Chapter Forty-Two: Diagon Alley Bust Up
The first thing Lina and Remus did when they got to Diagon Alley was go to Gringotts bank, there Lina took out the money she would need for not only to buy her new school things but also enough to last her the rest of the year.
As the pair left the grand marble building Lina spotted Cedric with his parents, Cedric's back was to her so she took this as an opportunity to scare him. She left her uncles side to sneak up to her friend, when she was behind him she went up on her tiptoes and whispered boo.
Cedric jumped and whipped around only to see Lina bent double over laughing, he mocked glared at her "I hate you."
"No you don't" she smiled cheekily at him. "Hello, Mr and Mrs Diggory" Lina greeted once she had stopped laughing.
"Hello, Lina dear," Mrs Diggory said, "you're not here on your own are you?"
"No, my uncle is with me but I left him when I saw Cedric" she craned her next to look over the crowds of people and saw Remus making his way over to the four "he's coming this way now."
"Amos, Louisa" Remus greeted the parents.
"Remus, how are you?" Mrs Diggory asked.
"Well, And yourselves."
"Very well, now I was thinking we could leave the kids to get their school things by themselves they are old enough after all and we could all have a drink" Mr Diggory didn't look too happy with his wife's suggestion but agreed nevertheless, Remus after making sure Lina would be alright left with Cedric's parents to The Leaky Cauldron.
"Well that was-"
"A little awkward" Lina suggested.
"Yeah" Cedric laughed.
"So do you want to go and get some ice cream?" Lina asked.
"Yeah and then can we talk?"
"Of course." In Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour the two sat outside both eating double chocolate chip ice creams "so what's up?"
Cedric took a deep breath "obviously you know I'm prefect and quidditch captain this year" Lina nodded "Justin wrote me a letter giving me advice on how to be a good quidditch captain he said about leadership skills that sort of thing but he also mentioned that every great captain is only as good as their vice-captain, someone who takes over if something is wrong with the captain, he said it needed to be someone I trust and who will bring out the best in me. It didn't take much thought really on who that would be so Eve will you be my vice-captain?"
"Oh my Merlin, yes, of course, I will be!"
"Thank Merlin you said yes, I thought you wouldn't for some stupid reason."
"Very stupid, well we best not lose this year then."
After the two had finished their ice creams they headed for the shops, they both picked up some new quill and parchment, Cedric bought himself a new broom repair kit, and in Magical Menagerie Lina bought some more cat treats and grooming stuff.
An hour later after having been in every shop and getting everything but their books, they decided it was finally time to go to Flourish and Blotts, as they approached they noticed a massive crowd mainly elder witches waiting outside the shop. "What the...." Lina trailed, Cedric pointed to the large sign in the shop's window.
GILDEROY LOCKHART
Will be signing copies of his autobiography
MAGICAL ME
Today 12:30 - 4.30
"But he's here all day!" Lina said throwing her hands up.
"Then we might as well get it over with, come on" Cedric grabbed Lina's hand and lead her past the witches and into the shop, the shop itself was as equally as busy as the entrance, a long queue lead right to the back of the shop, Lina looked around the shop and saw at the back Lockhart with Harry, his arm was clamped around him with Harry not looking too pleased, mixed in with the crowd she also saw the Weasley family, Hermione and her parents.
"Ladies and gentleman," Lockhart said waving for quiet "what an extraordinary moment this is! The perfect moment for me to make a little announcement I've been sitting on for some time! When young Harry here stepped into Flourish and Blotts today, he only wanted to buy my autobiography - which I shall be happy to present him now, free of charge- " the crowd started to applaud "he had no idea that he would shortly be getting much, much more than my book, magical me. He and his schoolfellows will, in fact, be getting the real magical me. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have great pleasure and pride in announcing that, this September, I will be taking up the post of defence against the dark arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!" Lina then saw Lockhart give Harry the entirety of his books, Harry somehow under the weight of them all staggered over to Ginny.
"I think it might be best if I get the books," Cedric said.
"Are you sure?" Lina asked in reply.
"Yeah, the witches are starting to get rowdy for Lockhart, I'd feel better with you here out the way."
The look on Cedric's face showed there was no room for arguments. Lina sighed "alright fine but here" she gave Cedric enough money to buy her books "good luck." She watched him disappear into the crowd, she then looked back to where she last saw Harry and Ginny only now they weren't alone. Hermione and Ron were with the, and standing in front of them was a boy with silvery blonde hair, Draco. Lina saw Ron lunge for Draco but was held back by Harry and Hermione.
Lina pushed through the crowd immediately to get to the group. "Hello all" Lina said upon reaching them, she stood next to Draco.
"Lina!" Harry said visibly relaxing, there was no way Draco would say or do anything with Lina there.
"Evangelina" Draco greeted.
"Draco, is everything all right here?"
"Of course cousin, just chatting with Potter and Weasley."
"Just chatting?" Her eyes flickered to Ron who glaring daggers at Draco.
Ron opened his mouth to speak but it wasn't his voice that spoke "Ron!" Mr Weasley said coming over with Fred and George "ah Lina! When did you get here?"
"Hello Mr Weasley, not too long ago, it's crazy in here isn't it?"
"That's what I was thinking, come on kids, let's go outside."
"Well, well, well, Arthur Weasley," Lucius Malfoy said coming up being Draco and Lina.
"Uncle," Lina said in surprise.
Lucius peered down the end of his nose at Lina "Evangelina, why am I not surprised to see you with this company, Draco told me you have a muggle friend as well as being in Hufflepuff, I must say I am as disappointed in you as ever."
Lina looked at the ground, she wasn't surprised at his comments, after all, every time she saw him he would make some comment about her appearance or the company she kept and usually it didn't bother her but saying it in front of her friends made her feel embarrassed and less, which is exactly what he wanted.
"Lucius," Mr Weasley said drawing the attention off Lina.
Lucius looked away from Lina to Mr Weasley "busy time at the ministry, I hear" he said "all those raids, I hope they're paying you overtime? Lucius then reached into Ginny's cauldron and extracted from in between the new Lockhart books an old battered copy of A Beginners Guide to Transfiguration. "Obviously not. Dear me, what's the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?" Mr Weasley flushed a deep shade of red.
"We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizards Malfoy" Mr Weasley replied.
"Clearly," Malfoy senior said his eyes flickering to Hermione's parents "the company you keep Weasley is nearly as bad as my nieces and here I thought your family could sink no lower."
Mr Weasley threw himself at Lucius, Fred managed to pull Lina out the way before she got hit. Ginny's cauldron went flying, the two adults crashed into a bookshelf causing dozens of heavy spell books to come flying down upon them. The shop assistants tried to break them apart with little effect, it wasn't until Hagrid appeared amongst the sea of people and pulled them apart did they stop, Mr Weasley has a cut on his lip and Lucius had been hit in the eye by a book and was somehow still holding Ginny's tattered transfiguration book which he thrust at her "here girl, take your book, it's the best your father can do" Lucius pulled himself out of Hagrid's grip, gave Lina another disgusted look, beckoned to Draco and left.
"Yeh should've ignored him, Arthur," Hagrid said "rotten ter the core, the whole family, everyone knows that. No Malfoy's worth listenin ter, bad blood, that's what it is. Come on now, let's get outta here."
They all left the shop but without Cedric, Lina wouldn't be going too far away, she mumbled a farewell to the Weasley's, Harry and Hermione and settled down on a nearby bench.
Ten minutes later Cedric rushed out the shop, the books he bought were wrapped up in his arms "Eve!"
Lina looked up from the stone on the floor in front of her "hey."
"Are you alright? I saw the fight, what happened?"
Lina sighed as Cedric sat down next to her placing the packages in front of them "Fred got me out the way in time, my uncle was insulting everyone thinking he's so superior as usual."
"Did he insult you?" Lina looked away from Cedric and nodded "what did he say?" Cedric asked trying to keep calm.
"The usual, he's disappointed in me and the company I keep, amongst other things."
"He's a twat" Lina looked at Cedric shocked, it was a rarity for anyone to say anything bad about Lucius Malfoy so openly "what he is."
"Yeah, I guess he is" Lina giggled.
"Eve?"
"Yeah?"
"Why do you call him uncle?"
Lina thought for a moment before answering "it's a respect thing, not that he deserves it much mind you. I've addressed him like that for as long as I've known him. I honestly think I'm scared what would happen if I didn't call him that."
"You shouldn't be scared of him or let him make you feel like shit because he isn't worth it, you are so much better than him, hell than all your family, I mean it!"
"Ced I-"
"I really man it, Eve, I won't have him make you feel less than you are, not when you're the kindest, funniest most amazing person I know." The pair has gradually moved closer to each other and we're looking each other straight in the eyes.
"There you both are!" The pair brook eye contact to see Cedric's parents and Lina's uncle standing before them, Remus was watching them with an eyebrow quirked and a small smirk on his lips. "Have you both got everything you need?" Mrs Diggory asked the pair nodded.
"Come on then Lina we best be getting home now" Remus said.
Lina nodded and quickly kissed Cedric's cheek "thank you, I want you to know you're amazing too" she took the books that were hers off the ground and left with her uncle leaving Cedric sitting on the bench his cheeks tinted red and his mouth agape.