Twilight

Twilight

L.S. Song

Chapter Two - Diagon Alley

By the next rising of the sun, the 'incident' of the night before was put aside by Harry and Ginny.

They had both convinced themselves that it was just an awkward moment, and nothing would've happened even if they hadn't been interrupted.

They greeted each other normally at breakfast, and scooped up what was left of the food after Ron had gotten there, which was a surprisingly small amount - a raspberry scone and two pieces of toast.

Splitting the meager breakfast between themselves, they walked out to the dining room where Ron was furiously munching on a plateful of food, and Hermione was sitting next to him with a look of indignation and disgust on her face.

Harry caught Ginny's eye and they both laughed.

Ron looked up from his meal and said, "S'matter?"

By saying this, a big blob of bacon and chewed up bread flew out of his mouth and into Hermione's face, which caused Harry and Ginny to laugh even harder.

"Now that's enough, dears... Ron, did you eat ALL of the food I set out there?" asked Mrs. Weasley, shaking her head.

"You mean that was for all of us?"

"Yes, Ron," said Mrs. Weasley.

"Oops," said Ron, and belched.

"Gross!" said Hermione, and smacking Ron on the arm, left and sat next to Ginny.

Near the end of breakfast, Hogwarts owls had come and dropped off the yearly letters. Harry opened his letter, and found himself very shocked indeed.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

Of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

Dear Mr. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been made Head Boy, along with Ms. Hermione Granger as Head Girl. This position is an extremely important one, in regards to recent developments in the war. You are expected to provide a respectable image for the younger students, and you will also be learning Auror-level Charms and Defence Against the Dark Arts with Headmaster Dumbledore, instead of attending regular classes for those two subjects. Term begins on September 1. Enclosed is a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

P.S. The Headmaster will come see you the 29^th of August, to discuss your appointment as Head Boy.

Harry was stunned. Dumbledore hadn't even made him a prefect because of the responsibility put on Harry by the prophecy.

Why Head Boy? Wouldn't that be going against what he said before? Harry felt the supplies list in the envelope, and sure enough; next to it was a silver Head Boy badge. Across the table, everybody in the kitchen was hugging Hermione.

"Oh... my... god... HEAD GIRL!" yelled Hermione.

The Hogwarts owls shifted nervously.

"HEAD GIRL!" she shrieked again.

The owls took flight, fleeing for their lives.

Harry laughed.

Everyone at the table congratulated her, but also slipped in a sarcastic comment on how they knew she was going to be Head Girl the first day they met her.

Hermione turned crimson, beaming happily.

Harry walked over to her, and whispered in her ear, "So there are two Gryffindor Head Students this year..."

Drawing away, he said loudly, "Good job, Hermione, I knew you had it in you!"

Harry winked at Hermione, his sign for her not to say a word.

"The Head Boy better not be some rich snooty git like Malfoy..." Ron muttered.

"I should hope that you wouldn't think of the new Head Boy that way. I'm sure he'd feel very insulted indeed. If you ask me, I hold the new Head Boy in the highest esteem," said Harry.

"Hmm... who is it, Ernie Macmillan or something?" said Ron, wondering who else could be Head Boy.

Ginny figured it out first.

"YOU'RE HEAD BOY!" she exclaimed.

Harry burst out laughing, as she jumped on him for a congratulation hug. He held her tightly, her vibrant hair filling his eyesight.

Ginny did not turn red or show any sign of embarrassment, as she calmly stepped aside and allowed the others to congratulate Harry.

When it came to Fred and George, the last to approach Harry, they shook their heads and announced that they were disappointed in Harry.

The newly minted Head Boy had stuck his tongue out in retaliation.

Fred and George gave their most sincere apologies, but all of a sudden they whipped out their wands and inflated Harry's head, with a yell of "ENGORGIO! There you go, now you look like a Head Boy."

Harry, his head the size of a tire, fell over, tilted by the weight of his head.

The whole table sniggered at this, they all remembered Fred and George's torment of Percy Weasley.

"Finite Incantatem!" yelled Mrs. Weasley seconds later. "FRED, GEORGE, THAT IS ENOUGH! ASSAULTING THE BOY WHO LIVED, LOOK AT EVERYONE ELSE HERE, YOU'RE JUST SO IMMATURE, I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE WENT WRONG IN RAISING YOU TWO! WHAT THE WIZARDING WORLD WOULD DO IF THEY HEARD THAT MY SONS ATTACKED HARRY POTTER..."

Harry was laughing uproariously with everyone else, insisting to Mrs. Weasley it was really all right, and he understood the humor in the situation. After all, Harry had seen the twins at it again and again when Percy was made Head Boy. Ron gave Harry a strange look, going back and forth from Ginny to Harry. Harry quickly realized that he had slung his arm around Ginny sometime during his laughter, and he let go.

Harry had noticed, however, 7 Weasley males looking at him strangely, and Mrs. Weasley looking at him with an expression unreadable. Hermione was seemingly oblivious in her joy at being made Head Girl, a grin still plastered on her face.

All in all, Harry felt a bit nervous and somewhat guilty when Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and himself portkeyed to Diagon Alley with Mrs. Weasley (floo powder was no longer safe, as Dark wizards had begun to infiltrate Diagon Alley that way, so portkeys were issued to families that were trusted, other families would have to find another way in, using muggle transport or broomsticks).

Harry was unprepared for the sight of what happened to the once beautiful, crowded Diagon Alley. The streets were no longer full of happy chatting wizards and witches, there were just worried looking parents shepherding children from one building to another, Aurors running along from one place to another, and the streets no longer looked clean, they were filled with scorch marks and dirt. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny made their way into the Leaky Cauldron, where they sat down and looked at their booklist.

Uniform

Course Books (New books needed)

Standard Book of Spells (Grade 7) by Miranda Goshawk

Expert Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

Big book of Magical Plants by Greenthumb Gardener

Curses, Hexes, and Charms: What you need to know by Ronald Silverstone

Advanced Potions by Arsenius Jigger

Care of Magical Creatures by Cassie Allen

Dark Curses, Creatures and Wizards: A guide to survival by Alastor Moody

Other Equipment

1 Wand

1 Spare Wand

1 Advanced Potions Set

1 Steel Longsword (blunted)

"What on earth do we need a ruddy sword for, mum?" asked Ron.

"I'd assume that you're going to have a dueling class... strange, considering it hasn't been taught for two hundred years, when a child got his arm sliced off."

Everyone shuddered.

"We'd best get going anyways, Diagon Alley isn't the safe place it used to be... Now stick together now, come on," said Mrs. Weasley.

The first stop was Gringotts, when Harry remembered the letter from yesterday.

"Hang on, can I sort this out? I can just meet up with you guys later..." started Harry.

"Goodness sake, no, you're not going anywhere by yourself. Ginny, go with Harry, won't you dear?" said Mrs. Weasley.

Ginny nodded, and they approached a goblin with the letter.

"Good morning, my name is Harry Potter."

Ginny rolled her eyes at this point - everyone knew Harry by sight, there was no need to introduce himself.

"...I received a letter yesterday regarding the transfer of assets from my parents and my godfather's accounts?" continued Harry.

"Yes, yes... Griphook!" The goblin that had served Harry the first time he had come appeared at their elbows.

"Come along now, get in the cart." As soon as Harry, Ginny, and the goblin stepped in, the cart started moving.

"Now, since your current vault wasn't big enough to store all of the money Lily and James Potter had left you, not to mention Sirius Black's, we have moved your account to a presidential-level, high-security vault."

Harry knew what a high-security vault was like, only by descriptions on books. Never did he expect to see 15 trained dragons standing at guard, and double that amount of goblins standing to intercept them.

"State your full names, and stand on this block," said a goblin holding a clipboard.

"Harry James Potter." Harry walked up to the block.

"Virginia Annabel Weasley." Ginny stood up next to him.

The block glowed white for a second, and then turned dim again.

"Security measures, you'll understand," muttered the goblin, and let them through. "Your vault number is 17, Mr. Potter, you may access the contents now."

The goblin opened the door, and led them down a massive hall, and started fiddling with security charms on one of the massive steel doors. When he finally gotten the door open, he motioned for Harry and Ginny to enter the room and take what they needed.

Harry gasped. It was no room... it was his vault! Mountains of gold coins were in front of him, hills of silver, and a heap of bronze.

Ginny went weak at the knees, "But there's got to be... Sweet Merlin... Harry..."

"Two million, five thousand, two hundred, and twenty one galleons, fourteen sickles, and two knuts," said the goblin calmly, in a bored voice.

Harry and Ginny were wordless, until a rude "Well?" from the goblin made Harry move forward. He scooped massive handfuls of coins into his moneybag, which he had enlarged, and he reached for Ginny's practically empty purse, and filled it to the rim with Galleons.

Ginny objected, but Harry insisted on it. "You think I'll be able to use up all of this? I'll be lucky if I even live long enough to use up the coins I have here in my pouch... with Voldemort and all, I'll probably be dead before the end of this year..."

A loud slap echoed through the vault.

"GINNY! What was that for?" exclaimed a very indignant Harry.

"Don't ever say anything like that again, Harry, or you'll regret it. You'll live and grow up happily, you'll get married to a wonderful girl, live your life, have children, watch them live their lives, and even watch their children... You're seventeen Harry, you've still got your life ahead of you. If I hear you make one more comment about you DYING soon, I'll... Don't you realize that I... people love you? Don't you realize how you hurt me by talking like that? I didn't love you because you were the Boy-who-Lived, Harry. I don't care about your destiny - I care about Harry. Just Harry!" Ginny stopped, tears in her eyes.

She looked like she was ready to collapse and cry.

Harry grabbed her into a hug before she could move and whispered, "I'm sorry Ginny, I've just been a bit negative about it all, you know, with the prophecy and all..."

Harry realized how ridiculous he must've looked, hugging a crying Ginny in a room full of money, with twenty goblins staring at him bug-eyed.

Harry also realized, quite uncomfortably, that he was hugging his best friend who was dating Colin Creevey, who Harry somewhat respected now that he had gotten some character, and he wasn't just hero-worshipping him... Ginny was a taken girl, and more importantly, she was his best friend.

But she worried about him; she even told him that she loved him.

As a friend of course, he told himself. Memories unbidden told him that although she was dating Colin, she liked him the most - she DID have that four year crush... but the question was, did he still have a chance with her?

Did he even want a chance with her?

No, he told himself.

But you're not hugging her like a friend, are you, said a nasty little voice in Harry's head.

He held Ginny in his arms, as she cried choked sobs on his shoulder.

You missed your chance, you did. She's obviously over you now; she's been dating for the past two years. What she would say to you if she knew how you thought about her... You're enjoying yourself even when she's crying on you... how horrible of you... Harry banished the voice from his head.

No, he told himself, Ginny Weasley was just a friend now; their concern for each other was nothing but friendship. He held her - as a friend, just a friend...

"Tell you what, Gin, you keep the Galleons in your purse, help me carry some more up for your family, and I'll never say anything like that again," said Harry, looking down into her eyes and giving her his most winning smile.

Ginny whispered, "Harry, that's blackmail! I thought you were a true Gryffindor!"

But she smiled and did as Harry asked. Harry felt a weight drop on his stomach as she slid out of his arms.

Harry absently thought about how warm she was, and how she seemed to fit perfectly in his arms.

After filling pouches with gold coins, they left the vault.

Harry nodded to the goblin, and watched as they went through a complex process of locking the vault.

When they had finished, they went back up on the cart.

Harry stole another glance at Ginny.

Harry and Ginny had met Ron, Hermione, and Mrs. Weasley in Flourish and Blotts where they got their schoolbooks for the year, Hermione picking up ten extra tomes for 'light' reading. Harry would never know, despite being friends with Hermione for about six years, how she enjoyed books so much.

Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny went into Ollivander's wand shop to buy spare wands, as Mrs. Weasley went to the apothecary for potions ingredients.

Harry had hoped never to come to this shop again, as Mr. Ollivander had spooked him out before his first year. However, it was widely known that Ollivander's had the best wands in the world for sale, so in they went, and unsurprisingly, Mr. Ollivander had not changed one bit.

"Aaaah... Mr. Potter, I was not aware that you'd be coming. Holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches... very powerful wand indeed... surely you haven't lost it?" he muttered.

"Hello, Mr. Ollivander, we all need spare wand for our year at Hogwarts. Could we try some please?" said Harry.

"Yes, yes... of course... now let me get your measurements..."

Mr. Ollivander went to work, and an hour later, the four teenagers went out with new wands. Ron's was a short 7 ½ inch wand, made of oak, and unicorn hair, supposedly good for charms. Ginny's was a 9-inch willow wand with phoenix feather, and Hermione's wand was a 10-inch long maple wand with unicorn hair. However, Harry was a tricky customer. It took Mr. Ollivander 45 minutes to find the right wand for Harry. It ended up being a 12-inch long mahogany wand, with a phoenix feather - similar to his first wand. Harry paid for the wands, and exited the shop, where they bumped into Luna Lovegood, wandering around, seemingly without a care in the world.

"Oh hello guys, lovely day isn't it? Ron you have a cockroach on your robes..." said Luna.

Harry was used to this kind of greeting by now, and ignored it. After 15 minutes of meaningless chitchat, they said their goodbyes to Luna and went to meet Mrs. Weasley.

At their final stop, Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, Ginny had surprised Mrs. Weasley, Ron, and Hermione by pulling out gold coins from her purse and treating them to their robes. Ginny winked to Harry. Ron nearly fainted when he saw how much money was in Ginny's purse.

Ron and Mrs. Weasley were still trying to squeeze information out of Ginny on how she had managed to get the money when they left the shop and headed to Florean Fortescue's for ice cream. She just informed them of a particularly nice friend who had recently hit the jackpot, with an innocent smile. Mrs. Weasley exploded. "VIRGINIA WEASLEY, TELL ME WHO GAVE THOSE GALLEONS TO YOU, AND WHAT FOR!"

Harry saw the game was up, and drew Mrs. Weasley and Ginny away. "Mrs. Weasley, I'm afraid its my fault that Ginny has received those Galleons, you see, we made a deal down in Gringotts, she would have to help me spend some money, the money that my parents and Sirius left me are way too much for me to spend by myself."

Harry rummaged through his bag, and pulled out a pouch that was filled with Galleons, and handed it to Mrs. Weasley.

"For all the delicious food, and for being the best family I could ever hope for," said Harry with a grin.

Mrs. Weasley, like Ginny declined at first, yet Mrs. Weasley, like Ginny, was persuaded, after Harry put on his finest responsible adult voice, and his obligations to friends and family as he put it, now that he was no longer a child.

"Come on Mrs. Weasley, it would make me feel so much better if you took it..." said Harry, flashing Mrs. Weasley a winning smile.

Mrs. Weasley accepted the money at last with a smile and a hug, but when she took the pouch from Harry, she immediately dropped it.

'Sweet Merlin! Harry what did you put in that bag, why is it so heavy?" exclaimed a shocked Mrs. Weasley.

Harry did nothing but smile, as he opened the bag for Mrs. Weasley. It was magically enlarged on the inside, and it was as big as the Weasley family vault - but filled with gold galleons, unlike the practically empty Weasley vault.

"You did accept it, Mrs. Weasley, I expect you to keep true to your word," Harry said, and walked off holding hands with Ginny to Florean Fortescue's, where Ron and Hermione were already eating sundaes.

Mrs. Weasley could be heard muttering something about hanging around Fred and George too much, and developing ways to trick the older generation, yet she did so with a smile on her face.

***

Ron and Harry were just having a game of chess when the fire in the living room went green, and Dumbledore's face appeared. Harry shook his head, he still wasn't used to people's heads popping into fires.

"Harry."

"Hello, Professor."

"I suppose you're wondering why I made you Head Boy?"

"That amongst many things, Professor."

"Well, I have 15 minutes to spare, let's see how many of your questions I can answer. Firstly, regarding the business with Head Boy. It is as the letter says, we need someone to give a good image off, who better than the Boy-who-Lived? Also, this is more important Harry. I have reason to believe that Draco Malfoy has been initiated as a Death Eater over the holiday. I will need you and Hermione to poke around a bit, to try and find out anything you can. I know you two are the best for the job. Your appointment as Head Boy is also due to the fact that you and Hermione will be required to act alongside the teachers, should a life-threatening situation occur at Hogwarts, as we are currently undermanned. The final reason is about the prophecy - you will need some private time during this year, I can feel it, whether to prepare, or just lounge about, that I do not know. The Head Boy and Head Girl dorms should provide you with the privacy you need. I daresay Miss Granger won't bother you if you don't want her to. You are the most capable person for the job Harry, but if you think it is too much responsibility, feel free to reject the position."

Dumbledore had hit a soft spot without knowing so. Harry stuck to his responsibility, no matter what it cost him.

"No problem sir. I'm honored you chose me for the position. But sir, what about the Order of the Phoenix? What will be my duties there? Am I to come to battles, and answer summons?"

"You needn't worry about that unless the situation gets really out of hand, for now, just another powerful wizard on our side at Hogwarts is good enough. Well Harry, I daresay you will have your hands full this year, being Quidditch captain, Head Boy, and a member of the Order. Right Harry, would you mind asking permission from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and the Grangers for Ron, Hermione, and possibly Ginny to join the Order? I assure you, none of you will be put into any danger - it is just for security at Hogwarts. Now, what were your other questions?"

"It's regarding my parents, and Sirius, professor. What did they do when they were alive? How did they get so much money?"

"Your father and Sirius worked as Aurors for the ministry, and your mother worked to design new spells in the ministry also. Her invention of the mass disarming charm earned most of the money that you see in your vault... Plus the Potter and Black families were amongst the richest of wizards recently... I'm sorry Harry, I'm afraid my time is up. Please give my regards to Molly and Arthur."

With a pop, Dumbledore's face disappeared. Harry headed back to Ron.

"All you need now is a really good girlfriend Harry, and you've reached my lifetime goal," said Ron, who was obviously trying not to be jealous.

Harry sighed, he was used to Ron doing this by now. "Ron, Dumbledore just asked me to ask your parents whether or not you could join the Order. They're quite shorthanded nowadays... I'll ask Hermione's parents too, they want all three of you. Oh yeah and Ron, you're co-captain for Quidditch, and you're a prefect. You've got just as much as I do, plus a lot more. You've got wonderful parents, wonderful brothers, and you have Ginny as your sister, I'm not sure if anyone could ask for a better sister than her. You've got me and Hermione as your friends, and in case you haven't noticed, you have more girls pining after you than I do - after all, anyone that wants to be with me is either brave, delusional, or has a death wish..."

Ron smiled, pointing at the chessboard. "I'm only joking, Harry, but you forgot something. I'm a hundred times better at chess than you are."

Harry raised an eyebrow as he sat down next to the chessboard, "Is that a challenge, Weasley?"

"You bet, Potter. Get ready to lose."

Harry and Ron played until deep into the night, when Ron finally checkmated Harry with the help of two pawns and a bishop. Yawning, they went to bed.

***

"No way. Forget about it Ronald, Virginia, you two will NOT be joining the Order until you are grown up and graduated. It's too dangerous," said Arthur and Molly Weasley simultaneously.

"But Harry..." said Ron and Ginny.

"Harry is exceptional, plus Dumbledore will be keeping an eye out for him," The Weasley parents said, as if it settled the matter.

"Hermione dear, we trust the Weasleys' judgment, you will not be joining either - if Arthur and Molly say its too dangerous, it is," said Mr. Granger.

"Dad, I'm sorry if this annoys you, but I'm an adult now, I make my own decisions. I am joining with Harry, whether you like it or not is not my problem," Hermione said calmly.

Surprisingly, Mr. Granger did not erupt or even look angry. "Hermione, we want what is best for you, but if you really want to do this, you are correct - it is a noble thing to do, and you are an adult now. My little princess is all grown up..."

He sniffed, and hugged Hermione.

"Dad...!" said Hermione, blushing red.

"Yes, yes, you're right... I'll go tell your mother."

With that, an emotional Mr. Granger left the breakfast table.

Ron was amazed. "Well if Hermione AND Harry are joining, I'm not going to be left behind, not if my life depended on it. Mum, I'm an adult now too, and I control my own fate."

With that, Ron walked off, leaving Molly Weasley furious.

"My own children are rebelling against me..." sniffed Mrs. Weasley "They're growing up so fast. You won't do that to your old mum will you, Ginny?"

Ginny looked uncomfortable, probably considering if she should take advantage of the situation and just declare that she was joining the Order, or should she ask permission.

Harry had no doubt that Ginny had no intentions of being left behind. Weasley blood, Harry thought to himself.

"Mum... please may I join? I'm just a few months younger than Ron, Harry and Hermione, I don't want to be left behind," Ginny said quietly, afraid to provoke her mother into tears.

"Ginny, you are not of age yet, you might be hurt, you might be..."

"Mrs. Weasley, if you trust me enough, I swear to you that I will not let Ginny come to any harm. I can imagine how much Ginny dreads being left behind, please consider letting her join. I assure you as long as I am alive, no harm will befall Ginny," Harry said.

That was a brilliant move by Harry, as his words always melted Molly Weasley's heart.

After a few minutes of sniffing, she agreed.

Harry gave Ginny a small nod, and went to find Ron and Hermione, leaving mother and daughter to have a talk.

As Harry walked to the living room to find Ron and Hermione, a wizard rolled out of the fireplace. Remus Lupin, with blood splattered over the front of his robes. An arrow protruded from his chest.

"Harry... tell Dumbledore... Diagon Alley... under siege..." Remus fainted.