Chapter Three: Alliances and pixie-phobia

Harry was the first to awaken the next morning. Years of needing to be aware, and of sleep being not a luxury, but a necessity made a difference. In a room full of people, especially, these reflexes came to full force. He was glad to have woke. He wouldn't want to be asleep in a room while Malfoy was in it, awake, with things as they were at present. He lingered in the common room looking through his spell books until Theodore Nott arrived, and then went down to breakfast, Tracey Davis following and taking a seat across the table.

It was to be Herbology with the Ravenclaws in the morning, and then Defense Against the Dark Arts that afternoon. Harry and Theodore were joined at their table by Tracey, as well as two Ravenclaws who hadn't been quick enough to grab seats elsewhere.

"Mind telling us what you're doing following us around?" Nott hissed at the Slytherin girl.

"Following you around, as you said."

He was now looking rather irritated

"And why are you doing so?"

"What else would I be doing?"

"Annoying them perhaps?" Theodore gestured towards the table where Pansy Parkinson, Millicent Bulstrode, and Daphne Greengrass were seated.

Tracey made a face.

"How about not, Nott. They may have their uses, but Parkinson rather likes to fancy herself in charge, and I don't particularly feel like humoring her, no matter what the advantages, especially with other possibilities available. And don't tell me you don't see the benefits in alliances, Nott. You're here too.

"Earmuffs!" Harry snapped abruptly to the two of them.

"What?"

But Harry had already put on a pair. Tracey quickly followed his example. Theodore, being the last one in the class, behind even Professor Sprout in grabbing a pair, got stuck with fuzzy pink earmuffs. He spent most of the demonstration glaring at a smirking Tracey.

Luckily Harry had paid attention to the demonstration, and both Ravenclaws knew what they were doing, so the table's occupants all managed to re-pot their mandrakes successfully.

Heading to Defense with his classmates, Harry's expectations were admittedly low. Lockhart did not seem to have any qualities one might expect in a competent teacher, and despite supposedly having defeated all sorts of monsters had not detected spells on the custard he'd helped himself to, and had freaked out over being turned into a canary, or perhaps more because of the damage to his hair, which was hardly reassuring.

"Hello class," Lockhart began once they were all inside, "I am Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, yes, the Gilderoy Lockhart. You needn't tell me now how glad you are to have me, don't worry, I already know. Now, I was originally going to have you do a practical on Cornish pixies, but I'm afraid the last class found them difficult to handle, and I've realized they really are a bit above second year level, so-"

"Excuse me Professor, but perhaps if you'd demonstrate what to do, we'd be able to learn how to deal with them," Harry interrupted.

"Ah, yes, but I wouldn't want any of you to get harmed, or the classroom torn apart-"

"You could just clear an area and place a shield up around it, and then release and deal with them inside it."

"I really don't think that's necessary."

"Alright then, it was just a thought. See you later."

"Ah, what?"

"I don't see any reason for us to have to do material the other classes haven't yet, so if you won't teach us how to deal with the pixies, I might as well leave."

"But- what will I tell the other teachers? You can't-"

"Tell them we were ahead of the other classes, and you decided to take the time to plan future lessons."

Harry walked out the door with Theodore and Tracey following closely, leaving a dumbstruck Lockhart behind.

Blaise started to get to his feet, and then Malfoy stood.

"Well, what are you lot waiting for? Come on."

Moments later, the rest of the class had followed Malfoy outside.

"Well done, Potter," the Malfoy heir commented pompously, as if commenting on an employee's work.

"Yes, he did handle Lockhart well, didn't he. No question about how he got into Slytherin," Tracey replied, smirking. Malfoy's eyes narrowed.

"Alright then, everyone," Harry interrupted, "remember to spread around that Lockhart's terrified of pixies."

Towards the end of dinner, Harry stood up and started over towards the Gryffindor table.

"Where are you going, Potter?" asked Tracey.

He turned to face her, and Theodore who was also watching curiously.

"I'm going to ask Hermione and the twins to study with me in the library after dinner."

"Are you trying to piss off the rest of our house?" Tracey asked scornfully.

"I could always ask the twins to prank anyone who bothers me for it."

"Right then. Count me in. You coming, Nott?"

"I think I'll skip."

Harry was smirking now.

"Come on, they're all intelligent, and good at finding useful spells. Besides, you don't really want to be left alone when you're on Malfoy's gang's bad side, do you?"

Theodore glared at him, and then relented.

A/N: So, I'm back again. Another slightly strange chapter. To those of you who are curious about some of Harry's relations with characters since his revealing, I can only tell you for the moment that they'll start to become more obvious once the chamber plot gets into swing. I'm really not willing to put in extreme scenes that go beyond how I think characters would express themselves just to make it easier to tell faster. They'll be some tough circumstances during this term for the characters, and you'll be able to tell more realistically during those.

Hope you enjoyed it. Until next time.

-twighlightshadow