Author's Notes: Well, I got this chapter done a lot faster than I had anticipated. Thanks again for all of the wonderful reviews and enjoy!
CHAPTER EIGHT
RETURN TO DIAGON ALLEY
By Monday morning, all of Ron's older brothers were gone, leaving just Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Even without the five other members of the Weasley family, the breakfast table was still noisy.
"Work will be hectic this morning," Mr. Weasley said as he buttered his toast. "I feel sorry for poor Perkins, having to handle all of it while I was gone."
"How about some Quidditch practice today, Harry?" Ron asked as he took a bite out of a muffin.
"Sure," Harry answered.
"Girls, would you like to help me today in the garden?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
"Certainly, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione replied just as Crookshanks, her ginger cat, jumped onto her lap. "Crookshanks!"
Ginny giggled and gave him a small piece of toast before Hermione set him back down on the floor. "It's good to see him active again."
"Well, I must be going. Good-bye dear," he said and kissed Mrs. Weasley's cheek. "Good-bye kids!"
"See you, Dad."
"Good-bye, Arthur.
"Bye, Mr. Weasley."
"I'll see all of you later," he said and disapparated.
"Any ideas yet for the new Quidditch season?" Ron asked eagerly.
Harry shrugged. "I haven't really thought about it yet. We'll have to have tryouts for the vacancies. Two Chasers and two Beaters."
"But we have two Beaters, that Jack Sloper and Andrew Kirke."
Harry looked at him incredulously. "Ron, they were horrible. They're not staying on the team unless they've greatly improved over the holiday. I won't let them."
"Goodness Harry, you're harsh."
"I'm captain. It's on me now," Harry retorted. "I want to have a knock-out season."
"So basically you're saying if that any player doesn't meet your requirements, you'll sack them. Would you ever get rid of Katie, of me?" Ron interrogated, his face as red as his hair.
"No-Ron, you're loads better now."
"So I was dreadful before?"
"No! You just needed some confidence."
"Ron," Hermione said gently from across the table, "you're an excellent Keeper. Everyone thinks so, especially Harry."
"Really? Excellent?" he asked, turning even brighter. Hermione nodded. He turned to Harry, who also nodded. "Well, okay then."
"Besides," Harry went on, "if I got rid of you, who would be my unofficial co-captain?"
"Co-captain!" he sputtered. "You want me to be your co-captain?"
"Of course. I'm going to need the help," Harry said and caught Hermione's grin out of the corner of his eye.
"Harry, aren't you a dear," Mrs. Weasley said as she started to clean up the table.
"I'm not sure Professor McGonagall will go for it though, that's why we have to keep it 'unofficial.' Think of it as though you're my assistant coach," Harry explained to Ron. "You're going to help me come up with strategies and help train the new players. I'm going to rely on you a lot."
"Don't worry, you can count on me, Harry," Ron said with a mock salute. "C'mon, let's go practice now."
"Hold it right there, boys. I want you two to check the garden for gnomes before the girls and I go in. You never know how many came back after your little throwing contest last week," Mrs. Weasley said as she waved her wand over all of the dirty dishes in the sink setting them to work cleaning themselves.
Ron sighed. "Alright, Mum. Let's go, Harry."
It took them ten minutes to check out the garden and chuck out four gnomes.
"So what am I going to do as co-captain, Harry?" Ron asked as they walked back up to the house.
"Well…I don't really want to say it's like being my assistant, because I'll let you have a say in everything, but…I guess that's the best way to describe it," Harry explained, watching Ron's face carefully for any change in expression. He didn't get one.
"Wicked," Ron grinned, his eyes gleaming.
When they walked through the backdoor and into the kitchen, Mrs. Weasley was looking through the morning mail that had just arrived.
"Hmm…some new magazine called Teen Witch wants you to subscribe, Ginny," Mrs. Weasley muttered and held out a slim magazine with a glossy cover. "They've sent you the first copy for free."
"A new magazine?" Ginny said with interest as she took the magazine from her mother.
"Oh, and it appears your Hogwarts letters have arrived," Mrs. Weasley continued as she riffled through the mail. "Here is yours, Harry."
Harry stepped forward and took his letter as Mrs. Weasley handed over Ron, Hermione, and Ginny's letters. Harry quickly opened it up, read through the standard reminder that the Hogwarts Express was leaving at eleven o'clock on September the first, and then checked out the booklist for his N.E.W.T. level courses.
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 6) by Miranda Goshawk
The Complete Guide to Transfiguration by Eleanor Echo
Magical Dark Monsters by Erik Cerberus
Dueler's Delight: A guide to curses, counter-curses, and jinxes by Achilles Porthos
Advanced Potions-making by Helio Frothbit
Exotic Plants of the Wizarding and Muggle World, Part I by Rose Defleur
Also, please bring with you a set of formal dress robes as they may be required for some occasions.
"Wow, Harry, you've got more books than I do," Ron remarked as he looked over Harry's shoulder.
"Apparently Dumbledore has found a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," Hermione commented as she looked over her list. "We wouldn't have these so soon otherwise."
"A new Defense teacher? Whoever it is, I hope they aren't as bad as Umbridge," Ron muttered and all four of them shuddered.
"Dress robes?" Ginny inquired as she looked at her booklist.
"I was wondering about that myself," Hermione murmured. "You don't suppose Hogwarts is going to hold some big event this year, do you?"
"I haven't heard anything," Ron replied.
Harry looked up to see Mrs. Weasley staring at Ginny expectantly. When Ginny noticed, she huffed out a breath and muttered, "No, Mum, I didn't get the prefect's badge. I'd expect it went to that Druantia Danu. She's scored a lot of points for Gryffindor and has never lost any. She doesn't like causing trouble."
"And you do?" Mrs. Weasley asked, a small frown forming.
"No, but sometimes it just happens. It's not like I'm Fred and George," she said.
"So when are we going to Diagon Alley, Mum?" Ron asked Mrs. Weasley.
"We'll go tomorrow," Mrs. Weasley replied. "Now come on girls, let's go out to the garden."
Hermione and Ginny quickly set down their letters and followed Mrs. Weasley outside.
"Ready to go play Quidditch?" Ron asked eagerly.
"Yeah," Harry said as he also put his letter down. "Let's go."
They headed outside and walked around to the broom shed. They both grabbed a door and pulled it open, revealing Harry's Firebolt, Ron's Cleansweep, one other broom, and Sirius's motorcycle. Suddenly, an idea sparked in Harry's brain and as he turned to Ron, he could tell that he had the same idea.
"D'you want to try it out?" he asked cautiously.
"It's your bike, mate." He grinned mischievously. "Let's go for it."
Harry's grin mirrored Ron's as he walked in and brought the motorcycle out. They walked around the gleaming metal and leather a few times before Harry swung his leg over the seat and sat down. After a few moments of fiddling around with everything, he eventually got it started and listened as the engine roared to life.
"Bloody hell!" Ron yelled in excitement. "What's it like, Harry?"
"Fantastic! Climb on!" Harry yelled back.
Ron clambered aboard behind Harry. "Let's take her for a ride!"
"Hang on!" Harry said and looked around. After a couple of tries he finally got the motorcycle moving. He slowly moved the bike past the house and then, gathering speed, headed towards the road. But he didn't get very far before he heard someone bellow, "WHAT IN THE NAME OF MERLIN DO YOU TWO THINK YOU'RE DOING?"
Harry immediately stopped in horror and cut the engine as Mrs. Weasley stalked towards them from the garden.
"Ronald Bilius Weasley, get off of that thing right now!" she screamed and Ron quickly hopped off. "What in blazes do you think you were doing? I cannot believe you were actually on that contraption! Get inside right now!" Ron didn't need to be told twice. He took off the moment his mother yelled the words "get inside."
Harry gulped as Mrs. Weasley rounded on him. "As for you, Harry, I am not pleased with your actions. You don't know how to use that thing and you could have gotten yourself and my son seriously injured. I would have expected you to have learned by now not to do things that get others killed-"
"What!" Harry exploded. "Do you really think I'm trying to get someone killed? Do you think that I killed Sirius?"
"Sirius killed himself when-"
"He was murdered! I know what I saw that night and I had to do something. Yes, it was my fault for being tricked into believing-"
"YOU NEARLY GOT MY SON AND DAUGHTER KILLED!" Mrs. Weasley screamed and then covered her mouth, tears forming in her eyes.
Harry just stared at her before closing his eyes and hanging his head in shame. He didn't see Ron, Hermione, and Ginny walk up behind Mrs. Weasley. The only thing he heard was Ron murmuring, "And we'd do it all again."
Harry opened his eyes as Mrs. Weasley turned and faced her son. He simply stood there and folded his arms across his chest. "It's not Harry's fault Ginny and I were in danger," he told his mother calmly. "We followed him, we took the risk, and we'd do it again."
"None of what happened that night was Harry's fault," Hermione spoke up from beside Ron. "It was Voldemort's."
The three Weasleys cringed. "I don't see how your mother and father can agree with this, Hermione," Mrs. Weasley said.
"What they don't know can't hurt them," Hermione replied. "This is a war, Mrs. Weasley. There are bound to be casualties. I'm willing to be one of them if it means that we can defeat Voldemort."
"Me too," Ron said.
"Me too," Ginny told her mother, "and so are you. You wouldn't be in the Order if you weren't willing to risk your life. It's just as hard on us to know that you're in danger as it is for you to know we're in danger. But we're doing our part and that's important."
"Don't blame Harry, Mum," Ron said softly. "If we're in peril, it's our own faults."
Mrs. Weasley turned from her two children and Hermione to Harry and then back again. In defeat, her shoulders slumped and she murmured, "Don't get into too much trouble," as she walked away.
Harry stood shell-shocked. Both Ron and Ginny had just gone up against their mother for him. Both of them faced punishment for him and he was profoundly grateful. "Thank you," he said quietly as he took hold of the motorcycle and started to lead it back to the broom shed.
Ron smiled grimly and walked away as Hermione and Ginny decided to go back to the garden and work.
"We meant what we said, Harry," Ginny said as they were walking away. "We'd all face it again even if it meant our deaths."
Harry nodded as he walked on, making eye contact with Hermione. Her gaze spoke volumes to him, putting him at ease. He gave her a tiny grin before making his way behind the Burrow and to the broom shed.
*****
The next day, everyone was up and ready by nine o'clock to go to Diagon Alley. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were standing next to the fireplace, Floo Powder in hand.
"Ron and Ginny will go first," Mr. Weasley said as the two youngest Weasleys stepped forward and grabbed a handful of Floo Powder.
"I can't stand traveling by Floo Powder," Hermione whispered to Harry as both Ron and Ginny yelled clearly, "Diagon Alley!"
"Neither can I. Come on," Harry said and Mrs. Weasley beckoned them forward. They both grabbed a handful of Floo Powder and stepped into the fireplace.
"Remember, speak clearly," Mr. Weasley said with a smile.
Harry grinned as both he and Hermione threw down their Floo Powder and yelled, "Diagon Alley!"
As the green flames tickled his sides he remembered exactly how much he hated Floo Powder. The spinning didn't help much either, but soon his body settled and he found himself inside of the Leaky Cauldron. Ron and Ginny were waiting. Suddenly, there was a loud CRACK and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley appeared.
"Did everyone make it?" Mrs. Weasley asked as both Harry and Hermione stepped out of the fireplace.
"Yeah," Ron replied.
"Well, let's go," Mr. Weasley said. "Gringotts first."
They headed out and down the alley towards Gringotts. Along the way, after helping both Hermione and Ginny to keep Ron from running to Quality Quidditch Supplies, Harry noticed a large sign that said Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.
"So that's where Fred and George's shop is," he commented as they past it.
Ron nodded. "We can go in later if we ditch Mum. She won't set foot in that store."
They entered Gringotts a minute later and approached the goblin at the main desk. After requesting to go to their vaults, the Weasleys parted ways with Harry as he and Hermione hopped into a different cart to take them down to his vault. After one crazy and fast cart ride, which made Hermione turn an interesting shade of green, they reached Harry's vault.
"I've never had to do that before," Hermione gasped as they exited the cart.
Harry grinned and stifled a chuckle as the goblin opened up his vault. He heard Hermione inhale sharply. "What?" he asked her.
"Goodness, Harry. I knew you had some money, but…wow!" she exclaimed.
"Yeah, but don't mention it to Ron, okay?"
"Of course not. I know how sensitive he is about it," she murmured as Harry stepped inside and grabbed a fistful of Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts.
When he stepped outside he asked Hermione something that was rather important to him. "Would you mind if I also went to…if I went to Sirius's vault?"
"No, not at all," Hermione replied, the sympathy evident in her eyes.
They hopped back into the cart and Harry asked the goblin to take them to vault 711. Another heart-stopping cart ride and they were there. Harry quickly fished out his key and gave it to the goblin, who opened the vault for him. When he peered inside, he couldn't believe what he saw.
Sirius was extremely wealthy, more so than Harry's parents. There had to have been over a billion Galleons alone, not to mention all of the gems and such. "My God," he whispered.
"And I thought you had a lot," Hermione said as they stepped inside.
"I had no idea…" Harry murmured. "No idea."
He looked around until something caught his eye. It was a long, wide roll of parchment with the names Moody, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs written on it. Harry picked it up and unrolled it to reveal what looked to be drawings of a broomstick.
"What is it, Harry?" Hermione asked from behind him.
"A broom," he replied as he studied it. There were notes jotted down and arrows pointing to different parts of the broom.
"It looks like blueprints," Hermione commented as she got a closer look.
"Yeah," Harry said as he looked down at the name of it in the right-hand corner. "The Phoenix."
"You don't think that they were trying to make a broomstick, do you?" Hermione asked him.
"Knowing the Marauders, I'd bet that's exactly what they were trying to do," Harry said and rolled the parchment back up. "I'll ask Lupin when we see him again."
They continued to look around until Hermione caught Harry's attention. Pointing to a corner of the vault she asked, "What do you suppose that is?"
Harry reached down and snatched up a small, slim brown book. On the binding the initials L.E. were engraved.
"L.E. I wonder who…" Harry started as realization hit him.
"What?" Hermione cried.
Harry opened the book up quickly and scanned the first page. "I don't believe it!"
"What?" Hermione repeated.
He turned the book around to show her the signature at the bottom of the page.
Lily
"Your mother," Hermione whispered and looked back up at him. "Oh Harry, it must be her diary."
He closed the book. "I'm taking it with me, I have to. And I'm taking the blueprints too," he said and grabbed the long roll of parchment. "Now let's get out of here before Mrs. Weasley begins to worry too much."
*****
After leaving Gringotts, Harry, Hermione, and the Weasleys all headed over to Flourish and Blotts to pick up their schoolbooks. Inside, they ran into Neville Longbottom and his stern grandmother.
"Hello Neville," Hermione greeted.
"Hello," he said. "Harry, I'm sorry I couldn't make it to your birthday party."
"Oh, that's okay. I'm sure you had something much more important to attend to," he said with a grin.
"I just saw Dedalus Diggle pass," Mr. Weasley said. "Molly and I are going to say hello. We can leave you all alone, right?"
"Yeah, go ahead," Ginny replied and Mr. Weasley quickly stepped out of the shop.
"So what else do you need to buy, Neville?" Hermione asked.
"Oh, lots of stuff. I just got here," he replied.
"Would you like to come with us? We've just started ourselves," Ginny said.
He blushed. "Er-Can I?" he asked, turning to his grandmother.
Her eyes narrowed. "I suppose. I'll meet you back in the Leaky Cauldron at twelve-thirty, no later."
"Yes, ma'am," he said and turned back, grinning.
After they all paid for their books, they headed over to the Apothecary so Harry, Hermione, and Ginny could replenish their potions supplies.
"I'm so happy I won't be having Potions anymore," Ron said with glee. If it wasn't for his desire to become an Auror, Harry would have been jealous of him.
"Sod off, Ron," Ginny muttered. "I've got to suffer through O.W.L.s with him this year."
"Have fun," Ron said with a snicker.
Afterwards, they went to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions to buy some new dress robes. Once again, Ron didn't have to buy anything, thanks to his older twin brothers. Because of this, the Weasleys were apparently able to afford Ginny some nicer robes.
Eventually they bought all of their quills, ink, and other necessities for school and were standing outside of Eeylops Owl Emporium.
"You know," Hermione said as she looked at the owls through the window, "I wish I had an owl, so I could quit borrowing Hedwig from you, Harry."
"I don't mind, and I don't think Hedwig does either. In fact, I think she's really bored now," he said.
"Do we need to get anything else?" Ron asked.
"Er…actually, I still need to buy a new wand," Neville told them. His had been snapped when a Death Eater stepped on it last June.
"Of course. Let's go over to Ollivander's," Ginny said and led the way.
Inside, Mr. Ollivander greeted them. "Good morning. Oh, I remember all of you. Mr. Weasley-willow, fourteen inches, unicorn hair. Miss Weasley-black walnut, twelve and three-quarters inches, unicorn hair. Miss Granger-vine, ten and a quarter inches, dragon's heartstring. Mr. Potter-holly, eleven inches, phoenix feather. And here is Mr. Longbottom, who has yet to buy a wand from me. You were using your father's, were you not? Cedar, thirteen and three-quarters inches, phoenix feather."
"Yes," Neville replied.
"And now you need a new one," he said.
"Yes."
"Very well," Mr. Ollivander said and started rummaging through boxes of wands. "Try this one first. Oak, twelve inches, unicorn hair. Very flexible."
Neville gave the wand a wave and it was immediately snatched back by Mr. Ollivander. "Here. Cherry and maple, ten inches, dragon heartstring." But that too was snatched back the moment it touched Neville's hand. "Ash, nine inches, phoenix feather." Neville barely touched it before Mr. Ollivander took it away.
"Hmm…maybe this one. Maple, thirteen and a half inches, dragon heartstring." When Neville waved this wand, a small shower of sparks erupted from it. "Excellent," Mr. Ollivander said in delight.
Neville purchased his wand and then they all headed out. "Let's go to Fred and George's shop," Ginny said.
"Is that a new broom over there in Quality Quidditch Supplies' window?" Ron asked as he drifted over to the shop. When the others joined him they saw that there was, indeed, a new broom being showcased.
"The Mercury Silver," Hermione read aloud. "'A broomstick for the upcoming millennium. This broom's speed and agility rivals that of the Firebolt.' "
"Rivals the Firebolt?" Ron gasped in excitement. "Wow! Gee, Harry, maybe you should get yourself one."
"Why should he? It says 'rivals,' not 'beats.' Honestly, it'd be a waste of money," Hermione said.
"Aren't we going to Fred and George's shop?" Harry reminded them.
"Huh? Oh, right," Ron said as his shoulder's drooped.
When they arrived at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, Fred and George were quite busy, but once they noticed the arrival of their family and friends, George shouted, "Oi, Fred, why don't you give Harry a tour of the place. Do you see what your money bought, Harry?"
Fred jovially walked over to Harry and steered him off to one side of the store, pointing out every one of their inventions, including the Puking Pastilles and Fainting Fancies. Their array of fireworks was simply marvelous.
"Wow," was all Harry could say.
"We expect to sell at lot more Skiving Snackboxes now that Hogwarts will be back in session. I can see the owl-orders already," Fred said with a dreamy grin.
Over at the counter, Ginny was whispering to George, "Can I get some Nosebleed Nougat and Puking Pastilles on discount?"
George grinned as Harry and Fred rejoined them. "You definitely are our little sister," George said in glee. "How about we give her a whole snackbox for free, Fred?"
"Only if," Fred said somberly, "she tells me one thing: Did you get the prefect's badge?"
"Of course not!" Ginny said, her face wrinkling. "I don't want to be like Percy."
"My baby sister!" George cried and hugged his sister tightly. "A true Weasley!"
"Hey!" Hermione called. "It's almost twelve-thirty. We should go over to the Leaky Cauldron now."
Fred quickly shoved a snackbox in Ginny's hands and grinned. "Have a great term," he said with a wink.
"Thanks for dropping by!" George called as the group headed out the door and down the alley to the Leaky Cauldron.
"I'll see you all on the Hogwarts Express," Neville said when they entered the old pub.
"Certainly. See you, Neville," Ron said as they all said their good-byes and Neville walked over to his grandmother's table.
"Ah, I see you're done," Mrs. Weasley said when they arrived at the table both she and Mr. Weasley were sitting at. "Ready to go?"
"Yeah, I suppose," Ron said.
After yet another spin cycle with the Floo Powder, Harry found himself back at the Burrow, school items, blueprints, and his mother's diary in hand.
"Hey Harry, how about a game of Quidditch?" Ron asked as he set down his schoolbooks.
"Maybe later, Ron," he said, looking down at the blueprints. "I've got something to do first."
Ron looked utterly confused, but only nodded his head. "Okay. Tomorrow?"
"Yeah…sure," he said distractedly.
As Ron, Hermione, and Ginny went outside, Harry sat down in one of the Weasley's soft, plump chairs and began to study the broomstick that his father and godfather were going to make, letting ideas form in his head and he didn't set the blueprints down until Mrs. Weasley called him into the kitchen for dinner.
"So what have you been up to, Harry?" Ron asked at the table.
"Hmm? Oh, nothing," he replied. Hermione gave him a concerned look, but Harry just shook his head. I'm doing this myself, he thought. I have to do this myself. And he would, as a testament to his father and godfather.