Fulfilling Obligations (Harmione)

Chapter 14: A Night Down Under

Harry followed Hermione as she walked briskly through the darkened streets. He was quite pleased with himself that he had convinced her to go along with his plan, and curious as to where exactly she was leading him. They had already passed at least half a dozen bars, but Hermione continued to stride assuredly past them. Harry's perplexed expression grew when she finally stopped before a small fountain.

The circular fountain was extremely simple. Small jets of water shot upwards from the sides, creating a dome as they met at their peak to cascade back into the pool. No markings or symbols adorned its base.

Hermione smiled at the tiny display. "I knew I would find it eventually," she said triumphantly.

"Hermione," Harry said as he eyed the fountain, "when I said I wanted a drink, this wasn't exactly what I had in mind."

Hermione shot him a dark look.

"For one, I am not buying you a drink, and for another, just shut up for a minute while I try to remember how to go about this."

Harry laughed. "Since when do you need silence to think? You would've ditched me and Ron years ago if that were the case."

It looked as though Hermione was about to retort, but then she shrugged. "I suppose I can give you that one."

But Harry decided to keep his mouth closed as Hermione thought.

It didn't take her long.

"That's it!" she exclaimed, pulling her wand from the waistband of her jeans. She then proceeded to circle the perimeter of the fountain, allowing the tip of her wand to graze each spout of water has she went. It appeared to Harry that the water began to emit a soft glow.

When Hermione was once again standing by Harry, she tucked her wand back into her jeans and without warning stepped into the dome of water, disappearing in a wave of shimmering light.

Shaking his head at his friend's lack of explanation, Harry followed her immediately. As he ducked beneath the water, he was met by a sensation that he imagined would be similar to walking through an Invisibility Cloak. When he emerged onto the other side, Hermione was waiting for him, grinning slightly.

"So, ready to hit that bar?"

Harry glanced around, interest piqued. "As soon as you inform where we are."

"This is Avalon Square," Hermione said. "Essentially the Diagon Alley of Sydney. I came here to replenish some supplies when my parents and I vacationed here."

While he puzzled over the idea of needing to replenish wizarding supplies during a vacation, Harry surveyed the area that surrounded him. He and Hermione were standing at the base of a fountain, a fountain much grander than what they had walked through in the Corso. Even with the small amount of people milling throughout the square, Harry could see that they were standing at the heart of the plaza, with shops and restaurants spanning out from where he stood. Harry also noted that there was a broad alley leading away from the square in each cardinal direction-north, south, east, and west.

"So, which direction shall we go?" Hermione asked, seeming to read Harry's thoughts.

Harry shrugged, but nevertheless began to lead the way down the east alley.

He and Hermione strolled casually down the cobbled street, glancing vaguely at the signs of the numerous shops they passed: Dak's Strides (a strange shop which sold only peculiar varieties of pants), a tiny store called Inkblot that carried every type of quill imaginable, a rather exotic looking coffee shop known as Merlin's Muse, and Excalibur, a medieval-looking wand shop that seemed to exemplify the alley's namesake.