Author's Note: I'm sorry it was late, again. I got sick so it took longer than I had wanted it too.
Anyway, the next chapter (chapter eight) may be shorter than usual. So, I decided to answer questions from the reviews at the end of the chapter. So, if you have any questions, feel free to let me know! You should have about a week to send them to me.
In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Danny had to admit that he was surprised to find Harry sitting in the dining hall that night. That wasn't to say that Danny wasn't happy that Harry hadn't been expelled, after all, it would have been unfair to expel him and not Draco. So, perhaps Harry had convinced Professor McGonagall to let him stay? Or, maybe he really was being expelled and since he had to wait for the train to come they let him stay until then?
Harry and Ron sat close together, as usual, and were whispering to each other. The red-headed twins (Danny figured that they were Ron's brothers, but he had yet to be introduced.) joined the conversation for a few minutes, then left, only to be replaced by Draco and his henchmen.
Danny sawed through his steak a little more roughly than was probably necessary.
"Having a last meal, Potter? When are you getting the train back to the Muggles?"
"You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends with you," said Harry coolly.
Danny smirked. It was true he hadn't been paying attention to the fight between Harry and Draco during the flying lesson earlier, but Parvati had told Ed, who had told Danny.
"I'd take you on anytime on my own," said Draco, "Tonight, if you want. Wizard's Duel. Wands only – no contact." Danny frowned. "What's the matter? Never heard of a wizard's duel before, I suppose?"
"Of course he has," said Ron, "I'm his second, who's yours?"
Draco studied his two henchmen. "Crabbe," he decided, "Midnight all right? We'll meet you in the trophy room; that's always unlocked." He left without waiting for their confirmation.
"What is a wizard's duel?" Harry asked Ron, "And what do you mean, you're my second?"
"Well, a second's there to take over if you die," Ron said casually. Danny choked on his mashed potatoes. "But people only die in proper duels," Ron added quickly to Harry, "you know, with real wizards. The most you and Malfoy'll be able to do is send sparks at each other. Neither of you knows enough magic to do any real damage. I bet he expected you to refuse, anyway."
"And what if I wave my wand and nothing happens?"
"Throw it away and punch him on the nose," Ron suggested. Causing Danny to choke once again, this time on his pumpkin juice, from laughter.
"Excuse me," said Hermione, who came up behind Harry and Ron.
"Can't a person eat in peace in this place?" said Ron exasperated.
Hermione ignored him and focused on Harry, "I couldn't help overhearing what you and Malfoy were saying–"
"Bet you could," Ron muttered.
"–and you mustn't go wandering around the school at night, think of the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's really very selfish of you."
"And it's really none of your business," said Harry.
"Good-bye," added Ron.
Danny felt that Hermione had a point. Sort of. Draco could be setting a trap for Harry. From what Draco had shown so far, there was no reason to believe that he would keep his word. And Danny would share this with Harry . . . but they didn't know each other and had yet to even be introduced.
Danny crept down the staircase at eleven. He decided to put off reading his family's letters until tomorrow in favor of figuring out a way to convince Harry that meeting with Draco was a bad idea.
When Danny got down the stairs, he wasn't expecting to run into Hermione Granger.
"What are you doing out of bed?" she hissed.
"What are you doing out of bed?" Danny shot back.
She scowled at him. "I asked first."
"I'm trying to stop Harry from doing something stupid." Danny snapped. Of course he was irritable, he was tired.
Hermione's scowl dropped, "You too?"
". . . Yeah . . ."
Hermione clapped her hands together, "Wonderful! We can convince him together!"
They spent a while exchanging notes. A little before half-past eleven they sat down in the chairs by the fire, Hermione sat in the one closest to the lamp. And they waited, silently, in the dark room.
They didn't wait long. Harry and Ron came down the stairs a few minutes later. Hermione said, "I can't believe you're going to do this, Harry." And she flicked on the lamp.
"You!" Ron said, furious, "Go back to bed!" he looked at Danny, "And who are you?"
"He's here to help me stop you."
Danny stared at her incredulously. "What?!" He wanted to warn Harry, not try to force him to stop.
"Come on," Harry said to Ron. He pushed open the portrait and climbed through the hole. Hermione instantly jumped up and followed after them. Danny groaned and followed along too.
"Don't you care about Gryffindor, do you only care about yourselves, I don't want Slytherin to win the house cup, and you'll lose all the points I got from Professor McGonagall for knowing about Switching Spells."
"Go away."
"All right," she said, making Danny blink, he hadn't expected her to give up that easily, "but I warned you, you just remember what I said when you're on the train home tomorrow, you're so–"
Hermione had turned to the portrait of the Pink Lady to get back inside, only to find that she wasn't there. She had gone on a visit and now they were all locked out of Gryffindor tower.
Danny groaned. This was not at all how he'd planned this. Although to be fair, he hadn't really planned this at all.
"Now what am I going to do?" Hermione asked shrilly.
"That's your problem," said Ron. "We've got to go, we're going to be late."
Danny exchanged a look with Hermione as the two boys walked off. He really hadn't been planning this. He'd only wanted to say his piece and then let them do what they wanted, but now, even if he did convince them, they'd have to wait outside the portrait all night instead. Danny sighed and walked off after them, Hermione following.
"We're coming with you," said Danny once they'd caught up.
"You are not," said Ron, "And we don't even know who you are."
"Danny Fenton," said Danny impatiently, "Nice to meet you. And now that that's out of the way. We sort of have to come with you. Neither of us wants to wait around to be caught by Filch."
"And if he finds all four of us, I'll tell him the truth, that Danny and I were trying to stop you, and you guys can back me up," Hermione added. Danny almost facepalmed, she was really not helping.
"You've got some nerve–" Ron began loudly.
"All of you, shut up!" Harry said sharply, "I heard something."
They all stopped. Danny listened intently, it sounded like some kind of snuffling sound.
"Mrs. Norris?" Ron breathed.
But it wasn't everyone's least favorite cat. It was Neville Longbottom! He was curled up on the floor, asleep, but jerked awake suddenly at their voices.
"Thank goodness you found me! I've been out here for hours," he explained, "I couldn't remember the new password to get into bed."
"Keep your voice down, Neville," Harry whispered, "The password's 'pig snout' but it won't help you now, the Fat Lady's gone off somewhere."
"How's your arm?" asked Harry.
Neville held out his arm, "Fine, Madam Pomfrey mended it in about a minute."
"Good – well, look, Neville, we've got to be somewhere, we'll see you later–"
"Don't leave me!" Neville cried, "I don't want to stay here alone, the Bloody Baron's been past twice already."
Ron looked at his watch, then glared at Hermione, Danny, and Neville.
"If any of you get us caught, I'll never rest until I've learned that Curse of the Bogies Quirrell told us about, and used it on you."
Danny glared back at him, and Hermione opened her mouth to say something but was cut off by Harry telling them all to be quiet.
The silent walk to the trophy room was agonizing. Danny was nervous that they'd run into Filch or Mrs. Norris, or, even worse, Peeves. But they miraculously made it to the trophy room without incident.
Somehow they got there before Draco and Crabbe showed up. Harry had his wand drawn, probably in case Draco unleashed a surprise attack. The minutes slowly crept by.
"He's late," Ron announced quietly, "Maybe he's chickened out."
A noise in the next room made them all jump, Harry lifted his wand when someone spoke, and Danny instantly knew he'd been right.
"Sniff around, my sweet, they might be lurking in a corner." said the Hogwarts caretaker, Argus Filch.
Sometimes Danny hated being right.
Harry quickly waved at them to follow him as quickly as possible to the door. Filch entered the trophy room just as they left.
"They're in here somewhere," Filch muttered, "Probably hiding."
"This way!" Harry mouthed. Danny and the others followed quietly, hearts hammering. As they crept down the hall they could hear Filch getting closer. Neville seemed to panic as he let out a squeak and broke into a run before tripping and grabbing Danny, making both of them crash into a suit of armor.
It seemed loud enough to wake up the whole castle. Danny leaped to his feet, adrenalin making the blood rush in his ears. He jerked Neville to his feet as Harry shouted at them to run. They sprinted down the hallway, not daring to look over their shoulders. They ran down hallway after hallway, not knowing where they were going, they ran through a tapestry and the hidden passage beyond and emerged near the Charms classroom.
"I think we've lost him," Harry panted. Neville was bent over wheezing.
"I – told – you," Hermione gasped.
"Not – helping," Danny choked out.
"We've got to get back to Gryffindor tower," said Ron, "quickly as possible."
"Malfoy tricked you," Hermione told Harry, "Danny had thought so too, that's what he'd wanted to tell you. Malfoy was never going to meet you."
Danny nodded, "Yeah, I thought it was a trap. I hate being right.
Harry looked at the two of them, but all he said was, "Let's go."
Danny frowned but followed. After a few steps though, a doorknob rattled and something shot out of the classroom in front of them.
It was their least favorite poltergeist. Danny groaned as Peeves saw them and squealed in delight. Over the week or so that Danny had been at Hogwarts, he'd learned that most of the ghosts were harmless and that Peeves was more a nuisance than anything else. But that didn't mean that he wasn't trouble, especially now.
"Shut up, Peeves – please – you'll get us thrown out," said Harry.
Peeves cackled, "Wandering around at midnight, Ickle Firsties? Tut, tut, tut. Naughty naughty, you'll get caughty."
"Not if you don't give us away, Peeves, please."
"Should tell Filch, I should," said Peeves in a saintly voice, but his eyes glittered wickedly. "It's for your own good, you know."
"Get out of the way," snapped Ron. Danny winced as he tried to swipe at Peeves. This wasn't going to end well.
"STUDENTS OUT OF BED!" Peeves shouted, "STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!"
They ducked under Peeves and ran to the end of the corridor where they slammed into a locked door. Danny was panicking. He was going to get kicked out of school! What would his family think? Everyone would be so disappointed.
"This is it!" moaned Ron, as they tried desperately to get through the door, "We're done for! This is the end!"
They could hear Filch running towards their corridor.
"Oh, move over," Hermione snarled before Danny could agree with Ron. She snatched Harry's wand, tapped the lock and whispered, "Alohomora!"
The lock clicked and the door swung open, they scrambled through it, shut it, and pressed their ears against it, listening.
"Which way did they go, Peeves?" they heard Filch say, "Quick, tell me."
Danny held his breath. Peeves was unpredictable. Would he give them away?
"Say 'please.'"
"Don't mess with me, Peeves, now where did they go?"
"Shan't say nothing if you don't say please," Peeves sang.
"All right – please."
"NOTHING! Ha haaa!" Danny slowly released his breath as Peeves continued, "Told you I wouldn't say nothing if you didn't say please! Ha! Haaaaa!" they heard Peeves whoosh away, leaving a cursing Filch behind.
"He thinks this door is locked," Harry whispered, "I think we'll be okay – get off Neville!" he said. Danny finally noticed that the boy had been tugging Harry's sleeve. "What?"
Harry turned around, prompting Danny to do the same. If the three-headed dog in the middle of the corridor was any indication, they were not in a locked room, but rather in the forbidden third-floor corridor. The dog was huge and filled the whole space, saliva dripped from the heads' yellowing fangs.
It was standing very still, all six eyes staring at them in shock. Danny supposed that shock was the only thing keeping it from killing them. But as it started growling he realized that it was quickly getting over that.
They suddenly fell backward as someone opened the door. Harry leaped up and slammed the door shut, then they flew back down the corridor. Filch was nowhere in sight, not that Danny was complaining. They ran all the way back to the portrait of the Pink Lady, who had returned to her painting.
"Where on earth have you all been?" she asked as she noticed their poor appearance.
"Never mind that," Harry panted, "pig snout, pig snout." The portrait swung forward and they scrambled into the common room and collapsed, exhausted and trembling, into the armchairs.
After a long silence, Ron said, "What do they think they're doing, keeping a thing like that locked up in a school? If any dog needs exercise, that one does."
"You don't use your eyes, any of you, do you?" Hermione snapped, "Didn't you see what it was standing on?"
"No," Danny snapped back, "I was a little more occupied with its heads."
Hermione glared at him, "It was standing on a trapdoor. It's obviously guarding something."
She stood up and treated Ron and Harry with her glare as well. "I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed – or worse, expelled. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed."
Ron gaped after her. "No, we don't mind," he said, "You'd think we dragged her along, wouldn't you."
Danny sighed and ran a hand through his hair, making Ron and Harry look at him.
"Who are you again?" asked Ron.
"Danny," said Danny.
"Ron," said Ron.
"Harry," said Harry nervously.
"Great to finally meet you guys," Danny said shaking their hands, he noted Harry's surprised look.
"I'm Neville," Neville said, and Danny shook his hand too.
Danny turned back to Harry and Ron, "Now that we've met. I want to tell you that I'm sorry I pried into your business. I had planned on only telling you that I thought it was a trap. But then Hermione convinced me to try to convince you not to go and then I dragged myself into this mess."
Ron shrugged, "Don't worry about it, mate."
"Just don't make a habit of it," said Harry.
Danny smiled, "I wasn't planning to."
Then all four boys said their good nights and parted ways.
