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Chapter 7
Disorderly Conduct
Disclaimer: :sob: I don't own Harry, Draco, or anything else in the fantabulous world of JK Rowling. I, unfortunately, own nothing. Well, that's not quite technically true, but I wouldn't call a 17-year old (rusty, beat-up, etc.) car much in the way of assets!
AN: Sorry that it's taken so long to get this out! I majorly burned my hand the other day, and it was my left hand... and as I'm left handed—let's just say that I've been a little more whiny than usual. ^^; Thanks to everybody that's reviewed – it helps keep me sane and happy!
Also, from here on in things are going to get *strange* and weird. (That's due to my odd sense of humor and being blond!) More dreams, odd happenings, and just a little romance waiting in the wings.
******
Harry waited impatiently for Hermione to walk down to the Great Hall. For once he was awake before her, and had actually finished the work assigned over the break. He should have remembered the homework that Snape had given them before he thought about the man being an actual human Christmas Day.
"Ready, Harry?" Hermione gave a quick smile.
"Yes," he said as they went out the portrait hole. "I told Draco that we would sit with him for breakfast, if that's okay with you?"
She raised an eyebrow. "Draco? Does this have anything to do with his father being taken?"
Harry shook his head. "Not entirely."
"Then what is it?"
"'Mione, have you ever had a dream that came to be true?"
She looked a little bewildered for a second before shaking her head. "Not that I remember."
Harry gave her a steady look, stopping just outside the main entry to the Great Hall. "In the last week, five of my dreams have either happened, or they are someone else's memories. And they aren't even remotely connected to Voldemort."
"What?" Hermione asked in a sharp voice. "How is this possible? Does it have anything to do with your fainting in Defense Against the Dark Arts?"
Harry nodded. "Everything to do with it."
Hermione looked thoughtful as they continued into the Great Hall and sat down at the small table in the center of the room. "Have you looked in the library?"
He nodded again. "All three of us looked."
Her eyebrows lowered in a thoughtful question. "Three?"
"Well, me..."
"Aeryn and myself." They looked up to find Draco standing across from them. "Granger. Po - Harry."
Hermione raised one eyebrow but didn't say anything, choosing to nod instead.
"'Mione, I think you should be there when we talk to Ray," Harry said as he dug into breakfast.
"Ray? From the day Ron and I left for holiday? That Ray?"
Harry nodded. "He's Aeryn's half brother."
Hermione finished chewing and put her fork down. "Is he related to Professor Dumbledore?"
Both Harry and Draco nodded. "That family is even more messed up than mine," Draco said in a soft voice.
She eyed him carefully at this volunteered information, but he was already looking back down at his plate, picking at a slice of bacon. It seemed like he had changed, but she knew enough that it would take more than a week to really see whether or not it was for the better.
"Good morning!" All three looked up to see Aeryn and Dumbledore walk into the Great Hall. "Here you go, my dear," the Headmaster said as he held a chair out for her.
"Thank you." She gave a smile at them. "Mmm. A real breakfast. I've missed this the last couple of days."
Dumbledore gave a smile to them as some of the teachers began to enter the hall. "I didn't expect you to work non-stop on that, Aeryn."
Harry watched as she shrugged. "I was getting bored."
Nothing further got said as Snape found his way to the table. Harry felt a snigger trying to work its way to the surface when he saw the only empty chair was between Aeryn and himself. The Potions teacher said nothing as he sat down, choosing to ignore both of his table companions.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw Draco's lips turn up into a half smile and the urge to laugh grew stronger. He could feel his shoulders shaking as he tried to control himself. Luckily he was almost done with breakfast and he saw that Hermione was as well.
As soon as they were outside of the Great Hall, Harry bent over in laughter. He knew that Hermione was wondering what was going on, but he couldn't help himself. Poor Professor Snape, having to sit between Harry and Aeryn. It was almost like a replay of Christmas dinner.
Holding his side to calm the stitch that lay there, he stood fully erect. A chuckle escaped him as he caught the look Hermione was giving him, but managed to stop with that. "Sorry, 'Mione. It's just that Snape had to sit next to me at the dinner on Christmas, and his gift exchange partner was Aeryn."
Hermione's brown eyes light up in understanding. "Yes, I can see where that would be a cause of concern for him," she said in a light voice. She looked at him as they walked back to the tower. "What is all this about dreams again?"
Harry stopped outside the portrait of the fat lady. He wasn't quite sure where to begin, but he would have to find a way to explain what was going on. Besides, Hermione might know where a couple more books on dreams might be in the library. She knew the place the best out of what would be the five of them when Ron got here. He thought that he should know what's going on before anything else happened.
******
Draco stifled a sigh as he saw the madly chattering group. First of all, he wasn't too sure why he was here in the first place, but that Professor Dumbledore had insisted on his being here. Then, when he had stepped foot in through the doorway, several people had seemed shocked at his appearance. It didn't help that both of Pot - erm, Harry's friends were both here, and there was no way he would speak to him with those two fluttering around him.
"Is this seat taken?"
He looked up and saw a head full of red hair and light tinting off glasses. Draco shook his head, but he wasn't too keen on having Percy Weasley sit next to him. Indeed, it seemed as if all the Weasleys were here. Just how many kids did they have anyway?
"Draco?" A welcome voice in the midst of the talking.
"Yes?"
Aeryn grinned at his drawled response. "Tomorrow we're going to set up a couple teams of Quidditch. Want to be on my team?"
He narrowed his eyes. "Who's already on it?"
"Anybody under thirty," she grinned.
Draco gave a quick snort of laughter. "If Po...." He stopped and cleared his throat. "If Harry's going to be playing, he should be seeker."
Aeryn looked over to where Harry sat before turning back to Draco. "You sure? From what I've heard both of you are fantastic players."
He nodded.
"Good. Want to be a Chaser with me?" She gave a goofy grin and leaned over to whisper conspiratorially, "we've got to give these older folks a good run for their money."
Draco laughed, a true laugh. He didn't notice that half the room was looking at the two of them, or that most of those were astonished by the affection in his actions. Instead, he leaned over and started to discuss plans for the game the following day. At least this was familiar ground in a world that was increasingly strange and difficult. And now he had something to look forward to instead of just the rest of the work to be done over the holiday.
Dumbledore cleared his throat and the others clamored to find a seat. "I don't have to tell those that come here regularly that we have some new additions to our team. Please take the time to talk to everybody when we have formally discussed everything tonight.
"Our first order of business is Azkaban. There have been several reports on activity taking place there the last couple of days. Much of it has been to the island, but there is considerably growing traffic starting to leave it as well. This is a sign that something will happen soon, but it is too soon to tell."
Draco looked around the room and he realized what was going on. Part of him was terrified that someone would push him to the middle of the room and make him confess what he had done. He was also torn about this. It felt like betraying his father, but hadn't he done so to him in the first place? Lucius Malfoy had tried to lay the fault for his actions in his own son's lap, and Draco wasn't about to take that too kindly.
The dreams that he'd had the last couple of nights had also been eye opening, to say the least. When he had woken up this morning, for the first time ever in his life had he felt what hope was like. Never before had he felt such a strong emotion, and much of it was tied up with those at the school. Some of them were his own Slytherin housemates, but certainly not Crabbe and Goyle. Most of them were from other houses, and many of them teachers Draco had never bothered to consider before. The dreams had also focused on several things, and it had taken him several hours to figure out what some of them were, since according to the books they were actually metaphors.
In a way he could see that this meeting had already been predicted. Kind of. Anyway, now was not the time to think on it.
Dumbledore was nodding his head gravely.
"Severus, how is that potion coming along?"
Draco watched as Snape shot a look towards him. No, it was directed at Aeryn, who sat beside him.
"We've managed to come up with a modified version of it, but Ms. Negre still needs to be there as a guide."
Now Draco could feel the eyes of everybody in his direction. Personally he liked to be in the spotlight. Sometimes it was good, but not with the intense gazes these people had on their faces.
Aeryn nodded. "Yes. One of the ingredients needed to make it truly self-supporting is impossible to find in Britain. In fact it would take a week to even find a trace amount of the ingredient we need as it is a Class A Good. Until we can find somebody who is willing to sell it without notice from others, the potion we've come up with will have to do. Either way, it's a dangerous way to travel."
"Indeed," Dumbledore said. "Still, we will have to take what we can."
Draco kept his eyes on Aeryn as the meeting went on. So that's why she hadn't been at any of the meals. But what were they talking about a different way to travel? He knew, though, that the normal modes of transportation wouldn't work. He paid attention to what was being said through the rest of the meeting.
"Draco?" He looked over at Aeryn as they others slowly filtered from the room. "Did you want to do some training now or wait until the morning?"
He thought about it carefully and opened his mouth to speak when Harry and the others came over. "How about in the morning?"
Aeryn nodded. "Is that okay with everyone that we meet in the morning?"
Ron was eyeing Draco distrustfully, but for once he didn't blame him. He *was* acting very differently than he was before, but none of the Weasleys were to know that. Only even after a long discussion this afternoon had Ron and Hermione even heard a tenth of what he had spoken to Harry and Aeryn. Even then he was still keeping some things back. They were *too* personal for him to do so.
Draco watched them leave the room.
"Harry, can I ask you a quick question?" Aeryn asked before he went through the door.
"I'll catch up in a minute," the black haired boy said to his friends.
"Would you be the Seeker?"
Harry looked at Draco but he didn't back down. "Didn't you want to play it, Draco?"
One pale blond eyebrow rose in a silent question at his name. "No. You've a better chance against an unknown team."
"Yes," Aeryn agreed. "Especially when you'll be playing against El. If she wasn't so uptight, she could have been on a professional team."
Draco's eyes widened at this and saw that Harry's had done the same. All of a sudden Harry nodded. "Then I'll do it."
Aeryn's smile was contagious and soon all three of them were grinning madly. "Then I'll see you in the morning," she finally said.
Draco watched her leave, Harry just to the left of him.
"Is that the only reason you have for me to be Seeker?" Harry asked.
He was silent for a brief moment. "No. But I do think you have a better chance for this. Even if it is to let off steam."
"Draco," Harry said, "They'll come around."
Draco looked into the sincere green eyes that were watching him. Nodding, he slowly made his way to the door where Professor Dumbledore stood waiting for them to leave. "I just hope it's sooner than later."
******
"Okay, troops," Aeryn said as they gathered in the chilly morning air. "These are the players: Ron Weasley as keeper, Fred Weasley and George Weasley - "
"Why am I always last?" George chimed in.
" - as Beaters." Aeryn gave them a sharp look and then stuck her tongue out at them. "Hey, I go by alphabetical order in terms of the positions."
"Purple?" Harry asked when he saw the shining piece of metal that sat in her tongue. He looked around and noticed that most of the Weasleys hadn't even seen that but for the twins, and they had interested looks on their faces.
She nodded. "My school colors were purple and gold. Aedyn and I were the Beaters." Blank looks. "My brother."
Harry nodded.
"To carry on, the Chasers are Draco Malfoy, me, and Charlie Weasley." She turned to Charlie. "You really want to play that position?"
He nodded. "Harry's much better at Seeker than I ever was."
The rest of the group nodded in agreement.
"Ok. Then Harry's our Seeker." Aeryn turned to where Hermione, Ginny and Percy were huddled together. "I thought that since those three wouldn't play, they could help with strategy."
She continued on but Harry let his mind drift for a bit as she gave some tips to the twins. Draco shuffled a little uneasily beside him. The blond was out of his element in the family surroundings that seemed to envelop the Weasleys when three or more gathered together. Still, he would make sure that nobody gave Draco grief just because he was a Slytherin. Either that or it was the telling off given to them by their own mother. That might have had something to do with their good behavior at the moment towards Draco. He had to admit that the other boy hadn't said one word to the Weasleys, though.
"Okay," Aeryn said in a loud voice. "I've found out that, besides El being Seeker, my dad and Sirius are Beaters. Your dad," she pointed at the Weasleys, who were huddled together, "is one of the Chasers. The other two are Arabella and Severus."
"Snape's playing?" There was a loud chorus of dismayed gasps at that.
Aeryn nodded. "Yep. Unfortunately yes. Smart man, but terrible manners." She was shaking her head in mock disappointment. "Still, we've got to prove to them that we are better than they are. Just because we're younger doesn't mean they're smarter than we are."
Ginny nodded at Hermione and Percy. "Especially with these two getting together plays."
Aeryn looked at each of them. "Let's get some practice flying together before we start doing any specific play, okay?" She grabbed her broom, which was greeted with delight.
"A Firebolt?" Ron asked, his blue eyes shining.
"Yes. I saved for this baby for three years," she said, petting it lovingly. "I almost bought this really neat cauldron, but this was much better."
"A cauldron?" Draco asked. Harry looked at him. This was the first time he had actually spoken since they had gotten together this morning.
"That's my sister, the geek."
"Aedyn!" Aeryn took off at a run towards a very tall, blond haired man who was holding hands with Martin, Raymund just behind them. She jumped up on him and he let go of the little boy's hand.
Harry found himself on the ground after a tackle by Martin. "Harry! Harry!"
Draco laughed and soon the others were joining in.
Struggling to stand, Harry grabbed a hold of one of Ron's hands when it became clear the little boy wouldn't let go. He looked over and found Aedyn carrying Aeryn on his back, piggy-back style. He watched as Charlie went over to them and talked in a low voice.
"You sure, Charlie?" Aeryn asked.
The eldest Weasley present nodded his head. "I have the feeling that Dad could beat me at being Chaser, anyway."
"Okay, then." Aeryn hopped down. "Change of plans. The three Chasers are now Draco, Aedyn, and myself."
Five minutes later Harry felt on top of the world. Up here on his broom he could escape the increasing pressures put on him by Voldemort. And, he could see, that this team was very well put together. In the back of his mind he wondered what house Aeryn would have been put in if she had come here instead of in the US or any of the others at that.
Half an hour later Harry was amazed by how many different plays Hermione and Percy had come up with in an hour. Quick sketches outlined many of them, which he later found were drawn by Ginny. Flashing a quick smile in her direction as he passed, he swooped down to where Ron was guarding the goal.
"This is going to be good," he said as Aeryn and Aedyn were explaining something to Draco.
Ron nodded. "Yeah. Man, two sets of twins on this team is too many."
Harry laughed. "But that's a good advantage, and I think that's what Aeryn is playing up to. And the other team may not realize that Aedyn's here."
Ron shook his head. "Their names are what get me. One letter makes all the difference."
"Harry! Ron!" Aeryn was waving them over. She was sitting quite casually on her broom, leafing through the hurriedly put together playbook. "Please take a look at this and find a play you would like to practice." She gave a stern look at Harry. "And there are a couple I want you to play particular attention to, Harry." She handed them the book and gave a signal to Aedyn. Together the two darted back and forth, almost playing like one person.
Draco hovered to the side, and awed expression on his face. Harry leaned over to him once he was finished looking at the book. "Fred and George do that as well." He pointed out the two red heads as they swiftly raced across the pitch swinging their bats.
The blond nodded in a stunned fashion. "I know. It's just that I saw this in one of my dreams last night. But I was supposed to do something."
"Then do it," Harry said.
Draco glanced at him before nodding. "I think I will."
Ron was still looking at the playbook, so Harry watched the Chasers as they zoomed back on forth on their brooms, tossing the Quaffle in an almost leisurely way. It looked quite effortless, but he knew that all three were experienced Quidditch players. He just hoped that he was up to Professor Steele's level of playing.
Three hours later and he felt like he was. The DADA teacher was very skilled, but she didn't have a Firebolt. Only Aeryn and he did. Still, he watched the rest of the game like a hawk at the same time he scoped out the pitch for any sign of the Snitch. He saw a signal from Aeryn and he swooped down next to her and she gave him another signal. Shooting straight up, he twirled around and found Professor Steele on his tail, thinking that he had seen the Snitch. He tilted his broom to the ground and shot down at a steep rate of speed before zigzagging to the right.
The DADA teacher looked a little lost when it looked like Harry had lost the Snitch.
Suddenly Professor Dumbledore blew the whistle, Madam Hooch being the keeper for the team with the older members of the group. "Penalty shot to the 'youngens.'"
Harry looked around and saw Aeryn and Snape eyeing each other balefully. His captain was breathing heavily and her face was starting to purple around the left eye. He had missed that collision with his little maneuver.
As Aedyn took a shot (and scored) he saw the Snitch. It was just behind Professor Steele, who hadn't noticed it yet. Diving down below her, he shot straight up again and reached out for the Snitch. His fingers had just touched it when a bludger shot out of nowhere and knocked him off balance. Hand instinctively holding on for dear life to the Snitch, Harry tried to hold on with his other but couldn't.
A sudden rush of air whistled in his ears before he landed on a soft cushion. Opening eyes that had shut in panic, he found that he was squishing Draco, half a foot off the ground on the blond's broom.
"Are you all right?" Aeryn's shaky voice came from the left.
Harry nodded enthusiastically and raised the Snitch. "I caught it."
She gave a wide, tremulous smile. "Great job!" She gave him a quick kiss and hug, then did the same to Draco. Both of them went still with the shock as the Weasley twins swooped down.
"Hey! Where's our hugs?" Harry watched the others come and congratulate him on catching the Snitch, but he noticed that Snape didn't join in until Dumbledore brought him over. Even then the Potions teacher did nothing except stare - at what Harry wasn't exactly sure.
He was still riding the high from the excellent game when they entered the castle. When he did, though, he felt a chill run down his spine. Harry looked out at the Quidditch pitch and saw a fog was starting to roll in. The chill increased as his forehead grew warm.
"Harry?" He looked over at Ron, who was watching him in concern.
He shook his head. "I'm fine. Just a little excited."
"Good."
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AN2: If anybody is squicked by the thought of a pierced tongue, sorry... One of my friends has one and it fascinates me to no end. And the fact that my dentist is also one of my *best* friends (who threatened me with death when I mentioned its coolness) I will probably never get it done. Besides, I could almost see Dumbledore doing something like that (if he was in his early twenties!), so why not one of his descendents?