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Chapter Fifty-One: New Year, Same Problems
Getting to King's Cross to catch the train was more of a chore than it had ever been thus far. Mr. Weasley hadn't managed to get cars from the Ministry, nor did they have access to the now-wild Ford Anglia, so they'd travel to the station in Muggle taxis, who were decidedly unamused by needing to transport seven heavy trunks, two owls, and two cats. It certainly didn't help that all those animals and their owners wanted to be in the same taxi, meaning Daphne was squashed against the door, with an annoyed Nyx on her lap, next to Harry carrying Hedwig's cage, then Ron with Pigwidgeon — who was incredibly excited and wouldn't stop hooting — and finally Hermione with Crookshanks, who was even more annoyed than Nyx was.
Daphne didn't mind being so close to Harry, especially now that she'd admitted to herself — but not yet to him — that she liked him, but she was still glad once they had reached the station and she could get out. Nyx and Crookshanks had made their displeasure at being cooped up in the cars pretty clear by scratching up everyone, and neither was much happier when they had to cross the street in the pouring rain. Boarding the train had never been such a relief as it was that day.
After thanking Mrs. Weasley for having her over, Daphne, Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny made their way back over to the compartment they'd stashed their luggage in. Pigwidgeon was still hooting like a maniac, and Ron pulled out a horrible, frilly maroon robe and threw it over his cage to muffle it somewhat.
"What…is that?" Daphne asked.
"Dress robes," Ron said irritably.
"Yeah, I'm buying you new ones when we get to Hogsmeade," Daphne said with a revolted look at the robes. "That's not even pity, that's disaster relief, or something."
She turned to Harry. "Are yours just as bad?"
Harry shook his head. "No. They look like my school robes, only green," he said.
"Good color," Daphne said with a grin.
Harry grinned back.
"You're serious about getting me new ones?" Ron asked hopefully.
"Mum will kill you if you don't wear these," Ginny said with a grin.
"Mrs. Weasley has the exact same hair color as you. Why on earth did she pick maroon?" Daphne asked.
"Secondhand," was all Ron had to say on that subject.
"Right. Then yes, I'm getting you new robes. Just…tell your Mum you wore these, if you must."
The weather got worse as the day went on, and Daphne half-expected a Dementor to come in, like last year, but at first it was only some of the other Gryffindors, who struck up an excited conversation about the World Cup match. The riots, fortunately, weren't mentioned at all.
Ron was just telling Neville they'd been in the Top Box and had seen Krum up close when something worse than a Dementor entered the compartment.
"For the first and last time in your life, Weasley," Malfoy said. He was guarded, as ever, by Crabbe and Goyle.
"Don't remember asking you to join us, Malfoy," Harry said coolly.
"Weasley…what is that?" Malfoy asked, ignoring Harry and pointing at Pigwidgeon's cage, which was still covered by the horrible dress robes.
"Look at this," Malfoy said, grabbing the robe and holding it up before Ron could hide it. "Weasley, you weren't thinking of wearing these, were you? I mean…they were very fashionable in about eighteen ninety…"
"Eat dung, Malfoy," Ron said, turning the same color as the dress robes, and snatching them back from Malfoy's grip.
Malfoy howled with laughter and Crabbe and Goyle guffawed stupidly.
"Why don't you take them if you like them so much? After all, your family's views on blood purity seem to be from eighteen ninety too…" Ginny said, without bothering to look at Malfoy.
Daphne grinned appreciatively at Ginny and Ron and Harry chuckled.
Malfoy frowned angrily.
"So…going to enter, Weasley? Going to try and bring a bit of glory to the family name? There's money involved as well, you know…you'd be able to afford some decent robes if you won…"
"I just might," Ron said. "I don't suppose a coward like you will, though, will you? Or d'you think daddy will let you borrow his mask so you can remain anonymous?"
"Watch your mouth about my father, Weasley," Malfoy said, his eyes narrowing.
"Or what? You'll set your trolls on me? Bring it, then."
"Ron! Don't make things worse!" Hermione said.
"You should probably listen to Granger, Weasley. Wouldn't want to get expelled before we even reach school, would you?"
"Should I do it instead, then?" Daphne asked. "My parents told me they didn't care how many rules I broke if you caused trouble, Malfoy, and guess what? They're rich too, just like your daddy. I won't get expelled if I hex you, I'm sure…"
"Daphne! Stop trying to get into a fight!" Hermione said.
"Oh, but I want to get into a fight," Daphne said. "So does Ron, I imagine, and I doubt Harry would say no to a chance to curse this lot…three on three. Sounds like good odds to me…"
Malfoy glared at them all for a moment longer, but then turned around and marched away, followed by Crabbe and Goyle.
"Pathetic little git," Daphne said.
"Honestly, you shouldn't let him rile you up so much," Hermione said reproachfully. "That's just what he's after. Getting you in trouble while he laughs."
"Hard to laugh when your jaws have been cursed shut," Daphne said with a shrug. "Look, I know what he wants. Ron knows what he wants. The thing is, Malfoy is a coward. He'll only take a fight if he has the advantage, and if not, he's all talk. Crabbe and Goyle are strong physically, but their magic is rubbish. Three on three, they don't have a chance, and that's assuming everyone else here wouldn't jump in as well. He was never going to take that chance, so why not taunt him back?"
"But what's he going to do to you, now? I mean, you're in the same House as he is…" Hermione said.
"Yeah, and since S.I.N. I've got plenty of friends there, too. I might not be as close to them as I am to you, but we still get along well. Again, Malfoy is a coward. He'll glare and talk big, but when it comes down to it, he'll back down. So maybe I get hexed in an empty hallway at some point; not like that hasn't happened before. I'll deal with it then, if it happens."
She looked at Harry and grinned. "Besides, we've had some dueling practice over the summer…"
After getting soaked on the way to the carriages and the short walk from the carriage to the entrance hall, Daphne was glad to be inside. She only had a few seconds to enjoy being in a dry environment, though, as Peeves had decided to throw water balloons at the students as they entered, and although Ron was his first target, the splash soaked Daphne as well — and Nyx, too, since Daphne had been carrying her. Nyx hissed at Peeves, who cackled and pulled out another balloon.
At that moment Professor McGonagall arrived to order Peeves to stop attacking the students, but she slipped on the floor and nearly strangled Hermione trying to stay upright. While Peeves, predictably, didn't listen to McGonagall, he did leave, after throwing a few more water balloons, and they could finally enter the Great Hall.
As usual, Daphne would spend the opening feast at the Slytherin table, but starting at breakfast the next morning she'd probably sit with the Gryffindors again. She said an early goodnight to her friends and took a seat at the table, next to Tracey Davis.
"You've already nearly gotten into a fight with Malfoy?" she asked by way of greeting.
"I didn't think he'd tell anyone about that," Daphne said.
"Well, he probably left out a few bits. He's trying to sell it as if you and the Gryffindors insulted his father out of nowhere," Tracey said.
"Typical. Does anyone believe him?"
Tracey shook her head. "Not that I know of. Pansy is pretending to, obviously, and Nott and Zabini couldn't care less either way, nor do Bulstrode and Runcorn."
"So…he's mainly telling tall tales to the lower years, then."
Tracey nodded. "That about sums it up, yeah."
"Think it would affect S.I.N. much?" Daphne asked.
"Probably not. We've already got a reputation and you're…infamous anyway. Even if they do believe Malfoy's version of events, it probably won't stop anyone from seeking us out if they're interested. Speaking of S.I.N., though, should we have a meeting next Saturday, just to see if there are any pressing issues?" Tracey asked.
Daphne nodded. "Sounds good to me. We've lost two of our Prefects now, of course…"
"But we gained one back. Hallie made Prefect, she told me on the train," Tracey said.
"That's good news! Hmm…maybe we'll be able to do something with Durmstrang or Beauxbatons when the Tournament begins…" Daphne mused.
"What, as in a bit of international PR? Talk about expanding your horizons," Tracey said with a grin. She'd clearly heard about the Tournament as well, despite it supposedly being classified information. Then again, Daphne presumed that most Slytherins, at least, would know.
At that moment, McGonagall entered the Great Hall with the first-years, who looked like they'd walked across the bottom of the lake rather than having sailed across it.
McGonagall put the stool and the Sorting Hat down, but Daphne didn't really listen to its song. Her thoughts were already on dinner. She applauded for the Slytherins, hoping that some of them would be interested in joining S.I.N. somewhere down the line, and looked up in wonder when one of the first-years came forward wearing Hagrid's long moleskin coat.
Given his last name was Creevey, she had a pretty good idea to whom the boy was related, and indeed, the moment he got sorted into Gryffindor he ran over to their table, shouting at his brother Colin that he'd fallen in the lake.
She caught Harry's eye and grinned at him. Colin's hero-worship of Harry was of the very loud and present variety, and given how his little brother was acting now, it would seem Harry had a new adoring fan. Harry rolled his eyes good-naturedly back at her.
The Sorting went on for a bit longer, but then, finally, it was time to eat. Daphne dug in and loaded up her plate several times, and after dinner leaned back on the bench with a satisfied sigh.
Dumbledore began to give his usual start-of-year introductions, and then he arrived at the important announcements.
He began by saying that, as Harry had feared, the Quidditch Cup would not be held that year. Before Dumbledore could officially announce the Triwizard Tournament, though, the doors of the Great Hall slammed open and a man in a long traveling cloak, leaning on a long staff, stood in the entrance, then slowly made his way over to the teacher's table. Daphne recognized the scarred man — by description — as Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody, and remembered that Sirius had said he'd be their Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for that year.
After introducing Moody to the sound of deafening silence, as most people were too stunned to applaud for him, Dumbledore finally got around to talking about the Triwizard Tournament. Most of the school was excited, and if Daphne hadn't been so worried about it, she would've been excited as well.
The next morning, Daphne sat down at the Gryffindor table as usual, where Harry handed her a course schedule.
"We're still together for the usual lessons, by the looks of it," she said after a quick glance.
"You wouldn't happen to have gotten a head start on Divination and figured out what kind of monstrosity Hagrid will have for us, have you?" Ron asked.
Daphne thought for a moment. "Well, the dumbest thing I can think of is a crossbreed of fire crabs and manticores, but I doubt even he would be that irresponsible," she said.
"If you turn out to be right, I'm blaming you for it and I want you to take a vow of silence for the rest of your life," Ron said.
"If I turn out to be right, I gladly will," Daphne said.
It was with some trepidation when Daphne and the other Slytherins made their way down to Hagrid's hut after Transfiguration.
"So when will you be taking that vow?" Ron asked when Daphne approached him, Harry, and Hermione.
"You're joking," Daphne said.
She looked in the crates Hagrid had set up and saw odd, slimy-looking creatures with too many legs and seemingly no head, which strongly smelled like rotting fish. Occasionally, sparks flew out the end of one and propelled it across the crate.
"What…am I looking at?" she asked Hagrid.
"Blast-Ended Skrewts, o' course," Hagrid said.
"And they are…?"
"The Ministry asked me ter breed 'em fer the Tournament…seemed ter think no one else would want ter do it…cross-breed between fire crabs and manticores."
"Oh my God, you're not joking," Daphne said to Ron.
"So that's going ter be our project," Hagrid said, addressing the entire class now. "Today, yer gonna be feedin' em. I don' really know what they'll go fer, but I got ant eggs an' frog livers an' a bit o' grass snake…just try 'em out with a bit of each."
"Why? Why can't I just keep my mouth shut? I just had to make a dumb comment, and now look where we are," Daphne said softly to the others as they began trying to feed frog liver to the apparently mouthless skrewts.
"Ouch!" Dean Thomas yelled after about ten minutes. "It got me!"
Hagrid anxiously made his way over to Dean.
"Its end exploded!" Dean said angrily, showing Hagrid a burn on its hand.
"Ah, yeah, that can happen when they blast off," Hagrid said with a nod.
"Eurgh, Hagrid, what's that pointy thing on it?" Lavender Brown asked.
"Ah, some of 'em have got stings," Hagrid said enthusiastically. "I reckon they're the males…the females've got sorta sucker things on their bellies…I think they might be ter suck blood."
"Well, I can certainly see why we're trying to keep them alive," Malfoy said sarcastically. "Who wouldn't want pets that can burn, sting, and bite all at once?"
For once in her life, Daphne heartily agreed with Malfoy.
"Just because they're not very pretty, it doesn't mean they're not useful," Hermione snapped. "Dragon blood's amazingly magical, but you wouldn't want a dragon for a pet, would you?"
"So, er, Hagrid…if they're for the Tournament…what will they use them for?" Daphne asked softly, so Malfoy wouldn't hear her.
Hagrid shrugged. "Beats me," he said. "The bloke from the Ministry jus' said they needed somethin' special fer the last task, somethin' no one had ever seen, and gave me permission ter experiment a bit."
"So of course, you went for something incredibly dangerous that, let's be honest, only you can handle," Daphne said.
Hagrid shrugged again. "It'll be fine," he said. "I won' let yer get hurt." He glanced at Dean. "Not badly, anyway."
"Hagrid, you're friends with an Acromantula," Ron said. "I think your idea of dangerous is just a bit different from ours."
"Can you at least promise that, if these things become completely unmanageable, you'll take them off our hands?" Daphne asked. "Because you know what Malfoy tried to do with the Hippogriffs last year, and I am not letting myself get burned, stabbed, and bitten all at once, even for you."
Hagrid looked hesitant. "Yeh think they're too much?" he asked.
"The only reason I haven't run away screaming is because you're my friend and I don't want to let you down," Daphne said. "Also because I may have predicted their existence at breakfast and thereby brought them into being retroactively, but I don't take Arithmancy, so I'll let Hermione calculate the odds of that being possible."
"Aah, I jus' wanted ter do somethin' a bit different fer a change, yeh know? A bit of a challenge," Hagrid said, sounding disappointed.
"We understand that, Hagrid, but try looking at it from our perspective: we want to learn about magical creatures in a safe and controlled way," Hermione said. "We know you can give lessons like that, too, like the Kneazles last year."
"Kneazles have claws," Hagrid pointed out.
"Yes, but you knew a lot about them and warned us. Same with the Hippogriffs, and the Cornish Pixies were just a lot of fun, if a bit rude, but even you don't know what these creatures can do, and both fire crabs and manticores are obscenely dangerous," Hermione said.
"Yeah. Hagrid, you are a good teacher, you just…need to adjust to our level a bit," Harry said.
Hagrid nodded seriously. "Aah, yeh may be right," he said. "Thank yeh fer bein' honest about it, at least. I know you wouldn' let me down, so I won' let yeh down either. If the skrewts get too big, I'll handle 'em meself. Yeh'll, er, need ter tell me when that is, though. I don' reckon I'll get it right otherwise…"
While the rest of the lesson was still painful for quite a few people, Daphne felt better when she walked back to the school after the lesson, than she had going toward it earlier.
"Still think I should take a vow of silence?" she asked Ron.
"I'll forgive you for getting Hagrid to see reason," he said.
"I didn't want to tell Hagrid I hated the skrewts because I didn't want to hurt his feelings," Harry said.
"I didn't, either, but my parents have always told me that if being honest is at all feasible, do. Trust breeds trust, and all that," Daphne said.
"Does that count for being honest with yourself, too?" Hermione asked innocently.
"Shut up, you. Now who's failing the Bechdel test?" Daphne said.
Harry and Ron gave each other confused glances.
"What are you two on about? I don't know what a 'Bechdel test' is, but I do know Hermione doesn't fail tests," Ron said.
Hermione apparently hadn't expected that compliment and her face reddened a bit.
Oh, so that's how it is.
"Care to put things into practice first, Hermione?" Daphne asked with a grin.
"I, er…y'know, patience is a virtue," Hermione said, quickly looking away.
"Absolutely mental," Ron said to Harry, who nodded fervently.
After lunch, Daphne, Harry, and Ron made their way up to Divination. Given her 'success' at it earlier in the day, she really wasn't looking forward to it.
They entered the room, and Daphne almost wished she was back with the skrewts. She'd forgotten just how cloying the sweet scent of the perfume was, and how sweltering the room, with its permanently closed windows, could be.
Trelawney wasted no time at all in predicting an uninterested Harry's death. Then she began an introductory speech on astrology and how important the positions of the planets were in everyone's lives. After spectacularly failing to know Harry's birthday by predicting he was born in midwinter, Trelawney gave them all complicated charts and told them to fill in the positions of the planets at their birth.
Daphne wasn't really bothering to do it right. Even if the planets at the moment of her birth had anything to with her as a person, it wasn't going to help her now. Also, a part of her was simply afraid of what she might discover, and she much preferred being confronted with any celestial disasters when she was at least capable of thinking clearly, and not half-comatose because of the heat and perfume.
After Ron made an incredibly stupid joke, which was probably the reason for their immense amount of homework, they made their way back to the Great Hall, where they ran into Malfoy, who was brandishing the Daily Prophet and immediately began to taunt Ron about an article in it.
"And there's a picture, Weasley!" Malfoy said, flipping the paper over and holding it up. "A picture of your parents outside their house…if you can call it a house! Your mother could do with losing a bit of weight, couldn't she?"
Ron shook with fury.
"Get stuffed, Malfoy," Harry said. "C'mon, Ron…"
"Oh yeah, you were staying with them this summer, weren't you, Potter? So tell me, is his mother really that porky, or is it just the picture?"
"You know your mother, Malfoy? That expression she's got, like she's got dung under her nose? Has she always looked like that, or was it just because you were with her?"
Malfoy's face went slightly pink, and Daphne smirked. "Don't you dare insult my mother, Potter."
"Keep your fat mouth shut, then," Harry said, turning away.
There was a loud bang as Malfoy drew his wand and fired a curse, but before Harry could respond, there was another loud bang.
"OH NO YOU DON'T, LADDIE!"
Moody came limping down the marble staircase, pointing his wand at a pure white ferret, shivering on the floor, right where Malfoy had been standing.
Daphne couldn't believe her eyes. Nothing she'd ever seen could have prepared for a teacher, of all people, transfiguring a student, least of all so quickly.
"Did he get you?" Moody growled at Harry.
"No," Harry said. "Missed."
"LEAVE IT!" Moody shouted.
"Leave…what?" Harry asked.
"Not you, him!" Moody growled, jerking his thumb over his shoulder at Crabbe, who had been about to pick up the ferret.
Moody began to limp towards it, but the ferret gave a terrified squeak and took off.
"I don't think so!" Moody roared, pointing his wand at the ferret again.
To Daphne's utter shock, Moody then began to bounce the ferret on the floor.
"I don't like people who attack when their opponent's back's turned. Stinking, cowardly, scummy thing to do…"
He bounced the ferret higher and higher. "Never…do…that…again…" Moody said, punctuating each word by slamming the ferret into the stones.
"Professor Moody!" McGonagall, who was coming down the staircase, said in a shocked voice.
"Hello, Professor McGonagall," Moody said calmly, still bouncing the ferret.
"What– what are you doing?" McGonagall asked.
"Teaching."
"Teach– Moody, is that a student?" McGonagall shrieked.
"Yep."
"No!" McGonagall yelled, drawing her wand and turning the ferret back into Malfoy, who lay in a heap on the floor.
He got to his feet, wincing.
"Moody, we never use Transfiguration as punishment! Surely Professor Dumbledore told you that?"
"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 said, glaring at Malfoy with intense dislike.
Malfoy muttered something that sounded like it included the words 'my father'.
"Oh yeah?" Moody said. "Well, I know your father of old, boy…You tell him Moody's keeping a close eye on his son…you tell him that for me…Now, your Head of House'll be Snape, will it?"
"Yes," Malfoy said resentfully.
"Another old friend," Moody growled. "I've been looking forward to a chat with old Snape…Come on, you…"
Daphne watched Moody dragging Malfoy away to the dungeons for a moment, then followed her friends into the Great Hall.
"Don't talk to me," Ron said quietly once they'd sat down at the table.
"Why not?" Hermione asked, surprised.
"Because I want to fix that in my memory forever," Ron said, his eyes closed and an uplifted expression on his face. "Draco Malfoy, the amazing bouncing ferret…"
Harry, Hermione, and Daphne laughed.
Despite how funny it had been, though, the fact that Malfoy, contrary to what Daphne had expected, had actually dared to attack made her very glad that her parents had pre-emptively given her the freedom to fight back. Or had her remark on the train caused Malfoy to be more aggressive? If so, she wouldn't be the only one at risk for a sneak attack in the hallways. Although, after Moody's demonstration, Malfoy might think twice before trying something like that again. Somehow, though, she didn't think he'd be that clever.
Pretty long chapter, this one, but I wanted to include the ferret scene, because I love it, and I thought it would work better later in a chapter than earlier. Was it, strictly speaking, necessary to include that scene? Hell no. In fact, I might make things a bit more difficult for myself down the line by having it. Still, I have no regrets. I'm writing this story to have fun, after all.
Beyond that, I'm aware Hagrid never explained how he managed to breed the skrewts and that Skeeter said it was illegal, but given they used one in the maze, I'm going to say the Ministry asked him to breed them. Still won't stop Rita from saying they were illegal, probably, since the truth is only tangentially related to what she writes.
And yeah, I've seen the theory that Trelawney was talking about Voldemort's birthday when she mentioned Harry being born in midwinter (since his birthday was December 31), referencing the Horcrux in Harry, but while Daphne has met Tom Riddle, I don't think she'd know his birthday, so to her Trelawney is simply wrong.