The next time the Slytherins and the Gryffindor met was a few days later.
The Slytherin Quidditch team was just meeting for some practice, Daphne, Theo and Blaise were coming to watch and Harry was on the Quidditch pitch doing tricky and dangerous moves. He didn't even see them. Adrian Pucey, a sixth year, was the first to notice him.
,,Wow! Who is that? ''
he asked. And with "Wow" he was definitely right. Harry had just pulled out of a spectacular dive, mere seconds before he hit the ground.
,,Potter"
Draco mumbled bitterly. Honestly, was there anything that his rival wasn't good at?
,,No way ''
The team was shocked. None of them would have even tried to pull off something like that. Marcus Flint, a seventh year, was, like Wood, obsessed with Quidditch. He knew all the teams and important players. And he was sure none of them, not even Viktor Krum could have done, what Potter seemed to do so easily.
Harry finally noticed the crowd of Slytherins who were openly staring at him. He quickly landed and was ready to apologize for stealing some of their training time when Graham Montague asked him a question.
,,Merlin Potter! Where did you learn to fly so good?''
Harry blushed. He wasn't used to compliments and most of all not from Slytherins. He decided to stay cautious.
,,Nowhere. It just comes naturally I guess.''
,,That comes naturally to you?''
The Slytherins were amazed.
,,If only you could have been in Slytherin.''
Harry smirked as if remembering something first one to notice was Blaise.
,,That's impossible ... but ... not true ''
,,What is he talking about? ''
Adrian was intrigued. Here directly in front was Gryffindor's Golden Boy smirking like only a true Slytherin could. Then it finally clicked.
,,The hat wanted to put you in Slytherin, didn't he?''
Draco was quick to protest.
,,Potter in Slytherin? He is neither ambitious nor cunning.''
,,And you are?''
Harry really enjoyed this. It was funny to watch Draco try to come up with comebacks. Then he said something that overstepped the line.
,,You are a only Halfblood Potter. You mother was a Mudblood. You would nev ...''
The world would never know what he was going to say because Draco stopped abruptly. Not because he didn't mean it, he was Draco Malfoy for God's sake, but because he saw something in Harry change.
Harry didn't even have to take out his wand. His eyes glowed with power.
,,You can say what you want about me Malfoy but you better never even whisper a word against my mother again!
Especially if your information is false"
This was added as a whisper.
,,Sorry Potter, but I'm afraid I can't follow you.
Adrian said.
Harry sighed and explained.
"My mother was a pureblood. To protect her from having to serve You Know Who her parents gave her to a muggle family. You see my grandfather was a death eater and would have expected her to take the mark."
Then he smirked.
,, And just for your information Malfoy. There have already been halfbloods in Slytherin. Just take your Head of house for example or even better take the "Dark Lord" your parents follow."
The Slytherins looked disbelieving.
,,Yes, the great "Dark Lord", the heir of Slytherin is a halfblood.''
,,You lie ''
Malfoy stuttered. Never had anyone dared to talk to him like that. And how did Potter know about his Uncle Sev?
,,He doesn't''
a sweet voice said. Their fight had been so consuming that no one had heard her coming. There stood in all her beauty and grace Astoria Greengrass.
,,And he is probably more cunning than the entire house together. Let's just look at th ... ''
Harry slipped his hand over her mouth.
,, Tori, I thought we talked about this already. No more telling my secrets, remember?''
Astoria pouted.
,, But it's so much fun ''
The rest of the snakes were confused. Here was Astoria Greengrass, the Ice Princess of Slytherin, sister of The Ice Queen Daphne Greengrass, laughing and talking with Gryffindor's Golden Boy Harry Potter.
,,Not again ''
Daphne murmured. That confused the Slytherins just more.
,,Again? What again? ''
Marcus asked the question that went through almost every head.
,,Nothing really '' Astoria said ,,Just that the last time we met I was in Harry's arms and Daphne decided to think that he forced me and drew her wand on him but we just ignored her and spent the rest of the day together ''
,,And you still haven't told us from where you know each other.''
Blaise said. Harry and Astoria shared a look.
,,And we won't. It's pretty private.''
Daphne opened her mouth to ask more but one look from Harry shut her up.
,,Well, I will go now and let you practice.''
Harry turned around but was stopped with a shout.
,, Potter.''
He swirled around and gave Flint a questioning gaze.
,, Would ... Would you ... Would you show us some tricks on your broom.I mean, I know you are a Gryffindor and we are Slytherins and the teams are playing against another again next year but ...?''
Harry smiled. One of his first true smiles since the goblet thing. He nodded.
,,Of course. After all I could just as well have been a Slytherin.''
The Slytherin team smiled and moved to mount their brooms as Graham asked a last question.
,,Why aren't you in Slytherin Then?''
,,Malfoy'' Harry answered ,, After I heard him talk I definitely didn't want to be in the same house as him.''
Draco turned red.
,,Are you saying'' asked Marcus ,, That you could have been playing for Slytherin all along if Malfoy had just kept his mouth shut?''
,,Yep, that is exactly what I am saying''
With that Harry pushed himself off the ground and started to fly around the pitch .
The Slytherin team's angry gazes were saying more than thousand words and at the moment they were all focused on Malfoy.
From the sky you could hear Harry's laugh.
Astoria grinned.
,, Very Slytherin move Harry, very Slytherin ''