Harry Potter and the House of Meditation

Chapter Six: Amethyst and Diamonds

One day soon after the holiday, as Harry walked through Hogsmead, moodily looking at the shops, he passed Andromeda's Jewelers. The window display caught his eye. Harry remembered that Luna had a birthday coming up the following week, and as he thought about her, he remembered her radish earrings and bottle cap necklace. She deserves to have something nice, thought Harry. I might as well make someone happy. The Lovegoods weren't exactly well off. When would Luna ever get fine jewelry?

He marched into the store, determined. The tall wizard behind the counter looked up, pleased to have a customer on such a dreary, wet day.

"Yes, Sir, may I help you?"

"I want a birthday present, for a girl," said Harry.

"Of course, Sir! Perhaps a bracelet? Or some earrings? We have some lovely necklaces, very reasonably priced."

"I just want it to be nice."

"This birthday...it's this month?"

"Yes. Next week."

"Well, the birthstone for February is the amethyst."

Harry considered this. He didn't know much about gems, other than which ones went into certain potions. This sounded expensive, but he had plenty of money, more than he could ever spend, even if he got the chance to spend it. "That's a good idea."

"This way, please." The salesman led Harry past counters filled with sparkly jewels in many colors. There were round stones, hanging from fine gold chains, glittering bracelets, and row after row of diamond rings, from very elaborate ones to simple solitaires.

Harry looked up and down the rows. "Let me see those." He pointed at a pair of earrings that were a deep shade of purple.

"Good choice, young man. Amethyst studs, simple but elegant."

"Better than radishes, anyway," Harry said under his breath.

"Excuse me?"

"I'll take them." Harry answered the salesman hastily.

"Will you be paying for them in cash, or do you want me to fill out a bank form?"

"Bank form. Gringotts. London."

"Very well. I'll need to have you put your vault number on this form, and sign here. I'll wrap them up."

Harry had just filled in the vault number when something in the glass case under his elbow twinkled, catching his eye. It was a very simple ring, gold, in the shape of a heart, with a small diamond glittering in the center. It was very pretty. Impulsively, he said, "Let me see that, too."

Delighted, the salesman took the ring from the case and handed it to Harry. He turned it in his hand. It was calling to him somehow. "I like this. I'll take both, definitely."

"Wonderful choices," the salesman simpered. He snapped the ring and the earrings into small purple velvet boxes, as Harry finished signing the bank form, and put the gems into a small bag. He thanked Harry most profusely. Harry jammed the receipt into the bag, the bag into his pocket, and left the store.

The salesman watched him go. "That's an odd one," he said out loud to himself, and picked up the bank form. As his eyes fell on it, he gasped. "Oh, my word! Harry Potter!" He ran to the back of the store, where a brown barn owl dozed. "Wake up, Minuke! I have a job for you! There's more money in this than meets the eye, if I'm not mistaken!

As Harry was eating breakfast two mornings later, the small package in his dresser was the farthest thing from his mind. Hermione was sitting beside him, with the Daily Prophet propped up against a milk jug, as usual.

Harry had just helped himself to more toast, when she started to choke on her own. "Harry! Ron! Look at this!" She pointed to the paper and they both leaned over to see it.

"Reading the gossip columns now, Hermione? Honestly!" Ron sighed, then his mouth dropped open in shock as well. Stunned, Harry began to read over Hermione's shoulder.

What high profile Hogwarts student bought several pieces of expensive jewelry, including an engagement ring, at Andromeda's of Hogsmead last weekend? This writer looks forward to wishing the lucky young man, and his even luckier young lady, whomever she might be, a long and happy future.

"An engagement ring?" Harry gasped.

"Oh, Harry, who do you think it is?" Hermione cooed.

"No idea," said Harry hastily.

"Must be a nutter," murmured Ron. "Who'd get engaged before they've even finished school?

"Oh, Ron, you're just not romantic!" Hermione looked at him exasperated.

"Not that romantic! Not yet!" Ron grinned and gave her a quick kiss.

Hermione blushed as Harry excused himself from the table, and hurried back to Gryffindor tower. Pulling the small bag out, he finally looked at the receipt.

I didn't know, he thought. I didn't think.

He didn't know what to do next. He couldn't give the ring to Luna now. He cared about her a great deal, but he was in no position to get engaged. And he certainly couldn't return the ring. He could just imagine what the Prophet would make of that! Idly, he wondered how much the salesman had gotten for the scoop. He decided the best thing to do would be to give Luna the earrings for her birthday as he'd planned, and simply hang onto the ring.

What a brainless git I am, he fumed to himself, snapping the ring box shut, and stuffing it back into his dresser.

Luna's birthday, as luck would have it, was going to be on a Saturday. The Monday before, Harry cornered her in the hall as she was on her way to Charms.

"Are you going into Hogsmead this Saturday, Luna?"

"I might. I have some shopping to do. Why?"

"I just thought that if you wanted to, I could take you to lunch for your birthday."

Luna's face lit up. "Oh, Harry, you remembered! I'd love to!"

"Meet you by the front doors then."

Harry couldn't help thinking how much prettier Luna looked when she smiled. And every time he saw her that week, she was smiling. .