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them, but he had said he was busy. Harry had only seen Percy at mealtimes so far; he stayed shut in his room the rest of the time.

'I bet you a cauldron cake that he is dating someone.' said Amelia.

'deal," said the twins shaking Amelia's hands at the same time shaking hands with each other.

'Wish I knew what he was up to,' said Fred, frowning. 'He's not himself. His exam results came the day before you did; twelve O.W.Ls and he hardly gloated at all.'

'Ordinary Wizarding Levels,' George explained, seeing Harry's puzzled look. 'Bill got twelve, too. If we're not careful, we'll have another Head Boy in the family. I don't think I could stand the shame.'

Bill was the oldest Weasley brother. He and the next brother, Charlie, had already left Hogwarts. Harry had never met either of them, but knew that Charlie was in Romania, studying dragons, and Bill in Egypt, working for the wizards' bank, Gringotts.

'Dunno how Mum and Dad are going to afford all our school stuff this year,' said George after a while. 'Five sets of Lockhart books! And Ginny needs robes and a wand and everything ...'

Harry said nothing. He felt a bit awkward. Stored in an under- ground vault at Gringotts in London was a small fortune that his parents had left him. Of course, it was only in the wizarding world that he had money; you couldn't use Galleons, Sickles and Knuts in Muggle shops. He had never mentioned his Gringotts bank account to the Dursleys; he didn't think their horror of anything connected with magic would stretch to a large pile of gold.

'here,' Amelia pulled out a small patch of money. 'I'm a stikler and am never going to use much of it. Spend it on stuff for school ok?'

Fred refused at first George saying they simply couldn't, but after Amelia yelled at them in Piranha(which sounds a lot like barking) they gave in.


Mrs Weasley woke them all early the following Wednesday. After a quick half-a-dozen bacon sandwiches each, they pulled on their coats and Mrs Weasley took a flowerpot off the kitchen mantelpiece and peered inside.

'We're running low, Arthur,' she sighed. 'We'll have to buy some more today ... ah well, guests first! After you, Harry dear!' And she offered him the flowerpot.

Harry stared at them all watching him.
'W-what am I supposed to do?' he stammered.

'He's never travelled by Floo powder,' said Ron suddenly. 'Sorry, Harry, I forgot.'

'Never?' said Mr Weasley. 'But how did you get to Diagon Alley to buy your school things last year?'

'I went on the Underground –'

'Really?' said Mr Weasley eagerly. 'Were there escapators? How exactly –'

Amelia Potter and the Chamber of Secrets PART 1Where stories live. Discover now