"Longbottom."
"You all have met my friend, Harry Potter, right?"
He was half forcing them to introduce him to their mother and the girl with them. Of course he was surprised when Fred and George both brightened.
"Glad to meet you Harry." They shook hands with him. "This is our mother, Molly Weasley and our baby sister Gin-gin."
"Ginny." the little girl corrected them.
Harry politely said, "Mrs. Weasley, Miss Weasley," as he kissed their hands.
^ A short irritable-looking man was dancing around taking photographs with a large black camera that emitted puffs of purple smoke with every blinding flash.
"Out of the way, there," he snarled at Ron, moving back to get a better shot. "This is for the Daily Prophet -"
"Big deal." said Ron rubbing his foot where the photographer had stepped on it.
Gilderoy Lockhart heard him. He looked up. He saw Ron-and then he saw Harry. He stared. Then he leapt to his feet and positively shouted,"It can't be Harry Potter?"
The crowd parted, whispering excitedly; Lockhart dived forward, seized Harry's arm and pulled him to the front. The crowd burst into applause. Harry's face burned as Lockhart seemingly shook his hand for the photographer, who was clicking away madly, wafting thick smoke over the Weasleys and Neville.
"Nice big smile, Harry," said Lockhart, through his own gleaming teeth. "Together you and I are worth the front page."
Harry scowled because he could hardly feel his hand the man was holding it so tight. When Lockhart finally let go. Harry was ready to bolt, but then Lockhart threw his arm around Harry's shoulder and clamped him tightly to him.
"Let go." Harry hissed.
"Be quiet." Lockhart hissed back through smiling teeth. "Ladies and gentlemen," he said loudly, waving a hand 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!"
He pulled Harry closer. Harry was disgusted to realize the man was pressing his semi-erect manhood into his back. He was so disgusted he missed the next bit of Lockhart's announcement only coming back to himself as Lockhart announced, "He and his schoolmates will, in fact, be getting the real magical me. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have the great pleasure and pride in announcing that this September I will be taking up the post of Defense against Dart Arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"^
"Move your hand off me, or lose it Lockhart." Harry uttered sotto voce.
Lockhart ignored him in favor of grabbing the books he intended to give Harry for publicity.
Harry didn't hesitate he'd had his fill of this git. He stepped hard on the man's foot, then as Lockhart pulled his foot up, bumping him. Harry stepped back putting a foot behind Lockhart's other leg and leaned his shoulder into Lockhart as if he'd lost his balance knocking Lockhart over. He then stepped purposefully onto Lockhart's hand. "Oh dear, I'm so sorry, did I step on your foot." Never mind he was purposefully grinding his booted foot into Lockhart's hand on the floor.
Lockhart yelped as he felt some bones in his hand snap.
Neville who was watching all this, fought with a sudden desire to choke with laughter. Harry was very graceful and he would never have been this clumsy. But all the other observers would mistake what was happening as simple childhood clumsiness. Neville knew what Lockhart had done to piss Harry off. Harry hated fame and as far as he was concerned publicity was the bane of his existence. Drawing Harry to the front of this crowd for pictures was a sure-fire method for getting on Harry's shit list.
"Oh your hand, I'm so sorry. Let me help you." Harry used his considerable strength to pull Lockhart not just to his feet but all the way forward and over his extended foot and ankle causing the man to trip and fall face first into his signing table. There was a sight crunch and Lockhart fell back, clutching his face.
"I tink by bose is broke."
"I'm so sorry, I guess with the adrenaline, I don't know my own strength." Harry blinked innocently before adding. "It has just been so exciting to meet you." He made eye contact with Lockhart making the man realize he was being sarcastic and the harm was intentional.
Before anything else was said Mr. Flourish said, "Oh dear, dear me, what… We'd better call a medi-wizard. Ladies and gentlemen we'll reschedule the book signing for tomorrow, I'm so sorry. Come, Gilderoy, I'll escort you to St. Mungo's."
Shortly after that Flourish and Blotts was much less crowded. Harry and Neville were on the second floor when a commotion started near the register. They looked down to see Lucius Malfoy and Ron Weasley's dad fighting. They shook their heads but figured it had nothing to do with them so they stayed out of it.
Harry looked at the Lockhart books that he was supposed to get. "Neville, do you mind if I borrow yours before school starts? I want to read them before I put any galleons into them."
"Sure.
"You sure were clumsy today." Neville said, fighting a grin.
"Yeah, must be that growth spurt I had this summer, gotta get coordinated again. Shame I had to find out that way, isn't it?" Harry said straight-faced although his eyes danced with merriment.
"One word of advice, Harry, never try something like that in front of Gran. She'd catch on in no time and then she'd take after you with a string of stinging hexes."
"Noted."
Harry and Neville went to Fortesque's Ice Cream Parlor where most of the study group was waiting for them. Susan Bones lead them in singing Happy Birthday to both Harry and Neville.
Afterwards she said, "I know both your birthdays are at the end of July but this way it's a surprise for both of you."
Both boys were pleased their friends had gone in together to get gift certificates for both of them. Neville's to a nursery for magical plants and Harry's to Quality Quiditch Supplies. Their friends tagged along as Harry went it to buy his broom.
The group entered the store. A salesperson came up. "Can I help you?"
"I'd like to buy a broom."
"For a particular Quidditch position or just general transportation?"
"Seeker." Harry said. After his time with the Slytherin team last year he knew that was the position Marcus wanted him to take.
"Very good, might I suggest the Nimbus 2000 or 2001 both have superior acceleration."
"What's the difference?"
"The 2001 tops out at slightly higher speed. It is also 50 galleons more."
"Fine I'll get it. I'll also need padding appropriate for the position."
When Harry went to pay he discovered that the gift certificate just about paid for the gloves and the forearm guards. He had the store add a wand touch shrink feature to the broom so he could shrink or enlarge it with his wand without breaking the statute of underage sorcery. Ten minutes later they were leaving the store. Harry as excited and chattery as his friends as they reached the door where they ran into the Malfoys.
"Potter." Draco said stiffly.
....
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