Chapter Seven- Train Ride to School
Harry looked around the crowded shop, found Ron and Hermione and pulled them into the back room where the Defense Against the Dark Arts stuff was placed. "Look you guys, I need to talk to you about the prophecy. All that stuff in the papers…is true. It does speak of me destined to face Voldemort…until one of us is dead. This 'Chosen One' stuff, though, is nonsense. The Prophet doesn't know that I may not defeat Voldemort. The last line of the prophecy states, 'Neither can live while the other survives.'"
"Oh, Harry. That's awful," said Hermione. "Aren't you scared?"
"Honestly, no. I think, deep down, I knew I would have to face him. Also, Dumbledore wants to give me private lessons related to the prophecy somehow."
"Private lessons?" Ron asked. "Blimey, Harry. Think they'll help you survive?"
"I believe so. I mean, he wouldn't waste his time if he thought I was a goner."
Harry felt a little better telling them about the prophecy and the lessons and told Snape as much. His mate nodded but his gold eyes seemed unfocused. "Severus? You okay?"
Snape blinked and focused on Harry. "I'm fine. I'm just thinking about Draco. You heard me promise to help him and I fear it may be difficult. He blames me for his father losing favor with the Dark Lord and he will likely not accept my help."
"Couldn't you, you know, follow him in secret in order to know what he plans to do?"
"I could, but only as a last resort. I will try reasoning with him first."
Harry doubted that would work. He knew if he was in Malfoy's position, he would be determined to do it by himself and reject all help, no matter who offered. Severus will eventually tail him secretly. I know he will.
August flew by and soon it was September first and both mates were on the platform. Harry waved to those who called out to him and he felt good that everyone believed him now. He turned to Snape to say farewell for now.
"Harry, there will be a big surprise at the feast tonight," Snape said. "It's not the surprise I mentioned earlier in the summer."
"There will? What is it?"
Severus chuckled. "If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise, would it?"
"No, it wouldn't. But, maybe a hint?"
"All right, a hint. It has to do with me and has made me extremely happy."
"Hmm, interesting."
Severus smiled as he scratched behind Harry's ear. "Get on board, stay safe, and no risks at all."
"Yes, Severus."
Harry boarded the train and wondered where to sit as Ron and Hermione were in the prefects' carriage. Seeking an empty compartment wasn't necessary as he didn't need to conceal his appearance and besides, he caught people with their faces pressed against the glass, staring at him. Despite last year's staring when he revealed his fox side, he still didn't like being the center of attention. He turned and found himself facing a knot of girls, the foremost he recognized as Romilda Vane who had been among those who had stroked his hair last year.
"Hi, Harry," she said as she reached over and scratched an ear. "Come sit with me and my friends." Her tone suggested romantic interest and he knew if he accepted, she may try to hint of dating or she may just dote on him, both of which made him feel uncomfortable.
"Hey, Harry!"
The fox turned and saw Neville and Luna. Relieved, he said, "Hi, Neville. Hi, Luna. Let's find somewhere to sit." He looked back at his friends as they passed through the girls and saw Luna clutching a copy of The Quibbler. He was fond to that magazine as he gave an interview to it the previous year. "Quibbler still going strong, Luna?"
"Oh, yes. Publication is way up. Daddy is thrilled."
"Glad to hear it." Harry found an empty compartment and led the trio in. "How was your summer, Neville?"
"Okay. How was yours?"
"A little exciting but not much to say." Harry switched the subject to O.W.L. results and listened to Neville wondering if an "A" was good enough for Transfigurations. Harry wasn't sure until he recalled that he had to work to pull his grade up. No way McGonagall's gonna let him move on to N.E.W.T. level. He could barely cope with the work in our previous years.
Hermione and Ron came in some time later and delivered the news that Malfoy wasn't bothering with prefect duties. That didn't sound like Malfoy but then again with his task to kill Dumbledore, Malfoy probably thought himself too important to bother with prefect duties. Seems Malfoy thinks he can kill Dumbledore.
The compartment door opened and a girl stood there blushing, "I've got invitations for Neville Longbottom and Harry P-P-Potter." She handed them over and left quickly. Harry opened his to see that it was from Slughorn inviting him to lunch.
"Who's Slughorn?" Neville asked, still looking at his invitation.
"New teacher," Harry answered. "Well, I guess we can't exactly turn it down, can we?" Harry has spent time over the summer thinking about Slughorn as well as the words of Snape and Dumbledore, particularly the latter. It was clear that Slughorn liked to be connected to famous people and he was certainly that. Both Snape and Dumbledore hinted that Slughorn may try to collect hi, add him to his list of note-worthy people; indeed Dumbledore suggested letting Slughorn collect him. His meeting of Slughorn over the summer didn't give him much of a chance to know him and Harry saw this as a way to do that. Besides, something tells me that getting in good with Slughorn is important, though I don't know why and also Dumbledore suggested getting to know him. Harry pondered all this as he and Neville headed to Compartment C where Slughorn was waiting.
Harry and Neville reached Compart C and opened the door. Slughorn greeted them graciously and perhaps a little too enthusiastically at Harry's acceptance of the invitation. They were introduced to the other invitees before settling in to partake of Slughorn's personal lunch. Harry soon learned that Slughorn seemed attracted to people who were either connected to someone famous or were famous themselves. Neville was famous because his parents had been popular Aurors and been tortured into insanity by Bellatrix Lestrange. Harry was famous because of the prophecy and his mysterious defeat of Voldemort when he was a baby; only Harry knew why he had defeated Voldemort: His mother died protecting him.
"And last year, it turns out you were a magical fox," Slughorn added, eyeing Harry's ears and then the claws which Harry kept blunt and short over the school year. "You did say it was on your father's side, right?"
"Yes, sir," Harry admitted. "But, it's a recessive trait and my father never showed any outward sign of it."
"Even so, even so. Quite an interesting trait to have."
Harry and Neville were soon heading back to their compartment. He watched Zabini walk away toward the Slytherin sixth-years' compartment and he recalled learning that Malfoy was being tasked with killing Dumbledore. He couldn't imagine Malfoy killing anyone; he could hardly imagine himself doing such a thing. Malfoy probably doesn't realize that killing is not as easy as he thinks. Even I know that it takes guts to do something that unthinkable and I don't think Malfoy has the guts to kill.
