Evaluate This

Chapter 4

New Enemies


The first week of school started off with two big surprises—neither of which were good, for the Golden Trio or for the student body in general.

The first surprise came during breakfast with a swarm of wings and hoots that swept through the great hall, dropping off parcels and packages, cards and letters, and most important of all, daily newspapers.

Hermione's customary morning paper was dropped unceremoniously into her bowl of porridge by a very annoyed owl. She groaned and withdrew the sopping wet paper giving it a quick and forceful shake sending chunks of porridge flying.

"HEY! Do you mind where you be shaking that thing?" Ron wiped a large glob of porridge from his cheek.

"I think she's pissed that the evaluations won't be in alphabetical order." Whispered Ron as Hermione glared at him, giving the newspaper a final shake—another glob hitting Ron in the forehead.

"That's disgusting." Ron removed the glob. "Food is to be eaten, not used as a weapon."

Hermione treated him to a cold stare.

"Okay, okay, I get it. Someone woke up in a bad mood." He hunkered over his food.

Harry grinned at the subdued Ron. He glanced at Hermione as he reached past her to grab the jam. "Hey, Hermione when did you start wearing jewelry?"

Ron looked up, his eyes narrowing in thought. "You know. That kind of looks familiar." He reached his hand out only to have it smacked away by an irritated Hermione.

"Keep your hands to yourself."

Ron retracted his hand. "I was just curious, excuse me for living."

"It was a gift." Hermione nodded at Harry as she flipped the paper open, her head bent as she scanned the headlines.

"Are you okay?" Harry watched Hermione blanch. "You don't look so good. Maybe you should eat something."

"No." Hermione quickly scooted closer, her eyes filled with anger and panic. "Harry, Ron, we need to go."

The two boys eyed her in confusion.

"NOW!"

Hermione stood, the paper clasped tightly in her clenched fist. Ron and Harry were up and following her without a word.

As they left the Great Hall, Ron cast a longingly look back at his abandoned plate of food.

"Hermione, I was really hungry."

"You're not going to have an appetite in a minute." Hermione growled.

"What is it?" Harry grabbed for the paper.

Hermione kept it out of reach, her eyes worried. "Let's just get…" Hermione glanced around. "We just need to be alone. Come on."

They followed her outside into the chill morning air.

"Hermione, what's going on?" Ron watched as Harry began to fidget as Hermione paced back and forth.

"It's about me isn't it?" Harry's voice was low, his head hanging. He wouldn't meet their eyes.

"I thought you told that Rita Skeeter…" Ron cut off as Harry wrestled for the paper.

"It wasn't written by that old hag." Hermione said softly as Harry opened the paper, the article standing out like a sore thumb.

"Harry?" she asked softly, her hand lightly on his shoulder.

The raven-haired boy didn't explode as she expected, instead he slumped to the ground as he read.

"How?" Harry asked stiffly. "I really would like to know how they do this, have they no morals? Feelings? Anything that would qualify as decent humanity?"

Beneath his quaking skin, Harry was seething.

His entire life was a joke to these people. They didn't care if they made him miserable, if they weren't reporting the truth.

All they wanted was a headline with his name in it. Harry sighed, his fingers shredding the paper as he thought. He hated all this, hated it beyond anything. Beyond, Merlin forbid him, Lord Voldermort. At least Voldermort was honestly trying to kill him outright—not eat him from the inside out. His eyes bored holes at the article in front of him. Voldermort looked like chocolate cake right now.

"Gimme that." Ron grabbed the newspaper and began to read.

The Daily Prophet Exclusive

Harry Potter—His Instability and Self-guilt

Written by Delirium Manic

The wizarding world's greatest hero, Harry Potter is still tormented and racked with guilt surrounding his parent's death. Harry Potter blames himself, saying that "Everyday I have to live with this…this pain, it never ends." as he wipes glistening tears from his cheeks.

Though Harry Potter finds solace in his long time friends, he feels that they know nothing about what he goes through every single day. "I feel so alone," Says Harry Potter, his eyes growing dull, a far away look taking over his rather good-looking features. It is no wonder Harry Potter is the heartthrob of the year. His green eyes are soulful and look at you as if you are the only woman in the room. It's too bad he still has designs on good friend, Hermione Granger. "Hermione is always there for me, I've never felt closer to anyone." The small smile on his face creates a dreamy hunk of male, ladies.

Ron stopped reading right three, a disgusting look on his face. "That is just gross. A hunk of dreamy male, are you kidding me?" He tossed the paper behind him.

He dropped down next to Harry. "Who is Delirium Manic? And who the bloody hell does he think he is?"

"I do not have designs on Hermione." Harry mumbled. "I didn't even say any of that. How can they quote me when I never said anything?"

"It's all rubbish Harry."

"Yeah, but it's rubbish that hurts." Harry rubbed his eyes. "It hurts."

"I know. I'm so sorry Harry."

"At least they got one thing right." Harry looked up at Hermione and over at Ron. "You guys are always here for me."

Hermione heard muttered curse words as she slowly lowered herself beside Harry, linking her arms with his. "It seems we have a new enemy."


Draco watched Granger pull the two boys out of the Great Hall. Hermione was…that was it! Draco stopped all thoughts. It wasn't Hermione; it was Granger or mud blood. She was messing with his mind and he didn't care for it, not one bit.

The fact that Granger had nothing to do with his head pissed him off even more. She was totally oblivious to everything but her precious friends.

He wasn't sure what exactly it was that had him interested so suddenly in the bookworm. Last night's events had defiantly spurred his curiosity. It was hard not to be when there was absolutely nothing logical in any of the things he'd witnessed.

Curiosity getting the better of him Draco stood to leave the Great Hall intent on following the golden trio.

Charlotte didn't enjoy pretending to listen to that bitch Pansy talk anymore, so she stopped. Her eyes roamed the Great Hall finally landing on the goody-too-shoes Gryffindor table—only to find that Hermione wasn't there, nor were the black haired boy or the idiot red head. Charlotte sighed deeply rolling eyes back to Pansy.

The girl wouldn't know logic if it bit her on the face. She had no patience for girls like Pansy, so her attention centered on Miriam. That girl, Charlotte had decided, was worse than she was…evil was a word Charlotte like to say described her quite well. But Miriam…she was much worse. Charlotte put the girl on her 'list' and continued to observe.

"I can't believe it, I really can't. After all, the instructions said that if you wore the cream for four days, it would make your skin…" Pansy trailed off. "Draco? Sweetie? Where are you going?" With incredible speed Charlotte watched Pansy launch herself at the fleeing male.

"Pansy, down." Draco pushed her off as if she were a confused dog. "Stay." He said simply before sweeping out of the Great Hall.

"Wow. I see someone's been whipped." Miriam stated as a slightly embarrassed Pansy sat back down.

Pansy recovered, her smile large as she looked to Miriam. "I know! He is such a sweetheart. He's just, he's just been a little tense lately." She frowned at the spot where Draco had been sitting. "Who wouldn't be after all? Having to live with that mudblood know-it-all." Pansy tossed her hair.

Charlotte's head snapped up, her attention focusing on Pansy. "What was that you said about my dear cousin?" she purred.

Pansy shivered but met the challenger's eyes. The deep cold crept over her, creeping up her skin in long trails of icy fingers. Her voice trembled. "The mudblood is your cousin?"

Her smile would have killed a lesser being. Charlotte nodded. "You were saying?"

Pansy's mouth opened, closed, opened again. Before she could answer a third year screamed. "Pansy! Pansy look!"

The Slytherin pointed excitedly at Pansy's arms.

"Oh my Merlin!"

Pansy watched the slight frost creep up her arms. "You aren't supposed to do magic outside of class!" she shrieked at Charlotte.

"No one told me."

"Or me." Miriam leaned forward cautiously. "How do you know it was Charlotte? I could very easily be the one doing it."

"You're, you're both…" Pansy trailed off as the frost stopped its trail up her arms. Instead, it wrapped itself tightly around them, another coat of skin.

"Oh!" Pansy could feel the sickening cold as it enveloped her tightly, penetrating all the way to her bones.

Her hurried escape and shrieks signaled the end of breakfast.


Harry was surprised that neither Hermione nor Ron insisted they go back inside. He didn't know how long they'd been sitting there—didn't bother to look at his watch. All he wanted was to be someone else. To be ignored.

He could just imagine how great that would be. "I want to be invisible."

Hermione blinked, the silence broken. "Don't we all?"

"I wonder what it would be like to not have to look over my shoulder. I sometimes wish I had never…never found out about all this." Harry waved his hand indicating Hogwarts.

"No you don't. Harry, Hogwarts is your home. So, you may have to deal with the unwanted celebrity status that you didn't ask for. But…things could be worse."

"How's that Hermione?" Ron tossed another ball of grass he'd methodically picked…piece, by little green piece.

Hermione leaned back. "Well, you could already be dead…"

"Always a plus."

"You could be maimed…"

"Wouldn't mind that."

"You could have never met us." Hermione finished softly. "Would you have liked that too Harry?"

"No." Harry whispered, taking Hermione's hand. "I wouldn't want that."

Hermione grinned. "Good."

Ron's stomach growled loudly.

"I know we're having this truly lovely bonding moment here and everything…but…" His stomach grumbled. "I think it's time for lunch. What do you say?"

Harry nodded, his heart lighter than it had been. "Let's go."


It was during their noon meal that the second surprise came. The three Gryffindors were chatting amiably when the headmaster stood.

"If I could have your attention for a moment." The hall slowly quieted as all eyes went to Dumbledore.

"Today marks the start of the first series of evaluations. Mr. McGale and Ms. Danna have decided that you will undergo these evaluations in a series of groups or rather, families. You will be required to sit with your new family. We will be dissolving the house tables for as long as necessary." A flick of his wand had the long house tables turn into rows of round tables. "I have been assured that this is…common practice. I hope you will give us your cooperation. I have the list of families here. When I call your names, we'd like you to stand with your family." Dumbledore conjured a scroll of parchment and cleared his throat.

Harry cringed as he heard his name, the squeeze of comfort Hermione gave him didn't help much as the rest of the names were rattled off.

"The first group will be seeing Mr. McGale. Harry Potter, Blaise Zabini, Miriam De'Lunic, and Lavender Brown. If you four will please sit in your new family."

Groaning audibly Harry moved to his new table.

"The second group will be seeing Ms. Danna. Hermione Granger, Pansy Parkinson, Ron Weasley, and Draco Malfoy."

"The third group includes Paravati Patill, Hannah Abbot…"

Hermione was ready to strangle Cornelius Fudge for putting Dumbledore up to this. It was cruel and unusual punishment, she was quite sure there were laws against this sort of thing. But she sat down across from a sulking, yet smirking, Malfoy as told. It amazed her that his face could do that all at once. He truly was alien.

When Dumbledore finished he sat down with a sigh. "From this moment on, you will be going to your assigned psychiatrist for anything you need. Any questions you have will be answered by them. You are not to go to any of the other teachers. I now start the Evaluation Semester."

And with that simple announcement, the students of Hogwarts found out the true meaning of hell.


"Would you stop sighing Potter? I don't think anyone is exactly happy with this arrangement, but could you just give it a rest?"

"You know, Zabini, if I wanted your opinion I'd ask you!" Harry shot at the Slytherin.

"Harry." Lavender softly whispered, patting him on the back awkwardly.

"I'm stuck with the Gryffindor goody-goodies."

"Watch it, Blaise." Miriam sneered. "You don't want to hear Harry sigh, and I don't want to hear your bellyaching. So shut up!"

"We're getting along great." Lavender murmured.


"So…" Ron tried to break the stark silence. Hermione didn't say a word; Ron wasn't exactly sure where it was she was staring. Malfoy looked uncomfortable next to the snuggling Pansy.

"Get off." Draco shoved Pansy away, only to have her cling right back into place.

"Having trouble there Malfoy?"

"None whatsoever Weasley."

Ron's brow furrowed. "Could have fooled me."

Draco sneered. "Not hard to pull something over on you."

Pansy snuggled closer and Malfoy winced.

"What's that supposed to mean, ferret?"

Draco's eyes seared through the Gryffindor. "What do you think it means stupid?"

"I don't think I like your tone Malfoy." Ron murmured angrily.

Draco squired away from Pansy. "And you think I care?"

"I..."

"Would you two just shut up!" Hermione gripped her hair. "I can't take it anymore. Just be quiet."

"Sorry, Hermione." Ron apologized.

Draco smirked. "You are such a wimp. She yells and you start whimpering like a beat dog. Pathetic Weasley. That is the worst kind of pathetic. Be a man why don't…" Draco trailed off as Granger caught his eye.

If looks could kill…

Ron grinned. "Yeah. Be a man Malfoy." He turned to Hermione and she smiled.

They'd managed to get one over on the arrogant pureblood.

It was going to be a good day after all.

That was, until Mr. McGale stood and waited for silence.

Five minutes later, he cleared his throat.

A murmur ran through the students and quiet eventually fell.

"Ms. Danna and I are going to start your evaluations today. According to whether you are to meet with myself or my colleague each of you will come to our designated offices in your assigned family unit." He straitened. "We have posted a list outside this hall, you must find your time. We do not allow tardiness, so be prompt. If you have any questions, you may ask them. The first meeting will take place ten minutes after lunch."

Blaise leaned over. "Let me translate that for you all. Me and my stuck up friend here are going to start torturing you and your fellow students. We like to make this last as long as possible, so please don't be late—or we'll be forced to get dirty. If you have any questions I will gladly bite your head off for being stupid."

Lavender grinned. "Right on."

Observing the unguarded smile that graced the Slytherin's face, Harry felt a strange sort of acceptance. At least he had a sense of humor, Harry thought.

"I wonder what time we've got." Miriam stood. "I'll be right back."

She returned shortly after, a deep frown on her face.

"So we'll be seeing them in…"

Miriam glanced at her watch. "Five minutes."

"Fuck." Blaise rubbed his hand tiredly over his face. "We're first then."

"Seems so."

Lavender, always one to look on the bright side gave them all an encouraging smile. "It might not be bad."


A/N: Please Review as always...the only thing that keeps this story goingare your reviews. I warn you now!