Chapter 21

A.N. Don't worry, I won't ever stop fleshing out canon characters! I rather like them. In some stories they will be played differently, such as this one. Most of the names and/or characters I use for the Vipers are actual characters from canon or just from the Potterverse in general. "Mora" is her nickname as stated earlier in the story, her name is Morag McDougal. Frank and James belong to the Gamp family. A pureblood family related to the Black's and Prewitt's (for reference Molly Weasley was born a Prewitt). The name "Frank" is for Frank Dillane the brilliant young actor who portrayed young Tom Riddle in such a terrifying fashion yet gets very little renown. And James because of the many Jame's in Harry Potter including Harry's own middle name, and because there should be a "Frank and James" as brothers somewhere. His name was almost Jesse but I decided to go for sticking to my naming tradition from the Potterverse. Esme Fleamont is easy. Fleamont was the first name of Jame's Potters father, the father of Harry. Fleamont and Euphemia Potter died of Dragon Pox before Harry was born. Pria Patel is for the original spelling of the Patil twin's last name in Canon. As there is little real information about Slytherin students I have tried to stick with naming from canon where I can and from the Potterverse where I cannot. Astoria is still a year behind, but will be making an appearance. Daphne, there is just something about the character that does not inspire me. But I am trying to stretch out. Daphne figures as a good friend of Cassie, my character in Dueling Loyalties.

Now as for ages.

I advance my characters one year having them start Hogwarts at 12 instead of 11. This is more of a squick factor on my part. I want them to start teen romances but feel like the ages in Canon were a little off for me.

Everyone in fourth year, except for Alya, are 14 years of age. Alya is 13. When she met Lucius Malfoy and he commented that she was awfully cynical for an 11 year old this was prior to her August birthday which would have made her 12. When she starts Hogwarts she is 12. She states she has been in to investing since age 11, which is true but she did not invest money until age 12. She of course is younger than the others in her year due to being advanced a grade. Any time I referred to her as older than she is I was working on Dueling Loyalties and the character of Cassandra Taylor just prior and mistyped.

I hope that clears up the confusing age issue.

I was happily relaxed in "our" car on the train. The Vipers may not have the clout of Malfoy's gang, but we do alright. One of those perks was as soon as we decided a train car was ours, it just… was. No one argued with us.

Draco may be my best friend, but we give each other space to be with our other friends. Sometimes I hated that Daphne and Pansy were in the same car with him, but I really had no right to complain. After all, I was in a car with Frank and James.

And I had to admit that either Pansy or Daphne would be a better choice for him for a marriage contract. I knew that no matter what my grandmother thought there was no way that contract was going to go the way she wanted. Mr. Malfoy may be helpful to me, but that is just because he is nice.

Well, nice to me anyway. I knew how ruthless he could be to his political enemies. And I knew how he felt about non-purebloods. It would be impossible not to know these things, the papers were full of articles about him, and he was not ashamed of his beliefs. Right or wrong you had to admire someone who was not afraid to have a controversial opinion. I was afraid sometimes to like a different Quidditch team!

I did hope maybe one day that maybe I could work for Malfoy Industries. That maybe Mr. Malfoy would even think about mentoring me so I could learn from the best.

But anything else? That was not going to happen. I know that when Draco gets a girlfriend they won't want him to keep hanging out with me. Especially if it is Pansy or Daphne.

I was so wrapped up in my own thoughts that I had not seen Jamed watching me. I smiled at him "How's it going Watson?" James had really liked the nickname when I first said it to him.

"Good… say Sherly… can I ask what is going on between you and Malfoy?" yeah he had started calling me "Sherly" for a more feminine version of Sherlock I suppose.

I was surprised he had to ask "James, you know Malfoy is my friend. My best friend even."

Pria pouted a little, she was so sensitive. I grabbed her hand "Best guy friend that is." She smiled brightly, it didn't matter if it wasn't true he was my best friend period, but it made Pria happy so I was OK with it. Insecurity, thy name is Pria Patel!

"Yeah, but, he makes it look sometimes like there is something else…" James was twisting his hands in that way he does when he is nervous.

"Something else like… what?" I was genuinely confused.

Mora and Esme laughed "Something else like his girlfriend!" Esme giggled when she said this. GIGGLED. Oh that was not good.

"Draco does not treat me like a girlfriend. He is just… worried about me, that's all." The Vipers were being silly.

"Yeah, worried you will get another boyfriend." Frank laughed. Et tu Frank? Et tu?

"No, that is not it. You all are just being silly." Except I had the feeling the way James was looking at me he wasn't goofing around.

"Maybe…" he started and then cleared his throat "maybe some time this summer we can go to Forescue's for ice cream?"

I was a little astonished. Did he mean like a 'date' date? From the way he was blushing I guessed he did. "Yeah.. OK." I said smiling. I was pretty impressed, no way could I have done that in front of everyone!

James suddenly perked up. "OK, great, I will owl you."

We settled back to enjoy the rest of the train ride home. I got up once to go visit Draco and remind him that we were supposed to do our school shopping together this year.

Pansy sneered at us "I don't know why you have to go with her, Draco, I would be happy to go with you."

Draco just ignored her and said he would owl me to settle on times.

About two weeks after we got home James owled me. I let my parents know why he was owling and what he wanted. They were very oddly happy.

Mum pinched my cheeks "Of course you can meet up with James. He is such a lovely boy we should have his family over for tea!"

"Mum… please don't embarrass me." I pleaded. Families over? Lovely boy? No way was I allowing my mother to start planning a spring wedding!

"You are planning to meet this boy alone?" Dad asked. Ahhh there is my over bearing and ridiculously over protective father.

"I… think so Dad. I mean, none of the other Vipers said anything about going. Dad rolled his eyes at our group's name for ourselves.

"No one on one dates until you are 16 Alya. You may go but one of your brothers goes with you." He had his no nonsense, we are not discussing this tone.

I buried my face in my hands. "uggghhh Dad…."

"Don't worry Alya." Ron spoke up from behind me looking a little sheepish. "I can always go grab Harry and we can escort you and James. We need to check on him anyway."

I was a little skeptical "Why would you want to go anywhere with me, Ron?"

Looking embarrassed he said "I… have been a little hard on you, I thought this might be a good way to… I don't know… make it up to you?"

Mum and Dad looked disgustingly pleased by this as well. They looked at me expectantly. Did they think I was going to jump up and hug it out with Ron?

"Thanks Ron, I appreciate it." Was all I said, but Ron looked happy. Maybe he was finally starting to understand me a little.

Dad perked up, "Well this is as good a time to tell you as any! I managed to get us all tickets to the World Cup. Harry and Hermione too." He smiled "Even Bill and Charley will be joining us!"

There was no settling the house down after that! We found out Mum had already sent a muggle mail to Harry to invite him.

So the family went to pick up Harry, I did not go. I am not prejudiced against muggles, but these relatives of Harry's… ugh… they made me see why others of our kind were!

Fred and George got chewed out for ruining muggle-wizard relations by dropping a ton-tongue toffee that Harry's creepy bully cousin ate. Harry and I grinned at each other when I heard the whole story.

"Let's go out for a walk Harry and let the parents hash this out with my wayward brothers" I took Harry outside I had not noticed I was walking towards my tree house, but I pretty much go there on auto "Thanks for being here, Harry. I need some buffer between me and this family!" I shook my head.

"Glad to be here" he smiled at me. "And I hear Ron and I are escorting you in to town for a date. He is pretty happy. I think he was worried you were dating Malfoy!"

"No. Draco and I are just friends. Best friends, but still just friends." Why did that thought make me sad? It wasn't the first time recently I felt that way either.

Harry gave me a weird speculative look. "OK. I am still not sure how someone as nice as you is best friends with Malfoy."

Nice? I laughed "Yeah, I get that a lot. If by 'a lot' you mean meant never. Mostly people think Draco is too good for me."

Harry frowned. "I can't imagine anyone thinking that. You are pretty amazing. Not everyone would sneak down in to the Chamber and cast curses at a giant basilisk to help me."

I didn't realize he had noticed he never mentioned it. Not that we talked much. I motioned up at my tree house "Want to go in?"

When we were inside he looked around amazed. It made me blush "This is brilliant Alya, did Bill or Charley make this for you?"

"Oh, no" I blushed even more "I made this myself."

"Wow, they are right you are as smart as Hermione!" he was looking at me in awe.

"Oh, no, I am not. I just never forget anything so it makes tests and practicing spells easier. Hermione would have been moved up a level I am sure if she had not been muggleborn." I know my limitations.

I had not realized how that must have sounded until Harry frowned at me "What is that supposed to mean? Hermione is brilliant no matter who her parents are!"

"Oh, Harry, I didn't mean it like it sounded. I meant she did not just need to learn spells, she needed to learn what it means to be a witch. Like laws and customs and stuff that we get from our parents." This seemed to satisfy him.

"I didn't realize you knew I went to save Ginny." I changed the subject.

"I could see you in the shadows casting spells. Even after you got Ginny to safety. Plus Ron was annoyed you left him there." We both laughed at that.

It was nice just to relax and chat we stayed there for several hours talking.