Part 29

Harry jumped back onto the platform to say goodbye to his parents, godfather and family friends. He hugged his mother first and she kissed his forehead gently. Harry hugged his dad and then his godfather.

"I might be seeing you all sooner than you think," said Charlie, grinning, as he hugged Ginny goodbye.

"Why?" Fred asked suspiciously.

"You'll see," said Charlie. "Just don't tell Percy I mentioned it... it's 'classified information, until such time as the Ministry sees fit to release it,' after all."

"Yeah, I sort of wish I were back at Hogwarts this year," Bill said, hands in his pockets, looking almost wistfully at the train.

"Why?" said George impatiently.

"You're going to have an interesting year. I might even get time off to come and watch a bit of it."

"A bit of what?" Ron asked annoyed.

But at that moment, the whistle blew, and their parents chivvied them toward the train doors.

"Thanks for having me to stay, Mrs. Weasley," said Hermione as they climbed on board, closed the door, and leaned out of the window to talk to their families.

"Oh it was my pleasure, dear," said Mrs. Weasley. "I'd invite you for Christmas, but... well, I expect you're all going to want to stay at Hogwarts, what with... one thing and another."

"Mum!" Ron whined. "What d'you all know that we don't?"

"You'll find out this evening, I expect," Lily said smiling. "It's going to be very exciting, mind you, I'm very glad they've changed the rules-"

"What rules?" said Harry, Ron, Fred, and George together.

"I'm sure Professor Dumbledore will tell you", James said and grinned.

"Now, behave, won't you? Won't you, Fred? And you, George?" Mrs. Weasley said.

The pistons hissed loudly and the train began to move.

"Tell us what's happening at Hogwarts!" Fred bellowed out of the window. "What rules are they changing?"

But Mrs. Weasley only smiled and waved. Before the train had rounded the corner, she and the others had Disapparated.


Harry, Ron, Neville and Hermione went back to their compartment. The thick rain splattering the windows made it very difficult to see out of them. Ron undid his trunk, pulled out his maroon dress robes, and flung them over Pigwidgeon's cage to muffle his hooting.

"Bagman wanted to tell us what's happening at Hogwarts," he said grumpily, sitting down next to Harry. "At the World Cup, remember? But my own mother won't say. Wonder what-"

"Shh!" Hermione whispered suddenly, pressing her finger to her lips and pointing toward the compartment next to theirs. Harry and Ron listened, and heard a familiar drawling voice drifting in through the open door.

"...Father actually considered sending me to Durmstrang rather than Hogwarts, you know. He knows the headmaster, you see. Since they let that werewolf stay and well, you know his opinion of Dumbledore, the man's such a Mudblood-lover and Durmstrang doesn't admit that sort of riffraff. But Mother didn't like the idea of me going to school so far away. Father says Durmstrang takes a far more sensible line than Hogwarts about the Dark Arts. Durmstrang students actually learn them, not just the defence rubbish we do..."

Hermione got up, tiptoed to the compartment door, and slid it shut, blocking out Malfoy's voice.

"So he thinks Durmstrang would have suited him, does he?" she said angrily. "I wish he had gone, then we wouldn't have to put up with him."

"I think I've heard of it," said Ron vaguely. "Where is it? What country?"

"Well, nobody knows, do they?" said Hermione, raising her eyebrows.

"Er - why not?" said Harry.

"There's traditionally been a lot of rivalry between all the magic schools. Durmstrang and Beauxbatons like to conceal their whereabouts so nobody can steal their secrets," said Hermione matter-of-factly.

"Come off it," said Ron, starting to laugh. "Durmstrang's got to be about the same size as Hogwarts, how are you going to hide a great big castle?"

"But Hogwarts is hidden," said Hermione, in surprise. "Everyone knows that...well, everyone who's read Hogwarts, A History, anyway."

"Just you, then," said Ron.

"And Uncle Moony", Harry pointed out. "And my mum."

"My dad did", Neville cut in.

"Anyway", Ron cut in annoyed. "How d'you hide a place like Hogwarts?"

"It's bewitched," said Hermione. "If a Muggle looks at it, all they see is a mouldering old ruin with a sign over the entrance saying DANGER, DO NOT ENTER, UNSAFE."

"So Durmstrang'll just look like a ruin to an outsider too?"

"Maybe," said Hermione, shrugging, "or it might have Muggle-repelling charms on it, like the World Cup stadium. And to keep foreign wizards from finding it, they'll have made it Unplottable -"

"Come again?"

"Well, you can enchant a building so it's impossible to plot on a map, can't you?"

"Er...if you say so," said Harry.

"But I think Durmstrang must be somewhere in the far north," said Hermione thoughtfully. "Somewhere very cold, because they've got fur capes as part of their uniforms."

"Ah, think of the possibilities," said Ron dreamily. "It would've been so easy to push Malfoy off a glacier and make it look like an accident... Shame his mother likes him..."


The rain became heavier and heavier as the train moved farther north. The sky was so dark and the windows so steamy that the lanterns were lit by midday. The lunch trolley came rattling along the corridor, and Harry bought a large stack of Cauldron Cakes for them to share. Several of their friends looked in on them as the afternoon progressed, including Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas. Seamus was still wearing his Ireland rosette. Some of its magic seemed to be wearing off now; it was still squeaking "Troy - Mullet - Moran!" but in a very feeble and exhausted sort of way. After half an hour or so, Hermione, growing tired of the endless Quidditch talk, buried herself once more in The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 4, and started trying to learn a Summoning Charm.

"It was so exciting to sit in the top box", Ron said as they talked about the World Cup.

"For the first and last time in your life, Weasley."

Draco Malfoy had appeared in the doorway. Behind him stood Crabbe and Goyle. They had overheard the conversation through the compartment door, which Dean and Seamus had left ajar.

"Don't remember asking you to join us, Malfoy," said Harry coolly.

"Weasley...what is that?" said Malfoy, pointing at Pigwidgeon's cage. A sleeve of Ron's dress robes was dangling from it, swaying with the motion of the train, the mouldy lace cuff very obvious.

Ron made to stuff the robes out of sight, but Malfoy was too quick for him; he seized the sleeve and pulled.

"Look at this!" said Malfoy in ecstasy, holding up Ron's robes and showing Crabbe and Goyle, "Weasley, you weren't thinking of wearing these, were you? I mean, they were very fashionable in about eighteen ninety..."

"The same time your hair style was popular Malfoy", a voice said behind the Slytherin and he spun around. There stood Blaise Zabini with hands in his pockets looking at them in his cool and aloof way.

"Zabini", Malfoy spat. "Are you one of these blood-traitors and mudblood-lovers now?"

"No", Blaise said. "Because it has been made clear to me that I have no place there." He threw Ron a quick look. "I am however more interested in getting to school without having Pansy moaning over you. Something about matching pink outfits for her and Dracy-poo."

"Shut up", Malfoy spat but hurried off. Blaise looked into the compartment and nodded discreetly to them before walking off. A laughing Theodore Nott was following him. Ron's jaw was set in anger.

"I hate that snake!" he yelled.

"Malfoy is just an idiot", Neville said. "Ignore him."

"I mean Zabini! Merlin's sake he thinks he's better than anyone doesn't he!?"

"Ron he just helped us", Harry growled.

"No he helped himself, he's up to something I'm telling you! You can't trust Slytherins! They are all evil and conniving!"

"Merlin was a Slytherin", Neville said.

"He's the exception!"

"As was Sirius' cousin Andromeda", Harry growled.

"She too then! Point is you can't trust the Slytherins of today! All of them are evil! Malfoy just flaunt his evil way more than Zabini does! Seriously the guy's mother is a murderess and gets away with it every time! She must've taught him how to do it too!"

"Ron that's a horrible thing to say!" Hermione said horrified.

"Oh come off it Hermione you know it's true!"

Harry got up and glared at Ron before heading out of the compartment. He started looking for Blaise. He needed to thank him and he needed to get away from Ron before he slapped him. His mum had told him that since Blaise was now living with Remus and Dorian, Blaise was kind of Harry's cousin.


Harry tried to listen for Blaise in the compartments but didn't find him, not at first. He looked through the whole train and soon found him the very last compartment. He was sitting with Theodore Nott and a very familiar honey-coloured wolf. Harry grinned when he noticed that the boys had earphones in their ears and between them was a Walkman that was obviously enchanted. Theodore was humming to it while Blaise was singing. Harry grinned because Blaise had a really good voice… and the fact that Dorian was waggling his tail to the beat. When he closed the compartment door both boys noticed him and Nott sent him an icy glare. Harry blushed and rubbed his neck.

"What do you want Potter", Nott spat.

"Just wanted to thank B-Zabini for the help with Malfoy", Harry said.

"No worries", Blaise said in his "cool" way. "Happy to help. Malfoy gets on everyone's nerves."

"Tell me about it", Nott said. "Only reason he isn't on my case as much is the fact that my dad used to outrank him as a Death Eater."

"Your dad was a Death Eater?" Harry asked and sat down opposite them.

"I thought everyone knew that", Nott said. "Well yeah, he talks about it all the time the evil git. Don't you go thinking I wanna be like him Potter, I hate the man more than I hate anyone."

"But Malfoy likes him?"

"No", Blaise said. "Malfoy only respects Nott Sr. because Lucius Malfoy does. Malfoy is afraid of touching anyone of the Sacred 28, minus the Weasleys of course."

"Wait", Nott said. "The Weasley's are in the Sacred 28?"

"Yes."

"How!?"

"Well the 28 consists of the following families", Blaise said and to Harry it sounded rehearsed, his mother had probably forced the knowledge into him at some point. "Abbott, Avery, Black, Bulstrode, Burke, Carrow, Crouch, Fawley, Flint, Gaunt, Greengrass, Lestrange, Longbottom, Macmillan, Malfoy, Nott, Ollivander, Parkinson, Prewett, Rosier, Rowle, Selwyn, Shacklebolt, Shafiq, Slughorn, Travers, Weasley and Yaxley."

"More than half are or were Death Eaters", Harry said and the two Slytherin boys looked at him.

"Whatever Malfoy says the Weasley's are of the Sacred 28, they are pureblood", Blaise continued. "But they are counted as 'blood traitors' as well as the Prewetts… which makes your mate Ron a double 28."

"Wonder if that is why Malfoy hates him so much", Nott mused. "Because he is one as well. Wait… Blaise aren't the Potters included?"

"No", Harry said. "Our name is too 'muggle' for the likes of the others. My godfather is though and by marriage so is my godmother Alice."

"Hey Blaise, your mum is not on the list", Theo said.

"She's from Italy", Blaise said and shrugged. "No clue about my father. He could've been one, who knows. I mean she probably killed him like she did all the others." As soon as the words left his mouth his eyes got wide as dinner plates and the other two stared at him. Harry knew Blaise was not able to say such things about his mother and Theo had always heard him proclaim her innocent. All three stared at each other with comically big eyes. Dorian looked between the three of them. Harry looked at him and then at Blaise.

"What did you say?" he asked.

"I said…" Blaise swallowed. "I said that she probably killed him too… like she did all my stepfathers."

"How did she kill them?" Theo asked.

Blaise thought about it and he suddenly realized that he remembered everything. Things he had not remembered before! Like how husband number 5 had deepen Blaise's love for music, muggle music or how his father was neither husband number 1 or 2. His mother had been married to husband number 2 when she met his father, Malfoy would have field day if he found that out. Blaise was not sure exactly how she killed husbands 1 and 2 but he knew how she killed Aaron. She had dipped a needle in a poison that muggles in the Amazonas used. She had then pricked Aaron with the needle and he was dead within seconds.

Husband number 4, the jerk that abused Blaise, had died by an accident at work… orchestrated by his mother. She had cast Duro on his scarf when he flung it over his shoulder… sending him down the stairs so he broke his neck. She had then vanished the scarf and stone bits so that it looked like an accident.

Husband number 5 had been killed by strangulation, a muggle method again. Then she had levitated his body up and put a noose around it so it looked as if he'd hung himself. He had no idea how husband number 6 had died. He also remembered why they had to die.

Husband number 1 had to die because he had been cheating on her with a German wizard. Husband number 2 had died because he found out she was cheating on him. Aaron died because he supported Mrs. Zabini's brother after he got bitten by a werewolf his final year at Hogwarts. Aaron and Blaise's mother had a huge fight about it when Blaise had asked why there were no pictures of the Zabini family in the house and Aaron had replied that it had to do with Sofia Zabini talking badly about her brother… a seventeen-year-old Hufflepuff that got killed at the Ministry during a werewolf protest. It was during that fight that Aaron had explained that he was in fact a half-blood and not a pure blood… then his fate had been sealed. Husband number 4 died because he hit Sofia once… that he hexed, hit, kicked and cursed Blaise did not seem to matter to her. Husband number 5 died because he taught Blaise things about muggles and muggle music. Husband number 6 died because he was old and rich and his mother wanted his mansion. They all died from her greed… or for him he realized. Husband number 5, Richard, had been almost as good to him as Aaron. His mother had not wanted him to remember that, but why?

His world started to turn black around him and he keeled over. Theo caught him around the waist or he'd fallen off his seat and he felt two strong hands on his shoulders. Everything was kind of fussy around him and he saw shapes moving in the fog above him, but he could not make out their faces. He was lowered onto his back on the seat and he heard someone talking to him, he just could not make out any of the words. All he saw was black blobs in the fog above him. He felt a hand on his forehead, then his eyes closed.


Harry watched Blaise as he and Nott waited for Dorian to return. When Blaise lost consciousness Dorian told them to keep an eye on him while he sent word to Hogwarts. He then hurried out of the compartment to talk to the conductor. Blaise was lying on his back with his head in Nott's lap. Nott was looking at him in worry and fear. Harry sat opposite them. He knew that Ron would have told him to leave and for more reasons than Blaise just being a Slytherin. Ron would point out that Harry wasn't really friends with Blaise, he just knew the boy and they had spent that evening together at the Circus. So why was he still so worried about him? Was it like his mum said and they were basically cousins now or was it just because Harry cared about people? Either way Ron would've told him to go. Hermione and Neville would've stayed with him. Harry looked between Nott and Blaise. Where the two of them as close as Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville? If they were then why hadn't Nott stood up for Blaise at the end of last year or helped him with his ruined things?

"Because he told me not to", Nott said and Harry jumped. "Yes you spoke out loud. Look Potter you don't understand how things work in Slytherin house. Not everyone is… evil as the rest of the school thinks. The thing is that since most people in Slytherin are purebloods or half-bloods the one with the 'best families' get the power… the rest just keep their heads down in fear of getting attacked in their own beds. Malfoy may think he is at the top of the food chain in Slytherin but in reality I am. Like we told you Draco's father respects my father but not the other way around. If my dad told Lucius Malfoy to jump off a cliff to prove his worth to the dark lord he would because my father was one of the Dark Lord's favourites. So Draco doesn't dare to touch me. Which gives me the perfect opportunity to protect my friends in Slytherin house. If Draco or his goons touches anyone under my protection Draco thinks I will tell my dad who in turn will tell his dad. It's a game, a power game and everyone plays it."

"But Blaise openly supported Remus at the end of last year", Harry said. "Where does that put him in this power game?"

"Honestly? Way above Malfoy. As I hope you know most of Slytherin house supports Lupin but are too afraid to show it."

"Because everyone would think they are wannabe Death Eaters supporting dark creatures", Harry said, he remembered Blaise telling him that.

"Exactly, Blaise has always had his own sort of power in Slytherin. He has the best grades, the best manners, has this air around him that screams confidence and power and he is hot as fuck. Even seventh years swooned over him last year and he's always been gorgeous." Harry noticed a strange twinkle in Nott's eyes as he spoke of Blaise. Harry also noticed that Nott was holding Blaise's hand.

"Not only is he drop dead gorgeous but he is powerful as well. He whooping your friends' asses during our duelling classes only proved that and him and you appearing equal in power only solidify his own place in Slytherin house. If it came down to it and Draco, Blaise and I asked people to pick a side… they'd choose Blaise."

"Because of his looks and strength?"

"His intelligence and his power. I suck at potions and the whole Slytherin house knows it. Draco sucks at everything but potions but that will never come out if you value the lives in Slytherin house. Blaise is good at everything. He once told me the hat really wanted to place him in Ravenclaw but when it realized his ambition and cunning it put him in Slytherin. In a way… Blaise is like Granger… only less bossy and less know-it-all."

"Then why does he appear so arrogant all the time? Everyone thinks he's an arrogant prick that only cares about his looks and wealth."

"Because of what his mother taught him", Theo said and sighed heavily. "If I show sadness I will look vulnerable. If I show anger people will know how to work against me. If I show mirth I will draw attention to myself. If I show jealousy I'll give myself a weakness. If I show curiosity I will become gullible. If I show annoyance I will have a weak spot. If I show compassion I will have a soft spot someone can use against me. If I show disgust they can work against me. If I show friendliness I invite weaknesses in. If I am neutral, if I am stone faced, if I show nothing no one can approach me. No one can touch me and no one can do anything against me. I will be safe."

"Did you just make that up?"

"I wish… I've heard him cite it so many times I can do it as well. However… something is different this year. There's always been this darkness in his eyes but it's gone now and the icy air around him is gone too… is that why he can suddenly speak of what his mother did?"

"Maybe", Harry said. "I thought he couldn't."

"Judged by his look when he did so did he."


Dorian didn't come back until the train was almost at the station. He told Nott and Harry to get going so that no one would notice a student had become ill on the train. They did not want to scare any first years. Nott and Harry refused at first, but when Dorian gave them his most stern look both boys hurriedly followed his orders. Nott changed quickly and headed for the platform while Harry hurried back to his other friends to get changed. When he got there he noticed Hermione and Neville sigh in relief. Ron just glared at him. Harry didn't care. He changed quickly and then followed the others out of the train to get to the feast.

Harry almost regretted stepping off the train when he was faced with the weather outside. He shuddered and hurried on to the wagons. Things did not get better when they entered the castle and Peeves started throwing water balloons at them. People all around them shrieked and started pushing one another in their efforts to get out of the line of fire.

"PEEVES!" yelled an angry voice. "Peeves, come down here at ONCE!"

Professor McGonagall had come dashing out of the Great Hall; she skidded on the wet floor and grabbed Hermione around the neck to stop herself from falling.

"Ouch, sorry, Miss Granger."

"That's all right, Professor!" Hermione gasped, massaging her throat.

"Peeves, get down here NOW!" barked Professor McGonagall, straightening her pointed hat and glaring upward through her square-rimmed spectacles.

"Not doing nothing!" cackled Peeves, lobbing a water bomb at several fifth-year girls, who screamed and dived into the Great Hall. "Already wet, aren't they? Little squirts! Wheeeeeeeeee!" And he aimed another bomb at a group of second years who had just arrived. The balloons however did not hit them, they froze in the air.

"Huh?" Peeves asked and threw the rest of them, but those too froze in the air. He started whining about it. "No faaaaaaaair."

"Well Peeves I think they are wet enough don't you?" a happy voice asked and Harry grinned when he noticed Remus walking out of the hall with his wand pointing at the balloons.

"Lupin no fun!" Peeves whined. "Uh oh." The balloons were now heading for him and with a squeak he ducked, but they turned around and started chasing him. With a squawk he gripped his hat and darted down the corridors, followed by the balloons. The students laughed and Remus winked at Harry and his friends. McGonagall huffed and ushered everyone inside. Harry noticed that Remus was dressed in a cloak, he was probably going to the train to help with Blaise.


Harry was starting to get worried. Blaise had not arrived at the feast the night before. However Dumbledore had told them about the Triwizard Tournament and in the middle of dinner Mad-Eye Moody had arrived. Dumbledore had explained that since Peter Pettigrew was still at large the Ministry had decided to place Moody at Hogwarts to keep an eye on things, while also teaching duelling classes. Moody was now walking around the hallways keeping an eye out for rats and other dangers. Ron had told Harry about how his father had been forced to run to Moody's house after the Auror had enchanted his trashcans to attack an intruder. Moody kept hobbling around, keeping an eye on Harry and his friends mostly. There was something odd about it though. Harry had met him a few times before and knew the man was usually quite easy to talk to. This Moody just seemed grumpy, weird and stern. Remus was also looking at him oddly and Dorian really didn't seem to like him. Harry suspected it was because Moody worked for the Ministry. Harry sighed as he headed outside for the COMC class… knowing they were having it together with the Slytherins. Hagrid stood outside his hut with Fang when they arrived. Beside him were several open wooden crates. When Harry and the others got closer they could hear strange sounds from the crates.

"Mornin'!" Hagrid said, grinning at them. "Be'er wait fer the Slytherins, they won' want ter miss this. Blast-Ended Skrewts!"

"Come again?" Ron asked.

Hagrid pointed down into the crates.

Lavender squeaked in disgust and jumped backwards. Harry peaked inside the crates and looked at the Blast-Ended Skrewts. They looked like deformed, shell-less lobsters, horribly pale and slimy-looking, with legs sticking out in very odd places and no visible heads. There were about a hundred of them in each crate, each about six inches long, crawling over each other, bumping blindly into the sides of the boxes. They were giving off a very powerful smell of rotting fish. Every now and then, sparks would fly out of the end of a Skrewt and, with a small phut, it would be propelled forwards several inches.

"On'y jus' hatched", Hagrid explained with a big smile on his face. "So yeh'll be able ter raise 'em yerselves! Thought we'd make a bit of a project of it!"

"And why would we want to raise them?" asked Draco Malfoy as he arrived with the other Slytherins. Harry looked among them and sighed in relief when he noticed Blaise standing in the back with Theodore Nott. Then Harry noticed something else. There was a rat sitting on Blaise's shoulder. Every now and then it would squeak and nuzzle his neck. Whenever he did Blaise would reach up and pet it.

"I mean, what do they do?" asked Malfoy and looked at the Skrewts. "What is the point of them?"

Hagrid opened his mouth, apparently thinking hard; there was a few seconds' pause, then he said roughly:

"Tha's next lesson, Malfoy. Yer jus' feedin' 'em today. Now, yeh'll wan' ter try 'em on a few diff'rent things – I've never had 'em before, not sure what they'll go fer – I got ant eggs an' frog livers an' a bit o' grass-snake – just try 'em out with a bit of each."

Harry would never admit to any living person, but he agreed with Malfoy whenever he talked about the Skrewts. Why couldn't Hagrid teach them about more normal creatures? He cursed when he got burned and it was only due to Hagrid liking him that he did not take any points from Gryffindor. A fact that Ron got rather smug about when he noticed Malfoy scowl at them nearby.


Harry and the others couldn't hurry back to the castle fast enough. The weather was horrible, and they were all hungry and the Skrewts had been disgusting. When they got into the entrance hall Harry shook the water from his robes and sighed.

"What's the matter Potter", Draco Malfoy asked him with a smirk. "Missing mommy and daddy? Did the baby Skrewts remind you of them?"

"No they only reminded me of your mother", Harry said. "Tell me Malfoy does she always look like that or just when she is around you?"

"Don't you dare talk about my mother Potter!" Malfoy yelled and a large crowd started to gather.

"Keep your fat mouth shut, then", Harry spat, turning away.

"At least everyone knows my mother is a real witch whereas yours just is a Mudblood!" Malfoy yelled. Harry twirled around to yell at him but found he did not need to.

"And she is still a stronger witch than your mother", Blaise said from the group of Slytherins behind Malfoy.

"What was that Zabini", Malfoy growled and turned to him.

"You heard me, everyone knows that Lily Potter is one of the most gifted witches of our age. Just because your mum is nothing against her doesn't mean you can go around insulting her. You know she could whoop your ass without much thought so keep your mouth shut."

"Oh like you are one to talk Zabini", Malfoy spat. "At least my mother don't go around killing men just to get rich."

"No she goes for unprotected Muggles instead. Tell me Malfoy was she one of the people that fled when she saw the Dark Mark or was she watching getting all giddy and nostalgic?"

"Shut up!"

"I shut up when you do!"

"At least my biggest fear is not mommy no longer loving me!"

"It was my biggest fear", Blaise said and smirked. "Not anymore."

"Whatever you are just a half-blood anyway!" Malfoy spat at him and turned back to Harry and his friends.

"Potter's mother is a freak", he said. "Longbottom's mother has bad taste and Weasley's mother is so fat that there is no wonder why they are so poor."

"Stuff it Malfoy!" Harry yelled. "Just because your mother is trapped in a loveless family doesn't give you the right to talk down to everybody else! I know you just think you are the King of Slytherin but you're not! You are just the son of a failed Death Eater!" Harry turned away again and then a loud bang was heard behind him. Several people screamed, Harry felt something white hot graze the side of his face. He plunged his hand into his robes for his wand, but before he'd even touched it, he heard a second loud BANG, and a roar which echoed through the Entrance Hall:

"OH NO YOU DON'T, LADDIE!"

Harry spun around. Moody came limping down the marble staircase. His wand was out and it was pointing right at a pure white ferret, which was shivering on the stone-flagged floor, exactly where Malfoy had been standing. There was a terrified silence in the Entrance Hall. Nobody but Moody was moving a muscle. Moody turned to look at Harry with his normal eye while the other one was pointing into the back of his head.

"Did he get you?" Moody growled.

"No he missed", Harry said and felt Hermione grip his arm.

"LEAVE IT!" Moody shouted.

"Leave what?" Harry was beyond confused.

"Not you, him!" Moody growled, jerking his thumb over his shoulder at Crabbe, who had just frozen, about to pick up the white ferret. Moody started to limp towards Crabbe, Goyle and the ferret, which gave a terrified squeak and took off, streaking towards the dungeons.

"I don't think so!" roared Moody, pointing his wand at the ferret again. It flew ten feet into the air, fell with a smack to the floor, and then bounced upwards once more.

"I don't like people who attack when their opponent's back's turned", Moody growled as the ferret bounced higher and higher, squealing in pain. "Stinking, cowardly, scummy thing to do ..."

The ferret flew through the air, its legs and tail flailing helplessly.

"Never – do – that – again!" Moody growled speaking each word as the ferret hit the stone floor and bounced upwards again. He raised it even higher and Blaise could not take it. He dove forward and caught the ferret before it hit floor.

"Leave it!" Moody roared at him.

"No!" Blaise said and held Malfoy almost protectively. "You're hurting him more than enough!"

"I said leave it", Moody growled and walked towards Blaise slowly. But Blaise stood his ground.

"No", he said.

"Boy don't mess with me, it could end badly for you."

"And abusing students could go badly for you", Blaise spat. Moody growled and raised his wand.

"Mister Moody!" said a shocked voice.

Professor McGonagall was coming down the marble staircase with her arms full of books.

"What… what are you doing?' said Professor McGonagall, looking between the man and her student.

"Teaching", Moody replied and glared at Blaise. "Or I am at least trying to."

McGonagall looked at the trembling ferret in Blaise's arms.

"Is that… is that a student?" shrieked Professor McGonagall, the books spilling out of her arms.

"Technically it's a ferret", Moody said and managed to snatch Malfoy from Blaise's grip.

"No!" cried Professor McGonagall, running down the stairs and pulling out her wand; a moment later, with a loud snapping noise, Draco Malfoy had reappeared, lying in a heap on the floor with his sleek blond hair all over his now brilliantly pink face. He got to his feet, wincing.

"Moody, we never use Transfiguration as a punishment!" said Professor McGonagall sharply and pointed at Moody with her wand. "Surely Professor Dumbledore told you that when you were asked to patrol the school?"

"He might've mentioned it", Moody grumbled. "But I thought a good sharp shock-"

"You will do well to remember it", McGonagall growled at him. "We give detentions, Moody! Or speak to the offender's Head of house!"

"I'll do that, then" Moody said, staring at Malfoy with great dislike.

Malfoy, whose pale eyes were still watering with pain and humiliation, looked malevolently up at Moody and muttered something in which the words 'my father' were distinguishable.

"Oh yeah?" said Moody quietly, limping forward a few steps, the dull clunk of his wooden leg echoing around the hall. "Well, I know stories about your father that would curl even your greasy hair boy ... you tell him Moody's keeping a close eye on his son... you tell him that from me ... now, your Head of house'll be Snape, will it?"

"Yes", said Malfoy resentfully.

"Another old friend", growled Moody. "I've been looking forward to a chat with old Snape... come on, you..." And he seized Malfoy's upper arm and marched him off towards the dungeons. Malfoy turned back to glare at Harry and the others. The Slytherins glared as well as they entered the Great Hall. The only ones not glaring were Blaise and Theo. Theo was red in the face from keeping his laughter in whereas Blaise's face was as aloof as always. Harry and the others hurried into the Great Hall.

"Don't talk to me", Ron said quietly to the others, as they sat down at the Gryffindor table a few minutes later, surrounded by excited talk on all sides about what had just happened.

"Why not?" said Hermione in surprise.

"Because I want to fix that in my memory for ever", said Ron, his eyes closed and an uplifted expression on his face. "Draco Malfoy, the amazing bouncing ferret… do you think there is room for him at Lupin's circus?"

Harry, Neville and Hermione laughed and Hermione began doling beef casserole onto each of their plates.

"He could have really hurt Malfoy, though", she said. "It was good, really, that Professor McGonagall stopped it-"

"Technically Blaise stopped him first", Neville said. "Proves that all Snakes stick together."

"No", Harry said. "He just wanted to show Malfoy that he is better than him… and make sure Moody didn't kill him."

"But why? Don't all Slytherins like Malfoy and what was that you said about him not being the Slytherin King?"

"Well I know for a fact that he isn't, it just appears that way. But I agree with Hermione. It was good that McGonagall stopped it."

"Guys", said Ron furiously, his eyes snapping open again. "You're ruining the best moment of my life!"

Hermione made an impatient noise and began to eat at top speed again.

"Don't tell me you're going back to the library this evening?' said Harry, watching her.

"Got to", said Hermione thickly. "Loads to do."

"But you told us Professor Vector-"

"It's not schoolwork", she said. Within five minutes, she had cleared her plate and departed.

No sooner had she gone than her seat was taken by Fred Weasley.

"Lupin!" he said. "How cool is he?"

"Beyond cool", said George, sitting down opposite Fred.

"Supercool", said the twins' best friend, Lee Jordan, sliding into the seat beside George. "We had him this afternoon", he told Harry, Neville and Ron.

"What was it like?" said Harry eagerly.

Fred, George and Lee exchanged looks full of meaning.

"Never had a lesson like it", said Fred.

"He knows, man", said Lee.

"Knows what?" said Ron, leaning forwards.

"Everything", George said. "We tried to blindside him but he just stopped everything we tried and he knows so much! He is so awesome! Still the best teacher ever!"

Ron dived into his bag for his timetable.

"We haven't got him 'til Thursday!" he said in a disappointed voice. Harry felt disappointed as well. He looked up when a light-haired Ravenclaw skipped by him. He followed her with his eyes and noticed her fall into step with Blaise as the Slytherin left the Great Hall. She took his arm and dragged him towards the stairs. What was that about?


TBC Okay people I need some help here... I have created a poll on my prophile to try and get some help on this matter. Who should I pair Blaise up with romantically? I can't decide! Just a heads up Blaise is gay. He was SUPPOSED to end up with Draco but Draco did not want that... i have gotten PM:s that wishes him to end up with Harry and some for him to end up with Theo. Adrian in the poll is Adrian Pucey.

Guest - Wrinkly (when I Googled it) is another way of saying old coot or old goat :P Remus did not want to insult goats XD

Katie - Thanks :)