After their little excursion in Paris, life went back to normal. Or rather, as normal as it could be. Harry did not so much as ask Midas about that Pettigrew chap who escaped Azkaban. As far as he was concerned, that Pettigrew criminal would be apprehended soon enough.
Harry had already come to the conclusion that Pettigrew had a relation to them, and to the events surrounding their family 12 years ago. His best guess was Pettigrew had a hand in the murder of his mother. However, those were all just his thoughts. He could find no info of importance about Pettigrew. The only information he found out about Pettigrew was that he attended Hogwarts the same time as his parents did, making it probable that he'd been an acquaintance. Another guess of his was that Peter Pettigrew was the one who murdered Wormtail, the fourth marauder that Sirius spoke so fondly yet regretfully of. Sirius never mentioned the real name of Wormtail, Merlin knew why. But, it fitted with the fact that Sirius had a huge animosity for the murderer.
Even with the news of Pettigrew, Midas still allowed them to go to Diagon Alley without him, though it was on the condition that they went along with Mr. Malfoy and Draco. For some reason, Midas seemed to trust Mr. Malfoy, to some degree. It was very, very odd. Harry's distrust of Mr. Malfoy overweighed his guardian's trust. The man may be Draco's father but that did not make him less of a former deatheater.
Imperius Curse my bloody arse, Harry thought sourly.
Nevertheless, Mr. Malfoy had been very helpful when they were getting their things. The downside of being with the pureblood was that Lars didn't go with them as Mr. Weasley refused to leave his children with Mr. Malfoy, and not to mention Sirius wouldn't like it if Lars would be left alone with Mr. Malfoy. Even Dudley opted to go with Lars when he heard the Weasley's stories about Mr. Malfoy. He didn't know which annoyed him more; the fact that Dudley expressly did not go with them, or that Weasley blabbed.
"I think it would be prudent that I mention I mean no harm every time people see me," Mr. Malfoy said drily. The man had a sense of humour, who knew?
"Very droll, father." Draco said without even a hint of being amused.
"What's up with you, Drakey?" Ethan asked cheekily despite Mr. Malfoy's presence.
"None of your concern," Draco retorted. The young Malfoy had been in a foul mood since the day began. Harry was intrigued but couldn't yet be bothered to ask. Mr. Malfoy kept on giving Draco a look that certainly meant something more than just a plainly serious look.
When they reached Flourish and Blotts, the manager immediately came into view.
"Hogwarts?" the manager asked.
"Yes, 3 sets of year 3 books, and 1 set of year 1 books," Mr. Malfoy answered on their behalf. "Also, Unfogging the Future, and2 Elementary Arithmancy." There was an evident sign of relief on the man's face when Mr. Malfoy finished enumerating the books that they were going to purchase.
"Thank goodness," said the manager, pointing at a cage filled with books that has sharp fangs. "I've been bitten by that book over and over again just this morning -"
The books were the same as the birthday present Harry and Lars both received. They didn't quite know who it was from but it seemed harmless enough when it wasn't trying to bite any of them.
"Yes, I'm sure you've had a very interesting morning," Mr. Malfoy cut in before the man continued whatever it is he was to say.
"Mr. Malfoy, what's the matter with Draco?" Harry finally asked when he and Mr. Malfoy were left on the dining table whilst Draco and Ethan went to the Quiditch shop.
"I have not the faintest," Mr. Malfoy answered without a beat. "Rest assured, he will be on his best behaviour when your academic year starts." Harry sensed a threat at Mr. Malfoy's words, not to him but to Draco.
"I am quite sure you have heard of the Azkaban affair." Harry never thought that Mr. Malfoy would open such a topic to him. For all he thought, Mr. Malfoy would avoid any such topic.
"Lars told me."
"I see, and what has your guardian informed you of it?"
Harry shrugged. "To sum it up, he's a murderer," he said simply. "He murdered a number of not only muggles but also witches and wizards."
"He had indeed," confirmed Mr. Malfoy. "Just so, it goes without saying that you should be careful."
"Most sensible thing to do, isn't it?"
"It is," agreed Mr. Malfoy with a thoughtful nod. "However, you have not the record of doing the most sensible of things these last two years whilst in school, have you?" Apparently, Mr. Malfoy had heard of every debacle in the school.
Harry huffed. "I was still sensible," he insisted. "Relative to the situation at hand, of course."
"So I've heard."
"From whom? Professor Snape?" he asked suspiciously.
Mr. Malfoy snorted in a most dignified manner. "Goodness, no," the man denied. "I have heard it from your...dad." Harry raised an eyebrow, both at Mr. Malfoy's apparent reluctance to say the word and the fact that his dad had been in correspondence with the Malfoy patriarch.
"My dad's been talking?" he asked, incredulous. "To you, of all possible people."
"I shall not take that as an offence," Mr. Malfoy declared, and to that Harry sobered up a bit. He did not mean to sound overly rude or offensive, that was the last thing he'd want to do to someone like Mr. Malfoy but he was rightfully surprised due to a number of things.
"And yes, your…dad has been talking to me, as you so crudely put it."
"Why?"
"Why not?" echoed Mr. Malfoy. "You're his wa –son, and my son is a friend of yours. I do believe it is quite a common thing."
"Not when you're you and my dad's my dad," he answered immediately.
Mr. Malfoy chuckled at him, looking amused as if Harry was just some little kid in front of him. "Touche', Mr. Evandrus."
"Do lighten up, Harry," said Mr. Malfoy. "This is hardly a conversation you should be riled up about."
Harry crossed his arms. "I don't like how you're talking to me."
"I do not like it either that my son has started associating himself with muggles, Mr. Evandrus," Mr. Malfoy said straightforwardly, looking more serious. "However, there is little that I can do about that now. Draco has more than tolerated wizards who are not pure of blood."
"You can just translate that to 'I don't want you hanging out with my son'," he pointed out, internally seething.
"Au contraire." Mr. Malfoy said dismissively. "I do want Draco in your company."
"Why? Because I have my uses?" he said bitterly. Typical of a Malfoy to acquaint themselves to people who would be of use to them. He shouldn't have hoped Mr. Malfoy will be any different.
"That is a question for the future to answer, and best left forgotten at the time being." The adult pureblood digressed though Harry's mood turned rather sour. "My friend from Potions Monthly greatly appreciated the article you have submitted. I must say, it was quite well written."
Harry huffed in spite of himself. "What can I say?" he asked rhetorically. "I'm just exceptionally brilliant."
"That I believe so." Harry just responded with a hum. He'd lost interest in conversing properly with Mr. Malfoy after the man made it clear that he was only interested in Harry's future uses.
Before Mr. Malfoy opened up another topic, Draco and Ethan returned. This time, Harry looked more cross than Draco had ever been.
"How was the Quiditch shop?" Mr. Malfoy's question was directed at Ethan, which fuelled his ire more. The pureblood looked every bit genuine but Harry was sure that it wasn't. Ethan was a muggleborn. Harry knew that Mr. Malfoy detested such blood status.
"It was awesome!" Ethan answered without even a look of suspicion on Mr. Malfoy. "Finally, got to see the Firebolt."
"The new broom, am I correct?"
"Yes, father," Draco answered before turning to him. "It looks like the one you used back in 1st year, Harry."
"And why do you think that is?" he retorted drily, averting his gaze from Draco and turning to his food.
"Drakey, Luke designed it." Ethan said with a grin. "It's his masterpiece –though don't tell people about that. A few actually knows about it."
"For Merlin's sake, close your mouth Draco," Mr. Malfoy said irritably at Draco's expression after that little revelation.
Harry didn't see Draco again until they've arrived in King's Cross to return to Hogwarts. This time, neither of Draco's parents were present, and the blonde seemed irate about that fact. Harry, for his part, was accompanied by Midas, who so kindly took Dudley's parents, and Mark's mum along.
"I could be wrong, but I know there isn't a platform 9 and 3/4." Mrs. Calvert sighed audibly but didn't reprimand Mark.
"Muggleborn, you have no imagination." Draco sneered. The blonde pureblood didn't appear to like Calvert. There was always a tension between them. Harry figured that it was because of Mark being a muggleborn but then his friend was cordial with Granger and Ethan. It had to be something else entirely.
"Just do what they'll do," Harry told Mark before they disappeared between platforms 9 and 10 one by one, with Draco being the first to enter and Midas being the last after the Dursleys.
Before they boarded the train, Midas told him to be careful, again. Midas had been redundant about safety too much that Harry was starting to go deaf to it. Gryffindors really had no sense of subtlety. The way that Midas was being redundant made it all the more obvious that they have a deeper connection with the escaped mass murderer.
"Take care of Seraphim for me, dad, thanks," he said by way of farewell to Midas. He couldn't afford bringing Seraphim with him to school. It would raise too many questions. Everyone was already aware of Lars being a parselmouth. They shouldn't start thinking that he also possessed the same ability. If they did discover his ability, it wouldn't be hard for them to put two and two together and conclude that they were actually descendants of Slytherin. Harry still didn't know how he would handle such a situation.
"Theo's saved us a seat, come on." Harry nodded and followed his blonde friend. Ethan and Mark did likewise at first but then separated from them immediately before he could have a say in it. Dudley went off on his own and told them he'd look around.
"Hey, isn't that cousin Sirius and Mr. Lupin?" Harry gave Draco a confused look before glancing back at one of the compartments. Indeed, Sirius and Remus were in the compartment, having what seemed to be a serious conversation, no pun intended.
But that didn't stop Harry from knocking and opening the door.
"Harry!" exclaimed Remus. "We didn't see you there."
"Uncle Remus, uncle Sirius," he greeted.
"Harry, Draco," Sirius greeted back. "Have you got no compartment yet? You can stay here if you like."
"Theo has already saved us one," he informed them. As much as Harry liked them, he didn't want to be in the same vicinity as them inside the train.
"I see –well, if you're looking for Lars, he's with his friends a few compartments onward."
"Eh –yeah, I think we've already saw him," he bluffed before getting straight to the point. "What are you two doing here?"
Remus and Sirius looked at each other before they grinned. "We're your new Defence Against the Dark Arts, teachers," said Sirius.
"You've got to be joking." Draco gawked. Remus being a teacher was something Harry could believe. But Sirius? He really wasn't in the impression that his godfather's a teacher material.
Harry mentally groaned, first it was Philip who applied in Hogwarts, and now his and his brother's godfathers.
"Okay then, nice seeing you guys." They then resumed looking for Theodore.
When they did find Theodore, they saw him with another person –Philip. The man was dressed in formal muggle clothing. Then again, he'd never seen Philip look like an actual wizard. He remembered Philip saying something about the wizards in his country looked even more archaic than Britain's so he'd gotten used with sticking with a muggle formal attire.
"Hey mates, look who I found!" Theo exclaimed cheerfully at them.
"Your friends are here now, you can stop bothering me," said Philip. The fact that Philip didn't walk out on Theodore was enough proof that the man didn't mind it too much.
When the train started moving, Philip went to sleep whilst they talked about Pettigrew. His friends made a good job of looking innocent but Harry was not fooled. He knew then that his friends were hiding something from him regarding Pettigrew. But, he really didn't mind so much since he'd already formed a conclusion about Pettigrew. Pettigrew was partly why their mother had gotten murdered. That was enough for Harry's blood to boil in anger. And that was also what made him understand Midas' repetitive warnings. Midas purpose was for him to not do something stupid, such as hunting down Pettigrew.
Well, had no intention to.
At least, not at that moment.
"Why is it two of them?" questioned Draco. "Surely one teacher can handle everything."
Harry shrugged. "I have no idea."
During the course of their trip to Hogwarts, the rain grew heavier, and heavier. Harry had never been fond of the rain. He liked the cold but he just wasn't into raining. That was one other thing he didn't have in common with his brothers who both liked the rain for different reasons.
At one point, the train stopped the same time the lights went out. The sound of the rain drops on the train became more pronounced. Everything was darkness.
"What the hell?"
"Bloody hell!" exclaimed Draco at the now awake Philip. "Could you please not speak all of a sudden when it's this dark?" Philip seemed to make a grunting noise and ignored Draco.
Light suddenly illuminated in their compartment, light that was hovering just above Philip's palm. "Et lux in tenebris lucet," the man whispered.
"That's wicked," Theo commented. Philip had already stood up but fell down when the train jerked violently, putting out the light and enveloping them in darkness again. There was a string of words that came out of Philip's mouth that they weren't able to understand.
"Wands at the ready, and stay here," ordered Philip who went up and exited the compartment with another light.
"What's going on?"
"It's getting very, very cold," he stated before he conjured a fire from his wand that he positioned to hover above his hand. Unlike the cold look of Philip's light, his light emitted enough warmth.
"I need to find Ethan," he said hoarsely to his friends. He stood up to exit the compartment but as he opened the door, he was met by a hovering figure clad in black. Its hands were sort of like that of a decaying corpse –he immediately recognized it as a dementor. He stepped back as he started feeling cold again, the fire on his hand blown out in the process. The cold was making it harder for him to breath, but not only that, there was a sucking noise coming from the dementor, it felt like it was sucking the life from his whole being. From afar, he could hear someone –a woman, screaming. She was screaming, pleading for something. It was terrible. He wanted to help but he didn't know how, didn't know if he could. He was petrified. He felt helpless and terribly weak. The screaming became louder and louder and then there was only darkness.
"Harry!" Harry woke up when he felt a sting on his cheek –someone slapped him. Even with a blurry vision, he knew that people were surrounding him. He was able to see their outlines hovering above him. As he moved to stand up, Lars and Theo helped him, and Draco gave him his glasses afterwards.
He still felt a trace of coldness within him, and emptiness as well, which made it all the more terrible.
Shaking his head, he gazed at everyone. "Show's over, sod off," he hissed at the people outside –random students who scuttled away until only his usual crowd remained. There were just too many people around for his liking
"I don't eat chocolates," he said tersely when Remus offered him a chocolate bar.
"For Christ's sake, just eat it." Philip snapped.
"Oi, don't yell at my godson –whoever you are." Sirius glared at Philip but the latter simply ignored Sirius and ordered Harry to eat the chocolate.
"Are you okay, brother?"
"Let me see," he drawled, taking a bite of the chocolate, "I've nearly gotten my soul sucked out. Ask me how I am again." Lars eye's rolled back, and then huffed at him.
"There weren't just one dementor, you know," said Lars. "Another one nearly did the same to me but Remus and Sirius arrived."
"Oh lucky, lucky Lawrence."
Remus handed him a pack of chocolate frogs and then left with Sirius to check on the other students. Afterwards, Philip ordered everyone who were not from their compartment, in an ever polite way, to sod off. Lars the stubborn lion didn't leave.
"Have you seen Dudley?"
"Yeah, he was with us earlier. I think he's with Ethan and Mark now –and before you ask, they're fine."
Harry took a deep breath and relaxed. Lawrence, Ethan, and Dudley were alright. "Why the hell are there dementors here?" he asked, flexing his shaking right hand.
"Looking for Pettigrew, I believe," answered Lawrence. "Apparently, they're going to be in Hogwarts too."
"What?!" Harry exclaimed scandalously, eyes wide. "The Headmaster wouldn't allow that."
"Dumbledore's mad, who knows?" Draco said, which made Harry glower. It was given that the Headmaster was mad, but not mad enough to allow dementors around Hogwarts.
"But the headmaster-"
"Has no power when the minister is the one who decreed it," Philip cut him off.
"The council in the Wizengamot discussed it around a month ago," Philip continued. "The dementors will be stationed in Hogwarts."
"Why?"
"Security measures," Philip answered. "It's in case Peter Pettigrew comes after your brother in the school."
"Father never told me that!" Draco began to sound whiny again. "He always attends the Wizengamot hearings."
"Well mate, clearly your daddy-dearest didn't tell you this one." Lars said flippantly, handing Harry a chocolate frog before leaving.
"You're an idiot if you think your dad will tell you everything," Philip said bluntly to Draco.
"You've got to stop assuming that Mr. Malfoy tells you everything," Theo added.
Draco scoffed. "Father usually tells me things regarding the school," the blond said before turning to Harry.
"So…." Draco was cut off by someone opening the compartment door abruptly. Ethan, Dudley, and Mark were there.
"Bro, you alright?" Ethan asked, panting. "Ron and Hermione weren't letting us out of the compartment and -"
Harry raised a hand, effectively shutting him up.
"I'm fine. You worry about nothing. Run along now," Harry said curtly to the trio. He didn't need any more of the concern thing.
"Can we stay here then?" Dudley asked. Harry responded with a simple glare and the three scuttled away.
"They were just worried, especially Ethan," Theo stated, slapping the back of Harry's head.
"And as I said," Harry slapped Theo's head likewise, "they worry about nothing."
For the remainder of their train ride, Theo pestered Philip about the light. Philip refused to teach it to Theo, saying that the kind of light he made was not for children. Though Philip sounded serious, Harry very much doubted that he was telling the truth. It was just a simple light. Admittedly cold, which was odd for a light, but a light nonetheless.
When they reached Hogsmeade, Philip separated from them without a word but he did give them a paper with some sort of sigils on it.
"What is this?" Draco questioned, inspecting the paper.
"I've no idea." The sigils weren't alchemical ones, or at least they weren't the ones that Harry was familiar with. He knew enough about runes and the symbol on the paper didn't look like it. As for alchemical symbols, the one on Philip's paper were not quite picturesque.
"Don't show it to anyone," Harry told his friends gravely. He had no doubt that Philip wouldn't put them in trouble but he couldn't help but feel that the sigil was from the olden days. And spells or symbols from the olden days were rarely acceptable nowadays. They were mostly considered dark. And Philip really wasn't one to mind international laws. It was a surprise the man still hadn't landed himself in jail.
"I swear we'll have to sew his mouth shut one of these days." Harry agreed with what Theo had said, referring to Macnair who'd been desperately seeking attention for quite some time now.
"Oi, Evandrus!" Macnair shouted his name for at least thrice before he finally turned back.
"What the hell do you want?" he asked with a glare.
"Is it true you've fainted?" Macnair asked in a mockingly innocent manner. "You actually fainted."
Harry scowled at Macnair, and immediately muttered a spell under his breath. A couple of stones suddenly flew to Macnair. There was no more talking to Macnair, Harry had finally decided. At about any time Macnair would present himself only to idiotically rile him up, Harry would just attack.
"Did you –did you do that?"
"Yes, now keep walking," he snapped at blonde as they boarded on one of the many coaches around to take them to Hogwarts.
"You do know that Snape will hear about that." Harry glared at Theo. Of course, Professor Snape would hear about it. That said, Harry began to think that he shouldn't have impulsively did what he did to Macnair. Being impulsive had never bode well with him.
"Macnair deserved it, right Harry?" Draco said, turning to him.
"Yeah," he agreed. "I really don't have any patience left to deal with him."
"What about Professor Snape?" asked Theo, to which Harry responded with a scowl.
"I really don't care about anything he would say about it." In truth, he didn't think he'd care about anything his head of house will tell him. Midas may have suggested his punishment but Snape pushed through with it. He was still angry about that fact.
"Bloody hell!" Harry exclaimed when, upon opening the coach door, Snape stood in front of him.
"Very eloquent, Mr. Evandrus." Harry just rolled his eyes and made to push his way through.
"You are coming with me."
Harry gave the professor an 'oh really?' look before answering flippantly. "Ah, I don't think so," he said. "We have the opening feast to attend to." When he started walking away, he felt a rather firm grip on his shoulder.
"It wasn't a request, Mr. Evandrus," said the professor austerely.
"But Professor," Harry went for a whiny yet mocking tone, "I want to see my brother's sorting." Draco and Theo stifled a laugh as a vein visibly popped on the Potions Master's forehead.
"Mr. Evandrus, you are treading on very thin ice." Intent on being more flippant, Harry raised his foot simultaneously and looked left to right.
"I don't see any ice yet, professor, do you?"
"You will come with me, now," Harry considered turning back and walk away from his professor but he relented. After all, he was already in quite an amount of trouble.
"See you after the feast," he told Theo and Draco before separating from the group with his head of house.
"Detention on Saturday, Mr. Evandrus," his head of house said when they were out of earshot. "My, my. Quite the record breaker, are you? The first detention of the year and you have not even stepped foot inside the castle."
"Yeah, you're proud of me, I know," he said sarcastically.
"Is this what McGregor teaches you?" Snape asked sharply. "Being an unruly and disrespectful child."
"Oh no, I got that on my own," he retorted, ignoring the bait at the mention of Midas. "Where are we going anyway?"
"The Hospital Wing." Harry stopped dead on his tracks.
"No way," he protested. "I'm perfectly fine. I ate enough chocolate to FEEL fine. I'm fine. I don't need to go to the infirmary." Fighting not to go to the infirmary was a fight he had lost before it even began. The Potions Master could not be swayed not to take him to the blasted infirmary.
"Sit." Snape told him once they got there, pointing on the nearest bed. He obeyed. There wasn't anything more he could do but obey.
"Mr. Evandrus." Harry turned his head and saw Madame Pomfrey making her way towards them. She didn't look all too pleased to see him.
"What have you gotten yourself into now?" she asked.
"I didn't get myself into anything," he replied, annoyed that the matron implied that he had always gotten himself into trouble.
"Dementor, Poppy." Madame Pomfrey huffed disapprovingly.
"Dementors in a school," she muttered as she began examining him. Harry backed a little when the matron placed a hand on his forehead, feeling his temperature. "Bit clammy he is. Dementors are terrible news, and the effects they have on certain people."
"Madame Pomfrey, I am fine!"
"Of course you are." Madame Pomfrey just continued on. She was now taking his pulse, which was about to spike up if he still didn't leave the bloody infirmary.
"Poppy?" questioned the Potions Master.
"He seems to be fine," Harry glared when Madame Pomfrey started peering into his eyes, "should have some chocolate, just to be safe."
"Remus had already given us –and yes, I did eat it."
"Well, my word, a competent Defence teacher," said Madame Pomfrey. "We don't seem to be getting them these days. He's free to go Severus, unless he wishes to spend the night here."
"Just….no." he muttered. "Thank you Madame Pomfrey. Bye." He jumped off the bed and exited the hospital wing hurriedly, not bothering to wait for his head of house.
When Harry reached the Great Hall, he noticed that everyone was wearing their traditional pointy, black hats. He wasn't overly fond off those hats. They looked remarkably odd for his liking. He headed to the Slytherin table as swiftly as he could, ignoring Lars who waved at him. He was going to sit near Draco or Theo but there were no spaces left. He thought he was going to have to sit on the ground until Daphne called for his attention.
"Semper Serpentinas," Daphne hissed in his ear as soon as he sat down.
"Password," She said by way of explanation.
"Thanks," he said to her. "My friends over there didn't have the decency to save me a place."
"They did," Daphne said in their defence. "They had to budge over earlier, new sorting you know.
"Oh yes." Harry looked over the new students in line to be sorted. Ethan, Dudley, and Calvert were no longer there.
"Where have they been sorted?" he asked, knowing that Daphne already knew the 'they' that he was referring to.
"Dudley is in Hufflepuff. Ethan is in Gryffindor. Mark is with us." Harry already expected Ethan to be sorted in Gryffindor. The boy acted like it enough. He was surprised that Mark had gotten sorted into their house. He would have bet on any house but theirs. However, he was decidedly disappointed with Dudley's sorting. It was nothing against Hufflepuff but it was more against the fact that his cousin hadn't been sorted into their house. Harry told his cousin of their lineage so the muggleborn would at least opt to get sorted into Slytherin.
"Don't be such an elitist, Harry," Daphne said out of the blue.
"What?"
"I'm not daft, Harry," Daphne said, eyes doing a 360 degree turn. "I can see clearly that you don't like it that your cousin's in Hufflepuff."
"I don't dislike it!" he denied, quite unconvincingly so if Daphne's expression was anything to go by.
"You don't like it either."
"I -" Harry scoffed, not bothering to defend himself either. "Alright, fine, I'm not quite fond that he got sorted in Hufflepuff. Happy?"
Daphne shook her head at him in a sad manner. "There is nothing wrong with Hufflepuff."
"I never said there was!"
"Then don't act like there is!"
"I have nothing against Hufflepuff!" he repeated, scoffing as he stood up to leave but was stopped by Parkinson's voice.
"What did you expect?" he heard Parkinson say, making him turn sharply to the pug-face. "He's a mudblood. If you were expecting him to be here, you're mental."
"Parkinson, in case you didn't notice, a mudblood had just been sorted in our house," he pointed at the group of first years at the end of the table before Daphne dragged him down to sit again.
"You're going to make a scene!" Daphne scolded, visibly appalled at him.
Ignoring her, Harry tilted his head. "That boy there, Mark Calvert, is a mudblood."
"Harry!" Daphne's voice was close to shrieking. "Don't use that word. It's deplorable."
"I'm just proving a point to your friend, Daphne.," he reasoned out.
"I don't care," she said, boring to him with an incredibly stern look. "Just shut it, and stop being a petulant child over your cousin's sorting."
In spite of himself, he muttered "yes ma'am," before going silent as the feast went on.
Dumbledore warned them all about the dementors, told them not to even try approaching one. No one needed to tell Harry that twice. He wasn't daft enough to interact with dementors after what had happened in the train. Also, Dumbledore introduced new teachers. Apparently, there were four new teachers.
Philip was substituting for Ancient Runes. There were more whispers than applause at Philip. His sharp yet muggle-like appearance didn't bode well for many of his fellow Slytherins. The word that Daphne referred to as deplorable circled at their table.
Sirius and Remus would be taking turns teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts. And Hagrid was going to be the new Care of Magical Creatures professor. That made Harry more relieved that he didn't take the subject. Not a lot in Slytherin house applauded Sirius, Remus, and Hagrid. But, Harry figured that the ruckus Gryffindor House made was more than enough to cover for all the school houses.
Harry just remained silent throughout the whole feast, ignoring everyone, and Daphne's continuous glare at him. Calvert approached him when the feast ended but he acted very curtly to the younger boy. It mattered to him greatly that his cousin wasn't sorted in Slytherin house. Dudley descended from the great Salazar Slytherin, for crying out loud!