99 Meeting

Arth and Harry spent the rest of the summer break in Diagon Alley, where Arth would help Harry finish the rest of his homework.

Arth's entire family were living in the Leaky Cauldron due to some reasons given by his parents when he told them that Harry had ran away from his home.

During the daylight hours, Arth, Harry, and Scarlet would go out together exploring the shops and eating under the brightly colored umbrellas outside cafes,

They would occasionally sit in the bright sunshine outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, waiting to Harry to finish his witch burning essays with occasional help from Florean Fortescue himself, who, apart from knowing a great deal about medieval witch burnings, gave them free sundaes every half an hour.

Harry had found a new crush while walking around Diagon Alley. It was the brand new Firebolt, the latest and fastest broom available for purchase.

Arthur would have to pull Harry off the window every time they walked past Quality Quidditch Supplies.

They had other things to do and Arth didn't think that wasting money on a broom was a efficient way to use money.

They went to the Apothecary to replenish potions ingredients and they visited Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions and bought new robes. Harry and Arthur were getting too tall and Scarlett needed a new pair for herself.

Most important of all, Arth had to buy his new schoolbooks, which would include those for his new subjects, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, Arithmancy, Study of Ancient Runes.

Arth got a surprise as he looked in at the bookshop window. Instead of the usual display of gold embossed spellbooks the size of paving slabs, there was a large iron cage behind the glass that held about a hundred copies of The Monster Book of Monsters. Torn pages were flying everywhere as the books grappled with each other, locked together in furious wrestling matches and snapping aggressively.

As they entered Flourish and Blotts, the manager came hurrying toward them.

"Hogwarts?" he said abruptly. "Come to get your new books?"

"Yes," said Arth, "I need two Monster Book of Monsters-"

"Get out of the way," said the manager impatiently, brushing them aside. He drew on a pair of very thick gloves, picked up a large, knobbly walking stick, and proceeded toward the door of the Monster Books' cage.

With great effort, the manager managed to get two books free from the cluster of snaps and flying pages.

"I'm never stocking them again, never! It's been bedlam! I thought we'd seen the worst when we bought two hundred copies of the Invisible Book of Invisibility — cost a fortune, and we never found them. . . . Well . . . is there anything else I can help you with?"

Arth handed his, Harry's and Scarlett's list over to the manager.

Harry saw a book about death omens and started to act unusually.

"Oh, I wouldn't read that if I were you," said the manager lightly, looking to see what Harry was staring at. "You'll start seeing death omens everywhere. It's enough to frighten anyone to death."

Harry leaned over to Arth and whispered in a small voice.

"I... I think I saw the dog on the front cover of the book the day we met on the Knight Bus."

Arth shrugged.

"Must have been a stray."

Arth woke on the last day of the holidays feeling excited. He got up, dressed and exited the leaky cauldron with Harry and was just wondering where they would have lunch, when someone yelled his name and he turned.

"Harry! HARRY!"

Sitting outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor was Ron looking incredibly freckly And Hermione with her signature brown hair, both waving frantically at them.

"Finally!" said Ron, grinning at Harry as he sat down. "We went to the Leaky Cauldron, but they said you'd left, and we went to Flourish and Blotts, and Madam Malkin's, and —"

"I got all my school stuff last week," Harry explained. "And how come you knew I'm staying at the Leaky Cauldron?"

"Dad," said Ron simply.

Mr. Weasley, who worked at the Ministry of Magic, would of course have heard the whole story of what had happened to Aunt Marge.

"Did you really blow up your aunt, Harry?" said Hermione in a very serious voice.

"I didn't mean to," said Harry while Ron roared with laughter. "I just — lost control."

"It's not funny, Ron," said Hermione sharply. "Honestly, I'm amazed Harry wasn't expelled."

"So am I," admitted Harry. "Forget expelled, I thought I was going to be arrested." He looked at Ron. "Your dad doesn't know why Fudge let me off, does he?"

"Probably 'cause it's you, isn't it?" shrugged Ron, still chuckling. "Famous Harry Potter and all that. I'd hate to see what the Ministry would do to me if I blew up an aunt. Mind you, they'd have to dig me up first, because Mum would've killed me. Anyway, you can ask Dad yourself this evening. We're staying at the Leaky Cauldron tonight too! So you can come to King's Cross with us tomorrow! Hermione's there as well!"

Hermione nodded, beaming. "Mum and Dad dropped me off this morning with all my Hogwarts things."

"Excellent!" said Harry happily. "So, have you got all your new books and stuff?"

"We've got all our books —" He pointed at a large bag under his chair. "What about those Monster Books, eh? The assistant nearly cried when we said we wanted two."

"Do I even exist to you guys?"

"Arth!"

Hermione let out a shriek of delight and gave Arth a bear hug.

"Ah, So I do exist."

"Arth! Why are you here?"

"Dunno, just staying around with Harry and Scarlett."

"Scarlett?"

Right on time, Scarlett speared from the corner and walked over to Arth. While yawning, Scarlett grabbed Arth's hand and rubbed her eyes.

"Is it lunch already? What are we having for lunch?"

Hermione blankly stared at Scarlett with a confused look.

At that moment, Arth realized that Hermione never saw or heard about Scarlett as she was petrified for most of the year and Scarlett had curled up around his arm for the rest.

"Ah, that's right. You never met her. Hermione, this is Scarlett. Scarlett, Hermione."

Scarlett and Hermione stared at each other with blank stares. Scarlett narrowed her eyes before lending a hand towards Hermione.

"...nice to meet you."

Hermione glanced at the hand before grabbing Scarlett's hand fiercely.

"...nice to meet you too."

Arth had an involuntary shudder.