Lockhart and books

The next two weeks were some of the funnest Harry had experienced. No over bearing and abusive family to deal with. Just fun with his friends.

He felt Caroline's mood improve and knew she had received his letter.

Molly seemed to be avoiding him when possible but was kind enough when she couldn't.

Ginny, the shy youngest sibling, had worn a long conservative night gown the morning of his arrival, to shorts and a t-shirt, but still turned red and shyed away whenever he caught her eye.

Arthur was not home much, the Ministry of Magic seemed to keep him busy day and night.

Then came their shopping trip. It started badly with Harry messing up his first trip via flue powder.

Ending up in Knockturn Alley instead of Diagon Alley he did get to see the Malfoys selling sketchy items.

Knockturn Alley was seedy and he wasn't sure where to go, but he ran into Hagrid who helped him out.

After a stop at Gringotts and meeting up with Hermione and the Weaslys they made their way to Flourish and Botts to get their books for the coming year.

Inside they found a long line of witches and a sign, 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!”

“Well, well, well — Arthur Weasley.” It was Mr. Malfoy. He stood with his hand on Draco’s shoulder, sneering in just the same way.

“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 —”

He swept past dropping the book back into the cauldron and almost knocking Ginny over.

Harry flushed with anger and started towards the older Malfoy.

Gilderoy Lockhart heard the commotion. He looked up and then he saw Harry. He stared. Then he leapt to his feet and positively shouted, “It can’t be Harry Potter?”

The crowd parted, whispering excitedly; Lockhart dived forward, seized Harry’s arm, and pulled him to the front. The crowd burst into applause. Harry’s face burned as Lockhart shook his hand for the photographer, who was clicking away madly, wafting thick smoke over the Weasleys.

“Nice big smile, Harry,” said Lockhart, through his own gleaming teeth. “Together, you and I are worth the front page.”

When he finally let go of Harry’s hand, Harry could hardly feel his fingers. He tried to sidle back over to the Weasleys, but Lockhart threw an arm around his shoulders and clamped him tightly to his side.

“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 Harry here stepped into Flourish and Blotts today, he only wanted to buy my autobiography — which I shall be happy to present him now, free of charge —” The crowd applauded again. “He had no idea,” Lockhart continued, giving Harry a little shake that made his glasses slip to the end of his nose, “that he would shortly be getting much, much more than my book, Magical Me. He 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!”

The crowd cheered and clapped and Harry found himself being presented with the entire works of Gilderoy Lockhart. Staggering slightly under their weight, he managed to make his way out of the limelight to the edge of the room, where Ginny was standing next to her new cauldron. “You have these,” Harry mumbled to her, tipping the books into the cauldron. “I’ll buy my own —”

Never one for being the center of attention, as it usually meant his cousins had found a way to torment him, Harry was relieved when they left and made their way back to the Burrow.