Disclaimer: I kind of own the plot but nothing from the cannon Hp plot's mine!
Just been done with my awful Mock exams
Sorry for the delay.
However, thanks to all my wonderful reviewers as well as all other readers. I must say I'm quite impressed by the number of hits on this story!
And about Gabriel Black……Just wait and watch…err, read….
Black and MALFOY
"Black, Gabriel"
"Gryffindor"
Harry had to admit that he was more than a little surprised at this. On hearing the last name Black, a sixth year Gryffindor seated near the trio was heard telling her friends that the Blacks were an old pureblood family obsessed with the dark arts. She'd added that a couple of the Black family members were in Azkaban on charges of forming an alliance with the Dark Lord Voldemort.
After hearing this, coupled with the fact that this new boy was in friendly terms with Malfoy, Harry had not quite expected him to be sorted into Gryffindor. But nevertheless at Hermione's nudging, he clapped along with his house in a gesture of acceptance.
Despite himself, Harry also had to admit that this Gabriel Black was uncommonly handsome. Shoulder length lustrous black hair framed his aristocratic face, which surprisingly was not unlike Draco Malfoy's but while Malfoy's good looks were seemingly marred by the ever present arrogance, Black's face portrayed a surprising innocence accented by his twinkling eyes.
Gabriel walked over to the Gryffindor table with a huge grin in his face and sat down in an unoccupied seat next to Seamus and to the trio's further surprise greeted the Irish boy as a friend would.
"Hey Seamus."
"Gabriel Black! You Bastard! " Surprise and irritation was clear on Seamus' face.
The other Gryffindors were baffled at the Irish boy's reaction but Gabriel looked like he was having difficulty containing his laughter.
"Now now Finnegan. Is that any proper way to greet your best friend? Tch tch, what would your mam say?"
"Some best friend you are! Didn't even have the decency to tell me you were joining Hogwarts! And there I was worried how you'd survive in Durmstrang!" Seamus spat.
At this Gabriel let out a peal of amused laughter. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Dean and Neville were watching this new development with apparent interest and bewilderment. Seamus was quite red in the face by now and was giving a death glare to the still laughing boy.
"Ahem", Dean cleared his throat for attention. "Mind telling us what's going on?"
Seamus reverted his eyes from Gabriel and turned to look at the others instead.
"This piece of shit is my so called best friend who told me during the holidays that his family was sending him to Durmstrang after his school was attacked! And I, like any good friend was worried to death how he'd survive in a school run by an ex-deatheater. Had fun tormenting me, did you?" This last part was directed at Gabriel with another death glare.
"Torment you! Never!" His innocent act was ruined however by another peal of laughter.
Harry, Ron and Hermione did not miss the striking resemblance to Fred and George at this behaviour. It looked like Hogwarts had become the host to another mischief maker.
Recovering form his fit of laughter, Gabriel turned towards the others in the group and started pompously.
"Hello everyone. Let me have the pleasure of introducing myself. The one and only Gabriel Black. Pleasure to meet you all."
The others laughed at this and Dean and Neville gave their introductions. But as they'd already met, the trio didn't need to.
"Harry, Ron and Hermione right?" At their nod Gabriel continued "So we meet again."
"You've met?" Seamus stopped his glaring to ask, surprised.
"Yeah. We met on the train but didn't get his name then." Hermione replied.
Ron, Ever the curious and the one with the biggest mouth among the group asked straight away- "How do you know Malfoy anyway? You don't look like a deatheater and…ouch!" He stopped his tirade to glare at Hermione who'd stamped on his foot quite hard.
Gabriel just raised his eyes at this and the others along with Seamus looked on curiously.
"Speak of the devil." The others looked at Harry then followed his gaze. Coming towards them was Draco Malfoy with a sneer plastered on his face.
"Gabriel." He completely ignored the others- "Gryffindor? I should have expected it. Why am I even surprised?"
Gabriel simply rolled his eyes at this.
Draco continued unruffled. "However, if you need anything you know where to find me." He then walked out of the great hall, but not before giving the trio an appraising look.
"What was that? And why did he look at us like that!"
Ron's question went unanswered because Seamus quickly cut in.
"Gabe, How in Merlin's name do you know Malfoy?"
"Uh, he's my cousin. You know him". Gabriel looked surprised at Seamus' question.
"Know him? I never knew he- as in "Malfoy"- was your cousin!" The others looked on curiously.
"You seriously don't know him?" Gabriel looked quite amused by now.
"I've met almost all of your cousins or least have heard of them. When did Malfoy come into the equation?"
"You remember my cousin Ness?"
"Yeah…the cool one with the silver fang earring right? What about him?"
"That's Draco."
"Huh?" Seamus was confused as were Harry and the others.
"I mean Draco is Ness. I can't believe you didn't recognize him!" Gabriel looked like he was on the verge of another laughing fit. "And close your mouth if you don't want to resemble a goldfish."
Seamus stared at his friend gob smacked and with his jaw hanging low. He snapped his mouth shut when he heard Gabriel's comment. He opened it again as if to say something but shut it after a second. It looked like he was having difficulty forming word. Finally after some minutes of shocked silence, he managed something.
"No way!"
"Yes way" was the amused reply.
"What's going on?" Ron decided he'd waited too long to get a proper explanation from either of them. "Who's Ness and what's this about Malfoy?"
It was Seamus who answered, obviously gaining his speech back.
"Ness is Gabe's cousin. His coolest cousin I'd say! I…I've known Ness for a long time. Since we were kids in fact. He'd come to visit Gabe here every now and then!" He turned to look at Ron directly in the eyes. "The only eight year old boy in our neighbourhood with a pierced ear! That Ness is Draco-bloody-Malfoy! I can't believe I didn't recognize him!"
"You mean you've met Malfoy before?" Harry asked with interest. The other boy nodded his head in assent, though he still looked quite dazed by the new development.
"And you didn't recognize him before now?" It was Neville this time.
"What have I been telling you all?" Seamus said irritated.
"And you were fr…friends with him?" Ron asked dubiously.
"Not quite. I'd only met him a few times at Gabe's place. But he seemed nice then."
"What do you mean by "he seemed nice then"? He still is nice!" Gabriel looked quite ruffled at Seamus' words.
"Whoa! Are we talking about the same Draco Malfoy here? This one is very far from nice! A complete arsehole would be more fitting." Harry was very much puzzled and amused at the same time at the idea of Malfoy ever being nice as Gabriel portrayed him.
"Of course I am! And I think I would know my own cousin better!"
"He, Don't get your knickers in a twist man! Honestly, no one here can imagine him ever being nice. The word just doesn't fit him. Well Gabriel, you seem nice enough so let's drop this right here okay? Any talk of Malfoy only ruins the atmosphere." Ron tried (in his own way) to placate the increasingly angry teen.
Gabriel nodded, albeit a little hesitantly and said – "Call me Gabe. I'd like to say however that whatever you guys think of him, he is a good lad. He can be a little annoying but believe me there is nice person hidden underneath that entire arrogant demeanor. And wow, is the food here always this good?"
Disconcerted by the sudden change in topic, Hermione replied to the boy who'd only just noticed the food on the table. "No. The feasts are only for the first day of school."
"Well too bad. But I think I'll make up for the rest of the year today itself. What say you?" Gabriel or Gabe as he liked to be known as said with a grin on his face and started eating in frenzy. Ron seemed to agree as he imitated the actions of the other boy. Seamus rolled his eyes at the boys and Neville turned to his own meal. Harry and Hermione were still at a loss as to what to make of Gabe's words.
Among all this, no one noticed the strange expression on Dean's face and his unusual silence through out the whole affair.
So… what do you think is wrong with Dean? Review and tell me. You might just be right!
As I said in the previous chapter, my A-level finals are nearing and I don't have much time to update. I started on this chapter yesterday, i.e. 22nd September and it took me a total of 21 hours to complete it. I have no idea when I'll update again but I promise I'm not going to abandon the fic.