Harry Potter in Love
Scene Seven


It is late at night. The ball is long over and we peep into Draco's room again. We find him sprawled out on his bed with Snape leaning against the door.

"I've met someone today," tells Draco him with a dreamy look on his face, blissfully unaware of the sceptic look on his counsellor's face.

"Is she lovely?" asks the man, wondering what girl could make the prince act the way he did.

"He is."

Snape raises surprised a brow. "He?"

"Yes, a he." Draco sighs deeply knowing the complication. "Did you know that they don't care what gender their partner is in the Hufflepuff kingdom?"

Snape rolls his eyes. "Oh please, in Hufflepuff they don't even care about ranks."

Draco looks quickly away and Snape stares suspicious at the blonde. "Don't tell me…"

"He is indeed no noble."

This fact seems to shock the councillor more than the fact that the mysterious person Draco seems to like is a man. "What will your father say…"

Draco sits up and gives Snape a fixated look. "He would say 'Take him as lover and marry a girl who wouldn't mind'."

Snape snorts at that imitation and nods. "You might be right, Draco."

"Of course I am," answers Draco smugly and let himself drop on his back again. "The problem is that I won't be able to do that."

"Why not."

"Because I want him! I don't want to be forced to marry some girl to produce an heir, while sneaking away to meet him!"

"You can't change your blood. You're-"

"Of royal blood and thus has to produce an heir. To Hell with it!"

"Watch your language."

"Or what, you'll go and tell my parents? Oh I'm, so scared!"

"I'm trying to be realistic here, Draco, try to understand. It might be tough, but-"

"Cynicism is not realistic and tough," Draco tells him off-handedly. "It's unrealistic and kind of cowardly because it means you don't have to try."

Snape pushes himself away from the door and gives the prince a dark look. "I see you're not interested in my counsel so I'll take my leave." He is about to leave the room as he hears Draco call out to him.

"Why didn't you tell me I have the lead part?"

Snape freezes but then walks away, not giving the younger man an answer. However the prince doesn't even seem to care. Draco stretches his arms above his head and yawns languidly, looking like a cat that'd gotten at the cream. "Tomorrow… 9 o'clock…" whispers he with a smile and falls asleep.


We are in Harry's room and a quick peek out of the window shows that it's dawn. Harry is burning the midnight oil; literally and metaphorically. His quill has already covered a dozen sheets; he is inspired!


And yet again, we find ourselves in The Three Broomsticks Theatre. It is auditorium day and the company is on stage. The clock already stroke nine yet Damien hasn't arrived yet. The props master is passing pages around a bunch of actors and Geoffrey Hooper and Theodore Nott are looking through their pages.

"Well, M. Morrel," Nott reads out loud as he faces Geoffrey Hooper. "You have heard of the misfortune that has befallen us?"

"Yes, yes: poor Captain Leclere! He was a brave and an honest man."

"And a first-rate seaman, one who had seen long and honourable service, as became a man charged with the interests of a house so important as that of Morrel & Son," replies Nott.

"But, it seems to me that a sailor needs not be so old as you say, Danglars, to understand his business, for our friend Edmond seems to understand it thoroughly, and not to require instruction from any one," Geoffrey says as he glances at an imaginary third person.

May it be that at that precise moment, Neville Longbottom walks by, and the two burst out in laughter, not in the least being able to see their clumsy young friend as the lead part Edward Dantes.

Neville gives them an odd look and walks past Harry, who is going around pumping hands and slapping shoulders, flushed with excitement. Hagrid is reading his pages; he looks a bit worried. Ludovic Bagman comes to stand next to him.

"It starts well enough, but where's the comedy, Harry? Where's the dog?" Hagrid questions and turns to Ludovic. "Do you think it is funny?" he asks as he almost pushes the papers in the man's face.

"My Pirate King will only arrive much later," answers Ludovic sourly. "What am I supposed to do till then? And it's a small role!" he moans.

"It could have been worse," tries a friend to comfort him. "He could have made you a woman."

Harry pulls Hagrid aside and looks angry around. "We are at least six men short and those we have are over parted, ranters and stutterers who should be sent back to the stews!" He ruffles with a hand through his hair, making it look even more untamed, and sighs deeply. "My Dantes has let me down… I see disaster!"

"We are at least four acts short, Harry," Hagrid says scowling at his playwright. "If you are looking for disaster…"

Harry notices a young scruffy thirteen-year-old actor. It is the urchin, Colin, that had auditioned the day before.

"Who are you?" asks Harry with a frown.

"I am Mercedes, sir, Dantes' woman."

Harry is furious. "I'll be damned if you are!" And he helps Colin off with a kick. Colin glowers with resentment and Hagrid finds himself face to face with Riddle.

"Is it going well?" Riddle asks.

"Very well."

Riddle looks around. "But nothing is happening!"

"Yes, but very well," says Hagrid vague and grins widely at the man.

Harry shouts to get some attention and slowly he gets it. "Gentlemen! Thank you! You are welcome…"

"Who is that?" asks Riddle curiously.

"Nobody... the author," Hagrid answers.

Harry doesn't hear them and smiles broadly to the actors. "We are about to embark on a great voyage…"

"… it is customary to make a little speech on the first day. It does no harm and authors like it," explains Hagrid.

"You want to know what parts you are to receive. All will be settled as we go," tells Harry.

That's as far as he gets before there is a dramatic interruption: the public entrance door is flung open and six men make a loud entrance, headed by Sirius Black, the actor, who is a handsome piratical figure with a big voice and a big sword.

"Huzzah! The Marauder's Men have returned to the house!" yells Sirius Black loudly and grins smugly around.

He gets various reactions. Hagrid and Harry shout his name joyfully, some of the actors are friends with the new group and behave accordingly, others know they are out of a job and mutter curses under their breath. Riddle recovers, or tries to.

"Who is this!" he indignantly asks.

Sirius slaps him aside with his sword. "Silence, you Muggle!" roars he. "I am Dumbledore! I am Grindewalt! I am Scalamander! I am Mundungus,-oh yes, Master Harry, and I am Godric Gryffindor." He smirks broadly and winks at Harry. "What is the play and what is my part?"

Riddle is quite impressed by Sirius Black, who wouldn't be?

"A moment, sir!" Riddle says.

Sirius turns around and eyes him distastefully. "Who are you?" he roars.

Riddle gulps and bleats: "I am the money!"

Sirius raises a brow at him and then nods. "Then you may remain so long as you remain silent. Pay attention and you will see how genius creates a legend."

"Thank you, sir," thanks Riddle respectfully.

"We are in desperate want of a Villefort, a cruel but very intelligent Chief magistrate," Harry tells as he smirks at his friend. "I know how you enjoy playing such parts."

"And the title of this piece?" wishes Sirius to know.

"Monsieur De Villefort."

"Is it?" ask Hagrid surprised.

Sirius pays no attention to him and grins. "I will play him!"

Half a dozen of the Marauder's Men will be given roles in our play and we meet them and identify them as Harry enthusiastically shakes hands."

Harry shakes their hands and slaps them friendly on the shoulder. "Mr. Zabini! Mr. Wood! Welcome, Dean Thomas! Victor Kruml!"

And now he greets Seamus Finnigan, the 'female' star of the Marauder's Men. "Seamus! My pretty one! Are you ready to fall in love again?"

"I am, Master Potter," answers he hoarsely and Harry frowns concerned.

"But your voice…" Harry trails off and thrust a hand between Seamus's legs. "Have they dropped?" he asks worriedly.

Seamus answers now with a girlie voice. "No, no," answers he quickly. "-a touch of cold only!"

We suspect he is lying but Harry has turned away, content with his answer.

"Master Hagrid, you have your actors," he announces and then leaves, passing by the humbled Riddle.

"I saw his Dumbledore, you know," comments he to Harry' who's arm he grasps as the dark haired man tries to walk by. "Wonderful."

"Yes, I saw it."

"Of course, it was mighty writing. There is no one like Diggory," he continues and Harry shakes his hand off. He is used to it and goes.

Harry arrives in a hurry at the wharf side, and looks vainly in the direction of the Palace; still no sight of Damien. He walks back and to The Three Broomsticks and looks down the alley: no Damien. He goes rejected back into the theatre.

Will Damien come or totally screw up our play by staying away?


To Be Continued