Chapter 16 - Diagonally
On the morning of August 19th, the Weasley family, Harry and me went to Diagon Alley. Mrs Weasley had heard me telling Ginny that Gilderoy Lockhart would be in Diagon Alley signing books today so we were going today. I'd also sent an owl to Hermione telling her to come to Diagon Alley today with her parents.
"Harry, you go first, dear." Mrs Weasley smiled at him.
"But Harry's never travelled by Floo powder before, Mum." Ron said. He looked at me and Ron confused.
"Floo powder?" Harry asked.
"Well, Ron why don't you go first and Harry can see how it's done." Harry turned to watch Ron and stared very hard at him.
I backed away as Ron stepped into the fireplace and only just managed to pull Harry back as Ron shouted: "Diagon Alley!" and dropped the powder. The fireplace burst into green flames and Ron disappeared. I shielded my face from the sudden heat and brushed a few specks of my cloak.
"You see, it's quite easy dear, don't be afraid." soothed Mrs Weasley. I looked at Harry to see him looking horrified at the idea of disappearing in a large amount of green fire. Molly beckoned him and I pushed Harry's back gently forwards. Harry stepped in and took the Floo powder. I grinned reassuringly and he took a deep breath and said: "Diagonally!" and he too disappeared.
"What did he say, dear?" Mrs Weasley asked concerned.
"Diagonally." Mr. Weasley replied gravely.
"I thought he did." I muttered. It was my turn next. "Diagon Alley!" I yelled. Seconds later I was in the Leaky Cauldron. No sign of Harry.
"Hey," I said to Ron. "Harry here?"
"No why?" He replied.
"Oh. He said 'Diagonally'. Wonder where he'll end up?" I thought out loud. The rest of the Weasley's followed behind me, Mrs Weasley bringing up the rear looking extremely worried and frantic. We headed out onto the street and into Flourish and Blotts first. Mrs Weasley's love for Lockhart over ranked the need to find Harry plus we were meeting the Granger's there. I saw Hermione outside with her parents so I ran to hug her. After the hugging was over, 'Mione decided to introduce me to her parent's.
"Mum, dad this is my best friend, Ash." She gushed. I shook both their hands before replying.
"It's nice to meet you Mr. and Mrs Granger, I'm Ash Hyde." I smiled.
"It's nice to finally meet you. Hermione talks none stop about her three best friends." Mr. Granger grinned at Hermione's embarrassed face.
"Really?" I grinned. "All good stuff, I hope."
"Oh, yes." Mrs Granger grinned.
"Come on. We're going to buy me a cat!" Hermione continued gushing. "We'll come back here when we're done." The three of them rushed off so I went into the shop to purchase my school books. It turns out I did need two of the books I already had. Just after I finished Hermione returned with Harry.
"Where the bloody hell have you been?" I demanded.
"I ended up in Knockturn alley." He replied quietly.
"Knockturn Alley?" I shrieked. "Come on, we'd best let Mrs Weasley know you're okay." I pulled him to the front.
"Harry! Thank goodness. We hoped you'd only gone a few grates over." She said before Lockhart appeared. He did this speech before he noticed Harry and pulled him forward for a picture in the Daily Prophet and he got his complete set of books. Mrs Weasley told him he'd get them signed for him while we went to wait outside. That was when my beloved cousin appeared, Draco Malfoy. Technically, my third cousin but still we were related and neither of us would ever say anything about it. In our family, the Hyde's were never called bloodtraitors or anything so we still counted.
"Bet you loved that didn't you Potter?" he sneered "Can't even go into a bookshop without making the front page."
"Leave him alone." Ginny walked forward and said.
"Oh look Potter, you've got yourself a girlfriend!" He smirked nastily, I was seconds away from pulling out my wand and hexing him before his beloved father appeared.
"Now, now Draco, play nicely." Malfoy senior used his cane to push Malfoy out of the way and he glanced at his father before backing off. "Mr. Potter. Lucius Malfoy. We meet at last" he extended his hand which Harry took stiffly. He jerked Harry towards him and moved his hair, revealing his scar. "Forgive me. Your scar as legend, as of course is the wizard who gave it to you."
"Voldemort killed my parents," Harry said coldly as Malfoy let him go. "He was nothing more than a murder.
"You must be very brave to mention his name. Or very foolish" He replied.
"Fear of a name, only increases fear of the thing itself." said Hermione wisely.
"And you must be Miss Granger, yes Draco's told me all about you. And your parents. Muggles, aren't they?" He said smugly.
"So what if they are, Lucius?" I growled again seconds away from getting my wand. I walked forward infront of everyone, not trusting another of my ex-deatheater cousins and glared at him.
"My, my, my, Miss Aurora Hyde. How are the family?" He asked.
"Perfect." I replied. "Yours? Still half locked up in Azkaban?" I smiled. He looked at me stiffly before looking at Ron and Ginny. I was glad to know I could get to him.
"Let me see. Red hair, vacant expression…" he picked up Ginny's book that were in her cauldron. "Tatty second-hand books, you must be the Weasley's." He dropped the books back as everyone glared back at him.
"Come on children, let's get outside, it's getting rather crowded." Mr. Weasley said jovially before he saw the Malfoy's and all of us glaring at them. Plus me with my wand half out. He placed his hand on my arm to prevent me from doing something stupid, probably. "Lucius." He said stiffly.
"Arthur." He replied smiling. "Associating with muggles and I thought your family could sink no lower." He said looking at the Grangers. Mr. Weasley couldn't stop me from going forward as I leaned to whisper at Lucius.
"Be careful what you say to my friends, dear cousin. Did you know Voldemort was at school last year? I'm sure he'll be happy to know how much you are searching for him." I whispered sneering before I took at I step back looking proudly at his stiff face.
"Come Draco, we should leave." Lucius said quietly before pulling Draco away.
"See you at school." He said to me, Harry and Ron.
"Lucius!" I called, he stopped to listen but didn't turn around. "Let me know how Cissy is." He pushed through some people before barging out. Draco turned around to look confused at my smug face before following his father. I turned around to see the Weasley's and Harry looking confused at me.
"What did you do?" Ron asked.
"I've known the Malfoy family for a long time, I know how to push dear Lucius's buttons to make him leave." I smiled smugly before leaving the shop closely followed by the rest of them. After we finished shopping, we left Hermione at the Leaky Cauldron as Flooed back to the Burrow. That night I snuck to Uncle Moony's to go with his change and left the vault key for him to give to mum. I told him what happened with the Malfoy's, which made laugh his arse off. The night went like the other night. I risked changing human to talk to the wolf and let him know that I'd be back after the school year and to treat his body nice. I had to leave early the next day to get back to the burrow. It was hard to believe we'd be back at Hogwart's soon. I couldn't wait.