-Chapter Three-

The Malfoys

"Harry!" Meredith called out happily as she spotted him amongst the Weasleys.

Mrs Prewett had happily gone to stand with Mrs and Mr Weasley as they spoke to Hermione's parents. Meredith remembered that they were dentists. Her mother seemed happy to have other muggles there.

"Nice to finally see you guys," Meredith said happily.

"We looked for you everywhere when we first got here," Hermione said, "we saw Mafalda with Parkinson and Greengrass- she ignored us, obviously."

"I had to stay with mum," said Meredith, "I couldn't exactly ditch her on the first trip to Diagon Alley, could I."

"You got an owl!" Ron said enviously, just noticing the large cage Meredith was carrying.

Meredith raised the cage, and Hobgoblin hooted at her indignantly, and turned judging eyes on her friends. "His name is Hobgoblin."

"Doesn't seem to like us much, does he," Harry said, sticking a finger through the bars to see if the bird would come closer.

"He's just shy," Meredith said defensively. She put Hoblin back down at her side as the queue finally moved, and they were in the book store.

Ahead of them was a table with a chalkboard sign that read:

GILDEROY LOCKHART

Will be signing copies of his autobiography

MAGICAL ME

Today 12.30 - 4.30 pm

"Oh my gosh! We can actually meet him," gushed Hermione, craning her neck above the crowd.

"I remember that name," said Harry, "he wrote all those books for Defense Against the Dark Arts class."

"The new Defense teacher must be a witch," Ron said. "My mum absolutely adores him- thinks he's handsome."

"So does Hermione," Meredith added with a laugh.

Hermione blushed and sent Meredith a glare.

"Actually, I just think all the things he's done is brilliant," Hermione said acidly.

They moved a bit closer to their parents- they found Mrs Weasley patting her hair into place and then fluffing it off her shoulders.

"She's trying to show off for Lockhart," Fred whispered to Meredith, leaning over her shoulder unexpectedly.

"I reckon dad has some competition," George added, ruffling Meredith's hair.

"Quiet you lot," Mrs Weasley snapped, "here he comes!"

Meredith could admit that Gilderoy Lockhart was very attractive. He had near perfect skin, with beautiful blonde hair that he flicked off his head with a dramatic turn of his neck, and he had the most dazzling smile. He wore expensive looking lilac robes that made his tanned skin look even richer- like he had just come from the beach.

Meredith shared a knowing look with Hermione, finally seeing what all the hype was about.

Lockhart sat down at the table with all the books, and waved the first person forward to sign their books- the queue moved slowly forward like a lazy snake.

A small, harassed looking man kept fluttering around the table and queue. "Come now ladies… no need to push… let's keep it calm now."

The gang each grabbed a copy of Break with a Banshee and waited patiently for their turn.

A short, irritable little man came bustling past them with a large black camera that puffed purple smoke with each flash.

"Out of the way there," he snarled at Ron, moving to get a better angle for his shot. "This is for the Daily Prophet."

"Big deal," said Ron, rubbing his foot where the photographer had stood on it.

Lockhart seemed to have heard and looked around to find the source of the comment, but his eyes landed on Harry instead. After a pause, he leapt up excitedly, pointing at Harry. "It can't be Harry Potter?"

The crowd parted around Harry as Lockhart brought attention to him. Meredith felt sorry for Harry, whose face had just gone red and was fidgeting uncomfortably under everyone's gaze. The shoppers whispered excitedly and started craning their necks to have a look at him. Lockhart dived forward and dragged Harry forward by the arm. Meredith lost sight of Harry for a moment but then saw him awkwardly shaking hands with Lockhart for the photographer.

"Ladies and Gentleman!" called out Lockhart, after finally letting go of Harry, "this is such a great moment and it's really the best time for me to make my special announcement. I bet when young Harry here entered this delightful book shop, he only wanted to buy my biography - which I'm happy to give to him now, free of charge-" the crowd applauded loudly, "he had no idea," he continued, keeping a firm hold on Harry's shoulders, "that he and his classmates would be receiving more than just my books! In fact, they'll be getting the real, magical me! Oh yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have great pleasure in announcing that, starting this September, I will be taking up the post of the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"

The crowd applauded even louder, excited whispers falling over the crowd in a wave. Mrs Weasley was giving an excited, whispered explanation to Meredith's mother about everything there was to know about Lockhart. Meredith saw this as her chance to slip off and find Harry again. She squeezed through the buzzing crowd of flustered women. She spotted a bright blond head on the stairs in the far corner of the room. If Malfoy was here then he and Harry would be sure to meet up eventually- like magnets drawn to each other's hatred. It took longer than she expected to get to the foot of the stairs; and when she arrived, Harry was already there having a glaring match with Draco.

"Famous, special Potter," spat Draco, "can't even go into a book shop without causing a scene."

"Shut up, Malfoy," Harry said, through clenched teeth. He held the books Lockhart gave him in a tight grip- Meredith couldn't tell if he was angry at Malloy or at Lockhart for putting him in this embarrassing situation.

"Poor Malfoy," Meredith said scathingly, "jealous that nobody cares who you are?"

Malfoy sneered at her. Hermione and Ron had finally caught up to them.

"Shove off, Malfoy," Ron said, taking the first verbal shot.

"Maybe Potter can give you some free books, Weasley," Malfoy said quickly, "since I doubt you could afford a single page."

Ron went red in rage but held his tongue when a tall shadow fell over all of them. Meredith looked up into a cold, pale face. This must be Malfoy's father, considering they looked identical. Draco's father had his long blonde hair pushed away from his face, and his icy grey eyes were in slits as he stared down his nose at Meredith and her friends. His eyes focused onto Harry.

"This must be our very special Harry Potter," he said slowly. "What an honour."

It didn't sound like he thought it was an honour at all. He looked at Harry like gum on the bottom of his shoe. Meredith scowled wordlessly at the ground, not sure if she should defend her friend against such a foreboding adult.

Luckily the rest of the Weasleys- with Meredith's mum and Hermione's parents- had moved towards them. Mr Weasley puffed his chest out at the sight of Mr Malfoy.

"Lucius," he said stiffly in greeting, putting a protective hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Arthur, I hear you've had a few mishaps in your department at the ministry- why the ministry cares about jinxed muggle items is beyond me- but I suppose they have to find a job for you somewhere."

Mr Weasley's ears went a bright red as Draco and his father laughed. Mr Malfoy looked down at Ginny, the youngest Weasley. He grabbed the books from her basket, smirking at the second hand, tattered edges. He tossed them back roughly into Ginny's arms.

"God Arthur, that's not another one of your spawn is it-"

Mr Weasley leaped forward and grabbed Mr Malfoy by the neck of his shirt. Meredith quickly stepped out of the way, pulling Harry and Ginny with her. The two men started scuffling on the floor. Mrs Weasley and the bookshop owner pleading for them to stop.

"Arthur NO!"

"Gentleman, please take this outside!"

"Get him dad!" The Weasley twins called out.

The fight only lasted a few seconds more before both men sprung apart. Mr Malfoy pushed his hair from his face and grabbed Malfoy by the scruff of the neck.

"Come Malfoy, we're leaving- this place has clearly been infested with vermin."

Meredith glared resentfully at the Malfoy's backs as they stormed from the tiny bookshop.

"I want all of you out immediately!" Yelled the shopkeeper, tears in his eyes as he straightened all the books that had been knocked over.

Mrs Prewett grabbed her daughter's arm and dragged her outside. That's where they found Mafalda- who looked embarrassed next to her sniggering friends. Obviously they had all seen the fight and now Mafalda looked furiously at the Weasleys.

Their mother gestured for her to come over to them and no matter how angry and embarrassed Mafalda might feel, she'd never ignore her mother when she had that look on her face.

Their mother was livid at the spectacle that Arthur Weasley had caused. At that moment she resented her husband for introducing these people into their lives.

"Say goodbye," she said sternly, clutching the shopping and the owl's cage in white fists.

Meredith dragged her feet slowly towards her friends.

"I'm leaving now," she said sadly, "I think this was too much for my mother."

"I'm going too," said Hermione, "I think my parents are a bit overwhelmed."

They looked over at the Grangers, who were wide eyed as Mr Weasley apologised again and again.

With a thin lipped stare, Mrs Prewett lifted the shopping in one hand and the owl in the other and started walking back towards the leaky cauldron. Meredith waved mournfully at the Weasleys, trying to convey an apology for her mother's rudeness.

The journey home wasn't nearly as pleasant as the one in, and later when Meredith was lying in bed, she heard her mother arguing with her father about how his family had embarrassed her and how she was worried what influence they'd have on her daughters.

Meredith gripped the sheets up to her chin, hoping her mother would get over her anger and still let her visit the Weasleys next summer. She didn't try to broach the subject knowing that Mafalda would probably agree with their mother.

With no Silas, and now the possibility of no more time with the Weasleys, it was about to be some very long weeks before she was finally back on that train, going home.