The Dark Lord's Daughter Book 2: Secrets

Diagon Alley

"Right. Here we are Harry, you go first dear." Mrs. Weasley said to Harry stuffing a handful of shimmering soot into his hand. Notte was by the kitchen window- instructing Morrigan to meat her at Flourish & Blotts as soon as she could.
"But Harry's never traveled by Floo powder before, Mum." Ron told Mrs. Weasley.
"Floo Powder?" Harry asked and studied the powder she had stuffed in his hands.
"Oh, well you go first Ron, so that Harry can see how it's done. Yes. In you go... That's it." Molly shoved Ron into the fireplace and Harry watched wide eyed.
"Diagon Alley!" Ron threw the floo powder down and he disappeared into green flames. Harry looked terrified. Notte couldn't blame him, she hated traveling by floo powder.
"You see? It's quite easy, dear. Don't be afraid. Come on. Come on. In you go. That's it, mind your head. That's right. Now take your Floo powder. That's it, very good. Now, don't forget to speak very, very clearly." Mrs. Weasley told him sternly and he nodded nervously and looked at Notte. Notte mouthed 'goodluck' and he gulped.
"Diaganilly!" Harry shouted and threw down the powder. Notte grimmaced and looked at her parents who had gone slightly pale.
"What did he say dear?" Molly asked her husband.
"Diaganilly." Arthur said worriedly.
"Yes. I thought so." Molly replied looking worried.
"Should we- y'know go after him?" Notte asked now standing next to her mother. Her mother shook her head.
"Well, we don't really know where he'll end up do we? Even if we say the same thing." Mrs. Weasley said quietly. The twins went next and joined Ron. Then Mr. Weasley and Mrs. Weasley went with Ginny. Notte took a deep breathe and watched Percy go and join the others. Notte felt a sinking feeling in her stomach as she picked up a handful of powder and stood in the fireplace.
"Diaganilly!" She threw the powder down and green flames eveloped her. Notte felt her belly button get hooked and drag her along through the fire places. Choosing the fireplace right next to the proper one, she fell out into a very dirty fireplace and dropped to her knees feeling very sick. Notte pulled out her wand and cleaned up her robes and face without thinking about it. Looking around she noticed she was in a mostly empty shop filled with odd and dark looking curios.
There was a man standing behind the counter and Luscious Malfoy and his son Draco standing in the shop. Notte wasn't close enough to hear and wondered what Lucius Malfoy would want in a shop like this. She stood behind a large statue of a nearly naked woman with eyes that followed her. Notte waited for the blondes to leave the shop and the man to disappear behind the curtain before running for the door- Harry jumped out of a cabinet near the counter.
"Blimey hell Harry- Lets get out of here." Notte and Harry ran from the shop and were quickly overwhelmed by shady looking witches and wizards selling knick knacks.
"Need an amulet to protect you from evil spirits dearies?" Harry put an arm in front of Notte protectively.
"Harry! Notte!" Harry turned and saw Hagrid towering over the shady witches.
"Hagrid!" Harry and Notte cried happily together.
"What do you think you're doing down 'ere? Come on!" Hagrid split the crowd and glared around at the witches around the two. The crowd dispearsed quickly and Hagrid led the way back to Diagon Alley.
"Yer a mess, Harry. Skulkin' 'round Knockturn Alley? Dodgy place! Don' want no one ter see you there. People'll think you were up to no good. You too Notte- Don't wan' your dads boss catchin' win' of you bein' down 'ere." Hagrid scolded us as we made it back to familiar streets.
"I was lost, I— hang on. What were you doing down there, then?" Harry asked Hagrid suspiciously.
"Me? Oh, I was... um... I was lookin' for Flesh-Eatin' Slug Repellent. They're ruinin' all the school cabbages." Hagrid blushed from behind his bushy mane.
"Hagrid! Harry! Notte!" Notte searches the crowd for the bushy haired girl calling for them. An all too familiar hand pops out of the top of the ground sporadically until Hermione finally reaches them. Hermione wrapped Notte in a tight hug.
"'Ello Hermione." Hagrid said grateful that Harry couldn't interrogate him any longer.
"Oh, its so good to see you! Harry you never responded to my letters!" Hermione scolded Harry and looked at his always broken glasses.
"Harry what did you do to your glasses? Occulus Reparo." Hermione immediately whipped out her wand and repaired the glasses.
"Definitely need to remember that one-" Harry said examining his glasses in his fingers.
"You'll be all right now then, Harry? Right. I'll leave you to it, then." Hagrid disappeared around a corner heading back into Knockturn Alley. Hermione grabbed Nottes hand and pulled her forward.
"Everyones been so worried about you two!" Hermione said and led the way to the Weasley clan and to her parents. Harry grabbed onto Nottes sleeve not wanting to lose the two short girls on their way back and get lost again. Notte blushed lightly and looked back at Harry who gave her a sheepish grin. Notte spotted Morrigan who swooped down and landed on her shoulder.
"Ooh your new raven! Just gorgeous- you'll have to show me the charm your mother used for her feathers. Ginny told me everything!" Hermione said in between dodging adults. Finally the three made it to Flourish & Blotts where Mrs. Weasley immediately started fussing over Harrys dirty appearance and waved her wand to remove the dirt from his face and robes.
"I'm so relieved you're okay Harry- but you young lady! What were you thinking running after him! We were just about to go search for him when we realized you never showed!"
"-Gilderoy LockHart!" A scrawny man said from the front of stage suddenly grabbing Mrs. Weasley's attention. The older red headed woman swooned and Hermione did too. Ron scoffed and turned to Harry.
"Mum fancies him- some sort of writer or something." Ron shrugged and Mrs. Weasley gave him a playful swat on the shoulder. A man tried to push past me.
"Make way there. Please! Let me by, madam. Thank you. Excuse me, little girl. This is for the Daily Prophet." The reporter shoved Notte aside knocking her into Harry who grabbed a hold of her to keep her from falling.
"It can't be- Harry Potter?" Lockhart says from behind his book signing table and the reporter grabs Harry by the arm and drags him to the stage. Harry lets go of Notte before he is shoved in front a camera next to Lockhart.
"Nice big smile, Harry. Together you and I rate the front page! Ladies and gentlemen, what an extraordinary moment this is. When young Harry stepped into Flourish and Blotts this morning to purchase my autobiography, Magical Me,... which, incidentally is currently celebrating its 27th week atop the Daily Prophet bestseller list, he had no idea that he would, in fact, be leaving... with my entire collected works, free of charge." Lights flashed in Harry's face and he tried to pull away desperately. Notte grabs Harry's hand and pulls him away from Lockhart. Morrigan returns to Nottes shoulder and glares at Lockhart menancingly.
"Ah I'm sorry my dear- I just had to borrow your boyfriend for a moment. Price of loving a celebrity. Notte's face turned red as the camera turned towards Harry and her, who were still holding hands. Notte immediately let go of Harry's hand and covered her face from the flash of a camera. Morrigan cawed angriliy and attacked the reporter pecking at his fingers until he ran from the store shouting. Harry retreated in defeat back to the Weasleys. Notte followed with her face in her hands, hiding her bright pink face.
"Oh dear- Notte it'll be alright I'm sure Mr. Lockhart didn't mean any harm-" Mrs. Weasley patted Notte's shoulder sympathetically.
"Harry, now you give me those, and I'll get them signed. All of you wait outside. That's it, Ron." Mrs. Weasley directed Notte towards her brother who awkwardly patted her shoulder like her mother had. Notte looked up her face now a much lighter shade of pink. They went to the entrance and Harry pulled Notte to the side.
"I'm sorry Notte- I should've let go of you sooner-" Harry was interrupted by a snobbish voice.
"I'll bet you loved that, didn't you, Potter? Famous Harry Potter! Can't even go into a bookshop without making the front page. And you Weasley? Mooching off of his fame. Trying to make a quick buck off of it no doubt." Draco called from a staircase above them at the edge of the entrance.
"Leave him alone!" Ginny said appearing from the crowded shop. Draco sneered at the little red headed girl, Notte's temper flared.
"Oh Potter- Look you have two little girlfriends! Good thing Notte's not a real Weasley-" Harry pulled Notte back from lunging at Draco.
"Now, now Draco, play nicely. Mr. Potter... Lucius Malfoy. We meet at last. Forgive me, your scar is legend, as, of course, is the wizard who gave it to you." Lucius Malfoy said now descending the stairs and passed Draco to stand in front of Notte and Harry.
"Voldemort killed my parents. He was nothing more than a murderer." Harry let go of Notte who glared at Draco.
"Miss Notte. How ironic- friends with Mr. Potter as well?" Mr. Malfoy did not sneer at Notte- he was almost always polite to her, though what he normally had to say made her blood boil.
"How ironic it seemed your father did hear about something Draco." Notte said coldly and directed a hateful look towards Draco.
"Children, it's mad in here! Let's go outside." Mr. Weasley said before noticing Mr. Malfoy.
"Well well well. Weasley senior."
"Lucius." The two men acknowledged each other cooly.
"Busy time at the Ministry, Arthur, all those extra raids? I do hope they're paying you overtime, but judging by the state of this, I'd say not. What's the use in being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't even pay you well for it." Lucius said gesturing to Ginny and Notte's brothers who had come up behind Mr. Weasley wondering what was happening in our little corner.
"We have a very different idea about what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy." Mr. Weasley clenched his fist and watched as Lucius picked up Ginnys school books out of her new cauldron, and placing them back into the cauldron with distain.
"Clearly. Associating with Muggles... " Lucius glanced at Hermiones parents, "and I thought your family could sink no lower. I'll see you at work." Lucius slipped past the Weasley's carefully as if not to soil his robes by brushing past.
"See you at school." Draco gave Notte an evil wink and scurried after his father.
"If he so much as looks my way at school Harry- I will hex him." Harry patted Notte on the shoulder as she threatened violence on the blonde.