Result's Day

Y/N snapped himself back from his musings, worrying over those specific details wouldn't benefit any of them now. They had to press on.

'I figured it may end up being something like that,' he said, as Hermione and Ron stared at Harry. 'Lucius seemed too keen on collecting it, and we spent an entire year defending it. Sturgis, Bode, the Snake and Rookwood all trying to get in. It had to be something major, but that...'

'Are you scared?' Hermione asked, looking towards Harry.

'Not as much as I was,' said Harry. 'When I first heard it, I was, but now, it seems as though I always knew I'd have to face him in the end.'

'When I heard Dumbledore was collecting you in person, I thought he might be telling you something or showing you something to do with the prophecy,' said Ron eagerly, 'and I was kind of right, wasn't I? He wouldn't be giving you lessons if he thought you were a goner, wouldn't waste his time, he must think you've got a chance!'

Y/N felt a small spark of hope at this as well. Maybe Dumbledore did think there was hope?

But then again, maybe he was just ensuring Harry survived long enough to do what needed to be done...

'That's true,' said Hermione. 'I wonder what he'll teach you, Harry? Really advanced defensive magic, probably, powerful counter-curses, anti-jinxes-'

Harry's brain was evidently trailing off, a smile lighting up his face at the pleasure of his friends siding with him. And it was all Y/N could do to mirror him. Because deep inside, the brighter Harry's face shone, the darker Y/N's stomach felt.

'...and evasive enchantments generally,' concluded Hermione. 'Well, at least you know one lesson you'll be having this year, that's one more than we do. I wonder when our O.W.L. results will come?'

'They'll be here soon,' said Y/N soothingly.

'Can't be long now, it's been a month,' said Ron.

'Hang on,' said Harry. 'I think Dumbledore said our O.W.L. results would be arriving today!'

'Today?' shrieked Hermione, so loudly that Y/N jumped. 'Today? But why didn't you- oh my God- you should have said-'

She leapt to her feet.

'I'm going to see whether any owls have come.'

And she sped out of the room.

'Well, guess I'm on damage control,' said Y/N, also getting to his feet, though his heart was racing too.

'We'll be down soon,' said Harry, and with a nod, Y/N left.

He spent the next 10 minutes, with some help from Ginny, playing damage control. Hermione had wound herself up into a tizz even in the few short moments they'd been apart, and it was all Y/N could do to stop her from having a breakdown, not least of all because his own voice must be just as shaky.

By the time Harry and Ron had arrived downstairs, only Ginny remained on the comforting effort, and even that was half-hearted.

Hermione was pacing round and round the kitchen, twisting her fingers together.

'Mrs Weasley, you're quite, quite sure no owls have arrived this morning?'

'Yes, dear, I'd have noticed,' said Mrs Weasley patiently. 'But it's barely nine, there's still plenty of time.'

'I know I messed up Ancient Runes,' muttered Hermione feverishly, 'I definitely made at least one serious mistranslation. And the Defence Against the Dark Arts practical was no good at all. I thought Transfiguration went all right at the time, but looking back-'

'It'll all be fine, Hermione,' said Ginny. 'You can't shake them now, you'll just need to wait and see, I'm sure you've gotten at least an E in-'

'Don't, don't, don't!' said Hermione, flapping her hands hysterically. 'I know I've failed everything!'

Y/N wanted to open his mouth and argue, but his throat tensed, and no words came out.

'What happens if we fail?' Harry asked the room at large, but it was Hermione who answered.

'We discuss our options with our Head of House, I asked Professor McGonagall at the end of last term.'

'At Beauxbatons,' said Fleur complacently, who was sat at the table, watching them all, 'we 'ad a different way of doing things. I think eet was better. We sat our examinations after six years of study, not five, and then-'

Fleur's words were drowned in a scream. Hermione was pointing through the kitchen window. Four black specks were clearly visible in the sky, growing larger all the time.

'They're definitely owls,' said Ron hoarsely, jumping up to join Hermione at the window.

'And there are four of them,' said Harry, hastening to her other side.

'One for each of us,' said Hermione in a terrified whisper.

'Let's get this done,' said Y/N, getting to his feet to watch over their shoulders as the specks grew larger. 'Not much else we can do.'

Mrs Weasley squeezed past them and opened the kitchen window.

One, two, three, four, the owls soared through it and landed on the table in a neat line. All of them lifted their right legs.

Y/N moved over and with a quick flick of his finger, severed the binding between the owl and the letter, causing the rope to fall away harmlessly. He didn't trust his hands to be able to remove it, not least of all because he could see how Hermione's hands were trembling so badly her entire owl was shaking.

He broke the seal, flicked open the parchment, and read:

Ordinary Wizarding Level Results

Pass Grades:

Outstanding (O)

Exceeds Expectations (E)

Acceptable (A)

Fail Grades:

Poor (P)

Dreadful (D)

Troll (T)

Y/N L/N has achieved:

Ancient Runes - O

Arithmancy - O

Astronomy - E

Care of Magical Creatures - O

Charms - O

Defence Against the Dark Arts - O

Herbology - O

History of Magic - O

Potions - O

Transfiguration – O

Y/N's heart lifted. The only one he hadn't gotten an Outstanding in was his Astronomy exam, and that was to be expected after he'd jumped off the tower with about half an hour left. But even then, an E was good, and he'd aced all the rest.

He looked around at the others who all still seemed to be reading. He moved over to Hermione and read over her shoulder.

Hermione Jean Granger has achieved:

Ancient Runes - O

Arithmancy - O

Astronomy - O

Care of Magical Creatures - O

Charms - O

Defence Against the Dark Arts - E

Herbology - O

History of Magic - O

Potions - O

Transfiguration – O

He hooked his arms around her and pulled her backwards into him quietly, smiling down at her as she glanced up, her face was hard to read.

'You okay?' he breathed.

'Bit annoyed, after all of that, only an E,' she whispered back.

'Hey, I saw you at the Ministry, that's the difference. The examiners can say what they want, I know what you can do.'

Hermione beamed and lifted herself up slightly to kiss his cheek.

'Thanks love.'

'Only failed Divination and History of Magic, and who cares about them?' said Ron happily, looking at Harry. 'Here, swap-'

The two traded and glanced over each other's lists

'Knew you'd be top at Defence Against the Dark Arts,' said Ron, punching Harry on the shoulder. 'We've done all right, haven't we?'

'Well done!' said Mrs Weasley proudly, ruffling Ron's hair. 'Seven O.W.L.s, that's more than Fred and George got together!'

'And how about you two?' Ginny asked, looking at Y/N and Hermione.

'Outstanding's almost across the board,' said Y/N. 'Only one I got lower in was an E in Astronomy.'

'My E was in Defence,' said Hermione quietly.

'How did you spend the last half an hour of the exam knocking out Umbridge and still beat me in Astronomy?' said Ron incredulously.

'Because I know Europa isn't covered in mice,' said Y/N.

'Well, we're N.E.W.T. students now!' grinned Ron.

Y/N glanced his list over one more time. He was set. If his NEWTs went even close to as well as his OWLs had, the future he wanted may not be that far away.

As much as they wanted to keep chewing at him, it was easy to push his other thoughts away for that morning and instead, focus on the fact that they'd done it.

All in all, it was a quiet few weeks at the Burrow. They managed to catch up with Mr Weasley later that day and find out about his new work and what he'd be up to. They also attended the small memorial that had been held for Emmeline. It didn't last particularly long, and the turnout was mostly just the Order. But it was at least something, more than they'd been able to give Sirius.

Y/N was also called away a couple of times to help with the efforts of recuperating Grimmauld Place.

The clear out of all the old Order material just in case Sirius hadn't been able to pass the house down had freed up more space than they originally thought, and it was easy to store some loose belongings around of particularly dangerous items or objects that had once been hidden in the house.

And with Kreacher now confined to the Hogwarts kitchens following Harry's new instructions, they knew no one else would touch them.

And of course, there was the constant news of deaths, disappearances, and attacks. Remus, returning from his last escapade into the realm of the lycanthropes, bought news of more Dementor attacks. Which in turn sparked the conversations around Florean Fortescue, Igor Karkaroff and Ollivander. All these stories around her children, along with it happening during the celebration for Harry's birthday, left Mrs Weasley in a foul mood for much of that evening.

The next day, however, brought their letters and booklists from Hogwarts, including Harry's naming him Quidditch captain.

'That gives you equal status with prefects!' cried Hermione happily. 'You can use our special bathroom now and everything!'

'Wow, I remember when Charlie wore one of these,' said Ron, examining the badge with glee. 'Harry, this is so cool, you're my Captain, if you let me back on the team, I suppose, ha ha.'

'You're not my captain,' said Y/N lazily. 'Don't think your pre-match pep talks will be as good as Oliver or Angelina's, might not have the spirit to play.'

'Who says I'm letting you back on anyway?' smirked Harry.

'I did,' said Ginny sternly. 'He promised me-'

'I'll take you; he can stay put,' said Harry. Y/N reached for his wand.

'Well, I don't suppose we can put off a trip to Diagon Alley much longer now you've got these,' sighed Mrs Weasley, looking down Ron's booklist. 'We'll go on Saturday as long as your father doesn't have to go into work again. I'm not going there without him.'

'Mum, d'you honestly think You-Know-Who's going to be hiding behind a bookshelf in Flourish and Blotts?' sniggered Ron.

'Fortescue and Ollivander went on holiday, did they?' said Mrs Weasley, firing up at once. 'If you think security's a laughing matter you can stay behind and I'll get your things myself-'

'No, I wanna come, I want to see Fred and George's shop!' said Ron hastily.

'Then you just buck up your ideas, young man, before I decide you're too immature to come with us!' said Mrs Weasley angrily, snatching up her clock, all nine hands of which were pointing at "mortal peril", and balancing it on top of a pile of just-laundered towels. 'And that goes for returning to Hogwarts as well!'

Ron turned to stare incredulously at the other four as his mother hoisted the laundry basket and the teetering clock into her arms and stormed out of the room.

'Blimey... you can't even make a joke round here anymore.'

But Ron was careful not to be flippant about Voldemort over the next few days. Saturday dawned without any more outbursts from Mrs Weasley, though she seemed very tense at breakfast.

Bill, who would be staying at home with Fleur (much to Hermione and Ginny's pleasure), passed a full money bag across the table to Harry.

'Where's mine?' demanded Ron at once, his eyes wide.

'That's already Harry's, idiot,' said Bill. 'I got it out of your vault for you, Harry, because it's taking about five hours for the public to get to their gold at the moment, the goblins have tightened security so much. Two days ago, Arkie Philpott had a Probity Probe stuck up his- Well, trust me, this way's easier.'

'Thanks, Bill,' said Harry, pocketing his gold.

''E is always so thoughtful,' purred Fleur adoringly, stroking Bill's nose. Ginny mimed vomiting into her cereal behind Fleur.

'Y/N dear,' whispered Mrs Weasley as the rest of them began to gather up their things to leave. 'Don't suppose I could get you to be on duty as well, could I? Arthur will be watching, and Hagrid will be meeting us there, but one more pair of eyes-'

'Of course, Mrs Weasley,' said Y/N rolling his shoulders slightly and readjusting his holster. 'I went from a busy start to a pretty quiet summer, kind of itching to do something.'

Y/N informed the others that he was on guard duty and moved over to speak to Mr Weasley, who was flicking through the Daily Prophet, waiting for people to get ready.

'Morning Mr Weasley.'

'Ah, good morning, Y/N. I assume Molly has already told you of the plan?'

Y/N nodded.

'We aren't expecting much trouble,' he added quietly. 'Especially not with Hagrid there, but the extra wand and eyes never go amiss, and I know you won't be completely off guard if we didn't ask you. But...'

'It's okay Mr Weasley, I understand. How are we getting there?'

'Ministry cars,' he said, returning to his normal volume. 'Only because of you and Harry mind, but we'll take what we can get. The Ministry wanted to surround us with guards, but Kingsley talked them down. Told them that me, Hagrid and you would be enough, and I quite agree.'

'Would be awkward to do our shopping surrounded by Aurors,' said Y/N. 'Why me as well though?'

'You've both been given top-grade security status, your defeat of a large chunk of the Death Eaters, and Harry's supposed prophecy have put you both under the Minister's eye. He wants to make sure nothing happens to either of you.'

'That's just so the people don't lose hope,' said Y/N, glancing towards where Harry stood chatting with Ron. 'They need to know we're still fighting, but hey, it's better than them slandering me.'

The ride to the Leaky Cauldron was surprisingly short, though every time the car skipped a couple of streets, Y/N felt it. And soon enough, they were pulling up outside of the pub.

Y/N got out first, surveying the street carefully, and once he was fairly sure it was clear, he nodded to the figure he could see just inside the doorway of the pub, who stepped out.

Rubeus Hagrid looked healthier than the last time Y/N had seen him. Many of the cuts he'd gathered from Grawp were healing over, and the constant blood that seemed to have been pouring from him during those days was thankfully halted.

As he emerged, he beamed at Y/N and then turned his eyes onto the car as Mr Weasley clambered out.

'A couple of hours, I expect,' Mr Weasley was saying as he emerged. 'Ah, good, he's here!'

'Harry!' Hagrid boomed, sweeping Harry into a bone-crushing hug the moment he had stepped out of the car, and proving absolutely oblivious to the looks from passing muggles. 'Buckbeak- Witherwings, I mean, yeh should see him, Harry, he's so happy ter be back in the open air.'

'Glad he's pleased,' said Harry, grinning as he massaged his ribs. 'We didn't know "security" meant you!'

'I know, jus' like old times, innit? See, the Ministry wanted ter send a bunch o' Aurors, but Dumbledore said me and Y/N would do,' said Hagrid proudly, throwing out his chest and tucking his thumbs into his pockets. 'Let's get goin' then, after yeh, Molly, Arthur.'

The Leaky Cauldron was, for the first time in Y/N's memory, completely empty. Only Tom the landlord, wizened and toothless, remained of the old crowd. He looked up hopefully as they entered, but before he could speak, Hagrid said importantly, 'Jus' passin' through today, Tom, sure yeh understand, Hogwarts business, yeh know.'

Tom nodded gloomily and returned to wiping glasses, throwing Y/N a sad smile.

'Sorry Tom,' breathed Y/N as he passed. 'If I get the chance, I'll come back and chat.'

Their party walked through the bar and out into the chilly little courtyard at the back where the dustbins stood. Hagrid raised his pink umbrella and rapped a certain brick in the wall, which opened at once to form an archway onto a winding cobbled street. They stepped through the entrance and paused, looking around.

Diagon Alley had changed. The colourful, glittering window displays of spellbooks, potion ingredients, and cauldrons were lost to view, hidden behind the large Ministry of Magic posters that had been pasted over them.

Most of these sombre purple posters carried blown-up versions of security advice that had been sent out on Ministry pamphlets over the summer, but others bore moving black-and-white photographs of Death Eaters known to be on the loose.

Bellatrix Lestrange was sneering from the front of the nearest apothecary.

A few windows were boarded up, including those of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. On the other hand, a number of shabby-looking stalls had sprung up along the street.

The nearest one, which had been erected outside Flourish and Blotts, under a striped, stained awning, had a cardboard sign pinned to its front:

AMULETS

Effective Against Werewolves, Dementors, and Inferi

A seedy-looking little wizard was rattling armfuls of silver symbols on chains at passersby.

'One for your little girl, madam?' he called at Mrs Weasley as they passed, leering at Ginny. 'Protect her pretty neck?'

'I see you put that accursed thing around anyone, and I'll blast you into the next street,' said Y/N warningly, drawing his wand and stepping forward. 'Or shall I tell the Ministry that they cause your ears to fall off?'

The man's eyes widened in alarm, he scooped up as much of his stock as he could with one arm and vanished with a loud crack.

'If I were on duty-' said Mr Weasley, glaring angrily at where the amulet seller had been.

'Yes, but don't go arresting anyone now, dear, we're in a hurry,' said Mrs. Weasley, nervously consulting a list. 'I think we'd better do Madam Malkin's first, Hermione wants new dress robes, and Ron's showing much too much ankle in his school robes, and you must need new ones too, Harry, you've grown so much. Come on, everyone-'

'Molly, it doesn't make sense for all of us to go to Madam Malkin's,' said Mr Weasley. 'Why don't those three go with Hagrid and Y/N, and we can go to Flourish and Blotts and get everyone's schoolbooks?'

'I don't know,' said Mrs Weasley anxiously, clearly torn between a desire to finish the shopping quickly and the wish to stick together in a pack. 'Hagrid, do you think-?'

'Don' fret, they'll be fine with us, Molly,' said Hagrid soothingly, waving an airy hand the size of a dustbin lid. Mrs Weasley did not look entirely convinced, but allowed the separation, scurrying off toward Flourish and Blotts with her husband and Ginny while the four of them, and Hagrid set off for Madam Malkin's.

'You need new dress robes?' breathed Y/N as they walked.

'My old ones are a bit short in the leg,' she whispered back. 'I noticed it during the meal with your mum.'

'I thought they looked good...' said Y/N.

'Yes, and I don't mind you getting a view. But the difference is, you get to see me in and out of them.' She whispered back. 'I don't mind what you see, but other people, well.'

Y/N glanced around idly as they walked, trying to keep his mind off Hermione in her dress robes.

Many of the people who passed them had the same harried, anxious look as Mrs Weasley, and nobody was stopping to talk anymore; the shoppers stayed together in their own tightly knit groups, moving intently about their business. Nobody seemed to be shopping alone.

'Migh' be a bit of a squeeze in there with all of us,' said Hagrid, stopping outside Madam Malkin's and bending down to peer through the window. 'we'll stand guard outside, all right?'

And so, after Hermione had given Y/N a swift kiss goodbye, the three of them stepped into the store. Hagrid took up a position at the other end of the alley, and Y/N leant casually against the wall, his eyes combing everywhere.

Only now that he'd stopped did he notice how much people were staring at him. He supposed he shouldn't be surprised. The Prophet had gone from insulting him to praising him as a hero practically overnight, and every time, plastering his face over many of the pages. Most people should know who he was by now. But there seemed to be something more in a few of the eyes. A curiosity almost, and whether it was about who he was or what he could do. Y/N didn't know or want to find out.

They'd been standing outside for around five or ten minutes when the door opened. Y/N glanced across to greet them and was instead met by two faces, one wearing a look of sudden fear, and the other, polite disgust.

'Should have known Dumbledore's lapdog wouldn't be far from Potter,' said Narcissa Malfoy nastily. 'Can't leave the boy to fend for himself.'

'Of course I can, he managed your boss fine when he was barely a year old,' said Y/N. 'But I just can't pass up the chance to put scum away, the cold side of your bed should be proof enough of that.'

'Lucius will be out soon,' she spat, 'and when he is-'

'I'll make sure the next place I send him is more permanent,' said Y/N, standing up off the wall and turning to face her. 'There's a difference between me and Harry, your boss wants Harry dead because of a prophecy. He wants me dead because I scare him. Maybe you should pick your fights better. Unless you want to try and take me down here?'

'You're not worth the breath it would take to cast the spell,' sneered Narcissa.

'Oh? Can you not do it wordlessly either? My lord, you really are hopeless, no wonder you haven't killed us yet. Why don't you take the pale-faced ferret and trot on down the street? I can smell your home from here.'

'You talk a big game now, Y/N,' said Narcissa, turning away, 'but when the time comes, you'll understand how poorly you chose your side.'

'My side was chosen the moment he murdered my father,' said Y/N. 'Now I'd walk away before I give Draco the same experience with you.'

Narcissa did as he said, she turned and stalked away, head held high. Draco paused, throwing Y/N an angry look, clearly wanting to say something, but instead conceded and followed after his mother.

'Filth,' spat Y/N, as the blood pumping in his ears began to quiet.

It took all he had to not fire a spell at the retreating figures, and it was a while before his anger started to fade. By the time it had, the trio emerged, Hermione, carrying two bags, one of which contained robes for Y/N.

'The rips I repaired in your old ones are getting worn down a bit!' she said brightly as he glanced curiously at the bag. 'Thought you could do with some new ones.'

'Where would I be without you?' said Y/N soppily, kissing the top of her head. Hermione glowed.

'Did you see-?' began Harry.

'Draco and mummy? Of course, I did, did he give you trouble?'

'Me and Harry, yeah,' said Ron. 'He left Hermione alone though.'

'Good, snivelling little worm. He didn't say anything to me either. His mum did, but I'm not particularly afraid of her. Probably knew I'd go off if I'd heard he'd insulted Hermione though. Or figured I wouldn't be far away.' Y/N ended his sentence by inclining his head towards Hagrid and the other three Weasleys, who were now walking towards them.

'Everyone all right?' said Mrs Weasley. 'Got your robes? Right then, we can pop in at the Apothecary and Eeylops on the way to Fred and George's, stick close, now.'

Y/N pressed some of his money into Hermione's hands with a whispered request to buy two of everything, and then took up position on the inside of the shop door, mirroring Hagrid who was waiting outside.

His eyes scanned the shelves, ladened with different ingredients, some still giving off odd sounds or slight sheens as having only been recently harvested. And then gave Hermione another appreciative kiss once they'd returned.

Then, with Mrs Weasley checking her watch every minute or so, they headed farther along the street in search of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, the joke shop run by Fred and George.

'We really haven't got too long,' Mrs Weasley said. 'So, we'll just have a quick look around and then back to the car. We must be close, that's number ninety-two, ninety-four-'

'Whoa,' said Ron, stopping in his tracks.

Set against the dull, poster-muffled shop fronts around them, Fred and George's windows hit the eye like a firework display. Casual passersby were looking back over their shoulders at the windows, and a few rather stunned-looking people had actually come to a halt, transfixed.

The left-hand window was dazzlingly full of an assortment of goods that revolved, popped, flashed, bounced, and shrieked; Y/N's eyes began to water just looking at it. The right-hand window was covered with a gigantic poster, purple like those of the Ministry, but emblazoned with flashing yellow letters:

WHY ARE YOU WORRYING ABOUT

YOU-KNOW-WHO?

YOU SHOULD BE WORRYING ABOUT

U-NO-POO

THE CONSTIPATION SENSATION

THAT'S GRIPPING THE NATION!

Y/N stared at these words for a long time, as though hoping that reading them several times over would fix whatever it was that he was seeing. However, much to his dismay, the words continued glittering and he finally had to accept that Fred and George had actually written that.

'They'll be murdered in their beds!' whispered Mrs Weasley, who was also reading the advert.

'No they won't!' said Ron, who was laughing along with Harry. 'This is brilliant!'

The two led the way into the shop. Y/N moved to take position outside, but Hagrid shook his head.

'Go 'ave some fun, I've go' this.'

Y/N beamed and with a quick word of thanks, slipped his way inside.

It was packed with customers; so many that it was difficult to get near the shelves. He almost walked straight into someone just inside the front door, before realising it was Hermione.

'You not waiting outside?'

'Hagrid's given the go-ahead, he doesn't mind taking over just for this,' said Y/N his eyes scanning the shelves.

There were boxes piled to the ceiling as far as the eye could see. Here were the Skiving Snackboxes that the twins had perfected during their last, unfinished year at Hogwarts; the Nosebleed Nougat was most popular, with only one battered box left on the shelf.

There were bins full of trick wands, the cheapest merely turning into rubber chickens or pairs of briefs when waved, the most expensive beating the unwary user around the head and neck, and boxes of quills, which came in Self-Inking, Spell-Checking, and Smart-Answer varieties.

A space cleared in the crowd, and Y/N could see the counter, where a gaggle of delighted ten-year-olds was watching a tiny little wooden man slowly ascending the steps to a real set of gallows, both perched on a box that read: reusable hangman — spell it or he'll swing!

Hermione seized Y/N's hand and pulled him through the crowd towards a large display near the counter and began reading the information on the back of a box bearing a highly coloured picture of a handsome youth and a swooning girl who were standing on the deck of a pirate ship.

"One simple incantation and you will enter a top-quality, highly realistic, thirty-minute daydream, easy to fit into the average school lesson and virtually undetectable (side effects include vacant expression and minor drooling). Not for sale to under-sixteens."

'You know,' said Hermione, looking up at Y/N, 'that really is extraordinary magic!'

'I do wonder how they've managed it, I certainly didn't teach them that one. Those two are still some of the few people whose knowledge of magic frightens me.'

'For that, young Y/N,' said a voice behind them, 'you can have one for free.'

A beaming Fred stood before them, wearing a set of magenta robes that clashed magnificently with his flaming hair.

'How are you, both?' he asked brightly as they shook hands. 'Still as lovestruck as we once knew?'

'If anything, even more so,' said Hermione, before Y/N could answer. 'And how are you?'

'Business is booming and couldn't be happier!' said Fred brightly. 'Come on, I'll give you the tour.'

Fred led the way towards the back of the shop, which seemed to bear simple magic, card and rope tricks, simple things to bedazzle.

'Muggle magic tricks!' said Fred happily, pointing them out. 'For freaks like Dad, you know, who love muggle stuff. It's not a big earner, but we do fairly steady business, they're great novelties. Oh, here's George.'

George emerged from the crowd, wringing both of the couple's hands.

'A pleasure as always you two, come on through to the back, that's where we've got the good stuff. Pocket anything, you, and you'll pay in more than Galleons!' he added warningly to a small boy who hastily whipped his hand out of the tub labelled "edible dark marks, they'll make anyone sick!"

He pushed back a curtain beside the muggle tricks and revealed a much quieter and darker room, less bright lights, and flamboyant colours but still ladened with merchandise.

'We've just developed this more serious line,' said Fred, following them inside. 'Funny how it happened.'

'You wouldn't believe how many people, even people who work at the Ministry, can't do a decent Shield Charm,' said George.

'I would actually,' said Y/N. 'I fought several of them last year.'

'That's right! Well, we thought Shield Hats were a bit of a laugh, you know, challenge your mate to jinx you while wearing it and watch his face when the jinx just bounces off. But the Ministry bought five hundred for all its support staff! And we're still getting massive orders!'

'So, we've expanded into a range of Shield Cloaks, Shield Gloves.'

'I mean, they wouldn't help much against the Unforgivable Curses, but for minor to moderate hexes or jinxes.'

'And then we thought we'd get into the whole area of Defence Against the Dark Arts because it's such a money spinner,' continued George enthusiastically. 'This is cool. Look, Instant Darkness Powder, we're importing it from Peru. Handy if you want to make a quick escape.'

'And our Decoy Detonators are just walking off the shelves, look,' said Fred, pointing at a number of weird-looking black horn-type objects that were indeed attempting to scurry out of sight. 'You just drop one surreptitiously and it'll run off and make a nice loud noise out of sight, giving you a diversion if you need one.'

'These are brilliant,' said Y/N in amazement. 'I could do so much with things like this.'

'Here,' said George, catching a couple and throwing them to Y/N.

A young witch with short blonde hair poked her head around the curtain; Y/N saw that she too was wearing magenta staff robes.

'There's a customer out here looking for a joke cauldron, Mr Weasley and Mr Weasley,' she said.

Y/N had to take a second to register that she was talking to the twins, and not Arthur.

'Right you are, Verity, I'm coming,' said George promptly. 'Y/N, you help yourself to anything you want, all right? No charge.'

'What? Not a chance!' said Y/N, who had already pulled out his money bag to pay for the Decoy Detonators.

'You don't pay here,' said Fred firmly, waving away Y/N's gold.

'But-'

'How many times have you saved our family? Or helped us out when we needed it like with the map? You're the reason we can even make these things, we don't forget,' said George sternly. 'Take whatever you like, and just remember to tell people where you got it, if they ask.'

Y/N gave the twins an appreciative nod.

'I promise I'll put it all to good use.'

'We know you will mate, or we wouldn't be doing it,' said Fred, as he led the way out from the back room.

'Hermione- Oh, and you!' he added, as the three of them moved through the shop and ran into Ginny. 'You must come and look at our special WonderWitch products, right this way!' and with a dramatic flourish, he led the way over to a display in the window.

There was an array of violently pink products around which a cluster of excited girls was giggling enthusiastically. Hermione and Ginny both hung back, looking wary.

'There you go,' said Fred proudly. 'Best range of love potions you'll find anywhere.'

'Why would I need a love potion?' asked Hermione.

'Good point,' conceded Fred.

'Do they even work?' asked Ginny, eyebrows raised.

'Certainly they work, for up to twenty-four hours at a time depending on the weight of the boy in question-'

'-and the attractiveness of the girl,' said George, reappearing suddenly at their side. 'But we're not selling them to our sister,' he added, becoming suddenly stern, 'not when she's already got about five boys on the go from what we've-'

'Whatever you've heard from Ron is a big fat lie,' said Ginny calmly, leaning forward to take a small pink pot off the shelf. 'And if you aren't going to sell them to me, what was the point in bringing us over here? Hermione already has her perfect match. What's this?'

'Guaranteed ten-second pimple vanisher,' said Fred. 'Excellent on everything from boils to blackheads, but don't change the subject. Are you or are you not currently going out with a boy called Dean Thomas?'

'Yes, I am,' said Ginny, 'and last time I looked, he was definitely one boy, not five. What are those?'

She was pointing at a number of round balls of fluff in shades of pink and purple, all rolling around the bottom of a cage and emitting high-pitched squeaks.

'Pygmy Puffs,' said George. 'Miniature puffskeins, we can't breed them fast enough. So, what about Michael Corner?'

'Wait, actually, hang on-' said Y/N, moving up towards the cage.

'I dumped him, he was a bad loser,' said Ginny, putting a finger through the bars of the cage and watching the Pygmy Puffs crowd around it. 'They're really cute! Aren't they?' she added happily to Y/N.

'They're fairly cuddly, yes,' conceded Fred. 'But you're moving through boyfriends a bit fast, aren't you?'

Ginny turned to look at him, her hands on her hips. There was such a Mrs Weasley-ish glare on her face that Y/N couldn't help but laugh.

'It's none of your business. And I'll thank you,' she added angrily to Ron, who had just appeared at George's elbow, laden with merchandise, along with Harry 'not to tell tales about me to these two!'

'That's three Galleons, nine Sickles, and a Knut,' said Fred, examining the many boxes in Ron's arms. 'Cough up.'

'I'm your brother!'

'And that's our stuff you're nicking. Three Galleons, nine Sickles. I'll knock off the Knut.'

'But I haven't got three Galleons, nine Sickles!'

'You'd better put it back then, and mind you put it on the right shelves.'

Ron dropped several boxes, swore, and made a rude hand gesture at Fred that was unfortunately spotted by Mrs Weasley, who had chosen that moment to appear.

'If I see you do that again I'll jinx your fingers together,' she said sharply.

'Mum, can I have a Pygmy Puff?' said Ginny at once.

'Good choice,' breathed Y/N.

'A what?' said Mrs Weasley warily.

'Look, they're so sweet.'

Mrs Weasley moved forward to look at the cage, and as she did, the quartet got a brief view out of the window.

Draco Malfoy was hurrying up the street alone. As he passed Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, he glanced over his shoulder. Seconds later, he moved beyond the scope of the window, and they lost sight of him.

'Wonder where his mummy is?' said Harry, frowning.

'Given her the slip by the looks of it,' said Ron.

'Why, though?' said Hermione.

'Doing something she wouldn't approve of, though what do people like her not approve of?' asked Y/N.

He watched the window for another half a second and then felt a painful ripple in his head. Glancing over, he watched as Harry withdrew the Invisibility cloak.

'Get under here, quick,' said Harry.

'Oh, I don't know, Harry,' said Hermione, looking uncertainly between Mrs Weasley and Y/N.

'Come on!' said Ron.

'Go,' hissed Y/N, still rubbing his head. 'No time to argue, I'll watch outside, keep them out of trouble.'

Hermione nodded and slipped under the cloak with the other two. Y/N felt as it made its way steadily through the crowd and out of the shop door.

'What should I call him?' asked Ginny, turning to face Y/N. Her eyes immediately clocked the strained look on his face before she spotted the other three were missing.

'George, you've got those light-up displays upstairs, think Y/N was mentioning something about one of those a few weeks ago, weren't you?' she asked briskly.

'What? Oh, right yeah,' said Y/N cottoning on.

'No worries my friend, follow me.'

Through idle chatter with George, Y/N managed to waste another five minutes or so, but it wasn't long before he moved off to serve other customers, and shortly after, Ginny appeared, a Pygmy Puff now resting on her shoulder.

'I got him!' she said brightly, scratching the creature under the chin. 'Decided to call him Arnold. So, what was I covering for? And don't even try to squirm out of it, you owe me.'

'Malfoy's here,' whispered Y/N, lowering his voice, 'with his mum, but we saw him walking around without her, he ditched her somewhere, and Harry just couldn't leave it alone. They took the cloak but I couldn't just leave, me being here makes it more convincing that they are.'

'All that over Malfoy?' said Ginny incredulously.

'Look, I don't know what it is, but Harry just seemed set on following him. We didn't really have time to argue, me especially with that damn cloak being waved about. We just had to make do. Thanks, by the way.'

'That's quite all right, you weren't having a go at me over Dean, so I was feeling fond of you,' said Ginny. 'Honestly, you'd think I wasn't allowed a love life.'

'As far as they're concerned you aren't. I'm just glad it's not Corner anymore.'

'You and me both,' groaned Ginny. 'Ah well, we all make poor love decisions, well, most of us do. Come on, we'd best look busy, mums getting worried.'

Between joint efforts on their part, Y/N and Ginny managed to stave off concern just long enough for Y/N to feel the cloak slipping its way back into the store. He drifted over towards it, and spoke, rather louder than usual, to the trio about the instant darkness powder, before acting politely incredulous when Mrs Weasley arrived looking haggard.

Y/N was on watch the entire trip back out of the alley, back out to the car, and back to the Burrow. He didn't know what Malfoy had been doing yet, but the look on Hermione's face, once they'd returned, told him that it wasn't going to be good.

The moment they got back, Y/N managed to pull Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny away on the pre-tense of sorting out what they'd all bought. Once the five of them were in Y/N and Hermione's room, he finally asked.

'So, what the hell was so important that you went dashing off like that.'

'Well, when we were in Madam Malkins, Malfoy was being an arse,' began Harry.

'Nothing new there then,' said Ginny.

'Yeah but, Madam Malkin didn't seem to know what to do, she almost panicked and started trying to keep working despite our arguing. She got too close to his arm with a pin and jumped almost a foot off the ground.'

'I mean, he's always been a bit dramatic so it's not that ridiculous,' said Y/N. 'What's that got to do with you following him?'

'I'm getting to that,' said Harry. 'When we followed him, he went into Borgin and Burkes.'

'Isn't that the shop in Knockturn Alley that you ended up in back in second year?' asked Y/N, and Harry nodded.

'Ron still had some of the boxes, so we got some extendable ears and listened. Malfoy was threatening Borgin. And not just empty threats either, they looked genuine. He wanted something to be kept for him. Wanted to make sure no one else would buy it, and he threatened Borgin and showed him something on his arm.'

'The same one that Madam Malkin almost stabbed?' asked Ginny and Harry nodded again.

'Then he threatened him with Fenrir Greyback,' said Harry, 'said he'd be paying a visit to make sure Borgin was "giving the problem his full attention" then he said not a word to anyone, including his mother. And left. He phrased it as though he had to repair one, and Borgin had another.'

'Right...' said Y/N slowly. 'So Borgin has something that he wants or a copy of it, and Malfoy has one that's broken. Or knows of one that is broken at least. And he's threatened Borgin into helping him with Greyback. A pretty nasty threat as far as things go.'

'But what would need Greyback?' asked Harry.

'Any thoughts you two?' Ginny asked Ron and Hermione, who had both been quiet since Harry had begun talking.

Ron pursed his lips and Hermione sort of sighed.

'I personally think, Malfoy is after some form of cursed item and wants to try and flex some of his family's power,' said Hermione, after a brief pause. 'I think it's concerning, but only in the same way Malfoy himself is. I hardly think this is anything major.'

'I... I don't know,' said Ron slowly. 'It's definitely dodgy, but we didn't see what it was that he was after. Whatever it was is bulky from what he said, he said he'd look like an idiot carrying it down the street. But aside from that, we don't really know... well, anything to make a guess with. And it can't be You-Know-Who related if he's hiding it from his mother. She's one of them.'

'Sorry mate, but I'm inclined to agree,' said Y/N, as Harry looked at him hopefully. 'From what you've said, it just sounds like Malfoy is trying to wave his family power around and act all high and mighty. Whatever he wants is probably somewhat concerning but if whatever he's got is broken, it shouldn't matter for a while.'

'But what about when he said "keep that one safe?"' asked Harry. 'Surely that's got to mean something?'

'It absolutely does,' said Y/N. 'It means he wants Borgin to keep another of something similar safe, but until we know what they are there's nothing we can do. And besides, it's Malfoy, what damage can he actually do? For how smart he can be, sometimes the boys remarkably stupid.'

There was a short pause.

'Did you just compliment Malfoy?' asked Ginny.

'Ron's smart when he wants to be,' said Y/N. 'It's how often people want to be. Look, I'm not saying that Malfoy is zero concern and we need to forget about it, but until we know more there's not much we can do.'

Harry, however, was not keen to let this lie.

Throughout the course of their final week almost all he spoke about was Malfoy and his trip after Borgin. By the time the last couple of days rolled around, the rest of the quartet had simply learned to mostly tune him out. Though one particular conversation did stand out.

Two days before they were due to return, the four of them were in Harry's room. Ron cleaning his broom, Hermione reading Advanced Rune Translations whilst sprawled in Y/N's lap. And Y/N half reading over her shoulder, half zooming a small ball around in the air above him wandlessly.

'-but you've got to admit it is fishy!' Harry was saying.

'Yes, I've already agreed it was fishy, Harry,' said Hermione a little impatiently, begrudgingly glancing up from her book, as she spoke. 'But haven't we agreed there could be a lot of explanations?'

'Maybe he's broken his Hand of Glory,' said Ron vaguely, as he attempted to straighten his broomstick's bent tail twigs. 'Remember that shrivelled-up arm Malfoy had?'

'Can't believe they called that thing the Hand of Glory' scoffed Y/N. 'It looked like dried tissue.'

'But what about when he said, "Don't forget to keep that one safe"?' asked Harry again. 'That sounded to me like Borgin's got another one of the broken objects, and Malfoy wants both.'

'You reckon?' said Ron politely, now trying to scrape some dirt off his broom handle.

'Yeah, I do,' said Harry. When none of them answered, he pressed on, 'Malfoy's fathers in Azkaban. Don't you think Malfoy'd like revenge?'

Ron looked up, blinking.

'Malfoy, revenge? Y/N's the one who put his dad away and we've already seen how that fight goes. What can he do about it?'

'That's my point, I don't know!' said Harry, frustrated. 'But he's up to something and I think we should take it seriously, you, especially Y/N. His father's a Death Eater and-'

Harry broke off, his eyes fixed on the window, his mouth open.

'Is this drama or an actual realisation?' whispered Y/N.

'I don't know,' breathed Hermione, 'but I'll bite. Harry?' she added in a louder voice. 'What's wrong?'

'Your scar's not hurting again, is it?' asked Ron nervously.

'No,' said Y/N.

'He's a Death Eater,' said Harry slowly. 'He's replaced his father as a Death Eater!'

There was a silence; then Ron erupted in laughter.

'Malfoy? He's sixteen, Harry! You think You-Know-Who would let Malfoy join?'

'You can't say that!' said Harry 'Look at Y/N and the Order. And Voldemort is hardly as reasonable as Dumbledore.'

'It seems very unlikely, Harry,' said Hermione in a repressive sort of voice. 'What makes you think-?'

'In Madam Malkin's. She didn't touch him, but he yelled and jerked his arm away from her when she went to roll up his sleeve. It was his left arm. He's been branded with the Dark Mark.'

The other three looked at each other.

'Well...' said Ron, sounding thoroughly unconvinced.

'I think he just wanted to get out of there, Harry,' said Hermione.

'He showed Borgin something we couldn't see,' Harry pressed on stubbornly. 'Something that seriously scared Borgin. It was the Mark, I know it. He was showing Borgin who he was dealing with, you saw how seriously Borgin took him!'

The trio exchanged another look.

'I mean, even if something was there, it's not necessarily the Dark Mark, or a real one at that,' said Y/N. 'It wouldn't be difficult to fake.'

'Yeah, I still don't reckon You-Know-Who would let Malfoy join,' said Ron.

Harry snatched up a pile of Quidditch Robes and left the room. Hermione gave a soft sigh.

'I get that he wants something to be wrong with this, but Mafloy, a Death Eater?'

'I can see where he's coming from,' said Ron fairly.

'So can I,' said Y/N. 'But Malfoy's still got the trace for one thing. And for another, he's hardly the most gifted of students. What can he do that the other Death Eaters can't? And again, why would he hide it from his mother if that is what has happened? She's a Death Eater too, she has the mark too. She'd know already. It doesn't make sense to hide it.'

'Let him burn himself out on it,' said Ron. 'He'll let it lie eventually, and as we've said. There's not much else we can do.'