Protection In The Dungeons

Diagon Alley

    For those of you who skipped the last chapter, Snape took Katria to Hogwarts where Madame Pomfrey explained the reproduction process to Katria, (I didn't go into detail) and now Snape is running errands in Diagon alley. And now... ON WITH THE CHAPTER!

     I held onto his hand tightly for fear of being swept away in the crowds. We went to a shop. Snape let go of my hand. And handed five gold Galleons which is the equivalent to about twenty-five pounds UK currency , or thirty dollars US currency. He looked into my eyes. "Meet me in the Leakey cauldron at two o'clock. Okay?"

    I nodded. It was eleven thirty o'clock. I wandered around Diagon alley looking into the windows of shops, and looking at all the colorful things. I saw a familiar slicked back blond hairdo. I tried to avoid Malfoy, but he was like that one guy that everyone knows at family reunions that seeks you out and asks you many questions about your life and stuff.

Draco spoke up. "If it isn't Strand."

I turned around knowing that he had spotted me, so there was no use pretending that I didn't see him. "Good morning, Malfoy." I smiled politely to mask the burning desire to walk away from the conversation.

He smiled too, not in a friendly way, but not in a particularly cruel way either. "I heard about what happened to your guardian."

"How did you find out?" I asked.

Draco smirked pridefully. "My father told me. He was the one who wrote the letter to you after all."

I inexplicably wanted to punch his rich little face off. But I controlled myself. "He probably just is trying to make conversation with me. I shouldn't assume the worst about him all the time." I reminded myself.

    He smirked. "What's wrong with you? You look like an angry little tomato."

    I stopped frowning, and I assumed a neutral expression. "I'm dealing with a lot right now."

    Draco nodded. "I understand. Once my pet snake died because I forgot to tell our house elf to feed him."

    He couldn't possibly know how I felt. My stomach was in knots, and my back was killing me and-oh he was talking about how I felt emotionally. I realized he was looking at me as if he was waiting for me to continue the conversation. "I'm sorry your snake died..."

    He nodded and put a hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry your guardian died. Speaking of that... I didn't see you on the train back from school. Where were you?"

    I wasn't sure if I could tell him the truth. Then I realized something. Snape was the head of the Slytherin house. I could use that to make sure the Slytherins wouldn't hurt me. "One of the teachers decided to become my guardian." I answered.

    Draco raised an eyebrow. "Really? Who?"

    I didn't want to sound like I was bragging, but I remembered I was talking to Draco who was practically the king of bragging, and I decided to just tell him the truth again. "Professor Snape."

    Draco blinked for a second. When he realized I wasn't joking he opened his mouth to speak. "Professor Snape? I'm sorry."

    "He's a good guardian."

    Draco looked surprised. "Thats... good."

    I had a thought. "Draco? Want to get ice cream? My treat."

    Draco thought for a moment. "I'll have to ask my father about this. He told me to stay put here until he came back.",

    I nodded understanding. "Okay. I'll wait for your father with you."

    We stood around for a while. My back started to absolutely kill me, when I saw Draco's father finally come out of an alleyway. He walked up to Draco. "Who's your girlfriend?" He asked Draco with a smirk.

    Draco looked at me. "She's just an acquaintance. She invited me to have ice cream with her. May I go?"

   Mr. Malfoy thought for a second. "It's alright with me, but I'd prefer an adult to accompany you two." He looked at me. "Diagon alley is a dangerous place for young witches like yourself. Is your mother or father here somewhere?"

    I shook my head. "No sir, my guardian is here though."

    Mr. Malfoy is raised an eyebrow. "Well where is your guardian?"

    "He's running errands." I answered.

    Mr. Malfoy thought for a moment. "I'll let you and Draco go get ice cream if I can come along to monitor you children."

    I nodded. "Okay."

    We all walked to FLOREAN FORTESCUE'S ICE CREAM PARLOUR. Mr. Malfoy pointed to an open booth. We all sat down, and we all ordered. Mr. Malfoy ordered a butterbeer ice cream cone, Draco ordered a salted Carmel Blondie ice cream cone. I stifled a laugh. I ordered a mint soft serve ice cream cone. We all ate our ice cream while talking about various things.

    "...So, I told Professor Dumbledore that Weasley put the tack in McGonagall's seat." Draco said, proudly. "He would have gotten detention, but bloody Pottah snitched on me, and I got detention."

    I saw a hint of annoyance in Mr. Malfoy's expression. "Is that why you got a lower grade as well?"

   Draco shook his head. "No, I got a lower grade because I got in a fight with Granger, and I called her a mudblood. Somehow Professor Dumbledore found out. It was probably Pottah." Draco frowned.

    Mr. Malfoy seemed tired of hearing Draco complain about Harry, so he turned his attention to me. "I don't think I got your name, miss?"

    "Katria. Katria Strand." I answered.

     Mr. Malfoy smiled and nodded. "You're a first year, correct?"

    I nodded. "Yes sir, I am."

    He continued. "How do you like Hogwarts so far, miss Strand?"

    I shrugged. "It was alright. I was petrified for six months, so I'm not sure how much I enjoyed it."

    Mr. Malfoy raised his eyebrows. "Really? That is a shame. That headmaster really is incompetent."

    Draco nodded. I looked at the time. I had a few minutes until I had to meet up with Snape, so I stood up. "I have to go meet my guardian now."

    Mr. Malfoy nodded. "I'll take you there." He stood up, and before I could pay for our ice creams, he set down three gold Galleons on the table. "Come. We can't keep your guardian waiting."

    We walked back to the leaky cauldron. Snape wasn't there yet, so we sat down to wait. Three minutes later at exactly 2:00, Snape walked in. Mr. Malfoy stood up. And walked over to Snape. "Good afternoon, Severus." He shook Snape's hand.

    "Hello, Lucius. I see you've already met Katria." Snape said to Mr. Malfoy.

    Mr. Malfoy nodded. "I found her in a conversation with Draco."

    Snape looked at me and at Draco for a minute. "A friendly conversation?"

Me and Draco nodded. "Well, me and Katria have to get back home. See you later, Lucius."

    Snape took my hand and took me back home. Once we got home he handed me a few parcels of feminine products. "I'm pretty sure there are instructions on how to use that in the packaging."

    I took the parcels, and put them in the bathroom under the sink. I sat down on my bed and pulled out a book to read quietly as Snape had a work related meeting.