Green Eyed Monster | Draco Malfoy

26. Stag and Dope

Part Two: Audrey Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Chapter 26 - The Stag and Dope

I sat in one of the hard, plastic chairs of the strip mall and watched people pass by without a worry in the world. None of these mallrats knew that they were all in danger. None of them realized what was going to happen in their future- not like I did. In front of me sat a half eaten box of greasy fries that had cost the entirety of the three quid I'd wrangled out of a ten-year-old kid. It had been a nice trade with him, two quid for a bowtran bean. To make it better, Harry couldn't even be upset with me if he found out; after all, I hadn't been lying when I told the kid it was a 'magic bean'. I just happened to leave out the information that he had to pour cold piss on it to make it bloom into a pansy. Not a muggle pansy either, a pansy that still had its amorellen - an ingredient used in the most powerful love potions and the inspiration for a Midsummer Night's Dream...

I'm sure it was safe in his hands.

The large, suspended television screen in front of me played out the news; there was nothing of interest. Both Harry and I had been carefully committed to the Muggle News network. At first I had argued that they wouldn't know anything, but he made the point that the first move Voldemort made would be against muggles and it would be too large to keep under wraps. It was a good point and after having had a vision of watching Hogwarts burn, I had no doubts that Voldemort was not one for subtleties.

I heard the danger before I saw it - a small child's voice followed by an adults clearly asking it questions.

"That's her," the child said. I could barely contain the roll of my eyes. Great, the little brat ratted me out - and for once I hadn't even been lying.

"You," a man with a deep voice growled out. "Did you steal my son's money?"

"I did no such thing," I responded, stretching my arms above my head and turning to look at him. I was right about it being the kid I'd traded the bean with and from the lime green goo exploding between his fingers, it was clear that he'd squeezed it. "I told you, kid: those beans don't like heat."

"What kind of teenager steals a seven-year-old's money?"

Oh, the kid was younger than I had thought. "I'm the renegade niece of Petunia Dursley," I said simply. If this came back on my Aunt and Uncle I would feel no sympathy. "The one that was sent to the boarding school for rude and inappropriate women? If you'd like to send my aunt a message, I'm sure she'll add it to the pile for next term."

"Why you-"

I rolled my eyes and stood, flicking my hair over my shoulder. Aunt Petunia had tried to cut it this summer - only to receive a good earful from my brother. Apparently it was too long and too red again - what kind of idiocy was that? I was still trying to let it grow out from the last time that she had cut it. Apparently her stuffing me in closets, locking me outside, or throwing me under sinks had nothing to do with me getting lice and her refusing to buy the medicine for me.

"Get back here! Give my son back his two pounds." I was almost surprised when the man grabbed my arm and spun me around. By now some of the people who had been sitting and eating were watching the two of us with wide eyes. The man's disheveled appearance and tired eyes did not distract me from the look of fury behind them. It was clear that this man wanted some vengeance for his son. I nearly felt bad that he wouldn't get it.

"Sadly the pounds have been spent. I can, however, offer you one more bowtran bean - this time, don't squeeze it in your hand kid. Put it in a napkin, in your pocket, then bury it-"