Chapter 3
I've finished getting my books for this year and ,with my monster book in hand (in a bag, I'm not suicidal), I make my way to Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour.
As I get closer to the shop I notice Ron and Hermione are already there, no Harry in sight, and make my way towards them.
Hermione is sitting with her back to me, Ron opposite her. He notices me and waves me over. Hermione turns around in her chair and beams at me .
I get to their table and sit next to Hermione, "No luck finding Harry?"
Ron groans, and shakes his head. "We've looked everywhere!"
"He's probably at 'Quality Quidditch Supplies' again," I roll my eyes. "Have you looked there?"
"Not since before we saw you," answers Hermione. "But he'll pop up soon, I'm sur-"
"Harry! HARRY!" Ron starts shouting before Hermione can finish her sentence.
We both turn to look in the direction Ron is yelling at and there he is, my brother.
He looks startled for a second and then notices us, making his way over here.
"Finally!" says Ron, grinning at Harry as he sits down in the chair next to him. "We went to the Leaky Cauldron, but they said you'd left, and we went to Flourish and Blotts, and Madam Malkin's, and –'
"I got all my school stuff last week," Harry says, looking at me with a look that says 'you should have, too' and nodding towards the book in my bag, I give him the finger.
"Wait," I turn to Ron, "how do you know we're staying at the Leaky Cauldron?" I ask, confused, I haven't told him that.
"Dad," says Ron simply.
"Did you really blow up your aunt, Harry?" Hermione asks in a serious voice.
"I didn't mean to," says Harry, while Ron startles us all with his loud laughter. "I just– lost control."
"She deserved it, though." I say and Harry nods.
"It's not funny, Ron," says Hermione sharply. "Honestly I'm amazed Harry wasn't expelled."
"So am I," admittes Harry. "Forget expelled, I thought I was going to be arrested." He turns to Ron. "Your dad doesn't know why Fudge let me off, does he?"
"I know why he let you off," I say irritably, "I already told you. You're Harry Potter, he wouldn't touch you. Honestly, he's probably a bit scared off you."
Ron nods, "yeah, she's right. I'd hate to see what the Ministry'd do to me if I blew up an aunt. Mind you, they'd have to dig me up first, because Mum would've killed me. Anyway, you can ask Dad yourself this evening. We're staying at the Leaky Cauldron tonight, too! So you can come to King's Cross with us tomorrow! Hermione's there as well!"
Hermione nods, beaming. "Mum and Dad dropped me off this morning with all my Hogwarts things."
"Excellent!" Says Harry happily. "So, have you two got all your new books and stuff?"
"Look at this," Ron pulls a long thin box out of a bag and opens it. "Brand-new wand Fourteen inches, willow, containing one unicorn tail-hair. And we've got all our books" , he points to a large bag under his chair. "What about those Monster books, eh? The assistant nearly cried when we said we wanted two."
"What's all that, Hermione?" Harry asks, pointing the three huge bags under our chairs.
"Well, I'm taking more new subjects than you, aren't I?" Says Hermione. "Those are my books for Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, the Study of Ancient Runes, Muggle Studies–"
"What are you doing Muggle Studies for?" Asks Ron, rolling his eyes at Her. "You're Muggle-born! Your mum and dad are Muggles! You already know all about Muggles!"
"But it'll be fascinating to study them from the wizarding point of view," says Hermione, and she has a point.
"I take Muggle Studies, too. And I was raised by muggles." I say. Hermione smiles in victory, her point proven.
"You're both nerds, that's all I have to say." Ron says and I shrug, he's not wrong
"Are you planning to eat or sleep at all this year, Hermione?" Asks Harry perplexed.
"Ignore them, Hermione." I say to my friend.
"I've still got ten Galleons," she says to me, checking her purse. "Mum and Dad gave me some money to get myself an early birthday present."
"Ohh, what are you going to buy?" I ask her exited.
I've already bought her birthday present for this year. I went to London one day, about a month ago, and got a really big blank notebook and a pretty quill, it's in my trunk now and once we get to Hogwarts and I can practice magic again I'm going to enchant it so it will be able to write her thoughts on it's on and never run out of pages or ink. I haven't figured out the charms I'll have to use yet but I'm sure I'll manage. I got the idea from Tom Riddle's diary from last years events. It's just going to be less creepy.
"How about a nice book?" Ron offers.
"No, I don't think so," says Hermione "I really want an owl. I mean, Harry and Char's got Hedwig and you've got Errol –"
"Hedwig is Harry's owl." I interrupt. "So I haven't got her..."
"I haven't, either ," says Ron. "Errol's a family owl. All I've got is Scabbers." He pulls his pet rat out of his pocket. "And I want to get him checked over," he adds, placing Scabbers on the table in front of us. "I don't think Egypt agreed with him."
"There's a magical-creature shop just over there," says Harry, "You can see if they've got anything for Scabbers, and Hermione can get her owl."
Ron and Hermione pay for their ice-creams and then we all cross the street to the Magical Menagerie.
Ron approaches the counter. "It's my rat," he says to the witch behind it. "He's been a bit off-colour ever since I brought him back from Egypt."
"Bang him on the counter," says the witch, pulling a pair of heavy black spectacles out of her pocket.
Ron lifts Scabbers out of his inside pocket and place him on the counter next to a cage of more rats, who stop their skipping tricks and scuffle to the wire for a better look.
"Hm," says the witch, picking Scabbers up. "How old is this rat?"
"Dunno," says Ron. "Quite old. He used to belong to my brother."
"What powers does he have?" Asks the witch, examining Scabbers closely.
"Er-"
"He's been through the mill, this one," she says.
"He was like that when Percy gave him to me"
"An ordinary, common or garden rat like this can't be expected to live longer than three years or so," says the witch. "Now, if you were looking for something a bit more hard-wearing, you might like one of these..." She indicats the black rats, who starts skipping again.
Ron mutters, "Show-offs."
"Well, if you don't want a replacement, you can try this Rat Tonic," says the witch, reaching under the counter and bringing out a small red bottle.
"OK, How much – OUCH!" Ron buckles as a huge ginger cat comes soaring from the top of the highest cage, landing on his head and then launching itself at Scabbers.
"NO, CROOKSHANKS, NO!" Cries the witch, but Scabbers shoots from between her hands landing on the floor and then running for the door.
"Scabbers!" Ron shouts, haring out of the shop after him, Harry on his heel.
The cat comes back and jumps over the counter, sitting on it. I reach and pat it and it starts purring.
"Look at this cat, Mione." I call out to my friend. "Isn't it precious?"
"That's Crookshanks. Poor thing's been here for ages, no one wants to buy him."
"He is very cute." Hermione goes to pet Crookshanks and he nuzzles his head in her hand. "Maybe I should get a cat after all. There're owls at Hogwarts so it's not actually necessary for me to own one."
"I think you should take him." I say to her.
She pays for Crookshanks and some food for him, I pay for Ron's rat tonic and we make our way outside to find the boys.
As we exit the shop we see Harry and Ron making there way up to us. "You bought that monster?" Says Ron, his mouth hanging open.
"He's gorgeous, isn't he?" Says Hermione.
"Hermione, that thing nearly scalped me!"
"He didn't mean to, did you, Crookshanks?"
"And what about Scabbers? He needs rest and relaxation! How's he going to get it with that thing around?"
"That reminds me, you forgot your Rat Tonic," I say, throwing the red bottle for Harry to catch.
"stop worrying, Crookshanks will be sleeping in my dormitory and Scabbers in yours. What's the problem?" Hermione says. "Poor Crookshanks, that witch said he'd been in there for ages. no one wanted him."
"I wonder why."
——————————
When we get back to the Leaky Cauldron we find Mr Weasley sitting in the bar, reading the Daily Prophet.
"Harry! Charlotte!" he says, smiling as he looks up. "How are you?"
"Fine, thanks," Harry and I say together , as we join Mr Weasley with all our shopping.
"They still haven't caught him, then?" Harry asks, seeing the picture of Sirius Black on the paper Mr Weasley just put down.
"No," says Mr Weasley, looking extremely grave. "They've pulled us all off our regular jobs at the Ministry to try and find him, but no luck so far."
"Would we get a reward if we caught him?' Asks Ron. "It'd be good to get some more money-"
"Don't be ridiculous, Ron," says Mr Weasley, "Black's not going to be caught by a thirteen-year-old wizard. It's the Azkaban guards who'll get him back, you mark my words."
At that moment Mrs Weasley enters the bar, laden with shopping and followed by Fred, George, Percy and Ginny.
Ginny, seeing Harry, goes very red and mutteres "hello" without looking at him.
Percy holds out his hand as though he and Harry had never met and says, "Harry. How nice to see you."
"Hello, Percy," says Harry, trying not to laugh.
"I hope you're well?" Says Percy pompously shaking hands.
"Very well, thanks–"
"I'm good, too, thanks." I mumble under my breath.
"Little Charlie!" says Fred, mimicking Percy's voice and bowing deeply. "Simply splendid to see you, young lady"
"Marvellous," says George, pushing Fred aside and seizing my hand in turn. "Absolutely spiffing."
Percy scowls and Harry and I try very hard not to laugh.
"I told you to stop calling me that!" I say to Fred.
Ever since we first met he's insisted on calling me Charlie, which, by its own I wouldn't have minded. But because his brother's name is also Charlie, he's decided to add the 'little' to the name. Not that I've ever been in the same room as Charlie, so I don't know how he could ever mix us up.
"Never. It annoys you too much for me to stop." He says ruffling my hair like a child.
"I hate you." I say to him and he chuckles.
"Have you shrank over the summer?" He asks as he rest is arm over my head.
"No, you're just huge." I say, pushing him away. "Get off me, you're heavy."
"...Second Head Boy in the family!" I hear Mrs Weasley say to Harry, swelling with pride.
"And last," Fred mutters and I elbow his ribs.
"I don't doubt that," says Mrs Weasley, frowning suddenly. "I notice they haven't made you two prefects."
"What do we want to be prefects for?" says George, revolted at the very idea. "It'd take all the fun out of life."
Ginny and I giggle.
"You want to set a better example to your sister!" snaps Mrs Weasley.
"Ginny's got other brothers to set her an example, Mother," says Percy loftily. "I'm going up to change for dinner..."
Percy disappears and George heaves a sigh. "We tried to shut him in a pyramid," he tells me. "But Mum spotted us."
"Charlotte, dear, how are you?" Mrs Weasley ignores her sons and turns to me.
"Alright, thanks."
"Are you excited to start school again?"
I nod, "yes, very much, it's been a long summer."
———————————
After dinner I go up to Hermione's room to talk for a bit, just the two of us.
"How was your summer, really?" Mione asks and shuts the door once we are inside.
"Not great," I sigh. "Sharing a room with Harry is becoming a bit of a problem. I got used to my own space. I considered moving back to the cabinet but I'm a bit scared being there by myself."
"Well, you have an entire year to think about it." Hermione offers.
"Yeah..." a question pop in my head. "Hey Mione, why didn't you call me?"
Hermione didn't write nor call me over the summer. I was a bit angry with her, she knew I couldn't use the phone unless someone called and asked for me. Harry said Ron must have warned her after his call, which ended poorly when he said he was Harry's friend from Hogwarts, but I didn't buy it.
"Oh, I— Ron told me- about the phone... I didn't think-"
There is a loud knock on the door. Before we can even answer, George comes into the room, closes the door swiftly after him and leans against it.
"George...?"
"Charlotte...?"
"What are you-" the door opens again and in walks Fred, he has to push George a little but manages to get inside.
"What is going on??" Asks Hermione.
"We need you to take this." Says Fred, tossing me something round and silver. Percy's head boy badge.
"Why?" I ask, confused.
"Because he is looking for it." George tells me, as if that clarifies anything.
"So give it to him?" Hermione says.
"We haven't finished working on it." Says Fred.
"Just keep it hidden for a few minutes we'll be back." Says George, opening the door and leaving, Fred at his heel.
I give Hermione a confused look.
"We should go to bed, we need to be up early tomorrow." Hermione says, "do you want to sleep here?"
"Yeah I think I'll stay with you tonight. I'll go change." I walk out the door.
The badge is still in my hand, I realize. I contemplate giving it back to Percy, but before I can decide my next move a hand wrap around my wrist and tag me to a dark corner.
"What—"
Harry pulls me next to him and shushes me. "Listen." He whispers and points to the door we are leaning against.
"I don't want to make them miserable, I want to put him on his guard!" Mr Weasley's vice comes from behind the door. "You know what Harry and Ron are like, wandering off by themselves– they've ended up in the Forbidden Forest twice! But Harry mustn't do that this year! When I think what could have happened to him that night they ran away from home! If the Knight Bus hadn't picked them up, I'm prepared to bet Harry would have been dead before the Ministry found him."
"But he's not dead, he's fine, they are fine, so what's the point –" Mrs Weasley comments.
"Molly they say Sirius Black's mad, and maybe he is, but he was clever enough to escape Azkaban, and that's supposed to be impossible. It's been three weeks, and no one's seen hide nor hair of him, and I don't care what Fudge keeps telling the Daily Prophet, we're no nearer catching Black than inventing self-spelling wands. The only thing we know for sure is what Black's after –"
"But Harry will be perfectly safe at Hogwarts."
"We thought Azkaban was perfectly safe. If Black can break out of Azkaban, he can break into Hogwarts."
"But no one's really sure that Black's after Harry –"
There is a thud on wood, I think Mr Weasley just banged his fist on the table.
"Molly, how many times do I have to tell you? They didn't report it in the press because Fudge wanted it kept quiet, but Fudge went out to Azkaban the night Black escaped. The guards told Fudge that Black's been talking in his sleep for a while now. Always the same words: 'He's at Hogwarts... he's at Hogwarts.' Black is deranged, Molly, and he wants Harry dead. If you ask me, he thinks murdering Harry will bring You-Know-Who back to power. Black lost everything the night Harry stopped You-Know-Who, and he's had twelve years alone in Azkaban to brood on that ..."
There is a pose. Harry leans closer to the door, like he's desperate to hear more.
"Well, Arthur, you must do what you think is right. But you're forgetting Albus Dumbledore. I don't think anything could hurt Harry at Hogwarts while Dumbledore's Headmaster. I suppose he knows about all this?"
"Of course he knows. We had to ask him if he minds the Azkaban guards stationing themselves around the entrances to the school grounds. He wasn't happy about it, but he agreed."
"Not happy? Why shouldn't he be happy, if they're there to catch Black?"
"Dumbledore isn't fond of the Azkaban guards, Nor am I, if it comes to that... but when you're dealing with a wizard like Black, you sometimes have to join forces with those you'd rather avoid."
"If they save Harry –"
"– then I will never say another word against them, It's late, Molly, we'd better go up..."
We hear chairs move, Harry quickly takes my hand and hurries down the passage to the bar and out of sight.
He picks up Ron's rat tonic bottle and waits until we hear Mr and Mrs Weasley's bedroom door close, then heads back upstairs with me on his tail.
"What was that?" I whisper to Harry.
"Didn't you hear? They were talking about Sirius Black." He whispers back irritated.
"Why does he want you dead? What-"
"How should I know? It's the first I'm hearing about it, too."
We get near our bedroom when we see Fred and George. "There you are, where is the badge?" Asks Fred.
"Here," I toss him the badge that is still in my hand, "well, I'm going to bad. See you lads in the morning." I open the door to my room and take my pajamas to go change in Mione's room.