Chapter 6. – "Wizards, Start Your Engines!"
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"It's against the rules, Malfoy, and you know it," Neville protested.
"Nobody said I couldn't."
"But it's a given! - an unspoken rule!"
"So? If it's not clearly specified, then nobody can disqualify us...besides, nobody will ever know it was us."
Neville snorted. "Who else would do something so sneaky...so underhanded, so...so...Slytherin?"
Draco sat back on his heels and put down his tools, surveying the handiwork he'd done on the model the Room of Requirement had supplied him with.
The blond sighed and got to his feet. "Look, Neville." The boy being addressed shifted uneasily...since when did Malfoy refer to him by his first name? "You're a loser." Neville stiffened and his jaw set. Draco hurried on to explain himself. "I'm not meaning it as an insult, merely as a fact. You don't get much...fame – fortune – attention – glory. It's all funneled to Boy Wonder Potter, who's famous for something that happened before he could even use a toilet. It's nothing you can help. But now you have the chance to win something notable. Instead of Potter winning his house honor, you can be the one on the front page of the Daily Prophet...you can be the one with the fame and fortune. Your name will be on everybody's tongue instead of 'Harry Potter'. Why shouldn't 'Neville Longbottom' command such respect and reverence as 'Harry Potter'? It sounds just as powerful and noteworthy."
The young Gryffindor's shoulders slumped a little. "But can't we win this without doing this?" Draco gave him a knowing look. Neville sighed. "No. No, we can't...I can't. Everything I do backfires. We'd be doomed if I tried to win honestly."
"Care to learn this?" Draco suggested, pointing to the model.
"Haven't you practiced enough? You've got it down to a science."
"I've decided that you'll be doing this instead."
"Me? What makes you think that I can do it?" Neville asked apprehensively.
"Because I don't believe you're a loser. That you can prove everyone else wrong."
"Everyone else thinks I'm a loser?" he asked dejectedly.
"I'm afraid so, Neville. I hear a lot of things, and know what's said around the school."
His eyes hardened, and he set his jaw again. "Where do we begin?"
"I'll show you," Draco said, making sure that Neville Longbottom didn't see the malicious smirk on his face.
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"Wizards and witches! On your mark! Get set! Go!" Dumbledore's voice echoed throughout the Great Hall thanks to the Sonorous Charm he had placed. The crowd of students cheered wildly as the teams started off. People laughed at the sight of Draco Malfoy sprinting as fast as he could while dragging Neville Longbottom through the Hall, out of the castle, and down the hill to the front gates after they picked up their backpacks. Madam Hooch and Harry Potter broke off in a lazy run out of the castle with their backpacks, with Hagrid lumbering behind with as much speed as he could muster. Professor Trelawney was holding onto her glasses as she shuffled after Hagrid, tripping now and again due to the lack of a slit in her ankle-length dress. Professor Severus Snape marched with lengthy strides, scowl set firmly in place, cape billowing spectacularly, and resolutely not looking at his partner, who was walking as fast as she could just to keep up with him. Though spectators couldn't hear what was said between them, everyone could tell that they were arguing over something.
"Well aren't you going to get the bags?" Hermione's annoyed voice was heard as she slung her backpack over her shoulder.
"Are you incapable, Miss Granger, of even the simplest of tasks that you must turn them over to me? I have my pack, as you can well see. The remaining sack contains items that you thought we would require. Is it now my responsibility to look after your things?" Hermione lowered her voice into a very intimidating hiss, and it was of great disappointment to their audience that they could not hear what she said. The Gryffindor then whirled around and marched out of the Entrance Hall and onto the hill that led to the front gates. Students and faculty alike stood with their mouths agape as they witnessed the greatly feared and terrifying Professor Snape pick up the bags and follow obediently after his partner, mumbling obscenities under his breath and shooting daggers at anyone brave enough to meet his eye.
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The taxis were all lined up outside Hogsmeade as prearranged, and the limousine was parked just where Neville had instructed it to wait. Neville had told the chauffeur to wait in the car while he "packed their things in the trunk." And when the driver became suspicious when the Gryffindor hadn't finished after a reasonable amount of time, Draco distracted him just as he planned. Neville returned to the limo just as the next team came into view, and they pulled away just as Harry and Hooch reached their waiting taxi.
"Is everything taken care of?" Draco asked cryptically. Neville grinned evilly and nodded.
"Everything's set."
"Good."
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"...and if you weren't such an infuriatingly stubborn girl, maybe we'd have a chance at winning this infernal race!"
"Without my stubbornness, we'd never have the chance we do have, you arrogant, lazy man!"
"Sixty points from Gryffindor and a detention with Filch for such disrespect! Just because we're on dumb scavenger hunt for a delusional and deranged doyen, don't think you have the seniority to insult me."
"Unless you've forgotten, Professor, Professor Dumbledore clearly stated that all teachers who are competing in the race have their authority removed for the duration of the race. Not to mention you will be unable to punish me for anything I've done during the race once school starts again in the fall. So I'm afraid your threats aren't worth a flying fart in space, sir."
"Having a bit of trouble?"
"Oh no, sir. Just a friendly argument."
"Friendly my arse..."
"Just get in the car, Severus."
"Severus, is it? On first-name basis now, are we? Well, Hermione, you can just kiss my–"
"OKAY, DRIVER. PLEASE TAKE US TO LONDON...and here's an extra twenty if you can get us there as soon as possible..."
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"Driver. Driver!...That's you?...don't be smart with me, I'm the one paying you...yeah, well, don't forget it...pull over on that hill...yes that one, what other one do you see?...right...okay bye." Draco hung up the limousine phone. "Stupid Muggle contraptions..."
"We'll be able to see everything from up here. Here's the binoculars. I staggered the timing so each one will go when we'll see them," said Neville.
"Are you sure you took care of everything?"
"Just keep your eyes on Team Number One."
A yellow taxi rounded a corner far behind them: an unspoken cue for Draco to look through his binoculars. He could see the driver casually turning the steering wheel, and he grinned evilly when the entire wheel came off in the driver's hands. Without a steering mechanism, the car swerved to the side, and smashed into the embankment bordering the road. Draco's grin grew in its maliciousness as he cackled, "Excellent."
"Next - Team Number Two: they lose their transmission!"
"Ha ha ha! Number Two!"
As if obeying Neville's unspoken command, another bright taxi rounded the bend. And lo and behold, just as it passed the broken-down car on the side of the road, the entire transmission fell ungracefully out from the underbelly of the car, causing it to roll to a nice stop.
"Mwa ha ha ha!" Draco laughed deviously as he brought his binoculars into focus. "Driver! Drive on! We need to get to London in time for the plane!" As the taxi pulled away, Draco turned his attention back to Neville. "Now what?"
"In thirty seconds, Team Number Three bites the dust!" Neville said enthusiastically, allowing Draco's excitement to rub off on him. But he had little time to gloat, for another taxi rounded the corner and soon passed the two disabled ones. Both of the wizards looked out the back window at the scene unfolding behind them.
In precisely thirty seconds, its tires popped off, resulting in a skin-crawling grating sound with sparks flying as it slid along its underbelly to finally come to a grinding halt.
Draco howled in wicked delight. "GENIUS, LONGBOTTOM! POSITIVE GENIUS! What's next?"
Neville controlled his laughter. "In Team Number Four, the engine falls out!" he said, bursting into cruel and nasty chuckles.
"Number Four! Number Four! Ha ha!" His laughter suddenly quieted, and his face grew somber as he turned to face his henchman. "Uh Longbottom...we're number four."
Both wizards grimaced as they felt the bump, heard the crunch, and saw the engine awkwardly rolling after them in the road.
There was a voice that echoed through the valleys that could be heard miles away as it screamed "LONGBOTTOM!"
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Author's Notes: Yes, this is sort of fashioned after the movie "The Great Race", so if you sort of recognize this scene, it's because it was originally used there.