Blaise joined the group early afternoon on Friday, only after he arrived and tackled Draco to the floor while Mrs Zabini and Mrs Malfoy looked on in hidden amusement at their antics. Emperor had pounced on the two boys, squishing both of them while they tickled the feline to get off of them.
Rebekah was introduced to Mrs Zabini, a beautiful witch with the smoothest and richest skin she had ever seen. Rebekah realised where Blaise got his good looks, Mrs Zabini laughed and it reminded Rebekah of Aunt Petunia's high pitched fake laugh. Rebekah returned it with a forced beaming smile.
On Wednesday morning, Mr and Mrs Malfoy had the House-Elves wake all the children up. Emperor tried to attack the House-Elf but he missed as the creature popped away quickly. They all had breakfast at the table and it was a quiet affair, leaving for Diagon Alley just before ten o'clock.
They first went to Gringotts.
The Goblin from a year ago greeted the group of four children and two adults.
"Good morning, Malfoys, Mr Zabini, Miss Greengrass, Miss Potter," He said and nodded to each individual. "I suspect you want to go and visit your vaults, yes?"
"Yes," Mr Malfoy said. "Malfoy, Potter, Zabini, and Greengrass vaults. We will begin with whichever is closest and end with the furthest one."
"Keys?" Mrs Malfoy placed two keys on the high desk, Daphne's and Blaise's, while Mr Malfoy lifted his hand and motioned for Rebekah to do the same. "Yes. You received your ring last summer, Miss Potter. Have you had any problems with the sizing or such things?"
"Not at all, no," Rebekah replied, making Allor nod.
"Good," He gestured to a door near him. "Come, this won't take long. All of your vaults are in close proximities."
Rebekah still hated the way down. First was the Zabini Vault at seven hundred and ninety-eight, then Greengrass at eight hundred and forty-three, and then Rebekah's vault, and only a few vaults down was the Malfoy Vault.
Mrs Malfoy took Daphne and Blaise to get new school robes while Mr Malfoy took Draco and Rebekah to get rid of some artefacts.
Borgin and Burkes sat at 13B down Knockturn Alley, dealing in ancient and unusual Wizarding artefacts. It was a large shop with a damp wall of mould coloured green and creaking wood floors. In a single glass case, a withered hand sat with a glass eye and a bloody pair of playing cards. Human bones sat on the counter next to a bell while rusty assortments of spiked instruments hung by hooks from the ceiling.
Mr Malfoy opened the door and allowed Draco and Rebekah to go through. He walked across the empty shop without sparing a look at any of the things on display. He rang the bell once and gave both children a pointed look. "Touch nothing, children."
"I thought you were going to buy me a present," Draco said as Rebekah swatted his hand away from the glass eye.
"Yes, a racing broom," Mr Malfoy drummed his fingers against the counter.
"I'm not even on the House team," Draco whined.
"You can try out this year," Rebekah said, rolling her eyes. "I only got on the team because of this," She gestured to her covered shoulder, "And because Slytherin needed a Chaser. You might replace Higgs, he graduated last year."
"See? I do hope you do get onto the team, I'll be able to buy everyone new brooms then," Mr Malfoy said as he watched a man appear, pulling his greasy grey hair back. "Mr Borgin."
"Mr Malfoy, a pleasure to see you again," Mr Borgin said, smiling slightly yellowed teeth. "And young Master Malfoy."
Rebekah jabbed Draco in the side lightly, he did it back as they both smiled and silently laughed.
"And who's she?"
"Miss Rebekah Potter," Mr Malfoy introduced as Mr Borgin brought his hand out. Rebekah hesitated but shook it, and when he didn't let go in time, a sharp shock vibrated through his hand. He jolted his hand back with a hiss and an impressed look.
"An honour,"
"I'm sure...." Rebekah took a step back and behind the older Malfoy.
"I'm selling, Mr Borgin," Mr Malfoy said and took a roll of parchment from his pocket. "The Ministry is doing more raids. I have a number of items that might be seen in a negative light if found. The Manor has yet to be visited but the Ministry is growing meddlesome."
"Can I get that?" Draco interrupted and at the Hand of Glory.
"Ah, the Hand of Glory!" Mr Borgin wheezed, scurrying over to Draco. "Insert a candle and it gives light to only the holder! Young Master Malfoy has fine tastes, sir."
Mr Malfoy's voice dropped in temperature. "I hope my son will become more than a thief, Borgin,"
"No offence was meant, Sir," He wheezed again.
"If his grades don't pick up," Mr Malfoy said and looked at Draco. "That might be a fit."
"The teachers all have favourites, that Hermione Granger...," Draco mumbled.
"There's nothing wrong with her!" Rebekah lifted her chin. "Only because you don't study enough doesn't mean you get to make it seem like something is wrong with Granger. You can't blame your shortcomings on her blood status. I don't try and so I don't get very good marks. I passed Potions with a better mark than her, and in DADA."
"How'd you know what she got?"
"We exchanged our results,"
"When?!" He almost spat at her but recoiled at her expression. "We never leave you alone long enough."
"On the train. While you were busy annoying Weasley and his gang, I snuck out to see her," Rebekah muttered. "She's a decent girl."
"Silent now. " Mr Malfoy snapped at the bickering duo and Rebekah walked off into the store. "Do not touch anything, Miss Potter!"
"I won't!" She loudly said, examining an opal necklace she would have brought if it wasn't cursed. Strange on how something so beautiful killed so many of its owners. Rebekah looked around a bit more and quickly found a bookshelf of different books she had never heard of.
Rebekah took a book from the bookshelf, The Nightshade Guide to Necromancy, and read the blurb. The name itself was self-explanatory and Rebekah decided to buy it. It was another one of her darker books but it seemed interesting enough to justify buying it.
After Mr Malfoy's business with Mr Borgin was finished, Rebekah followed the two Malfoys with a slowed step. She wanted to look around the dark alley but even she knew it wasn't a good idea to do it alone and at such a young age. She quickly regretted her slow pace when a man grabbed her wrist in passing.
"Ain't you a little young to be down here?" He spat with a wild look in his eyes, catching the reflective metal of her bracelet. "What's this? Pure silver.... Pure, Muggle silver!"
Rebekah raised a hand and went to slap him across the face. She might have been young but Aunt Petunia always said to be careful with strangers, especially men alone. "Mr Malfoy!"
The man dropped her wrist as she slapped him. Rebekah quickly ducked behind the older Malfoy as he raised a glowing wand. His eyes were murderous as his voice was colder than ice, making the much shorter man quiver.
"I suggest you don't touch those who you know not of, Pyrites," Mr Malfoy said and leaned in very close, wanting to say his next words without being heard by the children. "She is the Dark Lord's to kill."
But Rebekah heard and Draco didn't.
She was a little surprised but Hagrid had warned her of the Malfoy family. Big supporters of Voldemort but always said they weren't. Rebekah thought the way Mr Malfoy looked at her was strange, like getting a lamb ready for the slaughter. She knew she had to act like she didn't hear anything, everything needed to play out as they always did.
Within the next three hours, Rebekah got two sets of new school robes, a snowy owl she decided to name Hedwig and the latest broom. They met back up with Mrs Malfoy with Blaise and Daphne, deciding it was time to get the books.
Second-year students will require:
The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 by Miranda Goshawk,
Break with a Banshee by Gilderoy Lockhart,
Gadding with Ghouls by Gilderoy Lockhart,
Holidays with Hags by Gilderoy Lockhart,
Travels with Trolls by Gilderoy Lockhart,
Voyages with Vampires by Gilderoy Lockhart,
Wanderings with Werewolves by Gilderoy Lockhart,
Year with the Yeti by Gilderoy Lockhart.
"Who's Lockhart?" Rebekah said, flicking the corner of the parchment. "I've never heard of him."
"He will be your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher," Mr Malfoy said with a sour tone. "I believe he will be an improvement from last year's teacher."
Mrs Malfoy shoved all of the children up the stairs of the shop, to get away from the large crowd of women. Rebekah leaned on the railings, watching the groups of women and some families. She saw the Weasley family with all of their children and even Granger with her parents.
"I'll be back in a minute," Rebekah said and dodged under Blaise's arm. She dashed down the stairs quietly and smiled as she approached Granger. "Hello, Granger. Afternoon."
"Oh, Potter," Her eyes were wide with surprise but she also smiled. "Afternoon. Are you here to do your school shopping too? Are your guardians with you?"
"I am, but I'm staying at the Malfoys' until the school starts," Rebekah said and watched Granger's parents carefully tiptoe over, clearly uncomfortable.
"I see. Mum, Dad, this is Rebekah Potter. The one who partners with me in Potions and Defense," Granger said and gestured to her parents. "Potter, this is my mum and dad, Mr and Mrs Granger."
"Pleasure to meet you both," Rebekah said and shook both of their hands, they seemed grateful for a somewhat normal greeting. "I'm much like your daughter, I didn't know about Magic until the summer before our first year. I've been raised the Muggle way."
"I find it strange that you both call each other by your last names," Mr Granger said. "Why is that?"
"I dunno. In this world, it's like saying mister or miss in the muggle world. If we call someone by their first name, it can be seen as rude unless it's through friendship or family. We haven't spoken much outside of class and the Library, so we decide to stick with last names until we become proper friends," Rebekah said. "Oh, and family is a big thing here. Sometimes a name holds weight or power like mine."
"But isn't Potter a common last name?" Mrs Granger said,
"In the Muggle world is it, Mum," Hermione Granger told her parents. "In this world, there's only one family line. Every one of the Potter line is gone and so-"
"-It ends with me," Rebekah interrupted and shrugged. She groaned loudly as a witch grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to the front, leaving her in front of the smiling Gilderoy Lockhart. She just knew someone would recognise her or her name.
"Rebekah Potter!" Lockhart quickly swayed her behind the desk and posed. Rebekah brought a large smile onto her lips as she slung her hair onto the badge of her cloak. The photographer flashed his camera and purple smoke appeared with each photo. "We are worth the front page."
He let go of Rebekah's hand but slung an arm over her shoulder, smiling. She also smiled as she knew this was a publicity stunt. He was the type of man to do one.
"Ladies and gentlemen," He called for quiet. "This is the perfect moment for me to make the announcement that's been sitting on my shoulders!
"Young Rebekah stepped into Flourish and Blotts today to get my autobiography -Which I will give her one, free of charge, of course,- She didn't realise she would be getting more than just my book, Magical Me. She and her schoolmates will be having the real magical me teaching them. This September, I will be teaching at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher! How wonderful is that?"
"I didn't realise we would have you as a teacher, Mr Lockhart," Rebekah said cheerfully and smiled for the crowd. "We're ever so lucky to have you!"
The crowd roared with cheers and applause as Lockhart gave Rebekah copies of his books. It saved her a lot of time, this would have taken ages to get through the crowd to get the right books. Rebekah still smiled as the crowd parted for her, it dropped when she could see the giggling group of her friends hanging on the railing.
"Must've loved the attention," Someone said behind her. She turned and saw that it was Ronald Weasley. "Can't go anywhere without making a fuss, can you?"
"And you can't go anywhere without verbally attacking me, can you, Weasley?" Rebekah sneered, turning it into a smile as his family appeared. She flicked her loose hair to lay over her Hogwarts House insignia on her robes. "Hello, everyone."
"Are you? You can't be! Rebekah Potter, what a pleasure," This was the third time today she had to shake hands with a stranger. "My name is Arthur Weasley, Ron's father."
"It's a pleasure, I'm sure," Rebekah shook his hand. "I've met some of your children at school, some more than others."
"At Christmas, we were throwing snowballs at Quirrell," George Weasley gave his twin a nudge.
"And she joined in, enchanting some of them to hit us," Fred Weasley shoved him back.
"Resulting in a small snowball fight-" "-But McGonagall stopped us,"
"It was wicked." They finished together with their arms over each other's shoulders.
"Oh, good," Mrs Weasley said, clasping her hands firmly on their shoulders. "It's good to see that you are getting along with the older years. Ron doesn't speak about you much, aren't you friends?"
"No," Weasley snorted, which made his mother give him a dirty look. "We would never be friends. She's friends with Malfoy and that lot."
"Are you sure that's wise, Miss Potter?" Mr Weasley said, giving her a concerned look. "They're not the best family to be around. I'm sure you know, being who you are."
"No, I don't know because I've been raised as a Muggle, Mr Weasley," Rebekah quickly said. "So tell me, what's wrong with the Malfoy family?"
"Well, um, er. They're supporters of him." He said in a low voice. "The Malfoys have always been supporters, you shouldn't be with them. No one wants to get involved with them."
"Pity. Strange that supposed supporters of the Dark Lord have allowed me into their home," She felt a hand on her shoulder, Mr and Mrs Malfoy stood with a calm expression. "And have done nothing but make me feel welcomed."
"Afternoon, Weasley family," Mrs Malfoy said in a clipped voice.
"Afternoon, Malfoy Family," Mrs Weasley said and quickly scurried her family away at the aristocratic Witch's cold glare. She pulled her only daughter away quickly, the two books in her caldron clacked against the metal.
"You handled Lockhart well along with the Weasley family. Fame hasn't gotten to your head. Come, we need to get back to the rest."