-Chapter Seven-

Draco Malfoy

Meredith felt a new animosity towards the Slytherin house ever since Mafalda chose them over her. That animosity usually came out stronger whenever Draco Malfoy was around. He managed to push every single button she had, but luckily she wasn't alone in her newfound hatred for the white haired devil.

Harry was staring glumily down at his schedule, they'd just realised they had flying lessons with the slytherins.

"This is just perfect," he said sarcastically, "I can't wait to make a fool of myself in front of a bunch of slytherins."

"Hopefully Malfoy makes a bigger fool of himself and no one notices you," Meredith said helpfully, slyly looking at Ron.

"He's all talk, I bet," added Ron.

Meredith soon found out that most of the boys that came from magic families were all about the talk. Seamus would tell anyone that would listen about how he's the best flier in the family, even Ron started boasting about his keeper abilities.

The nerves had started to ramp up the closer the lesson got. Hermione could be heard streaming off facts that she'd found in the library.

"I don't think books are going to help you with this," remarked Meredith.

That just made her study harder.

The morning of the lesson Meredith was sitting talking to Parvati when the mail arrived. Meredith looked up hopefully, but no owl landed in front of her.

"Oh wow! Neville has a Remembrall!" Lavender yelled.

"What's a Remembrall?" asked Dean.

"It's to help you remember things," Hermione explained snottily, "when you forget something the clouds in the ball turn… well, look." She gestured to the ball in Neville's hand.

It was slowly turning red, Neville looking crestfallen and said, "but I can't remember what I've forgotten."

As Neville was trying to remember what it was he had forgotten, Draco who was walking passed snatched the Remembrall from his hand.

"Nice, Longbottom, perhaps you've forgotten your brain."

Meredith grabbed Ron's sleeve in warning as he and Harry jumped to their feet, gearing for a fight.

"What's going on?" demanded McGonagall, swooping in at the smell of trouble.

"Draco took Neville's Remembrall, Professor," said Meredith, shooting Malfoy a nasty look.

"I was only looking," he said with a wink at Meredith, sliding the ball back onto the table. "See you at flying lessons, Potter."

Later that afternoon the Gryffindors made their way to the field, the Slytherins just behind them. Meredith looked back at Mafalda and was happy to see her give her a small wave. At least they could be civil.

"Line up in front of a broom," said Madam Hooch. Her gold hawk eyes piercing any students who were messing around. "Raise your right hand over your broom and say UP! Say it with conviction otherwise we'll be here all afternoon."

"UP!" everyone shouted.

Harry's broom flew right into his hand, Meredith looked over enviously. After a few more goes Meredith managed to get hers in her hand. Not everyone was as successful, Neville sheepishly had to pick his broom up once Madam Hooch moved on to how to properly mount your broom.

Harry and Ron laughed when Madam Hooch told Malfoy he'd been holding his broom wrong all these years. Mafalda stood next to him with Pansy and they shot Madam Hooch disapproving looks.

"Now on the count of three you will all push off the ground and rise a small amount before bringing it back down. Ready? One… Two- Longbottom! What do you think you're doing?"

Neville, in his nervousness of being left behind, kicked off the ground too early and now he was floating higher and higher over their heads.

"Neville!" panicked Meredith.

He didn't know how to come back down and his broom went higher still, and then Neville looked down, saw how high he was, and went slipping right off the back end of his broom. He hit the ground with a loud thud. Madam Hooch ran over, Meredith not far behind.

"Is he okay?" she asked with a shaking voice.

"He's got a broken wrist," Madam Hooch stated. "I'll take him to the Hospital Wing. You lot had best stay on the ground. If I see any of you even one inch in the air you'll be out of here faster than you can say quidditch."

Madam Hooch lifted a whimpering Neville and shuffled him away.

"I'm sure your boyfriend is fine, Prewett," laughed Pansy, "no need to cry about it."

Meredith's face went red.

"Did you see his fat face though?" shrieked Malfoy. "No wonder he hit the ground so hard, the giant lug."

"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Parvati.

"Oooh," Pansy said, "you've got competition Meredith, and I'd watch out if I were you, Parvati is a much prettier option."

"Look at this," Mafalda said, holding up Neville's Remembrall, "he must have dropped it."

"Give that here," demanded Harry.

Mafalda gave him a withering look and handed it to Malfoy.

"I think I'll leave it up a tree," he said. "Sound good?"

"Give it here!" Harry yelled but it was too late. Malfoy mounted his broom and was off in the air. Harry swung his leg over his own broom.

"Don't do this Harry," Hermione pleaded, "you'll lose Gryffindor so many house points!"

"Oh, sod off Hermione," Ron said as Harry followed Malfoy.

Meredith watched them talk high up in the air, wondering at Harry's natural ability in the air. For the first time she felt a small flutter in her chest seeing Harry's brave face with his windswept hair.

With no warning, Malfoy threw the Remembrall high up into the air. Meredith screamed along with the other Gryffindor girls as Harry raced towards the ground, arm outstretched to catch the plummeting ball.

As he grabbed it in his fist they all cheered but were cut short when they heard an angry gasp.

"HARRY POTTER!" screeched McGonagall. "Get down here immediately! Never in my life-"

"It wasn't his fault-"

"Enough, Miss Prewett-"

"It was Malfoy, he-"

"That's enough Mr Weasley. Never in my time - I can't believe- !" McGonagall was at a loss for her words. Her lips pressed in such a hard line that they vanished from her face.

"Follow me, Mr Potter," she said angrily.

The class watched Harry get led away, Meredith silently cursing their bad luck.

"Bye bye Potter," cackled Malfoy.

Ron made a move towards him but Dean and Seamus held him back.

"Shut up, Malfoy!" he growled.

The class slowly started making their way to the castle, Madam Hooch having returned and dismissed them.

"I told him not to do it," said Hermione, "but he just didn't -"

"Are you serious Hermione?" asked Meredith incredulously, "Harry might be getting expelled and you're going to sit here and say I told you so?"

"Yeah Hermione," added Lavender, "that's really insensitive."

Hermione tried to defend herself but Meredith marched away to join Ron.

"I hope he doesn't get kicked out."

"Me too," muttered Ron. "I could kill Malfoy. He's such a little weasel."

Meredith agreed wholeheartedly. She held Malfoy responsible for Mafalda's poor attitude.

"I can't believe Mafalda handed Malfoy the Remembrall."

"I don't know what's wrong with her," replied Meredith darkly.

Meredith and Ron were sitting in silence when Harry suddenly plopped down next to them.

"Harry!" they said in unison, smiles splitting their faces.

"I really thought you were done for, mate," said Ron.

"Me too," said Harry, dishing himself a helping of beef stew. "But listen to this…"

Harry explained to them how McGonagall had introduced him to the Gryffindor quidditch captain.

"Seeker!" hissed Ron. "You must be the youngest seeker in years! They never let first-years try out! I can't wait to see the look on Malfoy's face."

"Shhh! We can't tell anyone. I need you both to keep this a secret."

"Of course," gushed Meredith, caught up in Harry's excitement. "But when he does find out, it's going to be brilliant."

Fred and George sat down on either side of Meredith, leaning over the table towards Harry.

"Just heard the news," Fred said.

"Welcome to the team, Harry," said George, "we're Gryffindor's beaters."

"We do our best to make sure you don't get knocked off your broom."

"Does that happen often?" asked Harry nervously.

"Of course it does," the twins said together.

"We're not perfect," finished Fred with a wink.

They left the three of them to their dinner.

"That was reassuring," muttered Harry.

"Don't mind them," smiled Meredith, "they like to tease."

"Oh Potter," a snide voice remarked, "having your last meal?"

They turned to find Malfoy flanked by his usual sort, Crabbe and Goyle.

"You seem braver now that you're on the ground with your little friends."

Meredith raised her eyebrows. She wouldn't describe either Crabbe or Goyle as little.

"I'd take you on any time. In fact, how about a duel tonight? In the trophy room at Midnight." Malfoy looked like he doubted Harry would respond. "What's the matter? Never heard of a wizarding duel before?"

"Of course he has," said Ron, "I'll be his second. Who's yours?"

"Crabbe," Malfoy said and then abruptly turned and left.

Ron went about explaining the rules of a Wizarding Duel to Harry, assuring him that he and Malfoy would only be able to shoot sparks at each other.

"Excuse me."

They looked up and saw Hermione stood there, looking down at them disapprovingly.

"Oh not you again," Ron groaned.

"I couldn't help but overhearing that you and Malfoy are having a wizarding duel-"

"Bet you could have," Ron muttered to Meredith. She shared a nasty smile with him.

"I'm begging you, Harry," Hermione continued, ignoring Ron completely, "you mustn't do this. You've just gotten in trouble with McGonagall and now you're out planning to cause more not even a day afterwards! It's really very selfish of you. Think of Gryffindor!"

"I don't think it's any of your business," responded Harry.

"Goodbye," said Ron.

Meredith was woken up by the sound of Hermione storming out of the room. She pulled her gown over her night dress.

"Hermione," she called down the stairs.

She found Hermione stood scolding Harry and Ron.

"Leave it be, Hermione," Meredith said with a yawn, "he's going to do what he wants."

"You might not care about this house Meredith but I do!"

"That's out of order!" exclaimed Meredith, racing after Hermione as she followed Harry to the portrait.

The painting flipped open and they climbed out of the hole. Meredith grabbed Hermione's arm, intent on dragging her back into the common room. Except the fat lady wasn't sitting in her usual spot.

"Ah, Hermione, the fat lady's gone."

"What?" she turned on Ron and Harry, "now what are we going to do?"

"I don't care," remarked Harry, "but we've got to go."

Meredith grabbed Hermione's hand, "well we're not staying out here, we'll get caught. We're coming with you."

"Are we?" squeaked Hermione.

"Fine," groaned Harry, "but keep quiet and move quickly."

They all quietly made their way down to the trophy room, luckily not running into anyone in the halls.

They sat in the trophy room for nearly twenty minutes before anyone said anything.

"I don't think Malfoy is coming," Meredith whispered.

"The cowardly git," said Ron.

"Can't you see," groaned Hermione, "it was a trap. I wouldn't be surprised if Malfoy gave Filch the drop that there would be students out of bed."

"I feel so stupid," muttered Harry.

Meredith stopped Hermione from making a remark, shushing them all as she heard footsteps down the hall.

"Filch," she whispered with horror.

"This way," Harry said, heading for a different door.

They raced through the door, sliding on the stoned floor. Meredith was in the front of the party and slammed straight into a warm body, falling flat on top of it and then rolling off onto the cold floor.

The body groaned.

"Neville?" Ron asked incredulously.

"I couldn't remember the password for Gryffindor tower and then I got lost looking for McGonagall's office," he simpered.

"We don't have time for this," snapped Meredith as she got back to her feet. She grabbed Neville by the collar and dragged him to his feet.

"Come now my sweet," they heard Filch say from around the corner, "they'll be here somewhere."

Mrs Norris rounded the corner and let out a menacing hiss.

"RUN!" yelled Harry.

They all sprinted after him, breathing heavily and ignoring cramps in their sides.

Running down a hidden passageway they finally took a breath at the Charms classroom.

"I think we've lost him," panted Neville.

"I- told -you," panted Hermione, "I- told- you!"

"Oh come off it, Hermione-"

"What's this?" asked a jovial, high pitched voice. Peeves floated above them, his jester hat jingling above his head.

"Please Peeves- keep quiet! You'll get us kicked out."

"I should tell Filch! First years out of bed!" he squealed in delight, "Naughty, naughty."

"Get out of here, you clown!" Ron took a swipe at Peeves's legs which turned out to be a huge mistake because Peeves then yelled:

"STUDENTS OUT OF BED! STUDENTS OUT BED DOWN THE CHARMS CLASSROOM!"

They began their race for safety again, stampeding down a corridor and running head first into a locked door.

"Now what?" cried Meredith.

"Oh, MOVE!" demanded Hermione.

She pointed her wand at the door and said, "Alohomora!"

The door flung open and they all fell in, slamming the door shut behind them.

"That was close," whispered Meredith, "let go of me Neville we're safe now." Neville continued to tug on her sleeve. "Neville I said get off-"

Meredith turned around and face to face with a monstrous dog. A monstrous three headed dog. It towered over all of them, with a growl so loud it rattled through their chests.

"Oh my God," squeaked Hermione.

This wasn't a room to be hiding in. This was the forbidden third corridor, the one Dumbledore said would lead to a painful death. The dogs three sets of glowing yellow eyes watched each of them, drool dripping from their massive teeth. This was a nightmare and they were just about to become dog food.

Harry flung the door open again and grabbed Ron by his robe, forcing everyone to run through the door. Harry turned back and slammed the door, just before the dog leapt for them, teeth clashing shut. They ran, faster than ever, towards Gryffindor tower.

It was a miracle they didn't get caught with all the noise they made on their way back.

The Fat Lady was lounging in her lover's seat when they came to the portrait hole, breathing heavily and clutching their sides.

"Where on earth have you been?" she asked, staring at the dishevelled appearance.

"Nevermind that- Pig Snout!" Harry said hurriedly.

"How rude," she said as she opened out of their way.

They clambered into the common room and Neville collapsed onto a seat, his eyes watery.

"What a perfect place to keep a three headed, man-eating monster- a school! Absolutely mental!" said Ron hysterically.

Hermione's temper returned with a vengeance. "Don't you use your eyes? Didn't you see what it was standing on?"

"I think we were more focused on the part of the dog that had all the teeth," defended Meredith.

"It was standing on a trap door and is obviously guarding something." She stood up and glared at all of them. "I hope you're happy with yourselves. We could all have been killed- or worse, expelled. I'm going to bed. Meredith, you should get to bed too."

She walked away from all of them, fists clenched at her sides.

"You'd swear we asked her to come along," Ron said with a laugh.

Meredith said goodnight to the boys and wondered what the dog could be guarding. She dreamed all night of three headed dogs and mystery doors.