CHAPTER 6: SNAPE'S WARNING
The next morning at breakfast, Harry, Hermione, Madeline, and Ron sat eating their porridge, talking in whispers about the clues.
"I opened ze book last night, but all I saw vas ze fezzar again." Madeline picked up porridge with her spoon, but dumped it back out upon tasting it, reaching for the pot of brown sugar.
"Me too!" Harry exclaimed, "I mean, I saw the feather. Nothing new."
Hermione reached for the milk and sugar, and attempted in vain to make her bland porridge edible. "I wonder if the house-elves are on strike or something. This porridge is awful! Usually the food is so good!"
"Yeah," Ron agreed, scrunching up his nose, "I wish we had eggs and bacon and pancakes and - mm… all the good stuff Mum makes at home."
"You know, Madeline," Hermione said softly, "I only met you yesterday, but I feel as though I've known you for ages!"
"Yays, I know how you feel. And Ron, too!" Madeline smiled at Ron, who turned instantly pink. "I feel as zo I haf known you forever!"
"Past lives, eh?" Harry joked.
Abruptly, the entire Great Hall fell silent. The Slytherins, who tended to be 'fashionably late' for breakfast, had just entered. Every last one of them were wearing buttons. Some said "Pureblood Pride". Others read "Go Away Muggles". Some kids, like Malfoy, wore several of each.
Hermione shuddered. "I'm really scared, Harry! What are they going to do to us? The Muggle-borns, I mean."
"I would bet zey will do nuzzing. It is probably just to intimidate you. Just ignore zem, 'Airmione. Be strong."
"I've always stood up for myself against Malfoy, but the entire Slytherin house! And Ravenclaw, too!"
Up at the staff table, Professor McGonagall was frowning at Professor Snape. McGonagall, the head of the Gryffindor house, was looking quite irate as she pursed her lips. Snape stared at his porridge and raised his eyebrows.
Ron had noticed the teachers' resentment of each other as well. "Look," he chortled, "Snape and McGonagall." The four ogled at the staff table in wonder.
"Well! Everyone ees getting involved, I see." Madeline looked surprised at the childishness of the teacher's behavior.
Harry turned around as his shoulder was tapped. Malfoy stood sneering at Harry, his nose wrinkled as though Harry were a bit of rotten meat, swarming with maggots.
"What do you want." Harry didn't exactly ask the statement as a question as he narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Malfoy.
"I've come to warn you, Potter." Malfoy grinned wretchedly. "I wouldn't be seen mingling with that Muggle friend of yours. Honestly, you'd think you didn't care in the slightest what people think about you, associating with peasants like Weasley, Muggles like Granger, and Frenchy rejects like Lecour… One would just think you didn't care… what with your fame and all… you ought to have a good reputation by now, but…" Malfoy shrugged and smiled with feigned sympathy.
"I don't care what people think about me," Harry growled, "Especially not you. You want a battle, Malfoy? Then put up a fight. You've insulted me, you've insulted my friends. This is war."
"War," Malfoy said, cocking his head to the side, "Is exactly what I want. Good day, all." With that, Malfoy pivoted on one heel, turned smartly, and strutted away.
"Humph," Ron muttered. "I really do hate him."
"For real! Could he be any more rude, prejudiced, or hateful? Such a bitter boy." Hermione shook her head and frowned. "Oh, look!" She exclaimed, suddenly grinning happily. "Our schedules!"
The four friends had been so wrapped up in sweetening porridge, discussing clues, and fending off Malfoy that they hadn't noticed the parchments sitting next to their place settings. On each of the parchments, their names were written neatly, alongside the tabled schedules. Each student picked up their schedule and examined it carefully.
"Curses!" Harry wailed, "We've got Potions first, and with Slytherin, too!"
"And then, after that, Charms with Ravenclaw!" Ron seemed quite annoyed.
"After that we've got Care of Magical Creatures with Hufflepuff," Hermione said hopefully.
"Ooh, zen we've got Defense Against ze Dark Arts!" Madeline grinned, "Zat was always my favorite course."
"It will be this year, too," Harry said, "Because that's Sirius Black's class!"
"Aw…" Ron moaned, staring miserably at his paper. "Defense is with Slytherin! Why?! Do you believe our luck?"
"At least we've got Transfiguration alone," Hermione said optimistically, "And that's with Professor McGonagall. Argh! Herbology with Ravenclaw."
"Flying with Hufflepuff." Harry tried to smile.
"I wonder if they're just trying to integrate us with the enemy. Not a good idea." Ron pouted.
Professor Dumbledore, seated at the staff table at the front of the Hall, spoke up.
"I trust you have all examined your schedules. If you have not, I advise you to do so now. You may all return to your dormitories to retrieve your required books, quills, parchments, and other necessary supplies for your first class. Then, please continue to the room of your first course without delay. I expect you shall all have a wonderful first day. Thank you." He sat down, and the murmur of the students, which had subsided, resumed as everyone cleared out of the Great Hall. "I don't believe it," Harry griped, "Snape first. And with his own house, too!" Snape was the head of Slytherin house, and he blatantly favored the his resident students over those of the other houses.
Harry and Ron headed up the boys' staircase; Hermione and Madeline up the girls'.
"Harry," Ron verbalized thoughtfully, "This feud is a lot more vicious than I thought."
"Yeah," Harry mumbled inattentively, picking up his cauldron, ingredients, and Potions book. He and Ron trudged out the door, down the staircase, and through the corridors to Snape's classroom. They were several minutes early. Harry halted unexpectedly outside the door, holding Ron back and hurrying to hide behind the heavy wooden door.
"What the-" Ron was silenced as Harry clapped his hand over his mouth.
Snape was alone in the classroom, except for one other being. A wretched, horrid creature, a slimy, despicable creature, Draco Malfoy.
"Sir," Malfoy crooned with false respect, "I've gone to see him, but he said he was too busy. I told him you sent me, but he told me he wasn't interested in anything to do with you, sir. He said you are no longer faithful. I told him I would keep an eye on the boy for him, but he said he would do that himself. He doesn't seem to want my help, sir."
"Stupid boy!" Snape hissed, "Why didn't you come to me last night."
"Well, sir, it was rather late. Everyone else was in bed, and I-"
"I don't care! Do you, or do you not want to be involved in this. If you want to earn merit with him, you must stay faithful to both him and me. Pledge your loyalty or get out. Be careful. You've been warned."
"Yes, sir. I'm sorry, sir."
"Now, sit down, the other students will be arriving soon."
Hermione was coming down the hallway, so Harry slowly approached the classroom again, but first, he widened his eyes at Ron and whispered, "You were right. He is here." and then, loudly, "Oh! Hello, Hermione! Want to be my partner?"
"Sure," Hermione nodded, "Madeline, why don't you be with Ron?"
Ron's face turned the colour of ripe tomatoes. "Th-That sounds good…" he mumbled, moving into the classroom.
"Indeed, zat will be vairy good." Madeline followed Ron into the room and sat next to him at a table.
"Well," Hermione pronounced as the other student filed into the stone chamber after them, "This should be interesting."
"Remind me to tell you what I heard. I'll tell you later, all right?"
Hermione clunked her cauldron down on the table. She cocked her head and furrowed her brow curiously, and was about to say something when-
"Potter, sit down!" Snape glared ferociously at Harry.
"Yes, sir," Harry responded, sounding quite surly indeed. Snape pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes angrily. He whipped his robes as he whirled around and cleared his throat.
"Students," Snape said, not so very nicely, "Welcome back." His voice was slippery with sarcasm and cynicism. "Slytherin students on this side of the classroom, please, and," he sniffed, "Gryffindors on this side. Mr. Malfoy," Snape turned back to the other side of the classroom, "In this front desk, please. Thank you."
The students rearranged themselves so that the dungeon was clearly divided between Slytherin and Gryffindor, green and red. Harry was sure he saw Snape smile at his handiwork.
"Well, since I am aware that all of you don't, er- exactly get along… I will not force any interaction. I don't want any confrontations. I don't deny the fact that I am the head of Slytherin, and the consequences of that are, well, painfully obvious. I will not tolerate any misbehavior from the Gryffindors." Seeing the annoyance on the faces of the Gryffindors, Snape rushed to say, "Or the Slytherins."
The class dragged on as Snape bored the students out of their wits, explaining ingredient after ingredient, interrogating the Gryffindors with impossible questions. When at last the course was over, and the students headed back to the dormitories to get their things for Charms class, Harry was stopped in the hallway. Malfoy, and his two beastly friends, Crabbe and Goyle, were standing behind him. Malfoy was brandishing his wand.
"Potter," Malfoy said, "I have been encouraged by my classmates, and I have agreed, to challenge you to a wizard's duel."
"Harry…" Hermione hissed, "No…"
A wizard's duel involved two wizards armed with their wands, and casting spells on one another to disarm and disable them. Of course, the spells were supposed to be temporary, but Harry didn't trust Malfoy enough to play by the rules. Thoughts raced through Harry's mind. How much trouble would he be in? Probably a lot. How much did he hate Malfoy? A lot.
"When? Where?" Harry blurted out.
"You'll do it then?" Malfoy sounded disbelieving.
"Harry…" Hermione, Madeline, and Ron sounded disbelieving as well.
"Yes. Yes, I'll do it." Harry gulped. He stared at the ground and shuffled his feet.
"Tonight. Ten o'clock. North Tower." Malfoy sneered. "See you then."
Harry sauntered down the hallway back towards the dormitories, pursued by his cheering fellow Gryffindors and chattering friends.
"Harry!" Hermione groaned, "Honestly, you can be so exasperating! Can't you follow rules?"
"Harry!" Ron grinned from ear to ear. "I can't believe you're so brave!"
"'Arry… you'd better beat 'eem. I really 'ate eem." Madeline's eyes were full of anger.
"Harry," Hermione whispered, petrified, "You're going to get in so much trouble… you'll get yourself hurt… I don't want you to get hurt."
Harry continued down the corridor without answering anyone. He was trying to think of spells to use in the duel.
In the Next chapter…
CHAPTER 7: The Halloween Dance