Charmolypi

Chapter 55

The blonde pair walked into the shop, looking at everything with cold calculating eyes. "Touch nothing, Draco." The man said, when he saw his son looking too closely at an item. By then, Harry was fully hidden inside a large black cabinet.

Draco, 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 on the counter.

"What's the good of that if I'm not on the House team?" said Malfoy, looking sulky and bad-tempered. "Harry Potter got a Nimbus Two Thousand last year. Special permission from Dumbledore so he could play for Gryffindor. He's not even that good, it's just because he's famous...famous for having a stupid scar on his forehead..." Draco bent down to examine a shelf full of skulls. "...everyone thinks he's so smart, wonderful Potter with his scar and his broomstick -"

"Jealous much?" Bellatrix laughed. Soon, many people joined in, specifically the Slytherin families.

"You have told me this at least a dozen times already," said Mr. Malfoy, with a quelling look at his son. "And I would remind you that it is not... prudent...to appear less than fond of Harry Potter, not when most of our kind regard him as the hero who made the Dark Lord disappear - ah, Mr. Borgin."

"Mr. Malfoy, what a pleasure to see you again," said Mr. Borgin in a voice as oily as his hair. "Delighted, and young Master Malfoy, too, charmed. How may I be of assistance? I must show you, just in today, and very reasonably priced -"

"I'm not buying today, Mr. Borgin, but selling," said Mr. Malfoy.

"Selling?" The smile faded slightly from Mr. Borgin's face.

"You have heard, of course, that the Ministry is conducting more raids," said Mr. Malfoy, taking a roll of parchment from his inside pocket and unraveling it for Mr. Borgin to read. "I have a few – ah – items at home that might embarrass me, if the Ministry were to call..."

"The Ministry wouldn't presume to trouble you, sir, surely?"

Mr. Malfoy's lip curled. "I have not been visited yet. The name Malfoy still commands a certain respect, yet the Ministry grows ever more meddlesome. There are rumors about a new Muggle Protection Act - no doubt that flea-bitten, Muggle-loving fool Arthur Weasley is behind it -" Harry felt a hot surge of anger. "-and as you see, certain of these poisons might make it appear -"

"Back off Malfoy! If you had nothing to hide, you wouldn't be trying to get rid of some items!" Frank said accusingly.

"I understand, sir, of course," said Mr. Borgin. "Let me see..."

"Can I have that?" interrupted Draco, pointing at the withered hand on its cushion.

"Ah, the Hand of Glory!" said Mr. Borgin, abandoning Mr. Malfoy's list and scurrying over to Draco. "Insert a candle and it gives light only to the holder! Best friend of thieves and plunderers! Your son has fine taste, sir."

"I hope my son will amount to more than a thief or a plunderer, Borgin," said Mr. Malfoy coldly.

Mr. Borgin said quickly, "No offense, sir, no offense meant -"

"Though if his grades don't pick up," said Mr. Malfoy, more coldly still, "that may indeed be all he is fit for -"

Narcissa gasped and smacked Lucius on his shoulder.

"Lucius Malfoy! How dare you speak that way about our son!"

"If it's true..." Lucius shrugged, only to get hit again.

"It's not my fault," retorted Draco. "The teachers all have favorites, that Thea Potter and Hermione Granger -"

"Narcissa, it seems your son has taken a few of your traits, not only from Lucius," Bellatrix mocked her sister, which was answered by an eye roll.