Hana-chan: Thank you. Why Neville's put into Slytherin I'm going to explain in chapter eight or nine.
Prophetess of Hearts: Thanks for reminding me of that, I totally forgot about Harry's snake *blush*
Fireangle: Thank you.
Celestinne: *g* I'll work on the tenses. Thank you for the compliment.
Lain: Thank you.
Author: Artemis (artemis1000@gmx.net)
Disclaimer: Harry Potter, plot and all her characters belong to JKR
and her publishing companies, which's names I don't know. No copyright
infringement intended. Don't bother suing, my "fortune" isn't worth the
trouble. I only own the idea to this story.
Timeline: In their fifth year, 1995/1996
Rating: PG-13, I guess
Chapter: 7/15
Pairings: Draco/Harry, Blaise Zabini/Neville
Summary: Potions class, Sirius and Draco is still struggling with the
kiss.
Silver Snake
By Artemis (Artemis1000@gmx.net)
Chapter seven: 'Twas the night before Christmas – week 2
For poor Harry the new week started like the old had ended.
This time the cause of his rude waking was Draco's refinement of the "washcloth alarm"…
"Wakey-wakey, Potter!", smirked Draco and emptied a bucket full of ice cubes over his long-time rival.
"Urgh! What did you do that for, Malfoy?!" Harry's immediately awake, being by now subconscious prepared to the waking ritual.
"You didn't wanted to wake up."
"Well, how about proving some manners when you wake me? Oh wait, you don't even have an idea what manners are!"
"I *am* familiar with good behaviour, in the contrary to you. If you'd some manners you wouldn't be such ungrateful. After all I saved you trouble with Snape. But don't think I did it because of you, I'm just worried that he takes house points from us because of you. You have exactly 34 minutes till Potions!"
Harry's eyes widened in horror. Oh wasn't that a great start for his school career in Slytherin, he's already late before the first lesson with his head of house who hated him had started…! He jumped out of the bed and to the bathroom door. "Go alone to the Great Hall, Draco, I'll be with you guys soon!", the Boy Who Lived shouted just before the bathroom door closed behind him.
Draco's eyes widened in something akin to shock and disbelief as he
stared onto the closed bathroom door. Was he a certified nutcase like his
friends always claimed or did Harry Potter really call him by his first
name…?
"Isn't that a great way to start a week, Potions and Snape first thing in the morning…!", grumbled Seamus when he plopped down between Draco and Pansy. "Morning guys."
Pansy looked understandingly at the boy, "yes, I can see what you mean, Professor Snape wasn't exactly nice to the students that weren't Slytherins. Frankly, I dread my first double Potions with Ravenclaw – this afternoon – myself. But you're no longer a Gryffindor, Seamus, he doesn't has any reason to let you fail and deduct house points without reason."
This cheered Seamus a bit up, "are you sure?"
"Of course! Why should he harm Slytherin himself? I wouldn't be surprised if he continued to make Harry Potter's life difficult, but that's personal."
Harry just happened to overhear that. "Oh thanks, you're such an expert at cheering me up!"
The blonde girl turned her nose up, a bit affronted. She's very good at raising people's spirits, that ungrateful Gryffindor just couldn't see it! "Good morning to you too, Potter."
"Uh, how's this going to work today with Potions? Can we keep our seats or do we have to move onto the Slytherin side?"
"Finnegan, I have no clue and if you want an answer so badly then go ask Snape", Draco answered curtly before putting another spoonful porridge into his mouth and pulling a face at the taste.
He just wanted some time alone, to sort his feelings out and preferably forget about the damned truth or dare game fully. And it wasn't very helpful if everyone tried hard to distract him from that task. Of course he'd kept Blaise all night up – and his friend couldn't tire of complaining about it – but then he'd wanted not to think about Harry. He'd hoped that if he just denied the kiss had ever happened it wouldn't have happened. Now the circumstances were totally different. He'd given up on the idea of not thinking about the black-haired Boy Who Lived. It's anyway a futile and ridiculous thing to do, ignoring Harry was impossible.
"Hey Draco, someone in that head?"
"What is it now, Pansy?!"
"No need to get all defensive, I just wanted to ask whether you're okay. You looked so lost in thoughts. You know, that "I'm in love" kind of dreamy look and since you haven't told me about anyone I couldn't help getting a bit curious…" She shared a knowing grin with Seamus and Blaise.
Alarm bells went off in Harry's head. He wouldn't survive it if Pansy found out about Saturday and announced it to the whole student body… "Where are the pancakes?", he hurriedly asked and prayed fervently prayed that nobody became suspicious.
Neville looked mournfully at his breakfast. "Only porridge, orange juice, milk and hot chocolate today."
Blaise gave him a peck on the check and assured, "I'm sure the house elves are going to make a great banquet for Christmas, maybe even with a Christmas tree, decorations and presents." Truthfully, Blaise didn't had a clue since he never stayed for Christmas before, but he didn't cared for the truth right now anyway. Better tell Neville something wrong now than to have him be grouchy all day. "Hey, we could bribe the house elves and ask them to bring at Christmas' Eve or boxing day tables, chairs and food into the common room, so we can have a dinner by ourselves. And when do you think we'll find out who the new prefect is going to be? I bet Dumbledore will make Harry prefect."
Harry looked horrified up from the intense study of his porridge. "But I don't want to!", he exclaimed.
"Don't be so selfish, Potter! If Dumbledore asks you you have to accept, I betted a whole ten galleons on you!"
"Boys", cooed Pansy sweetly, "at this rate you'll be late for Potions."
Hustle and bustle around her, a moment later the Hufflepuff was alone.
She frowned, "oh well, Herbology with Ravenclaw isn't so bad. *And boys,
remember, stick to "the plan"*!", she yelled after them.
"Cool that you still want to be my partner."
"It's a matter of course", shrugged Harry nonchalant. He had a smile on his face that you could almost call malicious when he piled his potions materials onto the desk.
It unsettled Ron greatly. His eyes flickered nervously through the room and he realized that all the Slytherins had that look on their face. It didn't did anything to calm his nerves. Finally the Gryffindor couldn't bear it anymore and asked, "what was that plan Parkinson bellowed about?" Although he wasn't sure he wanted to know.
"You'll find out."
Draco took his seat in the last but one row a bit hesitantly.
With Pansy in Hufflepuff, Vincent and Gregory sitting together and Blaise having promised that he'd work with Neville, he didn't knew who'd become his partner. Well, with all this Potions disasters the Sorting Hat had put into Slytherin he could be grateful if it wasn't a Squib…
"Hi! Now tell me, Draco, what was that between Harry and you? Had fun, hadn't you?"
Of all the possible people… "Finnegan, there was absolutely nothing between Potter and me. And if you could kindly shut up now before you start any rumours."
"Oh, don't worry about that, the rumours are already in circulation", Seamus told him merrily and beamed devastatingly at Draco.
He could feel any colour draining from his face. But no, that couldn't be true. If his father found out that people in school were gossiping about him and Harry Potter… "I'm *so* dead…!"
Seamus eyed his housemate and asked now a bit worried, "Draco, are you okay? You don't look very healthy, maybe you should go and see Madame Pomfrey."
"Who's responsible for the rumours?"
"Uh… um…" A nervous glance around the room. Maybe if he ran right now, when Draco was still shocked, he'd survive till lunch…
"*Finnegan*! What the bloody hell were you thinking? For god's sake, my parents are going to skin me alive if, *when* they find out!"
"But why? Harry is now a Slytherin and he's a decent boy and…" Seamus interrupted himself as realization hit him, "a boy, of course! You haven't come out of the closet yet!"
Just a tad too loud for the whole classroom not to overhear. The Slytherins and the ex Slytherins laughed knowingly, the rest looked just confused.
Draco wanted to hit his head against the table and use Seamus as his Unforgivable curses guinea pig, just the order he'd troubles to decide. Or better yet, a guillotine, he anyway never used his head, nobody would notice, thought the vindictive blonde.
Blaise interrupted his cuddling session with Neville to stand up and pretend to sniffle. "Draco, how could you do that to me? I'm your best friend in the world for five years and instead of telling me first that you like boys you tell that… that Gryffindor tart!"
In spite of wanting to roll laughing around the floor Seamus looked affronted, "tart yourself!"
Vincent and Gregory turned as one to Seamus and started their own mock argument. "Finnegan, don't call my friend a tart", threatened Vincent Crabbe.
Seamus stuck his tongue out. Draco smacked him over his head. "Ouch! Git!" *Ouch*!", he screamed like in pain and clutched his arm. "Poor me, I'll die!"
Ron looked still confused, but Harry knew very well what game his friends were playing. He stood up as well and puffed his chest melodramatically out, "oh Blaise, my beloved, don't mourn for him, I can't live this lie anymore and have to proclaim my undying love to you!"
Now the Gryffindors looked so confused, you could virtually see the comic thought bubbles with question marks above their heads.
From the door said an icy voice, "Potter, Malfoy, Finnegan, Crabbe, Goyle, Zabini, that would be enough! Ten points from Gryffindor and all of you will have detention with Mister Filch tonight."
"But Professor, we didn't did anything! They started it!", complained Vincent.
Draco glared daggers at the teacher and wished fervently that he could complain to his father about this meanness. But only his mother would share his amusement and unfortunately she'd refused to get him out of trouble at school, saying that she didn't had anyone to do that for her either when she's at Hogwarts.
"20 points, another unasked remark and I'll make it 30, Mister Crabbe."
Snape being nice enough to warn them meant nothing good, realized the students and their nervousness increased. Even the Slytherins peeked nervously at their Head of House.
"Today you'll brew again a Draught of Living Death potion with your partner. Only by memory. You may go now to the shelves and fetch your ingredients." The Potions Master went to his desk and leafed through the scrolls the fifth years had left on it, last week's homework.
"Herm was right", admitted Ron in a weak, fearful voice. Although Hermione had insisted that Harry and Ron learned their last potions by heart, it didn't helped him much with Living Death.
Harry nodded, the same feeling of dread gripping him. The class had
only started moments before, he'd already gained a detention, would fail
the surprise test miserably and Snape would for sure find a way to take
points away because of him and then his housemates would skin him alive.
"Oh lucky me, what did I do to deserve so much luck?!", he muttered angrily
under his breath.
At the other end of the dungeon classroom Neville was scared stiff. Finally he managed to choke out, "Blaise … I… when we revised that potion last time I melted my cauldron and coated Professor Snape in green slime…"
"No problem, I did it already when I was ten years old, that potion I could do while sleepwalking. Just fetch our cauldrons while I get the ingredients."
Neville smiled and nodded happily. Potions was still his horror subject,
but now with Blaise he'd at least a fair chance…
The potions were almost finished and Professor Snape descended once again onto the students.
"Draco, you made the best Draught of Living Death I've seen since years, twelve points to Slytherin. Although your partner is incapable. Bottle it and clean up, you can leave then."
"Thank you, Professor."
"Crabbe, what colour is the potion supposed to have?"
"Uh… blue?"
"Taupe. Yours and Goyle's is sky-blue. Ten points from Gryffindor, that's just pitiable."
"Longbottom."
Neville looked like a deer caught in the headlights at the teacher. "I… I… I'm sorry, sir…", he stammered.
Snape looked like he'd eaten a whole lemon and he didn't felt any better. He searched for a flaw in the potion, but there was none, no surprise as Blaise was one of his best students and he had seen that he did the whole potion by himself. But Malfoy-Finnegan and Zabini-Longbottom were the only pure Slytherin teams, and they really needed every single point, with Potter in their house… "Longbottom, two points from Slytherin for not taking any part in the making of the potion, Zabini, ten points to Slytherin."
Snape was oblivious to the funny, shocked expression on Neville's face because he'd already made his next victim out. Harry's and Ron's – loud pink – sludge had started to bubble dangerously. "Potter, Weasley", he addressed the boys in a dangerously silky voice.
"Yes, sir?", asked Harry with an innocent smile that showed nothing of his anxiety. After all he hadn't been put in Slytherin for nothing…
Seamus mouthed silently, "now", took a small bottle out of one of his pocket and poured a few drops of colourless liquid into their cauldron.
Blaise threw quickly a hex at Lavender to distract Snape, when he'd turned around him, Harry and Greg emptied their own bottles into their potions.
All potions started to boil and sputter dangerously, turning lime green. The Slytherin boys, Greg and Vince took cover, Harry pulled Ron with him under the table.
A moment later you heard four bangs, many screams and Snape bellowing death threats.
Harry grinned cheekily at his best friend. "*That* was "the plan"."
"We're going to loose all our house points", complained Ron at first. But when they left their hiding place and he got a good look his qualms were quickly forgotten.
The students and teacher were covered from head to toe in lime liquid. Snape used a cleaning spell to rid himself of the potion – which worked for his clothes - but hairs, lashes and eyebrows were still dyed lime green.
Lavender rubbed her hair frantically with the clean parts of her robes. But they stayed lime. She screamed angrily and when she heard the laughter coming from the Slytherin side, she raised her – also lime – wand. "Furnunculus! Densaugeo! Rictusempra! Tarantallegra! Relashio! Dif…"
Snape pulled the wand out of the girl's hand. "50 points from Gryffindor and a week of detention! You can go to the hospital wing now. *But*", he raised his voice, "all of you will come back and clean the potions classroom until it gleams!"
"But where will you teach Potions then, sir?", asked Draco, who'd gotten off light with a few sparks shot at him.
"There are many empty classrooms at Hogwarts, don't worry, Mister Malfoy. Slytherins, I'll tell Trelawney that you won't come for Divination today, you need some time to take a shower, go to the hospital wing and recover from the curse. Write till the next class in January a 10 feet essay about the usage and misuse of toxic potions. Now get out of here!"
Everyone hurried out of the dungeon room before Snape could change his
mind and deduct even more points.
Harry and his Slytherin dorm mates barely managed to get out of their head of house's earshot before they couldn't hold the laughter anymore back. "Oh god, that's so funny! Did you see how furious Lavender was? And Snape didn't even took any points from us!"
"We'll have to *clean* the dirt we made, Potter. How could that be good? I won't dirty my hands with that!", complained Draco.
Blaise nodded solemnly, "and if we continue like this we'll spend the whole holidays working detentions off. Although it's a lot of fun I think we should lay low for today and tomorrow, let's at least get these detentions over with before we earn the next ones."
Ron let his gaze wander from one gleeful Slytherin to the other, not knowing whether he should be awed, annoyed or just disbelieving. "But why did you do it?", he asked finally.
"Because of Divination of course, Weasel."
Now it's Harry's turn to be confused. "Why do you take Divination if you hate it so much?"
"Why do you?"
"Because it's the easiest of the additional subjects."
"Same here. When we found out how easy Divination is our whole house enrolled for it. And Trelawney's too nuts to notice when we play truant once or twice. If she complains we just say we divined that we'd be killed in one ridiculous way or another on our way to the Divinations classroom and so we didn't dared to come", Draco admitted smirking.
"Cool, I'll try that."
"Guys, I don't know how you feel, but I would like to go to the hospital wing now and get rid of that furuncle", complained Seamus.
"You're right, let's go. Ron, do you and Herm feel like coming over to the Slytherin table for luncheon? If the Gryffindor schedule didn't changed we'll have a break at the same time and we won't have much time anymore. I mean, I've later Transfiguration and DADA, then detentions with Snape and Filch, tomorrow three double classes and we can only see each other at Care for Magical Creatures, that doesn't leaves us much time to spend together before you go home."
"I don't know about Herm, but I would love to. Greg, Vince, we have
to get to Transfiguration, you know how McGonagall is!" Though he's in
a hurry Ron turned a last time around to the Slytherin group and remarked
smirking, "oh and by the way, Malfoy, you look smashing in green!"
Ron looked worriedly at his friend. "What's up, Harry, you're so quiet? Don't you want me to be here? Because I would understand if you'd changed your mind."
"No, not at all! I'm sorry, Ron, it's just…"
"Yes…?!
Harry blushed furiously and murmured embarrassed, "nothing, forget that I ever said anything."
"Oh? Oh! It's about Malfoy, isn't it? So that rumour about you and him kissing is true?"
"No!" Harry had to admit himself that screeching wasn't very convincing.
"You're weird all day, you won't tell me about it and the rumour about Malfoy is also circulating since today. What is the conclusion, huh…?"
Harry couldn't help an amused snort, "you're spending too much time with the Ravenclaws! Now you just have to carry a tarot card set always around with you and they'll make you a honorary member."
"Don't take the bait, Ron. Blaise and me will explain you everything, but not here, not now and not with so many people around."
"Seamus!" That he's desperate didn't justified what Harry was about to do to himself, but it's as good as any excuse as any. He just didn't knew what to do anymore and after all Slytherins were the cunning ones… "Draco, you are Slytherin prefect, tell them to quit it if you have any interest in the whole school not believing by tomorrow that we're an item!"
But Professor Snape had overheard the conversation since he's on his way to the Slytherin table, and ordered coldly, "Weasley, Finnegan, Zabini, leave Malfoy and Potter in peace if you don't want to earn the third detention in four hours. Potter, Professor Dumbledore wants you to come to his office before your next class, the password is jelly beans."
"Thank you, sir." Harry looked fearfully at his breaded chicken wing. As soon as Snape was back at the staff table he whispered, "do you think he knows already about our pranks?"
Blaise shook his head, "if he did he'd have cited all of us to him,
not just you. I still believe he wants to tell you that you become prefect."
"Hello Professor."
"Hello Harry. Please take a seat. Do you care for some tea"
"Please."
"I heard about your… eventful Potions lesson. Very interesting that so many cauldrons exploded at the same time. And some of you could make a lot of money as actors after school. But that's not why I asked you to come. Harry, you know that your grade in Slytherin has only one prefect, don't you?"
"Yes, I do, sir. Pansy is now in Hufflepuff and we have only Draco as prefect."
"There is no reason to beat about the bushes, so, would you like to become prefect, Harry?"
"Uh… that's a great honour and I'm flattered but…"
"Please, I know you can handle the duties. You are a good student, you are respected in Slytherin and you took already care of the first years."
He could do very well without the extra duties of a prefect. There were reasons why he'd declined the position while still in Gryffindor and with all the detentions he's earning now his appointments book wasn't getting any blanker… On the other hand Blaise would most likely kill him if he found out that he'd declined. His housemate had betted at least 20 galleons on him, he'd have to remember to talk him out of betting sometime, and Blaise got very nasty when he lost money…
In the end Harry found out that he's yet not enough of a Slytherin. "Oh fine, I'll do it, but I'm not sure that I'm capable of being a good prefect."
"You will. Here is your prefect badge."
"Thank you very much, Professor Dumbledore. I better get going, Transfiguration…"
"Oh, take your time, I told Minerva you would possibly miss her lesson.
Have you already settled into Slytherin, Harry? I saw on the list that
Miss Granger and Mister Weasley will return this year home."
Nervously knocked Harry on the closed door of the Transfiguration classroom.
Neville opened the door for him. "Harry, good that you're finally here, the new transfiguration is really hard, but we'll help you."
"Thanks. Professor McGonagall, I'd to go to Professor Dumbledore, I'm sorry I'm late."
"Mister Malfoy informed me. Take your seat, Mister Potter."
"Yes, Professor." While McGonagall droned on about the difficulties of transfiguring a table into a palm tree Harry took the only free seat, next to Draco. "You guys were right, Dumbledore really made me prefect. Look", he pointed to his gleaming prefect badge.
"Good. Blaise, you have to treat us to a butterbeer tonight."
"Huh?"
"Did I missed something?"
"He's prefect, you've won the bet!"
"Goody! Stupid Ravenclaw believed he could win against me with his shitty divination!"
"Mister Zabini, mind your language! Five points from Slytherin. Your homework assignment is to master this transfiguration. I'll see you in January."
Groans erupted from all over the classroom as the Slytherins hurried to stuff their books, quills, inks and scrolls into their bags, their minds already occupied by the close Christmas holidays. Only eight periods and then they're free for two weeks!
"What we need is love and all we get is homework…!", complained Seamus mock-sad.
On their way to the new classroom wondered Draco, "what do you think Lupin will teach us today?"
"Counter-curses."
"How do you want to know that, Potter?"
"Because he told me so when I visited him", Harry dead-paned.
"Herm, Ron, I miss you already."
"I'm really sorry that you have to stay behind all by yourself, Harry. I wish I wouldn't have to go home, but my parents would be devastated if I didn't and I really want to see granny, she loves to read just like me and always listens when I talk about Hogwarts and my classes, she's so happy when I owled her that I'm now in Ravenclaw…"
"Of course, Hermione, you don't have to justify yourselves. And it's not like I would be all by myself", a nervous glance around, "Sirius will visit me after all. I talked with Professor Lupin after the last lesson and he said if he can't stay in my dorm he'll let him stay in his chambers. But I don't think the Slyths make too much of a fuss, only the Quidditch team stays in the dungeons and when no one impressible is around they're all right."
"Hopefully Sirius sees that too."
A smart smile appeared on Harry's face, "oh, don't worry about *that*, as long as he's in dog form he can hardly complain, now can he…?"
"Wicked!"
"Yes, that's me, the wicked Harry Potter", laughed Harry. "Now have fun you two, I'll owl you your presents and keep you up-to-date."
Hermione gave Harry a bone-crushing hug. "See you in January, Harry, enjoy your time with Sirius and don't forget to study, OWLs are soon." Smiling she climbed into the carriage.
"Have fun and forget the study advise as soon as possible, nobody but Herm wants to study over the Christmas holidays."
"You too, Ron, greet Ginny, Fred, George, your parents and everyone else from me, okay?"
"Sure thing. Bye!"
With a wistful expression on his face Harry watched the departure of the carriages.
He didn't felt like going back inside yet, back into his luxuriously-impersonal dungeon dormitory. So Harry pulled the cloak a bit tighter around his body and just watched through the starting rain how the horseless carriages became smaller and smaller.
Only when his friends and the carriages had long disappeared from view,
his teeth had started chattering from cold, his fingers had long gone numb,
his robes were soaked from the rain and dusk settled over Hogwarts Harry
returned to the castle.
Draco and Blaise had also friends to accompany to their carriage, but in the contrary to Harry it's a happy event for them. Not that they wouldn't miss Pansy, Vincent and Gregory, but parting their ways for the Christmas holidays was nothing unusual for them and they'd still people they cared for remaining at Hogwarts, people they could celebrate Christmas together with.
Pansy tried to heave her muggle travelling bag into the carriage, but
barely managed to raise it from the ground. "Urgh! That holdall would be
too heavy even for a giant!" She tucked a loose strand of blonde curls
back behind her ear and gazed critically at the holdall. Maybe Hannah had
been right when she said she wouldn't be able to carry all that stuff by
herself… But then again, it wasn't her job. "Be gentlemen, boys, and give
a lady a hand here for a minute."
Only the four boys together managed to heave the big holdall into the carriage, which immediately protested with creaking.
"What did you put in there, Pansy? The whole Hufflepuff gold?"
"As if I would ever do that! Oh really, Draco, I'm now a Hufflepuff myself and you're being very nasty, But seriously, I only put into that bag what I need on our trip."
"And what is that exactly? For god's sake, Pansy, I bet not even Draco's mum has as many clothes as you put into that thing", Blaise said and rolled his eyes.
Pansy chose to graciously ignore the last comment. "Draco, are you gonna make a move with Potter, now that he hasn't has the dream team always hanging on to him?"
Five gazes turned to Draco and he couldn't help feeling like a pack of hyenas had picked him as prey. "Thank you very much for bringing that up again, Pans."
"You're cute when you pout, Draco, but that snapping kinda ruins the effect. So you really plan to get into Potter's pants… Well, if it has to be him… it would've been worse if you'd a crush on McGonagall or", shudder, "Weasley!"
"I thought Hufflepuffs weren't allowed to make snide remarks, Pansy."
"Well, Vince, maybe being in Gryffindor you just missed when we changed our statute. Anyway, back to Potter! It's nice of you guys to try and save Draco from my clutches, but haven't you heard yet that muggle saying, "the female of the species is more deadly than the male"…?"
"That's the only reason why we try to save him. We all want to tease Draco, but even for a Slytherin it would be just inhumane cruel to let you get him."
Finally Draco felt it's necessary to join the verbal battle again. If he didn't, god knew what other tortures Pansy would think of. "Thanks, I feel so loved. Anyway, you better get onto the carriage now, it'll leave any moment now."
Pansy's eyes widened in shock and she scrambled onto the carriage, quickly
followed by Vincent and Gregory. "Bye Blaise. And Draco, don't get your
hopes up, the final battle is only postponed, not cancelled!"
The dark-haired boy was tired and freezing by the time he'd reached the trap door. "Phoebus." The entrance didn't opened. Okay, he just had to think and he'd remember the right one. He'd been told that they would change the password, now that they're all by themselves. And he'd also been told the new one. "Phoenix? P… path? Panther? Penny, pacifier … damn!" The boy only remembered that it'd been a word starting with p and was somehow related to Phoebus, because Blaise wanted Neville to be able to remember it as well. Okay, Phoebus was a Greek god. So Phoenix hadn't even been a bad guess… Couldn't harm to count some ancient creatures up. "Medusa, sphinx, pegasus?"
The familiar grinding sound of the trap door was audible.
He heaved a sigh in relief and climbed into the common room. Red-golden flames were dancing in the fireplace, Draco was reading a book in front of it in "his" armchair, a mild butterbeer standing next to him on a coffee-table, a few snakes appeared to be playing hide and seek, the smell of Christmas cookies the house elves baked for them made the dungeon room almost homey.
Harry closed his eyes and allowed himself for a moment just to enjoy the warmth inside here, the familiar green-silver environment. In some strange way it's nice to be back here, and in a way that worried him even more than it made sense that he's starting to feel in this place at home.
Draco looked up from his novel and directly at a soaking wet Harry Potter. Uh oh, that's so not good. He'd successfully avoided being alone with Harry since Saturday and he wanted to keep it that way. Well, maybe he'd still chase him away before it's too late… One eyebrow was raised inquiring, "Potter, would you kindly go and change into other clothes before you flood the whole dungeons?"
Harry was hurt by the other boy's coldness. He didn't expected him to throw himself at him, but Draco could at least stop pretending that nothing ever happened between them. "Actually, that's exactly what I was planning, but nonetheless, Malfoy, thank you very much for your kind words and concern!"
"You'll catch your death. What were you thinking anyway, staying out all day in the cold and rain?!", demanded Draco. Then he added quickly, "not that I care, of course."
"Of course." The corners of Harry's mouth twitched. A silly grin wanted to plaster itself onto his face, but Harry wouldn't allow it. It would do him no good if Draco found out that his concern cheered him up. No good at all. So he went hurriedly to his dorm.
And left a very confused Draco behind. "What the hell has just happened?!",
he asked himself quietly, not really expecting an answer but still feeling
the need to voice his question aloud.
At dinner – a defrosted – Harry looked all the time expectantly around the Great Hall.
"What is it, Harry? Your friends are all home, aren't they?", asked Blaise.
This was as good a time as any… "Yes, well, I don't know how to ask this best… do you like animals?" Five nods. "Dogs?"
Seamus bounced in his chair. "Oh Harry, you get a dog for Christmas?"
"No, but Snuffles will visit again. Snuffles is a dog I take care of sometimes in my holidays and he'll visit. Do you mind terribly much if he stays with us? You see, he's homeless and the people who took care of him will move away and when Professor Lupin - who looks after him when he's not at Hogwarts – told them that he could come he didn't knew that you're all going to stay."
"Neville and me don't mind. Do we, Nev?"
"When I can share a dorm with snakes, a frog and once Ron's rat, then a dog won't kill me."
Only Draco was seeing a big problem in sharing the dormitory with a dog. He liked them, but their dorm was small and Blaise's clothes took already enough space up… "Are we talking about a straying dog? With fleas, worms and louses?"
"I'll clean him up. Please, Malfoy?" Harry tried the wide, begging eyes he'd seen Draco use so often and successfully on Snape.
And like expected the blonde's resolution thawed like ice in the sunshine. He really didn't knew why he's suddenly so generous around Harry Potter – and he didn't wanted to know. "Fine, but if that dog ruins our carpets I'll make you pay."
"Don't worry, Snuffles is an angel."
Something, or rather someone, nudged Harry's leg. "Gah!" He recoiled instinctively, that toppled the chair over and the next thing Harry became aware of was that he's laying on the floor of the Great Hall next to a knocked over chair. "Damn you, Malfoy, I told you not to scare me like that!"
A whine came from under the Slytherin table and Sirius looked apologetically at his godson.
"Si… *Snuffles*! Gods, Snuffles, you gave me quite a scare." His anger already forgotten, Harry hugged the black dog. "Guys, I'll walk Snuffles, see you later."
"Quite an angel…!" Draco turned his nose in disgust up. "And don't forget to give that thing a bath, it doesn't gets into my dorm before it's clean, god knows what diseases I'll catch!" Truth was, he's a bit jealous. Though Harry had no parents he still got to spend Christmas with visitors while his parents would make a vacation in Switzerland…
Sirius growled and bared his teeth at Draco.
The sneer turned quickly into a nervous smile. "Puppy?" Another growl. "Uh… Snuffles, I think you should really go with Potter now, maybe he'll even transfigure you dog biscuits."
Blaise looked fearfully at the dog and took his wand out of his robe pocket as silently as possible. He wasn't totally sure how good dogs could hear, but he didn't wanted that monster to believe he's trying to hurt it. He fondled the ebony wand nervously, not knowing how to react to the dog, his parents never allowed him to get near one before.
The animagus gave Harry a look that said clearly "you poor thing really have to live with them?". Then he resumed scaring Draco with fletching his teeth and growling.
"Let's go!", decided Harry in a voice that tolerated no contradiction.
They walked in silence to an abandoned classroom, Harry magically locked the door and cast a silencing spell on the room.
"You can transform back now, we should be safe."
"Harry, why didn't you told me that you made friends in Slytherin?", Sirius asked bluntly.
The boy squirmed under the scrutinizing look uncomfortable. "Didn't Professor Lupin told you? About the resorting, I mean."
"Resorting?"
Now the green-eyed teen regretted that he didn't wore his school robes. The Slytherin scarf would've made the explanation so much easier. At least then his godfather would've figured out by himself that he's a Slytherin and he wouldn't see the look of disgust in his face… "Yes, there was a resorting last week Monday. And I… I kinda… got into Slytherin. The Sorting Hat already wanted to put me there the first time but back then I managed to persuade it into putting me into Gryffindor, now it didn't. I didn't wanted to, but it wasn't my choice and I wished I wouldn't disappoint you so much but…"
"Harry."
"…I couldn't help it. I really didn't wanted to and I was very unhappy and…"
"*Harry*! Listen to me before you suffocate, will you? As long as you're happy I don't care."
The Slytherin looked at his godfather as if he'd grown a second head, "why aren't you angry?"
"Moony has told me already about the resorting. But I wanted to hear the story from yourself. Frankly, I was quite angry at first, but he made me realize that you're still my godson, that you didn't changed at all. You merely wear a different scarf now." Sirius didn't looked very convinced himself. But what could he do? Harry was suffering enough already with housemates like Draco Malfoy… "Only one thing, how does Snape treats you?"
"Oh, pretty well, actually. He just ignores my existence except to give me detentions and for me that's just fine."
"Why don't you tell me now how you are? There has to have happened a lot in the last months when you got into Slytherin. And how are they treating you?"
"That depends. Many Gryffindors were sorted into Slytherin, alone Neville and Seamus from my year, Herm is in Ravenclaw, so I'm not all by myself. Her and Ron went home, I could've gone along to the Weasleys but we've to train for our match against Ravenclaw."
"The one you wrote me about, right?"
"Yes. Will you watch?"
"If I have managed not to kill the Malfoy brat first…"
Harry laughed and gave his godfather another hug, "I missed you a lot, Sirius."
"I missed you too. And I was very worried for you. These Slytherins are for sure all Death Eaters and you have to sleep every night in the same room as them…"
The green-eyed teenager yearned to confess to him that he's really sometimes
afraid of this, if he'd told Ron he'd only have tried to beat Draco up
and Hermione was always busy with her new Ravenclaw friends. But Sirius
would worry then even more. So Harry forced himself to shrug nonchalant
and smirk evilly at the older man, "hey, I'm a Slytherin just like them,
I think I'm really capable of handling Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini when
even Voldemort is scared of me…!"
Blaise let his gaze wander lazily through the common room.
This was only the first day of their Christmas holidays and he's already bored to tears! Of course he could've started on his homework, all teachers had made sure that they wouldn't have any time to get used to laziness, or the extra assignments his parents had given him, but that would've been just too drastic a measure.
Not even the brand-new edition of the "Encyclopaedia of Dark Herbs" or any other of his magical books could keep his interest any longer than half a hour. So he busied himself with snooping around, together with annoying Draco his favourite pastime occupation.
"Oh lucky day, looks like I get two in one tonight!" A cheshire-cat grin on his face he hurried over to Draco before his best friend could escape his clutches. "Hullo Drakey", he greeted cheerfully and plopped down next to his blonde housemate on a black leather couch.
Draco didn't even deigned to look up from his intensive study of the fire and ordered tonelessly, "buzz off."
"Oh, are we maybe a bit touchy today? Oh tell me, Draco, I'm your best friend and there's no one else here you can pour your heart out to, so tell me already, I'm dying from curiosity!" Blaise was practically bouncing with excitement.
"Blaise, just leave before I make you my guinea pig for Cruciatus."
"So something is really up!"
"I didn't…"
"You wouldn't get such aggressive if there was no reason. You're rough to other people, but never to your friends. Unless you have a really big secret you're afraid we could find out if you don't scare us away. But unfortunately, my dear Draco, I'm like a bloodhound when I've caught the trail of a secret or rumour. I want to know everything, I won't leave you alone before I get what I want and you know it."
"I know you for five years, how could I not have noticed it…?!", snapped Draco. But inside he'd already resigned. Blaise was right, he truly gave never up, unlike Pansy who you could scare away with a few effectively used hexes. The dark-haired boy next to him was above such childish games, if you hexed him he retaliated with a much worse spell, which could quite be one of the unforgivable curses… No, he really didn't wanted Blaise to use *again* Imperius on him and make him do something awfully embarrassing under it's influence. Between clenched teeth he ground out, "look, everything's peachy, I only want to be left in peace for some time and now *leave*."
Blaise fixed a serious, solemn look on the blonde. "This may be hard for you to accept, but I only want to help, Draco."
"You can't help. There is nothing that can help me."
"It's again about Potter, isn't it?" Silence. No answer was an answer too… "For god's sake, Draco, make your mind up and then stick to it! You can't continue like this, you'll ruin yourself. Either you go to him and tell him how you feel or you do everything to get over him, but make a decision."
But Draco didn't wavered. "There is no decision I have to make because I have *no* crush on Potter."
"I never claimed that it's a crush, stop assuming stuff. It can be just as well that you're falling for him or he's the love of your life", the Slytherin stated matter-of-factly.
A warning, barely controlled growl. "*Blaise*!"
Said boy saw Neville entering the common room and stood smoothly up. "Well, if you don't want my help, then I guess it's your business. See you later, Draco. Nev, wait for me!"
Draco breathed a sigh of relief as soon as Blaise's attention was diverted from him. Dangerous his friend's attention was. As much as he appreciated the other boy's concern, he just didn't knew the limits. Or rather, he saw them and didn't cared. It's something Draco couldn't understand. Blaise was going to become a Death Eater very soon and still he didn't cared that he brought himself into danger, he even befriended Harry Potter – and told his future lord's archenemy about his career wish.
Now Blaise was distracted, but that didn't helped him very much with the problem at hand. Because his best friend had been more right than he thought…
It's wrong, so terribly wrong. The only feelings he's supposed to have for Harry Potter were hate, contempt and anger. But unfortunately these weren't the only ones he felt. There was something admirable about him, he'd never met someone as strong as him, he'd soon be as good a Slytherin as the rest of them, but he wouldn't loose the goodness and light. With ease he managed to combine the pros of both worlds. But most of all he's just a person Draco enjoyed to have as company. He'd have with Harry as much fun as with his long-time friends. Worst was, though, that these feeling he could still handle and justify, he wouldn't loose his head for them.
An affair like Blaise encouraged in the contrary would be the quickest way to commit suicide.
Kissing him had only been a dare, a joke, and he had thought he'd have forgotten about it the next day. He hadn't expected it to feel right. Draco hadn't suddenly realized that he's in love with Harry, he hadn't realized that he didn't wanted to be a Death Eater anymore. Yet it'd felt right, like they're supposed to kiss.
And that'd made a world of a difference. It triggered a chain reaction
that started with him admitting at least to himself that maybe Harry wasn't
evil incarnate and it ended… Draco was sure that he didn't really wanted
to know where it ended.
to be continued…
Did I made Sirius too understanding? Dunno.
Author's ramblings: I know I promised to write faster now and I'd planned
at least a chapter each week, but I'm suffering from a bad luck streak.
My computer crashed all the time, I'd been online too much so I had to
economize for the rest of May, hay fever sucks and to top it off I got
two weeks ago a really bad allergy. Now Conrad found a new way to annoy
me – Word is so slow that loading a big file can take ten minutes, I've
run scan disk, defrag, several anti virus software and erased so much already,
but it just doesn't helps. And that exactly when loads of work and the
World Cup keep me from writing! *glaresdaggersathercomp*
On the bright side, my first Gundam Wing novel arrived last week and
I realized that Treize looks much like my OC Antoine, just that he's platinum
blonde short hair.
Well, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and it doesn't reflects my bad
mood too much.
In case you wonder about dates often, under www.altenberg.de you find
a very good program. It's in German, but really a great calendar, from
0100 to 9999.
I'm desperately searching a beta reader for Silver Snake. If you would like to be my beta I'd be eternally grateful. Just write me to Artemis10002000@yahoo.de I check that address more often (though that's during the world championship every fortnight-month).
I realize that if I continue with this speed I won't get all the story
into fifteen chapters. So I have three solutions in mind and since the
story is for you I'd like to read your opinion.
1st I make Silver Snake longer.
2nd I'll only focus on Harry and Draco, the story ends with them getting
together for good (or not *eg*) and I leave the whole thing with reactions
Lucius, battle with Voldemort and so on to your imagination.
3rd They will have to struggle with these things, but in a sequel.
(Which would take some time, though, with my story mess – I'm insomniac
and every night I can't sleep I think of a new world or story).
Next is the Christmas chapter. My calendar says too it's June, but it's
so cold, rainy and dull outside I have already mused why in no store they
have Halloween decorations *g*