Harry hoped that door broke Malfoy's nose as he stepped over him into the brick alleyway, using his wand to tap out the pattern he hadn't needed the book to describe to him so recently, and stepped into the greater magical world. Its cobbled streets and bright shops were as familiar and empty as everywhere else, the wind buffeted signs that seemed to creak loudly in the nonexistent crowd.
"This really is getting creepier by the minute," Neville muttered uncomfortably behind him. "I've never seen this place so empty, and Gran likes to do her shopping first thing in the morning."
"Better to read out here in the sun I suppose," Tonks said cheerfully as she went past, trying the door to Florean Fortescues, which did not open.
"This does ruin our theory a bit though," Hermione frowned as she inspected ingredients outside the Apothecary. "Why aren't we on the train, or at least back at Hogwarts? That's bound to be where Harry goes next, the story's already been through here."
Draco grimaced as he came out last, rubbing his nose, to see her and the Auror once again launching off about theories while Potter gave a resound sigh and offered to take the book for the first time and read it himself. He however spotted something actually useful and went over to Eeylops Owl Emporium.
There was an available quill, ink pot, and roll of parchment waiting beside an owl right outside, the coin pouch tying the trio together would not release any of the materials until it had been fed, and he hastily did so as he wrote out a quick letter to father and happily bestowed the letter onto the owl.
"Well go on," he waved his hand impatiently as its eyes blinked stupidly at him. "It says right on the front, Lucius Malfoy, get flying bird!"
It merely clicked its beak at him and began pruning its feathers in the warm sun. He shoved the little stand it was on in frustration, half a mind to throw the petulant creature into the sun! The heavy wood didn't even wobble, too sturdy from its charms and many busy patrons and strong winds not able to push it over all day.
He sighed and hung his head. Draco Malfoy did not admit defeat!
...
But perhaps there really was no getting out of this.
Instead he turned back to see the band of misfits he was stuck with and couldn't even wish them all a long and painful death anymore as he grimaced and held his hand close to himself, and decided to listen in for now. Perhaps he'd even have something useful to bring to father who could bring it to the Dark Lord, he'd stop being waved out of the room like a child when fellow Death Eaters came calling like had happened all summer.
Though he didn't imagine anything useful from this bunch of idiots who couldn't even properly hide a secret group without locking a door and leaving a list of their members on the wall like a bunch of imbeciles.
They couldn't even put together the abstract message he guessed at just fine, they were still in Diagon Alley as Potter began his first travels through their world. It wasn't the train to have done that but here, a little slice of everything their life had to offer, where as this idiot almost instantly isolated himself away with Weasley, the two making stupider and more gormless smiles than Crabbe or Goyle as they laughed over their first meeting. He didn't know or care why the disguised Black bristled up his fur as Weasley's old pet rat was described, perhaps animagi really were as stupid as their animal counter parts and McGonagall had been wrong.
That Granger mudblood and Longbottom didn't seem as thrilled with their old introductions, and he groaned miserably to watch Potter and Weasley help them laugh it all off. This was pointless, he wasn't going to get anything out of watching them he couldn't in school. His real target should be that auror, but she kept hanging around talking to the werewolf, a species he knew better than to get within breathing distance of lest that contamination get anywhere near him. So he stayed alone, and watched, and waited, silently trying to find some way he could pull this into his benefit. Perhaps he could even steal the book away when all was said and done and the Dark Lord would find some use out of it. The lone path left to him of daring to try and rip it up to be free of here even he wouldn't tempt, it could amount to suicide leaving them trapped here, and he wouldn't risk that.
Harry found himself smiling and actually enjoying himself as he went into the boats with his friends, his first memory of Hogwarts flooding through him more vividly than ever as he warned this chapter was almost done. He hesitated finishing, just for a moment as he glanced down at Sirius and still worried a bit over some of the other revelations to come. Padfoot could hardly show his displeasure like he was if the twin cores had bothered him other than the brief reassurance given, let alone the next bomb if he realized Harry should have gone in Slytherin according to the hat like the family he so loathed.
He glanced from his godfather to Neville with worry, it's not as if he feared his friend couldn't keep a secret obviously, he wanted to tell Neville himself, but kept putting it off so that he could pretend just for a while longer Sirius would forget all of these strange happenings always around Harry. His godfather had enough trouble in his life being cooped up for his own safety at all hours without adding onto Harry's stupid issues like houses and wands. Let Sirius enjoy the freedom being offered in this journey as Padfoot as long as he could, he decided as he reluctantly finished.