On the train, Bloom's leaning against the window and out cold.
Her sudden vision left her drained and dizzy, she fell asleep almost immediately after sitting down.
Harry agrees with her that it sounds like Draco's a Death Eater now, but Ron and Hermione aren't so sure.
Harry points out that his immediate family are all Death Eaters, plus his aunt - Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Bloom are still having trouble wrapping the fact that Sirius is related through Narcissa's marriage to the Malfoy family - and likely some associates of theirs.
Draco may be a sod, as they all think, but Harry and Bloom have both dueled him in past years and he's not the worst they've ever seen - and he's willing to play cheap and dirty, something Voldemort would likely prize very much.
It makes sense, but there's no real proof.
Harry decides he needs some air, but Hermione grabs his wrist and whispers "Don't do anything stupid. You know Bloom would just about bloody well kill you if something happened to you."
Harry nods, and Hermione lets him go.
They don't see him again, and the train gets to Hogwarts.
Hermione shakes Bloom awake, and she looks around groggily.
"Sorry, did I fall asleep?"
"Yeah, first few seconds after you sat down. We're at school."
Bloom looks around, then sees someone missing.
"Where's Harry?"
She stands up, and this time she stays on her feet.
Ron quickly says "He left a little bit ago, he's probably on the platform already."
Bloom rubs her eyes, then floats all their stuff down.
They don't see Harry until they get to the feast, and he walks up with Luna - and his face is covered in blood.
Bloom asks "Why blood? Why is he always covered in blood? It couldn't be Gatorade or flower petals or something harmless."
Ron walks over to intercept, and says "Harry, Bloom's been mad that you haven't shown up. I'd come up with an explanation for that blood fast. Is it yours, for starters?"
"Yeah, Draco. Said something about wasting his time in Charms class this year, good thing Luna fixed my nose."
They find Bloom glaring at them both, and Hermione waves them over.
Harry sits down, and Bloom immediately asks "Who'd you spy on? Because you were not covered in blood the last time I saw you. Now, either you had a fistfight with the Aurors because one of them plucked a feather from Hedwig, or you were spying on someone under your cloak and they noticed."
Harry sighs, and says "You know, you're a little too smart sometimes. You know that, right?"
She puts her face in her hands, and says "I knew it. Ten spells says it was Draco and his goons."
Harry lifts her chin so she'll look at him, and says "Bloom, I'm fine. Look at me."
She deadpans "Your face is covered in your own blood, Harry. That doesn't happen from nothing."
She picks up a damp napkin and hands it to him, and he starts wiping at his face.
Ron says "You didn't miss much, just the Sorting Hat telling us to be brave in these dark times and all that. Easy for it to say, it's a hat after all. First years seemed to enjoy it though."
The lights in the hall dim, and everyone looks at Dumbledore.
Hermione notices his hand, but nobody actually knows what happened to it.
He announces that Horace Slughorn will be returning to Hogwarts, and will resume his post as the Professor teaching Potions, while Snape will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts.
He got some applause for Slughorn's return, but only some Slytherins and a few First Years clap at the news of Snape's new position.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Bloom all share shocked looks, this is literally the last thing any of them expected.
Dumbledore says "Now, as you know, each and every one of you was searched upon your arrival tonight. You have a right to know why. Once there was a young man who, like you, sat in this very hall. Walked this castle's corridors, slept beneath its roof. He seemed, to all the world, an ordinary student like any other. His name was Tom Riddle, but the world knows him by a very different one now."
The hall goes silent, and Dumbledore goes on.
"Which is why, as I stand looking out upon you all tonight, I am reminded of a sobering fact. Each day, every hour, this very minute perhaps, dark forces attempt to penetrate this castle. But in the end, their greatest weapon remains…you."
Bloom eyes Draco, who is slouched low and lazily levitating his fork like Dumbledore is unworthy of his attention.
Bloom might be being petty by now, but she doesn't care at the moment.
She magically slams his fork down on the table, then pretends to be as surprised as everyone else at the sudden sound.
Dumbledore sends them off to bed, and Draco is looking around for whoever messed with his spell.
The next day in the corridor, Professor McGonagall is directing students to their classes and sees Harry and Ron sitting on a bench and enjoying the mess heavily.
She calls Harry over, and Harry explains how he had to get an Outstanding on his OWL for potions.
He only got an Exceeds Expectations, so he and Ron have a free period.
Professor McGonagall tells them that Slughorn is more than willing to take students with Exceeds Expectations, so Harry and Ron are off to Potions class again.
Bloom comes in, carrying all but a Potions book, and says "Excuse me, late for Potions class. Never seen the halls this crowded - I think."
"Good, Bloom, would you mind taking Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley with you? Seems they have an open period to fill."
"No problem, follow me guys."
They make it in just in time, and Slughorn beams and says "Bloom, Harry, m'kids! I was beginning to worry! And you've brought someone with."
Ron introduces himself, and they find seats next to Hermione.
Slughorn interrupts Ron when he says he should be going, and says "Nonsense, any friend of Harry and Bloom's is a friend of mine. We'll get you sorted out soon enough. Now, books out, open to page-"
Harry says "Sorry Professor, but Ron and I don't have a book yet. You see-"
Bloom grins sheepishly and says "Better add me into that sentence."
Slughorn says "Not to worry, you can get what you need from that cupboard."
They find three textbooks - two new, one used.
Slughorn resumes talking, while Ron and Harry get the new books as Bloom has to hold up a box of Bezoars.
She sets it down then takes the old textbook - intending to at least restore the binding and cover if not the entire book.
Hermione identifies all the potions Slughorn made easily, and he immediately realizes she's Bloom and Harry's friend.
When he looks around, he sees the entire class staring and leaning dreamily towards the vapors of the Amortnetia he brewed.
It's the most powerful love potion in the world, and it smells differently to each person based on what they are attracted to.
Bloom smells wind and scented smoke and heat, until Slughorn slangs the lid on the cauldron and snaps the entire class out of their collective trance.
He hasn't identified the potion of a small, black cauldron, but he takes a ladle and it comes up with a gold liquid inside and pours it into a tiny vial.
"What you see before you folks, is a curious little potion known as Felix Felicis. More commonly known as-"
Bloom automatically says "Liquid Luck."
"Yes, excellent."
The entire room perks up at that, even Draco is staring at the shimmering vial in Slughorn's hands.
"Desperately tricky to make, disastrous should you get it wrong. But, brewed correctly - as this has been, it has remarkable powers. One sip and you will find that all your endeavors succeed - at least until the effects wear off."
People don't drink it all the time because an excess causes giddiness, recklessness, and dangerous overconfidence.
He offers all of them the vial of luck he's holding if they can successfully brew an acceptable Drought of Living Death.
The recipe can be found on page ten of their books, but Bloom's is covered in scribbles and notes.
She looks at a few of them curiously, then sets to work on the Draught.
She has to cut up one Sopophorous Bean - but as she's about to try one goes flying across the room.
She looks around and sees everyone is having trouble with the beans, so she looks back at her book.
She sees an arrow that goes from cut to the words 'crush bean - releases juice better' written on the side.
"So, you just need the juice…"
She quickly looks around to see everyone struggling with their bean and completely focused on cutting the things.
She shields her knife, then starts muttering a few words to make the bean go soft - that's one of her powers as the Holder of the Dragon Flame after all.
The juice spurts all over the protective sheet on her desk, and she quickly stops the spell as Hermione turns to see her face spattered in red juice.
"How'd you do that?"
"Try crushing it."
Hermione frowns, and says "The instructions specifically say to cut."
Harry tries Bloom's idea, and finds it works great.
Everyone is still struggling with a small bean that does not want to be cut, while Bloom looks at the notes in the margins for help.
She finishes the potion and Slughorn goes around the room, nodding in sympathy at frazzled students and their attempts - then stops and stares in wonder at Bloom's perfect potion.
"Merlin's Beard, it's perfect! So perfect, I daresay, one sip and we'd all be dead!"
Everyone is staring at Bloom in shock, and Draco's look turns to a glare.
"Well, you know, I just followed the directions."
"I'd say you earned this! Here you are, one vial of Felix Felicis. Use it well."
Bloom takes the glimmering vial from him, then sits back down.
AN: Ooh, used textbooks are useful apparently. I never did understand why someone would try to cut a bean that tough though when all you need is the juice. Keep reading for more adventures!