Harri quickly discovered that she really liked Mrs. Malfoy, the pleasant but no-nonsense woman insisted on paying for her school robes, claiming that it wouldn't even make a dent in her vault. Like the good little orphan that she is, Harriet readily accepted after refusing the polite amount of times. She walked with them to meet Lucius Malfoy, holding Harri's and Draco's shoulder, Harri who didn't like to be touched at all didn't mind Mrs. Malfoy hold, a steady comfortable presence next to her.
Draco, on their way, made his job to explain to Mrs. Malfoy everything he had discovered about her on their short time in Madame Malkin's fitting room, including that she lived with muggles, at least Narcissa took it better than Draco did, with a well trained perfectly poised face, she wondered what they would think when she told them it was an orphanage. Harri still couldn't fathom why they cared.
They quickly got to Flourish and Blotts, they were to meet with Lucius there, Mrs. Malfoy told her. It was very busy, people bustling everywhere, it must be the time everyone got their school supplies, Harri mused. She wondered how much time she had before Hogwarts started, probably not much because humans in general, magic or no magic, were a lazy, unprepared species, you could see that here in Diagon Alley, you could see that with Dumbledore. They waited for the last moment of everything, she betted that happened with her this time also.
It wasn't hard to spot Mr. Malfoy. He stood tall and proud, most gravitating around him, his presence imposing, the intimidating cane added to it. It reminded her of the rich man in movies, respected (feared the back of her mind added). It was much different from everything she knew, outside the few far in between films, and she ached for it. She wanted everything, starved for it. Mrs. Malfoy exuded the same presence, but subtler.
Mrs. Malfoy tightened her grip on her shoulder as soon they spotted Lucius but she didn't miss a beat, whatever made her feel like this wasn't enough to get her to stop. He stood talking with another wizard, both looking serious and grim.
"Lucius," Mrs. Malfoy said pleasantly, turning to the strange man "Mr. Parkinson, a pleasure to see you here," Her smile was the very picture of the perfect housewife, her eyes were anything but, Mr. Parkinson who didn't seem very smart was surprisingly quick to figure out that it was time to take his leave.
"I must be going. Lucius, Narcissa, a pleasure to see you both," Parkinson bid his goodbyes, as he made his way out his eyes narrow on her, surprise than suspicion makes place on his face. He shots an undecipherable look at Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy and quickly strides out of the store.
"Lucius, did you buy Draco's books yet," Narcissa asks, briskly ignoring Mr. Malfoy's looks that Harri is sure are about her.
"Not yet, Parkinson... seized my time," He explained with a grimace, remembering the man.
"We'll wait for you here. Don't forget to buy double," Her voice was completely oblivious, daring him to question her.
"Really Narcissa?" He hissed, risking another glance at Harri. Harriet knew that if she was Mr. Malfoy she wouldn't dare to make Narcissa angry, much less question her decision.
He was cut with a look, it transmitted everything with a single glance "We'll talk about it later,"
When they settled on staring at each other for a second before Harri had to interrupt them "Mrs. Malfoy I also have to buy my books,"
"Why do you think I sent Lucius to buy double?" She asked with and raised an eyebrow. The truth was Harri didn't even think much of it, Mrs. Malfoy already brought her robes and she couldn't imagine anyone doing that for her, much less strangers. Harri didn't say anything only gazed into Mrs. Malfoy's eyes for what felt like an eternity.
Then she turned to the both of them. "Harriet I would like you to come with us today," She explained, but not saying anything else about the school books. Quickly wanting to forget her mistake, she thought about Mrs. Malfoy's proposal, though it did feel suspicious that they were buying her supplies than asking that, Harri couldn't deny her want to stay with them.
"I have to meet Dumbledore, at the end of the day. At Ollivanders," She warned, not because she wanted to meet with him but because he was her way back at the orphanage. That left a bitter feeling, she just discovered this new world, a world she was a part of and everything had to be over, and she probably wouldn't even have any contact with magic until school started.
"Don't worry about it Harriet," She smiled, then turned to Draco. "You wouldn't mind if Harriet came with us, would you dear?"
"No mother, she's ok," He said snootily as if minutes in the past he didn't look like he was having the time of his life with her.
She focused on a spot in between all the people at the book store and didn't make herself look at them until Mr. Malfoy came back, no books in sight. He must have made them magically small or made them go away to his home, her mind came up with ideas, distracting her.
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When they went to see the broomsticks per Draco's whining, Narcissa pulled Mr. Malfoy aside for a few minutes while Draco explained quidditch to her. When they came back Mr. Malfoy looked at her in a different light and stopped glancing suspiciously at her. They went on their way, buying apothecary ingredients, quills of different colors and functions, notebooks and parchment, then they bought caldrons and a telescope for astronomy. All bought by the Malfoy's, she still couldn't truly believe this, or that it came without a price but after the second time, she stopped trying to offer to pay it herself.
They quickly approached the pets part on hers and Draco's school list. They were supposed to bring a cat, owl or a toad.
"Mother, I already have an owl," Draco exclaimed when Mrs. Malfoy said they were looking at pets next.
"But Harriet doesn't, does she?" She raised an eyebrow, successfully scolding him by the apologetic look Draco sent her. He never apologized, he sent apologetic glances, looked sorry, corrected himself but never apologized.
"Look at the other pets while Miss Potter searches for her own," Mr. Malfoy suggested, brightening up Draco's mood.
"Perfect. Lucius, you and Harriet should look for the pet. Draco and I will find you later," She briskly grabbed Draco's shoulder and went to the exotic animal section. Leaving her and Mr. Malfoy alone.
She looked at Mr. Malfoy, waiting for him to say something.
"Let's go, Miss Potter," He betrayed no emotion, if he felt something about being stranded with her, he didn't show it. Together they walked to the common pets section, filled with owls, cats, reptiles, and dogs.
They stood in the middle of it all, Mr. Malfoy looking at her expectantly. When it became clear she wasn't going to do anything either, he rolled his eyes.
"Which do you want?" He asked, his cane slightly pointing to the animals.
"I don't think I want one," She also didn't see why she should have one, especially now. Harri would be studying, learning magic, probably too busy to care for a pet.
"They are not just pets, you'll use them in classes. Owls also deliver letters for you,"
"I don't need an owl then," She almost snorted, why should she get an animal that was the constant reminder that she didn't have anyone to write or get letters from. They would stand there doing nothing all day until she had to use them for classes.
"I wouldn't be too sure about that. Besides they are the most useful," He drawled slightly, subtly nudging her to get one.
When she didn't say anything else, Mr. Malfoy raised an eyebrow and jerked his head towards the animals, silently saying for her to choose. Harri gritted her teeth at the command but dutifully went to get a closer look at the animals. Instantly her eyes were drawn to a snowy owl, regally sitting on her cage. She took a step closer and when the owl didn't protest she put one finger half in the cage, the owl instantly nudged her hooting softly.
"I want her," She demanded to Mr. Malfoy, who nodded in reluctant approval.
"Fair choice," He then signaled to the storekeeper, who brought the owl down and took them to the counter.
This time she watched quietly as Mr. Malfoy paid for the owl. Harri didn't mind when people brought things for her, gave her money, she grew up with the notion that she should be extremely grateful when people gave her things, and even now she couldn't find it in herself to be ashamed for not minding when Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy brought her things.
On their way to find Draco and Mrs. Malfoy, clutching her owl, he and Harri managed some small talk.
"Narcissa tells me you grow up... muggle?" He said the word muggle with distaste as if tasting something sour.
"Yeah," She said, too awkward for her taste "I only found out about magic today,"
"Dumbledore was the one to inform you of it," He wasn't asking. She nodded just as they passed some fur balls animals. She had to get a book on magical animals, they were so different from 'normal' ones.
"It should have been a teacher, they were supposed to inform you of everything and walk you through everything," He informed her "I will have to speak of this incident with the Board of Governors, it's a grave mistake,"
"I hope something will happen to him," She informs viciously, feeling even angrier towards the old headmaster.
"Oh don't worry it will," For the first time since they meet Mr. Malfoy showed her more than some assemble of positive emotion with a small smirk.
They finally found Draco and Mrs. Malfoy looking at small rabbits with antlers, they were ranging from snow white to deep black. She immediately walked over to stand beside Draco, clutching her owl's cage tighter when the rabbit lookalikes made noise when they saw her owl.
"What are they?" Harri asked Draco quietly, trying not to startle the small creatures.
"Jackalopes. They're like rabbits but better, magical," Draco grinned at her, obviously delighted with the cute animals "And they are pretty rare, most of them are in the wild,"
Harri couldn't help to give a small smile back, it sounded exactly like the type of animal Draco would like, rare and magical. And it didn't hurt that they were very cute.
"Children, it's time to go," Narcissa called out to them, smiling at the way Draco huffed at being pulled away from the jackalopes.
The only stop left was for her wand, Draco brought his the minute he got to Diagon Alley. 10 inches long, made of hawthorn wood, and with a unicorn hair core, and it was safely tucked in Mr. Malfoy's pocket.
Harri almost forgot that she was supposed to meet Dumbledore but the second they stepped out of the pet shop it came crashing down. She had a very nice day and it was going to be ruined by the old headmaster, he was going to ruin it and then bring her back to the orphanage. She subconsciously tightened her grip in the cage in her arms.
They quickly approached Ollivander's, she could already make Dumbledore out in front of the store. Nodding and smiling to the people passing by who were mostly delighted to see him. She could tell the exact moment he spotted her and the people she was with, his smile dropped and he fully stared at them. He tried to recover from the abrupt mood change but couldn't get past a grimace.
"Narcissa, Lucius," He greeted cordially when they approached him "Pleasure seeing you, I must thank you for keeping young Harriet company but we must get going," He clearly wanted to get out of there as soon as possible, the Malfoy's Family presence deeply bothering.
Harri knew that there was something going on between the Malfoy and the old headmaster, the distaste obvious with the Malfoy Family but now she could see it ran deeper than simple dislike. Dumbledore also reciprocated the feeling, his subtle but deep distaste ran deep, clouding every other emotion of his.
"I don't think so, Headmaster," Lucius met his intensity, glaring at him.