Mrs. Weasly accepted Harry's presence with grace after he explained the situation, and fussed greatly over Hedwig after she heard what happened to her. Often saying, "Oh you poor bird!" when she fed her. Of course, as usual as summer began to end, and school would soon be beginning, and they awaited their letters anxiously.
They were just coming down from cleaning up before breakfast. As they all came down the steps they saw Mrs. Dursley with six letters in green script above her head. Soon everyone was rushing around her at the foot of the stairs, except Percy of course, who went down to the table and began to eat, everyone else clutching for the letters anxiously.
"HOLD IT!" Shouted Mrs. Weasly as she pushed the five anxious wizards and witch off of her. "You all go to the table and eat like Percy is, and after you're done I'll give them to you." She said sternly. Everyone groaned and headed to their seats.
"Like Percy's so perfect." Ron whispered in Harry's ear, causing him to giggle. Soon everyone, except Percy, was wolfing down their food anxious to read their letters. As soon as they were done and put their plates in the sink, Mrs. Dursley handed each of them their individual letters. Harry ripped into his letter. It explained the usual things, like about catching the train, and somebody had underlined that part even on his, and Harry needn't guess why. Then he came to a very important note.
Due to the fact that last year's Proffessor of the Dark Arts Mr. Lockhart has been found unsatisfactory, everyone will be retaking the course from last year along with this ones in hopes to catch them up. Also we will refund the money paid for last years course books by Mr. Lockhart. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Third year students will require the following texts:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade Three)
by Miranda Goshawk
Defending Yourself Against the Dangers of Vampires and Other Night Creatures
by Broomhilda Grime
Posession by Demons and How To Expel Them,
by J. K. Rouse
Advanced Transfiguration OR How To Entertain House Guests and Get Rid of the
Pesky Ones
by Rowling Kent Jameson
The Modern Art of Defense Against Curses
by Victor Grassnak
Ghost, Ghouls, and Banshees and Their Vices
by Hantet Grabtet
Harry sighed in relief when he saw the part where they'd be repaid for the books
they bought last year. Mostly because the Weasly's father was unable to get work
except for the minimal job which didn't pay well. It was obvious to him that
everyone else was relieved also.
"Well, let's go to Diagon Alley!" Mrs. Weasly said cheerfully. Soon they were lined up at the chimney with a pinch of Floo powder. Now Floo powder was a simple way for one to go from one place to another via chimeny. One blew the Floo into the fire said where they wanted to go and stepped through the flames to the place they wanted to be. Last year, Harry had gotten lost in Knockturn alley, exactly like Diagon, except Knockturn delt in much darker magic. In giant puffs of smoke they disappeared into the fire and into Diagon Alley.
Immediately there was a shriek of, "Molly!" Mrs. Weasly turned to see a tall thin black haired witch with brightly colored and patterned dress on and a turban running up to her.
"Agatha!" Mrs. Weasly shrieked back and soon they were hugging and chatting like old friends. After a few moments she remembered the reason they were in Diagon Alley. "You children run along and find the place where Hogwart's is exchanging last year's books and then get yourselves new ones. You're old enough, and no creating havoc!" She shouted as they all ran off, except Percy, who walked, and continued to talk to Agatha.
It had not been hard to find out where Hogwart's was exchanging the books, they had a rather large sign hanging in front of the bookstore. Soon their books were exchanged for money which quickly purchased the new books. They all walked out into the street to still see Mrs. Weasly still talking with her friend.
"So what do we do now?" sighed Fred.
"We could explore?" Everyone readily agreed, wanting to see the new brooms and other such intresting things that could be found.
"Just don't get into any trouble." Warned Percy sternly. Everyone nodded before Fred and George dashed off to the Tricks store, where they were planning on buying their latest joke material for their next year at Hogwarts. Ginny, Ron and Harry stayed together and began to walk the alley, looking for something interesting.
As they passed Gringott's bank, they noticed something odd, and stopped to watch. There were three figures, all in long cloaks with hoods and dark clothing talking together. The taller two talked to the smaller one who simply nodded. The taller ones left, walking away without waving goodbye to the one, and leaving him alone with a wicker trunk on a cart. The smaller one turned and looked around nervously, from what they could tell, since they couldn't see a face. Ginny, being naturally generous, waved her hand and shouted.
"Hey! You over there at Gringott's, come over here!" The figure hesitated before joining them. They found him to be fairly small, only as tall as Ginny, not too coming close to Harry, whom he came up to his shoulder. "What's your name?" Ginny said brightly as she tried to look under the dark black cape with black small silver latches closing it around his throat and chest. The figure ducked his head away, before Ginny could see.
"My name's..." He paused and kicked a pebble with his rawhide boots, which had no soles and was simply leather. "My name's James." He said softly in a high voice. "Who are you?" looking back up, the shadows still hiding his face, no matter how hard they squinted.
"I'm Ginny, and this is my brother Ron and Harry Potter." Ginny said, ending proudly. James nodded and gave no show of surprise at the mention of Harry's name, which relieved and perplexed him. "So is this your first year going to Hogwarts?" Ginny asked as she examined the loose black robe made out of coarse woven cotton.
"Yes... although I'm afraid I'm rather lost, I've never been here before. But I think I'll survive, it can't be that hard." He said softly before melting into a crowd so quickly that it took the three a moment to realize that he'd gone.
"What a strange fellow." Ron said before he dragged them off to
look at the brooms.
*O*O*
The next few weeks passed like a blur for Harry and the Weasly's before it was time to go to the platform nine and three quarters. To reach the platform, one had to run through the brick barrier between platform nine and platform ten. They were all rushing about early that morning, but fortunately they were more prepared than last year and they ran off to the station and arrived ten minutes early for the train.
It was there they saw the cloaked figure again, staring at the barrier between the ninth and tenth platform. Ginny waved at him and ran to him, dragging her trunk behind her. Harry and the rest of the Weaslys followed.
"Hey you! Why'd you run off? Oh well, don't you know how to get through to the Hogwarts Express?" She chattered. The figure bent his head.
"Not really, as I said, I'm not really used to all this." he said softly.
"It's easy!" Ginny said as she dragged the stranger and his trunk to the others. "You just run through the wall and don't be afraid of crashing into it, and you'll go straight through!" She said happily. Mrs. Weasly stared doubtfully at the stranger.
"And who is this?" She asked softly, trying to be polite, but her daughter was too trusting at times, like at her first year where she got mixed up He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named from a diary she had found that talked back to her. So naturally she doubted someone wearing a cloak and dark clothing, their face covered.
"My name is James, just James, madam. Your daughter I met at Diagon Alley a couple of weeks while picking up my supplies to go to Hogwarts, and she kindly offered to assist me, and now she is offering to help me through here. For you see, I haven't a clue how to get through, I normally don' t travel like this." James said clearly and with respect and a hint of nervousness. Mrs. Weasly's face softened.
"Well, pleased to meet you James. Ginny told you everything you'll need to know. Why don't you two go first?" James and Ginny nodded and soon both had disappeared through the wall. Fred and George were next. Followed by Percy. And as usual Ron and Harry were last. They met up with Ginny on the other side, however James was nowhere in sight.
"He went to go get his seat." Ginny offered as a way of explanation. Everyone shrugged and headed to the train to do the same. "I wonder why he wears that cloak." Ginny pondered aloud.
"Maybe he's hideous and hides his face so he won't frighten the seconds." George laughed.
"Probably ordered here by Prof. Snape!" Fred snorted. Harry and Ron shuddered and hoped the twins weren't telling the truth, they hated Snape, and Snape hated them. At least they reasoned it was even, after all it would be weird if they loved him and he hated them, or they hated him and he loved them, wouldn't it?
"Harry! Ron! There you guys are!" Hermoine shouted from her window. Ron and Harry dashed off to her compartment and went to go sit by their friend. They took their seat beside her on opposite sides and began chatting about their summer, catching up with each other as they waited for the train to start. Just then James entered. Ron fell silent as he breezed past to sit directly behind them.
"There went walking death." Ron muttered. Hermoine slapped him lightly.
"What a rude thing to say." She whispered. "Just because he's wearing a long cloak doesn't mean anything, although he should have waited until we'd started going before changing, but he's probably a first year and doesn't know." Hermoine scolded. Ron scowled.
"But he's always wearing that cloak..." He muttered before quieting as the treat tray passed by selling the regular candies and announcing that the train was about to leave. Harry paid for each of them to have some and they gladly began munching away on the Every Flavor beans, hoping not to get a really gross one, like booger or earwax, and the rumoured vomit flavoured one.
They were well along there way when they reached the Chocolate Frogs. Immediately Harry and Ron pulled out the card anxiously looking to see what witch or wizard they got. Ron paused as he stared at the witch on the front. He showed it to Harry.
"Please tell me that says Agrippa." He deadpanned. Ron had almost the whole collection except for Agrippa the witch, and the one that would complete his collection.
"Yeah, it says Agrippa." Harry replied with a smile.
"YEEEESSSSS!!!" Screamed Ron as he stood and waved the card above his head. However he was interrupted as someone else shouted.
"YAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!" James screamed jumping straight up into the air. He'd taken off his hood, since he was getting hot, but he quickly flicked it back before anybody could see more. He nervously sat back down, trembling and panting.
"Okay. Nice to see you're excited." Ron said sarcastically. James looked at him through his hood, A silver light was glowing in the darkness of the hood.
"Sorry... I just don't... react well... to loud noises... and you caught me... by... surprise." James gasped offering it as an excuse as he sank lower into his seat, realizing how close he'd come to be exposed. Ron nodded and sat back.
"Did you see his face?" He whispered after a few moments. Harry and
Hermoine shook their heads. "I didn't see much but it was really weird.
Must just be me." He said softly before staring out into the countryside.
