The Kindly Ones

The Kindly Ones

Chapter Three

Our Hero Goes Shopping and Encounters an Old Enemy


Cruelty has a human heart,
And jealousy a human face;
Terror the human form divine
And Secrecy the human dress.

A Divine Image: William Blake

Time to pick up his supplies. It was the start of his once a year shopping trip.
While a part of his mind was still banging it’s head against a brick wall and going
why me, why me the rest of his mind was absent mindedly studying the shops on Diagon
alley. Always before he had gone with someone else hanging over his shoulder telling him
what to buy and where to go. But today he was by himself.

Pushing the hysterical voice further down in his mind, he tried to think of what he
really needed to buy for once.

Every year he brought school clothes, and the school supplies while he survived on what
he got from the Dursley’s for his other clothes and essentials. When he needed to use
shampoo and all the other stuff you don’t think about he used the school supplied toiletries
but for once he wanted a choice in what he wore and what he had.

If the fact that dentist bills would cost more than a new tooth brush he probably wouldn’t
have one of those. What had he ever brought for himself, it was always something someone
else picked out or told him to buy that he paid for. It just wasn’t the same as going out
and picking his own things. There comes a point when no one wants their Mum picking their
clothes for them.

Madam Malkins was doing a booming trade in school robes for Hogwarts students and Harry
thought he recognised one or two that were standing in the store. Just a little bit further
down the street Harry thought he had found a store that he could by pre-made clothes that
he would like.

A manikin was in the window but instead of standing still like the one’s in muggle stores
this one moved and did different things. One moment he was sitting cross-legged on the
ground in Black jeans and a dark blue t-shirt with white writing saying. \"I’d explain it
too you but your brain would explode.\" The next the manikin was wearing a pair of loose
kakhi cargo pants and a baggy army green shirt with dusty grey paint mark splashes all
over the front and was standing jumping in place. Above the door a sign declared it too
be Blake’s Clothes and Accessories.

Walking in light flooded the single room, and Harry could see seven clothing racks devoid
of clothing lying next to them were seven books sitting on a little plinth. When Harry walked
in a sales girl was sitting behind a counter at the back, folding a t-shirt. A/N Is that
all they ever do, and how do us normal mortals fold clothes like that. As soon as he walked
in a small bell above the door gave off a pleasant ping and the sales-girl came over to
Harry who was wondering where the clothes were.


\"Good Morning. Can I help you?\" Harry smiled.

\"Sure, I was just looking for a couple of things, I lost a lot of stuff over the break and
was just looking.\" The sales-girl who’s name tag that was flashing a bright neon green colour
said she was called Alipes, and was here to help. Walking over to an empty rack the girl
picked up the small book sitting beside it.

\"Certainly are you looking for anything in particular. We cater for a wide range of tastes
though we specialise in young male clothing.\" Harry looked at the empty racks.

\"I’m looking for a bit of everything, pants, tops, shirts, what ever. \"

\"Do you have a particular favourite colour, or style and what size do you prefer?\" Harry
pulled a hand through his hair and shuddered as it gently gripped hid hand.

\"Oh, dark colours I guess, I don’t mind writing but no patterns and pretty much plain I
guess. I don’t care about size as long as it fits and is not to baggy. I was just wondering
though were are your clothes?\" Laughing the girl flips open the book and states firmly

\"T-Shirts, black, blue, green, grey, shades 37 down. Plain, logos, included. Size medium
large to large.\" Suddenly clothes started streaming onto the rack from no where and before
Harry knew it, it was full. Filled with clothes on clothes hangers.

Surprisingly it took Harry longer than he thought to pick out clothes after never having
the opportunity before, to having free range , it took him a little while to actually pick
what he wanted. The store had changing rooms and Harry got into a set taking off the nasty
off casts given to him by the Dursley’s .

A pair of blue jeans with some fading, and a black t-shirt with the words. \"Yeah, Yeah,
Yeah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Fuck your life story show us your Tits.’ He had picked up a few
beanies and caps as well. he had noticed his hair when he was changing in the mirror moving
as if a breeze was stirring it.

Slamming a military green beanie over his head Harry left the shop with several bags shrunk
in his pocket. Clothes were just the beginning, he had never got birthday or xmas presents
from his family and that\'s a lot of presents to catch up so he thought no one would care
if he brought something for himself. The store’s were calling for him.

Lucikly a small voice of sanity stoped him from buying the more expensive things on offer
like the personalised broomstick with custom bristles and inlayed handles. But he did by
all the little things that at some point he had wished he had the time and money to get.

Stoping outside Flourish and Blotts Harry grinned for every text book he had had to buy
there was a novel he had had to pass up. The shelves towered above him in books. Passing
through the rows Harry began picking through some of the books that he had had an eye on.

Squatting down, he didn’t notice another person walking down the row scanning the aisles.
The inevitable happened and both shoppers slammed into each other, Harry was forced onto his
side, while the other person fell face forward over Harry’s back. Looking up Harry meet the
clear grey gaze of a pissed off Draco Malfoy.

\"Watch where your bloody going you moron.\" Sitting up Harry watched Draco pull himself to
his feet and dust off his robes.

\"Oh give it a rest you wanker. Why don’t you go back to kissing you fathers arse and leave
me alone.\" Swiping a hand back through his hair Draco scowled at Harry.

\"Coming from the boy who would fuck a sheep if Dumbledore told him too you really shouldn’t
say anything.\" Scrambling to his feet Harry leaned towards Draco.

\"So what did you do over the holidays, kick puppies and drown kittens in a sack. Grow up
you arsehole.\" Stepping backwards, a slash of discomfort passed over his face and then was
gone.

\"Potter I don’t know why you keep coming back to school it’s not like anyone wants you there.
In fact I think more people would be happy if you disappeared off the face of the earth
then if you lived. Everyone loves a martyr.\" Harry grabbed the book he had been looking
at off the shelf.

\"As fun as it has been trading witticisms with you I think you should fuck off and die now.\"
Turing in opposite directions the two red faced boys stormed off.

A dark morning woke Harry as the sounds of the Leaky Cauldron floated up the stair way and
into his room. The heavy blankets that the Leaky Cauldron supplied showed in sharp relief
the thin rags the Dursleys’ supplied him with during the summer.

While the idea of not being truly human still sat like a dark stain at the back of his mind
the idea that he wasn’t in the same species as the Dursley’s brought a smirk to his face.
Snuggling deeper under the covers Harry wished for a moment that he could just stay here and
leave everything up to other people. Why did he have to deal with it when he could be asleep.

The bed at the Leaky Cauldron was the most comfortable he had been since the start of the
holidays. And as he had changed after Vernon’s beatings all his bruises had disappeared.
A slight ache he hadn’t felt since he had growing pains had settled through his arms and
legs but he though he deserved it after the amount of shopping he had done after visiting
Gringotts. This was good, but it still did not make up for the fact that he had a mate out
there some where who had no idea who he was, or even cared.

Maybe there are counselling sessions for things like this. Where everyone that discovered
that a power beyond their will had decided that this person was going to be their mate.
No matter what, I’m sure the meetings would be fun.

A soft coo from Hedwig reminded him that he needed to get his arse into gear and get
downstairs. He didn’t want to miss the train. Though this time he wouldn’t be stupid
enough to fly Mr Weasley’s car to Hogwarts. A simple Owl to Dumbledore would have sorted
that problem out.

It didn’t take long to gather all his things together and carry his case downstairs to
the bar. It was strange but today he found it easier than he had yesterday when he arrived,
not a great deal but it was just noticeable. Only the extremely serious drinkers were still
occupying some of the cramped tables and Harry was practically by himself as the only thing
these guys saw was pink elephants.

A large sundial sat on the wall, and even though they were inside and the shutters were drawn
shut, a shadow on the face of it said that the time was a quater past seven. One thing he was
going to enjoy no matter what when he got back to Hogwarts was sleeping in on the weekend.
Bed is good. At the bar he ordered a large cooked English breakfast, the works. Tomato,
sausages, bacon, steak, kidney and chops. Toast, fried blood sausage, and piles of fried potato.
It was practically a coronary on a plate.

Licking his lips Harry dug in though an overwhelming part of his mind was thinking that it
would all taste much better if the steak was just a little bit rarer.

A slow taxi ride from the Leaky Cauldron, Harry cursed London traffic and went through this
years charms text while the driver indicated his vast displeasure often with instructive hand
gestures to the other drivers. The Taxi pulled up quickly in front of the central station,
and was off before the driver behind could yell more than five swear words. Soon he would be
on the train to Hogwarts, his second home. But looking at the first that’s nothing to boast
about.

Authors Note
Please Review.
Draco\'s story will be turning up in the next chapter.
I check my story for mistakes and it goes through spell check. If you like the story and want to know what happens fast please become my beta. And I will praise the gound you walk on.