One Hundred And Forty Nearly Twelve (Completed)

Chapter 16: The Diary and The Basilisk

The stay at the Burrow with the Weasley family although he found it very enjoyable seemed to be flying by really fast for Harry, and before he realised it the day for their visit to Diagon Alley to collect their school books for the coming year had arrived.

Harry knew what was coming as he stepped into the fireplace of the Burrow and said loudly and very clearly Diagon Alley, he really didn't want to go through it all again, but it was something he had to do, whether he liked it or not.
As they entered Flourish and Blotts book shop, he saw instantly that things were just as they had been before. Crowds of women were squeezed into the shop, all of them were there to see one of his least favourite people who was there doing a book signing. Harry had no choice but to allow things to happen exactly as they had done before up to a point.

Gilderoy Lockhart saw Harry almost immediately and dragged him forward to have his photo taken with the fraudster, then having been given the complete works of Lockhart Harry made his way through the crowd and rejoined the Weasleys he gave the new books to Ginny just as he had done before. Harry watched as everything unfolded just as he expected, then placing himself in just the right place he waited for the few minutes it would take before he made his move.

Having grabbed a book from Ginny's cauldron Lucius Malfoy spoke about how poor the Weasleys were. Having insulted Arthur and been in a scuffle he then he reached forward with Ginny's book in his hand. He was just about to drop it into her cauldron when Harry made his move, he petrified Malfoy before he could complete the move that would place Tom Riddle's Horcrux containing diary in with Ginny's other books.

Harry then created a shield around the small area of the shop to prevent anyone getting close, "Mr Weasley sir," Harry called not taking his eyes from Malfoy.

Arthur Weasley stepped forward, "Yes Harry?" he said as he stood along side the young wizard.

"If you could send for an Auror, we have the item we talked about. We can also charge Lucius Malfoy with the attempted murder of Ginny, and plotting the death of students of Hogwarts."

Before Arthur could react to what Harry had just told him they were joined by one of the Auror's who had been doing crowd control at the door to the shop. He wanted to know what was going on, who had been fighting, and why was Mr Malfoy petrified.

"Mr Weasley sir, if you and the officer can take that book from Lucius and check it out I think you might find there is more than just the book he took from Ginny's cauldron." Harry told Arthur.

Arthur watched closely by the Auror, did as Harry said. Held beneath the book Lucius had taken from Ginny was the diary of Tom Riddle, just as Harry had expected. Arthur and the Auror examined the book, when they found it had nothing but blank pages they looked at Harry for some kind of explanation.

"You need to test it for dark magic, and then we need to talk to Madam Bones," Harry said as he freed Malfoy from his petrifying spell. As Malfoy tried to shout and protest Harry placed another spell placing handcuffs and manacles on Malfoy, he also cast a silencing spell on the evil blond haired death eater. Now all he had to do was to get in to see the Minister and to convince her of what he knew to be the truth. Hermione and Ginny wanted to know what was happening. Hermione questioned him and was not at all surprised when Harry told her he had found another Horcrux.

The Auror was not happy about what was happening, he was even more annoyed when both Harry and Mr Weasley refused to tell him anything. Arthur tried to use his position in the ministry to get the Auror to arrest Malfoy and take them to see Madam Bones, but he was having none of it, he wanted explanations first before he did anything.