Chapter 24: Through the Floo, or Not
"Ron, make sure you keep Scabbers somewhere safe! Ginevra, please be more careful with your textbooks! Where in Merlin's beard are the twins!?" Percy ordered as the house was a buzz with activity.
"Do you ever shut up!?" Mafalda called out from a distance.
"And how many times have I told you never to call me Ginevra, you prat." Ginny lambasted the posh pansie.
Percy groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. The whole Burrow was buzzing like an overturned beehive for the exact reason Percy hated the most. Last minute preparations for the school year. Despite the best efforts of the entire family, it was a time-honored tradition to fly into a full-scale panic right before classes. Unpinching the bridge of his nose, Percy noticed Potter was the only one of the galivanting lot that was not panicking.
"Why aren't you running around like a cockatrice with its head cut off?" Percy asked annoyedly.
"I thought it was chicken with its head cut off?" Harry asked.
"Muggle chickens do that too?" Percy asked.
"Well, yes, but beside the point. Ron and the others got me before I had time to pack school supplies. All I have is Hedwig." Harry added.
"And it's my first year so I have no supplies to speak of, oh lord of cranky ninnies." Mafalda added in teasing.
"Just quit delaying. We are late as it is. We're going to have to use the Floo Powder this year because of it!" Percy moaned before storming off.
"The what now?" Harry asked, confused beyond belief.
"Floo Powder." George said.
"That helps me none." Potter pointed out.
"What do they teach you youngin's these day at Hogwarts?" Fred jokingly asked.
"Had to learn to tie our shoes first day, we did." George chipped in.
"We learned how not to die to a troll." Ron said with triumph
"The school seriously needs better security!!" Percy called out from the other room.
"Quirrell let it in!" Harry commented vehemently.
"I'll believe that when pigs can naturally fly!!" Percy yelled back.
Ron put a hand on Harry's shoulder and patted it thrice. "Let's not tell him about Hagrid's flying pig Lester then." He said with a smile. "Well. At least before Fluffy got him."
"I don't think I've ever seen Hagrid so angry…" Harry muttered, shuttering a bit at the memory.
"Before then, I didn't know he could get angry." Ron commented
"Hagrid can get angry?" Ginny asked in shock, walking over carrying a stack of books.
"Pray you never experience it." Ron and Harry said in a bewildered unison.
"Who's Hagrid?" Mafalda asked.
"The groundskeeper for Hogwarts." Ginny replied.
"Great guy when you get to know him." Ron said with a big smile.
"We are waiting!!!" Percy roared from the other room.
With a sigh the four headed into the main living room, where everyone was assembled by the fireplace. Molly smiled as Arthur stood at the back of the group. She then grabbed a flowerpot held in place by an iron ring.
"All right. Are we all ready?" Molly asked eagerly.
"Yes mum." All the Weasley's said in unison.
"Good. Harry. Step forward and we will get started." Molly said.
"But mum. Harry's never gone anywhere by Floo Powder before." Ron explained.
"Oh, let someone with experience do it then." Percy scowled before stepping up and taking a handful of green powder out of the pot.
"Everyone, stand back." Molly said, putting one arm out as everyone stepped well clear of the fireplace.
Percy soon outstretched his arm with his clench fist. "Diagon Alley!" He said clearly and firmly, before disappearing into a great pillar of green fire. In mere moments, Percy was nowhere to be seen.
"Would it be a good time to say five Wizards and Witches die every year to Floo Powder accidents?" George asked.
"Boys." Arthur sternly said.
"Don't listen to them, Harry. Everything will be fine. Just grab some powder, go in the fireplace, and say your destination clearly." Molly firmly said, putting a hand on the boy's shoulder to calm him.
Harry took a deep breath before grabbing hold of the powder. With his owl's cage in one hand, he then walked into the fireplace. Taking a deep breath, he held out his clenched fist the same way that Percy did.
"Diagonally!" Harry called out and disappeared in a plume of green fire.
"What did he say?" Molly asked, as everyone looked on in concern.
"He said Diagon Alley." Arthur said with a small shrug.
"That's what I thought he said." Molly replied.
Meanwhile: In "Diagon Alley"
Harry groaned as he lay flat on his back on a hardwood floor. Soot and ash from the large stone fireplace before him lay on the floor as he slowly stood up. The room was vast but dimly lit. Small candles about the room did little to illuminate it. However, from what he could perceive, nothing in the room was anything he wanted to see. A hardwood stand before him alone held human skulls, a blood stained pack of cards, and a staring glass eye. Straightening himself out, he turned to see a man standing behind him.
"Ah!!" Harry yelped in fright, staggering back.
"Oh, hello there. Terribly sorry for causing a fright, young man. I didn't hear the doorbell ring." The dimly lit man said.
Stepping into the dim candlelight, he saw bald man with black stubble and a thick head. His eyes were deeply sunken into his head, to the point where Harry could not pick out what color they were. His lips curled into a small smile. Like one he had seen before. Something in him felt like he saw an old friend. The man dusted off a simple brown tunic and some striped pants, before tapping his hard-nailed boots on the floor.
"I'm sorry. I… I think I messed up the Floo Powder." Harry said apologetically, with nervousness leaking into his words.
"Oh, it's quite all right. It's not the first time it's happened. Comes with being connected to the Floo Network." The man explained.
"Um, is this Diagon Alley?" Harry asked as he looked around.
"Oh no. This is Borgin and Burkes. We are close, though not quite there." The man cryptically replied.
"Are you Mr. Borgin or Mr. Burke?" Harry asked.
"Neither. I'm Mr. O'Dimm. Old Burke's been gone for years. I'm only here to help with Mr. Borgin's workload." The man replied.
Before Harry could ask any further, he heard the door fly open. To his horror, he saw Draco walk in the door, alongside a much taller man with similar features, but with long locks of hair cascading past his shoulders. Looking around for a place to hide, he found Mr. O'Dimm opening a cabinet.
"In here." Mr. O'Dimm whispered.
Seeing no other option, Harry rushed inside, the door closing behind him. Darkness and shadowy whispers soon were all he could see and hear.
Soon after putting Harry into the cabinet, Mr. O'Dimm dusted off his hands as an old, haggard voice called from one of the back grooms.
"O'Dimm! Take that for me! I'm busy!" The voice yelled hoarsely.
"Of course, Mr. Borgin." Mr. O'Dimm said before heading over to the customers. "Good day to you, Mr. Malfoy, young Malfoy. How may I be of service to you today?"
Draco attempted to speak up, before the older man gave him a side glance, causing the boy to go quiet. "Yes. I'm here to sell a few items today." Mr. Malfoy said with a deep, dark, and high-class tone.
"And what items do you have for us today?" Mr. O'Dimm asked.
"What's it to you?" Draco snidely asked.
"Quiet, Draco." Mr. Malfoy scowled.
"Yes, Father." Draco said weakly, gulping nervously before taking a step back.
Mr. Malfoy then set a black leather and gold box on the table. He then slowly opened the box up to show a rack of vials filled with various dark liquids. Mr. O'Dimm smiled at seeing the contents.
"I'm here to sell some poisons to you." Mr. Malfoy said simply as he watched Mr. O'Dimm pick one up to inspect it.
"Quite a varied and potent array here. Would cost quite a pretty Galleon in some circles for this lot." Mr. O'Dimm said with a smile.
"Naturally. How much do feel these would be worth?" Mr. Malfoy asked.
"This vial of Canis Root alone is worth at least a thousand at first glance. I'll have to run them by Mr. Borgin though. For a proper appraisal." Mr. O'Dimm said with a hint of glee in his voice.
"What, are they not good enough for you?" Draco scowled.
Mr. Malfoy was about to speak up to his son, but Mr. O'Dimm beat him to the punch. "I'd watch your tongue, little Slytherin. There's always the right poison for the right job. Even for dealing with snakes." He said with a venomous tone, which caused Draco's already pale face to turn deathly white.
Soon Mr. O'Dimm packed up the box again and was about to leave with it to take it to Mr. Borgin, when something caught his eye. He turned to see a leather-bound book hanging from Mr. Malfoy's belt. Curious, the curator spoke about it.
"Are there any other items you wish to sell today?" Mr. O'Dimm asked.
"No. The poisons are all." Mr. Malfoy replied coldly.
"Are you sure? That book has a few magical qualities that a few of our buyers would be very interested in." Mr. O'Dimm replied, trying to see past Mr. Malfoy's cloak.
At this, Mr. Malfoy's brow tensed up and furrowed. "The book is spoken for. I can assure you." He explained sternly.
"Oh?" Mr. O'Dimm asked slyly.
"Let's just say I will make sure unfortunate items slip into the hands of my enemies. But I can't waste time. Send a note to my residence when you have the items properly appraised." Mr. Malfoy explained before turning around. "Come, Draco."
Without a word, the two Malfoys left the room as swiftly and surely as they had entered. The room fell silent for a moment before Mr. O'Dimm finally spoke up again.
"The coast is clear, boy." Mr. O'Dimm said.
As soon as he said that the cabinet Harry was in opened, causing him to stumble out. His legs trembled, sweat poured down profusely, and he held a hand to his chest. Harry then looked at Mr. O'Dimm in bewilderment.
"Why… why did you help me?" Harry asked through heavy pants.
"We're friends. It's what friends do." Mr. O'Dimm replied with a smile. "By the way, to get to Diagon Alley, the quickest way is through the alley on the right side of the shop."
As soon as he said that Harry had made a break for the door. Rushing out, he swiftly rounded the bend into the alley. As he rushed down into the dark and grimy alley before him, he failed to notice a crooked sign that read, "Knockturn Alley" ...