The Worst Summer

CHAPTER 4: HARRY and CHO TAKE on

DIAGON ALLEY

Harry was woken up the next morning by a sharp nip on his finger. Hedwig was standing on his chest and she had Sirius' reply.

Harry stroked Hedwig's chest and removed Sirius' letter. She flew off to her cage. Behind Hedwig laid a small gray owl. Harry recognized this owl as the Weasleys' owl, Errol. Harry removed the Weasleys' letter and carried Errol to Hedwig's cage. Errol gave Harry a feeble hoot of thanks.

Harry read the Weasleys' reply first. It was short and worded something like this:

"Harry,

We feel really badly for you. We knew the Muggles you lived with treated you very badly. This, however, is an all time low, even for them.

Harry, we wish we could have you over to spend the rest of the summer, but we won't be home for about three weeks. Could you look after Errol for us? We'll be gone by the time you receive this letter.

Ron is staying with a friend and the rest of us are going to visit Bill.

We're sorry we can't help you out more.

Your friends,

Arthur, Molly,

Percy, Fred, George,

Ron & Ginny Weasley."

Harry then read Sirius' reply:

"Harry,

Remember this. You are never alone -- never. As long as you know that there are people who care for you, you will never be alone.

As for the Muggles, I don't know what to say. They were really STUPID to abandon you. Especially with Lord Voldemort's coming back to power. That would have been the perfect time for him to attack you and no one would be any wiser.

I'm glad you remembered about the Knight Bus and got somewhere relatively safe. Wise decision Harry.

Girl Problems!? You sure are growing up aren't you Harry?

Hermione. She's a nice girl. She's always there when you need her. You can count on her for an encouraging word or a sunny smile. She's been there for you since your first year. She's also very pretty.

Cho. Athletic and beautiful. She's still upset about Cederic. You'll have to be careful not to come on too strong. She might think you're taking advantage of her. You know, stepping in and taking advantage of her misery.

Harry, you have to let them know how you feel. You just have to tell them that you like them.

Go with your heart Harry. Choose the one that you know you like, the one that you feel you want to spend the rest of your life with.

I hope this helps you Harry. It's the best advice that I can give you.

Your loving Godfather

Sirius Black."

"Good advice Sirius," thought Harry sarcastically. Harry got dressed. He grabbed his wand and walked out of the back of the Leaky Cauldron.

He tapped the secret brick and, for what seemed like the millionth time, the archway to Diagon Alley sprang open.

He couldn't wait to get the reply from Cho. The freedom to come and go from Diagon Alley as he pleased had become boring. He wanted to get to Hogwarts for a change of scenery. Mostly, he wanted to try out his Thunder Rod 3000.

Harry didn't know where to go or what he wanted to do. He just wandered up and down the street. After about the fifth trip, he saw a girl walk out of Flourish and Blotts. It took a few seconds, but Harry realized that the girl was Cho. "Hey Cho," Harry called.

Cho turned. She flashed Harry a killer smile and started to walk towards Harry. this was the last thing he expected. What was he going to do?

Before Harry could even think, Cho was standing beside him. "Hi Harry," she said.

"Hi Cho," Harry replied, "Getting your school stuff?" "Boy that's lame," Harry thought to himself, "Of course she is."

"Yes I am," Cho replied not breaking her smile.

"Say something," Harry prompted himself. "Do you want an ice cream?" he asked, "My treat."

"I'd love one. Thanks Harry." They walked towards Florean Fortescue's.

"I hope Dean's not there," Harry muttered to himself.

"What was that?" asked Cho.

"Oh, one of my classmates works there. I hope he's not there."

"Why is that?"

"He saw me there with Hermione yesterday," Harry thought to himself. "He's just a big gossip. I don't want him spreading rumors about us."

"How sweet," thought Cho. "It's great to know that you care about our reputations," she told Harry. Harry smiled. It felt great to be walking and talking with Cho. "Thanks for your letter Harry."

"What?"

"The letter. You wrote me and told me you were sorry about Cederic.

Harry, had Cederic not asked me out to the Yule Ball first, I would have gone with you."

"So you do like me?"

"I've liked you since that first Quidditch match we played in my fourth, your third, year."

"That's when I first realized that I liked you."

"Harry, I'm sorry for what your aunt and uncle did to you. I mean, you went through a lot already last year, then them abandoning you. You must have felt hurt and betrayed."

Before Harry could do anything, Cho hugged him. "What was that for?" asked Harry.

"So you know that you'll never be alone. Even in times when you're in deep despair, Harry, you'll never be alone. You're never alone if you keep the people who mean the most to you in your heart.

I'll always know that Cederic is with me if I keep the good times we shared together in my heart.

But Harry, it does no good to dwell on dreams and forget to live."

Harry sniggered.

"What's so funny?"

"Are you sure you're not related Dumbledore, or to Sirius Black?"

"What?"

"In my first year, I stumbled upon the Mirror of Erisid. It showed me surrounded by my family. Dumbledore discovered this and told me that it did no good to dwell on dreams and forget to live.

Sirius Black, my Godfather, he told me that as long as I knew there were people who cared about me, I would never be alone.

"They both are right Harry. If I were you, I'd heed their advice."

"I intend to."

They reached Florean Fortescue's. Dean Thomas was nowhere to be seen. Instead, Mr. Fortescue himself took their orders. Harry had a peanut butter, chocolate ripple ice cream and Cho ordered a strawberry chocolate ice cream.

They ate slowly and really, Harry enjoyed having someone. to spend the time with. "Compliment her," Harry thought to himself. "You're very pretty," he said to Cho.

"Thanks," Cho replied, "You're nice looking, too. I mean, you're not exactly handsome or anything. You do look good, even though your hair is a mess." Harry didn't know what to say, though he took Cho's remark as a compliment.

They finished eating their ice creams. "What's your favorite subject, Harry?"

"I like Defense Against the Dark Arts, you" Harry replied.

"Same. Professor Lupin was the greatest Defense teacher, don't you think?"

"No kidding. If it weren't for him I'd never have made it past the Dementors."

"Urgh. Those things gave me the creeps, the way they seem to freeze your insides."

"I actually passed out whenever I saw one." "Just great," Harry scolded himself, "Now she's really going to think you're a wimp."

"I guess they just affect different people in different ways," Cho said in a soothing (not as Harry expected, mocking) voice. Harry didn't know why he did it. He reached out and took Cho's hand. "Harry, I don't have to be home for a while, but I've got all my stuff for next year.

You said you were staying in the Leaky Cauldron. Can I stash my stuff in your room? Then you and I can, you know, hang out for a while."

"I'd like that Cho," Harry replied. They carried Cho's stuff back up to the Leaky Cauldron. They then went back down to Diagon Alley. "So what do you want to do?" Harry asked.

"I don't know. You?"

"Well, I haven't really been in the joke shop. I want to see what they have."

"Boys," Cho harumphed playfully, "You and your jokes." Harry looked downcast. "Harry, can't you tell I'm teasing. I like to play jokes too. Come on let's go."

They ran to the joke shop. Harry bought a bunch of Filibuster wet start, no heat fireworks and a couple packages of dung bombs. He also bought a couple decks of Exploding Snap cards. He even saw some of Fred and George's fake wands. "They're putting the money I gave them to good use."

"What?"

"See those 'wands' over there? Fred and George Weasley invented them. I gave them the money I won in the Triwizard Tournament. I didn't want or need it.

They want to open their own joke shop. I told them to take the money and to get inventing joke ideas. Soon we'll be needing all the jokes we can muster.

I can feel a long hard battle coming up with Vold. Sorry, You - Know - Who."

"Dumbledore's right. Why should you be afraid of a name? Fear of a name increases fear of the person themself. I'm not afraid to say the name Voldemort."

Everybody in the store winced and stared at them. Harry was shocked. The only people besides himself who said the name were Dumbledore Professor Lupin and Hermione.

Harry then saw some bottles of ink that became invisible after you wrote something with it. He bought four bottles, one for Ron, Hermione, Cho, and himself. He also bought a Revealer for each of them. "So we can write secret messages to each other," he told Cho as he handed her the ink and a Revealer.

They spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around Diagon Alley. Later in the evening they ate at a small Wizard Cafe close to Gringotts. After eating, they returned to the Leaky Cauldron. Cho walked with Harry up to his room so she could get her stuff. Harry then helped her carry it down to the bar. Tom lit a fire in the fireplace.

Before leaving, Cho gave Harry a small kiss. She then took her stuff from Harry. She pulled a pinch of Floo Powder from her pocket and tossed it into the fire. The flames turned green and burned higher. "Home," called Cho. She stepped into the fire and was gone.

"Harry's Journal June 28

Dear Journal,

I received responses from the last three letters I sent today. Sirius and the Weasleys sent me letters, and I ran into Cho down in Diagon Alley.

Journal, I think there's a chance for Cho and I. I had fun talking with her this afternoon. Guess what Journal! Cho also kissed me today. I don't know if she meant to or not.

Sirius was right. All I have to do about my 'Girl Problems' is tell them how I feel. It's not that hard, really.

I'm still in a bind. I know I like Cho, but I also like Hermione. I hate this. I wish I could choose -- one or the other -- instead of mixed feelings. Oh well. Maybe Dumbledore can help me sort out my feelings when I use the Portkey to get to Hogwarts tomorrow.

It will be good to get away from here. I mean I am just so bored. There's only just so much a person can do if you stay in one place for too long. I'll even be able to try out my Thunder Rod 3000, finally.

Who knows, maybe I'll even study for my O.W.L.s or take some courses for extra credit. I'll just have to see what happens when I get there.

Your friend,

H. J. Potter. (Harry James)"

Harry and Cho Take on Diagon Alley