Ex-Friends || A Drarry Story

Three: Three

Harry's aunt and uncle, Petunia and Vernon Dursley, were very angry at him for blowing up Aunt Marge in his dashing escape from their home at Privet Drive. But he would, inevitably, have to return to their home for the summer. Harry didn't dare to imagine what kind of punishment he would receive this time. The last time something magical happened at their home, Harry was doomed to waste away in his bedroom, locks on the door and window, bars over the glass, trapping him and Hedwig, his marvellous snowy owl, and that damned cat flap, the only way he had gotten food.

Currently, he was roomed at the Leaky Cauldron, and he was getting accustomed to his new way of life until September first rolled around and Hogwarts' term would begin again. Harry had a newfound sense of freedom, as he had never before been able to get up from bed whenever he wanted to, or had been able to eat whatever he fancied, besides at Hogwarts, where they had mountains and mountains of Harry's most favourite foods.

Harry was also able to go wherever he pleased, just as long as it was in Diagon Alley and he didn't go into Muggle London. But, with Diagon Alley being packed to the brim with the most interesting of wizarding shops Harry had ever seen, he didn't fancy straying into Muggle territory at all.

The long sunny days were spent wandering about, the shops and eating under brightly-coloured umbrellas outside of cafes. Harry also no longer had to do his school work in secret beneath the blankets in his bedroom at the Dursley's, but could instead sit in the sun outside of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, even receiving help from Mister Fortescue himself, who, apart from knowing a great deal about magical history, also gave Harry free sundaes every half hour. Harry still placed a handful of Galleons in his tip jar at the end of his visits and thanked him.

After a week of getting his potions supplies refilled, buying new robes, and other things that needed to be done before the term at Hogwarts began, it was the last day he would be spending in the Leaky Cauldron.

"Harry!" he heard as he walked the cobblestone path of Diagon Alley. He stopped, looking around for who was calling his name. "HARRY!"

And there they were, Harry's best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, sitting outside of the ice cream parlour, waving frantically at him. "Finally!" said Ron. "We went to the Leaky Cauldron, but they said you'd already left and---"

"How did you know I was staying there?" he asked, hand twitching ever so slightly. Hermione's eye went to it, and Harry shoved it in his pocket.

"Dad," replied Ron matter-of-factually. Mr Weasley, who worked for the Ministry's Muggle department, would of course know all about what Harry had done to Marge.

"Did you really blow up your aunt, Harry?' Hermione asked, sounding very much like Mrs Weasley scolding the twins.

His face felt warm as he said, "It was an accident." Ron began to roar with laughter. "I just. . .lost control."

"It's not funny, Ron," she snapped. "Honestly, Harry, you need to better control yourself, it's a miracle you weren't expelled."

"I know."

"What on earth could have even happened?" she asked, more to herself than to Harry. "I mean, anyone else would have been---"

"She called my mum a bitch and my dad a drunk loser," he snapped.

Ron stopped laughing immediately and Hermione looked down, cheeks going red. "Oh."

Harry shook his head, changing the subject immediately. "Anyway, I've already gotten my supplies for school, how about you two?"

They rattled off everything they bought, and Hermione added at the end, "I've still got ten Galleons left. My birthday's in September and I was thinking about buying myself a present."