On the train back to school, Ron and Harry were teasing Hermione about fancying Gilderoy Lockhart, when she suddenly remembered how Harry had a photoshoot with the man, and somehow, now he was the one being teased. It was all in good fun, until Malfoy and his goons walked in.
Naturally, it went as expected.
"Potter, so desperate as to shake hands with him." "The mudblood fancies Lockhart? Oh that's rich. Weren't you supposed to be the smart one?" "Ron, your family can spend money on you now, thanks to your sister not needing books. Oh wait, first they have to buy food."
Malfoy turned and walked out laughing, Blob 1 and Blob 2 following closely behind. Harry was left simultaneously holding back Ron and convincing Hemione not to fire off a hex at his unsuspecting back.
...
The Sorting Feast went normally, the Weasley family cheering for Ginny, who blushed when Harry smiled her way, Colin Creevey hero-worshipping Harry, the usual.
…
Filch was shouting about how poor, innocent Mrs. Norris must have been killed by The Big Bad Harry, Severus was sneering, Lockhart was telling everyone who would listen that he knew how it died, and then, once it was found out that it was merely petrified, that he knew how it was petrified. Dumbledore calmed everyone down, and took Harry away to his office.
"But Headmaster, I didn't do anything."
Dumbledore put his head in his hands, "I know that, but they don't." He looked up suddenly," What research did you want to do with the Elixir?"
A devilish grin from Harry: "What if, when Voldemort is found, we manage to feed him a drop of this. Since it leaves you dependent on it for life, and he gets no more than a drop, he dies. We put it in a spritzer, and spray it somewhere he will be, thereby killing him."
This proposition draws a surprised laugh from Dumbledore. "That would work, but how will someone administer it without dying as well?"
"A Bubble-head charm. It creates its own air, doesn't it?"
Another, sincere laugh. "Yes it does. You may have solved the soon-to-be war."