Lyra's POV

I caught the I owl and gave him 3 Knuts. I took the Daily Prophet and he flew away. Then I sat down to read. Sirius Black Escaped from Azkaban. Great. Just another thing about Dad. Well, better pack for Hogwarts, I thought. So I went upstairs to get the letter Mum had put on my windowsill.

I arrived at my room and opened the letter. It had the list of school supplies. So lucky it's the dead of night, no Muggles will see me. I grabbed my Nimbus 2001 and rode to Diagon Alley. When I arrived, my dear friend Hermione Granger greeted me. Apparently she was staying here. She's in third year, so I'm a lot older than her. Well, not a lot. Just two years. "LYRA!" Harry Potter screamed. 

"Harry!" I rushed into his arms. Then I hugged Ron and Ginny. "Ron! Ginny! It's you!"

"Too... tight!" Ron said.

"Oops. Sorry."

"S'all right," he said, but I knew he was lying. I am often told I hug too tight. And I almost killed Dad once... That's another story.

"So, why are you awake and roaming around Diagon Alley in the dead of night?" I interrogated.

"We were bored. The question is, what are you doing here in the dead of night, wandering around?"

"I... uh..."

Ron rolled his eyes.

"I was getting school supplies! Look, there's Gringotts! I better scadaddle!" I ran to Gringotts because I had seen Fred and George show up.

Hermione laughed, then got tripped by Fred. Or George. Who cares?

I entered Gringotts. The goblins amazed me. I walked to an open booth. "Vault 306, Lyra Lily Black." I handed him the key, jumpy with excitement.

He took me to my vault. A look of horror crossed my face as I realised someone had followed me.

"George?"

"It's Fred."