In this chapter is more of a demonstration of how Harry and Rose view and interpret information as a single being. There's more of this in later chapters, too, and I tried my best to make sure the different views could be told apart. It's probably going to be confusing, though, but I did the best I could to try and limit that.
Enjoy!
Chapter 16 The Second Year Shopping Trip
August 7, 1992.
The Harry and Rose being stretched and blinked their eyes open, waking from the sound of footsteps. As they carefully stood, they gazed around to see someone in the kitchen. Carefully, they walked toward it and spotted Mrs. Weasley starting to cook breakfast. As they entered, they gazed around and felt their faint anger. The full moon was near, then, they thought.
"Good morning, dears." Mrs. Weasley said as she smiled at both of them.
"Morning, Mrs. Weasley." The Harry and Rose being responded with a grin.
"Sleep well?" She asked.
"Very well, thanks." The Harry and Rose being responded.
As the Harry half gazed into the mirror over the mantle piece, he examined his appearance. It was odd to do so through a mirror, though on occasion, the Harry and Rose being would use them. The Rose half was moving closer to Mrs. Weasley, watching with fascination as she used her wand while cooking. Quite suddenly, the mirror shouted to the Harry half, "Tuck your shirt in, scruffy!" He jumped.
"Ah, nothing to worry about, Harry dear." Mrs. Weasley said with a smile.
"It's certainly different than the Dursley home, that's for sure." The Harry and Rose being responded. "Compared to them, this is chaos, wonderful chaos."
And so it was. While the Dursley's home was ordered, the Weasley home wasn't. The Harry and Rose being liked it. Things they didn't think were normal seemed perfectly so at the Weasley home, such as the ghoul in the attic howling and dropping pipes whenever things were too quiet, or the small explosions from Fred and George's room. More than any of this, though, they liked that no one hated them. In fact, Mrs. Weasley was always fussing over the state of their socks and clothes, telling Rose she'd look prettier in women's clothes rather than what she wore now, wanting to help her with her hair, or even give them hugs and affectionately ruffle the Harry half's hair. She always tried to give them fourth helpings at every meal and insisted that they not help with cleaning anything up after meals, something they were used to doing at the Dursley's.
Mr. Weasley, on the other hand, always wanted the Harry or Rose half to sit next to him at meals to explain how Muggle items worked. He was fascinated by simple things the Harry and Rose being took for granted, like electricity, the telephone, and even the postal service.
It was August 12 that they received their letters from Hogwarts. Since it was close to the full moon, the Harry and Rose being were short tempered and irritable. Used to this, Ron casually brushed it off. Fred and George eventually got into the spirit of things, though listened to Ron, who kept them from pushing things too far. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley wanted to help them through it, but they knew that wasn't something that could be done. Eventually, they simply settled for keeping an eye on them.
When they entered the kitchen that morning, Ginny knocked her porridge bowl to the floor with a loud clatter after catching sight of the Harry and Rose being, who sat down and took the toast Mrs. Weasley offered them.
"Letters from school." Mr. Weasley said as he handed them out, the Harry and Rose being taking theirs and opening them quickly.
Since nothing Mr. Weasley said applied to them, they focused on reading their letters. They were told once again to catch the train on September 1. The second year book list was primarily authored by Gilderoy Lockhart. The Harry and Rose being frowned.
"That lot won't come cheap. Lockhart's books are really expensive..." George said as he glanced at his parents.
"Well, we'll manage." Mrs. Weasley replied, though looked a little worried. "I expect we'll be able to pick up a lot of Ginny's things secondhand."
Percy walked into the room at that moment, already dressed, his prefect badge pinned to his vest.
"Morning, all. Lovely day." He said briskly.
He sat down in the only remaining chair at the table, then leapt up and pulled what looked to be a very elderly owl that seemed to be losing its feathers from the chair, a letter under its wing.
"Errol!" Ron exclaimed as he took the letter. "Finally, he's got Hermione's answer. I wrote to her saying we were going to try and rescue you from the Dursley's."
He carried Errol to a perch just inside the back door and tried to put him on it without success, so put him on the draining board instead, muttering, "Pathetic." After tearing open Hermione's letter, he read it out loud.
"'Dear Ron, and Harry and Rose being if you're there,
"'I hope everything went all right and that Harry and Rose are okay and that you didn't do anything illegal to get them out, Ron, because that would get Harry and Rose into trouble, too. I've been really worried and if Harry and Rose are 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 your one off.
"'I'm very busy with schoolwork, of course' How can she be?" Ron asked 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 can. Love from Hermione.'"
The Harry and Rose being wasn't worried about their school work, since they'd spent that week finishing everything they had, despite Ron, Fred and George giving them a hard time. Percy was the only one that seemed to approve of their studying, and judging from the letter, Hermione would as well.
"Well, that fits in nicely, we can go and get all your things then, too." Mrs. Weasley said as she started to clear the table. "What are you all up to today?"
"Going up to the paddock to practice some Quidditch." Ron said with an eager grin.
"Just remember not to fly too high." Mrs. Weasley reminded.
"We know, Mum." Fred responded as the Harry and Rose being stood and moved to get their broom. After a moment, the Rose half turned and asked, "Do you want to come, Ginny?"
Ginny blushed deeply, her face the color of her hair as she stared at the Harry half. She shook her head a little and hurried off, tripping over the stairs.
"Man, mate, you've got a way with my sister." Ron said jokingly.
"Hmm." The Harry and Rose being responded with a little bit of a scowl, heading out the back door with Ron, Fred and George. "Well, I don't see what the big deal is, why she's got that crush on the Harry half, who shouldn't even be famous in the first place. It's pathetic."
"Well, it's a little strange, really." Ron responded.
The Harry and Rose being had no sympathy for Ginny at this point, it was more irritation than anything else.
"Yes." The Harry and Rose being stated coolly, then muttered under their breath so only the Rose half could hear, "Stupid crush from a silly little girl."
The paddock was surrounded by trees that blocked it from being seen from the village below, though the Harry and Rose being didn't understand why more magic wasn't used to block more of its height from being seen. It was fine all the same, though. Instead of Quidditch balls, they threw apples to catch. The Harry and Rose half took turns on the Nimbus Two Thousand along with everyone else. Something that didn't often happen was the Harry and Rose being flying together, but Fred had gotten Charlie Weasley's old broom so the Rose half could fly. Though the Weasley's brooms were slower, the Harry and Rose being enjoyed flying, their deep rage calming at the feeling. The Rose half noticed Ginny Weasley watching them, peaking over the hill and ducking down when she was seen. They sighed at that and kept playing, trying there best to enjoy their time.
Fred and George speculated on Percy Weasley, who they said wasn't acting like himself, and wondered curiously how they were going to pay for all their school things. The Harry and Rose being guessed this was a concern for the Weasley's every year and felt somewhat awkward at the amount of money they knew they had in their vault. They didn't know how much the Weasley's had, but judging from the worried looks and conversation, it wasn't much, probably just enough to keep them going. Despite that, they were willing to take a loving family over a fortune. Money wasn't everything, after all, and they'd give anything to have their parents back.
August 19, 1992.
The Harry and Rose being stared at the flower pot Mrs. Weasley had offered them, gazing at the powder within. Uncertainly, they asked, "What are we supposed to do?"
"The Harry and Rose being have never traveled by Floo powder." Ron said suddenly. "Sorry, Harry and Rose, I forgot."
"Never? Then how did you get to Diagon Alley to buy your school things last year?"
"Apparated with Professor McGonagall." The Harry and Rose being replied.
"Well, that's certainly quicker for three, but Floo is better for all of us." Mrs. Weasley explained.
"They'll be okay, Mum. Watch us first." Fred said.
He took a pinch of the glittering powder from the flower pot, stepped up to the fire, then threw them into the flames. With a roar, the fire rose higher than Fred and turned emerald green. He then stepped into it and shouted, "Diagon Alley!" He vanished.
"You must speak clearly, dears." Mrs. Weasley explained as George put his hand into the pot. "And be sure to get out at the right grate..."
"The right grate?" The Harry and Rose being asked with confusion.
"Well, there are an awful lot of wizard fires to choose from, you know, but as long as you've spoken clearly..." Mrs. Weasley began.
"They'll be fine, Molly, don't fuss." Mr. Weasley said as he got some of the powder for himself.
"But, dear, if he got lost, how would we ever explain to his aunt and uncle?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
"Oh, that's a laugh." The Harry and Rose being responded with a grin. "I doubt they'd care at all. Dudley might get a laugh out of it if I got lost, but that's it."
"Well... all right... you go after Arthur, Harry dear." Mrs. Weasley told the Harry and Rose being. "And you after him, Rose. Now, when you get into the fire, say where you're going..."
"And keep your elbows tucked in." Ron added.
"And your eyes shut." Mrs. Weasley continued. "The soot, you know."
"Don't fidget, or you might well fall out of the wrong fireplace." Ron advised.
"But don't panic and get out too early; wait until you see Fred and George." Mrs. Weasley stated.
"Okay." The Harry and Rose being said nervously. The Harry half stepped forward and took a pinch of the Floo powder. Taking a deep breath, he scattered the powder into the flames and stepped into them.
To their surprise, the fire felt like a warm breeze. Opening his mouth, the Harry half immediately swallowed a mouth full of hot ash. Coughing, he said, "D-D-Dia-gon All-ey."
As the Harry half vanished and began to wildly spin, feeling as if he was being sucked down a giant drain, the Rose half spotted Mrs. Weasley looking concerned.
"Oh, dear." She said in a worried tone.
"I-I'll go." The Rose half stammered, their heart pounding as the Harry half closed his eyes tight, hearing a roaring in his ears.
"Be careful, Rose dear, and speak very clearly." The Rose half heard Mrs. Weasley state.
Something hard knocked the Harry half's elbow and he tucked them in, still spinning as the Rose half shakily grabbed some of the Floo powder and stepped forward, tossing it into the fire. The green flames enveloped her as the Harry half felt as if cold hands were slapping his face, squinting his eyes open and staring at a stream of fireplaces passing.
"Diagon Alley!" The Rose half shouted.
She began the same ride and tucked in her elbows, her eyes squinting as the Harry half fell face down on cold stone, the bridge of his glasses snapping. As the Harry half stumbled carefully to his feet, the Rose half felt the cold hands slapping her face before she tumbled from the fire place and fell flat on her face. Shaking, the Harry half stared around him, holding his broken glasses to his face as Mr. Weasley helped the Rose half to stand.
"The Harry half's somewhere else." The Rose half said, trembling a little and gazing around the somewhat familiar surroundings of the Leaky Cauldron.
"Do you know where?" The Rose half heard Mr. Weasley ask as Ron came out of the fire.
"Rose, glad to see you here, mate." The Rose half heard Ron say.
"You too." The Rose half responded as Mr. Weasley brushed ash and soot from her hair and clothes.
"Where's Harry?" The Rose half heard Ron ask as Percy came out, then Ginny, then Mrs. Weasley after her.
The Harry and Rose being saw through the Harry half many items that weren't in any shop they were familiar with. A nearby glass case held what looked to be a withered hand sitting on a cushion, a bloodstained pack of cards, and a staring glass eye. Masks seemed to be glaring evilly down from the walls. Human bones lay on the counter, and rusty, spiked instruments hung from the ceiling. The dark, narrow street that was seen through the window definitely wasn't Diagon Alley.
"I don't know, some shop on a dark and narrow street." The Rose half stated as Mrs. Weasley started fussing over her immediately.
"Oh, dear, I'm so glad you're all right." The Rose half heard her say.
The Harry half made his way swiftly and silently toward the door as the Rose half accepted a tight hug from Mrs. Weasley.
"We've got to go find the Harry half." The Rose half heard her say after pulling away.
The Harry half saw two people appear on the other side of the glass, one being Draco Malfoy. The Harry half remained silent but the Rose half groaned.
"Malfoy's there." She said as the Harry half looked quickly around and entered a cabinet to his left, leaving the door open a crack.
The Harry half heard a bell clang inside the shop and Malfoy entered, followed by who was no doubt his father. They seemed to have similar features.
"If you can't tell us where Harry is, dear, we'll have to find him ourselves. Quickly, quickly!" The Rose half heard Mrs. Weasley say as they moved through the Leaky Cauldron.
"The Harry half can find his way to me, it's natural." The Rose half said quietly to Ron and Mrs. Weasley, who still looked quite worried.
"Good." The Rose half heard her say as the Harry half heard Malfoy's father ring a bell and speak to Draco. "That'll help."
"Touch nothing, Draco." The Harry half heard Malfoy's father state.
The Harry half saw Malfoy reaching for the glass eye as the Rose half exited into the walled courtyard, Mr. Weasley tapping the brick that would allow them entry. The Harry half then heard Malfoy state, "I thought you were going to buy me a present."
"I said I would buy you a racing broom." The Harry half heard his father respond as he drummed his fingers on the counter, the Rose half seeing the archway to Diagon Alley appear.
"We're getting closer to the Harry half, wherever he is." The Rose half indicated as they stepped through.
"Then he can't be far, is he?" The Rose half heard Mrs. Weasley ask worriedly.
"What's the good of that if I'm not on the House team?" The Harry half heard Malfoy ask irritably.
"No, not far." The Rose half replied. She added confidently, "The Harry half and I could find each other easily, like you finding any body part of yours with your eyes closed."
Meanwhile, Malfoy was still speaking, the Harry half hearing him say, "Harry Potter got a Nimbus Two Thousand last year. Special permission from Dumbledore so he could play for Gryffindor. He's not even that good, it's just because he's famous, famous for having a stupid scar on his forehead..."
"That's really interesting, mate." The Rose half heard Ron say, though the Harry and Rose being wondered if he was really as curious as he appeared to be, at the same moment, watching Malfoy through the Harry half as he examined a shelf full of skulls through the crack in the cabinet door.
"Everyone thinks he's so smart, wonderful Potter with his scar and his broomstick..." The Harry half heard Malfoy continue, the Rose half snickering.
"Unbelievable, Malfoy prattles on and on about famous Harry Potter." The Rose half said, grinning at Ron, who grinned back as they hurried down Diagon Alley.
At the same time, the Harry half saw Malfoy's father give him a quelling look and added, "You have told me this at least a dozen times already. And I would remind you that it is not-prudent to appear 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."
As Malfoy's father spoke, the Rose half heard Ron add, "You're sure handy to have around. One half can listen, the other half can tell us what's happening."
"Mr. Weasley, do you know a Mr. Borgin?" The Rose half asked as they sprinted down the street.
"Borgin and Burkes." The Rose half heard Mr. Weasley respond almost at once. "We don't want to be seen there, but under the circumstances... I'll get Harry."
At the same moment, the Harry half heard Mr. Borgin, a stooping man with greasy hair, speak in an oily voice saying, "Mr. Malfoy, what a pleasure to see you again.
"Where?" The Rose half asked. "Where is that?"
"Knockturn Alley." The Rose half heard Mr. Weasley respond. Mrs. Weasley gasped. "Pay attention, Rose, and let me know if anything at all happens to Harry. Come with me."
"Arthur!" The Rose half heard Mrs. Weasley shout frantically as she ran to Mr. Weasley's side.
"I'm already there Mrs. Weasley, don't fret!" The Rose half added as she clutched Mr. Weasley's arm, sprinting off with him and gazing at him oddly.
The Harry half heard Mr. Borgin continue at the same moment. "Delighted- and young Master Malfoy, too-charmed. How may I be of assistance? I must show you, just in today, and very reasonably priced..."
The Rose half then asked, "Mr. Weasley, do you pay attention to what happens to your hand?" The Harry and Rose being had remembered him telling them to let him know if anything was happening to the Harry half.
The Harry half heard Malfoy's father say, "I'm not buying today, Mr. Borgin, but selling."
"Of course." The Rose half heard Mr. Weasley reply in a matter-of-fact tone as they headed toward Knockturn Alley.
The Harry half heard Mr. Borgin state, "Selling?" The smile faded from his face a little.
"What's going on in the shop, Rose?" The Rose half heard Mr. Weasley ask in an urgent tone.
"You have heard, of course, that the Ministry is conducting more raids." The Harry half heard Malfoy say at the same moment.
"Oh, Malfoy worried about the raids. He wants to sell some of his items to Mr. Borgin, he just unrolled a scroll for him to read." The Rose half replied.
At the same moment, the Harry half heard Malfoy's father speaking. "I have a few-ah-items at home that might embarrass me, if the Ministry were to call..."
"Is Harry all right?" The Rose half heard Mr. Weasley ask in a worried tone as they moved faster.
The Harry half could see Mr. Borgin reading the list and the Rose half gazed at Mr. Weasley's worried face, responding, "A little bruised from the trip, broken glasses, but fine otherwise."
"I hope he finds his way to us before we get there." The Rose half heard Mr. Weasley say.
The Harry half heard Mr. Borgin say to Mr. Malfoy, "The Ministry wouldn't presume to trouble you, sir, surely?" Mr. Malfoy's lip curled.
At the same moment, the Rose half said, "He will when he's able to do so. The Harry half's in a cabinet, hiding."
"Good." The Rose half heard Mr. Weasley state as they turned down a dark and dingy street.
The Harry half heard Mr. Malfoy speak at the same moment. "I have not been visited yet. The name Malfoy still commands a certain respect, yet the Ministry grows 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."
"We're here." The Rose half heard Mr. Weasley say, pushing the door open.
The Harry and Rose being were glad to be much closer together now. Usually, they didn't enjoy being apart, but sometimes, it wasn't avoidable.
"Well, well." Mr. Malfoy said as he turned to gaze at Mr. Weasley and the Rose half, both of them looking quickly around.
"I hear, Mr. Malfoy, that you're selling some items here today." Mr. Weasley responded in a cool tone, then added to Rose, "Get Harry, don't touch anything else."
"Mr. Weasley, he can walk." The Rose half said in an amused tone as the Harry half pushed the cabinet door open and carefully walked out, the Rose half watching him as he confidently walked toward her, both halves looking relieved.
"How about that, Potter?" Draco Malfoy asked snidely, staring at the Harry half covered in soot and holding his broken glasses to his face.
"Now, now, Draco." Mr. Malfoy stated in a chiding tone.
"Not to worry, Mr. Malfoy, I only came to collect Harry. We'll be on our way." As he spoke, Mr. Weasley took out his wand and tapped Harry's glasses, repairing them before running his wand over him to clean all the ash and soot off his clothes.
"I should hope so." Mr. Malfoy responded.
"Come, Harry, Rose, let's not stay here." Mr. Weasley said.
The Harry and Rose being grasped hands and quickly followed Mr. Weasley from the shop. As they hurried down the narrow street, then entered Diagon Alley, the Harry and Rose being sighed with relief, then grinned. What an adventure! They felt excitement as they moved toward Gringotts, then spotted the familiar bushy hair of Hermione along with who was no doubt her parents, the other Weasley's waiting in front of Gringotts and looking quite relieved as they approached.
"Excellent, Harry, simply marvelous!" Fred said, clapping the Harry half on the shoulder.
"We've never been to Knockturn Alley." George added.
"And you'll not go, either." Mrs. Weasley added coldly, glaring at Mr. Weasley.
"Don't be mad at him please, Mrs. Weasley." The Rose half said. "It was practical to bring me along, I could find the Harry half easily."
Mrs. Weasley's glare softened a little.
"Don't do it again." She said strictly. "Come then, let's get inside and get our money."
"Ah, Muggles!" Mr. Weasley said with delight as he spotted Hermione's parents, the group entering Gringotts. "We must have a drink some time! you're going to change Muggle money, I take it?"
Mr. and Mrs. Granger nodded, looking a little nervous as they looked around.
"Meet you back here, Hermione." Ron said as the Harry and Rose being, along with the Weasley's, were led to their vaults.
The Harry and Rose being felt dread and discomfort as they stared at the Weasley's vault. There was only a very small amount of gold within, hardly anything compared to what they had. They felt even worse when they reached the vault of the Harry half, the Rose half moving as quickly as she could to pile coins into two bags before hurrying back, the Harry and Rose being blushing a deep red and shifting with nervous discomfort, feeling vaguely ill.
Once they were outside on the marble steps, they separated. Percy muttered something about needing a new quill. Fred and George spotted their friend Lee Jordan. Mrs. Weasley was taking Ginny to a second hand robes shop and Mr. Weasley was insisting on taking the Granger's to the Leaky Cauldron for a drink.
"We'll all meet at Flourish and Blotts in an hour to buy your schoolbooks." Mrs. Weasley announced. "And not one step down Knockturn Alley!" She shouted after Fred and George.
The Harry and Rose being, Ron, and Hermione headed down the street, happily slurping some ice cream that the Harry and Rose being had purchased for them and examining the windows of the shops they passed. They purchased some quills, parchment and ink, meeting up with Fred, George, and Lee in Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop. They found Percy in a tiny junk shop reading a book titled, Prefects Who Gained Power.
"A study of Hogwarts prefects and their later careers." Ron read from the back cover. "Sounds fascinating..."
"Go away." Percy snapped in reply.
"he's very ambitious, Percy, he's got it all planned out... He wants to be Minister of Magic." Ron told the Harry and Rose being as they left him to read his book.
They noticed a large crowd gathered in front of Flourish and Blotts as they headed for it an hour later. The Harry and Rose being gazed up at a 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! I mean, he's written almost the whole booklist!" Hermione squealed.
"So?" The Harry and Rose being asked. "I don't know him, big deal, and honestly Hermione, you're acting like a star struck fool."
Hermione only huffed and said nothing, though her cheeks did go a little pink. As they drew closer, the Harry and Rose being noticed the crowd seemed to be made up mostly of witches around Mrs. Weasley's age. They squeezed into the shop with everyone else and got The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 before making their way to where Mr. and Mrs. Granger were standing with the rest of the Weasley's.
"Oh, there you are, good." Mrs. Weasley said, sounding breathless as she patted her hair. "We'll be able to see him in a minute..."
"Aren't you enamored?" The Harry and Rose being grinned at Mrs. Weasley, who seemed not to have heard them, or more likely, was too preoccupied with wanting to see him to notice.
Gilderoy Lockhart slowly came into view. He was sitting at a table surrounded by large pictures of his own face, which were winking and flashing dazzling white teeth at the crowd. The real one wore robes of blue that matched his eyes, and a pointed wizards hat at an angle on his wavy blond hair. A short, irritable man was moving around taking photographs, a puff of smoke and a blinding flash being emitted from the camera every time he took one.
"Out of the way, there." He snarled at Ron, moving back to get a better shot. ""This is for the Daily Prophet..."
"Big deal." Ron said as he rubbed his foot where the photographer had stepped on it.
Lockhart heard him and looked up, gazing at him. His eyes then spotted the Harry half, and behind him, the Rose half. She only earned a glance, but the Harry half earned a stare.
"Great." The Harry and Rose being groaned as Lockhart leapt up.
"It can't be Harry Potter!" He nearly shouted.
"Thanks, Ron." The Harry and Rose being said, shooting him a playful grin before they frowned. The crowd was whispering and pointing, and Lockhart was pushing his way through to get to the Harry half. When he reached him, he grabbed his arm and pulled him to the front, the Rose half sighing with resignation.
"Everywhere I go..." She mumbled. "I really hate this."
The crowd was applauding and the Harry and Rose being's faces burned as the photographer took pictures of Lockhart shaking his hand madly, smoke wafting over the Weasley's, Granger's, and the Rose half, who stared on.
"Nice big smile Harry!" Lockhart called enthusiastically. "Together, you and I are worth the front page."
When he finally let the Harry half's hand go, his fingers were numb from being gripped so tightly. The Rose half watched him try and move back to the Weasley's, but Lockhart threw an arm around his shoulder and clamped him to his side. At that, the Rose half pushed her way toward them and Lockhart beamed.
"Excellent, excellent!" He shouted, and as the Rose half was within range, grabbed her, too. The Harry and Rose being blushed. "Stand right here next to Harry, that's it."
Lockhart waved a hand for silence as he spoke.
"Ladies and gentlemen, what an extraordinary moment this is! The perfect moment for me to make a little announcement I've been sitting on for some time!"
The Harry and Rose being mentally frowned, standing looking uncomfortable and embarrassed.
"When young Harry and his soul mate, Rose here, stepped into Flourish and Blotts today, they only wanted to buy my autobiography-which I shall be happy to present them now, free of charge!"
The crowd applauded again and Lockhart gave the Harry half a little shake so his glasses slipped to the end of his nose, the Rose half pushing them back on to his face so he could see.
"They had no idea "that they would shortly be getting much, much more than my book, Magical Me. Them and their 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!" Lockhart continued.
The crowd cheered and clapped some more. The Harry half was presented with all of Lockhart's books, staggering a little under their weight. The Rose half held hers with ease and the Harry and Rose being made their way to the edge of the room, Ginny standing next to her cauldron.
"You have these." The Harry half muttered as he dumped them into her cauldron, the Rose half gazing around and catching the eye of Draco Malfoy, who sneered.
"Bet you loved that, didn't you, Potter's?" Malfoy stated. "Famous Harry Potter and the scarlet woman, Rose. Can't even go into a bookshop without making the front page."
"Leave them alone, they didn't want all that!" Ginny spoke up for the first time in front of the Harry and Rose being, glaring at Malfoy.
"Potter, you've got yourself a girlfriend, not that you need one with your little scarlet woman." Malfoy stated in a drawl as he stared at the Harry half. Ginny blushed deeply as Ron and Hermione came over, clutching Lockhart's books in their arms. The Harry and Rose being scowled coldly and glared hard at Malfoy.
"Oh, it's you. Bet you're surprised to see Harry and Rose here, eh?" Ron asked as he stared at Malfoy like he was something extremely unpleasant that he'd stepped in.
"Not as surprised as I am to see you in a shop, Weasley. I suppose your parents will go hungry for a month to pay for all those." Malfoy responded.
Ron went as red as Ginny and dropped his books in the cauldron. As he started toward Malfoy, the Harry half and Hermione stopped him by grabbing the back of his jacket.
"Ron, what are you doing?" Mr. Weasley said as he struggled over to them with Fred and George. "It's too crowded in here, let's go outside."
"Well, well, well. Arthur Weasley. How... Interesting that we meet yet again." Mr. Malfoy spoke just like his son Draco had, with an identical sneer, his hand on his son's shoulder.
"Lucius." Mr. Weasley nodded coldly back at him.
"Busy time at the Ministry, I hear. All those raids... I hope they're paying you overtime?" Mr. Malfoy asked.
He then reached into Ginny's cauldron and took a very old and battered copy of A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration.
"Obviously not. 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. Malfoy asked.
Mr. Weasley turned even redder than either Ron or Ginny.
"We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy." He said.
"Clearly..." Mr. Malfoy's eyes strayed to the Granger's, who watched apprehensively. "The company you keep, Weasley... and I thought your family could sink no lower..."
The same old taunts from the same old person, the Harry and Rose being thought. And the same Weasley temper, too, it seemed. Ginny's cauldron went flying as Mr. Weasley threw himself at Mr. Malfoy, throwing him backward into a book shelf. Heavy spell books tumbled down on to them as they fought and the Harry and Rose being jumped out of the way just in time to avoid being hit. One of the Weasley's, either Fred or George shouted, "Get him, dad!" Mrs. Weasley shouted, "No, Arthur, no!" The crowd was hurrying backward, knocking over more shelves. The assistant cried, "Gentlemen, please, please!" Louder than all of them was the familiar voice of Hagrid.
"Break it up, there, gents, break it up!" The Harry and Rose being felt relieved.
In an instant, Hagrid pulled Mr. Weasley and Mr. Malfoy apart. Mr. Weasley's lip was cut and Mr. Malfoy had a black eye from a book that seemed to have hit him. He still held Ginny's transfiguration book, thrusting it at her with malice in his eyes.
"Here, girl, take your book, it's the best your father can give you..." He pulled himself free of Hagrid's grip, beckoned to Draco, then swept from the shop.
"Yeh should've ignored him, Arthur." Hagrid stated, almost lifting Mr. Weasley from the floor as he straightened his robes. "Rotten ter the core, the whole family, everyone knows tha', no Malfoy's worth listenin' ter, bad blood, that's what it is, come on now, let's get outta here."
The assistant looked as if he wanted to stop them leaving, though Hagrid's intimidating size made him think better of it. After leaving the shop, they hurried up the street, Mrs. Weasley furious and the Granger's shaking with fright, from either Hagrid or the fight, the Harry and Rose being didn't know which.
"A fine example to set for your children ... brawling in public... what Gilderoy Lockhart must've thought..." Mrs. Weasley snapped angrily.
"He was pleased." Fred said. "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."
Everyone was subdued as they headed to the Leaky Cauldron, where they'd all be traveling with their packages back to the Burrow. They bid the Granger's a good day as they left the pub for the Muggle street outside. Mr. Weasley was going to ask them how bus stops worked, but stopped at the look on his wife's face. The Harry half removed his glasses and put them in his pocket before getting some Floo powder and heading back to the Weasley's home. Over Floo, the Harry and Rose being decided they preferred brooms, but apparation definitely seemed better than even that for quick distances.