Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or Harry Potter.

Shifts in Destiny

Chapter 15

How to Catch a Snake

The students were anxious for the next Hogsmeade Weekend, but no one more anxious or excited as Ron Weasley as it was on his birthday. His friends gathered in Three Broomsticks for butterbeers and presents. He received some thoughtful gifts, including a new chess set from Ami. While they sat their talking over their butterbeers, Harry saw a man he recognized as Slughorn exit the pub. He told the others he was going to the bathroom and then he caught up with Slughorn.

"Professor Slughorn!" Harry said once he was out of the Three Broomsticks.

Slughorn flinched then turned to see Harry. "Harry Potter? Why what a surprise!"

"Sir, I was hoping I could speak to you," said Harry.

"Certainly," the old Potions master said. "What's on your mind?"

"Dumbledore showed me those memories," said Harry.

Slughorn's eyes widened and he looked around him. "Shh! Come with me."

He led Harry to the Hog's Head and said hello to the barman and other men in the bar. They went to his room. Even though it was small, there were some lavish decorations Slughorn had collected among the years.

"I'm sorry you had to see those," Slughorn said. "The real and fake memory. The fake memory was what I should have told Tom that day. Susan Applebee was one of my favorites and she got the real memory from me. I still don't know how she did it."

"Professor, I just wanted to tell you that you shouldn't blame yourself," said Harry.

Slughorn laughed. "Not blame myself? I gave him information that ruined his soul and made him unstoppable!"

"He's not unstoppable, sir," Harry told him. "Professor Dumbledore is showing me how. I'll find the horcruxes and destroy them. Then I'll destroy Voldemort. Dumbledore told me after Voldemort possessed Ginny that Voldemort manipulated even wise and experienced wizards. I'm sorry you were one of them. Don't worry, I'll make it right."

Slughorn smiled sadly. "That's a heavy load to put on your shoulders."

"I can do it," Harry told him. "I have to. I do have a question though."

"Ask away then, ask away."

"You taught potions at Hogwarts. How did you know what horcruxes were? Dumbledore didn't even know what they were."

"I'll tell you a story," Slughorn sighed. "There was a poor wizard and a noble muggle woman that were in love. Unfortunately she was betrothed to arrogant man by an arranged marriage. The wizard interrupted the wedding and killed her groom. He split his soul in half and encased it in her wedding ring."

"Wait, she married him after that?"

"Yes," Slughorn answered. "She thought it was romantic the way he stopped the wedding and how having a piece of his soul with her at all times made her feel protected. Then his wife died and after living decades alone without her, watching their children grow up and outliving them, he had realized his mistake. The sorrow allowed his spirit to reunite with his body and he died soon after that. This wizard was in my family, seven generations prior." Slughorn sighed. "He told his family that the creation of a horcrux, no matter the reason, is the worst thing a wizard can do to himself. It's so sad that Tom Riddle, one of my best students, would destroy himself this way. The boy had so much potential. He could have done anything but he's done this. It's despicable."

"I know," said Harry. "I have to go now, it was good seeing you, Professor."

"Oh, Harry," said Slughorn as Harry approached the door. "Let me know if there's anything I can do to help."

"I will," said Harry. "Thanks, sir."

Harry returned to Three Broomsticks for the rest of the party. Harry hoped that he put the old man's mind at ease. Harry wasn't going to let Voldemort use and hurt any more people.

On their way to the quidditch match against Hufflepuff, Harry and Ron spotted Draco walking with two younger girls from Slytherin House.

"Where are you going?" Harry demanded.

"Yeah. I'm really going to tell you, because it's your business, Potter," sneered Draco. "You'd better hurry up, they'll be waiting for 'the Chosen Captain'-the Boy Who Scored'-whatever they call you these days."

One of the girls laughed and when Harry stared at her, she blushed.

"Where's Crabbe and Goyle?" said Ron. "I don't think they know the way to the quidditch pitch if you're not there to show them."

The other girl glared at Ron and took a step forward. Draco grabbed her arm. "Forget it. Let's go. Remember to catch the quaffle, Weasley."

Draco and the two girls walked down the corridor and vanished. Harry remained where he was, staring where they had been.

"What's he up to?" Harry said.

"We don't have time to find out right now, Harry," said Ron. "We've got to get going. You're the Captain, for Merlin's sake!"

Harry groaned and they made their way to the changing rooms. "Maybe we'll get a chance after the match if I can end it quickly enough."

"But you know everyone's going to want to celebrate. You can't miss that."

"It's just a party," Harry said dismissively. "I've got to find out what he's up to. Don't tell me it's all in my head. The cats told us what they heard him say to Snape."

"I know it's not," Ron said. "Look, we'll talk to McGonagall when the quidditch match is over. Let's go."

Ginny was cross with Ron and Harry for being late but Harry was more concerned about what Draco was up to instead of the match.

"We're here now, all right?" Ron barked at his sister.

While the Seeker and Keeper pulled their Quidditch robes on, Lydia was talking to the Beaters. They seemed nervous and her cheerful attitude wasn't helping.

"Maybe its your bats," Lydia suggested. "They're not giving you luck."

"Mine's brand new!" Coote said, exasperated.

"New doesn't necessarily mean lucky," Lydia said with a grin.

Harry sighed. He remembered being in their shoes, nervous before a game, but loving the game still the same. Quidditch was something Harry was good at and always wanted to do. If he didn't already have his mind made up to be an Auror, he'd persue Quidditch for a career. But the last six years taught him that there were important thing to worry about. There were people like Malfoy, Snape, and Voldemort. Tom Riddle had once been a normal wizard. He had walked where Harry was walking right now. Tom Riddle however grew up to be Voldemort. Harry wondered if he ever played Quidditch or watched a match. Did he skip every match to sneak around the school, like Malfoy was doing right now? Harry wouldn't doubt it. What if Malfoy was working to become the next Dark Lord? It wouldn't happen if Harry had something to do about it.

"Come on then," said Harry, grabbing his Firebolt..

After Harry shook hands with Wayne Hopkins, Hufflepuff's captain, Madam Hooch blew her whistle and everyone took off on their brooms.

Harry went as high as he possibly could so he could get a bird's eye view of the whole pitch. He blocked out the cheers of the and boos of the crowd, including the cheerleaders. It didn't matter if Serena came up some new cheers or not. He wasn't paying attention to what the comentator was saying, though the person's voice was quite familiar.

"Oh look, he's lost the Quaffle, Ginny took it from him, I do like her, she's very nice..."

Harry chanced a glance to the commentator podium and there was Luna Lovegood with the microphone in hand sitting next to an irritated Professor McGonagall. "But now that big Hufflepuff player's got the Quaffle from her. I can't remember his name, it's something like Bibble, no Buggins-,"

"It's Cadwaller!" shouted McGonagall and the crowd laughed, even some of the player, namely Ron. He managed to stop laughing in time to get in gear and save the Quaffle just in time.

"Ron!" Ginny and Harry shouted at him.

"I caught it, didn't I?" Ron retorted, passing the ball to Lydia, who took off quickly. Smith and Cadwaller came up on either side of her. She rose up at the right moment and the two Chasers collided into one another. Lydia chucked the quaffle with all her might but Mina caught it.

"Of all the rotten luck!" Lydia shouted. "What're you doing playing still? I thought you were just a stand in for last match!"

"Hopkins made me a permanent player," said Mina with a smirk as she volleyball served the quaffle to her captain. "Guess I'm a keeper." She laughed hard at her own joke and Lydia groaned. She flew after Hopkins in an attempt to steal the ball. The match turned out to be a real game of volleyball. The quaffle went back and forth, back and forth with no one being able to score.

"It appears that everyone is suffering from Loser's Lurgy," Luna commentated when Lydia lost the ball. This made Ron laugh so hard he nearly fell off his broom, missing the save.

"Sorry, sorry!" he shouted between laughs. "But that was funny!"

"At least someone is scoring," Ginny groaned.

The match was drawing on and instead of commenting on the score, Luna was talking about clouds and other nonsense. Lydia managed to make a goal and she headed to Harry, who was now about ten feet above the ground by the stands scanning for the Snitch.

"Harry, I saw the Snitch about five feet above the left goal post on Hufflepuff's side when I made that goal," Lydia told him. "It's yours if you want to end the game now."

"Thanks," said Harry, speeding toward the goalposts. Harry saw it where Lydia had said it was. The Snitch acted as if it knew Harry had spotted it, and then it darted away. Harry took pursuit and when Summerby noticed that Harry was following the Snitch, Summerby began following Harry. But by the time he had caught up with him, Harry had grabbed the Snitch.

The Gryindors erupted in applause. Instead of landing with the rest of the team, Harry flew to Madame Hooch and pushed the Snitch in her hand. He headed off to the castle and ignored the calls of his fellow Gryffindors.

"Where is Harry off to?" Serena said to Lydia.

"Er, bathroom?" Lydia guessed with a shrug.

"I doubt it," groaned Ron. "I've got to talk to Professor McGonagall."

When Harry got back to the castle he didn't bother to change. He searched the corridors for Draco but didn't see him or the girls he was with. He gave up and decided to go to the common room. On his way he met Professor McGonagall and she told him to come in her office. Ron was there.

"Mr. Weasley has informed me that you've seen Draco Malfoy walking in the corridors before the match," she said. "You think this means he's up to something?"

Harry glared at his best friend and then at his head of house. "Yes. He had two girls with him."

"Who were they?"

"I don't know," said Harry. "They looked like third years though."

"I'll look into this then," said McGonagall.

"How?" Harry inquired. '"I tried looking for Malfoy and I couldn't find him. I think he has something to do with trying to get Professor Dumbledore killed!"

"That seems very far fetched," said McGonagall. "However, Malfoy wandering around the castle does concern me. I'll speak to the staff about this. Don't you start wandering around the castle too. Off to your dormitory, now."

The two Gryffindors headed upstairs and Harry rent into Ronald. "You told McGonagall?"

"That was something we were supposed to do, mate," Ron reminded him. "I told you we needed to tell her. Did you forget? If we were to catch Malfoy, what would you do? Start a fight? Haul him off to Azkaban by ourselves? We're not aurors yet, you know."

Harry sighed. "Well, I don't know...but I want to catch him at it! I want to know what he's up to!"

"Me too," Ron agreed. "It's weird of him to give up watching quidditch, let alone playing it. And why was he with those young girls instead of Crabbe and Goyle? He never went anywhere without them. Those girls supposed to be his new bodyguards now?"

They made it to Gryffindor tower where their teammates and fellow Gryffindors were still celebrating. Serena and the others came to greet and congratulate them. When asked what took them so long, Ron told them they would explain later. They celebrated for a while and when the Gryffindors after Harry's circle of friends went upstairs, Ron told them about Malfoy. Serena shook her head, looking disappointed. Harry waited for her to complain about it but she remained quiet, which bothered Harry a little.

"You were right to tell McGonagall about it," Hermione said.

"Yeah, I guess," said Harry.

There was an uneasy silence.

"Hey when is your next lesson with Dumbledore?" Lydia asked to change the subject.

"Not sure," Harry answered. "Next week hopefully."

"I wonder what he'll show you," said Lydia.

Harry shrugged and Serena stood up, heading for the stairs.

"You're leaving?" Harry walked toward her.

"Yeah, I'm tired," Serena admitted.

"Serena, I hope you're not angry," Harry said. "I just...Malfoy..."

"I get it," Serena said solemnly. "But Malfoy isn't the wizard you should be concerned about right now. It's Voldemort." She yawned and walked up to the dormitory.

"She's right you know," said Hermione as she walked past him. "Regardless of what's between you and Malfoy, you need to focus on these lessons Dumbledore is showing you."

"I know," Harry groaned as the girls went up the stairs. He knew they were right. Voldemort was the problem. If Malfoy were up to something, Voldemort was behind it. He just hoped that McGonagall would prevent Malfoy from making matters worse.

–

At the end of transfiguration Monday, McGonagal called Serena and Draco to the front of the class. Harry lingered by the exit and Serena waved him away.

"Mr. Malfoy, it has come to my attention that you've were wandering the corridors with two girls from your house during the Quidditch match."

"They were lost," Draco invented quickly. "I've already told Professor Snape about this. I'm a prefect! There's nothing wrong with what I've been doing!"

"These are dangerous times, Mr. Malfoy."

"You had prefects patrol the halls when the Chamber of Secrets opened!" Draco exclaimed.

"That was a different time and they were ordered to," said McGonagall. "But you were given no orders to be walking around the corridors alone. Our measures of safety cannot work if you do not follow them."

"Fine, I won't do it again," Draco said, turning on his heel.

"I'm not through with you yet, Malfoy," Professor McGonagall said sharply.

"What are you going to do, give me detention? Professor Snape told me-"

"Yes, I've spoken to your head of house," said Professor McGonagall. "He believes that writing lines or menial labor is not enough for to learn your lesson. As he's never had to give one of his own house detention-"

"So why start now?" Draco muttered under his breath.

"He's asked me to give you detention," McGonagall finished.

"Professor," Serena said softly. "I don't understand why you need me for. I wasn't with Malfoy."

"Tsukino, you are to help Malfoy in all his Transfiguration assignments," said Professor McGonagall. "You've got a pretty open schedule too and he can use the extra help."

"No, no way!" Draco exclaimed and Serena had to agree. She just made up with Harry and Draco already suspected her being more than an ordinary witch.

"Your grades are failing," McGonagall told him.

"I can get them up without her help!" Malfoy jabbed his finger at Serena. "I'd rather clean the bedpans without magic. Bring back the old detentions from my grandfather's day and hang me by my thumbs!"

Serena stared at him stunned. Really, he'd rather be hanging in the dungeons by his thumbs than studying Transfiguration with her? It'd be awkward, sure, but still.

"Wait, I've got an idea," said Serena. "I'm sure he's struggling in more than just Transfiguration, right?"

"Oh Merlin," Draco groaned. "This is worse than discussing grades with my parents!"

McGonagall ignored Draco and nodded. "Yes, the teachers have confirmed this with me."

"Then how about study with some other students besides me?"

"Preferably with those of my own house," Draco groaned. "I can't stand being taught by mudbloods."

"That will cost you ten points, Malfoy," McGonagall scolded and he groaned again. "Excellent suggestion, Ms. Tsukino. Who do you have in mind?"

"Well my friend Ami's great in everything." Serena answered. "Lydia can help him with Care of Magical Creatures-,"

"I dropped that class!" Draco shouted.

"Oh right, I think Lydia's the only one in it," said Serena, scratching her head. "Well, she was one of the few who scored high on her History of Magic OWL. She can help you there if you're in it."

"Yeah, I'm in it," Draco muttered. "My mother insisted."

"Mina can be your study partner in Herbology. Oh, and she might want to be your personal trainer too. I hear she's helping some of the girls in Hufflepuff lose weight."

"What?" Draco gasped.

"She's been all about physical fitness after the holidays," Serena explained.

"I supposed that would be a good idea, as he's no longer in Quidditch," McGonagall pointed out.

"Lita's become a potion expert," said Serena. "And I know she's already helping Harry so she won't mind helping Draco too. Might not be a good idea for her to help them both at the same time though...because well...you know."

"Yes, I know," McGonagall agreed. "I understand that Miss Hino is doing well in Ancient Runes. She can study with him too."
"Raye?" Draco gasped. He wasn't sure if he should be nervous or excited about that. Sitting side by side in library. Alone. He felt a bit dizzy and he put his hand on the nearest desk for support.

"I'll speak to other professors," said McGonagall

"I'll speak to my friends," said Serena.

Draco didn't even want to think about who he'd have to speak to.

To Be Continued