Deviations

About a week after Harry had arrived at the Burrow, they heard from Hogwarts. They went down to breakfast to find Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Ginny already sitting at the kitchen table.

The moment she saw Harry, Ginny accidentally knocked her porridge bowl to the floor with a loud clatter. She dived under the table to retrieve the bowl and emerged with her face glowing like the setting sun.

Arth sighed in response and grabbed many napkin.

"Don't worry Mrs. Weasley, I got this."

He cleaned up the mess on the floor and patted Ginny on the head.

"It's ok Ginny, everyone makes mistakes. Just be careful next time."

Ginny shyly nodded her head and have her thanks before sitting down. Arth took the bowl from her and washed it before adding more porridge.

"Letters from school just arrived," said Mr. Weasley, passing Harry and Ron identical envelopes of yellowish parchment, addressed in green ink. "Dumbledore already knows you're here, Harry — doesn't miss a trick, that man. Everyone has one actually." he added.

Arth took the letter from Mr.

Weasley and opened it.

SECOND-YEAR STUDENTS WILL REQUIRE:

The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 by Miranda Goshawk

Break with a Banshee by Gilderoy Lockhart

Gadding with Ghouls by Gilderoy Lockhart

Holidays with Hags by Gilderoy Lockhart

43 Travels with Trolls by Gilderoy Lockhart

Voyages with Vampires by Gilderoy Lockhart

Wanderings with Werewolves by Gilderoy Lockhart

Year with the Yeti by Gilderoy Lockhart

Fred, who had finished his own list, peered over at Arth's.

"You've been told to get all Lockhart's books, too!" he said. "The new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher must be a fan — bet it's a witch."

At this point, Fred caught his mother's eye and quickly busied himself with the marmalade.

"That lot won't come cheap," said George, with a quick look at his parents. "Lockhart's books are really expensive..."

"Well, we'll manage," said Mrs. Weasley, but she looked worried. "I expect we'll be able to pick up a lot of Ginny's things secondhand."

Arth clapped his hands in realization he ran upstairs and came back down with a box.

"Mrs. Weasley, my parents told me to give you this, they said it was a Thank you gift for taking care of me like I was one of your children."

"Oh dear you don't have to."

"They insisted."

Mrs. Weasley took the box and opened it. Golden coins started to rain down from the box, and everyone stared.

George leapt up in surprise.

"T-those are all Galleons... blimey, that's like a hundred."

"We can probably get Ron a new wand and buy new copies of all of our course books."

Fred grabbed Arth's hand and shook it many times.

"I never knew your family was loaded Arth, can't believe that gave away a hundred Galleons."

Arth smiles wryly, "I didn't know either."

Mrs. Weasley uncomfortably glanced at the box before giving it back to Arth.

"I'm sorry dear, but I can't accept it. It's too much."

Fred and George got out of their seats.

"Are you insane woman? That's a hundred Galleons!"

"That's exactly why I can't take it." She snapped.

Arth just smiled and handed it back.

"For these past three months, you were like a mother to me. I refuse to accept your refusal, take it Mrs. Weasley, or I'm going to give Ron 50 Galleons worth of chocolate frogs, it's better for you to use it than him."

Seeing the smile on Arth's face, Mrs. Weasley flushed and took the box.

Fred sighed.

"I should've been born handsome, maybe mother would love me more."

Fred got hit on the head with a frying pan.

Ron ignored the screaming and opened the letter from Hermione.

"She's going to Diagon Alley next Wednesday, apparently."

"Well, that fits in nicely, we can go and get all your things then, too," said Mrs. Weasley, starting to clear the table. "What're you all up to today?"

"Nothing."

"Well you can help me with chores, Arth dear, you can rest, you have already helped a lot. Especially with the money."

Arth sat down in one of the comfy chairs and watched as Harry, Ron, Fred, and George all grumbled as they went off to work. Mrs. Weasley came with a cup of coffee and served it humbly to Arth.

He took the cup and swirled the coffee twice before drinking. Feeling like a king, Arthur watched as everyone except him started to clean around the house. Seeing the dirty look from Ron, he smirked and sipped the coffee elegantly once more. He then took out a book and read.

Mrs. Weasley woke them all early the following Wednesday. After a quick half a dozen bacon sandwiches each, they pulled on their coats and Mrs. Weasley took a flowerpot off the kitchen mantelpiece and peered inside.

"We're running low, Arthur," she sighed. "We'll have to buy some more today...Ah well, guests first! After you, Harry dear!"

And she offered him the flowerpot.

Harry stared at them all watching him.

"W-what am I supposed to do?" he stammered.

"It's Floo powder, take a bit in your hands and throw it into the fire, don't stutter and say Diagon Alley. Think of it as fire teleportation."

Arth watched as Harry disappeared into the flame before doing the same.

When he opened his eyes, he was in Diagon Alley once more.

Underneath him was Harry.

Arth sighed and pulled him up.

"Don't worry, it happens all the time, at least you didn't throw up."

Although he did look a bit pale.

Seeing that his glasses were a broken, Arth took out his wand and repaired it.

After all of the Weasleys met up, they proceeded to head towards Gringotts Bank. When Mr. Weasley met Hermione's parents, he rushed up towards them with a eager smile. Something about Mr. Weasley reminded him of his father.

Back outside on the marble steps, they all separated. Percy muttered vaguely about needing a new quill. Fred and George had spotted their friend from Hogwarts, Lee Jordan. Mrs. Weasley and Ginny were going to a secondhand robe shop. Mr. Weasley was insisting on taking the Grangers off to the Leaky Cauldron for a drink.

"We'll all meet at Flourish and Blotts in an hour to buy your schoolbooks," said Mrs. Weasley, setting off with Ginny. "And not one step down Knockturn Alley!" she shouted at the twins' retreating backs.

An hour later, they headed for Flourish and Blotts. They were by no means the only ones making their way to the bookshop. As they approached it, they saw to their surprise a large crowd jostling outside the doors, trying to get in. The reason for this was proclaimed by a large banner stretched across the upper windows:

GILDEROY LOCKHART will be signing copies of his autobiography

MAGICAL ME

today 12:30P.M.to 4:30P.M.

"We can actually meet him!" Hermione squealed. "I mean, he's written almost the whole booklist!"

Arth frowned. "I read his books and they weren't that great, mostly over exaggerated."

Hermione instantly stopped squealing and shrugged.

"If you say so, you must be right."

Ron squinted his eyes.

"Is Arth really that handsome? I thought witches only listened to handsome men. I mean Arth is decent looking, but is he better than Lockhart?"

"Ron, that's sexist. And if you put it that way, wizards are the same. I know where your eyes were when that pretty witch passed us. And I'm just going to say that it was somewhere a child shouldn't be looking."

Ron flushed.

"Plus," said Hermione who was trying to get rid of her blush from Ron's comment. "You should look in the mirror, you aren't much to look at either."

Ron and Harry learned a new lesson.

In the minds of some women, looks are law.

After spending some time convincing Mrs. Weasley that the signatures weren't worth it, the left the shop and headed back home.

A few weeks later, it was time to go back to school.