AS THE DAYS SLIPPED BY, Harper and Harry started looking wherever they went for a sign of Ron or Hermione. Plenty of Hogwarts students were arriving in Diagon Alley now, with the start of term so far.

They met Seamus and Dean, their fellow Gryffindors, in Quality Quidditch Supplies, where they, too, were ogling the Firebolt; they also ran into Neville outside Flourish and Blotts.

Harry woke her up on the last day of the holidays and Harper thought that they would at least meet Ron and Hermione tomorrow, on the Hogwarts Express. She got up, dressed and the two of them went for a last look at the Firebolt, and were just wondering were they'd have lunch, when someone yelled their names.

"Harry! Harper!"

They were there, both of them, sitting outside Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour, Ron looking incredibly freckly, Hermione very brown, both waving frantically at us.

"Finally!" Ron said, grinning at the siblings as they sat down. "We went to the Leaky Cauldron, but they said the two of you had left, and we went to Flourish and Blotts, and Madam Malkin's, and—"

"We got all our stuff last week," Harry explained. "And how come you know we were staying at the Leaky Cauldron?"

"Dad," Ron said simply.

"Did you really blow up your aunt, Harry?" Hermione asked in a very serious voice.

"I didn't mean to," Harry replied, while Ron and Harper roared with laughter. "I just—lost control."

"It's not funny, Ron, Harper," Hermione said sharply. "Honestly, I'm amazed Harry wasn't expelled."

"So am I," Harry admitted. "Forget expelled, I thought I was going to be arrested." He looked at Ron. "Your dad doesn't know why Fudge let me off, does he?"

"Probably 'cause it's you, isn't it?" Ron shrugged, still chuckling. "Famous Harry Potter and all that. I'd hate to see what the Ministry would do to me if I blew up my aunt. Mind you, they'd have to dig me up first, because Mum would've killed me. Anyway, you can ask dad yourself this evening. We're staying at the Leaky Cauldron tonight, too! So the two of you can come to King's Cross with us tomorrow! Hermione's there as well!"

Hermione nodded, beaming. "Mum and dad dropped me off this morning with all my Hogwarts things."

"Excellent!" Harper said happily, clasping her hands together. "So, have you got all your new books and stuff?"

"Look at this," Ron said, pulling a long thin box out of a bag and opening it. "Brand-new wand. Fourteen inches, willow, containing one unicorn tail-hair. And we've got all our books!" He pointed at a large bag under his chair. "What about those Monster Books, eh? The assistant nearly cried when we said we wanted two."

"What's all that, Hermione?" Harry asked, pointing at not one, but three, bulging bags in the chair next to her.

"Well, I'm taking more new subjects than you, aren't I?" Hermione replied. "Those are my books for Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, Study of Ancient Runes, Muggle Studies . . ."

"What are you doing Muggle Studies for?" Ron asked, rolling his eyes at Harry and Harper. "You're Muggle-born! Your mum and dad are Muggles! You already know all about Muggles!"

"But it'll be fascinating to study them from the wizarding point of view," Hermione said earnestly.

"Are you planning to eat or sleep at all this year, Hermione?" Harry asked, while Ron sniggered and Harper just rolled her eyes. Hermione ignored them.

"I've still got ten Galleons," she said, checking her purse. "It's my birthday in September, and mum and dad gave me some money to get myself an early birthday present."

"How about a nice book?" Ron said innocently.

"No, I don't think so," Hermione said composedly. "I really want an owl. I mean, Harry's got Hedwig, Harper's got Dale and you've got Errol . . ."

"I haven't," Ron said. "Errol's a family owl. All I've got it Scabbers." He pulled his pet rat out of his pocket. "And I want to get him checked over," he added, placing Scabbers on the table in front of us. "I don't think Egypt agreed with him."

Scabbers was looking thinner than usual, and there was a definite droop to his whiskers.

"There's a magical-creature shop just over there," Harper said, knowing Diagon Alley very well by now. "You can see if they've got anything for Scabbers, and Hermione can get her owl."

So they paid for our ice-creams and crossed the street to the Magical Menagerie. There wasn't much room inside. Every inch of wall was hidden by cages. It was smelly and very noisy because the occupants of these cages were all squeaking, squawking, jabbering or hissing.

The witch behind the counter was already advising a wizard on the care of double-ended newts, so Harry, Ron, Hermione and Harper waited, examining the cages.

A pair of enormous purple toads sat gulping wetly and feasting on dead blowflies. A gigantic tortoise with a jewel-encrusted shell was glittering near the window. Poisonous orange snails were oozing slowly up the side of their glass tank, and a fat rabbit kept changing into a silk top hat and back again with a loud popping noise. Then there were cats of every color, a noisy cage of ravens, a basket of funny custard-colored furballs that were humming loudly, and, on the counter, a vast cage of sleek black rats which were playing some sort of skipping game using their long bald tails.

The double-ended-newt wizard left and Ron approached the counter.

"It's my rat," he told the witch. "He's been a bit off-color ever since I brought him back from Egypt."

"Bang him on the counter," the witch said, pulling a pair of heavy black spectacles out of her pocket.

Ron lifted Scabbers out of his inside pocket and placed him next to the cage of his fellow rats, who stopped their skipping tricks and scuffled to the wire for a better look.

Like nearly everything Ron owned, Scabbers the rat was second-hand (he had belonged to Percy) and a bit battered. Next to the glossy rats in the cage, he looked especially woebegone.

"Hm," the witch said, picking Scabbers up. "How old is this rat?"

"Dunno," Ron replied. "Quite old. He used to belong to my brother."

"What powers does he have?" the witch asked, examining the rat closely.

"Er . . ." Ron stuttered. The truth was that Scabbers had never shown the faintest trace of interesting powers. The witch's eyes moved from Scabbers's tattered left ear to his front paw, which had a toe missing, and tutted loudly.

"He's been through the mill, this one," she said.

"He was like that when Percy gave him to me," Ron said defensively.

"An ordinary, common it garden rat like this can't be expected to live longer than three years or so," the witch said. "Now, if you were looking for something a bit more hard-wearing, you might like one of these . . ."

She indicated the black rats, who promptly started skipping again.

"Show-offs'," Harper could hear Ron mutter.

"Well, if you don't want a replacement, you can try this Rat Tonic," the witch said, reaching under the counter and bringing out a small red bottle.

"Okay," Ron said. "How much—OUCH!"

Ron buckled as something huge and orange cane soaring from the top of the highest cage, landed on his head and then propelled itself, spitting madly, at Scabbers.

"NO, CROOKSHANKS, NO!" the witch cried, but Scabbers shot from between her hands like a bar of soap, landed splay-legged on the floor and then scarpered for the door.

"Scabbers!" Ron shouted, haring out of the shop after him; Harry and Harper followed.

It took them nearly ten minutes to find that damn rat, who had take refuge under a wastepaper bin outside Quality Quidditch Suplies. Ron stuffed the trembling rat back into his pocket and straightened up, massaging his head.

"What was that?"

"It was either a very big cat or quite a small tiger," Harry replied and Harper nodded in agreement.

"Where's Hermione?"

"Probably getting her owl," Harper replied, turning her head to look back at the shop.

They made their way back up the crowded street to the Magical Menagerie. As they reached it, Hermione came out, but she wasn't carrying an owl. Her arms were clamped tightly around the enormous ginger cat.

"You bought that monster?" Ron said, his mouth hanging open.

"He's gorgeous, isn't he?" Hermione said, glowing.

That was a matter of opinion, Harper thought. The cat's ginger fur was thick and fluffy, but it was definitely a bit bow-legged and its face looked grumpy and oddly squashed, as though it had run headlong into a brick wall. Now that Scabbers was out of sight, however, the cat was purring contently in Hermione's arms.

"Hermione, that thing nearly scalped me!" Ron exclaimed.

"He didn't mean to, did you?" Hermione said.

"And what about Scabbers?" Ron asked, pointing at the lump in his chest pocket. "He needs rest and relaxation! How's he going to get it with that thing around?"

"That reminds me, you forgot your Rat Tonic," Hermione said, slapping the small red bottle into Ron's hand. "And stop worrying, Crookshanks will be sleeping in my dormitory and Scabbers in yours. What's the problem? Poor Crookshanks, that witch said he'd been in there for ages: no one wanted him."

"I wonder why," Ron said sarcastically, as they set off towards the Leaky Cauldron.

They found Arthur sitting in the bar, reading the Daily Prophet.

"Harry! Harper!" he said, smiling as he looked up. "How are you?"

"Good, thanks," Harper replied, returning the smile.

"Fine, thanks," Harry said, as he, Hermione, Ron and Harper joined Arthur with all their shoppings.

Arthur put down his paper, and Harper saw Harry looking at the picture of Sirius Black staring up at him.

"They still haven't caught him, then?" he asked.

"No," Arthur said, looking extremely grave. "They've pulled us all off our regular jobs at the Ministry to try and find him, but no luck so far."

Harper let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. Sirius was still safe.

"Would we get a reward if we caught him?" Ron said. "It'd be good to get some more money . . ."

"Don't be ridiculous, Ron," Arthur said, who on closer inspection looked very strained. "Black's not going to be caught by a thirteen-year-old wizard. It's the Azkaban guards who'll get him back, you mark my words."

At that moment Molly entered the bar, laden with shopping and followed by the twins, Fred and George, who winked at Harper as soon as they saw her, the newly elected Head Boy, Percy, and the Weasleys' youngest child and only girl Ginny.

Ginny, who had always been very taken with Harry, went red and muttered Hello without looking at him. However, she smiled broadly when she saw Harper and gave her a quick hug.

Percy held out his hand solemnly as though he and Harry and Harper had never met, which was weird since they had grown up together.

"Harry, Harper. How nice to see the two of you."

"Hello, Percy," the twins replied, trying not to laugh.

"I hope you're well?" Percy said pompously, shanking hands. It was rather like being introduced to the mayor.

"Very well, thanks . . ."

"Harry! Harper!" Fred said, elbowing Percy out of the way and bowing deeply. "Simply splendid to see you, old boy and girl . . ."

"Marvelous," George said, pushing Fred aside and seizing their hands in turn. "Absolutely spiffing."

Percy scowled.

"That's enough, now," Molly said.

"Mum!" Fred said, as though he'd only just spotted her, and seized her hand, too. "How really corking to see you . . ."

"I said, that's enough," Molly said, depositing her shopping is an empty chair. "Hello, Harry, Harper, dears. I suppose you've heard our excited news?" She pointed at the brand-new silver badge on Percy's chest. "Second Head Boy in the family!" she said, swelling with pride.

"And last," Fred muttered under his breath.

"I don't doubt that," Molly said, frowning suddenly. "I notice they haven't made you two Prefects."

"What do we want to be Prefects for?" George said, looking revolted at the very idea. "It'd take all the fun out of life."

Ginny giggled.

"You want to set a better example to your sister!" Molly snapped.

"Ginny's got other brothers to set her an example, Mother," Percy said, loftily. "I'm going up to change for dinner . . ."

He disappeared and George heaved a sigh.

"We tried to shut him in a pyramid," he told Harry and Harper. "But Mum spotted us."

• ✧ •

     DINNER THAT NIGHT WAS A VERY ENJOYABLE AFFAIR. Tom the innkeeper put three tables together in the parlor and the seven Weasleys, Harry, Hermione and Harper ate their way through five delicious courses.

"How're we getting to King's Cross tomorrow, dad?" Fred asked, who was sitting next to Harper, as they tucked into a sumptuous chocolate pudding.

"The Ministry's providing a couple of cars," Arthur replied.

Everyone looked up at him.

"Why?" Percy asked curiously.

"It's because of you, Perce," George said seriously. "And there'll be little flags on the bonnets, with HB on them . . ."

". . . for Humungous Bighead," Fred continued.

Everyone except Percy and Molly snorted into their pudding.

"Why are the Ministry providing cars, father?" Percy asked again, in a dignified voice.

"Well, as we haven't got one any more," Arthur said, "and as I work there, they're doing me a favor . . ."

His voice was casual, but Harper couldn't help noticing that Arthur's ears had gone red, just like Ron's did when he was under pressure.

"Good job, too," Molly said briskly. "Do you realize how much luggage you've all got between you? A nice sight you'd been on the Muggle Underground . . . You are all packed, aren't you?"

"Ron hasn't put all his new things in his trunk yet," Percy said in a long-suffering voice. "He's dumped them on my bed."

"You'd better go and pack properly, Ron, because you won't have much time in the morning," Molly called down the table. Ron scowled at Percy.

After dinner everyone felt very full and sleepy. One by one they made their way upstairs to their rooms to check their things for the next day.

Harper had just locked her trunk when she heard angry voices coming from Percy and Ron's room. She walked through the hall and opened their door to see what what was going on.

"It was here, on the bedside table, I took it off for polishing . . ." Percy shouted.

"I haven't touched it, all right?" Ron roared back.

"What's up?" Harry asked from over her shoulder, making Harper jump up in surprise.

"My Head Boy badge has gone!" Percy said, rounding on the twins.

"So is Scabbers's Rat Tonic," Ron said, throwing things out of his trunk to look. "I think I might've left it in the bar . . ."

"You're not going anywhere till you've found my badge!" Percy yelled.

"I'll get Scabbers's stuff, I'm packed," Harry told them.

"I'll stay here," Harper said, "We don't want them to kill each other."

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December 26st 2023
I hope you enjoy it & tell me what you think of it! :)