A Different Life

On the thirtieth, Neville celebrated his twelfth birthday. His grandmother allowed him to have a party and he invited his friends. Knowing Neville's love of Herbology, Beth had gotten him book on North American plants and a potted Flutterby bush. The rest of the Junior Marauders had gotten Neville similar presents, either a potted plant or a book related to Herbology. He thanked his friends for his gifts and planted the three plants he'd gotten in the greenhouse.

The next day, Beth celebrated her birthday. Her friends were invited, as well as her cousin Evanna and Ginny. Her adoptive grandparents, Adam and Emma Harper, visited, and brought Beth a camera, a set of pink dress robes, and two books. They then went to spend time with Chris and Kate, cooing and fussing over their new grandchildren.

A week later, Beth discovered that she seemed to have a hard time seeing things clearly at a distance. She told Sirius, who took her to see the local optometrist. It was discovered that she was near-sighted and required glasses. Beth was slightly surprised that she hadn't needed earlier, what with her love of reading. As they were looking for a pair, Sirius remarked, "Well, you've inherited James's bad eyesight in addition to his black hair, only not messy." Beth nodded and after awhile, picked out a pair of glasses with a light red frame. Sirius paid for them and they left the shop.

In mid-August, the Hogwarts letters arrived. Ginny and Evanna were very excited to finally be able to attend Hogwarts. Beth looked through her booklist and frowned when she discovered that over half the books assigned were written by Gilderoy Lockhart. She knew Mrs. Weasley was enamored by the author, who was rather good-looking and had written many books on his defeats of Dark creatures and beings, as well as one on household pests. However, Natalia and Sirius didn't think much of Lockhart at all, having gone to school with him and finding him to be an idiot with a big ego.

At first Hermione and Susan were impressed with Lockhart, but after Sirius and Natalia told them about his behavior in school, they were no longer interested in him. Draco, Neville, and Ron, being boys, didn't really care much for Lockhart in the first place.

The next week was the trip to Diagon Alley. The six families met in Gringotts. Ginny found Evanna and the two girls chattered excitedly. Draco, looking distinctly uncomfortable, hung back. Finally Sirius noticed him. "Come on, Draco. Since Natalia and I are your guardians, we're paying for your Hogwarts things. So you can stop looking uncomfortable."

Draco turned pink and muttered a thank-you. He had been given a vault of his own when he turned eleven, but after being disowned, he knew his ex-father would have cut off access to it or transferred the money to the Malfoy vault.

After money had been withdrawn from vaults or in the case of the Grangers, exchanged, the Junior Marauders went off on their own, promising to meet the adults in Flourish and Blotts an hour later. The first stop was Florean Fortescue's, where Beth bought everyone ice-cream cones. Or rather, she tried to, but Florean Fortescue insisted on giving the cones for free. The six thanked him and then they went to Quality Quidditch Supplies.

Two new brooms were out, the Cleansweep Eight and the Nimbus Two Thousand and One. After looking at the brooms and Quidditch robes, Hermione dragged them away to the shop next door to by parchment, quills, and ink.

When they went to Flourish and Blotts, they discovered that the bookstore was very crowded. It became apparent why when they saw a large sign proclaiming that Gilderoy Lockhart would be signing copies of his autobiography, Magical Me, that day. Beth stifled the urge to groan and went inside to find that Mrs. Weasley was in the queue for the book-signing. She rolled her eyes and then went to find her parents.

While pushing through the crowd, a photographer for the Daily Prophet snapped at Ron and Beth to move out of the way. When Ron retorted, "Big deal," Lockhart looked up. He saw Ron and then spotted Beth. He stared.

Then he leapt to his feet and positively shouted, "It can't be Bethany Potter?"

"It's Potter-Black," corrected Beth. Most of the wizarding world knew by now that her last name was 'Potter-Black', but apparently Lockhart hadn't heard.

The crowd parted, whispering excitedly. Lockhart ignored what Beth had said and dived forward, seized her arm, and pulled her to the front.

The crowd burst into applause. Beth's face burned as Lockhart shook her hand for the photographer, who was clicking away madly, wafting thick smoke over the Weasleys.

"Nice big smile, Bethany," said Lockhart, through his own gleaming teeth. "Together, you and I are worth the front page."

When he finally let go of her hand, Beth could hardly feel her fingers. She tried to sidle back over to the Weasleys, but Lockhart threw an arm round her shoulders and clamped her tightly to his side.

"Ladies and gentleman," he said loudly, waving 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! When young Bethany here stepped into Flourish and Blotts today, she only wanted to buy my autobiography - which I shall be happy to present her now, free of charge -" the crowd applauded again, "- she had no idea," Lockhart continued, giving Beth a little shake that made her glasses slip to the end of her nose, "that she would shortly be getting much, much more than my book, Magical Me. She and her school fellows will, in fact, be getting the real, magical me. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have great pleasure and pride in announcing that, this September, I will be taking up the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"

The crowd cheered and clapped and Beth found herself being presented with the entire works of Gilderoy Lockhart. Staggering slightly under their weight, she managed to make her way out of the limelight to the edge of the room, where Ginny was standing next to her new cauldron.

"You have these," Beth mumbled to her, tipping the books into the cauldron. "I'll buy my own."

Ginny turned scarlet. "Thank you, Beth, but I don't -"

"Just take them," interrupted Beth. "I don't want anything that Lockhart gives me, so you can get some use out of them. Besides, think of the money it'll save your parents now that they have one less set of books to buy."

"All right then," replied Ginny, smiling. "Thanks, Beth."

Meanwhile, Sirius had taken the film from the photographer's camera and made it very clear that he didn't want Beth's picture in the paper. Lockhart tried to protest it. Sirius snapped, "I told you, I don't want Beth's name or picture in the paper! As her godfather and adopted father, I can do so, especially seeing as Beth is underage."

"Adoptive father?" sputtered Lockhart. Apparently he hadn't heard why Beth's last name was 'Potter-Black' either.

Beth joined Sirius and said, "Yes. As you should know. I was adopted by Natalia Harper, a witch, after the death of my parents. She married Sirius Black several years later and became my adoptive father in addition to godfather. I then changed my last name from Potter to Potter-Black. Also, I don't like it when people make a big deal out of my fame."

Natalia came over to stand next to Beth. "Mr. Lockhart, I suggest that you stay away from Beth in the future or Sirius and I will inform everyone what you were like in Hogwarts and how we think you're a fraud."

Lockhart paled and hastily said, "I apologize for my behavior. I didn't realize that Bethany didn't want attention, or I wouldn't have had her come up front with me. Here, have some more of my books."

Sirius and Natalia were each presented with the entire works of Gilderoy Lockhart, and Beth was handed another set. With a loud sigh of annoyance, Beth found Ron and dumped the books in his cauldron. "I don't want anything Lockhart gives me, so just take them, Ron. It'll save your parents money." Sirius and Natalia found Fred and George and gave their books to them.

Beth turned around to find Draco and was startled to see that his face was paler than usual. She hurried over to see what was wrong and then saw that Lucius Malfoy had entered the store. She slipped her hand into Draco's. "Don't worry, Drake," she whispered. "He can't do anything to you in public."

"Well, well, well, who do we have here?" asked a cold voice. Draco flinched and Beth looked up to see Mr. Malfoy.

"I thought I said I didn't want to see you ever again, blood traitor," snapped Mr. Malfoy.

"Well, the Blacks had no idea that you'd show up in Flourish and Blotts today," retorted Draco, determined not to be afraid of his ex-father, or at least not show any fear.

Mr. Malfoy made a humphing sound and then looked around. "Well, well, well - Arthur Weasley."

"Lucius," said Mr. Weasley, nodding coldly.

"Busy time at the Ministry, I hear," said Mr. Malfoy. "All those raids ... I hope they're paying you overtime?"
He reached into Ginny's cauldron and extracted, from amidst the glossy Lockhart books, a very old, very battered copy of A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration.

"Obviously not," he said. "Dear me, what's the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?"

Mr. Weasley flushed darker than either Ron or Ginny. "We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy," he said.

"Clearly," said Mr. Malfoy, his pale eyes straying to Mr. and Mrs. Granger nearby, who were watching apprehensively. "The company you keep, Weasley ... and I thought your family could sink no lower -"

"How dare you!" shrieked Natalia, a furious look on her face. "I'll have you know that Emilia Granger is my best friend! She was matron of honor at my wedding, and she and her husband are the godparents to my daughter Katherine!"

Sirius whipped out his wand. "Get out, Lucius, or you'll find yourself without a wife and the capacity to produce a heir!"

Lucius glared at Sirius for several seconds. Then he thrust Ginny's old Transfiguration book at her, eyes glittering with malice. "Here, girl - take your book - it's the best your father can give you -" With that, he turned and swept from the shop.

The books were all paid for and then they all headed for the Leaky Cauldron. Natalia berated Sirius for threatening Lucius like that, even if he deserved it, and then assured the Grangers that not everyone looked down at Muggles. Beth, Draco, and Hermione bid good-bye to Ron, Susan, and Neville, who were Flooing home. Then the Blacks and Grangers left the pub to drive home.