So happy now. I went through a lot of names for this chapter, and once I hit on 'The Slytherin Stand', something clicked in my head, and I felt like this was the perfect name for the entire story. Before I was leaning towards "The Divided House', but this sounds a bit more ambiguous and much more dramatic. Anyway, it has to be better than 'Space Cadets.' Hope everyone enjoys the new chapter.
I don't own Harry Potter.
Chapter 17: The Slytherin Stand
Ron and Harry were both devastated. They had just finished their Thursday morning potion class, and just before the lesson ended, Snape had gone and ruined their day.
"I can't believe we both got 'P's on that essay!" Ron said "and that git Snape just had to rub it in!"
It was their first failing grade in Potions that year, and Harry was now dangerously close to having his average stay below Exceeding Expectations for long enough to get kicked out of the class.
It was worse for Ron though. Despite Professor Zabini's tutoring, this grade had put Ron's average way lower than what was allowed. He was now facing having to drop Potions and the study group, and had taken his frustration out as they left the classroom by not-so-accidently spilling ink on Lilith Moon's violin case.
"You really didn't have to lash out at Moon for that though" Hermione said "now we're also five house points down!"
"She has to be cheating!" Ron said "She does just as well as us in the Study Period, yet she's top of the class! It makes no sense whatsoever!"
"It doesn't mean she's cheating!" Hermione said.
"But she probably is" Blaise said.
Harry hadn't noticed Blaise and Theo join them, and frankly he didn't care if Lilith Moon was cheating or not. However he found that he just had to ask why Blaise would think so.
"Well she really wants to be a beautician" Blaise explained "and without potions that isn't going to happen; it's like the main topic that she needs to get into beauty school. If I desperately needed a boost in Muggle Studies I'd cheat too."
"Blaise!" Hermione hissed in disapproval.
"What? My dream or following the rules?" Blaise asked "what about you Theo? If you were struggling with Magical Healing would you give up your dream or cheat?"
"Erm..." Theo looked at Hermione and blushed before answering somewhat uncomfortably "I would just study harder" Theo said as he looked at Hermione "no need to cheat right?"
"You would cheat, wouldn't you?" Hermione asked "Theodore I can't believe you!"
"Well, only if I really, really had to" Theo admitted.
"Theo!"
"Give him a brake Hermione" Blaise said "what if you needed to cheat in order to get into the Magical Law Academy, or Interspecies University, or wherever you decide you want to go?"
"I wouldn't need to!" Hermione protested.
"What if you did though?"
"Well... I wouldn't! I'm not a Slytherin!"
"How would you cheat in Potions anyway?" Ron asked.
"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed "don't you even think about it!"
Harry didn't join in much while the others argued about ways to cheat, but he personally would have welcomed any method of staying in Potions he could use.
It wasn't long before they arrived at Defence Against the Dark Arts, and soon Neville, Lavender, and Padma had joined in the debate. The only thing that did stop them was the arrival of Professor Zabini and the start of a practical lesson on tripping and impediment jinxes. Ten minutes before the end of the lesson Professor Zabini got them all to stop as she took out her hat and began the familiar ritual of drawing out two names for this week's duel.
So far, Harry had been called out once. His opponent had been poor Megan Jones, who he had stunned within twenty seconds. Ron had also been called up in one of the first weeks, where he lost again in a rematch to Neville. Last week Hermione had bested Crabbe, who seemed to be developing a pretty aggressive battle technique.
"The first duellist today will be..." Professor Zabini pulled a name out of her hat "Tracy!"
Tracy Davis gave a smug grin towards Crabbe and Goyle. Harry couldn't help but notice that Crabbe simply ignored her. Davis had been up before, in a duel she lost against Anthony Goldstein. However Harry got the feeling that she had vastly improved since then.
"And your opponent will be" the Professor drew out the second name "Theo!" Theo stepped forward with a small smile on his face. This was the first time Theo had duelled since the first lesson, and Harry was interested in seeing if the quiet Slytherin actually could duel.
The two of them got into the ring, and gave the most reluctant bow Harry had ever seen.
"Don't forget we're duelling for real Nott!" Goyle shouted "don't glomp her!"
"Be quiet Greg!" Zabini said.
Goyle shut up, and the room was silent as Theo and Davis each took ten steps, and then...
"Reductio!"
"Protego!"
Theo's shield blocked Davis' curse and then he quickly followed it up with a full-body bind that she was barely able to dodge. She followed that up with a series of nasty hexes that Theo was able to shield against rather quickly.
"Protego Domesticus!" Theo shouted, and in a flash of blue he was encased in a translucent dome. Davis continued with her hexes, but now she wasn't even saying them out loud. Harry sure would have liked to be able to fire off non-verbal spells that quickly. The next second though, Harry found himself and his classmates jumping to the floor as her hexes bounced off Theo's dome.
"Orbis" Theo hissed, casting what Harry remembered as being aFirst Year level impediment spell that made someone spin around once. However Theo's spell seemed to simply make his wand glow and vibrate.
"You can't hide under that spell forever Pimpleface!" Davis screamed "why don't you come out and fight like a man!"
"Oi!" Zabini said "there is no need for that taunting Miss. Davis!"
Theo's dome seemed to be weakening. Harry gasped as one of Davis' hexes showed up on the other side of Theo's dome as a faint red light. Theo also saw the hex, and it seemed to be the signal he was looking for. He took one step forward, and as his dome disappeared he shouted out "Laxomaximus" and the glow from his wand shot out and hit Davis at lightning speed. Theo then ducked to avoid the last of Davis' hexes as the Slytherin girl was sent into uncontrollable spinning.
"You dirty traitoooooooooor!" she shrieked as the super-powered Orbis did its work "Shikitto!" Harry was glad that no-one had gotten off the ground yet, as hundreds of little blades started flying across the room. Theo however couldn't dodge her blades and cried out as they cut his face and blood splattered to the floor around him.
At the same time Theo got a shield spell up, Zabini placed a counter-curse on Davis and then demand them both to stop.
"This has to be one of the most mean-spirited friendly duels I have ever seen!" Zabini said "Is everyone alright?"
"Dimcurio" Davis shouted, hitting Theo with a curse that made him yelp out in pain. Harry recognised Dimcurio - it was an extremely mild version of Cruciatus. He wondered what the textbook had meant by 'extremely mild.'
"Miss. Davis!" Zabini shouted "I said this duel was over! And Dimcurio is not appropriate for these classes!"
"It's still legal!" Davis protest "and it was anything goes in the first lesson!"
Theo was quietly healing his cuts with his wand, and was quickly joined by Hermione.
"That was low, even for someone like you" Hermione said to Davis.
"What's that meant to mean Granger?"
Hermione crossed the duelling strip in record time and pointed her wand at Davis' throat.
"If you ever attack one of my friends like that again Davis, then I'll use Dimcurio on you!"
"Miss. Granger stop it!" Professor Zabini said "Threatening, attacking each other after the duel... endangering non-combatants. Girls I want both of you to have detention with me tomorrow night!"
"Yes professor" Hermione said "I'm sorry."
"Arse-kisser!" Davis muttered.
"How are you Theo?" Zabini asked.
"Oh I'm alright" Theo said "I can heal most of these cuts myself."
"Still, I want you to go see Madam Promfrey. Hermione, could you please take him there?"
"Oh no, I'm alright..."
"You're going to the Hospital Wing Theo. Hermione, please escort him out."
Hermione summoned her and Theo's bags and the two of them left the classroom together. Davis glared at the door for a full ten seconds after they were gone.
"Tracy" Professor Zabini said "I thought I made myself quite clear during our second lesson together, but the first duel was anything goes because I needed to see how everyone thinks when in battle. I hope to teach you all not only spells, but also honour and mercy. And while Dimcurio may be legal in tournament duels it is a spell banned in this school. I am being lenient with you because I did make you duel competitively, however I will still be taking this up with Professor Snape."
"Fine" Davis said "but stop calling me Tracy! I am not one of your favourites!"
"I do not play favourites, Miss. Davis."
"Sure" Davis said back. She then mumbled something under her breath.
"What was that Miss. Davis?" Zabini asked.
"Nothing Professor" Davis smiled, before leaving the ring and taking her place between Crabbe and Goyle.
Zabini appeared to be considering harsher disciplinary matters, but then decided to let it go.
"Alright class, it is only two minutes until lunch, so why don't you all go a bit early? Harry, Ron, could you two please stay behind for a bit?"
Harry looked at Ron and was greeted with a look of dread. Harry couldn't help but feel a bit frustrated with his best friend. Why are you so worried? You didn't even want to do Potions in the first place. Please don't say you're that desperate to be around Blaise's mum.
"You wanted to see us Professor?" Ron asked once everyone else had left.
"Yes boys" she said in a business-like manner "I believe Professor Snape gave you back the results of your last Potions essay this morning?"
"Please Professor, don't kick us out of Potions!" Ron begged "we both really want to be aurors after Hogwarts!"
Professor Zabini held up a hand to stop Ron. "Ron, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but you just don't seem to have the aptitude for Potions."
"But Professor - "
"Ron, how badly do you really want to be an auror?"
"Well... heaps, of course!"
"Professor McGonagall said that the two of you did discuss other options."
"Yeah, but this is what I want to do!"
"Very well. I figured you might say something like that. I've already spoken to Professor Snape and he has said that if you get an O on your next practical and next essay, then he'll let you stay."
"An O?" Ron protested "I'll never get an O!"
"And you'll never get to be an auror with that attitude!" Zabini snapped back "aurors need to have confidence in their abilities. If you study hard you can get an O and keep your average grade good enough to stay in the class. Now Harry,"
"Yes Professor?"
"One bad grade is not the end of the world, but you'll have to work extra hard from now on to keep up."
"Yes Professor."
"Now personally I believe you would be able to get into auror training on your track record alone as long as you make an effort with Potions. You could too Ron if you work on your attitude. But that is no reason for the two of you to abandon the class. It will be much easier with a Potions N.E.W.T, believe me."
"Thanks Professor."
"Now boys, how is the DA going?"
"I want to wait until after the game with Slytherin this weekend before I start it up again" Harry said.
Professor Zabini grinned and winked at them "that's the spirit boys! Let's see Gryffindor keep a firm hold on that cup."
"Yes Miss!" Ron grinned.
"Miss?" Zabini asked.
"I mean, Professor."
"Anyway Harry, there has been quite a lot of interest in joining the DA this year, so why don't you at least start taking names? It will be much easier to organise once you know how many people you have."
"Okay Professor, I'll do that."
"You could try putting a sign-up sheet in the Entrance Hall. Or get friends to put them up in all the Common Rooms."
"I think I'll put a big one up in the Entrance Hall" Harry said.
"Excellent! If you want any other help then just ask and I'll be there."
"Thanks Professor" Harry said.
"No problem Harry. Oh, while I've got you here, I have something for you."
She opened the draw of her desk and pulled out an old photograph and gave it to Harry.
"Hagrid told me about your photo album, and he said you didn't have any photos of yourself from between your parent's death and coming to Hogwarts."
"I have a few" Harry said, referring to a couple of muggle photos of Dudley that he was in and a school photo from the year the Dursleys had for some reason decided to pay for him to get one.
"Thought you might like another one" she said "I knew I'd taken a few of you with Blaise and Camille during the open day at preschool. I got my husband to find a nice wizard photo so I could give it to you."
"Oh thanks" Harry replied. He hadn't really missed having photos of his younger self before, but once he took a look at the picture in his hand he felt fresh anger at the Dursleys for denying him this small thing. As he looked at the happy, laughing figures of four-year-old him, Blaise, and a dark skinned girl in a familiar red dress that must be Camille, he felt a strange sense of nostalgia.
"Thanks a lot Professor" he said "I'll put this straight into my album."
"Oh that's okay Harry. Now why don't you two go and get some lunch?"
"Alright Professor" Harry said "thanks again."
Harry left the classroom feeling rather elated. He noticed Ron glaring at the small photograph, but thought nothing of it as they opened the door and came across Blaise talking to Lavender, Padma, and Neville.
"...They all went crazy after that" Blaise told them "Davis scratched her head until it bled!"
"Eww" Lavender said, looking disgusted even as she stifled a giggle.
"Yeah, though Bulstrode turned it around on us pretty well" he continued "said they'd all gotten head-lice off Theo. Even when we came back from Summer Holidays they were teasing him about it. Though if Malfoy's father really combed through his head with a tiny comb like the git claims he had to, then I guess it's worth it. Extreme Malfoy grooming and all that."
"Malfoy has more girly hair then most of the girls in our year" Padma agreed. She then caught sight of Harry and Ron. "Oh hi guys" she said "Blaise is just telling us about the time he and Xanthe put itching powder on the pillows of the Inquisition Squad's pillows. Any troubles with Professor Zabini?"
"Nah everything was good" Harry said.
"For you" Ron added "Oi Zabini, why do the Slytherin's always say Theo has lice?"
"Not all Slytherin's say that." Blaise answered "I don't and neither does Xanthe or many others. If you must know why the jerks say it, it's because the first two years he came here from home he had them. And because his much poorer than them."
"I'm poor but they've never said I'm dirty" Ron said.
"Why are you in such an antagonistic mood today?" Blaise asked.
"I am not antagonistic!" Ron said "why don't you stop being such a, such a..."
"A what?"
"A Slytherin!" Ron spat.
"Well why don't you stop being so immature?" Blaise asked "I thought you had grown up!"
"I have, but that doesn't make you any less of a prat!" Ron said.
"Oh Ron just drop it" Harry said.
"Harry!" Ron protested "fine I will! Hey guys, want to go get some lunch? Harry wants to spend some alone time with Blaise."
Neville looked between Harry, Ron, and Blaise with concern, however Lavender squealed and took Ron by the arm. Ron walked off with the girls, and Neville just shrugged and waved good-bye to Harry and Blaise before following after them.
"What was that about?" Blaise asked once the two of them were alone.
"Ron just has some jealousy issues" Harry said "I think it comes from being overshadowed by so many siblings."
"I guess I can understand that" Blaise sighed "I was the same way with Camille for a long time... though why the hell is he taking his inferiority issues out on me?"
"It's complicated" Harry said, thinking about how Ron used to accuse Blaise of 'stealing' Hermione.
"Wasn't something my Ma said was it?"
"Well... it could have been" Harry realised, holding out the photograph "she gave me this."
"Ahh.." Blaise examined the photo "damn I was a cute kid."
"I really wish I could remember that far back" Harry said "It would be nice to have memories of friends before Hogwarts. Oh."
"Oh?"
"Ron has always been the first friend I've ever had. It never occurred to me that he might get jealous over someone whose been friends with me even longer."
"Wow" Blaise said "You mean he and I are fighting over a girl? And the girl is you?"
"I never knew I made all the men crazy" Harry said with a dry chuckle.
"Are you kidding?" Blaise said in a strangely high pitched voice "with those sparkly eyes, that sense of humour that emerges at just the right moments, those Quidditch player muscles... hmmm.. speaking of Quidditch..."
"Yeah?" Harry asked, noticing his friend's voice go back to normal.
"Did you ever end up telling McLaggan what happened at the tryouts?"
"Nah" Harry said "I asked Katie about him and she said pretty much the same things you did... plus I just couldn't do that to Ron. I'd hate to see what would happen to his confidence if he knew Hermione cheated for him."
Blaise suddenly started laughing. Fearing a curse of some sort, Harry considered running back to the classroom to get his mother. However he soon composed himself, and to Harry's alarm wore a mischievous grin that would put the Weasley twins to shame.
"I'd forgotten that Hermiome cheated for Ron then" Blaise said "I'll have to remind her of that next time she mentions that cheating is bad."
"Yeah" Harry laughed "You've caught her out there. So much for not being Slytherin; I guess there is a bit of Slytherin in everyone!"
"Except you of course!" Blaise said.
"Well actually, the Sorting Hat really wanted to put me in Slytherin."
As soon as the words were out of his mouth Harry questioned himself. You haven't even admitted that to Ron and Hermione, he reminded himself yet you confess to Blaise?
"Really?" Blaise asked
"Yeah" Harry said "but I'd heard that all the dark wizards came from Slytherin and told the hat not to put me there. No offence!"
"None taken" Blaise said "It's just... I don't see much Slytherin qualities in you."
"Well, coming from a Slytherin - whom despite being half-blooded I cannot imagine in any other house - I don't really know whether to take that as a compliment or an insult."
"Despite the traditional rivalry between Slytherins and Gryffindors, I'll take that as a compliment."
"I'll take what you said as a compliment too then" Harry said.
"That's good. Now my almost-Slytherin brother, want to have lunch at the Slytherin table with me today? You'll get to piss off a lot of people."
"Hmm... why not?" Harry said "These been a part of me that's wanted to tell this whole school to get fucked ever since Umbridge showed up. Let's go stir up some trouble!"
"Wow, I see some of your hidden Slytherin showing now" Blaise said "let's go piss off all those Tracy Davis's!"
Harry carefully placed his new photograph in his defence textbook and then they made their way to the Great Hall. Harry found himself wondering what it would be like to actually stir up trouble willingly.
"Hey, this is going to be safe right?" Harry said "I won't cause a riot or anything by sitting at the Slytherin table will I?"
"Nah" Blaise said "These like, a big gap in the middle of the table now. One side of the gap is the Pure-Freak side, the other the 'Traitor ' side. No-one crosses that gap at meal times any more. You probably have a higher chance of being hexed by Malfoy at the Gryffindor table."
"What about the bullying?" Harry asked "there won't be troubles for you guys later will there?"
"Of course there will be" Blaise said "but it will be worth it. You're a symbol of everything they hate, and your also my friend. I'm not letting them dictate who I can and cannot sit at the table with!"
"Yeah" Harry agreed "you can't let them beat you."
They arrived in the Great Hall and Blaise led Harry over to the Slytherin table, where they quickly found Xanthe talking to Matt and Astoria.
"Hi baby" Blaise said as he placed his hands on her shoulders.
"Oh hello Blaise" she said "and... Harry? What are you doing here?"
"His sticking it to the man!" Blaise said as he sat down next to his girlfriend and punched the air.
"I sure am" Harry said as he sat down next to Astoria "I was wondering how the Hall would look from over here."
"Oh no" Xanthe said "you've been spending too much time with Blaise. His troublesome sense of humour is starting to rub off on you."
"I thought you liked my sense of humour" Blaise pouted.
"Hay guys" Matt said "one of Parkinson's cronies is glaring daggers at Harry."
They all looked to the 'Pure-Freak' end of the table and Harry saw Tracy Davis glaring at him in disgust. She saw him looking and nudged Millicent Bulstrode, who took one look at him and appeared to snort like a bull before giving him the figure.
"What is with all those girls" Hary said "last year they seemed to be attached to Pansy Parkinson, but now they're bitches in their own rights."
"Yeah it's strange how that happened" Blaise said "especially with Davis."
"Actually I'm not really surprised" Xanthe said "The same thing happened with Polly's year once they started their N.E.. They went from about nine people with one main bitch and her followers, to nine gits all making trouble by themselves."
"How does that happen?" Matt asked "and why in Sixth Year?
"Well in First Year, the really bigoted ones usually make friends with other bigots, and then they all form this big group by the end of the year" Xanthe explained "It's them against the big bad dirty muggle-loving world. Hey Harry, Blaise, have you two tried this new curry? No idea what's in it but it tastes addictive."
"Nah I haven't" Blaise said, proceeding to pile a big lump of the curry onto his plate. Harry took one look at its slightly green colour and decided not to risk the mystery ingredients.
"But that can't be right" Matt said "well, I noticed that our year did that, but the only really bad ones are Eugenie Crabbe and the Rookwood cousins. Isn't most of your year dickheads? And weren't Polly and Tamara the only sane people in their year? They wouldn't really group all together if there were so many of them would they?"
"Yeah" Astoria said "Aren't Malfoy and Parkinson's friend's two separate groups?"
"Not really" Xanthe explained "They are all one group. However Malfoy is sort of a lone wolf within the group. A very vocal and popular lone wolf, but still his on the outside."
"But isn't he their leader?" Harry asked.
"Not really" Blaise explained "Crabbe and Goyle follow him around because well, they're both guys and don't want to be stuck with a large group of girls all day."
"And of course Malfoy is rich and powerful and charismatic" Astoria added.
"That too" Blaise continued "but really, they seem much more at ease when Malfoy isn't around and it's them and the girls. Anyway, it's all one group. Parkinson is their leader, and Malfoy is... kinda their spokesperson. Though Parkinson has a huge crush on Malfoy and follows whatever he says, so it doesn't make too much difference."
"Yeah" Xanthe said "they're a complex group, but they follow the same pattern as all the other Slytherin git groups."
"You have just way over complicated things for me" Harry said "I liked the Slytherin's better when it was just Malfoy, his thugs, Parkinson, and her silly gang. Oh, the Slytherin gits I mean... not you guys."
"Don't worry about it" Blaise said "anyway, I guess we just know more about them having to live in the same Common Room and share dorms with them."
"Though originally it wasn't too much more complicated than that" Xanthe said "You have Parkinson and Malfoy at the top."
"Malfoy actually on top only some nights" Blaise added.
"Yes, well within the dungeon... BLAISE!"
"What? You're free to interpret that any way you want."
"So immature! Anyway, Malfoy and Parkinson are the ringleaders. Then there are their... well, actually Parkinson's best friends; Bulstrode has been friends with Parkinson since they were little. And Daphne -" Xanthe said the name with a touch of anger "- became quick friends with them even though she wasn't from an actual Death Eater family."
"Did something happen between you and Daphne?" Harry asked.
"Our mother and Xanthe's mother are good friends" Astoria explained "We all grew up together; Xanthe and Daphne used to be best friends. But last year Parkinson told Daphne that she wouldn't be her friend or recommend her to Umbridge for the Inquisition Squad if she was friends with Xanthe."
"Xanthe, your such a good friend" Xanthe said in a nasal sounding but accurate imitation of Daphne Greengrass "but you've been a real embarrassment. If I keep hanging out with you I'm never going to advance in society. Maybe if you and your sister stop well, associating with the riff-raff in this school we can be friends again."
"That is harsh" Harry said "They're both cows! Oops, sorry Tori."
"That's okay" Astoria said "my sister has been a pretty big cow lately."
"Anyway, Daphne and Bulstrode... they're the 'in' girls" Blaise said "they're smart, they think for themselves... but they were around Parkinson all the time, so they pretty much just backed her up."
"And then we have Crabbe and Goyle" Xanthe said "Like Daphne and Bulstrode, they're both pureblood and thus respectable... but they can't think for themselves. They're the outer circle. The followers."
"That I get" Harry said.
"It's amazing how different your Crabbe is to ours" Matt said "Eugenie Crabbe would never be a follower - except a follower of You-Know-Who. Hard to believe his her older brother."
"What about the other two girls?" Harry said "Davis and Moon? Surely they're higher up in the pecking order than Crabbe and Goyle?"
"Nope" Blaise said "they're Halfies like me. We can never be higher than a pureblood. Even if you are really friendly with them."
"Unless you are actually Voldemort" Harry pointed out. Blaise chuckled, but the others flinched noticeably.
"Oh come on guys, he is right there."
"He doesn't have to say the name" Astoria said "why are you so casual about it Blaise?"
"Why wouldn't I be? My Ma always referred to him as Voldemort. I didn't even know it was taboo to say his name until I came to Hogwarts."
"Can we please stay on topic here?" Xanthe asked "Anyway, Davis and Moon are both half-bloods, but they still follow all that stuff."
"How could you possibly agree to an ideology that hated you?" Harry asked.
"Well Lilith's father was really abusive and her step-brothers were arseholes" Xanthe explained "and she believes all muggles are the same as them. Yet she's really kind, so maybe there is some hope for her. And Davis... she's actually Blaise's cousin you know."
"What?" Harry asked as he almost choked on his lunch.
"Ma doesn't talk about her side of the family much and hasn't mentioned Davis" Blaise explained "but it's easy enough to figure out. Ma's from the old Pureblooded Rosier family. I know that the infamous Death Eater Evan Roiser was her brother. I also know that Davis' mother was a Squib from the Roiser family, and the sister of Evan Roiser. Therefore, we must be cousins."
"Having a Squib parent doesn't make you half-blood does it?" Matt asked.
"No of course not" Blaise said "but her father was muggle-born."
"And a Death Eater" Xanthe added.
"What the hell?" Harry said, glad that he hadn't attempted to eat more of his lunch "how can a muggle-born become a Death Eater?"
"With a lot of very messed-up twisted thinking" Xanthe said "muggle-borns can become Death Eater's under 'special circumstances'. In Mr. Davis's case, 'special circumstances' meant murdering his parents. They had to let him in after that."
"Holy crap!" Matt said "That is totally messed up! Is he still free?"
"Oh his dead now" Xanthe said "died in Azkaban a few years after the war."
"I've heard Parkinson and Bulstrode talking to Daphne about him" Astoria said "apparently he was some sort of really lower-class Death Eater. More of a novelty than anything else. Parkinson's father used him to practice cruciatus curses on. Though he was insane loyal. And insanely sadistic. They all thought it would be good to get some of his crazy genes into the wizarding blood. So he was hitched off to a pureblood squib."
"That is just crazy" Harry looked up the table to where Davis was talking to Daphne "No wonder Davis is so messed up. But still, why haven't I noticed she was messed up before? As you were saying Xanthe, they used to be one big group with only two brains and mouths. Now well, they're still a big group, but why has Davis come out of her shell? Or Crabbe and Goyle for that matter."
"Oh yeah, I was getting to that" Xanthe said "well its simple really. They all did the same subjects and stayed together until last year. Did Hermione ever mention that I was the only Slytherin that didn't do Arithmancy for the O.W.L years? Anyway, they stayed together throughout the past five years. It seems to be what we Slytherins do best really. But now well, this year we're all split up. The gang aren't in all the same classes anymore. They have to be gits by themselves or else no-one in the class would put down the 'inferiors.'"
"Oh, I guess that makes sense" Harry said.
"It happens every year" She said "but this year I think You-Know-Who's return has pushed them all to become even bigger gits."
"Oh great" Harry said "Now instead of just dealing with Malfoy, I have to deal with all those idiots."
"Yeah well... whoa Daphne is coming over here!" Astoria gasped.
"POTTER GET AWAY FROM MY LITTLE SISTER YOU CREEP!" Daphne Greengrass screamed once she was within hexing distance of him.
"DAPHNE LEAVE US ALONE!" Xanthe got up from her seat, and Harry saw her clasp the handle of her wand.
"NO YELLING IN THE GREAT HALL!" McGonagall called out "ten points from Slytherin!"
"You just lost us ten house points Greengrass!" Xanthe snarled.
"I lost ten points?" Daphne said "well Rivers, how many points have the people from this side of the table lost Slytherin?"
"What do you want Daphne?" Astoria asked.
"Tori, isn't following The Mudblood around bad enough?" Daphne asked "I don't want you exposed to Potter!"
"Well I don't want you exposed to a bunch of You-Know-Who followers!" Astoria said "you know how much Mum worries about you."
"Dad approves of the Parkinson's and Bulstrodes" Daphne said "and I wrote home saying you were growing a bit too chummy with a Mudblood boy. You know how much that worries both of them!"
"Which muggle-born is Tori getting too chummy with here?" A small voice said. Harry looked behind him and saw little Dennis Creevey had joined them. "You know what Matt," the small Gryffindor said "we haven't had lunch together in ages. I've actually been missing the stupidity of some of the people at this table. Mind if I join you?"
"Of course not" Matt said "take a seat mate. And don't mind what Daphne here has to say. She's been brainwashed."
"One day Powers," Daphne said "Mudbloods like you won't even dream of mouthing off at their superiors!"
"You know what Daph?" Blaise said "I think you've said all you need to say. Bye-bye."
"I'm not going anywhere unless I get to bring my sister with me" Daphne said "and DON'T YOU DARE CALL ME 'DAPH'!"
"You should leave" Harry said, and noticing that Bulstrode, Davis, Crabbe and Goyle were approaching them added "and tell your friends to piss off as well."
"You have some nerve Potter!" Daphne said "coming to my house's table, and telling me to leave."
"Harry was invited here" Xanthe said "you belong at the other side of my house's table!"
"What's going on here?" Millicent Bulstrode sneered as she and the gang came to Daphne's side "Is Potter here for the Mudblood party?"
Miles Bletcherly, the Slytherin Keeper who had been sitting close by with Garth Urquhart, suddenly got up and slammed his fists into the table.
"Oi! I d-d-don't like that word!" Bletcherly said "It's an in-insult to my m-mother! And t-t-t-to Garth's parents, and m-ma-many gr-great wizards!"
"Oh great" Crabbe said "the team dummy is trying to talk."
"Shut up Crabbe" Urquhart said "we're a team, we don't have these arguments with each other."
"That's hard with such an impure captain" Goyle said.
"If you two and Malfoy let all this stuff get in the way of the game this weekend, you will not be on the team anymore! I should have kicked the three of you out before now!"
"You couldn't do that Urquhart" Bulstrode said "you'd just weaken the team if you got rid of three Purebloods! And if you threw away Draco's brooms."
"Hey guys" Harry said to the gang "where are Malfoy and Parkinson? I wasn't aware that you five could think without them around."
"Not that they're actually thinking for themselves Harry" Blaise said.
"Why are you still talking back to us Zabini?" Bulstrode said "didn't what happened to your cat teach you anything?"
"This is enough!" A Seventh Year girl got up and approached the gang "you lot are not welcome here. Go away!"
"Are you going to make us go away McDuffie?" Davis asked "I'd like to see you try."
"Oh by the way Potter" Bulstrode said "Pansy and Draco are in the library. Working overtime to come up with a final solution for all the Mudbloods and traitors in this school. And we will win Potter." She waved a chubby finger in front of his face. "Maybe you should think about that."
"Shut up you BITCH!" Dennis pointed his wand at Bulstrode "you'll never win! You'll never get rid of people like me, or like Matt. We aren't scared of you!"
"This Mudblood says he isn't scared of us" Crabbe said as he pulled out his own wand "let's show him why he should be!"
"There is a minor Gryffindor infestation at this table we need to take care of" Davis said as she, Bulstrode, Goyle and Daphne also drew their wands. Harry found himself instinctively draw his own wand against the Slytherins, and found Blaise, Xanthe and Matt at his side doing the same. Astoria also drew her wand and pointed it at her sister. Both sisters stood off against each other with their dark curly hair framing their sombre pink faces.
"Go away Daphne" Astoria said "I don't want to have to hex my own sister."
"Come and sit with me Tori" Daphne said "don't be a part of something that leads to so much trouble. There doesn't have to be a fight here."
"Oh there is going to be a fight here alright" Crabbe said "some mudbloods are going to get it, and Potter is going to get it, and Bletcherly will be stuttering a lot more once I've finished with him!"
"Don't you dare threaten us!" Urquhart said as he, Bletcherly, and McDuffie also drew their wands. Behind them, other Slytherins of all ages also began standing up and moving closer to the scene. Many bearing their own wands down on the gang.
Harry looked to the other side of the table and saw more people coming over to them. Harper and Deschamps from the year below them marched closer with their wands out. Vaisey and Selwyn from the Qudditch team and some other Fourth Year girls were coming for them. Eugenie Crabbe and the Rookwood cousins were getting in on it. Even a group of First Years were getting their wands out.
Oh Harry he thought to himself why did you ever think this would be a good idea?
"What is going on here?" A distinctive voice said. Harry looked towards the speaker and for the first time in his life was glad to see Snape glaring daggers at him.
"Potter, Creevey, are you two causing trouble here?" Snape asked.
"Yes sir" Harry said "we are."
Snape's glare seemed to get more intense as he shifted it fully to Harry. Harry couldn't shake the feeling that the Professor was using Legilimency on him.
"Twenty points Potter and Creevly." He said "twenty points from Gryffindor each. Now go back to your table. And Potter, You'll see me after dinner tonight for a detention! And I'll be having a talk to Professor Zabini about you continuing my class. Now everyone else move along. And get put those wands away!"
Blaise picked up Harry's plate and promised to catch up with him after he'd eaten or in Charms. Harry smiled at his friend, took his half-eaten lunch, and walked with Dennis back to the Gryffidor table. Behind him, the storm at the Slytherin table subsided. For now.
Author's Note: Just letting you all know that I haven't forgotten about Theo and Hermione's trip to the Hospital Wing... but you'll have to wait until the next chapter to see how that turns out.