The Worst Summer

CHAPTER 2: DIAGON ALLEY

"Thanks Stan. Sorry for snapping at you like that." Stan and Ernie, the driver, helped Harry carry his belongings into the pub. Harry walked up to the bar. "Hey Tom, do you have a room I can stay in for a while?"

"Room twelve is free. Why aren't you with those Muggles you live with?"

"My aunt and uncle abandoned me. I caught the Knight Bus and got them to bring me here."

"I see. I'll go open your room and light a fire for you. You can just wait here."

Harry opened up his trunk. He pulled out a piece of parchment, his eagle-feather quill and a bottle of ink. He sat at a table and began to write his letter to Hermione. He wrote:

"Dear Hermione,

I really need your advice. I am staying at the Leaky Cauldron for a while.

Here's what happened. My aunt and uncle abandoned me on the side of the road when we were on our way back to their place.

As soon as we got into the car, my aunt started putting me down, calling me a freak and everything. My uncle said that the only reason he kept allowing me to be sent back to Privet Drive is so that they could keep trying to squash the magic out of me.

Eventually I completely lost my temper. I told them I was better than they were. I screamed at them that magic was a part of me and that I was a Wizard and could squash them like insects. I was yelling at that point.

Uncle Vernon stopped the car. He pulled my trunk out of the vehicle and threw it to the ground. He then set Hedwig down on the ground very roughly. After that, he yelled at me to get out of the car and of course, I did.

He then, before driving off told me to use my magic to get me out of the trouble I was in. Of course, I knew that if I did magic, I would be expelled from Hogwarts.

I was also thinking that they might come back a few minutes later. They never did.

It was about two hours later when I remembered about the Knight Bus. I used it to get here.

On the way here, I remembered all of the bad stuff that happened to me over the past year.

Hermione, please reply as soon as you get this letter. I need to hear from you as soon as possible.

Needfully yours,

Harry."

Harry hastily re-read the letter and added a post script:

"P.S.

Hermione, don't tell me to write Dumbledore. I already plan on writing him, the Weasleys and, of course, Sirius."

A couple of tear drops landed on the letter. The ink smeared, but the letter was still legible.

Harry thought about re-writing the letter, but after re-reading it, he thought that the tear stains served the purpose of showing how upset he truly was and how much he needed to hear from her.

Tom came back down. "Harry, your room is ready," he said. Tom helped Harry carry his trunk and Hedwig up to Harry's room. "Harry, is there anything I can get for you?" asked Tom before leaving.

"Maybe some tea and some porridge. I haven't had anything but the hot chocolate on the Knight Bus since I got off the Hogwarts Express."

"I'll come back with your porridge and your tea, Harry," Tom said as he left the room. Harry wrote his letter to Dumbledore and the Weasleys. It stated much the same thing as his letter to Hermione except there weren't any teardrop on these letters.

He then wrote the letter to Sirius. The letter was worded thusly:

"Sirius,

I am not well. I am healthy and safe, but I am sad and lonely. I am staying at the Leaky Cauldron.

My aunt and uncle, the stupid Muggles, they abandoned me in the middle of nowhere. Voldemort could easily have attacked and killed me.

With all that has happened to me over the last year, and now with them abandoning me, I feel so hurt, like there's no one who cares about me.

Deep down I know that there are people who care for me; you, the Weasleys, Hermione, Dumbledore, Hagrid, probably many more too. Sirius, I can't help but feel the deep despair and loneliness that I do. Besides that I am fine.

I also need help in other ways -- girl problems. There are two girls whom I really like. First there is Hermione. She has always been there for me. I can always count on her for an encouraging word or smile that make my blues disappear.

She and I have been friends ever since Ron and I saved her from the troll in our first year. Lately, though, I've had deeper feelings for her, more than just the feelings of friends.

Then there's Cho. She is a rival Seeker for the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. She's extremely pretty. I've had a crush on her since I first played against her team in my third year at Hogwarts.

How do I go about expressing my feelings towards them?

I really want to know how to express my feelings for Cho. I mean she and Cederic were getting pretty close before -- well -- before Wormtail used the Avada Kedavara curse and killed Cederic.

I know that Cho is still grieving over his loss. It only happened at most, a month ago. I really like her and would really like to get to know her better.

That's about all I had on my mind.

Bye for now,

Harry."

Harry walked over to Hedwig's cage. He opened the door and pulled Hedwig out. He tied the note for Sirius to Hedwigs's leg. "Hedwig, take this letter to Sirius. I think he is staying at Remus Lupin's. Please Hurry Hedwig," said Harry as he opened the window. Hedwig nipped Harry's finger affectionately and flew off.

Harry then wrote his letter to Cho. He told her how sorry he was about Cedric's untimely loss of life.

He then told her what the Muggles did to him and told her how he was feeling, not his liking her, just the sadness and loneliness he was feeling.

Tom came back in with Harry's porridge and tea. Harry ate ravenously. He left the empty teapot and bowl on the desk.

Harry grabbed the letters and then pulled his wand from his trunk. He went downstairs and out the back door. He tapped the secret brick with his wand and stepped back as the doorway sprang open. Harry entered Diagon Alley.

The first place Harry went was Gringotts, the Wizard's Bank. As always, Harry enjoyed the trolley ride down to his vault. He piled some money into a sack and then left the vault. Before long, he was standing in bright sunshine.

Even though he had just got new robes the summer before last, they were already short on him again. He went to Madame Malkins and was fitted for new robes.

After leaving the robe shop, Harry went and got the Standard Book of Spells: Grade 5. He also saw a couple of books titled Advanced Transfiguration and Animagi: From Wizard to Animal and Back Again. He purchased them both. He didn't know why he got advanced transfiguration but he figured it might come in handy seeing as he had O.W.L.s coming up this year.

He then went and bought himself some more quills, parchment and ink. After that, he bought himself an ice cream from Florean Fortescues Ice Cream Parlor. After finishing his ice cream, Harry found a post office and sent the other letters to Dumbledore, the Weasleys, Hermione and Cho. It didn't nearly cost him as much as he thought even though he sent them Express Owl.

Harry then checked out his favorite shop Quality Quidditch Supplies. He noticed that there was a new broomstick on the market. The card read:

"THUNDER ROD 3000

The fastest, most agile broom available for sale. The Thunder Rod 3000 outstrips the Firebolt series immeasurably. This broom can reach speeds of nearly 250 m.p.h. in about three seconds of continued acceleration.

The Thunder Rod 3000 features a streamlined Oak handle with an aerodynamically advanced mixture of Ash and Birch twigs. It also responds to the mere thought of the rider, not by touch. The result is faster maneuverability, easier turning, earlier braking. The Thunder Rod 3000 is also equipped with a shield spell to protect the rider from the wind whipping past him or her.

The cost of a Thunder Rod 3000 is 2000 Galleons, but with a trade-in on a Firebolt, the cost is reduced by half."

Harry loved his Firebolt. Of course, who wouldn't. He had won the Quidditch house cup with it in his third year and gotten past the Hungarian Horntail in the first event of the Triwizard Tournament last year with it. Of course, he also wanted a superior broom. He also knew that no one else at Hogwarts would have a Thunder Rod 3000.

That made up his mind. Harry ran back to the end of Diagon Alley. He Touched the brick and once again the archway opened up. Harry ran up to his room and grabbed his Firebolt. He then returned to Quality Quidditch Supplies.

He walked up to the clerk. "I would like a Thunder Rod 3000," said Harry, "I have my Firebolt and would like to exchange it. You can take the remaining gold from vault six hundred and twelve."

"As you wish, Harry Potter." Harry knew that everybody in the Wizarding world knew his name. The clerk spoke again, "I heard how well you play Quidditch and of how well you fly. I have the feeling that you will make an excellent Quidditch player. I will give you an extra special deal.

I will remove another 30% off the price for your trade in, especially since you've taken extra good care of this Firebolt. You can also think of it as an investment in your future as a Quidditch star."

The clerk took Harry's Firebolt and handed him the Thunder Rod 3000. "Wait until Ron sees this," Harry thought, "no, not just Ron but the school. I can't wait to try it out."

"Have fun with your new broom Harry. See you later," said the clerk as Harry walked out the door.

"Bye," Harry replied. Harry carried his Thunder Rod 3000 back to the leaky Cauldron. A small smile crossed his face as he thought about what Malfoy would say when he saw Harry's Thunder Rod.

* * *

Within the first few days, Harry had finished all of his summer homework.

By the following Friday, Harry had received only one reply. It was from Dumbledore. Dumbledore had included a very special Portkey. It was a quill. In the letter Dumbledore said that the quill would take him anywhere at any time. All Harry would have to do was think of a place and then touch the quill. It would take him there. He could even think of a person and the quill would take him to wherever that person was.

Also included was a list of supplies that Harry would need for the upcoming school year.

Harry decided to stay at the leaky Cauldron until he had received replies from everyone else he had sent letters to, then he would take the Portkey home to Hogwarts.

After safely stowing the Portkey Quill in his trunk Harry took another trip (his fifteenth since he'd been at the Leaky Cauldron) down to Diagon Alley. He bought his remaining books and supplies and refills for his Potions ingredients.

By that evening Harry was really feeling sad. Sure, he was enjoying his freedom, but he missed not having someone to talk to or hang around with.