Harry found himself smiling more and more as the gathered group went around all the shops getting what everyone needed for Hogwarts. While he didn't actually need that much in the way of supplies himself beyond the few new things for the year - most would be from Flourish & Blotts, after all - he did need to get a new set of robes, as he'd gotten a surprise growth spurt over the summer. He'd been pleasantly surprised when Vernon and Petunia had taken him to get a new wardrobe of Muggle clothes, rather than just more of Dudley's castoffs. The true joy right now, however, had been watching the Weasleys shop.
Mrs. Weasley surprised her children by getting all of them new of everything, rather than used as they'd apparently come to expect. She herself seemed stunned - if pleased - to be doing so, as each time they entered a shop she would glance into the pouch she was carrying, shake her head in disbelief, and either grab new of what the siblings needed or instruct them to grab what they needed new, leaving her children gobsmacked for just long enough for them to realize she was serious.
By the time the group reached the apothecary and everyone sought out brand new potion kits, the Weasley children were used to it enough to act immediately, even if they did still seem flabbergasted by the change. Mr. Wyrm - or Henry, as he insisted the kids call him when Mrs. Weasley had balked at letting anyone call him 'Mutt' - approached her while the children were swarming almost like locusts. "Is everything alright?" he asked gently. "You seem...happy yet disturbed."
"Oh, it's just..." Mrs. Weasley began uncertainly, before glancing once more into the pouch, then looking away.
"A sudden turn of fortune's left you uncertain how to act, and as much as you're happy with what you can do for your children, you're still adjusting and don't know how to handle it?" Henry deduced thoughtfully. Seeing Mrs. Weasley's flustered look, he chuckled. "Nothing to be embarrassed about, Molly. These things happen. So what was it? Did Arthur finally get the promotion he deserves?"
"Oh, how I wish," Molly muttered under her breath. "No, it's...it's our new house elf. He overheard me voicing concerns about the back-to-school budget, and he offered to take care of things. I wasn't sure what he could do, but I told him anything he could do to help would be welcome as long as he didn't overextend himself, since he's still recovering from everything his last family - may whoever they are rot beyond the Veil when their time comes - did to him. He got so choked up over my care for him I completely forgot until I got ready to bring everyone here...and on the way out he handed me this bag saying he'd asked the goblins for a shopping budget from the 'day trading account' he'd set up on our behalf. We were in such a rush, I didn't think...and he was so insistent..."
"Yeah, that's something elves do for their families," Henry explained easily. "They focus their magic on whatever can help their families most unless instructed otherwise. 'Day trading' refers to the Muggle stock market, though. Not sure how that's involved..."
"I don't suppose he'd be open to managing a portfolio for a friend of the family, if he's that good?" Mr. Granger asked curiously, both of Hermione's parents plainly stunned by the discussion.
"I suppose I could ask," Molly offered thoughtfully as the group now approached the bookstore, staring in confusion at the long lines out the front door. Molly's eyes suddenly widened as she spied a sign in the window. "Oh my goodness, Gilderoy Lockhart's here! He's doing a book signing! Quick children, get the books you need while I hold us a place in line!" She rapidly bustled to the end of the line, jostling for position as most of the others present rolled their eyes or sighed depending on their moods...Ron doing even more so at the sight of Hermione and Ginny moving to join Mrs. Weasley in line.
Shaking his head in bemusement, Harry walked into the store with Penny under one arm, looking around for the books on his list. He wasn't really interested in an autograph from an author he'd never heard of, and he certainly didn't want his own presence to cause a fuss while he was relaxed like this. He found his free hand reaching up to idly rub at his scar as his thoughts turned to his unwanted fame and the reasons for it. ...still, it led to Dobby getting the help he needed, so maybe it wasn't all bad. At least those closest to him didn't care about it...or at least cared for him before his fame-
"It can't be Harry Potter?!"
As that gasp echoed through the crowd, Harry found himself groaning under his breath. He had just been thinking about how much he didn't want a fuss. Honestly, if it weren't for how happy his friendship with Penny and the others had made him, he'd be convinced some greater power was deliberately trying to make him miserable for entertainment. He decided to not even look at the shout. Maybe if he didn't respond, whoever shouted would assume they made a mistake and they'd leave him alone- "Hey!" he snapped out as he felt an unfamiliar hand grab his arm and begin to tug. "Leggo of me-"
A sudden meaty thud and sharp clicking sound echoed through the suddenly silent shop. Turning, Harry saw the man who had grabbed him - a blonde fop of a man dressed in forget-me-not blue robes and a face so perfectly groomed it almost looked fake - sailing backwards through the air with his head angled back, only to land flat on his back with a loud thud that echoed through the silent store, all eyes on the now unconscious man.
Looking over, Harry saw Henry standing there, slowly lowering his clenched fist from a raised position and idly rubbing his knuckles. "Who the bloody hell is this blonde twit, and where does he think he gets off grabbing at my daughter and her friend when they aren't looking?" he demanded angrily, his eyes flashing dangerously as his wand inched its own way out of its holster at his side, plainly eager to be drawn.
"T-that was Gilderoy Lockhart!" a camera man nearby stammered, plainly stunned.
"The adventurer/author?" Henry asked in surprise, a confused frown now on his face. "For a dark creature hunter, he's got no danger sense if he didn't feel me coming." He glanced down at his knuckles. "And a glass jaw at that, I didn't even hit him that hard...how the heck is he supposed to have fought a yeti hand-to-hand if he goes down like that?"
"Daaad," Penny drawled playfully, "you've gone hand-to-hand with yetis before. You've taken one down with that uppercut."
"Like I said, I didn't even hit him that hard," Henry pointed out easily. "Didn't even use as much force as I do sparring with my old man, and he's Muggle. Aren't magic folk supposed to be tougher than that?"
Harry wasn't certain how to react to that - other than being glad Henry had come to his defense - but the look on Hermione's face as she looked in was a priceless mix of horror, anger, and confusion like she'd just been told she'd studied for a History test from a book of Historical fiction. It was all he could do not to laugh.
It took a while for the furor the fight - if it could be called that - to calm down, especially when it delayed the book signing event even further for the time it took Gilderoy to be awakened...and then rush off to primp himself up all over again to try and get the bruising on his chin to make him look rakish rather than bumbling. Thankfully, he didn't try to drag Harry up in front of the cameras again, so he was more than able to get his books alongside Penny and make his way out of the shop.
"Bet you enjoyed that, didn't you Potter?" a familiar voice snarled as he stepped out.
Turning, he saw it was - unsurprisingly - Draco Malfoy, being unpleasant as usual. He suppressed a sigh as he tried to figure out he should handle him when he really wished he didn't have to.
Taking his silence as ascent, apparently, Draco continued in his usual smarmy, superior tone, "Famous Harry Potter, can't even go in a bookshop without making the news. Goading a brawl between a famous author and a beast-lover over you, how low can you sink?"
At the 'beast-lover' comment, Harry found his fist clenching, ready to punch that smirk off Draco's face for the implied insult to Penny and her mother...only to remember how Penny had dealt with the insult last time Draco had tried to throw it. As he remembered that, he realized the one thing he could do that would truly infuriate Draco, the best way to respond that would make him the least of his problems, the very same way Penny had.
Ignoring Draco's words, he turned away with Penny still under his arm. "Think I've got time to stop for lunch with everyone before going to meet my Uncle, if they're out quick enough."
"Do you think he'd be okay meeting me and my parents in a more casual setting today?" Penny asked curiously.
"Might be pushing it," Harry replied thoughtfully. "Much as I'm glad he's making an effort, I don't want to overwhelm him-"
"I asked you a question, Potter!" Draco suddenly yelled out. "How dare you ignore me?"
"Enough, Draco," an even smarmier voice spoke up as an oily looking pale blonde man stepped up behind Draco, enough resemblance visible to conclude this was the elder Malfoy. "If he lacks even the manners to respect his betters, let the consequences be on his head...just like they were on his parents."
"That's an odd way to put things, Lucius," Arthur Weasley spoke up, coming up from the direction of Gringotts as the rest of the Weasleys - and several others - came out of the bookshop to see the confrontation. "Is there something you're trying to say?"
"I don't see what business it is of yours, Arthur," Lucius responded coldly, his gaze flinty. "Though honestly, I'm surprised to see you out and about, what with all that overtime you're putting in. So many raids...I would hope they're paying you overtime, but you don't seem to be taking it seriously." His gaze turned towards the Weasley's cauldrons, idly reaching into Ginny's, glancing at the brand new books and other materials. "Though they apparently are, if you can afford all this-"
"I beg your pardon, Mr. Malfoy," Penny's mom suddenly spoke up, "but I wasn't under the impression your family claimed kinship with the Weasleys."
Lucius suddenly shot upright to glare at her. "We do not claim kinship with blood traitors!" he snapped out angrily.
"Then you have a business relationship with them?" Hazel asked, tilting her head with an innocent smile. "Certainly unexpected-"
"I have better things to do with my business then consort with these fools," Lucius insisted, plainly struggling to keep his temper.
"Oh!" Hazel suddenly cried in delight. "Then you must be negotiating a marriage contract! It's only a year of age difference between Draco and Ginny, but they would be adorable together-"
"Malfoys would never soil our blood in such a manner!" Lucius roared out, his eyes popping as Draco and Ginny shared matching expressions of disgust.
Hazel blinked in apparent confusion. "But if you aren't claiming kinship, you aren't in business with them, and not negotiating a marriage contract...what possible business is their financial situation of yours? Last I checked, you weren't with the Revenue, or liaising with the Goblins, and that's the only reason their financial status would be a matter of your work..."
Lucius frowned darkly as he glowered at Hazel. "You speak rather knowledgeably for one who chose to live Muggle. Did you not have what it took to live Magical?"
Hazel smiled almost beatifically. "Our lifestyle covers everything we need, with only the headaches we choose. But what about you? I understand Minister Fudge counts you as one of his closest...advisors." She gave Lucius just enough time to start preening at the implied political power before continuing, "Is anything living under magical law given you worth the headaches of keeping him in check?"
Lucius' eyes narrowed darkly. "And what are you implying?" he demanded dangerously.
"Implying?" Hazel asked innocently. "I thought I was just asking a question. Was there something I should have implied?" She met his eyes challengingly for a time...and when he did not respond after several moments, she simply walked away with a smile.
As the group made their way away, Ron glanced from Hazel to the still frozen Malfoys to Penny, before looking to Harry. "I see where Penny gets it," he muttered in awe, much to Penny and Harry's amusement.
