The days after the incident at the Defense Against the Dark Arts class were difficult to describe to Harry. Even in his own group, there is a distance between him and Zabini and Bulstrode; only Pansy walks close to him.
The rumours of him walking out from the transfiguration class also spread like wildfire. Some students looked at him like a hero. Some upper classmates looked at him with curiosity as he used a powerful spell, learned only in the seventh year, and only to those with specific careers in mind, such as Aurors.
Hermione was one of the few who did not change. In fact, after the class was over and her shock was over, she walked directly to Harry to yell at him for using a dangerous spell. A spell is categorized as advanced.
"You could have burned one of the pixies! You could have killed one of us. Worst! You could have set the castle on fire!" yelled Hermione in Harry's face.
Harry only smiled at his friend's antiques, putting the school before the well-being of people, "But it did not happen".
Although Pansy and Hermione understood why he was smiling, the rest of the class thought he was smiling for a superiority complex.
"Crazy, those two, I tell you", whispered Ron to Neville, who sat next to him, while he nodded nervously.
.
Draco experienced a slight change in how the school started to work after the incident. The Gryffindors and the Hufflepuffs now look afraid of the Slytherins, which was good. Everyone in the school should respect the Slytherins. That's how the status quo should be.
The only odd may be a blonde Ravenclaw girl who occasionally looked at Harry, but not with fear or admiration. It was weird to describe to him.
But outside of that, everything was right.
Draco walked alongside Daphne. For others, it would seem that they are close. Still, they are merely walking together and almost not recognizing the presence of the other.
It was finally the third week of September. Draco was waiting this day to eventually go to the tryouts for the Quidditch team. He loved the game and was eager to demonstrate his abilities.
His father wanted to help him by giving the team a set of Nimbus 2001. But the plan failed when the team was already given 6 Pro PeroPeronchino brooms by the Suzuki company. Draco had already received a letter from home asking him to be part of the team and use his own broom.
He wasn't needed to be told twice. Draco had a childhood dream of playing Quidditch and raised a cup. Those dreams had changed every time he saw an amazing player. He wanted to imitate him. For that reason, he felt he could play any position. Of course, he wanted the spotlight, but the seeker position was already taken by Harry. That is why he is now aiming for the Chaser position.
While walking to the Quidditch field, with Nott behind and Daphne next to him, he saw a familiar face from Gryffindor.
"Hi, Draco. Long time without talking", said Hermione with a smile. Daphne rolled her eyes when she saw the big-toothed girl.
Draco was about the answer, but Theodore Nott beat him and said, "who do you think you are, talking with one of us, Mudblood!"
Hermione and Draco frowned; Daphne only stepped away. When Hermione was about to retort, Professor Snape showed up.
"What is happening here?" said the professor in a clear and calm voice, so everyone heard.
"Nothing, professor. Just giving directions to this Gryffindor to where to go, as she seems lost", said Nott.
Professor raised his eyebrow and then looked at Hermione. "Miss Granger. I wanted to ask you if you have news about Hector Dagworth-Granger. I get that you are his…."
Hermione remembered the name from his visit to Canada. "Oh, He is my second cousin. He is alright, he is working in MACUSA. Unless you mean his father, who had the same name but already passed away some years ago."
"I hope he is as extraordinary Potioneer as his father was. I also expect the same from you", said Snape.
"I'll try my best, professor", answered Hermione with a smirk. The potion master nodded and left.
Nott was frowning while Daphne was giggling at the side. Draco shook his head and looked at Nott to tell him, "Some say that ignorance is a blessing. Personally, I see it as a disease that can be cured with the proper investigation."
Draco walked away with Hermione while Daphne walked in another direction.
"Where are Vincent and Gregory?" asked the Gryffindor girl.
"Probably already at the Quidditch pitch. They didn't want to study with us at the Slytherin Common Room."
Hermione frowned at it. She remembered someone talking in the Gryffindor Common room about the Quidditch field. Still, she wasn't sure of the hour and assumed it would be at a different time. That was the logical answer.
Draco kept walking with Hermione at his side, and he could not help but ask. "And, where are you going?"
"To watch your tryout. Obviously!" said Hermione.
Draco stopped walking, as he was not expecting that answer. He thought she was going with the half-giant. But coming to see his tryout was not on the list.
Without reason in his head for that to happen, he only asked her, "why?"
Hermione stopped and looked at him, and as if it was the most obvious answer, she said, "because you are my friend".
Draco frown. "But, why? Is not like you will gain anything".
Draco was raised with the mentality to pick your allies carefully. He had seen that some people, although they can not give much prestige, can still be associated with them as long they can provide something.
Crabbe and Goyle are his friends because their parents need Malfoy's protection politically and economically. The Greengrass wants to keep the prestige, just like the Nott's and how the Parkinson's were. Harry needed his contacts inside the magical world, but now that he had Parkinson on their side, there was no more need for their friendship.
Even professor Snape, a family friend, was befriended as he is a well-known potioneer, one of the few Potion-Masters who obtained the title at a young age. And also, he is the youngest professor and head of house in all the history of Hogwarts.
Draco knows that there is more about the relationship with his family, but that alone makes him a good ally for any pure-blood family.
While the Grangers are being reintroduced, they already have the protection of the Suzuki's and the Parkinson's.
There was no need for Hermione to be Draco's friend. 'Why would she want to be with him as a friend. It doesn't make sense', was what Draco thought.
"Because you are" was the only thing she said and smiled. To Hermione, it was comical the face of Draco. He looked confused and lost. Like if he just woke up in a different world. She held back her urge to laugh and only snorted a little.
Hermione walked to his back, started pushing him from his shoulder, and said, "come on. You are going to be late."
Draco woke up from his thoughts and moved away, making Hermione almost fall.
Hermione looked at Draco and frowned. Now it was him who snorted a little. Hermione stood up and started to run after him. Draco started to run.
In the way of the Quidditch pitch, the laugh of the two was heard.
.
When Hermione and Draco finally arrived at the Quidditch field, Hermione went to sit in the stands. Once there, she spotted Pansy alone and went to sit next to her. In another section were other Slytherins, but the place was almost empty.
"Nothing has started, right?" asked Hermione.
Pansy didn't turn to see her as she watched across the field. "As you can see".
"What are you looking at?"
"Some weird red points".
Hermione was about to look in the same direction. Dean arrived and sat next to her, and Seamus next to him.
Other Gryffindors sat close by. Pansy only exhaled deeply, as she did not like to be around the loud Gryffindors. Especially when Lavender Brown sat behind her, talking with Parvati.
When the two Gryffindor girls noted Pansy was there, they cleared their throats. Pansy ignored them, which seemed to infuriate the pink lover girl, Lavender.
Just when Lavender was going to say something, Dean stood up, "this got quite crowded. Should we move?"
Hermione smiled and stood up, followed by Seamus.
Pansy remained sat with her head resting in one of her hands. Hermione had to elbow her, and that's when Pansy stood up, not before rolling her eyes.
They sat in a section that was closer to the stands of the teachers and the announcer. While walking there, Seamus asked, "Did any of you reckon why both teams are there?"
Hermione shrugged, and Dean shook his head. Seamus stood there looking at Pansy, who had not answered. Pansy only sat and looked at the pitch, where she could see how the captains of both teams were speaking with each other. No one was sure if they were talking or discussing something.
Hermione looked at Seamus, who was still waiting for Pansy to answer, now with his arms crossed. The Gryffindor girl had to move the Slytherin Princess with her shoulder. "What now?" was what Pansy said.
"Seamus asked us if you know why both teams are there", Hermione explained.
"I heard him"
After that answer, she remained silent, and Seamus only put his arms in the air while sighing desperately.
"So? Do you know?" asked Dean to Pansy while laughing at Seamus's reaction.
"Your guess is as good as mine", answered dryly.
Dean and Hermione shrugged, accepting the answer.
The four of them looked at the pitch again. The Slytherin outnumbered the Gryffindors 4 to 1. Hermione explained to the other two Gryffindors that the Slytherins would have their tryouts. While the other two told the girls that the Gryffindors supposedly had the pitch separated for training.
"None of you tried out for the team?" said Hermione, and both shook their heads.
"We wanted. But we were denied the opportunity", said Seamus, annoyed.
Dean nodded, "yeah. Both of us asked for the tryouts to the captain, Oliver something. He said that 'the team did not need new players', just a new seeker."
Seamus laughed and said, "And you won't believe who's their new seeker."
"The Weasel", said Pansy dryly.
Seamus and Dean opened their eyes widely and asked, "how did you know?!"
Pansy only pointed at the pitch where Ron was with his broom in hand, next to his brothers. Hermione laughed a little.
The four of them looked at the pitch and saw how both captains left the pitch. But the rest of the teams remained there.
There was a small silence, and Dean decided to break the ice.
"So, now that I have both of you. I mean Seamus and Pansy. I want to ask you something".
Seamus turned to see him, Hermione raised an eyebrow, not knowing why he would not ask her, and meanwhile, Pansy did not move a muscle, still looking bored.
"I heard way too many times about the PeroPeronchino broom. That it is the best that had ever happened to Quidditch, or it will bring the Armageddon to the magical society."
"The Armageddon?" asked Hermione, half laughing, half surprised.
"Yeah, I heard that from some people in Diagon Alley when I saw the broom. But what is so special about it that the rules of Quidditch had to change?"
Seamus shook his head and said, "sorry, mate. Don't know. I only know that it has some new enchantments outside that, nothing. I would be stupid to call it just a fancy broom with a weird name like Ron does. I mean, the rules are changing because of it."
Hermione thought for a moment and turned to Pansy. "You should know about it. Your family helped in its creation, after all".
Pansy answered, "we did not create it. We only helped with the company's creation inside the wizarding world."
"Oh, come on. You should know about it. Think about it as a sales speech", pressed Hermione.
The Slytherin girl sighed and turned to see them and answered. "The PeroPeronchino, brings comfort while sitting, control over the turns, and an acceleration of 0 to 150 miles in 5 seconds, making it the faster broom today. It also provides enchantments to protect the rider from falling. In case of any problem like a Bludger hitting you and sending you unconscious, it will fly down by itself. This applies unless the rider delivery left the broom. It also has a security enchantment for nervous people, so the broom won't levitate by itself".
"150 in 5 seconds?!" said Seamus and Dean simultaneously.
"I get that the security measures are what is making the whole change of rules, so other brooms will also have it", Hermione said, but Pansy shook her head.
"No, that is the measure for the PeroPeronchino model. What is making the rule change is the Pro model".
"Wait, so if the normal model goes 150 miles in 5 seconds, does the pro goes 200 or something?" asked Dean.
Pansy looked at Dean and Seamus. Both of them were very intrigued by the model.
"Technically, it could", answered the Slytherin girl, and the eyes of both guys went wider.
"But that's not what makes it special. Unlike the normal model, the 'Pro' model does not guarantee that you are going faster, as it has a special enchantment to work with the amount of magic the rider applies to the broom. It will change directions as fast as the rider can react and go as fast as the rider can make it go."
At the statements, both boys got confused. "Wait, so if it doesn't guarantee you go faster. How is this a 'pro model', and what's the problem in a broom like that?" asked Dean.
Pansy turned her gaze again to the pitch and looked where Harry was. "It made a controversy because now the players will rely on their own skill with magic to ride the broom. They won't be relying on the specs of the broom".
Hermione heard the explanation, her eyes brightened, and she smiled while nodding. Dean and Seamus still did not understand, and Hermione decided to explain.
"Don't you get it? This way, the games will be won by skill and not with money", said the Gryffindor girl, but the boy shook their head.
"Dean, you like football, right? Have you ever seen your team, West Ham or Arsenal, using something that gave them any advantage? Like using football boots that made them go faster."
"Arsenal?" asked Dean.
"My dad is a fan. Either way, my point is that they all rely on their skills. With all the teams playing with a broom that works depending on how you use it, it will give everyone the opportunity to win. Instead of having the advantage of having a better broom than the opponent".
Dean and Seamus nodded. "That's why people are against it. Because it goes to the sportsmanship that Muggles have," said Seamus. The Irish boy then looked at Hermione, who was frowning at him, and he felt under attack and only said, "what?"
Dean stood between Seamus and Hermione and said to the girl, "I have not explained it to him yet." The Gryffindor girl seemed that calm herself, while Seamus was still confused.
.
Harry walked to the Quidditch pitch with only Pansy on his side. He just walked out of his head of house office. He was called due to a large number of rumours about him, especially about him walking out of the Transfiguration class and skipping the class altogether the whole week. He was given detention and also was asked to visit the headmaster first thing on Monday.
Harry felt stupid for thinking that the teachers would do something to make him close to the headmaster, while he just did that by himself. When he was intercepted by Flint, Harry walked to the pitch with his broom in hand.
The Slytherin Quidditch captain nodded and walked with him to the other side from Pansy. "Suzuki, I am gonna be honest with you. I will give Draco his opportunity to play in the team".
Harry kept walking and nodded. "No problem with me, but can I give you a small suggestion?"
Flint only looked at him, and Harry continued, "we should also choose some reserves. You know, to change the game style if needed."
The captain frowned, "Suzuki, we just have three games. I don't think we have many games to experiment."
"I know, but it's hard to think that our team will remain the same. I better have a team working coherently if a change is needed."
Flint thought about it and answered, "I'll think about it. If we find a player that should be in the team, but the place is already occupied, I may do it".
Harry nodded, and they continued walking together. When they finally arrived at the Quidditch pitch, Pansy walked to the stands while Harry remained with Flint.
Some students were already there. Some were present at last year's tryout, and just a few were new.
Two faces were recognized right away by Harry, Crabbe and Goyle. The two of them will try out for the position of the beater. Harry was happy that they were there, but he doubted that any of them would be able to be in the team.
Meanwhile, Flint was looking at the prospects, and he was looking at what he was seeing. He had a plan in his mind, as he had been hearing different games during the summer break. Flint acquired a radio without his parents knowing because they saw the artefact as an offence to the pure-blood customs. With that Radio, he listened to the games of Tutshill Tornados, which inspired him for his new game style. And fortunately to him, the players now looked like they could do the job.
When Draco arrived, the time to start the tryout was about to begin. Flint was about to start to explain the first phase of the tryout when suddenly, a group of Gryffindors appeared. Flint only frowned and said, "Now what?"
Flint walked to the front, while the Gryffindor Capitan did the same. The Gryffindor Capitan, Oliver Wood, spoke first, "What are you doing here, Flint?"
"That's what I should be asking. The Slytherin team is having their tryouts", said Flint crossing his arms.
"Really? Well, you do need to change some of your guys", said Wood in a neutral tone while thinking about the Slytherin lineup. Flint grunted his teeth. "Calm down. I really did not mean anything bad."
When the Gryffindor team saw that Flint looked menacing, they walked to step behind their captain. This move made the Slytherin team do the same. The problem for the Gryffindors was that there were many Slytherin students at that moment.
"Wow, guys, calm down," said Wood to his players. Flint only looked at the Slytherin students and shook his head, and all of them understood.
"Anyway, the question here is why are you here?" asked the Slytherin captain.
"I have special permission from Professor McGonagall to train our new Seeker", said Wood, and then he grabbed a piece of paper and gave it to Flint.
"New seeker? Really? Who?" asked Flint after reading the permission.
"I am", said Ron stepping to the front. He looked as happy as if he had just won the biggest prize in a lottery. He was in the middle of everybody, trying t become the centre of attention. His brothers only faced palm when his brother did that.
"Now, that is desperate", said Malfoy, and all the Slytherins laughed. Ron frowned and was about to take his wand, but his brothers stopped him. They saw that coming when he stepped to the front.
But the insults started to be shouted on both sides. It took time for Wood to calm his Gryffindors, and for Slytherin, it took Harry and Flint to do it. On the other hand, Draco only enjoyed watching the Gryffindors going mad.
Flint and Wood asked their respective teams to wait on different sides of the pitch while discussing the problem.
When everything calmed down, Collin arrived with the camera in hand. "The Slytherin tryouts haven't started, right?"
Before Harry could answer and ask him out the pitch, Malfoy appeared and said, "what do you care about the Slytherin tryouts, you mudblood!"
Collin did not know the word's meaning but understood that he tried to insult him.
Harry only rolled his eyes and shook his head. The first year Gryffindor looked at Harry, who did not look upset and asked him, "What does he mean with 'mudblood'?"
Harry looked at the kid while scratching his own cheek. "Well, the word comes from Mud, which means dirt or earth. And obviously blood. Which could mean that your magic comes from the earth."
The Gryffindor's first year was confused, as Draco was. Draco was hearing everything slyly. Harry saw Collin's face and decided to explain further, "well, you know about pure-blood families?"
"Families where both parents are magical, right?"
"Close. It's not that simple. A Half-blood may have both magical parents, but one of them is first-generation."
"First-generation?"
"Means that is the first generation of his family that has magic. Like you," said Harry and then continued. "Now. A Pure-Blood is when they don't have passed at least three generations without anyone with a Maho Nashi relation. That's why they call themselves pure-blood. Not because they are pure, but because their magic comes from their blood."
"Maho Nashi?"
"Means, without magic," explained Harry and Collin started to nod.
Harry continued explaining, "Mudblood, it's an old way to call a person from a non-magical family or Maho Nashi. It comes from the idea that their magic comes from the earth, the planet, or in others words, from nature itself."
Collin's eyes went bright with a smile. Meanwhile, Draco had his eyebrow up and his mouth open. He did not understand from where Harry had taken that rubbish. The information was too different from what he knew and made no sense.
Collin then frowned for a second, "But why did it sound like an insult?"
Harry scratched his chin, "well. Draco comes from a Pure-blood family, and the idea that your magic didn't come from your blood made you inferior."
The first year laughed a bit and said, "well, it seems that he is terrible with insults." Harry laughed at the comment and then proceeded to explain to him what Muggle really meant. At that moment, Draco could not take it anymore and walked away, shooking his head.
At the centre of the pitch, the two captains were still talking, and then they walked to their respective teams and asked them to remain on the field while they went to find a teacher.
