H is for Harangue

'Harangue' is an aggressive lecture.

A little boy sat alone under the old oak tree in his front yard. There he picked at the grass, feeling bored and lonely. As the Malfoy heir, he hardly got to leave the manor. Especially to interact with other children his age. He didn't have any siblings to play with, so he usually spent his time alone in the garden.

Their home was situated at the end of a wealthy street, concealed behind large iron wrought gates. Sometimes he would watch the muggle families walk along the footpath. Wishing that he could leave with them. He loved his parents, but more often than not, they were too busy for him. This afternoon Draco watched a small muggle boy walk aimlessly down the street.

He had tears streaming down his face and kept hiccupping through his sobs. Draco wondered why his parents weren't with him. The little boy stopped at the Malfoy manor gates and sat down, burying his head into his knees. Draco wondered over to him, the gate was the only thing separating them.

"Excuse me, but what are you doing?" Draco asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

The little boy sat up and turned at the voice behind him.

"I-I'm lost," he cried.

"Oh," Draco said.

There was an awkward silence between them.

"What's your name?" Draco asked.

"My name is Henry," the boy sniffled.

"Hello Henry. My name is Draco," Draco smiled.

"Draco is a weird name," Henry spoke.

Draco felt insulted, "Draco is a name for the strong, it means dragon."

"Cool," Henry smiled.

The two boys looked at each other and laughed.

"Do you want to be my friend?" Henry asked, looking down at the ground.

"R-really? You want me to be your friend?" Draco was shocked.

"DRACO! What are you doing?" Lucius yelled from behind him.

He walked down the steps from the manor, his strides quick and purposeful.

"F-father? N-nothing," Draco stuttered.

"What's this then? A muggle boy?" Lucius sneered down Henry, who became very fearful at the intimidating stare.

"Get out of here! Filthy muggle," Lucius yelled.

Henry quickly took off, running down the street.

"Draco come here. We need to have a talk."

Draco shyly looked at his shoes, as he approached his angry father.

"You do not talk to muggles and you especially do not become friends with them. You are a Malfoy. The heir of an ancient and noble house. Muggles are beneath us. They aren't worth the dirt on our shoes. Do you want to be contaminated by such filthy trash?" Lucius asked.

Draco shook his head.

"Of course you don't. You are to stay away from the gate. If I am to catch you speaking to another muggle again, the consequences will be much more severe. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, father," Draco sighed.

"Good," Lucius dismissed him and returned back inside the manor.

Draco didn't watch the muggles anymore.