The door swung open right a way and there stood Professor McGonagall in her emerald-green robes waiting. She thanked Hagrid for bringing the first years up to the castle. McGonagall then pulled the door all the way open to reveal a huge entrance hall. She beckoned the first years to follow. They followed her across the floor, as they passed a door off the hall they could hear several voices chattering just not clear to understand. The first years were led to a small chamber just off the hall. It was so small that they were so crammed in they stood closer to each other then anyone normally would have. Harry just looked around and smiled, as everyone else was nervous nearly beyond recognition.
Professor McGonagall welcomed them all to Hogwarts, explained that there were four houses, what rule breaking would result in, what good behavior would get them, that they had to be sorted before they could go sit at the tables and enjoy the feast. McGonagall told them that she would be back to get to them when everything was ready and that they are to wait quietly and then left the room.
After McGonagall left everyone started chattering quietly. Though it was probably really messed up of Harry to do this but he couldn't resist making everyone even more nervous, particularly Draco Malfoy. Harry turned to Ron and asked how exactly they got sorted.
Ron answered Harry's question and those around that had heard what Ron had said began to murmuring about what kind of test, what would they have to do.
Several first years behind Harry screamed, others jumped and Harry was startled when the ghosts of Hogwarts appeared and were carrying on in a discussion about Peeves the poltergeist. They had not noticed the first years gathered there. Before the ghosts could really react to seeing the first years and before the first years could do anything else, Professor McGonagall re-entered the chamber.
When the sorting ceremony began Harry really didn't pay much attention, but just enough so that when his name was called he could go up there with out his name being called more then once. Once Harry was up on the stool and the sorting hat was placed on his head he kept thinking Gryffindor over and over. The hat quickly yells out "GRYFFINDOR."
Once the sorting ceremony finished, Dumbledore gave a very brief welcome to every one and of course the silly words just before the tables were covered in the feast. Nearly everyone was chatting with someone, some where still finishing up on their food, Harry just looked around the room caught snippets of conversations, he had to smile as he caught pieces of Hermione and Percy's conversation…. lessons! Harry then glanced at the high table; he spotted Hagrid who was waving enthusiastically. Harry smiled at Hagrid and let his eyes go along the table and stop at McGonagall who had just looked in his direction and all he could do was smile. When his eyes fell onto Dumbledore Harry's smile broadened some and he knew then that he had to find a way to warn Dumbledore about the damn ring! Dumbledore could not put that ring on, it was cursed! But how was he going to warn Dumbledore without causing suspicion? At least he had time to figure it out. The next thing Harry knew was Dumbledore excusing them all to their dormitories.
* * * * * * *
As Harry left the Gryffindor common he completely ignored all the comments, whispers and pointing his only thoughts were doing better in class this time.
In charms he was doing pretty well, though knowing Hermione he always made sure that she succeeded in doing the charm correctly before he did. As it worked out he did his correctly second. As much as Harry knew he could out shine everyone he just couldn't bring himself to do that to Hermione. As the day went on, Harry was pretty much doing the same thing in all his classes that he had with Hermione, except potions this was going to be his. This time Snape was not going to make a fool out of Harry. He could hardly wait for potions.
It was time for potions and Harry was excited, he was ready for Snape's unfair assault of sorts.
Professor Snape was starting out with roll call; he came to Harry's name and decided to question the 'latest celebrity'.
"Potter! What would I get if I added powdered root of asphold to infusion of wormwood?"
"Asphold and wormwood make a powerful sleeping potion that is known as the Draught of the Living Dead, Sir." Harry answered with a small smile on his face.
Snape was taken by surprise. 'How could he have known that? It was only one question, he got lucky.' Thought Snape.
"Well, how about another question Potter? Where would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar?"
"In one of the cupboards here in the class I would assume," Harry said sarcastically, but finished quickly, "but it's most common to find in the stomach of a goat, it can save your life from most potions, sir."
Snape just looked at Harry. 'Could this boy actually be something great and do it all on his own? No, not possible this is just a fluke, it must be.' Snape wondered to himself.
"Feel up to another one, Potter? What is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"
"Nothing, sir. They are the same plant. It's also known by aconite." Harry was really hoping now that Snape didn't have another question to ask him other wise this whole thing would go straight down the shitter. Harry really wanted to enjoy this moment. Hermione was smiling at Harry.
To Harry's relief not more questions; to his surprise Snape instead took five points from Gryffindor because Harry had used a snooty tone. All the Gryffindor's felt and knew it was pure rubbish! Harry had only been sarcastic once, other than that Harry had been polite. They should have earned some points for Harry correctly answering the questions. Harry knew without a doubt that Snape favored his house over all others.
It didn't get much better for Gryffindor as the potions went on. They were split into pairs to create a simple potion to cure boils. Harry and Ron were paired up; Harry went straight to work on the potion. Harry took a glance at Neville, saw that Neville was in some trouble leaned over…
"Neville, don't forget to take your cauldron off the fire before you put in the porcupine quills."
"Thanks Harry. This could really have been disastrous if you hadn't caught that."
Harry looked up to see that Snape was making his rounds checking cauldrons and went back to his and Ron's. Sure enough Snape was headed in their direction.
"Another five points from Gryffindor. Potter mind your own business! Shall we take a look at your potion and see how you have fared since you seem to know it all?"
Snape looked down into the cauldron to see that Harry and Ron had made a perfect, useable potion. He said nothing about it and went on his way around the class until he came upon Draco Malfoy.
"Well done Malfoy. Perfect. Ten points to Slytherin."
Harry stood up taller, opened his mouth to tell Snape what was on his mind. Ron had kicked Harry under the table to keep Harry from doing something that he would regret. Draco looks over at Harry and Ron with a smug smile. Harry was not as elated as he had thought it would be being that he knew the answers and had made a perfect potion. It was the fact that no matte what he did, Snape would find a way to take points away from Gryffindor, if not all other houses. The only thing Harry could come up with is that Snape was taking things out on Harry for what his dad had done in the past. It just wasn't fair at all since Harry was not his dad. Snape had a grudge against his father and now it trickled on down to him.
Finally they were climbing the steps out of the dungeon. Harry was still pretty furious.
"Harry c'mon, cheer up. Snape is a git. He picks on everyone from what I hear from Fred and George. Well every one except his house any way. Don' let him get to you like that. Snape can be pretty nasty if he wants." Ron attempted to cheer Harry up.
Harry desperately wanted Ron's words to do the trick but they didn't. Ron just didn't understand. 'Would he be able to understand if I told him that I am going through this again? Could he handle it?' Harry thought to himself. He wanted to believe that Ron could, he didn't want to question Ron's intelligence but he just didn't know if it would help if Ron knew what was going on.
Once back in the common room, the rest of the first years were there waiting. They all tried to cheer Harry up. They all told him that Snape was being an ass.
* * * * * * *
In the common room was a notice posted. It was about flying lessons. Harry was most definitely looking forward to this. He knew how well this was going to be. He was excited and at the same time trying to figure out how it could still happed without Neville getting hurt. Luckily Harry had some time to figure out how Neville would not get hurt but yet Draco getting the remembrall so that he could still get on the Quidditch team, he had too!
Finally the first flying lesson! Harry made sure that he Neville were walking alone. Harry had to talk to Neville and hopefully this would work out for both of them.
"Hey Neville, you'll do just fine."
"I don't know Harry."
"Just relax. It's only the first flying lesson. Listen to what Madam Hooch says, relax and you'll be fine."
"I hope you're right Harry." Neville said unsurely. Harry hoped that he was right as well.
Harry and Neville quickly went down the stairs to the grounds where everyone else was. Once they arrived, Harry made sure that Neville was close by him so that he could help Neville stay calm and relaxed.
Before Madam Hooch got the chance to blow the whistle, Harry leaned over towards Neville,
"Neville, relax. It's not a big deal. Stay calm and gently push off the ground when she says to do so."
Neville looked at Harry with a not so sure expression. Harry encouragingly smiled at Neville.
Neville was so nervous that just before the whistle blew he pushed off the ground mildly hard. He wasn't too far up, at least not as high up as before. Neville still fell off the broom and crashed down to the ground. Harry winced and hoped like crazy that Neville was going to be okay. Madam Hooch rushed over to Neville to check on him, nothing appeared to be broken but she felt that he should still go to the hospital wing and get checked out.
After Madam Hooch left with Neville, Harry looked around and saw that Draco had found the remembrall.
"Give it to me, Malfoy." Harry demanded.
"No! I'll just put somewhere for Longbottom to find."
"Just give it to me. Now!"
Draco grabs and mounts his broom, pushes off the ground and flew up a distance and hovered. Harry then grabbed his broom to do the same thing. Hermione, runs over puts her hand on Harry's arm…
"Harry, don't do it. You heard what Madam Hooch said. If anyone is not on the ground they will be gone from Hogwarts before they can say Quidditch."
"Hermione don't worry so much. It will be okay, trust me."
Harry then pushed off the ground and met up with Draco in the air. He just glared at Draco who was demonically smirking.
"Give to me Malfoy. Give me the remembrall, now!'
"What are you going to do if I don't?"
"Oh I don't know, knock you off your broom!"
"Good luck with that Potter. You want this stupid thing?"
"Just hand it over."
"If you really want it then you'll just have to catch it, that is if you can. Unlike me, you haven't flown much other than today and right now it's probably just luck on your part." Draco then threw the remembrall fairly hard and it soared off into the distance. Harry took off pretty quickly after it. He seemed to be gaining on it pretty quickly and this wasn't that fast of a broom. Harry sees the ground approaching quickly, he reached out and grabbed the remembrall, pulled up on his broom slightly and touched down on the ground very gracefully he thought. It was also surprising to Harry that it was so graceful.
"POTTER!" Yelled McGonagall.
Harry still flinched a bit. The rest of the class tried to defend Harry but McGonagall wouldn't hear of it. Harry grabbed his broom and walked over to McGonagall. As he passed Draco, Harry mischievously smiled.
By dinner time the news about Harry making the Gryffindor Quidditch team had spread all through the Gryffindor house. There were several talking about it but quietly, Oliver Wood wanted this to kept quiet until the first match of the year.
'Oh great, I just want to get something to eat and eat it relatively in peace.' Harry thought to himself as he saw Draco, Crabbe and Goyle approaching him.
"What are you still doing here Potter? You should be on your way out of here. What, you get one last meal before you go? How nice of them." Draco said.
"Little you know. I'm not leaving Hogwarts."
"Have you lost your mind Potter? You have surely been expelled and there is no way that they will let you stay here."
"No, I have not lost my mind Malfoy. I haven't been expelled for your information."
"You must be lying! If not then how much house points did you lose?"
"None at all."
"That's just rubbish, you just don't want to say how many house points you lost."
"Nope. I'm serious Malfoy. No suspension, or expulsion and no loss of house points."
Harry turned his back on Draco and walked over to where Ron, Neville and Hermione were sitting. Just before he could take his seat there was Draco who obviously followed Harry.
"It shows that you're scared when you walk away, Potter. I guess you really are scared of me after all."
"You wish, Malfoy. I am not scared of you, especially you. I walked away because the conversation was over. I'm not the one that alone in the air, talking like a big shot an then fly quickly to the ground like a scared dog with it's tail between his legs. You're pathetic to be honest."
"Sounds like fighting words to me there, Potter! You want to fight me, is that it?"
"Maybe. It just depends on you Malfoy."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Would you yourself actually fight me? Or would you have someone else do it. If the later is the case then it's either you're scared or you don't want to mess up your pretty face."
"That's it, Potter! I have had it with you. Tonight!"
"Tonight what?"
"We duel, that's what."
"When exactly and where?"
"Third floor, down the hall from the trophy room the door should be unlocked. Eleven-thirty or is that past your bedtime?"
"It works just fine with me."
"See you there then."
"You know what Malfoy, forget it. You aren't worth my time, it would just be a waste and if I'm going to waste my time it is not going to be wasted on you. I won't be there."
"Too scared are we, Potter?"
"Uh, no. I don't get scared when it comes to you, like I said I'm not scared of you. You couldn't terrify me if you tried; honestly you make me want to laugh. I'm still not going to show up. Knowing you it's a trap. You're not going to show up. You can't trick me."
"We'll be there, you count on it Potter. Show up and prove the you're not scared."
"I don't have a thing to prove, especially not to you. But, fine I'll see there."
"And I'll be there too." Ron chimed in.
Draco and the other two walked off. Harry gave Ron a look of what the bloody hell do you think you are doing. Harry had no intention of meeting Draco. He didn't think it was a trick this time though; things were quite a bit different. Harry smiled to himself; this is going to be a trick on Draco with any luck or some real good planning and a good idea. Just then an idea jumped into Harry's mind. It just had to work out. Some one will be in trouble tonight!
Harry had some free time kill, there was no one around so he went up stairs, grabbed some parchment and a quill. He then went back down to write three notes. As Harry was about to write out the notes, he remembered that some would recognize his writing. He had to think how was he going to do this now. As Harry paced something came to mind. He remembered reading somewhere about a charm that could disguise ones writing so that no one would know who had actually written it. Now how did that go again? Once he remembered the incantation and the movement of the wand he went to work on the letters.
Dear Madam or Sir,
I would like to let you know that there are some students planning to be on the third floor, just down from the trophy room around 11:30 tonight. I am not sure if it's for real or a joke, but I thought that it would be best if I let someone know of the possibility, I wouldn't want some one to get hurt because of some thing stupid. –Anonymous.
Harry then took all three notes with him to the owlery. While there he gave Hedwig a few pets and let her know that he would not be using her that night. He attached the notes to three different owls. One owl for McGonagall, one for Snape and one for Dumbledore, and sent the owls on their way to their destinations. Harry then quickly went back to the dormitory; he had some studying to do and was going to get straight to it. His plans were de-railed as he saw Ron sitting in a chair.
"Harry, you have a plan don't you? We're still going to meet Malfoy and his lackeys right?" Asked Ron.
Before Harry could answer Ron's questions, Hermione pulled her head out of the book she was reading, set it aside and walked over to Ron and Harry.
"I over heard at dinner. Please don't tell me that you two are going to do this? You can't be that selfish! Think of everyone in Gryffindor and not your own person vendetta or what ever it is. If you do this we'll lose house points."
"Hermione, Ron I'm not going. I never had intentions on going. I have a plan, if you can call it that, maybe more of an idea really. Any way it's already in motion."
"But, Harry if you don't show up, Malfoy is going to go wild with his point of view as to why we didn't show."
"Ron, relax!" Harry said a bit exasperated. "I'm not worried about it. If things go how I hope, Malfoy will not be talking about anything. If it doesn't go how I hope, then I'll just have to deal with it."
Ron was a little bent out of shape. He really wanted to see Malfoy get beat. Hermione was relieved and thought that Harry at least, was being reason able.
"Harry, what is your plan, what did you do?" Asked Hermione.
"I'll explain everything soon. I want to wait to see how it all plays out first. Besides right now is not a good time to explain, every one else will soon be coming in."
Not much longer and just as Harry had said, everyone else started piling in. Harry had gotten up from the chair he had been sitting in and went up to go to bed. He wanted to get a good night sleep and he didn't want to take any chances of over sleeping, he had too see Draco's face.
* * * * * * *
Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape and Professor Dumbledore received their notes. Immediately after reading it, Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape headed out to see the Headmaster. Both Professors' reached Dumbledore's office at the same time. They were having a slightly heated disagreement about who had priority to see the Headmaster first. It was about to get nasty when Dumbledore opened his office door.
"Severus, Minerva what brings the two of you here at this hour? Asked Dumbledore.
"I really nee to speak with you about a possible serious situation." Severus and Minerva said at the same time. They then looked at each other a little puzzled, as they had used the exact same words.
"Well, please do come in."
Once all three were seated, Severus and Minerva placed their notes on Dumbledore's desk so that he could read them. Dumbledore leaned forward to read, once he had skimmed over them he reached to the right side of his desk a picked up a piece of recently folded parchment and looked at the Professors,
"Very interesting I must say."
"What exactly is interesting here?" Both asked.
Dumbledore unfolded the piece of parchment and placed on top of their notes so that they could read it.
"I am sure you both see what I find interesting. Not just that all three of us received the exact same note, I believe this has to do with your houses. I leave this matter up to the two of you. With that said do either of you know what you are going to do?"
Neither Severus nor Minerva said anything aloud but made their decisions quietly. Snape had decided to do nothing at all as he was sure it was just prank probably concocted by the Weasley twins. He never gave it another thought and went straight to bed that night.
Minerva on the other hand, was taking it to be serious; she did not think that it was a prank or joke. She was going to find out what was going on. If it was something to do with her house she was going to be the one to catch them and deal with it. She would deliver her punishment once she knew what was going on.
Since Dumbledore left it up to Severus and Minerva he gave it no more thought and went to bed.
* * * * * * *
At 11:00, McGonagall headed on up to the third floor. She saw a spot that she could wait for the culprits without being seen. There wasn't a real good view of the room that was said to be where the students would be, but it was enough to be able to make out if students were indeed going in there and if so what the hell for.
Just past eleven and McGonagall started to think that maybe she may have read more into the note than necessary. She took one step and heard footsteps and muffled talking, so she stepped back into her hiding place. McGonagall watched as three students opened the door and walked inside. After waiting a few more minutes to see if more were going to show up, and when no one else showed up she walked over to the door and opened it. There stood Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle.
Draco hears the door open and close. He spins around with wand out and ready to strike and nearly cast a hex. Draco realizes quickly enough that it's Professor McGonagall and not Harry Potter. He drops his wand; his expression falls and he becomes even paler.
"Expecting someone else Mr. Malfoy?"
"As a matter of fact I was, Professor."
"Don't you take that tone or attitude with me, Mr. Malfoy. Fifty points each will taken from Slytherin for the three of you being out of bed after hours."
"You can't do that. Harry Potter told me to meet him here." Draco nervously said.
"Oh yes I can do that, Mr. Malfoy. Another ten points taken away from Slytherin, it does not matter that another student asked you meet him or her here. The fact is that you are out of bed after hours. Rule breaking is rule breaking. I suggest that the three of you get back to your dormitory before more points are taken away from your house."
Draco turned and stomped out of the room with Crabbe and Goyle right behind. McGonagall was not far behind them.
