I sat in the leaky cauldron eating lunch alone...I did however, eavesdrop on conversations.

"You-Know-Who's biggest supporter-"

"No one has ever escaped before-"

"He's mad, he is, that Sirius Black!"

"He killed thirteen people with one spell! Evil!"

Sirius Black...I have heard that name before...

I thought nothing of it, and walked out into the bright street of Diagon alley and I stood at the end of the street and screamed "LLAMA!" before hiding in a shop and watching people's heads swivel around.

I bought all my school books and finished my essays in the next week. I sent Harry his present, and then suddenly, I was ridiculously bored again.

I had bought new clothes with the money from Harry and I was going to have some sort of seizure from boredom.

I was so bored, that my mind was irritating me.

MY MIND FOR HEAVENS SAKE!

WHAT THE HELL!

I was about to head back up to my room from dinner when I overheard snippets of a conversation.

"Harry Potter...Ran away...Black..."

I pieced it all together.

Okay, Harry ran away and turned black.

HA! NO!

Okay, listen in again.

"Missing? He'll be alright Minister-"

THE MINISTER OF MAGIC! Fudge!

I walked nervously over.

"Harry is missing?" I said quietly to fudge and the leaky cauldron's owner...I think him name was Tom.

"You know anything about it?" fudge said quickly.

"No, sorry, but he's my best friend from school."

"Oh," he said slightly disappointed.

"May I enquire about what has happened?"I said sounding stupidly posh.

"Err-"Fudge said looking at me uncertainly.

"If I am intruding, just tell me, I'll go." I said with my epic acting skills, fluttering my eyelashes and looking earnestly sorry.

"Oh- no, it's alright" the minister said. Gosh, I can fool the minister of magic, I can do anything! "He blew up his aunt, and ran away."

"Harry's in trouble...must be Friday..." I uttered.

"If you're his best friend, do you know what he would be doing?" Fudge asked.

"If I were Harry-"I said slowly. "I would be worried about using magic...I would think I would get arrested or something...and I would be coming here, to Gringotts to get all of my money..." Fudge looked at me ludicrously. "But I might be wrong" I added hastily.

Fudge looked worried and I said, "I'm gonna wait out front..."

"It's not safe out there!" he said loudly. "I'll go with you."

Great, stalked by the minister of magic.

"You know," he said once we stood on the curb of the Muggle Street. "I haven't been polite enough to ask your name."

"I'm Willow," I said with a small smile.

"Surname?" he asked

"Don't have one, I was disowned..." I said not even caring about it anymore.

"Oh. Who did you belong to then?" fudge asked.

I really didn't want to say their names. Ugh. Damn making conversation.

"You wouldn't know them. They were eaten by gorillas. I'm kidding! Or am I? One will never know!" I realised that he wasn't listening, because a giant bus had appeared in front of us.

Note to self: Pay attention, stop talking shit.

"There you are, Harry, " said Fudge. OH MY GOD I DID IT AGAIN!

Opps, I did it again. BAD WIL! PAY ATTENTION! Wait, did he say Harry?

"Blimey! Ern, come 'ere! Come 'ere!" said a man.

"What didja call Neville, Minister?" the man said jumping onto the pavement.

"Neville?" Fudge repeated, frowning. "This is Harry Potter."

"I knew it!" The man shouted gleefully. "Ern! Ern! Guess 'oo Neville is, Ern! 'E's 'Arry Potter! I can see 'isscar!"

"Yes, " said Fudge testily, "well, I'm very glad the Knight Bus picked Harry up, but he and I need to step inside the Leaky Cauldron now..."

He wheeled Harry inside and I followed. By the nervous look on Harry's face, I could tell that he was worried about being arrested.

Gosh, that kids a worry wart.

Gosh I know him well.

Gosh, he hadn't noticed me.

A stooping figure bearing a lantern appeared through the door behind the bar. It was Tom again.

"You've got him, Minister!" said Tom. "Will you be wanting anything? Beer? Brandy?"

"Perhaps a pot of tea," said Fudge, who still hadn't let go of Harry. There was a loud scraping and puffing from behind them and the bus folk appeared, carrying Harry's trunk and Hedwig's cage and looking around excitedly.

"'Ow come you di'n't tell us 'oo you are, eh, Neville?" said the man, beaming at Harry

"And a private parlour, please, Tom, " said Fudge pointedly.

"Bye," Harry said miserably to them as Tom beckoned Fudge toward the passage that led from the bar.

Feeling unsure what to do, and uncertain whether Harry had noticed me at all, I followed them along the narrow passage after Tom's lantern, and then into a small parlour.

Tom clicked his fingers, a fire burst into life in the grate, and he bowed himself out of the room. "Sit down, Harry," said Fudge, indicating a chair by the fire.

"Am I meant to be here?" I said awkwardly.

Harry turned and smiled when he saw me.

"Erm..." said Fudge. I pouted until he said yes. I then took a seat beside Harry, throwing him an 'I always get away with everything' smile.

Fudge sat opposite us and said: "I am Cornelius Fudge. The Minister of Magic."

Tom the innkeeper reappeared, wearing an apron over his nightshirt and bearing a tray of tea and crumpets. He placed the tray on a table between Fudge and me and Harry, and left the parlour, closing the door behind him.

"Well, Harry, "said Fudge, pouring out tea, "you've had us all in a right flap, I don't mind telling you. Running away from your aunt and uncle's house like that! I'd started to think... But you're safe, and that's what matters... your friend here knows you very well, she seemed to know you would come here..."

I mocked being posh and modest and pulled a face at Harry. Harry snorted, but Fudge didn't notice, he was busy buttering himself a crumpet. He pushed the plate toward Harry. "Eat, Harry, you look dead on your feet. Now then...You will be pleased to hear that we have dealt with the unfortunate blowing-up of Miss Marjorie Dursley. Two members of the Accidental Magic Reversal Department were dispatched to Privet Drive a few hours ago. Miss Dursley has been punctured and her memory has been modified. She has no recollection of the incident at all. So that's that, and no harm done." Fudge smiled at Harry over the rim of his teacup.

Harry opened his mouth to speak and closed it again.

GOLDFISH!

"Ah, you're worrying about the reaction of your aunt and uncle?" said Fudge. "Well, I won't deny that they are extremely angry, Harry, but they are prepared to take you back next summer as long as you stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter holidays."

Harry spoke up finally. "I always stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter holidays," he said, "and I don't ever want to go back to Privet Drive."

Whoa, someone's got PMS!

"Now, now, I'm sure you'll feel differently once you've calmed down," said Fudge in a worried tone. "They are your family, after all, and I'm sure you are fond of each other--er--very deep down."

I felt kind of rejected. No one was talking to me.

Obviously because I'm unimportant.

I wondered if Harry had noticed my hair.

I flicked it around.

I WHIP MY HAIR BACK AND FORTH!

"So all that remains, "said Fudge, looking at me like I was slightly insane. Little did he know he was wrong...I'M AN ABSOLUTE LUNATIC! "Is to decide where you're going to spend the last two weeks of your vacation. I suggest you take a room here at the Leaky Cauldron and-"

"Hang on, "blurted Harry. "What about my punishment?"

I stopped flicking my hair

"Punishment?" Fudge and I said in unison. I was going to hi-five him, but it didn't seem appropriate.

Mind you, neither did screaming out my love for Dumbledore last year...

"I broke the law!" Harry said. "The Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry!"

"Oh, my dear boy, we're not going to punish you for a little thing like that!" cried Fudge, "It was an accident! We don't send people to Azkaban just for blowing up their aunts!"

"Last year, I got an official warning just because a house-elf smashed a pudding in my uncle's house!" Harry told Fudge, frowning. "The Ministry of Magic said I'd be expelled from Hogwarts if there was any more magic there!"

"Circumstances change, Harry... We have to take into account..." Fudge looked awkward so I said, rather loudly, "Do you want to be expelled?" Fudge looked relieved that he didn't have to speak.

"Of course I don't!" Harry said rather snappily.

"Well then, what's A the fuss about?" laughed Fudge. "Now, have a crumpet, Harry, you too Willow, while I go and see if Tom's got a room for you." Fudge strode out of the parlour and Harry stared after him.

Harry looked at me, puzzled. I knew what he was thinking.

"Something weird is going on, I know." I said.

Why had Fudge been waiting for Harry, if not to punish him for what he'd done? Surely it wasn't usual for the Minister of Magic himself to get involved in matters of underage magic?

Wait. Was this logical thinking?

Before we could utter another word, Fudge came back, accompanied by Tom the innkeeper. "Room eleven's free, Harry," said Fudge. "I think you'll be very comfortable. Just one thing and I'm sure you'll understand... I don't want you wandering off into Muggle London, all right? Keep to Diagon Alley. And you're to be back here before dark each night. Sure you'll understand. Tom will be keeping an eye on you for me. And Willow, you do the same alright."

I wasn't sure whether he meant to keep an eye on Harry, or to come back before dark... but I nodded.

"Okay," said Harry slowly, "but why?"

"Don't want to lose you again, do we?" said Fudge with a hearty laugh. "No, no... Best we know where you are... I mean... "Fudge cleared his throat loudly and picked up his pinstriped cloak."Well, I'll be off, plenty to do, you know..."

"Have you had any luck with Black yet?" Harry asked. Fudge's finger slipped on the silver fastenings of his cloak.

"What's that? Oh, you've heard--well, no, not yet, but it's only a matter of time. The Azkaban Guards have never yet failed... And they are angrier than I've ever seen them. "Fudge shuddered slightly."So, I'll say good-bye. " He held out his hand and Harry shook it.

"Er--Minister? Can I ask you something?" Harry asked

"Certainly," said Fudge with a smile. I wondered what Harry would have done if Fudge said no.

"Well, third years at Hogwarts are allowed to visit Hogsmeade, but my aunt and uncle didn't sign the permission form. D'you think you could --?"

Fudge was looking uncomfortable.

"Ah," he said. "No, no, I'm very sorry, Harry, but as I'm not your parent or guardian --"

"But you're the Minister of Magic, " said Harry eagerly. "If you gave me permission"

"No, I'm sorry, Harry, but rules are rules, " said Fudge flatly. 'Perhaps You'll be able to visit Hogsmeade next year. In fact, I think it's best if you don't... Yes... Well, I'll be off Enjoy your stay, Harry."

And with a last smile and shake of Harry and my hand, Fudge left the room.

Tom now moved forward, beaming creepily at Harry and I. "If you'll follow me," he said, "I've already taken your things up... "

We followed Tom up a handsome wooden staircase to a door with a brass number eleven on it - right across from my number twelve - which Tom unlocked and opened for him.

"Hedwig!" Harry gasped. The snowy owl clicked her beak and fluttered down onto Harry's arm.

"Very smart owl you've got there," chuckled Tom. "Arrived about five minutes after you did. If there's anything you need, Mr. Potter, don't hesitate to ask."

He gave another bow and left.

"Oh my god" I said to Harry. "I'M SO GLAD YOU ARE HERE!" I squealed and hugged him.

"Nice to see you Willow." Harry said yawning.

I took the hint.

"I'll speak with you tomorrow. You need to tell me EVERYTHING!" with that, I left and went to my room played with Soxy for ages, and finally went to bed.

***

"So, tell me everything!" I said merrily as Harry and I walked down Diagon alley.

"My aunt came to stay. She is horrid, and she was being awful. I lost it, and then she blew up...like a balloon." Harry said. I burst out laughing, and didn't stop for ages.

We had a chat about Sirius Black and a few other things...

Life was pretty good, and Harry was a pretty awesome guy.

Not awesome on a George scale, but pretty awesome.

Harry and I spent the long sunny days exploring the shops and eating under the brightly coloured umbrellas outside cafes, where our fellow diners were showing one another their purchases or else discussing the case of Sirius Black.

Harry thought it was weird that I had finished my homework already, and I helped him as we sat in the bright sunshine outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. Harry and I also got occasional help from Florean Fortescue himself, who, apart from knowing a great deal about medieval witch burnings, gave Harry and I free sundaes every half an hour.

NOM NOM NOM CHOCOLATE ICECREAM!

Harry and I got his school books and pretty much spent our time in the sun, or relaxing in my room while Soxy and Hedwig played together. I'm pretty sure Soxy wanted to eat Hedwig, but he is too stupid.

That didn't make sense.

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