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(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)
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Yup! Absolutely." Cathy mimicked eating her own.
Harry smiled.
"Thank you. I enjoy cooking. You'll have to come over for dinner some time."
"That would be lovely dear."
Harry spent another ten minutes chatting with the family before he politely excused himself. He pulled on his shoes and thanked them for the tea.
"Think nothing of it dear. If you ever need anything you come see us. Even if you're just bored."
"Thank you Mrs. Henderson."
"How many times must I tell you to call me Katrina?" She asked exasperated.
"A few more times." He said cheekily.
She smiled at him and he waved goodbye as he headed back to his house. Those were his neighbours on the left. He'd already seen his right hand neighbour. It was just one old lady who was hard of hearing and quite happy to talk with someone. He'd had to stay at her place for over an hour as she fed him her own cookies and munched on his own cake. She hadn't been as shocked about his age. She'd went on about how she had been married at fifteen when she had been young and that a strapping young lad such as himself would do fine in the world.
Harry just smiled.Harry slipped into the older looking alley, hood drawn up, but not drawn so high his whole face was hidden. He'd been in Knocturn before. No one walked with their whole face covered, it would make you suspicious. Harry walked down the steps not with a confident gate or a wary one, but one that said 'I know where I am'. That was it. He didn't act like he belonged, just that he was here and he knew it.
"Pickled dog eyes." An old hag cackled showing him a jar as he passed. "Fresh and ready for any potions, or just to eat."
He smiled politely and shook his head.
"No thank you."
He was slightly surprised at how quickly she had backed down. When he'd acted scared and wary last time they had crowded him, freaking him out. Now he could see they had known he was easy prey. Now he wasn't.
Harry strode down the alley way until he neared a bookstore. He entered quickly and started to browse. It wasn't all 'dark arts' or nasty curses. It was a wide selection with a few more questionable books, but most were quite good. Flourish and Blotts only held ministry approved books. And with the ministry so riddled with incompetence….The bookstore down Vertical Alley had a larger selection but they also had to be careful about what they put on the shelves. This store obviously didn't bother. It had to have more then a few defences in case Aurors came calling.
Harry soon had a large selection in hand and was paying a tired looking man at the till. The man graciously wrapped the books in brown paper and shrunk them down for him. He stuffed them in his satchel smiling.
"Can you tell me where I would find a, um…Herbology store?" He asked uncertainly.
The man chuckled.
"Muggleborn then?"
"Sort of. I'm looking for a place to buy plants, seeds, and the like."
"Four stores down there's a narrow alley on the left. If you follow it for about a hundred feet you'll find a door. It leads into a 'gardening' store."
"Thank you." Harry nodded as he headed out the door.
He followed the man's instructions and did indeed find a door with an old sign above it that said 'Smith's Plants and Pots'.
Harry entered to find himself in a well lit store that held shelves of seeds, half grown plants, and soils and stuff. Harry was met by a smiling store clerk who quickly helped him find the plants he wanted and some Grow-Fast-fertilizer. It helped plants growth speed up; including non-magical plants. Harry wanted his vegetables and such grown before it got to cold for them as he'd planted them late in the season. He thanked the man and hefted the bag of fertilizer onto his shoulder and stuck the other bag on his arm. Most of them couldn't be shrunk because of certain magical properties.
Harry hummed cheerfully as he walked down the alley. He saw more then a few people take an extra step from him as he did so, slightly unnerved by the morbid tune he was humming. He'd heard Snape hum it once. It had sounded ten times as morbid then. You had almost been able to see the blood and gore you thought were in the tune.
He had almost reached the exit from the alley, Talon's Inn when he heard some angry mutters and a yelp of pain. He scowled and set his bags down slipping in one of the many narrow alleys that were shortcuts between blocks and buildings. He saw a man nursing a scratch on his hand who brushed past Harry.Stupid cats. Just going to take the white one with me." He muttered hurrying off.
Harry frowned and sidled down the alley farther until he came upon a cranny in the brick wall. Inside sat a crate. Inside the crate were three huddled forms. Cats. Three cats, one pure white that was whiter then any cat Harry had ever seen and prettier too, one was a mangy ginger orange, and the last was a scruffy grey. They were curled together. They weren't quite cats but neither were they kittens. Harry leaned over and warily stuck his hand in. they watched him suspiciously but allowed him to scratch their ears. He went farther and went to pick the white one up. The other two hissed and lashed out at him. He let go and raised his hands in a non-threatening manner. They hissed at him.
"Ah, I see." He said smiling. "You don't want to be separated. Well then, guess I'll have to take you all home."
He hefted the crate up tucking it under one arm and balancing it on his left him. He strode from the alley. He stepped back into the wider alley and gathered his things shooting a glare at the man who was eyeing his things. The man quickly looked away and Harry shouldered his dirt and other items.
He soon was walking through Talon's Inn dodging a sloshing beer cup and ignoring the loud laughter and chatter. Once outside he headed down the sidewalk making sure the magical picture on the fertilizer bag and plant bag was hidden. He reached his car in a matter of minutes and dropped the plant supplies in the trunk while he set the cat crate on his front passenger seat.
Harry was about half way home when he ran into trouble. Blue and red lights started to flash and he nervously pulled over to the side of the road. He was a bundle of nerves seeing as how one mistake he made may get his license taken away. He had no idea though what he'd done wrong. The policeman who had pulled him over strode up to his window and he quickly unrolled it.
Loving the story so far? There's a whole world of magic and mystery waiting for you with over 85+ chapters still to come! By supporting my Patreon.
You not only get early access to new chapters but also exclusive content, behind-the-scenes insights, and special perks just for fans like you.
Join us on this enchanted journey and help shape the future of the tale. Your support makes all the difference—discover more and become part of the adventure today!
http//patreon.com/BLAKE025
(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)
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