I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.
Howdy all. Had a good writing week so I'm updating an extra time this week. I'm about 7 more chapters in the bank and I just finished the halfway point in fourth eyar, so I hope everyone is enjoying themselves so far. As always, thank you for reading and the reviews and the kind words. They mean the world to me. Have a lovely weekend!
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A Taste of Magic
61st Course – Affirmation
Pansy and Millicent sighed with relief as the door to the common room slid shut behind them. The atmosphere within Slytherin was tense. The usual camaraderie was absent, or at least, thinly veiled by something else. There was a palpable unease now, a tenseness that made them feel wary. On the surface, it appeared the House was supporting their "Champion". Beneath the surface, waters were more turbulent.
The girls blanched a little when they walked past students from other Houses on the way to the Great Hall. Most of them gave them dirty looks, more so than the usual students not liking Slytherins. Millicent glared back and Pansy wore her mask of placidity but she was aware that those looks bothered her more than a little, certainly more than they used to.
Sunny hissed at a couple of older Ravenclaws that had opened their mouths but thought twice when the kneazle held up her paw, her claws extended. They snorted and walked off, muttering between them and throwing more disgusted looks before a louder hiss and a growl sent them on their way.
"Good kitty," Millicent praised and kissed Sunny on the head. She sighed as Sunny settled back down in her arms. "Dammit Draco. He made us a general target for everyone. Before people used to glare at the person responsible, now it's open season."
Pansy grunted wordlessly, agreeing. She steeled herself a little when they walked up to the Great Hall, readying herself for the worst, but then visibly relaxed when she saw two people sitting on a bench outside the Hall. She waved and they waved back, climbing to their feet.
"Hey, are you two okay?" Lavender asked. She giggled when Sunny looked at her with a hurt expression. "I know you're always okay," Lavender said, rubbing Sunny's head and scratching her beneath the chin.
"Things could be better," Millicent said, also very relieved to see Lavender and Padma.
"Come on, we're eating in the clubroom," Padma said and Millicent and Pansy followed her gratefully. "We figured we could use a bit of privacy and to see how you two were doing."
"Thank you," Pansy sighed. "It's a mess." They could hear a commotion from the clubroom before they reached it and when they opened the door and walked in, they watched with astonishment at Parvati fleeing from Hermione, running around the room.
"What did we miss?!" Lavender cried.
"Parvati slapped Hermione with a sausage," Harry said, grinning widely. "Hermione, as you see, took offense." They all laughed uproariously as Hermione flung the sausage and hit Parvati cleanly in the back of the head, making her yelp.
"Ahhh gross it's in my hair!" Parvati yelled.
"Good!" Hermione shouted.
"I hit you with a raw one! You got grease in my hair!"
"And you hit me in the face and I got raw sausage germs on my face!"
"Oh let me help!" Lavender said brightly and held up her wand.
"Oh thanks-wait no don't do-" Parvati shrieked when scrubbing bubbles covered her hair.
"Finally! After you did it to me years ago!" Lavender cackled and ran when Parvati chased after her, shouting words in a different language.
"Oooh I'm telling Grandmum!" Padma shouted gleefully.
Pansy and Millicent joined the others in laughing freely, feeling all the stress and tension from the prior night and morning leak out of them. They watched as Harry picked up the errant sausage and cleaned it with a charm before popping it onto a pan.
"Be a shame to waste it," Harry smiled. He turned more serious. "Are you two okay?"
Pansy sighed. "Yes and no," she said. She waited for everyone to crowd around them before telling them what they heard last night in the common room and how people in Slytherin were taking it.
"That's like something from a young adult novel," Hermione said, wiping her face clean on a towel. "A secret shadow school all of a sudden appearing and all that."
"I know he was our teacher first year, but Quirrell just showing up like that is so creepy," Parvati said. "And like kinda evil. Is it a school for evil people? Oh sorry," she added sheepishly.
"Don't be," Millicent said. "The people who are definitely going to the school are definitely the creepier people who don't care about others as much."
"Are there a lot of people leaving Hogwarts?" Lavender asked.
"It sounds like it," Pansy said seriously. "Not an inconsequential amount either."
"It's not just the Slytherins," Sue said quietly. "A couple of people are talking about it in Ravenclaw too. I actually overheard the name of the school a few times before yesterday and didn't realize what it meant."
"Even the name is suspect," Hermione said. "Sanguis Verus? True Blood?"
"Gross," Padma and Parvati said together, sticking their tongues out.
"Yeah, the connotations are not good," Neville said uneasily.
"Should've just called it whatever the name for Pure Blood is," Ron snorted with disgust. "Rubbish."
"You…you all still trust us, right?" Pansy asked hesitantly.
The others looked at each other before looking back at her. "Uhm, duh?" Parvati asked.
"Yeah, what she said," Padma said.
"I thought we were clear in out letter last night," Harry said. "We're here for you."
Pansy and Millicent let out huge sighs of relief. "Sorry, we've been kinda scrambled about things," Millicent said sheepishly.
Lavender hugged them and they hugged her back firmly. "Speaking of scrambled," she said, smiling impishly.
"It's almost done," Harry smiled. He set out platters of sausages, bacon, and black pudding along with pan-fried mushrooms, a large tray with hashed brown potatoes, grilled tomatoes, and a pot of beans. A large stack of butter fry bread sat on a plate alongside and soon a warm platter of eggs, half-scrambled and half-fried, were ready.
"Thank you," Pansy said, feeling and hearing her stomach growl. "This looks wonderful." They all sat together at the large table and started eating together, passing around juice and water and tea.
"How are the other Houses treating this?" Millicent asked.
"Aside from the ones who also are supporting Sanguis, what you might expect," Sue said. "Most are pissed at Draco thinking it's a Slytherin thing to take attention. But there are a few people who are really surprised by the ones that are going to go to Sanguis and there's some debating about that."
"Most of Gryffindor are pretty against Draco for many reasons," Parvati said. "But there's a few people who are supporting him and Sanguis."
"Really?" Pansy gasped. "Who?"
Parvati hummed, chewing on eggs and potato. "McClaggen, Phillips, Greyson, a lot of the older ones."
"Purebloods," Millicent said. "I recognize the names."
Ron snorted again. "I mean, sounds like those will be the only ones allowed to go to this Academy."
"I wonder how the Hufflepuffs are," Millicent said quietly. Susan was not there.
"I think they're pretty raw about it," Hermione said quietly. "Susan didn't want to come. Don't take it personally."
"I don't," Pansy said softly and Millicent grunted in agreement.
"What are you going to do? Will your parents force you to go?" Luna asked.
"I didn't even consider that," Pansy said with some alarm, looking at Millicent who looked the same. She pushed down the sudden sense of unease. "If…that situation comes up, I will fight it."
"What she said," Millicent said.
"You will?" Lavender asked, delighted.
"You all are our friends, we will not leave you willingly," Pansy said stoutly. "That said, we will have to work hard and try to make a case in remaining here." She looked at Harry. "What was that?"
"Hmm?"
"You made a noise when I said that."
Harry swallowed his food. "Well, I might have something that can help you there."
"Do tell," Pansy said eagerly and the others leaned in.
"Well yesterday I met with the Headmaster and he asked me to try and participate in the other events for the Tournament, the ones that we can do as not-Champions," he explained. "He also said to ask you lot to do the same for events we're interested in."
"He did? Why?" Lavender asked.
"He wants Hogwarts to be recognized on the international stage," Harry said. "And since there are two other schools here, well three now apparently, he wants us to show what we can do and learn from the others."
"Wizarding Britain is known for being kinda apart," Neville said. "And not in the good way. Grandmother complains about it."
"That's perfect," Pansy said, eyes shining. "We can prove that Hogwarts is still a good school and that gives us just cause to remain here."
Millicent nodded excitedly. "That's a great idea! Any idea on what the events are?"
"No, he wouldn't say," Harry said. "But he said there would be a few and with all of us here, I'm sure we can put in a few names for the ones that interests us and the rest of us can help the ones competing."
"Good, we have a plan," Pansy said, much more relieved. "I feel better now."
"Oh and he also wants us to have fun," Harry added in afterthought.
"I guess we can do that too," Pansy deadpanned, making the others snort and snicker. They ate in comfortable silence.
"So what prompted the sausage slapping?" Millicent asked.
"We were wondering if Draco would get in your faces," Parvati said. "Which led to me wondering or hoping Pansy would slap him hard again but it'd be funnier if she used a sausage. Hermione then said she wouldn't know which would be more humiliating and I thought she would appreciate some real-life experience."
"You didn't even ask!" Hermione said crossly while the others laughed. "You just slapped me in the face with one!"
"Would you have let me if I asked?"
"No!"
"That's why I didn't ask," Parvati said prosaically.
"Remember this moment, when I do something in the future," Hermione said with gritted teeth.
"Your sense of propriety won't let you," Parvati retorted.
"She did hit you in the back of the head with one," Padma observed. "Which I am deeply envious of."
"What's stopping you right now?" Millicent asked innocently.
"No throwing sausages about," Harry said, giving them all a mild look. "No wasting food."
"Normally it's lads being told not to throw their sausages about," Sue said slyly, making them roar with laughter and making Harry sigh with pink cheeks. After everyone went back to general conversation, he turned to Pansy. "You sure you're okay?"
She smiled, feeling warm. "I am, thank you." She scowled a little. "Still very angry at Draco for doing this. And he told me on the train that something big would happen this year and how it was my last chance to 'do the right thing'."
Harry snorted. "Should be the other way 'round in my mind."
"I have no more chances to give him," Pansy said softly.
"Well, you have us," Harry said comfortingly, patting her shoulder. "You don't need him."
"No, I do not," she said quietly, feeling oddly content with the statement.
-0-
Dumbledore stood at his window, looking out at the moon-kissed grounds. The Quidditch pitch was shrouded with a large shadowy barrier, obscuring what was going on within. He knew what the organizers and constructors were doing of course, as well as the handlers and carers. They had not been pleased with the sudden inclusion of a fourth Champion. No one save for the Champion and his associates were happy with the situation admittedly.
"Come in," he said, when his door knocked. He did not turn to face the visitor, recognizing them by the way they walked, the sound of their robes swishing. It made him think of Drake and his claims and for a moment Dumbledore smiled, enjoying the break in his stress for a moment.
"It would appear my usefulness has come to a head," Snape said quietly.
"Nonsense," Dumbledore demurred. "Why I have not received an owl or complaint about your teaching in two years now. I do believe that is a record."
Snape snorted. "Job security is nice to have," he said, each word dripping with sarcasm. "Then my secondary usefulness has come to a head. Lucius is being very tight-lipped and will not share anything with me. Nor do any of the other Heads of Houses I formally had what I assumed to be closer ties to."
Dumbledore hummed. "I wonder why the change."
Snape hesitated for a moment. "Lucius said something somewhat concerning. When I asked why I had no inkling of the Academy, he said that my interests may not align with the overall interests of the Academy. That my loyalties have always been questionable."
Dumbledore turned to face him. "Oh?"
Snape nodded. "Which is curious because I never gave him any cause to question me before, as far as I knew anyways."
"Which means someone might be counseling him against you," Dumbledore mused. "Quirinus?"
"It is possible. I did not hide my suspicion of him while he taught here and I did try to seek him out after he left." Snape took a deep breath. "It is just…the exact wording Lucius used, was very similar to what the Dark Lord said."
"How similar?" Dumbledore asked, growing interested and more than a little alarmed.
"Incredibly," Snape said uneasily.
The silence thickened between them.
"Thank you for bringing this to my attention," Dumbledore said at last. "I believe I need to take further precautions. The inclusion of this suddenly new school that has not been new to some people worries me. Not to mention this startling change in Quirinus."
"What will you do?"
"Petition for more Auror presence during Tasks and events. Perhaps even increase our own security on our own end."
"Perhaps it would be for the best," Snape agreed.
"How are the Slytherins?" Dumbledore asked.
"Not good. Lines are being drawn and the House is divided. On the surface it appears whole. Beneath, however, it is fractured," Snape said, looking subdued. "I have never quite seen the like."
Dumbledore rubbed his eyes. "Keep an eye on them and if you need aid, ask before it is too late. Stubbornness here will cause far more damage than it normally would."
Snape nodded and left, his robes billowing about him.
Dumbledore looked out the window once more and things seemed just a little darker despite the bright moonlight.
-0-
"Thanks for letting us come," Harry said.
"You were requested specifically," Hagrid smiled, patting Harry on the shoulder. The big man had gotten better at mitigating his power some and Harry only barely stumbled this time instead of buckling like he used to. He hooked his thumbs into his belt. "Y'know, never thought I'd ever see anythin' like this though, and it's a damn lovely thing."
Hagrid had sent a message to Harry saying there were some people that wanted to see him: some goblins and some centaurs. Harry had of course wanted to come and asked if he could bring some friends, to which Hagrid enthusiastically agreed to.
Lavender, Parvati, Pansy, Ron, Hermione, and Luna were talking to the centaurs that visited while Sue, Padma, and Millicent were talking to the goblins that came. A large firepit had been made beside Hagrid's hut and a large boar was grilling over it along with a large pot that simmered and bubbled, tended to by Harry.
"I'm glad everything worked out," Harry said.
The goblins had indeed been very interested in the mushrooms and the crakes, as well as some of the herbs and plants they dried and cultivated, and reached a trade deal with the centaur tribe. The tribe would gather the crakes and mushrooms in careful quantities to not endanger the environment and bring them to the school where the goblins would exchange them for metal and equipment and things the tribe wanted. They also brought special anti-grundwyrm things with them, the grundwyrms being a very familiar nuisance to the goblins.
Harry had been happy to see individuals he recognized in both groups. Flynt, Amythyst, and Doran had come with the goblin group and Ronan, Maida, and Rell were with the centaurs. Both had greeted him happily and chatted with him first, surprising Harry's friends. After business was done and things checked, the groups mingled with the students and waited eagerly for an outdoor meal prepared by Harry.
"All thanks to you lad," Hagrid said comfortably, looking at Harry proudly.
"I don't know about that," Harry protested.
"I do. The Tribe wouldn't have known to trade and the goblins wouldn't have known about them either if weren't for you. Not to mention centaurs are usually not too keen to trust others, same with the goblins. But they both trust you and that's the unitin' thing. Makes me proud it does," Hagrid said proudly.
"I had good role models," Harry said happily, looking up at the beaming big man and at Flitwick and Dumbledore who were there as well. "I was worried the trade deal wouldn't be fair to either group."
"Nah, no way it wouldn't be," Hagrid said, waving his hand. "Neither group want to upset you so they kept it even, 'specially with Filius and Dumbledore keepin' an eye on things."
"I'm not that important," Harry laughed sheepishly. "What can I do? Threaten not to cook something?"
"Lad, many would take that threat to be very serious," Hagrid said seriously.
"If you say so," Harry said with mild disbelief.
"Oi, Poittor, I've been meaning to get you by the way," Flynt said with a very sharp smile but his eyes were bright and merry. He walked over and poked him. "I had to drink a gallon of teagale after I ate that mapa stuff."
"Hey I didn't make it!" Harry protested, laughing. "Blame Amy! Also it's mapo and isn't it great? Besides, I thought you liked spicy stuff."
"There's spicy and then there's the hell those Sichuan peppercorns brought," Flynt said seriously.
"Don't listen to him," Doran said, walking over too. "I thought it was delicious and really like the inclusion on the menu."
"I didn't say I didn't like it either," Flynt said defensively.
Doran snorted. "Oh, by the way, here you go Harry." He handed a slim leather-bound book to Harry.
"What's this?"
"An account ledger," Doran explained. "Your share of the profits for Poittor's Poultry Plate and now the Mapo Tofu dish."
"I get profits for those?" Harry asked, surprised.
"Of course you do," Doran said, him and the other goblins staring at him. "You're one of us and we don't steal from one of us."
"Some have embezzled in the past," Amythyst said lightly.
"And they were tossed into the Pit in pieces," Doran said severely. He shook his head and continued, missing Harry's look of shock. "Anyways, you're also getting a cut for the trade deal. Finder's fees. We take that very seriously."
"Wow. Thank you." Harry said. "I, uh, don't know anything about money and things like that though. I probably should eventually. Can I hire someone to take care of it for me? Like look after it and things?"
"Of course," the goblins said together.
"Would you please find someone for me please?" Harry asked Doran. "Or I can ask Uncle Ted, uh Edward Tonks. I think he works with Gringotts too sometimes?"
"Yes, he's a good accountant and has a good relationship with us. Thank you, Harry." Doran took the ledger carefully. "I will handle it personally and will work with Mr. Tonks. Between us, you will be taken care of completely."
"Thank you," Harry smiled. "And for that, you get the first serving of ribs."
"Favoritism!" Flynt cried while others laughed.
"That's right, be jealous," Doran smiled smugly.
"The centaurs are so cool," Lavender gushed later as they ate. "The way they approach divination is so interesting! They focus a lot more on the stars and on the natural world."
"They don't predict nearly as much," Parvati said enthusiastically. "Instead they base a lot of their divination on patterns and on what happened before, and how it could apply to what's going on now."
"That sounds a lot less wooly than looking at tea leaves and crystal balls," Hermione said.
"Yeah, she said that was human assumption," Lavender whispered, gesturing at Maida. "She wasn't really rude about it though, just said that how they view things is very different how we do. She said we try to make things fit our view while they try to see how they fit in the view of the world and the stars."
"Oh wow, that's really deep," Padma said admiringly.
Lavender nodded. "Yeah, I kinda like it a lot. I hope they visit more and would be willing to teach us more."
"They love Harry so I bet they'd do it if he asks," Ron said.
"I don't want to force anyone to do anything just because I ask though," Harry said.
"Oh yeah, not saying you do." Ron swallowed his piece of grilled boar chop. "But just saying they really appreciate what you've done for them. They have better tools and weapon heads now. They feel safer too against bigger things."
"You helped with the grundwyrms too."
Ron beamed at that. "I mean yeah, but I only could 'cause you brought me along. Just saying, they probably would do it. Same with the goblins. They don't listen to just anyone. If someone they didn't like suggested it, they wouldn't have jumped necessarily. I've heard loads of stories from Bill about them."
"Yeah that's true. And they're usually pretty cutthroat on trades," Millicent said. "It took a long time for my family to have more fair-share deals with them."
"Stop trying to butter me up," Harry said, embarrassed. He paused and looked at Luna. "Really Luna?"
Luna licked her knife clean. "Oh I'm sorry, did you not mean that literally?" she asked innocently while the others howled with laughter at Harry sighing and staring at the butter on his hand. "The others were doing it allegedly and I didn't want to be left out."
"Why did I know you were going to do that?" Padma sighed, looking at her twin with disapproval.
"What, Harry washes his hands constantly and don't want to let it go to waste," Parvati said, munching on the piece of bread she just used to wipe the butter up. "And at least I didn't lick it off him like I did the honey."
"I guess I should be thankful with how comfortable you are around me," Harry sighed while the others laughed. "Someone change the subject please."
"Speaking of comfortable, I'm pretty impressed with how comfortable you are with Rell," Ron said to Lavender.
"What does that mean?" Millicent asked. "Is something wrong with her?"
"Not at all," Ron said. "Just when we were talking about how we met the centaurs for the first time, I mentioned how some of the girls got really friendly with Harry and Rell was one of them."
"Oh wait, you did say that!" Lavender said and she looked over at Rell with eyes narrowed.
"Dammit Ron," Harry sighed into his hands while most of the others snickered and snorted.
-0-
In the lead up to the first Task, there was a vibrant betting pool on all sorts of things and factors. Who would succeed, how they would, what order would the Champion compete in and end up placing, what they would be facing. It was ran by the Weasley Twins and they offered good odds on just about everything and there were so many options for bets and the like.
Somehow, facing a nesting dragon was not one of the bets.
When the watchers filled the Quidditch pitch to watch the Champions take on the First Task, they listened with open-mouthed astonishment as Dumbledore described the Task. Each Champion had to face a nesting dragon alone and to claim the golden egg and escape with it. The golden egg sat in the middle of a clutch of other eggs, all fake thankfully, though the dragons were not all that aware or caring at the point. There were plenty of handlers and healers and Aurors on hand to help if things went awry, but it was still a daunting task to accomplish.
The pitch had been transformed, much to the ire of the school Quidditch players. It was an open arena filled with grey rock and shale, outcrops and boulders blocking line of sight. At the center sat the nest and the dragon, each one being led in and out after each Champion's attempt. The watchers from the schools and the ICW filled the stands with the Headmasters of each school sitting apart at the Judges table.
Cedric was first and he had goggled at the sight of the Swedish Short-Snout dragon that faced him. The dragon glowered at him, growling threateningly as it sat possessively over the eggs. After a moment of hesitation, Cedric flourished his wand and transfigured a heard of small animals that dashed all over the place. The dragon was confused and it snapped at a few that came close before rising and chasing after some particularly shrill ones. However, once it noticed Cedric making a run for the nest, it turned and dashed back, howling with outrage.
A stream of fire just managed to hit Cedric as he started to flee the nest, the golden egg under one arm. Cedric howled with pain but continued to run, banishing boulders behind him to block more fire and to impede the dragon. Handlers ran into the arena and subdued the irate dragon while healers doused Cedric with thick foam and took him away.
The school had been shocked to see it and they sat with baited breath, cheering wildly when Cedrie reappeared. He was bandaged and covered in a thick purple ointment, but he smiled and waved at the crowd and accepted his score with head high.
"I am so glad there was an age line," Ron murmured. "This is horrifying."
"Seriously," Harry said, shivering. He could not imagine being down there at that moment.
Viktor was next and he looked at the Chinese Fireball with professional calm. He too used transfiguration and soon had a pile of large Bludgers lying at his feet. With a wave, he sent them flying at the dragon and ran about, dodging gouts of flame and a long flailing tail. He managed to drive the dragon off the nest by hitting her hard with the Bludgers and retrieved the egg without too much risk. However, some of the fake eggs were damaged and he lost a few points there, but he accepted the score easily.
"Oh look, it's her turn," Lavender murmured as Fleur took the field. She blanched when the Welsh Green dragon growled, a low and menacing sound. "I wonder what she's going to do."
"She looks confident," Harry remarked.
Fleur did indeed look confident. Though she shook a little, which is normal when face to face with the large dragon. She swallowed hard, however, and started to wave her wand in a complicated pattern and began to sing. Her voice took on an odd and echoing quality, ethereal and strange. It grew in volume and while it was focused on the dragon, its effects were felt by the watchers.
Some began to fall asleep, feeling drowsy and lethargic, something the dragon was doing too. Others were entranced and enthralled by her singing, looking at her without blinking or looking away. Pansy looked around and with her brow furrowed, noticing the effects. All of sudden her eyes widened and she gasped and clapped her hands around Harry's ears.
"Ow! Hey! What gives?!" Harry asked, looking at her with surprise.
"She's a Veela," Pansy hissed. "Don't listen!"
"What's a Veela?" Lavender asked, alarmed.
"They are magical beings that have an allure that can enthrall, typically members of the opposite sex but any can be affected," Pansy explained. "When Harry had those 'head things' when he met her before, I suspected but now I am sure!"
"But Harry wasn't affected by them before," Millicent pointed out. "And are you feeling weird now?"
"Aside from everything being muffled right now?" Harry asked, smiling sheepishly at Pansy's scowl. "No, not really. I thought her singing was pretty but that was it."
"Oh, well, that's good," Pansy said lamely, face red as she dropped her hands.
"Thanks for looking out for me," Harry said sincerely.
"You're welcome," she mumbled, but felt better.
By then, the dragon was asleep, snoring deeply. Fleur ran up to the nest and grabbed the golden egg and almost made it out completely unscathed. The dragon released a snort when she passed and a tiny gout of flame flicked out and caught the hem of her dress on fire. Fleur managed to put it out easily enough and left the arena in triumph. Many applauded for her though a good chunk of the applause were those still enthralled under her allure, the ones not sleeping themselves of course.
The handlers led the Welsh Green out and brought in the last dragon. It looked very intimidating. While no larger than the Green, it was covered in shiny metallic looking scales and when it growled, it sounded like metal gears grinding.
"That's a German Iron Drake," Pansy said, voice very small.
"It's very lethal looking," Hermione gulped.
Pansy nodded mutely. She looked down when Millicent took one of her hands and Harry took the other, each of them squeezing comfortingly. She felt better, but she trembled a little from trepidation as she watched Draco walk into the arena. From a distance, the pale-haired boy seemed completely unbothered. His stance oozed confidence and the boy looked up at the dragon without obvious fear. He held up his wand and incanted and a jet of black light struck the dragon in the eyes.
The Iron Drake screamed. She fell over, howling from abject agony and more than a few of the watchers cried out in sympathy. The dragon rolled around, nearly banging her head into the ground as she continued to scream and screech and shriek, before subsiding in agonized wails. Draco, continuing to look undisturbed, strode to the nest and removed the golden egg and left the arena, a smirk on his lips. Applause came from the group that sat together under a banner labeling them as Sanguis Verus students but the rest watched on with shocked silence. Handlers ran to the dragon and there was a lot of shouting.
"What was that?" Millicent breathed.
"I mean, that was impressive, but not in a good way," Harry said softly.
"That poor dragon," Lavender said, looking at the dragon sadly.
Pansy agreed with her and while a small part of her was relieved that Draco left the arena unscathed, it was a very small part. She watched her former friend leave the arena with head high, barely acknowledging those that cheered him.
-0-
"So, what did you think?" Draco asked, looking the picture of smugness.
The atmosphere in Slytherin was equal parts buoyant and suppressed. They were partying in their fashion, with music from a wireless and plenty of food and drink to be had. Draco had been the main attraction, gleefully retelling his exploits time and again. The ones who had allied themselves to him early on preened in reflected glory. The ones who were nervous were even more so now. The boy had boasted much, saying that the spell he learned was from the new Headmaster of Sanguis Verus and that everyone could become so proficient.
So feared.
Pansy looked at him for a long moment in silence. "I'm glad you weren't hurt," she said honestly. Despite their tumultuous relationship the last few years, she did not actively wish him ill. A small part of her missed who he was and if hard-pressed, she might have admitted she would not mind seeing that boy again.
It was dwarfed by her feelings since that boy's disappearance however, and legitimately so. She still remembered vividly the way he had treated her since starting Hogwarts, pushing and needling and prodding. And of course, the now legendary slap.
Still, she did not wish him ill.
"I was not in any actual danger," Draco boasted.
That statement, so confidently said, made her think of another time he said something along the same lines and something clicked in her head. "What do you mean? You went up against a dragon."
"I knew what I was doing," Draco sniffed.
"You mean, you knew you would be facing a dragon before you did," Pansy accused. "You cheated?"
Draco flushed, caught. "No, not really. If everyone knows, then no one cheated after all. Cheating is a tradition of the Tournament."
Pansy stared at him. "How long have you known about Sanguis Verus?"
"Years," Draco said. "My parents helped found it after all."
"And you didn't tell anyone?"
"Of course I did, those loyal and deserving of knowing," Draco sneered.
Pansy flushed. "And that's how you convinced others to join the Academy?"
"It did not take much to convince them. Look around Pansy," Draco said earnestly. "All the mudbloods, the halfbloods everywhere. They do not deserve to learn magic like we do. Hogwarts has fallen in reputation and prestige. Sanguis Verus will be a beacon of Pureblood ideals, about those worthy of magic and worthy to learn it. Everyone going knows that we are the ones deserving, that we are the best and that is that. Hogwarts is unsafe, both physically and in ideals."
Draco gestured with both arms dramatically. "We had an escape convict break in, not to mention trolls, surrounded by Dementors, and the Chamber was opened and there were basilisks! I was petrified, did you forget?"
"Did you forget that your father demanded the Dementors to be here?!" Pansy retorted. Then she realized something else Draco said. "You…you said in second year that you weren't in any real danger," she said softly. "Just like you said you weren't in any now."
"I might have," he said evasively. "That is not the point. I asked you what you thought of my performance," he said swiftly, looking down at her.
She returned his look without flinching. "I felt bad for the dragon," she said honestly. "She sounded like she was in pain."
"Well, it was not a pleasant Curse," Draco said, wrong-footed by her comment. He blustered. "The dragon would have killed me."
"You said you weren't in any real danger," she repeated. She looked at him closely. "The Draco I knew would never delight in the pain and suffering of a poor animal. Where did he go?"
"The Draco you knew and know does not care for lesser things," Draco hissed back. "And I do not know where that Draco went, and I do not care. I want to know where the Pansy I remembered is. The one who was my friend and was loyal to me, that cared about me."
Pansy took a deep breath and let it out, feeling something missing deep within herself. "I think she is gone, chasing after the Draco she thought she knew." She looked him in the eye. "This Pansy has a better idea of what is right and what is wrong."
"What does that mean," Draco asked, looking nervous.
Pansy turned and started to leave. "It means, Draco, that I am going to do what you told me to do. I am going to seize the opportunity and go where the right place is." She left him there looking after her with confusion, and while every step was heavy, she felt lighter within.
-0-0-0-
Arnie1701 - Draco is held hostage by his own hubris and inflated ego.
poka - Thank you so much. I was pretty excited for the last chapter. It felt good to bring up everything and show how it was all related, tangentially, and I thought it flowed really well and helped show some of the background stuff coming to light. It's silly of course but then again, so is the premise of this fic.
Hands Off MY Wolfie - Remember the Crouches are out of the game, both of them have been apprehended and taken away. Yes, much suspicion. Thank for reading.
odonnellzoo99 - The Malfoys aren't the only ones that can plan. They don't own it. Showing how Sunny getting in and out of the dorm room made me laugh and I hoped others would enjoiy it.
FoggyMindOfMine - I usually try to keep a bank of chapters ready for posting regularly. I generally don't like to write and then post, it doesn't feel as prepared to me. I typically post on Monday and Wednesday with occasional extra posts if I have a good writing week or if I need the extra positive energy. Glad you are enjoying it.
DarkRavie - Thank you.
mackiechandler - I really don't think Harry would ever poison anyone. Food is too precious to mess with. Hope you enjoy the cooking in this chapter then.
DOOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - Yup, he showed his hand somewhat. It's a bold move Cotton, let's see how it plays out.
bdwilliams3 - Good to see you. Glad you liked it.
MultiversalCosms - He will fail at some, most, things for sure. I hope that's not necessarily coming across here. I definitely will explain more as the information comes to light, but I want to show some nuance here as well as offer some explanations here and there and let the reader draw some conclusions.