After allaying Mrs. Weasley's concerns when we returned to the Burrow, the year's supply list arrived.
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, with one almost imperceptible addition.
Formal Robes.
I asked Wink, much more subtle in this regard, to take measurements for Hermione, Ginny, the Twins, and Ron. Which the little elf did masterfully.
While Miss Weasley wanted to go just to buy the supplies, I asked to go with her, as I had to go to the bank. Of course, it was just an excuse, which forced her to accept my company. I sent a letter to Lupin, asking Hermione's parents not to buy the formal robe on the list.
Of course, this raised some questions, which I'm sure Lupin was more than adequate and capable of answering.
I hope so...
I also sent a letter to Sirius, saying that during my studies, I discovered that the Weasleys had lost their right to their inheritance, because of his grandmother, and that was why the family was now in the situation they were in.
I mentioned that, if he could buy me a broom, giving what was rightfully theirs to the Weasleys would be a good thing to do, but that if he wanted to, he could keep it a secret until the couple needed access to their account.
A prank that would do well, and I think it might work.
After parting ways with Mrs. Weasley and leaving Dobby behind just in case she needed help, which the Weasley family already knew that Dobby and Wink were my house elves, I went to Madam Malkin's clothing store.
Leaving the measurements and asking for them to be delivered via owl to The Burrow, I used my teleport to a Muggle clothing store. There, I bought an elegant pinstripe suit with a yellow-red tie that matched the shirt.
A black vest with the suit and pants, as well as new, comfortable shoes. For Hermione, a beautiful black evening dress and a silver necklace with a ruby pendant, something I thought was pretty and I think would suit her.
Returning using my teleport, I asked the saleswoman to add, if possible, self-adjusting, hypermeasurable and temperature charms to the clothes. Just like all the others I had ordered before.
The delivery time was one week, with the shipping fee. It was a few hundred galleons, but at least I was satisfied with my choices.
On the way out, I ran into a somewhat upset and grateful Molly Weasley, saying that sending Dobby to help her with her shopping was unnecessary. I immediately heard the sermon on the mount, when she said that the formal robes would arrive at her house in a week.
I asked Mrs. Weasley to send me the clothes. I asked Mrs. Weasley to keep a secret, a gift she was giving her children, since on their previous birthdays, I had been a little short. After being told that I didn't need it, that it was too much, and that my money was only mine to use, she agreed to keep the secret.
But that led to a terrible week for me.
Hermione had received the school orders from her parents. She was confused at first, because the formal robes were not on the list, until she read the letter from her parents. Her eyes turned into hawk eyes, staring at my humble self.
Of course, Ron was saying how useless the formal robes were, and why none of them had received any. That's when the dam broke. We were at the table eating the delicious food Mrs. Weasley made, when the subject came up.
----
"That's true, Mom, it's on the list, but I don't see the wrapping of the robes anywhere. It would be good to at least try it on and see if it fits, before something goes wrong." says Fred, in one of the duo's few moments of lucidity.
"It will arrive by mail in a few days, before departure. So don't worry." she says, giving me looks that it was my fault.
"It was Harry's doing." says Hermione, staring at me with her hawk eyes. "My parents said he would buy our robes, as a belated present for the birthdays he didn't." Her expression, a mix of indignation and affection.
"I'm curious, Harry..." Fred begins, with his brother joining in.
"Can we expect something matching?" George finishes, with a look of interest and amusement.
"I don't know, but I think we can change the colors." I answer simply, with a calm smile.
"And how do you have our measurements?" It was the always attentive to details, Hermione Granger, who asked the question.
"Well, you see..." I say somewhat embarrassed, blatantly lying, "...I may have guessed a few times regarding the numbers here and there..." I say as I stand up, because Ginny and Hermione's looks were scaring me... "and the colors could be either there or here, I don't remember exactly."
At that moment, I was already at high speed, seeking the refuge of the gardens, where I could run more freely. Behind me, the pair of girls followed me, like harpies not allowing their prey to escape.
-----
TWO DAYS BEFORE BOARDING THE EXPRESS.
Breakfast was calm, although I could barely contain my nervousness.
My heart began to feel even more tense, with the arrival of the mail. A small box was wrapped and tied to the leg of a light gray owl. On the envelope, Madam Malkin's seal sealed the package.
After Miss Weasley unhooked and canceled the shrinking charm, she opened the package, while distributing the contents to their respective owners.
The twins disappeared upstairs, with their packages, followed by Ron. Hermione and Ginny, said they would try it on, but they would not let anyone else in except each other. It was my punishment for keeping the secret.
Soon, the twins came down, with smiles from ear to ear.
Fred wore a suit with the right half gray and the left half white. A shirt of the same color, but opposite to the suit. The pants, followed the same style as the suit, and the shoes were dark gray. George, had a similar suit, but opposite.
"The colors can be changed in a few hours according to the seamstress, just send the clothes with a sample of the colors and where you want them." I say, explaining to the duo.
"We love Harry's style,..." Fred starts.
"...but the colors need to be more vibrant, just like us." finishes George.
"That's why I chose this color, after all, I don't know what you prefer, so I left it in a neutral color, so that adding color would be easier." I explain my choice.
"Good thinking, my less funny friend..." George is the one who starts this time.
"...But I think a green and yellow, with our red hair, can make us stand out more..." Fred was saying.
"...Just like a sore and swollen thumb." finishes George.
They then rush to choose the colors, with me praying that it wasn't what they said. Mrs. Weasley would kill me for this.