We Met In The Shadows.

Stealthy Encounters

Harry decided he did not like Floo travel, and did not want to do it unless it was necessary. It had been his first time travelling by Floo and it already irked him to no end. Apparently, saying the name of the destination differently out of nervousness could end up catastrophic, as one could travel to an entirely different destination. That piece of information would have been really nice to have, before Harry had proceeded to step foot in the fireplace.

"Never again." Harry muttered to himself while dusting off his pants. He appeared to have landed in a dark and dingy shop. Upon further inspection, it seemed to be an antiquities store. It didn't seem to get much business, however. The shelves and desks strewn about the place were covered in a thick layer of dust. The items lining the shelves seemed very, very old. There were vases, glass balls, statues, musical instruments and more. It all looked so fragile. Harry realised how lucky he had been to land backside first in an antiques store and manage to not break a single thing.

He looked around the store, but there was no one inside. He started to feel uneasy the longer he stayed inside. He felt as if someone was watching him through the window of the store, but when he whipped his head around, there was nobody there. Strange. The creepy vibes given off by the things inside the shop certainly didn't help. He decided to step out, not wanting to be caught in this interior.

As Harry stumbled out, he noticed he was in a cramped and narrow alley. It was dimly lit and dirty. This certainly isn't Diagon Alley, Harry thought to himself. He walked around, looking for a way out. He spotted a pair of funny looking women standing in front of what seemed to be a Potion ingredients store. At least that's what Harry had hoped it was. He approached them for help, deciding it would be a good idea to get some directions from someone, otherwise he could be lost for hours here.

"Uhm, excuse me. Can you please tell me how I can get back to Diagon Alley?" asked Harry, as he approached the two women.

"Well, well, well. You seem to be lost, dearie. Why don't you come with us? We'll help you in any way we can." said the woman on the right. She flashed a very creepy smile, that gave Harry the hint that he wasn't safe here.

"Uh, nevermind, thank you. I'll figure it out on my own-"

"Now, now. There's no need to get hasty, sweet pea. We'll make things so much better for you." Both the women grabbed Harry's arms and started dragging him away. Harry began to panic. He was getting kidnapped! It wasn't even noon and he was already in trouble. Great.

He violently shook himself free of the women and ran away. He didn't stop running until he was suddenly grabbed by the collar and pulled into an alleyway. He was about to scream for help, before a soft hand clamped down on his lips.

"Shh. Don't scream, Potter. It's me." whispered a soft voice. A voice he knew well.

He turned around to look at an extremely beautiful blonde girl looking at him. She seemed cross.

"What are you doing in Knockturn Alley?" Daphne asked with a scowl.

"K-Knockturn Alley? I didn't know I was in here... I think I uttered the wrong name when I went into the Floo fireplace..." Harry mumbled.

"Merlin, you're such a doofus. And look, you've got yourself covered in soot! Disgusting." she said, before proceeding to pull out a handkerchief and wipe his face. Harry could feel his face grow hot yet again, being in such close proximity to her. She cast a quick Scourgify on his pants and shirt to clean them of all the dust. Harry mumbled a small thanks to her, which made her smile.

"Now come on, I don't want you getting in more trouble." Daphne grabbed Harry's hand and they started sprinting through the alleyways. Harry's heart was hammering in his chest. She was holding his hand! He thought he might faint from the extremity of the emotions he was feeling.