Chapter Summary: Harry's longtime nemesis was getting too much on his nerves and as there's a limit to everything, Draco finally got what he deserved!
"Shut your big mouth, Potty, before it's too late," Malfoy warned, taking out his wand.
But Harry was too fast for him. He took out his wand in a flash, and in a fraction of a second, Draco had toppled off his seat and was lying on the floor clutching his head, which was now shaped as a giant football minus his hair.
"Here's a gift for your over inflated ego,
Muffin," Harry spat.
And this is just the start. The mysterious scheming continues in the background as Gryffindor tryouts are poached by the Slytherins… what happens next? Read to find out!

A/N: because of a mix-up this part was deleted, therefore I'm adding it again.

This part is shorter, as I've split this chapter and you'll be getting the 2nd part soon. The thing is my uni has opened and I don't have much time to write, along with the last semester studies of my master's degree. But I'll try my best to stay regular, and obviously your reviews just urge me more and more to write. You don't even know what power the reviews possess for a writer. :smiles:

I'm also quite taken with my new plot bunny, which is hopping about in my head and that is how "Nocturnal Souls" came rushing out. While I'm quite a clichéd person in shipping, that is I love H/G and R/Hr pairing but when my mind wandered, the possibilities were there and that's how I'm writing a H/Hr shipped fic now. But, that will not foreshadow this fic. It has a completely different perspective of PG audience from the PG-13 and dark atmosphere of Nocturnal Souls.

Anyways, let me thank all the wonderful people that found time to use that nifty "submit review" button. Thank you Cathy, Ice, TiffanyCo, Omair, LunaticPandora1, Eloise McGonagall and sierra for taking out the time to review.

Cathy, You are right. His mother's name was something else and I don't remember. Krucky here is basically his girlfriend. Krucky's story is simple: She traveled by night to find Grawp. She realized that she had a soft spot for him after all, when he went missing with Hagrid. I think some Giants will take part in the War along with Ghost. One of my wild theories and I needed to build on something or the other for that. And for making Grawp a little civilized, a woman's touch is also needed. :winks: Anyways, thank you for dropping by.

Ice, Thank you! And also for being one of the regular reviewers. Much appreciate it!

TiffanyCo, As I said before, nothing can top a detailed review for me. And thanks for the constructive criticism as well. I take it well. About those detached sentences: may be they were there because of all the Hagrid sentences or the whole Forbidden Forest scene. I haven't made the Griffin picture, I took it from a gryphon site, whose link I've lost somehow… :grrr: but it sure portrayed what I wanted to write, as Griffins are said to be deadly like Sphinxes but the young ones are another matter. I'm also one of those Cho-haters, so not to worry about her, at the end, Ginny will get her man but there :might: be some trouble in between. About Harry not being 'too excited,' he has just faced Sirius's death once again and try as he might, he feels alone and vulnerable. On the outside he may be very brave and hunky-dory but he is actually quite anxious about this whole Diary business. This will be explained more in the later chapters, when he'll use the Diary, and I can tell you, it will be more than once.

Omair, Oh goody! You liked the felogriffs:smiles: now you know, why I became one in the DA RP duel, as I love the creature too. It's almost royal to the look and disposition. And you are right about Hagrid's problem but then again, he can't resist deadly beasts, but these Griffin 'foals' were sure exceptions. Anyways, like always, much appreciate your enthusiasm for the story.

LunaticPandora1, If you had said to me anything about H/Hr before, I wouldn't have agreed on it but now I'm having the moment of doubt. For this fic, Ginny is the one and there are many reasons for that. Ron has family – yes, but he loves Hermione deeply as well. I don't know what will become of Harry but if you take out Hermione out of the picture, Ginny is the only one as she is from a powerful pureblood family and possesses quite much power and I was also tweaked by the fact that JKR revealed that she is the first girl born in the family in many centuries. May be that's a sign? For this fic, I'm only acting on JKR's clues and nothing more but if you want to read a H/Hr fic, you can go have a look at 'Nocturnal Souls,' which will be a H/Hr fic. Thank you for taking out the time!

Eloise McGonagall, Thank you for the compliments and liking my version of Book6. One thing I can't sacrifice is butchery of JKR's world. Being a Potter-head, when I finally decided to write this fic, I did a lot of research and treaded around the plot quite carefully. May be that's what showing in it. About the Legilimency part: it was in OoTP. This was mentioned in the chapter 'Occlumency' and 'the Lost Prophecy' in OoTP, this is how Dumbledore penetrated Kreacher's mind and found out about his betrayal.

Sierra, Thank you very much for the bunch of reviews, you made my day!

Now, without further ado, first part of Chapter 10:


- CHAPTER 10 - Muffin Potty (Part I) -

As usual, the news about the Giants spread like a wildfire in the school. Amazingly, the Daily Prophet reported nothing, which they later found out by eavesdropping on Professor Vidal and Flitwick's conversation; it was all hush-hush until the full enquiries were made by the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.

Everyone was telling a different story. Harry heard snatches of conversation like:

"We had a Giant Squid in the Hogwarts Lake and now we have a real Giant in the forest! Geez, no wonder, my mother was skeptical about sending me to Hogwarts," said a first year Ravenclaw.

"What if the Giants came out and ate us alive?"-a second year Hufflepuff.

"What if they come out and destroy the buildings? I heard they have very strong magical powers."-a first year Gryffindor.

Harry just rolled his eyes to all this nonsense because he knew better. What enraged him the most, were the vicious lies spread by Slytherins. They were telling all and sundry-whoever cared to listen, that is-that Giants were nothing more than cruel killing machines.

Draco had a different version altogether. Harry heard his phony edition while sticking the announcement for Gryffindor Quidditch tryouts on the notice board of the Great Hall, hidden from view behind a suit of armor.

Draco Malfoy held the full attention of the Slytherin table as he described the lesson as if telling a mysterious tale. "I was enduring another one of those stupid lessons from that half-giant oaf, when suddenly this vicious monster-sized Giant comes out of the Forbidden Forest, roaring and beating its chest."

Harry imagined an ape doing that, not Grawp, even if his intellect was somewhere near the creature in question.

Draco animatedly continued, "And what'd you know? He wasn't alone! A Giantess accompanied him!" He paused for emphasis. "Everyone ran for their lives, but I stayed back and shot as many stunning spells as I could at the Giants," he said smugly. Harry could hear Crabbe and Goyle's grunts to approve this version of the story.

"And with my sole efforts, the Giants went scrambling back into the forest because..."-at this point his voice became all hushed up-"You know what did the trick? I used Crucio on them!" he finished triumphantly. A round of gasps followed, with a loud gleeful shriek from Pansy, who looked like she could have kissed Draco then and there, if Goyle wasn't sitting in between them.

Harry clenched his fists and cursed Malfoy under his breath to stop himself from doing something rash.

"And you know what? The Giants know Hagrid!" He paused and surveyed his spectators meaningfully. "I always thought that Hagrid should have been sacked years ago! That big stupid oaf with no brains has no right to teach us!" he finished airily.

At that point, it became quite impossible for Harry to bear Malfoy's insults, even if they weren't pointed towards him.

He strode like a lion towards his long-time nemesis, ready to pounce. "What did you do, Malfoy, when they came out? Did you scream at their faces to ward them off? Because, if I remember correctly, you were busy, squealing like a frightened pig!" Harry said scathingly.

"Shut your big mouth, Potty, before it's too late," Malfoy warned, taking out his wand.

However, Harry was too fast for him. He took out his wand in a flash, and in a fraction of a second, Draco had toppled off his seat and was lying on the floor clutching his head, the reason being its overgrowth as it was now shaped as a giant football minus hair. He couldn't get up because of the weight of his own head.

"Here's a gift for your over inflated ego, Muffin," Harry spat.

Everyone burst out laughing, including some Slytherins. Many students left their breakfasts just to see Malfoy being ridiculed. Pansy seemed livid as she shrieked rude words at Harry, while Crabbe and Goyle guffawed stupidly.

Harry muttered the counter curse in a hurry, seeing Professor McGonagall heading straight towards him.

"Potter, you will pay for this!" Malfoy said getting up and pointing his wand towards him.

"What is happening here? This is no dueling club!" Professor McGonagall yelled over the chattering students.

"Mr. Malfoy, what do you think you are doing?" she asked, quite taken aback by the situation.

"Potter attacked me, Professor!" Malfoy exclaimed.

On a very wild whim, Harry challenged Malfoy, "Can you prove it?"

"Are you joking, Potter? The whole school saw you hexing me!" Malfoy said, as if not believing his ears.

"Are you sure?" Harry whispered, his emerald eyes gleaming.

"I can prove that, Potter," said Pansy, coming to the rescue of her 'boyfriend', making Malfoy more smug than usual.

"I will say, Harry did no such thing," Ginny interrupted the discussion, shooting a wink at Harry. Harry couldn't help but grin at her.

Professor McGonagall whereas, was huffing in the background. "You two share your houses with Malfoy and Potter. So you would surely side by them," she said looking disapprovingly at Pansy and Ginny.

"Well, if it means anything, Professor, I saw Malfoy pointing a wand at Potter, not otherwise," Cho chimed in as if waiting for a cue. Luna followed suit as she also sided with Harry.

"Yes, Professor, I only saw Harry defending Hagrid's honor," Ernie Macmillan provided, smiling at Harry, which was followed by an audible murmur of consent from the majority of the crowd.

Harry couldn't believe his luck, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were siding with him, while Malfoy stared on, totally ashen-faced.

"I will let this incident pass. However, there will be no future wand waving in the Great Hall, and if I ever see a student taking out his wand even to polish it, he'll be doomed for whole month's worth of detention! Is that understood by all of you?" she said glaring daggers at every student.

"Now run along! You are getting late for your classes," Professor McGonagall barked.

"That was ruddy brilliant, Harry," Ron said gleefully, almost skipping on his feet, as they made their way out of the Great Hall. However, he had to straighten his posture as Hermione was giving the same look Professor McGonagall used not minutes ago.

"Harry, you could have gotten detention for that!" Hermione chastised.

"Oh lighten up, Hermione! Malfoy was insulting Hagrid, and I can never take that!" Harry said simply, shrugging his shoulders, while feeling a bit light-hearted.

-x-

Oh, Brave Harry Potter! Let me shake your hand, Harry Potter! Let me polish your shoes, Harry Potter! Let me kiss your arse, Harry Potter...

For Merlin's sake! These people make me sick. Now the whole school thinks he's Godric reincarnate!

It's becoming difficult to carry out my plans; these faithful loyalists of his are everywhere!

But I will get you soon... Harry Potter.

-x.X.x-

The fun doesn't end here. Next is the Quidditch Tryouts and more of Muffin-Potty to gobble on.