A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry for the sorta long wait. Here's my next chapter…it took awhile to write it and it would have been longer except I knew you all were waiting for it! Also, if you wish to become a part of a Harry Potter Fan group on Yahoo, please go to http:groups. and become a member! Everyone is welcome! On to reviews!
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CHAPTER SIX: Draco's Detour
Harry threw himself down on his bed in exhaustion. He had moved all of his things into Gryffindor Tower earlier in the afternoon, and had just finished playing Quidditch with Ron and Ginny. They had tried to persuade Hermione to join in, but she claimed that she was afraid of flying on brooms and contented herself to watching and cheering them on. He supposed he probably shouldn't have out done himself on his first few hours out of bed, but he had been bedridden for a little over a week.
After the boys had taken a quick shower and changed, they hurried down to the common room to meet Hermione and Ginny so they could go down to dinner. It was Harry's first dinner in the Great Hall without other students present, and he wondered what it would be like. He needn't have worried about talking to his professors, however, as many had used this last weekend before the new term started to visit their families one last time. Most of the teachers spent the summer at their homes, but came back to prepare the school and their lesson plans in the middle of August.
"Food!" cried Ron as heaps of delicious looking main dishes appeared at their table set for nine in the center of the great hall. Ron immediately grabbed several drumsticks and scooped up a small mountain of mashed potatoes. He then heaped peas on top of that and added about five rolls to his already teeming plate. Suddenly he stopped and looked up, his mouth stuffed full of chicken. "Whafyal phloukin fat?" which Harry thought was supposed to mean, "What are you all looking at?"
"Honestly Ron, do you have to be such a pig? Other people would like to eat without you stuffing your face as fast as you can, it's disgusting," said Hermione crossly, taking her fork and delicately placing the chicken in her mouth. Everyone at the table, except for Argus Filch, the caretaker, was trying not to laugh. He glared at them all, swallowed, and said, "I am hungry you know!" He then dug in again, ignoring the comical looks he was still getting.
Conversation around the table was light and mostly cheerful; everyone was anticipating the start of the new term on September 2. "Professor Dumbledore, sir, who is our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?" Hermione asked interestedly as the topic of new teachers popped into the conversation.
"Now, now, Ms. Granger, I can't go telling the four of you before the rest of the student body. It might leak out, and we wouldn't want that happening," Dumbledore winked then turned back to his food. The rest of the meal passed quickly; the house elves had cooked a marvelous meal and the table's occupants were very preoccupied with eating. Harry mostly chatted quietly to Ginny about her summer and his own, while Ron and Hermione were animatedly talking to Professor Flitwik about new charms they would be learning that year. Snape and Filch ate silently and quickly, and excused themselves from the table before everyone was finished. Professor Dumbledore and Professor Sinistra were locked in their own conversation.
When everyone was finished, Ron, Harry, Ginny and Hermione all made their way back to their respective dormitories because Hermione and Ginny needed some "girl talk" time.
"Girls," said Ron, "what do they need to talk about all the time that we can't know?"
"Who knows?" said Harry, who was oblivious to girls normally. "I'll never understand them."
Ron then challenged Harry to a game of chess and proceeded to defeat Harry gallantly.
After quite a while had passed, Ginny knocked on the door to the 6th Year Boy's dormitory and came in. "Harry, you said you had to talk to us all about something?"
"Yea, I do," said Harry, dreading what was to come. "We need somewhere where we know we won't be interrupted. It's very important. How about the Room of Requirement?"
"Ok, I'll get Hermione and we'll meet you there in 10 minutes," said Ginny mischievously. She tossed her long red hair over her shoulder and walked out.
"Harry, mate, are you alright?" snickered Ron, after Harry had been staring at the door for a whole two minutes after Ginny left.
Harry came out of a daze and realized what Ron was talking about. He turned bright red and brusquely grabbed his cloak and left the room, leaving a grinning Ron in his wake.
"When will he see how much she likes him?" Ron wondered to the empty room before following his best friend out.
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As Harry and Ron moseyed down the corridor to the Room of Requirement ten minutes later, Harry thought carefully of what he should say. He didn't want to tell them too much and have them worried, yet he needed their support and help to get through it.
Earlier in the day he had talked to Sirius again, but only briefly because Madam Pomfrey had interrupted him. Sirius of course, had to be stubborn and wouldn't tell him what to say. He had said that Harry needed to "learn and do things on his own." Harry knew he was right, but didn't like it.
He decided to tell them the whole prophecy and then let them figure out what it meant. He didn't think he could go through telling them what had to happen. They were smart, they'd figure it out. Meanwhile, Harry would just relax back and say nothing.
They reached the Room of Requirement too soon for Harry's liking, but he said nothing and followed Ron in. The girls had arrived before, and set the room up with soft, plushy sofas and a muggle rock and roll band playing softly in the background. Ron, Ginny had told Harry earlier, had taken to the music like a puppy will to its mother.
Mr. Weasley had apparently brought home a stereo system and some CD's to tinker with. As a result, Ron and Ginny were rocking to AC DC, Led Zeppelin, Alice Cooper and U2 all summer and had gotten hooked.
Ron plopped himself down on a couch beside Hermione and put his arm around her. He then looked at Harry expectantly, and Harry, instead of sitting next to Ginny on the other sofa, strode to the fake window in the corner of the room.
For the next few minutes, it was silent except for the sound of "Highway to Hell" playing on the stereo. Ron was content to hold Hermione in his arms and wait Harry out, but Ginny was getting anxious. She was fidgeting and kept glancing at Harry, obviously trying to ignore the looks that Hermione was giving her.
After five minutes, Harry turned to them and said quietly, "This is very hard for me, but you must know. I don't wish to endanger you by telling you this, but I very well may be. If you wish to disown me, go ahead, but I can't go with not telling you this. It would be unfair."
Ginny piped up, somewhat angrily, "Disown you Harry? We would never do that, no matter what. I can't believe you would say that. What is up?" She sat back and patted the seat beside her, inviting Harry to sit by her.
Harry hesitated at first, he didn't want to break down in front of Ginny, but the soft sofa next to Ginny looked so tempting, he decided he would accept her invitation.
Again, they sat in silence for a few minutes, before Harry took out his pensieve and laid it on the table in front of him. This was the first time any of his friends had seen his pensieve, and they all held looks of awe on their faces.
"Blimey Harry! Where did you get that? They're supposed to be really rare!" Ron asked excitedly.
"Wow, Harry, I didn't know you had one of those!" said Hermione just as excitedly as Ron. "Do you actually know how to use it?"
"Yea, I know how to use it. Now, I'm going to show you all something that's dangerous information for you to know. If Voldemort or anyone else learns of this, I'm as good as dead and you with me," Harry said seriously.
"We understand, Harry. Please show us, maybe we can help you," said Ginny wisely. The others agreed and Harry sighed. He had known it would be like this. Why did he ever try to convince them otherwise?
Harry held his wand up to his temple and muttered, "Memoria Extracta." A silvery strand of memory was attached to his wand and as he lowered it into the pensieve, and said, "Mirar Memoria," the others watched in awe.
Harry swirled the contents of the pensieve around before motioning the others to him. "On the count of three, I want all of us to reach into the bowl, ok?"
"What's going to happen?" asked Ginny, looking nervously down at the swirling grey material.
"Nothing bad, just do it and I'll explain later," said Harry more curtly then he had meant. Ginny looked hurt. Harry bluntly ignored it, but was upset at himself for making her mad. He told himself he would apologize later and see if he could get her alone to talk.
"Ok, one...two...three!" Harry stuck his finger into the bowl as his friends did the same. He felt like he was falling down through the ceiling of Professor Dumbledore's office, but landed safely on his feet at the bottom. Ginny, Hermione, and Ron all joined him a moment later and looked around in wonder.
There were two Harry's and Professor Dumbledore was talking to one of them. The three inched over to the real Harry and stayed close. "Just watch," said Harry quietly, already absorbed in the scene playing out before him for the 3rd time. He had already watched this memory twice before, each time noticing more detail and figuring more things out.
"I know how you are feeling, Harry," said Dumbledore very quietly.
"No you don't," said Harry, his voice was suddenly loud and strong.
"You see, Dumbledore?" said Phineas Nigellus slyly. "Never try to understand students. They hate it. They would much rather be tragically misunderstood, wallow in self-pity, stew in their own –"
"That's enough, Phineas," said Dumbledore.
Ron, Ginny and Hermione were all looking at Harry questioningly. He answered their looks by saying, "This is right after the Department of Mysteries in June. Just watch."
"What don't I know?" Dumbledore was saying calmly.
"I don't want to talk about how I feel, all right?"
"Harry, suffering like this proves you are still a man! This pain is part of being human—"
"THEN—I—DON'T—WANT—TO—BE—HUMAN!" Harry roared, as he seized one of the delicate silver instruments on the spindle-legged table beside him and flung it across the room.
Ginny and Hermione were looking at the real Harry with a sadness and sympathy so deep he couldn't stand it. He looked away and back to the memory before him.
The four of them stood there and watched Harry rant and rave at Dumbledore for several minutes. Then Dumbledore began telling Harry why he had acted so different towards him this year. Ginny had sat down on the floor and was crying softly as she saw her friend suffer and grieve over his godfather.
"I cared about you too much," Dumbledore was saying simply. "I cared more for your happiness than your knowing the truth, more for your peace of mind than my plan, more for your life than the lives that might be lost if the plan failed. In other words, I acted exactly as Voldemort expects we fools who love to act."
They had reached the part where Dumbledore explained that a prophecy had been made before Harry had been born.
"I thought the prophecy was smashed," said Ron, giving Harry a questioning look.
"It was, but for a prophecy to be recorded in the Department of Mysteries, someone had to have heard it, hadn't they? That person was Albus Dumbledore," Harry explained curtly. He was in a foul mood.
The memory Harry was saying, "Who heard it?"
"I did," said Dumbledore. "On a cold, wet night sixteen years ago, in a room above the Hog's Head Inn. I had gone there to see an applicant for the post of Divination teacher, though it was against my inclination to allow the subject of Divination to continue at all. The applicant, however was the great-great-granddaughter of a very famous, very gifted Seer, and I thought it common politeness to meet her. I was disappointed. It seemed to me that she had not a trace of the gift herself. I told her, courteously, I hope, that I did not think she would be suitable for the post. I turned to leave."
Dumbledore then took out his pensieve and prodded the silvery substance with his wand. A figure rose out of it, draped in shawls, her eyes magnified to enormous size behind her glasses, and she revolved slowly, her feet in the basin. But when Sibyll Trelawney spoke, it was not in her usual ethereal, mystic voice, but in the harsh, hoarse tones Harry had heard her use in his third year.
Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were now all concentrating with all their might, as Trelawney revealed the prophecy to them.
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches. . . . Born to those who have thrice defied him, Born as the seventh month dies. . . And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not . . . and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives. . . . The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies. . . ."
Harry had decided that he didn't want them to hear what Dumbledore said next, so he grabbed their hands and pointed his wand to the ceiling. If they stayed, they would have found out that Neville could have been the boy mentioned in the prophecy, and he didn't want to put more pressure on Neville than there already was. Immediately they rose up and out of Harry's memory and back into the Room of Requirement.
The three looked taken aback at what they had just witnessed, and all three collapsed on a couch looking stunned. Hermione was the first one who spoke up.
"Harry, I'm so sorry this all had to happen to you. You should have told us sooner. We will never desert you, isn't that right Ron? Ginny?" she said quietly, looking at Harry with a new kind of reverence.
"Yea, we never will, Harry. So what exactly does the prophecy mean?" asked Ron, looking confused.
"Don't be stupid Ron!" said Hermione indignantly. "It means that Harry is the only one who can defeat Voldemort. The only question is, what is the power the Dark Lord knows not?" She got up and paced the room.
"Dumbledore reckons its love," said Harry quietly. "But we can't be for sure. If you guys come up with anything, you'll tell me right?"
"Of course," said Ron and Hermione at the same time. They laughed quietly and gave each other small looks of affection.
"Harry, I think Hermione and I will be off to the common room. If you're done that is," said Ron, looking for Harry's ok to go.
"Yes, it would help if we have time to figure this out for ourselves. Do come and get us if you need something though, won't you Harry?" said Hermione gently.
"Ok, you can go. I'll be fine," replied Harry. Hermione and Ron left the room holding hands, heading to the common rooms, or so they wanted Harry and Ginny to think.
Harry was left in the room with Ginny, who hadn't said anything for quite some time now. Harry blushed slightly as he looked down at her and found her studying him. Why did Ron and Hermione have to leave him alone with her now?
"You ok, Gin?" he asked quietly, worried at her silence and paleness.
Ginny shook her head no, and patted the seat beside her. Harry sat down next to her and started to say something, but to his surprise Ginny immediately burst into tears. Harry tried to comfort her, and put his arm around her. He was at a loss of what to do. Why did girls always have to cry when they were alone with him?
Ginny snuggled into his arm and cried harder into his shoulder. Harry let her, patting her back and stroking her gorgeous, shiny, red hair. It smelled like freshly picked flowers and, Harry thought to himself, he didn't mind his position one bit.
They sat that way for about 15 minutes before Ginny gradually stopped crying. "Harry, I…I…I'm sorry," she sobbed. "You must think I'm a sissy, or crybaby."
"No, its ok, Gin. Just let it all out, you're not a sissy, or…a crybaby."
She wiped her eyes and sat up abruptly, as if just realizing she had spent the last 20 minutes in Harry Potter's arms.
Harry decided to be bold, and put his arm back around her to pull her close to him once again. She tensed up at first, but then gratefully allowed herself to fall back into his arms. This was the closest Harry had ever been to her, and he was nervous. He decided to let her do the talking, and find out what was bothering her.
Eventually she started talking. She told him that Percy was still being a git and wouldn't talk to the family, even though both her father and mother had gone to see him and make amends. Evidently he had slammed the door in their face. At home her parents were worried sick about her and Ron, after what they had gone through at the Department of Mysteries in June. They felt that they were growing up too fast, and the war was not their responsibility.
Mrs. Weasley had had several nervous breakdowns. What with the whole family being involved one way or another with the war, it would be hard for the Weasley's to get through it unscathed.
"I just have kept it all pent up inside me for so long," said Ginny quietly. "Everyone else has there own problems, I don't want to worry them with mine."
"Ginny, I promise I'll always be here. Ron and Hermione support you so much also. Don't be afraid to talk to one of us," said Harry, trying to be as supportive as possible.
"Thanks Harry," said Ginny quietly, looking up at him. Harry gazed down into her dazzling green eyes. "And don't be afraid to talk to me."
She leaned back down on his chest. "Harry," she faltered, unsure of what to say next.
"Yes, go on," said Harry encouragingly.
"Harry, when you showed us your memory of the prophecy, all I could think of is what would happen to me if you died. As soon as I heard the prophecy, I understood that you had to kill Voldemort, or be killed. Harry," Ginny started crying once more, "I think I would have to kill myself if you died," she bit a sob on Harry's chest.
Harry was shocked by what she said. "Ginny, why would you do that? Promise me you'll never do that. If I do die trying to kill Voldemort, and I promise you I'll be trying, you still have a long and wonderful life to live. But don't think of that, I don't want you to be upset," Harry was perplexed by what she had said. They weren't that close, just recently had Ginny started hanging out with Ron, Hermione and him.
"Thanks, Harry. I feel better now, talking to you," said Ginny quietly. She got up quickly and walked out of the door.
Harry stared after her longingly. He hadn't wanted her to leave. It felt nice, better than he thought it would, to have her in his arms, even if she was just crying and needed comfort. He wondered if she was still going out with Dean. He hadn't heard her say anything about him, but who ever knew? Harry got up and went through the door Ginny had left through five minutes earlier. He arrived at the common room to find himself the only one there. Ron was not yet in his dorms, and Harry assumed Hermione wasn't either. With a sigh, Harry collapsed on his bed and fell asleep.
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Harry woke up tossing and turning, his bed soaked with sweat. He had just had another dream with Bellatrix taunting him about trying to use the Cruciatus Curse. Why did he keep having them? He wanted to forget it, yet it kept coming back. He hated it!
Harry could hear Ron waking up over in the bed next to his, so he quickly got up to shower. He didn't want Ron to notice how much he had been tossing.
Soon after, Harry and Ron went down to the Great Hall for breakfast. They were the only ones there, as they had slept in, but they thought the girls would have been there at least. They were nowhere in sight, however.
"Ron, shall we go down and visit Hagrid then?" asked Harry when they had finished eating. As usual, the houselves had made a delicious meal, even if there only were two of them.
"Yea!" said Ron enthusiastically. "Didn't you say he had something to give you, Harry?"
Harry had forgotten all about that. He only thought of going to see Hagrid because he hadn't been able to yet, what with being in the hospital wing all the time.
The two boys ambled outside to the grounds. It was a beautiful day; the sky was deep blue, and the grass as green as Slytherin colors. The sun was just rising over the lake to the east, shining light on the giant squid, which was gently propelling itself across the lake.
'Sirius?' asked Harry quietly in his thoughts. 'Sirius, I need your help here.'
'What do you need kiddo?' responded Sirius instantly. 'How are things going in the living world?'
'Just great,' answered Harry wryly. 'No, actually they are ok, I just wanted to ask you about my dreams I keep having, with Bellatrix taunting me. Why do I keep dwelling on it?'
Harry had asked Sirius this for, with no real response. He had sprung it on him now to try to get Sirius to tell him.
'Harry, I really don't know,' said Sirius, which was not the response Harry was looking for. 'It could be because it is very unlike you to want to try to hurt someone as bad as you did her. I really don't know. Perhaps you should try talking to Ron and Hermione about it, they usually have good ideas.'
Harry sighed. He knew he shouldn't feel this way, but it seemed that when he was around Hermione and Ron now that they were officially 'together,' he was always on the outside of the group. He always had Ginny to fall back on, but he didn't yet know how she felt about him.
By this time, Ron and Harry had reached the clearing where Hagrid's hut stood. Everything looked normal, which was good. There was no sign of Grawp or any other dangerous creatures. Grawp was Hagrid's younger brother and a full blooded giant. The boys wondered what he had done with him.
'Thanks Sirius,' said Harry. 'I'll talk to you later, alright? I have some more things I want to ask you about.'
'Alright Harry, I'll be here just call, or maybe I'll stop by to see what your doing myself. Toodles!' and with that Sirius was gone from his head.
Ron was looking at Harry curiously as Harry quickly shook his head back and forth rapidly; trying to make sure Sirius was really gone. It was a peculiar feeling when you had someone in your head, and then all of a sudden they disappeared.
"Are you alright Harry? You look really pale," Ron told him, looking concerned.
"I'm fine, Ron. Just talking to Sirius again," Harry said, stifling a yawn. That stupid dream made him so tired in the morning. He hated it.
"That's cool," said Ron. "Did he have anything interesting to report today?"
"No, just the usual. How it's so boring where he is, blah blah blah." They had now reached the door to Hagrid's hut, and Harry reached up to knock.
A raucous noise instantly formed within, and Harry could hear Hagrid yelling, "Down pups, down!"
Ron looked at Harry and said nervously, "What do you reckon it is?" Harry shook his head, signaling that he hadn't a clue. After a few minutes, Hagrid finally made it to the door and opened it a crack.
"Ello' you two! Bin' wonderin when you'd be down ter see me! Got something for yer here Harry!" Ron and Harry tried to peek around Hagrid to see what was making the noise.
Hagrid then stepped aside and swung the door wide open. Fang the boarhound bounded outside and jumped on Ron, knocking him to the ground and licking his face with enthusiastic care. "Owwww!" cried Ron, but began laughing a minute later.
Meanwhile Harry had been bombarded with about a dozen cat-sized fur balls; they all rushed him at once and with a little "Umph," Harry was tackled to the ground and felt a bunch of wet, rough things licking his face. With a jolt, Harry realized what they were.
"Hagrid!" Harry panted, struggling with the black and brown balls of fur presently on top of him. "Why didn't you tell us Fang was a father?" He laughed and scooped up the nearest puppy, rubbing its ears with affection.
"I wanted it ter be a surprise!" said Hagrid, happily watching Ron and Harry pet the puppies.
"Who's the mother?" asked Ron, head-butting the largest of the group, a fierce, mostly black puppy.
"Now, that's the best part!" said Hagrid enthusiastically, shaking his head with laughter. Harry could see his huge smile underneath his enormous, slightly graying beard. He was glad Hagrid was this happy; something must have gone good that summer. Harry speculated it might have something to do with Madam Maxine, the headmistress of Beauxbaton, and he was right. "I spent a bi' o' the summer in France, wit' Olympe, Madam Maxine to you two. She liked Fang so much, she wen' ou' and bought herself a boarhound like Fang, here."
"That's awesome, Hagrid!" said Harry, who was enjoying the puppies loving and trusting attention to him. "What did you and Madam Maxine do? Did you talk to the giants again? Where's Grawp?"
"One question a' a time now, there, Harry!" said Hagrid quickly. "Me and Olympe have been gettin' on real well the last few years—,"
"When are you getting married?" Ron blurted out without warning. He then received a stern look from Harry. He didn't think that Ron should rush the question on Hagrid; he got embarrassed easily.
Hagrid turned red indeed; what little of his face you could see anyway. His long dark hair and beard covered most of it up except for his forehead, cheeks, nose and eyes. "Wha' if we already did?" he asked, his voice raspy and shaking.
"Congratulations Hagrid!" shouted Harry exuberantly. He was very happy for Hagrid. It was rare to find other half-giants, and he was glad Hagrid had, because he deserved it a lot.
"Yeah, that's great Hagrid! Is she moving here, or you there? Or when will you see each other?" Ron asked.
"Well, yer see, that's the bad par'," said Hagrid with a touch of sadness in his voice. Harry and Ron looked at each other in dismay; surely Hagrid wasn't going to leave them?
"I'll still come an' visit all the time, wha' with the Order an' all," said Hagrid, looking at them hopefully, willing them to understand. "It won' be too bad."
"It's ok Hagrid, we just want what's best for you," said Ron, looking at Harry for his opinion.
"Yea, Hagrid, it's wonderful that you're getting married!' said Harry.
"Harry, you'll make sure the new Care of Magical Creature teacher does a good job, now, won' ya? And Harry, before I forge', one of them puppies is yours. Happy Birthday!"
Harry was astonished. A puppy? For him? "Do you really mean it Hagrid?" said Harry excitedly, looking around at the five puppies. How would he ever choose?
"Yeh, go ahead an' pick." The other four are already spoken for; Olympe has a few students who looked after em' for a few weeks and they just couldn't leave em'. You have yer choice though, Harry."
Harry looked around at the five puppies. He and Ron examined them for 15 minutes. "Hey Harry, how bout this fella?" asked Ron, pointing to a mostly black dog, with just a little bit of brown on its ear.
"He's perfect Ron!" said Harry when the puppy came over to him and jumped right into his face. "He reminds me of—," Harry broke off, a look of anguish on his face.
Ron quickly interfered, "Or, how bout this little girl, Harry?" He picked up a small, feminine looking puppy with four brown paws.
Hagrid just stood back, letting the two boy's pick out a puppy. His face was unreadable, but to Harry it looked like he was sad at the near-mention of Sirius' name as well.
"No," said Harry resolutely. "I want the black one."
"Ok Harry, good choice," said Hagrid happily. "Wha' yer gonna name 'im?"
"Padfoot," said Harry at once, without a trace of hesitation. He needed a reminder of Sirius. He knew he could talk to him whenever he wanted, but he needed a visual reminder, and this puppy looked more like him than the rest.
Just as Hagrid was ushering the rest of the puppies and Fang back into his hut, a crashing and tearing noise came from the Forbidden Forest. Padfoot started barking madly, the fur on the back of his neck standing straight up.
"What is it boy?" asked Harry, rubbing the dog's ears, trying to help it calm down. Ron crept behind Harry, as if that would somehow protect him. Harry got out his wand and could see Hagrid out of the corner of his eye draw his crossbow.
Suddenly the noise stopped, and a scared sounding voice called out, "Hello! Is anyone there! Help! I'm lost!" Ron and Harry looked at each other in alarm.
"Is that the voice I think it is?" Ron asked Harry, his voice quavering.
"I don't know," said Harry. "Let's go look, but slowly."
Hagrid had lowered his crossbow and was walking towards the trees. Ron and Harry slowly followed. After a minute or two of hearing low-sounding talking and walking, Hagrid reappeared with a blonde-haired boy who was very familiar looking to Harry and Ron.
"Malfoy!" Ron spat out. "What are you doing here?"
"Weasley, Potter," said Draco Malfoy, almost cordially after flinching from Ron's whiplash greeting. Draco had been the trio's biggest enemy since first year at Hogwarts. He was in Slytherin and never stopped calling Hermione a Mudblood, putting down Ron's family, or ridiculing Harry. His father was a high-ranking Death Eater under Voldemort, and it was widely assumed that Draco would someday join his ranks.
Hagrid had a firm grip on Malfoy's shoulder. Draco's robes were in tatters; they looked like they hadn't been washed in several days and were ripped in several places.
"I'm takin' him ter the headmaster. You can come along," Hagrid said tersely. He seemed oddly nicer to Draco; he wasn't talking to him as gruffly as normal, and Draco wasn't talking slander about him constantly.
"Er…Draco?" Harry asked cautiously as they walked towards the castle, Padfoot at his feet.
Malfoy didn't respond. He just walked looking straight ahead, his face flushed.
"What happened to you, Draco? Why are you here?" asked Harry persistently. He was clueless as to why Draco would be here and in such bad condition.
Malfoy stopped and spun around, looking Harry in the face. In Draco's face he could see anguish and loss; something bad had happened to him. "If you have to be so nosy, Potter, I guess I'll have to tell you. It was just a detour gone bad. Are you happy now?
"Yea," said Harry. He wasn't, and he knew Draco knew it, but he had to say something. Obviously something horrible had happened to Draco on his "detour." But what was it?
A/N: Thanks for reading and please review with comments, questions or spelling and grammar mistakes! All reviews are welcome, just no terrible flames alright? Thanks!