With the scene caused by Sebastian the Direwolf, Harry took it upon himself to present a calm persona, simply because he knew that panicking was to be of no avail. The attention was uncalled for, and while he was confident of himself, he was not one to want attention on himself either. His father had just herded Harry, Hermione and Harry's familiar into the more comfortably dark crevices of the already packed bookstore.
The younger Slytherins perused the bookshelves vigorously, feeling glad that the Potions Professor had taken them to the much more discreet spaces within Flourish and Blotts. Severus, after issuing a stern look of warning at the pair to not wander off too far, allowed the children to take a good look upon titles, knowing that his son and his friend were bookworms.
The small band had seen a few familiar faces-- schoolmates, yearmates, alumni of Hogwarts', a few dignitaries herding their own brood... Ah, indeed, the feel of the upcoming Term was strong in the air.
Among the children around Harry's age, Harry managed to spot a silver hair among the crowd. Out of interest, Harry cocked his head to an angle that Hermione immediately noticed.
"What is it, Harry?"
"Draco's here, 'Mione. Is that his father beside him?"
Hermione followed Harry's look, and a tall, patrician man who could easily be said as Draco's sire could be spotted standing, holding a cane, looking down on everyone else. The taut figure was graceful despite his lithe, tall frame, imposing authority on everyone. Hermione felt like cowering, not wanting to be subjected to the icy stare. Unlike Harry's father, the Malfoy patriarch made Hermione feel unsafe despite the distance between them.
Beside her, Harry laid a supporting clutch on her shoulder. As she looked back, she saw his green eyes giving her a strong look.
"Don't worry, 'Mione," Harry quipped, voice as steady as it always was, "he won't be able to get to you. Now, how about this book?"
Hermione's attention was about to shift to the small book Harry was holding when suddenly, a baritone voice, precise and clear, rang through the shelves.
"Ah, Severus, just the man I wanted to see!"
Turning around, Hermione's brown eyes widened as Lord Malfoy strode over to where they were, Draco in tow. The tapping of the man's cane resounded across the store upon being in contact with the ancient, parqueted floor of the bookshop, making people stop what they were doing. But one look towards the scene, onlookers decided it was best they do not interfere nor eavesdrop. It was a prominent rumour, of course, that both parties still worked for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named-- or at least, for the Dark Lord's lost cause.
"Hadrian, straighten your back," Hermione heard the tense order towards Harry from his father. To her, the dark man gave a firm, slight nod. Hermione gulped, but proceeded to heed the same order, keeping herself next to Hadrian, trying to blend in, as though she was a Pureblood herself. Behind the blonde man, Hermione saw Draco, looking quite different, for the other boy looked forlorn, silent, and calculated, far from the Draco she had always known.
For a while, she felt confused as to who was the real Draco, but as she took the chance to look at Harry, who beside her stood as confidently as ever, she knew exactly that there was nothing to fear-- not even the Rigid Draco with his equally as rigid father.
---
"Well met, Lord Malfoy," Hadrian heard his father greet the tall, pale, patrician man approaching them, "How is the Mistress Narcissa?"
Behind the man, Hadrian could see Draco, who was obviously as afraid of his own father as the rest of the crowd. Beside him, he could feel Hermione's breath hitch.
"This is indeed a splendid day, isn't it, Draco?" The man, Lord Malfoy, gleefully exclaimed.
"Yes, Sir," Draco answered readily.
"My wife is fine, Lord Prince," Lord Malfoy answered, voice laced with amusement, "Thank you for inquiring. Why are you here at this time of year?"
To this, Harry gave off an incredulous look. He was interested to meet the Lord Lucius Malfoy, but he did not expect for the man to be outright funny. He was, as people said of him, a dangerous acquaintance, but if anything, he was seemingly a man who saw himself as the best at what he does, pompous and arrogant. Surely, there was no mistake that he had the fortune, but Harry also knew that a man like Lucius Malfoy could be easily goaded into false promises and egoistic tendencies. If there was something Lucius Malfoy feared, it was to be embarrassed and proven wrong.
"I am with my son and a friend of his," Harry's father began, "Have you met him yet, Lucius?"
"I believe I have, but only in letters," the man said with a grin, "Draco often writes of him. He is in Slytherin, yes?"
That was his cue. Hadrian stepped up and presented himself, "Brandon Hadrian Snape, sir," he extended a hand, "Pleasure to be of your acquaintance. This is Hermione Granger, a good friend of mine."
Hermione, despite of her fear, presented herself as well.
The head of the Malfoy House cocked an eyebrow.
"A mudblood," he spatted with disdain, "Is this the kind of creatures you allow your own blood to be acquainted with, Snape? My, my," he gave off one of those nasty grins, making Hermione buckle a little, but did not make Harry falter one bit. If Lucius Malfoy was going to play the Insult game, it was right up Harry's alley. Lucius gave a bemused look at Severus, "like father, like son indeed."
To that, Harry had the perfect comeback, "Oh, but Lord Malfoy, of course. I would not dream to be like no one else other than my father," Harry stated unhesitatingly with a look of challenge in his emerald gaze, "But I am glad that Draco did not take after you, Sir," Harry said with a feigned tone of relief, "If I was him, I would feel glad as well. After all," Harry clucked his tongue, "who would want to be a slivering, cowardly viper without fangs?"
It took at least ten seconds for the elite Lord Malfoy to soak up Harry's words, but when it did, boy, did Harry feel ecstatic. The man's whole face turned tomato-red with fury, "Why, you little--"
As the Malfoy Lord was about to raise his hand to cane Harry, a threatening growl took him aback as Sebastian the Direwolf leaped between him and Hadrian Snape, flashed his shining fangs, with the direwolf's body on mode for attack should the threat become a danger for his Rider.
Harry could not see Draco as the other boy was hidden by his father's overly wide robes, but Harry was sure that even his friend had been surprised as well. Harry had never allowed himself to be that bold or scathing as he had just been with Draco's father, but to insult any of the people he held dear was a crime, and there was hell that was to be paid.
"Not so smart, are you, Lord Malfoy?" Harry asked with a small, knowing smile, "But for basis, I do know of how you had operated for your Master. You claim to be the most loyal of his pets, but the Dark Lord did not know how much of a coward you can be. You had betrayed him by stating you had been brainwashed, opting to become a prime witness rather than one of the suspects. Say, what would your old allies say of you when they learn that the perfect Lucius Malfoy had given up his own colleagues to be arrested instead of himself?"
People aroud them started to gossip, and Harry watched with fascination as the illustrious Lucius Malfoy strode off, rage and embarrassment heavily painted on his features. Draco had blue eyes wide; perhaps not expecting the blunt insults.
"Come along, Draco Lucius!" the man bellowed while Draco jumped and barely contained a yelp.
But before the Malfoy pair could exit Flourish and Blotts, the father stopped as redheads crowded the place. One by one, the rest of the Weasely clan entered the bookshop, drowning all else with red streaks, forming a red, red ocean of heads.
Harry didn't say anything as he went near the redheads. Severus and Hermione followed suit. There was a palpable cackle of tension, and they knew that what was to come would not be of any good.
"If it isn't the blood traitors," Lucius said acidly, eyes bearing murder, "Say, Arthur, old chap, still in debt? I very much hope that you could give me one of your children's clothes to give to my house elves at home. Or should I just employ one of your children as our househelp?"
Lucius' eyes went over the youngest, Ginny, and even towards Ronald. Arthur Weasely wasn't deterred at least, Harry could see, but there was a tensed movement along the man's jaw. The calm Weasely patriarch gave a short, terse answer, "Leave my kids alone, Lord Malfoy."
Lucius Malfoy released a snort, but ruffled the youngest Weasely's hair and exited the store with the same haughty look, nose in the air. Young Draco didn't say a thing, but offered a short look of apology towards the Weasely clan and ran off to follow his father.
Back at where they stood, Harry didn't let the Malfoy lord out of his sight until he wasn't able to spot Lucius.
Upon being unable to see or sense them, Harry gave the Weaselys a look of interest.
"Was that Malfoy's dad?" he heard Ronald pipe up, voice quivering a little.
The Weasely patriarch, who had just arrived after collecting his older sons, heaved off a sigh, "I suggest you keep yourselves out of his sight, children," he warned them, "Especially you, Ronald and Ginevra. And boys," he looked at the older Weaselys, "Keep your brother and sister safe. Keep each other safe. We do not know what Lord Malfoy is able to do should he chance upon you."
"Sure, Dad," the Twins said in unison.
"Yes, Sir," Percy agreed.
Harry did not say anything, but there was something peculiar about the rather dark aura coming from Lucius Malfoy.
Harry let off a small sigh. It was going to be a long, long year.