Chapter three – The start of term feast

The great hall was packed with students, The Allure were all standing at the back surveying the scene, younger students looked nervously towards them, not daring to allow their gaze to linger too long.

It was going to take a lot of time to scout out the castle and make sure it was safe however they were all tired and hungry, they would eat and then do a quick check round the place before retiring to bed.

Having no where to sit down they remained at the back while the headmaster gave his speech. "Welcome students old and new and especially welcome to the six new guardians at the back of the hall, they are here for our safety, prefects and the head boy and girl will be aiding them from this point forward. Mr Filch has asked that you kindly remember that the forest is out of bounds to all students and the list of banned items is pinned to his office door. If the Ministry's students would kindly take a seat at whatever table they see fit we will allow the sorting to begin."

Harry watched as nervous looking first years were led up to the front and sorted into their houses. While this was going on Harry gathered the others together so that he could dispatch them. He knew where he wanted to sit.

"Sid and Trin, I want you sitting at the Gryffindor table, Megan you sit at that table, the blue and silver, Ravenclaw I think it's called and Clayton you sit with the yellow and black table, the Hufflepuff's. Nicholas and I will sit with the Slytherin's."

"See something you like there Harry?" Sydney said teasingly.

"When we are in our chambers calling me that is fine but in public please stick to calling me Tonio or Antonio okay, and for you information I'm not interested in Draco."

"Strange how you knew that I was referring to him."

Harry shook his head and indicated that they should go and sit down as the headmaster stood up again and said: "Now I have only two words left to say to you, tuck in."

At his words the tables filled with food, Harry took a seat with the Slytherin's that they had met on the train, the first years next to them looked terrified, Harry resisted the temptation to actually speak to them just to se what would happen.

"So where will you guys be staying?" Draco asked casually as he helped himself to some chicken and mushroom pie.

"I am sure headmaster Dumbledore will let us know." Nicholas said as he tucked in himself, it was their training to take advantage of situations like this, especially when you didn't know when your next opportunity to eat would be, of course they did realise that it would be breakfast but they didn't want to risk it.

Conversation was minimal until Dumbledore stood up again after the desert plates had cleared, Harry was feeling slightly bloated from all the food. "I think that it is about time to retire to bed, prefect's and the head boy and girl should remain behind so that The Allure can speak with them, thank you."

Once all of the younger students had gone to their respective dormitories, Harry gathered everyone that had remained behind around him. With a wave of his hand all the tables moved to the side except one which he indicated that they all should sit at. Three teachers had also remained behind, he recognized them as Severus Snape and Minerva Magonigal, Albus Dumbledore was the obvious third.

"Right, as most of you know my name is Antonio, these fine people here are The students of allumer et l'amour or The Allure for short. With all the wards in place around the school I am sure that it is perfectly safe within the castle but I am sure that the headmaster holds no objection to a search of the castle tomorrow morning before classes restart, I will ask the prefects to inspect their own houses of course along with the heads of houses for supervision.

"We have brought with us many dark detectors and do not be surprised if inspections are arranged on the spur of the moment, I hope you have no objection to the searching of the staff chambers."

"I have an objection" Snape spat, "I do not want my personal belongings rifled through by insolent teenagers."

"Severus Snape is it not?" Harry asked, the potions master nodded, "I'm not surprised that you objected to that, how many years were you a deatheater before you supposedly switched sides?"

"Antonio, I can assure you that I would trust Severus with my life."

"That may be so but I do not, he will be under inspection just like everyone else, in fact I would very much enjoy doing his rooms myself. For tonight I think we will retire to our rooms, Dumbledore, have you allocated us rooms?"

"Yes, the head boy and girl generally have their own rooms with a shared common room, you will be staying with Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy, I will show you to your rooms myself."

Dumbledore led the way, Harry by his side, the rest of The Allure walked behind with Hermione and Draco. This allowed Dumbledore to have a private word with Harry.

"The students may not know you by sight but I knew your parents, wonderful people that they were."

"That information is classified, I have undertaken this alias for my own safety while here at the castle."

"Yes, very well but your godfather very much wants to see you, you might even consider visiting your Aunt, Uncle and Cousin."

Harry was very much taken aback by this news, he had never been told that he had living relatives, why had he not fallen into the care of his godfather after his parents death, what was Albus doing by mentioning it now, he had been told to trust the elderly wizard but now he was just confused.

"You say that my godfather wishes to speak with me?"

"Yes, Sirius Black, I have employed him to teach Defence against the Dark Arts."

"Contact with family members is not prohibited, especially not while I am working."

"Harry"

"Do not address me as such here"

"I believe that the head boy and girl will have to know, seeing as you will being staying with them for the foreseeable future."

"They have not been trained, they may stutter and become confused, they will not be told, at least not yet."

"Harry"

"I have already said that you will not address me as such."

"I am sorry, your parents would not have wanted this for you, you know."

"They are dead; I'll never know what they want."

"Will you at least speak with Sirius, he his eager to see you?"

"No, The Allure are my family now, I will have it no other way."

"Antonio, Draco here says he can beat Trinity at chess, what's your wager?" someone shouted from behind.

"Ten galleons says that he does." Harry shouted back to them before turning to the headmaster, "This conversation is over."

"Come on Tonio, you know no one can beat me" Trinity said, "I've been the best since I was nine."

"You never know Trin, you've beaten us every time but we've never seen Draco play, or anyone else in this place for that matter, you may have met your match."

"Never, I will be the undefeated champion."

"Severus is very good at wizarding chess, so far I believe that he is the undefeated Hogwarts champion, you should challenge him."

"Would that mean interacting with him?" Trinity asked worried.

The headmaster chuckled, "Yes, it would my dear."

Harry slowed down his walking pace so he could walk beside Draco, he lowered his voice a little and said, "If you beat her then I'll use the money to take you out for a drink."

Draco looked over at him, his eyebrow raised in amusement but he was smiling, "you've got a deal." He said still grinning madly.

Dumbledore had stopped outside a portrait of Godric Gryffindor, everyone gathered around him, "The password is friendship for the moment …"

"How often do the passwords change?" Harry asked.

"Every month"

"Can you make sure that that is changed so that they are different every fortnight, anyone trying to break in would have a harder job of it then."

"Very well, the girls dormitory is up the stairs to the right and the boys the same to your left, have a good evening."

The eight of them climbed through the portrait hole and at once Trinity ran upstairs to get her chess set so they could play, Harry just collapsed on the teal sofa next to the fire, Draco sat next to him, the others also took seats around them.

"I want a back up plan, in case I lose" Draco said softly to Harry, "If I don't win, I take you for a drink."

Harry chuckled, "Alright, you're on."

So they played and of course Trinity won, as Draco knew she would.

Harry had been getting more and more restless throughout the entire game, as the cheering dyed down Harry stood up, "I don't feel secure here, I'm going to have a wander round."

"That's fineTonio but you can't go alone." Nicholas said.

"I'll go with him." Draco said.

Clayton didn't look happy about this, "You should take one of us, even if you do take Draco with you." He said.

"Nah, leaveTonioand Draco to go off on their own," Trinity said, "Draco knows the school, I am sure that they will be safe."

"I'm not so sure." Nicholas said, "Draco may know the castle but I think they may get a little distracted."

"Look, I'm in charge here, you guys get your rest, Draco and I will be fine." Harry said and Draco got to his feet and together they left their chambers.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, thanks for all the reviews, you guys rock. I'm sorry I haven't been updating as much recently but I have a UCAS deadline to work to so I have to apply to Uni and write personal statements and such, tiring and something I would rather not be doing but still something that has to be done.

As - Yes, some will.

JadeLilyMalfoy – Yes, I will be finishing Dancing into your heart, I hope to have a lot more free time soon plus half term in a couple of weeks so look for an update soon. I never abandon stories, if I do I'll take them off my account completely and I don't want to do that because I love all of them.

Thank you to everyone else who reviewed, its really encouraging.