AN:All thanks given to Katherine my beta.
I own nothing
The next morning Gabe joined Mia at the Gryffindor table to look over their class schedules. They had quite a few classes together as they were still taking the same electives.
"So, would you really enter if you could?" Mia asked Gabe.
"Nah," Gabe said through a mouthful of sausage. Once he swallowed he continued. "It would be fun for sure, but there's still so much left to learn. I would look a fool to lose it all for Hogwarts just because I thought myself all-knowing at the age of fourteen. It does seem like a bummer though, only getting to watch. If I was in the twins place, I would try to sneak in too."
They looked over at Fred, George, and Lee Jordan, bent over their pumpkin juice a few seats away talking about magical aging methods. Mia had to agree. It would stink to be so close, yet not able to enter.
Madam Pomfrey walked in, heading for the head table and Mia jumped from her seat. "Madam Pomfrey!"
The healer smiled when she saw her. "Amelia, glad to see you back. How are you dear?"
"I'm great! But I wanted to ask you something." She looked around to make sure there weren't any students except for Gabe too close to overhear. "As you know, Professor Snape taught me to brew the Wolfsbane Potion last year, and this summer I have been making it for Remus, but now that I'm back at school… I was wondering if I could use your workroom to keep making it, and sending it home each month. It shouldn't take a lot of time, and I could also help with stocking potions for the school too."
The healer looked Mia over with thought and a little sadness. "I think we can make some arrangements. Let me talk with Professor McGonagall. We want to be sure this will not get in the way of your school work of course."
"Thanks so much, Madam Pomfrey."
Mia and Gabe parted ways as she headed to Herbology. After an oddly satisfying class of draining bubotuber pus, she met up with Gabe for Ancient Runes followed by Arithmancy.
Professor McGonagall found her and Gabe walking towards the great hall for dinner, her arms were full of books. She let Mia know Madam Pomfrey had found her and told her Mia's idea of brewing the Wolfsbane Potion and other projects on the weekends.
"I'm inclined to grant your request as long as you don't allow it to affect your grades."
"Thank you, Professor." Mia glanced at Gabe, walking just separate from them as they talked. There was something else she wanted to ask the professor, but she still wasn't sure how. "Would you be up for tea sometime this week, so we can catch up?"
The corner of the Professor's mouth twitched at the side. "That would be quite nice. How about Thursday?"
"Perfect."
They rounded the corner into the entrance hall, to see a mess of students standing around watching something. Professor McGonagall pushed through, and Mia and Gabe followed behind so they could see too. Professor Moody was standing in the center of the students bouncing something white off the floor, then back into the air with his wand. It looked like a white ferret. Mia gasped. Why would he hurt a little ferret? Harry Ron and Hermione stood close by. The boys had looks of shock and glee, while Hermione was just shocked.
"Professor Moody!" McGonagall said loudly and sternly.
"Hello, Professor McGonagall." Moody was calmly bouncing the ferret higher and higher with each bounce off the hard stone.
"What– what are you doing?" Professor McGonagall asked.
"Teaching."
"Teach– Moody, is that a student?" Professor McGonagall shrieked and the books in her arms fell to the ground.
Moody wasn't fazed. "Yep."
"No!" Professor McGonagall ran down the last few stairs dropping the books and pulled out her wand. There was a loud snap and Draco appeared in place of the ferret lying on the floor with his hair a total mess. His face was bright red. He stood up carefully, wincing, his eyes were bright and watering. Mia made to cross the room and go to her cousin, but Gabe stopped her.
"No, he won't appreciate sympathy in a crowd like this," Gabe whispered. He was right, Draco was too prideful. If she tried to check to see if he was ok, he would just be cruel.
"Moody, we never use Transfiguration as a punishment! Surely Professor Dumbledore told you that?" McGonagall continued.
"He might've mentioned it, yeah, but I thought a good sharp shock–"
"We give detentions, Moody! Or speak to the offender's Head of House!"
"I'll do that, then."
Moody looked down at Draco with a look of disgust and Draco muttered something that looked like it included "my father."
"Oh yeah?" Moody limped forward a few steps his wooden leg clunking along. "Well, I know your father of old, 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."
"Another old friend. I've been looking forward to a chat with old Snape. Come on, you."
He grabbed Draco by the arm and pulled him towards the dungeons. McGonagall looked like she wanted to follow, but instead summoned her books back into her arms and headed down a hall.
Mia watched with worry until they disappeared and Gabe pulled her into the great hall for dinner. The sixth years who had just come from their first DADA class talked in low quiet voices about Professor Moody. Fred and George were in awe of his experience and skills. Gabe was antsy with excitement for their class later in the week. He couldn't wait to be taught by an actual Auror.
Draco came in towards the end of the meal, an unreadable expression on his face, and every hair back in place. Mia cornered him as he left the great hall.
"Draco, are you ok?"
"What do you care, Black?" he spat.
"Hey, don't be mean just because you're mad at someone else."
Draco sighed but wouldn't meet her eyes. "Fine, what do you want?"
"I wanted to see if you were ok. It wasn't cool what Moody did. Hopefully, Dumbledore will straighten him out."
Draco snorted. "Not likely. Do you even know who he is?"
"The Prophet says he's a retired Auror."
"More like fired Auror. He was responsible for throwing most of You-Know-Who's supporters in jail. He spoke at my father's trial back then and tried to get him locked up just the same. Now he's targeting me because he couldn't get my father."
Mia frowned. "I heard he targeted you because you tried to hex Harry while his back was turned."
Draco snorted. "That was his excuse, sure, but you of all people should know what it's like to be judged based on the actions of your father."
Mia sighed. "But at the time, I was trying my hardest to be the opposite of what my father represented… you? You seem determined to live up to your family name. Have you ever noticed the worst things that happen to you usually come right after you are trying to hurt someone else? What if you just tried to stop antagonizing other people? You don't have to go out of your way to be nice, just stop going out of your way to torment."
"Yeah, but what would be the fun in that?" Draco asked smirking.
"The fun is not being turned into a ferret and bounced off the floor."
Draco glared at her, but there was no heat to it. "Yeah, whatever Black." He turned and started walking away. "You should write my mum. She misses you."
"I will."
AN: Think Draco could ever change his ways? It would be nice. Just a little PSA, I've written out through the end of year 4 and the rest is outlined, things are gonna be really brief after year 4, so be prepared. I will be posting weekly till this thing is over, and the ending is quickly approaching... I've even written out the final scene :]
