Draco awoke the next morning with a rather satisfied grin on his face. He
had no idea what to expect the night before when he had entered his Potion
Master's domain. But now, now he too would be the Master of something.
The night before after seeing several of the wonders Snape had to share,
Draco had committed himself to serve and learn under Severus. His hands
rested behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling, the images from the
night before swirling about in his head. And maybe, just maybe he would
have a chance with Alora as well, if he studied hard enough. He let out a
soft snicker, knowing that Crabbe and Goyle wouldn't wake up for another
hour or so anyway. In his mind he began to make plans, of what exactly he
would need, and how much time before he was ready. He sneered as Alora's
face became clear in his mind. Oh yes, he would have her. Soon.
Harry too was rousting from his slumber, the light filtering through the large infirmary windows. He could here voices coming from across the room. His hand now only carried a dull throb, so he reached over and placed his glasses on his face, and stood. He pulled back the curtains that separated his bed from the others and grinned at what he saw. The Weasley brothers, George and Fred were talking with another student who was laying in the bed. The Weasley twins, who were well known for their pranks looked a bit grim, even though they were sharing a few laughs with the boy in the bed.
Curious, Harry walked over to them, and Fred saw him first.
"You here to Harry mate?" he asked, and George too turned to look at their friend and Quidditch team mate, to which Harry nodded.
"Ron told us about your run in with a Ticklish Thornplant," George said. He looked over at his mirror image. "We really need to look into those more Fred. I think some of those bloody thorns could be worth it." Fred nodded as he seemed to ponder that for a moment. Harry looked to the young man in the bed, wondering just who he was. He was Asian, and about 16 or so by the look of him. His hair was dyed an off red color, and his eyes, although looking rather drained, held the same mischievous quality that the twins had.
"Oy, Harry this is Phil Steet," George said at last, realizing his and Fred's bad manners. "He's a Ravenclaw but a still a friend of ours."
Phil grinned goofily, "Are you really Harry Pothead?"
Harry raised a brow but grinned when Fred leaned closer to him to whisper, "Don't take him seriously when it comes to your name mate. He forgets and mixes up damn near everyone's."
"Yes I am Harry Potter," he replied to Phil. "So what happened to him anyway?" Fred looked at George, who looked at Phil. George would be the first to speak, flushing just slightly.
"Well Fred, Phil and I had a bit of a bet going," George said.
"What kind of bet?" Harry asked.
"Well," he paused for a moment as if to chose his words carefully. "We're working on a grand prank Harry. And Phil here is helping us. We're trying to get some photos of some of the Ravenclaw girls."
"Because you know how bleemin' hot they are mate," Fred joined in.
"Which Ravenclaw girls?" Harry asked, just a bit suspiciously.
He only had to watch the redness move up the twin's faces to know that at least one Ravenclaw girl was Cho Chang, his long time crush. Harry shook his head, and looked rather mad, so Fred went on with the story in a strained voice.
"Well um anyway, Phil here was getting some bloody good shots of them when the Ravenclaw Keeper, Kayla Paris, caught him and put a hex on him."
Harry once again shook his head, and walked away from them. They were trying to get, what would probably be inappropriate, pictures of Cho and the other Ravenclaw girls. It made him sick to his stomach. He laid back down on his hospital bed, his back turned toward the Weasley's and Phil.
Fred and George watched as Harry walked away, then shared a knowing look at each other. It was mean, but they had just lied to their friend. They hadn't really been taking pictures of the Ravenclaw girls, although some of them were quite good looking. The twins and Phil had been concocting a new line of joke candy for their store when the cauldron had blown up. Phil had been caught by most of the blast, with the twins only getting minor burns on their arms. Phil was still grinning goofily. The twins turned to their Ravenclaw partner.
"Well Phil, I guess we should try adding the wart root after we add the Tickling Powder," Fred said, to which both his brother and Phil agreed.
"We better get on to class before McGonagall starts suspecting anything," George said as he reached over the bed and smacked his brother in the arm. Fred nodded as they both said goodbye and walked out of the infirmary. Phil sat there for a few moments, before stretching back out. The Weasley brothers were pretty much his only friends here this year. He loved helping in pulling pranks on people, and using all of those secret passages the twins knew. It was almost as if the Weasley's had been training him, when they first found him as a little first year, lost as he wandered the hallways of the vast school. They then had introduced him to the many secret passageways and corridors that they knew. It was rather surprising, Phil could remember every passageway, and every prank he and the boys had ever pulled, but he could never remember anything else it seemed. Sometimes, it was so bad, Phil wondered if maybe he was even meant to do magic. He never really messed up in his classes, but he never really retained any of the information either. He sighed softly and closed his eyes, his worries already forgotten as he began to dream of a row of dancing muffins.
It was now lunchtime as the students filed into the Great Hall, sitting at their assigned house tables to hungrily eat the wonderful food prepared for them. Harry had been released to return to his classes. He was only lucky he didn't have Herbology today. He sat in his usual spot on the bench, across from Hermione and Ron. Harry wasn't listening as Ron was going on and on about a new broom he had seen one of the Chudley Cannons riding. Harry was just staring at his friend. There was something different about him, but he couldn't put a finger on it. To the unsuspecting, Ron was the same red haired Quidditch freak that he always was, but Harry sensed a shift and change in his friend. He seemed to be standing taller, almost as if he had gained some kind of hidden confidence. Harry thought he looked all the better for it.
He shook his head, thinking that maybe he was just imagining it when Ron turned and looked at him and winked. He had apparently just made a joke about Hermione, who was looking rather peeved, but he had missed it. He was a bit shaken as the wink had caught him off guard. He felt a strange tightening in his pants for a moment, and looked down. He froze, noticing the beginnings of a largish lump in his pants, knowing full well what was causing it. How could a joking wink from Ron cause such a reaction in him? He jumped up and pulled his robes tight around him as he hurried off and out of the Great Hall. He had to figure out what was going on, and quick.
Ron and Hermione just stared in disbelief as Harry bolted, neither sure of what just happened. They shared a look and shrugged, causing Hermione to giggle slightly. Beneath the table she reached over and grasped Ron's hand. He smiled and intertwined their fingers, as no one could see their hands. They had yet to tell Harry that they had kissed, and decided to date. They were both worried about what his reaction would be, not sure if he too liked Hermione or not. Ron hoped that he didn't, because he would hate to lose his best friend over this. And lately he had been puzzled by his behavior. He had caught Harry looking at Hermione, in an almost dreamy state, which needless to say caused an involuntary stab of jealously in him. And then when he jumped up and fled just now, made Ron wonder just what Harry thought of Hermione.
He looked over at his new girlfriend, and flushed slightly. He had known her since their first year at Hogwarts, and as time went on, he had grown fond of her. She had grown more beautiful each year, as she did smarter. Her caring personality and wit made Ron want to be a better person. He very much lately had wanted to become her match in everyway. He had even attempted to study a bit more for her. It wasn't going very well, but at least he was trying, Hermione had pointed out to him the other night.
He sighed as he crammed the last bit of hot turkey into his mouth, hoping everything would work out for the best. With Hermione on his arm and his best friend Harry on his side, what could go wrong?
Harry too was rousting from his slumber, the light filtering through the large infirmary windows. He could here voices coming from across the room. His hand now only carried a dull throb, so he reached over and placed his glasses on his face, and stood. He pulled back the curtains that separated his bed from the others and grinned at what he saw. The Weasley brothers, George and Fred were talking with another student who was laying in the bed. The Weasley twins, who were well known for their pranks looked a bit grim, even though they were sharing a few laughs with the boy in the bed.
Curious, Harry walked over to them, and Fred saw him first.
"You here to Harry mate?" he asked, and George too turned to look at their friend and Quidditch team mate, to which Harry nodded.
"Ron told us about your run in with a Ticklish Thornplant," George said. He looked over at his mirror image. "We really need to look into those more Fred. I think some of those bloody thorns could be worth it." Fred nodded as he seemed to ponder that for a moment. Harry looked to the young man in the bed, wondering just who he was. He was Asian, and about 16 or so by the look of him. His hair was dyed an off red color, and his eyes, although looking rather drained, held the same mischievous quality that the twins had.
"Oy, Harry this is Phil Steet," George said at last, realizing his and Fred's bad manners. "He's a Ravenclaw but a still a friend of ours."
Phil grinned goofily, "Are you really Harry Pothead?"
Harry raised a brow but grinned when Fred leaned closer to him to whisper, "Don't take him seriously when it comes to your name mate. He forgets and mixes up damn near everyone's."
"Yes I am Harry Potter," he replied to Phil. "So what happened to him anyway?" Fred looked at George, who looked at Phil. George would be the first to speak, flushing just slightly.
"Well Fred, Phil and I had a bit of a bet going," George said.
"What kind of bet?" Harry asked.
"Well," he paused for a moment as if to chose his words carefully. "We're working on a grand prank Harry. And Phil here is helping us. We're trying to get some photos of some of the Ravenclaw girls."
"Because you know how bleemin' hot they are mate," Fred joined in.
"Which Ravenclaw girls?" Harry asked, just a bit suspiciously.
He only had to watch the redness move up the twin's faces to know that at least one Ravenclaw girl was Cho Chang, his long time crush. Harry shook his head, and looked rather mad, so Fred went on with the story in a strained voice.
"Well um anyway, Phil here was getting some bloody good shots of them when the Ravenclaw Keeper, Kayla Paris, caught him and put a hex on him."
Harry once again shook his head, and walked away from them. They were trying to get, what would probably be inappropriate, pictures of Cho and the other Ravenclaw girls. It made him sick to his stomach. He laid back down on his hospital bed, his back turned toward the Weasley's and Phil.
Fred and George watched as Harry walked away, then shared a knowing look at each other. It was mean, but they had just lied to their friend. They hadn't really been taking pictures of the Ravenclaw girls, although some of them were quite good looking. The twins and Phil had been concocting a new line of joke candy for their store when the cauldron had blown up. Phil had been caught by most of the blast, with the twins only getting minor burns on their arms. Phil was still grinning goofily. The twins turned to their Ravenclaw partner.
"Well Phil, I guess we should try adding the wart root after we add the Tickling Powder," Fred said, to which both his brother and Phil agreed.
"We better get on to class before McGonagall starts suspecting anything," George said as he reached over the bed and smacked his brother in the arm. Fred nodded as they both said goodbye and walked out of the infirmary. Phil sat there for a few moments, before stretching back out. The Weasley brothers were pretty much his only friends here this year. He loved helping in pulling pranks on people, and using all of those secret passages the twins knew. It was almost as if the Weasley's had been training him, when they first found him as a little first year, lost as he wandered the hallways of the vast school. They then had introduced him to the many secret passageways and corridors that they knew. It was rather surprising, Phil could remember every passageway, and every prank he and the boys had ever pulled, but he could never remember anything else it seemed. Sometimes, it was so bad, Phil wondered if maybe he was even meant to do magic. He never really messed up in his classes, but he never really retained any of the information either. He sighed softly and closed his eyes, his worries already forgotten as he began to dream of a row of dancing muffins.
It was now lunchtime as the students filed into the Great Hall, sitting at their assigned house tables to hungrily eat the wonderful food prepared for them. Harry had been released to return to his classes. He was only lucky he didn't have Herbology today. He sat in his usual spot on the bench, across from Hermione and Ron. Harry wasn't listening as Ron was going on and on about a new broom he had seen one of the Chudley Cannons riding. Harry was just staring at his friend. There was something different about him, but he couldn't put a finger on it. To the unsuspecting, Ron was the same red haired Quidditch freak that he always was, but Harry sensed a shift and change in his friend. He seemed to be standing taller, almost as if he had gained some kind of hidden confidence. Harry thought he looked all the better for it.
He shook his head, thinking that maybe he was just imagining it when Ron turned and looked at him and winked. He had apparently just made a joke about Hermione, who was looking rather peeved, but he had missed it. He was a bit shaken as the wink had caught him off guard. He felt a strange tightening in his pants for a moment, and looked down. He froze, noticing the beginnings of a largish lump in his pants, knowing full well what was causing it. How could a joking wink from Ron cause such a reaction in him? He jumped up and pulled his robes tight around him as he hurried off and out of the Great Hall. He had to figure out what was going on, and quick.
Ron and Hermione just stared in disbelief as Harry bolted, neither sure of what just happened. They shared a look and shrugged, causing Hermione to giggle slightly. Beneath the table she reached over and grasped Ron's hand. He smiled and intertwined their fingers, as no one could see their hands. They had yet to tell Harry that they had kissed, and decided to date. They were both worried about what his reaction would be, not sure if he too liked Hermione or not. Ron hoped that he didn't, because he would hate to lose his best friend over this. And lately he had been puzzled by his behavior. He had caught Harry looking at Hermione, in an almost dreamy state, which needless to say caused an involuntary stab of jealously in him. And then when he jumped up and fled just now, made Ron wonder just what Harry thought of Hermione.
He looked over at his new girlfriend, and flushed slightly. He had known her since their first year at Hogwarts, and as time went on, he had grown fond of her. She had grown more beautiful each year, as she did smarter. Her caring personality and wit made Ron want to be a better person. He very much lately had wanted to become her match in everyway. He had even attempted to study a bit more for her. It wasn't going very well, but at least he was trying, Hermione had pointed out to him the other night.
He sighed as he crammed the last bit of hot turkey into his mouth, hoping everything would work out for the best. With Hermione on his arm and his best friend Harry on his side, what could go wrong?
