Year Two

Chapter 12

Summer Break

Persephone knocked on the door of number four Privet Drive.

She heard yelling from the other side and then a large red-faced man with a moustache answered the door.

"What do you want?" He said, none too pleasantly.

"I'm here to see Harry." At the sound of his name Harry appeared behind Vernon trying to see around the large man.

"Why do you want to see that boy?"

"He's my friend from school."

"From school?" Somehow Vernon Dursley's face grew even redder. "Are you one of those freaks, too?"

"Well that's incredibly rude." She sniffed, not at all happy with the way Harry's Uncle was behaving. "Let's try this again. My name is Lady Persephone Croft, my mother is current CEO of Croft Holdings and my father was Lord Richard Croft."

"C-Croft Holdings?" Vernon's eyes grew wide with recognition. "Is your mother here?" He looked beyond Persephone in search of her mother, but all he saw was a shiny black car in the street. "Does she want to do business with Grunnings?"

"No, I've come here to visit my friend and take him out for the day. But, if you were so kind as to let us, I might have a few nice things to say about you and your business to my mother."

"Miss—" he started, but Persephone cut him off.

"Lady Croft to you. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to see my friend."

"Harry!" Vernon yelled into the house. Not being very far away, Harry was at the door instantly.

"Yes?"

Vernon's mouth screwed up in an unnatural way as he tried to form his next words, it looked to physically pained him to say it, "Have a nice day with your friend." He nudged Harry out the door and quickly closed the door.

"Wow. I think I'm starting see why you were sorted into Slytherin." Harry commented. Persephone shrugged it off.

"If there is anything my mother taught me, it's how to use money and prestige to my advantage."

"Not that I'm not grateful, Persephone, but what are you doing here?"

"Your birthday's coming up so I thought I'd take you shopping. I noticed you don't have many well-fitting clothes to wear when we're not in uniform."

"You don't have to—"

"I know, but I want to, that's why it's a gift. Besides you boys don't have much sense for clothes shopping anyway."

Harry and Persephone entered the car, the driver sped out. The car ride was a bit wild swerving here and there and speeding faster than any other car on the road. Harry seemed nervous.

"So, How has your summer been?" Persephone asked, hoping to calm the boy down. He proceeded to tell her about a house elf named Dobby who warned him against going back to school and was making living with Dursleys more difficult.

"That's odd that a house elf would visit you, especially since it seems to go against their masters wishes."

"Does Magnus have any House elves working for him?"

"No, but I've heard about them from other fae."

"Is the driver usually so…" Harry couldn't think of the word for his question, so he gestured wildly with his hands instead.

"That's not my usual driver." Persephone replied. "Actually, I'm not quite sure if they know how to drive at all."

"What?" Harry asked, alarmed.

"Well, you see, it's really my fairy friends, Marigold, Rose and Periwinkle. They did some glamour magic to look like a person."

"We're being driven around by fairies?"

"Yeah, I'm sure it's safe though. They can always use magic."

Once they arrived outside a shopping center in London the driver opened the door for them. Harry climbed out of the car shakily, giving the driver a nervous smile. The car park was empty, so Persephone's fairy friends revealed themselves.

"They're magnificent!" Harry explained as he eyed them. The three replied in thanks, but to Harry it just sounded like tinkling bells. "Can they understand me?"

"Of course, can't you understand them?" Persephone asked. Harry shook his head no. "Oh, well I can. They say thank you for the compliment."

Magnus guided Persephone through the streets of Diagon Alley. Before she met up with Hermione to shop for that years school supplies, Magnus had an errand to run that lead them down a dingy street that shot off from Diagon Alley. Knockturn Alley was a dark and dingy little alleyway crowded on both sides with shops devoted to the Dark Arts. Persephone passed by stalls selling poisonous candles and giant black spiders. One window had a display of shrunken heads.

"What could you possibly need from a place like this?" Persephone asked, trying to breathe too much from her nose. There was a very unpleasant spell in the air.

"I'm a collector—"

"You're a hoarder."

"I'm a collector of magical objects, particularly those that find themselves in Muggle hands." Magnus explained, "Sometimes my duty—"

"It's your job? Do you get paid for it?"

"Yes. And that's not important. As I was saying some items are harder to acquire than others, and require a bit more stealth."

"So you're shopping for something to help you steal."

"Well, yeah. But it needs to be done. Magic doesn't belong in Muggle museums."

Persephone couldn't argue with that.

A bell clanged as they entered the largest building on Knockturn Alley: Borgin And Burke's. The shop reminded Persephone of antique shops, there was a myriad of dark objects placed haphazardly around in displays and on old dressers and bookcases. Creepy masks stared down from their place on the walls and rusty spiked instruments hung from the ceiling. A pretty opal necklace caught Persephone's eye but the card on it surprised her: Caution: Do Not Touch. Cursed - Has claimed the Lives of Nineteen Muggle Owners to Date.

A stooping man had appeared behind the counter, smoothing his greasy hair back from his face.

"Mr Bane, what a pleasure to see you again," said the man in a voice as oily as his hair. "Delighted- and who might you be?" His beady eyes locked on to Persephone.

"My assistant." Magnus said not wanting to give the girls name to such a shady character, "now if you don't mind Borgin I've come to pick up a Hand of Glory."

"Of course! Excellent choice," Mr Borgin said as a pulled a large key ring from his pocket. "Insert a candle and it gives light only to the holder! Best friend of thieves and plunderers!"

"Which is ironic, since it's often made from the hand of a hanged thief." Magnus whispered while Borgins back was turned.

He opened a glass case that held a withered hand on a cushion, a bloodstained pack of cards, and a glass eye. To Persephone's disgust Borgin pulled out the withered hand. Magnus examined it and satisfied, paid. Borgin returned to the back room immediately after the transaction was finished.

Just as Magnus and Persephone were about to leave, they heard a commotion from the fireplace. On the stone floor of Borgin and Burkes was Harry Potter, covered in soot and what appeared to be freshly broken glasses teetering on his nose.

"Harry!" Persephone swiftly reached her friend, helping him up. "What are you doing here?"

"I got lost."

"First time using Floo?" Magnus asked, coming up to the children. Harry nodded.

"What happened to your glasses? Let me see those." Persephone plucked the two halves from Harry's face and placing them together at the break they magically sealed back up, the cracked glass fixed itself as well.

"We aren't supposed to use magic outside of school." Harry whispered aghast.

Persephone smiled smugly.

"I use magic all the time around Magnus. As his apprentice I have to."

"Well thank you," Harry said as he placed his glasses back on, "can we get out of here?"

"Yeah, this place gives me the creeps."

The three were heading back toward the door when Harry stopped.

"Oh no." Harry said, noticing who was coming up the street toward the shop door, "I can't let Malfoy see me like this." Harry looked down to his dirtied clothing.

"Here," Persephone whispered, opening the doors to a large black cabinet, "hide."

Harry climbed in and pulled the doors closed, leaving a small crack to peer through. Seconds later, a bell clanged, and Draco Malfoy and his father stepped into the shop.

Draco was immediately drawn to all the items on display, he was reaching for the top skull in a skull pyramid when his father spoke out.

"Touch nothing, Draco." Mr Malfoy said as he crossed the shop and rang a bell on the counter.

"I thought you were going to buy me a present." Draco said, retracting his hand. His father didn't respond however, as he had noticed they weren't alone in the shop.

"Magnus," Lucius said, "You're getting out more and more these days aren't you?"

"Yes, well, I've suddenly decided to not be a hermit. Here to sell off all your incriminating knickknacks before the ministry raids you?"

"Not that I mean any harm with my possessions, but one can't be too careful with the Muggle-loving zealots and their new Muggle Protection Act. I'm sure you've got some artefacts they'd deem too dangerous, a shame you don't have to worry about raids."

"Benefits of living on another dimensional plane." Magnus said casually, as if anyone could just move to another dimension. Magnus lead Persephone out, despite her silent protests.

Magnus had another errand to run, but Persephone waited outside for Harry to exit. The gazes of two shabby-looking wizards who were watching from the shadow of a doorway, muttering to each other made her feel jumpy. Draco and his father left, not even noticing Persephone and a half-moment later Harry bolted out the door.

Persephone latched onto her friends hand as she guided them out of Knockturn Alley.

"It was weird, after you left Mr Malfoy told Draco he should befriend you this year." Harry said as they walked, "I thought the whole family disliked Muggles."

"I'm sure that's still true. But, I didn't tell you, over Christmas break Mr Malfoy came to my house to talk business with my mum. I don't know if it's related but she's been working more than ever. I bet it has to do with that. You want to look friendly to your business partners even if it's pretend."

An old hag, and that is meant literally, interrupted the pair as they walked, offering one of the baked human fingernails she held on her tray. She smiled at them, showing off a set of mossy green teeth.

Both Persephone and Harry backed away as they tried their hardest to decline the offer politely. It was Hagrid, however, who saved them. The half-giant swooped in, separating the two from the hag, and steering them back to the brightly lit Diagon Alley. Hagrid kindly brushed the soot off Harry, although the force of it nearly knocked him into a barrel of dragon dung outside an apothecary.

The three set off down the cobbled street in search of the Weasleys.

"How come yeh never wrote back ter me?" Said Hagrid as Harry and Persephone jogged alongside him. Harry explained all about the shenanigans of the House Elf Dobby and the magic-hating Dursleys.

"Lousy Muggles," growled Hagrid. "If I'd've known—"

"Harry! Persephone! Over here!"

Persephone looked up and saw Hermione Granger standing at the top of Gringotts white steps. She ran down to meet them, her bushy brown hair flying behind her.

"Hello, Hagrid—Oh, it's wonderful to see you all again—Are you coming into Gringotts?" Hermione asked looking between Harry and Persephone.

"Yes." Persephone replied.

"As soon as I've found the Weasleys," said Harry.

"Yeh won't have long ter wait," Hagrid said with a grin.

The children looked around: sprinting up the crowded street were Ron, Fred, George, Percy, and Mr Weasley. Mr Weasley was panting by the time the group of gingers reached them.

"Where did you come out?" Ron asked.

"Knockturn Alley," said Hagrid grimly.

"Excellent!" Said Fred and George together.

"We've never been allowed in," said Ron enviously.

Mrs Weasley came up in a gallop, her daughter Ginny running beside her. She doted on Harry, pulling a large clothes brush out of her bag to sweep off the remaining soot from Harry's clothes.

Once it was clear Harry would be fine, Hagrid left to go about his business, head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the packed street.

The group made their way up the steps to Gringotts. Along the way Harry mentioned seeing Draco and his father in Borgin and Burke's, a topic that peaked the interest of Mr Weasley, who would be more than glad to catch Lucius Malfoy with illegal artefacts.

Hermione's parents were already inside, standing nervously by the counter that ran all along the marble hall of the bank. Mr Weasley was quite delighted to meet real life Muggles and kept insisting he take them for a drink at the Leaky Cauldron. Persephone was glad her mother didn't know about magic and therefore wasn't the one to take her to Diagon Alley. A meeting between Ophelia Croft and Arthur Weasley wouldn't go well for anyone.

After the bank everyone separated with the promise to meet up at the bookshop later. The older kids went there own way, while Mrs Weasley took Ginny to a secondhand robe shop. Mr Weasley went off to the Leaky Cauldron with Hermione's parents.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Persephone strolled off along the winding, cobbled street. They stopped by Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour where Persephone and Harry argued over who would pay for the four large strawberry-and-peanut-butter ice creams. Harry ultimately won and they continued window shopping as they happily slurped the delicious treats.

An hour later, they headed for Flourish and Blotts. There was already a large crowd, of mostly middle-aged witches, all clambering to get into the bookshop. Apparently, Gilderoy Lockhart was there to sign copies of his autobiography.

"We can actually meet him!" Hermione squealed. "I mean, he's written almost the whole booklist!"

Persephone and the others thread their way inside the bookshop. The long line wound all the way to the back of the shop where Lockhart sat, surrounded by winking portraits of himself. They all grabbed a copy of The Standard Book Of Spells, Grade 2 and the Gryffindor trio snuck their way to where the rest of the Weasleys and the Grangers were standing in line. Persephone, however, had another, non-required book she wanted to find; a book on healing magic.

She bounded up the stairs to the shop's second floor, browsing the selection of beginners and home healing spellbooks and potionbooks. Finding a particularly interesting one, she pulled it from the shelf and started skimming it.

"Interested in becoming a healer?" Said the smooth voice of Lucius Malfoy.

Persephone looked up from her book uncertain on how to respond. Draco was with him and looked intently at her. Persephone wondered if he had mentioned what happened in the forbidden forest to his father.

"I'm interested in healing. I'm not sure yet if I want to pursue it as my profession."

"May I?" Mr Malfoy held his hand out and Persephone gingerly gave the book over. Lucius examined the book lazily. "Healing is a noble profession and I'm sure you'll always have your father's business to fall on." He gave the book back saying, "This book would be an excellent choice for beginners."

Persephone felt incredibly awkward. Was this the start of Draco becoming friends with her, by Mr Malfoy showing his son how to be civil with muggle-borns? His comment made it obvious that her family's money and social standing were the only reason he spoke with her.

Luckily, Persephone was pulled away from having to converse with the Malfoys any further by a commotion down below. Persephone leaned over the railing to see that Lockhart had pulled Harry out of the crowd for a photo op. Lockhart was making a show of being kind to Harry by giving him the complete set of books.

"Unbelievable!" Draco said, "Potter just walks in and gets everything handed to him."

"Jealousy is unbecoming, Draco." Persephone chastised, ignoring Draco's spluttering remarks that he was not in fact jealous. "I don't know whether to be disgusted or impressed," Persephone's nose crinkled in distaste, "using Harry's status to sell his books like that."

Then Lockhart announced he would be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts.

"Wait, so he wrote the books that he is requiring every student to buy for his class?" Persephone said to herself, "I take it back, the man's a genius."

Seeing that Harry was finally out of Gildory's clutches, Persephone walked back down to the main floor, still clutching the book she had picked out. She hadn't noticed Draco following her until he made a jab at Harry.

"Bet you loved that, didn't you, Potter? Famous Harry Potter. Can't even go into a bookshop without making the front page." Draco sneered.

"Leave him alone! He didn't want all that!" Ginny said, she stood next Harry her Cauldron full of the books he got from Lockhart.

"Look, Potter. You've got yourself a girlfriend!" drawled Draco, causing Ginny to blush red.

Ron and Hermione pushed their way through the crowd just as Persephone turned on Draco.

"At least Harry has people that like him. I've met the people you hang out with, and honestly I don't know if I could say the same about you, Draco."

"You don't know what you're talking about you snivelling, little-"

"Draco! Silence." Lucius Malfoy commanded, coming up behind his son.

Persephone stepped up closer to Draco so that only he could hear her in the crowded store.

"What I know is that money can't buy true friendship. Do you honestly believe Crabbe and Goyle would stick by you if a better a offer came around?" Persephone left the question unanswered, the flash of hurt in Draco's eyes before he steeled his expression was all she needed to know.

Arthur Weasley joined them trying to get everyone to move out of the crowded store. Mr Malfoy's attention turned to Arthur and belittling the Weasley's lack of monetary fortune, he even picked up a used book from Ginny's cauldron, as if it was just a prop. When Mr Malfoy made a comment about the Grangers, Arthur had had enough and tried to hit the other Wizard. Luckily, Hagrid arrived just in time to break the two up. Lucius threw the textbook back into Ginny's cauldron and quickly left with his son.

"Blimey, Percie, I don't know what you said to him, but I think you really showed Malfoy." Ron said as they left the bookstore, a hand clapped in congratulation on her back. "Did you see the look on his face when you told him no one liked him? Bloody Priceless."

"I was too mean." She replied, suddenly feeling regret.

"Too honest, maybe." Hermione corrected.

"Don't feel bad. All Malfoy does is make us feel horrible." Ron reminded. While Persephone agreed, she couldn't help the pit of guilt in her stomach.