Chapter 39. Year 2 Begins

Already nearing the end of summer break, it was time for me to pick up my school supplies. My father, already swamped at his office, apparently needing to handle the Ministry’s raids happening recently, left me to purchase my things with Draco and his father. I met up with them at the bookshop, where most of the new items that I required were needed. “Lucas!” Draco called out, I turned to see him and his father walking towards the store front, the new defense against the teacher’s books littering every shelf.

“Lucas, it’s good to see you again. Has it only been a month since you last visited?” Mr. Malfoy wondered aloud. I had visited both Draco and Pansy during our summer break, as a way for our parents to get to know each of us better. I nodded while shaking his hand with my also gloved hand. My birthday present from my father. “Yes Mr. Luscious, it seems time has almost flown us by.” I joked, he chuckled a bit in response, before leading us into the crowded bookstore, using his cane to break apart the crowd.

We managed to make it to the second floor, which was much less populated, letting Mr. Luscious to take a breath of fresh air. “Dear me… It’s a pig pen down there.” He sighed, while Draco scoffed. “Yeah, at least we can breathe the air up here.” I nodded politely, not enjoying their talk of being higher up than others, but acknowledging the fact that it was stuffy down there.

The deskman up here was also a place to purchase books, but everyone flooded the first floor to get theirs signed by the famous Lockhart that everyone was talking about recently. Skimming the covers of his books and the names of each of them, I only felt distrust in his works. He was the best when it came to slaying creatures. A practice that I personally believed that most creatures could be dealt with, without deathly means. I already had a dislike for him, but was required to purchase his books. ‘At least I don’t have to get them signed…’

Draco agreed with me. “He thinks he’s so great? I bet my father could deal with him easily. Our heritage is beyond whatever puny magic he could do.” Well, he agreed with me to an extent. “Draco? Lucas?” A voice called out both of our names as we looked over the banister at the cramped crowd below. I immediately recognized the voice, and looking beyond a bookshelf, I could see Pansy walking over, with plenty of books in her hands.

“Pansy, it’s a pleasant surprise.” Luscious spoke with a smile. “It’s good to see you as well Mr. Malfoy.” She responded back with a smile. “Are you all here to get your books for this year?” She asked, Draco and I nodded. “We were hoping… However, braving those savages downstairs is much too bothersome. Are the books required sold up here?” Luscious asked. Pansy showcased all the books required, as well as a few Herbology books she bought on her own behalf. “Excellent, if you both could wait here for a moment while I get this sorted?”

We both obliged, letting Pansy stand beside us to look down at everything below. It soon turned into surprise when a familiar name came up. “Ladies and Gentlemen, what an extraordinary moment this is! When young Harry stepped into…” Lockhart kept making his speech which was met fervently by applause from most of the female audience. However Draco, Pansy, and I each rolled our eyes. “Well look, the golden boy. Loved everywhere he goes just for breathing.” Draco said, sarcastically rolling his eyes. Pansy and I both just sighed, I sighed in agreement, however what I didn’t realize was Pansy sighing at a very particular sight in the audience.

After Lockhart was done, and we saw Potter leaving the store with the Weasley’s, Draco dragged us along with him. Heading down the stairs, as Potter was nearing the exit, Draco got his attention. “I bet you liked that, didn't you Potter? The great Harry Potter! Can’t even go to a bookshop without making the front page!” All of the Weasley brothers glared at us while Harry was stunned from the sudden accusation. “Leave him alone…” A shorter red-headed girl muttered, standing in front of Potter to protect him.

Draco scoffed, while looking back at me. “Look, he’s got himself a girlfriend!” It was then that Mr. Luscious appeared behind us. “Now, now Draco. Play nicely.” He handed both Draco and I our books, before looking at Potter. “Ah, Harry Potter. We meet at last.” He said holding his gloved hand out. Potter took it, a bit wary. His thoughts were proven to be right, when Luscious pulled him closer. “Forgive me.” He muttered, using his cane to move his hair to see the lightning scar hidden underneath.

“Your scar is legend… I had to see for myself.” He muttered while studying his forehead. It was then that I noticed someone bumping into me. I looked to see Hermione frowning at me. I shrugged at her with rolled eyes. “My father is busy, and my mother hates crowds.” I whispered, folding my arms over my books. Hermione scoffed at my misfortune.

“Voldemort, killed my parents… He is nothing but a murderer.” Harry said with anger, Hermione left wondering what Luscious said to get to this point in the conversation. “You must be very brave to mention his name… Or perhaps… Very foolish.” Luscious shrugged with a smirk. Hermione, not able to take his attitude towards her friend, spoke out against him. “Fear of the name only increases fear of the thing itself.” Luscious raised a brow at her, looking her up and down with a smile that made her skin crawl.

“Ah… The answer to the question nobody asked… You must be Miss Granger.” Hermione glared at Luscious, as he smirked at her hatred. “Yes, Draco has told me all about you… And your parents…” Hermione grabbed her books tighter in her anger, seeing Luscious glance at her parents, then back to her. “Muggles…” Hermione gulped, her eyes swayed away to check Lucas’ expression. Hermione didn’t know why, but she wanted to see how Lucas thought of her parents. Perhaps to know if he was just as far gone as Draco, Hermione wanted to see if Lucas really wasn’t all that bad.

She watched Lucas not batting an eye at her parents, not bothering to show anything beyond his normal neutral expression. Hermione frowned at his confusing attitude, not knowing where he stood on this topic. He never spoke against it, but never for it either. He was a Slytherin, but never went out of his way to put down others like Draco did from time to time.

My attention returned when Mr. Weasley came out from the crowd. “Children! It’s mad in here! Why don’t we go outside.” He said with a happy smile, putting his arms on Ginny’s shoulders. “Weasley Senor.” “Luscious.” They both greeted each other, Mr. Weasley more on edge, his rage clearly boiling under his cheery demeanor. “With all the extra raids you’ve been on, I do hope they are paying you overtime… However, by the looks of things, perhaps not.” Luscious smirked, glancing at Ginny’s used notebook.

“What’s the point of disgracing the name of ‘Wizard’, if they don’t even pay you well for it?” Luscious asked, sneering his expression. “We have very different views on what disgraces the name of ‘Wizard’ Luscious.” Weasley answered back, his face turning ever so slightly red as the conversation went on. Luscious shook his head while looking further into the bookstore, most likely Hermione's parents. “Associating with muggles? And I thought your family could sink no further…”

Hermione glared with pure hatred at the man standing before her. She glanced at Lucas to see him clutching his chest with an almost unseeable pensive look. If she wasn’t standing right beside him, she would never have seen it. However she did, and watching him leave alongside Draco and his father, Hermione was left with a bit of hope that perhaps Lucas, the Slytherin, wasn't too far gone.

Once we left the bookstore, I noticed Pansy had stopped, and had paused in the middle of the alley, staring back at the bookstore, her mind was in another world. Once I shook her, she gasped from waking. “Oh, sorry. I was lost in my own thoughts.”