Chapter Eight, Year One: A Giant Mess of Things
Draco watched Potter carefully when he arrived back at school. He was purposefully lurking arouir desk during one Transfiguration class, hoping to hear parts of their conversation. They didn't notice a thing, no one did. Draco was proud of his lurking abilities, and was just congratulating himself when he realized that he was missing parts of the discussion. He zoned back to earth just in time to hear Granger mutter:
"I've searched through the entirety of the library's books pertaining to…well, just about every famous witch and wizard to know of during this day and age, and there's no mention of any Nicholas Flamel! Are you sure that Hagrid has his facts straight?" Granger said this all in rush and all in one breath. By the end of the paragraph, she was as red as Weasley's hair.
"I'm positive Hagrid's correct; I know I've seen that name somewhere before!" Potter muttered in his friend's defense.
"What about the Restricted Section?" Weasley asked, coming out of the stupor education had forced him into.
"I already checked with my cloak. Besides a screaming book, I really don't think that it's in there."
The conversation then moved onto more boring subjects, like what purpose a screaming books serves, and Draco quietly moved back to his seat. Or at least he attempted to. McGonagall chose that moment to return from her office.
"Mr. Malfoy, what in heaven's name did you think you were doing?"
"I was returning to my seat after throwing out a piece of parchment, Professor."
"And may I see this piece of parchment?"
Draco made a face. "You want me to put my hand in the garbage! But…but that's…unsanitary!"
"Five points from Slytherin for talking back to a teacher. Now, fetch the parchment, or I'll take off more points."
So, grumbling, Draco walked back, stuck his hand in, turned his head away, and began searching for the parchment all the while making faces and sounds of disgust. Laughter started around the room because of his antics.
"Mr. Malfoy, actually looking inside the bin would be conductive," McGonagall said to more sounds of laughter.
Draco huffed and looked inside. What he saw made him pale. "Aaaggg! DISGUSTING!"
…………..
The laughter in the Great Hall doubled when Draco walked in. It seemed as if the entirety of the school now knew about the incident in Transfiguration, as well as the detention and fifty deducted points. Life just wasn't fair.
As such, Draco was in a very foul mood. It was a type where the aggression could either be worked off by utterly destroying a room, or hurting someone. Draco had planned to take all the stress out on the Slytherin dormitories, until he was shoved down the stairs.
"Oh, I…I'm sorry, M…Malfoy. I d…didn't see you," Longbottom stuttered.
Draco's eye twitched. "Yes, you are very sorry, aren't you. I bet Mrs. Longbottom is ashamed she has such a worthless nothing as a grandson. After this year, I'm sure she'll pull you out once she realizes what a pathetic waste of money, space and oxygen you are."
Longbottom sniffed.
"I bet right now she's wishing that it was you that had been Crucio'd into insanity rather than your parents, not that they didn't deserve it; worthless little blood traitors that they are." Draco felt a slight twinge of guilt at the harshness of his words, but it was quickly recovered by his anger.
Hiccupping, Longbottom drew his wand. He waved it threatening. "Don't. Talk. About. My Parents. That. Way!" He said in between hiccups. He waved his wand, and attempted the Levitation charm. Instead a suit of armor was smashed in.
"Locomortor Mortis," Draco said, contemptuously. After seeing Longbottom wobble for a few minutes, begin to cry a bit, and start hopping up to Gryffindor Tower, Draco finally left, feeling generally unstressed and ready to face the world.
………….
The next day, it seemed as if Potter and co had finally found out who Flamel was, if the alchemy books they were carry around were any indication.
Draco was innocently passing by the staff room on the way to his next class, when he heard Dumbledore and Snape discussing the Stone.
"Headmaster, the Stone isn't safe anymore. We must move it immediately. Quirrel is after it. I have evidence to believe he's a death eater, hoping to resurrect the Dark Lord with it!"
"Severus, don't worry about the Stone's safety. I have a group of three, I think, very capable people already working on the problem." Draco didn't even have to see Dumbledore's face to see that damn twinkle.
A few minutes more of discussion, and the two left. Neither seemed to notice Draco's presence. Which was just as well; Draco didn't want to have to explain why he was here when class started three minutes ago. On top of that, Draco was deep in thought. He had a pretty good idea of who was working on the "problem", and was wondering if Dumbledore was crazy. He was also wondering why Severus was telling Dumbledore, but that only a second priority.
Draco skipped Charms and instead went to the bathroom to puzzle over the discussion. Lunch came and went, and still Draco had no clue to the reason behind Dumbledore's thinking, or Snape's betrayal.
…………….
It was a few weeks before the summer holidays, and the Golden Trio still had yet to act on the information they had gained, or make anything other than a half-hearted attempt to fit all the pieces together. It was driving Draco nuts. He didn't want to have to be the one to stop Quirrel. He wasn't sorted into Gryffindor after all.
And then, finally, it happened. The day after the final exam, Draco saw Potter jump up, say something to his lackeys, and begin sprinting down toward Hagrid's hut. Naturally, he followed.
…………
Salazar mentally berated himself as he ran toward the hut. 'How could I have been so stupid!' was a constantly recurring thought along with 'Why did I insist that damn hut be built so bloody far away!'
When the three arrived, they saw Hagrid sitting in an armchair outside his house; his trousers and sleeves were rolled up, and he was shelling peas into a large bowl.
"Hullo," he said smiling. "Finished yer exams? Got time fer a drink?"
"Yes, please," said Ron, but Salazar cut him off and gave him a dirty look.
""No, we're in a hurry. Hagrid, I've got to ask you something. You know the night you won Norbert? What did the stranger you were playing cards with look like?" Salazar knew that the stranger's face was going to be disguised. Anyone who carries dragon eggs in their pockets are not going to be flaunting their appearance in public much.
"Dunno," said Hagrid casually, "he wouldn' take his cloak off."
Salazar sank down next to the bowl of peas. He felt faint. Was it just him, or did the world seem to become dumber by the minute?
"What did you talk to him about, Hagrid? Did you mention Hogwarts at all?"
"Mighta come up," said Hagrid, frowning as he tried to remember. "Yeah…he asked what I did, an' I told him I was gamekeeper here…He asked about the sorta creatures I look after…so I told him…an' I said what I always really wanted was a dragon…an' then…I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks…Let's see…yeah, then he said he had the dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted…but he had ter be sure I could handle it, he didn' want it ter go ter any old home…So I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy…."
……………
Draco fell over. A man, who just so happened to know that Hagrid wanted a dragon, showed up when he was getting drunk, bet an egg on a hand of cards, and never showed his face? There seemed to be a lot of coincidences, and a lot of stupidity. Who, in their right mind, would bet a Norwegian Ridgeback egg?
Potter seemed to have thought the same thing. The sheer incredulity on his face showed. A lot.
……………..
"And did he-did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Salazar asked, trying to keep his voice calm.
"Well-yeah-how many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluff's a piece o' cake if yeh know how to calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an he'll go straight off ter sleep-"
Hagrid suddenly looked horrified.
"I shouldn'ta told yeh that!" he blurted out. "Forget I said it! Hey-where're yeh going'?"
Salazar, Ron and Hermione didn't speak to each other at all until they came to a halt in the entrance hall, which seemed very cold and gloomy after the grounds.
"We've got to go to Dumbledore," said Salazar. "Hagrid told that stranger how to get past Fluffy, and it was either Snape or Voldemort under that cloak-it must've been easy, once he got Hagrid drunk. I just hope Dumbledore believes us. Firenze might back us up if Bane doesn't stop him. Where's Dumbledore's office?"
………….
Draco slunk in after the three and heard their conversation. So, the Gryffindor Golden boy wasn't as stupid as the rest of his year mates made him out to be, if he was able to figure out that that dragon egg had something to do with the Stone.
Draco was planning on confronting them in the corridor right then and there, but McGonagall confronted them. What he heard made his stomach ill. Dumbledore was gone. That meant that…if it was Quirrel working for/with Voldemort's bodiless spirit, no one currently in the castle would have a chance in hell of facing Voldemort and living, besides maybe Potter.
He left, shortly after hearing their plans, to tip off Snape. That would buy him some time to write a letter to the Headmaster.
A/N: Hi. It's been a while since I've updated. I know. I was busy learning Japanese and preparing for the SATII in world history. It's very interesting…except it makes your friends want to kill you when you start ranting about quipos in the middle of a class. Eh heh.
Anyway, I don't think I made this clear, but I'll try again. The Potions Master fic is a side-story to this. You know, a thing that isn't really conductive to the plot a main story, but is still a part of it? Like, a little fluff chapter that is separate from the actual story? Does anyone other than I (or am I supposed to use 'me'?) understand what I'm trying to say!
Reviews:
Twin Kats: Being busy sucks sometimes. Like with this. Thank god I don't have deadlines, that's all I can say. Well, actually, I can also say that that's one of the nicest reviews I've ever received. Thanks!
The Wandmaker: Eheh, funny you should mention a potions scene. That's what my little rant of an author's note was about, well, the second half was about that. I'm glad that you like it so much. I'm just so happy that the majority of the readers like this story!
meowcat00: I'm glad you liked it…but I don't know, it seemed kind of rushed to me…
Unseen Watcher: That makes sense…I feel stupid now. I also feel insensitive now that it's taken me so long to update. Oh well, I always look forward to your updates. There nice AND they contain constructive…not criticism, something like that, but nicer…
Kaaera: Oh, good, I'm glad people are enjoying the little added YYH bits. Heh, maybe I'll throw in some references to the Summons department and shinigami. Has anyone ever made a YnM YYH crossover? Well, in this part of the story, Draco is a behind the scenes, morally in the grey, type of character. Who know, maybe I'll make him evil.
mistressKC: Yep! And now we have another who's joined. Kaaera, meet mistressKC, mistressKC, meet Kaaera!
Lady-Slytherin-Warrior and NephyRiddle: I'm glad you both enjoyed it. Um, I updated, not soon, but…I dunno. Maybe I should start setting deadlines for myself.
SunStar Kitsune: Well, I'm going to have him beep beep beep after the letter and beep beep beep beep beep.
Now, for the reviews from PM:
Unseen Watcher: Um, you understand what I was trying to convey in the author's note, right? Please say yes, please!
Singing in the rainnnnnn: Of course I knew it was you, who else can be that annoying without any effort? And who else but you would understand my sick and twisted humor?
Boe: Well, the reason could have been because that chapter two wasn't supposed to be there. If you checked back, you would have seen that this chapter two actually makes sense. I kind of thought the fact that the characters' names in the old, accidental chapter two would have tipped you off (how else could a HP fic turn into a CCS fic other than by accident?). However, I am grateful that you alerted me to this problem, no matter how moronic you review sounded.
Metis: Well…I honestly don't know. I'd like Snape and Salazar to have at least a grudging respect, but I don't think that'll happen for a while.
SunStar Kitsune: That's a great idea! When I incorporate that into a future chapter, I'm going to dedicate that one to you! It was your idea after all.
illusionaric: This was a one-shot off-shoot (side-fic, whatever you want to call it). Of course I'm going to continue! I'm going to continue SoS, HoG and, in essense, continue PM.
And to the rest of the people who read these two stories…please say you understand what I was trying to tell you in the author's note! PLEASE! Other than that, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
