RUCKUS AT FLOURISH AND BLOTTS
The following days at the Granger house, were the best days Natasha had outside of Hogwarts. Natasha spend those days by chatting with Hermione about any topic she could think of, both magical and muggle. They also spent their days walking around the muggle street and even meeting some of the old schoolmates of Hermione. They also joined some girls who were playing the game of basketball one day. Natasha knew about the game, as it was one of the muggle games that she liked at school. Hermione was hesitant to play at first, but she joined in. She fortunately knew how to play the game, but was not so good in the game. Natasha also wanted to try and play the game of cricket, but the problem was that, none of the girls in the neighborhood played the game. So, Natasha was stuck with playing Basketball or skipping.
As the days passed Natasha was becoming more and more attached to the neighborhood, and was nearly feeling at home. Then the next Friday, after their shopping at London Natasha and Hermione received their Hogwarts letters. They had received it, while they were having breakfast, and they quietly read the letters. Natasha's told her to catch the Hogwarts Express as usual from King's Cross station on September first. There was also a list of the new books she'd need for the coming year. The list was as follows:
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
"Who in the world is this guy? Almost all the books in the list is written by him.", Natasha said.
"He must be really famous to have such an honor.", Hermione said.
"Are you serious, Hermione!? Just look at the titles! They are ridiculous!", Natasha said.
"Who cares about the titles, Natasha. What is important, is the contents inside the books.", Hermione argued.
"Well then, we will have to read and find out, if this guy is really good, as it seems.", Natasha said and pocketed the letter.
Just then an owl flew inside the kitchen, and nearly crashed on to the table. But fortunately, it had a good landing. "This is Errol. Ron's family owl.", Hermione said as she took out the letter and read it.
Dear Hermione and Natasha,
I am really happy that, you rescued Natasha from those muggles. I was planning to take the flying car and rescue her. Oh, I am sure that, you would have told Natasha about this, but still I am just confirming it. There is a small change in our plans for Diagon alley. Dad has told that, he cannot take us tomorrow, as he has to finish some important report for the ministry. It is regarding some raids, that he is conducting. It seems he found lots of illegal and dark items at the Malfoy manner. (That dick deserves it anyways.). Can you guys come on Wednesday morning to the Diagon Alley. We can meet each other there. I am sure it will be fun. Please give your reply to Errol, he will deliver it to us.
Hoping to see you at Diagon alley,
Ron.
"Can we go to Diagon alley on Wednesday, dad? Ron and his family are coming on that day.", Hermione asked.
"Hmm.. I think we can arrange that, can't we?", Mr. Granger asked his wife.
"Certainly, we can. You can give a reply saying yes.", Mrs. Granger said.
"Thank you!", Natasha and Hermione said happily and wrote a reply back to Ron.
Dear Ron,
I hope you are also having a fun filled holidays. My dad has said that, we will go to Diagon Alley on Wednesday. So, we can meet each other on that day.
Hoping you are well,
Hermione.
They gave the letter to Errol after they finished writing, along with a small amount of food, so that the owl will have enough energy to fly. The owl flew off happily.
On Wednesday morning, Natasha woke up really early, and got ready. She was really excited to go and see Ron, and reconnect with the magical world again. After breakfast, everyone got Quickly ready, after breakfast and left home at nine. The car ride was smooth, except for some traffic here and there. They reached leaky cauldron at eleven. Natasha went to the other room, and chanted the incantation, that made the entrance to the Diagon alley appear.
"Come on Hermione! I can't wait for this.", Natasha said happily to her friend and went into the alley.
The alley was as wonderful as it had been, since Natasha had visited it last time. She had a really happy feeling, as the wonders of the wizarding world was again revealed in front of her. She just wanted to run, shouting merrily down the street in joy. Then as they just came in front of the pet shop, she was greeted by the Weasley family except Ron.
Mrs. Weasley came and hugged Natasha and said, "How are you, Natasha? We were really worried when you were not answering our posts."
"I am fine, Mrs. Weasley. I am sure Ron would have told you what had happened.", Natasha said smiling.
"Glad to know that, Natasha. Well, hello Hermione. I am happy to see you too.", Mrs. Weasley told.
"Why are you just standing there, introduce us.", Mr. Granger said.
While Hermione was busy introducing her parents, Natasha greeted other Weasley siblings. They were all happy to see her. The thing that puzzled her was the absence of Ron. "Where is Ron, Mrs. Weasley?", Natasha asked.
Even Hermione had noticed that, and had asked the same thing.
"Oh, there was a small problem with the mode of transportation we used. We used floo powder, but Ron somehow mixed up the name he was supposed to say, and he is lost now. Arthur has gone to search for him.", Mrs. Weasley said.
Natasha knew that, Arthur was Ron's dad. Natasha and Hermione looked at each other, asking the same question of what had happened to Ron. Natasha was a bit worried for Ron, as she knew that if the name was not correctly said while using a Floo powder, it will lead to the person being transported to some other place.
Then Mrs. Weasley lead them to Gringotts bank, where Natasha went to take money from her vault, while the Grangers waited in the lobby, to exchange their money. Natasha offered to pay for them, but they refused saying that it was her money. When Natasha came back from her vault, Natasha saw Ron talking to Hermione excitedly. Natasha ran happily and hugged Ron. "So, nice to see you again, Ron!", she said happily.
"I am really happy to see you too, Natasha. Thank Merlin that you were OK.", Ron said smiling. "Now meet my dad Arthur Weasley.", Ron said pointing to a tall, and older man.
"Well, you must be Natasha Potter! It is really nice to finally meet you. Ron had told me so much about you.", Mr. Weasley said shaking her hand.
"It is really nice to meet you too, Mr. Weasley.", Natasha said smiling.
They then went outside the bank, started walking. Natasha came to know that, Mr. Weasley had a strange obsession with muggle objects. He was talking about all things muggle, to the Grangers. Ron told Natasha about it, and Natasha was struggling not to laugh, at questions like 'what is the use of rubber ducks in bathroom.'. Then they all separated into separate groups, with Mr. and Mrs. Granger going with Arthur Weasley to further explore the alley, and to give the trio some time to enjoy.
As the trio was eating ice cream Natasha asked Ron, "So, what exactly happened after you mispronounced the name in the floo?".
"I ended up in a place, that I was never supposed to.", Ron replied.
"Where was it?", Natasha asked eagerly. Hermione was keeping quiet, so Natasha knew that, Ron must have already told her what happened.
"Knockturn alley.", Ron whispered.
"Wow! That is a really bad place you can turn up in.", Natasha said. She had read that, it was the dark and dangerous part of the Diagon alley.
"And guess, whom I saw over there?", Ron asked.
"I am sure that, it will be no one good.", Natasha replied.
"Malfoy and his father. I am sure that, they are up to no good. They were selling something really fishy there. It seems they were worried about dad's raids there.", Ron replied.
"Did you see what they were selling?", Natasha asked.
"Nope. That was out of my view.", Ron replied.
"Hmmm.", Natasha said. She knew that, the Malfoy family was definitely shady. She had read that, Draco's father was a suspected death eater, but he claimed that he was under mind control. She hoped that, Draco did not share his father's hatred. After eating the ice cream, they slurped happily as they wandered up 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 Hermione and Natasha dragged him off to buy ink and parchment next door. 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 cloaks covered in potion stains they found Percy, deeply immersed in a small and deeply boring book called Prefects Who Gained Power. Natasha knew that Percy was really power hungry, and accepted anything his seniors said, even if they said that, sun rises in the north.
"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 Natasha and Hermione in an undertone as they left Percy to it. But Natasha had already guesses it. An hour later, they headed for Flourish and Blotts. They were by no means the only ones making their way to the bookshop. As they approached it, 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!". Natasha was not excited as Hermione, but she did want to meet the author of most of her school books. She knew that, even other years had also got the same list. She wondered how they will study for their OWLs and NEWTs.
The crowd seemed to be made up mostly of witches around Mrs. Weasley's age. A harassed-looking wizard stood at the door, saying, "Calmly, please, ladies... Don't push, there... mind the books, now...".
Natasha, Ron, and Hermione squeezed inside. A long line wound right to the back of the shop, where Gilderoy Lockhart was signing his books. They each grabbed a copy of The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 and 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 patting her hair. "We'll be able to see him in a minute..."
Gilderoy 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 exactly matched 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 Ron, 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.
Gilderoy Lockhart heard him. He looked up. He saw Ron - and then he saw Natasha. He stared. Natasha felt uncomfortable. Then he leapt to his feet and positively shouted, "It can't be Natasha Potter?".
The crowd parted, whispering excitedly; Lockhart dived forward, seized Natasha's arm, and pulled him to the front. She wanted to protest and pull her hand back, but the crowd burst into applause. So, she knew it was hopeless. Natasha's face burned as Lockhart shook her hand for the photographer, who was clicking away madly, wafting thick smoke over the Weasleys.
"Nice big smile, Natasha," said Lockhart, through his own gleaming teeth. "Together, you and I are worth the front page."
Natasha was fuming now. She always hated, unwanted attention. She did not want to be in front page of anything, for something she did not even remember. But no one noticed her anger, except her friends. They were looking at her sympathetically. When he finally let go of Natasha's hand, she could hardly feel her fingers. She tried to sidle back over to her friends, but Lockhart threw an arm around her shoulders and clamped her tightly to his side. Natasha was ready to shout at the man, but before that he started telling something.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he said loudly, waving 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 Natasha here stepped into Flourish and Blotts today, she only wanted to buy my autobiography – which I shall be happy to present her now, free of charge -" The crowd applauded again. Natasha was really angry that, this idiot was taking advantage of her presence here. "She had no idea," Lockhart continued, giving Natasha a little shake. "that she would shortly be getting much, much more than my book, Magical Me. She and his schoolmates will, in fact, be getting the real magical me. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have great pleasure and pride in announcing that this September, I will be taking up the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!".
Natasha frowned at that, and cursed Dumbledore silently for taking such a man for an important post.
The crowd cheered and clapped and Natasha found herself being presented with the entire works of Gilderoy Lockhart. Staggering slightly under their weight, she managed to make her way out of the limelight to the edge of the room, where Ron's sister Ginny was standing next to her new cauldron. The both had, had a brief conversation on the way to Gringotts, and Natasha knew that, she also needed those books.
"You have these,", Natasha mumbled to her, tipping the books into the cauldron. "I'll buy my own-"
Ginny smiled and mumbled Natasha some thanks. "Well. Well. Well. I see that you have just entered the first page of the newspaper, Potter. But I can see that, you are really not happy.", a voice said. Natasha recognized it as being belonging to Draco, and saw him coming towards her.
"Well, hello Draco. Long time no see.", Natasha said.
Ron and Hermione fought their way over, both clutching stacks of Lockhart's books to find Natasha. "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 Natasha 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. He dropped his books into the cauldron too, and started toward Malfoy, but Natasha and Hermione grabbed the back of his jacket.
"Guys, can we not have this argument now? It is a really bad thing, to start a fight even before the school has started.", Natasha pleaded.
"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 came from a new person. He was a really tall man, who looked very much like an older Draco. Natasha assumed that, it must be his father.
"Lucius," said Mr. Weasley, 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 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 disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy,", he said.
"Clearly," said Mr. Malfoy, his pale eyes straying to Mr. and Mrs. Granger, who were watching apprehensively. "The company you keep, Weasley... and I thought your family could sink no lower."
Natasha was really angry at this, and wanted to shout at Mr. Malfoy. But before that, 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; there was a yell of, "Get him, Dad!" from Fred or George; Mrs. Weasley was shrieking, "No, Arthur, no!"; the crowd stampeded backward, knocking more shelves over; "Gentlemen, please - please!" cried the assistant, and then, louder than all- "Break it up, there, gents, break it up-".
Natasha was a bit shocked and happy to see Hagrid, when came wading toward them through 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. One book had fallen from that stack, but before anyone noticed that Mr. Malfoy said, "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 should've ignored him, Arthur," said Hagrid, almost lifting Mr. Weasley off his feet as he straightened his robes.
"Rotten ter the core, the whole family, everyone knows that - no Malfoy's worth listenin' ter - bad blood, that's what it is - come on now - let's get outta here.", Mr. Weasley said.
"Hello, Hagrid.", Natasha greeted him.
"Hello, Natasha. Good ter see yeh. Why haven't yeh replied to my posts?", Hagrid asked.
"Long story, Hagrid. I will tell you at school.", Natasha said.
They hurried up the street, the Grangers shaking with fright, Natasha and Hermione went to console them. "It is nothing mom and dad. There are rotten people even in this world.", Hermione said.
"He really scared us. He behaved as if, we are not humans!", Mr. Granger said angrily.
"There are some families here in our world, who thinks like that, Mr. Granger. They are rotten to the core.", Mr. Weasley said.
"People like those should be locked up in prison!", Mr. Granger shouted.
"They are really powerful and influential people, Mr. Granger. But I assure you, I am working on locking that guy up for good.", Mr. Weasley said.
"A fine example to set for your children... brawling in public... what Gilderoy Lockhart must've thought-", Mrs. Weasley said angrily.
"He was pleased," said Fred. "Didn't you hear him as we were leaving? He was asking that bloke from the Daily Prophet if he'd be able to work the fight into his report - said it was all publicity-".
Natasha was really angry with that man. She knew that, he was a big git. They said goodbye to the Weasleys, and drove back to their house. Natasha took up, the standard book of spells and began to read on the way. Hermione was reading one of Lockhart's books. They reached back at the home at 3 in the evening. It was really an eventful day, for all of them.