHOPPING AND SURPRISES
Inside, there were so many wizards and witches that it seemed like a festival. The only odd thing was seeing the multitude of children of all ages with their families. None wandered off, and none of the kids seemed to leave their parents' side; fear was predominant.
In several shops, countless items were offered, claiming to provide protection against dark magic, all obviously fake. Mr. Weasley wished fervently he could stop these charlatans, but his mission was more important at that moment.
They quickly headed to Gringotts; everyone needed to withdraw some money as the required books were expensive. Harry thought this would be a problem for the Weasleys since they could barely manage to get the necessary supplies, let alone books like these.
"Tonks, the books are expensive, aren't they?" he asked, and she nodded. "Won't the Weasleys have problems?"
"The truth is, they will, but I don't know how they'll manage. I think the twins have given them something, but still…"
"I have an idea. While we go to the vaults, you can put this into the Weasleys' vault," he said, taking out a pouch with a certain amount of Galleons inside.
"What?" "I don't think the goblins will give them much trouble. By the time we arrive, the money will already be in the vault, and they won't know what happened."
Tonks stayed in the foyer, pretending to do something, while she deposited the money into the Weasleys' account, while they descended into their vaults. Hermione only had to exchange Muggle money for wizarding money, so she didn't need to go down.
In the vaults, Harry, Ron, and Ginny descended with their mother and Mad-Eye, who kept eyeing the goblin with disdain. It seemed like a duel of stares; as unpleasant as Mad-Eye's gaze was, the goblin's was worse. The singular staring match ended once the cart started moving.
As always, the ride was worse than they would have liked. The first vault they visited was Harry's. When they arrived, the goblin asked for the key and opened the vault. Harry entered, followed by Ron, whom he asked to help.
"Every time I come here, I'm still amazed by this. If you wanted, you wouldn't have to work ever again," he observed the pile. "Would you swear it was smaller?"
"The Black family fortune was deposited in this vault since Sirius named me his heir," he felt really bad remembering it.
"Harry, I'm sorry; I know how it affects you to remember it, and I'm an idiot for always putting my foot in it."
"Don't worry, I'm fine now. Let's go out; they're waiting for us."
Harry filled a bag given by the goblins to the brim with golden Galleons. Then they emerged, boarding the cart to continue the journey.
A few minutes later, they stood in front of the door to the Weasleys' vault. Mrs. Weasley handed the key to the goblin, who opened the door. They all entered, including Harry. In the center of the vault, there were small piles of golden Galleons, silver Sickles, and bronze Knuts. Seeing it, Harry knew they wouldn't have enough.
The Weasleys began counting the coins and putting them into a bag similar to Harry's."
It was a tremendous expense they were forced to make, and it was clear they sacrificed everything for their loved ones. That was what Harry liked most about this family.
In a corner, he saw the bag he had given to Tonks; the goblins had brought and thrown it into the vault, so it wasn't with the rest of the coins. That was exactly what he wanted. He approached the bag and, as he crouched down, exchanged it for the one he had taken. This one had a larger amount of Galleons than the one Tonks had deposited.
As soon as he pocketed the other bag, he went to the Weasleys.
"Excuse me, Mrs. Weasley, but here's a bag already prepared."
"Harry dear, that's impossible; all the money is here," she said, looking at the boy and noticing there was indeed a bag on the floor.
She approached and opened it. She couldn't believe her eyes; it was filled with golden Galleons.
"But how is this possible? We didn't—" She glanced at the boy. "Harry, is this anything to do with you? If so, take it back immediately."
Harry stepped away from Mrs. Weasley, who was handing him the bag with the money.
"Excuse me, Mrs. Weasley, but I haven't done anything. Once was enough for me to understand; although my offer still stands."
"Forget about nonsense; I know it's you."
"I have my money here," he said, taking out the bag from his robes. "And Ron can tell you I only took this bag. I assure you I have nothing to do with this."
The woman looked at her son. "Is that true?" Ron nodded, and she turned to the goblin. "Where did this money come from?"
The old goblin checked his ledger. "This morning, a bag of Galleons was deposited. I cannot say how many. Until the owners leave the vaults, we don't proceed with the count, and since you were coming here, we didn't enter or count it."
The poor woman was bewildered. Where had this sudden wealth of Galleons come from? With this bag, they would have enough to buy everything they needed, and there would still be more than half left over.
"But I can't accept this. Are you sure there hasn't been a mistake?"
The goblin glared at her angrily. "GRINGOTTS GOBLINS DO NOT MAKE MISTAKES! Every time a deposit is made, we ensure it's for the intended vault and transport only that box to ensure there's never any confusion! If that bag is here, it's because it belongs here." He turned and stormed out of the vault, furious.
She didn't know what to do. According to the goblin, that money now belonged to the Weasley family. They probably needed it, but it didn't seem right to take it.
It was Mad-Eye who put an end to the discussion.
"Molly, if that money is here, it's yours, and there's nothing more to discuss. Take what you need, and let's go."
"But, Moody, what if it's reclaimed later, or—"
"NO, you heard it—goblins don't make mistakes. That money is yours, end of story."
"Could it be a trap?" Ginny asked.
Mad-Eye approached the bag, murmured something, and waved his wand over it, but nothing happened.
"It's just money," the old Auror concluded.
Not entirely convinced, she took what was necessary for the purchases and noted down the amount taken on a piece of parchment inside the bag. Harry watched the scene with amusement. The honesty and integrity of this family were admirable.
They headed towards the main hall of the bank, where the rest of the group was waiting. When they arrived, Mrs. Weasley told her husband about the bag. He didn't know what to say; the situation puzzled him a lot, and he thought the same as his daughter. Mrs. Weasley told him that Mad-Eye had already checked it and found nothing. Additionally, the goblins made the deposit normally and legally, so it didn't seem suspicious. She also mentioned that she had noted the withdrawn amount on a piece of parchment inside the bag in case there were any problems.
They left the bank and headed to their first destination, Madame Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. There was a long line, so they had to wait until it was their turn. Harry kept himself apart so he wouldn't be recognized, and they could finish more quickly.
That year, at least, they wouldn't have the problem of any dance, so a couple of regular robes would be enough. Ron was thrilled; for once, he would have new robes instead of his brothers' hand-me-downs.
Hermione, Ginny, and Tonks lingered around the formal robes until Mrs. Weasley called them. After all the purchases and after Mad-Eye ensured there was no danger, they moved on to the next point: the potion supplies shop. Fortunately, there were hardly any people inside. They greeted a couple of kids who recognized them, and Ginny began chatting with a Hufflepuff classmate.
Everything seemed to be going wonderfully and without problems. All that remained was to buy the books, and they would leave Diagon Alley without any trouble.
Arriving at Flourish and Blotts, Ginny asked her mother to buy her some of the seventh-year books so she could prepare better like the others. Reluctantly and after some pleading, her mother agreed. They entered the store with a slightly happier Ginny.
This time, they couldn't go unnoticed, and several classmates and acquaintances approached them, including Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan.
"Harry, how are you? We feel really sorry about what happened."
"Yes, we would have liked to do more, but—"
"Don't worry, guys; everyone did what they could."
"This year won't be the same."
"That's true, without Dumbledore, it won't be the same. Even my parents were thinking of not sending me, but since the Ministry said you'd be there and that security at the school would be increased—"
Everyone looked at the boy in surprise.
"They said that?" Tonks asked.
"Yes, it was in the Prophet this morning."
At that moment, it was their turn to ask for their books. The clerk inquired about their year, but they handed over the lists, and he ushered them inside the store.
Everyone was taken aback by this. When Ginny requested hers and included several seventh-year books, they were even more surprised.
At the back of the store, another clerk attended to them.
"We've received special permission from the Ministry to give you these books. You should know they're personalized, so only you will be able to open them. Follow me, and you'll pick them from the shelves."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed the clerk, navigating through endless rows of shelves. Each time one of them touched a book, it briefly illuminated with a golden glow.
"The most challenging book to find was one from Harry's list. It seemed no one had requested that book for years. If they hadn't had the Ministry's permission, they wouldn't have obtained it.
Leaving the store with their books, curious onlookers gathered to see what had transpired. Placing their books on the counter, they were taken aback by the purchase price. Ron's books alone cost as much as sending three children to Hogwarts with complete equipment. Mrs. Weasley appreciated the mysterious bag of Galleons that had appeared in her room.
Hermione was short on money, so Harry lent her some. "I'll pay you back once I speak to my parents." "Not necessary. Consider it part of your birthday gift," Harry replied, "Let's say my godfather's gift."
After this, the girl didn't dare argue. They packed their reduced material, paid, and left the store, heading to the Leaky Cauldron. Everything seemed to have gone well.
At the end of the street, an explosion sounded, and everyone drew their wands, preparing. People began running in the opposite direction, shouting as they passed. "Death Eaters in Knockturn Alley, save yourselves if you can!"
Everyone wanted to flee as quickly as possible. Despite efforts to stay together, they were separated. Ron, Ginny, and their parents were carried ahead by the crowd. Harry, Tonks, and Mad-Eye Moody pressed against a shop window, wands at the ready, before heading toward the Leaky Cauldron. Hermione stayed with Arabella on the side, both searching for the group.
From where they stood, they saw beams of light passing over the crowd. "Harry, we need to go," Tonks urged. "Where's everyone? I won't leave without them."
Mad-Eye scanned the crowd with his magical eye, searching for everyone. He spotted the Weasleys near the entrance of the Leaky Cauldron with Hestia Jones and Emmeline Vance. "The Weasleys are safe at the Leaky Cauldron entrance. And Miss Granger…"
What he saw displeased him immensely—Mundungus Fletcher lying on the ground, with Arabella Figg in the same state. "Mundungus and Arabella have fallen," Harry and Tonks looked at him, alarmed. "I don't know if they're alive or not. Miss Granger isn't with them," he glanced a couple of alleys ahead.
Finally, he saw Hermione being attacked by two Death Eaters, taking turns using what seemed like Cruciatus curses on her. He watched her writhing in pain, unable to do anything. "Granger is in trouble, two of those bastards have her in that alley. Harry, no!" He didn't have time to say anything else. Harry sprinted toward where his friend was.
Tonks followed close behind, ready. As they crossed the crowd, they entered the alley. Despite the screams around them, Harry heard his friend's cry. One Death Eater was using the Cruciatus curse on her, while the other tried to disrobe her. "Mudblood, you're going to enjoy this," Harry recognized that voice—it was Draco Malfoy. "I didn't expect you to improve so much. After this, Weasley will like you even more. He likes everything secondhand." "No, Malfoy," she struggled and scratched his face.
"Ah, you asked for it," Malfoy aimed his wand at her.
Seeing this, Harry reacted, feeling that power surge in his chest. "Malfoy!" Malfoy turned upon hearing him. "Saint Potter, have you come to protect the mudblood? You'd better protect yourself. Diffindo!"
His companion cast another spell. "Impedimenta!" Harry halted both opponents with a single spell. Before they could attack again, he launched his own attack. "Expelliarmus!" Before they could react, the wands of the two Death Eaters flew into his hand, along with Hermione's wand.
Disarmed, they attempted to escape. Harry reacted in time and cast another spell. "Desmallus!" The two fell to the ground unconscious.
Mad-Eye quickly tied them up. Tonks approached a pained Hermione. She was very nervous and in pain but relaxed as soon as she felt safe and started crying. "It's okay, it's all over!" Harry approached his friend.
"Tonks, I'm sorry, I was with Arabella, we saw Mundungus and went after him when he signaled us to follow. We should have asked for the code, but we just wanted to get out of here." She stopped to catch her breath. "Suddenly they attacked Arabella, knocked her out, and then caught me. That's when I recognized Malfoy, he was under the Polyjuice Potion, but that way of looking at me is unmistakable.
He and the other brought me here and…"
"Leave it, it's over, don't dwell on it, calm down."
"Hermione, we have him, he'll pay for everything, I assure you. And on top of it, the bastard got lucky. If Ron catches him, he'll end the Malfoy dynasty for good." This lifted the girl's spirits somewhat.
"It's better if you get checked at St. Mungo's. Can you move?" The girl tried to sit up but winced in pain. "Leave it, don't move!" Tonks summoned a stretcher and carefully laid her on it."
"On the main street, it seemed everything had ended. A significant number of Aurors had arrived, and after a brief battle, the supporters of the Dark Lord had fled, leaving behind some dead and numerous wounded.
Mad-Eye approached them followed by two Aurors. "There's that garbage, take them away." The two Aurors approached Malfoy and his companion. After reviving them, they were taken away. Just as they passed by, Malfoy addressed Harry. "This isn't over, Potter. My master will finish you, that's for sure. And I'll be there to witness it," he glanced at Hermione. "And I'll also avenge the Mudblood and her poor boyfriend." Harry stood up, but it was Hermione who responded. "If you come near me or the Weasleys, I swear they won't recognize you even in photographs."
The determined attitude of the pained girl pleased them. Malfoy was surprised that even in such pain, she was able to stand up to him. A tug, and they were taken on their way to Azkaban.
Before leaving, Tonks spoke up too. "Say hello to your father. It'll be a nice family reunion." They levitated Hermione out of the alley. The Weasleys, like the rest of the members of the Order, were searching everywhere for them.
The Order didn't have to lament any casualties; both Arabella and Mundungus were just stunned to avoid drawing attention.
As they saw them emerge from the alley, they approached. Ron almost threw himself at his girlfriend upon seeing her on the stretcher. "Hermione, are you okay? What happened to you?" He held the girl's hand. "She was attacked with Cruciatus." Ron looked at Tonks. "It's better to take her to St. Mungo's for a check-up." "Ron, it was Malfoy." The boy got furious; his face matched his hair's color. "Where is that bastard?" "I caught him, he's on his way to Azkaban, to join his father. I kept a memento for you." She handed him a wand. Ron took it, his first impulse to break it, but he restrained himself. "If he's convicted, I'll be the one to break it." He gave it to Mad-Eye. "But until then, it's better that someone else keeps it. I'm sure I'll break it."
Several healers approached and took Hermione to St. Mungo's. Ron never left her side.
After hearing what happened, they heard Arabella's account. She couldn't stop crying; she hadn't fulfilled the mission and had been deceived by a Death Eater, consoled by Tonks. None blamed her; it was normal that in the heat of battle, upon seeing a familiar face, she let her guard down.
Mundungus, on his part, could only say that he was attacked from behind and didn't have time to react. It all happened as soon as he entered the Alley and took his vigilance position.
They quickly headed to St. Mungo's, trying to locate the girl's parents, but they were out of the country attending a Dentists' seminar. Ron was waiting when they arrived. "They've just started checking her; they told me to wait here for news." He looked very sad. "Harry, I shouldn't have left her."
"Don't worry, mate, it was unavoidable. We were swept away. At least nothing serious happened."
After four hours of waiting for news about the girl, a mediwizard came out and approached Ron. "Are you with the girl?" "Yes, how is she?" "Very weak, but she'll recover. With a little rest and a couple of restorative potions, she'll be perfectly fine in a few days. Is anyone from the family?" "No, but her parents are being notified." "Tell them her condition when they come so they won't worry. She's resting now, but as soon as she wakes up, they can come in to see her."
Mrs. Weasley thanked the mediwizard. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. The redhead hugged Harry. "Thank goodness, if anything happened to her, I'd die. Thank you, brother!"
"Why?" "If you hadn't shown up, he probably would have killed her. That bastard Malfoy hates her; I don't want to think about what he might have done."
At that moment, he thought it best that he knew the whole truth, but Hermione should be the one to tell him. Lupin entered the room, and they informed him of everything. He felt relieved knowing the girl was okay.
In the end, the day for purchasing Hogwarts supplies turned out worse than they had imagined. The battle resulted in three wizards dead trying to defend their families, and at least 22 injured by various curses. Apart from Malfoy and his companion, the Death Eaters lost only two more, who were foolish enough to run towards the Aurors instead of retreating with their comrades, Crabbe and Goyle."
WELCOME TO LORDARESARCTURUSBLACK ON P.A.T.R.E.O.N
FOR EARLY ACCESS TO NEW CHAPTERS JOIN US ON P.A.T.R.E.O.N LORDARESARCTURUSBLACK YOU CAN JOIN US FREE TO READ A NEW CHAPTER ONE DAY EARLIER ON P.A.T.R.E.O.N BEFORE IT RELEASE ON FANFICTION.