Chapter 27: 1-3

Life at The Burrow was truly comfortable. Everyone was incredibly kind to me, even if they occasionally looked puzzled when I habitually reached for things or navigated places I hadn't been "taught" yet. I truly loved the warmth of the Weasley family—they were kind not just to Harry, but to me, Maria, as well.

Harry, who had never known what it was like to be treated with such tenderness by a family, was initially bewildered and refused to leave my side. However, he settled in after about three days. Above all, I think having his best friend constantly by his side, just like at Hogwarts, made the biggest difference.

As for me, since I am a girl in this life, I was fortunate enough to share a room with Ginny. We became closer than I had expected—after all, she even let me share her bed. Ginny is, without a doubt, the kindest and most wonderful person in the world.

A letter arrived from Hogwarts. It was the booklist for the new school year. Reading it made me feel as though I had just bitten into an earwax-flavored Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Bean.

Lockhart, Lockhart, Lockhart... Just seeing the name repeated made my head spin. When Fred mentioned that the new Defense Against the Dark Arts (DADA) teacher was a witch, I replied only in my head: If only that were true.

The books themselves aren't bad. They contain the research results of people who were actually experienced and likely would have been famous—all published under Lockhart’s name. The content is technically correct; it’s just the name of the scum who stole the credit that’s attached to it. So, I won't say they're useless, but—

When George muttered, "These aren't cheap," I had an idea, knowing full well that his classes wouldn't amount to anything anyway. I leaned over and whispered to Harry.

"Hey, we’re in the same classes anyway, so why don't we just share one set of books? It’s a waste to buy two of each, especially since they're so expensive."

"You're right. That sounds like a good idea."

Looking into Harry’s clear, innocent eyes, I gently patted his head, thinking of the exhausting future where he'd be constantly harassed by that man. Harry blinked at the sudden gesture but gave a soft, goofy smile. My feelings of affection and helplessness only grew.

I bet Dumbledore knew Lockhart's true nature all along... hiring him just as a one-year stopgap until he could find the next teacher. Lockhart really is beyond help.

God, how depressing.

Today was the day we were heading to Diagon Alley as requested by Hermione. Harry was incredibly nervous about using Floo Powder for the first time. As the Weasleys patted his shoulder, telling him it was easy and he'd be fine, I remembered—it wasn't fine at all.

He ends up in Knockturn Alley, of all places. He probably couldn't pronounce anything correctly except for the word "Alley."

"Go on, Harry. Your turn," Mrs. Weasley prompted. I watched as Harry took a step forward.

"—gon Alley!"

As he vanished into the green flames, I slumped my shoulders. Yep, there he goes. I wondered if Draco might protect him this time... but maybe that was impossible with Lucius around.

While debating whether Hagrid would find him properly, I took some Floo Powder for myself.

"Diagon Alley."

—Whoosh.

If Side-Along Apparition feels like being forced through a rubber tube, then Floo travel feels like sliding endlessly through a narrow pipe. When the light finally appeared, I botched the landing slightly, but Fred and George caught me as I tumbled out into Diagon Alley.

"Maria!"

"Maria made it first!"

"Harry’s definitely going to have a nasty fall."

"Let’s wait for him here."

Hermione, who had already joined us, pulled me into a hug. I gave a dry smile to the mischievous twins who were already preparing to tease Harry. Do my eyes look dead? Well, I feel like dying.

The next person they caught was Ginny.

"Where's Harry?" they asked in unison.

"He went before Maria," Ginny replied, tilting her head as if confused why they’d even ask. An awkward, "oh-crap" silence filled the air.

"Harry messed up, didn't he?"

"And Maria did so well, too."

"Wait, what... what about H-Harry?"

I patted Ginny’s head as she struggled to even say her crush's name, letting out a low groan. Hermione, having realized what happened, held her head in her hands as well. Ron, Percy, and the senior Weasleys arrived one after another—I could only watch with a strained smile as the red-haired family descended into chaos over Harry’s disappearance.

"Maria!"

"Harry!"

I tightly hugged my dear "other half" as he ran toward me. Poor thing, his messy black hair was full of soot and grime.

Standing behind him was a certain posh blonde, looking like a self-appointed guardian as he watched the reunion. I couldn't believe it—Draco actually did protect Harry.

"Thank you, Draco."

"Don't mention it... However, let me ask you one thing."

"What is it?"

".........Was it like this before, too?"

"The Before." Only the two of us, Draco and I, could understand the true meaning of those words in this moment.

"Yes, it was," I replied with a grin.

Draco’s elegant composure broke for a second as he clicked his tongue. Heh. Harry and I used that Cabinet long before you did.

"You really are..."

Mr. Arthur Weasley, who had been absorbed in a conversation about Muggles with the Grangers, finally noticed Harry and the boy standing beyond him.

"Ar—Malfoy, isn't it? You looked after Harry? Where on earth was he...?"

"Knockturn Alley, Mr. Weasley," I answered.

"Knockturn Alley!"

Mrs. Weasley, who had been hovering nearby, shrieked. She pulled Harry into a bone-crushing hug. Fred and George let out impressed whistles.

"What a place to end up..."

"Well, then... thank you, young Malfoy. For finding Harry."

"Think nothing of it... It isn't a place where Harry belongs, after all."

While buried in Mrs. Weasley's arms, Harry let out a muffled groan, looking as if he wanted to say something to Draco.

"Well, I’ll be going now. My father is waiting. Maria, Harry. Granger, Weasley—I'll see you at the start of term."

I watched him walk away, his very silhouette exuding aristocratic grace. He’s a hardworking one, isn't he? I thought as I "reclaimed" Harry from Mrs. Weasley. He went through such a roundabout way just to leak information to Arthur. He's so clumsy at being "refined" that it actually makes him look capable.

"Arthur, that boy..."

"The Malfoy lad. Apparently, he's one of the flexible ones, despite that family's obsession with blood purity. Well, he’s a bit of an oddball mutation—at least for a Malfoy."

The three Weasley brothers who were acquainted with Draco nodded in agreement. Hearing Draco Malfoy’s reputation being so different from the "previous time," I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing.

Harry looked exhausted. He had been subjected to relentless flashes of cameras, a wall of human bodies, and—most notably—a man who had won the Witch Weekly’s Most-Charming-Smile Award and was now unceremoniously slinging an arm around his shoulder.

Through the man's ecstatic rambling in his ear, Harry only caught one sentence: "I have accepted the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." At that, his mood hit rock bottom—and then kept sinking. It was official: this year was going to be the worst.

Somehow, Ron and I managed to pull him away. Harry immediately handed the "Collected Works" that the pompous man—Lockhart—had shoved onto him over to Ron.

"You keep them. We already bought ours."

"Then I'll give them to Ginny," Ron said.

"There's no point; those books will only last a year anyway. Ginny won't need them," I interjected.

Ron nodded, seeing the logic, and quietly dropped the cumbersome books into his cauldron.

"Hey, Maria..." Harry started.

Harry’s gaze shifted toward Molly, who was completely smitten by Lockhart, and—of all people—Hermione.

I know, Harry. I know what you want to say. And Ron, don't look at her like she’s lost her mind.

"Hermione isn't in love with Lockhart. She’s in love with Lockhart’s wonderful books."

" "Ah..." "

The two boys nodded half-heartedly. Even with that explanation, Ron still looked like he was questioning her sanity.