HEATHENS - Harry Potter ✔

CHAPTER THREE

On Saturday morning, Kiera woke up excited at the thought of finally seeing George and Fred's infamous joke shop. Her hopeful and happy attitude sunk, however, as soon as they stepped out of the Ministry cars (that were there because of Harry) and into the Leaky Cauldron, because, for the first time in her memory, the pub was completely empty. Only the landlord remained and he looked up eagerly when they entered but Hagrid, who was there for extra security, told him they were just passing through and Tom frowned again.

Kiera stared at her feet as they walked through the bar to courtyard, feeling guilty that they brought no business to the pub, but the guilt soon vanished when Hagrid tapped the bricks by the dustbin with his pink umbrella and they saw the street beyond.

Diagon Alley was barely recognisable. Having once been the home of magic, it now looked more like the set of a cheap Halloween film that had not had enough of a budget to hire any extras. It was almost completely empty and the few people who were present, walked quickly from store to store, huddled in tight groups. The window displays that were usually so capturing of one's focus had been hidden behind Ministry of Magic announcements and warning posters, so that the chromatic street had turned almost completely a sombre shade of purple.

Where shopkeepers usually showed displays of the various magical items they sold inside, now stood shabby stalls, selling all kinds of deceitful trinkets. AMULETS: Effective Against Werewolves, Dementors, and Inferi, read the cardboard sign pinned to the front of the one closest to them.

"One for your little girl, madam?" called the little wizard who stood behind it, eyes scanning over Ginny. "Protect her pretty neck?"

Mr Weasley glared at him. "If I were on duty..."

"Yes, but don't go arresting anyone now, dear; we're in a hurry," said Mrs Weasley, nervously consulting a list she had written of all the things they would need to buy. "I think we'd better do Madam Malkin's first. Hermione wants new dress robes, and Ron's showing much too much ankle in his school robes – and you must need new ones too, Harry, you've grown so much ... come on, everyone."

"Molly, it doesn't make sense for all of us to go to Madam Malkin's," said Mr Weasley. "Why don't those three go with Hagrid, and we can go to Flourish and Blotts and get everyone's school books?"

She looked torn between wanting to finish their shopping as soon as possible and wanting to stick together for safety. "I don't know..." she said anxiously. "Hagrid, do you think –?"

"Don' fret, they'll be fine with me, Molly," Hagrid reassured and after a moment's thought, Mrs Weasley let Hagrid lead Harry, Ron and Hermione to Madam Malkin's and rushed the rest toward Flourish and Blotts.

"Wait, I'll come with you lot," said Kiera, catching up with the trio even though she had no money for new robes (and she had also not grown more than in inch over the last three years which meant that her current ones worked fine).

"Migh' be a bit of a squeeze in there with all o' us," said Hagrid, as he peered through the window of Madam Malkin's. "I'll stand guard outside, all righ'?"

So Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Kiera entered the shop together. Kiera didn't even get the chance to finish a thought about how empty it was when the voice she hated only below Dolores Umbridge's and Pansy Parkinson's reached her ears.

"I'm not a child, in case you haven't noticed, Mother. I am perfectly capable of doing my shopping alone," said Draco from behind a rack of dress robes.

Kiera's palms became clammy as soon as she heard him, and she felt the sudden urge to walk right back out of the shop and wait with Hagrid. She lifted her hand to her neck subconsciously.