Chapter Ten
Harry was exhausted by the time he flopped back into his seat on the train, resting his head against the cool glass.
"Is your scar hurting? Pansy asked, organising her things.
Harry shrugged. It was always hurting at the moment, a constant ache that never seemed to leave him, the shooting pains however had mostly vanished.
"Will you be OK if we go and do Prefect things?" Draco asked, looking slightly worried.
Harry nodded, "Of course. I'll still have Daphne here."
"Yes, you guys go and do important things, leave us little people to ourselves." Daphne said dramatically.
Harry laughed and said goodbye to his friends as the carriage emptied, leaving just him and Daphne.
"Chess?" he suggested.
Daphne nodded and pulled out her board, complete with mother of pearl edging and jewel encrusted pieces.
They passed several hours when there was a knock on the door. Ron was standing holding two small scrolls and looking rather awkward.
"Can we help you?" Daphne asked politely enough but with an edge of 'go away'.
"I… um… I was asked to give you these." Ron said, handing over the scrolls, "The new Professor asked."
Daphne took them and thanked him before closing the door. She handed Harry's to him and sat back down to read her own.
It was thick, creamy and good quality parchment tided with a violet ribbon, the ends snipped into neat 'V's to stop them fraying.
Harry pulled the ribbon off and read over the brief lines of curly writing.
Harry,
I would be delighted if you would join me for a bite of lunch in compartment C.
Sincerely
Professor H. E. F. Slughorn
"Why just us?" Daphne asked, looking at the back like it was possible there was a secret message hiding there.
"Slughorn likes to collect brilliant people, I guess he feels like we fit that bill." Harry shrugged.
Daphne nodded, that would make sense.
"Are we going?" Daphne asked after a moment of Harry staring at the invitation.
Harry wished he could simply say no, that he could sit in the carriage, listening to his friends, they would be back soon after all, but he knew that Dumbledore needed him to be collected by Slughorn and this would be the perfect opportunity to start that process.
Harry nodded, "Yeah why not? It'll mean we don't have to buy our own lunch." the excuse sounding very thin to his ears.
Daphne shrugged and dug out her mirror and hairbrush, making sure she looked presentable. The carriage door opened as the others returned. Draco flopped on the seat and looked at Daphne, who had just finished straightening her clothes.
"Where are you off to?" He asked.
"We've gotten a lunch invention, from Professor Slughorn." Harry told him.
Draco's face flashed with jealousy for a moment before he composed himself, "Ah, you're going then?"
Harry nodded, "You OK?"
"Draco and I weren't invited." Pansy said carefully, "Neville and Hermione got the message just as we were leaving the prefects carriage."
Harry felt a pang of guilt, he would of much rather stayed with them.
"Come with us." Harry said suddenly.
Why couldn't they come? Slughorn likes brilliant people and no one could think for a second that Pansy and Draco weren't brilliant.
"We weren't invited." Pansy clarified, as though Harry was being very slow.
Harry shrugged and double checked the door was closed before moving a little closer to them.
"Dumbledore wants me to get close to Slughorn, introducing him to more brilliant people will help there." Harry whispered.
Draco sighed, "If you insist, and really think it will be OK."
Harry nodded. They straightened up the carriage, and themselves, before making their way to compartment C.
Slughorn was sat in an expensive set of robes, at the head of a large round table. He beamed as he saw Harry enter, a smile that faltered slightly at the sight of Draco and Pansy.
"I hope you don't mind, Professor, thought I would introduce you to a couple of my friends. This is Lord Draco Malfoy, Viscount Avebury and the honourable Miss Pansy Parkinson, daughter of the Barron and Baroness of Salisbury." Harry smiled politely, trying not to laugh at using his friends full titles.
Slughorn looked over them, slightly impressed. Harry rarely thought of his friends as having such grand titles but he knew it was something that Slughorn needed to hear, something that would give Harry his five friends to help him get 'collected'.
The realisation of using his friends like that made his blood run cold. Draco nudged him and gave him a concerned look. Harry forced a smile, hoping that some of the colour would return to his cheeks.
"I said I'd eat lunch with my friends unfortunately, but we wanted to stop and thank you for the invitation." Harry added, shaking Professor Slughorn's hand.
Blaise, who was sitting at the table, rolled his eyes at the obvious manipulation tactics. Harry wouldn't put it down as one of his better ideas but it was enough to make Slughorn shake his head.
"No, no!" Slughorn smiled, "We can shuffle up and Mr Malfoy and Miss Parkinson can join us."
Harry smiled and squished up to Ginny Weasley who was sitting there looking rather awkward. Slughorn waited until they were all sat around the table, which was loaded with sandwiches and little cakes. It looked like one of Narcissa's high teas.
"Do you know everyone, Harry?" Slughorn said, removing the purple ribbon from his thick, fabric napkin and laying it on his lap.
Harry looked around, he was about to answer that he was at least familiar with the six people around the table that he wasn't a close friend with when Slughorn waved his hand dismissively.
"Never mind, a round of introductions would be good for us all I think!" Slughorn beamed, "Well you know Miss Greengrass of course, and Miss Granger. They are both excellent students, top two girls in their year and are looking to be key figures in future years. Then we have Miss Bobbin, her family owns a large chain of apothecaries."
He looked to the striking seventh year, with a shock of red hair and bright green eyes, clearly wanting her to add something to his description.
"Yes, I am due to start running one in Aberdeen when I leave school at the end of this year, after passing my N.E. of course." Miss Bobbin announced, Harry was pretty sure her name was Melinda or Melissa or something like that but as she was in Gryffindor and the year above him he wasn't sure.
Slughorn was apparently satisfied by her addition and nodded to her, "Then we have Mr Nott, very high ranking parents and his father is an old friend of mine."
Hermione's temper flared at the sight of him sitting with them, "How was your holiday Theodore? What with your father being in prison? Must have put a dampener on things."
Slughorn looked shocked between them, "What?"
"Theodore's father was arrested for being a Death Eater at the beginning of the summer." Blaise said flatly.
Slughorn shifted in his seat, shooting a quick look towards Draco and Pansy before coughing and moving on to the next student, "Then it is Miss Weasley. I don't know much about you I'm afraid, but I saw your 'bat boggy' hex and simply had to invite you!"
Ginny smiled and tucked her long hair behind her ears, "Well, I am the youngest of seven, six older brothers. Bill works for Gringotts, Charlie is out in Romania with the dragons, Percy for the Ministry and Fred and George have just opened a rather thriving business. Ron is still at Hogwarts, he's in Harry's year. Mum stays at home but Dad runs a department in the Ministry."
Slughorn looked impressed, "Well! A high achieving family, I will have to keep my eyes open for your brother, Ron was it? I am very pleased to have run into you."
Harry couldn't help but feel that while it was technically the truth that Ginny had said, no one could really describe the Weasleys as 'high achieving', Blaise and Miss Bobbin clearly thought the same and smirked at Ginny.
"I think Mr Belby is next, his uncle invented the wolfsbane potion, how is he doing?" Slughorn asked.
Belby shrugged, "Dad and he don't really talk."
Slughorn looked rather disappointed, "Ah, I see. Well that's families for you! Mr Zabini's mother is a rather famous, and very pretty witch."
Blaise nodded, "Yes. She's well, we just had a lovely holiday in Nice for five weeks."
"I am glad to here that! Nice is lovely in the summer." Slughorn nodded, "Mr McLaggen's uncle works high up in the Ministry."
McLaggen was also Gryffindor in the year above Harry, he was always arrogant looking and tussled his hair every time he thought there was a girl looking, "Yes, I see uncle Tiberius a lot. We recently went hunting Nogtails in Norfolk with Bertie Higgs and Rufus Scrimgeour, before he was Minister of Magic of course…"
Harry, Draco, Pansy, Daphne and Neville all rolled their eyes at once, Pansy bit her tongue to stop herself from making a comment about how tacky name dropping was.
"Mr Longbottom, your parents are rather wonderful Aurors I believe?" Slughorn asked, "I invited your brothers as well…"
"I think they were probably catching up on reading." Neville laughed, in reality he thought they were probably laughing and chatting with their friends, and didn't want to be singled out by a Professor they hadn't even met yet, "Our parents are indeed Aurors and are very active in their roles."
Slughorn nodded, "Well I admire their work ethic, especially with two young children still. Miss Parkinson, I believe your parents work for the Ministry?"
Pansy nodded, "Yes, they are ambassadors to the United States of America."
"And you hope to follow in their footsteps?" Slughorn asked.
"I have considered going into the Ministry but I'm not sure I'd like to be called away on duty as much as they are." Pansy smiled.
"Understandable my dear, understandable. So Mr Malfoy?" Slughorn moved on to Draco.
"My parents work very closely with the Ministry." Draco explained, "As such an… established family, we've never had to worry about traditional jobs, it's left them open to work where they are needed. I am hoping to work in the Ministry as well I think, it's why I work so hard on my school work."
"Yes! Yes, I saw you were second top of the year and top boy for your year, very impressive." Slughorn smiled, a smile that widened as he turned to Harry, "And of course, everyone will know Harry! The boy who lived! Hero of the Battle of the Ministry. Triwizard champion and the Chosen One! But most of all, son of one of my favourite students, Lily Evens… or rather Lily Snape now."
Harry couldn't help but smile, Slughorn seemed to have a real affection for Lily. It was something Harry could be proud of that had nothing to do with near death experiences.
"Mum is doing well…" Harry was unsure of what else to say, what else was there to say that wouldn't be risking Order secrets?
"Do you follow in your mother's footsteps?" Slughorn asked, sensing Harry wasn't sure of what to say, "You must have some knack for potions growing up with your mother and Severus Snape! Who is himself one of the most accomplished Potions Masters of our time."
Harry bit his tongue not to laugh, "I wouldn't say I've been lucky enough to soak up all their brilliance. Danica, my little sister, shows a great deal of promise though."
"Oh? How old is she?" Slughorn asked, checking on the colour of tea in the tea pot.
"She'll turn eight in November." Harry informed him, "She already can't wait to come to school."
Slughorn beamed at him before turning to the rest of the group, "Well I think that's everyone introduced, please dig in, dig in everyone!"
Harry was very hungry by this point and helped himself to several neat triangle sandwiches followed by several cakes and a rather large scone.
He listened to the conversation, although it was mostly just Slughorn telling them all, in detail, about his various previous success stories while asking them the odd question about their own successful relatives.
He noticed that Nott and Belby were very rarely asked questions, with Slughorn twice talking over the top of them when they tried to join in the conversation.
Harry was almost certain that they wouldn't be getting any future invites. He also suspected the reasons Draco and Pansy hadn't received an invite. Slughorn liked powerful people, but he seemed to have no interest in those who broke the law.
Pansy's parents were both kept in America under suspicion, at the end of the last school year and the Ministry apology had been very quiet.
The Malfoys had been purposely trying to make it appear that they were on Voldemort's side. The Order needed people on the inside and Severus was struggling to have any sort of personal life and keep the lines in his head clear while he was trying to manage it all alone, Narcissa had been happy to try and help.
Harry hung back after everyone had finished lunch, telling his friends to go a head of him.
"Are you all right Harry my boy?" Slughorn asked, waving his wand, clearing up the table.
Harry nodded, "Yes Professor. I just wanted to thank you for inviting me for lunch, and allowing my friends to stay."
"No problem Harry!" Slughorn beamed, "Lucius Malfoy was in my little club back in the day. I just wasn't sure about them… what with… but if they're friends of yours, they are friends of mine!"
Harry smiled, "I actually had one thing to ask you, before we get to the school. But if you're busy it can wait."
Slughorn waved his hand dismissively, "We've hours until we get to the school, my nap can wait ten minutes while you ask your question."
Harry nodded, "Are you going to be teaching Potions or Defence Against the Dark Arts this year Professor?"
Slughorn laughed, "I thought you'd have worked out it would be Potions, with how bright you are Harry. I never really had the knack for Defence Against the Dark Arts like I did Potions."
"I had suspected, but I wanted to clarify" Harry explained.
"Why do you ask?" Slughorn frowned slightly, "Surely that could of waited until the feast this evening when it will be announced?"
Harry nodded, "Oh yes, it's just… well, I was really hoping to take Potions this year, but I only got an Exceeds Expectations in my O.W.L, and I know that Dad needed an Outstanding. I was wondering if Exceeds Expectations would be enough for you?"
Slughorn beamed at him, "Of course! It would be for anyone truth be told but for you Harry, I'd take you on only an Acceptable!"
Harry thanked him and wondered back to find his friends, making Slughorn 'collect' him would be far easier if he was actually in the class after all.