A Changed Lestrange (1-2) (under editing)

2: Borgin and Burkes

Dear Ron, and Harry and Ashton if you're there,
                   I hope everything went all right and that Ashton (and Harry) are OK and that you didn't do anything illegal to get them out, Ron, because that would get Ashton and Harry into trouble, too. I've been really worried and if Ashton and Harry are all right, will you let me know at once, but perhaps it would be best if you used a different owl, another delivery might finish poor Errol off.
                   I'm very busy with school work, of course, and we're going to London next Wednesday to buy my new books. Why don't we meet in Diagon Alley?

                    Let me know what's happening as soon as you can,
Hermione

"How can she be busy with schoolwork?" asked Ron in horror. "We're on holiday!"

"That's probably because you didn't see the giant pile of parchment that you need to get done." smirked Ashton.
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"W-what am I supposed to do?" stammered Harry, holding the flowerpot Mrs Weasley offered him.

"Goodness gracious!" said Percy briskly. "He doesn't know how to travel in Floo Powder!"

"Can it, you prat." snapped Ashton. "He's only known about magic for a year." 

"Never?" asked Mr Weasley incredulously. "But how did you get to Diagon Alley to buy your school things last year?"

"We took the Underground--" said Ashton irritably before interrupted by Mr Weasley.

"Really?" said Mr Weasley eagerly. 

"Not now, Arthur." said Mrs Weasley. "Floo Powder is a lot quicker, dear, but, goodness me, if you've never used it before--"

"He should be fine, Molly, don't fuss." said Mr Weasley, helping himself to Floo Powder as well.

"You go after Arthur," Mrs Weasley said to Harry as Ashton stood there feeling somewhat worthless. "when you get into the fire, say where you're going--"

"And keep your elbows tucked in," Ron advised.

"Keep your eyes shut, the soot--"

"Don't fidget--"

"You might fall out of the wrong fireplace--"

"But don't panic--"

"And get out too early--"

"Wait until you see Fred and George." Ashton mentally laughed as he watched Harry try to process and remember everything they had said while interrupting each other.

"Diagonelley!" yelled Harry, coughing his way through the word, and the powder overwhelmed him.

"What did he say?" Ashton asked, confused.

"Diagon... elly?"
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"Touch nothing, Draco." came a voice Ashton quickly recognised as his uncle-in-law, Lucius Malfoy. 

Ashton's loathed cousin, Draco Malfoy, who had reached for the glass eye, said, "I thought you were going to buy me a present."

"I said I would buy you a racing broom." said his father, drumming his fingers impatiently on the table.

Spoiled brat.

"What's the good of that if I'm not in the house team?" said Malfoy, looking sulky and bad-tempered. "Harry Potter and my stupid cousin Ashton Lestrange both got Nimbus Two Thousands last year. Special permission from Dumbledore so he could play for Gryffindor. Neither of them are even that good-" which was a complete lie. "it's just because they're famous, one's famous for having a stupid scar on his forehead, and the other for having criminals for parents."- that's rich talk, coming from someone who's father was also a Death Eater.

"I would remind you that Ashton Lestrange is on our team. He is the replica of his parents, ready to help the Dark Lord return to full strength one day. It's a rather shame he was in Gryffindor, honestly. Slytherin would've been much better suited to train him as a high-level Death Eater. I would also like to remind you, Draco, that Lestrange is a very powerful wizard, and you do not stand a chance against him. I would not advise you to mess with him." Ashton wanted to jump there and then and punch Malfoy until he doesn't have any tears left in his eyeholes, but thought better than to do that.
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"Ashton! Harry! Over here!" Both twelve-year-olds looked up to see Hermione Granger standing at the top of a white flight of steps. She raced down to meet them, her bushy brown hair flying everywhere while doing so. "How are you? Did you not get my letters? Ashton, I must have sent you at least one hundred... oh, I've been so worried... what happened?" Words of concern flew breezily out of Hermione's mouth.

"Williams locked me up," muttered Ashton grudgingly.

"Oh, that's terrible! I'm sure care home owners aren't allowed to do that! I'll... my parents can..." Ashton didn't hear any more of Hermione's words as the Weasleys began rushing over, yelling their names.

"Boys... we hoped you hadn't gone too far..." said Mr Weasley in an exhausted voice as he wiped the sweat from the bald spot in his mane of red hair.

"Where did you guys come out?" asked Ron, confused. Ashton smiled sheepishly, reminding himself he made the same idiotic mistake Harry had made.

"Knockturn Alley," said Hagrid gruffly and grimly.

"Brilliant!" yelled Fred and George in unison.

"How the heck was that brilliant?" asked Ashton to the red-headed twins in confusion.

"We've never been allowed in," moaned Ron enviously as Ashton rolled his eyes. 

"I'd be more worried if yeh had bee' let in! No' som'where a ruddy child shuld go, I think no'!" yelled Hagrid. Suddenly, a plump Mrs Weasley had starting galloping into Harry and Ashton's view - her handbag on one arm, and a very nervous-looking 11-year-old Ginny Weasley clinging on to the other. 

"Boys," said Mrs Weasley, panting. "oh my goodness, you could've been anywhere..." suddenly she started to sweep the soot away from Harry (Ashton had managed to get his off by himself) that Hagrid failed to beat away. 

"Welp, I'd better be off," said Hagrid in his usual gruff tone as he started to walk away. The words 'see yer at Hogwarts, boys!' could be heard from the man distantly.

"You'll never guess who we saw in Borgin and Burkes!" said Harry enthusiastically. At that point, he, Ashton, Hermione and Ron had started climbing the steps to Gringotts. "Malfoy and his father."

"Shut up, you idiot!" snapped Ashton, whacking Harry on the arm as Harry rubbed it sorely, a faint 'ow' could've come out of the black-haired boy's mouth. "He said some pretty bad stuff about me. Said I was going to be the next Voldemort or something," once more, everyone shuddered at the mention of his name. "and that I was being trained to be a Death Eater."

"And are you?" asked Ron warily as Hermione shot him a hot glare.

"Ron! How could you say that? Of course he isn't!"

"Well, I'm not sure anymore," said Ashton, acting warily himself. "it's like the whole world believes I'm going to be the next Dark Lord so why should I try to prove them wrong?"

"Are you listening to yourself?" snapped Hermione. "You're not You-Know-Who, you're Ashton Lestrange and you're definitely not him." Still wary despite Hermione's words, Ashton just sighed as Mr Weasley, who was behind them, shot Ashton with a question.

"Did Lucius Malfoy buy anything?" he questioned sharply.

"No," said Harry flatly. "he was selling."

"So he's worried," said Mr Weasley with grim satisfaction. "Oh, how I'd love to get Lucius Malfoy something..." Mrs Weasley began muttering on how the Malfoys are a family that shouldn't be messed with, and hoped nobody would hear, but her husband certainly did.

"You don't believe I'm a match for Lucius Malfoy?" asked Mr Weasley indignantly, but he was distracted at the sight of Hermione's parents trying to exchange Muggle money as he rushed over to them. 

"That man..." sighed Mrs Weasley, going back to muttering to herself.

"Well, you're family is certainly... interesting."

"That's one word for it." said Ron grimly, cringing.