Chapter Thirty Three: Friends, Servants and New School Year:
Draco was settling into Grimmauld Place very well and enjoyed being here. He had got quite a nice surprise when Dobby visited the house as he kept a close eye on Harry even though he worked for the Weasleys now. Draco was coming down to the ground floor when he heard a squeal of joy and a small frame ran to him. He looked down and barley recognized Dobby who was hugging his leg sobbing for joy. Dobby was a free elf, he got wages and was allowed to were clothes. The clothes he was wearing were mismatched but clean. He had a pair of bright blue child's soccer shorts, a yellow shirt, red vest and orange and green tea cozy for a hat. Narcissa was coming down the stairs and stopped and stared at what had been her elf she had brought to the marriage that her dear husband had managed to drive away.
"Master Draco, master Draco you is grown so much but Dobby still knows you sir!"
"Dobby you look well." Draco said remembering his trips over his mother's knees and her strong hand over his backside for not treating the house elves good. "How are you doing?"
"Oh master Draco Dobby is happy to be free though he misses master Dobby." Dobby said.
"I am glad you are happy Dobby." Narcissa said. "You have done well with your new family?"
"Oh yes mistress Cissy, very well but I misses you!" Dobby said. "But not master Lucius, he is a wicked…oh no!"
"Narcissa gently held him back as he was about to punish himself. "Dobby you don't have to be sorry, Lucius is an idiot, you were my elf but now you serve another family."
"Mistress Cissy not mad and Dobby?" Dobby said.
"No, master Lucius drove you away and it was Harry who helped free you." Narcissa said just as Harry came up.
"Well Mr. Malfoy was hurting him." Harry said looking down at Dobby, "it wasn't right."
"Not it was not, especially as I told Dobby to protect you." Narcissa said.
"You what?" Harry and Draco said their eyes going wide looking at her.
"Well my husband is a prat and wanted at one time to bring back the dark lord." Narcissa said. "Naturally I did not want that as I was sure it would mean your death." Narcissa said. "Besides I am a true pureblood as is my son, we do not bow to dark lords or ladies. It is why Draco did not want to join the dark lord, he knew it was beneath him deep down."
"Yea, yea I did, besides I could not date Ginny if I joined him!" Draco said seeing Ginny come down the stairs.
Later that day several teens were in a bad mood when Harry, Ron and Hermione were allowed into the order meetings. Fred and George nearly raised the roof with their cries of indignity and only stopped when their mother gave them both a sound smack upside the head. Dumbledore was keeping his word, Harry was going to know everything that was going on. He found most of the meeting was dull as they talked mostly of what they had done the last meeting. It was Sirius who saved the day motioning to Remus to give Harry a piece of his charmed parchment. Harry nearly grinned at what it was, it was charmed so what he wrote Sirius and Remus would get and vise versa. It was not clear if Moody knew what they were doing or not, however if he did he was not saying. Finally it was time for Dumbledore to explain exactly why Harry and friends were here as the order members kept looking at them from where they sat.
"Normally I would not have anyone so young here." Dumbledore said calmly as Severus glared at the headmaster and then at Harry and friends. "However as Harry knows the prophecy and I did promise him to include him in all things he is here now."
"Why are Ron and Hermione here?" Molly asked looking upset.
"Because they are part of the golden trio." Severus said before he could stop himself.
"Golden what?" Molly said as Harry, Ron and Hermione had all turned the same shade of red.
"Golden trio, they are always together plotting something or other." Severus said fixing Harry with a look that made the boy want to crawl under the house. "They confide in each other everything."
"You forgot Neville sir." Ron said wanting to get Snape back for his embarrassing him."
"Well he is not here, he is on a trip with his grandmother or I dare say he would be here too." Dumbledore said eyes twinkling. "Harry does need to know we are all here to help him as Voldemort has marked him for death. He knows already of the Horcruxes."
"With them gone sir it will make it easier for me to kill him sir." Harry said. "I-I don't want to but there really is no choice is there?"
"None at all, I did try in the ministry Harry I truly did." Dumbledore said sadly. "As much as I over powered him I could not kill him."
"Stupid prophecy." Hermione said.
"I quite agree." Remus said slapping Sirius's hand from his chocolate and tossing a few pieces to Severus who took them startled. "That is for the dog treats."
"Thank you Remus." Severus said.
"Feed him but not me, I see how this is." Sirius growled.
"He has suffered to much and deserves us to be nice to him." Remus said. "You did want to be his friend at one time."
"I was drunk." Sirius said.
"I can see that." Harry said then shut up as Severus and Sirius glared at him.
Harry dared not say a word to Sirius or Severus that they were glaring at him identically. He wanted to stay alive, he caught Moody's eyes and he smiled at Harry who smirked. The meeting wrapped up and Harry went back to his studies. However the peace in the house would not last, not with the Marauders and Snape under the same roof. Harry had no idea how it happened but one minute he was studying and the next he was running to the sitting room to watch wide-eyed as Severus Snape was taking both marauders down with ease. Remus wisely got out of the way as Sirius really went after Severus and Harry thought Snape was going to kill his godfather. Why was Remus standing there grinning like that?
"Um uncle Moony professor Snape is going to kill Sirius."
"No, he is not, though I bet Padfoot things he is." Remus said grinning.
"Moony help me he is evil!" Sirius howled.
"Say it." Severus said holding Sirius down.
"No stop that it's, no not that help someone stop him!"
Harry realized what Severus was doing then. He was not beating Sirius up, no this was far more wicked and cruel Harry realized. Severus Snape was wickedly tickling him! Oh this was not nice at all, it was plain cruel and the most evil thing that Severus could do to Sirius. Harry grinned and began to laugh, it was evil and funny at the same time. Severus continued to tickle Sirius who howled and screamed for mercy. Of course with that racket Molly stormed up the stairs expecting to see Sirius being badly tortured. Instead she saw Snape holding down a struggling howling Sirius and he was tickling him. Harry ran at one look of her red face down to the parlor where Moody was talking with Dumbledore.
"Harry my boy what ever is wrong?" Dumbledore said.
"Professor Snape…gonna…tickle….uncle Siri…and aunt Molly…will...kill….them." Harry gasped.
"Yup there she goes." Moody said hearing Molly start screaming at the men and Remus staggered down at this time as Moody looked up with his magical eye. "Hmm looks as if Severus chose a novel way to torture Sirius."
"Yea I know, ah yes he can get Molly calmed down." Moody said. "Severus is a right sneaky boy he is."
"Well you should know, he is Slytherin." Remus said just as Sirius came down looking put off. "Have fun."
"It's not fair! He gets away with everything!" He whined.
"Well about time the shoe was on th' other foot." Moody said. "He deserves it!"
"Right, defend the fellow snake." Sirius murmured.
"Slytherins are not all that bad." Harry said. "Most are pretty good, just some can be a pain." This at seeing Draco walk from the kitchen.
"You are just jealous that I got looks and you don't." Draco shot at Harry.
"You are mental." Harry said rolling his eyes.
Severus came down the stairs looking smug as all get out. Molly came down shortly after and lead him to the kitchen. Harry knew his potions master was a great man to get Molly Weasley on his side. Once more Severus Snape could add more points against his one time arch rival Sirius Black…
…September First came once more and Harry found himself back on the train for school. He had grown a lot over the summer and was as tall as Remus now. He was filling out a little but still was a slender youth thanks to his father's genes. Draco was not on the train, not because he was not going back to school but for his safety. His father was still looking for him and though Harry knew he was doing so to keep from being killed by Voldemort Harry felt no pity for him at all. That was a sticking point between him and Draco, Harry hated Draco's father and told him as much. They agreed to disagree and left it at that, besides Draco wanted to still live as he knew how powerful Harry was in magic.
This was the first year Harry would not see the twins at school and he was going to miss them. Thanks to their hard work last year with Severus Snape and the owl order business they were opening a shop in Diagon Alley. Several people had invested to help them open shop, Cedric Diggory had invested all his Triwizard winnings and what was more was going to help the twins with running the shop. Harry had invested as well along with Sirius and Remus so the twins were off to a great start. Already the monies invested were staring to pay off as the shop had opened one week before school started. Harry wondered how Filch was going to take seeing the products in the school.
"So you think that ugly is going to be defeated soon?" Ron asked Harry about Voldemort.
"Ugly, yea that sizes him up." Harry said thoughtfully, "you know I have nearly met my parents in defying him thrice you know."
"Yea, I heard he had a choice between you and I." Neville said. "I don't think I could do what you do."
"I just wish Voldemort had never gone after anyone." Ginny said petting Crookshanks. "I mean all that talent wasted, it's a shame really."
"I agree, makes one almost but not really feel sorry for him." Hermione replied.
"Well he will be dead soon." Harry said, "I know I have to kill him and I don't want to kill but I am the only one who can."
"Well we are with you mate, you are not alone." Neville said.
"Thank you, that means a lot Neville." Harry said grinning. "What until Voldemort finds out what the power he knows not is."
"I still think that is not nice." Hermione said not liking how Harry was planning on taking out Voldemort. "I mean that is not sporting is it?"
"Well I have to fulfill the prophecy and that is as good a way as any." Harry said.
Before he could reply one of the Aurors that were patrolling the train walked by the compartment and looked in. Harry grinned as he realized it was Tonks, though today she had her hair and eyes in "standard mode" as she called it. Long brown hair with gray eyes surrounded her pretty heart shaped face. She was clad in the brown robes and dragon skin armor of an Auror and still managed to look feminine (thanks to the fact the armor was fitted) in her "combat gear". She walked by the lunch trolley and Harry ordered a bit of everything like he did every year and shared it. Ron and Hermione had to go to the Prefect car and that left Harry with Neville and Ginny and Luna came down too. Harry did not mind, he enjoyed the ride to the school and did not mind the Theserals as much as he did the year before. The centaurs personally escorted the carriages up to the school and a few Aurors made sure they got in safely.
Harry looked up at the head table to see Snape sitting comfortably by Slughorn, the old head of Slytherin and potions teacher. Harry knew he was going to teach potions this year as Voldemort had put a hit out on him as the muggle phrase went. That meant that Severus was going to teach defense against the dark arts and Harry mentally groaned. He was not getting off light this year, well he never really had but Severus would take great delight in torturing him. They may have gotten along but that did not mean Snape was not still a sadistic man when he wanted to be. At least Neville no longer feared him and it was not potions, Neville excelled at defense and Snape was in for a surprise that was certain. Harry saw Draco safe at the Slytherin table and he felt relief, for Ginny of course, he still did not like Draco and would not be friends with him!
"Looks as if Draco got here just fine." Ron said, "remember second year and how we got here?"
"Yea you know if we had flown the car I would not have been able to sit for the whole year."
"Mum would have turned me to ash, after McGonagall got done with me." Ron said.
"At least Fred and George never did get their hands on it." Neville said. "Though that would have been brilliant."
"For the first fifteen minutes, until mum got here and murdered them in front of the whole school." Ron said. "I think even the headmaster fears her."
"Very wise, she is the most terrifying and wonderful mum and aunt around." Harry said grinning.
The next day was the first defense class and Harry entered the class nervously. He knew that this was the year he would learn how to do wordless spells and he hoped he was ready. He had practiced a few spells wordlessly and was very good at a shield charm. He watched as Snape came into the classroom looking as smug as he could. He took roll and looked right at Harry uh-oh Harry knew that look, Severus was going to enjoy torturing him in front of the class! Snape made them all partner up and he made Harry come to the front of the class. Harry looked up at his professor, he really was very tall and the gleam in his eyes was making Harry nervous.
"You seem to be well schooled in basic defense, all of you hear at least managed a task I was surprised to see." Snape said looking into Harry's eyes and Harry quickly put up his Occulumency shields. "Most surprised, however you are now to learn wordless spells, like so!"
"Protego!" Harry shouted as Snape brought his wand down with a spell shot at him.
"Mr. Potter I said wordless." Snape said coldly once he got back up on his feet and dusted off his robes. "Was there a part of that you did not understand?"
"Um sorry sir, I got nervous." Harry said.
"The boy who faces the dark lord got nervous." Severus said arching an eyebrow. "You fear the wrong person boy."
"Sir Voldemort cannot take points or grade papers." Harry said. "Nor is he as talented as you sir."
Crap, he was dead, Snape was going to put his liver in a jar on a shelf.
"Flattery will get you no-where, now let's try following my instructions!" Snape said softly.
By the end of class Harry was very sore as Snape took great delight in hexing him and getting him to block him. Harry was able to block most spells but not all and every time Severus helped Harry to his feet there was a wicked gleam in his eyes. Oh he was enjoying this a bit too much, Harry glared at him but went back to work. He knew Snape was just preparing him but it was not much fun, Moody would give Snape a medal if Harry complained to him so he was not getting sympathy on that side.
There was a plus side to this year and that was the fact he was now the captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. The first Saturday he had tryouts and after yelling at a few Hufflepuff girls to leave (which got Sirius to tease him mercilessly, until Harry snapped threatened to hex his hair green) he picked his team. Dean and Seamus replaced Fred and George as beaters and Ron was back as keeper. What surprised everyone is that Harry took the place of chaser and it was Ginny who was the seeker. She had caught the snitch before Harry four out of five times and Harry knew she was the best. Sirius was impressed Harry would give such a position to Ginny a girl and she glared at him causing him to grin at her.
"I was kidding you know." He said.
"Well you will be saying sorry when I catch the snitch!" Ginny said to him.
"I am sure I will, so I will say I am sorry now and in the future." Sirius said. "Forgive me?"
"Of course uncle Siri." Ginny said.
"You know where uncle Moony is?" Harry asked Sirius.
"Yea he is back out with the werewolves." Sirius said not looking so very happy. "Seems that our favorite vampire and two redheads managed to make the Wolfsbane in chew form, Moony is using these to try and get werewolves to come over."
"I do hope that works." Harry said meaning it.
"Well last time was not very good as Snape could tell you." Sirius said. "You could ask him."
"Well as uncle Moony did not tell me I will not ask." Harry said, "I do value not having my bones ground up and used in one of professor Snape's potions."
Sirius grinned and Harry headed back up to the school to get some much needed dinner and get some studying done before he turned in. Even though he had dropped a few classes he was still so very busy, he was now studying for NEWTS in transfiguration, charms, potions, Herbology and defense against the dark arts. Though he had his OWLS in history and Arithmancy he did not need to continue with history and his Arithmancy grade was not good enough to continue on in that class. He had no room for his Care of Magical Creatures but still went down to see Hagrid when he had the time.
The first game of the year was against Slytherin and Harry saw Sirius walking away from Moody and Snape with a smile on his face. Harry knew that Sirius had placed a few bets on the Gryffindor team and was looking forward to collecting his galleons. Harry fully intended to win as he wanted to take the smug look right off Draco's face. Draco was stunned he was not going to go against Harry as he was fully intending to. No he had to once more go against Ginny, but that made since, Ginny was very, very good at what she did. The game began and Harry proved he was just as good a chaser as a seeker.
"Awe look Harry is just as good as a chaser, I could cry." Sirius said conjouring up a large red and gold handkerchief and dabbing his eyes while Snape and Moody were about to kill him. McGonagall was doing her best to keep from laughing or smiling as she had to set the example here. "Our little cub is growing up so fast!"
"If you touch me I will kill you." Severus said as Sirius moved to hug him. "It will be slowly, first I will make you transform to Padfoot, then I will skin you. When I am done with that I will turn you human again and summon your bones and crush them up and add them to my potions stores. Once done with that I will tear off your limbs and add those to my potions. If you are still breathing I will first beat you then pickle your internal organs and hand Narcissa the only bits of you she needs."
"Wow you are evil." Sirius said.
"Did I mention I would make a rug of your hide and give it to Harry?" Severus said.
"Okay now I know for a fact you are the most evil person I know!" Sirius said.
"Thank you." Severus said.
"Really Severus you are incorrigible." McGonagall said. "Now stop fighting and watch my cubs take down your snakes."
Severus muttered something about infuriating felines and Sirius started at him as if he were insane. Snape just watched the match and saw Ginny and Draco diving for the snitch. Ginny stretched out and she had it and Draco very nearly ploughed into the ground. Severus sat down, now he knew he was never going to live down this and he refused, absolutely refused to look at Sirius on one side of him and McGonagall on the other.
"I think I need a drink boy." Moody said getting up.
"I will join you, and no dogs are not allowed." Severus said glaring at Sirius.
"I hate you." Sirius said to Severus.
"No you do not, and stop saying that." McGonagall warned him.
"Minerva he is just jealous because I am far bigger than him." Severus smirked.
He left with Moody as his words sunk into Sirius's head and McGonagall's lips were set in a tight line. Severus would pay for his remark later but oh how good it had felt now! He walked with Moody to Hogsmead and went to the Hogshead for drinks. He had yet again one the battle of wits with one insane mutt and he was very proud of that fact.
Yea very long I know but I it just seemed to fit together.