Redamancy (Harry Potter x Fem!Reader)

Bookshop Diatribes

Flourish and Blotts was packed to the brim with patrons. (Y/N) and Draco had to wait in a line stretched outside the door just to step into the shop. After about ten minutes in the summer sun, they were finally allowed in but found it quite difficult to navigate their way around to find their books for the coming year.

"What is all this for?" Draco looked rather annoyed with all the other people bustling about. (Y/N) couldn't blame him, she was annoyed, too.

"There was something about a book signing outside, didn't you see?" She pressed up against a bookcase as an eager young witch rushed by. "We'll get nowhere in this crowd."

Lucius had gone off to buy their broomsticks, otherwise, (Y/N) and Draco would've allowed him to clear the way for them to seamlessly follow. However, without someone taller and more commanding than them, they were left to retreat up the stairs and away from all the chaos below.

The second floor was nearly empty. There was a tired old shop manager who struggled to stay awake in a chair tucked in the corner. (Y/N) peered over the railing. She hoped to catch a glimpse of who everyone was so worked up about, but could hardly see anything through all the brightly colored robes and overwhelmed looking Muggle parents.

"Here," Draco passed (Y/N) a copy of The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2. It was the first on a rather extensive list of books. "Can you see him?"

"See who?" (Y/N) asked.

"Gilderoy Lockhart," Answered Draco. "That banner there says it's him that's visiting now."

"Lockhart? He wrote most of the books on our list, did he not?"

Once or twice, (Y/N)'d heard something or other about Mr. Lockhart and how he was a very talented wizard. He had great adventures and was the center of many heroics, but (Y/N) didn't find him too impressive. She didn't think much of a man who bragged about his feats on paper, or in his case, to a point of writing an entire series about himself and his accomplishments. Not to mention, at home, his name never came up in conversation. When it came to Gilderoy Lockhart, (Y/N) was about as impartial as it got.

"Have you heard some of the titles? Voyages with Vampires..." Draco crinkled his nose. "He sounds like a joke."

The very man stepped out from behind a curtain and the crowd below erupted in cheers. Lockhart seemed to be soaking up every second of it. He was dressed in pale blue robes the same color of his eyes and dawned a bright and charismatic smile. Even though (Y/N) didn't like much about him, she did have to agree with everyone swooning - he was a very handsome man.

A small wizard pushed his way through the crowd, carrying a large camera in his hands. "Excuse me! Excuse me, little girl!" He shouted. "This is for the Daily Prophet!"

Lockhart was already in a pose by the time he raised his camera. He turned for another as soon as the camera flashed, but before the photographer could snap a picture, Lockhart's smile fell away to a look of realization.

"It can't be," He said. "Harry Potter!"

(Y/N) leaned closer to see, and sure enough, she found a very surprised looking Harry among a family of redheads. She wondered how on earth he left Borgin and Burkes and made his way to Flourish and Blotts without seeing her. Nevertheless, she was glad he found a way out of that cabinet and to safety.

"Do you think I'll be able to make my way down there?" (Y/N) asked as Harry was ushered to stand beside Lockhart for a picture. At the very edge of her field of vision, she could see Draco roll his eyes.

"Why? Can't bear another moment without your precious Harry Potter?"

"Oh, would you give it a rest, already?" She groaned.