Recap: "Into Slytherin. You were probably pretending to be my friend so you could use everything I said against me like the rest of the snakes in your House would!"

"Like I would, Weasley?" A voice drawled from behind him. Ron whirled around and scowled.

The Slytherin Duo
Chapter Two: Looking Out

"Malfoy! What is this, an ambush?" The redhead glared at the Slytherin in front of him, conscious of being surrounded by both, Harry and Malfoy.

Malfoy rolled his eyes, leaning his shoulder on the wall. "If only you could use your brain, Weasel. Maybe your mother split a brain between her entire horde of children." He glanced down at his nails on his left hand airily, "You're probably more acquainted with smaller portions anyway, right Weasel?"

Ron's ears were turning red, offsetting his hair and freckles. "Watch your mouth, Malfoy."

"And if I don't? You should watch yourself, Weasley – talking back to others, insulting friends… it's so unbecoming." Malfoy smirked, motioning to Harry, still on the floor as he said this. Harry could only watch the two argue, still shocked from what Ron had said.

"He's no friend of mine!"

"Well then… you should hurry back to your scroungy pack of lions."

Ron's face was joined his ears in clashing horribly with his hair. He spluttered angrily before glaring at Harry one last time. "One day and you're already friends with him. You disgust me." Ron stormed off past Malfoy.

"Ron – wait!" Harry called after him. The redhead didn't stop as he turned around the hallway corner. Oh, no. He'd probably just lost his only chance to fix things with Ron. After seeing how Ron had reacted though, did he really still want him as a friend?

"He's really not worth your time, Potter." Malfoy offered him a slim hand, helping him stand up.

"Just because I'm in Slytherin, he doesn't want anything to do with me," Harry voiced his thoughts, frowning. He'd hate to admit it, but Malfoy was completely right last night. Gryffindors hate Slytherins - that much was clear now even without the look of wariness turning to disgust on Ron's face.

"Gryffindor and Slytherin have always disliked each other." The blond said, as if it explained away Ron's hurtful words.

Sadness and anger burned inside Harry. "…Thanks. Let's go to lunch."

The two continued down to the Great Hall where Malfoy joined Crabbe and Goyle and Harry went to sit with Devin, Alexa and co.

Rellik looked up when Harry sat down. "Where've you been, Harry? Devin nearly – OW!" Rellik dropped his fork with a clatter and grabbed his shin under the table, his face scrunched in pain.

"Hmm? Oh.. I stayed to see if I could talk to Ron but…" He trailed off, taking a bite out of a baked potato sullenly.

"With that Malfoy bloke?" Alexa questioned.

"No, Malfoy told Ron off for being a jerk I guess."

"Oh. Well, good for him. So how were your first classes?" She changed the subject instead of prying about Ron. The group had known Ron probably wouldn't see eye-to-eye with Harry, even if they hoped otherwise for him.

Harry gave her a small smile. "Actually they were good. Professor McGonagall's going to be a stickler for homework though."

"She always is."

"I actually liked her." Daphne spoke up, pushing food around her plate. She hadn't been one to really talk so far and Harry was starting to think she was just that way – monosyllabic.

Rellik nodded. Harry noticed Devin cast a glance down the table before Terence caught their attention by waving.

"This weekend, what do you guys say to Quidditch tryouts? Flint's insisting on formality."

Harry looked over to Devin. "Formality?"

"Actual tryouts for team positions. Flint'n Montague let us play around last year because we're friends with Higgs, and they liked what they saw." Devin slapped Rellik's hand and grinned to Terence. "We love you."

"Ouch… being used for spots on the Quidditch team. I knew you two were devils." He threw his napkin at Devin, who laughed. Alexa shook her dark hair back, laughing. Daphne smiled as a bread piece was tossed back in retaliation, caught easily by Terence. Bread was flung discreetly at each other for another few minutes.

"Lunch is almost over," Alexa brought to attention once everyone had calmed down.

"We're all done anyway." Terence smiled, scooping a few stray pieces of food back onto his plate from the table.

"Sometimes I wonder if you all were not meant for Gryffindor." The boy Devin pointed out last night, Adrian Pucey, scoffed as he walked by.

"Adrian! Dare you say such a thing?" Terence demanded as they all stilled at the comment. Rellik even paused in shoving bread into his mouth.

"Act more Slytherin," Pucey frowned.

"Being Slytherin does not make us unable to have fun, Pucey." Devin stated.

"Fun can be saved for inside the commons or your dormitory, Tillithor." Without another word, Pucey continued on his way.

"Don't listen to him. He's probably just upset over Darien leaving." Terence watched after the boy leaving, a slight frown marring his features.

"Darien?" Daphne asked, shifting slightly in her seat. She looked a little put off after what Pucey had said, and hearing Terence's words didn't seem to quell any of her feelings of discomfort.

"His best friend, graduated last year."

"That's right," Rellik said. "He was in such a foul mood the last week of term, Darien had to storm his dorm." He paused, cracking a grin. "Ha, storm his dorm."

Daphne waved to someone and stood up suddenly. "I'll see you all later maybe. Some of the other girls want me to go early to class." Without really waiting for their goodbyes she left the table anxiously, joining a group of girls by the door.

No one commented on her quick leave, instead Alexa stood saying, "Think they've got the right idea, guys."

Later that evening after dinner, Harry was doing homework up in the dormitory. His friends were most likely in their own dorms, doing their own homework. Across from Harry, Malfoy sat on his bed summarizing his Transfiguration section. He could guess that Crabbe and Goyle were down in the commons goofing off; they didn't seem the type to study.

Putting the finishing touched on his last paragraph, Harry flipped a few pages in his book to read it over. His summary looked good enough. He shut his book and pushed it away, sliding down to lie on his bed.

"Tired already?" Malfoy's voice sounded across the room, causing Harry to tilt his head to the left to see the blond.

"Mmm," He stretched, lifting off of the bed slightly. "First day of school. It's always tiring."

Malfoy snapped his own Transfiguration textbook shut and set it aside on his bed. "Not going down to the commons then?"

Harry thought about doing just that. Alexa, Rellik, Devin and Terence might be downstairs. Terence might be playing piano, like Rellik mentioned. But it was quiet up here, and he was tired…

"Hmmmph… I might, later. They won't miss me." Harry finally replied.

"Sure they will, Potter. They were your friends from the second you sat with them – anyone can see that." Harry heard a slight stress from the blond's voice on the word 'friends.'

"Malfoy," He said tentatively. The blond raised an eyebrow. "About earlier… I was wrong. I shouldn't have chosen Ron over you. Maybe.. maybe someday I'll tell you why I did, but all I can offer right now is I'm sorry." He tensed a bit, waiting for Malfoy to respond.

The blond pursed his lips, contemplating the apology. "I accept your apology, Potter." He said after a moment, causing Harry to let out the breath he'd been holding. "You've suffered enough already after Weasley's ignorant dismissal." He waved his hand.

"You don't have to call me Potter. You can call me Harry." He grinned.

"Draco."

"Harry!" A muffled voice through the door yelled, followed by a rapid series of knocks, which could probably be called pounding. The door swung open, revealing Rellik's pale form. "Come downstairs, we've all been waiting. Oh, Malfoy," The spiky-black haired boy said, noticing the other boy in the room. "You should come too… piano and pool, fun all around." Rellik added in a rush. The boy seemed nervous almost, he kept bouncing from foot to foot.

Draco looked over to Harry with an eyebrow raised at Rellik's invite, then back to the older boy at the door. "Who's playing?"

"Terence on piano, Devin versus that slimy Nott. C'mon!" He moved over to the bed Harry was on, pulling him off and dragging him to the door before he could regain his balance. Harry quickly glanced back, "Draco?"

The other boy sighed dramatically, "Well, I suppose I'll join." He slid gracefully off of the bed and followed.

Rellik started explaining as he led Harry and Draco to the commons, "He started in on you again, out in the middle of the commons. 'Lexa and I almost tore his throat out then and there but Slytherin Code and all… no inner fights. Devin wanted a duel but he settled on a rack of Eight Ball, super rules."

"Nott's got it in for you, Harry." Draco observed with a smirk.

"It's not really funny." Harry stumbled over a step as Rellik dragged him.

Draco grabbed his shoulder, saying, "It's not. Just funny he thinks he can do something about it."

Down in the common room, Harry and Draco followed Rellik to the side room where the pool table was. A few people looked on with interest, including Alexa, who was nearly glowering at Nott's back. He must have said some pretty bad stuff, Harry thought, seeing her. Terence had stopped playing music apparently, turning on the bench to watch the challenge.

Devin, changed out of his Slytherin robes, was dressed in all black. He started intently at the table layout as Nott lined up a shot. It looked as if Devin were wiping the table with Nott; he had two balls left, Nott had five.

Harry moved next to Alexa, sitting on the bench next to Terence. Draco stood next to him, along with Rellik. Quidditch members were also around watching as Nott took the shot, banking one of his balls into a side pocket. A few around the room clapped as he lined up another shot, probably his friends that supported him.

If Devin had noticed Harry enter the room, he didn't show it. His turn came as Nott missed and backed off the table.

"This'll be over pretty soon, you watch." Rellik whispered. "Devin doesn't pride himself as a poolshark for nothing."

Harry saw that the older boy was right. He didn't know anything about pool but even he could tell that the shot Devin made was impressive, swerving the white ball – the cue – around the eight ball, kissing his into a corner pocket before hitting the 15 in also. This shot received loud applause and a few whistles from Rellik and Alexa. Nott did not appear happy.

"Eight ball, corner pocket." Devin said, leaning down for the line up. Just as he was about to hit the cue ball, Nott slammed his fist down on the table near Devin, jarring him enough to miss the shot completely, the cue going into the pocket instead.

"Nott, what the hell was that?" Devin said angrily, rearing up from the table. Several boos came from the crowd at the cowardly way of cheating in front of everyone. As it would be explained later to Harry from Rellik, Slytherins were characterized by their willingness to do anything to get their way so long as they weren't caught, be it by cheating or saving their own hides first before someone else. Openly cheating in front of everyone was just poor form.

"That was a scratch, I believe. Looks like I win, Tillithor." Nott smirked.

"You cheated, you slimy excuse for a –" Rellik growled at the boy, advancing closer.

"I did not touch him or the balls, I hardly constitute touching the side of the table as cheating." He replied smugly, standing his ground.

Devin narrowed his eyes, setting his cue stick on the table. "Whatever, Nott. The whole House saw it." He turned away, clenching his jaw as he walked over to the group and pulled Rellik back.

"You won't live this down, Nott. That whole display was low," Rellik bit out as a bitter promise.

Nott took no notice to the threat as he left the room laughing with his friends. A few people patted Devin's shoulder with sympathy, which darkened his mood.

Harry smiled at the boy. "Thanks for doing that, Devin." The brunette across from him nodded, "It was nothing." The older boy still seemed angry over the ordeal so Rellik ruffled his hair. Harry briefly wondered again what the other boy had said about him to get such a reaction as he relinquished his seat on the piano bench to Rellik.

"Excuse me." Draco nodded to them and left out the door after Nott. Harry watched him go, walking with his back straight, but in a very sly slinky way, like he had a purpose.

Smiling again, Harry turned around as Terence continued to play piano from where he stopped. Rellik hit a random key every five to ten seconds, so Terence tried pushing him off the bench while playing. Alexa sat down in a nearby chair, watching the four of them.

Harry looked back to Devin as they sat down with Alexa, "So where did you learn all that?" He asked, pointing to the pool table.

Devin leaned back. "Ah, I've been playing since I was tall enough to reach the table top. My father taught me."

"What's your father do?"

"Ministry job… an Unspeakable – top secret or whatever." Devin explained.

"High up then?" Harry asked. It all confused him further.

"One of the highest. Do you know what your father did, if you don't mind my asking?" The boy said tentatively, playing with a chess pawn.

Harry paused. He didn't know anything about his parents. Not a job, or appearances, or their own schooling… he told Devin so, causing him to apologize and change the subject.

Draco Malfoy walked out of the recreation room and followed Nott over to a corner of the common room. His friends greeted Draco cordially, opening up a circle around Nott. One of the boys to his left grinned at Nott.

"That was brilliant. Not only did you mess the game, you got off insulting the Boy-Who-Lived." He scoffed before turning to Draco. "Don't you think so, Malfoy?" The group looked at him.

He tipped his head back and waved it off. "Foul play really - that's why I'm here. A word, Nott?"

Nott's face drew back into a guarded look, his eyes narrowing at the Malfoy before him. He'd thought Malfoy would come over and praise him, but he gets this? The Malfoys were one of the most powerful purebloods – if not the most – in the wizarding world, and their praise would get his family into all of the right circles.

He nodded and moved aside with the blond. "Yeah, Malfoy?"

Draco leaned against the wall, looking coolly at the shorter boy. "About Potter… it wouldn't really do to be anything less than friendly towards him. He's an icon for the world. It won't get you anywhere."

"Advice… that's what you wish to give me?" Nott asked skeptically.

"It would not do to cross the Malfoys either, Nott." Draco said tensely. "Be grateful you get that much." He turned and paused, looking back over his shoulder. "It was a warning also. Watch yourself – next time there will be none." He continued back to the dormitory room, intent on sleep.

The next day, Harry stood with Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle down near the door to the Potions classroom. The Slytherins were lined up, just as the Gryffindors were grouped together on the other side of the hallway. They were all First Years. Nott and his friends were near the end of the line, and Ron was facing Harry, even though he never looked at him. Draco dismissed it with a wave of his hand, as was apparently habit for him, telling him not to give it another wasted thought. So Harry ignored the redhead as best as he could until Professor Snape came, billowing robes and all. He must have a whole set of the same robes, Harry thought.

Everyone filed in and found their seats, still separated into their Houses. Professor Snape seemed to repress a scowl as he looked them over. Snape started the class by taking the roll call, and he paused at Harry's name for a moment before continuing without comment. When he finished, he studied the class again. His eyes were cold and empty, making one think of dark tunnels.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses…. I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even stopper death – if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

Ron, who was sitting behind Harry somewhere, tossed a scrunched up ball of parchment at him in the middle of Snape's speech. Snape paused, looking at the Gryffindors trying to hide snickers. "Some of you apparently want to prove me wrong. Is my class or the subject of Potions boring you, Mr. Weasley?"

Ron slouched in his seat and answered, "No, sir."

"Perhaps you can tell me what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Powdered root of what to an infusion of what, Harry drew a blank as he glanced back at Ron who looked quite stumped.

"I don't know, sir," said Ron, causing Snape's lips to curl into a sneer.

"Where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

Next to him, Draco was smirking as Ron got his dues.

"I don't know, sir."

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Weasley? What is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

"I don't know, sir." Ron said tensely.

Snape snapped. "For your information, Weasley, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you all coping that down?"

There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment. Over the noise, Snape said, "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for disturbing class, Weasley. Clearly, you need to pay attention."

Harry shoved the trash into his pocket then hurried to continue his notes. Afterwards, Snape put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing almost everyone except Malfoy, whom he seemed to like.

The class wasn't without mishaps though, for a plump boy on Gryffindor's side completely melted Finnigan's cauldron, causing the potion to seep across the floor. The boy grew painful boils, being drenched in the murky liquid.

After Potions, Draco tapped his shoulder from behind as they headed towards their next class. "Hand it over, Harry."

"Hand what over?" Harry asked, confused.

"The note or whatever it is." Draco said, moving side by side now with him.

"What?" Harry almost tripped himself as he paused to look at the blond. Draco also stopped, calmly looking at him with an expectant expression.

"The – oh, come on." He stepped forward and patted at Harry's pockets, ignoring his protests. Finding what he wanted, he pulled the trash ball out.

"That's no note, Draco… Is it?" Harry stared at the ball curious, but still a bit reluctant to see if it had anything written on it. He didn't know any reason on earth that Ron would toss a note at him, unless of course, it was just to insult him.

"It really doesn't matter. It's trash." He hid it away in his own pocket, starting to walk again. "Coming?"

By the end of Friday, Harry's head was full from classes and he was really looking forward to the coming weekend. That evening found him in the Slytherin recreational room with Rellik, Alexa, Devin and Terence. Daphne had decidedly taken to hanging out with the girls from her dormitory room. The group also looked forward to the weekend. Tomorrow, Devin and Rellik would be going through the Quidditch tryout. The whole team had booked the Quidditch pitch for much longer than necessary, and Terence had told Harry they'd be using it for an early practice as well, disguised as the tryouts.

Terence sat at the piano again, playing a slow, melodious song with Rellik once again on the bench making a nuisance of himself. It was apparently habit for the two of them. Devin of course was clearing the pool table by himself while Alexa sat in the corner with Harry.

"So the week was good for you then?" She asked him.

"It was alright." Harry answered. He didn't really want to mention the small incidents with Ron in the hallways. After the first Potions class, the redheaded Gryffindor had taken to bumping into him in the halls, whenever most inconvenient for Harry. Twice, he had knocked him into a wall or statue without a word, or sent Harry's books sprawling. Every time he'd seen him otherwise, he was always watching him.

"You're looking forward to the weekend though." Alexa laughed, breaking into his thoughts. "First week of classes is always a shock to the system after summer vacation, even before Hogwarts I think."

"Yeah, it's something different though. This school is much better than normal Muggle school." He grinned. "I can't wait to see Quidditch, too. Everything I've heard from you guys sounds like it's a bloody awesome game."

"Quidditch is a bloody awesome game," Rellik grinned over his shoulder. "It's life." While his head was turned, he continued plunking a random key on the piano.

Alexa rolled her eyes at him and asked Harry, "Have you had a chance to see much of the castle?"

"Not really, nothing beyond where I've had classes." Harry answered. No, he hadn't had a real chance to see Hogwarts. He'd wanted to use part of the weekend for just that.

"We should take you around then. Wait – are you saying you haven't seen the pitch yet?" Rellik asked in shock.

"Is that really all you think about, Rellik?" Alexa frowned.

"Well… yeah."

"You have to give him credit, Alexa; he's managed to pick up on everything related to Quidditch, and ignore everything else." Terence said, with his back still facing them.

Devin finally slumped down into a chair next to Alexa's. "He's still listening, that's the key thing."

Rellik continued on as if Devin and Rellik weren't talking, "Anyway, with the Quidditch tryouts tomorrow, we should be able to show you the pitch. 'Lexa, you'll be watching with him right?" Upon her nod, he smiled and pushed Terence's hand out of the way as it reached over for a few notes. "See? You can tell him a bit about what goes on during matches, or go on about the castle if you like. We should be free to give him a tour once the tryout's over."

Alexa stared at Rellik as if he were an amusing poppet during his oblivious harangue then smiled at Devin, "Yes, rue the day when he stops listening completely."

Devin grinned at her and turned to raise an eyebrow to Harry, saying, "Hope you have nothing planned for tomorrow."

"Well, I have plans now, don't I?"

Alexa nodded to him and opened up a book she picked up from the table. Harry didn't think he'd ever understand Alexa completely; just when she seemed about to get angry or blow up, she just smiled or joked with them. The only time she stayed angry was when one of them were threatened or insulted. Reason one he didn't want to say anything about the incidents with Ron. He also didn't want to say anything because of the boy next to Alexa. Devin Tillithor seemed to personally take up the role of his protector. Really, they all looked out for him, and each other, but none more than Devin. His hackles rose if anyone so much as looked at him wrong – he was constantly watching Ron and Nott. It was nice really – no one had ever cared enough before to look out for him.

Much later, when Harry headed up to the dormitory to turn in, there was a noticeably empty bed across from his own.

A/N: Well, chapter two's up. Thanks for the reviews! They make me so happy. So do tell, what did you think of this chap and what's going on? Ron does seem a bit wicked, but honestly, you need a good antagonist or two.

Up next – Quidditch tryouts, castle exploring… where was Draco?