"I've already sent owls to each of the parents telling them that their
children won't be home for the holidays." Professor McGonagall announced to
the Professors Snape and Dumbledore.
"Did you tell them exactly what their children would be doing, Minerva?" Professor Dumbledore questioned.
"Of course not. I just told them that any Christmas presents could just be sent to Hogwarts, and we would insure that the children got them."
"That is good-"
"And what exactly are they doing? You know I haven't received any information of any sort about this supposed trip the sixth and seventh years are taking. Please, do tell." Snape said in a jeering tone. "What precisely are they doing?"
Dumbledore started. "I thought Minerva informed you. So sorry. The sixth and seventh years are each going to visit another magical training school. They will be travelling in groups of eight, with two from each house. It doesn't necessarily have to be a sixth year and a seventh year from each house. What we are meeting for tonight is to plan out the groups, and where we will be sending them. Shall we get started?"
And so they did.
At the end, every student had been judged as to the best school for them to attend. Some were to go to France, and some to Bulgaria, or some even to Africa. Each student not speaking the native language (which was for all purposes, every single student) was to have his or her throat spelled to speak in the language of the person spoken to. They would also be spelled to be able to understand every known language, a sort of internal translating hearing aide.
Draco stared in shock at the letter he had awoken to find sitting on his bedside table. It read simply,
"Dear Mr. Malfoy,
You are about to embark on a wonderful journey, to France to visit the Beauxbatons School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This is an exchange between our school and theirs that takes place every seven years. There will be a student taking your place at our school, as you will take theirs. Every sixth and seventh year Hogwarts student will attend, with a group of eight, a foreign school in the magical arts. You will need to pack the following:
All your school supplies, including books, parchment, etc.
Heavy robes and likewise cold weather clothing
A good attitude.
Your group members include: From Slytherin:
Draco Malfoy Seventh year
Pansy Parkinson Seventh year
From Hufflepuff:
Mathilda Greene Sixth year
Thomas Borgin Sixth year
From Ravenclaw: Sara Ling Seventh year
Frank Lemington Sixth year
From Gryffindor:
Hermione Granger Seventh year
Harry Potter Seventh year
Remember to be polite to all you meet at the school, as you are representing the school, and we do not wish to have a mar on our so far shining name.
Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore"
Granger AND Potter! How much worse could this get? And they would have to be travelling there during their winter break. Two weeks stuck in a vehicle with two of his most hated acquaintances, and he was probably expected to be civil to them, and not 'accidentally' curse them or anything. It would be horrid. Absolutely horrid. At least he had a few weeks to try and get Professor Snape to change his assignments. Plus, he was stuck with that awful brute of a girl, Pansy.
He got up in disgust, unable to look at that terrible letter anymore, and went to take a shower. At least he was a prefect, and got the whole bathroom to himself at this early hour in the morning. He strode in, and turned on the water as hot as he could handle it. Then he began stripping down.
"Not self conscious at all, are we now?" came a simpering voice from behind him.
He whirled around, shouting, "Who the hell are you and how did you get in here?"
"No one recognizes poor Moaning Myrtle, ever! Oh!" With a last interjection, she zoomed off into the toilet back to her own bathroom stall. Glancing around to make sure there weren't any other ghosts in the bathroom, Draco finished undressing. Just as he was about to step into the steaming water, he heard the painting open.
"Shit! Who could that be? No one else ever comes up here at this time in the morning?" He muttered to himself as he reached for his towel. But he was too late, as just as his hand touched the soft, fluffiness of the towel, Hermione waltzed unawares in the room.
"Oh!" she exclaimed, trying to keep her eyes to the ceiling and away from Draco's very apparent nakedness. "I didn't know you were in here, or else I wouldn't have come, I would have used the regular bathroom-," she babbled on as Draco wrapped himself in his towel, just a minute tardy.
"It's okay, Granger. You can unglue your eyes from that fresco. What, didn't want to tell your little lover Potter that you saw another boy naked? Afraid of the penance he might make you do?" he sneered. "Now go away. I want to finish my bath. And when I'm done, you can have it, rings and all."
"Hmph. Well, since you're here, and I'm here, I might as well mention it. Did you get your letter saying we'd be in the same group? Good. At least I don't have to break the news to you that you are working with Harry. Oh, and by the way, he is not my lover." With that, she turned on her heel and left Draco standing there.
Why do I always have to be so mean? He thought to himself. It was an honest mistake. And he knew very well that they were not in any way romantically linked, as he himself had witnessed their break-up after a brief stint as significant others. They were just best friend material, nothing more. Still, Potter was more fiercely protective of her than a mother hen. He would never let anything Draco might do to that Mudblood get past him.
The weeks passed, and soon it was time for the groups to start their packing. Draco had his minions pack his trunk for him, directing where to put what, and how to put it there. After the bags were packed to his satisfaction, they were loaded onto the boat that would take them to Beauxbatons. Draco had never actually travelled on a boat before, but was sure it would be breeze compared to riding on that rocking Hogwarts Express.
The groups loaded onto their various vehicles, and farewells were exchanged. Draco made his way to his room on the boat to try and comprehend the layout, and to put up his stuff. As he found his room, he encountered Potter going the same way. "And just where do you think you're going, Potter?"
"To my room," he snarled, and walked up ahead of Draco in an irritating show of superiority. To Draco's surprise, he walked into the room that Draco was sure he had been assigned to. Potter glanced up, startled that Draco should be looming over him.
"You mean, this is. We are. We don't have to share a room, do we?" Potter said in shock.
"Guess so, Potter. I suppose we shall have to be courteous to each other, won't we?" Draco said in exasperation as the thought of what could have been a pleasant vacation disappeared. He started unpacking, and putting his things in the dressers provided for them. He knew which bed was his by the black and green striped lacing throughout the bedspread. As soon as that was done, he headed out onto the deck. A lurch told him that the boat had just set off. A similar lurch to his stomach told him that maybe this trip wouldn't be as easy as he thought. He ran back into cabin, knocking Hermione out of the way as he rushed to the bathroom.
"Wonder what's wrong with him," Potter said with an evil glint in his eyes. "Don't think he gets seasick, do you?"
"Maybe we should check to see if he's alright," Hermione said in concern. "We could take him up to the ship nurse."
"Why? That would be more kindness than he's ever shown us."
With that, Potter pulled Hermione up the stairs to dinner, and left Draco wretched in the bathroom.
"Did you tell them exactly what their children would be doing, Minerva?" Professor Dumbledore questioned.
"Of course not. I just told them that any Christmas presents could just be sent to Hogwarts, and we would insure that the children got them."
"That is good-"
"And what exactly are they doing? You know I haven't received any information of any sort about this supposed trip the sixth and seventh years are taking. Please, do tell." Snape said in a jeering tone. "What precisely are they doing?"
Dumbledore started. "I thought Minerva informed you. So sorry. The sixth and seventh years are each going to visit another magical training school. They will be travelling in groups of eight, with two from each house. It doesn't necessarily have to be a sixth year and a seventh year from each house. What we are meeting for tonight is to plan out the groups, and where we will be sending them. Shall we get started?"
And so they did.
At the end, every student had been judged as to the best school for them to attend. Some were to go to France, and some to Bulgaria, or some even to Africa. Each student not speaking the native language (which was for all purposes, every single student) was to have his or her throat spelled to speak in the language of the person spoken to. They would also be spelled to be able to understand every known language, a sort of internal translating hearing aide.
Draco stared in shock at the letter he had awoken to find sitting on his bedside table. It read simply,
"Dear Mr. Malfoy,
You are about to embark on a wonderful journey, to France to visit the Beauxbatons School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This is an exchange between our school and theirs that takes place every seven years. There will be a student taking your place at our school, as you will take theirs. Every sixth and seventh year Hogwarts student will attend, with a group of eight, a foreign school in the magical arts. You will need to pack the following:
All your school supplies, including books, parchment, etc.
Heavy robes and likewise cold weather clothing
A good attitude.
Your group members include: From Slytherin:
Draco Malfoy Seventh year
Pansy Parkinson Seventh year
From Hufflepuff:
Mathilda Greene Sixth year
Thomas Borgin Sixth year
From Ravenclaw: Sara Ling Seventh year
Frank Lemington Sixth year
From Gryffindor:
Hermione Granger Seventh year
Harry Potter Seventh year
Remember to be polite to all you meet at the school, as you are representing the school, and we do not wish to have a mar on our so far shining name.
Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore"
Granger AND Potter! How much worse could this get? And they would have to be travelling there during their winter break. Two weeks stuck in a vehicle with two of his most hated acquaintances, and he was probably expected to be civil to them, and not 'accidentally' curse them or anything. It would be horrid. Absolutely horrid. At least he had a few weeks to try and get Professor Snape to change his assignments. Plus, he was stuck with that awful brute of a girl, Pansy.
He got up in disgust, unable to look at that terrible letter anymore, and went to take a shower. At least he was a prefect, and got the whole bathroom to himself at this early hour in the morning. He strode in, and turned on the water as hot as he could handle it. Then he began stripping down.
"Not self conscious at all, are we now?" came a simpering voice from behind him.
He whirled around, shouting, "Who the hell are you and how did you get in here?"
"No one recognizes poor Moaning Myrtle, ever! Oh!" With a last interjection, she zoomed off into the toilet back to her own bathroom stall. Glancing around to make sure there weren't any other ghosts in the bathroom, Draco finished undressing. Just as he was about to step into the steaming water, he heard the painting open.
"Shit! Who could that be? No one else ever comes up here at this time in the morning?" He muttered to himself as he reached for his towel. But he was too late, as just as his hand touched the soft, fluffiness of the towel, Hermione waltzed unawares in the room.
"Oh!" she exclaimed, trying to keep her eyes to the ceiling and away from Draco's very apparent nakedness. "I didn't know you were in here, or else I wouldn't have come, I would have used the regular bathroom-," she babbled on as Draco wrapped himself in his towel, just a minute tardy.
"It's okay, Granger. You can unglue your eyes from that fresco. What, didn't want to tell your little lover Potter that you saw another boy naked? Afraid of the penance he might make you do?" he sneered. "Now go away. I want to finish my bath. And when I'm done, you can have it, rings and all."
"Hmph. Well, since you're here, and I'm here, I might as well mention it. Did you get your letter saying we'd be in the same group? Good. At least I don't have to break the news to you that you are working with Harry. Oh, and by the way, he is not my lover." With that, she turned on her heel and left Draco standing there.
Why do I always have to be so mean? He thought to himself. It was an honest mistake. And he knew very well that they were not in any way romantically linked, as he himself had witnessed their break-up after a brief stint as significant others. They were just best friend material, nothing more. Still, Potter was more fiercely protective of her than a mother hen. He would never let anything Draco might do to that Mudblood get past him.
The weeks passed, and soon it was time for the groups to start their packing. Draco had his minions pack his trunk for him, directing where to put what, and how to put it there. After the bags were packed to his satisfaction, they were loaded onto the boat that would take them to Beauxbatons. Draco had never actually travelled on a boat before, but was sure it would be breeze compared to riding on that rocking Hogwarts Express.
The groups loaded onto their various vehicles, and farewells were exchanged. Draco made his way to his room on the boat to try and comprehend the layout, and to put up his stuff. As he found his room, he encountered Potter going the same way. "And just where do you think you're going, Potter?"
"To my room," he snarled, and walked up ahead of Draco in an irritating show of superiority. To Draco's surprise, he walked into the room that Draco was sure he had been assigned to. Potter glanced up, startled that Draco should be looming over him.
"You mean, this is. We are. We don't have to share a room, do we?" Potter said in shock.
"Guess so, Potter. I suppose we shall have to be courteous to each other, won't we?" Draco said in exasperation as the thought of what could have been a pleasant vacation disappeared. He started unpacking, and putting his things in the dressers provided for them. He knew which bed was his by the black and green striped lacing throughout the bedspread. As soon as that was done, he headed out onto the deck. A lurch told him that the boat had just set off. A similar lurch to his stomach told him that maybe this trip wouldn't be as easy as he thought. He ran back into cabin, knocking Hermione out of the way as he rushed to the bathroom.
"Wonder what's wrong with him," Potter said with an evil glint in his eyes. "Don't think he gets seasick, do you?"
"Maybe we should check to see if he's alright," Hermione said in concern. "We could take him up to the ship nurse."
"Why? That would be more kindness than he's ever shown us."
With that, Potter pulled Hermione up the stairs to dinner, and left Draco wretched in the bathroom.
