Lotus Lestrange and The Power of Memory

Sleepy Snake

"Ah, the hand of glory!" he exclaimed. "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," Uncle Lucius said harshly.

Borgin hastily backtracked. "No offense, sir, no offense meant-"

"Though if his grades don't pick up," Uncle Lucius continued in an even colder voice, "that may indeed be all he is fit for-"

"It's not my fault," Draco protested. The teachers all have favorites. That Hermione Granger-"

"I would have thought you'd be ashamed that a girl of no wizarding family beat you in every exam," his father snapped.

"What does that have to do with it?" Lotus protested. "She obviously can't do magic as well as Draco, but that doesn't stop her from memorizing things. In fact, that's probably all she can do, while Draco was actually using magic, that mudblood was probably spending all her time memorizing tests."

Draco smiled sheepishly at her, but Lucius just stared coldly. "I should hope Draco is more than capable of doing both," he said.

"It's the same all over," Borgin put in. "Wizarding blood is counting for less everywhere-"

Lucius's nostrils flared. "Not with me."

"No, sir, nor with me, sir," Borgin agreed with a ridiculously low bow, reminding Lotus of a house elf.

"But Hermione Granger beat everyone in every exam," Lotus tried, "so it really had nothing to do with-"

"Enough, Lotus!" he uncle snapped. "Mr. Borgin, perhaps we can return to my list, I am in something of a hurry. I have important business elsewhere today."

Draco came over to Lotus and they stood by the cabinet bemoaning the favoritism that Gryffindor's received at Hogwarts, before Uncle Lucius finally announced it was time to go.

They strode out into the dark alleyway and headed to the right. As they were walking, they passed a man of truly huge proportions.

Lotus whispered to Draco "Is that-"

"Yeah, Hagrid," he replied. "The stupid oaf."

Hagrid freaked Lotus out a little, and she was glad when the finally emerged into sunlight. Diagon alley was beautiful compared to Knockturn Alley, and she felt tension she didn't know she was holding out of her body. There was something so relaxing about the sun.

Uncle Lucius already had their money, of course, so they headed to Madame Malkins to get her robes. The exitment that had faded before came back in full force, so Lotus was practically wiggling by the time they entered the shop.

A kind looking woman bustled over to them. "Hello, Hogwarts, dear?" She asked Lotus. Lotus nodded, mute for once in her life. "Come right this way," the woman directed her onto a slight stand next another first year.

The girl smiled at her. "Hey, Lotus."

"Hello," Lotus replied cheerfully, frantically trying to recall her name.

The girl giggled. "Don't worry, It's Reneisha."

"Reneisha Shafiq! Of course! Sorry about that."

"No problem. I have trouble with names too."

Lotus grinned, but Madame Malkin told Reneisha she could go, and the pretty girl waved and hopped off the stand. "See you on the express!" Looping her arm around her mother's, she exited the shop. Lotus felt a tiny pang. She wished she had a mother who would get excited with her.