Days started to get back into routine in Hogwarts; they had enjoyed a few days of peace, no detentions, no rumors of someone breaking out of Azkaban to kill Harry, No Voldemort, no murders, no Death Eaters.
They entered a class with Hagrid, care of Magical creatures.
"Class, I have a very interesting creature today." Hagrid said, with his usual hefty voice.
"I believe you will recognize this one McCarthy." Hagrid continued, giving Ryan a nudge with his mighty arms. Despite Ryan being a physically capable fellow Ryan was pushed several feet away.
"Oh really?" Ryan asked, with an interested smile on his face.
"Yes, a fine Irish specimen." Chuckled the half giant.
"Lets see what you Paddy's have." Draco said with his usual grin.
"Do you mind?" Ryan replied with no signs of irritation on his face.
"Ignore him." Hermione said as she passed Ryan.
"Shall do." He replied.
"Now class. This is the Irish scale hound." Hagrid bellowed as a he revealed a small scaly dog.
"Leprechauns keep them as pets." He continued. The dog was very small, only half a foot of the floor and a few inches long.
"What a disgusting wretch." Draco sneered with disapproval.
"I'd watch out Malfoy, they don't appreciate that sort of thing." Hagrid warned.
"What will it do, bite me?" Malfoy joked, Crabbe and Goyle guffawed as they always did. Suddenly the dog started to grow, it got bigger and bigger until it was eye to eye with Draco, and its heavy breathes pounding in his face.
Ryan ran over and patted the creature and whispered something in its ear. It seemed to respond and backed away from Draco.
"Know a spot of Irish do we?" Hagrid asked Ryan.
"I'd hope I do, being Irish and all." Ryan replied before walking back to the group, purposely bumping into Draco and whispering.
"Be careful, wretch."
Draco just gritted his teeth for now.
Harry, Ron and Hermione watched on with interest.
This was not the last time Ryan and Draco crossed paths. Over the next week they were at each other's necks almost as much as Draco and Harry. Between every clash Hermione would tell Ryan to ignore Draco, always saying he would he never did. Ron was always hoped to see Ryan in a fight
Eventually things really heated up.
Harry and Hermione were leaving class one day, strolling along enjoying a chat.
"Lookie lookie, it's that mud blood Granger and the boy who lived, biggest shame ever really." Draco sneered.
"Malfoy, not now." Harry responded.
"Why Potter, can't face me? Finally know I'm right? Finally know that you're a joke, an attention seeking little brat." Draco continued, knowing full well that there was nobody else in earshot.
"You're the only brat around here!"
"Oh shut up Potter, why can't you and that mud blood just go and die, give us all an end to the dramatics."
Even though he had said it so many times before, mud blood was really getting to Hermione, little did Draco realize that Ryan, Coa and Lu were coming up from behind and could see the effect of Draco's insults against Hermione.
"DRACO!" Ryan shouted. Draco span around to see the three some ten feet away.
"What do you want paddy?" Draco replied.
"What sort of a little fucker uses that term, picking on a girl no less. You piece of pussy shit." Ryan said, ready to fight.
"Pussy shit?" Draco replied, clearly not very offended.
"Yeah that's what I said." Ryan said as he walked up and squared off to Draco. Draco went to push Ryan but Ryan's arms flew up and knocked Draco's hands away before he had the chance, whilst Draco was off balance Ryan punched him into the face.
Crab and Goyle rushed in to help their friend; Lu pushed Crab into the wall and started punching Crab's sides. Coa kicked Goyle into the chest before grabbing him by the collar and forcing him to the wall.
Draco had no idea what to do, he had never been in this situation, a real fist fight, Draco did what came naturally. He pulled out his wand but again he was too slow, Ryan grabbed his wand hand and twisted it back. Draco collapsed into Ryan's arm wrench.
Crab lifted Lu up by the waist and tried to squeeze with all his might, he felt a sharp elbow hit him in the head, then again and again until he dropped Lu.
Coa was scraping Goyle's face against the wall before pulling it back and ramming Goyle into the wall who fell to the floor stunned.
At this point Ryan's boot was pinning Draco's head to the floor, still holding the arm in a fine twisted position to apply plenty of pain.
Coa ran to Ryan and pulled him away.
"It's not worth it; the runt will get us expelled." Coa said.
"Good point." Ryan said.
The two got Lu and all three walked over to Harry and Hermione.
"You two okay?" asked Ryan.
"Us two? Are you three alright?" Harry replied.
"Yeah we're fine." Ryan said, as if the question was pointless.
"I'm not, that fat bastard fell on my head." Lu pointed out, rubbing where it hurt.
"We better leave." Hermione said.
"Yeah, one sec." Ryan said as he ran to Draco who was just getting up.
Ryan grabbed him by the collar before ramming him into the wall.
"If I ever hear that you've annoyed those two again, I'll make you bleed. Understand?" Ryan said. Draco made no response but gave a glare. Ryan threw him to the floor again and all five went to class…quite late…they got detention.