Now with a load considerably lighter then before, both Malfoys were more easily able to weave their way through and around the still ever growing crowd of Knockturn Alley. It wasn't an easy task, Draco realised, after he bumped into several people in a row.
He began to panic when he could no longer see his father's blonde hair in front of him and was about to ask someone for help when Lucius's hand shot out of no where and clutched his arm.
Draco breathed a sigh of relief at the familiar touch and once again began started walking forward, careful though to make sure no one came between his father's arm and him.
Once up the steps toward Diagon Alley his eyes bulged in disbelief. If it was even possible, it seemed this crowd was larger the sea of pointed black hats looked like a sturdy carpet. The largest congregation, though, was outside of Flourish and Blotts. As they drew closer Draco noted that almost all of the people outside the shop were witches, some accompanied by their annoyed and out-of-place husbands who busied themselves with small talk and trying to avoid looking ahead at what was inside the shop.
Draco squeezed in-between people to get through, abandoning his father who had been stopped by an acquaintance to chat. Moving closer toward the front of the line, he saw what was causing all the fuss. Gilderoy Lockhart, bedecked in cobalt blue robes, was smiling his sickeningly white smile. He hardly seemed to notice the books he was signing, he was much more interested in dazzling people with his teeth instead.
One after another witches ranging from in their early twenties to late fourties bustled up to him sticking out their worn down books into his hands. A few women were seated in the corner, slumped over chairs and being fanned by young workers.
Draco sneered at the pitiful scene in front of him and trudged up the stairs of Flourish and Blotts to safely purchase his books without being mauled. He stopped at the top, leaning over the blue and creaking railing that hardly felt as if it could support any weight at all, to watch the action when he saw someone else enter the shop.
With his upper lip still curled in disgust, Draco grabbed the last of his books, Voyages with Vampires, and trudged back down careful to conceal what he was holding. He was just in time to see Lockhart grab a small, black- haired boy by the neck and have a picture snapped.
As the boy shakily made his way toward the door, weighed down by a large stack of Lockhart's books, Draco stepped forward to stop him from leaving.
"Well, if it isn't famous Harry Potter," his grey eyes stared disdainfully at the soot on Harry's robes and face. Hadn't anyone ever heard of magic? Surely the Boy Who Lived could spare some for cleaning himself off to look presentable. "Can't even go into a book shop without making the front page." Not that Draco thought Potter worthy of the front page but no doubt with Lockhart in the picture the press would at least have to put it on the second.
Harry only glared, ostensibly not brave enough to start anything with so many people around. Good thing, too, considering Draco's father was only metres away.
"Leave him alone!" A small redheaded girl with a number of freckles had suddenly appeared. She, too, was covered in soot and carrying a rather shabby looking cauldron.
Draco's eyes flickered over to her then back to Potter, a smile playing at his lips, "Got yourself a girlfriend, eh Potter?"
She wasn't much - no money and mediocre looks wouldn't get you far.
The girl went scarlet, and looked as though she were about to answer when her father walked up.
"It's stuffy in here, how 'bout we get a bit of fresh air?" He had started to usher his children forward when Draco's father stepped in to stop the group from moving further before he could have a chance to chat.
"Arthur Weasley," he drawled coldly.
"Lucius," was the equally chilly reply.
They both glared at each other while Draco continued to stare at Potter though he wasn't looking back.
"I heard about all those raids. A dreadful thing. I do hope they're paying you well," Lucius plucked a copy of A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration out of the girl's cauldron. The book looked so worn that it would crumple to dust at any given moment. He gave it a casual looking over before he said anything else.
"Apparently not."
He threw the book back into the cauldron, it making a considerably louder noise then would've been expected of a book that size.
Draco squinted to get a look at the contents of the cauldron when he spotted something that hadn't been there before. He hadn't much paid attention to what was in it previously but he could swear there was now another book - rubberbanded to the Transfiguration book. Much smaller in contrast, Draco couldn't see much of it, though he could tell it was black. And as the girl turned slightly to move out of a woman's way, he got a glimpse of gold letters spelling out "iddle".
He strained his eyes and craned his neck but the girl had stepped backwards as their fathers argued like young children. There was no use in trying any further; she was half hidden by Hermione now. There was no chance of Draco getting closer unless he wanted it to look like he was associating with them. He would never stoop that low. Besides maybe he just hadn't noticed it at first it's not as if he'd given the contents inside much attention and by the size of the book it wouldn't have been easy to spot.
He slumped back becoming more and more bored. His eyes wandered around the shop - taking in the still large crowd of women inside and out and the seemingly ever growing crowd of Weasley's that suffocated him with their red hair.
As he'd been thinking this thought, yet another Weasley came abroad - only the second woman of the family he'd yet to see. At her arrival Arthur quickly cut off the 'discussion' he'd been having with Lucius, smiling widely as if to tell his wife they'd only been having a friendly conversation.
"Come on, Arthur dear," she said quietly, giving both Lucius and Draco a discrete glare. "We've still got to get the children's other supplies."
The Weasley's, Potter, and Granger brushed past. Draco let out a condescending snort as the redheaded girl walked past and tried vainly one last time to look at the book. A few others not with the group gave odd looks as they noticed him almost tip over.
"Pay for your books," Lucius hissed.
It seemed as though their presence had created a much unneeded stir of curiosity so Lucius was keen on leaving the shop immediately. After handing over seven Galleons to the store owner, both Malfoys were once again on the streets of Diagon Alley. The crowd had thinned after Lockhart announced he would be signing the last books within a few minutes then departing - but it was still difficult to get through.
Luckily for both, Lucius wasn't well liked among the inhabitants of the cobbled alley way, many didn't believe his story of being under the Imperius curse by Voldemort, so they were only given quick glances.
"What else do you need, boy?" His father asked.
Draco glanced down at his list of supplies, he was running low on Potions equipment that he would need for brewing even the simplest concoctions. He didn't see the need to buy any more, though, as his father had a wealthy supply in an ingredients cupboard at the Manor. Draco had only to sneak in there to take what he needed -being careful not to take too much or it would be noticed - while Lucius was under the impression that Professor Snape lended Draco everything he would need.
Draco shook his head, the rest of the supply list were things he could easily get by owl or things he already had at home. Lucius sighed loudly in relief.
"Good, I need to speak with your Mother and I haven't got time for all of this." He waved his snake cane around airily almost hitting a few people in the head.
As they walked toward the stairway down to Knockturn Alley, Draco remembered the most important thing they were to buy. Broomsticks. How could he have forgotten such a thing?
Tugging on the arm of his father's dark cloak Draco said, "Father, we've still got to get my broomstick."
He slowed as they passed the glass window of Quality Quidditch Supplies, which was displaying the new Nimbus Two Thousand and One. Draco couldn't be sure his father had even heard him until Lucius began steering both of them towards the shop. Looking at the Nimbus, Draco felt as if he were on top of the world. With a broom obviously better then Potter's there was no doubt he'd get on the House team and outstrip the supposed 'best Seeker since Charlie Weasley'.
He didn't even bother looking at the one in the window closely, where several children were staring in awe, vainly asking their parents to buy them one.
"We'd like to buy complete team set of Nimbus Two Thousand and One's," Lucius said, drawing the attention of the kids staring.
Draco smirked proudly, inching closer so everyone would know the man was his father. The group of children glared back enviously then returned their focus to the broom in the window. That's right; keep on wishing, Draco thought.
He looked casually at the robes and other less durable and fast brooms that had been stashed in haste in a corner near a full length mirror.
The owner of the shop had disappeared into the back, only reappearing when he had seven broomsticks balanced carefully on his body, some under his arms, some under his chin. As he went to hand them over, Lucius sneered.
"You don't expect me to carry them? Have them delivered to my Manor."
Not surprisingly, the owner looked shocked. Having seven brooms delivered by owl was rather expensive, especially to a Manor not surrounded by anything close by, but money was never an issue with Draco's family. It had been hard enough walking through the streets with Dark objects concealed under their robes but it would be almost impossible to make their way back to the abandoned shop with a set of brooms.
"Right away, sir," he replied, returning to the back to send them off.
Draco was still interested in looking around but his father had lost all patience - it was obvious he wanted to leave. Not wanting to wait for his son, Lucius passed the goggling children to almost disappear into the crowd of Diagon Alley.
"Father, wait!" Draco called, glaring at a young girl who giggled at him as he ran to catch up to his father.
The walk back to the un-owned shop was uncomfortably silent and awkward, Draco's father had blatantly ignored several people on the way, no doubt insulting them with the action.
He began to panic when he could no longer see his father's blonde hair in front of him and was about to ask someone for help when Lucius's hand shot out of no where and clutched his arm.
Draco breathed a sigh of relief at the familiar touch and once again began started walking forward, careful though to make sure no one came between his father's arm and him.
Once up the steps toward Diagon Alley his eyes bulged in disbelief. If it was even possible, it seemed this crowd was larger the sea of pointed black hats looked like a sturdy carpet. The largest congregation, though, was outside of Flourish and Blotts. As they drew closer Draco noted that almost all of the people outside the shop were witches, some accompanied by their annoyed and out-of-place husbands who busied themselves with small talk and trying to avoid looking ahead at what was inside the shop.
Draco squeezed in-between people to get through, abandoning his father who had been stopped by an acquaintance to chat. Moving closer toward the front of the line, he saw what was causing all the fuss. Gilderoy Lockhart, bedecked in cobalt blue robes, was smiling his sickeningly white smile. He hardly seemed to notice the books he was signing, he was much more interested in dazzling people with his teeth instead.
One after another witches ranging from in their early twenties to late fourties bustled up to him sticking out their worn down books into his hands. A few women were seated in the corner, slumped over chairs and being fanned by young workers.
Draco sneered at the pitiful scene in front of him and trudged up the stairs of Flourish and Blotts to safely purchase his books without being mauled. He stopped at the top, leaning over the blue and creaking railing that hardly felt as if it could support any weight at all, to watch the action when he saw someone else enter the shop.
With his upper lip still curled in disgust, Draco grabbed the last of his books, Voyages with Vampires, and trudged back down careful to conceal what he was holding. He was just in time to see Lockhart grab a small, black- haired boy by the neck and have a picture snapped.
As the boy shakily made his way toward the door, weighed down by a large stack of Lockhart's books, Draco stepped forward to stop him from leaving.
"Well, if it isn't famous Harry Potter," his grey eyes stared disdainfully at the soot on Harry's robes and face. Hadn't anyone ever heard of magic? Surely the Boy Who Lived could spare some for cleaning himself off to look presentable. "Can't even go into a book shop without making the front page." Not that Draco thought Potter worthy of the front page but no doubt with Lockhart in the picture the press would at least have to put it on the second.
Harry only glared, ostensibly not brave enough to start anything with so many people around. Good thing, too, considering Draco's father was only metres away.
"Leave him alone!" A small redheaded girl with a number of freckles had suddenly appeared. She, too, was covered in soot and carrying a rather shabby looking cauldron.
Draco's eyes flickered over to her then back to Potter, a smile playing at his lips, "Got yourself a girlfriend, eh Potter?"
She wasn't much - no money and mediocre looks wouldn't get you far.
The girl went scarlet, and looked as though she were about to answer when her father walked up.
"It's stuffy in here, how 'bout we get a bit of fresh air?" He had started to usher his children forward when Draco's father stepped in to stop the group from moving further before he could have a chance to chat.
"Arthur Weasley," he drawled coldly.
"Lucius," was the equally chilly reply.
They both glared at each other while Draco continued to stare at Potter though he wasn't looking back.
"I heard about all those raids. A dreadful thing. I do hope they're paying you well," Lucius plucked a copy of A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration out of the girl's cauldron. The book looked so worn that it would crumple to dust at any given moment. He gave it a casual looking over before he said anything else.
"Apparently not."
He threw the book back into the cauldron, it making a considerably louder noise then would've been expected of a book that size.
Draco squinted to get a look at the contents of the cauldron when he spotted something that hadn't been there before. He hadn't much paid attention to what was in it previously but he could swear there was now another book - rubberbanded to the Transfiguration book. Much smaller in contrast, Draco couldn't see much of it, though he could tell it was black. And as the girl turned slightly to move out of a woman's way, he got a glimpse of gold letters spelling out "iddle".
He strained his eyes and craned his neck but the girl had stepped backwards as their fathers argued like young children. There was no use in trying any further; she was half hidden by Hermione now. There was no chance of Draco getting closer unless he wanted it to look like he was associating with them. He would never stoop that low. Besides maybe he just hadn't noticed it at first it's not as if he'd given the contents inside much attention and by the size of the book it wouldn't have been easy to spot.
He slumped back becoming more and more bored. His eyes wandered around the shop - taking in the still large crowd of women inside and out and the seemingly ever growing crowd of Weasley's that suffocated him with their red hair.
As he'd been thinking this thought, yet another Weasley came abroad - only the second woman of the family he'd yet to see. At her arrival Arthur quickly cut off the 'discussion' he'd been having with Lucius, smiling widely as if to tell his wife they'd only been having a friendly conversation.
"Come on, Arthur dear," she said quietly, giving both Lucius and Draco a discrete glare. "We've still got to get the children's other supplies."
The Weasley's, Potter, and Granger brushed past. Draco let out a condescending snort as the redheaded girl walked past and tried vainly one last time to look at the book. A few others not with the group gave odd looks as they noticed him almost tip over.
"Pay for your books," Lucius hissed.
It seemed as though their presence had created a much unneeded stir of curiosity so Lucius was keen on leaving the shop immediately. After handing over seven Galleons to the store owner, both Malfoys were once again on the streets of Diagon Alley. The crowd had thinned after Lockhart announced he would be signing the last books within a few minutes then departing - but it was still difficult to get through.
Luckily for both, Lucius wasn't well liked among the inhabitants of the cobbled alley way, many didn't believe his story of being under the Imperius curse by Voldemort, so they were only given quick glances.
"What else do you need, boy?" His father asked.
Draco glanced down at his list of supplies, he was running low on Potions equipment that he would need for brewing even the simplest concoctions. He didn't see the need to buy any more, though, as his father had a wealthy supply in an ingredients cupboard at the Manor. Draco had only to sneak in there to take what he needed -being careful not to take too much or it would be noticed - while Lucius was under the impression that Professor Snape lended Draco everything he would need.
Draco shook his head, the rest of the supply list were things he could easily get by owl or things he already had at home. Lucius sighed loudly in relief.
"Good, I need to speak with your Mother and I haven't got time for all of this." He waved his snake cane around airily almost hitting a few people in the head.
As they walked toward the stairway down to Knockturn Alley, Draco remembered the most important thing they were to buy. Broomsticks. How could he have forgotten such a thing?
Tugging on the arm of his father's dark cloak Draco said, "Father, we've still got to get my broomstick."
He slowed as they passed the glass window of Quality Quidditch Supplies, which was displaying the new Nimbus Two Thousand and One. Draco couldn't be sure his father had even heard him until Lucius began steering both of them towards the shop. Looking at the Nimbus, Draco felt as if he were on top of the world. With a broom obviously better then Potter's there was no doubt he'd get on the House team and outstrip the supposed 'best Seeker since Charlie Weasley'.
He didn't even bother looking at the one in the window closely, where several children were staring in awe, vainly asking their parents to buy them one.
"We'd like to buy complete team set of Nimbus Two Thousand and One's," Lucius said, drawing the attention of the kids staring.
Draco smirked proudly, inching closer so everyone would know the man was his father. The group of children glared back enviously then returned their focus to the broom in the window. That's right; keep on wishing, Draco thought.
He looked casually at the robes and other less durable and fast brooms that had been stashed in haste in a corner near a full length mirror.
The owner of the shop had disappeared into the back, only reappearing when he had seven broomsticks balanced carefully on his body, some under his arms, some under his chin. As he went to hand them over, Lucius sneered.
"You don't expect me to carry them? Have them delivered to my Manor."
Not surprisingly, the owner looked shocked. Having seven brooms delivered by owl was rather expensive, especially to a Manor not surrounded by anything close by, but money was never an issue with Draco's family. It had been hard enough walking through the streets with Dark objects concealed under their robes but it would be almost impossible to make their way back to the abandoned shop with a set of brooms.
"Right away, sir," he replied, returning to the back to send them off.
Draco was still interested in looking around but his father had lost all patience - it was obvious he wanted to leave. Not wanting to wait for his son, Lucius passed the goggling children to almost disappear into the crowd of Diagon Alley.
"Father, wait!" Draco called, glaring at a young girl who giggled at him as he ran to catch up to his father.
The walk back to the un-owned shop was uncomfortably silent and awkward, Draco's father had blatantly ignored several people on the way, no doubt insulting them with the action.