Harry's P.O.V

November, 9th

11:45 p.m.

Harry was still reeling. The news he'd already been given had taken him by surprise and the added news that he would most likely be living with a complete stranger come summer was even more shocking.

" 'Arry?" Fleur padded down from the fifth-year girl's dorms and stood an arm's length away from him.

The fire in the hearth crackled sending her shadow over him and making Harry shudder, "just… thinking."

Fleur seemed like she would just take him at his word and walk away, but when she looked into his eye she seemed to see something. She sighed and sat next to him, her leg brushed against him, and he took a breath in, "do you want to talk about it?"

He wasn't entirely sure he did, but this was his chance to patch things up with the girl, "my… godfather showed up today."

Fleur rose a carefully sculpted eyebrow.

"I know, right?! I didn't see that coming either. Apparently, he was framed for leaking my parent's whereabouts to the dark lord, and for killing twelve muggles when Peter Pettigrew, one of my dad's other friends, tried to apprehend him. Turns out it was Pettigrew that did all of it, and he framed my godfather."

Harry stared at the fire, the flickering red-orange flames cast the usually cobalt blue common room into inky navy darkness. The usually comforting rows of bookshelves along the walls seemed to sap the room of warmth and filled his bones with a deep chill.

Fleur seemed to forget she was mad at him as she gently took his hand, "I am so sorry you 'ad to find out about 'im like this."

Harry turned her hand over and ran a thumb over her skin. A ghost of a whisper escaped his lips, "he wants me to live with him this summer. He has a place in London."

Fleur tensed, and the brush of soft feathers tickled Harry's palm as he ghosted his fingers along the back of her hand, "is that not a good thing? Perhaps you will 'ave a family, a proper family, one that will treat you as warmly as you deserve?"

Harry stared down at their joined hands, 'is it wrong to think that this is all I need? I could have no one but her for the rest of my life and I think I could die happily.'

He looked up at her concerned frown.

'But I think that is something I should keep to myself.'

"I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, but I'm still apprehensive. You don't grow up th-the way I did without being wary," Harry's voice hitched and a host of memories flooded in, Uncle Vernon's almost daily beatings, Dudley and his gang tormenting him constantly about his dead parents, and her, "it's better to stay on your toes."

His whisper, broken and weary, brought with it a silence that seemed to stretch out for long suffering seconds. Thankfully, Fleur seemed more than willing to break the silence, "a 'ealthy wariness is good, but don't try to find conflict where there is none."

Harry grinned, "Hey your English has gotten really good! You don't say zere anymore, but you still have trouble with h's."

Fleur turned her nose up at him, "I'm sure I don't know what you are talking about."

Harry laughed and after a moment so did Fleur. The previously cold room seemed to brighten with the soft tinkle of her laugh, a warm buzz pushed away the coldness, and Harry smiled contently, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about how to destroy the Horcrux. I just… I didn't want to worry you before I was sure it was the only way. For all I know there could be another way out there and Salazar just didn't know about it."

Fleur sighed, "I know why you did it, but that doesn't make me any less angry with you. I thought we had decided to trust each other fully from now on, but when you 'eld this information from me it 'urt me very much. It made me feel like you didn't think I was reliable enough to trust."

"I never meant to make you think that. If anything you're the most reliable person I know. The only person more skilled than you I can think of is Dumbledore, and that's a pretty good scale to be weighed against," Harry chuckled, "and I don't think you fall too short."

Fleur playfully pushed her shoulder against his, "Flattery will get you everywhere with me, but don't think I've forgotten that crack about my English."

"What crack? It really has gotten quite good!"

Fleur laughed and they joked back and forth like they had never been fighting. It seemed like the time they'd spent at odds had never happened and Harry could feel his heart lightening as they talked late into the night.

Hours passed and at some point, they had both fallen asleep; neither of them realizing as Harry rested his head on her shoulder or as Fleur burrowed closer to his warmth.

The fire flickered for a few hours after they fell into unconsciousness, only snuffing out sometime around one in the morning, but neither of them noticed as they warmed one another.

December, 17th

2:00 p.m.

Harry sighed, "Why are we putting up with this again?"

Fleur observed the swollen numbers of the Dueling Club. Many people had joined and their previously twenty-person roster was now triple that, and Fleur looked very disgusted that a majority of them were girls; many of which seemed only interested in Lockhart. Because of the sheer volume of students they had been forced to forgo their usual little room and had to commandeer the Great Hall.

"This is ridiculous," Fleur scowled, "'e is just standing there smiling that obnoxiously white smile and signing autographs"

Sure enough, Lockhart was surrounded by third-, fourth-, and fifth-year girls who were clamoring for his attention.

Harry was mortified to see a familiar head of bushy brown hair in the sea of girls, "Hermione?! What are you doing in there?"

The girl squeaked and turned very round eyes to them, "Oh! Um— is this a line for autographs? I thought it was for the sign-in sheet, silly me!"

Hermione awkwardly made her way over to the pair and stood abashed next to them, fleur chuckled, "You don't need to get out of line just because we don't like the man. You are entitled to your tastes… even if they are rather terrible."

Terry, Ron, Seamus, and Dean made their way through the crowd of girls. At one point Harry saw Ron go down and he was sure he would be the first person sacrificed to the line, but eventually, he resurfaced a few feet behind the other boys.

"This is awful," Terry complained as he mended his ripped robe.

Ron was red in the face with exertion, his clothes were askew, and his face had an oddly shoe-shaped mark on it, "you're telling me."

"When are we gonna start? Any idea Harry?" Seamus scanned the crowd with a visible cringe as he caught sight of a girl swooning at Lockhart's smile.

Harry grimaced, "we were supposed to start a few minutes ago. Honestly, the regular members won't have much to do today. Our numbers grew so much we'll have to go over the basics of dueling again just so no one gets hurt."

"Fils de pute! This is ridiculous!" Fleur cursed very irately and sent up a spell that exploded so loudly it nearly deafened Harry who was right beneath it, "Professor Lockhart we need to get this meeting of the Dueling Club underway!"

"Now, now, Ms. Delacour, I hardly think such theatrics are necessary. I had it all in hand and I was about to start today's lesson," the man tried giving Fleur a carefree smile, but when her glare only intensified he cleared his throat and moved to stand atop the makeshift dueling platform they'd fashioned out of two lunch tables.

The man was ridiculous in a flamboyant brightly colored robe with a lot of flashy embellishments that could only serve to make him an easier target.

"Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to oversee this Dueling Club for the rest of the year, to train you all up in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions– for full details, see my published works," he smiled wide as if he was being magnanimous, "Let me introduce my assistant for today, Professor Snape. He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about dueling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now I don't want any of you youngsters to worry – you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!"

Ron sighed dreamily and whispered, "Wouldn't it just be nice if they finished each other off?"

Harry tried not to laugh when he saw the rapidly forming sneer that Snape was directing at the oblivious Lockhart. The man must have been very full of himself because he seemed to pay the expression no mind as he and Snape faced one another.

Lockhart bowed with an exaggerated flourish, while Snape gave a slight jerk of his head that Harry had barely registered. Then they raised their wands in front of them like swords.

Lockhart looked away from Snape and put his smile on, "As you can see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position. On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."

Snape barred his teeth as Lockhart began to count, "One – two – three!"

Both men swung their wands up and over their shoulders, but Snape was the first to shout out, "Expelliarmus!"

A bright flash of red light swept Lockhart off of his feet, sent backward end over end, and crashed to the floor off of the platform.

Harry tried desperately not to laugh but he quickly lost that battle when he caught sight of Fleur's very satisfied smirk. A few other people in the crowd, namely the boys, started laughing as well.

Hermione stood on her tiptoes trying to get a look at Lockhart, "do you think he's okay?"

Fleur snorted, "I certainly 'ope not."

But, to Harry and Fleur's great disappointment, Lockhart tottered to his feet and clambered back onto the platform, "Well, there you have it! That was a Disarming Charm, albeit with a bit more force behind it than necessary, and as you can see I've lost my wand– ah, thank you, Miss Brown. Yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind my saying so, it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have been all too easy. However, I felt it would be instructive to let the students see…"

Lockhart averted his gaze very quickly at Snape's murderous glare and cleared his throat, "Enough demonstrating! I'm going to come amongst you now and put you all into pairs. Professor Snape, if you'd like to help me…"

The professors moved through the crowds, pairing students at random. Harry moved to pair with Fleur, but Snape caught his arm sending needles of uncomfortable goosebumps up his arm.

"Not so fast, Potter. I think it's time you work outside of your comfort zone. Miss Delacour, you partner with Davies. Boot, you're with Crabbe. Miss Granger with Miss Bulstrode. And Weasley with Mister Goyle."

Snape pulled Harry through the crowd of students. Fleur watched after them worriedly, her brow creasing angrily as she saw who Snape was intending to pair him with.

"Potter, you'll be paired with Mister Malfoy," Malfoy smirked cruelly at Harry, but a schoolboy sneer hardly compared to the gaze of Voldemort, "let's see what you make of the famous Potter."

Harry stood impassive as the remaining students were paired off, and room for each pair was made so they could attempt their mock duels.

Once the students had been spaced appropriately Lockhart called out over the students, "Wands at the ready! When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponent – only to disarm them – we don't want any accidents. One – two – three!"

Harry sighed as he saw Malfoy's wand arm coming around on 'two': his spell sailed toward Harry, but just before it would have hit Harry's head he lazily rolled his neck to the side avoiding the spell.

"Expelliarmus," Harry yawned lazily as his spell slammed into Malfoy, sending him sailing end over end just like Snape had done to Lockhart. Harry watched Malfoy scramble drunkenly after his wand, and turned to see how the rest of the students were doing.

The usual Dueling Club members had successfully, and safely, taken turns disarming one another, but the rest of the students weren't so coordinated. Millicent Bulstrode had Hermione in a headlock, both of their wands were forgotten on the ground. Harry frowned at that and stupefied the girl.

"Now Harry you shouldn't go around—"

"What?" Harry cut Lockhart off, "Stop unruly students from disrupting Dueling Club because they are too unruly to follow simple instructions? That's exactly what I should do as the Dueling Club's co-captain."

Harry walked over to Hermione, helped her up, and then woke Millicent up, "Rennervate."

Harry turned to the gawking students. He hadn't realized he'd drawn everyone's attention, and he was a bit taken aback, but he took a deep breath in, "For anyone who thinks that was too harsh I advise you give up on dueling. There are rules in place for duels for a reason, and you are not permitted to strike your opponent with anything other than spells. Anyone who is caught doing this will receive the same reprimand from me or Fleur."

A few Hufflepuff students relaxed at how serious Harry was taking student safety, the Ravenclaws and Gryffindors seemed happy with the rule, but most of the Slytherins seemed upset with the intervention. Harry noted the two Slytherins that didn't seem to have an issue with the rule.

'Daphne Greengrass and Blaise Zabini were members of the club last year. Maybe they're some of the more reasonable Slytherins.'

Lockhart slapped Harry on the back nearly sending him stumbling, "well said, Harry! And with safety in mind, I think it's a good time to teach you all how to use shield charms."

Snape seemed to rush forward a bit too quickly for Harry's liking, "might I suggest Potter and Malfoy for this demonstration?"

Harry grimaced. Did Snape know that he couldn't cast a Shield Charm?

"I don't—"

"A brilliant suggestion!" Lockhart ushered Harry up onto the dueling platform with a speed that made Harry suspicious.

'I think he just doesn't want Snape to demonstrate on him again.'

"Now, Harry, when Draco points his wand at you, you do this," Lockhart seemed to have an involuntary seizure as he flailed his wand around in what he must have thought was a complicated pattern, and he only stopped when his wand went flying out of his hands, "whoops – my wand is a little over-excited it seems!"

Harry sighed, 'Yeah, he's a moron.'

Snape smiled, leaned down to say something only Malfoy could hear, and then the blond boy smirked.

'I feel like this school is wildly terrible at choosing teachers. Maybe Dumbledore just finds it funny?'

"This won't end well," Harry sighed.

Lockhart cuffed him on the back again, "You'll be alright Harry! Just do what I showed you."

"What, have a seizure and drop my wand?"

Harry and Malfoy stood back to back, their wands up at the ready, and their backs ramrod straight.

Lockhart counted, "three – two – one!"

Harry turned and tried to fill himself with the desire to protect himself, and he called, "Protego," but the spell didn't activate.

Malfoy's wand came down and Harry tensed, ready to dodge, "Serpensortia!"

Out of the tip of Malfoy's wand exploded a long black snake whose body fell heavily to the platform. Its head rose, a darting tongue flicked from between its lips, and the snake's head swayed, ready to strike.

'Really? A snake? That's the best he could do?'

Snape smirked and stepped forward with his wand at the ready, "Don't move, Potter! I'll get rid of it…"

"Allow me, Professor!" Lockhart stepped up a bit too enthusiastic for Harry's liking. Before Harry could tell him to bugger off, however, the man swished his wand and a loud bang sounded through that great hall.

The snake sailed up into the air and came back down with a dull thud and a very angry hiss. The snake barred its fangs and made a decidedly angry line toward a very terrified-looking Hufflepuff boy.

"Weak prey!" The snake hissed as it slithered forward.

Harry chased after it and called out in desperation, "Stop!"

The snake paused, turned to gaze at Harry, and blinked curiously," You speak the tongue, human?"

"Yes, now leave him alone," Harry stepped forward slightly and the snake hissed.

"Why should I? I was summoned to bite!"

The snake turned back to the Hufflepuff boy. Harry stomped to get its attention, "Stop! I am a speaker and you will listen to my command! Now come here and behave."

The serpent seemed like it would press the issue further, but then it appeared to think better of it as it slithered to Harry's feet. Its black body snaked along his boot, up his leg, over his torso, and settled on his shoulder.

Harry sighed in relief and patted the snake on its head, "Good boy," Harry then turned to the Hufflepuff boy and smiled, "Are you alright?"

The boy, Harry now recognized as Justin Finch-Fletchley, didn't look relieved in the slightest, in fact, he looked quite angry, "what're you playing at?!"

Harry watched puzzled as he stormed out of the Great Hall. He knew that most people would probably balk at him speaking Parsletongue, but this reception was worse than he thought. The entire crowd of students were staring at him as if he were a serpent himself. Even Terry, Ron, and Hermione looked shocked. Harry didn't want to look, but he knew that if he wanted any peace of mind he would need to see her reaction.

He slowly turned his head to meet eyes with Fleur. Her crystalline blue eyes didn't waver, she didn't turn away from who he was, and she didn't flinch away from his gaze. She slowly, eloquently padded over and stood by his side. She gazed out over the students, her eyes sharp, daring anyone to say anything against Harry.

Terry was the next to come stand by them, although he stood next to Fleur and not directly next to Harry, but he figured that was because of the snake still on his shoulder. Then came Ron, Hermione, and a host of other students that he hadn't expected. Among them were Cedric Diggory, Susan Bones, Neville Longbottom, and, surprisingly enough, the two Slytherins, Daphne Greengrass, and Blaise Zabini.

It was strange having so many students standing with him, and even stranger that they were all a mixed assortment of people from different houses.

Suddenly, he didn't feel so small with all of the eyes that had settled on him. Harry smiled at the students who had come to his side and walked out of the Great Hall with them close behind.

Harry didn't know where to go with all the people following him, so he went to the first place he could think of: the room the Dueling Club usually used for meetings.

"What was that?" Terry crossed his arms and paced closer to the dueling platform in the center of the room.

"I think we'd all like to know," Daphne Greengrass studied Harry, her eyes following the lazily coiling snake on his shoulder.

A few of the people who had followed Harry nodded in agreement, but Fleur just absently arranged chairs around the dueling platform in the middle of the room so that it could be used as a makeshift table.

Harry sighed and sat heavily in one of the chairs, "I'm not sure where I should start."

Fleur flicked her wand and ignited a smokeless flame that hovered over the platform filling the chilly room with warmth, "the snake, Mon amour."

"Right. Well, I'm sure it's obvious to a lot of you how I did that. There's really no use hiding it, I'm a Parslemouth."

Cedric, Neville, and Susan all grew deathly pale at that.

'I think they might be rethinking coming with us now.'

Terry scoffed and sat heavily in a chair, "Please, learning you speak to snakes is far less off-putting than that rampage you went on."

"I figured, but I had to get that fact out in the open," Harry turned to the others. "If anyone wants to leave after having that fact confirmed, I won't blame you."

Susan Bones stepped forward, and she was the last person Harry expected to, "does that mean you are the Heir of Slytherin?"

The name echoed in the room, cold and heavy with accusation. The two Slytherins in the room shifted forward curiously. He knew he should lie. He should deny any involvement with Salazar, the man hadn't exactly given his family a stellar reputation when he was alive, but… Harry couldn't bring himself to turn his back on the one family member he still had. Even if that family member was a crotchety old portrait with an overinflated ego.

And all of that aside, as he stared out over the faces of everyone in the room he realized that the faith they'd shown in him deserved him showing faith in them.

"I am."

Everyone in the room was taken aback, clearly, they had expected Harry to deny the claim, but now they didn't know what to make of his admission.

His only saving grace was Fleur. She didn't turn away from him, didn't shrink in fear, and didn't react with anything but a determined stare.

'She really is too good for me.'

Harry gazed out at the others, "But I am not the person who released the monster from the Chamber of Secrets. That was the work of the so-called 'True Heir' as he put it."

Cedric was the first to recover, he sat in a chair and crossed his arms, "does that mean you know who did?"

That was the issue, while Harry knew it was Voldemort who had sent Rina on a rampage, he didn't know who he was controlling to do it.

"I do, and I don't," everyone looked at him confused. "Last year Quirrell went after the Philosopher's Stone, but he wasn't working on his own. He was being ordered, and then by the end of the year, controlled by Voldemort."

The room fell into another round of shocked looks and hitched breaths.

"So you're saying the person running around killing cats and petrifying first years is…" Ron trailed off as he sat in one of the seats not wanting to utter the name.

"Yeah, Voldemort."

Hermione was the next to sit, "but since he had to use another person last year does that mean he's doing the same this year?"

"That's right, and I have no idea who he could possibly be controlling."

Ron perked up, "Do you think it's Lockhart?! Last year he was controlling Quirrell so maybe he's doing the same with the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Oh, I hope it's him!"

Harry shook his head, "I doubt it's Lockhart. Quirrell was very low profile and unassuming, but Lockhart is a celebrity, even if he is a duffer. And either way, Voldemort is too clever to use the same trick twice, I doubt he'd use a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher again."

"Hold on!" Daphne Greengrass stepped forward, her blonde hair swaying, and her pale green eyes studying Harry, "are we just going to gloss over the fact that he's admitted to being the Heir of Slytherin?"

Harry's hands shook, he was afraid of this, and honestly, it was the reason he hadn't gone around shouting his lineage to the heavens like Salazar wanted him to. A great many witches and wizards would be suspicious of him, maybe they would even be scared of him, but it was the fanatics he most wished to avoid.

Anyone who was interested in the Heir of Slytherin most likely didn't have any good intentions, and some would even wish to see Harry as a new figurehead for pureblood ideology. The fact that he was a half-blood didn't mean much when Voldemort himself was one and he had successfully rallied enough followers to start a war.

Neville shifted forward slowly, his round face was awash with barely concealed fear and hesitance, "I-I don't t-think Harry is a b-bad person. He helped set my broken arm and got my r-remembrall back from M-Malfoy last year, a-and he did get rid of y-you-know-who after all."

Neville sat down at the table and gave Harry a very shaky smile.

"That's all well and good, but we only have his word to go on. The rest of you might be willing to accept just that, but us Slytherins aren't so trusting," Blaise stepped forward, his dark skin, slanting eyes and high cheekbones giving him a very regal appearance.

"I understand that, and I am willing to swear an unbreakable vow that what I've said is the truth." Harry flicked his wand from the dragon hide holster Fleur had given him last year and placed it on the table.

Susan sat heavily into a seat, and now the only people still standing were the two Slytherins and Fleur who was studying the pair very intently.

Daphne was taken aback by the offer and seemed very put out by Harry's sincerity," I can't believe the Heir of Slytherin is such a trusting fool." Despite what she said she sat down at the table, "I do want that oath, however, before I consider fully throwing my lot in with you. That being said having you as an ally could be very beneficial."

All eyes turned to Blaise, the only person still standing, "I came because I was interested in you. You've been fairly active since the first year, and I've noticed you haven't particularly been interested in house politics. You mingle with people outside of your house, used your head when dealing with Malfoy last year, and you even let Slytherins join the Dueling Club despite your history with Malfoy. I thought maybe you had some sort of angle that I couldn't see, when you used Parseltongue I had my suspicions about you being the Heir of Slytherin that message in Filtchs' cat's blood was talking about, but sharing all of this with us doesn't really make sense. If you were the one who killed that cat and petrified that muggle-born you wouldn't associate with Granger unless it was a cover." Blaise sat and sighed heavily, "Then you offered that oath, and now I'm even more curious about where this goes."

Harry nodded to everyone and then gestured for Daphne and Fleur to come over, "I've only read about these. You know how to perform the unbreakable vow right, Fleur?"

"Oui, it is fairly simple," she produced her wand, motioned for Harry and Daphne to kneel, and then clasped their right hands togrther. She placed the tip of her wand against their hands and nodded to Daphne.

"Do you, Harry Potter, vow that what you have told all of us is true?"

Harry nodded, "I do."

A thin tongue of brilliant flame issued from Fleur's wand and it wound its way around their hands like a red-hot wire. The magic sank into their hands and Daphne stood to her feet, her suspicions now placated as she returned to her seat.

Harry returned to his and finally, Fleur joined him as she sat to his right. Everyone stared at one another, unsure how they should continue.

Cedric coughed awkwardly, "So did you have any plans on how to ferret the dark lord out, Harry?"

A familiar tiny and warm body wound between Harry's legs. He smiled to himself as he reached below the table, picked Cobalt up, and placed him on his lap, "since I'm putting everything out there I'll say this. I know where the Chamber of Secrets is, and I even know what the monster in the chamber is as well."

Terry banged on the table, "then why the hell are we talking about this here?! We should be telling Dumbledore!"

"I think he already has," Blaise looked to Harry for confirmation and smirked when he got it.

"Why hasn't something been done then?" Ron frowned.

"Dumbledore can't get into the chamber without a Parselmouth, and he refuses to use me since it would endanger a student. So all Dumbledore can do is wait for the next attack and hope he can stop it before someone is hurt," Harry grimaced as he placed a hand on Cobalt's furry head.

"What is the monster?" Hermione wondered and everyone leaned forward to hear.

Harry was sure this was the very last thing they all wanted to hear, "she's a basilisk."

Cedric slumped back into his seat, "shit!"

Neville gave a very mouse-like squeak that died in his throat, Susan looked like she would faint, Hermione was a mixture of apprehension and fascination, Terry was extremely pale, both Slytherin looked like they were rapidly reassessing their current involvement with him, and Ron looked confused.

"What's a basilisk?" Ron looked around the table blankly.

Daphne groaned for a few long-suffering seconds, "We're all dead. We just openly sided with the Dark Lord's mortal enemy while he's in control of a basilisk!"

Fleur waved her wand at the fire she had conjured and suddenly the flickering embers morphed and coiled into the shape of a basilisk. Its head was adorned with feathers of crimson flame, the fire where the eyes were glowed an ominous acidic yellow, and the scales glistened green.

Harry leaned forward, "Our basilisk is female so she doesn't have the plume of feathers, but otherwise Fleur's depiction is accurate."

Ron looked closely at the snake in the fire, "how big is the thing? If it's as big as that snake on your shoulders we should be fine. I mean getting paralyzed is bad, but at least it won't kill us."

Terry slammed his head into his hands, "I think Daphne is right, we're dead! A basilisk can grow up to fifty feet long, and can kill you if you look into its eyes."

Ron paled at that news.

Harry gave the boy a very apologetic look, "Yeah, which is why I recommend you all be very careful when walking around blind corners, stay in groups, and definitely don't go anywhere alone."

Blaise sat forward, "I just thought of something. Why don't you try commanding the basilisk to go back into the chamber? I mean you are a Parselmouth and snakes have to obey your commands, right?"

Harry shook his head, and stretched his arm out so the snake could coil around the appendage, "I can command snakes, sure, but Rina was commanded by Voldemort the last time the chamber was opened and is being commanded now. I might be able to give her orders to return while he isn't around, but the best-case scenario is that Voldemort will just order her right back out later. Worst case, it doesn't work and she kills me outright. All of this is assuming my use of Parseltongue is on par or better than Voldemort's, and he's had a lot more practice than me so I don't see that being the case."

The room fell silent. The crackling fire over the table shifted back into a roaring fire, and as it did Fleur spoke, "I don't believe this is getting us anywhere. You've all just learned some very dangerous and surprising things, so perhaps we should reconvene at a later time. Does that sound good to everyone?"

A murmur of approval rolled through the room. Everyone stood to their feet and prepared to leave when Ron of all people called out.

"Wait!" Everyone turned to look at him curiously," shouldn't we have a name?"

Daphne sneered, "What are we, a Quidditch team?"

Cedric laughed, "No, we're an assortment of knights at our table! Strategizing a way to kill a dragon!"

Terry scoffed, "Okay, one, this is the sorriest excuse for a group of knights that I've ever seen, and two, it's a giant snake, not a dragon. And I assume this," he gestured at the dueling platform they had used as a table, "is our round table?"

Hermione bounced on her heels, "Oh, is Harry King Arthur? Then who is everyone else?"

Harry sighed and let out a scoff of a laugh. "I'm not a king, and none of us are knights. If anything, we're the witches and wizards of the rectangular table."

Fleur crossed her arms, "No, that sounds terrible," she waved her wand, and the dueling platform was transfigured into a large circular table with all of the chairs arrayed around it, "and besides, 'Arry is obviously Merlin."

Cedric came away from the classroom door and stood by one of the seats, "I call Sir Bedivere; he was the most handsome."

Ron came up to another seat, "Oh, I want Sir Cadogan. Mom always said he was the bravest!"

Terry sighed and stepped up, "I guess I'm Sir Lancelot; the smartest."

Neville put a hesitant hand on a chair, "I-I always l-liked Sir P-Percival; he was the most loyal."

Blaise sighed and stepped forward as well, "I suppose I'm Sir Mordred; the most cunning."

All of the girls, save for Hermione, looked very put out by how serious the boys were taking this bit.

Hermione hurried forward, "I'm not a Sir, but I could be Lady Lucan; the most reliable."

Fleur and Daphne looked at Susan who seemed like she was about to go forward.

Susan gave them an apologetic look and took a seat, "I rather like the sound of Lady Tristan; the most loving."

Fleur stepped forward, cursing about silly English fairy tales, "I suppose I will be Lady Galahad; the purest."

Daphne stared at all of them, looked at Blaise like he was the worst kind of traitor, and then she stepped up, "I suppose Morgana Le Fay is out?" Everyone looked at her dryly, "I don't particularly care so I'll be Lady Gawain; the steadfast."

Harry smiled to himself and looked at all of the people gathered, "I suppose this is the new legend of the Knights of the Round Table. Although, it's a bit wonky since none of us use swords."

Fleur coughed, "You may not, Mon amour, but I am a rather accomplished fencer."

Ron frowned, "what does putting up fence posts have to do with swords?"

Everyone groaned.

A/N: I had a lot of fun writing the later half of this chapter. Originally I hadn't planned on adding the last half with all of the other characters, but midway through I thought it would be interesting to plant the seeds for what could become Harry's equivalent to the Knights of Walpurgis / the Death Eaters.

Heck, Harry is emulating Voldemort and he isn't even aware of it. I find the irony very amusing and morbid.