Close Encounters of the Fairy Kind
By: Srreadsalot
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. If I did you wouldn't be reading this here and you wouldn't have to wait two years for the next book to come out and I would be the one worth billions and billions of dollars. But since you are reading this here and you have to wait two years for the next book and I am not worth billions and billions of dollars… I don't own it.
Chapter Two: Alliance
The smell of old books bombarded his senses; Hermione would have loved it. He on the other hand, wasn't quite used to being in a book store 24/7. A short wizard came bustling out of the back. He was barely five foot and reminded Harry a lot of Dudley. The man walked up to Harry with a warm smile on his face and genuine love for life. All resemblance of Dudley was washed away.
"Good afternoon, sir. Is there anything I can help you with?" Harry wondered if the man was being polite in not mentioning his name or if he didn't realize it was Harry for he did look different. He had recently gotten contacts and his tanned body was filling out nicely with muscles in all the right places. He was also in muggle clothing: a pair of baggy blue jeans and a tight blue shirt that said Joe's Crab Shack. The Dursley's had gotten it for Dudley when he was five and now it fit Harry.
"I was wondering if you could direct me to the section containing information about ley lines. A friend of mine mentioned them in conversation earlier today and mentioned some things that weren't in the book I already have. I want to make sure my information is up to date and accurate." Harry smiled warmly at the pleasantly plump man and followed him to the back of the store.
"We don't normally keep these books out in front because not many people ask for information about them." He rummaged in several trunks and one coffin before he said, "Ah ha! I remember now. I stored them in with the foreign language books. Some of the books are in Latin and one is in French I believe." He scuttled over to a large box in the shape of a cat. Harry didn't get the association.
"A cat? Why are the foreign language books and the ley line books for that matter, in a cat shaped box, if you don't mind me asking?" Harry said tentatively, not wanting to offend the bookkeeper.
"Oh, it's a funny story actually. You see, we re-modeled a bit over this past year. We moved a few shelves around and got a huge new inventory but not enough space to put everything. Well the ministry won't let us but a resizing spell on any establishment in Diagon Alley. They say it will mess with the hidden properties and muggles might make their way in here. Codswallop in my opinion. So we had to find places to put the extra books. We didn't want to through them away, of course, cause what if people need them for something. So we put aside a budget for boxes as we bought out our supplier. That's why the coffin and the cat box." Harry smiled as if it really was funny and looked inside the cat box.
There were dozens of books on ley lines, even the ones Bill suggested. "This will be great. Can I look through them for a while?" Harry asked, politely trying to get rid of the shop keeper. The man didn't take a hint and just nodded his head emphatically while standing there pleased as punch.
Just then the bell rang, signaling the arrival of a new customer. "I would try Ley Lines and How They Work, Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Ley Lines, and Ley Lines for that Over Due Essay you Haven't Done Yet. They helped me out of some tight spots." He smiled amiably and left to tend to his newest customer.
Harry gazed at all the books in the box. As the man had said, there were a few books in other languages but most were about ley lines. He went to grab Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Ley Lines but stopped. Something very warm had grazed the back of his hand. He ignored it and reached for the book again but felt the warmth. He kept his hand where it was and noticed it wasn't touching anything other than his desired book. Harry dug around, searching for the source of heat.
At the bottom of the box, wrapped in white linen, were two books: the source of the heat. Harry dug the books out and put them on his lap. As soon as he touched them, the warmth went away and the books were just books again. He unwrapped the bundles and found two leather bound books with no inscriptions gracing the covers. Harry opened one and read the title. Why Ley Lines? Harry shook his head in wonderment and opened the other book. How to Use Ley Lines was written in a neat script.
He grabbed Everything You Wanted to Know about Ley Lines and Basic Ley Line Magic and ran to the front of the store. "I'm ready to check out, sir!" He said, gasping in excitement.
The man clapped his hands together several times, "Good, good, now which did you pick? Let's have a look, shall we?" His brow furrowed as he noticed the two, leather bound books without inscriptions. "Are you sure you found these in that box?" Harry nodded, hoping the man wouldn't tell him the books weren't for sale. He shrugged and rang up Harry's purchase. "Good selections I might add. You should do fine on your assignment. Oh, and if you wanted to, ah, return these when you were finished," The man pointed to the two leather bound books in particular. "We charge a 10 percent restocking fee after two weeks." The man patted the books, wrapped them in linen again, and handed the packages to Harry. "You take good care of those books!" The man shouted as Harry walked over the threshold in a last ditch effort for him to return the books when he was finished.
Harry couldn't wait to get back to the Dursley's house. This thought struck him as very odd and he decided instead of going straight home that he would go to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor and read for a while.
Outside Fortescue's, there was a group of people gathered and they were shouting about something or other. Harry pushed his way forward to see what was happening. Right in front of Harry, Draco Malfoy lay bleeding from his upper lip and nose. His cheek was also very red. Over him, looking quite disgusted stood Lucius Malfoy. "Get up, boy! I will not have you gathering pity from these people." Lucius said pity as if it were a dirty work. "You will not talk back to me in that ungrateful tone."
Before Harry could think about what he was doing, he said, "I don't care what he said to you! You have no rite to treat anyone that way." He turned his back on Lucius and offered Draco a helping hand. There was a sharp pain in his back and he fell flat on his face.
"This is no concern of yours, Potter! Get away from my son. I will treat whomever, however I want and there's nothing you can do to stop me." Lucius fell back as if pushed and the stare from Harry was a sign that he had done it and he didn't care who knew. With barely another thought, Harry pushed Lucius back against the bar and into a bar stool.
"Leave. Now, Lucius, before I really loose my temper." Harry was glaring pure hatred toward Lucius who disappeared in a pop. Harry got to his feet and tried to not look at anyone around him. He realized he had used magic in public and that he was under aged but at the time he didn't care. Right now he was worried about what the crowd though.
He didn't have to wait long for a loud cheer broke out from somewhere and the entire crowd whooped, hollered, and applauded for Harry. Harry blushed and looked down at Draco who was staring up in wonderment. Harry offered his hand and Draco took it. "Sorry about that. I think I just lost you your ride." Harry blushed again but Draco just brushed it off as if it were nothing.
"Um, uh, thanks? I mean, you did probably just make my life a living hell for the rest of the summer but maybe I can use you as a threat against him. He might not have looked that surprised but trust me. He has no idea how you're doing what you're doing. Its pissing him off but maybe now I can use that." Draco gave a half smile and started walking off. "Harry, uh, I don't know if this changes anything between us. I mean, I am still a Slytherin and you're still a Gryffindore but I'd like to be able to say we are at least civil now?" Draco looked very young and innocent in that moment and Harry smiled.
"Draco, I would like to think of us as on the verge of friendship." Harry smiled back and retreated to the ice cream bar in order to apologize for what he had done.