chapter six
Malfoy's Malice
"You're joking!" Ron said incredulously.
"She actually had her acceptance letter framed?!" Hermione added.
Harry's friends were just as surprised as he was about Mrs. Figg. He had spent a good while telling them all about the end of the summer and what he had seen.
"I can't believe it, Harry!" Hermione looked very proud of Harry for his fine detective work. "You've had a witch living next to you your whole life and never even knew it!"
"It's more than that! She was my babysitter!" Harry said.
"Your what?!" Ron was confused. "Why would she sit on you as a baby?"
Harry chuckled at his friend. "It's a muggle term for the person who watches the children while the parents are away."
The food cart came by and the three friends had an enjoyable time eating an assortment of treats. Ron even found the ever-elusive Agrippa in one of his Chocolate Frogs. The trip was nearing an end when they heard a screech from the compartment next door.
"That sounded like Ginny!" Ron was on his feet and out the door, worried about his little sister. And he had every right to be. Draco Malfoy was there, holding Ginny with her wrists behind her back. Colin Creevy had been trying to help, but when Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle had proceeded to sit upon him, it made helping rather difficult.
"Get your dirty hands off of my sister!" Ron shoved Malfoy hard enough to knock him to the floor.
"You'll be sorry you did that, Weasel!" Malfoy snarled as he got to his feet with a great look of anger on his face.
"What are you doing in here anyway?" Ron held his ground.
"That little tart threatened to break my wand!" Draco spat.
"He was going to do something awful to Colin!" Ginny shouted from the corner she was huddled in.
"Why would I bother with that stupid git?" He stepped so that he was nose to nose with Ron. "Really Weasel, your sister's as dumb as you are!"
Harry laughed, causing Ron and Malfoy to slowly turn their heads towards him. "Sorry," he said. "It's just that…a little girl outsmarted you and managed to take your wand away! And you're calling HER stupid!" He looked at Hermione. "That's the pot calling the kettle black!" Harry laughed.
"At least I'm not as stupid as you are, Potty," Draco now stepped up to Harry.
"How's that, Malfoy?" Harry looked into those cold, beady little eyes with no fear.
"Oh, you'll see! When we get to school, you'll find out just how stupid you've been all these years!"
Harry was unimpressed. "If you're referring to Mrs. Figg, I already know."
The shock was evident on Malfoy's face. "Who told you?!"
"I figured it out on my own!"
"Guess he's not so stupid after all, huh?" Hermione placed he hands on her hips.
"Well, he hangs around with a Mudblood and a Weasel. I call that pretty stupid," Draco mocked.
"Oh, really, Malfoy, that's so old!" Ron faked a yawn. "Can't you think of anything original?"
"Yeah, why don't you go pick on someone you can handle," Hermione added. "I'm sure the first years are dying to meet you!"
Malfoy's eyes narrowed as they went from face to face. "You just watch your step…all of you! He turned back to Ginny and grabbed the hand that still held his wand. "Give that to me!" he hissed.
"LET HER GO!" Harry had his wand out in a flash and pointed it right between Malfoy's eyes. In a voice that made even Ron and Hermione shudder, he said, "Let her go, or I'll do more than turn you into a bouncing ferret! I learned some nasty curses last year!"
Slowly, Malfoy let go of Ginny's wrist, took his wand, and exited the compartment with Crabbe and Goyle. Ginny, Colin, Ron, and Hermione all looked to Harry with slightly fearful expressions.
"I don't have the patience for that imbecile anymore." He looked around at the wide eyes staring at him. "I'm serious. I'm not going to take it this year." He turned around and returned to his compartment to change into his school robes just as the train rolled to a stop.
The traditional ride to the castle was the same as ever. Hagrid had appeared to take the first years across the lake and Harry, Ron, and Hermione hopped in one of the enchanted carriages.
"I thought things would be different this year, what with You-know-who on the loose," Ron said.
"They are different. Look!" Hermione pointed out the window up to the castle where two large, greyish purple, humped back, horned creatures stood on either side of the doorway.
"Graphorns," Hermione said. "They must be here to guard the school."
"Those things beat up trolls!" Ron exclaimed. "First Dementors and now these!"
They passed the Graphorns with great trepidation. As they entered the castle, the students were greeted by a long line of professors tapping them on the head with their wands. As Harry approached, McGonagall pulled him aside.
"Mr. Potter, Professor Dumbledore wants to see you right away in his office."
Harry threw up his arms. "I just got here! How could something be wrong already?"
"There isn't anything wrong. He just needs to speak to you before the feast." Harry turned to walk away, but she stopped him. "And I will need to speak to you sometime tomorrow." Harry rolled his eyes. McGonagall put a hand on his shoulder. "One more thing. Identicus." She tapped him on the head with her wand and turned to identify the other students.
What was that all about? And why did he have to see the Headmaster this time? He was certain he hadn't done anything wrong! All right, he did fight with Malfoy on the train, but what was so unusual about that? They were constantly fighting, so why would he get in trouble for it now? He marched up the stairs to Dumbledore's office shaking his head and mumbling complaints to himself when he spotted a girl sitting outside Dumbledore's office. It was none other than Daphne Affigo.
**** Daphne Affigo is an Alphie creation. Harry Potter and all other characters are property of J.K.Rowling and Warner Brothers.
