Harry Potter and the Heir of Slytherin

A Meeting of Friends

The Leaky Cauldron was filled with patrons when the fireplace roared to life, the small fire that had been crackling inside morphing into a raging bonfire of bright green. No one paid much attention to the sight. It was not like this was the first time someone had used the floo network inside of the small pub today, nor would it be the last.

They also did not pay attention when several people stepped out, though if they had known who one of those people were they might have.

The first person to step out of the fireplace was a young girl no older than ten with dark blond hair, ocean green eyes and the brightest, most inquisitive smile anyone would ever see on her face. She was soon followed by two other people; another female who was quite obviously her older sister and a young boy with messy raven hair and killing curse green eyes.

Harry Potter sighed in relief as he stepped out of the fireplace. Never in his life had he been more pleased to no longer be in another person's presence before. Just thinking about the dead gaze that had been penetrating him for the last fifteen minutes was enough to send chills down his spine.

What had he been thinking? Causing such a serious breech in etiquette in order to convince Nathaniel Greengrass to let his youngest daughter join him and Daphne as they met up with their friends.

Harry did not commit very many impulsive acts. To date there were only a handful of actions he had committed that could be considered either impulsive or stupid, or both.

This particular act would definitely go up there as one of the most impulsive and stupid things he had ever done in his life, right next to attacking a troll without coming up with any kind of plan before hand and jumping on it's back in an act of brazen reckless panic.

"So this is the Leaky Cauldron?" There was a wide smile on Astoria's face as her eyes wandered and her head turned, as if she were trying to take in everything at once. "This place is amazing!"

"Don't run off, Stori," Daphne called out to her sister, who looked like she was about to bolt any second now in her attempt to take in more the small pub.

Harry looked over at Daphne, surprised to see her smiling so warmly in such a public setting. He was so used to seeing her cold demeanor while in public that this look was almost shocking.

Still, if this was the effect that Astoria's presence had on Daphne, then Harry would gladly suffer through the girl's father again.

Her sister stopped, then turned to look at Daphne, who was holding out one of her hands.

"Come on, stay with me. It wouldn't do for you to get lost."

"Right," a sheepish smile spread across Astoria's lips as she walked over to her sister and grabbed the offered hand. "Sorry Daphne, I'm just so excited to finally be allowed out of the house that I sort of forgot you guys were here."

"Of course you were," Daphne sighed in minor exasperation, but there was a soft smile on her face that told Harry she was not all that bothered, if she was bothered at all.

"Wait," Harry started, bringing the attention of the two girls onto himself. He was staring at Astoria with a look of masked shock. "Are you saying this is the first time you've ever left your home?"

"I don't know," Astoria's nose scrunched up cutely as she struggled to remember an instance where she might have left Greengrass Manor. "I think I might have left the house when I was younger, and sometimes I play outside in the back near the gardens, but I don't really remember going anywhere outside our house's boundaries."

Harry took a slow, shuddering breath as he thought through her words and his mind led him to the obvious conclusion that she had never been anywhere public since their mother's death.