Chapter 21: 21 The Portrait

Harry was having the time of his life. He and Madam Malkin laughed their heads off as the bus they rode swerved around things and threw them and their chairs into the walls, ceiling, and floor. Madam Malkin had already softened everything with the Spongify spell, so they bounced, rolled, and tumbled all over the place for the entire ride and didn't get hurt at all.

When the bus finally came to a stop on the street that was just outside The Leaky Cauldron, both Harry and Madam Malkin's clothes were ruffled and messed up from the ride and they had huge smiles. The woman had lost her hat at some point and before she stepped off the bus, she turned to the interior and waved her wand.

“Accio my hat!” Madam Malkin said and the hat slipped out from under one of the seats and flew over to her. She caught it and placed it on her messy hair. “Before we go, I should book you passage to get back home, Harry.”

Harry handed over eleven sickles. “Maybe I should book my trip to King's Cross station, too.”

“That is an excellent idea!” Madam Malkin said and the conductor took another eleven sickles and handed Harry two tickets for passage.

“Just hold out yer wand on the street when ya want to leave.” The conductor said. “We'll be by ta pick ya up promptly.”

“Thanks.” Harry said and put the tickets into his pocket. He and Madam Malkin entered the bar and walked right through it. No one even blinked twice at them. Harry didn't say anything to Tom the bartender, since Tom didn't recognize him, and they went out the back. Madam Malkin took out her wand and reached for the brick wall.

“Can I try it?” Harry asked.

“Of course.” Madam Malkin said. “I'm glad you're taking charge like the budding wizard that you are.”

“Thanks.” Harry said and flicked his wrist. His wand slid out from the hiding spot in his sleeve and he caught the handle. He touched the bricks in the wall in the right order and the wall folded back and revealed Diagon Alley.

“Excellent.” Madam Malkin said. “How many times have you been here?”

“This is my second time.” Harry said and they stepped through the opening.

“Really? You remembered the sequence after only seeing it once?” Madam Malkin asked, surprised.

“Yep!” Harry said proudly and grinned at her.

Madam Malkin laughed. “Are you really eleven?” She asked, teasingly. “I couldn't get my son to even look at the wall when I brought him here the first time.”

“Your son?” Harry asked. “How old is he?”

“Almost thirty.” Madam Malkin said as they walked to her shop. “He has his own business in another town and I couldn't be prouder of him.” They entered her shop and there was already someone else there. “I'm glad you made it on such short notice.” She said to the other woman.

“When I heard you wanted to commission a portrait, I had to come.” The woman said with a chuckle. “I didn't think that you wanted one done with your cute grandson.”

Madam Malkin laughed. “He's not my grandson, even though I would be very happy if he was.” She said. “The portrait is just of him, though.”

“Really?” The woman asked, surprised.

“Yes.” Madam Malkin said. “Harry, go ahead and take your trunk into the back room over there and change into your school robes. If you need a hand with anything, just holler and I'll come in and help you.”

Harry went into the back room and climbed down into the trunk, applied the skin cream to cover his scar, even though the previous coverage had yet to fade, and picked up a set of school robes. It was like a formal dress suit underneath, with a tie and everything. He dressed up as much as he could, then he couldn't figure out how to get the robes on. He stepped out of the back room and spoke.

“I can't get the robe part on.” Harry said.

Madam Malkin came right over to him and they both went inside. After a quick lesson on the robes and how they were situated on the shoulders to allow the arms freedom of movement, Harry was dressed. The tie was then applied properly and tucked into the vest, then he used his comb to run it through his hair a couple of times.

Madam Malkin stared at him for several moments, then a huge smile appeared on her face. “I knew it.”

“What?” Harry asked and looked down at himself. “Is something off?”

“No, Harry. You look perfect.” Madam Malkin said and took his hand. She led him out of the back room and over to the spot that she usually had for measuring people and working on applying the appropriate sizes for their clothing. It was like a little photo studio now and she placed Harry on the slightly raised platform.

“Oh, dear.” The woman doing the portrait said as she looked up from her preparations to see Harry. “You were so right about him being the best subject, Madam Malkin.”

“I told you.” Madam Malkin said. “He's very handsome dressed up like that.”

Harry's face went slightly red.

“Perfect!” The woman exclaimed and used her wand and did several odd motions, then she tapped a large metal box that just appeared from somewhere. What Harry didn't know was that it was just a spell that makes you ignore something unless it's brought to your attention.

Harry looked at the box and wondered what it did. He had to assume it was like a camera or something, even though he thought having a portrait made entailed the woman actually painting his picture.

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“Oh! That was just perfect!” The woman exclaimed. “Madam Malkin! Look at this!”

Madam Malkin went over to her and looked into the metal box. “Dear me.” She whispered and stared at it. “That really is fantastic.”

“I'll have it ready in an hour.” The woman said. “Have you picked a spot for it yet?”

Madam Malkin nodded and pointed to a spot on the wall behind the main counter.

“I'll be sure to make it big enough for the space.” The woman promised.

“Thank you.” Madam Malkin said in a soft voice.

Harry looked at both women as they just stood there and stared into the metal box. “Um... can I see?”

Both women jumped a little, which meant that they had forgotten that he was there.

“Well, it's best to be viewed at full size.” The woman said with a smile and packed up her things. Lights turned off and disappeared, then the backdrop that Harry hadn't noticed rolled up and flew towards her. “I'll be back in an hour.”

Madam Malkin nodded and the woman and the metal box disappeared from the shop. “Harry? Would you like some ice cream?”

Harry's mouth dropped open in shock. “Ice... ice cream? I can have ice cream?”

Madam Malkin almost laughed at his expression. “Go ahead and change back into your other clothes and I'll take you over to Fortescue's.”

Harry nodded several times and jogged into the back room. He quickly undid the things holding his robes in place and then undressed, tossed the clothes into the trunk, then pulled on his shirt and dress pants. He tucked the wand back up his sleeve and closed his trunk, then carried it out to the front of the shop.

Madam Malkin laughed softly at the speed at which Harry had changed and was tempted to ask if he used magic, then she shrugged and led him out of her shop and down the street to a nondescript building. They went inside and it was bright and colorful and had hundreds of tubs of all different flavors of ice cream.

Harry had never heard of most of the flavors though. Along with the staples of Chocolate and Vanilla, there was Periwinkle Cream, Fairy Dust Surprise, and something called The Niffler Special.

“Go ahead and pick whatever you want.” Madam Malkin said and looked at the bearded man behind the counter. “I'll have a scoop of Dirigible Plum with a light drizzle of Apricot syrup, please.”

“Ooo, good choice.” Florian said and quickly did up the order. “The plums are particularly lofty today.”

“Thank you.” Madam Malkin said as she accepted it and then paid for her ice cream.

“So many...” Harry whispered as he looked at all the colors, flavors, and available toppings.

“I think you better just do up a popular flavor for the young man.” Madam Malkin said. “We only have an hour to wait and I'm afraid he won't be able to choose by then!”

Florian laughed and nodded, then he quickly did up a double scoop of ice cream. “Here you go.”

“Huh?” Harry looked up and saw the bearded man holding out an ice cream for him. “Thanks.”

“Don't worry about not being able to choose. Most first-timers can't choose anything and usually ask for a recommendation.” Florian said.

Harry nodded and handed over the money, then he stared at the deep red of the bottom scoop and the glowing black of the top one.

“Go ahead and give it a lick.” Florian said. “Just make sure that you lick both scoops or you're not going to get the right tastes in proportion.”

Harry nodded again and licked both scoops, then he took in a sharp breath as he tasted... something. He didn't know what he had tasted, because he had never tasted anything like it before.

“Let's sit down and enjoy it while we wait.” Madam Malkin suggested and she sat him down at a table. She sat down across from him and they ate in silence. When Harry was done of his ice cream cone, he still didn't know what he had eaten or what it was called. They left the ice cream shop and went back to hers just in time, because the woman appeared with a large wrapped package.

“It turned out wonderfully!” The woman said and gave it to Madam Malkin.

“I want it hung before I look at it.” Madam Malkin said and the two women went to the wall that it was to be mounted on and put it up in barely a second. A second later, the wrapping was removed and Harry gasped at what he saw. It was him, well the new him, and it was more than just a painting.

I'M MOVING! Harry yelled in his head and gawked at the portrait of himself. It was life size and it stood a little awkwardly. It also blushed when Madam Malkin looked at the portrait with a smile.

“It's perfect.” Madam Malkin said with a nod.

“It sure is.” The woman said and accepted a small bag of money, then she disappeared.

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