Harry had very quickly found out that mr. and mrs. Weasley apparently talk about him a lot, with a concerned look on their faces, but whenever they noticed him or their kids they immediately started to pretend that they weren't concerned just now.
Mrs. Weasley has given him slightly more food then to her other kids, but the amount was so little then she gave to them that they didn't even notice (and Harry acted infront of her like he hasn't noticed it either); she's especially been softer to him ever since their talk about the Dursleys and her discovering his injury beneath the sleeve, he overheard her telling her husband that she thinks that uncle Vernon was the one who did it, if she knew it was actually his cousin....
Other then food, Mrs. Weasley actively cared about how his socks looked. By the way she's acting he can tell she's trying not to smother him in her motherly-like care; Harry knows that he had probably overreacted somehow during the private conversation she made him be in, she might just pretend to care... But... when he thinks about it, she's never actually gotten angry at him, not even in his original life...
Harry was at the Burrow for about a week now, he has really missed this chaotic but loving household.
It was the middle of the night and Harry is laying on a second bed in Ron's room, laying on his back and staring at the ceiling; he can't seem to fall asleep, so he let his thoughts wander about as he so often does (well, up until he falls asleep or until it's time to get up).
Otherwise the Burrow was in its usual, familiar and chaotic habitat: the mirror in the kitchen that sometimes screams at you when you look in it; a ghoul that screams and bangs into everything when it seems to think the house is too quiet; small explosions from Fred and George's room (Harry is almost 100% sure it's just them experimenting with their joke products).
But whenever mr. Weasley is eating with them, unlike his wife, he doesn't seem to actively think about Harry; and he asks him a lot about the muggle world; like how a charger and how the postal service works.
Other Weasley kids seemed to notice that their mom treated Harry with seemingly more care then she gives to them, but they also seemed to notice that Harry himself doesn't want this much attention and of what-seems-like pity, so they didn't treat him differently, they treated him like they would treat any friend of theirs (which was a huge relief for Harry).
A lot of times mr. Weasley asked Harry about the muggle world and how muggles deal with stuff.
"Unbelievable!" Mr. Weasley said in awe, "Awesome just how much the muggles are able to come up with without any use of magic!"
Just then Ginny came downstairs to eat breakfast, just behind her are the twins. When she saw Harry she immediately blushed and sheepishly and awkwardly sat down. "Morning," she mumbled, and others nodded in acknowledgement.
Suddenly they heard some noise and an owl (or multiple owls), so mr. Weasley stood up and went to go and check what it's about.
After a short while he came back.
"Your letters from school came," he announced to his kids and gave the five kids sitting behind the table their letters.
When Harry (who's sitting beside Ron) took his letter which mr. Weasley was giving to him, he opened it.
While everyone read their letters a few minutes long silence has begun.
The letter contained that, just like always, the train will leave from the King's Cross station from platform 9¾ on 1st of September. To the letter was also attached a list of school books. Harry and Ron's contained this:
STUDENTS OF SECOND YEAR MUST HAVE THESE SCHOOL BOOKS:
Miranda Goshawk
General guide of spells (degree 2)
Gilderoy Lockhart
Break with a Banshee
Gilderoy Lockhart
Marauding with Monsters
Gilderoy Lockhart
Holidays with Hags
Gilderoy Lockhart
Travels with Trolls
Gilderoy Lockhart
Voyages with Vampires
Gilderoy Lockhart
Wandering with Werewolves
Gilderoy Lockhart
Year with the Yeti
Fred was the first one to finish reading his last school books so he looked over Harry's shoulder and glanced at his list.
"So you have all of Lockhart's books too?" Fred is absolutely confused.
After Harry and Ron nodded, he sighed, "that new teacher for Defense Against the Dark Arts is mad!" But when he saw the way Mrs. Weasley looked at him he quieted and went back to his bread with marmelade.
"That won't be a cheap buy..." George thought out loud and quickly glanced at his parents and then back at his letter, "all of Lockhart's books are very expensive..."
"We'll deal with it somehow," Mrs. Weasley sounded like she's trying not to sound worried, "we can buy most stuff for Ginny second-hand..."
Then Percy walked into the kitchen, "good morning everyone," and he took his letter that was being handed to him by mr. Weasley. But immediately after he sat down on the chair he immediately jumped up and pulled a letter from under Errol's wing and after he read to who it was adressed he gave it to Ron.
"It's from Hermione," Ron explained and decided he'll open it later in his room.
After breakfast the kids went upstairs to go and change from pajamas to normal clothes.
After Harry and Ron were done changing Ron finally opened the letter and begun reading it aloud so both of them could simultaneously know what it contains:
"'Hey Ron (and Harry, if you're there)
I hope everything went well when you went to the Dursleys to get Harry away from them. I hope, that while you did it you haven't done anything you shouldn't have because if you did both of you would've just gotten into trouble. I was also getting worried about him, even after the letter. Just immediately tell me if he's alright, but, please, send it with a different owl, because I have a feeling that this one might not survive it.
Naturally, a lot of work I put into doing homework,' - she can't be serious?" Ron said, horrified and looked up from the letter and looked at Harry, "it's a break!"
"You haven't done any homework?" Harry guessed, sounding like he already thinks Ron hasn't done any homework and that he thinks it's understandable.
"Have you?" Ron asked, sounding like he did very little homework.
"I've pretty much done all of them," Harry thought a loud and shrugged.
"How come?" Ron is absolutely stunned, "have they not given you chores?"
"Oh, they did." Harry said, "But I had time to do homework whenever they decided I've done something and locked me inside my room - which happened for about one day a week." Harry shrugged, sounding like this was a completely normal behavior.
Ron seemed speechless, that made Harry confused - had he said something wrong?
Before he could think about it for too long Ron continued reading the letter from Hermione:
"'But next Wednesday we're going to London to buy new school books. What if we meet in Diagon Alley?
Let me know as soon as possible.
And also tell me what's new.
Hermione.'"
A few hours later, after the kids came back inside after they've played near the lake that the Weasleys own, to eat lunch, Ron told Mrs. Weasley that Hermione suggested to meet in Diagon Alley next Wednesday. Mrs. Weasley said that it's a good idea and agreed.
**********
When next Wednesday came, Mrs. Weasley woke them up early. Everyone quickly ate about six sandwiches with pork and put on their habits. Then mrs. Weasley took off a pot from the fireplace and looked inside.
"We're getting out of it, Arthur," she sighed, "we'll need to buy more today... so, guests first! Harry, dear, go first!" And she gave him the pot.
He took some of the Floo Powder from it, threw it inside the fireplace - the fire then git bigger and turned green - Harry got inside the fire and said: "Diagon Alley!"
And then the green fire sucked him inside and kept his eyes closed most of the time. He stayed inside until he saw the inside of the Leaky Couldron and then he got out.
Only ten seconds later Fred arrived, after him George, then Ron, then Mrs. Weasley, then Ginny and last did mr. Weasley.
After they've all arrived they've noticed three people come in, Harry and Ron immediately saw Hermione; and so, her and her parents walked and stopped infront of them as soon as she saw them.
"You must be Hermione's parents," Mrs. Weasley spoke, with a kind voice.
Hermione's parents nodded.
After a minute both families and Harry walked through the brick wall that opened for all of them and they've walked to the Diagon Alley.
First they went to the Gringottbank to get some money for their shopping.
But Hermione and her parents went to convert muggle money to wizarding money.
"Wait for us here," Ron told Hermione as they left following a Gringottbank's goblin.
When they've arrived to the Weasley's vault, Harry was immediately reminded of just how little money the Weasleys actually have.
But when they arrived at Harry's vault he couldn't help but feel pity for the Weasleys, so when he took some money out of it he tried his best to block as much of their view but he knew he hardly hid the amount of contents his vault has.
When they got out of the Gringottbank they separated.
The twins saw their friend, Lee Jordan.
Mrs. Weasley left with Ginny.
And Hermione, Ron and Harry walked alone. Hermione said something about ice cream at that Harry suggested that he'll buy some for the three of them; they agreed and so he bought three big strawberry ice creams on top of which was peanut butter.
The three of them enjoyed the ice cream and stopped infront of stores which displayed a lot of interesting stuff, Harry didn't care much about them, but Hermione and Ron were amazed so he said nothing and stayed with them, making it easy for him to pretend acting like a twelve year old.
Ron wishingly looked at complete set of new Quidditch habits that the Chudley Cannons have and also other Quidditch equipment - the boys stared at all of that until Hermione practically dragged them to a shop next to it, they bought ink and parchment.
At Gambol and Japes, a shop for joke products, they met Fred and George, who were with their friend Lee Jordan.
When they entered a shop to buy more ingredients for their Potions classes, they noticed that Percy is reading a book about prefects, a book the trio knows is very boring (they know it by just opening it on a random page when they randomly found it on a kitchen table and read a little from it out of curiosity, Harry and Ron very quickly grew so bored of it they closed it and left the kitchen.).
An hour later the three of them arrived to a bookstore to buy the school books that they need.
And they weren't the only ones who were going to the bookstore at this exact time.
Infront of the entrance to the shop was a transparent that said:
***'GILDEROY LOCKHART ***
*will sign his autobiography *
MAGICAL ME
Today since 12:30 to 16:30 o'clock'
"We'll see him with our own eyes!" Hermione squeaked excitedly, "he's the author of all of the books we have on the list!"
'Brilliant,' Harry thought bitterly, 'this fraud again. Let's just hope I won't end up on the cover page again.'
Nobody seemed to notice his change in facial expression as they entered the store.
The trio quickly took one copy each of 'General guide to spells, degree 2, and they pushed to the end of the queue where the other Weasleys alongside Hermione's parents stood.
"Oh, good, you're here," Mrs. Weasley told them. She sounded like she ran to the store and is still catching her breath, and she also kept flattening her hair. "We'll see him soon..."
As if on que, Lockhart appeared and sat behind a table, around which were his portraits, which were smiling just as much as he was, fraud.
Lockhart was currently wearing a light blue habit and a wizarding hat - he looks like he cares more about his appearances then his actual abilities with Defense Against the Dark Arts.
Around Lockhart ran a nervous looking short man who's photographing Lockhart.
"Hey, you, don't take so much room," he told Ron, sounding a bit rude, wanting to get a better shot at Lockhart, "I'm photographing for The Daily Prophet,"
"Oh, and so what?" Ron mumbled, and rubbed his feet, on which the photographer stood on.
Unfortunately, Lockhart heard it and looked up. He saw Ron - and then Harry. He stared at him - oh how much Harry hopes he won't notice his scar...
"Isn't it Harry Potter?!" Lockhart immediately squashed his hope.
Lockhart immediately made his way to him.
'Yep, I'm definitely going on the cover page again, sure don't hate it.' Harry sarcastically thought.
When Lockhart got to Harry, he grabbed him and took him to the front.
The audience immediately started clapping excitedly. Harry couldn't help but feel awkward and uncomfortable when Lockhart started shaking hid hand while the photographer kept shooting photographs.
"A pretty, wide smile, Harry," Lockhart told him, barely moving his too-white teeth.
Harry just wanted to leave.
"We'll be on the cover page together."
When Lockhart finally let go of his hand, he almost couldn't feel his fingers. He tried his very best to sneak back to the Weasleys - he was almost successful, until Lockhart hugged him around his shoulders and took him aside.
"Dear ladies, dear sirs." Lockhart called out and indicated to everyone to quiet down, "an unbelievable moment is beginning! A moment when I'll tell you something special today - to announce that I'll tell you something I intended to tell you sooner!
When young Harry entered this shop, he's just it just so he could buy my autobiography..."
Harry stopped paying attention, only partially paying attention to how he looks, not wanting to look eerie or older then he physically is.
Suddenly he shook Harry so hard that his glasses got to the end of his nose, if he hadn't quickly pushed them back they would've fallen down.
"That soon he'll get much more then just my book Magical Me. He, as well as his classmates, will be able to witness and prove to themselves that I'm truly magical. Yes dear ladies and sirs, I have to announce to you with joy that now, since September I'll teach at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry the Defense Against the Dark Arts subject!"
The audience began aggressively clapping and suddenly Harry felt that Lockhart put his whole set of books in Harry's arms.
When Harry realized he can finally leave the spotlight he did it quickly.
He stopped next to Ginny, who was standing next to her new couldron.
"Take it," he mumbled and put the set of books in her couldron, "I'll buy them for myself..." he absent-mindedly explained.
"I bet, Potter, that you're overjoyed," Harry immediately recognized that it was none other then Draco Malfoy himself.
Malfoy is grinning mockingly. "Famous Harry Potter. Didn't even fully entered the bookstore and he's already on the cover page."
"Leave him alone, he didn't even want it!" Ginny defended Harry, before he himself could open his mouth.
"Potter has a girlfriend!" Malfoy said, mockingly.
Harry immediately stopped his mind from wandering to the memories from his original life where he was dating Ginny. He was luckily able to keep his mind from that when Ron spoke, "oh, it's you," oh, just how grateful Harry is for Ron and Hermione to be here with him.
"Are you so surprised to see Harry, or what?"
"I'm definitely more surprised that I see you shopping, Weasley," Malfoy retorted, "your parents will starve for atleast a month, just so they could pay off all of this."
Ron was suddenly just as red as Ginny was. He also put hid books in the couldron and he was about to throw himself on Malfoy but Hermione and Harry immediately grabbed Ron by his habit.
"Ron!" Mr. Weasley called out, "what are you doing?" Fred and George are just behind him, "too much people are here, go outside."
"Well, well, well - Arthur Weasley." Lucius Malfoy spoke and placed his hand on his son's shoulder.
"Lucius," mr. Weasley slightly waved, trying his best to stay calm.
"I heard that you have a lot of job to do at the Ministry," mr. Malfoy spoke, "one control after another... I hope they're paying you over times."
Then he leaned over Ginny's couldron and took out a very old copy of Schoolbook of transfiguration for beginners.
"I see that not too much. I don't understand how it it worth it to make such a bad name for your wizarding name," he said.
Mr. Weasley blushed even more then Ron and Ginny have.
"I see that we probably have different opinions about what does a bad name to a wizarding name and what doesn't."
"I agree with you on that," Lucius Malfoy continued, "nice company, really, Weasley... and I'm convinced that your family can't stoop even lower..."
Suddenly, mr. Weasley threw himself at Lucius Malfoy - while he did that he threw Ginny's couldron down.
"Give it to him, dad!" Fred and George encouraged mr. Weasley.
While Mrs. Weasley squeaked: "no, Arthur, no!"
The other people kept quiet while taking steps back.
"Sirs, please... stop!" The cashier yelled.
But suddenly another loud voice loudly said: "C'mon then, yeh lot, stop yer foolin' about..."
It was Hagrid.
Through the mess of fallen books, he pushed to them.
At that exact moment Lucius Malfoy and mr. Weasley went away from eachother.
Lucius Malfoy was still holding Ginny's schoolbook and in his eyes was pure rage.
"Here... take it... daddy doesn't have it for a better one..." Lucius Malfoy gave it back to Ginny, Harry also noticed another book ('surely it's not...' he thought worriedly.).
And then Lucius Malfoy left the bookstore alongside his son.
"Ye shouldn't've listened tae 'im, Arthur... tha' whole lot o' 'em ain't worth a lick, even a wee kid knows it... not even worth mentionin'... bad blood runs in 'em, that's just how it is... c'mon now... let's be off..." Hagrid tried comforting mr. Weasley.
The cashier looked like he was about to go stop them from leaving but the cashier himself stopped when realized he was in height reaching only to Hagrid's waist.
When they finally got out onto the street Hermione's parents were shaking out of fear, Mrs. Granger out of fury.
"That was really educational... fight in public... what could've Gilderoy Lockhart think..."
"Oh he was just glad," Fred noted, "didn't you hear him when we were leaving? He was asking that guy from Daily Prophet to not forget to mention the fight in his article... he said it had to do with popularity..."
The group sadly left back to the fireplace in Leaky Couldron, where they said goodbye to the Grangers (for now atleast) and then the Weasleys and Harry went back to the Burrow.
Traveling with the Floo Network was never one of his favorite, but he found some use to it throughout his original life...