
19
"Letters from school," said Mr. Weasley, passing Johnny, Harry and Ron identical envelopes of yellowish parchment, addressed in green ink. "Dumbledore already knows you're here, Harry - doesn't miss a trick, that man. You two've got them, too," he added, as Fred and George ambled in, still in their pajamas.
For a few minutes there was silence as they all read their letters. There was a list of the new books he'd need for the coming year.
SECOND-YEAR STUDENTS WILL REQUIRE:
The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 by Miranda Goshawk
Break with a Banshee by Gilderoy Lockhart
Gadding with Ghouls by Gilderoy Lockhart
Holidays with Hags by Gilderoy Lockhart
43 Travels with Trolls by Gilderoy Lockhart
Voyages with Vampires by Gilderoy Lockhart
Wanderings with Werewolves by Gilderoy Lockhart
Year with the Yeti by Gilderoy Lockhart
"Oh god," Johnny groaned. "Not him."
Fred, who had finished his own list, peered over at Johnny's.
"You've been told to get all Lockhart's books, too!" he said. "The new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher must be a fan - bet it's a witch."
At this point, Fred caught his mother's eye and quickly busied himself with the marmalade.
"That lot won't come cheap," said George, with a quick look at his parents. "Lockhart's books are really expensive..."
"Well, we'll manage," said Mrs. Weasley, but she looked worried. "I expect we'll be able to pick up a lot of Ginny's things secondhand."
"Oh, are you starting at Hogwarts this year?" Harry asked Ginny.
She nodded, blushing to the roots of her flaming hair, and put her elbow in the butter dish. Fortunately no one saw this except Harry, because just then Ron's elder brother Percy walked in. He was already dressed, his Hogwarts prefect badge pinned to his sweater vest.
"Morning, all," said Percy briskly. "Lovely day."
He sat down in the only remaining chair but leapt up again almost immediately, pulling from underneath him a molting, gray feather duster - at least, that was what Johnny thought it was, until he saw that it was breathing.
"Errol!" said Ron, taking the limp owl from Percy and extracting a letter from under its wing. " Finally - he's got Hermione's answer. I wrote to her saying we were going to try and rescue you from the Dursleys."
He carried Errol to a perch just inside the back door and tried to stand him on it, but Errol flopped straight off again so Ron lay him on the draining board instead, muttering, "Pathetic." Then he ripped open Hermione's letter and read it out loud:
"Dear Johnny, Ron, and Harry if you're there,
I hope everything went all right and that Harry is okay and that you didn't do anything illegal to get him out-
"We don't tell her I stunned the oaf and blew up his window," Johnny said. "She'll kill me."
-Because that would get Harry into trouble, too. I've been really worried and if Harry is all right, will you please let me know at once, but perhaps it would be better if you used a different owl because I think another delivery might finish your one off.
I'm very busy with schoolwork, of course'- How can she be?" said Ron in horror. "We're on vacation! - and we're going to London next Wednesday to buy my new books. Why don't we meet in Diagon Alley?
Let me know what's happening as soon as you can.
Love from Hermione.'"
"Well, that fits in nicely, we can go and get all your things then, too," said Mrs. Weasley, starting to clear the table. "What're you all up to today?"
Johnny, Harry, Ron, Fred, and George were planning to go up the hill to a small paddock the Weasleys owned. It was surrounded by trees that blocked it from view of the village below, meaning that they could practice Quidditch there, as long as they didn't fly too high.
They couldn't use real Quidditch balls, which would have been hard to explain if they had escaped and flown away over the village; instead they threw apples for one another to catch. They took turns riding Harry and Johnny's Nimbus Two Thousands, which was easily the best brooms; Ron's old Shooting Star was often outstripped by passing butterflies.
Five minutes later they were marching up the hill, broomsticks over their shoulders. They had asked Percy if he wanted to join them, but he had said he was busy.
"Wish I knew what he was up to," said Fred, frowning. "He's not himself. His exam results came the day before you did; twelve O.W.L.s and he hardly gloated at all."
"Ordinary Wizarding Levels," George explained, seeing Harry's puzzled look. "Bill got twelve, too. If we're not careful, we'll have another Head Boy in the family. I don't think I could stand the shame."
Bill was the oldest Weasley brother. He and the next brother, Charlie, had already left Hogwarts. Johnny and Harry had never met either of them, but knew that Charlie was in Romania studying dragons and Bill in Egypt working for the wizard's bank, Gringotts.
"Dunno how Mum and Dad are going to afford all our school stuff this year," said George after a while. "Five sets of Lockhart books! And Ginny needs robes and a wand and everything..."
Mrs. Weasley woke them all early the following Wednesday. After a quick half a dozen bacon sandwiches each, they pulled on their coats and Mrs. Weasley took a flowerpot off the kitchen mantelpiece and peered inside.
"We're running low, Arthur," she sighed. "We'll have to buy some more today... Ah well, guests first! After you, Harry dear!"
And she offered him the flowerpot.
Harry stared at them all watching him.
"W-what am I supposed to do?" he stammered.
"He's never traveled by Floo powder," said Ron suddenly. "Sorry, Harry, I forgot."
"Never?" said Mr. Weasley. "But how did you get to Diagon Alley to buy your school things last year?"
"I went on the Underground--"
"Really?" said Mr. Weasley eagerly. "Were there escapators ? How exactly--"
"Not now , Arthur," said Mrs. Weasley. "Floo powder's a lot quicker, dear, but goodness me, if you've never used it before--"
"He'll be all right, Mum," said Fred. "Harry, watch us first."
He took a pinch of glittering powder out of the flowerpot, stepped up to the fire, and threw the powder into the flames.
With a roar, the fire turned emerald green and rose higher than Fred, who stepped right into it, shouted, "Diagon Alley!" and vanished.
"You must speak clearly, dear," Mrs. Weasley told Harry as George dipped his hand into the flowerpot. "And be sure to get out at the right grate..."
"The right what?" said Harry nervously as the fire roared and whipped George out of sight, too.
"Well, there are an awful lot of wizard fires to choose from, you know, but as long as you've spoken clearly--"
"He'll be fine, Molly, don't fuss," said Mr. Weasley, helping himself to Floo powder too.
"But, dear, if he got lost, how would we ever explain to his aunt and uncle?"
"They wouldn't mind," Harry reassured her. "Dudley would think it was a brilliant joke if I got lost up a chimney, don't worry about that--"
"Well... all right... you go after Arthur," said Mrs. Weasley. "Now, when you get into the fire, say where you're going."
"And keep your elbows tucked in," Ron advised.
"And your eyes shut," said Mrs. Weasley. "The soot--"
"Don't fidget," said Johnny. "Or you might well fall out of the wrong fireplace--"
"But don't panic and get out too early; wait until you see Fred and George."
Trying hard to bear all this in mind, Harry took a pinch of Floo powder and walked to the edge of the fire. He took a deep breath, scattered the powder into the flames, and stepped forward; the fire felt like a warm breeze; he opened his mouth and immediately swallowed a lot of hot ash.
"D-Dia-gon Alley," he coughed.
"What did he say?" Molly asked, glancing back at Evelyn (who had just showed up from tending to Gellert), Ron, and Johnny.
"He stuttered," Evelyn snorted, half amused half concerned. "Exactly like James using Floo for the first time. Diagon Alley!"
Evelyn and Ron went, leaving Molly and Johnny.
"After you, dear," Johnny nodded and yelled the location. It felt as though he was being sucked down a giant drain. He seemed to be spinning very fast - the roaring in his ears was deafening - he tried to keep his eyes open but the whirl of green flames made him feel sick -something hard knocked his elbow and he tucked it in tightly, still spinning and spinning - now it felt as though cold hands were slapping his face - squinting he saw a blurred stream of fireplaces and snatched glimpses of the rooms beyond - his bacon sandwiches were churning inside him - he closed his eyes again wishing it would stop, and then...
He fell, face forward, onto cold stone floor and heard his mother's laughter. Evelyn picked up her son and wiped the dust if his shoulders, before placing a kiss on his forehead.
"Johnny!" Johnny heard the girl he adored yell. Hermione was running at him, her bushy hair flowing in the wind. Before Johnny could even move towards her, Hermione's arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him in for a tight hug. Johnny's head buried in her shoulder, a wide smile on his face as his arms wrapped around her waist, giving her a tight squeeze.
Johnny and Hermione were interrupted by two identical coughs. Mrs. Granger and Evelyn were smirking down at their respective children. Johnny had never actually met Hermione's parents before, and her Dad wasn't here at the moment.
"So," Mrs. Granger smirked at Johnny. "You must be the boy my Hermione fancies."
Hermione's eyes widened as she looked from her very amused mother to the boy she did indeed fancy, she just didn't plan on him finding out this early, well not until they turned fourteen.
"And you must be the girl my boy fancies," Evelyn smiled, shaking Hermione's hand. Hermione and Johnny were so flustered, they were thankful showed up from some back alley covered in soot with broken glasses.
"Harry! Harry! Over here!"
Harry looked up and saw Hermione and Johnny standing at the top of the white flight of steps to Gringotts. They ran down to meet him.
"What happened to your glasses? Hello, Hagrid - Oh, it's wonderful to see you two again - Are you coming into Gringotts, Harry?"
"As soon as I've found the Weasleys," said Harry.
"Yeh won't have long ter wait," Hagrid said with a grin.
Johnny, Harry and Hermione looked around: Sprinting up the crowded street were Ron, Fred, George, Percy, and Mr. Weasley.
"Harry," Mr. Weasley panted. "We hoped you'd only gone one grate too far..." He mopped his glistening bald patch. "Molly's frantic - she's coming now--"
"Where did you come out?" Ron asked.
"Knockturn Alley," said Hagrid grimly.
"Excellent!" said Fred and George together.
"We've never been allowed in," said Ron enviously.
"I should ruddy well think not," growled Hagrid. Mrs. Weasley now came galloping into view, her handbag swinging wildly in one hand, Ginny just clinging onto the other.
"Oh, Harry - oh, my dear - you could have been anywhere--"
Gasping for breath she pulled a large clothes brush out of her bag and began sweeping off the soot Hagrid hadn't managed to beat away. Mr. Weasley took Harry's glasses, gave them a tap of his wand, and returned them, good as new.
"Well, gotta be off," said Hagrid, who was having his hand wrung by Mrs. Weasley ("Knockturn Alley! If you hadn't found him, Hagrid!"). "See yer at Hogwarts!" And he strode away, head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the packed street.
"Guess who I saw in Borgin and Burkes?" Harry asked Johnny, Ron and Hermione as they climbed the Gringotts steps. "Malfoy and his father."
"Did Lucius Malfoy buy anything?" said Mr. Weasley sharply behind them.
"No, he was selling--"
"So he's worried," said Mr. Weasley with grim satisfaction. "Oh, I'd love to get Lucius Malfoy for something..."
"You be careful, Arthur," said Mrs. Weasley sharply as they were bowed into the bank by a goblin at the door. "That family's trouble. Don't go biting off more than you can chew--"
"So you don't think I'm a match for Lucius Malfoy?" said Mr. Weasley indignantly, but he was distracted almost at once by the sight of Hermione's mother, who were standing nervously at the counter that ran all along the great marble hall with Evelyn at her side.
"But you're a Muggle!" said Mr. Weasley delightedly. "We must have a drink! What's that you've got there? Oh, you're changing Muggle money. Molly, look!" He pointed excitedly at the ten-pound notes in Mrs. Granger's hand.
"Meet you back here," Ron said to Hermione as the Weasleys and Harry were led off to their underground vaults by another Gringotts goblin. Evelyn told Johnny to stay here with Hermione and her Mum as she caught the cart down to the Grindelwald/Potter vault.
Back outside on the marble steps, they all separated. Percy muttered vaguely about needing a new quill. Fred and George had spotted their friend from Hogwarts, Lee Jordan. Mrs. Weasley and Ginny were going to a secondhand robe shop. Mr. Weasley was insisting on taking the Mrs. Granger off to the Leaky Cauldron for a drink. Evelyn ended up coming along after noticing the look on Mrs. Grangers face.
"We'll all meet at Flourish and Blotts in an hour to buy your schoolbooks," said Mrs. Weasley, setting off with Ginny. "And not one step down Knockturn Alley!" she shouted at the twins'retreating backs.
Johnny, Harry, Ron, and Hermione strolled off along the winding, cobbled street. Harry bought four large strawberry-and-peanut-butter ice creams, which they slurped happily as they wandered up the alley, examining the fascinating shop windows. Ron gazed longingly at a full set of Chudley Cannon robes in the windows of Quality Quidditch Supplies until Hermione dragged them off to buy ink and parchment next door. In Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop, they met Fred, George, and Lee Jordan, who were stocking up on Dr. Filibuster's Fabulous Wet-Start, No-Heat Fireworks, and in a tiny junk shop full of broken wands, lopsided brass scales, and old cloaks covered in potion stains they found Percy, deeply immersed in a small and deeply boring book called Prefects Who Gained Power .
"A study of Hogwarts prefects and their later careers," Ron read aloud off the back cover. "That sounds fascinating ..."
"Go away," Percy snapped.
"Course, he's very ambitious, Percy, he's got it all planned out... He wants to be Minister of Magic..." Ron told Johnny, Harry and Hermione in an undertone as they left Percy to it.
An hour later, they headed for Flourish and Blotts. They were by no means the only ones making their way to the bookshop. As they approached it, they saw to their surprise a large crowd jostling outside the doors, trying to get in. The reason for this was proclaimed by a large banner stretched across the upper windows:
GILDEROY LOCKHART will be signing copies of his autobiography MAGICAL ME today 12:30 P.M. to 4:30 P.M.
"We can actually meet him!" Hermione squealed. "I mean, he's written almost the whole booklist!"
"You don't actually like him, do you?" Johnny asked, not noticing the jealousy in his voice, but the other three noticed.
The crowd seemed to be made up mostly of witches around Mrs. Weasley's age. A harassed-looking wizard stood at the door, saying, "Calmly, please, ladies... Don't push, there... mind the books, now..."
Johnny, Harry, Ron, and Hermione squeezed inside. A long line wound right to the back of the shop, where Gilderoy Lockhart was signing his books. They each grabbed a copy of The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 and sneaked up the line to where the rest of the Weasleys were standing with Evelyn and Mrs. Granger.
"Oh, there you are, good," said Mrs. Weasley. She sounded breathless and kept patting her hair. "We'll be able to see him in a minute..."
Gilderoy Lockhart came slowly into view, seated at a table surrounded by large pictures of his own face, all winking and flashing dazzlingly white teeth at the crowd. The real Lockhart was wearing robes of forget-me-not blue that exactly matched his eyes; his pointed wizard's hat was set at a jaunty angle on his wavy hair.
A short, irritable-looking man was dancing around taking photographs with a large black camera that emitted puffs of purple smoke with every blinding flash.
"Out of the way, there," he snarled at Ron, moving back to get a better shot. "This is for the Daily Prophet--"
"Big deal," said Ron, rubbing his foot where the photographer had stepped on it.
Gilderoy Lockhart heard him. He looked up. He saw Ron - and then he saw Harry, and then he saw Johnny. He stared. Then he leapt to his feet and positively shouted, "It can't be Harry Potter and Johnathan Grindelwald? The famous family duo?"
'Is that what they call us?' Johnny asked in his head, disgusted.
The crowd parted, whispering excitedly; Lockhart dived forward, seized their arms, and pulled thrm to the front. The crowd burst into applause. The boys face burned as Lockhart shook his hand for the photographer, who was clicking away madly, wafting thick smoke over the Weasleys.
"Touch me again, and you'll lose your hand," Johnny whispered in Lockhart's ear. Lockhart nervously chuckled and let both boys go, but kept them close for a picture.
"Nice big smile, boys," said Lockhart, through his own gleaming teeth. "Together, the three of us are worth the front page, quite the trio."
The two boys tried to sidle back over to their group, but Lockhart threw an arm around their shoulders and clamped them tightly to his side, he clearly thought Johnny's threat was empty.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he said loudly, waving for quiet. "What an extraordinary moment this is! The perfect moment for me to make a little announcement I've been sitting on for some time!
"When young Harry and Johnny here stepped into Flourish and Blotts today, they only wanted to buy my autobiography - which I shall be happy to present them now, free of charge -" The crowd applauded again. "They had no idea ," Lockhart continued, giving them a little shake that made Harry's glasses slip to the end of his nose, "that they would shortly be getting much, much more than my book, Magical Me. They and their schoolmates will, in fact, be getting the real magical me. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have great pleasure and pride in announcing that this September, I will be taking up the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"
The crowd cheered and clapped and Harry and Johnny found themselves being presented with the entire works of Gilderoy Lockhart. Staggering slightly under their weight, Johnny managed to make his way out of the limelight to the edge of the room, where Hermione was standing next to her Mum and Evelyn.
"You have these," Johnny mumbled to her, tipping the books into her bag. "I'll buy my own--"
"Thank you!" Hermione smiled widely, kissing Johnny's cheek.
"Bet you loved that, didn't you, Potter? Grindelwald?" said a voice they had no trouble recognising. Johnny straightened up and found himself face-to-face with Draco Malfoy, who was wearing his usual sneer.
"Famous Harry Potter and Johnathan Grindelwald," said Malfoy. "Can't even go into a bookshop without making the front page."
"Leave them alone!" said Ginny. It was the first time she had spoken in front of Harry. She was glaring at Malfoy.
"Potter, you've got yourself a girlfriend!" drawled Malfoy. Ginny went scarlet as Ron fought his way over, clutching stacks of Lockhart's books. "And look at you, Johnny, finally confessed your feelings for that filthy little Mudblood?"
"You little-" Johnny went to dive at Draco, but him mother caught his fist before he could follow through.
"You should quieten down, Mr. Malfoy," Evelyn said. "You're very much like your mother and father, they could never tell the difference between being prejudice or being rich and intelligent."
"Well, well, well - Evelyn Potter and Arthur Weasley."
It was Mr. Malfoy. He stood with his hand on Draco's shoulder, sneering in just the same way.
"Lucius," said Mr. Weasley, nodding coldly.
"That's Grindelwald to you, Malfoy," Evelyn spat.
"Busy time at the Ministry, I hear," said Mr. Malfoy, ignoring Evelyn. "All those raids... I hope they're paying you overtime?"
He reached into Ginny's cauldron and extracted, from amid the glossy Lockhart books, a very old, very battered copy of A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration.
"Obviously not," Mr. Malfoy said. "Dear me, what's the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?"
Mr. Weasley flushed darker than either Ron or Ginny.
"We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy," Evelyn said. Then the unexpected happened, Evelyn Grindelwald threw her fist back and socked Mr. Malfoy on the nose. Evelyn proceeded to yank him by his now broken nose so she was face-to-face with him. "You should've learnt your lesson from Fifth year, never insult my friends in front of me."
Mr. Malfoy's pale eyes watered as he looked at Mrs. Granger, who was watching apprehensively. "The company you keep... and I thought your family could sink no lower."
Evelyn had thrown herself at Mr. Malfoy, knocking him backward into a bookshelf. Dozens of heavy spellbooks came thundering down on all their heads; there was a yell of, "Get him, Evie!" from Fred or George; Mrs. Weasley was shrieking, "No, Evelyn, no!"; the crowd stampeded backward, knocking more shelves over; "Please - please!" cried the assistant, and then, louder than all--
"Break it up, there, break it up--"
Hagrid was wading toward them through the sea of books. In an instant he had pulled Evelyn and Mr. Malfoy apart. Evelyn had a cut lip and Mr. Malfoy had been hit in the eye by an Encyclopedia of Toadstools. Mr. Malfoy was still holding Ginny's old Transfiguration book. He thrust it at her, his eyes glittering with malice.
"Here, girl - take your book - it's the best your father can give you -" Pulling himself out of Hagrid's grip he beckoned to Draco and swept from the shop.
"Yeh should've ignored him, Evie," said Hagrid, almost lifting Evelyn off her feet as she straightened her denim jacket and brushed the dust of her jeans. "Rotten ter the core, the whole family, everyone knows that - no Malfoy's worth listenin'ter - bad blood, that's what it is - come on now - let's get outta here."
The assistant looked as though he wanted to stop them leaving, but he barely came up to Hagrid's waist and seemed to think better of it. They hurried up the street, the Grangers shaking with fright and Mrs. Weasley beside herself with fury.
"A fine example to set for your child... brawling in public... what Gilderoy Lockhart must've thought--"
"Don't tell me what's a fine example for my child, Molly..." Evelyn said coldly, wiping blood from her lip.
"He was pleased," said Fred. "Didn't you hear him as we were leaving? He was asking that bloke from the Daily Prophet if he'd be able to work the fight into his report - said it was all publicity--"
Johnny wouldn't be travelling back to the Burrow, his mother told him all about the plans she had made with Mrs. Granger, and now this was the hard part.
Meeting her father.
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