The Girl Who Hid | ✓

|9| (second year)

For the last two months, I had been waiting for the day I could get out of the house and back to Hogwarts; that day was tomorrow. Today, though, Lupin was allowing me to go to Diagon Alley to find my supplies for second year.

"Come on, I haven't seen my friends in weeks! Hermione wanted to meet up at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. Please," I whined.

"I'm only giving you one hour," Lupin said.

"You didn't even let me spend the summer with Harry, Ron, or Hermione! Two!"

"Fine, but I'll go with you," he huffed.

"Perfect!"

Although Lupin said he was going to come with me to Diagon Alley, he hung out at the Leaky Cauldron instead of following me. I walked past the sweets shop and went into the ice cream parlor, only to be tackled by a brown blur.

"Maisey!"

"Hermione," I gasped and hugged her back. "I missed you so much!"

Hermione and I caught up about our summer as we walked the cobblestone road all the way to Gringotts, the wizarding bank. Just as we were about to go inside, I turned my head and saw the familiar dishevelment of raven hair next to a large shaggy haired man with a wild, tangled beard.

"Harry!" I shouted and left Hermione at the top of the white stairs to run down to Harry and Hagrid. "What happened to your glasses? Hello, Hagrid — Oh, it's wonderful to see you two again! Are you coming into Gringotts, Harry?"

"As soon as I've found the Weasleys," said Harry.

"You sure do run fast," Hermione panted once she caught up with ne.

"Yeh won't have long ter wait," Hagrid said with a grin.

Harry, Hermione, and I looked around: Sprinting up the crowded street were Ron, Fred, George, Percy, and Mr. Weasley.

"Harry," Mr. Weasley panted. "We hoped you'd only gone one grate too far." He mopped his glistening bald patch. "Molly's frantic - she's coming now—"

"Where did you come out?" Ron asked.

"Knockturn Alley," said Hagrid grimly.

"Excellent," said Fred and George together.

"We've never been allowed in," said Ron enviously.

"I should ruddy well think not," growled Hagrid. Mrs. Weasley now came galloping into view, her handbag swinging wildly in one hand, Ginny just clinging onto the other.

"Oh, Harry— oh, my dear— you could have been anywhere—"

Gasping for breath, she pulled a large clothes brush out of her bag and began sweeping off the soot Hagrid hadn't managed to beat away. Mr. Weasley took Harry's glasses, gave them a tap of his wand, and returned them, good as new.

"Guess who I saw in Borgin and Burkes?" Harry asked Ron, Hermione, and me as we climbed the Gringotts steps. "Malfoy and his father."

"Did Lucius Malfoy buy anything?" said Mr. Weasley sharply behind them.

"No, he was selling—"

"So he's worried," said Mr. Weasley with grim satisfaction. "Oh, I'd love to get Lucius Malfoy for something..."

"You be careful, Arthur," said Mrs. Weasley sharply as they were bowed into the bank by a goblin at the door. "That family's trouble. Don't go biting off more than you can chew —"

"So you don't think I'm a match for Lucius Malfoy?" said Mr. Weasley indignantly, but he was distracted almost at once by the sight of Hermione's parents, who were standing nervously at the counter that ran all along the great marble hall, waiting for Hermione to introduce them.