Categories > Books > Harry Potter > Desperate Hogwarts
Molly Weasley was a woman obsessed. For months now, she had followed the exploits of Gilderoy Lockheart. She compulsively read all his books, scanned the newspapers for any news of him, daydreamed about him, tried to work him into at least one conversation a day. Now, she was going to meet him in person. She was glad Harry was with them when Lockheart pulled him up on the dais to be photographed with him. Here was her chance to get up close to him. For an autograph, or whatever. She had dressed with care and practiced her most alluring expression for this moment.
The moment came. She brought her book to the table to be signed, which he did with a flourish, then he looked into her eyes and winked at her. Then...nothing. Molly wasn't sure what happened, but something was missing--some indefineable something. Somehow the sparkle had gone out of the afternoon. Up close, Molly realized, he was nothing but a wizard, after all, and actually, kind of pathetic. She stepped down off the dais disappointed. Suddenly her crush on him seemed juvenile and silly, and she felt silly as well. Maybe meeting celebrities up close was a bad idea and doomed to failure.
She wandered up and down the aisles of the store. It was too soon to leave, her children had not bought all their books yet. She sat down wearily on an empty chair and looked around her, lost in her thoughts. She was surrounded by people, some she knew, some she didn't. She saw Steve Granger standing with an unwieldy pile of books in his arms. Molly had watched without interest as Karen shoved her books at him and made a beeline out of the store. Karen ought to be nicer to Steve, Molly thought suddenly. Then, she blushed at her own thought. It was certainly none of her business. She sat back in the chair and crossed her legs, twiddling the book carelessly between her hands. Shopping was taking forever, just like every year. But now that the children were older, they handled more of the actual shopping. She was just the transportation.
Steve paid for the books, then looked around for his wife and daughter. Hermione was still with her friends. She looked so happy that he didn't want to interrupt her. Karen must still be outside smoking. Yes, he knew that's where she went. She'd had that look in her eyes before she shoved the books at him. Classic nicotine fit. He looked around and saw an empty seat over next to that nice Molly Weasley. He headed towards it and was halfway there when someone else went to sit down. Steve paused, looking for another chair, when he saw Molly put her purse on the seat and explain something to the witch. The other witch looked annoyed, but she didn't make a scene. She moved on, and Molly nodded directly at Steve and patted the chair.
He sank into the chair gratefully, smiling wryly at Molly as he did so. "Long day shopping," he said.
"It's even longer when you don't have any help," she replied.
Steve wondered at that. Was she referring to herself, or him? He felt a little defensive for Karen, and wanted to start making excuses. Molly was looking at him with an open, innocent expression. He shouldn't make so much out of a passing remark. Yet, he had to admit he was annoyed that Karen had run off like that.
"So, how do you like Diagon Alley?" Molly asked him.
"Like nothing I ever imagined. Yet, look at Hermione. She's right at home as if she was born to it."
Molly nodded and smiled in the directrion of the kids.
"It doesn't take long to get used to our way of life."
"That man's quite the celebrity, isn't he?" Steve said, jerking his head towards Lockheart.
Molly flipped her book open to show him the autograph. "Got my copy, right here," she said with a grimace. Steve grinned at her. Molly couldn't stop from blushing. "It's immature, I know. Get your teasing over with now."
"No, Molly, it's all right. There's nothing wrong with being a fan of someone."
"Even at my age?"
"No, not even at your age. Twenty nine, is it?" Was he trying to flirt with her, he thought with a shock.
"Now I know you're full of baloney," she said, resting her hand lightly on his arm.
"Don't be too sure of what you know," he said, quietly.
Maybe Molly had found the cure for her Lockheart obsession.
The moment came. She brought her book to the table to be signed, which he did with a flourish, then he looked into her eyes and winked at her. Then...nothing. Molly wasn't sure what happened, but something was missing--some indefineable something. Somehow the sparkle had gone out of the afternoon. Up close, Molly realized, he was nothing but a wizard, after all, and actually, kind of pathetic. She stepped down off the dais disappointed. Suddenly her crush on him seemed juvenile and silly, and she felt silly as well. Maybe meeting celebrities up close was a bad idea and doomed to failure.
She wandered up and down the aisles of the store. It was too soon to leave, her children had not bought all their books yet. She sat down wearily on an empty chair and looked around her, lost in her thoughts. She was surrounded by people, some she knew, some she didn't. She saw Steve Granger standing with an unwieldy pile of books in his arms. Molly had watched without interest as Karen shoved her books at him and made a beeline out of the store. Karen ought to be nicer to Steve, Molly thought suddenly. Then, she blushed at her own thought. It was certainly none of her business. She sat back in the chair and crossed her legs, twiddling the book carelessly between her hands. Shopping was taking forever, just like every year. But now that the children were older, they handled more of the actual shopping. She was just the transportation.
Steve paid for the books, then looked around for his wife and daughter. Hermione was still with her friends. She looked so happy that he didn't want to interrupt her. Karen must still be outside smoking. Yes, he knew that's where she went. She'd had that look in her eyes before she shoved the books at him. Classic nicotine fit. He looked around and saw an empty seat over next to that nice Molly Weasley. He headed towards it and was halfway there when someone else went to sit down. Steve paused, looking for another chair, when he saw Molly put her purse on the seat and explain something to the witch. The other witch looked annoyed, but she didn't make a scene. She moved on, and Molly nodded directly at Steve and patted the chair.
He sank into the chair gratefully, smiling wryly at Molly as he did so. "Long day shopping," he said.
"It's even longer when you don't have any help," she replied.
Steve wondered at that. Was she referring to herself, or him? He felt a little defensive for Karen, and wanted to start making excuses. Molly was looking at him with an open, innocent expression. He shouldn't make so much out of a passing remark. Yet, he had to admit he was annoyed that Karen had run off like that.
"So, how do you like Diagon Alley?" Molly asked him.
"Like nothing I ever imagined. Yet, look at Hermione. She's right at home as if she was born to it."
Molly nodded and smiled in the directrion of the kids.
"It doesn't take long to get used to our way of life."
"That man's quite the celebrity, isn't he?" Steve said, jerking his head towards Lockheart.
Molly flipped her book open to show him the autograph. "Got my copy, right here," she said with a grimace. Steve grinned at her. Molly couldn't stop from blushing. "It's immature, I know. Get your teasing over with now."
"No, Molly, it's all right. There's nothing wrong with being a fan of someone."
"Even at my age?"
"No, not even at your age. Twenty nine, is it?" Was he trying to flirt with her, he thought with a shock.
"Now I know you're full of baloney," she said, resting her hand lightly on his arm.
"Don't be too sure of what you know," he said, quietly.
Maybe Molly had found the cure for her Lockheart obsession.
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