The Other Malfoy

Chapter 7

Leila's POV:

It was my summer going into my second year of Hogwarts.  Things were strange.  

Since we were not at school anymore, and he didn't have anyone to impress, Draco actually wanted to hang out with me.  I tried by best to ignore him, but he insisted on playing Quidditch in the backyard as well as visit Diagon Alley as often as we could. 

As for my father and mother, they were acting stranger than usual.  They had several "business" meetings with old friends, and I knew they were planning something big. 

One night, I couldn't sleep and decided to go down to the kitchen and get a snack.  Maybe with a full stomach I'd fall asleep easier, I thought.

As I stepped into the kitchen I saw Dobby was eating as well.  "Miss Leila!  Is there anything Dobby can get you?" Dobby asked as I took a seat on the kitchen counter.  "Can I get a cheeseburger please?" I asked kindly.  

Dobby snapped his fingers and a freshly cooked burger was in front of me.  "Lucius if we go through with this...what if the monster attacks our children?" I heard my mother whisper on the other side of the kitchen wall.  With wide eyes, I looked at Dobby who refused to make eye contact.  "Dobby what are they talking about?" I whispered, stepping up close to the elf.  "Dobby can't say," he replied, biting his tongue.  "Dobby please," I begged, knowing he would fold any second.  "Your parents are helping the Dark Lord...they're releasing his monster at Hogwarts, and are going to try and...harm Harry Potter," Dobby explained.  My eyes widened even more as I heard my father speak.  "They won't get hurt darling, only mudbloods and that Potter," my father hissed.  "Come meet me upstairs in two minutes," I ordered Dobby. 

I grabbed the plate that had my burger sitting on it, and brought it upstairs to my room (Draco and I finally got our own rooms this summer now that we are older).  As I entered my room, I saw Dobby already sitting on my bed.  "Listen to me.  You cannot tell anyone what I'm about to tell you okay?" I asked Dobby.  He nodded, though I was unsure...Dobby was never one to keep a secret.  "You need to do anything you can...stop Harry Potter from going to Hogwarts this year.  Who knows what will happen if he gets to Hogwarts...keep me updated on everything you do," I said. 

Dobby nodded before disapparating somewhere with the snap of his fingers. 

Weeks went by and the summer dragged on.  I wrote to Fred and George several times, but I knew my father would never allow us to see each other. 

We finally did run into each other...in Diagon Alley.  Harry was there as well.  "A house elf was in my room," I heard Harry tell Hermione as I stood behind them in line at the bookstore.  Although the bookstore was packed and loud due to a famous wizard doing a book signing, I could hear Harry and Hermione's conversation loud and clear. 

"Seriously?" Hermione asked, looking confused.  I looked up at my dad and noticed he was listening to their conversation as well.  "He told me that Hogwarts isn't safe anymore...and to try to make me stay at home, he intercepted all the letters from you guys," Harry explained.  

I looked around the store, desperate to get away from my father before he put two and two together and realized it was me who sent Dobby to stop Harry.  Unfortunately, Dobby didn't do such a good job because he was here buying his school supplies for the upcoming year. 

"Leila!" a voice called from somewhere in the book store we were in.  I knew it was Fred's voice, so I made up an excuse to go say hi. "Dad I'm gonna go hang out with Draco," I said, motioning to my brother who was standing up on the second floor, looking down towards us.  "Very well, Leila," he replied dryly.  

I made my way through the crowded shop and found Fred and George smiling at me.  I hugged them each tightly, and a huge smile formed on my face.  "You excited to start school this year?" George asked as he handed me a chocolate frog.  "Yea definitely," I replied, popping the frog in my mouth.  "Wow this is good...where'd you get it?" I asked.  Fred and George watched me curiously as I devoured the frog.  "Our own invention," George said once he was sure I swallowed the candy.  I coughed, and looked at them with fear in my eyes.  

"The color is much better this time compared to the last test round," Fred said, taking a piece of my hair and examining it.  "Color?  Test round?" I said under my breath, before realizing exactly what they did to me.  "Oh darling please don't be mad at us," Fred said with a guilty smile.  George handed me a mirror and I shrieked in fear.  

My once beautiful white-blonde hair was now red...as red as any member of the Weasley family.  "Change it back...change it back right now," I demanded.  

Unfortunately for me, though, my father had just stepped up behind me.  "My father's going to kill-," I began, but stopped immediately when I noticed the fear on Fred and George's faces.  "What on earth did you give my daughter?" Father demanded.  

"Sir, p-please, sir, it was just a joke," George muttered, handing my dad the wrapper that the candy came in.  "Weasley's Wizards Wheezees," my father huffed, and examined the wrapper.  "I should've expected nothing less from the sons of that fool," my father spat.  "Dad!" I yelled, but said nothing more when Mr Weasley walked up to us, followed quickly by the rest of the Weasleys, Harry and Hermione.  "Fred! George!  How dare you give this girl one of your candies," Mrs Weasley yelled as she stared at my red hair in horror.  "It'll wear off in an hour," Fred muttered sheepishly, and I tried to suppress my laugh.  

"I told you these are the boys she hangs out with," Draco's voice said as he walked down the stairs to the first floor.  "Dear I am so sorry," Mrs Weasley said to me, completely ignoring my brother.  "Come Draco...come Leila.  Let's leave before we all get red hair," my father sneered as he pushed past the Weasleys and out the shop. 

"How dare you, Leila.  I expected better of you.  You are grounded until school starts...and no more writing letters to those boys," my father snapped.  "Lucius," my mother said, trying to calm him down, but we all knew his decision was final.