“ItoldyouhewasgoingtoomeonaTuesday!Givemefivesikles!”Geeishowling,andRon,grumbling,grudginglyshovesahanddownthepoketofhispants.
ThereisaflurryofredhairandhefindshisarmsfilledwithGinnyandhisbakroughlypattedbyArthur.
Atthebakoftherowd,Mollywipesathereyessurreptitiouslyusingherapron,andHarryfshesherashygrin.
Mollyhuffs,wipesathereyesagain,beforewavingadleinhisdiretion.“Well,omeon,then,Harry,you’rejustintimeforlunh.”
Overthetable,afterGeetellshimthroughamouthfuloffoodathowbadRonisatgambling,HarrytellsMollythatDraolikedherblueberrypie,enoughtoeatitatdinnerandrequestitforbreakfastagaintheday.
Mollydabsathereyeswithherapronagain.Andagain.Andagain.UntilArthurjustughs,pullsherinforahug,andletsherryonhisshoulder.
Augustomestoalose,andtheupomingshoolyearhaseveryonebusy,somuhthattheinvitationsforwhateverfuntionshavestopped.Hethinksthatthat’swhyNarissahasstoppedaskinghimtoometotheManor,thoughshehastoldhimthathe’swelomeanytimehewantsto.
Harrydoesn’tmanagetoanymore,though,beauseHermione’sbakandhe’sbeenspendingalotofhistimeintheBurrowagain,doingstminutehouserepairsandstminuteshoppinginDiagonAlley.TheydoitunderGmours,ofourse,andHarrywondersifDrao’swellenoughtowalkaroundDiagonAlley,too.
HeknowsthatMollyandNarissakeepinonstantorrespondene,however,andMollydoesn’tmentionanythingoutoftheordinary,andsoHarrydoesn’task.
September1isjustaroundtheorner.
Ptform9?isfullandlosetoburstingbythetimeHarrypusheshisartthroughthewall.ItisasKingsleywarnedhim:onfolkandpaparazzialikearegoingtobefightingtoothandnailtogetaglimpseofhim.
Hepullshishatdownfurthertooverhiseyes,eventhoughhe’sohisdirtyblondhairandpudgyheekswon’tattratanyamerashutter.He’snotevenwearinghisgsses,andonlyHermione’ssmallhandonhisbakiskeepinghimfrompushinghisartdownthetraintrak.
Ron,alsounderaGmour,hadalreadyboardedaheadofthem,aspnned.Peoplewillbeexpetingthemtoometogetherinagroupofthree,Hermionehadexpined.Anygroupofthreestudentswillautomatiallybeatargetofsrutiny,nomatterhowgoodtheirGmourswere.
Therewerereportersshouting“There!”andpointingtovariousdiretions,butnevertheorretone.Harryresolutelyignoresthevendorssellingpinsandballoonswithhisfaepsteredonthem.Itisn’tevenaftteringpitureofhim.
“Look,it’sDraoMalfoy!”
Harryimmediatelylooksup,searhing,eventhougheverything’sblurred.Helooksforwhereonepersonispointingandwhereotherpeoplearelooking,andhesquints,willinghisvisiontofous,andrealizesthatthey’relookingathim.
Andthen,anotherpersonsays,“Naw,that’snotMalfoy.Malfoy’sathind.Doyerjobproperly,whydon’tya?”