𝑾𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒍𝒆𝒚

16. Altercations in the bookstore

Justin chuckled as he and Ernie gathered the last of their books and headed for the checkout.

" No worries Ames. We'll go see a sweet shop after, yeah?" Ernie asked the two, his sweet tooth growing as he craved some chocolate.

" Hmm, some chocolate frogs sounds good right now." Amelia agreed.

The door to the bookstore opened and in enters the rest of the Weasley family alongside Harry Potter. Ernie was the first to notice the new addition of redheads.

" Uhh, Amelia, your family is here." He whispered carefully as he glanced over at the Weasleys. Amelia sighed, she turned around and saw her siblings roaming around for new books and her mother gazing lovingly at Lockhart.

" Oh great. Everyone is here." Amelia said, irritated by the presence of the people she tried to avoid.

" Why don't you go wait up there," Justin said as he pointed toward the stairs that led up to the second floor of the shop. " We're going to be a while here and they'll probably notice you," Justin added. The line was long as it would take at least nine minutes for the two of them to reach the cashiers.

" Okay. Don't be long." Amelia quickly added as she secretly made her way to the stairs with her head down and eyes on the floor.

Amelia climbed up the steps and stood away from view. But to her dismay, someone else was already there and they happened to be her least favorite person in Hogwarts, second to Harry Potter.

" Draco?" Amelia question. She saw the platinum blonde boy staring over the railing looking down at the view of the bookstore. His hair was unsurprisingly slicked back, not one strand out of place, as he wore his new Slytherin robes.

" What are you doing here, Weasley?" Draco sneered. Not once looking in Amelia's direction.

" Just browsing around," Amelia shrugged. She stared at Draco confused. She sensed something different about him. He looked different to her but at the same time, he didn't seem to change at all over the summer.

" Didn't realize you could afford anything here, you Weasel."

Amelia clenched her jaw, not wanting to ignite an argument. He's taller now. That's what different Amelia thought.

" No need for the hostility, Malfoy." Amelia joked. Draco snapped his attention toward her and glared.

Amelia noticed how he lost some of his babyface over the summer.

" Watch it, Weasley. "

" Why? What are you going to do? Cast a spell on me?" Amelia tested. Neither one could use magic on the other until they get to Hogwarts.

" Just you wait-" before he could finish, Draco got distracted by the large crowd that formed once Lockhart pulled harry towards him.

Amelia kept her distance from Draco as she neared the railing and looked out to notice the books her mother was holding. Which were only for Ginny.

" Unbelievable. " Amelia mumbled. Draco heard her and glanced at her quickly before returning his gaze to potter and Lockhart.

" What is?" He asked, Draco quickly regretted it as he didn't care for what she had to say.

" Just... Harry Potter ." Amelia covered. She didn't need Draco making fun of her lack of wealth and being the black sheep of the Weasley family. She knows he would have a field day.

" You don't like potter? Isn't he friends with your twin brother?" Draco asked, confused.

" What? Am I supposed to like all my brother's friends?" Amelia snapped, her eyes digging holes into Draco's head.

Draco, shocked by her reaction, took a step back. His mind wandered as to why she of all people disliked Harry Potter. If anything he assumed all the Weasleys liked him. And since Potter is best mates with her twin brother, wouldn't she also be on good terms with the chosen one?

" Forget it." Draco scoffed, he didn't like the way Amelia looked at him. 

But unaware of Draco, Amelia glared at the scared-faced boy with envy. She did not fail to notice how her mother took his books and smiled giddily towards Lockhart.

Was she going to buy Potter's books?

Ignoring them, Amelia looked for her two friends in the crowd. She spotted both Justin and Ernie near the checkout point. Amelia could help but wish that they would hurry up. She didn't want to be in the same place with both the Malfoy boy and her family.

" Ugh, could they hurry up?" Amelia mumbled as she stared at her two friends.

Draco looked at her questionably, absolutely clueless to the turmoil inside the redhead's mind.

Once both Hufflepuff boys made their way toward the exit, Amelia sprinted down toward them. Not sparing the Malfoy another thought.

" Took you lot long enough," Amelia complained as the three walked out of the store. " I was left alone with Malfoy."

" Malfoy? I didn't see him in there?" Justin spoke as he held his bag of books toward his chest.

" You lack observation skills then," Amelia said.

" Ames? Are you not going to buy your books?" Ernie asked. He noticed that the Weasley's hands were empty of any school item that was needed for the new year.

" Don't have the funds for them," Amelia mumbled as her face turned red from the embarrassment.  The young witch still needed a plan to get the books. She had no choice since they were crucial to her education.

Well, how important could books by Lockhart be? Amelia thought. There must be some other way to get my books. Could I ask a teacher? Rent them from the library? Though, it's doubtful Hogwarts even have Lockhart books. Maybe I could-

"  Hey, you think I could duplicate your books once we get to Hogwarts?" Amelia questioned the two boys.

" Duplicate them? Is that even legal?" Justin asked. He just found out about being a wizard for almost a year now. He still doesn't quite understand the laws that come with living in the Wizarding world.

"It's not illegal to use the duplicate spell.." Ernie commented.

" Yeah, I could just duplicate them once we're at Hogwarts!" Amelia said cheerfully as they entered a sweet shop.

" Or you could borrow mine when we study?" Justin offered.

" I could but it would be a lot more work. Easier if I had my copy of the books." Amelia said as she eyed the few chocolate frogs left.
Justin sighed but eventually agreed to it.

" Do you even know the spell?" Ernie asked the Weasley.

" Of course I do! Who do you take me for?" Amelia smiled.