Chapter Thirty-Eight - Bacon

"You know Harry, because of your crazy stunt I was too perplexed to finish my bacon! Unforgivable" Ron exclaimed while he practically fell unto his chair next to Harry.

Harry could only snort, "Though it might be hard to imagine, I think the bacon will forgive you before lunch."

Knowing Ron well he actually believed the relieve on his face was honest, but soon Ron found back his grin. Yeah Harry could not have expected to actually get away with this without interrogation, but he had hoped Snape would save him with his entrance, alas.

"So so Harry my friend what have you been keeping from me?! You actually like Parkinson now? I had imagined you would be more subtle about it, but you know I won't judge mate." And the proud grin on Ron's face was actually worth more of a laughing stock than what he had spurted out. Thank God for having Snape not hating his guts anymore, because Harry didn't think he would have survived a month's detention after the laughing attack he had. Something of disturbing his class was what Harry could hear while he was pulling himself together.

The whole of potion's class Harry spent trying to explain why he did not fancy Parkinson and 'why than would you sit at the Slytherin's table?!'. In the end, most of the Gryffindor side had joined in on the discussion on why he would actually sit there, and while Harry was just slowly trying to explain the friendship he has with Draco and the inner-house unity just for Hogwart's sake, he felt like no one was actually listening anymore. Hermione and Ron had, but had also quickly just accepted it and moved on to not making Ron's and Harry's potion explode.

It was when Zabini suddenly shouted out to Parvati that it was probably because Harry liked him, a ridiculous uproar and debate broke out. While potion's class, and mostly Snape's class, was not to be messed with, Harry couldn't say the same for all the other classes. Within the day the strangest bet had emerged in the fifth year about Harry's reason for sitting at the Slytherin's table. Parkinson and Zabini looked suspiciously satisfied with themselves while answering lots of questions about the breakfast conversation. From what Harry heard, it had turned out to be the most adventurous breakfast anyone has ever had and he couldn't believe how the others actually believed them while sitting only two tables away from Harry during breakfast. Draco seemed to be the only one above the gossips, however that might have been because he was too proud and busy with gloating over his victory. He kept telling Harry during the day all the new bets that had been made, the one more outrageous than the other.

By dinner when Ron, Hermione and Harry walked into the Great Hall it turned out that the bet had spread amongst all students and first years as well as seventh years alike tried to get Harry to answer their questions.

The Slytherin table was the only one sitting decently at their table, quietly eating their food, observing. Of course, Slytherin bets were only made at the very last minute, after all information was absorbed. Now that Harry thought about that he actually saw their observant glances and whispers towards each other. It was so well concealed; they were the best actors Harry had ever seen. Only Zabini and Parkinson were not in on the act. They were proudly standing at the end of the table taking in all the bets and documenting them properly. Their sly faces saying enough.

A girl with huge eyes and very blond long flowy hair came to stand next to Harry while he was too stunned looking at the chaos. "Don't worry Harry, it's only because no one yet understands how great the other houses are that they try different copings mechanisms." Harry was shocked at the soft light voice and the reasoning behind it. He stared at the girl and smiled slightly, "thank you, good to see someone has not lost their senses after my apparently 'great stunt'.". The girl smiled broadly now and proudly stated "oh no I have of course also made a bet; you and Snape have become good friends over the summer and your future child with Draco had to be made one day right." Harry couldn't hold his laughter at her incredible imagination, but the girl's eyes had turned very round now and her face turned serious, "It is good to see you got rid of the wrack spurts Harry, perhaps you could help Draco now, he needs it. Thank you for your letters this summer, I will see your tomorrow." And with that Luna hopped away brightly.

As Hermione had pulled Ron with her to the library Harry reasoned he didn't care and just shoved himself next to Draco and Nott at the Slytherin's table.

"Helping Blaise and Parkinson with their bets, are you?" Draco grinned at him.

Harry just quietly enjoyed being served food by Draco and his tea, remembering the summer day when Draco had visited him. It had been a good choice sitting here, he missed the company. Though he could never understand what had happened today.

The next day, Luna joined the Slytherin table. While Harry had been sitting eating his breakfast at the Gryffindor table, he had seen the girl walk into the Great Hall and walk up straight to Draco, placing herself next to him. While Harry had looked like a fool sitting there, not knowing what to do, Luna looked completely at ease and started making small conversation with Draco, the latter looking as though this was uttermost normal and it was something he did daily. Most of the Slytherin's seemed to be almost familiar with Luna.

Unlike his brave walk towards the Slytherin table, Luna's entrance had gone unnoticed by most of the students. It was only after Hermoine followed Harry's gaze, Ron following Hermoine's. The moment Ron dropped most of his sausages back on his plate, a scenery so peculiar, many turned to look at what had happened, noticing the newly found Slytherin member.

What followed was whispers, talks and more bets being placed. Most of the students glanced at Harry, trying to search a reaction to the new spectacle, but he did not want to give them the satisfaction of his surprise, so he kept his face normal and started a small conversation with Hermoine.

After only a few minutes, the Great Hall seemed to accept the new situation and commotion died down.

The next day the Patils joined the Ravenclaw table together.

The day after, Hermoine joined her friend to study at the Hufflepuff table.

From that moment, it became almost a game. Who was going to sit where? How far could the students go? Fred and George seemed to take this to a new level, trying one day to join the Head Table. Unfortunately, they failed miserably but it was the moment that Hogwarts seemed to accept the new situation.