((A.N. Chapter 3, right on time.Classes started this week and I'vebeen ridiculously busy. Thank youto everyone who reviewed. I'm really enjoying all the feedback! None of you correctly guessed who the five Ambassadors were, but a couple of you were up to four...! Without further ado, read on.))

PART I: COME TO ME IN DREAMS

Come with soft rounded cheeks and eyes as bright

As sunlight on a stream . . .

From "Echo" by Christina Rossetti

Chapter 3; Intellectually InvigoratingInterviews

One week later . . .

Hermione entered Dumbledore's office a tad apprehensively. She was surprised to see the five teachers that had conducted the interview. Snape, Sprout, McGonagall, and Flitwick were seated on each side of Dumbledore, and she thought that they looked like a panel of judges. And Hermione, being Hermione, was worried that she had not made the cut, though she was Head Girl and ranked number one in every subject but Potions.

"Sit down, please, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said quietly. McGonagall looked stern and Snape looked disgruntled, which Hermione took as a good sign. Then again, who was she kidding? Snape always looked disgruntled.

She took a seat across from Dumbledore.

"I am disappointed to say, Miss Granger . . ." Dumbledore started softly, and Hermione's heart leapt to her throat, " . . . that you will have to miss the first three weeks of term, because you've made the cut."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled in a good-natured fashion as he gazed across the desk at her.

Hermione sighed in relief and smiled before speaking.

"May I ask, Professor, what the real point of this trip is? I mean, I know that you said we needed to experience other ways of life and form alliances with the other schools, but that isn't the whole truth, is it?"

Dumbledore laughed at that, and shook his head in disbelief. "You never miss a beat, do you, Miss Granger? You truly are the brightest witch here."

"The point," McGonagall said clearly, "and don't go telling people about this, Miss Granger, is that the Dark Lord grows more and more powerful by the day. There would be nothing he would like more than to see the three greatest schools in Europe lose contact with one another. It would be easy to turn the schools against each other, isn't that true? If the schools united against him, he would face a power far greater than he could deal with easily. Ever since that disaster at the Triwizard Tournament, the schools have been on uneasy terms. This, Miss Granger, is a subtle attempt to bring them back together. This is also why the five of you have a lot of responsibility, and why you cannot make a foolish error."

McGonagall stared her down sternly, but Hermione did not flinch.

"Excuse my being frank, Miss Granger," Snape started icily, "but you were chosen for one reason and for one reason only."

McGonagall's sniff told Hermione what she thought of the notion, but Dumbledore motioned for him to continue.

"Do not kid yourself. You are not sophisticated, you are not brave, you are not beautiful–"

"Severus," Dumbledore intoned severely, "that is quite enough."

"Really, now, Severus," muttered Sprout in an outraged manner.

"What I mean to say, Miss Granger," Snape plowed on, "is that you are intelligent. And unlike some of the candidates, you are not completely irresponsible. We are relying on you to keep the others in line. You are to impress the other Ambassadors with your knowledge, but by no means to act as an insufferable know-it-all. Have I made myself clear?"

"Perfectly," Hermione enunciated, staring coldly into his eyes. To her satisfaction, he looked away after a moment.

"We wish you the best of luck, Miss Granger," Flitwick said chirpily. "You will depart tomorrow morning."

"Thank you, Professors McGonagall, Flitwick, Sprout, Dumbledore . . ."

She looked pointedly at Snape before smiling at Dumbledore. "It's really an honor."

And she left.

"Come in, Mr. Potter," Dumbedore said kindly, "do have a seat."

Harry took a seat.

Snape gave Harry a look that clearly said I-wish-you-would-keel-over-and-die.

"It came down to you and one other student in the end, and . . ."

Harry found that he was holding his breath.

" . . . we've chosen you," Dumbledore concluded. Harry let his breath out, and Snape coughed and snarled at the same time.

"You must understand that the three schools are not on the best of terms, Potter," McGonagall said sternly. "They may seem friendly at first, but you must be careful. You are the most aware and powerful – if not particularly law-abiding – student in the school. This is why we chose you."

"Thank you, Professor," Harry intoned. He was surprised they had chosen him, actually. "Is it safe for me to travel to other schools with . . . Voldemort gaining power?" Harry asked curiously.

"There are two reasons why we are allowing you to go," Sprout piped up. McGonagall continued for her, "The first is that the other two schools you will be traveling to have similar wards to Hogwarts. You-Know-Who would have a hard time breaking into any of them. The second reason is that this mission is critical to the well being of our country and our school. We would not trust anyone else with a task as important. You have shown great courage and determination in the past, Mr. Potter. Do not disappoint us now."

Dumbledore dismissed him. He was about to leave when he heard, absurd as it was, a voice in his head.

"And Potter, you know that if you step one toe out of line, I will get you expelled."

And Harry left.

Ginny entered next, and could not help noticing that Snape looked particularly agitated. What's gotten into him?

"Sir," Snape uttered in exasperation. "You said diversity, not five Gryff–"

"Look how diverse they are, Severus. A Muggle-born, a Half Blood, and a Pureblood. Already we have spanned the school in diversity," McGonagall said airily. She looked smug.

"Enough, Severus, Minerva," Dumbledore said.

Snape was absolutely fuming.

"As you may have guessed, Miss Weasley, you have been chosen as an Ambassador. We thought about it for a long time, and at last decided that Hogwarts would not be adequately represented without a member of the Weasley brood in the mix. Your marks are fairly good, and you will prove an excellent mediator between schools. I am sure of it."

I am amazed they did not pick Ron over me, Ginny thought dazedly. Whatever happened to the Golden Trio?

In any case, she was delighted to be going. Snape looked ready to have an epileptic fit, however.

"I'm excited to be going, sir," she addressed Dumbledore.

Ginny smiled and thanked them before leaving, and before Snape blew his top.

Draco entered Dumbledore's office and took a seat without being asked. Snape looked livid, but when he saw Draco he calmed down.

"Draco Malfoy, you have obviously . . . been chosen for this event. You are well known, mannerly when you wish to be, and though your marks are not the best, I somehow have no doubt that you will be able to complete advanced study courses. You are intelligent, Mr. Malfoy, perhaps as intelligent as Miss Granger."

"Thank you," Draco said, for telling me something I didn't know, he finished sarcastically in his head.

Dumbledore kept talking, but Draco was not listening. He had not even wanted to take this trip in the first place, but he was Head Boy and was almost required to go. Aside from that, Potter had interviewed, and by some twisted turn of events, Draco had to go wherever Potter flounced around to, in order to make friends with the bloke.

Friends? How was it even possible? They couldn't have a two minute conversation without ending up with wands at each other's throats.

Draco did not have even the slightest beginning of a notion of how he would make friends with Harry. Obviously he could not start being nice to the prat. That would be more suspicious than Lucius handing out teddy bears to needy orphans on Christmas Eve. He would have to do something subtle, yet something that would catch Potter's attention . . .

He was not a Slytherin for nothing.

Draco needed a Really Cunning Plan.

It's a lose-lose situation, really, he thought morbidly. If he did not succeed in gaining Potter's trust, he was as good as dead. If he did become Potter's friend, he was likely to kill himself.

Couldn't they have gotten some girl to do this? Draco thought heatedly. I daresay Potter needs a little girlfriend. He would fall for a girl right away. Couldn't they have gotten Pansy to seduce him or something?

He wrinkled his nose at the thought of Potter and Pansy snogging, and cringed at the thought of what their child would look like.

"Mr. Malfoy?" Dumbledore asked, sounding concerned. "You looked positively disgusted for a moment. Will going by train be a problem?"

"No, it . . . why are we taking a train?" Draco wondered out loud.

"It is too unstable to Port Key to stormy Durmstrang, so a train will be the fastest. And, Mr. Malfoy . . . I am aware of the grudge that Mr. Potter and yourself hold against one another. For this trip, it must be forgotten. Is that clear?"

"Crystal, sir," Draco said quickly.

And so his worst nightmare began.

((A.N. Poor Draco, stuck with three Gryffindors... but who is the final mysterious Ambassador? You'll find out next chapter when they set off for Durmstrang. It would be great if you reviewed:D))