Harry Potter and all associated characters and situations are the property of J.K. Rowling. I make no claim to ownership.
CHAPTER 25: Slytherin Maneuvers (Pt. 1)
14 April 1992
To Harry's amazement, and despite the presence of a homicidal dark lord and a Git-Who-Lived sharing the same school, second semester had been almost ... boring. Hermione's study group survived the loss of Lavender and Parvati, although there was almost a mutiny when she announced in the middle of March that she wanted to start revising for the end-of-term exams. The Gryffindor Four (as Jim, Ron, Dean and Seamus came to be known) improved dramatically in Potions class under Lavender's tutelage ... at least until Draco in a display of childishness began to sabotage Jim's potions on a regular basis. Jim could never prove it to Snape's satisfaction, not that Snape needed much of a reason to dock points from "The Other Potter," as the Potions Master insisted on calling Jim even to his face.
Practically the only excitement in the first three months had come during the Gryffindor-Hufflepuff Quidditch match back in February. Madame Hooch had apparently come down with some minor ailment and couldn't referee, and so Snape, inexplicably, was pressed into service as her replacement. Harry and Blaise privately concluded that he must have lost a bet to one of the other professors. The man's general disdain for Quiddich was well-known, and Harry was surprised that he even knew the rules well enough to officiate. In fact, many of the Slytherins were taking bets themselves on whether Snape would just start making up rules in order to penalize the Gryffindors. Apparently, the Lions were afraid of the same thing because Jim was so focused he caught the Snitch in under five minutes – a new school record – much to the embarrassment of the Badgers' somewhat cocky new Seeker, Third Year Cedric Diggory.
This early morning found Harry sitting in the Library reading the disguised Occlumency book Snape had given him. It was Tuesday, and classes were canceled, as most students would be leaving that afternoon for Easter Break and not returning until the next Monday evening. Unfortunately, quite a few more Slytherins were staying at school than had remained over the Christmas holidays. This annoyed Harry, as he'd hoped to spend time in the Lair when there were no students around, but both Seventh Year prefects were staying behind to study for their upcoming NEWTS, and their respective rooms were on either side of the Lair's entrance.
Hermione and Neville sat across the table from Harry studying when the door to the Library opened up and, to Harry's surprise, Hagrid entered. He'd had a few reasonably decent interactions with the half-giant, but they weren't on close terms. In fact, Hagrid actually seemed somewhat nervous around Harry, who assumed that Jim and Ron had poisoned the man against him with anti-Slytherin propaganda. Regardless, the spectacle of Hagrid in the Hogwarts Library was enough to catch Harry's interest. He was further intrigued when Hermione and Neville began watching Hagrid intently while trying (and failing) to be discreet about it. Hagrid himself was equally amusing as he sought to make his way stealthily through the Library to the section on Magical Creatures and then back out again with several books about dragon-breeding. It was like watching an elephant trying to tip-toe. As he left, Neville and Hermione followed him with their eyes. Then, they looked at each other and proceeded to exchange a series of truly remarkable glares and facial expressions with the (completely unsuccessful) intention of communicating with one another while keeping Harry out of the loop. The gist of it, he intuited easily, was that Neville wanted Hermione to tell Harry about what Hagrid was up to, presumably to get Harry's advice, but for some reason, she was reluctant. Finally, their efforts at Gryffindor "subtlety" became too excruciating to watch, so he put his book down and raised a privacy shield.
"So," he said brightly. "Hagrid's breeding dragons, I take it?"
They both looked at him in shock. "How did you know that?" Hermione asked.
"I didn't. I guessed and you just confirmed it. How far along is he?"
Hermione wouldn't answer, so Neville finally said, "Little Norbert is supposed to hatch in another week or two."
"Norbert?! Of course. That's ... that's adorable. Plus, we've already reached the 'accessory before the fact' stage! Tell me, Hermione, have you looked up the sentence for illegal dragon-breeding yet?" Harry asked with a smirk.
The witch seemingly couldn't decide whether to be more annoyed with Harry or worried about Hagrid. "A minimum of three years in Azkaban," she finally said.
"Hmm. Well, I wouldn't worry. I'm sure that's just for grown-ups. Any minor accomplices will just be expelled. So, Neville, I'm guessing that you want sneaky Slytherin advice on how to resolve this calamity in the making, but I'm curious as to why Hermione here doesn't want to involve me. Dare I hope it's because she cares enough about me to not want me to get a criminal record?" He wriggled his eyebrows at her.
Hermione scoffed. "No! I mean, I don't want anyone to get a criminal record. It's just ... I know you're a Slytherin and we're Gryffindors but..." she turned to Neville in annoyance. "We shouldn't have to ask Harry every time we need a cunning plan. Gryffindors can be cunning when we need to be!
Summoning incredible reserves of will, Harry did not laugh out loud. Neville just shook his head. "Hermione," he said despairingly. "Right now the closest thing we have to a cunning plan is the one Ron came up with."
Harry did snicker at that, albeit apologetically. "Sorry. You're going with the Weasel's plan? Please tell me what it is. I need something to brighten my day."
The two Lions glared at him. "It's not that bad," Hermione said in a huff. "Ronald's brother Charlie works at a dragon sanctuary in Romania. In a few weeks, after the dragon hatches and has grown a bit, some of his friends will fly over via broom from Romania and pick up the caged dragon from the Astronomy Tower. Then, they'll fly it back to the sanctuary."
Harry nodded at that and then started ticking off points one by one on his fingers. "A baby dragon. In a cage. Breathing fire. Transported on wooden broomsticks. Presumably flying in tandem. All the way from here to Romania." Harry shook his head. "And these are friends of Charlie Weasley's, you say? Are you quite sure they're not his enemies that he's scheming to destroy? You already know the penalty for unlicensed dragon breeding. Have you looked up the penalties for international dragon-smuggling? Because I bet they're a lot worse."
"Harry..." started Neville.
"What kind of dragon?" interrupted Harry.
The two looked at one another. "A Norwegian Ridgeback," said Hermione.
"Uh-huh. And has anyone pointed out to Hagrid that he lives in a wooden hut?"
"Repeatedly," sighed Neville.
"Right. The answer is no, I'm not getting involved. Not when grown men who should know better involve kids our age in criminal activities because 'it's fun.' I bet every single person involved in this is a Gryffindor." He shook his head as he took in the ridiculousness of the situation. "Seriously, if you're worried about Hagrid getting into trouble, why don't you just tell McGonagall about it? Lord knows there's worse things at Hogwarts than an illicit baby dragon that the staff will merrily cover up."
"Professor McGonagall, Harry," said Hermione, causing the Slytherin to close his eyes and quickly count to ten. "And I don't think that even she will overlook illegal dragon-breeding."
"Which only makes it even more obvious that it's not something First Years should be involved with. I have begged you not to get involved in Jim Potter's crazy schemes 'til I'm blue in the face, and now, you want to risk expulsion because a staff member wants an illegal pet dragon! I don't know what else to say!"
"You don't have to say anything, Harry! If you'll recall, I didn't want to involve you anyway!" said Hermione angrily before getting up and walking away.
Neville sighed. "Nice going, Harry." He stood and followed his fellow Gryffindor out of the Library. Harry closed his eyes again and rubbed his temples. Too frustrated to return to Occlumency training (which was ironic, as Occlumency was supposed to help with emotional control), he packed up his bags and returned to his dorm.
Unfortunately, if he had any hopes that the Slytherins were acting more sensibly than the Gryffindors, they were quickly dashed. Harry walked through the passage door just in time to see Theo hop three times in the direction of his wand which was lying on the floor before losing his balance and falling flat on his face. Nearby, Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle were laughing at him with their wands out when they noticed Harry come in. Rather foolishly, they hesitated for a second before targeting him, long enough for Harry to reflexively draw his own wand. Faced with three opponents, Harry ignored them all and pointed his wand behind them.
"ACCIO COFFEE TABLE!" At Harry's command, the coffee table behind the boys slid quickly in his direction, knocking all off their legs out from under them and dumping the three to the ground. Off to one side, Pansy Parkinson tried to stealthily draw her own wand. Without even looking, Harry said, "I wouldn't, Pansy. You wouldn't look quite so fetching covered in boils." She froze, her eyes wide. Meanwhile, Theo recovered his wand, swiftly cast the counter-jinx to the Leg-Locker Curse that had been used on him, and jumped up to stand at Harry's side.
"So, you've been reduced to cravenly bullying your own fellow Slytherins in the Common Room, Malfoy? Your father would be so proud."
"Shut up, Halfblood!" snarled Draco as he climbed to his feet. "You're no more worthy to mention my father than you are to even be a Slytherin!"
Harry shook his head sadly. "Was Halloween that long ago, Malfoy, that you've already forgotten it? You're pretty brave when it's three on one. Do you want to try three on two?"
"Ahem!" said Blaise as he walked into the room twirling his wand. "Three on three, actually. Sorry, Theo. I was taking a nap and didn't hear the commotion."
Harry smiled and looked back at Draco. "Three on three it is, Malfoy. In your case, that's like being hopelessly outnumbered."
Draco's face was a mask of rage. But then, he focused on Theo and sneered. "And to think: the son of Lord Tiberius Nott, dependent on blood traitors, consorting with Mudbloods even. I wonder what your father would say if he knew."
Theo stiffened, but he refused to show fear. "Why don't you go tell him then, Draco? Running around, tattling on people like a spoiled child seems to be your forte."
Harry glanced at Theo with a measure of pride. Then, he looked back at Draco speculatively. "Malfoy, are you ... quite ... sure this is the route you want to take? Do you fully understand how much you're ... escalating things?"
Draco moved closer to the two with a superior expression. "Always target your enemy's greatest weakness. My father said that was one of the secrets of winning in Slytherin. Your greatest weakness is Theo Nott."
Harry crooked an eyebrow at that. "So your father taught you that, eh, Draco?" he thought to himself. "Interesting. I've read that book from the Prince's Lair, as well. The actual quote is 'Target your enemy's greatest weaknesses, but always from the shadows, lest you invite his strongest reprisal.' Do you know what sort of reprisal you're inviting right now?"
He said none of that, however. "Our disagreement has become awfully public, Malfoy," he said instead, almost amiably. "Maybe we should take this to our dorm room for a more ... civilized discussion."
Draco smiled victoriously. "After you."
Harry put his wand away and confidently walked in the direction of the boys' dorm. Theo walked behind Harry to his right side, glaring at Malfoy and his lackeys as he went past. Blaise fell in behind Harry on the left alongside Theo as they ascended the stairs.
"Harry..." Theo started.
"It's alright, Theo," Harry interrupted calmly. "Everything's fine. I've got this." His voice was low and, while it not as frightening or dangerous as it was last Boxing Day, it nevertheless reminded Theo uncomfortably of how Harry talked that night with Jim Potter in the Mirror Room.
Minutes later, the six Slytherin First Years were in their dorm room facing each other.
"So, tell me, Malfoy. What exactly do you know about Tiberius Nott that you leads you to think your threats should bother us?"
"I know enough. I know he's a violent drunkard with no patience for blood traitors, particularly in his own family."
Harry nodded. "And despite that, you have no problem with trying to turn him against Theo, no matter what the outcome?"
Draco shrugged as if the question was irrelevant. "What outcome, Potter? Any unpleasantness can be avoided completely. All you have to do is make some ... appropriate gesture – in front of our peers, of course – to acknowledge that you know your place in the Slytherin hierarchy. Which, honestly, I still don't think you even have a place in the Slytherin hierarchy, but I suppose you and your hangers-on might be able to play some menial role in the future. But anyway, whatever you choose to do, make it quick. Father might decide to ask Lord Nott over for dinner during the Easter break, and he might ask me questions about what his son was up to."
Draco took a few steps closer to Harry. "Your compassion for someone obviously beneath you is a weakness, Potter. A real Slytherin would have never made himself as vulnerable as you have."
"Blackmail. And very crude, poorly conceived blackmail at that. And such pointless malice. As if he has no goals beyond just making everyone grovel before him, and he doesn't care how many enemies he makes in the process. Has Lucius Malfoy, for some reason, intentionally ruined his own son?"
Harry and Draco engaged in a stare-off for a few seconds before Harry finally deflated and looked down, beaten and submissive. "Alright. You win. How's ... how's this for a gesture? Jim Potter has an invisibility cloak. A good one. In fact, I'm pretty sure, it's a Potter family heirloom. Just don't say anything to Theo's father over Easter break. Please. I'll get the cloak and give it to you when you come back. I'll even present it to you in the Common Room in front of everyone when you return. Just ... just don't do anything to get Theo hurt, okay?"
Draco smiled. Then, he actually reached up and patted Harry on the cheek, as if he were a small child. "Of course not, Potter. You have that cloak for me when I get back, and I'll make sure your little friend doesn't get spanked too hard by his father this summer." Then, he snickered cruelly and left the room, Crabbe and Goyle following close behind. Harry watched them as they left and continued to stare at the door after it closed.
"Harry!" said Theo after they were gone. "Have you gone mad? If you steal a family heirloom and give it to Malfoy, you'll lose your Heir status for sure! And it'll be for nothing, because Malfoy will probably rat me out to Father anyway!"
"More importantly," said Blaise dryly. "You've completely ruined my social standing. I thought I was picking the winner with you, Potter. Instead, you just roll over to that little ponce at the first real threat?"
Harry continued to stare at the door. "Roll. Over." He said the words slowly, rolling them around in his mouth as if they were foreign and alien. "Rooooll. Oooveer."
Then, he turned to face Blaise with an amused look on his face. "Is that really what you think just happened, Blaise? My acting must be pretty good if I fooled even you." He turned his burning gaze back to the door. "In just a few hours, Malfoy is leaving for Easter break. That's six days he'll be away from the castle. Six days beyond my reach. So, naturally, I pretended to roll over and then promised him a gift suitable for his ego to ensure that he keeps his mouth shut until he gets back."
Blaise relaxed a bit at Harry's words. "So, you've got a plan?"
"No," said Harry casually, while still staring at the door, "but I do have six days. God made the World in six days. Surely, I can come up with a plan for dealing with Little Lord Bad-Faith in that amount of time. And on the seventh day, we'll rest. And Draco Malfoy will never trouble us again."
Blaise and Theo both looked wide-eyed at Harry for a second and then turned to look at each other somewhat nervously. Neither of them spoke, as they were both afraid to broach the topic of whether or not it was a good thing for Harry Potter to compare himself to God.
The next chapter will upload on Monday, June 26, 2015, sometime between 4 and 6 pm CST. "Slytherin Maneuvers Pt 2," in which Harry shows the Gryffindors how it's done, Jim gets nervous, and Rodney Montague has trouble sleeping.
AN 1: The books say there is an Easter Break, but doesn't say when it is, so I arbitrarily said students leave the day before Holy Wednesday and return on Easter Monday, mainly because it lets me use that "six days" line.
AN 2: FYI, last night (6/25/15), I finally completed the last chapter of "Harry Potter and the Prince of Slytherin (Year One)." The whole thing clocks in at 33 chapters and just over 100,000 words, about 30,000 more than "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone." Whew! I'm giving myself the weekend off, and then diving into Year Two, which will continue within this fic but which is tentatively subtitled "Harry Potter and the Secret Enemy." I'm looking forward to my plans for Lockhart and Ginny, but have not decided what I'm going to do with Luna (who starts in Harry's second year even though she doesn't appear canonically until Book 5). If anyone has any strong feelings about Miss Lovegood, or any suggestions on a fresh approach to this somewhat vexing character, please put them in a review. I'm not promising anything, but I'll look for inspiration anywhere.