Bella and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Chapter Three

Sorry if the grammar and spelling in the chapters are bad, I'm updating on my phone and I don't have the grammar checking thing that I use on my laptop on it.
*****

Hermione bought Crookshanks and we left the store. I saw Harry and Ron walk towards us. Ron saw Hermione holding Crookshanks and his eyes widened.

"You bought that monster?" He asked, his mouth hanging open.

I laughed. "I knew you'd be angry about it"

"He's gorgeous, isn't he?" Hermione asked, glowing.

"Er..." I said, not knowing what to say.

The cat's ginger fur was thick and fluffy, but it was definitely a bit bow-legged and its face looked grumpy and oddly squashed, as though it had ran headlong into a brick wall. Now, I'm guessing, Scabbers was out of sight, the cat was purring happily in Hermione's arms.

"Hermione, that thing nearly scalped me!" Ron exclaimed.

"He didn't mean to, did you, Crookshanks?" Hermione asked the cat.

I looked at her weirdly. "Hermione, the cat can't talk back to you"

She stuck her tongue at me and I scoffed.

"What about Scabbers?" Ron asked, pointing at the lump in his chest pocket. "He needs rest and relaxation! How's he going to get it with that thing around?"

"That reminds me, you forgot your Rat Tonic," I said putting the small red bottle into Ron's hand.

"Will you stop worrying, Crookshanks will be sleeping in my dormitory-" I made a face and Hermione rolled her eyes before continuing, "- and Scabbers in yours. What's the problem? Poor Crookshanks, that witch said he's been there for ages; no one wanted him"

"I wonder why," Ron said sarcastically, as we set off towards the Leaky Cauldron.

We found Mr Weasley sitting in the bar, reading the Daily Prophet.

"Harry! Bella!" He said, smiling as he looked up. "How are you both?"

"Fine, thanks," me and Harry answer at the same time as we joined Mr Weasley with our shopping.

Mr Weasley put down his paper, and I saw a shadowed eye, messy hair and a sunken face man. Though I had never seen him before, he looked strangely familiar to me.

"They still haven't found him then?" Harry asked.

"Found who? Who is he?" I asked, confused.

"You don't know who he is?" Ron shot his eyebrows up in surprise.

I sigh. "If I knew who he was Ronald, I wouldn't be asking"

Ron blushed out of embarrassment. Hermione then explained who he is and what he had done. Turns out his name was Sirius Black and he was a big supporter of Voldemort. He killed thirteen people with one curse before he was caught.

"Sirius Black is a nasty piece of work," Mr Weasley said, looking extremely grave. "They've pulled us all off our regular jobs at the Ministry to try and find him, but no luck so far"

"He must be really good at hiding," I comment, knowing hiding from the Ministry is hard work.

"Would we get a reward if we caught him?" Ron asked. "It'd be good to get some more money-"

"Don't be ridiculous Ron," Mr Weasley said. "Black's not going to be caught by a thirteen-year-old wizard. It's the Azkaban guards who'll get him back, you make my words"

"Still," I say. "It'll be awesome knowing we were the ones who caught him. We're no strangers to danger, I mean, just remember our past two years at Hogwarts. But then again, Black's got no reason to be anywhere near Hogwarts...right?"

At that moment, Mrs Weasley entered the bar, laden with shopping and followed by the twins, Fred and George, who were about to start their fifth year at Hogwarts. The newly elected Head Boy, Percy, and the youngest child and only girl, Ginny.

Sigh.

Ginny, who had always been very taken to Harry (unfortunately) seemed even more embarrassed than usual when she saw him, perhaps because he had saved her life during our last term at school. She went very red and muttered 'hello' without looking at him. I glared at her, if looks could kill... Percy, however, held out his hand solemnly as though we had never met and said, "Bella, Harry. How nice to see you"

"Hello, Percy," Harry said, trying not to laugh.

"Sup?"

"I hope you're well?" Percy asked, shaking Harry's hand.

"Very well, thanks-"

"Guys!" Fred said, elbowing Percy out of the way and bowing deeply. "Simply splendid to see you-"

"Marvellous," George said, pushing Fred aside."Absolutely spiffing"

Percy scowled. I chuckled.

"That's enough now," Mrs Weasley said

"Mum!" Fred said, like he's only just spotted her. "How really corking to see you-"

"I said that's enough," Mrs Weasley said dropping her shopping on a chair. "Hello, dears. I suppose you've heard our exciting news?" She pointed at the brand-new silver badge on Percy's chest. "Second Head Boy in the family!"

"And last," Fred muttered under his breath.

"I don't doubt that," Mrs Weasley said, frowning suddenly. "I notice that they haven't made you two Prefects"

"What do we want to be Prefects for?" George asked, looking revolted at the very idea. "It'd take all the fun out of life"

Ginny giggled. I wanted to shoot her.

"You want to set a better example for your sister!" Mrs Weasley snapped.

"Ginny's got other brothers to set her an example, Mother" Percy said loftily. "I'm going up to change for dinner..."

He disappeared and George heaved a sigh.

"We tired to shut him in a pyramid," he told me and Harry. "But Mum spotted us"