It was another year at Hogwarts-- their seventh year to be correct. Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting in their usual compartment and talking about their summers.
"You should have seen Dudley this summer. Uncle Vernon finally sent him to a fat camp," Harry said, breaking into hardy chuckles (his voice had changed his fifth year and he was a whole foot taller now). Ron snorted with laughter.
"I can't believe they actually did it! It must have been those warnings the doctor sent about being wider than you are tall..." Harry said.
"Maybe it was because buying those custom knickerbockers every month were becoming too expensive. I heard that they only made ones that big in America," Hermione said, setting down her book for the first time that hour since the train had left platform 9 ¾, "they would have to send them overseas just for Dudley."
"You bet. Aunt Petunia had to get a job at that flower shop just to pay for them. You should see him now, he's lost over a hundred pounds and he's still wider than he is tall. They made him /exercise/ and only fed him oatmeal!" Harry and Ron both broke into laughter again at the prospect of Dudley trying to touch his toes. Hermione gave them both a raised eyebrow. "Hey, at least the kids trying," she said reasonably, shrugging a shoulder.
"Hardly," Harry replied, "Aunt Petunia went wild and started sending him cakes and candy when she found out they were feeding him oatmeal and were making him work..."
"But that's what their supposed to do!" Ron nearly yelled.
"I know, but she couldn't let *and Harry mimicked his Aunts high voice* 'poor Dudders dear' starve!" A whole new wave of laughter hit them, Hermione joining this time.
"Wow, this is going to be a great year!" They all agreed and continued to talk about their summers, a light rain falling silently against the windows.
---O>->->->
The Hogwarts Express pulled into the Hogsmead station and the students began to file out of their train carts and into the carriages. A light rain still mingled in the air and gloomy clouds covered the surrounding mountains. Harry, Ron, and Hermione grabbed the nearest carriage and soon began the journey up to the castle. Draco hadn't "visited" them yet, but that was to be expected as Draco had 'somehow' managed to apply for an Apparation test and had 'somehow' passed (undoubtedly his father's doing). Crabbe had failed his N.E.W.T.S. his fifth year and had been held back for a year, eventually dropping out. Goyle was actually passing with a high grade and had become one of the best students at potions, God knows how. With a small jolt, the carriages stopped. They had arrived at Hogwarts. A familiar voice rang out through the hustle and bustle of the crowd.
"First years this 'a way!" Hagrid boomed, his great figure outlined against the quickly darkening sky. After much shoving, the trio managed to navigate the commotion and arrived at the great front doors, Mrs. McGonagal leading the way. Quickly seating themselves, they began to scan the staff table. Ginny came and sat next to Hermione and the two began a heated discussion. Ginny had changed a lot since her first year and was now a mature and fairly attractive young lady.
"I can't believe we haven't had a stable Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher in seven years!" Ron began, "and that last guy, Mr. Bernulie? He didn't even last six weeks..." He let a sigh escape and shook his head.
"Jeeze, I know." Harry agreed, seeming to be quite used to the subject. "Hey, is that the new Defense teacher?" Harry pointed to a slim, young woman sitting towards the end of the staff table.
"I think it is... Ms. Mariban, right?"
"Yeah, either that or Mr. Calverak. The Herbology position was open, remember? Mrs. Sprout retired after all those Hugvanders nearly killed her. She was getting old too."
"Mmm...Yes, uh huh..." Ron agreed, not really paying attention. He was watching Ms. Mariban chat with Professer McGonagal, glazed eyes fixed on her face and a smile playing on his lips.
"Hey, you better not let Hermione catch you looking at her like that." Harry smirked and ducked the light punch Ron swung at his shoulder.
"Hah," was all Ron said and went back to scanning the table.
---O>->->->
Voldermort sat on his high throne, a smirk playing on his lips. He had made the final preparations for his plan and now everything could begin. "Wormtail, bring me the book," he said. Worm tail nodded stupidly, then fetched the book for his master. He set it onto the pedestal in front of the throne, opened it to where a ribbon was wedged in between two pages, then stepped back. Voldermort rose from his seat and walked up to the pedestal. He placed his hands on either side of it and scanned the text for what he was looking for. "Ah, yes…" he muttered to himself. "Perfect…" He turned to Wormtail. "Get the cauldron. We'll need one of the largest ones. Fill it with the mix," he ordered. Wormtail took off to a back room and (after much load grunts and scrapping sounds) came back, slowly dragging a huge cauldron behind him. It was the same cauldron that had resurrected Lord Voldermort three years ago. Wormtail shifted the cauldron so that it rested to the left of the pedestal, his silver hand momentarily glinting in the light. He magic-ed a fire underneath the cauldron and began to fill it with sacks of an unknown powder (which he had also gotten from the back room). He carefully stirred the powder, watching as it slowly liquefied and melted into a plasma-like consistency. He was watchful not to breathe in the powder or the fumes of the potion. Soon the potion came to a roaring boil, and Wormtail looked to Voldermort for further instructions.
"Prodo tui amicus invitus," Voldermort began, his eye sparkling red with malice and anticipation of evil doing. Wormtail continued to stir the potion, nervously glancing up at his master in regular intervals. "Continuo diabolus," Voldermort continued as the potion turned an acid green color, "Acceptus pravus, proditor placet claro" and here he paused and gestured for Wormtail to add something else to the potion. Wormtail's searched through his robes till he found a small, unmarked glass bottle with dark gray blobs inside it. He popped the cork on it and dumped the contents into the potion. The splashed as they hit the surface and he jumped out of the way to avoid the splatters. One drop hit the stone floor and sizzled until it had burnt a small hole into the rock. "Tui officium trucido," Voldermort said. He again stopped, but this time to fumble through his own robes to find something. He pulled out a small, thin box and set it onto the pedestal, opening it in the process. He pulled out an old, snapped and chipped wand. In the dull light, you could barely make out the word "Weasley" magically engraved on the bottom of the wand. Voldie smiled his cruel smile. Ron should have given his broken wand back to Olivander's and properly disposing of it, instead of just trashing it when he got a new wand his third year. "instituo-ui-utum cruciatus!" Voldermort finished the curse and threw the wand into the potion. It dissolved into the bubbling mess and soon the potion began to evaporate. It soon became just a vapor cloud that twisted and turned in an almost playful manner while it waited for instructions.
"Go to the boy and do your duty," Voldermort told the cloud. It flew out the crack under the door and disappeared into the night.
-o-o-o-o-
The could traveled for miles, searching for the right
place it had been instructed to go. It spotted the castle in the distance.
A little while later, it was there at the castle. Now it just needed the
right room. Almost there…
---O>->->->
Ron Weasley was startled awake by a strange sensation.
He had been in the middle of a snore when he had suddenly woken up. He
looked around the room, but everyone else was asleep. He felt dizzy, and
his pajamas were covered in a cold sweat. He didn't really notice though
and shrugged it off, 'probably just ate too much at the feast…' he though
and eventually returned to sleep.
---O>->->->
The next day, Harry woke with the morning sunlight in his eyes. He covered his face and groped for his glasses on the bed stand. After putting them on, Harry realized that Ron had already left their dorm.
"Oh, no. Not again..." He mumbled, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and started getting dressed. It was Saturday and everyone else in the dorm was still asleep. He trotted downstairs, knowing what to expect.
"You guys, quit it already..." He told Ron and Hermione, whom were making out in the common room.
"Oh, hi Harry," Hermione managed to say before Ron had sealed her lips again, limiting more speech.
"Please stop..." Harry groaned, averting his vision. Of course, like always, they did nothing of the sort. If anything, they got more involved, and were soon so into their activity that Harry had to leave the room in fear of gagging. He knew they never did anything more than hug and kiss but still, it wasn't a pretty site. About ten minutes latter, he reentered the common room, relieved to find them playing chess and not skamming.
"So Ron, have you figured out what Ms. Mariban teaches?" Harry asked.
"Defense Against the Dark Arts."
"Told you so!" They both laughed. Ron beat Hermione at chess, but she put up a valiant fight. She had got him in check once, but he moved his knight and within three moves had checkmated her. They were soon too hungry to continue playing and all three went down to breakfast in good spirits. They were soon thwarted, however, by none other than Draco Malfoy.
"Going somewhere, Potter?" He sneered.
"Yeah, to breakfast," Harry said slowly, "B-R-E-A..."
"Shut up Potter, I know how to spell." Malfoy said, glaring.
"Oh really? Can spell this word? J-A-C-K-A-S..."
"I said shut UP Potter," he yelled, an angry glint in his eye, although is expression didn't change.
"Why don't you make me, little rich boy?" Now Draco was pissed. He lunged at Harry, temporarily forgetting about his wand. Hermione, on the other hand, had not forgotten, and cast the full body bind cruse before Malfoy even got close to Harry. Draco hit the ground hard. With an audible crack, he broke his outstretched arm. If he hadn't been under the whole body bind curse, a most horrendous scream (probably girl-ish) would have been issued and likely would have been followed by a string of particularly nasty obscenities.
They then left the helpless and very angry Draco behind them and proceeded to breakfast. Harry couldn't help but notice Hermione and Ron holding hands.
"Do you two always have to do that?" He muttered. They let go, looking embarrassed (which is surprising, considering they just made out in the Griffendor common room). Harry couldn't help but feel a little guilty. Maybe he was just missed Cho a lot. He couldn't tell.
"It's alright. You can hold hands until we get to the table. Then no goo-goo eyes, or I'll throw some cereal at you two!" He said in mock sternness. They all laughed and sat down.
"Hey Harry," Neville said from further down the table, "What classes do you have first?"
Harry then realized that he needed to pick up his schedule. Neville left to ask Dean the same thing while Harry passed by the stack left on a table near the main entrance and sifted through it. He found his, Ron's and Hermione's and was about to return to his friends when an idea struck him. He sifted through the pile till he found "Malfoy, Draco" and, whipping out his wand, he quickly cast a rearranging spell -royally messing up Malfoy's schedule. He put it back in its place between "Mack, Deryl" and "McGraph, Thomas". He took a quick peek around him, making sure no one had seen him, and went back to his seat.
He sat down and watched as Malfoy, now freely moving and sporting a green slime on his arm, come into the Great Hall. He started to grin like an idiot. Draco cast a look of pure venom at him, but Harry just grinned back and waved. Draco then scanned the Hall for the small table by the door and walked briskly too it. Harry started to laugh softly to himself. Ron and Hermione paid no attention, as they were busy looking at each other. He was tempted to throw a spoonful of cereal at them, but was too busy waiting for Malfoy's reaction.
He got just what he wanted a minute later as Draco pulled his schedule out, looking at it as he walked to the Slytherin table. He stopped dead in his tracks. Harry couldn't suppress his laughter any longer and let out a huge guffaw. Furrowed his brow, and then made a very angry bee-line for the Griffendor Table. He stopped right in front of Harry and waved the schedule in front of him.
"What the hell are you playing at, Potter?" He demanded, positively shaking with fury.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Malfoy," he replied smoothly.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about," he was flinging spit in Harry's face as he talked, "You can't expect to get away with this you know!" Draco pointed to his schedule, which now read,
"Malfoy, Draco
Classes Time
1. Hell (must go and stay there)
8:00
2. Go punch own head (2x)
9:30
3. Try to fly without wings
10:45
4. Chop off own right arm
11:35
5. Lunch- eat from toilet
12.30
6. Enter Forbidden Forest (never
come back)
1:56
7. Marry Prof. Snape
3:00 (sharp)
8. Give /all/ money to charity
4:00 "
"You can have your classes changed if you ask the teache...." WHAM. Draco punched Harry right in the eye and took off running.
"You little..." Harry started, but was held back by Ron and Hermione.
"Don't push your luck, Harry. He's a dangerous guy to mess with, no matter how fun it is..." Ron was saying, but was cut off by an approaching Professor Snape.
"Starting a fight now, are we Potter?" He sneered, his face reaching unimaginable ugliness.
"No, sir. Malfoy was ..."
"You will address students by their first name, Potter," he said, his nostrils flaring. Harry would have given anything to point out that Snape wasn't following his own rule, but he knew better.
"Yes, sir" he said, managed to say without showing his anger.
"Don't give me lip, boy!" He bellowed. Harry was completely confused at Snape's attitude. Why was he so angry today? His own anger grew at Snape for getting involved in this.
"Well then you better beat my face in like Malfoy did, so I can't give you any!" Harry yelled right back. He glared at Snape, noticing that Snape's arm move back slightly, as if he had almost considered doing that malicious thought. Then he noticed look of pure delight flash across Snape's face.
"Expulsion!" He nearly whispered with bitter asperity. "Follow me, Potter." Harry gulped with dread and the knowledge that it was likely to be for real this time. Last year, he had inadvertently caused the complete demolishment of Miss Trelawny's classroom. He hadn't know that the heavy perfume in the classroom was combustible when exposed to the fumes of a hair lengthening potion, and (being extremely bored) had brought out his cauldron and started his potions homework. (Boom!) Luckily, no one was hurt (only a few hair cuts were needed), but he had to clean up the mess and pay a heavy fine (thanks to Snape). Harry marched glumly to the Headmaster's office. He was barely aware of Snape giving a (very twisted) version of what had happen (in which Snape claimed Harry had turned Draco into a newt [*I got better...*] and had broken Malfoy's arm when Draco had just wanted to shake hands...). Albus Dumbledore dismissed Professor Snape and assured he would give Harry the proper punishment.
"Harry, what happened? I know Professor Snape tends to exaggerate the situations, especially when you are involved," here his eyes sparkled kindly, "however, something must have happened to give you a black eye, and Mr. Malfoy a broken arm." Harry looked at Dumbledore, noticing how much older he looked now. He told his story, including his and Draco's fight in the hall. Had Dumbledore chose to be aggressive (using his special aura of power) he would have to look almost up at Harry, he had grown so much.
"Well, I can see that you both have already had your punishments, what with Mr. Malfoy and his arm, and you with your eye. I normally would suggest you visit Mrs. Pomfrey, however, there is not much she can do for bruises." With that, Professor Dumbledore bade Harry goodbye and resumed his study of his office's ceiling (twiddling his thumbs in the process).
---O>->->->
Like it? Like it? Please review, I'm extremely new at this :).
Thx Ash for editing. (By the way, "skamming" is a slang term meaning
to make out, just so you know...)