CHAPTER 27
THE DAWNING STAR.
The scene went from the fireplace at the Burrows to a fireplace in a dark and dusty place. Harry fell out of the fireplace with a bang and landed on the floor covered in dust and missing his glasses. He coughed out some smoke and felt around the floor for his glasses.
“Oh thank god.” Lily said in relief.
“Where’d you think he ended up?” Marlene asked.
Once he found them, Harry placed them back on and looked around himself. Standing up, Harry was able to get a clearer view of his surroundings. As he observed several odd-looking objects that were placed on the shelves, it could easily be seen that his glasses were cracked on one side. It looked like he was in some sort of shop.
“I think that’s Borgin and Burke’s.” Regulus said.
“Yeah, you’re right.” Evan nodded.
Harry wandered from shelf to shelf until he came to a wax sculpture of a hand. When he touched it, the handed gripped him tightly and wouldn’t let go. Harry looked around for anything that could help him and saw Draco Malfoy outside the shop peeking at the objects that were put on display.
Harry struggled hard against the and managed to wrangle himself free just as Draco entered the shop holding a black box in his hands. Harry ran over to a coffin that was set upright and quickly hid inside.
Draco Malfoy was happily wandering about when he placed his fingers on a hideous looking sofa. A man with long pale hair that matched Draco’s came in and with the cane in his hand tried to whack the boys’ hand. Draco fortunately moved his hand out of the way.
“Don’t touch anything, Draco.” The man who was clearly Draco’s father said.
“Well look who it is.” Rodolphus Lestrange smiled.
“Yes, Father.” Draco said obediently.
The father-son pair walked further into the shop and a man came out from behind a glass counter and greeted them politely.
“Mr. Malfoy, what a pleasure to see you again. And young Master Malfoy too. Delighted.” The man took out a clay object and showed it to him. “I must show you, just came in today, and very reasonably priced--"
“I’m not buying today, Borgin.” The man interrupted. “I’m selling.”
“Selling?”
“Draco.” The man called out to his son. Draco Malfoy walked over to his father and placed the box he was carrying on the glass counter.
“You have heard, of course, that the Ministry is conducting more raids,” said Mr. Malfoy, opening the box for Mr. Borgin to see. “I have a few — ah — items at home that might embarrass me, if the Ministry were to call. Poisons and the like.”
“What sort of things exactly?” Minister Minchum raised his eyebrow.
Mr. Borgin fixed a pair of pince-nez to his nose and looked into the box.
“The Ministry wouldn’t presume to trouble you, sir, surely?” Mr. Borgin said as he ruffled through the contents of the box.
Mr. Malfoy’s lip curled.
“I have not been visited yet. The name Malfoy still commands a certain respect, yet the Ministry grows ever more meddlesome. There are rumors about a new Muggle Protection Act — no doubt that flea-bitten, Muggle-loving fool Arthur Weasley is behind it. It wouldn’t be so difficult to deter him if he didn’t have that witch in his corner helping him.”’
“Which witch?” Peter wondered.
“Which one do you think?” Remus looked over to Cathy.
“Ah!” Mr. Borgin nodded. “One would think that someone like her would be more helpful toward our kind.”
“Given the way she was raised I’m not surprised Catherine Black turned out the way she did but you would that her husband would at least have fixed her behavior by now.” Mr. Malfoy said. “It is a dark time for purebloods all over if she raises her children with the same beliefs.”
“Oh, I don’t like you.” Cathy said looking at Lucius.
Draco began to wander about in the shop and stopped at the coffin that contained Harry. He was touching the metal container when his father paid Mr. Borgin. Mr. Malfoy turned to his son just as Draco was beginning to open the coffin.
“So close.” James sighed.
“You can keep the box.” Mr. Malfoy said as he used his cane to close the lid of the coffin. “What did I say?”
“Touch nothing.” Draco answered.
“Exactly.”
“Sorry, Father.” Draco apologized.
“Doesn’t seem like a good father-son relationship, does it?” Sirius said.
“Come on. We’re going.” Mr. Malfoy said.
“It’s a pleasure to do business with you, Mr. Malfoy.” Mr. Borgin said. “Always a pleasure.”
Muttering darkly, Mr. Borgin disappeared into a back room. Harry waited for a minute in case he came back, then, quietly as he could, slipped out of the cabinet, past the glass cases, and out of the shop door.
Clutching his broken glasses to his face, Harry stared around. He had emerged into a dingy alleyway that seemed to be made up entirely of shops devoted to the Dark Arts. The one he’d just left, Borgin and Burkes, looked like the largest, but opposite was a nasty window display of shrunken heads and, two doors down, a large cage was alive with gigantic black spiders.
“Creepy place.” Frank commented.
Two shabby-looking wizards were watching him from the shadow of a doorway, muttering to each other. Feeling jumpy, Harry set off, trying to hold his glasses on straight and hoping against hope he’d be able to find a way out of here.
An old wooden street sign hanging over a shop selling poisonous candles told him he was in Knockturn Alley. This didn’t help, as Harry had never heard of such a place. He supposed he hadn’t spoken clearly enough through his mouthful of ashes back in the Weasleys’ fire. Trying to stay calm, he wondered what to do.
“Not lost are you, my dear?” said a voice in his ear, making him jump.
An aged witch stood in front of him, holding a tray of what looked horribly like whole human fingernails. She leered at him, showing mossy teeth. Harry backed away.
“Now that’s creepy!” Marlene said.
“I’m fine, thanks,” he said. “I’m just —”
“Harry! What d’ yeh think yer doin’ down there?”
“Thank goodness for Hagrid.” Euphemia sighed.
Harry’s heart leapt. So did the witch; a load of fingernails cascaded down over her feet and she cursed as the massive form of Hagrid, the Hogwarts’ gamekeeper, came striding toward them, beetle-black eyes flashing over his great bristling beard.
“Hagrid!” Harry croaked in relief. “I was lost — Floo powder —”
Hagrid seized Harry by the scruff of the neck and pulled him away from the witch, knocking the tray right out of her hands. Her shrieks followed them all the way along the twisting alleyway out into bright sunlight. Harry saw a familiar, snow-white marble building in the distance — Gringotts Bank. Hagrid had steered him right into Diagon Alley.
“Yer a mess!” said Hagrid gruffly, brushing soot off Harry so forcefully he nearly knocked him into a barrel of dragon dung outside an apothecary. “Skulkin’ around Knockturn Alley, I dunno dodgy place, Harry — don’ want no one ter see yeh down there —”
“I realized that,” said Harry, ducking as Hagrid made to brush him off again. “I told you, I was lost —what were you doing down there, anyway?”
“Good question.” Professor McGonagall nodded.
“I was lookin’ fer a Flesh-Eatin’ Slug Repellent,” growled Hagrid. “They’re ruinin’ the school cabbages. Yer not on yer own?”
“I was with aunt Cathy and the Weasleys but we got separated.” Harry told the half-giant.
“Harry! Harry! Over here!” the boy looked forward to see Hermione and her parents together with Regulus, Neville and Cassie.
“Good, they found him.” Fleamont said. “Aw! Look how big Cassie’s gotten.”
Regulus noticed that Cathy blushed slightly at the sight of her own future daughter. He placed his hand on hers reassuringly.
Hermione and Neville ran down to meet them.
“Harry!” Hermione smiled happily.
“Hagrid!” Neville greeted the large man.
“Hello Neville! Hello, Hermione!” Hagrid spoke happily as the sight of the two.
“Oh, it’s so good to see you!” Hermione said.
“Well, it’s great to see you, too!” Harry said.
“What did you do to your glasses?” Hermione said looking concerned as she took out her wand. “Oculus reparo.”
The glass lenses were fixed at once and no longer cracked.
“She did the exact same thing when they first met.” Remus noticed.
Harry took off his glasses and observed before he put them back on with a smile. “I definitely need to remember that one.”
“You gave Catherine a scare, Harry.” Regulus said as he and Cassie arrived.
“Sorry, Uncle Regulus.” Harry apologized. “It was my first time using Floo Powder.”
“Did he just call Regulus ‘uncle’?” James questioned.
“Well, he is married to his aunt.” Remus said.
“Not sure I’m too keen on that.” James complained.
“Well you’re dead so you don’t really have much of a say.” Cathy told her brother.
“We were all worried about you.” Cassie told him.
“Sorry. Where’s Halley?”
“My mums got her.” Cassie answered.
“You’ll be all right now then, Harry? Right. I’ll leave you to it, then. Nice seeing yer again, Regulus.” Hagrid nodded his head as he left.
“Likewise.” Regulus nodded.
“Ok! Bye!” Hermione said.
“Bye!” Neville waved.
“Thank you. Bye.” Harry said.
“Come on! Everyone’s been so worried.” Cassie said as she grabbed Neville and Harry’s hands and pulled them in the direction of one of the shops.
Once they were inside, it was easy to spot the Weasleys. Harry and the group all walked toward the redheads and got to them just a Cathy turned around.
“Harry, there you are!” she said sounding relived.
“Hey, Hazza.” Ryan greeted his cousin. “Where’d you end up popping to?”
“Knockturn Alley.”
“Brilliant!” Fred and George said in unison.
“We’ve never been allowed in.” Ron said enviously.
“I should certainly hope not.” Everyone turned around and saw a woman with dark hair and warm brown skin approach them. “It’s a dangerous place.”
“Oh my god” Dorcas gasped at the sight of who it was.
“Mary!” Cathy beamed at the woman.
“Hi!” Mary greeted her back with happy smile. As the two women hugged each other with joy, Harry noticed a young boy next to woman.
“No way!”
“Oh my god, I lived.” Mary said. “I mean I know that my name wasn’t on any of the gravestones but--”
“Congrats, Mary.” Lily said.
“Hi.” The boy greeted.
“Hey, Miles.” Ryan greeted the boy. “Hazza, this is Miles. Miles, this is my cousin Harry.”
“Is that you son?” Marlene enquired at the sight of the little boy.
“He looks a bit like you.” Dorcas said.
“I wonder who the father is.”
“Harry,” the boy looked up to his aunt who was nodding toward the woman, “this is Mary McDonald. She was friends with your mum and dad.”
“Hello.” Harry greeted her. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“And you, Harry.” Mary smiled. “God, you look just like your dad except for your eyes.”
“What are you doing here, Aunt Mary?” Ryan asked.
“Miles is starting Hogwarts this year.” The witch told him. “We’re getting his school things."
“So he’s in the same year as Cassie.” Fleamont deduced.
“We?” Regulus repeated. “Just the two of you?”
“The three of us actually.” A voice spoke. Regulus turned around and laughed before he embraced the man that had spoken.
“Is that…?”
“No way!”
“That’s the father of Mary’s kid!”
After they finished greeting each other, the man turned to Cathy. “Nice seeing you again, Red.”
“Hello Evan.” Cathy greeted with a kiss to his cheek.
“Evan!” Someone shouted.
Everyone looked at the Slytherin boy who was staring at the screen white with shock. Mary also had a similar expression on her face.
“Hi uncle Evan.” Halley spoke.
“Well, hello there little Halley.” Evan smiled. “And the rest of the Black clan.”
“I married…” Evan looked so shocked.
“You married him!” Marlene looked at Mary in shock. “Are you dating him?
“No!” Mary said. “I’ve never even spoken a word to him!”
“There you are!” Everyone turned to see Molly Weasley arrive in a huff of energy. She looked down and noticed everyone who was there. “Oh, Harry! Thank goodness! We’d hoped you’d only gone one grate too far. Hello Mary!”
“Hi.” The woman greeted.
“It’s starting!” Molly almost squealed in excitement.
“What?” Evan asked.
Cathy looked completely unenthusiastic and drained. “When she saw his name outside the shop, she insisted that we come here.”
“Who’s name?” Cathy wondered as people began to recover from the shock of Evan and Mary.
“Oh, check this out.” Ryan pulled out a book from one of the shelves and showed it to the everyone.
“The Origin of Names.” Neville read the title of the name. “What’s it about?”
“Pretty self-explanatory I think.” Remus said.
“Basically, it tells people about what their names mean and came from and stuff.” Ryan said as he flipped through it. “Did you know that the name Neville was originally Christian and French and means new town slash village.”
“That’s interesting.” Harry said joining as he and Cassie joined him in flipping through the book. “Do me next.”
“Okay…Harry, Harry, Harry…” Cassie murmured as she flipped through the book and found the name. “Here it is. Harry is a masculine name of German origin. Meaning "home ruler" this name was very popular in 1493.”
“You were actually named after your great-grandfather.” Cathy informed him.
“I thought your fathers name was Henry.” Euphemia said.
“It was.” Fleamont said. “Harry was a nickname.”
“How about me?” Ryan asked.
After flipping through the book Ryan stopped and read out what he found. “Ryan is Hebrew Boy name and the meaning of this name is ‘Little King, Ruler or Kingly’” Ryan smiled proudly. “Did you hear that? My name means little king.”
Cassie rolled her eyes at her brother. “Why don’t we try your full name?”
“No, I like this one.” Ryan said as Cassie snatched the book away and began to flip through the pages.
“You were named after my father.” Regulus told his son.
Orion smiled with pride at what his son had said. Although he too was curious to what his granddaughter would find out about the name.
“Here we are.” Cassie said. “The name Orion originates from Greece and also the name of a constellation of the same name. The name means ‘rising in the sky’, ‘great hunter’, ‘dawning star’ and also refers to the beginning of a new generation.”
Cathy looked down at her daughter and picked up the book she was holding. She looked through the page until she found her sons’ name. She read through the meaning and stopped at the words ‘dawning star’.
“Dawning Star?” James murmured. “Where’d I hear that from?”
“Give this to the Dawning Star.” A voice echoed in from Cathy’s memory. “When you realize who it is, give it to them.”
“From Salazar Slytherin.” Remus said. “From the first film, he gave Cathy his locket and told her to give it to the Dawning Star.”
James quickly caught on. “So when he said Dawning Star he was talking about--”
My grandson.” Walburga said with pride. “Salazar Slytherin wanted him to have the locket.”
Cathy looked down at her son and stared at him with a strange look.
Ryan noticed and look at his mother. “What? What is it? Do I have something on my face?”
“N-no.” Cathy said. “It’s nothing. Never mind.”
“She knows that Salazar Slytherin wanted Ryan to have the locket.” Lucius said. “Though why him? He’s a Gryffindor.”
“That’s right.” Bellatrix nodded.
“Maybe Salazar Slytherin has plans for Ryan.” Narcissa said.
“Maybe he’s the heir…” Cathy heard Walburga whisper something to her husband.
“Can I have that back?” Cassie gestured for the book. Cathy gave it back to her daughter and the Weasley children all wanted to know the meaning of their own names.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” someone announced as everyone gathered further in which pushed the Weasley, Black, Rosier and Potter members forward, “Mr. Gilderoy Lockhart.”
“What?” A young third year student perked up at the sound of his name.
“Ah! Here he is!” Molly said.
“Not this joker.” Cathy rolled her eyes as she moved to the left and hid behind a large stack of books.
“My mum fancies him.” Ron whispers to Harry, Neville, Hermione and Ryan.
“Mine doesn’t.” Ryan replied.
“Make way there. Please! Let me by, madam.” A man holding a camera said as he pushed his way forward. “Thank you. Excuse me, little girl. This is for the Daily Prophet.”
“What’s up with her?” Evan questioned Regulus while he shrugged toward Cathy.
“He’s the new DADA professor at Hogwarts.” Regulus answered. “She was there during his interview. Apparently, she doesn’t like him.”
Lockhart was finished posing for the camera when his eyes fell on Harry. He stared at the twelve-year-old and focused on his visible scar.
“It can’t be…Harry Potter?” Everyone quieted down at Harry’s name. Cathy perked up at her nephews’ name.
“Harry Potter!’ The photographer looked at Harry and shuffled through the crowd to get to Harry. “Excuse me, madam.”
Just as he was about to grab Harry, his arm was stopped by Cathy who had come out from behind the books and looked at the photographer rather annoyed.
“Hands off.” She said and the man immediately backed off.
“It was rude of that man to try to grab at Harry like that.” Euphemia nodded.
“Ah! Professor Potter fancy meeting you here.” Lockhart smiled at Cathy rather seductively. “Heard about my appearance, did you?”
“I would have avoided this shop had I had a choice.” Cathy replied.
“She really doesn’t like him.” Lily commented.
“Oh.” Lockhart looked slightly affected by her words. Upon seeing Ryan and his sisters his expression quickly brightened again. “These must be your children.”
“Our children.” Regulus said standing by his wife. “And they’re Harry’s cousins as well.”
“Overprotective jealous husband mode: Activate!” Evan said returning to his normal self.
“Well then,” Lockhart looked slightly annoyed at Regulus but turned to the crowd in his usual demeanor, “Ladies and gentlemen, what an extraordinary moment this is. When young Harry and his cousins stepped into Flourish and Blotts this morning to purchase my autobiography, Magical Me... which, incidentally is currently celebrating its 27th week atop the Daily Prophet bestseller list, they had no idea that he would, in fact, be leaving... with my entire collected works, free of charge.”
“I’m an author!” young Gilderoy exclaimed.
He handed Harry, Cassie and Ryan a stack of his books each.
“Now, ladies?” Lockhart looked at witches that were gathered to the side of the store. They all blushed and giggled.
“Boys, now you give me those, and I’ll get them signed.” Molly said taking the books off their hands. “All of you wait outside. Do you want me to get those signed for you, love?” Molly asked Cassie.
“Can you ask if I can exchange or get store credit or something for these?” Cassie enquired.
“Cassie.” Regulus looked at his daughter sternly. “Say thank you.”
“Thank you.” Cassie murmured as she gave Molly the books and the rest of kids walked toward the exit.
“You really like that fella huh?” Fabian looked at his sister.
“I do enjoy a good book.” Molly said in her defense.
“Bet you loved that, didn’t you, Potter?” said a voice Harry had no trouble recognizing. He straightened up and found himself face-to-face with Draco Malfoy, who was wearing his usual sneer. “Famous Harry Potter,” said Malfoy. “Can’t even go into a bookshop without making the front page.”
“Not this prick!” Fleamont groaned.
“Fleamont!” Euphemia looked at her husband in annoyance at his language but Cathy just smiled at her father. Fleamont saw his daughter and winked at her.
“Leave him alone.” Ginny said in Harry’s defense.
“Potter, you’ve got yourself a girlfriend!” drawled Malfoy. Ginny went scarlet.
“Now, now Draco, play nicely.” Mr. Malfoy told his son rather halfheartedly.
“Now it’s this prick.” Cathy said.
Catherine!” Euphemia looked at daughter the same way she was looking at her husband a few seconds ago.
Regulus just looked between his girlfriend and her father. “Explains a few things.” He nodded.
“Mr. Potter... Lucius Malfoy. We meet at last. Forgive me, your scar is legend, as, of course, is the wizard who gave it to you.”
“Voldemort killed my parents. He was nothing more than a murderer.” Harry told him.
“Hmm. You must be very brave, to mention his name...or very foolish.” Lucius commented.
“Fear of a name only increase fear of the thing itself.” Hermione spoke up.
“That’s right.” Dumbledore nodded.
“And you must be... Miss Granger.” Lucius looked amused at her. “Yes, Draco’s told me all about you, and your parents. Muggles, aren’t they?”
Hermione looked back inside the shop to see that both her parents were busy talking to Arthur and Cathy.
Lucius Malfoy’s eyes eventually fell on the Ron and his siblings. “Let me see...red hair...vacant expressions...” Lucius picked up a book from Ginny’s bucket, “…tatty secondhand book. You must be the Weasleys.”
Arthur and his wife blushed red with embarrassment.
Arthur Weasley arrived at the entrance of the shop and began to usher the children out. “Children, it’s mad in here! Let’s go outside.”
“Well, well, well. Weasley senior.” Lucius smirked.
“Lucius.” Arthur replied.
“Busy time at the Ministry, Arthur, all those extra raids? I do hope they’re paying you overtime, but judging by the state of this, I’d say not.” Lucius dropped Ginny’s book back into her bucket. “What’s the use in being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don’t even pay you well for it.”
“We have a very different idea about what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy.” Arthur said curtly.
“Lucy?” Everyone turned to see Cathy and the other parents come over to where they were. “I knew I recognized that straight perm.”
“Oh I’m gonna enjoy this.” Arthur said.
Lucius looked annoyed at Cathy’s presence. “Hello Catherine, Regulus.”
“Lucius.” Regulus nodded.
Mary came over with Hermione’s parents. “Is he a friend of yours?” Mrs. Granger enquired.
“Sure you could say that. A few years ago, he challenged me to a duel and I beat the living shit out of him.” Cathy smiled politely. “How’s the leg by the way?”
Several people laughed out loud or just gasped in an attempt to hide their laughter when Lucius’ expression changed.
Lucius didn’t respond to her and simply left but not before shooting Arthur one last dirty look. “I’ll see you at work.’
Draco followed his father and told Harry; “See you at school.”
After the father-son pair left there was a brief silence before Cathy clapped her hands together.
“It’s almost lunch time. Who’s hungry?”