Chapter 2: Oops.
Draco pulled the book from his trunk. The book that was going to steal Potter's dignity, just as his had been stolen. It opened to the familiar spell that he'd spent the summer learning. From his pocket he pulled a vial containing one red and one black hair, Carefully he removed them.
Crabbe and Goyle, of course, knew nothing of Draco's plan. They might be loyal, but keeping secrets was not their forté. So they watched Draco with a more confused than usual look on their faces.
Draco drew his wand and pointed it toward the short hairs in his palm. Checking the incantation in the book for what felt like the millionth time, he recited the spell that would make Potter and Weasly the laughing stock of Hogwarts. When he finished, he felt a tingling sensation in his hand. /Good, good./ That was supposed to happen. Then where the hairs had been, he felt them burning. In his palm and…around his finger/No…/ A memory flashed through his mind: running his fingers through his hair when he re-entered the car. One of them must have caught on his finger, and he hadn't noticed!
Grim realization spread itself over Draco's face and he fell silent. He let his hand drop, and a single red hair drifted to the floor.
Crabbe and Goyle looked at each other, each more dumbfounded than the other, and then looked back at Draco, who was madly flipping through the pages of the book. His father's book. The book of spells that his father had used to get revenge on his enemies. Draco knew it was hopeless, but some baser instinct wouldn't let him stop until the back cover had been flipped. After all, if a cure existed, there would be a chance that the person afflicted would get his hands on it.
Draco turned the final page, and having found nothing, closed the book. There was no counterspell for the spell he'd just cast.
Cold nothingness enveloped Draco's mind and he fell into a state of belated shock. Crabbe and Goyle reached out to support his limp body.
Meanwhile, in the Griffindor car, the short hairs on the back of Harry's neck tingled and a chilling shiver ran down his spine.
"Whassa matter, Harry?" Ron asked.
"I dunno, Ron. I really don't."
"Whatever, Harry. Hey! Look what's happened to Malfoy!"
The four of them looked through the small window that separated their two cars just in time to see Draco collapse into the arms of his grunts. He was a paler shade of white than normal.
Ron scoffed at Draco's plight. "And he made fun of you for passing out our third year! At least you had a reason."
"Yeah, I guess." But Harry couldn't bring himself to laugh at Malfoy, despite knowing that he would have last year. Actually, he almost felt sorry for him. No, not sorry. Something else. Something unsettling.
It was an uncomfortable ride to Hogwarts for Harry that year.
Author's note: Thanks for reviewing, butterpie and lita-2003. I tried my best to continue the story and make it interesting. I know this chapter is shorter, but I just wanted to get them to Hogwarts. Next time: more. Pinky swear! So, keep reviewing (especially since now it's my very own writing!), and I'll keep writing! Kisses! -SemeDesu
