Chapter 2: Halloween Blunder
September 1, 1991
It was a very busy morning at the train station. It was September first and he was leading his first born son and his nephew to the platform which held the Hogwarts express. This man stood up straight as he strutted through the crowd of people; people he like to think that were filth and beneath him. He ignored them, leading his children through the crowd, but then, something caught his eyes to his right. He slowed his pace. There a saw a very familiar boy; a famous boy, pushing his trolley and curiously looked around. He smiled to himself.
"Draco," he hissed, turning around to see his son and nephew pushing seperate trolleys. Draco looked up at his father, pushing his trolley over next to his father, looking at him questioningly. "Go help that confused young boy over there," Draco's father ordered, pointing over to the raven-haired child with round-rimmed glasses.
Draco looked over at the boy. "Why?" he asked.
"Don't question me!" Draco's father hissed, pushing Draco forward. "Just do it!" Draco sighed and walked ahead.
"What are you planning, Uncle Lucius?" the other boy spoke up.
Lucius smiled as he witnessed Draco interacted with the raven-haired boy. "Something that will hopefully pay off for us in the future, my boy."
The next morning, Harry easily awoke the next morning, feeling well-rested and excited to get started on his magical learning. He jumped out of the bed, and was surprised that it was a bit dark, the dorm lit up by candles, and it was just then that Harry had just remembered that he was in the dungeons, and that there were no windows looking out into the world. He was a little disappointed, but began to get dressed in his school robes, adorning the colors of silver and green.
Harry looked around his dorm, noticing that he wasn't the only one awake. Every one else was too awake, and all getting ready. No one looked tired. They all looked excited to get started on their first day of Hogwarts. Some more than others. Harry also looked around for Draco who happened to not be in the dorm at the moment. Curious, he exited his dorm and made his way towards the common room, where it was bustling with other Slytherin students, going around and talking to their friends. And in the corner of the room, reading a book, was Draco. Harry quietly made his way over to his friend, noticing how everyone had began staring at him, or more importantly, his scar.
Draco looked up to see his friend approaching him. "Good morning," he greeted, closing his book.
"Good morning," Harry replied, glancing over at a tall boy who was passing by and staring hard at him. "People keep staring at me," he announced. "It's kind of uncomfortable."
"They're in awe that the boy-who-lived is here at Hogwarts," Draco said. Harry grimaced at the nickname. He didn't like the fact that he was already labeled for something he couldn't remember and before people would even get to know him.
"Come on, let's go to breakfast," He suggested. Draco nodded and stood to his feet, and both boys, along with other students began making their way up to the Great Hall for breakfast. As Harry was about to exit the common room, someone from behind knocked him in the shoulder as if they were trying to quickly get passed him.
"OH! I'm sorry," the girl replied, looking back at Harry but continuing forward. Harry noticed her flowing dark blonde hair and blue eyes. "But I'm in a hurry!" She turned and quickly disappeared into the crowd.
"Who was that?" Harry asked.
"Daphne Greengrass," Draco easily answered as Harry tried to find where she went. "Why so curious, Potter?"
"I'm not," Harry replied.
A few minutes later, Draco and Harry sat next to one another, near the end at the Slytherin Table, and began to pile their plate with breakfast foods. Harry began eating and when he looked up and around the Great Hall, he saw people glancing and pointing his way, whispering to their friends they were sitting next to.
"I see you're popular already," said a voice, sitting on front of Harry and Draco who looked up to see a fellow Slytherin sitting down by the name - "Blaise Zabini," he added, holding out his hand across the table. Both Harry and Draco shook the dark-skinned boy's hand. "And no need to introduce yourselves. I already know who you both are." Draco and Harry curiously glanced at one another.
Breakfast was normally uneventful. Blaise, Harry, and Draco talked about their upcoming classes and what they were looking forward too. They were in deep conversation when their head of house approached them.
"Malfoy," Professor Snape spoke, holding a small stack of timetables in his hand, holding out one to Draco. Draco accepted his timetable with a nod. He then turned his attention towards Harry. His dark eyes bored into Harry's green eyes, and then he handed Harry his timetable. "Potter," he mechanically spoke, and then turned and handed Blaise's timetable and swiftly turned to give out the timetables to other students.
"That was a little weird," Blaise commented, and then looked at his timetable. Harry nodded and glanced down at his own.
Class Schedule for First Year Slytherins
Monday - Morning classes- Charms with Hufflepuffs and Professor Flilus Flitwick, Transfiguration with Ravenclaws and Professor Minerva McGonagall
Afternoon classes- Double Potions with Gryffindors and Professor Severus Snape,
Tuesday- Morning classes- Double History of Magic with Hufflepuffs and Professor Cuthbert Binns
Afternoon classes - Double Herbology with Ravenclaws and Professor Pomona Sprout
Wednesday-Morning classes- Charms, Transfiguration
Afternoon classes- Double DADA with Gryffindors with Professor Quirnius Quirrell
Evening class- Astronomy with the Ravenclaws and Professor Aurora Sinistra
Thursday- Morning classes - Herbology, Charms
Afternoon classes - History of Magic, DADA,
Friday- Morning classes - Double Transfiguration
Afternoon classes - Double Potions.
"This is certainly an interesting schedule," Blaise spoke, pocketing his timetable. "So Charms, yeah?" he asked, standing to his feet. "I'll see you there, I have to grab a few things." Draco and Harry nodded, watching their new friend leave the Great Hall.
Minutes later, the duo were carrying bags and heading towards the first class of Charms. They entered to find that the Ravenclaw students had already arrived and that at the front of the classroom standing on a pile of books, was a tiny professor; Professor Flitwick. As class began, Flitwick was cheery and exciting, a nice teacher. He began with taking roll, and then explaining what charms was to the students. He showed them some charms spells and since it was the first day, they were to take notes.
For the next week of Hogwarts had been a strange toll on young Harry Potter. Not just because of his classes, but because of all the kinds of whispers that followed him around. Draco told him to ignore it, but how could he with the whispering following him all around the school. It was stifling and annoying, and the only place he didn't hear the whispers was in his dorm or in the library. There were the only two places he could be without the whispering and with the ability to try and enjoy himself and his school work.
His schoolwork. All of it was interesting and new to Harry and he really liked it even if it was all confusing. There was a whole lot to learn than just saying a few words and waving one's wand. And every one of Harry's classes were interesting, with the exception of History of Magic. It was taught by a ghost, Professor Binns. Harry had learned from an older Slytherin that Binns had fallen asleep one day, and got up in the morning to continue to teach, leaving behind his body. Binns had a monotone like voice, droning on, and putting students to sleep. Harry had a hard time keeping awake while listening about Uric the Oddball and Emeric the Evil.
Then there was the difficult magic of Transfiguration, Harry learned. It was taught by the strict and quite frightening Professor McGonagall. She lectured on how Transfiguration was to be the most difficult magic they would ever learn. She lectured and the first years took notes. After, they were each given a match and were to try and turn it into a needle. By the end of the lesson, only Draco had managed to turn his match into a pointy match. Crabbe also managed to set his match on fire.
There was only one class that was to be at night. On every Wednesday at Midnight, was the class of Astronomy where the students would learn the names of stars and movements of planets. And then three times a week, they went out to greenhouses behind the castle to study Herbology, with a dumpy little witch called Professor Sprout, where they learnt how to take care of all the strange plants and fungi and found out what they were used for.
Harry had made a few trustworthy friends who didn't care about his famous title. He also, however, had made some enemies from Gryffindor house. What Harry didn't understand was why they weren't so nice to him, call him a sneak and a snake. It wasn't until Blaise informed him that Gryffindor and Slytherin were rival houses.
"It's been this way ever since Hogwarts has been opened," Blaise told Harry as they sat down at the Slytherin table. "Everyone knew Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor hated one another." Draco sat next to Harry.
"If they hated each other, then why build a school together?" Harry wondered. Blaise shrugged.
Over the next few weeks, nothing eventful really happened unless you count Slytherin beating Gryffindor in the first Quidditch match of the year. Harry learned that first years weren't allowed to try out, though he found flying on a broom very freeing and couldn't wait to play on the team next year. Most of his weekends were spent with studies, hanging out with Draco and Blaise, or going by himself to Hagrid's to have some tea. He liked Hagrid and his tea, learning a lot about his parents from the Half-giant. Now, it was the end of October. It was the day before Halloween. After class, Harry had decided to study up on Potions since that last grade he was given was a Poor grade. He thought his potion was alright, but Snape thought otherwise. Harry had a suspecting feeling that Snape didn't like him very much. And he couldn't understand why.
Harry entered the library, seeing most of the tables were occupied. He walked towards the back where there was a four seated table and only one of the seats was occupied by a brown bushied haired girl. Harry saw that Gyffindor emblem on her robe. He walked over to the table.
"Is this seat taken?" He asked politely. The girl looked up, he eyes widened in fear, slightly shaking her head. "Thank you," Harry said politely, taking a seat, and pulling out his Potions textbook. The girl curiously looked at him, going back to her studies a second later. Half an hour later, Harry stretched out his muscles, glancing over to the girl's parchment, seeing that she was reading an advanced Charms book. "You're in my year, aren't you?" Harry suddenly asked. The girl glanced his way, but didn't answer. She slightly nodded. "I'm Harry. What's your name?"
"Hermione," she answered quietly, almost in a whisper. Harry felt weird, as if this girl was afraid of him. Though, he didn't know why.
"You don't have to be afraid of me," Harry spoke. "I'm not going to bite you."
"I can't help it," Hermione spoke quietly. "It's not as if your kind is nice to me."
"My kind?" Harry repeated confusedly. "Er...wizards?"
Hermione shook her head. "Slytherins," she replied.
Harry nodded. "I understand."
"What do you understand?!" She huffed, suddenly becoming a little louder and angry. Harry was taken aback. She slammed her book and began to gather up her things. "You know nothing," she whispered heatedly, and then left the library. Harry, however, was confused. She got angry at him for understanding. He knew what it was like to get bullied by others. He knew it all too well. Harry sighed and went back to his studies. He read the potions book for an hour, his eyes getting heavier and heavier, suddenly falling asleep.
There was flashes of images: A bushy haired girl screaming with white light. A blonde haired boy diving behind fire. A large mirror, seeing his reflection. And a face that was hollow with red eyes. And then, a flash of green.
Harry's eyes snapped open. He shot up and looked around, seeing that he was still in the library. He gathered his things, and walked through the library. No one was left inside and it was severely quiet. That's when Harry realized that it was after hours. He was out of his dorm, and if he were caught, he could get into big trouble. Harry exited the library, looking left and right for the caretaker or his cat. The coast was clear. He began to run down the corridor towards the stair, making his way down. He stopped on the third floor when he heard voices. He looked over the banister seeing Filch making his way up with his cat. Harry had to think fast, he turned around and began running down the thrid floor corridor, reaching up to a door. He tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge. It was locked. He heard the voices getting closer. This was it. He was done for. He was going to be expelled and was going to lose his new home forever.
Suddenly, a hooded figure came out of nowhere, grabbing a hold of Harry's hand and going up to the locked door. "Aberto," they whispered, and the door unlocked. The figure led Harry inside and quickly locked the door behind them. Harry was about to speak, but a hand was placed over his mouth to keep him from doing so. The hooded figure was listening through the door, and then moved their hand away from Harry when the coast was clear.
"Thanks, I guess," Harry thanked, heaving his book-bag over his shoulder.
The figure removed their hood and turned to Harry whose eyes widened in surprise. It was Selena Evergreen. "You can thank me when we're back at the dormitory," she replied. "What are you doing out of bed?"
"I could ask you the same," Harry replied as Selena rolled her eyes. "I fell asleep at the back of the library. I guess no one knew I was there, so I was trying to make my way back to the dorm without getting caught." Selena nodded, peaking through the key-hole of the door. "What are you doing out of bed?" Harry asked.
"I wanted to know what was behind this door," Selena answered, turning around. "What was all the fuss was about." She began to looked around the room but it was too dark. Harry, now curious, followed her. "It's took dark. I can't see anything." She whipped out her wand as did Harry, both saying, "Lumos!" Their wands lit up, lighting up in front of them. Both parties froze in terror at what was in front of them. It was a large dog head, but not one, or two, but three dog heads attached to one body.
"It's a Cerberus," Selena whispered in terror.
"I think we should leave," Harry whispered back, noticing something near one of the dog heads.
"Okay, but quietly," Selena said. Harry nodded, and the two Slytherins quickly and quietly left the room before the three-headed dog could wake up. Selena shut the door behind her, sighing in relief. "You saw it too, didn't you," she said to Harry who looked at her in confusion. "The trap door."
Harry shrugged. "I don't know if I even want to know," he said, turning and leaving the corridor. Selena followed after him.
"You're not a little bit curious," Selena asked him.
"I guess I am," Harry answered, "But should I risk my life against a Cerberus just to see what's down there? It could be nothing - "
"It could be something," Selena argued, "Something worthwhile. Something so valuable, or something that's once in a lifetime opportunity."
"Sure, could be," Harry agreed nonchalantly. Moments later, they arrived into the Slytherin common room.
"Wait," Selena said, stopping Harry from going to his dorm. He looked at her questioningly. "We should keep this a secret. At least by all means."
"I wasn't going to bring it up," Harry replied. "I just want to forget about it and go to sleep."
Selena scoffed. "Please, you're just as curious as I am, Potter," she told him. "I'll let you know when I plan on going back into the room," she said before leaving to her dorm. Harry rolled his eyes, but smiled nonetheless, going back to his dorm and going to sleep.
The next morning, it was Halloween. Harry joined his friends for breakfast, sitting across from Draco. "Where were you last night?" he asked.
Harry yawned. "I fell asleep at the back of the library," he said. "I had to make my way back after hours. Ran into Evergreen on my way."
Draco's eyes snapped to Harry. "What? Where?" he asked. "What was she doing?"
Harry shrugged, eating some eggs. "Just wondering around I guess," he lied, not sure what to tell Draco at the moment. Suddenly, a bushy haired girl caught Harry's eye, and decided to change the subject. "Blaise, what do you know about that girl?" he asked.
Blaise looked over to the bushy haired girl. "That's Hermione Granger," he answered, "Smartest in our year so far, but not a lot of people like her. I guess because she's smarter than them. I know a lot of our Slytherins bully her, but so do some of her own Gryffindors like to tease her. Why do you want to know?"
"Just curious," Harry replied, going back to eating his breakfast.
The whole day was not very interesting except they would be learning a new spell in Charms class. "Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" squeaked Professor Flitwick, perched on top of his pile of books as usual. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too...never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."
This proved to be a bit difficult. A lot of the students were having trouble trying to get their feather to float up with their wands. Some of the Hufflepuffs were able to make their feathers to jump for a second. A couple of Slytherins were able to preform the spell. Daphne Greengrass and Draco were the first in the class to perfectly preform the levitation spell, to which they were rewarded five points a piece. Though by the end of the class, Harry was able to preform the spell with ease.
Later, Harry and his friends were headed to the Great Hall for dinner when they saw Selena leaving in the opposite direction. "Oi, where are you going?" Draco asked as she passed by.
"To the restroom if that's okay with you," Selena replied. Draco turned away with a slight blush.
Harry placed an arm around Draco's shoulders, leading him into the Great Hall. A thousand live bats fluttered from the walls and ceiling while a thousand more swooped over the tables in low black clouds, making the candles in the pumpkins stutter. The feast appeared suddenly on the golden plates, as it had at the start-of-term banquet. There were plenty of candies and sweet treats littered along the table. This was the Halloween feast. Everyone from every house was enjoying the feast, but it all came to a screeching halt.
The doors burst open loudly. Everyone stared as Quirrell ran in sweaty and disheveled. "Troll, in the dungeon! Troll! In the dungeon!" He screamed out in terror. "Thought you ought to know," he finished then fell to the ground as if he fainted. Most of the students starting screaming their heads off.
"Silence!" Dumbledore ordered as loudly as he could, and the students quieted. "Prefects, lead your houses back to their dormitories immediately!"
"How could a troll get in?" Harry asked Draco as they were lead out of the Great Hall and towards their dorm by the prefects.
"I'm not sure," Draco answered, looking pensive. "Trolls aren't very intelligent. Someone had to have led one in." Though realization dawned on his face. "Selena!" he blurted out.
"What about her?" Harry asked in confusion.
"She doesn't know!" Draco exclaimed, grabbing onto Harry's arm and leading him away from the group. The two slipped into another corridor and ran towards the ladies' restroom, suddenly stopping. "Do you feel that?" Draco asked. Harry nodded, feeling the rumbling under his feet. The two first years looked ahead, suddenly seeing the troll slowly stumbling towards the girls' restroom. "What do we do now?" Draco heatedly whispered.
"Well, we have to save her," Harry answered, whipping out his wand. "Come on." Harry moved forward. Draco stood for a moment, jumping up in down, not sure what to do. He sighed heavily, grabbing his wand and then following after Harry.
Draco and Harry burst into the bathroom just as there was a loud scream and a crash. The boys saw half of the stalls had been crushed, and there was someone under the debris of wood, slightly moving. "Selena, are you okay?!" Draco shouted out. A head appeared out of the debris. It wasn't Selena, though Harry knew who it was.
"Do you know any lethal spells?" Harry asked.
"I'm eleven," Draco replied heatedly. "I know how to levitate things and light my wand. And I don't think changing a matchstick into a needle is going to help in this situation." Harry growled in frustration as the two looked around for something that could help them. The troll growled, moving around the wood to look for Hermione.
"Don't worry Hermione, stay hidden!" Harry called out. "We'll figure it out!" He looked around, stepping forward and grabbing some splintered wood. "Oi! Pee brain!" he shouted, throwing the wood that struck the troll, but it had no effect. He continued to throw the wood and Draco began to help, throwing his own splintered wood.
"You're not helping!" Hermione's voice shouted from under the pile of wood.
"Well, do you have any great ideas!" Harry shouted back.
"Point your wand and shout Reducto!" she suggested.
Harry and Draco shared a worried glance. Harry pointed his wand. "Reducto!" he shouted and was suddenly thrown off his feet, flying backwards. Harry and Draco were both surprised though something happened. An orange spell shot from Harry's hand as he flew backwards. The spell truck the troll in the back, causing a small cut. Harry landed against the wall with a yelp. Pain striking his back. The troll groaned, finally turning his attention, not to Harry, but towards Draco who was standing in front of Harry, now looking fearful. "Er...Harry," Draco squeaked. "What do I do?"
"Just do what I did," Harry groaned out.
Draco pointed his wand up towards the troll that was sauntering towards him. He was terrified and closed his eyes. "Reducto!" he shouted. The spell shot out of his wand, and he too was thrown backwards into the wall next to Harry. The spell struck the troll in the head, knocking the troll out, falling backwards, unconscious, with a loud thud. "Ow," Draco groaned as Hermione crawled out from underneath the wood, examining the scene. Draco looked up to smile, only for it to falter. "You're not Selena."
"No, I'm not," Hermione answered, walking over to make sure both boys were okay. "I'm Hermione. Thank you for saving my life though."
"No problem," Draco groaned as he and Harry stood to their feet.
"Are you alright?" Harry asked, looking at Hermione who nodded.
"Yeah, I'm alright," Draco answered, rubbing his arm. "Nearly lost my life, but otherwise, okay." Harry rolled his eyes and Hermione gave a little giggle, glancing towards the troll.
"Is it dead?" Hermione asked.
"I don't think so," Draco answered. "Trolls may be stupid, but they're tough. It's most likely just knocked out."
The door slammed open, the trio jumping at the sound. The sound of shuffling and running footsteps were heard. The Gryffindor and two Slytherins turned to see McGonagall, Snape, and Quirrell enter the bathroom. McGonagall looked at the three boys. They had never seen her so angry."Explain yourselves, immediately." she commanded as Harry noticed the leering look of Snape, and impressed look by Quirrel.
"What do you think? We saved the day," Draco cheekily said.
"I will have none of your cheek Malfoy," McGonagall replied heatedly. Draco rolled his eyes. Harry elbowed Draco in annoyance.
"We were only coming to get Hermione because she was missing out on the feast," Harry spoke up. "We figured it was something to help cheer up her mood, but it looked like the troll got here first. We had to help her."
"Why not run for a professor," Snape asked.
"She could of been dead by the time one of you arrived," Harry quickly replied, slightly glaring at Snape who's stare was boring into his. "We had to think fast."
"Im-m-mpressive," Quirrel said with a straight face. "I m-m-must say."
"Agreed," Snape agreed. "Fifteen points to the both of you, Potter, Draco." The two boys eyes lit up and they smiled to each other.
"Well, thank goodness Miss Granger is okay," McGonagall said with a sigh, glancing at Draco and Harry unconvincingly. "And you three are friends?"
The trio glanced to one another. "Yes," they answered together.
"Right," McGonagall said skeptically. "Well, I suggest you all go back to your dormitories." The trio nodded, leaving the girl's restroom as the Professors stayed behind.
The trio walked down the corridor in silence, stopping at the stairs. Hermione turned to the two boys. "Erm, thank you, I guess," she said to Harry and Draco.
"Don't mention it," Harry replied with a smile.
"Or do," Draco replied. "Please, feel free to mention everything, especially the last part where I knocked out a troll." Hermione giggled and nodded, turning and running up the stairs.
Minutes later, Draco and Harry entered their common room, surprised to see that the feast was being continued inside. Though no one seemed to notice the two boys enter, nor did anyone care. Harry did notice Eris Lestrance looking his and Draco's way with curiosity. He thought nothing of it, moving over to grab some sweets with Draco. As he finished filling his plate, he turned to find Selena, slightly disheveled, standing right in front of him.
"Merlin," Harry jumped. "You need a bell tied around your neck."
"We need to talk," She demanded, grabbing Harry by the arm and dragging him away from an unnoticed Draco. She led him over to a darkened corner. "I think we have a problem."
"What do you mean?" Harry asked, lifting to eat a cupcake only for it to be slapped away by Selena. "Oi! That was my cupcake."
Selena rolled her eyes. "Look, when I said I was leaving for the restroom, I was actually going back to the third floor corridor," she replied, catching Harry's attention. "But as I was hiding nearby, wondering how to get passed that three-headed dog, I saw Professor Snape enter that room. I also saw Professor Quirrel get close but he didn't enter because of the noise coming from inside. He left but Snape came out, limping. Probably hurt from the dog."
"What are you trying to say?" Harry curiously asked.
"I think one or both of those Professors are after whatever that three-headed dog is guarding," Selena answered.
"But what is it that that dog is guarding?"
"That is the question, isn't it," Selena said ominously.
A/N: You're probably wondering if this one is seven different stories. No, it won't be. This will be one looooooooooong story. It's going to be fun. I will change up a bunch of stuff, and skip over the lame and boring stuff. But who will you want to end up together? That's what we want to see, right? Harry/Hermione? Draco/Hermione? Blaise/Daphne? Harry/Daphne? Harry/Selena? I have some good ideas.