WIZARDING FABLES || An Anthology of Magical Stories

Bitter Buddies

July/August 2021: "What if Harry had shook Draco's hand that day?"

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Harry James Potter and Draco Lucius Malfoy, you say? As friends, you say?

Curious things you ask of me, my friend. Especially when half of the fandom sees these two as arch-nemeses, each the perfect foil of the other, and the other half as angst-ridden, fiery-hot lovers. (Yes, I am looking at you, fellow fan-fiction writers. And no, I do not ship the two, sorry.)

Now then, before I bore you with the actual story that you came here for, there may be a thing or two more to add: I, the author, was having a recurring mind-block when one fine day, I GOT AN IDEA! I don't think you can tell, but, I am quite literally jumping with joy because those things are rare.

I decided I would try my luck with comedy!

In hindsight, that last sentence in itself is probably more hysterical than anything I attempt to write for I know I do not write witty literature...so you might as well just close this tab and go on with your merry day, I shall not waste your very precious time.

...

Still here?

Well, I must say that I applaud your courage, good human. Thank you, I truly appreciate it. And, enough of my blabbing, let's get to it.

***

It was like any other business day at Madam Malkin's Robe Shop. I can only assume it was like any other, it is not like she knew The Famous Harry Potter was to set foot into her shop when she opened business that day. Anyways, since it was close to the start of a new term at Hogwarts, she was seeing many young men and women come and leave the store with crisp, brand new robes.

She welcomed a mother-and-son duo to the store, who seemed as if they had stepped out of a modern period drama of the nineteenth century aristocracy that one finds on Netflix these days. The woman; she was beauty, she was grace, and most importantly she looked like she would punch your face, all while sipping on some pungent Earl Grey.

The boy-- whose identity, I am sure, is painfully obvious-- had that same ghost-pale blonde hair and a haughty aura to him. His pointy face held his chin up high as he strode into the shop.

The woman spoke in a polite yet collected manner: "Good morning, I'd like to buy a set of good robes for my little boy here."

To which Madam Malkin said, "Hogwarts crowd, I take it? The order is the usual- a minimum of one plain work robe and one winter robe."

"Yes. My little Slytherin boy," the woman gushed, ruffling the boy's hair.

"Right this way, ma'am," said Madam Malkin cheerily, her gorgeously mauve robes leading the way to the back of the store. Her magical measuring tape got to work as she disappeared into the storeroom to fetch some fittings for the boy to trial. She promptly returned with some garments. The other woman picked a robe made of the finest cotton blend and put it on her darling son, who looked like a clothing hanger in those oversized clothes.

"The next size," mumbled the blonde woman to herself. She found a satisfactory fit and stowed those robes on a counter nearby. "Gosh, Draco, my boy...look at how you've grown up!"

To which the pointy-faced boy said, "Yes mother, make this quick so we can get myself a proper broomstick!"

Enter our main protagonist, the namesake of the original book, our hero Harrison Potter. 

Madam Malkin heard the bell on the door rattle. And lo, there the prophesied saviour of the wizarding world stood in his shining-- I am tempted to say "armour", but who am I kidding-- no, rather dull clothes. His pickled-toad green eyes darted hither and thither, making his nervousness blatant.