A/N: Thanks for the reviews! And S.K, thanks for telling me about the mistake, I have corrected it to 8:36. Well, here is the next chapter; it's more of a filler, just tying up some loose ends here and there.
Disclaimer: own nothing, all belongs to JKR.
Harry Potter and the Key of Serendipity
Chapter Three: Pandemonium
Pandemonium.
That's what it was.
Was it really possible for so much to happen in a span of three days?
Apparently so.
Harry sat silently at the kitchen table, continuously dipping the end of his quill into the ink. His eyes were fixated on the parchment in front of him: his class choices for year six. Some had already been predetermined for him as a result of his O.W.L.s, but he still needed at least three more classes, it was the first of August, and Harry was to have his class choices done and sent to Professor Dumbledore by the third. With Hermione's constant persistence, he and Ron gave in, deciding they should get it over with. He was taking N.E.W.T level Transfigurations, Potions, Charms, and Defense Against the Dark Arts. He checked another box for Care of Magical Creatures, more for Hagrid than for himself. And another one for Herbology, it wasn't his best subject, but he did receive an E on his O.W.Ls in the class.
Seven down and one to go.
He was for sure not taking Divination again; he didn't need Professor Trelawney to predict whose hands he was to die by. So it was either another boring year of History of Magic from Professor Binns, or Muggle Studies. He did grow up as a muggle, granted, he was treated lousy, but as a muggle nonetheless. It would be any easy grade. Yes. He was going to take muggle studies.
He checked the last box and sighed, somewhat content on his decision.
Ron leaned forward, checking Harry's latest choice, "good choice, mate. Can't be too hard for you, growing up as a muggle and all."
At Ron's words, Hermione too peered over the table to Harry's choices, "Harry, what about History of Magic? It's a very important class--"
"Maybe Harry prefers to not sit around listening to a ghost with a nasally sounding voice, and who speaks an average of ten words a minute discussing the Battle of Hastings," Ron countered, not even giving Hermione a chance to finish her sentence.
Hermione's eyes narrowed, "Well maybe Professor Binns talks slow so certain people can keep up with what he is saying."
"Yeah, like you! He talks slow for you, so you can copy every bloody word that leaves his mouth!"
Hermione scowled at Ron, before standing with her own class choices grasped firmly in her hand, "well if you are done, Harry, would you mind if Hedwig sends my letter with yours?"
Harry shook his head. "No, that's fine. She's in her cage. I'll be up in a minute." He did not want to get in between another one of their petty arguments. Sometimes he didn't understand how they could possibly be friends.
With a rather loud 'humph' Hermione turned on her heal and marched up the several stories of stairs towards Harry and Ron's room.
Ron smirked, proud of his accomplishment, he rarely won an argument with Hermione Granger. "History of Magic? You'd have to be mental to take that class willingly, Harry."
"Yeah, I suppose," mumbled Harry. But maybe he should take History of Magic, after all, look who he was: The 'boy who lived'. What good would muggle studies do? Merlin, I think some of Hermione's reasonable conscious is starting to rub off on me. What's next? Deciding I should start studying for N.E.W.Ts? Suddenly Harry jumped from his seat, causing the two youngest Weasleys' to jump with him. "I'm going to send my letter off."
Later in the early evening, Harry found himself hiding out in Buckbeak's room, formerly Mrs. Black's.
He had just come back from speaking with Professor Dumbledore. The house was his. Kreacher was his. A third of the galleons in Sirius' vault were his (the other two-thirds, inherited respectively by Tonks and Lupin).
He was leaning up against the wall across from Buckbeak; he tossed the hippogriff another dead rat, wishing it were Peter Pettigrew.
Ron and Ginny had traveled by Floo Powder with their mother back to the Burrow, they had to take care of some things and they would be back tomorrow sometime. And after dinner (which consisted of just him, Hermione and Tonks) Hermione had mentioned something about a book and disappeared out of the kitchen.
So Harry was left alone to think. Something he hadn't done much of since the day before when he was still residing with the Dursleys'.
The Prophecy.
Yeah, he had accepted it.
But that didn't make it any easier.
He, Harry James Potter, was the only one that could choose his fate. Not Voldemort, Not Professor Dumbledore, only him. He had to beat Voldemort, not just for his own life, but also for hundreds of wizards, witches and muggles.
He had started to make a mental list of things he needed to do to prepare for his battle, whenever the time came. He needed to study everything, he knew there was a library someplace in the Black estate, but he hadn't really taken the time to explore. He needed to continue his boxing, he needed another wand, he needed training, and most of all; he needed his friends.
Harry turned his wrist over, checking his watch, having forgot it no longer ticked the time by. "It's probably late, I should probably get to bed, and tomorrow's a big day." Harry found himself constantly talking to Buckbeak, even though he knew he wouldn't receive any words in return.
Professor Dumbledore had personally handed him his Hogwarts letter (Harry didn't even bother to ask how he had received it so fast), and praised him for his wise choice of classes. So he was sure the rest would get theirs tomorrow morning and they would then make their annual before start of term, trip to Diagon Alley.
Harry hadn't even realized, somewhere in the middle of his thoughts he had left Buckbeak's room, and instead of heading to his own, he was now standing outside of Hermione's.
Maybe he should tell her, now.
"Harry?"
Hearing her soft voice, he snapped from his thoughts, and focused his gaze upon her. She was standing behind him, having just come back from someplace else. "I need to talk to you."
No beating around the bush.
She raised a brow, "err-um, ok."
Harry silently followed Hermione into her room, he turned, once he was positive the door was shut and locked (as best it could be, without using magic). His eyes followed Hermione as she took a seat on the edge of her bed. She maneuvered her legs into Indian style, and with her chin placed into the palms of her hands, she rested her elbows to her knees.
Harry recognized that position. She always sat like that when she was ready and waiting to listen to him.
"I have to kill Voldemort."
She didn't flinch; she never flinched at the Dark Lord's name.
"Harry, I know you're hurting. And I know you want revenge, but don't be ridiculous, let the members of the Order take care of him."
She didn't get it.
Ok, time for a different approach.
Sighing, he let his body plop softly next to her, "the prophecy, Hermione."
She nodded, "the prophecy at the department of mysteries? It was ruined, Harry. You said Neville broke it, so nobody knows what it held."
Taking a breath and steadying his voice, Harry repeated the words Dumbledore spoke to him: "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches…born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…And the Dark Lord will make him as equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not…And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives."
Harry sat silent; his eyes could burn a hole in the floor below his feet, refusing to look up at Hermione.
Then it clicked.
She gasped.
A sob escaped from her lips.
"Oh, Harry!" she threw her body at him, almost knocking him to the floor, "Harry! Why does-why?" her voice cracked and her emotions took over, the sobs racked through her body.
Harry did the only thing he knew to do. He wrapped his arms around her midsection, holding her tight against his own body, letting her cry in his arms. He found his own tears streaming down his cheeks and silently berated himself, he didn't want to cry anymore, he had cried enough.
"Hermione, don't cry…it'll be ok." How could he convince her when he hadn't even completely convinced himself? He was never good when it came to girls crying.
She pulled away, furiously wiping at her tears, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment and emotion. "You don't know that, Harry!"
"Yes, I do, Hermione!" She flinched, and he cringed, not meaning to raise his voice, "it says, 'the power the dark lord knows not'. I have an advantage Hermione, I've got love!"
Since when was Harry the calm and reasonable one, and Hermione was the one freaking out?
Hermione, nodded somberly, her eyes were wandering off in a daze, "from your mum?"
"Yeah."
Gaining some of her demeanor back and sat up straighter, "If love is what you need to defeat Voldemort, then you're sure to get the job done. Harry, so many people love you, Professor Dumbledore, Hagrid, Professor Lupin, your Aunt and cousin, the order, the Weasleys'…me."
Hermione's words sent shivers down his spine, "from you?" the words were out before he could stop them.
"Yeah, you know, we've been best friends for nearly six years, I'm not going to just leave you alone, in times like these." Her face resembled the Weasleys' trademark hair.
Get with it Potter! She meant it as a friend! "Thanks, Hermione."
She nodded, and broke eye contact, "you'd better get to bed, we've got lots to do tomorrow, we should look through the library, I've been rearranging it quite a bit. I hope you don't mind."
"You know where the library is?"
Hermione laughed, causing Harry's boyish grin to show, "are you really that surprised, Harry? Now come on, go to bed!"
"Yes ma'am!" it was becoming a normal reply for him whenever Hermione told him to do something. He'd never really had someone to tell him to do something simple that was in his best interest, such as, 'go to bed'.
He opened the door, and stopped before leaving. "Hermione?" he turned, once again facing her.
"Hmmm?"
"Are you---you ok?"
Hermione knew what he was talking about. She nodded, giving him a reassuring smile, "I'm fine. I stopped taking my healing potions nearly two weeks ago."
Harry nodded, "that's good."
~
The next day found the trio alone on the second floor in the room shared by Ron and Harry. Hermione was sprawled out comfortably on Harry's bed, her mind indulged in one of Harry's Defense Against the Dark Arts books he received for his birthday. She was furiously taking notes and had already gone through several pieces of parchment.
Harry hadn't really gotten to speak to Hermione alone, Ron and Ginny had arrived before he even woke this morning.
Harry and Ron were going over chocolate frog cards, trading with each other. Harry had filled Ron in on every little detail of his summer, and the best part for Ron seemed to be the binder Dudley had given Harry for his chocolate frog cards (they had already finished reading 107 hexes, Hermione of course disapproved of such a thing).
"Cecil Sullivan?" asked Ron, waving the card in front of Harry.
Harry shook his head, "got him too. You know, Ron, I could just give you Basil Horton."
"No! I mean...it has to be a fair trade." He continued on through his box of cards, "how about…"
"Montague Knightley." Harry pointed out several cards with Montague's face plastered on the front. "I don't have him."
"Why didn't you say so, mate! I have at least ten of him," said Ron, handing Harry the chocolate frog card in trade for Basil Horton's card. He watched as Harry slid Knightley's card into an empty sleeve. "Too bad we can't bewitch it. It'd be nice if there were alphabetical labels telling you who you still needed."
"Yeah, that'd be cool," agreed Harry.
"Oh, and nobody could take out the cards except for the owner of the binder! Blimey, that'd be even better! I'm always getting mine stolen."
"Well maybe you shouldn't be such a prat and brag about the cards you have." Unbeknownst to the three, Ginny had opened the door and was leaning against the frame, "mum wants you three downstairs. Hogwarts letters just arrived, and we're going to Diagon Alley."
Hermione jumped from her spot following close behind Ginny, "It's about time! I'm dying to get my books, I'm already behind on my study schedule." Harry just laughed, but Ron on the other hand looked at her as if she was crazy.
"Hermione, we sent our class choices out yesterday, and how can you be studying when school hasn't even started yet?" exclaimed Ron, making his own way out of the room.
Harry sighed and grabbed his letter from the nightstand next to his bed. Was it possible for those two to go one day, just one, without getting into an argument?
"Harry dear, can I have word with you for a moment?" Harry had just placed both feet firmly on the leveled floor when Mrs. Weasley spoke. Harry shrugged his shoulders at a questionable Ron and Hermione, before he followed Molly Weasley. She stopped, once she was sure they were out of extendable-ear shot.
Mrs. Weasley looked at Harry with the same look of love she gave her own children, "how are you, dear?"
Harry loved Molly Weasley dearly, truth be told, she was the closest thing he had to a mother. But he honestly hated when she looked at him like that, he wasn't good enough to earn a look of love from her, not after nearly killing her two youngest children. "I'm ok…and I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what?"
Tears glistened in his emerald gaze, "for everything…last year and all."
"Oh, Harry!" she engulfed him in a hug, her own tears threatening to spill, "you have absolutely nothing to be sorry for!" she pulled back, giving the boy a smile, "it's not your fault, if anything I'm thankful Ginny and Ron are around somebody like you. Yeah, maybe they are put in a little more danger, but with Arthur and I choosing sides with Albus, they were already put in danger. There's a war going on, Harry, everybody's in danger."
Harry, to say the least was surprised at Mrs. Weasley's words. In the past, she wasn't exactly known for her brave and understanding words, she always spoke the complete opposite: fear and anger for Harry, Hermione and her two youngest on the choices they made. "Then what about the Order?"
"They're too young, you're too young! It's one thing to run off and defeat a troll, it's another to join the main source of resistance against you-know-who!" she snapped in a harsh whisper.
That was the Molly Weasley, Harry knew.
Harry made a decision: Mrs. Weasley had to know, as did Ron. But now wasn't the time, he would have to talk to Professor Dumbledore before the order meeting tomorrow evening.
Instead, he just nodded at her words before turning and heading back to the group that had gathered around the fireplace.
Once the four Hogwarts students and Mrs. Weasley were standing safely in front of Gringotts bank, four Order members quickly joined them.
"Oi, Charlie…Bill, what are you two doing here?" Ron yelled out.
The oldest Weasley children were accompanied by Moody, and the ever noticeable, Rubeus Hagrid.
"You didn't think we were just going to let you go out in a public place in times like these, did you?" Charlie replied.
"Harry, how are ye?" said, Hagrid, patting him heavily on the back, "ye like yer gift?"
Harry's trademark crooked smile shown, "yeah, I'm definitely going to use them for Quidditch." (A letter from Professor McGonagall informed Harry that he was once again aloud to play Quidditch, although apparently his broom had been destroyed and he would need to buy another one).
"Where to first?" Charlie asked.
"I uh…I need to get some galleons." Harry hated mentioning money with the Weasleys'.
"I'll come too, Harry." Hermione spoke, coming into view from behind Hagrid where she was standing next to Ginny. "I need to exchange some muggle money."
Moody nodded, he looked at the two with his one eye, while his magical one continued to skim the crowd full of hustling and bustling witches and wizards. "I'll go with you two."
Mrs. Weasley nodded, "well we'll meet you at Flourish and Blotts when you're done. Ginny, Ron, come along, now." Somberly, Ron followed close behind Ginny and his two oldest brothers.
Harry turned to Hagrid, "where will you be?"
"Gotta get me some stuff fer lessons." He said rather excitedly.
Harry didn't even bother to ask, not sure if he really wanted to know ahead of time.
Once making the short trip to Gringotts, Moody insisted they go straight to Griphook and no other goblin. Harry had remembered Griphook from his first trip to the Wizard bank six years prior.
They made a quick stop at vault number 687 where Harry found his share of Sirius' vault had been added to his already thousands of galleons. He quickly refilled his moneybag and they went on to exchange Hermione's muggle money.
Within ten minutes the three were entering the bookshop.
Hermione's excitement boldly radiated off of her and Harry couldn't help but smile at his friend's enthusiasm. "There are so many books I want to get." She said, making her way through the crowd of Hogwarts students and towards the back.
Harry followed and soon found himself in the familiar position of being watched by several pairs of eyes.
"Harry!" Neville rushed up to Harry, nearly out of breath.
Harry felt a genuine smile invade his features; sometimes he felt he had more in common with Neville than he did with Ron. "Hey, Neville."
"I just wanted to say thanks for the book, I've read it at least a dozen times."
"I thought you might like it. Thanks for the wand holder, it'll be nice knowing I don't have to worry about someone pick pocketing it."
"Yeah, I thought that too. So uh…" he took a quick glance around, lowering his voice, "did you get a letter too? You know, for tomorrow?"
Harry's eyes widened, and he too looked around at his surroundings, "you got one?"
"Yeah. I figured for sure that you got one. Hermione, too?"
"Yeah, we both did, but Ron…"
"Hey Ron!" Neville said loudly, warning Harry of the Weasley's path towards them, "How was your summer?"
"It was good, yours?" Ron's arms were buried under a huge stack of schoolbooks.
"Excellent! My Gran bought me a new wand." He gave Harry knowing look, "well uh…see you guys soon. I should really head back to the leaky cauldron."
Harry watched as Neville disappeared through the thick crowd. Neville was invited to join the order?
Ron really wasn't going to be too pleased.
"What were you two talking about?" Ron asked.
"Oh, umm, Chocolate frog cards," lied Harry.
After the group got their books needed for school, Molly performed the shrinking charm on each bundle, making it easy to carry.
"I've got to take Ginny to the second hand robe shop." Said Mrs. Weasley once they were all out of the book shop, "I suppose you three have places you would like to go?" The three nodded, "I want each of you to have somebody with you at all times. Alastar, you stay with Harry, Bill with Ron and Charlie with Hermione. We will all meet up at the Leaky Cauldron at one."
After Mrs. Weasley left with an angered Ginny, Hermione spoke, "I need to run into the stationary shop and pick some things up and go onto the Apothecary, Harry I'll pick up your potion ingredients. I think we should meet up at the ice cream parlor in an hour."
Ron nodded, "sounds good to me, I'm off to Quality Quidditch Supplies. How about it, Harry?"
"I need to make a few other stops first."
Reluctantly, Ron nodded at his friend, "if you insist mate, meet me at Fred and George's shop, we can go to Quality Quidditch supplies together."
Harry nodded and watched as Ron threw himself into the crowd with Bill close behind. Hermione and Charlie had already wandered off. Harry turned and smiled at Moody who was looking at him suspiciously with his normal eye, "can we make a quick stop at Ollivander's?"
After Harry bought his second wand (with much praise from Moody), the two moved on across the street to Wells' Wonders. Harry had never stepped foot in the store before but had heard plenty about it. Alden Wells, a muggle born wizard, opened the shop nearly fifty years ago. He pretty much made and built anything, getting his inspiration from muggle artifacts.
Harry knew this would be the perfect place.
Twenty minutes later Harry walked out of the shop (Moody following close behind) with a satisfied smile plastered on his face. "I think it's time we go to Fred and George's shop, Professor."
"I was never your professor, Potter. Just call me Moody."
Harry nodded; the auror had a point, "Ok then, Moody it is."
Fred and George ushered Harry into Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes as if he were royalty. Giving him the grand tour and shoving odd products into every pocket of his robes.
"Only the best for the best, am I right, Feorge?" Fred handed Harry a rather tiny box.
"Ah yes, Gred. The Bubbling Box is an extremely wise choice, one drop is enough to spike every cup on the whole Slytherin table twice." Returned George.
"Produces a rather foul smell."
"I'm sure Malfoy's used to his own smell by now." Added George.
"Harry, we gotta get going, Hermione will go mental if we're late." Ron came up behind him, his arms full of assorted skiving snackboxes.
Harry nodded, "you're probably right. Thanks again for the samples."
"We should be the one thanking you." Fred replied. "We'll be looking forward to reading that book of yours, send it soon."
"Will do. See ya!"
Ron and Harry left the crowded confines of Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes and made their way to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. They found Hermione sitting alone at an outside table (Charlie was sitting at a table next to her, motioning for Bill and Moody who had been following Ron and Harry to join him), as always, her nose was in a book. Sensing the two boys, she looked up, "hey guys!" she seemed rather pleased with herself.
"Hey, Hermione." Greeted Harry, taking a seat next to her, "what are you reading?"
"I'll tell you later, right now I have to give you your birthday present."
"A little late, aren't you, Hermione?" said Ron, taking a seat, although his eyes were fixated on the half eaten sundae, "you done with that?" Hermione gave him a disgusted look, which Ron took as a yes and pulled the bowl towards him.
Harry looked around Hermione's belongings, "where's it at?"
"It's not here."
"But you just said…"
Hermione rolled her eyes; "it's waiting for you at Quality Quidditch Supplies."
Her words made Ron even stop eating. "Bloody hell! You got him a Firebolt 190!"
She shrugged her shoulders, "Harry will just have to go in and find out."
~~I know it kind of seems like a place to end the chapter, but if I didn't end it soon it would go on forever, so take this as Pandemonium, part one.
~Thanks for the reviews! The paragraph that is bold and italic is the prophecy word from word as it reads in the order of the phoenix, so it too, belongs to JKR.