Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.


Chapter Seven

When Life Gives You Lemons...

Harry found the others still sitting in a corner of the Three Broomsticks. Theo was laughing loudly to some story Blaise just told, both their eyes were a bit glazed. He remembered Theo going on about spiking the butter beer with some stash Crabbe – or was it Goyle? – had smuggled into the school. Both of them were also sitting at their table, laughing throatily in a way that always reminded Harry of pig grunts. And of Dudley. Not that there was much of a difference, really.

Theo, sitting with his back to the wall, saw him first. "That queue really must've been epic." He greeted him, cheeks a bit flushed from the hot, stuffy air, laughing and alcohol.

"It was very long." Harry agreed, deciding to save his news for later. It was rather formidable blackmail info after all. No need spreading the word about the little illegal Gryffindor club around too soon.

"Epic long?" Blaise asked, voice raised. "You talking about my dick?"

Harry could only stare incredulously at this uncharacteristic behaviour – well uncharacteristic at least in a public place like this – while the other boys once again dissolved into a laughing fit, Theo panting "You wish." between breaths. Even Tracey and Daphne giggled, although the latter tried to look appropriately scandalized and soon started whispering to the other girl furiously.

Harry grabbed a free chair from the table next to them and sat down with a flourish. It was not everyday his friends allowed themselves to forget their proper pureblood upbringing so generously, he was definitely going to enjoy this.

He took a swig from the flask Crabbe passed him under the table, and nearly spit it out again. That tasted nothing like the high quality Firewhisky Blaise had shared with them last year.

"Bloody hell?!" He exclaimed the exact moment the others started laughing again.

"Your face…" Blaise sputtered. "You should've seen your face."

"Utterly brilliant." Theo agreed ignoring the betrayed look Harry sent his way.

"So you planned this, you wankers?"

"Of course not. What do you take us for?" Blaise asked sounding quite innocent. If it weren't for that big fat cheshire cat grin spread across his face so wide it must hurt, Harry would have considered believing him.

"That's what you get for standing us up." Theo smirked at him over the rim of his butterbeer mug.

"I'm here, aren't I?" Harry muttered and borrowed Theo's butterbeer without asking to wash that terrible still lingering taste out of his mouth.

"Too late." Theo sing-songed.

"The early bird catches the worm." Blaise nodded in agreement, face totally serious.

"That doesn't even make sense!" Harry didn't get an answer to that, as Theo had just noticed the absence of his butterbeer.

"Oi, get your own!" He snatched it back, beer swapping over the rim, leaving a wet trail from Harry's side of the table to his.

"Merlin." Harry sighed. "What was in that flask, anyway?"

All eyes flew to Goyle and who was grinning broadly. "Homemade schnaps from my cousin. He just started experimenting this summer, so it's not that refined yet."

"No kidding... Oh, where's Malfoy by the way?" he asked, because it was quite unusual to find Crabbe and Goyle in Hogsmeade without their beloved boss.

"Pansy dragged him to Madam Puddifoot's."

This time Harry laughed with them. The image of cool, cold, refined Draco Malfoy between pink cushions and heart shaped decorations certainly had its appeal.

When they left the Three Broomsticks a few hours later Harry was a bit tipsy himself. They met Malfoy and Parkinson on their way home, and while she rushed off to chatter excitedly with the other two girls, Malfoy only threw the boys an exasperated look, grabbed Goyle's flask and took a big gulp.

The following look on Malfoy's face was brilliant.

They stayed awake long on Saturday and spent most of Sunday sleeping, nursing their headaches and vowing to never drink, touch or even look at that vile stuff again.

Finally after their last class on Monday Harry persuaded Theo to take a walk to the Black Lake where he told him all about what he had overheard at the Hog's Head.

"So that's where you were! I was wondering. Nobody could take that long just to buy some parchment. So… what're you planning to do with this information?" Theo grinned wickedly, probably already coming up with a dozen ideas.

"I'm not sure yet… Nothing right now. I want to-"

"Nothing?" Theo interrupted him. "This is huge! With Umbridge here this could get them kicked out of school."

"Yeah, but I've a better idea."

"Better than seeing Granger's face when they tell her she's expelled?" Theo wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Harry snorted. This plan had some merits… but he had different ideas. "Yes, yes, you're very brilliant. But you can bet that Dumbledore would find a way to allow them to stay."

Theo's face scrunched up.

"And anyway. As I said, my plan is better. I think we should make a similar club. If the Wonder Trio got one thing right, then it's that we're learning nothing in Umbridge's class. We have to take it in our own hands."

"That still doesn't answer why we can't use your information to give them a good scare." Theo sulked, but looked interested in Harry's idea as well.

"Because we need to save the information as leverage if they find out about our club. Mutually guarantied silence, so to speak."

"I have to admit that's probably more useful, if less fun. But you are right. Why haven't we thought of something like this before? To sink to borrowing ideas from Gryffindors…"

"Oh quit whining." Harry shoved Theo playfully, rolling his eyes. They sat down beneath an old and knotted weeping willow at the lakeside, discussing what to learn, whom to invite and even tried to come up with ideas for a name. About an hour later they tired of refreshing their warming charms every fifteen minutes and returned to the Slytherin common room, where they asked their dorm mates to follow them upstairs.

"What is it?" Draco Malfoy asked impatiently the moment he closed the door. "I was so close to kissing Pansy…"

"Kissing her cheek, sure." Blaise sniggered and Malfoy threw a pillow at him.

Harry cleared his throat loudly to get everybody's attention. "As all of you have probably realized, we don't really learn a lot in this years DADA."

"Understatement of the century." Blaise murmured from his bed.

"Exactly. So Theo and I thought that we could found some sort of Duelling Club where we practice the spells we should learn this year. We have to pass our O.W.L.s after all."

Malfoy, who had been on the brink of speaking up and probably defending Umbridge in the beginning, now had a thoughtful look on his face. Good grades had always been important to the pureblood, and nobody could deny that the O.W.L.s represented a crucial point in their education.

Harry continued. "Additionally we think that we should use this group to practice the more… interesting branches of magic, and learn how to use them in a duel. We decided to introduce the idea to you first, and you can spread it to your friends. Only fifth years and up though, the others are too young and we don't want to get into trouble with Snape for teaching them Dark Magic."

"I like it." Blaise said.

"Yes, this actually sounds like a good idea. We could do with some practice." Malfoy agreed, Crabbe and Goyle nodding beside him.

"Great! Slytherins only, of course!" Theo added. "We'll talk again in about a week and discuss potential members. Make sure no untrustworthy people find out." He concluded, looking at every one of them seriously. "Umbridge can't hear about this."

They returned to the common room and Harry nearly hopped down the stairs. He couldn't help but feel giddy. If this worked out then he would finally get a chance to get on par with the other Slytherins and improve his duelling skills.

He and Theo had met a few more times ever since their – on Harry's side very painful – first meeting but constantly duelling the same person didn't offer much variety, neither in spells and curses nor fighting style.

The next morning at breakfast Harry very nearly suffered a heart attack. He was just about to bite into his buttered toast when something big and feathery landed on his plate.

"What the hell?" Theo yelped from besides him, eying the creature on the plate mistrustfully.

"No idea." Harry muttered and carefully prodded the animal with his butter knife. It seemed to be a post owl, if the parcel it had been carrying was anything to go by.

They had already garnered quite a lot of attention and Harry was just about to carefully pick the owl up – praying that it was too dazed to bite him – when a loud shout stopped his movement.

"Erol?!" Ron Weasley exclaimed from the other side of the room and immediately made his way to the Slytherin table. "What're you doing with our owl?" He shoved Harry out of the way, picked the owl up and stared at Harry accusingly.

"I? Nothing. It landed here."

"He's our family owl. Why would he come here?" Weasley asked eying them warily.

"It's probably too old to remember where it should go." Blaise sniggered.

"Is it still alive?" Tracey asked worriedly. "Maybe you should get it to Hagrid."

But Weasley didn't answer; he only stared at his owl and didn't move from Harry's place.

"You're free to leave anytime." Harry sneered, fed up to with being confronted with one of his least favourite people so early in the morning. Before breakfast.

A quick look at his owl feather decorated toast made it clear that he would have to prepare another one.

"Weasley I would like to get back to my breakfast. Could you move?"

"The owl was for you." Weasley said, stepping aside.

"Excuse me?" Harry asked confused. Why would the Weasley family owl be sent to him? Sirius had his own owl and nobody else wrote him.

"Here." Weasley threw the small packet in his direction. "It's my mum's writing."

"Your mum?" Now it was Harry's turn to stare at the small packing paper wrapped bundle. He opened it carefully, prepared to drop it immediately should it turn out to be a Weasley twin prank.

Inside was a small cardboard box filled with different wizarding sweets and what looked like homemade cookies. A small note lay on top of it.

Dear Harry,
I hope you are well. Sirius already misses you terribly. Again I want to invite you to join us for Christmas at Grimmauld Place.
Enjoy the sweets and have a great day!
Molly Weasley

"Well, uhm. Tell your mother thanks." His eyes flew back to the note. "And that I'm well. Can you do that?" Harry tried to smile, but didn't really feel like it. Yes it was nice of Mrs Weasley to think of him, but Merlin, he could practically feel the other Slytherins' burning stares.

"Will do." Weasley mumbled, probably also too surprised to be his typical angry self. "I'll go… then." He added and quickly returned to the Gryffindor table.

Nobody asked any questions during breakfast, but he could practically feel the nervous energy radiating off Theo in waves.

"What was that?" His best friend hissed as they made their way to History of Magic.

Harry contemplated playing dumb but that would only make Theo angrier in the long run.

"Did I forget to mention that Mrs Weasley is taking pity on me because I'm a poor, lonely orphan?" He answered quietly.

"Yes, you forgot. Are you expecting presents from Longbottom's grandmother too, by any chance?" Harry ignored the jibe and waited for Theo's angry scowl to disappear. It didn't take long.

"The others are going to ask questions now." He groaned. "They probably think you're one of Longbottom's little sycophants. Being cosy with blood traitors like the Weasleys and all. I told you not to get involved with them in public."

"Involved in public? It's not my mistake that woman is an unbearable mother hen." Harry replied indignantly. He really hadn't done anything to encourage this, after all.

"I know, I know… I'm just worrying." Theo replied.

"I'll think of something to tell them. It's just sweets." Harry said stubbornly, closing the topic.

He could handle a few nasty comments from Malfoy. Yes the boy could be a snotty nuisance, but they got along well enough most of the time, that wouldn't change now.

And if some stupid upper years thought he had something to do with Longbottom… well he hardly ever interacted with them anyway.

Should it ever come to it he doubted that the Dark Lord would reject a fighter just because he had gotten sweets from Mrs Weasley at age 15.

Malfoy waited with his 'attack' until the evening, when most of their house was gathered in the common room.

"Potter!" He called, louder than was strictly necessary as they were both sitting with their fellow 5th years. Immediately all eyes locked on them, most of the Slytherins had probably been waiting for this.

"Yes Malfoy?" Harry replied, keeping his voice deliberately even.

"What's the deal with you and the Weasel King?"

Harry only raised his eyebrows at the blonde haired boy. He'd wait and see in what direction Malfoy would steer the conversation before he offered anything up.

"You know it is bad style to accept charity from the poor?" Malfoy continued mockingly.

"How dreadful of me. I apologize for insulting your noble sensibilities." Harry returned smilingly, hoping keep the conversation at light banter, but apparently Malfoy had different plans.

"Now honestly Potter. Why would you receive a packet from the Weasleys? I had no idea you were so close to them…"

Harry supressed the urge to grimace. He was in no way close to that loud, dirty, prejudiced, muggle-loving family.

"We aren't close, Malfoy." He replied shortly, trying not to sound angry.

"Sure looked like it today… Decided to try and follow your Gryffindor parents footsteps at last?" Malfoy smirked at him from his armchair next to the fireplace.

"Well…" Harry replied. "I can assure you it has nothing to do with following in my parents footsteps, but everything to do with them."

Now it was Malfoy who only raised one of his eyebrows questioningly.

"It's quite simple, really." Harry began the explanation he had concocted beforehand, knowing that it would be unwise to tell them the truth. None of them knew of Sirius' innocence after all.

"My parents were acquainted with the Weasley family, so from time to time Mrs Weasley sends me some sweets. Not that unusual, I'd say."

A few people sniggered and most returned to their conversations. Nothing was more boring than a simple explanation to a scandalous rumour. According to Blaise the most popular theory had been that he and Weasley were secret lovers and the parcel was a gift from the redhead himself. How their conversation could have ever been interpreted in that way was a mystery to Harry.

"I never saw you receive anything from them before."

Harry had no idea why Malfoy still tried to keep the conversation going. He'd had his fun and attention that should be enough.

"Their owl never collapsed on our table before. You probably simply didn't pay attention." Harry replied a little unfriendly.

Malfoy opened his mouth, but Theo was faster. "Are you going to tell us that you know of every packet anybody here received?"

"No. But he gets so few that I would notice." Malfoy replied stubbornly even though their audience wasn't listening to them anymore.

Blaise, who had been inspecting his fingernails for the last few minutes, smirked at Malfoy. "Give it up, Draco. You had your chance to convince us of their love affair."

"It's not about a stupid love affair." The blonde sputtered, clearly agitated. "It's about him-" He wildly gestured in Harry's direction. "-and his newfound love for Gryffindors. If that isn't suspicious, then I don't know what."

"For the love of Merlin. I don't even like the Weasleys. They just sent me some sweets because I'm an orphan and they knew my parents." Why wouldn't Malfoy leave it be?

Malfoy stood up angrily. "I saw you at King's Cross. I know there's more to it." He hissed in Harry's ear before he retreated to their dorm.

Harry yawned and tiredly rested his forehead on the comfortably cool page he had been reading a moment before. It was Saturday and Harry had spent the majority of his time in the library going through old 5th year books for DADA. The more he read the angrier he got. They could be learning so much this year.

Judging by these books the 5th grade should be the year they were introduced to the finer aspects of duelling. They should be learning minor offensive spells like the stunner and the shield charms to defend against them. Not spend all of their bloody time learning Slinkhart's thrice-damned book by heart… which reminded him that he still had to finish an essay for Umbridge.

Harry groaned and sat up straight again. He really had no time to waste; he wanted to start their DADA club as soon as possible.

Right now he was the only one to do all the research. Theo was panicking because his Arithmancy project turned out to be more complex than he had anticipated – not for the first time Harry was thankful not to have chosen that subject – and Blaise was wasting most of his time trying to impress a 6th year girl from their house. Draco Malfoy still gave him the evil eye for whatever reason.

An hour later Harry's stomach rumbled loudly and he decided to call it a day. Dinner would be served soon anyway. On his way out a loud whisper made him turn around.

"Potter! Harry!" Hermione Granger just returned a book to its place and hurried to close up to him.

"What do you want?" Harry asked once they'd left Mrs Pince sacred halls behind.

She seemed a bit startled by his unfriendly tone but caught herself swiftly. "I… well… I wanted to ask if you know any books that go in more detail about the Winter Solstice? Its origins preferably. Of course I've already looked in the library but there are just so many that seem useful at first glance and then turn out to be anything but. It's frustrating." She huffed and looked at him expectantly.

As it was Harry really knew of one book, but it was in the Forbidden Section – probably because it also described some rather cruel traditions more colourful than strictly necessary.

Harry decided to indulge her and they chatted all the way down to the Great Hall. He still despised the bossy in-your-face attitude she displayed in most classes, but he certainly wouldn't stand in her way if she wanted to practice the old tradition and learn more about the world she was now part of.

They parted ways in the Great Hall and Harry joined his mostly empty table. Only a few upper years were already seated. Soon the other students trickled in. Blaise entered with the blonde 6th year in tow, trying and failing to suppress a satisfied smile, while Theo looked more disgruntled than ever, going on about 'stupid foreign numerical systems' between bites.

The following week went by in a rush of lessons and homework and soon the next weekend approached. After dinner on Friday Harry parted ways with his friends and went to one of the unused dungeon classrooms to practice a new curse from his notebook.

"Flagellum Ignis." Harry intoned carefully, focusing on getting the sharp wand movements right. The tip of his wand glowed red. Slowly the light crept forward, always staying connected to the wand, until a fiery rope, no longer than Harry's arm, hung limply in the air. The fire whip was not as long as it could get, but for his first try the result was acceptable.

He lowered the whip until it touched the surface of one of the wooden tables, where it left a small scorch mark within seconds.

He tentatively tried to flick it and, to his embarrassment, cried out in surprise when small electrical flashes crackled over the deep orange surface of the rope as soon as it was in motion.

He crouched down to the floor, gripped his wand a bit tighter and stroke out in the direction of a chair in reach, concentrating on one of its legs. The whip shot out, but didn't meet its target. It sizzled uselessly in the empty air between the chair legs before it dropped down and once more hung motionlessly from his wand. Harry quickly raised his hand to avoid burning the floor.

He tried again, though this time he focused on the chair leg for several long seconds, trying to blind out the rest of the room, before he let his whip snap forward. When the rope met the wooden leg it automatically twined around it and immediately started to burn through the material.

"Finite."

The whip disappeared immediately, leaving burned wood and a broadly grinning Harry behind. He felt giddy with accomplishment. That was the first curse the managed on first try. Now if he could only conjure a longer rope…

He stayed till late in the night, working to elongate the whip inch by inch. Even though it was a tedious and monotonous work, Harry left with a good feeling.

This was one of the rarer curses he had found in the Black library. Chances were that none of the other Slytherins knew it, which would make it a worthy contribution for their Defence group. Once they finally got the damn thing started. Nearly two weeks had already passed since the initial conversation and he hadn't heard back from anybody. Maybe Theo had, but forgotten to mention it over his Arithmancy troubles. He'd ask tomorrow.

The next day was surprisingly sunny and warm, and he and Tracey spent most of it outside flying and doing some homework by the lake. The others opted to stay inside. Apparently Theo's Arithmancy books were too fragile to be taken outside.

When they returned to the common room before going to dinner Theo was alone in their dorm and Harry remembered to finally ask him about the Defence group.

"Have you heard anything back from Draco, Blaise or anybody else?" Harry asked. As he was doffing his winter cloak and scarf at the time, he didn't see the uncomfortable look that flittered across Theo's face for a moment.

When he didn't get an answer immediately Harry continued to talk. "Is that a no?" He finally turned around and stared at his terribly nervous looking friend.

"Something wrong, Theo?"

Theo looked to the floor, hands balled to fists. "You could say that." He sighed.

"Concerning the group?"

Theo nodded, which only served to confuse Harry more. They had not even started that group yet, how could something have gone wrong already?

"What is it?" He asked calmly, the other boy looked already uncomfortable enough.

"Uhm… well…" Theo took in a deep breath. "You see… I have actually heard back from the others."

"Isn't that a good thing?" Harry asked deliberately slowly, trying to understand why Theo was so nervous.

Theo looked up. "Yes, principally it's a good thing. It's just…"

"Oh come on, spit it out. Don't they want to do it?"

"No, that's not the problem either. It's just… It's… Well… Don't be angry with me, okay?" Theo looked straight at him with pleading expression. "I actually heard back from them two days after our discussion. Quite a few people were interested and on Saturday that same week was the first meeting."

Harry said nothing, a myriad of thoughts swirling through his brain. First meeting? While he had been researching at the library?

"They… well, naturally there are only Slytherins in the group. Most are older students and all of them have… well all of their families sympathize with the Dark Lord. After you got that package from the Weasleys they got a bit concerned. And then Malfoy spread some story about you having a teary farewell with the Weasley's and Longbottom's at King's Cross. Others confirmed that and faster then I could look they had decided that it would be too big of a risk to allow you into the group."

Theo talked in a rush now and looked at the floor again. Which was actually a good decision because Harry didn't think he could take Theo's pleading eyes right now.

"They don't want me in the group, a group I suggested?" He spoke far too loudly and angrily, but he couldn't care less at the moment. "Just because I got some sweets? What the hell?"

"They want to practice some serious Dark Magic and think that you would rat them out to Dumbledore. Tell him what you overheard in their conversations, about well... the Dark Lord and their parents. At the moment we talk quite freely when we're alone." Theo hurried to say.

Suddenly a new thought came to Harry's mind, accompanied by a gut wrenching feeling of betrayal. "And why are you just telling me about this now? Only after I asked? Do you think waiting would make it any better? Or do you agree with them?"

Theo flinched. "No, no, of course not! You know that! I… tried to change their mind. I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to get angry unnecessarily."

"And, were you successful?" Harry asked coolly, fighting hard to contain his anger. Those damnable bastards. Taking his idea.

"No…" Theo said quietly. "Some of them saw you talking to Granger and apparently that in combination with the rest is… well… they didn't like it."

"Unbelievable." Harry breathed. "Fucking unbelievable." All the research he had done in preperation for these meetings...

"I know… It's just… you never had anything to do with those Gryffindors before. And the timing is just suspicious, you can't deny that. It's not so far-fetched to assume that it has something to do with well… everything."

Harry said nothing because he knew everything he said now he would regret later. Theo was not the guilty party here, he reminded himself constantly, Theo was trying to change their mind. He really shouldn't lash out at him. But by Merlin, he wanted to. Those close-minded idiots. They'd known him for more than four years now and what, that was it?

"Look… I don't think it's anything personal… They still like you as a person. They just can't trust you at the moment. And not all of them think so."

"Trying to defend them?" Harry sneered, no longer able to hold himself back. He didn't want to hear any excuses, he was too angry to feign understanding for that traitorous lot.

"No, no, of course not. Just…"

"I'm going for a walk." Harry interrupted him and stood up.

"Harry, please, come on. I think they're just being stupid. I'm sure this will blow over soon enough. I'll talk to them again."

"Don't bother. Have fun at the next meeting."

He stomped out of the room and down the stairs ignoring the inquiring looks sent his way.

Merlin help him if he ran into Malfoy. That stupid, big-mouthed ferret. Teary farewell my arse! They had taken his idea and realised it without him. His idea. Without him these dim-witted idiots wouldn't even have that club! And now they would all learn to duel while he… he fought against stupid chairs in dusty classrooms.

Harry passed by the Great Hall. He really wasn't in the mood to eat right now. Especially while sitting on a table full of people who… what? Thought they were so important Dumbledore or Longbottom would recruit him to spy on them? How deluded could one get?

He didn't look where he was walking and suddenly slammed into an oncoming person. A pile of books clattered to the floor.

"Sorry." Harry mumbled and was just about to walk past when he caught a second glance of the person who had formerly been hidden behind her books.

Hermione Granger. Surrounded by old DADA books. Hermione Granger who also lead a Defence club. An illegal club he knew about. A small smile spread across Harry's face. Oh yes. It was so simple really. He wanted to duel. She had a duelling club.

"Potter? Are you all right? Potter? Harry!" She looked at him worriedly.

He didn't answer. Only knelt down slowly as if to help her gather her books and looked her straight in the eyes.

"I want to join your illegal Defence club." He whispered and watched with glee as her eyes widened in shock.

Harry smiled even brighter. Yes, this would work.

The Slytherins could all go fuck themselves.


A big thank you to all the people who left me a review last time, I really appreciate them.

If you got a minute, please tell me what you think about this chapter or the story so far. About their characterizations, the dialogues, really just anything that comes to your mind.

So... thanks for reading, and please review!