If you want to read by 20+ Chapters from here you can visit my Patre-on.
[P] [A] [T] [R] [E] [O] [N]
[email protected]/Makimafic
••••••
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
"What kind of professor would require us to buy seven books for one single class?" The Ravenclaw girl asked incredulously Nigel. "Even Potions or Transfiguration last year didn't require more than two!"
Hermione didn't seem to hear them, though; she was apparently in love with the idea of someone ordering her to buy more books than the norm.
"And the professor certainly won't be here next year." Continued Nigel in a tone which sounded a lot like his stammering of last year, as they tried desperately to squeeze in the shop. "We heard plenty of rumours last years the position is cursed."
"Wouldn't surprise me a bit. I heard some rumours too." Said darkly Alexandra, groaning as she realised an even longer queue was going to the back of the shop where the author was signing his book.
One of the employees was also feeling the brunt of the crowd, the wizard at the entry, who was looking about to shed tears.
"Calmly, please ladies … don't push, there … mind the books, now …"
"This is going to last at least an hour." Sighed Hermione.
"Then no point in all of us staying in the queue." Alexandra declared. "I'm going to search the Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2. I believe all the Miranda Goshawk collection is on the first floor."
"I'm coming with you." Said Nigel.
"We'll take your Lockhart books until your return." Assured Carl Granger, Hermione's father, with a large smile, which suddenly vanished when he saw his wife Mary Granger return with a pile of rather large and heavy books.
Alexandra and Nigel thus climbed the stairs with no particular hurry. The long file of witches wasn't going to disappear any time soon.
Turning on their immediate right, the two came face to face with the Neville Longbottom derived products wings.
"Is it me, or is the number of Boy-Who-Lived books augmenting year after year?" The green-eyed witch asked to the Gryffindor. Nigel shrugged in ignorance. "Hey. Look at this: Neville Longbottom and the Philosopher's Stone."
"You're kidding, right?"
"Afraid not."Said Alexandra, seizing one copy of the book and leafing through the pages. "Yep. Everything is here. Huh that's new."
"What?" Asked Nigel, who looked about to vomit in disgust at this sickening display built at the glory of the Boy-Who-Lived.
"You might be astonished to know, but Neville Longbottom vanquished last year a mountain troll, a baby dragon, all Slytherin House and two dark wizards by the name of Quirell and Devkins.
"But..." Stammered Nigel, "that's not true!"
"Of course not." Alexandra said sarcastically. "If it was, we would have been already forced to swear allegiance to Emperor Neville Longbottom the First, King of Gryffindor and all of that."
"You're just jealous!" Screamed a young red-haired girl, who nearly knocked down Alexandra from behind at the speed she was coming. "Neville Longbottom is a hero!" And she raced down the stairs of the library.
Alexandra raised an eyebrow. "That was..."
"Ron Weasley's younger sister Ginny? Yes." Replied Nigel.
"Wonderful." Alexandra stated, curbing her left hand with one hand and marching towards the school books of Miranda Goshawk. "One more recruit for the Boy-Who-Lived fan-club."
Arriving to the row they searched, the Ravenclaw and the Gryffindor saw one boy of their own year had preceded them.
"Zabini."
"Potter."
The dark-skinned boy had not changed a lot, Alexandra reflected. He had still the same bored and unfeeling expression he had harboured on the Hogwarts Express a year ago. The clothes he wore were different, but one look at them was enough to know they had not been bought at Madam Malkin's, and not with the money range she used for her own clothes, whether magical or non-magical. The Slytherin boy threw a glance at them, and then set a foot aside to let them take their own books. One year at Hogwarts had apparently not made him more talkative.
She had taken her future spell book and the one destined for Hermione under her right arm, when a voice behind her stopped her in her tracks.
"Are they your friends, Blaise?"
Alexandra turned, and had her breath taken away. Next to Blaise Zabini, was one of the most beautiful women she had ever seen. Long black hair, with a fairly suntanned skin but not up to Blaise's dark colour, the woman was easily in the same class as a top model. Long legs, taller than the norm, she stood clearly with a grace and a power that she had never seen anyone manifest in the Alley today. Unlike all the adult witches she had met until there, the woman in front of her had the clothes to emphasize her beauty, wearing a long dark green dress which unveiled far more than what the wizarding society no doubt considered as acceptable.
Throwing a look on her right, Alexandra saw Nigel was one inch away from literally drooling over the beauty of the woman.
"No, Mum." Said Blaise Zabini. "But we are in the same year at Hogwarts." Was it her imagination or the pure-blood boy looked really ill-at-ease?
"Mhhhh..." The witch purred with a sensual voice which made the poor Nigel stutter in force. "Maybe, I should ask them..."
"Please, Mum..." The unfeeling expression of Blaise had disappeared, and he was looking at his mother with a supplicant expression.
"Oh, very well." Said Mrs Zabini in a magnificent voice which contained enough seduction to damn a common wizard instantly. "But if you have not solved your issues at the end of this year, then I will take the matter in my hands." Advancing a step in their direction all in grace and fluidity, the elegant witch stared with a look she would have qualified of predatory.
"I do not believe we have been presented, young Miss. I am Lady Stella Zabini."