Snape approached the first years and gestured towards a group of sofas. Harry and the rest sat down. The professor began pacing in front of them, a scowl on his face. They waited in silence for an entire minute before he began to speak.
"You may be wondering why I gathered you for a speech. Many of you have met me before, so I doubt you are naive enough to expect some sort of welcome. For those of you that haven't, let me make it clear. I do not coddle my charges. You should some degree of support if you turn out to be a prospect worth cultivating. What you should not expect... is special treatment." His eyes lingered, first on Harry and then on Draco, before he continued.
"While the hat may have sorted you here, you are not yet Slytherins, for that is a badge of honor that you must earn. How, you may ask? It is rather simple – be the best. I do not care if it is in the classroom, on the quidditch pitch, or in society. To call yourself a Slytherin, you must be better than the others." He paused, staring at the group as if daring somebody to speak out of turn.
"Some of the upper years feel differently. They believe that they are Slytherins, and this places them above the rest. It is not so. Many of you believe your pedigrees make you inherently better than the other students – it is only true if you can show it to be so. Allow yourselves to slip up, and the house cup, your personal ambitions, EVERYTHING… will be gone. If that happens... the Gryffindors will not be the only ones mocking you."
With that, the man spun around and walked out of the room. The first years looked around at each other, puzzled by what had just happened. Draco spoke up first.
"I wonder what got him so worked up. He visits my father sometimes – I've never seen him so… unhinged."
"Something must have set him off," a blond-haired girl replied.
"That's right" Gemma interjected, rising from a sofa a few meters away from the group. She crossed the distance leisurely, turning to the younger girl. "What is your name?"
"Daphne."
"Daphne hit the mark" Gemma added. Draco scowled. Harry guessed he was upset at not being credited for the observation; he would further wager that Gemma did it on purpose to tease Malfoy. "Professor Snape is usually very punctual. The reason he was a few minutes late is that he had to discipline a group of sixth years that got in a fight with a group of Gryffindors in the corridors after dinner. Not only did they fight, but they managed to lose. Our Head of House is not somebody you want to agitate, so be on your best behavior – especially in potions. You can run along now."
A group of older students walked into the common room, and she walked over to join them, leaving the first years alone. The group split into two as the boys and girls returned to their respective dorms. Harry took the opportunity to retrieve a package from his belongings. For the first time since hailing the Knight Bus, he had a chance to hold his wand - true to Olivander's word, the wrapping paper had fallen off. He slipped the wand into his pocket, and headed back out into the corridor. Theo was crouching outside the door next to his, pointing his wand at the doorknob.
"What are you doing?" Harry asked.
"I'm jinxing my door. Upper classes like to play pranks on us first years during the first week."
"Wouldn't getting jinxed only make them come after you harder?"
Theo stood up with a sigh. "You're probably right. Maybe I should jinx Malfoy's door to divert attention?"
Harry shook his head. "Nah, if you did that Malfoy might come after you. How about we jinx the corridor itself? That way they won't know who did it, and they can't come after the entire first year class without getting chewed out by Snape."
Theo grinned at Harry. "That's a good idea - do you know any spells for that?"
Harry shook his head silently. He didn't know any spells at all. He had read about some of them, of course, but he didn't get to try any yet with the underage magic restrictions on his wand.
"The only area protection spell I know is this doorknob jinx, and that's only because I specifically asked my dad to teach it to me." Theo added, his forehead wrinkled.
"Why don't we ask Draco for help?"
"That's not a bad idea. If something goes wrong with the Jinx, we can blame him."
Harry chuckled. He liked Theo. It was nice to know he had a house mate that wasn't boring, but still treated Harry nicely. In all fairness, Draco wasn't boring either, but from what Harry saw at dinner, the blond boy was abrasive. The two walked over to Malfoy's door and knocked. A minute later, Draco opened the door. Harry's eyes widened when he saw the interior of the room. The walls were decked with green and silver banners, and the shelves were strewn with a large collection of books, trinkets, and baubles. Robes were scattered all over the bed, and the open chests in the middle of the room suggested that he wasn't even done unpacking yet. Draco met Harry's gaze with a slight smirk. Theo spoke first.
"Hey Draco, can you help us jinx the corridor when you finish unpacking?"
"Depends, what's in it for me?"
"Well, you won't get your stuff broken into by the upper years, for starters."
Draco scoffed, tossing his head. "My father lent me something that should take care of that problem. If anybody steps into my room without permission, they'll be in the hospital for a week. Not that anyone would even try… the Malfoy name is sufficient deterrent."
Theo mimed a talking head with his hand. "Fine, be that way. Harry and I will figure something out." Draco shrugged, and shut the door in their faces.
"That could have gone better. Why don't we check out the library for ideas?"
Harry could get behind that. Ever since Flourish and Bott's, he had been eager to find more books on magic. He had already read most of the interesting bits in his school textbooks during the week before classes, so it was time for something new.
"Lead the way."
The two boys walked back to the common room. Many of the couches were occupied by older students, but they spotted some of the first-year girls sitting near the glass wall. Theo tilted his head towards the group, and Harry nodded. Ornelle was the first to notice them approaching, and she tapped the Daphne on the shoulder. The later girl turned around, looking at them with interest.
"Well, if it isn't the boys. Where's your ringleader?"
"I hope you're not talking about Draco - he's busy looking at himself in the mirror. Have you girls done anything to protect your rooms?"
"Why, are you thinking of breaking in?" The two girls standing next to the blond burst into giggles, drawing looks from some of the older students nearby. Theo blushed, quickly shaking his head.
"No, it's just that we are probably going to get pranked by the upper years, and we are trying to find a way to protect our corridor."
"Prank? What are you talking about?"
"My dad told me the older students usually prank the first years during the first week of school."
Tracy whispered something in Daphne's ear. The blond smirked at Theo, shaking her her head. "Sounds like that only happens in the boy's dormitory. We girls have better uses for our time than pranking each other. You are going to have to find help elsewhere. Now go... we were having an important discussion before you so rudely interrupted." Daphne turned her back to Theo, tossing her hair in an impressive arc. Ornelle and Tracy followed suit.
The two boys walked towards the common room entrance. "Merlin, she's even more annoying than Draco."
"Eh, I think they're pretty neck and neck," Harry replied. They made their way out of the dungeons before pausing abruptly when they reached the grand staircase. "Theo... do you know how to get to the library?" Harry asked.
Theo groaned loudly, drawing looks from some of the portraits. "No… I don't."
"Excuse me gentlemen," a voice spoke up from besides them. They wheeled about. Dumbledore stood beside them, hands clasped behind his back and a smile on his bearded face. "I couldn't help overhearing your dilemma. If you would like, I could lead you to the Library. Perhaps I can have a word with Harry after?" the man questioned, looking at green-eyed boy.
Harry was puzzled. He didn't have a clue as to why the elderly wizard would want to speak with him. Regardless, he didn't think he should refuse the headmaster, so he nodded curtly.
"Ah, wonderful" the man, added. "Follow me then." He took them up three different staircases, pausing as the third wheeled about midway to align with another corridor. Harry had used the moving staircases when they were walking with Gemma to the dungeons, but he was still astonished by them. Soon, the reached a set of doors, and the headmaster gestured towards them with a wrinkly hand.
"The library is through there, Theodore." The wiry boy nodded, and slipped through the doors. He seemed eager to get away from Dumbledore - Harry made a mental note to ask why later. "Now that we are alone, would you follow me to my office?" The man turned back towards the staircase, and they backtracked their steps. A couple of staircases and a one winding corridor later, they were in front of a feathery gargoyle.
As Dumbledore approached the statue, it began to rotate and recede into the floor, revealing a helical staircase. Harry followed the professor up the staircase and to a bronze door. The professor tapped the door with his wand, and it swung open revealing a large office. Nearly every surface within was covered with books or odd apparatuses. Some of them were moving, and others were making strange noises. The wizard sat down at a table in the center of the room, and gestured Harry to the seat opposite him.
"Let me reassure you that you are not in any sort of trouble. I merely wish to welcome you to Hogwarts." The old man beamed at Harry, and the boy smiled back uneasily. It seemed odd that the headmaster would welcome him personally. "In addition, there are a couple of other matters that I would like to resolve." There it was. As Harry met Dumbledore's pale blue eyes, he felt a subtle prodding at his mind - the same feeling he had experienced with Snape and with Dumbledore himself in the great hall. It immediately dissipated, and Dumbledore's smile widened.
"Ah, it is as I expected. It seems you have a knack for occlumency. It is most rare in one as young as you, nearly unheard of. Your head of house told me that you demonstrated this skill during your trip to Diagon Alley. Have you ever studied this area of magic?"
Harry shook his head. "I am not sure what occlumency is sir. Sometimes when I look at you or professor Snape, I feel a sensation in my head. When I focus on it, it disappears."
The old man nodded. "It must be innate - you were born with the skill, or perhaps acquired it in early childhood. To be frank, it is a bit of a relief. Some occlumency books can be rather dangerous, and I am glad that you have not dabbled in the mind-arts unsupervised." The headmaster paused briefly before, pushing a bowl towards Harry. "Lemon drop?" The boy shook his head, "no thank you." The man smiled and helped himself to a piece of candy from the bowl.
"Occlumency is a skill that can be used to protect one's secrets. While most people must train years to acquire it, you are already quite proficient. Now that my curiosity has been sated, I have something to show you. But first, tell me what you know of your parents."
Harry looked down at the desk, then spoke up hesitantly. "I am not entirely sure what is true. My aunt and uncle told me they died in a car accident, but then Neville, a friend I met at Madam Malkin's, told me that they were war heroes."
Dumbledore frowned momentarily, but then smiled once more at Harry. "Neville was correct. They were indeed war heroes. In fact, they - alongside yourself - were instrumental in defeating Tom."
"Tom, sir?"
"You may have heard of him as 'he-who-must-not-be-named,' or perhaps as the 'dark lord.' In reality, he was a disenfranchised boy named Tom Riddle - one of my greatest regrets really. He saw dark magic as a way to conceal his insecurities and pursue absolute control. In doing so, he tainted his soul irreparably, and inflicted immense suffering and tragedy across all of Britain." He leaned forward towards Harry. "Your parents were heroes, my boy. When Tom attacked your home, your father fought him to the death, and your mother sacrificed her life to shield you." The man sat back in his seat, and waved his wand. An odd stone bowl drifted over from a nearby shelf, and rested on the table between Harry and the headmaster.
"This is a pensieve. It is used to store and display memories. Prior to their death, your parents were aurors fighting against Tom and his death-eaters. When the ministry was compromised, they became members of the Order of the Phoenix, a group of brave witches and wizards that stood against Tom at a time when few others dared." The man waved his wand once more, and a tiny vial of silvery fluid drifted into his hand from a nearby box.
"Your parents knew that they may die, and so they left behind a message for you - safely stored in the form of a memory. I have been keeping it safe for you." The headmaster opened the vial and poured the liquid within into the pensieve. He gently pushed the pensieve closer to Harry. "To view the memories, simply dip your face into the basin.
Harry lowered his head towards the pensieve, trembling with anticipation. As soon as his face broke past the surface of the liquid, a new room appeared before his eyes. A red-haired witch with bright green eyes sat opposite him. She smiled, but her forehead was furrowed with emotion.
"Hello Harry, if you are seeing this than it means that I have died. First, I want you to know that I am terribly sorry. Sorry, that I wasn't there to watch you grow. Sorry that I wasn't there to give you the love that you deserve." Tears trickled down the witch's face, and Harry felt his own eyes moisten. "I want you to know that your father and I had no other choice. We would have left the country - done anything to keep you safe from Voldemort. But he was looking for us … for you. If you are seeing this, it means that you are alive, and although I may have died, we succeeded in keeping you safe. For this, I am happy. I love you Harry, and I hope you live a long life full of joy."
The image faded away, and then returned. This time, a man that looked like an older version of Harry sat in the chair. He smiled sadly, staring straight at Harry, or as the boy realized, at the eyes of the person whose memory he was viewing. "Harry, my son, I am glad to see that you have made it through the war. When people ask me what I fight for, I tell them it is for the future of magical Britain. Truly, it is for your future. I want you to be able to grow up, to attend Hogwarts, to find a girl, and to have children of your own. To be happy. If you are seeing this, then we have succeeded. No matter what you do, I want you to know that I will always be proud of you." Harry reached out to the figure in front of him as the memory faded away. He raised his head from the peniseve, tears pouring down his face. Dumbledore was looking at him, a bittersweet expression on his face.
"Love. It is the power Tom knew not."
Harry placed his head in his hands. He had never seen his parents before - they were just an abstract idea. Now that he got to look at them... hear their voices... the full weight of all he had lost came crashing down upon him. A sharp pain shot through his forehead, and he saw a flash of green light. He heard a shrill voice laugh. He saw the woman from the memory, no, his mother, scream as she threw herself in front of a baby. In front of him. Another wave of pain shot through his head, and he screamed as he toppled from his chair. Dumbledore shot up from his seat.
"What's wrong, my boy?"
"I just saw something else… a green light, my mother…"
The headmaster helped Harry form the floor. "It must be a repressed memory. Those of us versed in occlumency may sometimes lock away memories that we no longer wish to see. I imagine you hid this one in your early childhood, hid it so deep that you did not even remember its existence."
Harry wiped his eyes against his sleeve. "The man that killed my parents… he is dead?"
Dumbledore walked towards a window. He paused for a few minutes before turning once more towards Harry. "Do not fall into the trap of revenge, Harry. Your parents wanted you to be happy, so do them that honor." The boy nodded slowly, looking up with determination. "I will make them proud, sir."
The headmaster nodded, beaming. "That you will, my boy."
Dumbledore made some small talk with Harry, summoning a cup of cocoa from the kitchens to soothe his nerves. When the boy left the office, he seemed decidedly less agitated than he had been before. The headmaster sat in his armchair with a heavy sigh, closed his eyes for a few minutes. He rested the tip of his wand against his temple, and withdrew a silvery strand of memory, storing it in a glass vial. The headmaster whistled a birdcall, and a fiery bird appeared in a burst of flames.
"Fawkes, could you fetch Severus please?"
The bird cooed softly, and disappeared as suddenly as it had arrived. Moments later, green flames rose in the fireplace and the potions master stepped into the room. The head master smiled at the black-haired man before him. Among all his acquaintances, Severus was one of the most punctual.
"You called, headmaster?"
"Indeed, make yourself comfortable."
The black robed figure walked briskly towards the chair that Harry had occupied earlier and sat down. "Tell me Severus, what have you noticed during your interactions with Harry?"
The potions master furrowed his eyebrows. "Regarding his aptitude, or his personality?"
"Both."
"Well, as I have already reported, he has an innate aptitude for occlumency. In addition, he invoked a strong reaction from nearly every wand he tried at Olivanders. Magically, he holds promise. Intellectually, he has the knowledge base of a muggle. I do not think he knows a single spell yet, and that places him far behind most of his peers in Slytherin."
"Ah yes," the headmaster interjected. "I noticed as much. His occlumency barriers are impervious to any indirect use of legilimency. The later point rings true as well. He did not know how his parents had died. I showed him their Order farewells, and he was entirely unprepared for the emotional impact. It seems he has been blocking out any memories of his parents throughout his childhood. Tell me, how is he as a person?
"He is not quite as arrogant as James, so that is a relief. He does seem to be taking well to his housemates - also a relief. Still, he can only keep up a facade for so long."
The headmaster spun his wand between his fingers, staring at his desk. "Yes, he is most unusual. The sorting came as quite a surprise to me - I was half afraid there would be some sort of backlash from Harry." The wizard looked up at the potions master. "Could you keep an eye on him? I would like to be updated on his progress both socially and in the classroom."
The black robed professor nodded curtly. "It is my job after all, as his head of house." The headmaster's face took on softer lines as he considered the man before him.
"I know I am asking for a great deal from you - he is not just any child. I know you had a history with his parents. If you do this, it would honor Lilly's wishes."
The potion masters face expression briefly darkened. Quickly, he assumed his standard stone-faced expression. "I will do my best. Is that all, headmaster?"
"That is all I ask, Severus. Thank you."
The black robed figure rose from his seat, and whirled towards the fireplace. Within seconds he was gone, and Dumbledore was left alone with his thoughts.
Harry's head was pounding by the time he made it back to the Slytherin dorms. He knocked on Theo's door, but the boy didn't seem to be there. He was probably still researching in the library. Harry found himself feeling indifferent. Pranks didn't seem to matter after what he had just witnessed in the Pensieve. He walked to his room, and changed out of his robes.
The night was restless. Several times, he fell asleep only to have nightmares about his mother dropping dead in front of his feet. Her screams were vivid in his mind. When somebody knocked on his door in the morning, he was eager to get away from his bed.
Theo stood outside the door, a smile on his face. It quickly morphed into a frown as he looked more closely at Harry.
"Are you alright?"
Harry waved the concerns aside. "It's nothing. Did you need something?"
The wiry boy frowned. "Yeah, I need breakfast. I thought you might like to join me?"
"Ah yes, of course." Harry walked back into his room. It felt like there was a storm inside his chest, but he didn't need the rest of the world to know that.
"Make sure you bring your bag - we have classes right after!" Theo called after him. Harry quickly changed into his school robes, hastily combing his hair in front of a mirror. He joined Theo at the door, and they walked to the great hall. Malfoy and his shadows were already there, as were Ornelle and a couple of other girls. One of them was having a heated exchange with Draco.
"Shouldn't you be sitting next to me? We are engaged after all."
The blond boy rolled his eyes at the ceiling. "Marriage contracts are non-binding, Pansy. A lot can happen between now and our graduation."
"You could show a little more enthusiasm!" the brunette scoffed.
Draco turned back to his breakfast wordlessly.
"Knock it off Pansy, you'll only scare him."
"That's easy for you to say, you don't have to worry about an engagement."
"That's the entire point, silly," the other girl pipped up. "None of us have to worry about it - including you. You should be more worried about Transfiguration. My mom told me McGonagall assigns a ton of work."
Pancy sighed, raising her palm.
"Alright, Tracey. I'll be quiet if you let me copy off you."
Tracey stuck her tongue out at her friend. Meanwhile, Malfoy looked up at Harry as he joined them at the table.
"What happened last night Potter? You look like a mess."
"Mind your own business, Draco."
The blond boy frowned. "What's the deal with everybody today?"
"Maybe if you were a little more friendly, people would want to talk to you," Theo replied.
"What did I ever do to you?"
"Well, most recently, you blew us off last night when we asked you for help with the corridor."
"That was a rhetorical question."
Theo grumbled under his breath. Soon enough, everybody was done with their breakfast. The Slytherins rose as a group, and made their way towards the grand staircase. After asking for directions from older housemates, they were able to find the transfiguration classroom with a few minutes to spare. A few Hufflepuffs were already there, and more trickled in after the Slytherins had taken a seat. A tabby cat sat on the desk staring at the students in the room. Just as the bell rang, the last pair of Hufflepuff girls walked towards the door.
"Awww, what a cute kitty." One of them reached out to pet the cat, but drew her hand back as if it had been burned when the cat transformed into a scowling professor.
"Take your seats, please."
The Hufflepuff girls were all too eager to get away from McGonagall. The class itself was fairly dry. The professor gave them a brief overview of the theory behind transfiguration, stressing the importance of intent as well as proper wand motion and incantation. She set before them the task of turning a matchstick into a needle. Nobody was able to achieve the full transfiguration, but Harry felt rather proud of his wooden needle. McGonagall had reassured him that changing wood to metal was the greatest hurdle, and transfiguring the general shape correctly meant he was on the right track.
The next class of the day was history of magic. It was taught by a ghost that introduced himself as professor Binns. The lecture was painful despite the subject of the day being Merlin - a figure that was rather interesting under any other circumstance. Harry took notes for the first 15 minutes, before abandoning all hope. He spent the rest of the lecture trying to turn his quill into metal underneath the desk. Once more, he was unsuccessful - although he could swear that it was shinier than it had been when he had started.
The final class of the day was Defense Against the Dark Arts with the Gryffindors. Some of them were already inside when the Slytherins arrived, and Harry was excited to see Neville sitting near the front. He slipped into the chair next to his friend.
"How have you been Harry?"
"Not bad. It's kind of cold down in the dungeons, but it's bearable. How's Gryffindor."
The tall boy grinned. "It's great. Our dorm is in one of the towers, so the view is awesome. It would be even better if you were there though."
"Oh well - what the lady says goes, right?"
"What lady?"
Harry scratched his head. "You know, the one that appeared when you put on the hat?"
"I didn't see anything."
"You didn't hear a voice inside your head either?"
"No. I just sat there for a few seconds, and the hat called out 'Gryffindor'."
"That's really strange. I wonder if it's different for everybody."
"Maybe." Neville replied.
They were interrupted by loud laughter as Ron and Dean walked through the door. "You should have seen the look on his face. Perfect prefect Percy looked ready to blow when his hair turned green. I'll have to ask Fred for the recipe." The two boys sat down at a table next to Harry and Neville, the redhead continuing his story.
They hushed down when a black-haired woman in a slim-tailored robe walked into the room. She appeared to be in her late twenties, and was staring at a piece of parchment. She raised her hand and looked about the classroom, her lips turning upwards into a smile as she saw the students.
"Hello there, are all of you here for Defense Against the Dark Arts?"
A chorus of heads nodded.
"Wonderful! My name is Hestia, although for propriety's sake you should call me professor Jones."
Draco raised his hand, and the professor inclined her head in his direction.
"Why weren't you at the staff table yesterday?"
"I only received news that my services would be needed early this morning. Do not worry about the specific details. I will be teaching the class until a point in time where your professor returns or a permanent replacement is found. I can assure you I'm qualified."
Draco shrugged, turning around to whisper something to Pansy.
"Now that everything's settled, why don't we start the lecture?"
Transfiguration had been interesting, but DADA was fun! Professor Jones summoned large mats from a nearby closet, and with a wave of her wand, they arranged themselves across the floor and along the walls. She then explained the knockback jinx, and taught them the incantation - flippendo. They paired off - Harry coupling with Neville - and took turns casting the jinx at each other. Harry cast the spell perfectly on the first try, but Neville was having trouble getting the jinx to work. Instead of getting knocked back, Harry felt like he was getting hit with a pillow. Professor Jones made her way from pair to pair, and eventually got to them. She immediately zeroed in on Neville, and asked to see his wand.
She ran her fingers over its surface, turning it this way and that. "This is a very pretty wand, Neville. Where did you get it?"
"It belonged to my father," the boy answered - his voice bursting with pride.
"Ah yes, Frank Longbottom. I learned about him in the academy - they say he took down several death eaters during the last war." Her voice softened, and she placed her hand on Neville's shoulder. "That is a powerful wand you have there, Neville, but I don't think it is a good fit for you. Don't take it personally, the wand chooses the wizard, and every wizard is different. Your mother was a great witch too, and you are part hers as well. Naturally, your ideal wand wouldn't be the same as that of your father."
Neville looked down at the polished stick in his hands. "Do you think that is the reason why the spell doesn't work for me?"
"I guarantee it. I would recommend buying a wand tailored to yourself as soon as possible. Frank's wand is leaking magic everywhere when you use it, and it's forcing you to overexert yourself for a lower return."
"Alright, I'll talk to Gran about this."
Professor Jones patted Neville on the head before moving on to another pair.
All too quickly, the bell rang and the fun was over. Harry walked out the door, Neville at his side. As he turned into the corridor, he bumped into Ron.
"Oi, watch it"
"Sorry," Harry muttered instinctively.
"What's the deal with you anyway - why did you end up with the junior death eaters?"
Harry paused mid step, slowly turning towards Ron.
"What did you say?"
"You know, with Malfoy, Nott, the whole lot of them. Their parents fought for You-Know-Who."
"You're so full of it."
"Don't believe me? Ask Neville."
Harry turned to the boy at his side. "Please tell me he's lying."
The tall boy shifted awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. "Well, neither of them were ever sent to Azkaban - I think - so we can't be completely certain they were death eaters."
"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Harry asked, his face growing red.
"I... I didn't want you to feel bad" his friend replied.
Harry wheeled about, walking down the corridor. Draco was a few meters ahead with Vincent and Gregory at his side, seemingly oblivious to the conversation behind him.
"Hey Malfoy, was your father a death eater?"
The blond stopped in his tracks and turned around. "That's very blunt of you Potter. One, it's none of your business, and two nobody ever proved anything. You're new to Slytherin, so I will pretend you never asked that."
"Voldemort killed my parents, you git."
"I don't see what that has to do with me. Maybe they should have been more careful."
Harry wrenched his wand from his pocket, raising it at Draco.
"Whoa, wha…"
"Flipendo!"
The blond boy was thrown onto his back. He quickly drew his own wand and pointed it at Harry.
"Petrificus Totalus!"
Harry felt his limbs go rigid. By some miracle, he managed to stay on his feet. Regardless, he found himself unable to move. The blond boy got up, dusting off his robes. He slowly walked towards Harry, a smirk on his face.
"You should be careful who you offend, Potter. You wouldn't want to repeat past mistakes."
Harry felt an anger build up in his chest, the blood rushing to his head until all he could hear was his own heartbeat. All of the sorrow he had been carrying since the previous night tempered the anger into white hot rage. He stared at Draco's eyes, but all he could see was the memory of Voldemort casting the killing curse on his mother. Seconds later he heard screaming. To his surprise, it was coming from Draco. The blond boy fell to the ground, clutching at his head. Vincent rushed forward, doing his best to raise Draco up by his armpits. Pansy joined Vincent at Draco's side, her shrieks adding to the cacophony, while Gregory stared at Harry slack jawed.
Harry himself felt his limbs relax as the jinx on him faded away. He was suddenly aware of whispers coming from behind him. He turned around, and saw fear in the eyes of Ron, Neville, and the other students gathered in a rough semicircle. Professor Jones rushed out of the classroom, drawn by the scream. She looked at Harry, at his wand, at Draco, and then back at Harry. Her lips took on a grim line.
"Boys, I trust you can assist Draco to the hospital wing. Harry, please follow me."