The Boy Who Couldn't See: Year 2

At Flourish and Blotts

"Oh, are you starting at Hogwarts this year?" Harry asks curiously. Ginny, from the way her brothers talk about her, is pretty interesting but considering she won't even speak in Harry's presence, he doesn't really know much about her.

Ginny hums, the only verbal response Harry gets from her when he talks to her. She obviously doesn't want to just ignore him but she's too scared to talk so she's resorted to hums and squeaks.

"Morning, all," a different voice says and Harry jumps. "Lovely day."

There's a rustle of a movement and then —

"Errol!" Ron exclaims. "Finally — he's got Hermione's answer. I wrote to her saying we were going to try and rescue you from the Dursleys."

"Has her summer been well?" Harry asks as Ron stands from the table and takes a few steps.

"She keeps talking about something called a retainer — said her parents didn't want to use magic to straighten her teeth," Ron sits back down. "It hurts a lot, apparently."

"I had a friend at school — she had braces and complained about them all the time," Harry shrugs. "Kept telling me what colors she got — as if I could see them. Anyway —"

Ron laughs, ripping open Hermione's letter. He reads it out loud.

"'Dear Ron, and Harry if you're there,

"'I hope everything went all right and that Harry is okay and that you didn't do anything illegal to get him out, Ron, because that would get Harry into trouble, too. I've been really worried and if Harry is all right, will you please let me know at once, but perhaps it would be better if you used a different owl, because I think another delivery might finish your one off.

"'I'm very busy with schoolwork, of course' — How can she be?" Ron says in horror and Harry laughs. "We're on vacation! — 'and we're going to London next Wednesday to buy my new books. Why don't we meet in Diagon Alley?

"'Let me know what's happening as soon as you can. Love from Hermione.'"

"Well, that fits in nicely, we can go and get all your things then, too," Mrs Wealsey says. "What're you all up to today?"

Harry, Ron, Fred, and George are heading up to the paddock the Weasleys own to play Quidditch with apples, considering they can't risk real Quidditch balls flying into the nearby village. They ask Percy if he wants to join but, like he has every time they ask, he refuses and shuts himself in his room. This behavior is unusual, according to his brothers, and the fact that he hadn't gloated about his O.W.L. exam results at all even more so. Also according to them, Percy is quite a good player, though a very bad sport and a sore loser, so he's fun to play with, only when he wins. He's a beater, apparently, just like the twins. Harry, who didn't even know Percy could ride a broom, is very shocked by this.

"Dunno how Mum and Dad are going to afford all our school stuff this year," George says as they walk up to the paddock. "Five sets of Lockhart books! And Ginny needs robes and a wand and everything..."

Harry feels very awkward. His vault down in Gringotts is filled to the brim with Sickles, Galleons, and Knuts. He would offer to buy their school supplies — lord knows he has more than enough to buy them all new supplies, maybe even a house — but if somebody warning him that he's about to run into a wall is a strike in his pride, he can only imagine how it would make the Weasleys feel to be offered financial help.

He's may be stupid and oblivious but at least he knows that.

Next Wednesday, Mrs Weasley wakes them all up early. They eat quickly and then pull on their coats, Harry gripping Ron's elbow as he waits for instructions on how to get to Diagon Alley. He's excited to talk to Hermione again and meet her parents but considering he had a panic attack the last time he went to Diagon Alley, he's more than a little scared.