DISCLAIMER: THE BOOK BELONGS TO J. I HAVE ONLY BORROWED BOTH CHARACTERS AND PLOTLINE.

CHAPTER 63

HARRY POTTER EMBROILED IN A FIGHT AT THE YULE BALL?

Last night's Yule Ball in Hogwarts, held in honor of the Tri-wizard Tournament did not seem to have ended on a happy note for everyone attending the party. Harry Potter, brother of the boy who lived and fourth champion, was found levitating the body of a beaten up friend towards the end of the event. "They were obviously heading towards the hospital wards in school, both boys seemed to have been equally injured" said one of the students on being asked.

Sources say that the two were spotted exchanging punches in the beautiful rose gardens behind the party hall. Classmates who had seen them said that Harry Potter is completely different from the likes of his brother, he, according to witnesses has been very irritable these past few months. Has the stress of the tournament finally gotten to him? Can he...

"Why? What happened between you two? You're usually the calm one Harry, you know that Ron's been feeling left out and begging for a fight, why did you give it to him?" Darren asked clutching the paper in his hands.

"It was a misunderstanding" Harry said, staring unseeingly at a spot on the floor.

"Look Harry, this Reeta Skeeter woman seems to be desperately trying to pin you with some fault or the other, to drag you down with it; you're playing right into her hands by being so stupid!"

"Darren I need you to trust me right now, do you think anyone would want to fight with a broken limb? I had my reasons." Harry said, looking into Darren's angry eyes.

"Whatever Harry, look just apologize to one another and get over your puerile grudges, I honestly don't have time to play mediator here" Darren said walking away as if frustrated.

"Wow, talk about irritable!" Draco said shaking his head.

"He's right you know I shouldn't have hit Ron" Harry said.

"Harry you're just fourteen, you were pissed at being pushed down a flight of staircases for gods sakes, you're allowed a lapse in judgment, in fact I'm sure that that punch felt pretty good didn't it?"

Harry was silent for a minute and then said softly "It felt amazing! Shit I wanted to hit him again after the first one and I would have done it had you not intervened."

"You can't always be in control of the situation, you're not perfect Harry, far from it, you're human, but that, according to me is the best part of you" Draco said putting his hands on Harry's shoulders in comfort.

Harry nodded and smiled in real happiness for the first time in a long time, "I was furious, after all the shit I've faced these past months from people I don't even know, all the criticisms and derision that I did not deserve, crap Dray, I think I was close to exploding."

"You think I didn't know, you were scary these past months, but you know what? None of us said anything coz you needed an outlet of some sort, you needed to let out some steam. You've had my back several times in the past Potter, what makes you think I would ditch you when you're all messed up?"

Unable to stop himself, Harry drew Draco into a hug and held him till all the pent up anger, all the unpleasantness faded away into nothingness.

oooooo

"I can't believe that there would actually come a day when I found myself stalking Weasley! Stalking Weasley!" Draco said disbelievingly, staring at the Marauder's map in his hands.

"Shut up Dray, and stop being such a whiner baby! look we know Ron's under the 'Imperius' curse which means that someone must be giving him orders to carry out, if we can track down the source using Ron, then everything might come to the light." Harry said, while reading the Quibbler and laughing when he saw that Xenophilius Lovegood had written about Cornelius Fudge and world domination.

"Harry, what the hell are you even doing in my room? If you get caught…"

"Relax Dray, you lucky bastards don't have to share rooms like the rest of us, plus, your door is locked, and if anyone does come in I'll do a quick disillusionment spell. Besides I miss sharing a room with you like we did in the Academy."

"You like being bad-ass don't you?" Draco said chuckling, "But you know what? I miss having you as a roommate too, trust me, being sandwiched between Crabbe and Goyle can really dull the senses!"

Draco suddenly sat up gesturing frantically at Harry "Hey Harry, he's on the move, he's going towards the staff quarters!"

"Where? Whose room?" Harry asked leaning towards him, his eyes lit by the glow from the moon outside the window beside them.

"Alastor Moody's!"

"Let's follow him then, quickly!" Harry said scrambling out of the bed while putting on his disillusionment charm and heading towards the door.

Following him, Draco and Harry ran towards the staff quarters hoping to confront Ron and the culprit red-handed.

"Listen Harry, your leg's still bust up so you're only going to slow us down, I'll go faster alone."

Nodding, Harry let Draco run ahead, trying to hobble behind him as quickly as he could.

oooooooooooooooooooooooo

Draco had reached the quarters and stood outside Moody's room trying to listen to the conversation happening inside, through the door, when that very door flew open suddenly with force, knocking him backwards and out stepped an angry Professor.

Without waiting to see who it was, Moody drove Draco up against the wall behind him and lifted him off his feet, pinning him to the wall underneath holding him up with his elbow, "Well, well well! If it isn't Mr Malfoy! Did your lying scum of a father teach you to eavesdrop on private conversations? Well too bad for you son, I just happen to have a fine collection of foe glasses and spy detectors, so you never stood a chance" he said smirking and let Draco down roughly.

"What the hell are you doing here Malfoy?" Ron asked standing behind Moody looking shocked.

"I could ask you the same" Draco said rubbing his bruised chest.

"I came to ask Professor Moody some questions on defense, he's been training the three of us to fight as you very well know" Ron scoffed at him.

"Well I…I'm here for the same reason too, I had a question to ask as well, but…" he said, looking at Moody angrily "Our Professor seems to harbor favorites."

"Oh boohoo Malfoy, it's not such a big shocker that not all teachers love you, deal with it!"

"Yeah, while you apparently have only one that cares, so sod off Weasel!" he said and shot a venomous look at both Moody and the red haired boy and stalked off towards Harry.

'Damn that had been almost too much of a surprise to handle' Draco though, and bumped headlong into someone standing right in front of him "Harry!" Draco groaned rubbing his head, "Careful!"

"What did you find out?" Harry asked eagerly.

"Um…Moody hates my dad and in turn hates me?" Draco said shrugging.

"No seriously, nothing?"

"He has a ring on his little finger Harry, a ring that I happen to have recognized" Draco said slowly, looking thoughtful.

"From where?"

"I'm not sure coz it was pretty dark, but I think I've seen a similar one with dad! It's what differentiates the inner circle of death eaters from the other's!"

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