Mass Collision

9. Diagon Alley

Within the rest of the week, the news report of attacks on Muggle families grew exponentially and Natalia could only think of how it would grow as the number of Death Eaters grew.

On August 1st she was sent her Owl with the Hogwarts school supplies list for the year and on the 3rd she met up with Draco at his Manor. Natalia had never been to Diagon Alley before, but just by one glance, it had seen better days. Shops were run out, no one was really out and about, the only colorful thing there was the Weasley twins' shop. She wanted to go inside and see how it was doing, but she knew she shouldn't.

The first place they visited was Madam Malkin's. It seemed Draco was unhappy that his Mother was there because he kept asking her to leave. Natalia knew he was up to something so she just stayed quiet.

They had been at the shop for about half an hour. Natalia had already gotten fitted for new dress robes and they were being sewen in the back by magic. Now, they were just waiting for Draco's to be altered. ". . . not a child, in case you haven't noticed, Mother. I am perfectly capable of doing my shopping alone."

Madam Malkin tsked, "Now, dear, your mother's quite right, none of us is supposed to go wandering around on our own anymore, it's nothing to do with being a child —"

"Watch where you're sticking that pin, will you!" Draco snapped at her and Natalia grabbed a piece of fabric and slapped him across the face.

"Learn manors will you?" Natalia asked him with a glare and he glared back and went to look at himself in the mirror. Natalia couldn't lie, he was handsome. He had a dark green suit that fit him perfectly. He glanced over his shoulder and rose his nose up.

"If you're wondering what the smell is, Mother, a Mudblood just walked in," said Draco Malfoy. Natalia's head snapped over to him again.

"DRACO!" She screeched.

"I don't think there's any need for language like that!" said Madam Malkin, scurrying out from behind the clothes rack holding a tape measure and a wand. "And I don't want wands drawn in my shop either!" she added hastily. This made Natalia turn around to see the trio with wands pointed at Draco.

"He deserves it," Natalia scoffed.

"Nat!"

"Don't say slurs, you idiot or next time it'll be my wand in your face," she glared at him. Something in her head was yelling at her to stop. For her to join in, but the other part of her was yelling that it was wrong and that she should kill him. It was making her head spin and she just ended up glaring at both parties. "Can you just be civil for two fucking seconds?"

Narcissa came out to see that Ron and Harry's wands were pointed at her son and moved to say something, but Natalia held a hand up. "No, I've got this." She turned to the trio. "Wait 10 seconds, Draco's almost done and don't say anything you'll regret." Then she turned to Draco and his Mother. "Really? We're in a fucking store, just ignore them."

Draco glared at the trio as they slowly put their wands away, "are we done here?" He asked and Madam Malkin nodded. He took off the robes and Malkin put both pairs of robes into clothes bags.

Narcissa paid and huffed, "we won't be coming back here. Now I know the kind of scum that shops here. . . . We'll do better at Twilfitt and Tatting's." Natalia threw her hands in the air and crossed them with a sigh.

She didn't spare the trio a second glance as she walked out with the mother and son.

They went around the rest of the Alley, grabbing everything they needed for school. New cauldrons, potions supplies, books, food for Draco's owl. Honestly, with looking at everything Natalia got distracted and barely noticed when Draco grabbed her hand, sneaking them away from his mother. "Where are we going?" She whispered as they walked down a back alley to a darker part.

"To get something to help me with my task," he explained quietly.

"What is this place?"

"Knockturn Alley," Draco answered, looking around at all the dark stuff, including the disgusting signs and cobwebs. "It's where dark wizards go to get the stuff they might need." Natalia nodded and stopped looking around and started watching where they were walking.

They stopped in front of a shop, "Borgin and Burkes?" Natalia asked out loud. "Isn't Pansy's brother's name Burke?" Draco nodded.

"Pansy's cousin actually. The people you think are her parents are actually her aunt and uncle, her mom and dad died during the first war," Draco explained as he pushed open the door and they walked inside the dark store.

With the Golden Trio

"Wait, who's that with Draco?" Ron asked and Harry got a closer look.

"It–it's Natalia, but– no," Harry felt heartbroken, betrayed. She was supposed to be his friend, but then he remembered the last time he saw her.

She gave Harry a hug and whispered in his ear, "I'm sorry in advance," she said softly and gave him a kiss on the check.

He sighed, he should've seen this coming. Ron then fumbled with some boxes and pulled out some extendable ears.

With Draco and Natalia

She looked around the store, but Draco made a beeline towards a large cabinet. "What is it?"

"A vanishing cabinet," Draco explained. "It's broken, but there's a sister in Hogwarts. This could be a passageway to get Death Eaters into Hogwarts." Natalia nodded, it was a good idea. Now, they just had to make it work. "Excuse me, Borgin?"

Borgin walked from around the corner to Draco. "Do you know anything about this vanishing cabinet here and if I could use it one day?"

Borgin shrugged, "Yeah, but if you want to use it, you've got to know where the other one is."

Draco nodded, "I do, it's broken. Do you know how to fix it?"

"Possibly," said Borgin, in a tone that suggested he was unwilling to commit himself. "I'll need to see it, though. Why don't you bring it into the shop?"

"I can't," said Draco. "It's got to stay put. I just need you to tell me how to do it."

Borgin licked his lips nervously. "Well, without seeing it, I must say it will be a very difficult job, perhaps impossible. I couldn't guarantee anything."

"No?" said Draco asked with a sneer on his face, "Perhaps this will make you more confident." Draco leaned into him more and rolled up his sleeve to show Borgin his dark mark. It was a black skull with snakes coming out of its mouth. It was red around the edges like Draco had been non-stop scratching it for days.

"Tell anyone," said Draco, "and there will be retribution. You know Fenrir Greyback? He's a family friend. He'll be dropping in from time to time to make sure you're giving the problem your full attention."

"There will be no need for —"

"I'll decide that," Draco snapped and Natalia stood by his side, glaring at the older man, "Well, I'd better be off. And don't forget to keep that one safe, I'll need it."

"Perhaps you'd like to take it now?"

"No, of course I wouldn't, you stupid little man, how would I look carrying that down the street? Just don't sell it."

"Of course not . . . sir." Borgin made a deep bow and looked like he was going to topple over, making Draco roll his eyes.

"Not a word to anyone, Borgin, and that includes my mother, understand?"

"Naturally, naturally," murmured Borgin, bowing again. Draco grabbed Natalia's hand and they both pulled the hoods of the cloaks over their heads as they walked out.

Draco scoffed, "I much prefer Burke, he's not a half-wit. It's a wonder their grandparents became business partners."

Natalia rolled her eyes with a sigh, she couldn't believe this was her life now.