Chapter 40: Fourth Year Begins
After the events of the World Cup the four friends returned to the homes to prepare for the new school year. The Prophet had numerous articles about the attack. They denounced the families of those who were caught The Nott, Crabbe, Goyle, McNair families were all charged with vandalism and attempted murder. Fortunately with as much security that had been at the Cup no casualties were reported. Most of the damages had been restricted to the tents and stalls in the surrounding area. The coverage of the Dark Mark being cast had the entire wizarding community in an uproar. This cause James to be very busy as he had to put out the numerous fires. By the times things calmed down Harry and his friends were returning to Hogwarts.
The group of friends were sitting in a compartment though now they were joined by Draco Black…After his mother aligned herself with the Black family Draco's personality did a complete one eighty. Through out their third year he spent numerous nights in Severus' office being properly tutored by his Head of House and his mother who made regular visits to assist in de-brainwashing of her young son. It wasn't long before Draco had become much more tolerable and soon even found himself buddying up to Harry and his friends apologizing for his many antagonistic actions over the last three years. The Slytherin's were surprised but welcomed the change in Draco. With his new attitude he lost them far less points than he did in his first and second year.
"Draco did you finish your report for McGonagall's class?" Daphne asked the boy. She tried to best to include him in conversations.
"Barely. Between helping mother and Uncle Sirius rebuild the Black family and the mess that happened at the World Cup. I just managed to barely finish everything in time. I'm just glad Professor Lupin was around this summer to help me with his essay as well." The blond responded.
"Thank god he's still our Professor." Hermione spoke up, "From Quirrell to Lockhart we finally got a decent teacher."
"Yea it's a good thing Uncle Snape figured out the curse on the DADA position." Harry said, "They spent all summer before third year sneaking the goblins and their curse breakers in to remove it and render the Basilisk."
Draco flinch at the mention of the basilisk that had been set loose on the student thanks to his own father. "I'm just glad no one was hurt that year." Draco said calmly.
It was then then their compartment door slide open, "Wow Potter I didn't think you could sink any lower." Ronald Weasley was standing at his door with Seamus and Dean behind him, "First you disgrace Gryffindor by hanging out with Greengrass and now you chumming up with a Malfoy. You should be ashamed."
Neville was about to stand up when Harry stopped him, "Ya know Ronald." Harry stood up, "You would think with your father's position as head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts department you would be nicer to the son of the man who could sack him. Though I sure you know I would never use my father's position like that because I'm not like you."
Ron glared, "Are you threatening me?!" the red head growled.
"Far from it." Harry said stepping closer, "I simply reminding you where we stand. I am the heir to the prestigious Potter family and Son of Minister of Magic where as you are the seventh son of a ruined ancient house. Now the next time you want to open your mouth and disparage one of the Potter families allies you'll find the Potter family will defend its comrades."
"You're seriously standing their defending a Malfoy." Ron snapped.
"There are no Malfoy's in this compartment so you must be confused." Harry replied as he turned to the others, "I see the Heir to Longbottom House, Heiress to House Greengrass, my betrothed and sole member of House Granger, myself, and a scion of House Black. Did we get along those first two years at Hogwarts? No. Draco was an arrogant prat. We all know it. He knows it, and has since apologized for his actions and tried to better himself. Where as you, have started to become even worse than he was."
"You can't be serious." The red head snapped.
"No, that's my uncle, I'm Harry." He replied getting a chuckle from everyone in the compartment including Draco even Seamus and Dean snickered a bit. "Now kindly leave us alone your presence is making us all lose brain cells and we actually need those what with each of us being the top five student in our year so." Harry then grabbed the door and closed it in the red heads face and drawing the blinds. He turned back to the others, "God was he always that annoying?"
"Was I really as bad as that?" Draco asked pointing to the closed door.
"Sometimes worse." Daphne piped up, "Especially when you would drone on and on about the proper place of a Slytherin."
Draco rolled his eyes, "Oh god." He grumbled.
"Hey you managed to pull your head out of your arse." Harry said, "If you can do that there is hope for Ron…though not much, his is really crammed up in there." The group laughed and returned to discussing their assignments.
After a few hours the group of them stepped out onto the platform. They were making their way to the carriages when Draco stumbled into a blond Ravenclaw girl. "My apologies." He mumbled.
The girl turned and faced him, "I'm alright." She said a dreamy look in her eyes. She looked up at Draco and her eyes widened, "Oh its nice to see all the Nargles have left your head."
"N…Nargles?" Draco ask blushing a bit.
"Yes they're invisible creatures that creep into you brain and cloud your judgment. Your head used to be full of them…Now their all gone." She smiled.
Harry and his friends watched this exchange smirking at the blushing Draco, "Heiress Lovegood." Harry spoke up, "would you care to join us in our carriage?" he asked her.
"Really?" she asked excitedly, "That would be lovely."
Draco looked at Harry with wide eyes and a red face. Harry simply smirked and gestured to the path leading to the carriages. "Scion Black Be a gentleman and escort Lady Lovegood would you?" he said with a smile as he linked his arm into Hermione's and Neville and Daphne did the same.
Draco cleared his throat and extended his arm, "Lady Lovegood?"
"Oh…well thank you." She said and took his arm shyly.
The group made their way to the carriages, "Ladies first." Harry said as he help Hermione up into the carriage. Neville and Draco followed his lead and helped the other two girls into their carriage before joining Harry on the now boy's side of the carriage.
"So Luna how are things in Ravenclaw house?" Hermione asked, "Our little group only really have contacts in the other three houses so we don't really know much of what goes on with the Ravenclaw's."
"Oh well…I don't know much myself…" The girl said bashfully, "I'm not exactly popular in my house…" she said looking down shyly.
"Really?" Daphne asked curiously, "I don't see why…you seem like a fascinating young lady."
Luna smiled, "Well I get called 'Looney' Lovegood a lot…because my habit of looking for mysterious creatures."
"Like Nargles?" Draco asked curiously.
"Yes…" the girl said shyly.
"Well just because they aren't easily seen doesn't mean they aren't real." Daphne said, "I mean muggles don't think we're real."
"True." Draco said shrugging a bit.
"So what if you're a little eccentric." Harry said, "We're all a little crazy in our own way. Hell Hermione here is crazy for books."
Hermione slapped his arm, "And Harry is crazy for quidditch."
"Neville's nuts for plants." Daphne added.
Neville gawked, "Well Daphne geeks out over wizards chess."
They all then turned to Draco, "What?" he asked. When they continued to eye him basically waiting for him to out himself, "Ugh fine…I actually have a small obsession with…dragons."
"Ah Draco likes dragons." Harry said smirking, "How fitting. I suppose when Hagrid had that dragon our first year you nerded out a bit."
"Ugh! I wanted to see it so bad but Crabbe and Goyle were always on my tail. I could never sneak off to see it. Would have been so cool if it could have stayed at Hogwarts like our own personal guard dog." Draco said with a whimsical look in his eye.
"Oh god he's as crazy about dragons as Hagrid is." Daphne mumbled. The carriage erupted in laughter as it made its way up to the castle.
After arriving at the castle they were joined by Astoria who unlike her sister, miraculously got sorted into Gryffindor. Her fixation on following Harry around since she was little kicked in during her sorting and she demanded to be in the same house as her "Big brother Harry", and even though she wasn't put in Slytherin she was still made a Potter family vassal since she would've been in the Gryffindor Tower too close to Pettigrew at the time so the youngest Greengrass joined them in the Lord's Quarters. Today she was sitting at the end of Gryffindor table with her friends she made over last year. Harry smiled as looked on glad the girls of her year were not letting prejudices rule their behavior just because she came from a family of Slytherins.
The sorting of the newest group of first years went off without incident and soon the feast was underway. Once dinner had been done the announcement Harry had been waiting for finally came. The announcement of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Harry watched and was sure the headmaster eyed him as he spoke of the tournament. Ugh, he thought, he knows someone is going to put my name in and he has no intention of stopping it. As Dumbledore continued with his explanation Harry looked to Severus who nodded to him.
The group soon began their school year, Harry and Hermione spent days in the library and the Room of Requirement studying and training hard for the tasks they knew were coming. Harry was already well beyond a fourth year level in fact it was more than likely he was in the mid the sixth year level. Due to his mother's training from over the years he was already silent casting. Hermione as well, was far beyond her current academic level and could stand toe to toe against Harry, who had far more magical power than herself. Neville, Daphne, Draco, Luna and Astoria would join them on occasion.
Luna and Draco had gotten close as the weeks went by, so close in fact Draco discovered the treatment the young Ravenclaw received at the hands of her fellow house mates. When he informed Harry and the others, Daphne was infuriated. Had it not been for Neville she would have marched to Flitwick's office and demanded the Head of Ravenclaw house to better supervise his students. "We cannot let them continue to treat her this way." Daphne demanded.
"We won't Daph." Neville said as he pulled her back down onto the sofa beside him and trying to calm her down.
"I suppose we'll just have to bring Luna into our circle…that will create a shield around her." Harry said.
"That what I thought." Draco said, "No one will want to mess with her if they see she's close with the Minister's son." he said as they all sat in the Room or Requirement after a couple of hours of training.
"Well, well it seems your finally using that Slytherin cunning you always bragged about." Daphne said laughing.
"Hey!" the Slytherin growled, "I think we've already established I had my head up my arse for two years but even still I still remained in the top ten in our year and now I'm number four. I've always been intelligent Greengrass."
"True you were capable of studying but you were also tactless and never really thought your plans through. That's why you always lost us so many points, you always got caught." Daphne said smirking, "Now you're thinking like a real Slytherin."
Draco scoffs, "Yea, yea, yea…" he crossed his arms and pouted a bit.
"They grow up so fast don't they." Hermione teased as she nudged Harry.
Harry laughed at them, "Yes Sirius will be so proud."
"Bite me both of you!" Draco snapped which caused everyone to laugh heartily.
Harry was truly astonished at those around him thinking, If someone told me first year we would be sitting with Draco and not trying to strangle him. I would advised them to visit Madam Pomfrey in the hospital wing to be checked for brain damage. Yet here we are talking like we've been friends for years…it's kinda weird, but he's not so bad.
"Alright back to training Harry." Hermione stood up.
"I've been meaning to ask why are you guys training so hard?" Draco asked them.
Harry looked to the other three who kinda shrugged, "Well we're fairly certain old Voldy has some idiotic plan to get me roped into this tournament…so we are preparing for the worst."
Draco blinked then began to look as if he were seriously thinking, "You're right this tournament would be an excellent oppritunity for him to try and kill you or seriously injure you…yea training is definitely the right move here. I'll keep an ear out in Slytherin House to see if any of the Death Eaters children have any idea what he's planning."
"Just remember…" Daphne said looking and Draco with a smirk, "Don't get caught." She said in a sing song voice.
"I know, I know!" He stood and headed for the door waving them off.