"You know, I'm sure that Professor Trelawney has gone off the deep end," Seamus said, mumbling slightly around the roll of bread he was eating. Professor Trelawney had just swept past them, muttering about Hogwarts being attacked and taken over by Voldemort before the school year was through.
"You mean she wasn't before?" Harry asked, arching an eyebrow at Seamus, who shrugged.
"More nutty than before, I meant. I mean, seriously. Predicting that Voldemort is going to attack Hogwarts this year? He'd have to be bloody stupid to do that. I mean, he hasn't even been back properly for a year yet. He'd have to gather forces, make a whole heap of allies with all the dark creatures again and rebuild his library of books before he could do anything," Seamus said, waving his fork around in the air to illustrate his point. "Completely nutty!"
Harry looked at him for a moment. "You do remember that Voldemort is a crazed maniac out for blood, don't you?"
"Well…yes, of course he is. Who would try to attack a place that has you and Dumbledore? You beat him once before and he hasn't managed to get you yet, has he? Any normal person would have given up and opened a fruit market by now."
"Exactly. Voldemort –" Neville, Seamus and Dean all flinched, having realised that Harry was still in the habit of using the Dark Lord's name—"Is not what you'd call a normal person. And a crazed maniac who has a grudge against a few people isn't likely to wait just because other people think he doesn't have a strong enough force yet. The worst thing is that Voldemort's smart, even if he is insane. He'd probably find a way to get in here without having to apparate if he is as desperate to get rid of Hogwarts as Trelawney says he is."
Neville blinked. "You think that Trelawney is right?"
Harry shook his head. "No. Like I said, Voldemort is smart. I don't think he'll attack Hogwarts this year – not a full-out assault, anyway. He's more likely to try it in the next couple of years than now. He will try it, though. Hogwarts was probably the biggest thorn in his side last time he tried the whole dominate-the-world stunt, and he'll be wanting to get rid of it before we really have a chance to become prepared."
Dean moaned. "I really wish you wouldn't be so logical, Harry. I'm going to be so paranoid today because of this…"
Harry grinned. "Sorry Dean. I was just making a point, you know."
"Yes well you shouldn't make your points so well now, should you?" Dean shot back, grinning lopsidedly.
Harry shrugged. "I can't help the fact that you all make it so easy for me."
Dean stuck his tongue out at him. "Meanie."
"Hmmm." Harry speared a pea that had been avoiding his fork for some time and ate it.
"Hey Harry, how about we give that set of quidditch balls a test run once you have finished eating?" Seamus asked, bouncing in his seat. Harry grinned.
"Sounds good to me. I'll finish eating and meet you out there, okay?"
The others nodded and left the table, heading out of the Great Hall to the quidditch field. Harry finished eating his meal rather quickly and headed to his room to grab his broom and the balls. He was on his way down to the Great Hall when someone grabbed him and shoved him up against one of the walls.
"This year Slytherin will win the Quidditch Cup," Draco hissed, eyes narrowing at Harry.
"We aren't just going to let you, Malfoy. If you want to cup you're going to have to earn it – from us. I doubt you will be able to, though. Not with the lack of skill you have on your side this year," Harry retorted, pushing Draco away and moving back down the hall.
"Not if you're gone, Potter. You're the only one who is stopping us from winning and with You-Know-Who after you I doubt you'll make it to the end of the year alive."
"You would know all about that of course, wouldn't you Malfoy? Daddy's a Death Eater, after all," Harry glared at Draco, daring him to continue.
"Don't you dare make assumptions about my father!" Draco took a step forward and raised his fist as if to punch Harry before dropping it again.
"Who's making assumptions? I was there when Voldemort was resurrected, remember? I heard and saw everything, Draco – I know who Voldemort's supporters are."
Malfoy seemed to slump. He opened his mouth to say something, closed it again, then turned and began to walk away.
"Just watch your back, Potter," He said, glancing back once. Harry sighed and shook his head before continuing on his way out to the field.
"What took you so long, Harry?" Seamus asked, circling down to land. "Surely it didn't take you that long to finish your meal?"
Harry shook his head. "No. I just had a little run in with Malfoy, that's all."
"Malfoy? What did he do?"
"Just said that Slytherin was going to win the Quidditch Cup, don't get in our way, yadda yadda yadda…" Harry rolled his eyes. "It doesn't matter. Now…let's play!" He opened up the box containing the balls and released the bludgers and snitch before throwing the quaffle up into the air. The boys spent the rest of the day out on the quidditch field.
Harry sighed and fell onto his bed, worn out from the rigorous exercise he had been participating in. He yawned and rolled over, pulling the pillow over his head.
"Just watch your back, Potter…"
Harry frowned. What had Malfoy meant by that? He yawned again and, as his eyes slid shut, decided to try to talk to Hermione about it tomorrow.
