A.N. Enjoy, Sorry for the long wait. College is getting tougher, and Law School is no joke.
Chapter 11: Detention with Malfoy
"I still can't believe you've been made seeker," said Ron that evening, wolfing down Macaroni and Cheese in the Great Hall.
"Me neither," replied Harry, "Or I would have insisted that you help me catch some of Professor McGonagall's parchments too."
"Ah, but that would have been of no use," said Ron, "There was only the seeker position left on the team. Fred and George are Beaters, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, and Katie Bell are Chasers, and as you know, Oliver Wood's the Keeper. Maybe I would have become a replacement player or something."
"What was McGonagall doing anyway, letting her papers fly all over the place?" asked Harry, "I wouldn't have expected it of her."
What had happened was that just as the group had been getting ready to fly, the exceptions being Neville, who had looked like he was entering a nightmare, and Hermione, who had looked extremely jittery on trying something out for the first time without the good assistance of a book, Professor McGonagall had come running out onto the Hogwarts grounds, trying to catch the multitude of parchment sheets which had flown out of her first floor office window. Madam Hooch had done a spell to catch the papers and had caught nearly all of them except one, which had flown fifty feet into the air. Harry, being ever the gentleman, had got onto his broom immediately and had flown the fifty feet at a remarkable speed (for a school broom), but the paper, which seemed to have decided it had enough flying, started to descend into the Hogwarts lake nearby, but Harry swooped 50 feet down amid shrieks from some of the first year girls (mainly Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown) and caught the paper just in time without even touching the water. All in all, it had been a pretty dramatic incident, but as Professor McGonagall had told him over and over, nothing less was expected from the son of James Potter.
Needless to say, Professor McGonagall and Madam Hooch had been furious that he had taken such a risk for an after all unimportant paper, and Madam Hooch had even taken 10 points off Gryffindor for the foolish stunt, but Professor McGonagall, after thanking him, had taken him into an empty corridor in the school and told him to wait. A few minutes later, she returned with Oliver Wood, a 5th year Gryffindor and also the captain/keeper of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team. McGonagall told both Wood and Harry that he had chosen Harry as seeker for the team. Wood was at first doubtful of Harry's flying abilities, him being a first year after all, but after McGonagall related to him all the particulars of the incident, he became enthusiastic. Harry, needless to say, was shocked, but excited just the same. The first thing he had done was write a letter to his parents, telling them of everything. He knew they would be proud, especially his dad and Sirius.
"Who cares?" said Ron, "Look, there's your cousin!"
Harry was brought out of his reverie and looked up, seeing Dudley approaching the Gryffindor Table, with Justin Finch-Fletchley and Ernie MacMillan trailing him. The three Hufflepuff boys had become quick friends, finding much in common, especially Dudley and Justin.
"Hey Duds; Hello Justin, Ernie," greeted Harry after Dudley and his friends sat down.
"Just heard about you making the Gryffindor team. Congrats!" said Dudley enthusiastically.
"Thanks; I still can't believe it myself. According to Wood, I'm—" started Harry.
"--the youngest seeker in a century," finished Dudley with a grin, "believe me, I know, Malcolm Preece has been talking about it all day."
"He has?" asked Harry with surprise. He had gotten the idea that Malcolm Preece, another Hufflepuff boy in Dudley's year, didn't really like him all that much.
"Yeah, though not nicely mind you," said Dudley with a smirk, "He insists that your 'airs' have only increased after you were made seeker." Harry and Ron laughed, and saw Neville reaching the table, huffing.
"Where have you been, Nev?" asked Harry.
"Library," replied Neville, catching his breath and dropping into a seat between Harry and Ron, "with Hermione; she's been reading me tips about flying all day. I appreciate it greatly you know, but I don't want to hear about flying class for another whole week!"
"You wouldn't Longbottom," piped up Malfoy meanly five seats away, "You're hardly stable with your two feet on the ground. Imagine the disaster you would cause in the air!" The boys jumped. Used to the moping and quiet attitude of Draco Malfoy ever since school started, they were quite surprised whenever he made little jibes like this, which wasn't often.
"Take that back Malfoy," said Harry with a glare as Neville became subdued, too scared to talk back to Malfoy.
"Make me," retorted Malfoy. "You're not all that great as people make you out to be, you know. I doubt if you'd last a minute in a Wizard's Duel!"
"Oh yeah? I can take you on any time," said Harry, standing up. Dudley pushed him back onto his seat and hissed, "Are you stupid? Don't cause a scene here!"
Harry ignored Dudley and took out his wand, though not really knowing what to do, as they hadn't learned many spells yet. Malfoy too took out his wand. Dudley and Ron stood up to defend Harry if needed. By now, they had caught the attention of the students, and the hall became hushed, but Professor McGonagall, who could sniff trouble in a heartbeat, was beside them in a second.
"Mr. Potter! Mr. Malfoy! Mr. Weasley, Mr. Evans! Detention after dinner! Dueling without permission, and that too in the Great Hall, is strictly against the rules! Meet me at my office at 8:00 sharp."
"But Professor, Malfoy started it, Dudley and Ron didn't do anything," Harry started to say, but McGonagall interrupted him.
"Do not argue with me, Mr. Potter. Now, all of you meet me at 8:00 and I will see to your punishment." With that, she went back to the staff table with a sweep of her robes.
"I told you so," sighed Dudley, but with a shrug of his shoulders, and an "Oh well, see you at 8'," he went back to the Hufflepuff table with Justin and Ernie, both of whom had been rendered speechless by the small scene which had just taken place.
Harry and Ron glared at Malfoy, who returned the glare.
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At 8:00 P.M., Professor McGonagall's Office on the first floor
Professor McGonagall's Office was tastefully decorated in the traditional Gryffindor colors of scarlet and gold, and also with a few deep blues and greens here and there. A long polished wooden desk lined one wall of the office, and long bookshelves crammed with Transfiguration and Magical Reference books lined two others. A long 'wall to floor' file cabinet was next to her desk, and when Harry, Ron, Dudley, and Malfoy (who stood a little away from the other three) entered the office, she was pulling their files out of it and marking something on each of them.
"For your detention, I will pair you up with each other and assign you jobs to do. It is not too complicated, but mind that in the future, should any further misconduct continue, punishment will be more severe. Understand?" When they nodded, she continued. "Mr. Evans and Mr. Weasley shall sweep the bed pans in the Hospital Wing, and Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy shall wipe the trophies in the Trophy Room. Madam Pomfrey and Mr. Filch will give you further instructions. Now, off you go!"
Harry and Draco looked highly disgruntled that they had been paired together, and trudged to the trophy room while Ron and Dudley, relieved that they had not been paired with Draco, trotted off the Hospital Wing, intent on getting their work done quickly and retire for the night.
In front of the trophy room stood Mr. Filch, with a nasty smirk on his face and holding out two rather dirty towels and a spray which Harry and Draco suspected carried a Muggle cleaning liquid. "I will come back in two hours," he told them, smiling wickedly and leaving with Mrs. Norris by his side. Harry and Draco were relieved. They didn't think they could get anything done with that nuisance of a cat by their side.
For awhile, neither Harry nor Draco talked, intent on quickly wiping the trophies and getting to sleep. The trophy room was very large, and filled with hundreds of gold, silver, and bronze trophies. The crystal trophy cases glimmered where the moonlight caught them. Cups, shields, plates, and statues winked silver and gold in the darkness. As Harry, worked, he scanned the lists of names with boredom, hoping to find one for someone he recognized, his parents perhaps, or Uncle Remus and Uncle Padfoot. But all he saw were rows upon rows of trophies awarded to people he had never heard of in his life. Little did he know that this 'worst punishment ever' would assist him greatly later on.
Bartholomew Hurst (1867-1945) for finding a cure for magical boils in his 7th year.
Jane Hamilton (1854-1920) for discovering the Room of Illusions on the 5th floor corridor.
Tom Marvalo Riddle for pure intelligence in apprehending the monstrosity released from the Chamber of Secrets.
Natalia Monroe (1901-1970) for leading the school to victory against Beauxbatons in a Gobstones Match.
Harry stifled a yawn. He knew none of these people, though Tom Riddle did sound awfully familiar to him. 'I think Dad mentioned him a long time ago, something about him being a Slytherin git and not deserving this trophy.'
And finally…. 'Yes!' Harry thought, looking at two bright golden trophies next to each other.
James Potter (1960-present) for leading the Gryffindor Quidditch Team to victory in the 1978 Quidditch Championships.
Lily Evans (1960-present) for earning 1st prize in the Potions Fair in 1977.
--And there were more, this time with their names together—
James Potter and Lily Evans (1960-present) for their calm nerve and expert thinking which saved the lives of the young students in Hogwarts during Lord Voldemort's first attack on the school in 1977.
James Potter and Lily Evans (1960-present) for their involvement in the apprehension of dangerous Death Eater Shane Jonas, who caused the murder of many innocent muggles and also the distinguished parents of young James Potter, in 1978.
Moving down the line, Harry saw some with his Uncle Remus and Uncle Sirius's names too.
Sirius Black (1960-present) for his sheer nerve and courage during the attack by Lord Voldemort at Hogwarts in 1977, which saved Professor Hamilton from a life of insanity and isolation at a ward in St. Mungo's.
Sirius Black (1960-present) for leading the school to victory against Durmstrang in the 1975 chess tournament.
Remus Lupin (1960-present) for apprehending the feared werewolf known as Fenrir Greyback (currently residing in Azkaban prison) during the second attack of the school in 1978, and saving a young child by the name of Samuel Bones from becoming one of the most feared creatures in the Magical World.
Remus Lupin (1960-present) for achieving 1st prize by reading 150 books during the year in the 1974 book fair.
Harry jumped when he heard Malfoy's curt voice. "It's been about two hours; I suppose we can leave."
Checking his watch, Harry realized that it had been two hours. Strange, he hadn't even realized that he'd wiped over a 100 trophies, so intent on glimpsing his parents' names in between all the others.
"Filch told us to wait," Harry replied just as curtly, packing his bags. Then, feeling a stab of pity for the lonely Malfoy who had no friends, he said, "Look—Malfoy—"
Malfoy turned around with a scowl. "What?" he snapped. Harry nearly glared back and was about to retort meanly when, after taking a few deep breaths, he said, "We're in the same house, whether you like it or not, and seven years of sharing a dormitory with those you hate isn't going to be pleasant for you."
"Why do you care? I can look after myself. Just mind your own business!" snapped Malfoy.
"Fine!" Harry retorted, "I was going to offer you a friendship request, or at least a peace treaty, but I see you don't need it!" He turned around to wait for Filch by the door, but heard an abrupt, "Fine."
"What?" asked Harry with astonishment. Had he been imagining it, or had Malfoy just accepted his friendship?
"I am not going to become your friend over night or something, in case you're wondering, and neither do I want to exchange words of pleasantries with Weasley and Longbottom, but I accept your peace treaty, and am willing not to cause arguments if you are."
Harry looked at Malfoy, and said, "Uh, okay. We don't have to shake hands or anything, do we?"
"Not if I can help it," replied Malfoy with a wrinkle in his nose. Just because he had agreed not to be a moping git anymore didn't mean he wanted to be Potter's friend. The thought itself was revolting. Being a friend of Harry Potter meant being a friend of that over-eager and annoying accomplice of a Weasley and the coward like Longbottom. No, better to keep clear of them and mind his own business. Malfoy sighed. How unlike a Malfoy he had become since school began. Was this what Gryffindor had done to him? Make such a softie out of him that he accepted a peace request?
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"You suppose they've killed each other off?" wondered Ron aloud as he and Dudley walked towards the trophy room to get Harry. Madam Pomfrey, pleased with their work, had let them go 10 minutes before the allotted time.
"Maybe," shrugged Dudley, "But never am I going to clean another bedpan! The one in the right corner was absolutely revolting! With the amount of detentions kids here get, one would think the bed pans in the Hospital Wing would be spotless!"
"If you're anything like Fred and George, no way would the teachers give you this kind of punishment. No, I suppose old McGonagall was telling the truth when she said this was a simple punishment."
Just then, Dudley and Ron stopped in their tracks. A sight of a most perplexing nature met their eyes.
AN: Hit the review button folks! Next chapter will be up very soon, I promise. Sorry for not changing the poll this time, but I'm still thinking of a good one, so the next chapter will contain a new poll, 'kay?
I've been reading a lot of Jane Austen these days, so some of my sentences may contain an "olden day" tinge to it. Sorry if it disturbs the Harry Potter setting!