Life at the burrow could not be any more different from life on Privet Drive. The Dursleys like everything neat and ordered; the Weasly's house burst with the strange and unexpected. Eldon got a chock the first time he looked in the mirror over the kitchen mantelpiece and it shouted, "Stand up straight, chump!". The ghoul in the attic howled and dropped pipes whenever he felt things were getting too quiet, and small explosions from Fred and George's bedroom were considered perfectly normal. What Eldon found most unusual about life at the Weasley's, however, wasn't the talking mirror or the clanking ghoul: It was the fact that everybody there didn't seem to mind his presence. Ron and the twins didn't comment about him being Slytherin despite their obvious hatred of the green house.
Mrs. Weasly fussed over the state of his socks and tried to force him to eat extra helpings at every meal. Mr. Weasly liked sitting next to Eldon or Harry at the dinner table so that he could bombard them with questions about life with Muggles, asking either of them to explain how things like plugs and the postal service worked.
"Fascinating!" he would say as Eldon stammered through telling him how to use a telephone. "Ingenious, really, how many ways Muggles have found to get along without magic."
Eldon heard from Hogwarts one sunny morning about a week after he had arrived at the Burrow. He'd gone down to breakfast, before Ron or Harry had woken, to find Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Ginny already sitting at the kitchen table. Eldon sat down and took the toast Mrs. Weasley offered him.
"Letter from school," said Mr. Weasley, passing him a yellowish parchment envelope, addressed in green ink. "Dumbledore already knows you're here - doesn't miss a trick, that man."
Harry and Ron came stumbling down the stairs. The moment Ginny saw Harry she accidentally knocked her porridge bowl to the floor with a loud clatter. Ginny seemed very prone to knocking things over whenever Harry entered the room, but she didn't seem to have the same problem with Eldon. She dived under the table to retrieve the bowl and emerged with her face glowing like the setting sun. Everyone was kind enough to pretend they hadn't noticed.
"Letters from school," Mr. Weasley said again, passing Harry and Ron the same letters he'd just given Eldon. "You two've got them, too," he added, as Fred and George ambled in, still in their pajamas.
For a few minutes there was silence as they all read their letters. Eldon told him to catch the Hogwarts Express as usual from King's Cross station on September first. There was also a list of the new books he'd need for the coming year.
SECOND-YEAR STUDENTS WILL REQUIRE
The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 by
Miranda Goshawk
Break with a Banshee by Gilderoy Lockhart
Gadding with Ghouls by Gilderoy Lockhart
Holidays with Hags by Gilderoy Lockhart
Travels with Trolls by Gilderoy Lockhart
Voyages with Vampires by Gilderoy
Lockhart
Wanderings with Werewolves by Gilderoy
Lockhart
Year with the Yeti by Gilderoy Lockhart
Fred, who had finished his own list, peered over at Eldon's.
"You've been told to get all Lockhart's books, too!" he said. "The new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher must be a fan - bet it's a witch."
At this point, Fred coughs his mother's eye and quickly busies himself with the marmalade.
"That lot won't come cheap," said George, with a quick look at his parents. "Lockhart's books are really expensive . . ."
"Well, we'll manage," said Mrs. Weasly, but she looked worried. "I expect we'll be able to pick up a lot of Ginny's things secondhand."
"Oh, are you starting at Hogwarts this year?" Harry asked Ginny.
She nodded, blushing to the roots of her flaming hair, and put her elbow in the butter dish. Fortunately no one said this except Eldon, because just then Ron's elder brother Percy walked in. He was already dressed, his Hogwarts prefect badge pinned to his sweater vest.
"Morning, all," said Percy briskly. "Lovely day."
He sat down in the only remaining chair but kept up almost immediately, pulling from underneath him a moulting, grey feather duster - at least, that was what Eldon thought it was, until he saw that it was breathing.
"Errol!" said Ron, taking the limp owl from Percy and extracting a letter from under its wing. "Finally - he's got Hermione's answer. I wrote to her saying we were going to try and rescue you from the Dursleys."
Eldon furrowed his eyebrows, he didn't see how the weak looking owl could carry a letter, but he figured the Weasleys weren't cruel enough to make him fly if he was unable. Still, he was glad that his own owl was strong and healthy. He'd even be getting a letter from Daphne any day now, he'd sent her one the day he'd arrived at the Weasleys.
Ron carried Errol to a perch just inside the back door and tried to stand him on it, but Errol flopped straight off again so Ron lay him on the draining board instead muttering, "Pathetic.". Then he ripped open Hermione's letter and read it out loud:
" 'Dear Ron, and Harry and Eldon if you're there,
" 'I hope everything went alright and that the twins are okay and that you didn't do anything illegal to get him out, Ron, because that would get Harry into trouble, too. I've been really worried and if Harry is all right, will you please let me know at once, but perhaps it would be better if you used a different owl, because I think another delivery might finish you one off.
" 'Im very busy with schoolwork, of course' - How can she be?" said Ron in horror. "We're on vacation! - 'and we're going to London next Wednesday to buy my new books. Why don't we meet in Diagon Alley?
" 'Let me know what's happening as soon as you come. Love from Hermione.' "
"Well, that fits in nicely, we can go and get all your things then, too," said Mrs. Weasley, starting to clear the table. "What're you all up to today?"
Eldon, Harry, Ron, Fred, and George were planning to go up the hill to a small paddock the Weasleys owned. It was surrounded by trees that blocked it from view of the village below, meaning that they could practice Quidditch there, as long as they didn't fly too high. Eldon, of course, had no interest in flying, he was simply going with so that he could watch Harry and make sure he didn't get hurt.
They couldn't use real Quidditch balls, which would have been hard to explain if they had escaped and flown away over the village; instead they threw apples for one another to catch. They took turns riding Harry's Nimbus Two Thousand, which was easily the best broom; Ron's old Shooting Star was often outstripped by passing butterflies.
Five minutes later they were marching up the kill, broomsticks over their shoulders. They had asked Percy if he wanted to join them, but he had said he was busy. Since the beginning of his stay Eldon had only seen Percy at mealtimes so far; he stayed shut up in his room the rest of the time.
"Wish I knew what he was up to." said Fred, frowinging. "He's net himself. His exam results came the day before you did; twelve O.W.L.s and he hardly gloated at all."
"Ordinary Wizarding Levels," George explained, seeing the twins puzzled looks, and Eldon hurried his steps to ensure he could keep up. "Bill got twelve, too. If we're not careful, we'll have another Head Boy in the family. I don't think i could stand the shame."
Bill was the oldest Weasly brother. He and the next brother, CHarlie, had already left Hogwarts. Harry had never met either of them,, but he knew what CHarlie was in Romania studying dragons and Bill in Egypt working for the wizard's bank, Gringotts.
"Dunno how Mum or Dad are going to afford all our school stuff this year," said George after a while. "Five sets of Lockhart books! And Ginny needs robes and a wand and everything . . ."
Eldon said nothing, he felt too awkward. Stored in an underground vault at Gringotts in London was a small fortune that his and Harry's parents had left for them. Of course, it was only in the wizarding world that he had money; you couldn't use Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts in Muggle shops. Neither he or Harry had ever mentioned the Gringotts bank amount to the Dursleys; Eldon didn't think their horror of anything connected with magic would stretch to a large pile of gold. They'd likely take the money away or toss them out and say they could take care of themselves if they had all that money.
Mrs. Weasley woke them all early the following Wednesday. After a quick half a dozen bacon sandwiches each, though Eldon only ate two, they pulled on their coats and Mrs. Weasley took a flowerpot off the kitchen mantelpiece and peered inside.
"We're running low, Arthur," she sighed. "We;ll have to buy some more today . . . Ah well, guests first! After you, Harry dear, Eldon dear!"
And she offered them the flowerpot.
The twins stared at them all watching.
"W-what are w-we su-supposed to d-do?"
"They've never traveled by floo powder," said Ron suddenly. "Sorry, Harry, I forgot."
"Never?" said Mr. Weasly. "But how did you get to Diagon Alley to buy your school things last year?"
"We went on the Underground -"
"Really?" said Mr. Weasley eagerly. "Were there escapators? How exactly -"
Eldon wasn't sure if he meant elevators or escalators, but he was sure that either way Mr. Weasley would ask hundreds of questions.
"Not now, Arthur," said Mrs. Weasly. "Floo powder a lot quicker, dears, but goodness me, if you've never used it before -"
"They'll be all right, Mum," said Fred. "Harry, Eldon, watch us first."
He took a pinch of glittering powder out of the flowerpot, stepped up to the fire, and threw the powder into the flames.
With a roar, the fire turned emerald green and rose higher than Fred, who stepped right into it, shouted, "Diagon Alley," and vanished.
"You must speak clearly, dear," Mrs. Wesley told Eldon and Harry as George dipped his hand into the flowerpot. "And be sure to get out at the right grate . . ."
"The right what?" said Harry nervously as the fire roared and whipped George out of sight, too. Eldon was more terrified than Harry, he wasn't exactly known for speaking clearly.
"Well, there are an awful lot of wizard fires to choose from, you know, but as long as you've spoken clearly -"
"It'll be fine, Molly, don't fuss," said Mr. Weasly, helping himself to Floo powder, too.
"But, dear, if they got lost, how would we ever explain to his aunt and uncle?"
"Th-they wou-wouldn't m-mind," Eldon reassured him.
"Dudley would think it was a brilliant joke if I got lost up a chimney, don't worry about that -" Harry added.
"Well . . . all right . . . you go after Arthur, Eldon. Then you, Harry," said Mrs. Weasley. "Now, when you get into the fire, say where you're going -"
"And keep your elbows tucked in," Ron advised.
"And your eyes shut," said Mrs. Weasley. "The soot -"
"Don't fidget," said Ron. "Or you might fall out of the wrong fireplace -"
"But don't panic and get out too early; wait until you see Fred and George."
Eldon was already panicking, and his limbs shook with nerves. He tried hard to bear all their words in mine, and took a pinch of Floo powder before walking to the edge of the dire. He took a deep breath, scattered the powder into the flames, and stepped forward; the fire felt like a warm breeze; he opened his mouth and luckily avoided the hot ash that tried to choke him.
"D-Dai-gon Alley," Eldon stuttered out, nerves getting the better of him.
It felt as though he was being sucked down a giant drain. He seemed to be spinning very fast - the roaring in her ears was deafening - he only had his eyes open for a moment but the whirl of green flames made him feel sick - something hard knocked his elbow and he tucked it in tightly, still spinning and spinning - now it felt as though cold hands were slapping his face. Despite not having eaten much for breakfast the bacon sandwiches were churning inside his stomach. He clenched his eyes shut even tighter, again wishing it would stop, and then -
He fell, face forward, onto cold stone and he whimpered and the sting in his forehead.
Dizzy and bruised, covered in soot, he got gingerly to his feet, his entire body almost shaking too hard for him to stand. Eldon was quite alone, but where he was, he had no idea. Fred and George were nowhere to be seen, and all he could tell was that he was standing in the stone fireplace of what looked like a large, dimly lit wizard's shop - but nothing in here was ever likely to be on a Hogwarts school list.
Harry came stumbling from the fireplace, the bridge of his glasses snapping as he hit the floor in a similar motion to Eldons own fall. Once he was sure that Harry wasn't hurt Eldon returned to looking around the shop.
A glass case nearby heals a withered hand on a cushion, a bloodstained pack of cards, and a staring glass eye. Evil-looking masks stared down from the walls, an assortment of human bones lay upon the counter, and rusty, spiked instruments hung from the ceiling. Even worse, the dark, narrow street Eldon could see through the dusty shop window was definitely not Diagon Alley.
The sooner he and Harry got out of here, the better. Forehead still stinging where it had hit the hearth Eldon followed after Harry who had finally taken notice of their surroundings. Harry made his way swiftly and silently toward the door, and Eldon moved much slower taking care to not touch any of the things around him. Before they had made it halfway to the door, two people appeared on the other side of the glass - and one of them Eldon recognized. It Was Draco Malfoy, a fellow Slytherin who Eldon knew didn't get along with Harry. Harry himself seemed to have a twisted look of anger and annoyance on his face.
Eldon could only blink in surprise as Harry shot inside a large black cabinet to their left and pulled the doors closed. Harry hadn't even given a sign of what he was thinking so that Eldon could follow, and now he stood in the middle of the aisle as seconds later a bell clanged and Malfoy stepped into the shop.
The man who followed could only be Draco's father. He had the same pale, pointed face and grey eyes, though his were indefinitely colder. Mr. Malfoy crossed the shop, looking lazily at the items on display, and rang a bell on the counter before turning to his son and saying, "Touch nothing, Draco."
Neither of the Malfoys had noticed Eldon, who had stopped trembling to freeze in fear. Malfoy, who had reached for the glass eye, said, "I thought you were going to buy me a present."
"I said I would buy you a racing broom," said his father, drumming his fingers on the counter.
"What's the good of that if I'm not on the House team?" said Malfoy, looking sulky and bad-tempered. "Harry Potter got a Nimbus Two Thousand last year. Special permission from Dumbledore so he could play for Gryffindor. He's not even that goood, just because he's famous . . . famous for having a stupid scar on his forehead . . ."
Malfoy bent down to examine a shelf full of skulls and Eldon pulled up his cloak's hood, covering the red hair that he knew would catch the Malfoys attention.
" . . . everyone thinks he's so smart, wonderful Potter with his scar and his broomstick -"
"You have told me this at least a dozen times already," said Mr. Malfoy, with a wuelling look at his son. "And i would remind you this it is not - prudent - to spread less than fond of Harry Potter, not when most of our kind regard him as the hero who made the Dark Lord disappear - ah, Mr. Borgin."
Eldon wasn't surprised that only Harry's name had been brought forward, Eldon was only the boy who was saved after all. A stooping man had appeared behind the counter, smoothing his greasy hair back from his face.
"Mr. Malfoy, what a pleasure to see you again," said Mr. Borgian in a voice as oily as his heart. "Delighted - and young Master Malfoy, too - churmed. How may I be of assistance? I must show you, just in today, and very reasonably priced -"
"I'm not buying today, Mr. Borgin, but selling," said Mr. Malfoy.
"Selling?'' The smile faded slightly from Mr. Borgin's face, likely from the knowledge that he wouldn't be making any money this time. Eldon could feel his trembling returning and forced his body to stay still.
"You have heard, of course, that the Ministry is conducting more raids," said Mr. Malfoy, taking a roll of parchment from his inside pocket and unraveling it for Mr. Borgin to read. "I have a few - ah - items at home that might embarrass me, if the Ministry were to call . . ."
Mr. Borgin fixed a pair of pince-nez to his nose and looked down the list.
"The Ministry wouldn't presume to trouble you, sir, surely?"
Mr. Malfoy's lip curled.
"I have not been visited yet. The name Malfoy still commands a certain respect, yet the MInistry frowns ever more meddlesome. There are rumors about a new Muggle Protection Act - no doubt that flea-bitten, Muggle-loving fool Arthur Weasley is behind it -"
Eldon frowned, he'd thought that Mr. Weasley was very kind, and didn't deserve to be spoken about that way, but he knew that many Slytheirns had a very different view of Muggles than most.
"- and as you see, certain of these positions might make it appear -"
"I understand, sir, of course," said Mr. Borgin. "Let me see . . ."
"Can i have that?" Interrupted Draco, pointing at the withered hand on its cushion.
"Ah, the Hand of Glory!" said Mr. Borgian, abandoning Mr. Malfoy's list and scurrying over to Draco. "Insert a candle and it gives light only to the holder! Best friend of thieves and plunderers! Your son has fine taste, sir."
"I hope my son will amount to more than a their of plunderer, Borgin,"said Mr. Malfoy coldly, and Mr. Borgin said quickly, "No offense, sir, no offence meant -"
"Though if his grades don't pick up," said Mr. Malfoy, more coldly still, "that may indeed be all his is fit for -"
"It's not my fault," retorted Draco. "The teachers all have favorites, that Hermione Granger -"
"I would have thought you'd be ashamed that a girl of no wizard family beat you in every exam," snapped Mr. Malfoy.
It didn't seem fair to Eldon that he would be so mean to his son. As far as he knew Malfoy had done wonderfully on all of his exams, far better than Eldon could have ever hoped to do even with Professor Snapes potion that he would continue taking as soon as he arrived at school.
"It's the same all over," said Mr. Borgin, in his oily voice. "Wizard blood is counting for less everywhere -"
"Not with me," said Mr. Malfoy, his long nostrils flaring.
"No, sir, nor with me, sir," said Mr. Borgin, with a deep bow.
"In that case, perhaps we can return to my list," said Mr. Malfoy shortly. "I am in something of a hurry, Borgin, i have important business elsewhere today -"
They started to haggle. Eldon trembled nervously as Draco drew nearer and nearer to where he was standing, examining the objects for sale. Draco paused to examine a long coil of hangman's rope and to read, smirking, the card propped next to a magnificent necklace of opals, Caution: Do Not Touch. Cursed - Has Claimed the Lives of Nineteen Muggle Owners to Date.
Draco turned away and pushed his way past Eldon, who had ducked his head as far as he could so he couldn't see his face, and noticed the cabinet that was now right in front of him, the one Harry hid inside. He stretched out his hand for the handle -
"Done," said Mr. Malfoy at the counter. "Come, Draco -"
Eldon let out a sigh of relief as Draco turned away.
"Good day to you, Mr. Borgin. I'll expect you at the manor tomorrow to pick up the food."
The Moment eh door has closed, Mr. Borgin dropped his oily manner.
"Good day yourself, Mister Malfoy, and if the stories are true, you haven't sold me half of what's hidden in your manor . . ."
Muttering darkly, Mr. Borgin disappeared into a back room. Eldon made his way to the cabinet as Harry slipped out of hit and, then, as quietly as they could, made their way past the glass cases, and out of the shop door.
Harry clutched his broken glasses to his face as the two of them stared around. They had emerged into a dingy alleyway that seemed to be made entirely of shops devoted to the Dark Arts. The one they'd just left, Borgin and Burkes, looked like the largest, but opposite was a nasty window display of shrunken heads and, two doors down, a large cage was alive with gigantic black spiders. Two shabby-looking wizards were watching them from the shadow of a doorway, muttering to each other. Eldon forced Harry's hood up and over the boys head, not wanting anyone to notice who he was. Feeling jumpy they set off, Harry trying to hold his glasses on straight, Eldon trembling and looking each way wildly as if hundreds of eyes were watching them, both were hoping they'd be able to find a way out of here.
An old wooden street sign hanging over a shop selling poisonous candles told them they were in Knockturn Alley. This didn't help, and they'd never heard of such a place, though Eldon faintly recalls Daphne making an off handed comment about it one day at breakfast. He supposed that his stutter had made him say the wrong thing so that he came out of the wrong fireplace, but he had no clue how Harry could have possibly made the same mistake, he'd never had problems with speaking clearly. Unable to stay calm Eldon could only rely on Harry to figure out what to do.
"Not lost are you, my dears?"said a voice in his ear, making Eldon whimper in fright.
An aged witch had come up behind them, holding a tray of what looked terribly like whole human fingernails. She leered at Harry, showing mossy teeth. Both twins backed away.
"N-no."
"We're fine, thanks," Harry said. "I'm just -"
"HARRY! What d'ya think yer doin' down there?"
Eldon's heart leapt, Harry and the witch jumping; a load of fingernails cascaded down over her feet and she cursed as the massive form of Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper, came striding toward them, beetle-black eyes flashing over his great bristling beard. Eldon didn't get along with Hagrid the same way that Harry did but he was still happy to see the familiar face.
"Hagrid!" Harry croaked. "I was lost - Floo powder -"
Hagrid seized Eldon and Harry by the scruff of the neck and pulled each of them away from the witch, knocking the tray right out of her hands. Her shreks followed them all the way along the twisting alleyway out into bright sunlight. Eldon saw a familiar, snow-white marble building in the distance - Gringotts Bank. Hagrid had steered them right into DIagon Alley, where they had meant to end up in the first place.
"Yer a mess!" said Hagrid gruffly, brushing soot off Harry, who had managed to get far dirtier that Eldon, so forcefully he nearly knocked him into a barrel of dragon dung outside an apothecary. Eldon was quick to help him regain his balance. "Skulking' around Knockturn Alley, I dunno - dodgy place, Harry - don't' want no one ter see ya down there - Eldon, -"
"I realized that," said Harry, ducking as Hagrid made to brush him offf again. "I told you, I was lost - we both did - what were you doing down there, anyway?"
"I was lookin' fer a Flesh-Eatin' Slug Repellent," growled Hagrid. "They're running the school cabbages. Yer not on yer own?"
"I d-din't s-speak clearly e-enough -"
"I'm staying with the Weasleys but we got seperated," Harry explained. "I've got to go find them. . ."
The three of them set off down the street. Eldon walked quickly to keep ahead of Hagrid who was likely tall enough to flatten someone as short as him.
"How come you never wrote back to me?" said Hagrid as the twins jogged alongside him. Harry was quick to explain all about Dobby and the Dursleys, with Eldon adding in one or two words here and there.
"Lousy Mugggles," growled Hagrid. "If i'd've known -"
"Harry! Eldon! Over here!"
Eldon looked up and saw Hermione Granger standing at the top of the white flight of steps to Gringotts. She ran down to meet them, her bushy brown hair flying behind her.
"What happened to your glasses? Hello, Hagrid - Oh, it's wonderful to see you two again - Are you coming into Gringotts, Harry, Eldon?"
"As soon as we've found the Weasleys," Eldon smiled lightly, Harry seemed even happier now with his friends here.
"Yeh won't have to wait," Hagrid said with a grin.
Harry, Eldon, and Hermione looked around: Sprinting up the crowded street were Ron, Fred, George, Percy, and Mr. Weasley.
"Harry," Mr. Weasley painted. "We hoped you'd only gone one grate too far . . ." He mopped his glistening bald patch. "Molly's frantic - she's coming now -"
"Where did you come out?" Ron asked.
"Knockturn Alley," said Hagrid grimly.
"Excellent!" said Fred and George together.
"We've never been allowed in," said Ron enviously.
"I should ruddy well think not," growled Hagrid,
Mrs. Weasley now came galloping into view, her handbag swinging wildly in one hand, Ginny just clinging onto the other.
"Oh, Harry, Eldon - oh, my dears - you could have been anywhere -"
Gasping for breath she pulled a large clothes brush out of her bag and began sweeping off the soot Hagrid hadn't managed to beat away, pecking odd the one or two dots that covered Eldon. Mr. Weasley took Harry's glasses, gave them a tap of his wand, and returned them, good as new.
"Well, gotta be off," said Hagrid, who was having his hand wrung by Mrs. Weasley ("Knockturn Alley! If you hadn't found them, Hagrid!"). "See yer at Hogwarts!" And he strode away, head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the packed street.
"Guess who I saw in Borgin and Burkes?" Eldon overheard Harrying say to Ron and Hermione as their group climbed the steps of Gringotts. "Malfoy and his father."
"Did Lucious Malfoybuy anything?" said Mr. Weasly sharply behind them, making Eldon jump.
"No, he was selling -"
"So he's worried," said Mrs. Weasley sharply behind them.
"You be careful, Arthur," said Mrs. Weasley sharply as they were bowed into the bank by a goblin at the door. "That family's trouble. Don't go biting off more than you can chew -"
"So you don't think i'm a match for Lucius Malfoy?" said Mr. Weasley indignantly, but he was distracted almost at once by the sight of Hermion's parents, who were standing nervously at the counter that ran all along the great marble hall, waiting for Hermions to introduce them.
"But you're Muggles!" said Mr. Weasley delightedly. "We must have a drink! What's that you've got there? Oh, you're changing Muggle money. Molly, look!" He pointed excitedly at the ten pound notes in Mr. Granger's hand.
"Meet you back here," Ron said to Hermione as the Weasleys, Eldon, and Harry were led to their underground vaults by another Gringotts goblin.
The vaults were reached by means of small, goblin-driven carts that sped along miniature tracks though the bank's underground tunnels. Eldon hated the speed of the journey down to the weasley's vaults, his body trembled and threatened to send him over the side of the cart. He felt his heart sink even lower when the Weasleys vault was opened. There was a very small pile of silver Sickles inside, and just one gold Galleon. Mrs. Weasley felt right into the corners before sweeping the whole lot into her bag. Eldon felt even worse when they reached his and Harry's vault. He hurriedly shoved handfuls of coins into a leather bag, enough for him and Harry. Harry had stood beside him trying to hide the view of their vault. Eldon gave half the coins to Harry as they got back into the cart.
Back outside on the marble steps, they all separated. Percy muttered vaguely about needing a new quill. Fred and George had spotted their friend from Hogwarts, Lee Jordan. Mrs. Weasley and Ginny were going to a secondhand robe shop. Mr. Weasly was insisting on taking the Grangers off to the Leaky Cauldron for a drink.
"We'll all meet at Flourish and Blotts in an hour to buy your school books," said Mrs. Weasley, setting off GInny. "And not one step down Knockturn Alley!" she shouted at the red haired twins' retreating backs.
Eldon, Harry, Ron, and Hermione strolled off along the winding, cobbled street. Eldon felt odd as the only Slytherin in their group of four but was happier to stay with the ones his age. With the coins in his bag jinggling lightly Eldon looked at everything he walked by, looking for anything that caught his eye.
Each of them slurped happily on four large strawberry-and-peanut-butter ice creams as they wandered the alley, examining the fascinating shop windows. Ron gazed longingly at a full set of Chudley Cannon robes in the windows of Quality Quidditch Supplies until Hermionie dragged them off to buy ink and parchment next door, thing that Eldon still had plenty left over from the year before, In Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop, they met Fred, George, and Lee Jordan, who were stocking up on Dr. Filibuster's Fabulous Wet-Start, No-Heat Fireworks, and in a tiny junk shop full of broken wands, lopsided brass scales, and old clocks covered in potin stains they found Percy, deeply immersed in a small and deeply boring book that Harry was quick to inform Eldon read Perfects Who Gained Power on the front cover.
"A study of Hogwarts prefects and their later careers," Ron read aloud off the back cover. "That sounds fascinating . . ."
"Go away," Percy snapped.
" 'Course, he's very ambitious, Percy, he's got it all planned out . . . He wants to be Minister of Magic . . ." Ron told the tree of them in an undertone as they left Percy to it.
An hour later, they headed for Flourish and Blotts. They were by no means to only ones making their way to the bookshop, and Eldon was disappointed to have not seen Daphne or Blaise. As they approached the shop, they saw to their surprise a large crowd jostling outside the doors trying to get in. The reason for this was proclaimed by a large banner stretched across the upper windows:
GILDEROY LOCKHART
Will be signing copies of his autobiography
MAGICAL ME
Today 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m
"We can actually meet him!" Hermione squealed. "I mean, he's written almost the whole booklist!"
The crows seemed to be made up of mostly switched around Mrs. Weasleys age. A harassed-looking wizard stood at the door, saying, "Calmly, please, ladies . . . Don't push, there . . . mind the books, now . . ."
Eldon, Harry, Ron, and Hermione squeezed inside. A long line wound right to the back of the shop, where Gilderoy Lockhartwas signing his books. They each grabbed a copy of The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 ans sneaked up the line to where the rest of the Weasleys were standing with Mr. and Mrs. Granger.
"Oh, there you are, good," said Mrs. Weasley. She sounded breathless and kept putting her hair. "We'll be able to see him in a minute . . ."
Gildory Lockhart came slowly into view, seated at a table surrounded by large pictures of his own face, all winking and flashing dazzlingly white teeth at the crowd. The real Lockhart was wearing robes of forget-me-not blue that were meant to match his eyes; his pointed wizard's hat was set at a jaunty angle on his wavy hair.
A short, irritable-looking man was dancing around taking photographs with a large black camera that emitted puffs of purple smoke with every blinding flash.
"Out of the way, there," he snarled at Eldon, moving back to get a better shot. "This is for the Daily Prophet -"
"Big deal," said Ron, rubbing his foot where the photographer had stepped on it. Eldon moved to the back of their group, scared to get in the man's way again.
Gilderoy Lockheart had heard him. He looked up. He saw Ron, and then he saw Harry. He stared. Then he leapt to his feet and positively shouted, "It can't be Harry Potter?"
The crowd parted, whispering excitedly; Lockheart dived forward, seized Harry's arm from where he stood beside Eldon, and pulled him to the front. The crowd burst out into applause. Eldon couldn't help but pity Harry this time, for the attention he was receiving, it was a position that Eldon would have hated to be in. Harry's face was burning as Lockhart shook his hand for the photographer, who was clicking away madly, wafting thick smoke over Eldon and the Weasleys.
"Nice big smile, Harry."said Lockhart, though his own gleaming teeth. "Together, you and I are worth the front page."
Eldon stepped back as far as he could without getting separated from the Wealeys, almost repulsed by the gleam in Lockharts eye. Harry tried to make his way back but Lockhart threw an arm around his shoulders and clamped him tightly to his side.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he said loudly, waiting for quiet. "What an extraordinary moment this is! The perfect moment for me to make a little announcement I've been sitting on for some time!
"When young Harry stepped into Flourish and Blotts today, he only wanted to buy my autobiography - which i shall be happy to present to him now, free of charge -" the crowd applauded again. "He had no idea," Lockhart continues, giving Harry a little shake, "that he would shortly be getting much, much more than my book, Magical Me. He and his schoolmates will, in fact, be getting the real magical me. Yrs, ladies and gentlemen, i have great pleasure and pride in announcing that this September, I will be taking up the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"
The crowd cheered and clapped and Eldon winced as Harry was presented with the entire works of Gilderoy Lockhart, the books nearly falling from his grasp. Staggering under their weight, Harry made his way back to the Weasleys finally out of the limelight. Ginny was standing beside Eldon with her new cauldron.
"You have these," Harry mumbled to her, tipping the books into her cauldron. "I'll buy my own -"
Eldon patted him on the shoulder, comforting the baffled Harry.
"Bet you loved that, didn't you, Potter?" said a voice that none of them had trouble recognizing. ELdon turned around and found himself staring into Draco Malfoy's chest. He stepped back quickly, almost tumbling off his feet.
"Famous Harry Potter," said Malfoy. "Can't even go into a book-shop without making the front page."
"Leave him alone, he didn't want all that!" said Ginny. As far as Eldon knew it was the first time she had spoken in front of Harry. She was glaring at Malfoy, with confidence that Eldon knew he could never have.
"Potter, you've got yourself a girlfriend!" drawled Malfoy. Ginny wants scarlet as Ron and Hermione fought their way over, both clutching stacks of Lockhart's books.
"Oh, it's you," said Ron, looking at Malfoy as if he were something unpleasant on the sole of his shoe. "Bet you're' surprised to see Harry here, eh?"
"Not as surprised as I am to see you in a shop, Weasley," retorted Malfoy. "I suppose your parents will go hungry for a month to pay for all those."
Ron went as red as Ginny and Eldon frowned. The weasleys had been remarkably kind to him, and it hurt to hear someone talk about them like that. Ron dropped his books into the cauldron, too, and started towards Malfoy, but Harry and Hermione grabbed the back of his jacket.
"Ron!" said Mr. Weasley, struggling over with Fred and George. "What are you doing? It's too crowded in here, let's go outside."
"Well, well, well - Arthur Weasley."
It was Me. Malfoy. He stood with his hand on Draco's shoulder, sneering in just the same way.
"Lucius," said Mr. Weasly, nodding coldly.
"Busy time at the Ministry, i hear, said Mr. Malfoy. "All those raids . . . I hope they're paying you overtime?"
He reached into Ginny's cauldron, and extracted, from amid the glossy Lockhart books, a very old, very battered copy of A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration.
"Obviously not," Mr. Malfoy said. "Dear me, what's the use of being a disgrace to the name of a wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?"
Mr. Weasley flushed darker than either Ron or Ginny.
"We have a very different idea of what disgraced the name of the wizard, Malfoy,"he said.
"Clearly," said Mr. Malfoy, his pale eyes straying to Mr. and Mrs. Granger, who was watching in horror. "The company you keep, Weasley . . . and i though your family could sink no lower -"
There was a thud of metal as Ginny's cauldron went flying; Mr. Weasley had thrown himself at Mr. Malfoy, knocking him backward into a bookshelf. Dozens of heavy spellbooks came thundering down on all their heads. Eldon fell backwards with a start and would have fallen into a separate bookshelf if it wasn't for the studying hand of the younger Malfoy who was quick to move away from him after. There was a yell of, "Get him, Dad!" from Fred or George; Mrs weasley was shrieking, "No, Arthur, no!"; the crowd stampede backward, knocking more shelves over; "Gentleman, please - please!" creid the assistant, and then louder than all -
"Break it up, there, gents, break it up -"
Hagrid was wading toward them though the sea of books. IN an instant he had pulled Mr. Weasley and Mr. Malfoy apart. Mr. Weasley had a cut lip and Mr. Malfoy had been hit in the eye by an Encyclopedia Of Toadstools. He was still holding Ginny's old Transfiguration book. He thrust it at her, his eyes glittering with malice.
"Here, girl - take your book - it's the best your father can give you -" pulling himself out of Hagrid's grip he beckoned to Draco and swept from the shop.
"Yeh shou've ignored him, Arthur," said Hagrid, almost lifting Mr. Weasley off his feet as he straightened his robes. "Rotten to the core, the whole family, everyone news that -no Malfoy's worth listening' to - bad blood, that's what it is - come on now - let's get outta here."
The assistant looked as though he wanted to stop them leaving, but he barely came up to Hagrids waist and seemed to think better of it. They hurried up the street, Eldon and the Grangers shaking with fright, and Mrs. Weasley beside herself with fury.
"A fine example to set for your children . . . brawling in public . . . what Gilderoy Lockhart muste thought -ḧe was pleased,"said Fred. Idn you hear him as we were leaving? He was asking the bloke from the Daily Prophet if he'd be able to work it into his report - said it was all publicity -"
But it was a subdued group that made it back to the fireside in the Leaky Cauldron, where they'd be traveling back to the Burrow using Floo powder. Eldon vowed to speak as clearly as possible this time, and practiced what he'd have to say in a barely audible whisper. They said good-bye to the Grangers, who were leaving the pub for the Muggle street on the other side; Mr. Weasley started to ask them how buss stops worked, but stopped quickly at the look on Mrs. Weasley's face.
Eldon took several deep breaths before stepping into the fireplace, vowing to never travel the same way unless he had no other choice. It was quickly labeled as his least favorite way to get anywhere.