Harry sat between Ron and Hermione at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. As soon as they had entered the castle Draco had been pulled aside by Professor Dumbledore. Neither had returned.

It wasn't until after the Sorting Ceremony (the Sorting Hat sang a rather short song this year, reminding students of the importance of the family they would form at Hogwarts) that Dumbledore strode back to his seat. Harry watched as Draco followed him, grasping something in his hand. Seeing Harry's gaze, he waved the item in the air. A Ravenclaw tie. Beaming, the blonde boy sat next to Luna at the Ravenclaw table. Dumbledore stood to make his customary start of term announcement.

"Greetings students old and new," the Headmaster began. "As the new term starts there are several things that I find myself wanting to tell you. First of all, it falls to me to introduce our newest professor, who is actually rather an old professor. Horace Slughorn will be coming out of retirement for this year in order to return to his post as Potions Master." Harry gasped. "As such, Professor Snape will now be taking the position left open in Defence Against the Dark Arts."

"I thought Slughorn was teaching Defence!" Ron exclaimed.

"So did I," Harry nodded in agreement. "How can Dumbledore give it to Snape when he's a Death Eater?"

Dumbledore continued, unphased by the flurry of whispers that had sprung up. "We welcome all of our staff, new and old, as they return to provide the excellent instruction that we have learned to expect from them. Now, before the feast, I have a reminder for all of the students of Hogwarts. These are troubled times; none of us can deny that. Evil has arisen and surrounds us on every side. But you must never lose hope. For while hope lives on, even in the tiniest flicker in your heart, there is a chance. Hope is available to every student at Hogwarts, no matter their family, their past or their present situation. As darkness falls around us I wish for each of you to discover hope and to find it within yourself to choose it." The Headmaster settled into his chair as applause rang through the Hall.

Dinner was a sight to behold. Harry downed gallons of pumpkin juice as he stuffed himself full of rolls, roast, baked potatoes, stewed carrots, and mounds of treacle tart. As the feast disappeared from the table Professor McGonagall began her walk down the long table, distributing schedules. She saved the sixth years for last, as theirs would be the most complex.

Finally Professor McGonagall reached the sixth years. She filled out schedules for Dean, Seamus, Neville, and the girls in Hermione's dorm before turning to Harry, Ron and Hermione. "If you three could follow me for a moment, we will be working out your schedules with Professor Flitwick."

Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged confused looks as they followed their Head of House to where Professor Flitwick was standing with Draco and Luna.

"Ah, there you are," Professor Flitwick said. "Now, Minerva, it seems that the schedules should align easily enough. Mr. Malfoy will be taking several classes that I believe Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley are not, but Miss Granger will be."

Professor McGonagall nodded. "Then I leave these students in your capable hands. Please send them to bed when they are finished." She turned and headed towards the door of the Great Hall.

Harry gave Flitwick a confused look. "What did you mean about the schedules?"

"I understand that Mr. Malfoy has been staying with the three of you for a good deal of the summer. Professor Dumbledore has requested that we align his schedule with yours as much as possible. In light of the circumstances it seems a prudent course of action."

Harry saw Draco shift awkwardly as Professor Flitwick laid out four blank timetables. "Now your base courses will be easy enough. Shall I assume that you are all continuing in Transfiguration, Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, and Herbology?" The four students nodded and saw the classes appear on their timetables. "Now, Mr. Weasley and Mr. Potter, will you be continuing any other courses?"

Harry and Ron glanced at each other and shook their heads, feeling guilty that they would not be returning to Care of Magical Creatures. Their timetables seemed quite empty.

"Then we will move onto Mr. Malfoy and Miss Granger. I believe that both of you are interested in taking Potions, Ancient Runes, and Arithmancy?" He tapped each schedule in turn. "Any others?"

Hermione asked to have Astronomy and History of Magic added to her schedule. Draco decided to drop both courses. Professor Flitwick handed over the completed schedules.

"Now, I am afraid that it is quite time for bed," he said as he looked around at the assembled students. Luna still stood next to Draco. "Mr. Malfoy, if you will follow me, I will show you the way to Ravenclaw tower."

Draco hesitated. "Actually, Professor, I would really like to talk to my friends for a moment, if it's possible."

Professor Flitwick nodded in understanding and glanced at Luna. "I'm sure that Miss Lovegood is more than capable of showing you the way. I will be waiting when you arrive. Don't be too long."

Harry smiled at Draco as Professor Flitwick left the Great Hall. "Ravenclaw! Good choice. You can come see us all the time with Luna."

Draco smiled tightly. "I know you wanted me to pick Gryffindor. And really, I thought about it. You've all been so nice to me when I didn't deserve it. But I don't belong there." His smile became a smirk. " And besides, I don't want to have to explain myself over and over as each one of you pulls out your wand and threatens me."

Harry chuckled. "We'll miss you Draco. Believe it or not I'll even miss sharing a room with you. But you'll always be welcome in Gryffindor, and it looks like we'll have plenty of classes together. If anything, your OWLS proved that you belong there."

The group walked together as far as they could before Draco and Luna had to turn away towards Ravenclaw tower.

Harry and Ron burst into the Potions classroom, breathing hard from their run. Professor Slughorn gave them a bemused look.

"Running late boys? No worries. Pick a seat and pull out your books."

Harry glanced around the room. Only ten other students had made it into the Potions NEWT. Hermione and Draco were sitting with a Hufflepuff boy, four Ravenclaws were sitting in a small cluster at the front, and three Slytherins were in the back glaring at Draco.

"I'm afraid we don't have books sir," Ron said. "We only just found out that we could take the class now."

"No problem. There are some old books in the cupboard. You can use those until you order new ones."

Harry settled into his seat as Ron went to get the books. With a grimace, Harry noticed that the one his friend handed to him was old and tattered.

"Why do you get the nice book?"

"Because I'm the one who grabbed them," Ron muttered under his breath.

"But this one's full of scribbles!"

Draco glanced at Harry's defaced book. "Does it say who it belonged to? Maybe the scribbles are useful."

Harry shrugged and turned to the front.

This book belongs to the Half-Blood Prince

was written in the same flowing script as the rest of the writing in the book.

"Well that clears things up," Ron snorted in amusement. Harry turned back to the page they had been working from just as a Sopophorous bean whizzed past his nose.

"Sorry Harry," Hermione gasped as she flung herself after it. "It keeps flying away when I try to cut it!"
Harry gazed at one of the strange annotations in his book. "Try crushing it with the flat of your blade," he said, performing the maneuver on his own bean "Whoever this Prince is says that it releases the juices better."

Hermione glared at Harry. "I will follow the instructions, thank you!" She stabbed her blade through the bean.

By the end of the class Harry was smiling. He smirked at Hermione as Professor Slughorn handed him the vial of Felix Felicis promised to any person who could brew the potion correctly. After his dismal failure at nonverbal spells in Defence Against the Dark Arts that morning, he was pleased to have something to show for the day's efforts.

The term passed by in a lazy sort of way. Draco had the password to the Gryffindor common room (Professor McGonagall had given a lecture to the Gryffindor students making it very clear that they were to accept him without a fight) and Hermione had become quite good at answering the riddles to Ravenclaw tower, so that they saw quite a bit of each other. Harry had managed to get detention with Snape almost immediately, but it had been rescheduled to make way for the first of what Dumbledore promised would be many private lessons with the Headmaster himself.

It was the second of these lessons that they were discussing in Herbology on a Tuesday morning in October.

"Dumbledore just set his wardrobe on fire?" Ron nearly shouted in amazement. Harry shushed him and glanced around to see if anyone else had heard. Dumbledore had given him explicit instructions to only share the contents of these lessons with Ron, Hermione, and Draco.

"Muffliato," Draco muttered, casting a useful spell that they had found in Harry's Potions textbook. "Why is Dumbledore showing you these memories Harry?"

"I'm not really sure," Harry admitted. "But when I left, I recognized the ring. The one that Marvolo Gaunt was so proud of in the first memories. It's in Dumbledore's office, but it's cracked and broken now."

A strange look flickered across Draco's face. "You don't think that has anything to do with his hand?"

"Shh!" Hermione hissed "And really Draco, you shouldn't be using the spells out of that book. Not until we know more about it!" she shot him a dirty look. The more that the boys had pored over the Half-Blood Prince's book the more unhappy she had become about their discoveries. "What if there are things we don't know how to control in it?"

Draco rolled his eyes at her. "You're a Gryffindor, you're supposed to be adventurous!" he snapped.

Ron chimed in. "And besides, we've tested all the spells before we use them. They're safe Hermione. Some are even fun!" His eyes twinkled with mischief.

Just at that moment Professor Sprout walked by, eyeing the group critically. Harry scrunched up his face and attacked the Snargaluff plant in front of him, reaching desperately for a pod as the others beat it back.