Ron's letter was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating a ripple named "Hogwarts" in the warm summer afternoon of the Granger home.
The agreement to go to Diagon Alley next week caused the fire of a top student to reignite in Hermione's eyes.
A few days later, a solemn-looking owl finally brought the official notice.
Hermione unrolled the parchment list, her finger sliding across each line.
"Break with a Banshee, Gadding with Ghouls, Holiday with Hags, Travels with Trolls, Voyages with Vampires, Wanderings with Werewolves, Year with the Yeti..."
With every book title she read, her eyes brightened a bit more.
At the end of the list was a long string of Gilderoy Lockhart's masterpieces, seven in total, each quite expensive.
"Oh! Merlin!" Hermione let out an exclamation mixed with excitement and admiration. "Professor Lockhart is going to be our new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor! This is wonderful!"
Lia was lying on Hermione's lap, feeling a bit dizzy from the excited rise and fall of Hermione's chest. She looked up, her azure eyes filled with confusion.
She didn't understand what was so exciting about a pile of paper with words printed on it.
But she could feel Hermione's happiness, so she followed suit by gently sweeping the tip of her tail against Hermione's arm, letting out a satisfied purr.
The day for the shopping trip soon arrived.
The Grangers drove Hermione and Lia to the Leaky Cauldron. The Weasley Family was already waiting there, with Ron waving excitedly.
"We're taking the floo network! It's the fastest way!" Arthur Weasley greeted them warmly.
He grabbed a handful of grey powder from a flowerpot on the mantelpiece and handed it to Hermione.
"Floo powder?" Hermione hesitated slightly. She had read about it in books and knew this method of travel wasn't friendly to beginners.
She looked at Lia, who was peering around curiously.
"Lia, you'd better turn into a cat and hold on tight to me," Hermione instructed seriously.
Lia gave an obedient chirp, and her body shrank in a soft glow, turning into a snow-white Ragdoll Cat, her four paws hooking tightly onto Hermione's robes.
"Be sure to state the destination clearly! Diagon Alley!" Molly Weasley reminded loudly from the side.
Harry and Ron disappeared into the green flames one after another.
It was Hermione's turn.
She took a deep breath, grabbed a handful of Floo powder, and stepped into the fireplace. The cold, lifeless fireplace made her feel a bit uneasy.
"Diagon Alley!"
She threw down the powder.
Boom!
The dark green flames instantly engulfed her.
Lia felt as if she had been thrown into a crazily spinning washing machine. Countless fireplace exits flashed before her eyes, and soot and heat waves rushed frantically into her nostrils, making her almost choke.
"Meow!"
She let out a terrified shriek, her claws instinctively gripping even tighter.
Hermione only felt a sharp pain in her chest, but she had no time to check as she was thrown out of a fireplace by a massive force.
Thud!
She fell clumsily to the ground, coughing, her vision a blur.
"Hermione!"
Harry and Ron hurried forward to help her up.
"I... I'm fine..." Hermione waved them off, immediately looking down to check on Lia in her arms.
The little kitten's condition was much worse than hers.
Her snow-white fur had been dyed blackish-grey by the soot, looking like a little coal ball just pulled out of a chimney. Only those blue eyes were still somewhat clean, though they were now wide with shock.
She was trembling all over, unable to say a word, only clinging tightly to Hermione and burying her face in her clothes as if it were the only safe harbor in the world.
"Oh, you poor little thing," Molly said pityingly.
Ignoring the soot on herself, Hermione gently patted Lia's back, soothing her softly.
Only when Lia's trembling subsided slightly did she look up to survey her surroundings.
They were inside Borgin and Burkes, a gloomy place filled with an ominous atmosphere.
Lucius Malfoy and Draco were standing not far away, looking them over with eyes that seemed to be inspecting merchandise.
Hermione immediately became alert, holding Lia tighter, and quickly followed The Weasley Family out of the place.
Diagon Alley was still bustling with people.
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