The Scars to Prove It

Only a few days later Mrs. Weasley decided it was time for us to all make our annual trip to Diagon Alley. Everything was going great until we realized we had to teach Harry how to use Floo Powder.

“Now, Harry dear, it’s quite easy. Ron will go first to show you...” Mrs. Weasley said comfortingly. Ron scooped up some of the powder obediently, and turned in the fireplace to give Harry a comforting smile.

“Diagon Alley!” he called, throwing the dust into the fireplace. The green flames erupted around him; although almost everyone didn’t even blink, Harry’s face paled considerably as he jumped back.

“You see? It’s quite easy, dear. Don’t be afraid. Come on. Come on. In you go. That’s it, mind your head. That’s right. Now take your Floo powder. That’s it, very good. Now, don’t forget to speak very, very clearly.” Mrs. Weasley ushered him into the fireplace and nodded enthusiastically as he took a handful of Floo Powder.

“Diagonally!” he said shakily. After he disappeared, everyone glanced at each other, wondering if was just their ears, or did he mispronounce the destination? But no one spoke.

The twins left next, followed by Carina, and then Farren. They all appeared, glancing around at each other for a moment before realizing that Harry wasn’t among their numbers.

“I bet he just missed the gate,” Farren said confidently, her orange and red bob swishing about as she glanced at the others. The red heads all nodded with her, small worry-lines appearing on their brows. But the dark haired girl’s pale skin became even whiter.

“Someone could have snatched him out of the system,” she hissed, her wide green eyes not leaving the floor. “I knew they would try... but so soon? Wouldn’t try it from home... maybe a public place. Farren!” Carina’s head shot up to look at her friend as he words finally started to make some sense. “I’m going to go look for him. You coming?”

Her friend nodded quickly, and turned to tell the other Weasleys as their parents appeared to look for him in the other shops here before Carina dragged her off.

“What is this about?” Farren asked, swinging around so she was no longer tripping after her friend.

Carina’s determined expression deepened. “I heard... a few things... while I was still living with my father. I know something’s going to happen again. They know the Dark Lord-”

“Don’t call him that. Only His followers...”

“I know. Force of habit. Anyways, they know You-Know-Who was defeated once more last year. They’re looking for revenge. Something’s supposed to happen this year...”

The two girls turned sharply down another street. Carina obviously had a destination in mind.

“And when were you planning on sharing this?” Farren snapped -- not that she meant to be so sharp, but she was surprised her best friend hid anything from her.

Carina didn’t answer for a moment. After a second, Farren could have sworn she heard a little sniffle.

“I didn’t know it would happen so soon.”

Farren smiled a little, rubbing Carina’s back for a moment. “You watch, this will be one big misunderstanding. He did say ‘Diagon Alley’ a little strange. Where are we headed anyways?”

Carina’s green eyes flickered from side to side and she gripped her wand a little tighter -- as the alleyways got smaller and darker, the closer they grew to their destination. Her voice dropped to a low whisper, not wanting anyone to hear what she had to say.

“No one would try to snatch him from their home. That would be way too trackable and easy to police. No... If they’re trying to kidnap Harry, they would do it in public. Anyway... it’s naturally easier to grab someone from a fireplace closer to their destination. And Diagon Alley is right next to...”

“Knockturn Alley,” Farren breathed as the girls turned into the dirty place itself. As if by instinct, they both pulled their hoods up. Farren’s face morphed into that of a stern witch -- Carina assumed it was her friend’s best guess at what her mother looked like. This way, no one would mess with them.

Still, they strode through the Alley’s stores with their wands clutched in white knuckles.

“You sure do know your way around here, Carina,” Farren muttered. The head of jet black wavy hair bobbed a little.

“My Father used to bring me here a lot. Before...”

Farren nodded. She knew that Carina’s father used to ‘love’ her... before she was sorted into Gryffindor.

“He used to like coming to Borgin and-” Carina’s voice faltered as she glanced up at the store she was speaking of.

“Burkes.”

At that moment, Harry stumbled out of the store, covered in dust and soot.

“Great timing,” Farren muttered as they rushed over to him. Without many words, Carina wrapped her arm around Harry’s shoulder and hurried him towards the exit, while Farren stayed back a moment, her wand drawn, making sure no one was following them. Ducking back around, she caught up with the other two.

“What happened?” the older-looking girl asked, her voice revealing who she really was to Harry.

“Missed Diagon Alley,” he whispered, clearly shaken. “They almost saw me... I had to hide in the shop for the longest time...”

Carina’s shoulders seemed to relax in relief. “So they didn’t try to kidnap you?”

Harry shook his head as they emerged from the shadowy word of Knockturn Alley. “No. Why would they? Could they have?”

Both girls shook their heads. “No reason. We were just worried about you... you being Harry Potter and all.”

Farren’s face melted back into her image for the day as Hermione and Ron ran up to them. Glancing at each other, the girls decided they were leaving Harry in good hands. They made their way back on their own to Flourish and Blotts, where they family had been headed for in the first place.

After quite a bit of scolding from Molly (although Carina assured her that she was perfectly comfortable in Knockturn Alley) they finally all got their books and were heading out. Naturally they had to be stopped by the Malfoys, who insulted the Weasleys for being blood traitors, Carina for being an identity confused Gryffindor, and Hermione and Farren for their lack of blood purity (the twins balled their fists at this last bit, leaving Carina’s brow arched in amusement) all in one statement. The train ride passed without much excitement, and finally, they were home once again. Carina was officially safe and sound until next July.