The Cowardly Lion (Book 1)

1: Of Madam Malkin's and Malfoy-ness

Draco Malfoy blinked, his father's words echoing in his head. Harry Potter will be going to Hogwarts this year. Unlike most of Draco's generation, he had grown up not to the praise and joy of Harry Potter, but to the understanding that while they must pretend they loved Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, the Chosen One...the list went on and on, when in reality, they hated him.

Draco didn't understand why his father hated Harry Potter so much; unbeknownst to Lucius Malfoy, Draco had read about Harry Potter, and how his parents had died. Who would want to be famous for that? Jealously, Draco thought about Harry Potter's new family, probably a wizarding one that had convinced him he was better than everyone else...

Everything Draco did was predetermined by his parents. His outfit, his hair - was his hair still in place? Draco checked his reflection in the window of Madam Malkin's, where most people went for their school robes. His parents had mentioned Twilfitt and Tatting's, in Knockturn Alley, but that wasn't prudent, they said, for this day and age.

"Draco, darling, remember if anyone asks, I'm looking at wands and your father's buying your books," asked Narcissa Malfoy, smiling down at her son before lowering her voice and saying, "It wouldn't do for anyone to know we had to run an errand in Knockturn Alley."

"Yes, Mother, I know," Draco said, smiling right back at his mother. Knockturn Alley. He thanked Merlin he was too young to visit it, even for Malfoy standards; next year, though, his father had decided he could go. Knockturn Alley frightened Draco. He stood still for a moment after his mother Apparated away, knowing she'd be back later, and decided he'd better get started. His parents would be unhappy if they returned from Knockturn Alley only to find Draco hadn't finished what he'd come to Diagon Alley to do in the first place.

So he checked his school supply list - nothing he hadn't expected, of course. He almost rolled his eyes at the simplicity of it.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

UNIFORM:

First-year students will require:

- Three sets of plain work robes (black)

- One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

- One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

- One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

- The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk

- A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

- Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

- A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

- One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

- Magical Draughts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander

- The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

- 1 wand

- 1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)