Things went pretty smoothly after that incident and the days seemed to fly by for the trio. Lupin, though not teaching, was staying in the castle to assist with the Dueling competitions. He was primarily in charge of supervising practice matches that were held prior to the actual compeitions. After the weeks had crept up to Halloween, several students had been eliminated from the game all together.
It was the Eve of Halloween, and there was still time for the banquet to commence. Tonight was the night that the Gummers would be put into action. Ron and Harry had been plotting, and they intended to get access to the food through Dobby. He was the small house elf whom Harry had helped to liberate from Lucious Malfoy.
"If Hermione finds out, she'll kill us." Ron gulped.
"Yeh.. but it'll be worth it." Harry said with a devilish grin.
They approached the entrance to the kitchen, where Dobby was eagerly awaiting their arrival. "Master Potter!" Dobby squealed and padded up to the two boys. "D-Dobby has been very busy. Very, very busy." He continued to chatter, "What is it that, Master Potter, needs from Dobby?"
Harry kneeled down to his small friend and held out a small package. "Happy Halloween."
Dobby looked at the wrapped box and his eyes welled up. "Dobby is so grateful, but he cannot accept, Master Potter's, generous gift."
Harry placed it into Dobby's hands, "It's okay. Open it."
Dobby quirked a grin and clutched the package to himself, admiring the boy's wrapping. Then he began to tear at the paper, getting the package unwrapped rather quickly. He withdrew the new pair of Halloween themed socks, they were orange and black. Dobby squealed in delight and rubbed them against his cheek. He looked up to Harry, "But... Dobby has nothing to give, Master Potter, in return."
Harry grinned, "That's really alright.. but, we were wondering if you could do us a big favor.."
"Anything, Master Potter!" Dobby exclaimed, pulling on his new socks, right over top of the ones he was still wearing.
"Well.. We have this special.. uh.." Harry started.
"Gift!" Ron chimed in, "For Malfoy, the stupid git."
He was cut off by Harry, "We have some special candy for Draco Malfoy, can you make sure it gets to him specifically tonight?"
Dobby thought a moment and then nodded furiously. "It is no problem, Master Potter, none at all."
Harry grinned and pulled the other wrapped package from his pocket. "Maybe just leave it on his plate?"
Dobby nodded and took the smaller box. "Yes, yes, that will do."
"But don't get caught placing it there please Dobby," he paused, "It's a suprise."
Dobby nodded again. "Oh, yes! Dobby understands."
"Good, well we'll be seeing you." Ron said.
"Happy Halloween." Harry said cheerfully.
"Happy Halloween to Master Potter and to his companion as well!" Dobby replied.
Harry and Ron continued on down the corridors. When they finally were out of earshot, they started their laughter. It was too much to hold back. It was going to be priceless. Malfoy would greedily take the false candies and have his mouth jammed shut for quite a bit.
They went out to the quidditch pitch and were suprised to see that the field was taken over by several Syltherin students getting in extra practice for the duels. Harry noticed Malfoy right away because he was knocked backward by a green colored blast emitted from another's wand.
"Pay attention Draco!" A harsh voice snapped. It belonged to Professor Snape, who was the one who emitted the blast at Draco. He was 'helping' his students prepare for the matches.
Draco got up, brushing himself off before he stood at the ready again. When the second blast came at him, he deflected it, causing the blast to hit the ground by Harry and Ron's feet. The grass where the blast hit was burnt and shriveled. Draco got a smug look to his face, pleased that he had deflected the blast. But his face turned angry when he saw Harry and Ron watching. "Potter.." He growled.
Professor Snape glanced over, "Mr. Potter, perhaps you should be getting ready for the banquet this evening.."
Harry frowned as the Syltherin house members grouped up behind their head of house. On the outskirts of them was Meredith Banes, though, she hadn't stood to join them. She remained sitting on the sidelines, her face was pale and she looked rather ill.
Professor Snape glowered at Harry, but spoke to his students "Practice is over for today.. I expect all of you to practice what you've learned on your own time.."
As the students departed, Draco made a point of shouldering Harry as he passed, knocking Harry into Ron. Harry righted himself and took a swing at Malfoy's face with a balled fist.
Ron grabbed Harry's arm mid-punch and hissed, "Not in front of Snape!"
Harry glowered and stopped his fist. Wanted desperatly to smash in the smug look on Draco's face.
Draco smirked, "Good show Weasley." He continued off with his two goons, Crabbe and Goyle, following closely. behind.
Ron narrowed his eyes, tempted to take a swing at the blonde boy himself, but he did not. He just patted Harry's shoulder. "He aint worth it.." Ron muttered.
It was the Eve of Halloween, and there was still time for the banquet to commence. Tonight was the night that the Gummers would be put into action. Ron and Harry had been plotting, and they intended to get access to the food through Dobby. He was the small house elf whom Harry had helped to liberate from Lucious Malfoy.
"If Hermione finds out, she'll kill us." Ron gulped.
"Yeh.. but it'll be worth it." Harry said with a devilish grin.
They approached the entrance to the kitchen, where Dobby was eagerly awaiting their arrival. "Master Potter!" Dobby squealed and padded up to the two boys. "D-Dobby has been very busy. Very, very busy." He continued to chatter, "What is it that, Master Potter, needs from Dobby?"
Harry kneeled down to his small friend and held out a small package. "Happy Halloween."
Dobby looked at the wrapped box and his eyes welled up. "Dobby is so grateful, but he cannot accept, Master Potter's, generous gift."
Harry placed it into Dobby's hands, "It's okay. Open it."
Dobby quirked a grin and clutched the package to himself, admiring the boy's wrapping. Then he began to tear at the paper, getting the package unwrapped rather quickly. He withdrew the new pair of Halloween themed socks, they were orange and black. Dobby squealed in delight and rubbed them against his cheek. He looked up to Harry, "But... Dobby has nothing to give, Master Potter, in return."
Harry grinned, "That's really alright.. but, we were wondering if you could do us a big favor.."
"Anything, Master Potter!" Dobby exclaimed, pulling on his new socks, right over top of the ones he was still wearing.
"Well.. We have this special.. uh.." Harry started.
"Gift!" Ron chimed in, "For Malfoy, the stupid git."
He was cut off by Harry, "We have some special candy for Draco Malfoy, can you make sure it gets to him specifically tonight?"
Dobby thought a moment and then nodded furiously. "It is no problem, Master Potter, none at all."
Harry grinned and pulled the other wrapped package from his pocket. "Maybe just leave it on his plate?"
Dobby nodded and took the smaller box. "Yes, yes, that will do."
"But don't get caught placing it there please Dobby," he paused, "It's a suprise."
Dobby nodded again. "Oh, yes! Dobby understands."
"Good, well we'll be seeing you." Ron said.
"Happy Halloween." Harry said cheerfully.
"Happy Halloween to Master Potter and to his companion as well!" Dobby replied.
Harry and Ron continued on down the corridors. When they finally were out of earshot, they started their laughter. It was too much to hold back. It was going to be priceless. Malfoy would greedily take the false candies and have his mouth jammed shut for quite a bit.
They went out to the quidditch pitch and were suprised to see that the field was taken over by several Syltherin students getting in extra practice for the duels. Harry noticed Malfoy right away because he was knocked backward by a green colored blast emitted from another's wand.
"Pay attention Draco!" A harsh voice snapped. It belonged to Professor Snape, who was the one who emitted the blast at Draco. He was 'helping' his students prepare for the matches.
Draco got up, brushing himself off before he stood at the ready again. When the second blast came at him, he deflected it, causing the blast to hit the ground by Harry and Ron's feet. The grass where the blast hit was burnt and shriveled. Draco got a smug look to his face, pleased that he had deflected the blast. But his face turned angry when he saw Harry and Ron watching. "Potter.." He growled.
Professor Snape glanced over, "Mr. Potter, perhaps you should be getting ready for the banquet this evening.."
Harry frowned as the Syltherin house members grouped up behind their head of house. On the outskirts of them was Meredith Banes, though, she hadn't stood to join them. She remained sitting on the sidelines, her face was pale and she looked rather ill.
Professor Snape glowered at Harry, but spoke to his students "Practice is over for today.. I expect all of you to practice what you've learned on your own time.."
As the students departed, Draco made a point of shouldering Harry as he passed, knocking Harry into Ron. Harry righted himself and took a swing at Malfoy's face with a balled fist.
Ron grabbed Harry's arm mid-punch and hissed, "Not in front of Snape!"
Harry glowered and stopped his fist. Wanted desperatly to smash in the smug look on Draco's face.
Draco smirked, "Good show Weasley." He continued off with his two goons, Crabbe and Goyle, following closely. behind.
Ron narrowed his eyes, tempted to take a swing at the blonde boy himself, but he did not. He just patted Harry's shoulder. "He aint worth it.." Ron muttered.