The first few days of school passed rather uneventfully. Avalon and Neville resumed their tutoring practices in the library to help each other in Potions and Herbology, respectively. Daphne overheard Adrian Pucey talking to one of his fourth-year friends about the kitchens entrance and tickling the pair. She and Theo had gone down one night to get a snack after curfew and were promptly caught by Percy Weasley as he patrolled the corridors. When Theo and Daphne weren't serving nightly detentions with Filch, Draco, Blaise, Theo and Daphne excitedly began to talk about the Quidditch season. Draco was positively giddy about being the seeker.

"Are you sure you're any good?" Daphne asked as they sat in the common room Friday evening, beginning the first History of Magic assignment of the year. Or at least attempting to begin it.

Draco squinted at her, but lazily turned the pages of his book. "Yes, I know my father thanked Marcus Flint for making me Slytherin seeker by purchasing new brooms for the team, but the truth of the matter is that I would have made the team regardless."

The girl shrugged. "I guess we'll never know for sure, since you didn't try out like the rest of your teammates."

"You really shouldn't shake his confidence, Daph," Avalon called from her chair by the fire. "He might not have any actual skill, so he's already at a disadvantage to Potter as it is."

Theo chimed in. "Wait, do you lot remember our first flying lesson last year? When he took Longbottom's Remembrall and Potter caught it in the most impressive Wronski Feint I've ever seen and became the youngest seeker in a century despite never having been on a broom before that day?"

"What's your point, Theodore?" Draco's teeth were clenched and his face was turning red.

"I'm just wondering, that if Potter was that much better than you with no practice, how badly is he going to kick your arse after playing Quidditch for a year," Theo finished. Blaise, Daphne and Avalon laughed loudly while Draco pouted.

"Very funny." Draco gathered his books and parchments and quills in his arms and shoved them into his bag. "As enjoyable as this is, I'm going to go to bed now. We have an early Quidditch practice tomorrow. Crabbe, Goyle, let's go."

Goyle and Crabbe quickly stood up and followed Draco up the stairs to the boys' dormitory.

Within a few moments, Draco was back. "Also, here's the thing. I was wondering if you guys would sit in the stands during practice? At least in the beginning. Maybe when the rest of the team sees how much everyone likes me and supports me, I'll build a nice reputation."

"I'm going to pass," said Blaise. "Although I tolerate your presence in relatively small doses, but I don't want too much because then I'm going to be miserable."

"Thanks, mate," said Draco, to which Blaise nodded firmly. "Daphne?"

"I have detention after breakfast tomorrow. Filch caught me going down to the kitchens again, so I'm supposed to help McGonagall organize her parchments or something equally as boring."

Theo shrugged. "I'll go. If Daphne's right, and you're an awful Quidditch player, it would be a shame not to see your lack of flying skills. And also, I don't feel like doing my homework tomorrow."

"Although I'm not a huge Quidditch fan, count me in. I'll come because Theo's idea just makes sense to me, and I'd love to see you fail," Avalon said. She high-fived Theo while they laughed some more.

Draco sighed and turned to go up the stairs to the boys' dormitory again. "I'm very lucky to have you lot as friends. Thanks so much for the kind words, as always." Without looking back at them, he flapped his hands in the direction of the others. "Good night."

"Good night mate."

The other four sat in silence for a few moments before Daphne spoke. "You know I still don't really understand why we keep him around sometimes."

"He gives us comic relief, maybe?" Blaise shrugged.

Avalon closed her History of Magic book and slid from the arm chair to the floor. She groaned loudly as she rolled over closer to the fire. "It's Friday, and we've only had three days of classes. How can it be that I'm so tired?"

"Maybe it's because you've had to sit through lessons with the incompetent Gilderoy Lockhart. I can't figure out why Dumbledore would even hire the guy," said Blaise. He made a noise that resembled a snort.

"I think Dumbledore hired Lockhart because he's amazing and has beautiful hair and is the most qualified person in the entire wizarding world to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts," Daphne snapped. She pulled her legs up onto the sofa and glared daggers in Blaise's direction. "We are all lucky to be under his instruction."

"Are you kidding?"

Avalon quirked her eyebrow in Daphne's direction. "I'm a huge Lockhart fan, don't get me wrong, but I have to agree with Blaise on this one and question his skills. I know it's only been two classes, but instead of teaching us about anything really remotely Defense Against the Dark Arts-related, we took a quiz on his life and his personality and stuff."

"Maybe that's part of his process. He could be building teacher-student relationships or something. He is still adjusting to being a teacher, cut him some slack. Celestina Warbeck probably didn't get a record deal the first time she sang in public," Daphne argued.

"Okay, but Celestina Warbeck has talent. That's the difference," said Blaise. "She's completely qualified for any job she signs up to do."

Daphne stood up and stretched her back, yawning loudly. "Here's what we're going to do: tomorrow, after Avalon and Theo get back from Draco's Quidditch practice and I finish my detention, we're going to go to Gilderoy Lockhart with a question about Defense Against the Dark Arts. When he proves his salt as a teacher to you and I win, you have to do my Charms homework for a month."

"Deal," Blaise responded smugly. He paused for a moment. "If I win, and he doesn't know what he's talking about, I get to borrow your owl whenever I want for a month."

"Why do you need my owl?"

Blaise shrugged. "I want to write my mother, but sometimes she goes on vacation. Like right now, she's on the beach in Bermuda, and I don't want to tire out Fidel."

"Fine. But sometimes I'll need to use Zeus, so don't hog him." Daphne held out her hand, and she and Blaise shook on it. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an early morning, so I'm going to turn in. Are you coming, Ava?"

"I'll be up in a minute, yeah."

Daphne nodded and disappeared into the girls' dormitory. Blaise bid both girls goodnight as well and went up the boys' staircase. Theo and Avalon were left in the common room, neither speaking for a while at first as Theo continued his evening-long project of building a house out of Exploding Snap cards.

"Theo?"

"Yeah."

Avalon took a deep breath. "Do you know how everyone said last year Potter fought you-know-who for the philosopher's stone?"

"Yeah."

"I've been thinking about it. You don't think he's coming back, do you?"

"Potter defeated him," said Theo.

There was another bought of silence, and Avalon avoided her friend's eyes. "I know, but that's what people said the first time. They said he was gone for good, but he showed up again. And yes, it was just on the back of Quaking Quirrell's head, but still. I'm worried."

Theo put down his cards and scooted across the floor to Avalon. She was still stretched out in front of the fire, and he held out his hand to her to help her sit up. "Listen, Avalon, we both know what's going to happen if somehow you-know-who comes back. But the thing is, there's nothing we can do. If life unfolds that way, we won't be able to stop it. There's no sense griping and spending all our time wondering about what might happen. But if it does, I know I'll be okay. I have you."

"And Draco."

"Great."

The two second years laughed to themselves, catching the eye of a sixth year taking a nap across the common room. Their voices fell to whispers before they began laughing again. Finally, they regained their breath.

"Thanks, I really needed that," said Avalon. She stood up and brushed herself off before packing up her books and supplies for the night.

"Anytime."

With that, Avalon made her way to the second-year girls' dormitory. When she arrived, Pansy Parkinson, Millicent Bulstrode, and Daphne were all sound asleep. Tracey Davis was the only one of her dorm-mates awake, and she was sitting up in her bed reading to the light on the tip of her wand.

"All right, Avalon?"

"All right," came the girl's response.

She brushed her teeth, changed into pajamas, and braided her hair for the night. Finally, she emerged from the bathroom, drying her wet face on a towel before she slipped under the duvet on her bed.

"Good night, Avalon."

"Good night Tracey."

ASDMBZDGTN

The next morning at breakfast, Avalon and her friends were excitedly chatting about having a day of freedom from their schoolwork. Draco, however, was uncharacteristically silent during the meal.

"What gives, Malfoy?" Daphne asked. "As much as I love you not talking, it's strange to me, and I'm slightly worried. You're also not eating."

"How can you not eat?" interjected Goyle. Crabbe and Theo grunted simultaneously in response.

Draco pushed his eggs and sausage around his plate with a fork, still not bringing the fork to his mouth. Next to him, Avalon picked up one of his pieces of toast and held it in front of his face. He took a bite, except once Avalon moved her hand, the toast just hung out of his mouth and he didn't chew or swallow.

There was a chuckle from Blaise. "Guys, I think we broke him last night. His confidence seems to be shaken."

"I got this," Daphne said. "You need to eat breakfast. If you don't, you won't have any energy today and you'll probably fall off your broom during practice. Imagine if Potter hears about that? He'll think you're unskilled and only got on the team because of your dad."

"Which is true," muttered Avalon. Daphne kicked her in the shins. "Which is not true, I mean."

"You're right, Daphne" said Draco. He had pulled the piece of toast from his mouth and put it back on his plate. He grabbed the butter and marmalade from Theo—who made it a point to keep both to himself during breakfast—and vigorously applied them to his toast before shoveling mouthfuls of eggs and sausage.

Avalon patted him on the back. "I would slow down if I were you, mate. You're a pretty useless seeker if you chuck all over the Quidditch pitch."

Marcus Flint, a tall, burly Slytherin seventh year with large teeth and black hair, walked over to the group and slammed his hands on the table. Daphne and Blaise grabbed their glasses of orange juice to stop them from falling over from the impact.

"Malfoy, let's go."

"Is it time for practice already? I thought we were heading down once breakfast ended."

Flint shrugged. "I heard wind that the Gryffindor team has been there for hours, and I have a note from Professor Snape that gives us a surefire way to ruin their day." He clapped Draco on the back—hard. "Get moving."

"Yes, sir."

Theo leaned towards Blaise. "Watching Draco kissing Flint's arse is strange," he whispered. Blaise and Daphne both nodded.

As Draco stood up, he made eye contact with Avalon and Theo, reminding them of their promise to accompany him to his first Quidditch practice of the season. They joined him, the three second years trailing behind Flint and all the older students on the team. The other two chasers besides Flint, Graham Montague and Adrian Pucey, flanked their captain with gruff looks and folded arms, and somehow, Draco knew that they were more convincing sidekicks than the incompetent Crabbe and Goyle. Peregrine Derrick and Lucian Bole, the team's beaters, were engaged in an animated discussion about Quidditch, as every so often they would pantomime swinging a beater's bat. Miles Bletchley, a tall boy in the year above them with a perpetually annoyed look on his face and large muscles, was the keeper, and every so often he would peer back at Draco and his friends with a curious look on his face.

"You okay?" Theo asked Draco from the corner of his mouth.

But what had happened was remarkable. Somehow, being around people outside his immediate group of friends had transformed the boy. He was his usual obnoxious, sneering, drawling self, swaggering his way down the hill at an increasing speed to join the rest of the team.

Avalon shrugged. "Somehow, I think the little guy's going to be fine."

"Little guy? He's at least two heads taller than you."

"Come on, you twat. Let's go see the beautiful collision that is Flint and Wood." Avalon pointed further up the pitch. Oliver Wood, the Gryffindor Quidditch team captain was shouting at Flint and waving his arms erratically. The two respective teams were gathered around their captains like two armies waiting for the signal to square off.

"But I booked the field!" Wood was saying when Theo and Avalon made it to the Slytherins. "I booked it."

Flint snarled at the other boy, a positively horrifying sight. "I have a specially signed note from Professor Snape. 'I, Professor S. Snape, give the Slytherin team permission to practice today on the Quidditch field owing to the need to train their new seeker."

"You've a new seeker? Where?"

Draco squeezed his way through the six larger boys. Avalon supposed that as far as dramatic entrances went, being the smallest member of the team had its perks for him. She watched as Flint showed the Gryffindor team the gift from Mr. Malfoy.

Weasley and Granger joined the Gryffindor team on the pitch, trying to figure out what was going on.

"I'm the new Slytherin seeker, Weasley," Draco explained. "Everyone's just been admiring the brooms my father's bought for our team."

Granger cut her way in, as she was oh-so fond of doing. "At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in. They got in on pure talent."

Avalon and Theo exchanged looks. They knew how sensitive of a topic his potential lack of Quidditch skill was to Draco. He was already nervous about having to prove himself to the Slytherins, not that he'd ever want to let anyone know how insecure he was. Draco's smug 'Gryffindors-are-the-scum-of-the-earth-especially-you-Potter-the-boy-who-lived-and-thinks-he's-cool' look flickered for a moment.

He quickly regained his composure. "No one asked for your opinion, you filthy little mudblood."

There were shouts and the large din of the Gryffindors, making the Slytherins yell back in response. Flint stepped in front of Draco to stop the Weasley twins from attacking him. The girls on the Gryffindor team were shrieking about 'how dare he,' and Weasley pulled out his wand to make Draco pay.

One loud bang and a jet of green light later, and Weasley was on his back coughing up slugs. His own wand was somehow broken and had sent the curse the wrong way.

"Merlin," Theo whispered, before erupting into peals of laughter. He wasn't alone either, the entire Quidditch team was either doubled over, clutching their stomachs or on all fours.

As the Gryffindors—including a scrawny first year boy who appeared seemingly out of nowhere with what appeared to be a camera—crowded around Ron, Avalon made a choice. She grabbed Theo's shoulder for support, and began to laugh as well. It started out as a slight chuckle, but grew to a loud guffaw.

As Potter and Granger hobbled off to take care of Weasley, the Slytherin team started their routine warm ups, teaching Draco the ropes of their exercises.

"Wanna sit?" Avalon gestured to the stands, and she and Theo climbed up to watch the practice.

Three and a half hours later, the pair met Daphne and Blaise in the corridor outside the Slytherin dungeons.

"I know we agreed to this bet, but I feel like I'm going to need time to prepare myself mentally for a conversation with Gilderoy Lockhart," Blaise said. He massaged his temples as they started off in the direction of the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher's office.

"Shut your dirty mouth," snapped Theo. He punched Blaise in the arm.

"What in Merlin's name was that for?"

Daphne smiled at Theo. "You're disrespecting the greatest wizard who ever walked the earth and graced us with his presence."

"Now you're just being ridiculous. The greatest wizard ever? What about Merlin? Salazar Slytherin? I'll even put Dumbledore before Gilderoy Lockhart," Blaise said, beginning to get exasperated.

His comment earned him another hit from Theo, followed by one from Daphne and one from Avalon.

"Is the hitting necessary?"

By the time they reached Lockhart's office, it was nearly time for lunch.

"Professor, we have a question about Defense Against the Dark Arts," Daphne called, rapping her fist against the office door sharply three times. "Are you in there?"

"Come in, come in!"

The four walked in to the room. Their professor was sitting at his desk, surrounded by piles and piles of photographs of himself. Blaise looked taken aback, and the girls looked like they were going to pass out.

Some of the pictures smiled like they had on the cover of Witch Weekly's "Hottest Wizard of the Year" edition, while some slicked back their hair and made finger guns at the reader. One cheeky photograph blew Daphne a kiss and she had to lean against a nearby bookshelf for support. Blaise cleared his throat and looked in Daphne's direction expectantly. She quickly regained her composure.

"What can I do for you, children?"

It was only fifteen minutes later that they left his office, each clutching a flamboyantly autographed picture of Lockhart and sporting a look of extreme and utter confusion.

"Stay magical, Daphne. Gilderoy Lockhart."

"Avalon, always follow your dreams. Gilderoy Lockhart."

"Be the best magical me you can be, Blaise. Gilderoy Lockhart."

"To Theo, from Gilderoy Lockhart?" Theo's face twisted into a pout after he read the inscription. "Everyone else got a personal message, and I just got something he'd probably sign five hundred times at a Flourish and Blotts book signing."

Ignoring Theo, Blaise shook his head. "I can't put what just happened into words. Every time we asked him a question, he just said random tripe over and over that made you feel like you'd gotten an answer. Except you didn't realize that he never answered a question until later."

"Maybe he's not good at public speaking."

"Why would he become a professor, then? You owe me Zeus."

"Fine," said Daphne. "But I'm only giving in because that trial made him seem like he didn't know what he was talking about. I still stand by my argument though."

Theo was still staring at his autograph. "Well, if we're done talking about Lockhart, could we go to lunch please? I'm starving."

"What's new?" Daphne asked.

Theo pushed her with his shoulder as they set off for the Great Hall.

A/N: Fun fact- since I was on break for the past ten days (I started school again today) I wrote the next five chapters of this story. I'm planning to leave a couple of days between updates, but this cushion will defintely stop what happened a few months ago with my little hiatus. Anyway, enjoy this chapter.