Shopping Trip
When we got to Diagon we immediately went to was Madam Malkin's Robes for all occasions. On the way there Draco pointed out each store, what they sold, and random comments about said store. I noticed all three of them has cold neutral expressions, or in Draco's case less bubbly and happy.
"Hello there I'll be right out in a few. Please look around until then." Madam Malkin called from the back. "Draco, show Harrison around and help him pick shirts, trousers, casual robes, dress robes, and pajamas that look good on him. We'll get him sized and custom order an extensive and fitting wardrobe of a pureblood heir once Madam Malkin comes out, and owl order everything we buy to be sent to his manor." Aunt Cissa instructed. "Yes mom." He replied, grabbing my hand and guiding me to one of the racks.
"I'm really excited you got here in time for Litha." He said, guiding me through the shirt racks to find my size. "What's Litha?" I asked. He looked a bit shocked before answering. "Litha is one of the main 8 magical holidays. It occurs on the summer solstice, which is in one week, and celebrates the sun at its peak and height of light and positive energy and magic. It's important to celebrate all 8 no matter what magic you practice to keep balance." He informed me, picking and giving me a few shirts before moving onto trousers.
"Mother chooses to veil during the holidays and the balls to celebrate them. She looks really pretty in them." He said, grabbing two pairs of trousers before dragging me to the robes. "What's veiling?" I asked, looking at a Black robe with a silver trim. "It's when a wixen covers their hair or head as a part of their magical practice. The reason depends on the person though." He answered, finally deciding on 3 casual robes and 1 dress robe.
"What are the other holidays?" I asked. Draco stopped and turned to face me. "Next is Lughnasada the mid point between summer and fall, Mabon the fall equinox, Samhain the midpoint between Fall and winter and the best day to talk to the dead, Yule the winter solstice, Imbolc the midpoint between winter and spring, Ostara the first day of spring, and Beltane the midpoint between spring and Summer also the second best day to talk to the dead." he listed them off.
Talk to the dead? That sounds interesting.
"Can you actually talk to the dead during Samhain?" I asked as Draco looked at a few pajama sets. "Yeah. Most talk to past loved ones since those you are either related to or had a close bond to in life are the easiest to summon." He explained, deciding between 2 different shades of green before ultimately deciding on the darker shade.
After Draco chose everything we went back to his parents and they had me try them on.
The clothes all had a green, black, silver, and white theme. My favorite outfit was a forest green, long sleeve button down, black trousers, and the black robe with silver trim I was looking at earlier. They are all a bit big. Probably why we are getting them custom ordered.
"You are so handsome, It looks like I won't have to fight you on wearing color!" Aunt Cissa squealed, her pureblood mask slipping.
I laughed at that. "Are you talking about ma-papa?" I asked, catching myself. "Yes. Ever since our Hogwarts days I've been trying to get that boy to wear something not black. I've even tried giving him really dark colors that look black." She complained. "I once saw him hiss at a gray shirt and jump into ..." Uncle Lucius paused and looked around before continuing. "He jumped into your fathers arms and refused to let go until someone, and I quote 'removed that sickening piece of cloth' from his sight." Both of them were holding back laughter from the memory.
"Everyone just sat there laughing at him as he moved more into your father's chest and lap as your father tried to calm him down. Failing really badly." Aunt Cissa added. "Bella eventually burned it and Sev was so mad at Tom he made him sleep on the couch for half of a night before he got lonely and caved." He finished.
The Dark Lord, he-who-shall-not-be-named, you-know-who, one of the darkest and strongest wizards of all time, forced to sleep on the couch by his potion master husband, because someone gave him a gray shirt. Then, said potion master husband lets him come to bed because he got lonely. That is so hilarious and wholesome it's cute. I couldn't hold back the smile that came across my face.
"Hello, sorry for the wait, how can I help you today?" an elderly lady came out from the back. "Yes, we need to get Heir Harrison here sized and custom owl order hi a wardrobe. We had him try on a few outfits to see what looks good on him." Aunt Cissa answered, her and her husband putting their cold masks back on.
"Ok, Heir Harrison, please come up so I can get your measurements." She said. I went where she instructed me to and let her get my measurements. She even measured the distance from my nose to my fingers.
"Ok dear, we're done. Now you can get changed back into your clothes then you guys can place the order." She said, walking over to her desk. "Actually we will be buying those as well." Aunt Cissa said. Good thing I'm in the best fitting clothes Draco picked.
I got down and walked back over to them. "Which colors do you like the best?" She asked. "Black, green, silver, and white." I answered. "We are ordering 10 black shirts, 10 green shirts of dark shades, 10 white shirts, 5 gray shirts, 20 black trousers, 10 casual black robes, 10 dress robes, 5 with green trim and 5 with silver trim, 20 sets of pajamas in the colors green, black, and gray, 10 pairs of black socks, 10 pairs of white socks, and 20 pairs of undergarments. All to be sent to Malfoy Manor." She ordered.
"Ok, that will be 700 galleons." The elderly witch said. Uncle Lucius took out a small paper book, wrote stuff down and gave her a piece of paper. She looked it over before putting it in her pocket. "They will be delivered by the end of the day."
"Where would you like to go next?" Aunt Cissa asked once we left the store. I looked around before a store I've never noticed before caught my eyes.
'Magical instruments', Since when did Diagon alley sell instruments? "How about that store?" I asked, pointing at the instrument shop. They looked to where I was pointing. "Magical instruments?" Uncle Lucius asked. I nodded with a smile. "Music is a good way to learn to channel and control your magic. Let's go." She said.
Upon entering I looked at all the beautiful instruments in wonder. Decorating the walls were all different types and styles. From electric to acoustic guitars, to violins, keyboards, a grand piano, flutes, other wind instruments, percussions, and even ones that look to be from other countries. Some were even playing themselves making beautiful music through out the whole store.
"Hello there. Names Robert McLean. Are you folks browsing, or looking to buy today?" The man behind the counter asked. "Well meet McLean, I am Lord Lucius Malfoy, my wife Lady Narcissa Malfoy, our son Heir Draco Malfoy, and our friends son Heir Harrison Prince. We are looking to buy today." Uncle Lucius answered. "Well meet Malfoy's and heir Prince. Who are you looking to get an instrument for?" He asked.
"Draco, would you like an instrument as well?" Aunt Cissa asked. "Yes mom." He answered. "Both heirs would like to pick one to learn." She answered him. "Well choosing an instrument is like choosing a wand. the instrument picks the person. I'll be here if you need help and or when you find the instruments you're looking for." He said.
Draco and I went off, looking at all of the instruments. "There's so many." I noted out loud. Draco nodded before spotting something and walking off.
I looked around a bit before making my way over to the string instruments. I traced my fingertips across the bodies of the instruments. There's ones that's double my height, some that's about my height, some that look like a carriable version of them then one that's even smaller than those. My hand stops on the smallest of them. I look at the sign to see that I'm looking at a violin.
"Find anything you like?" Uncle Lucius asked. I looked up at him with a smile. "I like this one, uncle Lucius." I answered, pointing at a violin with darker wood. "Violin, good choice." He approved. "Let me go get McLean to get you fitted." He said, walking up to the counter.
I looked around to see Draco watching aunt Cissa play the piano.
"I see you picked the violin, Heir Prince." McLean said, getting my attention. I nodded up at him. "Are you left or right handed?" He asked. "Right," I answered. "He grabbed the violin I was pointing at and inspected it before looking at me. "You hold the violin in your left hand and it's enchanted to change to your size so you don't have to buy multiple as you grow." He said, handing me the violin which shrunk to the length of my arm. "I'll go grab a rosined bow and shoulder rest and be right back." He said, walking back to the counter.
"What is Draco looking at?" I asked. "He's looking at the piano. Cissa knows how to play and we have a grand piano at home so she'll most likely teach him. After we dust and clean it. Despite how many balls we throw, we haven't used it in years." He answered. "She's really good." I said. "Yes, she is." He agreed, a smile poking through his mask.
"Here you go, young heir." McLean said. He attached the shoulder rest to the violin then showed me how to properly hold it, placing my jaw comfortably in the chin rest, making sure the shoulder rest is correct, and making sure my hand was holding the neck correctly, bow in my right hand.
"You see those four tape marks?" He asked, pointing to the 4 thin pieces of tape on the top of the neck. "Yes." I answered. "That's where you put your finger to play notes. your pointer on the top on, middle on the second, ring on the third, and pinky on the fourth. The fourth one is mostly used for more advanced songs and many more advanced violinists play four finger A instead of open E." He explained.
" Why?" I asked. "Play it. It's the thinnest string." He replied, covering his ears. I looked at him confused but pulled the bow across the thinnest string. It was really high pitched so I immediately stopped.
"What was that?" Draco asked, looking at us. Aunt Cissa chuckled and answered. "Open E on the violin. extremely high pitch and hard on the ears for most beginners on the violin." "Correct, now heir Prince, why don't you try to play a bit, just to see how you like it." McLean suggested.
I smiled , pulling the bow across a few strings and putting my fingers down to see what they sound like. I like this. Everyone clapped as I took it off my shoulder, causing me to blush and smile. "That was great, looks like you found the perfect instrument for you." mcLean said, smiling.
"How are you two doing?" He asked Draco and Aunt Cissa. "Good. he likes the piano and we have a grand piano at home and I know how to play since all the black children were required to learn at least one instrument so I'll be teaching him." She answered, her and Draco walking over to us. "Ok, let's head over to the counter and if there's anything else you will be getting." He said, grabbing the violin and bow. We all went to the counter and watched him grab a case that looked to be for the violin.
"You will be purchasing the violin today, correct?" He clarified. "Yes, and a bow, rosin, as you mentioned it earlier, any care equipment for the violin and a piano, and 2 beginner books, 1 for piano and 1 for Violin." Uncle Lucius said. "Where can we find a good violin tutor? I would have my sister Bella do it or my cousin Regulus but neither are available. " Aunt Cissa asked. "Yes, I have a parchment here on any and all violin tutors in England." He said, handing aunt Cissa a parchment as he grabbed the stuff from the wall behind the counter.
"It has sections for pureblood, half-blood, and muggle born tutors in case you care about that stuff." he explained, grabbing the last of the stuff.
"This is 250 Galleons." He said. Uncle Lucius took back out the book from earlier, wrote something down and handed the parchment to McLean. "Thank you, and the violin has a self tuning charm and the tape will only fall off after he memorizes where his fingers go without them. These spells are also on the first page of the book and for piano the book has a spell to letter the keyboard until the beginner memorizes where the notes are." He explained, bagging the books and care kits.
"Thank you McLean." Uncle Lucius said, handing me the hard cover violin case as aunt Cissa grabbed the bag with everything else in it. "Have a good day, and do care to come again." McLean said, as we left.
"Who wants ice cream?" Aunt Ciissa asked.