Ok peeps, here's chapter 3. It's a bit shorter than the previous two, but still good in length I think. I'll have you all know however, that my Physics homework is getting quite mad at me for neglecting it, so I may have to limit myself to one post a week, so be ready to accept that pace as far as this story is concerned. For my reviews :) :
mionedracoshipper & Ravens-Jade: I'm so happy that you're enjoying so far. I hope that stays true through the rest of the story.
Daunting Darkness: Yes, I to enjoy Malfoy! Almost as much as Harry. I hope you enjoy him in this chapter, he gets a little more of a chance to shine.
Again with the disclamer, I don't own Harry Potter, please don't sue me, yada yada yada...
Harry woke with a start in an unfamiliar bed. His hand immediately searched his robe to find his wand, then everything came back to him. He sat up and the world around him was fuzzy. Struggling to remember what he had done with his glasses, he found them tangled in the bedding, fortunately not bent or broken.
Getting out of bed, he made his way over to the wardrobe and opened it. Again, he was confronted with his altered reflection. Harry wouldn't have thought it possible, but his hair behaved even less now. The side he had been laying on was now smooth and flay, but the other side stuck out and was tangled. He spotted a brush on a shelf in the wardrobe and started to drag it through his hair.
Harry grimaced as the bristles caught in the tangled strands, and a couple of minutes later he gave up, deciding the hair was as smooth and tangle free as it was going to get. He rummaged around for clothes and was glad that everything at least fit. He was at least free of the Dursley's hand-me-downs. With no idea what classes where ahead of him, Harry put only a quill, some ink, and paper into his bag. If he needed a book, he would simply look on with Ron. He headed for the common room, intent on seeing if any of the others were up yet.
Harry stepped out into the short hallway that bridged between the portrait hole and the common room. Sunlight streamed in through the windows in the common room, and he could see that there was only one person sitting in front of the fireplace. To his displeasure, Harry realized it was Malfoy. He was just about to turn and leave, but the Slytherin must have heard him.
"Running away are you?" Malfoy said. "What's the rest of the school going to think if my own schoolmates can't stand to be in the same room as me?"
"That you're an annoying prat, and no one can stand to be around you." Harry shot back.
"Temper, temper." Malfoy tisked.
"As if you should talk. We enjoyed your little tantrum last night."
"Answer me honestly Potter, how would you feel if our situations were reversed?" Harry didn't answer, but Malfoy must have decided that he had gotten the point. "Anyway, you should brace yourself for more of the same. I mean, how can anyone refrain from utilizing such an easy mark as Weasly?"
"If you would leave us alone, then we would probably be less likely to peg you as scum." Harry crossed his arms across his chest. "Of course I'm sure you'll make all sorts of Death Eater friends here."
"That's right, keep up the stereotypes." Harry gave him a questioning look, but before Malfoy clarified, Ron and Hermione came in. Ron instantly glared at Draco, but didn't say anything.
"Are we interrupting anything?" Hermione asked, clearly feeling the tension in the room.
"No," Draco said with a jaunty grin, "we were just having a nice little chat."
"I think we'd better head to breakfast." Harry said, before Draco could start anything else. The four of them made their way through the portrait hole and out into the school. Harry's heart was racing. At any moment, they could bump into his mother or father.
With their dormitory being so close to the Great Hall, it took them mere moments to get there. The whole experience was incredibly surreal to Harry. As they entered the throng of students, everything felt the same and yet different. The school hadn't changed, but except for Hermione, Ron, and Draco, there weren't any familiar faces.
The students, realizing they were strangers, quickly gave them wide berth and whispers were soon flying through the crowd. Harry was used to the feeling, but the others, even Malfoy, looked slightly uncomfortable at it. They spotted Professor McGonagall waiting at the doorway to the Great Hall, and they made her way over to her.
"Professor Dumbledore will have you eat with one of the houses." She said. "You're to wait here until he's ready for you." McGonagall headed into the hall, along with the steady stream of students.
"We're sitting with the Gryffindors." Ron said, his eyes darted to Malfoy, daring him to disagree with them.
"Are you kidding?" Malfoy said. "I already have to live with three of you. I don't want to share every meal with the whole house."
"Come on Malfoy, it's just to eat meals. It won't kill you." Hermione said.
"One could argue the same about eating with the Slytherins."
"I'm not spending every breakfast, lunch, and dinner with Snape." Harry replied, irritably.
Malfoy's cheeks went slightly pink. "Is this how you treat everybody? The famous Potter and Friends always get their way?"
"As if you should talk, I've got two words for you. Crabe and Goyle." Harry was so entrenched in his argument, that he didn't even notice his father, Sirius, Lupin, and Pettigrew enter the Great Hall. They, however, did notice the four new students.
"Who the heck is that?" Sirius said, elbowing James in the side.
James Potter fought back a yawn and shrugged. "Dunno, Dumbledore didn't say anything about visitors did he?"
"I don't think so. They don't look like a very happy lot do they?" Harry's back was to them, and he was animatedly arguing with Malfoy, his fist clenching his wand. Hermione was trying to stop the fight, and Ron was standing next to Harry, ready to fling himself at Malfoy.
"Well I suppose we'll find out about them at breakfast." Lupin said. He looked extremely worn, and had spent the morning after the full moon in the hospital wing.
The four Gryffindors were some of the last to filter into the Great Hall. Not long after they had sat down, McGonagall stepped outside and returned with the strangers.
Harry tried not to look like he was intently searching the crowd for anyone in particular, but after a casual glance over at the Gryffindor table, he spotted his father looking right back at him.
Ron elbowed him and whispered, "Harry, did you see your dad?"
"Yeah," he replied. He was also scanning for red hair and green eyes, his mother.
Hermione interrupted his concentration and he never finished scanning the whole table. "Look, there's Snape. His attention was diverted to the Slytherin table, and it didn't take long for Harry to spot him. He had seen a young Snape before, back in the Pensive. Snape's eyes were following them as they made their way to the head table, his expression hard to read. It was the first time he had ever looked at Harry without contempt.
They had now reached Dumbledore who was standing in front of the head table The students had gone quiet, and Dumbledore beamed at all of them. "I hope everybody's day is going well." He got a few nods, but it was clear they were more interested in the four strangers. "Right, I'd like to introduce to you Miss. Hermione Granger, and Mr.'s Draco Malfoy, Ron Weasly, and Harry Potter." Harry could see his father's eyes narrow slightly at the mention of his last name. "These students are visiting Hogwarts and will be attending classes with the sixth years. I'd like you all to give them a warm welcome, as they are now honorary Hogwarts students." He turned back towards the new students. "Well, I think I've sufficiently put you on the spot. If you'll have a seat, we can start breakfast."
As Harry, Ron, and Hermione made their way to the Gryffindor table, Harry wondered if Draco would make a scene in front of the whole school. To his relief, Malfoy followed, although somewhat reluctantly. They sat at the middle of the table, and Hermione smiled somewhat weakly at a boy with curly brown hair sitting next to her. Malfoy sat on her other side, and across from Harry and Ron. He crossed his arms across his chest and took to glaring at Harry.
"Well Malfoy, its no wonder the girls love you. You always make the most attractive expressions." Hermione said.
"Well Granger, I never knew you cared." He batted his eyelashes at her and flashed a very plastic, Gilderoy Lockhart sort of smile. Harry sighed as he felt Ron tense next to him. "Are you going to make yourself a right little scene here?" Malfoy said, looking at Ron.
Ron flushed red enough that it was difficult to tell his face apart from his hair. "Yeah, that's right. I thought I'd climb up on the table and shove your face right into the eggs." He ground out through clenched teeth. Harry was surprised that Ron was showing restraint, or at least what could be considered restraint when it came to Malfoy taunting him.
"Wonderful Weasly, keep giving me hallow threats." Malfoy's eyes took on a malicious twinkle.
"Um, excuse me." A female voice interrupted. They all diverted their attention to her and Harry almost choked on his surprise. His mother, Lily, had sat next to Ron and she seemed to be intent on introducing herself. "My name's Lily Evans. I'm one of the Gryffindor prefects." They all just stared at her, slack jawed. Even Malfoy seemed stunned. Lily looked uncomfortable at their looks, when finally Hermione got her wits about her.
"Hi, I'm Hermione." She said, extending a hand across the table. Lily seemed to relax a little.
"It's good to meet you. This is kind of unusual for Hogwarts to have four students visiting, I mean with it not being a tournament year or anything."
"Yes I know." Draco gushed. "We're just full of all sorts of surprises, aren't we Harry?"
Lily's gaze fell to Harry, and he wished that he could hex Malfoy half the way across the Great Hall. "You know, you look really familiar to me." She said, scrutinizing Harry. "What's your last name again?"
"Potter." He said, trying to look as if he had no idea what she was getting at.
"You aren't related to James are you?"
"Who?" He forced a puzzled expression onto his face.
"James Potter." she replied. "He's another Gryffindor sixth year, he's down there. Guy with the messy black hair and wears glasses." She gestured down the table and Harry got an excuse to take a good look at his father. James must have felt that eyes were on him, because he had been in conversation with Sirius when he suddenly looked down the table at them. James' eyes narrowed slightly and Harry turned away.
"I doubt it." Harry said. "None of my living family has been to Hogwarts."
"Maybe he's your long lost cousin or something." Malfoy seemed to enjoy watching Harry's predicament.
"Maybe." Harry replied, giving him a warning look.
"So what school are you from?" Lily asked.
"Um, it's kind of far away, you probably haven't heard of it." Ron said. Harry could tell that he was trying to think of a way to divert the conversation.
"So, what's with the different houses?" Hermione interrupted. "I mean, I've heard of them but I've never gotten a first hand introduction."
Lily frowned at her for diverting the question, but answered anyway. "Well, Hogwarts has four houses that students are part of. They're Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin." She looked at Hermione with a frown. "Dumbledore didn't tell you about this already?"
"He might have mentioned it." Harry cut in. One of Lily's friends interrupted with a question and Harry found himself breathing a sigh of relief.
"Smooth one Granger." Malfoy said. "Way to not make anyone suspicious."
"I didn't hear you coming up with any better ideas." She shot back. "But if we're going to talk about not drawing unwanted attention to ourselves, then I would suggest we all try to stop fighting amongst ourselves."
"It's you three who seem to have problems with me." Malfoy said, trying to give them an innocent look.
"You're saying you've never gone out of your way to try and annoy one of us?" Harry asked skeptically.
"You think I spend my time trying to annoy you?" Malfoy said. "I'm hurt, really I am. You all think my life centers around three pitiful Gryffindors. I'd have to shoot myself in the eye with a crossbow if I was that pathetic."
"I don't really think this is a good place for this discussion." Ron said, glancing around nervously.
Harry noticed that his father and friends seemed to be paying close attention to them. He was suddenly reminded of Fred and George's extendable ears and how many times they had been compared to the Marauders. "Ron's right, we should talk about this later tonight."
"Wonderful, I just can't wait." Draco crooned.
"Shut up Malfoy." They all said in unison.
"What do you think the deal is with the new blood?" Sirius asked.
"Dunno." James said. "Pretty weird for new students to show up when we're a month into classes already. Especially since they're from another school.
Remus Lupin was nodding in agreement. "And what about that Potter?" he turned to James. "He's not your cousin or anything is he?"
"I don't think so, but my dad's got a brother that he hasn't talked to in a really long time." He shrugged. "I suppose it's possible."
"He does kind of look like you." Sirius observed.
"Except I haven't got white hair."
"Maybe he hits the bottle." Sirius continued.
"What's drinking got to do with turning your hair white?" Peter Pettigrew had looked up between bites of food.
"That's not what kind of bottle I meant." Sirius said, rolling his eyes. "I mean potions that bleach hair."
"Potter, Weasly, Malfoy... those are all well known wizarding families, but I've never heard the last name Granger before." James continued to watch them, Lily Evans had been talking to them, and he felt a slight twinge of envy. It was about impossible to get her to have a conversation with him.
"You're not turning into an elitist on me are you?" Remus asked, studying him closely.
"No, of course not." James replied, "but if she's muggle borne, that would rule out a fair share of schools in Britain."
"Well, perhaps we should ask them." Sirius said. "If they're eating with the Gryffindors, then McGonagall's likely to stick them in our classes also."
Half an hour later found the Gryffindors making their way to Defense Against the Dark Arts, along with the four new students. Harry sat in the very last row, wanting to be able to observe the students around him. Ron sat to his right, and Hermione on his left, Malfoy on her other side. However, to his surprise, James plopped down next to Ron, Sirius along with him. Remus and Peter sat next to Malfoy.
James leaned forward, addressing the four of them. "I didn't get a chance to introduce myself back in the Great Hall," he said, "my name's James Potter." The other three introduced themselves as well, and he continued. "Couldn't help but notice your last name's Potter." He gave Harry an appraising look. "I was wondering if maybe we're related."
"Not that I'm aware of." Harry replied. He was shocked as he realized his voice was laced with a cold detachment. He was finally meeting his father, and yet he couldn't get the vision from the Pensive out of his mind. As much as Harry loathed Snape, what his father had done had been so wrong. The disgust on his mother's face was clouding his eyes.
"Well, who are your parents? I have an uncle that we lost touch with a while ago, maybe it's the same person."
"I'd rather not talk about my parents." Harry's mouth was dry as cotton, and out of the corner of his eye, he could see Malfoy watching him, a slight smirk on his lips.
"What, they can't be any worse than mine." Sirius said, almost lazily as he lounged in his chair.
"No, they're dead." He said rather bluntly.
"Your parents are dead?" Remus cut in. "I'm sorry, that's awful."
Malfoy was getting annoyed at the Q and A. "Yes, yes. Terrible tragedy, but if we don't quit now, what's to stop Potter from going into the whole tragic story. He's already impressed it on everyone from back home." Hermione elbowed him sharply in the ribs. "Ouch! What was that for you filthy mud-"He didn't finish the comment before Harry's wand was in his face.
"Finish that Malfoy, and you'll wish you hadn't." Everybody had suddenly stopped what they were doing and their attention was fixed on what was happening at the back of the classroom.
"What are you going to do Potter?"
"Are you worried?"
"Why should I be?" He shot back, eyes flashing.
"I think your father could provide you with a good reason."
Draco's cheeks flushed and he was reaching for his wand when Hermione's voice cut in.
"Stop it, the professor's coming." They continued to glare at each other, but finally, Harry lowered his wand and Draco placed both his hands on the desktop. "This is going to be a long week." She said with a sigh.
Ha! End of the chapter! Next time'll be a little bit of the DAtDA lesson as well as much much more. Please do R&R, it get's me inspired so much faster ;) hint hint...