The next morning, Edward was woken very loudly by a familiar voice.
"EDDY!"
Edward's eyes shot open and he found Onyx barely a foot away, grinning at him. He yelped and leaped backward, hitting his head on the wall.
"Onnie, don't do that," came Ruby's voice. As he rubbed his head, he looked around to see Ruby and Topaz smirking behind their brother.
"Don't call me 'Onnie!'" Onyx snapped.
Harry groaned in the other bed and put his pillow over his face. "Go away."
"Nope!" Ruby grinned, yanking the pillow out of Harry's hands. "It's ten o'clock, Harry, we've been here for an hour."
Harry just groaned again, squinting in the light.
"We can buy Quuuuuuuuiiiiiiidiiiiitch suplies," she sang.
"All right, I'm up," Harry complained, making Topaz and Edward chuckle and Onyx snicker.
The next few days passed without Edward being able to tell Harry about Black, which was fine by him. Harry was happy anyway, arguing with Ruby and Onyx about what Quidditch team was the best, or which animal would be the best pet (Ruby won that one). He had managed to tell Topaz -- he needed the intelligent boy to help him protect Harry, Ruby, and Onyx -- on the fourth day of their stay, but he was dreading the moment when he would explain to Harry why Black had escaped....
They spent their days buying school supplies, doing homework (at Edward's and Topaz's insistence), eating at cafes for lunch and dinner, and sitting on the lawn outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor eating free ice cream sundaes.
The five of them had also refilled their bags with galleons, sickles, and knuts from their vaults, and with Edward's and Topaz's guidance, the other three didn't spend them all at once. They persuaded Onyx not to buy a solid gold set of Gobstones and had to drag Ruby away from a moving model of the galaxy in a huge glass ball. The thing Edward and Topaz had the hardest time making the three of them not waste their money for came a week after their stay.
A crowd had gathered around Quality Quidditch Supplies, murmurs of excitement and awe running through them. Onyx, Ruby, and Harry stopped when they saw the crowd, making Topaz and Edward stop, too, exchanging frowns.
"Wonder what all the fuss is about," Ruby remarked.
"Let's go see!" said Onyx. He and Harry began shoving through the crowd, and Ruby, Topaz, and Edward quickly followed.
They found the two boys staring slack-jawed at a magnificent-looking broom in the window. Ruby's jaw dropped as well. Edward and Topaz exchanged exasperated glances as Harry began to read the description aloud:
The Firebolt
This state-of-the-art racing broom sports a stream-lined, superfine handle of ash, treated with a diamond-hard polish and hand-numbered with its own registration number. Each individually selected birch twig in the broomtail has been honed to aerodynamic perfection, giving the Firebolt unsurpassable balance and pinpoint precision. The Firebolt has an acceleration of 150 miles per hour in ten seconds and incorporates an unbreakable Braking Charm. Price on Request.
"'Pinpoint precision,'" Ruby said dreamily.
"'Price on request,'" Topaz said sharply. "I don't know about you, but it will probably be thousands of galleons."
"It is!" said a wizard behind them. "Irish International Side's just put in an order for seven of these beauties! And they're favorites for the World Cup!"
"I want one," Onyx moaned longingly.
"But don't you have a Nimbus Two Thousand and One?" asked a familiar voice. They turned to see Lucius Malfoy and Draco coming towards them.
"Drake!" Onyx cried with delight.
"Hi, Draco," said Harry.
"Drakey," Ruby smirked. Topaz chuckled, and Edward rolled his eyes.
"Rube," Draco smirked back.
"Don't call me 'Rube!'"
"Don't call me 'Drakey,'" Draco returned.
"Ah," said Lucius Malfoy, sneering. "If it isn't Potter and his friends."
"Father," Draco said exasperatedly. "I'm his friend, too."
"Mr. Malfoy," Edward said in a smooth, calm tone, "can Draco shop with us? I'm sure you have other things to do. We can meet back here when he's done getting his school things."
Lucius paled slightly. He glanced at Draco, then said, "Very well. Draco, I'll meet you at Twilfit and Tattings in an hour."
"Yes, Father," said Draco, nodding. Lucius Malfoy swept off. Edward saw with slight irritation that he was heading down Knockturn Alley.
"What's he doing down there?" Onyx frowned.
"None of our business," Edward responded. "How are you, Draco?"
"Good." Draco glanced away, and Edward raised an eyebrow. Draco sighed. "Well, my summer wasn't actually that great -- Dad's furious since he found out I'm friends with a Muggleborn -- but it's better now that you're here." He grinned at Ruby and Onyx, who snickered.
"What new classes are you taking this year?" Edward asked as they all walked down to the bookshop.
"I asked Snape -- Professor Snape what classes you were taking," Draco said to Edward and Onyx, "so we could have the same classes. I didn't want to take Ancient Runes, though-" Edward smirked "-so I just decided to take Care of Magical Creatures and Divination."
----------------
They didn't see Ron and Hermione until the last day of the holidays. Ruby, Onyx, and Harry had insisted they get one last look at the Firebolt, and dragged Edward and Topaz to Quality Quidditch Supplies. They were just discussing where to have lunch when they heard someone yell.
"Harry! Ed!"
"Ruby!"
Ron and Hermione were running towards them. Ron was twice as freckly as he had been, and Hermione was very tanned, but they were both beaming.
"Hermy!" Ruby squealed, and the two girls hugged while Ron thumped Onyx, then Harry on the shoulder.
"'Hermy?'" Topaz asked dryly.
"What?"
"Finally. We went to the Leaky Cauldron," said Ron, "but they'd said you'd left, and we went to Flourish and Blotts, and Madam Malkin's, and-"
"We got all our stuff last week," Onyx interrupted.
"And how come you knew we're staying at the Leaky Cauldron?" Ruby demanded.
"Dad and Remus Lupin," said Ron.
"Did you really blow up your aunt, Harry?" Hermione asked severely. Topaz looked startled and then stern.
"First of all, she wasn't really Harry's aunt," said Edward as Ruby, Onyx, and Ron roared with laughter. "Secondly, he wasn't in control of his magic. You try keeping control of your magic when there's a woman at your house who's been horrible to you for two weeks."
"It is not funny, Onyx, Ruby," Topaz said sharply to his siblings.
"Honestly, I'm amazed Harry wasn't expelled," Hermione agreed. "Ron, stop laughing."
"So am I," Harry admitted. "Forget expelled, I thought I was going to be arrested. Your dad doesn't know why Fudge let me off, does he?"
"Probably 'cause it's you, isn't it?" Ron asked, snorting. Topaz and Edward exchanged glances that no one caught but Hermione; she bit her lip thoughtfully. "Famous Harry Potter and all that. Plus Edward is freaky when he's mad. I'd hate to see what the Ministry'd do to me if I blew up an aunt. Mind you, they'd have to dig me up first, because Mum would've killed me." Ruby and Onyx snickered. "Anyway, you can ask Dad yourself this evening. We're staying at the Leaky Cauldron tonight, too! So you can come to King's Cross with us tomorrow! Hermione's there as well!"
"Really?" Ruby squealed.
Hermione nodded happily. "Mum and Dad dropped me off this morning with all my Hogwarts things."
"Excellent!" Harry beamed.
"Have you all got your books and other things?" Edward asked.
"Look at this!" Ron said happily, taking out a long thin box and opening it. He pulled out a wand. "Brand-new wand. Fourteen inches, willow, containing one unicorn tail-hair. And we've got all our books-" He gestured to the large bag that was hanging over his shoulder. "What about those Monster Books, eh? The assistant nearly cried when we said we wanted two."
Onyx rolled his eyes. "He did cry when we said we wanted three. Ed and Harry got theirs from Hagrid."
"You guys, you have to stroke the spine," Ruby said exasperatedly. "Otherwise they'll tear apart your room." She glared at Onyx.
"It's not my fault the stupid book hates me!"
"What's all that, Hermione?" Harry asked, pointing at the three bags that she had dropped to hug Ruby.
"Well, I'm taking more new subjects than you, aren't I?" Hermione replied. Topaz chuckled. "Those are my books for Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, the Study of Ancient Runes, Muggle Studies-"
"What are you doing Muggle Studies for?" Onyx demanded. "You're Muggleborn! Your mum and dad are Muggles! You already know all about Muggles!"
"You and Topaz are both idiots," said Ruby fondly. "We grew up in a Muggle orphanage, for Merlin's sake, and he's taking Muggle Studies, too."
"It'll be fascinating to study them from the wizarding point of view," Topaz pointed out. "I'm taking Divination and Care of Magical Creatures, too."
"Are you planning to eat or sleep at all this year, you two?" Harry asked dryly. Ron and Onyx started laughing, and Ruby snickered. Topaz and Hermione ignored them.
"I've still got ten galleons," she said. "It's my birthday in September, and Mum and Dad gave me some money to get myself an early birthday present."
"How about a nice book?" Onyx suggested with a grin, making Ron snigger.
"No, I don't think so," Hermione mused. "I really want an owl. I mean, Harry has Hedwig, Edward's got Soot, and Ron's got Errol-"
"Soot is Remus' owl, Hermione," said Edward, and Ron said at the same time, "Errol's a family owl." Ron continued, "All I've got is Scabbers." He pulled out the rat. It looked sickly and thin.
"You should get that poor thing checked over," said Ruby concernedly.
"I don't think Egypt agreed with him," Ron agreed.
Edward remembered that Mr. Weasley had won a load of galleons from the Daily Prophet draw at the beginning of the summer, and he'd used it to take his family (minus Edward, who was helping Remus clean the apartment) to Egypt.
"There's a magical creature shop just over there," said Onyx, pointing. "You could see if they've got anything for Scabbers, and Hermione can get her owl."
"I think I want a pet, too," said Ruby. "Hmm, maybe a cat...."
Magical Menagerie was extremely crowded. The walls were covered by cages of all animals, so it was extremely smelly and very noisy; the occupants of the cages were all squeaking, squawking, jabbering, or hissing. The witch behind the counter was currently advising a wizard, so Edward and the triplets went to look for a pet for each of them while Ron, Hermione, and Harry waited to talk to the witch.
There were two enormous purple toads ("No," said Onyx, and Ruby agreed); a gigantic tortoise ("Wouldn't fit in the room," said Topaz) was glittering near the window, his shell encrusted with jewels; poisonous orange snails were oozing up the side of a tank (all three agreed vehemently not to get these); a fat rabbit kept changing into a top hat and back with a popping noise ("We'd lose it easily," said Ruby); a cage with noisy ravens ("Too loud"); a basket of custard-looking balls ("What the heck are those?"); and a cage of sleek black rats that were playing a jumprope game with their tails ("Ron's already got a rat, Scabby probably doesn't want competition").
Then Ruby let out a gasp that made every custumer stare at her. She was gazing at a magnificent, golden-colored cat with fluffy, shining fur and eyes as blue as the sky.
"She's beautiful," Edward agreed.
"I'll name her Sunny," Ruby declared, picking up the cat's cage. "Hi, sweetie," she cooed to the magestic feline, who purred contentedly.
"Well, I'm getting this owl," said Onyx; he was holding the cage of a jet-black Barn Owl who was looking around haughtily. "I've already named him Storm."
"Where's Topaz?" asked Ruby.
Suddenly they heard a yell from the counter, and Edward turned to see a huge orange cat bowling Ron over. It threw itself at Scabbers, who shot away.
Edward darted forward and grabbed the rat before it could escape the store. The witch behind the counter had picked up the hissing, bristling cat.
"Here," said Edward, when he'd reached Ron. "Have you got something for Scabbers?"
"Yes," said Ron, eyeing the cat angrily as he took the shaking rat from him. "How much for the rat tonic?" he asked the woman, holding up a small red bottle.
"A galleon."
"How much for this beautiful kitty?" asked Ruby as Ron handed her a golden coin. She held up the cage with Sunny in it.
The witch looked slightly alarmed for a moment before shaking herself. "Er, she's a very special case-"
"Did you say one hundred galleons?" Ruby interrupted. "I'll pay."
"Deal," said the witch at once.
"Ruby," Onyx groaned, "one hundred galleons for a cat?"
"I want Sunny, and I'm getting Sunny," Ruby retorted, giving the woman a bag full of the golden coins.
"What about this owl?" Onyx sighed, holding up the cage.
"That's only ten galleons," said the witch.
"He," Ruby corrected. "Animals are not objects." The cat let out a purr of amusement.
Onyx rolled his eyes at Ron, then gave her the money.
"Let's go outside to wait for Hermione and Topaz," Edward suggested. "It's getting a bit crowded."
They went across the cobblestone street and sat on the lawn outside Fortescue's. Ruby opened the cage and Sunny padded out, then curled up in Ruby's lap.
After a while, Topaz and Hermione emerged. Topaz was carrying a cage with a sleek silver cat inside, and Hermione was holding the orange cat that had attacked Scabbers.
"You bought that monster?" Ron spluttered, his mouth hanging open.
"He isn't a monster!" Ruby retorted as Hermione cooed, "He's gorgeous, isn't he?"
"I think that's a matter of opinion," said Onyx. Ruby swatted him, and he let out a yelp of pain.
"Hermione, that thing nearly scalped me!" Ron snapped.
"He didn't mean to, did you, Crookshanks?" Hermione said.
"And what about Scabbers?" Ron growled, pointing at the lump in his chest pocket. "He needs rest and relaxation! How's he going to get it with that thing around?"
"Stop worrying, Ronald," Ruby ordered. "Crookshanks will be sleeping in me and Hermione's dormitory and Scabbers in yours, what's the problem?"
"Poor Crookshanks," said Hermione, "that witch said he'd been in there for ages; no one wanted him."
"I wonder why?" Ron and Onyx chorused sarcastically, earning a cough from Harry and a stern look from Topaz.
They headed back to the Leaky Cauldron with Ruby, Hermione, Onyx, and Ron bickering about the cat.
"What did you name him?" Edward asked Topaz, nodding to the silver cat.
"River," Topaz replied. "Look at his eyes; aren't they interesting?"
They were interesting, Edward agreed. They were dark blue slits that looked almost like drops of water.
When they got back to the Leaky Cauldron, Mr. Weasley was sitting at one of the tables, reading the Daily Prophet.
"Harry, Edward!" he said warmly, smiling as they entered. "How are you both?"
"Good," said Edward.
"Fine, thanks," said Harry.
"And how are you three?" Mr. Weasley asked the triplets, a slightly wary note in his tone now.
"It was terrible until we got here, and then Edward made the summer awesome," said Ruby, and then she blushed. Edward smiled as she quickly changed the subject. "Look who I got!" She held up the beautiful cat.
"She's gorgeous," Mr. Weasley smiled, putting down the newspaper.
The triplets tensed; Hermione cast Ruby a worried look; and Ron suddenly became very interested in his rat tonic. A large picture of Sirius Black was glaring at them from the front page.
Edward deftly turned the paper over and opened his mouth to distract the triplets, but Mrs. Weasley did that for him. She had just entered with the twins, Fred and George, Percy, the new Head Boy, and Edward's foster sister, Ginny.
When Ginny entered, she turned red and muttered a "Hello" to them. Percy, however, grasped Harry's hand as though he'd never met him.
"Harry, Edward. How nice to see you."
"And what are we, chopped liver?" Ruby demanded, earning laughter from everyone in the vicinity except Percy, who ignored her.
"Hello, Percy," Harry said, grinning.
"I hope you're well?" Percy asked as he shook Edward's hand.
"Very well, thanks," said Edward.
"Harry, Edward!" Fred said, pushing Percy out of the way and bowing. "Simply splendid to see you, old boys-"
"Marvelous," George grinned, shoving Fred back and seizing Harry's hand as well. "Absolutely spiffing."
"It's absolutely wonderful to see you as well, Fred, George," Ruby said sweetly, lifting her imaginary skirts and curtsying. Ron and Onyx snickered as the twins grinned at her.
"That's enough, now," Mrs. Weasley said, although she gave Ruby an amused look.
"Mum!" Fred said delightedly, spinning on her. "How really corking to see you-"
"Fred," Edward interrupted warningly.
"The Slytherin doesn't like our jokes," George said with a smirk.
"I like your jokes," Onyx snorted. "And Ed doesn't like to be called 'The Slytherin.'"
"Hello, Harry, Edward," Mrs. Weasley interrupted as she sat down. "I suppose you've heard our exciting news?" She pointed at the badge on Percy's chest. "Second Head Boy in the family!"
"Edward will probably be the third," said Ron, making Edward turn red.
"And last," Fred muttered.
"I don't doubt that," Mrs. Weasley said with a frown. "I notice they haven't made you two prefects."
"What do we want to be prefects for?" George demanded, looking disgusted. "It'd take all the fun out of life."
"True, true," said Ruby, faking a posh accent. This caused Fred and George to grin at her and Ginny to giggle.
"You want to set a better example for Ginny!" Mrs. Weasley said sharply.
"Ginny's got other people to set her an example, Mother," said Percy pompously. "I'm going up to change for dinner..." He left the room.
George rolled his eyes. "We tried to shut him in a pyramid," he whispered to Harry, Edward, and the triplets. "But Mum spotted us."
Ruby snickered.
----------------
They had a splendid dinner that night, although Edward's appetite was a bit spoiled by Onyx scarfing down the five courses as if he hadn't eaten for a week.
As they began eating a delicious chocolate pudding, Fred asked, "How're we getting to King's Cross tomorrow, Dad?"
"The Ministry's providing a couple of cars," said Mr. Weasley.
Edward gave him a thoughtful, curious look. Everyone else was looking at him, too.
"Why?" Percy asked with a frown.
"It's because of you, Perce," said George with a hidden smirk. "And they'll be little flags on the hoods, with HB on them-"
"-for Humongous Bighead," Fred finished. Ruby snickered, and everyone else snorted into their puddings except Mrs. Weasley and Percy.
"Why are the Ministry providing cars, Father?" Percy asked again.
"Because they're protecting the triplets from Black," said Edward calmly. Onyx grimaced, and Ruby put her face in her hands. Topaz gave him a tired look. "They think he'll try to recruit them."
"What?" Onyx demanded. "The Ministry are nuts. Why would we join him? He abandoned us to that horrible orphanage-"
Mrs. Weasley interrupted, giving them a concerned look. "You haven't been adopted yet?"
"No," said Ruby from underneath her hands. "Nobody wants the Black triplets. Everyone thinks we're evil."
"We don't," said Edward fiercely, "and the entire school knows how amazing you three are. I'm glad the Ministry are sending the cars; we won't lose you."
"That's not mushy at all," said Onyx dryly, and everyone laughed, ending the tense feeling. Ruby's face was bright red underneath her hands, and she removed them, avoiding eye contact with Edward.
"I agree with Edward," said Mrs. Weasley. "You three are amazing. And do you realize how much luggage you've all got between you? A nice sight you'd be on the Muggle Underground.... You are all packed, aren't you?"
"Ron hasn't put all his new things in his trunk yet," said Percy patiently. "He's dumped them on my bed."
"Ruby's put all her stuff on mine," Topaz agreed. Ron and Ruby scowled.
"You'd better go and pack properly, you two, because we won't have much time in the morning," Mrs. Weasley told them both.
Edward finished eating quickly and he and Harry went upstairs to finish packing. Edward had just locked his trunk when he heard shouting through the wall.
"What's going on?" Harry asked, looking up from his own locked trunk.
"Let's go see," Edward suggested, standing.
The door of number ten was open and Percy's furious voice was echoing out of it.
"It was here, on the bedside table, I took it off for polishing-"
"I haven't touched it, all right?" Ron snarled back.
"What's goin on?" Edward asked calmly, and both boys relaxed a bit.
"My Head Boy badge is gone," Percy said stiffly.
"So's Scabber's rat tonic," said Ron. "I think I might've left it in the bar-"
"You're not going anywhere until you've found my badge," Percy snapped.
"Percy, calm down," Edward said patiently. "I think I know where your badge is. I'll get it. I'm packed, anyway."
"And I'll get Scabber's stuff," said Harry, "I'm packed, too."
Edward left Harry at the landing and went to Fred and George's room. He heard them sniggering inside.
So he was right. He knocked.
"What?" came Ruby's voice.
"It's Edward," he replied with a sigh. "Ruby, you haven't been scheming with Fred and George, have you? We have enough going on without-"
The door was yanked open, and Ruby stood there, looking angry and faintly upset. Fred and George were behind her, looking concerned now.
"Scheming with Fred and George is one of the only things that makes me happy, Ed!" she snapped. "I was fine last year, and the year before that, I could ignore the whispers. But they're worse this year, everyone thinks me and Onyx and Topaz are helping our father! I have to do this, don't you see? Otherwise I'm going to be screaming all night-"
She stopped, because Edward had dragged her into a hug. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize," he said gently. "I should have. As long as you don't do a prank war with Peeves, I'm fine with you being with the twins."
Ruby was blushing very hard when he pulled back. Finally she said, "Um... thanks."
Edward smiled at her. Then he turned sharply to Fred and George, who gave him an innocent look. "Where's the badge?" he asked sternly.
"What badge?" Fred asked innocently.
At Edward's glare, George quickly held it up. "Oh, you mean this one?"
Percy's badge now read, Bighead Boy. It had been written with a quill instead of charmed like that, so Edward wasn't as mad.
Edward rolled his eyes. "I'm not giving that back to him until you've fixed it."
"We're not fixing it," said Fred.
"And Ruby's giving it to him," George grinned.
"He wouldn't hurt a girl," said Ruby with a smirk. "Besides, I was totally innocent of this prank."
"Oh please," Fred snorted. "You stole it for us."
"I'll go tell Percy that Ruby found it," Edward sighed, leaving the room.
When he got back to number eleven, Harry was sitting on the bed, frowning.
"What is it?" asked Edward curiously, sitting on his own bed.
"I heard Mr. and Mrs. Weasley talking in the parlor," said Harry, not looking at him. "They were arguing. Mr. Weasley wanted to tell me something, but Mrs. Weasley said no; she wanted me to stay happy. He wanted me to be to be careful, because you and I and our friends wander around by ourselves." He hesitated. "Ed... was this what you were going to tell me? That Black's after me?"
Edward sighed. "Yes. I was hoping I wouldn't have to."
"I'm not a child," Harry grumbled. "I've survived Voldemort's attacks three times."
"That's not why I didn't tell you," Edward said patiently. "I didn't want to tell you because I didn't want to to be upset -- upset, not scared -- and the triplets are going through a lot right now. They'll be going through a lot this year."
"I know," said Harry. "Poor Ruby."
"She can take care of herself," Edward said dryly. "I wouldn't be surprised if she challenged Peeves to a prank war."
Harry laughed.