The Man of the Moment

Chapter Five: Didn't We Have A Lovely Time, the Day We Went To...

"But Mum, can't we Apparate..."

"You most certainly cannot, Ronald Weasley!" Mrs. Weasley interrupted, crossly. "You are not leaving your sister alone for one minute! Especially with things as they are now- you will all go via Floo powder to Diagon Alley, and you will all go together!"

They were all standing in the living room of 12 Grimmauld Place, where Arthur had managed to link the fireplace to the Floo network, for Order work. Well, that was what he had told the other members of the Ministry. Truth was, he had done it primarily so that it would be easier for Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny to get to Diagon Alley and purchase their school things.

Mrs. Weasley lowered her voice, presumably so that only Ron could hear, although Harry was close enough to hear her words.

"Think of Hermione, Ron. I don't think it would be a good idea to leave her wandering alone in Diagon Alley, especially after... you know, the Daily Prophet."

Ron looked confused.

"I don't understand," he said, dully. Mrs. Weasley sighed.

"The front page has... Hello, Hermione, dear!" she suddenly announced, too loudly and too cheerfully, as Hermione entered the room.

"Hello, Mrs. Weasley," she replied, tiredly.

"Hermione, you don't happen to have received your copy of the Daily Prophet yet, have you?" Mrs. Weasley asked, nervously. Hermione shook her head.

"No, not at the moment. The owl hasn't brought my copy yet. Why?" she asked. Mrs. Weasley, smiled, and put an arm around her shoulders.

"No reason- the... the owls must be a little late, that's it... Now, you four just enjoy yourselves at Diagon Alley, and don't leave Tonks' side without permission, do you hear me?"

"Yes, Mrs. Weasley," they chanted, as though she were their teacher. She smiled, and pressed something into Ron's hand.

"Now, you buy yourself something nice while you're out there, dear," she said, and Ron looked gobsmacked at the weight of the small moneybag he had just been given.

"Come on, guys, let's get going," Tonks said, ushering them into order as Mrs. Weasley held out a pot of Floo powder for them.

"Here," Tonks nudged Harry. "Are you meeting Percy today?"

Harry nodded.

"Yeah- it was her birthday the other week, and I still haven't given her my present yet. We're going to meet at the Leaky Cauldron. Oh, you're all invited," he replied. Tonks grinned.

"Nice- I haven't seen old Percy for a while. Well, you know, not without Lupin tutting disapprovingly," she said.

"Why is Lupin tutting disapprovingly?" Hermione asked. Tonks tried to suppress a grin.

"I think he feels she's a bad influence on me," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "I mean, it was nothing really- we just went for a few drinks..."

"Which cumulated in you both wandering along the High Street singing 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot' at the tops of your voices, at three o'clock in the morning. Alexandra was furious! You know how lucky you were she didn't go to Shacklebolt about you?" Mrs. Weasley said. Tonks looked bashful.

"Yeah, well, Ridley did give us both a proper rollocking- and we've learned our lesson!" she explained. Mrs. Weasley contented herself with frowning at Tonks in a disapproving manner.

"What have you got Persephone?" Hermione asked, in an obvious attempt at changing the subject. Harry grimaced.

"Yeah, well- that's why I wanted to go to Diagon Alley so early," he replied. Hermione swatted him on the arm.

"Honestly, Harry- that's so disorganised!" she chided.

"I know, I know... I was thinking of getting her a chess set, you know, so she can indulge her lust for violence without actually getting herself or anyone else hurt," he explained. Tonks laughed heartily.

"You talk about her as though she's just a warrior!" she teased. Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at each other.

"Well, she kind of is," Harry replied, before taking a pinch of Floo powder, stepping into the fireplace and announcing, "Diagon Alley!"

The party of five stepped through the archway behind the Leaky Cauldron, and were faced with a comfortingly familiar cobbled street, with a myriad of shops adorning either side.

"Right, what do you all need, then?" Tonks asked, surveying the area.

"Well, I have all the books I need, although I would like to look in Flourish and Blotts for a copy of 'The Beginner's Guide to Universal Translation'."

Ron looked askance at her.

"Why do you want yet more books- haven't our N.E.W.T.s provided you with more than enough?" he asked. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I finished reading them last year- I'm flabbergasted that we haven't received a new reading list for this year," she explained. Tonks giggled.

"Erm, Hermione- the books for the N.E.W.T. course cover both years of it," she replied. Hermione looked indignant.

"Well... Don't look at me like that, Ron- I just like to read!" she retorted, having glared at Ron, who was trying not to laugh.

"I need to get Persephone something... and to get some new school robes- the ones I've got at the moment are getting too short in the leg," Harry announced, hoping to defuse the potential argument between Ron and Hermione.

"I need to get some more stuff from Fred and George's shop," Ginny said. "Oh, and my N.E.W.T. books, I suppose," she added, almost as an afterthought, before grinning. "Wow- did you hear that? I just said I ought to buy my books for this year. Not 'I ought to borrow Ron's books for this year', but I can have my own, actual copies!"

Harry smiled. He understood how much Mr. Weasley's job had changed things for the better, but he hadn't really considered the financial benefits to the rest of the Weasleys until Ginny had spoken up about it. Ron looked a little embarrassed.

"Yeah... I want to go to Quality Quidditch Supplies! I hear they're demonstrating their new broom, the Lytenbolt," he said, changing the subject. "Course," he joked, "not that it'll be that new to me, having seen Harry's birthday present."

"Oh, yes, I'd really like to go there, too!" Hermione exclaimed, suddenly. Ron stared at her suspiciously, and he wasn't the only one who gave her that look.

"You? Since when have you been even remotely interested in Quidditch gear?" he asked. Hermione blushed a deep shade of red, and put her hand to her mouth.

"I was just... curious," she murmured into the sleeve of her robes. Ginny started to laugh, then calmed herself when Ron glared at her.

"Why do I feel like you two are in cahoots against me?" he asked, wearily. Hermione and Ginny exchanged glances.

"Relax, Ron. There's absolutely no cahooting going on, I promise!" Ginny replied, patting her brother on the back in a manner that served only to increase Ron's look of suspicion.

"Maybe you should try that little shop next to the menagerie? It sells loads of trinkets and the like- perfect for Birthday presents for your new big sister," Tonks suggested. Harry nodded.

"Okay- can we go there?" he asked.

"Sure," Ron replied, "but let's go to Quality Quidditch Supplies first- it's nearer, and..." He trailed off, and Harry saw why, as he noticed the huge crowd gathered around said shop.

"Wow- this new model is really getting people excited!" Ron enthused, pushing through the crowds to get a better look. Harry followed, but he noticed Hermione and Ginny sidle off to the left. He didn't get long to wonder why, as Ron stopped dead in his tracks.

Viktor Krum was there, holding the Lytenbolt, a surly look on his face that brightened only briefly. A photographer for the Daily Prophet took this opportunity to take a photograph, and a plume of purple smoke obscured the masses for a moment. Harry was surprised- he hadn't presumed Viktor to be the publicity-loving type, until he saw where Viktor had been looking, and how Hermione had beamed and waved back at him.

"So, that's why he was in the country," Ron said, though Harry could hear that his words were edged with fury.

"Yeah, I guess so," Harry replied, neutrally. Ron snorted.

"To think, all this time he was claiming he'd come to see Hermione, when he was here on business," he continued.

"Actually, I'm sure he said he was in the country, and thought he'd visit Hermione..." Harry trailed off. It had suddenly dawned on him that it didn't matter one jot whether Viktor had visited Hermione on purpose or by accident- it was the fact that he had visited at all. If Harry hadn't known Ron for so long, he would have suspected that perhaps he...

"C'mon, let's go and look for Persephone's present," Ron grumbled, pushing past Harry and the remaining crowds. Harry looked around, and spotted Ginny standing next to Hermione and Viktor, who appeared to be holding hands.

"We're going to grab my N.E.W.T. books- we'll meet you in that shop. Good luck!" Ginny shouted to Harry, before the three of them went off in the direction of Flourish and Blotts.

Tonks gestured towards the shop.

"Shall we?" she suggested. Harry nodded, and she followed him into the little magical shop. The sign above its door read 'Curios and Curioser', and the bell above the door pealed into a rousing chorus of the hymn 'Jerusalem' when Harry pushed the door open.

Inside, the shop was cramped and musty smelling, and its shelves were packed with all manner of obscure, entertaining items. Harry found himself staring at such things as jewellery boxes with model ballet dancers that pirouetted of their own accord across the lid, and horrible collector's plates like those Umbridge decorated her office with when she was at Hogwarts- except that these featured small babies asleep in their cribs, or little girls wandering around clutching teddy bears in their hands. He noticed a glass display case with a variety of jewellery arranged in it, but none of it really grabbed him. Persephone didn't seem much of a jewellery person to him.

That was roughly the moment when it hit him that he didn't really know anything about Persephone. What do you buy for someone you don't really know much about?

"You could get her a hip-flask," Tonks mused, as she opened the pewter lid of one such item. It was encased in black leather with ornate silver stitching, and Tonks recoiled from the smell as she sniffed the neck of the flask.

"Or perhaps not," she added, placing the object back on the shelf.

Then, amongst a collection of model replica 1950's broomsticks and a set of Eighteenth Century sacrificial knives (complete with charmed transparent display case and certificate of authenticity), Harry spotted a chess set. It didn't stand out amazingly as a thing of beauty, nor did it boast any extraordinary features, it was merely a standard wizarding chess set, made in the early 1900's (according to the sale notice) with 'hand-crafted ebony and ivory figures made with painstaking attention to detail' and 'a charming three dimensional board- fashionable at the time, and perfect for those who like to be challenged and 'think outside the box', as it were, when it comes to board-games...' Somehow, it screamed Persephone.

"Cool, check out those knives," Ron exclaimed, awestruck, as he lifted the display case up and looked underneath it to get a full view of the knife set. "You should get Persephone this!"

"Hmm... I'm drawn to the chess set," Harry replied. Ron surveyed it critically.

"Well, the three dimensional ones are pretty tough- I beat Bill at a game when we went to visit him in Egypt. He taught me how to play," he replied.

"Oh, I hope you're not planning on buying those knives for Persephone," a familiar voice piped up from behind Harry. He turned around, and saw Hermione standing by his shoulder, eyeing the glass case.

"Why not?" Harry asked.

"It's from an Italian tribe, and I think they and the Snapes were involved in some kind of blood feud centuries ago," she replied, knowledgably. "I know that Persephone and her family settled a few generations ago, but they do keep up a few traditions in keeping with their ancestors- it's possible that this might be one of them."

Harry nodded.

"I was more interested in the chess set, to be honest," he replied. Hermione blushed a little, and then turned her attention to the boxed chessboard.

"Oh, this is nice... ooh, it's three dimensional! Wow, that must be difficult.... Yes, I think that would be a good choice, Harry," she replied.

Ron rolled his eyes.

"Back then, I see- find your book?" he asked, in somewhat contemptuous tones. Hermione seemed confused by his reaction.

"Yes, I did," she replied, slowly. Ron merely made a small coughing noise and replied, "That's nice."

Harry noticed Ginny stood to the side of Hermione, giggling quietly into her sleeve, and avoiding eye contact with Ron. She did, however, look up at Harry and grin knowingly, which confused him. He looked away, suddenly feeling uncomfortable, and saw Viktor Krum had hung back from the group, and was examining the glass display case that Harry had looked at briefly, before dismissing the jewellery inside as inappropriate gift material. He also noticed Ron glaring at Viktor in a manner that was strongly reminiscent of Snape when he was in one of his foulest moods with Harry.

"Erm, I'm just going to pay for this," Harry mumbled, before practically running to the pay desk at which a small, dark-haired witch sat at. She gift-wrapped the chess set for him, all the while explaining what a wonderful present it would make, and how he had such good taste. Harry merely smiled and, purchase in hand, left the shop, at which Ron, Ginny, Tonks and Hermione followed.

"Right, didn't you lot say you needed to replace your potions ingredients?" Tonks asked, wearily. Harry presumed she had noticed the somewhat tense atmosphere that had occurred in the curios shop.

"Oh, Viktor hasn't come out yet- we should wait for him," Hermione interjected. Ron snorted.

"Course, wouldn't want to leave a twenty year old international Quidditch star alone in a shop- who knows what harm could befall him," he grumbled under his breath. Unfortunately, Hermione heard him, and turned around to glare at him with equal venom.

At that point, Viktor came out of the curios shop, holding his left hand behind his back. Ron stopped glaring at Hermione, and instead glared at an oblivious Viktor.

"Yeah, I need some ingredients- let's go," Harry hastily said, in an attempt to ease the friction. Instead it just caused Ron to turn his glare from Viktor onto Harry. Tonks rolled her eyes.

"Great, come on, guys," she announced, and Harry quickly fell into step with her, along with Ginny. Shortly after, they noticed that neither Ron, Hermione nor Viktor had followed their example. Harry looked across at Ginny, who sighed heavily, and walked towards the three, who were stood in an awkward triangle, not quite facing each other.

"Come on, Ron- I need you to help me with my ingredients list," Ginny demanded, pulling on Ron's arm. Ron tried to shake from her grip.

"Wouldn't Hermione be a better choice, seeing as she's top of our N.E.W.T. Potions class?" he suggested. Ginny shook her head emphatically.

"No," she replied, dragging her brother away from Viktor and Hermione, the former of which was palpably relieved. Harry watched as he pulled his left hand from behind his back and gave Hermione a prettily wrapped up box.

"Viktor, what's this for?" Hermione asked. Viktor shrugged, and gave her a small smile.

"You," he replied. Hermione giggled.

"I can see that," she replied, "but why?"

Viktor shrugged again.

"Because I happen to like you. A lot," he replied, sincerely. Hermione blushed a deep scarlet colour, and carefully unwrapped the present. From the look on her face, she was clearly pleased with the gift.

"Oh, thank you, Viktor! It's beautiful!" she exclaimed. Viktor flushed a little.

"I am glad that you like it; here, I shall help you with the clasp," he said, taking the item out of its box- at which point Harry could see it was an ornate silver necklace adorned with some blue gemstones. Hermione lifted her hair away from her neck, and tilted her head a little away from Viktor, allowing him to place the necklace around her neck and to fasten it at the nape. He gently draped the fastened necklace around her collarbone with his fingers.

"There, it looks as pretty as you do," he said, quietly.

Hermione smiled, and turned to face him. She looked down at the necklace on her person, then looked up at him, and flashed another smile that Harry felt certain she had never directed at either him or Ron.

"It's really lovely," she whispered, stretching up on her tiptoes and planting a small kiss smack on Viktor's lips.

"Right, potion ingredients," Ron suddenly announced, in an odd sounding voice, as he strode past Harry and into the Apothecary. Tonks and Harry exchanged glances, before practically running to catch up with him.

By the time Harry found Ron in the Apothecary, he was busy angrily fiddling with the clasps of his Potions case. He was about to drop the entire case, before Harry took it from him and calmly opened the case up.

"What's up, Ron? You've been acting oddly ever since..." Harry trailed off, as he suddenly realised that of all the things he could have begun to suggest, a correlation with Ron's mood and the arrival of Viktor was not the best. Ron turned an angry shade of red.

"Nothing," he replied, gruffly, not looking Harry in the eye. After a few moments of silence, Ron eventually broke.

"Krum! He just turns up, sniffing around Hermione, and he's going to be off again in a few days- back to Bulgaria," he fumed.

"I think Hermione's well aware of that..." Harry began, but was cut off by Ron.

"It's disgraceful behaviour- I certainly wouldn't... wouldn't put up with it, if I were her. What does she see in him?" he asked, although Harry couldn't recall a single occasion outside of number four Privet Drive where he had been asked a question so aggressively.

"Let's just go and get our replacement ingredients," Harry suggested, and Ron nodded in agreement.

"I need some nettles, and I think... yep, I need some more Porcupine quills- you know, I swear Fred and George have been pilfering my supplies for some of their prototypes!" Ron complained, as they walked towards the counter.

"Hey, what's up?" Ginny asked, as she walked up to them.

"Just Potions shopping," Harry replied. Ginny idly picked up what looked like an animal appendage and examined it.

"Hermione and Viktor were just behind me, you know, in case you think we ought to warn Ron," she said, putting the appendage back into its display jar. Harry shrugged.

"I think he'll be fine," he replied, as he meandered over to the shop counter.

Suddenly, Ron grabbed Harry's shoulder, and he stopped walking.

"Maybe we ought to wait a few minutes?" Ron suggested, jerking his head towards the counter. Harry looked in the general direction Ron was intimating, and felt his face contort into a frown. Snape was standing at the counter, talking to the apothecary. Or, to be more accurate, the apothecary was talking to him.

"...Well, that lot should keep the little darlings amused for the next school year," the apothecary chimed, "but I must ask- yeast, ethanol, hemlock? I have yet to see any potions requiring those sorts of ingredients on the curriculum..."

"Times change," Snape replied, curtly, before grabbing the large, wooden box the apothecary had filled with replenished vials and flasks. He signed a piece of parchment, which Harry assumed to be a tab of some sort, and walked off. Sadly, just when Harry thought they had avoided each other, he backed into a shelf, and Snape walked straight into him.

"It might be prudent to watch where you're going, Potter," he said, contemptuously, straightening his robes as he did so. Harry decided it would be unwise to rile his Potions professor before term had even started, so he replied, "Sorry, sir," as politely as he could muster. Snape merely raised an eyebrow at him in a manner that suggested he was severely unimpressed, before turning on his heel and walking towards the exit, at which point Hermione and Viktor rushed in. Harry watched as the two carefully disentangled their hands and backed up in order to allow Snape to pass.

"Good afternoon, sir," Hermione said, cautiously. Snape's default expression of contempt swiftly changed to one of suspicion.

"Miss Granger," he said, before making his way out of the door.

Except that to Harry's astonishment, Hermione stepped forward to stop him. Snape looked irritated.

"What is it?" he snapped. Hermione wrung her hands together a little and didn't quite meet his glare.

"I just wanted to say thank you, for last month. If you and Alex hadn't been there..." she trailed off, and stared hard at her shoelaces. Snape looked dumbstruck for a moment, but he quickly recovered.

"Alexandra and I had a job to do, and I hardly think Professor Dumbledore would have liked to come up with a replacement Head Girl, now, if you'll excuse me."

He walked out without so much as a backwards glance. Viktor stared at the empty doorway that Snape had just briskly walked though.

"I think that meant 'you're velcome'," he said, to nobody in particular.

"That git," Ron thundered. Harry could tell he was about to go into a long and vitriolic rant about Snape, perhaps even one that inadvertently projected onto Viktor, but instead they all found themselves distracted by a series of odd snorting sounds. Harry looked across in the general direction of the noise, and saw a quivering Ginny, her face hidden in her hands, though what was visible was a bright pink hue.

"Ginny, what's the matter?" Harry asked, tentatively. Ginny slowly moved her hands away from her face, and he could see her eyes were streaming, and judging from the broad grin on her face, she had been laughing to the point of being in pain. She exchanged a wary glance with Hermione.

"Nothing, I'm just feeling silly. Sorry," she replied. Harry shrugged.

"No problem," he replied.

Hermione gestured towards the apothecary counter.

"Perhaps we should get our replacement ingredients," she suggested. Ron nodded.

"I think you're right- he's been staring at us as though we're a bunch of shoplifters," he complained, as he offered the apothecary what looked to Harry like a fake smile.

They left, ingredients replaced, to find a seething Tonks waiting outside for them.

"What's up, Tonks?" Ron asked, "did you bump into Snape as well?"

"Ron!" Hermione scolded, slapping his arm. Tonks nodded, and thrust her hands into her pockets.

"He always calls me Nymphadora- it does my head in!" she fumed.

"Oh," Hermione mumbled, before becoming oddly quiet. She glanced at her watch and looked surprised.

"Harry, aren't you supposed to be meeting Persephone in a few minutes?"

Harry glanced at his watch and saw that Hermione was correct.

"Yeah, the Leaky Cauldron, she said- shall we go now?" he asked. Hermione nodded, and linked digits with Viktor once more.

"It vill be good to see her in better circumstances than the last time ve met," Viktor pointed out, which stunned Harry for a moment, until he remembered Viktor had been good friends with Persephone for the past ten years or so.

They walked along the alley towards the Leaky Cauldron. Ron walked defiantly alongside Harry and Tonks, whilst Ginny trailed behind all of them, her tinkling laughter invading Harry's ears with every step. Why was she finding practically everything amusing?

"Hold on," Hermione suddenly announced, "I need to go to the bank and get a bit more money out."

"I vill go with you," Viktor replied, quickly.

"Yeah- we can meet you in there," Hermione continued. Harry looked surreptitiously at Ron.

"No problem, we can all go, can't we, Harry?" Ron said, pointedly. Harry began to reply that it would be easier to meet them in the Leaky Cauldron, seeing as it was, literally, right in front of them, and that Gringotts was halfway down the street, but was stopped by the subtle application of Ron's heel against his shin.

"Erm, okay, we'll come with you," Harry finished, somewhat lamely.

Ginny grumbled about having to walk all that way for no apparent reason, but Ron, at least, was happier for the detour. Harry was certain Tonks was trying not to laugh, though she said nothing to confirm his suspicions.

Suddenly, Harry saw a tall, thin flash of black and red walk quickly past him. He quickly recognised it as being Persephone. He was about to catch up with her, when he noticed she had taken a sharp left just past Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour, and disappeared down Knockturn Alley. He nudged Ron and pointed this out.

"What would she be doing down there? Knockturn Alley's well dodgy," Ron commented. Harry glanced at him.

"Fancy finding out?" he whispered back. Ron looked stunned.

"Harry! We can't go wandering around in Knockturn Alley- Tonks would kill us, if the clientele didn't get there first!" he hissed.

"Are you channelling Hermione or something? I just want to see what she's up to- maybe Mudungus convinced her to buy that Hemlock liquor, and she's trying to get rid of it," Harry suggested. Ron snorted.

"Oh yeah, can you really imagine anybody persuading Persephone to do something she didn't want to do?"

"No," Harry admitted, "it's just... well, I don't really know much about her. I guess I'm just curious."

"You could just ask her, you know- much more efficient, with the bonus of honesty," Ron retorted, but Harry had already started walking towards Knockturn Alley, having quickly told Tonks he wanted to stop at the Magical Menagerie to see if they had a spare perch for Hedwig's cage.

He soon heard Ron's footsteps behind him, though, and within about two minutes, they were both standing in Knockturn Alley, trying to avoid the denizens- the ones Harry remembered Hagrid describing as "Unsavoury folk," or words to that effect. Ron glared at him.

"I hope you know what you're doing," he said, and Harry thought he detected a hint of nervousness in his voice.

At that moment, Harry spotted Persephone hold the door of a shop open for a smaller, dark-skinned woman, whom he soon recognised as Alex Ridley. She followed her inside, and the door rattled shut. Harry looked up at the sign, which read 'Borgin and Burkes'.

"I've been there before," Harry whispered, "when I first Flooed from your house in the second year."

Ron gulped.

"Yeah, nice looking place- if you've still got all your fingers, you're not a regular customer!" he exclaimed, albeit quietly. Harry walked towards the shop.

"Come on, Ron- let's go inside," he suggested. Ron looked askance at him.

"Are you mad?" he shrilled, hoarsely. Harry nodded.

"Worse case scenario, we say we got lost," he retorted. "Why are you so nervous, anyway? You've faced off with a perceived serial killer and a bunch of Death Eaters before now- but you're bothered about a dusty shop?"

Ron pointed at the shop window, and Harry saw an array of live tarantulas crawling about in a cage.

"Oh. I see," Harry replied, quietly, as he opened the door to the shop.

There appeared to be nobody about, which struck Harry as odd, considering he had just seen Persephone and Alex enter the establishment. He tiptoed across the dusty floorboards, and checked to see if Ron was following his example. He was.

"Cor, there's some well dodgy stuff in here," he exclaimed, in a tone of interest, as he stared at what looked like a stuffed hedgehog on a spike, with a lit candle sticking out of its mouth.

Suddenly, Harry was able to hear voices. Two of which he instantly recognised; Persephone's region-less accent, and Alex's strong West Yorkshire inflections. The third was male, oily and oddly familiar to Harry. He leant more closely to an open doorway from where the direction of the voices heralded from, and was able to make out the figures of Alex, Persephone and Mr. Borgin in the back storeroom.

"Look, I'll need a few more days to look at it properly... it's a very unusual book..."

"I'm not a patient woman, Mr. Borgin. Personally, I think leaving it with you for any length of time would be too long," Persephone retorted, staring down Mr. Borgin, who was doing his best to maintain a façade of sycophancy.

"Of course, Professor, but you see, this is the first copy of this book I've ever known to exist, much less hold in my hands," he replied.

Alex, who was currently looking around at a nearby shelf that Harry couldn't see clearly, suddenly turned around and grabbed Mr. Borgin by the collar.

"Course, and I'm the Queen of bloody Sheba," she hissed, pulling him down to reach her height. Persephone looked at her.

"He's on the level, Alex- I took it into the bloke that runs Flourish and Blotts- he was at a loss as to what it was," Persephone reasoned, and Alex let go of Mr. Borgin's shirt. He brushed himself down.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Borgin," Alex explained, aggressively, "but I haven't had a fag in one hundred and two hours and I'm feeling rather tetchy."

"A fag?" Mr. Borgin asked, clearly confused. Alex just rolled her eyes in contempt. Mr. Borgin started disparagingly at her.

"Oh, I see, you're a Muggle-born. Of course, I should have guessed..." He trailed off as he saw Alex draw a hefty looking sword from a scabbard tucked beneath her robes. She held it in her hand as though inspecting the blade.

"You got a problem with that?" she goaded. Mr. Borgin went a strange shade of white.

"No... No, not at all," he stammered, and Alex placed her sword back in its scabbard with a smile.

Persephone pulled a chair across and placed it in front of the man, gesturing for him to sit.

"I don't suppose now we can persuade you to tell us what you know about this book?" she asked.

"I told you- I've never seen a copy of it before..."

"But you know what it is, or what it might be," she countered, staring hard at him. He shifted uncomfortably under her gaze.

"Alright, alright! Bloomin' Legilmens- you do know how rude that is, don't you?"

"Oddly enough, I don't care a great deal," she retorted, coolly. Mr. Borgin sighed, and handed Persephone the book.

"Well, I'll tell you this much," he said, conspiratorially, "you've currently got in your hands something very rare, very valuable, and very illegal."

"Go on," Persephone encouraged.

"I think it might date back to the Seventh Century- if you look at the cover, it's been hand-painted, and all the pages are hand-written in what appears to be lampblack and glue- one of the very first inks to ever be used. It looks like it's written in Latin, but no form that I can understand. Some of the chapter titles- I can make those out. References to the true nature of sacrifice, the path of vengeance, the quest for immortality- all very dark magics... I would be willing to buy it off you for a very competitive price..."

"Forget it; it's not for sale," Persephone interjected. Mr. Borgin raised an eyebrow at her.

"Interested in these practices, then?" he asked.

"It has sentimental value," Persephone retorted.

"Oh," Mr. Borgin chuckled. "So, your name is Florence, then?"

Persephone looked at him with distaste.

"What are you on about?" she asked. Mr. Borgin tapped the cover of the book.

"The inscription on the front page- 'To Florence, I hope you are able to make good use of this- it's an excellent, if mightily difficult, read. I wouldn't recommend attempting any of the spells, save for the one on page ninety-seven, which no doubt will keep you warm on those cold, Slavic nights- Severus'. Sounds fascinating," he remarked.

"A friend bought it me from a second-hand bookshop in Muggle St. Petersburg," Persephone replied, swiftly. Mr. Borgin seemed to buy her story.

"Well, thank you for your time, Mr. Borgin," Persephone said, handing over a small wad of Galleons, which Mr. Borgin accepted graciously.

"Thank you for an interesting hour's reading," he replied, bowing to her.

Harry heard the three of them walk towards the door, and moved quickly over to Ron, who was now busy examining a set of talismans that, according to the sign above them, would ward off the Evil Eye of your enemies.

"Harry, Ron- what are you two doing here?" Persephone asked, as she emerged from the doorway.

"Erm, looking for you," Harry replied, tapping his watch. "We were supposed to meet in the Leaky Cauldron."

Persephone looked at her watch.

"Yeah, in four minutes time. The Leaky Cauldron is about three minutes away," she replied. Harry felt himself go a little red. Persephone smiled at him.

"You're skilled in many things, Harry. Sadly, lying isn't one of them," she teased.

"I'm sorry..."

"It's okay- I know what nosey beggars you three... where's Hermione?" she asked, suddenly.

"Waiting at the Leaky Cauldron. Her, Ginny, Viktor and Tonks went to get some money from Gringotts," Harry replied. Persephone put a firm hand on his and Ron's shoulders.

"Well, we oughtn't keep them waiting then," she said, leading them out of the shop, followed by a smirking Alex.

"You went where?" Tonks asked, incredulously, as she, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Viktor, Alex and Persephone sat at a table near the window of the Leaky Cauldron, nursing a variety of beverages.

"You do know that Knockturn Alley has a very bad reputation," Hermione scolded. "What were you two thinking?"

"I don't think they really were," Persephone joked. "Still, be of good cheer, Hermione, because I'm getting closer to finding out about that book of yours. Old Borgin gave me a few leads I'll chase up for you."

"Why can't I just have it now?" Hermione asked, slightly petulantly.

"Because, I want to make sure it isn't dangerous. Seeing as it's so highly illegal, I certainly won't allow you to take it to school," Persephone said, and Harry saw Hermione's shoulders visibly droop.

"But," she whispered conspiratorially to the bushy haired girl, "if you happen to stumble across it in your room at Grimmauld Place, who's to know?" she asked, rhetorically, tapping the side of her nose with her finger as she did so. Hermione flashed a grateful smile at her in return.

"So, I see dodgy reputations are okay for books, but not streets. Hermione, you really do have a flexible rule system," Ron chided. Hermione flushed pink.

"Only when it comes to academia," she replied.

Harry lifted up his gift-wrapped present and placed in on the table.

"Happy birthday, Persephone- sorry it's been a little late," he said. Persephone grinned at him.

"Oh, thank you, Harry! That's so sweet- you know I was joking about you having to buy me..."

"Just shut up and open it, Perce," Alex interrupted, languidly. Persephone did as she was told, and gleefully unwrapped the decorative paper as though she was ten years old again. She thumped out a brief drum roll with her hands on the table, before giving Harry a 'thumbs up'.

"Wow, this is ace! Cheers, Harry- it'll definitely keep me occupied during the train journey. I reckon Severus' got to be a dab hand at this sort of game," she babbled, opening the box up and examining all the pieces with interest.

Harry's curiosity was fuelled by this remark.

"Train journey? Snape?" he asked, hoping the three words conveyed exactly what he was confused about. Persephone put the carved black queen down carefully next to the white King and looked across at him.

"Yeah, your train to Hogwarts, remember?"

"Yeah, but what are you doing on it?" he countered.

"Security," Persephone replied, simply. "Albus asked me to do it. I just have to sit in the teachers' carriage and sort out any trouble, if it occurs. He also suggested Severus came with me, though I'm not entirely sure that's for your protection."

Harry must have looked confused by this last statement, for Persephone sniggered.

"I'll tell you something about old Albus- he likes to meddle in other people's affairs- especially Severus', I suspect. The whole thing smacks of 'lets make the father and daughter spend some quality time together'. If, of course, you equate quality time to being on a train with a bunch of overly-excited kids with the risk of attack looming in the air," she added.

Harry nodded in understanding.

"So," Hermione asked, quietly, "are you going back to the Headquarters before heading off to King's Cross tomorrow?"

Persephone shook her head.

"Severus and I are staying here for the night. Tell you the truth, I don't think he's too thrilled with the prospect," she replied.

Alex rested her chin on her hand and grinned at Persephone.

"You've had quite a good haul this year, haven't you?" she commented. Persephone nodded enthusiastically.

"Yeah! Viktor here got me those brooms," she explained, winking at Viktor Krum, who rolled his eyes in mock derision. Persephone continued, "Augustine got me a new set of dress robes- said he was fed up with me wandering around the place like a 'pauper's scullery maid,' or something. Sam, bless him, decided it was about time I invested in a proper dental-care charm kit- reckons the sooner the better, seeing as Severus is only fifteen years older than me..." She trailed off suddenly.

"What's the matter?" Harry asked. Persephone sighed.

"Faith," she replied. "She still doesn't exactly relish the prospect of spending any time near me. I suppose it's understandable- I mean, she thinks Severus is the spawn of Satan, so that would make me Satan's Granddaughter, right?"

Harry couldn't help but feel sympathetic, for the look on Persephone's face was one of definite melancholy. It seems a real shame that a friendship that had survived Azkaban- indeed, resulted in Faith being rescued from Azkaban before she lost her soul, if not her mind- couldn't survive Persephone's fifty percent share in Snape's blood.

Alex patted her gently on the arm.

"Cheer up, Perce, she's getting better. I mean, for the past month she hasn't made one attempt on your life," she replied, by way of comfort. Persephone managed a weary smile.

"I suppose she no longer tries to pour cold porridge over my head to stop aliens from invading my mind, too... I really miss that, actually," she replied, sadly, taking a gulp from her tankard of scrumpy. Harry managed to feel both touched by Persephone's love for her friend, and confused as to why she could possibly miss having cold porridge poured over her head, but his musings were halted by Ron's sudden outburst.

"So," he asked, suddenly, "did old Snape get you anything?"

Alex and Persephone exchanged concerned glances.

"As a matter of fact, he did," Persephone replied, uncertainly.

"What was it?" he asked, after gulping down half of his tankard of Butterbeer. "From the looks on your faces, it was either a scary present, or a rubbish one," he added. Persephone flashed Ron a lop-sided smile, before reaching under her robes and placing a gleaming ornate silver sword on the table in front of them.

Harry gawped, then looked across at Ron, and saw he was wearing a similar facial expression. Tonks also looked impressed.

"Wow," she gasped, "that's a beast of a sword!"

"Yeah!" Harry had to agree. Hermione, however, was examining it carefully, although she had not picked the sword up from the table.

"It looks... clean, somehow," she said, dreamily. Persephone smiled grimly.

"It's as clean as you can get- it's blessed," she explained. Tonks raised an eyebrow.

"Aren't they about the rarest weapon ever?" she asked. Persephone nodded.

"And didn't you say in our Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson that you had gone to Sri Lanka in search for one?" Hermione piped up. Persephone did a double take.

"You've got a good memory, Hermione," she commented.

"He went to a lot of trouble for your birthday present, then?" Tonks half asked, half stated. Persephone nodded.

"I think it's his way of making up for missing the last eighteen," she replied, "not that I can really blame him- he did think I was dead."

"Well, that's nice!" Hermione exclaimed, though she looked slightly fearful. Then she looked up at Persephone's frowning face and added, "Isn't it?"

Persephone frowned again.

"I don't know how to take it really. It's nice and all, but I think it might be too much, too soon. Or too little, too late- I'm really not sure."

Harry reached over and gently patted Persephone's hand. She smiled at him, and gripped his hand in hers.

"Really, Harry, there's no need to worry. I'm fine, it's just... it's a period of adjustment, for both of us. And it's a bloody huge adjustment," she laughed. Viktor peered at her from beneath his bushy unibrow.

"It vill be fine- these things do take time, after all, and Professor Snape is not the easiest of people to talk vith, I haff found," he added. Harry was sure he heard Alex snort, but he decided not to draw attention to the fact.

It was around this point that Harry noticed Viktor put his arm lazily around Hermione, and that she did not complain. He also noticed Ron grip his tankard of Butterbeer so hard, that his knuckles began to turn white. Not knowing exactly where he should look, he glanced across at Ginny, who was quietly giggling into her Butterbeer. He swiftly moved his gaze towards Alex, who was drumming her fingers noisily on the table, and eyeing an old wizard sitting at the bar smoking a pipe enviously.

"Oh, for Christ's sake, Al, chew on a liquorice stick or something," Persephone chided, grabbing Alex's hands to stop her from drumming her fingers any longer. Alex exhaled deeply.

"I'm sorry, Perce, but it's just so difficult! Everything I look at makes me think about the nicotine that currently isn't in my bloodstream," she replied, anxiously. Persephone looked confused.

"How can looking at something remind you of a chemical?" she asked. Alex laughed harshly.

"I don't need an actual connection," she replied, "I've got it on the brain- it's mad!"

"I don't know- it's taken you long enough to give it a go. Six years, I've been on at you to give up- it's a wonder you've actually listened to me!" Persephone chided. Alex stated at her glass tumbler.

"Yeah," she replied, absently, though Harry thought she looked a little embarrassed.

"You need a distraction," Persephone pointed out. Tonks grinned.

"I don't know- you seemed pretty distracted when Percy was chatting about her old man," she replied, in a cheeky manner that Harry didn't understand. Alex glared at her disdainfully.

"Meaning?" she asked.

"Meaning nothing," Tonks replied, "except that you do have a bit of a history with Snape, the merciful Death Eater, am I right?"

Alex swirled her Firewhiskey glass in her hand, and the ice-cubes clinked together and sloshed against the amber liquid.

"Yeah, we have a history. You know the thing about history, Tonks?" she asked. Tonks shrugged her shoulders, waiting for a reply. Alex downed the contents of her glass in one and grimaced.

"It's in the past," she finished, and made clear the subject was not open for discussion.

"So," Persephone interjected, clapping her hands, "are you lot all looking forward to going back to school?"

Harry and Ron grimaced almost as sharply as Alex had on downing her Firewhiskey.

"Not bloody likely," Ron grumbled, "we've got our N.E.W.T.s this year!"

Tonks smiled, and leant back a little in her seat.

"Oh yes, I remember those- dark times, Ron, dark times," she replied, jokingly. Ron grimaced and stared at the table.

"That's not comforting, Tonks," he replied. Persephone laughed.

"They aren't that bad- if you were doing all right last year, then you should get through it fine. Providing, of course, that you keep your heads above water, work wise," she replied. Harry looked across at Alex, who noticed.

"Don't look at me, kiddo," she replied, "I took my N.E.W.T.s around fifteen years ago. Can hardly remember how I felt."

Hermione was stirring her drink with a cocktail stick adorned with a glacier cherry.

"Oh, I'm so nervous about this year! I mean, our N.E.W.T.s are so important- even more important than our O.W.L.s!" she babbled, nervously, until Viktor rested his hand on hers.

"Vith your brains, you vill have nothing to vorry about," he said, admiringly. Harry tried his best to ignore the surreptitious retching noises Ron was making across the table, and the way Hermione glared at Ron whilst he performed this activity. Viktor seemed pretty oblivious to his behaviour, or at least, was pretending to be.

"Oi, Harry," Persephone said, "fancy christening the new chess board?"

"Huh?" Harry replied, confused by her words. She grinned and rolled her eyes in mock vexation.

"Do you fancy a game?" she asked.

"Okay," he replied, and she set up the board ready.

Harry found her a challenging opponent, though not as challenging as Ron, but that might have been because Alex had taken an interest in their game, and kept whispering hints to him.

"Here, Harry- take a look at her Knight; look at what it's protecting..."

"Alex, I can do this myself," he replied, somewhat hotly. Alex wasn't fazed in the slightest.

"I'm sure you could," she replied, "but I need the distraction- let me help you out," she pleaded. Harry noticed the way she was chewing on the swizzle stick she had filched from Hermione's drink, and nodded his consent. Soon enough, Ginny was trying to help Persephone out.

"Well, you have an unfair advantage at the moment, Harry," she had said, by way of an explanation, and the game had swiftly turned into a doubles match, if such a thing was possible. Tonks, Ron, Hermione and Viktor were soon engrossed in the game, until they were interrupted by a looming figure, cloaked in black robes.

"Persephone, Alexandra, Nymphadora," Snape announced, sharply, and Harry noticed Tonks grit her teeth momentarily.

"Severus?" Alex returned the acknowledgement with a questioning tone of voice.

"We have business to attend to," he said, curtly, and gestured for them to follow him. Persephone nodded.

"Have you got our room key?" she asked. Snape pulled a large brass key attached to a length of string from his robes and dangled it between his thumb and forefinger.

"Right, let's go there, then- room eight has a fireplace, I believe," she said, quietly. Tonks nodded, and got out of her seat, followed by Persephone, then Alex, whom Snape made a conscious effort to let past. She accepted this gesture in an uncomfortable manner.

Persephone leant over the table to speak to Viktor.

"Keep an eye on them, will you, Viktor?" she asked, and he nodded.

"Of course I vill," he replied, in a gruff tone that Harry knew to be his neutral voice.

"Yeah, well you've had plenty of practice keeping your eyes on Hermione," Ron grumbled, under his breath. Persephone seemed not to notice this, and instead clapped Viktor on the shoulder.

"Good man," she replied, before the two members of the Order and the two members of the Brethren walked towards the staircase, where Harry could no longer see them.

"What was all that about?" Ron asked, surreptitiously.

"I think it's just a routine briefing," Ginny replied. Everyone turned to stare at her.

"What?" she retorted, defensively.

"How do you know?" Ron enquired. Ginny rolled her eyes.

"I just happen to pay attention to those code words that Mum thinks we know nothing about!" she replied.

Harry glanced at his watch, and felt his chest tighten. In less than twenty-four hours, they would all be on the Hogwarts Express on their way to their last ever school year- well, penultimate school year, in Ginny's case. He wondered what it would be like, now that things really had been set in motion- the attack on the Grangers had seen to that. He somehow doubted that there would be any term-time trips to Hogsmeade, though that was the least of his worries.

"As long as Dumbledore's around, I'm not worried." Hagrid's words flooded Harry's mind, and he felt himself relax a little. Things would be okay. He would get through his N.E.W.T.s, he wouldn't have to face Voldemort- for he never dared to attack the school during the last war, when Dumbledore was headmaster- and he even had family at Hogwarts too, in the shape of Persephone Beauchamp.

True, he'd still have to face Snape's Potions classes, but in the grand scheme of things, he reckoned he could cope.