Harry Potter and the Ancient Alliance

Chapter 5

The Wizard's Carnival of Wonders and Mysteries

Today was the day they had waited for. Today was the first of three fun filled days at the Wizard's Carnival. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were so excited they awoke before the crack of dawn to get ready. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were awake as well, they wanted to leave early to get ahead of the crowds.

After eating many bacon sandwiches, they put on their shoes and Mrs. Weasley took the flowerpot filled with Floo powder off the kitchen mantel. Harry became uneasy at the thought of using Floo powder again after his mishap at 12, but if he remembered to speak clearly this time around, everything should be fine. Mr. Weasley stepped into the fire place and went first, followed by Ron, then Hermione, next Ginny, then Harry, and finally Mrs. Weasley. This time Harry ended up in a place that looked very similar to a bus station without the buses. The room had about 30 different fireplaces all around it with benches arranged in rows in the center. Half of the fireplaces read "Departures" and the other half read "Arrivals." Harry, Hermione, and the Weasleys had come through a fireplace that said "Arrivals." By the time Mrs. Weasley had appeared, Mr. Weasley was over at a counter that read "Return Passes" in the far corner. He was speaking to a middle aged white haired wizard. Harry looked around. There were witches and wizards appearing and disappearing in a puff of green smoke. Finally, Mr. Weasley ushered everyone outside. Once outside, Harry looked up to read the sign above the door, "Diagon Alley Floo Network Station."

"Ron, what is this place?" Harry asked.

"It's this new place where witches and wizards enter and exit Diagon Alley using Floo Powder," Ron explained.

"It usually costs seven sickles per trip per person to have your fireplace connected to the station. If you make regular trips here, then they give you a discount monthly pass. Dad works for The Ministry, so to use the service from our fireplace is free," Ginny added.

"Oh," said Harry. "That's brilliant!"

"Here you go," said Mr. Weasley handing each of them tickets. "These will get you into the carnival. Don't lose them because they are good for the full three days. Most of the attractions are free, but of course, the souvenirs and specialty attractions are not. Do you all have money?"

The four friends nodded yes.

"Excellent, then we will meet you back here at 6 o'clock, alright? Now go and enjoy yourselves," Mr. Weasley instructed.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny strode off in the direction of the carnival's entrance. They rounded a corner and stopped. All of them were gawking at a grand site. There were tents galore and something that looked like an upward wheel with seats going around and around. Harry knew it was a Ferris Wheel because he remembered Dudley telling him about riding one when his Aunt and Uncle had taken him and his friend to a fair.

"Muggle invention?" Ron asked Hermione.

"Yes," said Hermione. " It's called a Ferris Wheel. Only, muggles use electricity to run theirs and it looks to me like that one is being run with magic."

"Well what are we waiting for?" asked Ginny. She grabbed a hold of Harry's shirt sleeve and led him through the gate.

They showed their tickets to a stern looking witch at the front entrance and she let them through. Once inside, the four of them began running around from place to place.

A fancy tent with the words "Miniature Beasts" had caught Harry and Ron's eyes. They entered to find tables and tables of miniature life-sized moving figurines of all kinds. Harry immediately thought of Hagrid, the Hogwarts care of magical creatures teacher who had a love for particularly dangerous beasts.

"Harry, look!" Ron exclaimed, pointing at a tiny moving model of what looked like Fluffy, Hagrid's three headed dog.

"Wow," said Harry as he attempted to touch the dog, but quickly moved his hand when it tried to bite him. "Hagrid would love this place."

On another table there sat a Basilisk, a Graphorn, a Knarl, a Manticore, and a Re'em.

Harry and Ron left the tent and went to find Hermione and Ginny. The two girls had found a hair weaving tent and were putting different color strings in their hair which, on hair contact, quickly braided itself into their strands.

"Well? How do we look?" asked Hermione laughing, as she stood in front of a nearby mirror, at the site of the string braiding her hair by itself.

"Kindda silly," said Ron.

"Oh, MEN!" said Hermione and Ginny in unison both giving Harry and Ron nasty looks.

The girls paid for the string and the four of them walked out into the carnival court yard.

Next, there was a tent featuring "Broomsticks Through the Ages" followed by "Best Games in History: Reenactments of the Quidditch World Cup." This tent had a bunch of miniature sized Quidditch fields on all of the tables. Each table featured one of the 14 professional Quidditch teams with various miniature field sets. Each featured a different Quidditch game with little miniature players flying around reliving the game. When the game ended, they started all over again.

"Oh, Wow!" said Ron, spotting a table entitled "Chudley Cannons," Ron's favorite Quidditch team.

Harry, Hermione, and Ginny left Ron standing at the table and walked out of the tent into the noon air.

"I'm getting hungry," said Ginny.

"Me too," said Harry.

They both looked at Hermione. "I'm too excited to eat, besides I want to go and look at the tent with all the old books and things," she said. "You two go eat and we'll meet back here in front of this Quidditch tent in an hour."

"Shouldn't someone go tell Ron what's happening?" asked Harry.

"I'll do that," said Hermione. "But, I guarantee you that in an hour he will still be standing in front of that table."

Harry, Hermione, and Ginny said their goodbyes and headed in their own directions.

"I have a confession to make, Harry," said Ginny once Hermione was out of ear shot.

"Yes," said Harry.

"I lied, I'm not hungry," she confessed.

"Oh?" said Harry raising his eyebrows.

"Yes," said Ginny blushing. "I just wanted to take time to talk about what happened yesterday."

Harry and Ginny found an empty bench in front of the "Fantastic Sea Creatures From Around the World" tent and sat down.

"Ginny, I'm sorry if I hurt you in any way yesterday," Harry began.

"You didn't. Although I am a bit confused as to what exactly did happened," she said.

"I know, I mean one minute I'm telling you I like you like a sister and then the next I'm kissing you like a boyfriend. It was a good kiss, don't get me wrong I'm not sorry it happened, it's just that I'm sorry I'm sending mixed messages. I'm just a bit un-centered right now with all that's happened and I..."

"Uh, Harry," Ginny interrupted him. "I wasn't talking about the kiss. I was talking about my vision."

Harry's face turned blood red. "Oh, ok, well yes that was confusing too."

"Like I was saying," Ginny continued. "It was like I had tapped into something huge, like a big soup bowl of events. Everything was happening at random and it was hard to make sense of it or control it. I saw Cedric die, then there was Dudley being awful to you when you where a child, I saw you talking to a snake in what looked like a zoo, then I saw some childhood stuff about Ron and Hermione. Also, I saw three people chanting something in a candle lit room with a weird symbol on their cloaks." Ginny went silent.

"Ginny, you said something yesterday to me right before you walked off. Do you remember?" Harry asked.

"Yes," said Ginny looking at her shoes now. "I know about the prophecy, Harry. I saw and heard the whole thing in my vision."

"I see," said Harry. "I was going to tell you, Ron, and Hermione, but it just never seemed like the right time."

"Hmm, you'd think that fighting death eaters together would be a good criteria to make someone trust his friends enough to be able to handle news like that," Ginny said annoyed.

"You--have--it--all--wrong," explained Harry. "I do trust you all. It's me. I mean...I'm the one who couldn't handle it. I didn't want to face that kind of truth, but I know that its time I do."

"I trust you will tell Ron and Hermione when you are ready. Until then, I will keep your secret," Ginny said.

"Thanks," Harry said. "But, you are right I should tell them."

"Let's go get something to eat before we meet back up with Hermione, I am a tiny bit hungry," Ginny confessed.

"Sounds like a plan," said Harry.

As he and Ginny got up to go to a nearby food booth, Harry grabbed Ginny's hand and pulled her back towards him.

"One last thing," Harry said. He raised Ginny's chin with his finger, moved his head closer to hers, and touched her colorful braid.

"I don't think you look silly," he whispered into her ear.

They both laughed and headed toward the food.

A while later they caught up to Ron and Hermione. They were both standing outside of the Quidditch tent looking like they had just gotten into another argument. As Harry and Ginny approached, Ron showed them he had bought a miniature Quiddich replay of the 1892 World Cup Game which was the last World Cup win for the Cannons.

"Go on tell them how much you spent," said Hermione rolling her eyes.

"3 Galleons, 2 Sickles, and 26 Knuts," Ron said.

"Oh, Ron!" Ginny squealed. "That's almost your whole savings."

"I know, but it's the Cannons," Ron insisted. "It is like I own a piece of history now or something."

Hermione opened her mouth to scold Ron some more, but Harry jumped in first.

"Look," said Harry in an attempt to change the subject. "There's a fortune teller, Madame Zurconi. Let's go check out a real professional."

Ron mouthed thank you as they walked into Madame Zurconi's tent.

"Come--in--come--in, let Madame Zurconi tell your fortunes," said Madame Zurconi. She was a middle aged, tall, thin woman who wore a white and gold silk dress and wrapped her hair with a matching silk scarf.

They all took a seat around a table with a crystal ball in the center. Ginny sat first, then Harry next to her, Ron next to Harry, and Hermione last next to Ron. Madame Zurconi took Harry's hand first.

"Hmm," she said. "You've had much loss and pain in your life, but happiness has prevailed as well. I see a great fight in your future, but..."

Madame Zurconi stopped.

"But what?" said Harry.

"Your future is unclear because it is intertwined with another's," she finished.

"We are not paying for this," said Ron. "Everyone knows that already. He is Harry Potter."

"Ronald, you are embarrassing yourself and us," scolded Hermione.

"Oh come on, Hermione! She saw the scar and figured she could make a quick Galleon," insisted Ron.

Madame Zurconi gave Ron a nasty stare and continued. Next, she grabbed Ginny's hand.

"Hmm," she said. "Let me see dear." Suddenly she looked up at Ginny horrified and let go of her hand. "You have Sorral Sight!"

"What?" said Ron. "That's rubbish. That's it she's a fraud and I'm getting out of here." Ron got up to leave, but Harry grabbed his arm.

"Sit down, mate," Harry said.

Ron looked at Ginny who nodded for him to take his seat. Ginny gently grabbed Harry's hand under the table for support.

Madame Zurconi finished." Don't be frightened, child. In time you will learn to embrace your gift and accomplish many great things."

Hermione looked very very concerned, but chose to bite her lip. Next was Ron's turn and Madame Zurconi told him he had a great amount of courage and loyalty, but an even greater need to prove himself and find his individuality. She told him if he didn't embrace and conquer his insecurities then they would keep him from his destiny. Ron of course rolled his eyes. For Hermione, it was usual stuff. She had a great mind and a big heart and was destined to do great things. She also told her to let love into her heart or she would never find her balance.

"Well, that was real informative," Ron said sarcastically. "How much do we owe you?"

"2 galleons each," Madame Zurconi said.

"It's my treat," said Harry handing the money to Madame Zurconi.

"Madame Zurconi, can I ask you a question?" Harry asked.

Madame Zurconi nodded.

"What exactly is Sorral Sight?" he asked.

Ron stood up to leave. At the same time, Harry and Hermione grabbed each of his arms for him to remain seated. Suddenly a flash of circular blue/green light emerged from the table causing all five of them to fly back and hit the floor hard. Harry got up and ran to help Madame Zurconi to her feet.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked.

She nodded a bit dazed.

"What--The--Bloody--Hell--Was--That!?" Ron screamed.

Madame Zurconi looked over and noticed her crystal ball was glowing bright blue with a grey smoke swirling around inside. She looked into it, gasped, and backed up a little.

"What's wrong? What did you see?" Harry asked.

Madame Zurconi looked at them all with great surprise in her eyes before she spoke. "There is more that binds you three than your friendship," she said looking at Harry, Hermione, and Ron "Your alliance is predestined."