Fraud's Mistake

Harry had a shocked look on his face as he looked towards Gilderoy Lockhart who had just called out to him. Hermione looked out Harry with a jealous yet happy face seeing her friend be picked out by her idol. Oz however saw through this whole situation and was just amused by it all.

"Go on then Mr. Potter!".

As Oz was transfigured to not look like himself, he pretended not to know Harry as he pushed him towards the front where a camera man grabbed him. Harry looked back at Oz with a pleading look in his eyes as if he really didn't want to be a part of this situation. Seeing that Oz wasn't gonna help him he desperately tried to reel Oz into this situation as well.

"The descendant of Merlin is here as well!"

Gilderoy's eyes widened at Harry's comment as he looked around the store. After sweeping the store several times with his eyes he chuckled as he looked at Harry.

"Come now Harry, this isn't time to make jokes! I don't see him anywhere so he must not be here. Need I remind you that even if he was transfigured or invisible I'd be able to spot him in an instant! Maybe you haven't read my works fully as its explained in this book here...".

Harry lost all hope as he heard the man in front of him start going on about his books as he pulled him closer for a picture for the news. Hermione however looked up at the transfigured Oz with a shocked look.

"How on earth didn't he recognise you Oz?! He's an acclaimed wizard whose on the order of merlin! There's no way you are more powerful than him right!?".

Hearing Hermione's shocked tone Oz chuckled to himself as he put his hand on her shoulder. He leant into her ear as he whispered.

"You believe words on a page too much Hermione... Have you actually seen the man prove he's what he says he is?".

With that note, Oz waved Hermione goodbye as he walked out of the shop. A clever grin plastered on his face as he thought up an idea to get out of buying this frauds book. Picking up a few random cheap books he bought them at the counter and went into a corner where Gilderoy's books were on display. Looking at the for a moment he memorized every detail of each cover. He put his hands on top of each book one by one transfiguring the cover only into Gilderoy's own books.

'Yeah... Like im gonna feed that fraud money. I mean the price he's selling these things for are extortionate...'.

The books he had now that were originally random now looked exactly like each of Gilderoy's books that were on sale. If you were to open the books however you'd be greeted with writing that doesn't correlate at all with the covers. This would be plenty to get past that frauds nose.

Basking in his mini victory Oz glanced around the store again. Harry and Hermione were too preoccupied it seemed and the Weasleys were still in line waiting to be served. Just above on top of the stairs he could even see Draco Malfoy looking through random books and even ripping pages out and with Arthur to his right talking to the grangers about muggle business, it seemed everyone was here from the canon... nearly everyone.

'The question is will he show?'

Yes, the last person that needed to appear at this store to make this a perfect fit was Lucius Malfoy. However, Oz couldn't sense the man anywhere nearby. Oz exited to store as he looked up and down the street and still he couldn't see any sign of the man.

'Ill wait here for Harry and Hermione... If Lucius doesn't enter the store at any point, especially after the Weasleys leave then that means...'.

Oz sighed deeply as he looked at the floor.

'I guess it'll never be THAT easy huh...'.

.

Oz stood outside of Flourish and Blotts for what felt like hours. Eventually, Hermione and Harry exited to store and approached the transfigured Oz. Harry seemed to be in a bad mood after being subjected to Gilderoy's talking and sudden picture taking while Hermione looked like she had something on her mind.

Looking at the both with a grin, Oz said:

"Well, did you two have fun in there?".

Harry scowled at Oz realising that he was poking fun at him.

"Like hell I did Oz...".

Oz laughed at the angry Harry.

"I'm sure you'll live Harry there's no need to be so upset".

Harry heaved a sigh as he marked in his head that this was 1-0 to Oz. As he kicked a rock on the floor he looked over to Hermione.

"Hermione? Why are you so quiet?".

Hearing Harry, Hermione was jolted out of her thinking.

"Oh! Uh... well I was just thinking of how this year will go... Oh thats right! I should probably go grab my parents, how could I forget?".

Oz looked at Hermione who scampered off running back into the store. Harry looked at where she had gone as well with a confused look on his face.

"Its rare to see her so... ditsy. I wonder what brought this on?".

Oz looked towards where the girl had run off to in deep thought as well.

'Knowing the brain on that girl she might already be realising that her idol is a fraud after what I said... Well sadly its just something she has to get over herself'

"I'm sure she'll be fine Harry... Anyway there's something I've been meaning to ask you".

Harry turned to look at Oz as his expression jumped a bit.

"Ask me? What do you want to ask me Oz?".

There was something sitting on Oz's mind all this time as he met back up with Harry in Diagon alley. Something he needed to know in order to gauge whether or not this year is going similarly or completely differently to what he knows of in the canon. Judging by what he could sense coming off Harry, he already had an idea of where this conversation might lead.

"...Have you by any chance been approached by a house elf?".

Harry's eyes jumped as he looked up and down the street.

"D-did you send that 'Dobby' to me Oz?! If so that was not a funny joke! He nearly got caught multiple times near the grangers house when he tried to get my attention! He even tried to mess with the grangers trying to make me look bad! If you sending him was your idea of a prank then you're the worst prankster ever! Especially considering that elf told me not to come back to school this year...".

Hearing Harry's full response Oz got the confirmation he needed. If Dobby was trying to contact Harry then that means that Lucius IS making a move this year.

"I didn't send him Harry... As you know my eyes changed in the middle of last year and these eyes allow me to see residual magic. I sensed some 'elf' magic on you and wanted to ask you about it is all... But an elf thats trying to stop you from going to Hogwarts... I wonder why it would do that?".

Harry looked into Oz's eyes as he explained how he knew an elf had approached him. Even though the reason seemed far-fetched Harry knew better than to underestimate his friends in front of him.

"Well... That elf was pretty vague about it. He just kept saying that there's a plot thats going to take place which will make Hogwarts a dangerous place this year... But I mean... Isn't Hogwarts the safest place around? How could it be dangerous?".

"Harry have you already forgot the end of last year?".

Hearing Oz's instant rebuttal Harry realised instantly that maybe saying Hogwarts was the 'safest' place was not correct at all.

"Well... do you think something will happen then Oz?".

Oz walked over to Harry as he put his hand on his shoulder.

"It'll probably be best to keep an ear out at least don't you think? Anyway, you should go and head off with Hermione. I'll catch up with you two at Kings cross or maybe even on the train".

Harry nodded to Oz before running back into the store to see where Hermione was. Looking up and down the street again, Oz started to piece together his situation.

'If that Lucius doesn't make an appearance... Then its safe to assume that the diary has ended up in someone else's hands this year...'.

Looking up at the sky Oz sighed deeply once more.

'Ill wait here until the Weasley's are gone, The second they leave Ill check Ginny's cauldron. If its not there, then I can only guess that someone else has been handed the diary instead...'.