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Chapter Ten: Making Up and Waking Up
(Happy Thanksgiving to any of my fellow Canadian readers who celebrate. 🍂🍁🥧🎃)
As Theodore had predicted, the sixth years’ free periods were not the hours of blissful relaxation Harry had hoped for, but times in which to attempt to keep up with the vast amount of homework they were being set. Not only were they studying as though they had exams every day, but the lessons themselves had become more demanding than ever before. Harry barely understood half of what Professor McGonagall said to them these days; even Theodore had had to ask her to repeat instructions once or twice. Incredibly, and to Theodore’s increasing resentment, Harry’s best subject had suddenly become Potions, thanks to the Half-Blood Prince.
Nonverbal spells were now expected, not only in Defense Against the Dark Arts, but in Charms and Transfiguration too. Harry frequently looked over at his classmates in the common room or at mealtimes to see them purple in the face and straining as though they had overdosed on U-No-Poo; but he knew that they were really struggling to make spells work without saying incantations aloud. It was a relief to get outside into the greenhouses; they were dealing with more dangerous plants than ever in Herbology, but at least they were still allowed to swear loudly if the Venomous Tentacula seized them unexpectedly from behind.
One result of their enormous workload and the frantic hours of practicing nonverbal spells was that Harry, Tracey, Allison, and Theodore had so far been unable to find time to go and visit Hagrid. He had stopped coming to meals at the staff table, an ominous sign, and on the few occasions when they had passed him in the corridors or out in the grounds, he had mysteriously failed to notice them or hear their greetings. Canini, who was now taking fourth-year Care of Magical Creatures, filled them in that she was fairly certain from the hints Hagrid had been giving her that he was very mad at the four of them.
'We should probably try to find room this weekend to talk to Hagrid,' said Harry, looking up at Hagrid’s huge empty chair at the staff table the following Saturday at breakfast.
'Harry, we can't this morning, you told Terence you’d help him with tryouts and I was thinking of coming along,’ explained Allison.
‘You all also need to work on the Water-Making Spell for Flitwick,’ said Tracey. ‘Only Theodore’s been able to properly cast it verbally, and none of you can cast it silently.’
‘Finally Harry,’ began Theodore, ‘if Hagrid asks us why we aren’t taking his class, what are we supposed to say? That we hated it?’
‘We didn’t exactly hate it,’ said Tracey.
‘You don’t speak for all of us, Trace,’ said Allison. ‘I have yet to forget the skrewts, and I will never forget nearly being stomped on by his half brother that he now claims is all civilized even though it’s only been two months since he was uprooting centuries old trees simply out of boredom. I don’t know what we’d be doing now if we still had his class.’
‘Whether we hated his class or not, we don’t hate Hagrid. We’ll make time after Quidditch but before my detention with Snape,’ insisted Harry, as he really was missing Hagrid, and he could tell deep down each of them missed him too on some level.’
‘Alright Harry, you win,’ admitted Theodore. ‘We should probably get to breakfast before all the food is gone.’
So they started making their way to the enchanted wall, but before they could even get there two younger witches called out to Harry.
‘I hope you have a lovely day, Harry,’ called out a fourth-year witch with long dark brown hair and soft brown eyes that Harry knew to be Daphne’s younger sister.
‘Er, thanks,’ said Harry awkwardly.
‘I’ll see you at Quidditch tryouts, Harry,’ called out her friend, fifth-year Diane Carter.
‘Ok, good luck, I guess,’ called out Harry just before crossing the threshold. Once each of his friends were there and no one else was in the corridor he added, ‘Why were they acting so strange.’
‘Because ever since you returned back from the Ministry an exonerated hero, people who used to think you were the scum of the earth now think you’re interesting, or they just straight up fancy you,’ said Allison stoically.
‘Fancy me?’ Harry said, utterly gobsmacked.
‘That’s not the full story and you know it, Alli,’ said Tracey, seemingly annoyed at her best friend’s words. ‘Harry, you need to hear this from a friend before you hear it from someone who only likes you superficial. You are tall, dark, and handsome, but also compassionate and make time for those you’re friendly with, and it doesn’t help that over the last three or so months you’ve grown about a foot. A lot of people find you very attractive!’
That last part she said oddly load, and then seemingly waited for something to be said, but when no one spoke up she continued.
‘A lot of people like you, but for the vast majority of them they don’t really care much about you, just that you’re handsome and in their minds you’re “the Chosen One”.’
‘Yeah right, besides those two who else in this school fancies me, I bet combined you can’t name three, they all hated me last year.’
‘Your date to the Yule Ball, Ella Wilkins now talks about her time with you that night in a positive dreamy tone instead of annoyance, it would appear Astoria isn’t the only Greengrass who likes you, as despite being with Millicent, Daphne still blushes when talking about you, and the fourth year Olivia Shardlow thinks you’re hot as well,’ said Theodore rapidly.
‘People from our year who think you’re alluring are Parvati Patil, Sue Li, and Terry also thinks you’re cute,’ said Allison stone-faced.
‘Terry-?‘ began Harry, but was cut off by Tracey.
‘And then besides that Romilda Vane girl, younger girls than our year who like you are Rhonda Fladbury, Sisi Makerere, Becky Arncliffe, Loretta Cornhill, Hisana Malachela, and Rosalyn Ewhurst.’
‘Okay, okay, okay, I get it. A lot of people like me, and considering I don’t even know half the students you listed, they don’t even know me,’ said Harry as the reached the top of the stairs. He was finding the Great Hall very hot all of a sudden, even though the ceiling still looked cold and rainy.
The post owls arrived, swooping down through rain-flecked windows, scattering everyone with droplets of water. Most people were receiving more post than usual; anxious parents were keen to hear from their children and to reassure them, in turn, that all was well at home.
Other than Mr Weasley’s response Harry had yet to received no mail since the start of term. He was surprised, therefore, to see the snowy white Hedwig circling amongst all the brown and gray owls, he could also spot Janus and the family owl Phasming in the air. She landed in front of him carrying a large, square package as well as a letter. A moment later, a similar package was delivered by Allison’s owl, though she didn’t have a letter, and Theodore received a letter but not a package.
He opened the letter first, as did Theodore with his, and Harry suspected over at the Hufflepuff table Canini was doing the same.
“Dear Harry,
Sounds like you’ve had an eventful first couple days, I’m glad to hear you are alright, please be more cautious in the future. Tonks seemed a little more cheerful when I saw her at the last O.o.t.P meeting, and I am under the impression you were the cause, so I am grateful you were able to help even if it was a little.
I am happy for you that you were allowed to take Potions after all and that you chose to continue pursuing it as it is a course that can open many doors in the future, and even if he’s a bit of an odd ball I have a feeling you’ll enjoy him more than your previous instructor in the subject. I have sent with this letter a package containing the scales from your room, your cauldron, and I bought the same ingredients Theodore bought and included them here. While you did not list it I also included in the package a copy of Advanced Potion-Making as it is best to be not using the libraries copy in case someone needs it.
I hope the following weeks go well for you. Lots of love.
Remus
P.S. I will begin my travels soon so my next letter may be not for a while.”
‘Ha!’ said Harry, unwrapping the parcel that contained his potion supplies.
‘It is probably for the best, Harry,’ said Theodore after finishing reading his own letter. ‘Now that you have your own you can return the old copy to Slughorn.’
‘Are you mad?’ said Harry. ‘I’m keeping it! Look, I’ve thought it out—‘
He pulled the old copy of Advanced Potion-Making out of his bag and tapped the cover with his wand, muttering, ‘Diffindo!’ The cover fell off. He did the same thing with the brand-new book (Theodore looked scandalized, how dare Harry deface a brand new book). He then swapped the covers, tapped each, and said, ‘Reparo!’
There sat the Prince’s copy, disguised as a new book, and there sat the fresh copy from Flourish and Blotts, looking thoroughly secondhand.
‘I’ll give Slughorn back the new one, he can’t complain, it cost nine Galleons.’
Theodore looked as though he wanted to say something, but became distracted when an owl drop the days newspaper in front of Colin next to him and together they began reading over the paper together. Colin cheerfully pointed out well written articles or excellently captured photographs which was rare the past few months as most of the paper was taken up with bad news which depressingly was mostly what the others in the group were interested in.
‘Has anyone we know died or gone missing?’ asked Allison in a determinedly casual voice; one of them posed the same question every time a paper was opened.
‘Not that I can see,’ said Theodore, slightly relieved. ‘Though there have been more dementor sightings and attacks. Also there’s been an arrest.’
‘Excellent, who?’ said Harry, thinking of Bellatrix Lestrange.
‘Stan Shunpike,’ said Theodore.
‘What?’ said Harry, startled.
‘“Stanley Shunpike, conductor on the popular Wizarding conveyance the Knight Bus, has been arrested on suspicion of Death Eater activity. Mr Shunpike, 21, was taken into custody late last night after a raid on his Clapham home…’”
‘Stan Shunpike, a Death Eater?’ said Harry, remembering the spotty youth he had first met in the new year only a few months before. ‘No way!’
‘It could have been the Imperius Curse,’ suggested Tracey reasonably. ‘It is very hard to tell with that curse.’
‘You’re probably right, but magical law enforcement doesn’t think it’s the case,’ said Theodore, continuing to read. ‘The Daily Prophet says he was arrested after he was overheard talking about the Death Eaters’ secret plans in a pub.’ He looked up with a troubled expression on his face. ‘It’s probably a Death Eater playing a cruel and consequential prank, curse a random wizard to think he’s a Death Eater to send aurors on a wild goose chase. I hope those who know Stan stand up for his character, he was nice to you Harry even when the whole world thought you were mad and wasn’t he the guy after the Quidditch World Cup who claimed he was about to become the Minister of Magic when he was under the influence of those veela?’
‘Yeah, you’re right, I think that was him,’ said Harry who hadn’t realized until now that they were one and the same. ‘He must be easy to influence with magic, poor guy.’
‘I think Theodore is right,’ said Allison. ‘The Death Eaters probably cursed him to distract the Aurors, and the Aurors fell for it as they are desperate right now to look like they are actually doing something to stop You-Know-Who and his forces. They want people to feel safe, but they aren’t doing a good job.’
‘Yes,’ said Tracey. ‘Everyone is so scared right now. My mom is worried what will Death Eaters think when they find out she’s a former Slytherin married to a muggle and has a muggle son. The Patil twins’ family doesn’t want them in Hogwarts anymore, and the rumour going around is that Eloise Midgen was picked up just last night.’
‘What do you mean they don’t want their kids in Hogwarts?’ said Theodore while handing the paper back to Colin. ‘They’re safer here than in their homes, Amelia Bones is proof of that. Here we have half the Ministries Aurors, all the protective enchantments imaginable, and the most powerful wizard in existence watching over us.’
‘Theo, I think your loyalty is blinding you again,’ said Allison, looking up towards the staff table. ‘I’m fairly certain Dumbledore has been gone half the time since term started. Haven’t any of you noticed that his chair has been empty most meals, only Hagrid has missed more meals.’
Harry, Theodore, and Tracey looked up at the staff table. The headmaster’s chair was indeed empty. Now Harry came to think of it, he had not seen Dumbledore since their private lesson a week ago.
‘Perhaps he is doing an important mission for the Order,’ whispered Tracey so only Harry, Allison, and Theodore could hear. ‘What else would be important enough to not watch over the school, as the students needs his presence more than ever…’
Harry, Theodore, and Allison did not respond, but Harry knew the three of them were all thinking the same thing. There had been a horrible incident the day before, when Hannah Abbott had been taken out of Herbology to be told her mother had been found dead. They had not seen Hannah since.
When Harry and Allison left the Slytherin table five minutes later to head down to the Quidditch pitch, they passed Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil. Remembering what Tracey had said about the Patil twins’ parents wanting them to leave Hogwarts, Harry was unsurprised to see that the two best friends were whispering together, looking distressed.
The way down to the stadium was cool, misty, and lacking the regular mid September sun that’s to the dementor influenced weather. Terence had asked the Gryffindor team’s new captain Katie Bell if they could trade tryout times and she agreed as she wanted more time to figure out what her plan would be. After getting changed Harry and Allison met Terence out in the stadium.
‘Harry, glad you could make it,’ did Terence with a smile, ‘and Allison, I might end up needing your help as well. As you can both see it’s going to be a long tryout.’
The trials ended up taking most of the morning. Half of Slytherin House seemed to have turned up, there was a surprise amount of first-years, all of which were nervously clutching a selection of the dreadful old school brooms. Considering the schools first flying lesson wouldn’t be until the coming Monday, Harry wondered how many of them had ever held a broomstick before this day.
‘Ok,’ announced Terence in his loud Quidditch voice, ‘those of you who tried out last year will find this speech familiar but it was just as true then as it is now. I want you all to split up into the positions you’re applying for! I want you all to know that even if you apply for one position, if I see potential in you I might put you somewhere else!’
Then quieter to Harry and Allison he added, ‘Harry I want you on the ground paying attention to the applicants. Allison, if you wouldn’t mind I’d like you to bat some Bludgers at the wannabe Beaters, I’ll be in the air with you watching their results and the results of the other applicants.’
So they did as there were told and the tryouts began. Terence had them start with a basic test, he had all groups, no matter their position, fly once around the pitch. This was a good decision: It made it clear that nearly none of the first-years had enough skill to be acceptable to the team, Terence dismissed them right away and told them to practice for another year and reapply the following September. He also dismissed a group of giggling girls who kept getting distracted by Harry just being there and couldn’t even finish one lap, this group included Diane Carter, and Romilda Cane who wasn’t even a Slytherin.
‘If I catch any more non-Slytherin’s attempting to try out I’ll tell your House’s Prefects your traitorous names and leave your punishment up to them! Get!’ called out Terence in frustration.
There was a pause, then a couple of little Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs went sprinting off the pitch, snorting with laughter.
The next two hours had the groups attempting to demonstrate their varying levels of skill at the position they were trying out for, and here was where Harry and presumably Terence could see those with actual skill verses those that lacked.
Harry found himself watching in amazement and admiration at one point how skillful and nearly effortlessly Allison hit the Bludgers hard at the Beaters trying out, she was barely breaking a sweat. Soon he went back to watching everyone equally.
After the two hours had ended Terence had all that remained land and then he landed next to Harry.
‘Alright Harry, I’m going to say who I’m considering and then I want your opinion as well as anyone potentially worthy that I might have missed.’
‘Ok then.’
‘I’ll start from youngest to oldest. The only first year that shows any potential is Ross Gibberd, he apparently has been playing informal Quidditch with his family for years. There is also the second-years Vaisey Daley and Simon Dedworth, one outshines the other though. Next there’s fifth year William Harper, but I’m not repeating last years mistakes with Warrington, Harper is a blood supremacist and was on the Inquisitorial Squad so I’m just saying now he will not be joining the team no matter how skilled he is. Similar to Harper, Peter Ariti is a fifth-year who tried out last year as well, but unlike Harper I think he’s a good kid and a decent Beater, he’s outshined though by fellow fifth-year Rachel Hoffman. I believe that’s it. Thoughts?’
‘First-year David Boorman also wasn’t bad, but I think some of the others are more skilled than him. And second-year Penelope Padgett was an amazing flyer but not to skilled at throwing a Quaffle. I think Vaisey is the second-year that outshines the others of his year, he’s both fast and has a good throwing arm and seems to be able to do both at the same time. Peter has improved since last year, but while good with a bat he’s not as fast as Rachel who also had good reflexes and decent batting skills.’
‘Well then, I think our new team members have been found,’ said Terence. He then turned to the awaiting Slytherins. ‘Alright everyone, those that remained showed great commitment today, for those that don’t get in I still highly recommend practicing and reapplying next year. Now onto who will be our new recruits, Vaisey Daley you’re our new Chaser, and Rachel Hoffman you are our new Beater. Welcome to the team, you two now get locker privileges. Thank you everyone else who came out today, enjoy your afternoon.’
There were some complaints in the background but Terence ignored them expertly as he, Harry, Allison, and the two new recruits headed to the Slytherin changing room.
They were all halfway between their Quidditch uniforms and their casual wear when Rachel let out a groan of frustration.
‘I didn’t realize how sweaty I’d get as it’s a cool day, and I forgot my deodorant,’ explained Rachel.
‘If you like Lowdour you can barrow mine,’ said Allison. She opened her deodorant and went to lend it to the new girl, and as she went passed Harry he happened to get a whiff of the Aloe Vera scent.
“Huh,” Harry thought to himself, “that’s why I recognized that smell from the Amortentia Potion, it’s Allison’s deodorant.”
After fixing the time of their first full practice for the following Thursday, Harry, and Allison bade good-bye to the rest of the team and joined up with Tracey and Theodore to head off toward Hagrid’s. A watery sun was trying to break through the clouds now and it had stopped drizzling at last. Harry felt extremely hungry; he hoped there would be something to eat at Hagrid’s.
‘I’m going to enjoy training up Rachel with Terence’s help,’ said Allison, the Quidditch tryouts had left her in an improved mood. ‘With her and Scarlett the team is really starting to feel more balanced, unlike the boys club that it was when I joined four years ago. Oh and that Vaisey kid is just a natural. We got this years Cup in the bag!’
‘That’s exciting, Alli, I can’t wait to see you, Terence, and Harry all play,’ said Tracey happily.
The great gray hippogriff, Buckbeak, was tethered in front of Hagrid’s cabin. He clicked his razor-sharp beak at their approach and turned his huge head toward them.
‘Goodness,’ said Tracey as they approached. ‘Even after getting to know him he still looks scary.’
‘Yes, we’ve all grown a foot or more since the end of our third year and yet he still looks intimidatingly large, I bet he could sustain Hagrid in flight,’ suggested Theodore.
Harry stepped forward and bowed low to the hippogriff without breaking eye contact or blinking. After a few seconds, Buckbeak sank into a bow too.
‘How are you?’ Harry asked him in a low voice, moving forward to stroke the feathery head. ‘Did you miss Hagrid? We do too.’
‘Oi!’ said a loud voice.
Hagrid had come striding around the corner of his cabin wearing a large flowery apron and carrying a sack of potatoes. His enormous boarhound, Fang, was at his heels; Fang gave a booming bark and bounded forward.
‘Git away from him! He’ll have yer fingers—oh. It’s yeh lot.’
Fang was jumping up at Theodore and Tracey, attempting to lick their ears. Hagrid stood and looked at them all for a split second, then turned and strode into his cabin, slamming the door behind him.
‘What the-?’ said Allison, looking stricken.
‘Don’t worry about it,’ said Harry grimly. He walked over to the door and knocked loudly. ‘Hagrid! Open up, we want to talk to you!’
There was no sound from within.
‘If you don’t open the door, we’ll blast it open!’ Harry said, pulling out his wand.
‘Harry!’ said Tracey, sounding shocked. ‘You must be joking—‘
‘I’m not!’ said Harry. ‘Stand back—‘
But before he could say anything else, the door flew open again as Harry had known it would, and there stood Hagrid, glowering down at him and looking, despite the flowery apron, positively alarming.
‘I’m a teacher!’ he roared at Harry. ‘A teacher, Potter! How dare yeh threaten ter break down my door!’
‘I’m sorry, sir,’ said Harry, emphasizing the last word as he stowed his wand inside his robes.
Hagrid looked stunned. ‘Since when have yeh called me “sir”?’
‘Since when have you called me “Potter”?’
‘Oh, very clever,’ growled Hagrid. ‘Very amusin’. That’s me outsmarted, innit? All righ’, come in then, yeh ungrateful little…’
Mumbling darkly, he stood back to let them pass. Tracey scurried in after Harry, looking rather frightened.
‘Well?’ said Hagrid grumpily, as Harry, Theodore, Allison, and Tracey sat down around his enormous wooden table, Fang laying his head immediately upon Harry’s knee and drooling all over his robes. ‘What’s this? Feelin’ sorry for me? Reckon I’m lonely or summat?’
‘No,’ said Harry at once. ‘We wanted to see you.’
‘Hagrid, we’ve missed you so much!’ said Tracey, nearly in tears.
‘Missed me, have yeh?’ snorted Hagrid. ‘Yeah. Righ’.’
He stomped around, brewing up tea in his enormous copper kettle, muttering all the while. Finally he slammed down three bucket-sized mugs of mahogany-brown tea in front of them and a plate of his rock cakes. Harry was hungry enough even for Hagrid’s cooking, and took one at once.
‘Hagrid,’ said Allison very carefully, when he joined them at the table and started peeling his potatoes with a brutality that suggested that each tuber had done him a great personal wrong, ‘we each wanted to continue taking Care of Magical Creatures, you know.’
Hagrid gave another great snort.
‘It’s true!’ said Allison. ‘We all wanted to take it but it conflicted with each of our schedules!’
‘Yeah. Righ’,’ said Hagrid again.
There was a funny squelching sound and they all looked around: Theodore let out a tiny shriek, and Tracey leapt out of her seat and hurried around the table away from the large barrel standing in the corner that they had only just noticed. It was full of what looked like foot-long maggots, slimy, white, and writhing.
‘What are these, er, creatures, Hagrid?’ asked Tracey, trying to sound interested rather than revolted, but putting down his rock cake all the same.
‘Jus’ giant grubs,’ said Hagrid.
‘And they will become..?’ said Theodore.
‘They won’ grow inter nuthin’,’ said Hagrid. ‘I got ’em ter feed ter Aragog.’
And without warning, he burst into tears.
‘Hagrid!’ said Harry in alarm, hurrying around the table and putting a hand on Hagrid’s enormous shoulder. ‘What’s the matter?’
‘It’s…him…’ gulped Hagrid, his beetle-black eyes streaming as he mopped his face with his apron. ‘It’s…Aragog…I think he’s dyin’…He got ill over the summer an’ he’s not gettin’ better…I don’ know what I’ll do if he…if he…We’ve bin tergether so long…’
Tracey also patted Hagrid’s shoulder, looking at a complete loss for anything to say. Harry knew how she felt. He had known Hagrid to present a vicious baby dragon with a teddy bear, seen him croon over giant scorpions with suckers and stingers, attempt to reason with his brutal giant of a half-brother, but this was perhaps the most incomprehensible of all his monster fancies: the gigantic talking spider, Aragog, who dwelled deep in the Forbidden Forest and which he and Tracey, Allison, and Theodore had only narrowly escaped four years previously.
‘Is there—is there some form of magic we could do to help? Healing potions or spells?’ asked Theodore, ignoring Tracey’s frantic grimaces and head-shakings.
‘I don’ think there is, Theodore,’ choked Hagrid, attempting to stem the flood of his tears. ‘See, the rest o’ the tribe…Aragog’s family…they’re gettin’ a bit funny now he’s ill…bit restive…’
‘I wouldn’t put it past them,’ said Allison in an undertone.
‘…I don’ reckon it’d be safe fer anyone but me ter go near the colony at the mo’,’ Hagrid finished, blowing his nose hard on his apron and looking up. ‘But thanks fer offerin’, Theodore…It means a lot…’
After that, the atmosphere lightened considerably, for although Harry, Allison, and Tracey had not shown any inclination to go and feed giant grubs to a murderous, gargantuan spider, Hagrid seemed to take it for granted that they would have liked to have done and became his usual self once more.
‘Ar, I always knew yeh’d find it hard ter squeeze me inter yer timetables,’ he said gruffly, pouring them more tea. ‘Even if yeh applied fer Time-Turners—‘
‘We couldn’t have applied,’ said Allison. ‘When we fought Death Eaters in the Time Room at the Ministry of magic our fight accidentally destroyed them all. I didn’t realize how much damage we did to that sub section of the Department of Mysteries until I read about it in the Daily Prophet.’
'Ar, well then,' said Hagrid. 'There’s no way yeh could’ve done it...I’m sorry I’ve bin—yeh know—I’ve jus’ bin worried abou’ Aragog...an’ I did wonder whether, if Professor Grubbly-Plank had bin teachin’ yeh—'
At which all four of them stated categorically and untruthfully that Professor Grubbly-Plank, who had substituted for Hagrid a few times, was a dreadful teacher, with the result that by the time Hagrid waved them off the premises at dusk, he looked quite cheerful.
'I’m starving,' said Harry, once the door had closed behind them and they were hurrying through the dark and deserted grounds; he had abandoned the rock cake after an ominous cracking noise from one of his back teeth. “And I’ve got that detention with Snape tonight, I haven’t got much time for dinner...'
As they came into the castle Harry spotted the seventh-year Gryffindor from Sluhorn's compartment Cormac McLaggen entering the Great Hall. It took him two attempts to get through the doors; he ricocheted off the frame on the first attempt. Harry wondered if the guy had been victim of a jinx.
The smell of roast beef made Harry’s stomach ache with hunger, but they had barely taken three steps toward the Slytherin table when Professor Slughorn appeared in front of them, blocking their path.
'Harry, Harry, just the man I was hoping to see!' he boomed genially, twiddling the ends of his walrus mustache and puffing out his enormous belly. 'I was hoping to catch you before dinner! What do you say to a spot of supper tonight in my rooms instead? We’re having a little party, just a few rising stars, I’ve got McLaggen coming and Zabini, the charming Melinda Bobbin—I don’t know whether you know her? Her family owns a large chain of apothecaries—the Carrow twin's will be there to, their uncle owns Shyverwretch's Venoms and Poisons and they themselves are bright young girls, oh and, of course, I hope very much that Mr Nott will favor me by coming too.'
Slughorn made Theodore a little bow as he finished speaking. It was as though Allison and Tracey were not present; Slughorn did not so much as look at them. This seemed to particularly annoy Tracey as she had been invited to the initial meeting but now he was acting like she didn't exist.
'I can’t come, Professor,' said Harry at once. 'I’ve got a detention with Professor Snape.'
'Oh dear!' said Slughorn, his face falling comically. 'Dear, dear, I was counting on you, Harry! Well, now, I’ll just have to have a word with Severus and explain the situation. I’m sure I’ll be able to persuade him to postpone your detention. Yes, I’ll see you both later!'
He bustled away out of the Hall.
'He’s got no chance of persuading Snape,' said Harry, the moment Slughorn was out of earshot. 'This detention’s already been postponed once; Snape did it for Dumbledore, but he won’t do it for anyone else.'
'I wish one of you could come, I don't want to have to be near Zabini alone!' said Theodore quite annoyed.
'I would come, but it would appear not choosing to take Potions this year has soured Slughorn's opinion of me, its not like I got an "O" in one of Hogwart's trickiest subjects or anything,' said Tracey, quite vexed.
‘Well, Hestia and Flora are nice enough girls, so it won’t just be jerk Slytherin’s there, and Neville, Ginny, and Hermione should be there so you won’t be alone,’ said Harry to Theodore.
‘Are you mad you weren’t invited to the Slug Club?’ Tracey asked Allison.
‘Nah, it seems a bit like a popularity contest and I never was much for those,’ answered Allison.
After dinner they made their way back to Slytherin Dungeon. The common room was very crowded, as most people had finished dinner by now, but they managed to find a free table and sat down; Tracey, who had been frustrated ever since the encounter with Slughorn, folded her arms and frowned at the ceiling.
Theodore reached out for a copy of the Evening Prophet, which somebody had left abandoned on a stone chair.
‘Anything new?’ said Harry.
‘No bad news…’ said Theodore as he opened the newspaper and was scanning the inside pages. ‘An article about Mr Weasley is here—he’s fine!’ he added quickly, for Harry’s eyes had widened in alarm. Theodore proceeded in a quiet voice. ‘It says here that he and his new division team visited Malfoy Manor. “This second search of the Death Eater’s residence does not seem to have yielded any results. Arthur Weasley of the Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects said that his team had been acting upon a confidential tip-off.”’
‘Yeah, mine,’ said Harry. ‘I gave Ron a letter to give to Mr Weasley when we were all at King’s Cross, I wrote to him about Malfoy and that thing he was trying to get Borgin to fix! Well, if it’s not at their house, he must have brought whatever it is to Hogwarts with him—‘
‘How could he have, Harry?’ said Tracey. ‘All of us, including Malfoy, were searched as we passed through the gate.’
‘Were you?’ said Harry, taken aback. ‘I wasn’t!’
‘That makes sense, you were long after everyone else,’ said Theodore while folding it he paper back up. ‘When we entered Hogwarts’ grounds, Filch went over each of us with Secrecy Sensors when we got into the entrance hall. Any item considered dark was confiscated, Crabbe got caught trying to smuggle in a shrunken head for some reason. Anyways, this is why Malfoy couldn’t have gotten anything into Hogwarts that was dangerous.’
Momentarily stymied, he watched Allison playfully pet Mignonne the Pygmy Puff for sometime while her cat Shabaz looked on in jealousy before Harry saw a way around this objection.
‘Someone’s sent it to him by owl, then,’ he said. ‘His mother or someone.’
‘It’s not just our families mail getting checked,’ said Theodore calmly. ‘Every owl is being checked with the same Secrecy Sensors before they’re allowed to finish delivering their mail to us.’
Really stumped this time, Harry found nothing else to say. There did not seem to be any way Malfoy could have brought a dangerous or Dark object into the school. He looked hopefully at Allison and Tracey, Allison was still softly petting Mignonne while Tracey was sitting with her arms folded.
‘Can you think of any way Malfoy could have smuggled something in?’
‘Sorry Harry, Hogwarts was already one of the hardest places to get something or someone inside who didn’t belong, and now it’s defences have quadrupled,’ said Allison, reaching down and giving Shabaz a head scratch.
‘And you Trac—‘
‘Oh be quiet about Malfoy for one minute, Harry,’ said Tracey in a huff.
‘Look, we’re sorry Slughorn dropped you from his invite list, he’s a weird and biased man and what he did was wrong but there really isn’t anything me and Theodore can do as we don’t really want to be at his stupid parties either!’ said Harry, getting a little fired up.
‘I think it’s been too long of a day,’ said Tracey, getting to her feet. ‘I’m going to bed. G’night.’
She stomped off toward the door to the girls’ dormitories, leaving Harry, Theodore, and Allison staring after her.
‘Harry?’ said fifth-year, Bridget Maloney, appearing suddenly at his shoulder. ‘I was told to bring this message to you.’
‘From Professor Slughorn?’ asked Harry, sitting up hopefully.
‘No…it’s from Professor Snape,’ said Maloney. Harry’s heart sank. ‘He said, and these are his words exactly, “you’re to come to his office at half past eight tonight to do your detention, no matter how many party invitations you’ve received.” He also wanted me to tell you your task will be to sort out rotten flobberworms from good ones, to use in his personal potion and—er—and he said there’s no need to bring protective gloves.’
‘Right,’ said Harry grimly. ‘Thanks a lot, Maloney.’
The detention was disgusting and miserable, the only silver lining was that no one saw him with the rotten flobberworms which would have been humiliating. By the time he was cleaned up and getting into his pyjamas in the common room everyone was sound asleep except for Theodore, who looked as though he had something to say. As Harry got into bed he could hear his foster brother whisper just load enough from his bed so that only Harry could hear.
‘Harry, can I tell you something?’
‘It’s been a long day, but sure. What is up?’
‘Ever since our first lesson with Slughorn, where we were all smelling the Amortentia, something in my mind has been bothering me.’
‘Why? The smells you listed seemed enjoyable.’
‘The Amortentia scents aren’t just what you like or find simply attractive, they often represent scents we associate with the people we fancy. I just straight up like potion fire, that is no mystery, newspapers and developing solution potion represents my love for Colin and the time we spend together, but the Prickly Ash wood is bothering me as I don’t know what it associates with and Colin’s wand is Birch, and—‘
Theodore continued talking for quite some time, but Harry was no longer listening as he was stuck thinking about something he said about the potion, Harry felt as though he had been hit right in the chest with a stun spell. The scents from Amortentia could represent people you were attracted to, and Harry smelled the Aloe Vera used in Allison’s deodorant. He felt suddenly quite overwhelmed by thoughts and feelings that should have been obvious to him before now but hadn’t and were now was shockingly clear to him, Harry fancied Allison.
