Cayden escaped into the shop to get away from the Weasley's only to be surrounded by Gildory Lockheart Fans. He went upstairs to find the used books. Less people were on the second floor but the noise still carried. He walked towards the used book's bin as he had done every year before realising that he had enough money to buy new books. He had never had anything new; it was always handed down. He read some of Lockheart's books and honestly couldn't see what all the fuss was about. He wasn't an amazing writer and honestly all of his books had a completely different tone and take on the adventure. It really seemed like all the man was, was a smile for the cover. He went and got the books he needed for school as well as some parchment. The books were thirty six galleons and the parchment and quills were 4 galleons, 3 sickles and 12 knuts. After he spent all his money on new books for the reading list he still had 44 galleons, 5 sickles and 17 knuts saved up. He needed a place to store his money so he found the Malfoys before telling them he was going to shop for a bit. They allowed him and he found Madam Malkin's shop. He stepped in for the first time as Cayden and she didn't even notice him. He went up to her table and asked for fabric scraps. She always used to give him scraps of leftover fabric and sometimes she would even have some leftover leather or higher quality that she would give him. Today however she looked at him with a confused look on her face.
"Fine, I have a few things out back, follow me." She said as she walked to the back of her shop. He was able to find a bit of leather and some fabric he could use to make clothes.
"Madam, thank you so much I have missed this." He said.
"No you haven't. I know everyone who has ever bought a robe from me and I have never before seen you in my shop so tell me boy, who are you?" She asked without a trace of a smile on her face.
"Can you keep a secret?" He asked.
"What do you mean?" She demanded.
"If I tell you who I really am, I mean really I'm Cayden but if you want to know why I know you so well and claim to know you then you need to promise me that you won't tell anyone no matter what who I am."
"Fine fine fine I would like to know. I promise I will never tell anyone." She says. Cayden then lifts the spell and she sees his familiar face.
"Oh my. What did you do to your hair, Oh merlin Molly has been worried sick about you." Madam starts before he cuts her off.
"Well she shouldn't be, she is the one who disowned me. I told her all she needed to do was accept me but nope she just sent a howler disowning me instead." He says annoyed.
"I-I'm sorry she did what." Madam says before Cayden puts the spell back on.
"Yeah turns out she can't handle her perfect Gryffindor daughter being her slytherin son." He says.
"Oh my sweetie. I'm so sorry." She says as she gives him a hug. "Oh merlin who are you staying with please tell me you aren't on the streets."
"No no don't worry I still attend Hogwarts and I spend the summer with friends." He says giving his best fake and happy smile.
"Well here take the scraps, even take a few needles and thread it's on me today." She says.
"No its fine really I got a job I can pay you." He says handing over 2 galleons 5 sickles and 10 knuts. "This should cover it right."
"This is more than enough here." She says giving him an extra yard of fabric. "They gave me the wrong one but I know this is your favourite whenever you used to come in so take this Oh and some silver and green fabric. You will need it as a proud slytherin." She says.
"Thank you so much, this is so generous." He says stuffing it in his bag.
"You are welcome in my shop anytime Cayden." She says with a wink as he leaves the shop.
By the time he got back to flourish and bolts the store was even more packed only now it had the added golden trio. He went upstairs to find Malfoy checking out some of the new books from the reading list just in time to to hear gilderoy lockhart shout.
"It can't be Harry Potter?" He shouted before grabbing the boy's arm which caught Caydens
attention. He knew he was in for a show so he poked Draco on the back to watch. They saw as they talked and took pictures for the front page. Draco and Cayden laughed at how ridiculous Lockheart was being. Unfortunately neither of them saw what was coming next when he made his big announcement. No. Possible. Way. He was going to be their teacher, he could barely understand what was going on in his books and now he had to take classes from this buffoon. He is sure that Lockheart is a decent person but his books are like campfire stories, they don't have any educational value at all. It would be as if Cayden told the story of what had happened last year only without any actual educational value just 'I hit a troll' and 'I figured out what a plant was' without any extensive writing on how to do what he did.
By the time he was finished Draco had decided to pick fun at Harry and Cayden knew yet again he would be the one running damage control. He ran downstairs just in time to find Draco standing face to face with Harry. He found himself face to face with Ginny.
"Famous Harry Potter," He started as Cayden tried to mask his fear with annoyance. "Can't even go into a bookshop without making the front page." He continues with his usual level of sneer.
"Leave him alone, he didn't want all that." Said Ginny. Cayden tried not to smile at his younger sister. She had always been brave; he once saw her lecture Fred and George after one of their "harmless pranks" nearly ended with scabbers suddenly sprouting a third limb. He saw that same glare she was wearing that day on her face now.
"Potter, you've got yourself a girlfriend?" Draco jokes earning him an almost unnoticeable, to Harry and Ginny, kick to the back of the legs. He scowled at Cayden while Ginny turned a bright red. They soon notice Ron and Hermonie making their way to the commotion with a stack of Lockheart's books.
"Oh it's you guys." Said Ron making sure to hold his glare at Cayden before turning to Draco. "Bet you're surprised to see Harry here, eh." He says looking at Malfoy as if he was something disgusting he happened to cross.
"Not as surprised as I am to see you in a shop, Weasley." Draco starts.
"Wow look you are carrying to book's almost as if you will actually read them this year." Cayden interrupts before Draco gets too heated with Ron. Ron shifted his glare back to Cayden who had a completely neutral expression on his face trying not to let all of the anger sounding him take over. Ron was almost as red as his sister before Mr. Weasley appeared with Fred and George.
"Ron! What are you doing? It's mad in here, let's go outside." He says before looking at the group around him. Cayden hadn't been able to see his father since last year and he hadn't been this close to his brothers in just as long. He was fighting every urge to run up to them and hug them with sobs of how he misses them. However he was with the Malfoys so his expression had to remain cold and distant.
"Well, well, well — Arthur Weasley." Spoke Mr. Malfoy, placing a supportive hand on his son and a death grip on Caydens shoulder with a large sneer that Cayden could feel without even looking up.
"Lucius," Mr. Weasley said with a cold yet formal nod.
"Busy time at the Ministry, I hear," Mr. Malfoy started. "All those raids ... I hope they're paying you overtime?" He said while releasing his grasp on Cayden and reaching his hand into Ginny's cauldron. Cayden breathed a small sigh of relief being free from Mr. Malfoys intense fury. He grabs Ginny's used books, managing to single them out from the selection of brand new Lockhart books.
"Obviously not," he said. "Dear me, what's the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizards if they don't even pay you well for it?" It took all of Cayden's strength not to break right then and there, but he managed by some imaginable strength to say calm and not risk everything. He tried his best to stay still and silent as he watched his fathers face flush a brighter red than Ginny and Ron. It took absolutely everything in him not to yell, 'my father works twice as hard every day then you ever have in your entire life, he is more of a wizard than you are and is a better father than you could ever imagine to be.' But he didn't. He kept silent. In future years Cayden will wonder if he had broken right then and there would everything have worked out better, would he not have suffered what's to come, would he have been able to reconnect with his family and apologise for leaving them so soon, but he doesn't. He stays quiet. He stays quiet as their argument continues. He stays quiet as they fight. He stays quiet as the father he admires breaks down. He stays quiet as Mr. Malfoy drops books into Ginny's cauldron. And he stays quiet as they leave the bookstore, despite every bone in his body telling him to turn around and despite the physical pain he feels as his body tries to reject the decision to move. He silently walks out of the bookstore.
UNEDITED
WORDCOUNTER: 1731
A/N
I know this chapter is a little shorter but I think I make up quantity with quality. I guess we wait to see what will happen in future chapters. I wonder if any of you can already guess it. For now I will say to you all to have a good day but I hope to have more chapters ready. My goal is to get to the point where I can release one chapter a week but if I'm being honest that's most likely not going to happen until the summer. Either way I hope you all enjoyed feel free to leave comments, questions, and constructive criticism and have a good day.