Chapter Four: And Then There Were More

"The possession of knowledge does not kill the sense of wonder and mystery. There is always more mystery."
― Anais Nin

Padma seemed to be reading more than usual. Her peers talk about how she was more distracted than usual, considering she was Ravenclaw's incarnation. Draco and Harry met up without her or Susan to make sure they didn't murder one another. They came up with a plan to hear their houses out, trying to once and for all unite the two most argumentative houses.

How that would go, Padma could only do was pray it all went well and that both houses can unite under a common enemy, which shouldn't be that hard.

That left her and Susan to figure out a plan for Operation Pink. Susan named it after the horrendous pink cardigan Umbridge always wore, which Padma thought was quite clever.

But that wasn't what was on her mind. No, it was Harry Potter.

Another week passed, Umbridge still retaining her vulture eyes on both Harry and Susan from time to time. She and Draco kept look out for their fellow founder whenever Umbridge was around, looking at either one of them. They had to stick together.

But even with that, it was Harry that kept being pushed to the forefront of her mind. She never had a crush on him before but, as they spent some time together, it was hard to ignore it. Which was why the idea that she had in her mind was just plain stupid. She should have run by this with Parvati but alas Padma didn't.

Just talk to him Padma, it's no big deal, she mentally scolded herself. You've been hanging out with him for a while now.

She spotted him sitting with Ron and Hermione at the Gryffindor table, as she got closer they seemed to be arguing about something. Harry was shaking his head as Hermione kept talking. Padma wondered what they seemed to be arguing about, but she put that curiosity to the side to do her personal mission. She walked over to Harry and he had a look of surprise to see her in front of him. Granted, the only time they spent together was in the Room of Requirement with Susan and Draco. So, she didn't blame him.

"Harry, would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me tomorrow?" There she said it. But now the moment of truth, waiting for the answer from him, this was pure agony, this was how it felt to Padma waiting. Harry dumbly nodded before being nudged by Hermione to speak up. It made Padma smile to see that even with a founder's memory he was still a teenage boy. "Yeah, that'd be fun." He seemed to be trapezing over his words which made Padma giggle. That drew a smile from Harry. "I'll wait for you by the entrance of the school in the morning?"

Padma nodded. With that, she left feeling giddy.

When the Hogsmead trip came, Padma noticed Draco walking with Blaise and Flora Carrow. He gave her an inclined tip of his head in a "Hello". She did the same before spotting Susan with Hannah and Justin. She waved at Padma before running up to her.

"So, you and Harry?" She giggled. Padma smacked her arm. "Shut up."

"Hey, Susan." Harry walked up behind them with Ron and Hermione right behind him. He grinned nervously at Padma and Susan, which made the latter girl grin crazily. "I'll leave you two alone. Have fun, we need it right now." The last part she said in a low voice only for Harry and Padma's ears to hear. With that, the Hufflepuff walked back to her friends, headed to Hogsmeade.

"You ready?" Harry asked her. "Yep, let's go." She replied.

They decided to go first to Honeydukes shop, Padma wanting to get some candy. They chatted while getting their sweets, about classes and the different candy they got.

"If you had to eat the same candy for the rest of your life, what would it be?" Padma asked as she shared half of her chocolate wand with Harry. He took it, thanking her. "Mmmh, that's tricky. For me, it would have to be Cauldron Cakes."

"Chocolate Wands for me." Taking a bite of her candy. She hefted her small bag that was filled with Honeydukes sweets as they made their way to Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop to buy some quills that she needed.

They went inside, Padma bought some extra quills and sugar quills. Harry raised an amused eyebrow at her when they left the shop.

"What?"

"Something tells me that you really like candy?" He grinned at her. Padma made a pompous face that could have rivaled Draco's as she looked at Harry. "What can I say, I love everything sugary. Makes it easy on my sister to get me something for my birthday too." She joked.

"You want to get a Butterbeer?" Harry asked her. Padma pushed her hair back to one shoulder before nodding. They headed there. It was warm inside, Padma spotted Harry's friends along with Parvati giving her a thumbs-up.

They sat at a table, Harry ordered two butterbears while Padma racked her brain for what to talk about. Harry asked her a question but he sounded far away. She saw one of the servers bring their drinks, setting it down in front of her. Harry repeated her voice but now it sounded like an echo in a tunnel.

Not here, not again? Why do these dreams happen? Usually, they came at night like all of the vision came but now it was happening today.

"Rowena, please."

"Absolutely no! You know if we do this, it will change Hogwarts possibly forever Helga."

"So, what? We don't choose sides and let this tear our friendship apart? I won't stand for it Rowena, this fighting it will break us all, especially if we pick a side. I know you lost Helena, but we cannot lose anymore."

"Helga, my friend, you worry too much. I believe we are above this fighting. Godric and Salazar will come to their senses, their friendship is much stronger than this fight. Their brothers in arms, isn't that what you always say?"

"Well, yes but-"

"No, Helga. They care deeply about one another as any of us do. Watch, by next week they will be singing in the Great Hall and causing pranks against one another, nothing to worry about my dear Hufflepuff. Nothing."

"Padma!"

She was on the floor, Harry and her sister were above her face, both looking at her with concern. Parvati helped her up, the whole world felt dizzy. Like at any moment it would tip over and plummet, she groaned.

"I'm taking you back to the castle," She heard Harry speak up. He gently grabbed elbow, his other hand holding her bag. "Don't worry Parvati, I'll take her back and keep an eye on her."

He took her back to the castle, away from the scene that she made by her vision. Stupid vision, stupid dead founders and stupid reincarnation.

"I'm not going to the hospital wing, Harry. Just take me to the Room Of Requirement, the last thing I need is to be stuck in the hospital wing again." Harry relented, knowing how it felt to be in the Hosptial Wing since he was a well-known visitor there. "You understand that Harry."

He chuckled. "Yeah, I should probably get my own bed, plaquet card in there." He joked as he helped her up the stairs to the hallway. "Maybe I could share some sweets with Madam Pomfrey the next time I get injured?" Padma shook her head as Harry gave a 'You-know-it's-true" look. They walked towards the area of the room. Finally, they arrived at the doors opened for them.

Inside was the same except there was some food on the coffee table with a pitcher full of water. Padma looked confused as Harry set her down on the sofa. He filled a cup full of water and gave it to her. She thanked him, taking a sip.

"What happened? Are you sure you don't need-" Harry was cut off. Padma shook her head at him.

"It's fine, it was a dream of a memory. I don't know why it appeared today but it did." Padma explained the dream to Harry as he ate some of the pretzels that were on the table.

"A fight?" Harry said. "That must be when the Gryffindor and Slytherin had their fallout that ended everything. So, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff must have thought that by taking a side, everything would have turned out okay?"

She sighed, wishing it was that simple but it wasn't. "No, I think Ravenclaw was, naive and thought that by staying out the conflict, everything would have been fine the next day between those two. Helga must have been the one closest to Slytherin to see what was happening. That Slytherin and Gryffindor were above this fight as she said in my dream, but there were cracks in their friendship. Helena Ravenclaw died before their fighting began, I think turning a blind eye was Ravenclaw's way to cope while Hufflepuff just wanted to be on level ground again. It was all falling apart Harry, right before their eyes and none of them knew it would be the end."

"This is a lot to comprehend," Harry said.

"Harry, can I ask you something?" He nodded. "What were you and Hermione talking about, yesterday?"

He rubbed his face in annoyance at the reminder. "She wanted me to start doing classes since Umbridge isn't trying to teach us anything. Hermione thinks I'm the best one considering I face those followers of Voldemort last year at the Triwizard Tournament." He paused looking at Padma's opinion. " I-I'm not sure if I'm the right person to do this, to teach people that even want to be taught this stuff."

"I think they need to defend themselves, Harry. These Death Eaters, they will come back sooner or later but the truth is Harry, you can do this. This is the thing that the founders would want, to have the students rally against a common enemy and doing this, I think will be the key to unite them all."

Harry took her words, mulling over what she said. "If it makes you feel better, we'll be there. Me, Susan and Draco."

"That is the weirdest sentence I have ever heard about Draco Malfoy and I once saw him being turned into a ferret," Harry said trying not to laugh. Padma on the other hand, she started to giggle.

"I did have a wonderful day with you, Harry." SHe said to the boy. He smiled at her and Padma hoped she wasn't blushing. "I did too Padma. How about the next Hogsmeade visit?"

Padma and Harry filled them in on her dream-vision, they looked intrigued at the history.

"Seems that they weren't prepared for the fallout between Slytherin and Gryffindor," Draco said. Harry agreed with him, reminded of Sirius and the fallout between his family. All of them Slytherin minus Sirius, a Gryffindor. "There's still more to uncover about them. It's a mystery."

Harry also mentioned Hermione's idea to start an underground class for the students. Susan was all for it but Draco had hesitation.

"That's the plan for the unification process? Teach them to defend themselves?" Draco looked a bit skeptical at Harry and Padma. It was around midnight, maybe one in the morning when they met up at the room of Requirement.

"How are even going to do this, if we are going to do this, we do it right. You Gryffindors don't know any sneaking tactics if it hit you in the head." He said. Harry glared at him. "What do you propose then Malfoy?" Harry shot back.

"We talk with Granger and Weasley. Let the four of us take over the planning, the last thing we need is Umbridge figuring this idea out before it even gets off the bloody ground. We need to do it quickly, Carrow mentioned to me that Umbridge has started reinforcing more rules with severe punishment." He said grimly towards the rest of the group. "I say tomorrow, after the last class of the day. Tell Granger and Weasley to meet us here. Susan, Padma, I suggest you come as well-the last thing we need is another fight."

Harry snorted. "Before or after we sit down?" Draco rolled his eyes at the snide remark.

The next day, on Monday, Harry mentioned to Ron and Hermione that he knew a place to hold the meetings. They seemed intrigued, Hermione excited to see Harry on board. THe brought them to the room where Malfoy, Susan, and Pamda were waiting. All three of them were lounging around, Draco reading a potion's textbook, Padma was looking over her notes while Susan was practicing the charm lesson that Professor Flitwick went over today.

"What the bloody hell is Malfoy doing here?" Ron was the first and loudest to speak up. Malfoy looked up from his book, silently glaring at the group. He tore his gaze towards Harry giving him a single nod.

Harry explained that since he and Malfoy were on semi-good terms, he wanted all houses to be part of this. Malfoy agreed, Susan and Padma were here on behalf od their houses.

"I think, it might be better if it was the four of us doing the planning Hermione. Draco is a Slytherin and his house seems to have a slight advantage that they haven't pissed off Umbridge, that being said. Slytherin could help us out whenever Umbridge is hot on our tail, feed her wrong information while giving us the right one." Padma explained to them. Hermione seemed to slightly agree even though she didn't like the idea that she wouldn't be apart of the building of this. Ron considered it, looking warily and angry at the Slytherin. Again, Draco seemed unfazed.

"We want this to work you guys. That means putting aside our differences, learning from one another. Isn't that what the Sorting Hat said this year, to unite the houses? This is bigger than some petty rivalry. This is about the well-being of the students that can't defend themselves and for once we have to do something about it." Harry spoke up.

Finally, they agreed. Harry told them to spread the word to their house, "Have Lavender and Parvati do the rest for the other houses. Minus Slytherin, Malfoy will take care of that." Harry looked at Malfoy for confirmation to which the blonde nodded in agreement.

Hermione looked at Harry, wonder held in her eyes as she tried to figure things out. "It really is bigger than us?"

Susan smiled. "So much more Hermione, much more."

NOTES: Chapter Four is here! Don't own the quote, guys!

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