I looked around for Fred and George who were still standing at the fireplace from which we had emerged in order to welcome the rest of the family members. They pulled out Ginny then Ron and after a while Mom and Dad stepped out as well. 

"Good, all in one piece," Mum spoke as she examined us and brushed the soot off my clothes carefully. 

"Where's Harry?" I asked since I couldn't see the messy haired boy anywhere.

All of us looked around but he was nowhere to be seen.

"Maybe he stepped out the wrong chimney," Fred suggested. 

"But he should have been here," Mum panicked, "we shouldn't have lost him! What are we going to say to Dumbledore? What are we going to tell the Dursleys?"

Mum was in a terrible state looking inside the fireplace then outside, behind it, under it and any other place she could think of. 

Fred shrugged, "well I'm sure the Dursleys will understand. Just tell them that Harry went down the wrong chimney while we were flooing. Trust me, they'll thank you for that." 

She glared at him, "you're not being helpful, Fred! Now go and look for him. And if in turn you get lost I'll do something you'll both regret." 

She spotted Percy in one of the bookshops and rushed off to tell him about the dilemma of Harry's disappearance. 

"Out of all the people who could go down the wrong chimney, why does it always have to be him?" Ron mumbled. 

"Well because we aren't that lucky to go down the wrong chimney," George remarked, "imagine turning up at Knockturn Alley though. Would be fun. They have this amazing joke shop which sells awesome stuff but we aren't allowed in there." 

Fred added, "dark stuff, to be precise." 

George spoke, "oh well, Harry's one lucky boy if he did turn up at Knockturn Alley." 

I spoke, "shut up Georgie. It's not always that fun to get lost." 

Fred rolled his eyes weirdly, "here comes Kat, the goody two shoes." 

I remarked, "why don't you stop squabbling like preschoolers and go and look out for Harry?" 

They asked, "what are preschoolers?" 

I answered carelessly, "kids who haven't started school yet." 

They pretended to look offended, "hey, you do know that we also have some self esteem, right?" 

I dragged them outside, "yes I know that very well but I think finding Harry is more important right now." 

We looked in the Owl Emporium first but he wasn't there. Then we checked Madam Malkin's Robes shop but no such luck either. There was a huge crowd at Flourish and Blotts school books and supplies so we didn't dare step in. 

"What if he turned up at the Leaky Cauldron?" Fred spoke. 

"What's that?" I asked out of curiosity. Such a weird name. 

"Its like a restaurant. Only difference is that its a bit weirder and a lot cooler. The coolest specialty of the Leaky Cauldron is that no Muggle eye can see it," they told me. 

"Well let's go look in there," George suggested, "besides its such a good excuse to slip away."

But I wasn't paying any attention to them. I could only stare ahead of me at a giant of a man with bushy black hair and beard. "Who's that?" I nudged them to get their attention. 

Seeing the giant, wide grins spread on their faces as if they knew him very well. "Hagrid!" They shouted and waved over to him. He waved back and walked in our direction. I could only stare at him in awe. When he came closer I noticed that he was holding Harry and had his huge arm placed around him. 

"Harry James Potter, where the hell were you?" I asked. 

He spoke, "I don't know. I got lost." 

Fred and George burst out laughing, "oh there you are. Kat we'll be back in a second. You stay with Harry while we go and relieve Mum of her worries." 

I looked at Harry and then at the man. I mean he was huge; I had never seen someone this gigantic before. Harry gave the introductions, "Kat this is Hagrid. He's the gamekeeper at Hogwarts." Then he turned towards him, "and Hagrid this is Katerina Weasley, Ron's elder sister." 

He shook my hand, "nice ter meet ye. But I 'aven't seen ye in Hogwarts." 

Oh of course. "I'm starting school this year," I replied. But I was still curious as to where Harry might have turned up. 

Soon enough Mom Dad and the rest of the Weasleys came rushing in our direction. "Goodness Harry dear where have you been?" Mom asked as she brushed the soot off him and fixed his spectacles with a spell. 

Hagrid spoke for him, "I found 'Arry in Knock'urn Alley. Got lost and 'ad just stepped outta Borgin and Burke's." 

Fred and George piped up, "Borgin and Burke's? Harry, you went in there?" 

Mom however didn't let Fred and George complete their deductions. "It's a relief you found him, Hagrid," she thanked him, "or else I don't know what might have happened." 

He shook his head, "eh, not a problem. 'Ave a nice day, Molly. Ye too, Arthur."

Suddenly Ron spoke, "oh look, there's Hermione!" 

Well well finally I get to meet their know it all friend; Hermione Jean Granger. She was standing with her parents talking animatedly when we joined them. 

"Oh Harry Ron how nice to see you guys again!" Hermione had brown hair that seemed entangled and big front teeth like a beaver's. And a high pitched voice much close to what I had imagined it to be like when I had pulled off her imitation that night we rode the Ford Anglia. 

The introductions being done, I saw Dad talking with Mr Granger with great interest. Mr Granger happened to be a dentist and Dad had a lot of questions for him as usual. 

All of us proceeded towards Flourish and Blotts where a huge crowd was assembled. Even though I didn't feel like going among such a huge crowd, still we had to buy our books so I followed everyone inside. 

After much pushing and pulling we reached the center. Flashes went off all at once and I blinked twice due to the blinding white light. 

A voice boomed from the inside and flashes went off again,"and here we present you at your numerous requests, the daring, the ambitious, the discoverer, the inventor, the hero of our time and no doubt the most renowned author of various amazing books... Gilderoy Lockhart!"

***