Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.K Rowling.

Chapter 24: Oink

Consciousness dawned on me when rays of sunshine flew in through my open window. It felt like someone had put a heavy blanket over my entire being, everything, thinking and moving felt sluggish.

I supposed I felt as good as someone who had just flown across half the globe could feel. At least I would never underestimate jetlag again.

The living room was void of any life when I cast a quick glance inside; every door was shut firmly with no sign of any activity. Shouldn't breakfast, or lunch, be fairly soon? I didn't have anything better to do at the moment, which led to me wandering the solid branch hoping that I could remember the way. The sun shone with a persistent heat on the branch I was walking; which didn't make sense, since there were hundreds of branches above which should have blocked the sunlight. Magic had some uses, I guessed.

The dining hall stood in stark contrast to what it had been yesterday. The temperature inside was as warm as ever but it still had a cold mood to it. No one smiled. No one was talking to someone of different attire than themselves.

Then I remembered. This was the morning when everyone got their opponents.

And indeed, a huge sheet with all the groups had been erected where the stage was yesterday. I cautiously began scanning the sheet for any sign of my name, or anyone at Hogwarts for that manner.

There were four people in each group, which meant that there were 32 different groups, which meant that there would be a mind numbing amount of duels in the coming months. I found Montague's name first and quickly realised that the groups had little to no meaning to me. Montague was duelling against people named Matt, Yves and Jin. Knowing which schools they went to had a little use, but not much. Alice, who I had met the previous evening, seemed to have a lot of knowledge about everyone.

It was a long shot, but perhaps I could ask her?

Granted, she was a competitor. I'd have to be careful.

I carefully counted to make sure I sat down in the same seat as yesterday and piled up a portion of scrambled eggs and bacon; it was finally something familiar. The Ravenclaw girl who I still had no idea what her actual name was arrived after a while but didn't try to make any conversation, something I was grateful for.

Alice and the other Americans never arrived to my disappointment. It would have to wait for another day.

I stood up and left the Ravenclaw girl eating her breakfast by herself. A little rude, perhaps.

The walk back to our humble house felt much shorter this time and I was back with my silver bag in no time. If I put some effort in, I should be able to learn some extra on duelling stances and their counters after my lesson with Rowena. If it could even be called a 'lesson', it was more of having a written dialogue with each other. She couldn't demonstrate anything and things had to be explained briefly. Both of which I knew she disliked.

I opened the book, a little reproachfully.

"Hello," I wrote in small black letters.

I cast a glance at the door and then spelled it shut with the best locking charm I knew.

The book started glowing and I knew what to do. With a great sigh, but still feeling a little alleviated, I leaned forwards and disappeared from the realm of the living.

I found myself sitting in my armchair and looked at my teacher expectantly.

She unexpectedly sat with her hands folded and observed me neutrally. "As I am sure you realise, you won't be able to do magic here," she said and gestured around the room.

That made sense, this wasn't any actual place, after all. Just a part of her mind, or soul.

"As such," Rowena continued. "I will simply have to tell you what to do and learn and hope that you manage alright on your own."

I smiled. "And you don't like that?"

"I can certainly see limitations," she admitted with a nod. "However, I think it will be good for you to try to learn by yourself." Rowena smiled challengellingly. "I won't be here forever."

I raised my eyebrows. "What is that supposed to mean?"

It was my master's turn to raise her eyebrows. "Do you expect to have me by your side forever?"

"Fair point," I conceded. "But you aren't foreshadowing you dying or anything, right?"

Rowena's stare bore into me like a drill. "When my purpose has been fulfilled, then I can begin to contemplate such matters."

I bowed my head and relaxed in my armchair. I wondered if I could make up for all the hours of lost sleep from studying in this realm, or whatever to call it.

"Anyway," the founder continued. "I would like for you to begin practising something new. Meditation." She gestured to me with my bags under my eyes. "You clearly need the rest and it will provide a great foundation to something I will soon introduce to you."

Meditation felt…out of place to me. I was about to try and win a duelling tournament. Sitting and literally doing nothing wasn't all that appealing when the same time could be spent on something useful.

But I wouldn't voice those thoughts to my master.

"You will find the instructions about what you need to do in my…book," she said coolly, as if she sensed my thoughts.

"Yes master," I said with a bow.

I re-emerged from the book into reality and let out a deep breath. I picked the book up and started reading with a great yawn.

Flitwick was supposed to give me my first private lesson later this afternoon; that was at least something to look forward to.

-()-

The gloomy ceiling of my dormitory stared down at me emotionlessly. I had stared at that black stone more than I would admit. It was just uncomfortably uneven and lacked any order; I always imagined structures and landmarks when staring up at it during my sleepless nights.

"Draco!" Blaise shouted to me from the bathroom.

I got out from under my duvet covers with great effort. I was rather proud of those actually; sleeping at Hogwarts had bordered on painful before my mother sent me this set of custom, duvet sheets.

The bathroom opened; revealing the slender form of Blaise Zabini, fully prepared for the coming school day. "Does my hair look weird?" He pointed to his locks of hair demonstratively.

I rolled my eyes. "It looks just the same as every morning you ask me."

He glared at me. "It does not, today I used three sprays of hairspray, not four."

I inspected his hair closely, as if looking for something. "Well it does look rather unruly now that you mention it," I drawled slowly.

Blaise's eyes widened in alarm and he was halfway back inside the bathroom when I stopped him.

"Hey! I'm only joking, it looks good, mate," I said with a chuckle.

Blaise glared at me again. "It is not funny!"

I shook my head. "It is, because you fall for it every time." I gave him a pointed look. "You shouldn't care about it that much."

"That's coming from the lad who used an entire jar of hair-gel for the Halloween party during second year," he said smugly.

I rolled my eyes. "All I'm saying is, you shouldn't care that much what others think about you."

He sighed in frustration. "And as I've told you plenty of times before. I don't want to care…"

"But you still do," I finished for him with a shake of my head.

He shrugged. "It's not like you don't care what others think about you. We're both guilty here."

"I don't care," I said at the same time I dragged on a clean t-shirt.

He raised his eyebrows. "Well, if you care so little. Why don't you go to breakfast clad like a Gryffindor and scream the Italian national anthem at the top of your lungs?"

Perhaps he had a point. "I just don't feel like it."

He smiled at me. "Sure."

I glared at him and went to the bathroom to finish my hygiene. Instead of being concerned with his hair, he was concerned with his shoes when I exited. Apparently there was a tinge tinge of dark brown on his gleaming black shoes. His constant concern had been annoying at first, but now it was almost part of my everyday life, crazy as that may sound.

"Hello ladies," Blaise greeted smoothly when we arrived downstairs to find Pansy, Millicent and Tracey waiting.

I had to fight back an amused smile. You would never recognise the boy from five minutes ago out here.

-()-

"I'm concerned."

I looked up from my transfiguration essay at the brunette.

"Didn't you already finish your Herbology essay? And the transfiguration essay isn't due for another three days," I replied with raised brows.

She rolled her eyes. "Not about that. I meant about Daphne."

I put the essay down carefully and schooled my expression. Blaise was still hidden behind his Herbology essay but I could swear that he would be able to retell the entire conversation afterwards. He had all these notions about me and Daphne. All of which couldn't be further from the truth. Honestly.

"What about her?" I asked carefully.

Tracey's brown eyes bore into mine. "You know what I mean! She never hangs out with us anymore."

I sighed, this wasn't the first time. "You know what she is trying to do."

Her look of concern didn't slip away. "But what if that isn't why? What if she…what if…what if she doesn't want to be our friend anymore?" Tracey was barely restraining herself from biting on her nails.

I faked a look of sympathy. "Do you remember in our second year when she disappeared all the time?"

She raised her eyebrows. "Around Halloween?"

I nodded. "Yeah, then you thought the same as you do now. And did she want to quit being friends with you then?"

Tracey sighed. "No," she said solemnly.

"See, it's the same here. You are worrying about nothing." I rolled my eyes internally.

Blaise appeared from behind his essay. "You're good at this."

He received two death glares for that comment.

-()-

"It's after curfew," Pansy remarked in her melodious voice. Everyone in our year was sitting around a table in our common room doing all sorts of different assignments. Everyone except one, that is.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and instead kept them firmly fixed on Snape's newly assigned essay.

"Astute observation," Blaise remarked dryly.

Pansy turned to me. "You don't think that is odd?"

I sighed and looked up at her. "Do I think it is odd that we have a curfew? No." I looked back down at the essay and pretended to scribble something down. In reality, I had no notion what to write. I couldn't focus on the essay. I reckoned that Pansy was talking for the same reason I couldn't focus.

Pansy rolled her eyes in return. "No, I mean why isn't she here?"

I put the essay down neatly and felt everyone watching me intently. It was the question on everyone's mind, she had never broken a rule, as far as I knew at least. Why did they think that I would know the answer to wherever she had gone?

"Who is she exactly?" I asked with an even look.

She rolled her eyes exasperatedly. "Daphne, obviously."

"Why would I know where she is?" I asked with a pointed look.

She scoffed. "You've basically become her personal bodyguard lately, if anyone knows. It's you." I sensed a lot of bitterness in her tone.

"Well I don't," I retorted harsly. Perhaps a little bit too harshly, based on Pansy's wince.

"Speak of the devil," Blaise muttered with a nod towards the door.

Daphne was standing in the doorway trying to look as small as possible, to make sure no one would notice her recent rule breaking.

"Greengrass!" the headboy shouted from where he sat in the middle of the room. Her attempt to remain unseen had turned out to be futile. "What were you out doing after curfew?"

There was this concept in Slytherin about how we prided ourselves with being subtle. I myself had some talent for the art, many others didn't.

If anyone had even half of my observation skills they would be able to tell that my claim was true. If subtle meant outright staring at the girl in the doorway, then my house was subtle.

The girl under scrutiny had her expression schooled in indifference, her posture was rigid and tense. Too rigid and too tense. I was pretty sure I wasn't the only one who noticed.

Her eyes were glued to the floor, her left hand was shaking slightly.

At least if Pansy's broad smile was any indication.

"Well…I was…I…I…detention," she stuttered and blushed furiously. She glanced at me and I met her eyes. They pleaded for help.

"She had detention with McGonagall," I said loudly, turning every head towards me instead. I met the gaze of the headboy with the hint of a challenge. Just as every head had been glued to her a moment ago, they were now glued to me. I stared back at people challengingly, people averted their eyes and pretended to have never been interested.

My lie was perfect, Slytherins always ended up in detention with McGonagall. Even the law abiding Greengrass was bound to end up there eventually, right?

Perhaps it wasn't even a lie, although I doubted that McGonagall had actually given her best Slytherin student detention. McGonagall needed to keep up the appearance of not being biassed somehow afterall.

Daphne sat down beside me and just sat with her eyes closed for several long minutes. The paragraphs of my essay looked like nonsense to me now, I could barely make out a single letter. There was no way I would be able to focus any better now when Daphne's sweet perfume embraced me enticingly.

Daphne opened her eyes suddenly. Her gaze was sharp and awake. "Thank you," she said evenly to me, her face having no emotion at all attached to it. But her eyes shone with the gratefulness she would never be able to convey with words. Some may take it as being rude, but I understood.

Blaise thought he was onto something, he wasn't. But I could see where he was coming from. I was a very good fit for Daphne.

I took the spotlight so she didn't have to.

Instead of responding with anything, I simply nodded and returned to my work. I wasn't certain I would be able to speak coherently. I stared at my essay blankly.

I was a very good fit for Daphne.

I glanced at Daphne who was sitting locked in contemplation, staring at the painting of Slytherin at the wall over the fireplace.

Her blonde hair was flowing down her shoulders, I realised that I really would like to see what those strands felt like.

From the corner of my eye I could see Blaise smirking at me knowingly.

I would make sure to tell him that his hair looked worse than Weasley's tomorrow.

-()-

"What in Salazar's beard are we doing outside Umbride's office at Saturday evening?"

Daphne looked at me evenly. "Meeting Professor Umbridge, of course."

I shook my head in amusement. "When you asked me to 'hang out' tonight I expected to meet up and…do something, not meeting her."

She raised her eyebrows. "You wanted to help me, did you not?"

"Some things are just going a bit too far, killing and robbing is fine. Working with Unbridge is where I draw the line," I said with what I knew was a charming smile.

Daphne didn't move a muscle at my sarcastic remark, I remained unphased. I had vowed to drag a smile out of her, if only once.

The office door opened to reveal something I immediately wanted to obliviate from my mind. Umbridge was wearing casual clothes; clothes I could never imagine Umbridge wearing. But here I was with Umbridge and a beaming Daphne, spending my Saturday evening. "Welcome in dears," she said in her sweet voice.

Daphne walked in with her beaming face. It looked odd to her, not because she rarely smiled, but because it didn't look natural. Knowing her, it most definitely wasn't. I sat down next to Daphne in one of the plush, pink chairs, waiting with cautious concern for whatever Umbridge wanted to tell us.

I looked around the room and resisted myt desire to sneer. The walls were pink. What drew my attention was the small table with six glasses with different coloured liquids in them. Was that some kind of medication?

"Tea?" Umbridge squeaked sweetly.

"That would be wonderful."

"Sure."

I watched her prepare our cups in silence. Carefully making sure that nothing slipped in which wasn't supposed to. I resisted my urge to pinch my nose in disgust, it would be a wonder if that tea remained entirely liquid after the copious amount of sugar added.

Umbridge placed down our cups with a smile much sweeter than the tea would inevitably turn out to be. "Now, I'm sure that you both know why you're here," she began and took a long sip.

Daphne nodded enthusiastically and I nodded along hesitantly. I prayed internally she wouldn't ask me what the meeting was about. For once I found myself glad that Umbridge enjoyed her own voice so much. "Some students have been very rebellious of late, as is normal with children like you," she continued with a wide smile.

I was so close to narrowing my eyes. I had to picture Daphne clearly in my mind to stop myself. Making Umbridge mad at me equalled making Daphne mad at me.

"The two of you have proved exceptional students and are respectable people," she continued her speech with a smile which looked much too forced.

"Thank you, Professor Umbridge. You are too kind," Daphne said with her eyes staring at Umbridge with admiration.

The expression felt foreign on Daphne's face. One part of me wanted her to look at me the same way. The other part realised that if she ever did, I had failed.

"It was nothing, dear." Umbridge glanced at me but didn't say anything. "Anyway, I was planning to form a group of respectable, admirable students who could help keep an eye out for any…misbehavings."

"Of course, Professor. We'll do anything to ensure our schooling remains at a standard acceptable to the ministry."

I nodded curtly in agreement.

Umbridge stood up and walked over to the table with all the different bottles. I observed them carefully. One green, one blue, one yellow, one pink, one with a darker shade of pink and one black.

I got the impression she at least hadn't been a Gryffindor.

She pointed to the bottle with the green liquid in it closest to her. "This is something I have recently been given by our dearest minister," she said with a fond smile. "It is a rather ingenious piece of magic, created in the department of mysteries." Umbridge's smile was almost predatory. "The colours of this liquid changes every time someone passes through the gates of Hogwarts," she said proudly.

I nodded slowly. That must actually be a brilliant application of magic.

Umbridge pointed to the blue one. "This one changes when someone enters the entrance hall."

I was beginning to see where this was going. "This one is the moving staircases, one for the fifth floor, one for the great hall and one for the corridor my office is in," she elaborated with a wide smile.

I stared at the bottles with a newfound respect. Umbridge suddenly had much more power at her disposal, she only needed someone to go to the places people visited.

"You can expect my owl soon." She showed us a smile full of gleaming white teeth and waved us goodbye.

I walked next to Daphne for a couple of corridors trying to think of anything except her soft hand hanging loosely so close to mine.

"That was interesting."

She nodded slowly but didn't slow down her step. "Yes, now we know where we shouldn't be after curfew."

My stomach lurched. I arched my brow. "Why do we have to be out after curfew?" I asked, an eyebrow arched.

Daphne shook her head and I could have sworn that her lips curled ever so slightly. But then she remembered herself and it disappeared. Had it ever been there at all?

It must have been.

We continued on our patrol in silence until we came upon a group of Gryffindors. I didn't know which age they were but they were definitely older than us.

"Well, well, well," one of them jeered loudly. "If it isn't the queen pig herself with her ferret fright."

I could see Daphne tense beside me.

They started making a bunch of pig noises and approached us in bouts of laughter.

"Oink, oink, oink."

"Oink, oink, oink."

"Oink, oink, oink."

There were six of them. There were two of us.

I clenched my fists. I would want nothing more than to see all of them writhing on the floor in pain. Was I really the selfish asshole Potter claimed for wanting that?

If I was, I sure as hell didn't mind being one.

I glanced at Daphne and saw her staring back at them defiantly.

The Gryffindor seemingly got bored and moved along.

Daphne hadn't moved an inch. Her brilliant, beautiful blue eyes were shining and wet.

She deserved so much more than this.

I knew that justice wasn't something realistically attainable in the world. I couldn't see the girl in front of me and then not want her to succeed with her plan. I didn't even know what it was, but it didn't matter.

I would like to see her triumphant.

I would like to see her smile.

-()-

The Great Hall was bustling with activity. It was the morning of the first quidditch game of the season. Ravenclaw against Hufflepuff this year.

The normally reserved Ravenclaws were brandishing clothes of blue and bronze. The colours of Ravenclaw.

Ron was eating away, oblivious as ever to the animosity between the blue and the yellow.

I waited patiently for him to finish so we could leave and get some homework done. McGonagall has assigned a particularly tricky essay. How lucky Harry was who didn't have to do any classwork. He just had to keep up by himself. Had this happened a year ago, I would never have trusted him to keep the work up. But I had to admit, grudgingly, that he would probably do quite well.

He wouldn't beat my marks though. I had resolved to not let him weeks ago. He may be a duelling expert but he did not know how to harvest the Shrilling Rose's seeds.

I looked around the room. A group of seventh years in our house were laughing and making some kind of imitation. I was certain I saw a Hufflepuff hiding a firework in his backpack. I would have reported him if it wasn't for the fact that Umbridge would deal with the detentions.

Ron finally finished his prolonged meal and we exited the hall quickly. He walked along a little grudgingly, I huffed in frustration. Why couldn't he just grow up? I knew he would have to eventually, but why did it have to take so much time.

People poured out of the Great Hall in heaves, everyone seemed to be making their way to the field. We had another destination in mind: the library.

Alas, it was not meant to be. We were just about to leave the entrance hall when I spotted a group of Slytherins cornering a group of Gryffindors.

Malfoy's blonde hair shone from the crowd of people. I narrowed my eyes and nudged Ron to signal to him what was going on. Ron glared at Malfoy, and together, we changed direction and went over. People were streaming in the opposite direction. No one seemed to notice the cornered Gryffindors.

Malfoy was brandishing his wand with a furious glare when we arrived. He was outright sneering at them, I wasn't surprised. Two of the six students were muggleborn like me.

Some older Slytherins had joined Malfoy and I recognised Zabini and the girl Harry had embarrassed in the crowd as well.

I didn't catch what had been said earlier but it was obvious it wasn't anything friendly.

One of the Gryffindors took his wand out of his pocket. "We have said nothing but the truth," he said honestly.

Malfoy was pushed to the side quicker than any of them could react and the blonde Greengrass appeared with a curse flying from her wand. She caught them unaware, but I wasn't.

The yellow light bounced against the shield I conjured and flew straight back at Greengrass. It collided with her and she flew backwards.

I hadn't realised earlier but the crowd around us had disappeared. There were still quite a few observers looking on, laughing or whispering about what happened.

Greengrass didn't get up from where she was lying, but she moved.

I couldn't find it in myself to feel sympathy. She had wanted to do the same to the people they unjustly accosted. It was nothing less than deserved that she got to eat her own medicine. Regardless of what Harry had done to her, she had no right to take out that anger at others.

The boy who I had saved nodded thankfully and he and his friends left without a word. I thought I heard one of them snort in amusement. Odd.

Malfoy was at Greengrass' side and saying something. He turned around and looked at me.

I was taken aback by the amount of loathing in his eyes. For the first time ever during my time at Hogwarts, I was afraid of what Malfoy would do.

I met his eyes defiantly and refused to avert my gaze.

Word of what happened would travel fast.

I wouldn't be surprised if it ended up as a story of how I defeated Greengrass in an epic duel to the last breath.

There would be a story about me.

It had always been about Harry, but not anymore.

It was ironic. Greengrass' and Malfoy's bullying gave me more than it did them.

-()-

"Hello Mr. Potter," Flitwick greeted with a wave when he entered my room at six o'clock sharp. I had been cautiously optimistic for this lesson, his charms lessons were usually a little hit or miss but I'd never heard of him tutoring someone privately before.

"Good evening, Sir," I responded with a curt nod.

He sat down in one of the chairs and smiled at me. "Mr. Potter, I must say that I would love to see what you can do in the duelling ring, but that is not the purpose for my lesson today." He paused briefly and I sat down on my bed in front of him. "What do you know of the rules?"

I had read a book or two on duelling rules, one annoying thing about it all was that it never stayed the same. It was always changed and the allowed spells changed drastically. "They change all the time."

He nodded. "That they do." Flitwick stroked his chin in contemplation. "I assume you know the basics then? How points are scored and how you win?"

I nodded. "You win if you hold your opponent's wand in your hand or if you earn ten points by hitting the opponent ten times."

"Good, remember that the point difference could be vital, so if you face someone easy, make sure to win by ten points instead of just summoning his wand."

"Yes sir."

He smiled. "And you have no questions about how the group stage and qualification for knockout stage works?"

"Four in each group, best two in each group advance to knockout stages where it is do or die," I replied automatically.

Flitwick chuckled easily. "Well, it seems you're well rehearsed." He paused briefly. "Do you know about the use of fire?"

"It is allowed," I stated shortly.

He nodded soberly. "That it is." Flitwick frowned. "The use of fire is rarely used in duelling tournaments due to its dangerous and volatile nature but it was decided it is to be allowed here."

"You're only allowed to use it to an extent where it doesn't permanently harm your opponent," I remarked.

The charm's professor looked at me piercingly. "But what counts as permanent damage? And what if someone doesn't have good enough control over their fire and causes an accidental injury?"

"Then you shouldn't use it," I responded automatically. "I would hope that people here know their limits."

Flitwick smiled. "Exactly, I fear that is the problem. People know they can do it, but they don't know that they can't do it in a duel." He sent me a pointed look. "It is different. Therefore I recommend you to refrain from using it."

"I'll use it if I must, sir."

He sighed. "You want to win, I understand that, Mr. Potter."

Flitwick appeared to be looking at something outside the window.

"I have a message from the headmaster," he said suddenly. "Don't try to find out who your guard is. It is someone you know, therefore, it is better if you don't know which face they are concealed behind."

I frowned but didn't comment.

Flitwick smiled. "I must admit that I find the headmaster's message a little odd. Knowing your history, you will probably make it your personal challenge to find him."

I arched my brow. "So it is a he?"

"Perhaps I only said that because I wanted you to believe so?" Flitwick returned.

"Or perhaps you're just trying to fix your blunder by trying to trick me?" I remarked with a smile tugging at my lips.

"I think you'll do well in the tournament, Mr. Potter." He stood up, which didn't make much difference, height wise. "I'll leave you to it, have a good evening."

I must admit that I felt a little let down by the 'lesson'. If it could be called such.

I already knew that no lethal curses were allowed and using magic outside the circle was strictly forbidden. Hadn't the others made sure to learn this as well?

Not the first time, I wondered how much more seriously I took this than my fellow students of Hogwarts.

I laid back in my bed and stared at the ceiling. The lesson I really looked forward to was the one with Dumbledore, all of us had been promised at least one private lesson with the headmaster.

I wondered how reluctant he would be to teach me, given my refusal of his previous offer.

A/N: Thank you for reading! I'd love it if you left a review!

Until next week, cheers!