Disclaimer: Much as I'd like to, I don't own Draco Malfoy, or any part of the magical world that J.K. Rowling has all the copyrights to ... please don't sue me. There are some parts of this story that are quotes from the book - it can't be helped - events are the same as in the book, but Draco's opinion of these events may vary from Harry's.
Author's Notes: The Quibbler ... half the stories in this edition of the Quibbler are entirely Ron Weasley's fault - I saw him saying them as a joke, in the real GoF ... the other half is from my own twisted imagination.
Shi-no-Nezumi: Actually, there's a whole new scene in the chapter: "Crookshanks and the Great Rubber Duck Conspiracy", where Draco meets Luna. Oh, I loved writing the ferret scene - it was great! And Draco is in OotP plenty! I've had loads of ideas for OotP, too *evil grin* Umbitch won't know what hit her when Theo gets started that year. And I replied anyway, so :P
Druscilla Black: It's not really a diary ... but whatever. Glad you liked, either way.
Devi: Draco is the type to hoard things that he thinks might be useful - the scrap book had potential. The "They" was supposed to be capitalised for the DEs every time They were mentioned ... the first "they" wasn't specifically referring to DEs, it was referring to the Muggle torturers, there's a slight difference. Ok, that's a feeble excuse, but I'm sticking to it :P
Loony Lunas: You sound like a house elf. And :P to you too.
Elizabeth: It was meant to be cute ... which Draco hates being called ... which makes it even funnier.
Hrei-siesn: Lucius is evil ... we already knew that, didn't we? I never was good at writing like a narrator anyway.
Starre: I will mention that Tonks is Draco's cousin ... in chapter 10. I will also reveal something funny about Sirius' mother in chapter 10 (he's a dog - remember that when you read it).
angelkas: We don't know much about Veela, so we're all entitled to our own theories about them. What was wrong with the title? As for Lucius acting sober - he's just that good an actor, really. No, he's not kind to anyone ... well, I'm not sure - I think he might actually care about Draco, but he never shows it ... we'll wait and see what the goddess JKR says about it. Draco didn't see the sense in using the scrap book for anything trivial, either ... I had a scrap book once - it was NEVER used.
Princess of Darkness: I thought so too ... and you're not counting what the Quibbler could have said that year *evil grin*. Draco will see more of Tonks.
duochang97: Kendra is like Tonks' mentor/supervisor, for her first year as an Auror ... in this fic she is, anyway. And I was more going for insulting Crabbe and Goyle than saying Percy could hold his own ... but yeah, the logic does work.
Exodia Himself: Draco is good at spotting suspicious behaviour ... seeing as how he tries to disguise his own suspicious behaviour half the time (the other half he's deliberately acting too suspicious to throw people off the scent in the wrong direction). I'm rambling ... sorry.
"it's an omen ... it's a higher power that's trying to tell me through bunnies that we're all going to die!" -BtVS
Chapter 4 - On The Hogwarts Express
I heard, the next day, that Mother had sent a Howler to the Ministry, about their security. Father had been most amused by this, when he came home, that evening, retelling the expression on Fudge's face. I wish I'd seen it. Then again, if I'd been there, I'd have had to hear the Howler, as well ... I've heard Mother yelling at Kitty, and a Howler from her could be deafening.
* * *
That Friday, three day before the Hogwarts Express was due to leave, Father sat down to dinner in a particularly good mood - it was like someone had very recently told him a particularly funny joke.
"Why are you so cheerful, dear?" Mother asked, watching him a bit warily.
"Because I just heard today that they will be resurrecting the Triwizard Tournament this year, at Hogwarts." he said, looking like he was trying not to laugh.
"What's the -" I started, but Father interrupted me.
"It is a competition run between Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang, in which a Champion is chosen for each school to accomplish extremely dangerous tasks. It was stopped hundreds of years ago, because the fatality rate was too high. I just hope they kill off some Mudbloods while they're at it, the idiots."
"Lucius, the last time that Tournament was run, it killed all the judges." Mother said, a bit stunned.
"I'm not one of the judges, so why should I care?" Father replied, still smirking.
"What sort of challenges are they?" I asked, out of morbid curiosity.
"Well, the one they got cancelled for involved trying to slay a Chimera, but that was a long time ago." Father said coolly.
Right, that's me locked up in the dungeons to avoid the Tournament, for sure - no way I'm going near something that dangerous. "Oh." I said feigning calmness, when really that thought scared the hell out of me.
"Of course, there is prize money, otherwise not so many fools would have entered the Tournament." Father continued.
"How much?" I asked.
"One thousand Galleons."
"Peanuts ... the Weasleys'd enter for sure, I'd bet." I said, smirking.
"They should - it would thin out their numbers if they did." Father replied.
And that was all the dinner conversation for the evening ... better than usual, it's normally total silence at our dinner table.
* * *
Three days later found me climbing onto the Hogwarts Express, and being hugged ferociously by my mother. "Don't get hurt, will you, Draco?" she asked, her voice showing a genuine concern she only ever showed for me.
"Of course not. You don't think I'd be daft enough to enter do you?" I asked, smirking, "I must find the Weasleys, and taunt them into entering, though." I added as an afterthought.
"You will do nothing of the sort, Draco." Mother said coldly, "I don't want to think you would be to blame if one of them got killed."
I sighed, she didn't want me to be responsible for the death of Weasleys, yet she didn't mind when Father murdered their third-eldest brother, during the Dark Lord's reign. Yes, there used to be more of them - what, you didn't think their parents were celibate for all those years between the dragon-keeper and the Ministry prat, did you? "Fine, whatever." I was still going to taunt them into it - did you hear me promise I wouldn't? No, that's because I didn't promise any such thing.
I waved goodbye one last time, then went in search of a compartment to sit in. We were ridiculously early, so it wasn't hard to find an empty compartment. Unfortunately, it also didn't take long for Pansy to find me.
"Pansy, please, go away ... save a few seats for Crabbe and Goyle in another compartment, would you?" I said to the manically grinning girl.
"Draco, did you hear about the Tournament?" she asked, bouncing on the balls of her feet.
"Yes. Now go away." I replied coldly.
She sat down opposite me, still grinning, "Do you think we'll see someone get killed?" she asked hopefully.
"Probably not." I replied coldly. "Pansy, if you don't leave me alone, I will have to hurt you - I know some really painful curses, too." that much was true, of course I'd never use said painful curses on her ... I don't dislike her that much, really.
She pouted, and crossed her arms across her chest, "Fine, I know where I'm not wanted." and she stood up and flounced out of the compartment. Finally, it sinks in that I don't want her hanging around me. I would thank the gods, but I don't really think they care that much about me, so why would I waste their time with it?
"Hey, Draco!" Theo's too-chirpy voice sounded from the corridor, "How were the holidays?"
"Great." I said, noncommittally ... why was everyone in such a good mood today, anyway?
"Me too, we went to America for a month, and I sneaked off to see the local Muggle area - look at this." he rolled up the sleeve of his right arm to reveal a grey tattoo of a bunny rabbit just below his shoulder.
"Why on Earth would you have some Muggle sticking needles in you to get the image of a rabbit permanently branded on your arm, you twit?"
"Because it's cute!" Theo protested.
"Cute?!" I asked, shocked, "Theo, Slytherins do not do cute, particularly Slytherin boys who do not want the older boys to beat the living crap out of them."
"You're just jealous." Theo said, grinning.
"You realise if any Pureblood sees that, they'll think you fell in with a crowd of evil bunny-worshippers." I said coldly.
"Well, that's why I didn't get the one with the snake, isn't it?" Theo replied, as if that was a logical argument.
I sighed and held my head in my hands, "Theo, you are impossible."
"Thank you." Theo replied, rolling down his sleeve.
Less than a minute of silence passed before, "Hello, boys." Cat found us.
"Hi, Catty." Theo said, cheerfully.
"Don't call me that, Theo." she replied, calmly.
"I didn't call you 'that', I called you 'Catty'." Theo retorted ... she hit his arm. "Ouch! Watch it, it still hurts a bit."
"What hurts?" Cat asked.
"His tattoo of an ickle bunny wabbit." I said, in my worst baby-voice.
Cat squeaked, and backed away from Theo, "Why would you do that?!" she asked, horrified.
"Because it's cute." Theo answered.
"But bunnies are evil!" Cat retorted immediately.
"No they're not." Theo said coldly.
"Fine, whatever." Cat said, making sure to sit as far away from Theo as possible.
I sighed. They're both insane! It must be contagious.
"There you guys are, I've been looking all over for you!" Blaise said, sitting herself between Cat and Theo, "Did you guys hear about the Tournament?"
"What tournament?" Cat and Theo asked together, before glaring at each other, the bunny incident clearly not forgotten.
"The Triwizard Tournament." Blaise said condescendingly.
"Yeah, Father told me about it." I said, smirking at the other two who obviously had no clue what we were -
"You mean that one where a bunch of people got killed by a Chimera a few centuries ago?" Theo asked.
Or maybe they did know what we were talking about, after all.
"Yes, that one." Blaise said, grinning, "Oh, I can't wait - my cousin goes to Beauxbatons."
"I tried to go there ... stupid place needs you to know basic etiquette to get in, though." Cat said, slouching in her chair with her arms folded across her chest and pouting. No wonder they wouldn't let her in.
"And Durmstrang?" Theo asked, hopefully.
"Yep." Blaise said, still grinning.
"That place is cool." Theo muttered.
"Father actually considered sending me to Durmstrang rather than Hogwarts, you know. He knows the Headmaster, you see. Well, you know his opinion of Dumbledore - the man's such a Mudblood-lover - and Durmstrang doesn't admit that sort of riff-raff. But Mother didn't like the idea of me going to school so far away. Father says Durmstrang takes a far more sensible line than Hogwarts about the Dark Arts. Durmstrang students actually learn them, not just the defence rubbish we do ... but then, the Dark Arts course is only available to students who get good enough grades in their first set of exams."
"So there'd have been no point in me trying to go there, would there?" Theo asked, jokingly.
"You get good enough grades, Theo - it's the mental health issue I'm worried about." Blaise said calmly.
Theo smirked, "Yeah." he pulled out a copy of the Quibbler, and started reading it.
I couldn't help but notice the front page:
'Cauldron Leaks
Leakages increasing at a rate of 3% per year - thin-bottomed foreign cauldrons to blame.
Thick-bottom-cauldron exhibition at the Leaky Cauldron this Saturday.'
That's ridiculous - who in their right minds would ... oh, that's the Quibbler ... never mind.
While Theo was engrossed in some 'fascinating' story or other, Cat asked, "So, did any of you see the World Cup?"
"Hell yes." I replied. Blaise just nodded.
"I knew Ireland would win." Cat said, grinning.
"Good for you." Blaise said, handing Cat five gold coins.
"Of course, I'm not the only one who profited from my foresight." Cat said.
"Who else?" I asked.
"The Weasley twins. They live nearby to us, just a Muggle bus ride away, and they hang around with my cousin Samantha, who lives next door - she's a Ravenclaw, in their year. She let slip I could make genuine predictions, and they asked me who'd win the World Cup." Cat explained. I gave her a sceptical look, "I didn't see the harm in it, so I told them, Ireland to win, Krum for the Snitch."
"Bloody hell, woman, you bankrupted Bagman." Theo said, not looking over his paper.
"Huh?" Cat asked.
"Yep. He was going around taking bets. I bet on Bulgaria to win, and lost two Galleons. But I overheard the Twin Terrors making that exact bet, the day of the match." Theo explained.
"Oh my god." Cat said, "How much did they win? I want to blackmail them into giving me a percentage!"
Theo just snickered, "You'll need to ask them that, Catty." he said.
"What is so bloody fascinating about that paper, Theo?" I asked tetchily.
"Did you know Albania is the top holiday location for evil? Dogbert spends his time off there." Theo said, nodding sagely.
"Is that what you're reading?" I asked stunned.
"Nope, it's something I read a minute ago, right now I'm reading an article vaguely about the World Cup fiasco. Oh, did you know Crouch is engaged?" Theo asked casually.
"To who?" Blaise asked.
"According to this, some chick named Weatherby." Theo said, tapping the paper he was reading.
"Never heard of them." Blaise said flatly.
"What about the World Cup?" I asked.
"Oh, look at this." Theo said, handing me the paper that was opened at the page he'd been reading.
'Rita Skeeter, Death Eater?
Rumours that Rita Chickita Skeeter is out to get the
Ministry have been confirmed, by an anonymous tip-off
who says the woman is in league with the Death Eaters
that attacked the Quidditch World Cup, last week. It
is said that the attack was pre-arranged, to make the
Ministry of Magic look bad, and Ms Skeeter was their
press correspondent. Of course, the rumours of bodies
being removed from the woods were true ... they just
weren't dead bodies.'
I stopped reading after that. Bloody hell, this rag has to be the most paranoid thing I have ever laid eyes on. Thankfully, at that moment, the lunch trolley came by. I got some beans and frogs, Theo got his usual hoard of Blood-pops. Cat and Blaise both got Cauldron Cakes - 'the healthy snack' ... according to the packaging, anyway. I don't see how it's what girls who think dieting is cool would call 'healthy', seeing as how they have a shitload of sugar in them.
"Hey, Draco - ever even tried one of these?" Theo asked, holding up one of his blood-pops.
"No. But I know what blood tastes like, so I really don't want -" I started, but he cut across me.
"But these're different. They're your average sugar lolly-pops, with blood flavour added - they're sweeter than real blood." Theo said insistently.
"How do you know what blood tastes like, anyway?" Cat asked.
"Don't tell me you've never accidentally bitten your own lip?" I asked.
"I read somewhere," Blaise put in, "that different people's blood contains different quantities of various chemicals ... theoretically, no two people would taste the same ... which is probably why some vampires are supposedly picky about who they bite."
"I'm not trying those bloody things!" I snapped at Theo.
"Don't blame you." Cat said coldly, "Anything the evil-bunny-worshipper likes must be bad."
"Get over the bunny thing, already! I don't worship them!" Theo snapped.
"Let's not argue like this, guys." I said, hoping to stop those two from fighting, "We have bigger things to worry about than Dora's -"
"Don't call me that!" Theo tried to interrupt indignantly.
"- bunny tattoo ... like people with a different sort of tattoo." I said darkly.
"You don't think that World Cup thing means he's back, do you?" Blaise asked.
"It could." Theo said very quietly, "I'd been waiting for that subject to come up. I saw the Mark somewhere other than the World Cup, this summer."
"Where?" Cat, Blaise and I all asked together.
"On dad's arm." Theo answered.
Blaise looked stunned, "But I heard ... that those disappeared when He did?" she whispered.
"I'm sure they did - I never saw it on my father - I'd have remembered if I did." I said, my voice lowered, because we really didn't want this conversation to be overheard.
"Not even this last week? Because that's when dad's came back." Theo whispered.
"No. But then again, Father isn't the type to wear short sleeves at the best of times." I replied.
"This is bad ... very very bad." Cat muttered.
Just then, conveniently interrupting the discussion, the door to the compartment opened again, and there stood Crabbe and Goyle, at least a foot taller than when I had last seen them, but undoubtedly just as stupid as ever. "Pansy said you wanted to see us?" Crabbe asked.
Pansy will suffer for that. I stood up, "Yes, I think it's time we found and tormented Potter and his pet Weasel." I said, coolly, as if I really had planned it. They nodded dumbly. "See you guys in a minute." I said over my shoulder, and left with the Two Twits following me. We didn't have far to look for Potter and his fan-club. They were in the very next compartment, making a lot of noise through the open door.
"Gran didn't want to go. Wouldn't buy tickets. It sounded amazing, though." that sounded like toad-boy (Longbottom).
"It was. Look at this, Neville." that was definitely the Weasel.
"Oh, wow." toad-boy again, but I couldn't quite see what he was supposed to be looking at.
"We saw him right up close, as well. We were in the Top Box -" now, that sounded like a good insult-opportunity.
Never one to waste such a opportunity, I stepped into view in the doorway and said, "For the first and last time in your life, Weasley."
They all turned to look at me, and as soon as they recognised me, they all glared. There were more of them than I'd counted on. Potter, Weasley, Longbottom, and two other Gryffindor boys whose names I never bothered to remember ... and of course The Standard Book Of Spells, Grade Four covering a face that, judging by the bushy hair visible around the book, could only be Hermione.
"Don't remember asking you to join us, Malfoy." Potter said, sounding a bit too calm for my liking ... I obviously need to be more annoying.
I looked around for the nearest thing to insult, and my eyes settled on something sitting next to the Weasel. "Weasley, what is that?" I asked, pointing to it. It looked like an owl cage with something thrown over it - the something looked suspiciously like an item of clothing worthy of a great deal of mocking and laughing. I mean, lace cuffs?! That hasn't been seen on a living human being since the 1970s ... and really, there's a reason that decade isn't remembered for it's good taste in clothes. The Weasel tried to grab the offending item, presumably to hide it, but I got to it first, and held it up for Tweedle-Dum and Tweedle-Dumber to see, "Look at this!" I jeered. Crabbe and Goyle just stared blankly at it. Back to the subject of torment, "Weasley, you weren't thinking of wearing these, were you? I mean, they were very fashionable in about 1890." my previous assessment had been wrong - not even in the 1970s would anyone have been caught wearing this. It must be dress robes, I guess ... but they were hideous.
"Eat dung, Malfoy!" Weasley snapped, clearly embarrassed. When he tried to snatch the robes back, I let him - they were disgusting, and I didn't want to touch them any more than was absolutely necessary to ensure it upset the Weasel. What he said made me nearly fall over laughing though, remembering what happened the last time he'd tried a curse like that on me (Eat Slugs, in case you forgot). Crabbe and Goyle finally realised they were meant to have laughed at the robes, and sniggered stupidly.
Now, initial unpleasantries over with, on to the point of my visit, "So, going to enter, Weasley? Going to try and bring a bit of glory to the family name? There's money involved as well, you know. You'd be able to afford some decent robes if you won." I said, smirking.
"What're you talking about?" Weasley replied, showing blatant similarities to Crabbe and Goyle, in the intelligence area.
"Are you going to enter?" I asked again, in the tone I usually reserve for the Pea-Brained Pair. Then as an afterthought, "I suppose you will, Potter. You never miss a chance to show off, do you?" yes, we don't want the Weasel to get all the insults, do we?
"Either explain what you're on about, or go away." Hermione said tetchily, finally deigning to look over her book at me.
They really had no clue what I was talking about. I grinned, totally failing to make it look demonic, although not for lack of trying. "Don't tell me you don't know? You've got a father and brother at the Ministry and you don't even know? My god. My father told me about it ages ago." three days ... depends on your point of view, but it could be called ages, "Heard it from Cornelius Fudge." I don't know that, but it's most likely, "But then, Father's always associated with the top people at the Ministry. Maybe your father's too junior to know about it, Weasley. Yes, they probably don't talk about important stuff in front of him." and with that insult, I beckoned for Crabbe and Goyle to follow me, and made my exit, the Two Twits not far behind.
I heard a door slamming, glass shattering, and Hermione saying, "Reparo." behind me. I smirked. Weasel always manages to brighten up my day ... well, when I piss him off enough to make him throw an immature temper-tantrum, anyway.
* * *
"So, you went to annoy the Terrific Trio, just so you could then dump Daft and Dafter on Pansy's hands again, saying 'thank you' to her, and piss her off no end by doing that, because she'd sent them to you with the intention of pissing you off?" Theo asked.
"Basically." I replied, "Well, that and I wanted to taunt Weasley anyway - can you believe they didn't even know about the Tournament?"
"Their parents probably respect Ministry 'secrets'." Blaise said coolly.
"Uh huh." I muttered. I leaned back in my seat, and watched Theo lean out the window of the horseless carriage so far you'd think any normal person would have fallen out, especially when it's raining so heavily the castle'll probably be flooded by morning ... of course, since when did we compare him to normal people? He was looking ahead, probably at the castle, or at some other one of the carriages, or something.
Suddenly, he sat back down again, "You'd think they'd mind the rain?" he said.
"What are you blathering about?" Blaise asked snappishly.
"Yes, you'd think that ... but they live outdoors, don't they?" Luna Lovegood, who I seriously regret allowing to share a carriage with Theo Blaise and I, answered calmly. In spite of the weather, she seemed relatively dry, while the rest of us had gotten soaked going from train to carriage.
"Yeah, I guess." Theo said, nodding.
"And they must be used to it - they work in all weathers." Luna continued.
"True. Like Santa Claus." Theo said, smirking, "Same time every year."
"More like his reindeer ... but yeah." Luna countered.
"Will you two kindly make sense or shut up!" Blaise snapped.
"We are making sense." Luna said, not sounding taken aback at all by Blaise's homicidal tone, "We each understand perfectly what the other is saying."
"Yep." Theo said smugly.
Blaise growled and hit Theo over the head.
* * *
End of chapter 4
Author's Notes: The Quibbler ... half the stories in this edition of the Quibbler are entirely Ron Weasley's fault - I saw him saying them as a joke, in the real GoF ... the other half is from my own twisted imagination.
Shi-no-Nezumi: Actually, there's a whole new scene in the chapter: "Crookshanks and the Great Rubber Duck Conspiracy", where Draco meets Luna. Oh, I loved writing the ferret scene - it was great! And Draco is in OotP plenty! I've had loads of ideas for OotP, too *evil grin* Umbitch won't know what hit her when Theo gets started that year. And I replied anyway, so :P
Druscilla Black: It's not really a diary ... but whatever. Glad you liked, either way.
Devi: Draco is the type to hoard things that he thinks might be useful - the scrap book had potential. The "They" was supposed to be capitalised for the DEs every time They were mentioned ... the first "they" wasn't specifically referring to DEs, it was referring to the Muggle torturers, there's a slight difference. Ok, that's a feeble excuse, but I'm sticking to it :P
Loony Lunas: You sound like a house elf. And :P to you too.
Elizabeth: It was meant to be cute ... which Draco hates being called ... which makes it even funnier.
Hrei-siesn: Lucius is evil ... we already knew that, didn't we? I never was good at writing like a narrator anyway.
Starre: I will mention that Tonks is Draco's cousin ... in chapter 10. I will also reveal something funny about Sirius' mother in chapter 10 (he's a dog - remember that when you read it).
angelkas: We don't know much about Veela, so we're all entitled to our own theories about them. What was wrong with the title? As for Lucius acting sober - he's just that good an actor, really. No, he's not kind to anyone ... well, I'm not sure - I think he might actually care about Draco, but he never shows it ... we'll wait and see what the goddess JKR says about it. Draco didn't see the sense in using the scrap book for anything trivial, either ... I had a scrap book once - it was NEVER used.
Princess of Darkness: I thought so too ... and you're not counting what the Quibbler could have said that year *evil grin*. Draco will see more of Tonks.
duochang97: Kendra is like Tonks' mentor/supervisor, for her first year as an Auror ... in this fic she is, anyway. And I was more going for insulting Crabbe and Goyle than saying Percy could hold his own ... but yeah, the logic does work.
Exodia Himself: Draco is good at spotting suspicious behaviour ... seeing as how he tries to disguise his own suspicious behaviour half the time (the other half he's deliberately acting too suspicious to throw people off the scent in the wrong direction). I'm rambling ... sorry.
"it's an omen ... it's a higher power that's trying to tell me through bunnies that we're all going to die!" -BtVS
Chapter 4 - On The Hogwarts Express
I heard, the next day, that Mother had sent a Howler to the Ministry, about their security. Father had been most amused by this, when he came home, that evening, retelling the expression on Fudge's face. I wish I'd seen it. Then again, if I'd been there, I'd have had to hear the Howler, as well ... I've heard Mother yelling at Kitty, and a Howler from her could be deafening.
* * *
That Friday, three day before the Hogwarts Express was due to leave, Father sat down to dinner in a particularly good mood - it was like someone had very recently told him a particularly funny joke.
"Why are you so cheerful, dear?" Mother asked, watching him a bit warily.
"Because I just heard today that they will be resurrecting the Triwizard Tournament this year, at Hogwarts." he said, looking like he was trying not to laugh.
"What's the -" I started, but Father interrupted me.
"It is a competition run between Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang, in which a Champion is chosen for each school to accomplish extremely dangerous tasks. It was stopped hundreds of years ago, because the fatality rate was too high. I just hope they kill off some Mudbloods while they're at it, the idiots."
"Lucius, the last time that Tournament was run, it killed all the judges." Mother said, a bit stunned.
"I'm not one of the judges, so why should I care?" Father replied, still smirking.
"What sort of challenges are they?" I asked, out of morbid curiosity.
"Well, the one they got cancelled for involved trying to slay a Chimera, but that was a long time ago." Father said coolly.
Right, that's me locked up in the dungeons to avoid the Tournament, for sure - no way I'm going near something that dangerous. "Oh." I said feigning calmness, when really that thought scared the hell out of me.
"Of course, there is prize money, otherwise not so many fools would have entered the Tournament." Father continued.
"How much?" I asked.
"One thousand Galleons."
"Peanuts ... the Weasleys'd enter for sure, I'd bet." I said, smirking.
"They should - it would thin out their numbers if they did." Father replied.
And that was all the dinner conversation for the evening ... better than usual, it's normally total silence at our dinner table.
* * *
Three days later found me climbing onto the Hogwarts Express, and being hugged ferociously by my mother. "Don't get hurt, will you, Draco?" she asked, her voice showing a genuine concern she only ever showed for me.
"Of course not. You don't think I'd be daft enough to enter do you?" I asked, smirking, "I must find the Weasleys, and taunt them into entering, though." I added as an afterthought.
"You will do nothing of the sort, Draco." Mother said coldly, "I don't want to think you would be to blame if one of them got killed."
I sighed, she didn't want me to be responsible for the death of Weasleys, yet she didn't mind when Father murdered their third-eldest brother, during the Dark Lord's reign. Yes, there used to be more of them - what, you didn't think their parents were celibate for all those years between the dragon-keeper and the Ministry prat, did you? "Fine, whatever." I was still going to taunt them into it - did you hear me promise I wouldn't? No, that's because I didn't promise any such thing.
I waved goodbye one last time, then went in search of a compartment to sit in. We were ridiculously early, so it wasn't hard to find an empty compartment. Unfortunately, it also didn't take long for Pansy to find me.
"Pansy, please, go away ... save a few seats for Crabbe and Goyle in another compartment, would you?" I said to the manically grinning girl.
"Draco, did you hear about the Tournament?" she asked, bouncing on the balls of her feet.
"Yes. Now go away." I replied coldly.
She sat down opposite me, still grinning, "Do you think we'll see someone get killed?" she asked hopefully.
"Probably not." I replied coldly. "Pansy, if you don't leave me alone, I will have to hurt you - I know some really painful curses, too." that much was true, of course I'd never use said painful curses on her ... I don't dislike her that much, really.
She pouted, and crossed her arms across her chest, "Fine, I know where I'm not wanted." and she stood up and flounced out of the compartment. Finally, it sinks in that I don't want her hanging around me. I would thank the gods, but I don't really think they care that much about me, so why would I waste their time with it?
"Hey, Draco!" Theo's too-chirpy voice sounded from the corridor, "How were the holidays?"
"Great." I said, noncommittally ... why was everyone in such a good mood today, anyway?
"Me too, we went to America for a month, and I sneaked off to see the local Muggle area - look at this." he rolled up the sleeve of his right arm to reveal a grey tattoo of a bunny rabbit just below his shoulder.
"Why on Earth would you have some Muggle sticking needles in you to get the image of a rabbit permanently branded on your arm, you twit?"
"Because it's cute!" Theo protested.
"Cute?!" I asked, shocked, "Theo, Slytherins do not do cute, particularly Slytherin boys who do not want the older boys to beat the living crap out of them."
"You're just jealous." Theo said, grinning.
"You realise if any Pureblood sees that, they'll think you fell in with a crowd of evil bunny-worshippers." I said coldly.
"Well, that's why I didn't get the one with the snake, isn't it?" Theo replied, as if that was a logical argument.
I sighed and held my head in my hands, "Theo, you are impossible."
"Thank you." Theo replied, rolling down his sleeve.
Less than a minute of silence passed before, "Hello, boys." Cat found us.
"Hi, Catty." Theo said, cheerfully.
"Don't call me that, Theo." she replied, calmly.
"I didn't call you 'that', I called you 'Catty'." Theo retorted ... she hit his arm. "Ouch! Watch it, it still hurts a bit."
"What hurts?" Cat asked.
"His tattoo of an ickle bunny wabbit." I said, in my worst baby-voice.
Cat squeaked, and backed away from Theo, "Why would you do that?!" she asked, horrified.
"Because it's cute." Theo answered.
"But bunnies are evil!" Cat retorted immediately.
"No they're not." Theo said coldly.
"Fine, whatever." Cat said, making sure to sit as far away from Theo as possible.
I sighed. They're both insane! It must be contagious.
"There you guys are, I've been looking all over for you!" Blaise said, sitting herself between Cat and Theo, "Did you guys hear about the Tournament?"
"What tournament?" Cat and Theo asked together, before glaring at each other, the bunny incident clearly not forgotten.
"The Triwizard Tournament." Blaise said condescendingly.
"Yeah, Father told me about it." I said, smirking at the other two who obviously had no clue what we were -
"You mean that one where a bunch of people got killed by a Chimera a few centuries ago?" Theo asked.
Or maybe they did know what we were talking about, after all.
"Yes, that one." Blaise said, grinning, "Oh, I can't wait - my cousin goes to Beauxbatons."
"I tried to go there ... stupid place needs you to know basic etiquette to get in, though." Cat said, slouching in her chair with her arms folded across her chest and pouting. No wonder they wouldn't let her in.
"And Durmstrang?" Theo asked, hopefully.
"Yep." Blaise said, still grinning.
"That place is cool." Theo muttered.
"Father actually considered sending me to Durmstrang rather than Hogwarts, you know. He knows the Headmaster, you see. Well, you know his opinion of Dumbledore - the man's such a Mudblood-lover - and Durmstrang doesn't admit that sort of riff-raff. But Mother didn't like the idea of me going to school so far away. Father says Durmstrang takes a far more sensible line than Hogwarts about the Dark Arts. Durmstrang students actually learn them, not just the defence rubbish we do ... but then, the Dark Arts course is only available to students who get good enough grades in their first set of exams."
"So there'd have been no point in me trying to go there, would there?" Theo asked, jokingly.
"You get good enough grades, Theo - it's the mental health issue I'm worried about." Blaise said calmly.
Theo smirked, "Yeah." he pulled out a copy of the Quibbler, and started reading it.
I couldn't help but notice the front page:
'Cauldron Leaks
Leakages increasing at a rate of 3% per year - thin-bottomed foreign cauldrons to blame.
Thick-bottom-cauldron exhibition at the Leaky Cauldron this Saturday.'
That's ridiculous - who in their right minds would ... oh, that's the Quibbler ... never mind.
While Theo was engrossed in some 'fascinating' story or other, Cat asked, "So, did any of you see the World Cup?"
"Hell yes." I replied. Blaise just nodded.
"I knew Ireland would win." Cat said, grinning.
"Good for you." Blaise said, handing Cat five gold coins.
"Of course, I'm not the only one who profited from my foresight." Cat said.
"Who else?" I asked.
"The Weasley twins. They live nearby to us, just a Muggle bus ride away, and they hang around with my cousin Samantha, who lives next door - she's a Ravenclaw, in their year. She let slip I could make genuine predictions, and they asked me who'd win the World Cup." Cat explained. I gave her a sceptical look, "I didn't see the harm in it, so I told them, Ireland to win, Krum for the Snitch."
"Bloody hell, woman, you bankrupted Bagman." Theo said, not looking over his paper.
"Huh?" Cat asked.
"Yep. He was going around taking bets. I bet on Bulgaria to win, and lost two Galleons. But I overheard the Twin Terrors making that exact bet, the day of the match." Theo explained.
"Oh my god." Cat said, "How much did they win? I want to blackmail them into giving me a percentage!"
Theo just snickered, "You'll need to ask them that, Catty." he said.
"What is so bloody fascinating about that paper, Theo?" I asked tetchily.
"Did you know Albania is the top holiday location for evil? Dogbert spends his time off there." Theo said, nodding sagely.
"Is that what you're reading?" I asked stunned.
"Nope, it's something I read a minute ago, right now I'm reading an article vaguely about the World Cup fiasco. Oh, did you know Crouch is engaged?" Theo asked casually.
"To who?" Blaise asked.
"According to this, some chick named Weatherby." Theo said, tapping the paper he was reading.
"Never heard of them." Blaise said flatly.
"What about the World Cup?" I asked.
"Oh, look at this." Theo said, handing me the paper that was opened at the page he'd been reading.
'Rita Skeeter, Death Eater?
Rumours that Rita Chickita Skeeter is out to get the
Ministry have been confirmed, by an anonymous tip-off
who says the woman is in league with the Death Eaters
that attacked the Quidditch World Cup, last week. It
is said that the attack was pre-arranged, to make the
Ministry of Magic look bad, and Ms Skeeter was their
press correspondent. Of course, the rumours of bodies
being removed from the woods were true ... they just
weren't dead bodies.'
I stopped reading after that. Bloody hell, this rag has to be the most paranoid thing I have ever laid eyes on. Thankfully, at that moment, the lunch trolley came by. I got some beans and frogs, Theo got his usual hoard of Blood-pops. Cat and Blaise both got Cauldron Cakes - 'the healthy snack' ... according to the packaging, anyway. I don't see how it's what girls who think dieting is cool would call 'healthy', seeing as how they have a shitload of sugar in them.
"Hey, Draco - ever even tried one of these?" Theo asked, holding up one of his blood-pops.
"No. But I know what blood tastes like, so I really don't want -" I started, but he cut across me.
"But these're different. They're your average sugar lolly-pops, with blood flavour added - they're sweeter than real blood." Theo said insistently.
"How do you know what blood tastes like, anyway?" Cat asked.
"Don't tell me you've never accidentally bitten your own lip?" I asked.
"I read somewhere," Blaise put in, "that different people's blood contains different quantities of various chemicals ... theoretically, no two people would taste the same ... which is probably why some vampires are supposedly picky about who they bite."
"I'm not trying those bloody things!" I snapped at Theo.
"Don't blame you." Cat said coldly, "Anything the evil-bunny-worshipper likes must be bad."
"Get over the bunny thing, already! I don't worship them!" Theo snapped.
"Let's not argue like this, guys." I said, hoping to stop those two from fighting, "We have bigger things to worry about than Dora's -"
"Don't call me that!" Theo tried to interrupt indignantly.
"- bunny tattoo ... like people with a different sort of tattoo." I said darkly.
"You don't think that World Cup thing means he's back, do you?" Blaise asked.
"It could." Theo said very quietly, "I'd been waiting for that subject to come up. I saw the Mark somewhere other than the World Cup, this summer."
"Where?" Cat, Blaise and I all asked together.
"On dad's arm." Theo answered.
Blaise looked stunned, "But I heard ... that those disappeared when He did?" she whispered.
"I'm sure they did - I never saw it on my father - I'd have remembered if I did." I said, my voice lowered, because we really didn't want this conversation to be overheard.
"Not even this last week? Because that's when dad's came back." Theo whispered.
"No. But then again, Father isn't the type to wear short sleeves at the best of times." I replied.
"This is bad ... very very bad." Cat muttered.
Just then, conveniently interrupting the discussion, the door to the compartment opened again, and there stood Crabbe and Goyle, at least a foot taller than when I had last seen them, but undoubtedly just as stupid as ever. "Pansy said you wanted to see us?" Crabbe asked.
Pansy will suffer for that. I stood up, "Yes, I think it's time we found and tormented Potter and his pet Weasel." I said, coolly, as if I really had planned it. They nodded dumbly. "See you guys in a minute." I said over my shoulder, and left with the Two Twits following me. We didn't have far to look for Potter and his fan-club. They were in the very next compartment, making a lot of noise through the open door.
"Gran didn't want to go. Wouldn't buy tickets. It sounded amazing, though." that sounded like toad-boy (Longbottom).
"It was. Look at this, Neville." that was definitely the Weasel.
"Oh, wow." toad-boy again, but I couldn't quite see what he was supposed to be looking at.
"We saw him right up close, as well. We were in the Top Box -" now, that sounded like a good insult-opportunity.
Never one to waste such a opportunity, I stepped into view in the doorway and said, "For the first and last time in your life, Weasley."
They all turned to look at me, and as soon as they recognised me, they all glared. There were more of them than I'd counted on. Potter, Weasley, Longbottom, and two other Gryffindor boys whose names I never bothered to remember ... and of course The Standard Book Of Spells, Grade Four covering a face that, judging by the bushy hair visible around the book, could only be Hermione.
"Don't remember asking you to join us, Malfoy." Potter said, sounding a bit too calm for my liking ... I obviously need to be more annoying.
I looked around for the nearest thing to insult, and my eyes settled on something sitting next to the Weasel. "Weasley, what is that?" I asked, pointing to it. It looked like an owl cage with something thrown over it - the something looked suspiciously like an item of clothing worthy of a great deal of mocking and laughing. I mean, lace cuffs?! That hasn't been seen on a living human being since the 1970s ... and really, there's a reason that decade isn't remembered for it's good taste in clothes. The Weasel tried to grab the offending item, presumably to hide it, but I got to it first, and held it up for Tweedle-Dum and Tweedle-Dumber to see, "Look at this!" I jeered. Crabbe and Goyle just stared blankly at it. Back to the subject of torment, "Weasley, you weren't thinking of wearing these, were you? I mean, they were very fashionable in about 1890." my previous assessment had been wrong - not even in the 1970s would anyone have been caught wearing this. It must be dress robes, I guess ... but they were hideous.
"Eat dung, Malfoy!" Weasley snapped, clearly embarrassed. When he tried to snatch the robes back, I let him - they were disgusting, and I didn't want to touch them any more than was absolutely necessary to ensure it upset the Weasel. What he said made me nearly fall over laughing though, remembering what happened the last time he'd tried a curse like that on me (Eat Slugs, in case you forgot). Crabbe and Goyle finally realised they were meant to have laughed at the robes, and sniggered stupidly.
Now, initial unpleasantries over with, on to the point of my visit, "So, going to enter, Weasley? Going to try and bring a bit of glory to the family name? There's money involved as well, you know. You'd be able to afford some decent robes if you won." I said, smirking.
"What're you talking about?" Weasley replied, showing blatant similarities to Crabbe and Goyle, in the intelligence area.
"Are you going to enter?" I asked again, in the tone I usually reserve for the Pea-Brained Pair. Then as an afterthought, "I suppose you will, Potter. You never miss a chance to show off, do you?" yes, we don't want the Weasel to get all the insults, do we?
"Either explain what you're on about, or go away." Hermione said tetchily, finally deigning to look over her book at me.
They really had no clue what I was talking about. I grinned, totally failing to make it look demonic, although not for lack of trying. "Don't tell me you don't know? You've got a father and brother at the Ministry and you don't even know? My god. My father told me about it ages ago." three days ... depends on your point of view, but it could be called ages, "Heard it from Cornelius Fudge." I don't know that, but it's most likely, "But then, Father's always associated with the top people at the Ministry. Maybe your father's too junior to know about it, Weasley. Yes, they probably don't talk about important stuff in front of him." and with that insult, I beckoned for Crabbe and Goyle to follow me, and made my exit, the Two Twits not far behind.
I heard a door slamming, glass shattering, and Hermione saying, "Reparo." behind me. I smirked. Weasel always manages to brighten up my day ... well, when I piss him off enough to make him throw an immature temper-tantrum, anyway.
* * *
"So, you went to annoy the Terrific Trio, just so you could then dump Daft and Dafter on Pansy's hands again, saying 'thank you' to her, and piss her off no end by doing that, because she'd sent them to you with the intention of pissing you off?" Theo asked.
"Basically." I replied, "Well, that and I wanted to taunt Weasley anyway - can you believe they didn't even know about the Tournament?"
"Their parents probably respect Ministry 'secrets'." Blaise said coolly.
"Uh huh." I muttered. I leaned back in my seat, and watched Theo lean out the window of the horseless carriage so far you'd think any normal person would have fallen out, especially when it's raining so heavily the castle'll probably be flooded by morning ... of course, since when did we compare him to normal people? He was looking ahead, probably at the castle, or at some other one of the carriages, or something.
Suddenly, he sat back down again, "You'd think they'd mind the rain?" he said.
"What are you blathering about?" Blaise asked snappishly.
"Yes, you'd think that ... but they live outdoors, don't they?" Luna Lovegood, who I seriously regret allowing to share a carriage with Theo Blaise and I, answered calmly. In spite of the weather, she seemed relatively dry, while the rest of us had gotten soaked going from train to carriage.
"Yeah, I guess." Theo said, nodding.
"And they must be used to it - they work in all weathers." Luna continued.
"True. Like Santa Claus." Theo said, smirking, "Same time every year."
"More like his reindeer ... but yeah." Luna countered.
"Will you two kindly make sense or shut up!" Blaise snapped.
"We are making sense." Luna said, not sounding taken aback at all by Blaise's homicidal tone, "We each understand perfectly what the other is saying."
"Yep." Theo said smugly.
Blaise growled and hit Theo over the head.
* * *
End of chapter 4