Obliviate My Choices {Book 4}

5. Malfoy's detour

I spent the last few weeks of holiday trying to distract myself in the confines of the Burrow. I'd play Quidditch matches with my friends, keep up my medication and try to stop flinching every time somebody said the word 'real'.

Shakily, I could see myself start to recover from the mess Malfoy had made of my head. There were relapses into wanting my painful memories gone, but Arthur would answer my phonecalls and he'd ramble about Lord of the Rings and rainbows down the line until I fell asleep.

But of course there were sploches of darkness around the Wizarding world as more muggle deaths and disapearences were announced--as mysterious and grisly as Adeline and Laurence's---served with a side of dementor attacks scattered around the UK.

On the plus side, when the Hogwarts letters arrived, Harry was made Quidditch captain. "Good for you," Gennie said with a grin to him. "Just take good care of my team, yeah?"

"You get equal status to prefects now," Hermione pointed out. "You can use the special bathrooms and everything!"

"Yeah, I'm sure that's the reason Harry is so pleased." I chuckled, giving him a quick hug.

"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..."

"Yeah, but that'd be favourtism, wouldn't it?" I smirked, making Ron scowl at me. 

"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.

"Yeah, he's taking out Mein Kamf..." I muttered sarcastically, and nobody understood the reference, so I just sat there awkwardly.

"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. "And that goes for returning to Hogwarts as well!"

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

On Saturday we ended up being driven to Diagon Alley in Ministry cars, much like when I first went to Hogwarts, all those years ago. I was excited to see Lacey and Hollie again, but I worried about what Lacey would have to say if she twigged onto my mental breakdown of this summer. 

"Here you are, then," said the driver, drawing me out of my thoughts,  "I'm to wait for you, any idea how long you'll be?"

"A couple of hours, I expect," said Mr. Weasley. "Ah, good, he's here!"

There were no Aurors waiting outside the inn, but instead Hagrid, grinning at us.

"Harry! Rory!" He beamed, bringing Harry and I into a breath constricting hug as soon as we were out of the car. ""Buckbeak--Witherwings, I mean--yeh should see him, 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 I'd do," said Hagrid proudly, throwing out his chest and tucking his thumbs into his pockets. "Lets get goin' then--after yeh, Molly, Arthur--"

We headed through the Leaky Cauldron which was dismally deserted, and followed Hagrid into the courtyard that lead to Diagon Alley. Hagrid tapped the wall in the special place, and we went through the archway into the alley. 

It had changed.

Ministry posters of protection were over almost every window, with scowling faces of death eaters stapled to doors and windows. I heard Cole whimper as we passed a sneering face of Cameron, and I noticed Gennie hold onto his hand a little bit tighter.