After a nice breakfast of french toast, eggs, and toast with marmalade, the Gryffindors made their way to the third floor.
"Did you hear what happened?" Violet, the friend of the Fat Lady seemed anxious. "There have been deaths!"
"Hey wow, your up on the news, aren't you? Maybe you need to gossip a LITTLE more to find out the latest breakthroughs. This one was all over at four this morning." said Ron. He seemed to be a little testy since he'd had to get up a little early. Violet looked insulted, and moved into the portrait next to her, where a pretty blond girl was sitting on a picnic blanket next to the knight from the next portrait. They were whispering too. A quick look down the long hall told Harry that ALL the portraits were conversing about this morning's incident.
'Hey come back, ye scurvy curs! My fair lady! Know you of this terrible occurrence?" It was Sir Cadogan, a fat, inefficient knight, who was talking.
"I sure hope that the Slytherins get that mental case for a portrait... that would shut Malfoy up..." Ron muttered, annoyed, and Hermione completely ignored Sir Cadogan, looking straight forward.
Finally, after what seemed miles of listening to Sir Cadogan clank along through the different portraits, complaints from the people whose portraits were being trampled by Sir Cadogan, and his little insults that he shouted whenever he could spare the breath, they arrived at the large classroom.
In the fall before, during the seminar, the buttery yellow room had been decorated with posters that described different counter-curses, with moving photos of people doing the counter-curses, or showing how to mix healing and truth potions. Now, the room was a deep blue in color, with black drapes and a deep red rug. Most of the Slytherin girls were seen sobbing piteously in the front, making a big show. Malfoy was sitting in the front, pretending that he was trying to act strong. He was being suffocated by Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode.
"He probably doesn't even care." Ron said crossly, "He just acts sad so he'll get peoples pity." Harry nodded knowingly.
"Honestly, you two- he just lost his best friend! How would you feel if Harry and I died, Ron? And Harry- what if Ron and I were gone?" This made both of them think for a moment.
"Ok, so maybe we should feel a little sorry for him..." Harry said slowly.
"Yes! You should!" Hermione said tartly, "And think- all this just as his father is being chased by the ministry, and he loses his Prefect position because of it!"
"Ah!" Ron said excitedly, completely forgetting about Malfoy's troubles, "That's right! I forgot, Harry! There's really no one to protect Malfoy now that his bodyguards are gone! And since Malfoy's been demoted from the prefect position, and Dumbledore gave you the job... ehehehe... this is going to be fun..." Hermione glared at him. "Do you care about ANYONE? And also, you- are-a- PREFECT! And get rid of that grin, Harry. You will do no such thing!" She sighed, giving up, and they all went to sit between Ginny and Parvati, who were sitting three seats apart, about five rows from the back of the classroom.
"Hey, Harry!" whispered Ginny, who was sitting on Harry's right, "Did you hear? There's to be a funereal for Goyle on Friday and Crabb on Monday- you don't have to go! And Snape is going! So if you don't go, and you have potions one of those days, you get potions with a sub!" Harry considered this.
"I think I have potions both days! And I'll be a Hippogriff if you think I'm going to go to either one of their funerals!" Ginny grinned at him, and agreed.
"Although," Ginny said logically, "if Snape gets to pick the substitute, then it will more than likely be like him..."
"Yea," said Harry, "but I doubt anyone can be as bad as him..." Harry and Ginny both smiled wryly, and were forced to turn forward because Professor Dumbledore had stood up, and was clearing his throat loudly. He stood gravely, and was accompanied by the rest of the teaching staff, the Minister of Magic, and four people who were Goyle and Crabb's parents. Harry recognized both of the fathers as Death Eaters. All of these people were standing on a rickety wooden platform, covered in a large black piece of linen.
"Ahem," Professor Dumbledore said solemnly, "We would like to begin.
"For those of you who do not know, the Slytherin house lost two valuable members today, due to a curse that was placed on their house rooms. Vincent Crabb and Gregory Goyle, when sent to get their head of house, they died upon reentering their common-room."
Mrs. Goyle let out a dry sob at these words, and Mrs. Crabb had tears streaming down her face. Both husbands seemed unmoved. They did nothing to comfort their wives. Harry wondered briefly if Mrs. Goyle or Mrs. Crabb had any idea what their husbands were up to. Professor Dumbledore went on,
"These boys were the definition of Slytherin spirit, and will be dearly missed by all, especially by all the Slytherins. All the teachers agree that they were both a joy to teach."
"That's because they didn't require any maintenance," Harry whispered to Ron and Hermione, "They could just sit there and be stupid, without having to help them or anything." Ron snickered, and Hermione gave him a look. Professor Dumbledore sent them a look, and kept talking.
"Although they will be sorely missed, it is important that we move on as well. Right now, I am faced with finding safe homes for all the remaining Slytherin students. Because all of the large rooms in Hogwarts are currently occupied with one room or another, and it seems foolish to clump all Slytherin students together again, my solution is that the Slytherin students will be separated, and put into the three remaining houses. Every room will acquire two new members."
No one stopped Justin Finch-Fletchley from standing up. In fact, no one seemed to notice either. The entire room was in mayhem. Harry looked around, horrified. Seamus started choking uncontrollably into the front of his robes. Ron was gaping at Professor Dumbledore with horror. Dean started to stand up, but was forced down again by a gaping Lavender. Parvati started crying into Hermione's shoulder, and Hermione didn't seem to mind the show of emotion for a change. As a matter of fact, she looked livid. Ernie McMillan cried "What??" and Mandy Brocklehurst from Ravenclaw had to stand up and drag Terry Boot back to his seat, to prevent him from socking Professor Dumbledore. Malfoy seemed to look the most horrified. He turned around and saw Harry looking at him. It was easy to sense his fear that he would be put in the Gryffindor house. Harry looked at Cornelius Fudge (the Minister of Magic) , who was reaching in the pocket of his robes. He came out with a small silver whistle, and blew it loudly. Harry smiled grimly- he had obviously expected this reaction.
"Everyone! Sit down and be quiet! I am completely embarrassed with your reaction to this decision! Does NO ONE care about the wellbeing of the other people in your school? WHAT KIND OF SCHOOL TOGETHERNESS IS THIS? In a time where Voldemort is trying to ruin everyone's lives, we should be STICKING TOGETHER, not acting like... ANIMALS! I am ashamed, and you should be too!" he was standing now, and was evidently shouting himself hoarse. He looked at Professor Dumbledore, who nodded at him, agreeing.
"The Minister is quite right. If there is no school togetherness, or spirit, there is no school. No, Mr. Finnegan, I will not reconsider.
"The lists of where all the Slytherins will be rooming is placed outside the Great Hall. All Slytherins will be required to go to the Hall, and bring their belongings to their new home. New beds and dressers have already been brought to the rooms. And there will be no space problems. An enlarging charm has been put on the rooms, and there is now quite enough room for everyone.
"And last, but most certainly not least, all Slytherin guests must be treated with the respect they deserve." This had a note of finality to it, and students slowly started exiting the hall. Looking at the teachers, Harry could tell they hadn't taken the whole 'school spirit' thing to heart. Professor McGonagall looked as angry as Seamus right now, and that was saying something.
Harry realized that Ron was talking to him. He was going on about how Dumbledore had finally lost it, and something about putting biting candies by their new room member's bed.
"Hey Ron... "Hermione started slowly (she seemed to be listening to Ron) "Those biting candies... Fred and George make those, don't they?" Ron nodded nastily, and it was evident he was expecting Hermione's disapproval, and was ready to tell her to blow it out her ear.
"Well... if you're getting some... could you maybe... get some for me?" Hermione finished tentatively. Ron looked the most shocked Harry had ever seen him. Harry was just as stunned.
"Your not-you're not going to say that it's a bad idea?" Ron looked as though he could be blown over by a feather.
"Honestly? I think we should scare them out before they scare us out." Hermione said tartly. She still looked as livid as she had before. Ron, not wanting to break their new truce, nodded slowly.
"Uh... sure. Sure. I can get you some. You'd pay me, though, right? Ok, then...sure. I guess." Harry, relieved that they weren't fighting for a moment, sighed.
"Well, I suppose we should go figure out who our new roommate is, eh? Both Hermione and Ron nodded slowly and sadly, and they all walked slowly back to the Gryffindor Common-room.