章 20: "Magical Mates and Merriment"
The day had finally come for my first trip to Diagon Alley. My father had arranged for the premiere of "Magical Mates and Merriment" to coincide with the end of the Hogwarts school year, ensuring a large audience of children. As I prepared for the outing, my excitement was palpable. This was not just a trip; it was the unveiling of my creation to the world. It was, however, under the name of "Nyx," just like my patent. At this point, all my new inventions would probably be under that name—at least if something went wrong, I wouldn't be held liable.
Narcissa dressed me in a charming outfit—an elegant dress in a soft pastel shade, with matching shoes and a ribbon in my hair. I was not even two yet, so I was still her dressing doll. I missed pants already. She gave me a final once-over, ensuring I looked every bit the young heiress of the Malfoy family. Draco, meanwhile, was hopping from foot to foot, unable to contain his excitement. This was going to be his first time out of the mansion.
"Remember, Seras," Narcissa said, her tone gentle but firm, "you must not act too mature for your age. You can appear as a prodigy, but don't appear as the reincarnation of Merlin."
I nodded, understanding the importance of maintaining appearances. I will one day be the strongest wizard, but the world didn't need to know that just yet. My parents had started calling my accomplishments monstrous, and that eventually developed into calling me a magical monster. The titles they would give in private just became more grandiose from there. I am nervous that this is going to give me a big head, not like I need any help with that.
We Flooed to the Leaky Cauldron, the magical fire transporting us smoothly from Malfoy Manor to the bustling pub. I felt a rush of exhilaration as we stepped out into the heart of wizarding commerce. Diagon Alley was a hive of activity, filled with witches and wizards of all ages, going about their daily business. If my inventions continued to work and my plans flourished, their coffers would all soon flow into mine. Draco didn't take well to his first trip by Floo. He stumbled out and nearly banged his head into a giant of a man. The giant, clad in black, moved dexterously out of the way and brought his hand down, protecting my brother from the cold floor of the Cauldron. After a second of catching his breath, the small boy moved to make it appear as if it had all been intentional. My brother had always fit the young master tropes like a glove, and he appeared to have somehow become even better at it.
We left the Leaky Cauldron, my father tapping the brick located three up and two across from the trash can placed there. I wondered if the entire wizarding economy would collapse if I moved the bin.
Draco's eyes were wide with wonder as he took in the sights and sounds of the bustling street. "Look! Brooms!" he exclaimed, pointing to the display outside Quality Quidditch Supplies. I smiled at his enthusiasm, though my mind was focused on our destination. Draco had to be dragged away from the storefront by my father. There was going to be a long reprimand on how to act like a Malfoy later for the heir.
We made our way down the cobblestone street, finally arriving at Flourish and Blotts. A small stage had been set up outside the bookstore, and a crowd of children and their parents were already gathered, waiting for the show to begin. My father had placed an ad in the Daily Prophet promising a show that would teach proper morals to the children, airing most of the day every day. All of the wealthy mothers of the wizarding world, wanting nothing more than to get their children out of the house and themselves into shops, had gathered ready to find out if their trips would become much more frequent. There were clearly a few husbands in the audience hoping for this to be a bust.
"Ah, Lucius, Narcissa," greeted Mr. Flourish, the owner of the store, as we approached. "And these must be your lovely children. Is the mysterious inventor of this technology coming today?"
"Yes, Mr. Flourish," my father replied smoothly. "This is Seras and Draco. We thought it would be a good idea for them to see the show. The inventor is a very private person and quite eccentric. I would like it if you didn't pry deeper into the matter."
I tried to act appropriately shy, giving Mr. Flourish a small, polite smile. Draco, on the other hand, was already tugging on my mother's hand, eager to get a closer look at the stage. "Go ahead, children," Narcissa encouraged us. "Find a good spot to watch."
Draco hurried to the front, securing a prime viewing spot. I moved to a bench where I could see the enchanted painting I had created, but more importantly the reactions from those around me. The success of the project hinged on a good impression with the ladies of high society.
The show began with a burst of magical energy, the characters coming to life on the canvas. Rune, the big green owl, flapped his wings and gave a cheerful hoot. Socks, the blue sock monkey, did a funny little dance, making the children giggle. Brewstew, the red dog, wagged her tail enthusiastically, and Skips, the yellow toad, performed a series of impressive leaps. Mark, the lazy cat, pretended to trip over his own paws, eliciting peals of laughter from the audience. Finally, Merlin, the wise old wizard, appeared, waving his wand to conjure a shower of sparkling stars. They then began the episode, a story about sharing that I had prepped ahead of time with the characters.
The children were captivated, their eyes glued to the stage as the characters interacted with each other and the audience. I watched with a mixture of pride and nervous anticipation, hoping everything would continue going smoothly. The mothers in the crowd saw their children having fun and began to converse among themselves. There had clearly been a consensus forming about the program. My mother heaped her approval onto the show in a convincing manner. Another blonde-haired woman, whom I believed to be a Greengrass, agreed with her. Then the ginger-haired woman, most likely the Weasley wife that was often complained about at dinner, agreed. With three mainstays of the wizarding community behind it, the rest of the moms fell in line. I was finally able to enjoy what I created with less worry.
At one point, a young boy shouted, "Socks, do the funny dance again!" while putting a Sickle into the collection slot. The character obliged, the runic circuits in the painting responding perfectly to the child's request. He then did a few more funny dances for the paying customer. This resulted in more paid requests by the children involved. It slowly became a competition for who could get the monkey to do the funniest dance. Many of the children acted out to show him just what they wanted, which led to a lot more fun for the adults and older kids in the audience. It was a success—the children were engaged and entertained, and the children spent quite a pretty penny. There was a noticeable increase in sales for Flourish and Blotts, which more than convinced the owners that the show out in front was the right call.
After the "episode" ended, we spent some time exploring Diagon Alley. The show continued on in our absence and would run near continuously to make sure that the children stayed entertained. Father took Draco to see the brooms after he promised to display some dignity, and mother dragged me to visit a few of the beauty shops. I marveled at the variety of magical goods on display, my mind buzzing with ideas for future projects. I almost didn't mind the 45 minutes of magical perfumes I was subjected to. I wanted to enter one of the few thrift stores we passed in search of interesting artifacts, but my mother didn't want us shopping like the Weasleys, and it was already time to go. My brother had somehow talked my ever-stern father into buying him a children's training broom as an early birthday present despite the fact he wouldn't be able to ride it until he was 4.He spent the entire rest of the trip home talking about how he would be the greatest Seeker in history. I wonder if magical steroids are legal in Quidditch. If they are, then with my help, he should have a fighting chance.
クリエイターの想い 
Joebiden_Biden
Joebiden_Biden There will be magical steroids for Draco. That is of course until Snape implements project LeKrum to get a leg up on Gryffindor and that infernal Potter.
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