Harry Potter and the Fortune of Ravenclaw

Chapter 2: Diagon Alley Rush

The next day, Harry caught the Wizard Bus to Diagon Alley. He met Ron and
Hermione outside Flourish and Blotts, the bookshop. They went in and started
looking around for the books they needed this year. The first one they found
was Practical Defence against the Dark Arts Volume 5 by Natalia Ilushka.
When Harry and Ron saw it, their jaws hit the floor. When Hermione saw it,
she beamed as if she had just got 367% on a test. She went over and picked
it up. But, she found it difficult to do so. It was 2784 pages long.

"No wonder Defence against the Dark Arts has been doubled! Look at the
textbook!" said Ron, gloomily.

"It could be worse," replied Harry.

"How?"

"It could be twice as long."

Hermione came running over.

"It is twice as long! Look!" said Hermione, as if the next three
Christmases had all come at once. She pointed to the bottom of the book. It
said Volume 1 of 2. Suddenly things had just become a lot worse. But, it had
also become a lot better. Ron had found a sign.


All Hogwarts students of fourth year and above are entitled to a 50%
discount on all textbooks.


They collected all of their textbooks, and had to carry them in a
wheelbarrow. There were so many of them. And for some reason, they had two
books for each subject. They were pushing their barrow into the Leaky
Cauldron, when they heard a familiar voice.

"Harry! Ron! Hermione!"

It was Hagrid. He was joined by Madame Maxime, the headmistress of
Beauxbatons, the all-girls French Wizarding School.

"Hagrid! How are you?" asked Harry, as he, Ron and Hermione went over to
see him.

"Fine," said Hagrid. "What did you buy? The whole of Flourish and Blotts?!"

"We just followed the list," said Hermione. "Why do we need two books for
each subject?"

Hagrid explained that this year, as a new initiative, all students from
Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be taught at Hogwarts, and so, they now have
two teachers for every subject.

"Wow! Madame Maxime, may I ask what subject you teach?" asked Hermione
politely.

"Excusez-moi mademoiselle?" said Madame Maxime. Unfortunately, she didn't
understand.

"Quelle matière faites-vous?" asked Hermione, posing the same question, but
in French.

"Oh...er...Transfiguration?"

The three students looked rather happy. Any friend of Hagrid's was a friend
of theirs, and to have a new friend as a Transfiguration teacher.

"Who are the other doubles?" asked Ron.

"Well, Professor Snape has joined up with the Potions teacher from
Durmstrang, Professor Kalakudtz. He wasn't too happy about that, I can tell
you. Professor Flitwick has teamed up with Professor Delafleur from
Beauxbatons, and the new Defence against the Dark Arts teacher has joined up
with Professor Bilutsz, Durmstrang."

"Any idea on who the new Defence against the Dark Arts teacher is?" asked
Harry.

"No idea," said Hagrid, truthfully. He was about to start another sentence
when they heard a familiar, but unwelcome voice.

"Well, well, well. Weasel, Mudblood and Potter."

The owner of the voice was Malfoy, an evil child who was in the same year
as Harry. Malfoy was a member of Slytherin, the most evil of the four houses
of Hogwarts. Lord Voldemort himself was a Slytherin. Hagrid was just about
to scold Malfoy for calling Hermione a Mudblood, one of the worst insults a
wizard can give to another wizard, but Madame Maxime beat him to it. She was
literally an inch away from his face.

"YOU NEVER CALL ANYONE A MUDBLOOD IN MY PRESENCE EVER!! DO YOU NOT KNOW WHO
I AM?!" shouted Madame Maxime, obviously scaring Malfoy.

"If I could take a guess, I'd say you were the headmistress of the French
school Beauxbatons. Another bunch of losers," said Malfoy. It was like a rat
standing up to an elephant. Or rather, a rat with a death wish.

"I know you are! You are Malfoy," said Madame Maxime. "Well, Malfoy, I tell
Snape about this!"

"I don't think so," said Malfoy, with an evil smirk. "The school year
hasn't started yet. But I'll tell you one thing. Slytherins dont look kindly
upon Mudbloods and fools."

Before anyone could reply, Malfoy ran away. He almost bumped into Hedwig
and Pigwidgeon, who were both flying into the Leaky Cauldron with letters.
They dropped them into Harry and Ron's laps, and perched onto the back of
the chairs.

They opened the letters.


Dear all Hogwarts students and staff,

This is an emergency. All students are to gather their luggage using the
spell 'Luggagus Instatus' and apparate with an authorised adult to Platform
Nine-and-three-quarters immediately. All Hogwarts staff are to accompany the
students on the Hogwarts Express. All will be explained when you arrive.

Thank you for your co-operation,
A. Dumbledore
Headmaster.


None of them argued. Ron, Harry and Hermione all performed the Luggagus
Instatus spell, and their luggage appeared.

"OK you three, hold on to our hands," said Hagrid. They all joined arms, as
Hagrid and Madame Maxime prepared to disapparate.

"Disapparatus!"

It felt as if they were spinning round, and around. Everything became
blurry. They saw something in the distance. It was the Hogwarts Express at
Platform 9 3/4. It started getting bigger, and closer. Slowly at first, but
then faster and faster, until they burst into the scene. The first thing
they saw was Professor McGonagall giving orders.

"OK, everybody on the train! Do come along! Oh, Longbottom, hurry up!"

They saw their friend Neville, struggling onto the train, when Professor
McGonagall caught their eyes. She rushed over.

"Hagrid! Madame Maxime! Thank goodness you're here!"

"Professor, what's going on?" asked Harry.

McGonagall looked round, and motioned for them all to come closer. They all
did so, and she proceeded in a quiet voice.

"There has been a report that You-Know-Who has been spotted in Diagon
Alley, which is why we called all of the students now. We need to get them
to Hogwarts this instant."

On the exact moment she said the word "instant", behind them there was an
explosion of light, sound, green and debris. Harry had seen, and experienced
first hand, the destructive force of this green before.

"Quick! Onto the train!" shouted Professor McGonagall, her hair coming
loose from it's bun. There was a huge push through the doors, as some
strange men dressed entirely in black came rushing onto the platform. Harry
turned round, and faced one of them. It looked directly into his eyes. It
recognized him straight away.

"It's the boy!! Get him!!"

Harry shut the door, as the Hogwarts Express pulled out of Platform
Nine-and-Three-Quarters, leaving the strange men behind.