The Forgotten Twin

Chapter 4

Even several days later Delilah was still getting used to her new freedom. She could now get up whenever she wanted and go wherever she pleased. But she still hadn't ventured out into Muggle London, despite wanting to. Sure Diagon Alley was full of many interesting shops, but the one shop with Muggle clothes was... interesting to say the least. It looked like a costume store mixed with a thrift shop.

Delilah ate breakfast every morning in the Leaky Cauldron then went with Harry to the backyard, tapped the third brick from the left above the trash bin, and watched as the archway into Diagon Alley opened in the wall.

She spent the long sunny days exploring the shops and eating under the brightly colored umbrellas outside cafes, where the diners were showing one another their purchases ("It's a lunascope, old boy — no more messing around with moon charts, see?") or else discussing the case of Sirius Black ("Personally, I won't let any of the children out alone until he's back in Azkaban"). Delilah didn't have to do her homework under the blankets by flashlight anymore; now she could sit in the bright sunshine outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, finishing all her essays with occasional help from Florean Fortescue himself, who gave them free sundaes every half an hour because Harry was, 'the boy who lived'.

After Delilah and Harry had gotten their money bags refilled Delilah had to practically drag him away from certain things. They needed money for their next five years at Hogwarts and after.

They also needed to buy all their school supplies.

When they got to Flourish and Blotts, some Monster Book of Monsters were on display from a cage.

As they entered Flourish and Blotts, the manager came hurrying towards them.

"Hogwarts?" he said abruptly. "Come to get your new books?"

"Yes," said Delilah, "We need –"

"Get out of the way," said the manager impatiently, brushing them aside. He drew on a pair of very thick gloves, picked up a large, knobbly walking stick, and proceeded toward the door of the Monster Books' cage.

"Hang on," said Harry quickly, "We've already got those."

"Have you?" A look of enormous relief spread over the manager's face. "Thank heavens for that. I've been bitten five times already this morning —"

A loud ripping noise rent the air; two of the Monster Books had seized a third and were pulling it apart.

"Stop it! Stop it!" cried the manager, poking the walking stick through the bars and knocking the books apart. "I'm never stocking them again, never! It's been bedlam! I thought we'd seen the worst when we bought two hundred copies of the Invisible Book of Invisibility — cost a fortune, and we never found them.... Well... is there anything else I can help you with?"

Harry and Delilah listed all the books they needed and the manager went to go grab them. Harry wandered over to the divination area while Delilah looked at the DADA area.

The manager brought the books to the counter and they paid for them. Harry seemed a bit nervous though.

They got their robes then sat at the ice cream shop.

"What's wrong?" Delilah probed.

"Nothing."

"Liar."

"Fine, on the cover of a divination book about bad omens there was a big black dog like the one from the other night," Harry muttered.

"So you think the nice dog that had plenty of opportunity to eat us could be a death omen?" Delilah inquired.