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He’d certainly seen a dead body before… two Weasleys among them… but this was something completely different… more unfair somehow. As wizards and witches, vampires and werewolves, giants and demons, even some squibs and muggles, they all knew what they were getting into with this war. But the more pure creatures like the elves… this wasn’t their fight, they didn’t deserve to be used anymore than the merpeople, fairies, centaurs, sprites or any of the other ageless creatures just trying to keep going in this modern and violent world.
He and all the other students housed in the accelerated dorms went to the Great Hall and sat quietly as their fellow students continued to enjoy their Sunday. They waited all through breakfast for Dumbledore to appear, to end their mandatory silence on what they’d seen. But the headmaster never came and as they all rose from the table to begin their day, he could tell his dormmates weren’t pleased that they had to continue to keep the secret. He and his friends settled themselves outside at their tree by the lake, all sitting silently and engrossed in their own thoughts.
A few minutes later, Seamus came running up to them, Parvati hot on his heels. "Hey, guys! You ready?"
"For what?" Harry asked, reminding himself that Seamus hadn’t been in the dorm that morning and therefore his excitement was due to the fact that he didn’t know what had taken place.
Parvati who had been there was staring at the ground and shuffling her feet, not quite as enthusiastic. "Gryffindor tryouts." She explained, looking confused. "Seamus asked me to help and Ron said he was going to ask you and Ginny."
Everyone turned to look at Ron who appeared flustered. "Oh yeah, right. Sorry, I forgot. Last night Seamus and I decided it would be best to have those trying out fly against a team and so we thought about asking you guys to come help out and play a bit. I was going to ask you this morning, but…" he trailed off, looking at them helplessly.
"Right." Ginny nodded. "Well, I could certainly use some time up in the air." She stood and brushed the grass from her pants.
"Me too." Harry agreed, knowing how much better, freer he felt while playing Quidditch.
"Then let’s go! Everyone’s probably already down at the pitch waiting!" Seamus replied with urgency, determined not to screw up his position as team captain… and the only player currently on the team.
Ron stood also and seemed to hesitate before turning to Draco. "So, Malfoy. You interested in helping out too?"
He looked as surprised by the invitation as the rest of them, but Harry was happy that Ron was trying to include the other boy more. "Sure." Draco shrugged also rising to his feet.
"I guess we’ll go do something useful." Hermione replied sourly as she moved to stand with Luna.
Seamus grinned at them. "Well, do you two lovely ladies think you could handle yourself on a broom? We could use the extra help."
"I could." Luna said simply. "Not like the others, but I don’t think I’d fall off or anything." Remembering how well she’d rode with him at Lairmore, Harry believed her more than capable… Hermione however wasn’t happy to have her feet leave the ground and her athleticism was nearly non existent.
"Isn’t there something that’s safely on the ground I could do to help?" She asked nervously, making Harry smile.
Seamus laughed, they all knew how anti-flying Hermione was. "Well you at least know the rules right?" She merely crossed her arms and glared in response. "Okay, stupid question, the great Hermione knows all. Well, I guess you could help me watch everyone, see who plays well and who can barely stay on a broom." It seemed Seamus was desperate for help, not caring who it came from.
With that settled, they all went down to the pitch. Harry, Ron, Ginny, Draco and Parvati all grabbed their brooms while Luna borrowed one of the school's older models. Stepping out onto the field, they were greeted by nearly every Gryffindor- from first years all the way through the seventh years that hadn’t made it into the accelerated scholastic program. Looking around at all their faces, Harry wondered which one was going to wind up taking his place as seeker and whether they’d be better at it than he was. Part of him wanted to believe he was the best there ever was and would be- though he knew it wasn’t true even today. There were far better players out there and one of them could be sitting before him, he had to remember that- he never wanted to be as prideful as everyone who didn’t know him thought him to be. And so he stood and faced them all, determined not to care who replaced him so long as they continued to keep Gryffindor on top.
(BREAK)
Ron sat back and let Seamus run the show, as he’d done with Ginny and Angelina before him. But he couldn’t help but feel superior, knowing he was there because McGonagall didn’t have faith that they could do it without his guidance. And so despite the horror of what they’d all seen that morning, he stood before the large group of students unable to do anything but smile in encouragement.
At last they were sent in the air. Ron took up his position as Keeper while Luna and Parvati played as the Chasers. Not needing a Seeker at the moment, both Harry and Draco were put in as beaters while Seamus put together a team for them all to scrimmage against. As play progressed, Ron felt proud of himself and slightly worried for their prospects. They were only able to take the quaffle from Luna and not one was able to get it past him to complete the play and score points. Worse yet, many nearly fell off their brooms when Harry or Draco sent a bludger at them, unable to maintain a solid flight path.
At last it was time for the hopefuls to attempt defense and they were all sent up in teams to try and protect their goals from the experienced players – well experienced except Luna who was actually doing well for her lack of experience. Thankfully Seamus gave her a break and took her place in the air as she and Ron grounded to watch with Hermione from the sidelines. "They don’t seem to be doing very well." Luna said after awhile.
"Well, they are playing against Ginny, Draco and Harry who are very good." Hermione answered. "Plus Seamus and Parvati aren’t bad either."
"It shouldn’t matter." Ron replied, disgusted with his options for a new team. "They should be able to play against anyone and still win. Harry and Draco weren’t even Beaters when they played! They shouldn’t be showing up anyone!"
Luna and Hermione looked at each other before bursting out laughing. "You’re taking this awfully seriously." Hermione said. "Besides, we all know Harry will be good at almost anything he does and the only thing Draco was ever bad at was being a bad guy."
"Plus Ginny’s been playing with you and your brothers since before she could walk." Luna added. "Not to mention she’s driven by her own desire to prove herself as is Seamus."
"Still! It’s like trying to pick out the best of the worst down here!" He complained as one of the guys placed as a Chaser dropped the Quaffle altogether.
"Dean’s doing well." Luna replied.
"So is Colin Creevey." Hermione added, pointing as the boy blocked a goal from being made.
"We’ll see." He shook his head. "The biggest problem is going to be replacing Harry. If these guys are having trouble with Quaffles and Bludgers, how are they ever supposed to handle the snitch?"
At last everyone had gotten a chance to show what skills they had and they all grounded, tired yet eager to see how they did. "Well, what do you think?" Seamus asked him.
"I think we’ve got our work cut out for us." Ron replied.
"Unfortunately, I think you’re right." Seamus said unhappily before turning to the others. "Hey Harry, you wanna help us out with one last thing?"
"What?" Harry asked cautiously from where he’d collapsed on the ground with Ginny, Draco and Parvati. Unlike the hopefuls, they’d been in the air playing the whole time and Ron could see they were tired, especially Draco who was also still recovering from Friday’s events.
"Maybe we should wait… set up a special time for this one." Ron suggested.
"No, it’s okay. I just needed to catch my breath a minute." Harry insisted, rising to his feet. "What do you need?"
Ron shook his head and smiled, Harry was never one to show weakness of any kind. "Seamus wanted you to do what you do best, find the snitch." Seeing the gleam in his eye, Ron knew his friend would instantly agree.
"Okay everyone, here’s what’s happening." Seamus turned to face the group. "Try-outs are over for anyone not wishing to go for the Seeker position. Thanks for coming and Ron and I will have a list up in the common room by tomorrow afternoon letting you all know who made it and when we practice. Thanks for coming! Anyone wanting to try for Seeker, please stay just a little longer."
Most everyone left, only four had the gumption to try and take the place of one of the best players the team had ever seen and Ron was amused to see Dean was among them. Dennis Creevey also decided to stay and his brother Colin took a seat in the stands to watch and offer support. Seamus smiled at the four. "Okay, what we’ll do is put you all up in the air with Harry. Then were going to release the snitch and simply see who gets to it first."
Dean, Dennis and the other two looked at each other nervously before Dennis raised his hand. "And Harry’s actually going to try? He’s not just up there to watch us?"
"I expect Harry to act as if he were actually playing the game." Seamus grinned at the uncomfortable looks on their faces. "Just imagine how much more impressed we’ll be if one of you gets to it before him."
Of course, that wasn’t to be the case, Ron had never expected it. In the three times they’d set the snitch loose, Harry had not only caught it first, he’d been the only one close to it at the time. Though on the last pass, Ron saw him pull away and attempt to give Dean who was close a chance, but even then Dean hadn’t seen the glittering golden ball and so Harry had simply given chase and caught it again. Seamus called them all back in and the four hopefuls landed, grumbling to themselves. "It just isn’t fair with him up there!" Dean complained.
"Why don’t we let them try against each other now?" Ron suggested to Seamus. "I think you’ve made your point."
"I guess you’re right, we won’t know if they can even do it otherwise." Seamus laughed. They sent Harry, Hermione, Luna, Ginny, Draco and Parvati to the showers and turned to the four kids still red-faced and eager in front of them. "We know none of you are Harry, but we expect you to play like him. Seeker is a very important position, the one that could win or lose a game. We want you catching the snitch quickly every time you’re on the field, whether for practice or a game. So get back up there and show us you can do it."
(BREAK)
Not bothering to dry her hair, Ginny stepped from the locker room freshly showered and feeling great. She and Draco had never played on the same team before and so she’d never taken the time to notice that he was actually very good at the game. Of course when he had been playing, he’d been positioned a Seeker specifically so he could go against Harry and he hadn’t stood a chance. Luna and Hermione had already returned to the castle, one to do homework and the other to go through the ministry documents since her homework was already done, but Ginny had stayed back, waiting outside the boys’ locker room for Draco. When he finally emerged, she saw him rubbing his shoulder and wincing in pain. He was limping slightly, unable to fight the soreness he was obviously feeling. She knew he shouldn’t have played, he was still recovering… but she also knew that to have suggested as much would have only made him feel bad and very possibly started a fight.
When he looked up and saw her, all the suffering she’d seen on him disappeared and he was once more walking straight, wearing a wide smile. "Hey, that was fun, huh?"
She didn’t know what to do. He was in pain and for her sake he was hiding it, which only made her feel horrible and even angrier with Troy and the other boys for putting him in this position in the first place. Of course, they’d all let Harry walk around after being hurt and push himself to the point of death… why not also grant Draco that freedom. Between the inherently rapid healing powers of the werewolf curse and Drake’s potions, he was already recovering much faster than anyone else beaten up so badly. "It sure was. I knew you had some good moves off the field, but who could have guessed you could translate them on the field as well?" She returned his smile as she teased him. "I guess you’re a pro at everything."
In response he merely grabbed her up and kissed her deeply. "And don’t you forget it." He whispered, causing a shiver of desire to go down her spine.
"Hey, why don’t you two get a room?" Someone called.
Turning they found Colton standing a few yards away, about to head toward the castle. "Why don’t you get a life." Ginny angrily replied.
"I have one, and it doesn’t involve me pretending to be something I’m not just to stay in a relationship." He shot back.
"What is your problem with me?" Draco demanded, stalking up to the other boy. "Until the other day I didn’t know you were even alive, so I never did anything to you."
"No, just my brother." Colton stonily answered.
Draco appeared taken aback for a moment. "Excuse me? I have no idea what you’re talking about."
"Of course not. Everyone’s all the same to you, aren’t they?" He answered, stepping up closer to Draco who made himself stand even taller, refusing to be intimidated.
Ginny quickly shoved her way between them before things could go worse. He may still be sore, but this time there was only one boy who wouldn’t pull any dirty tricks and she knew Draco would probably destroy him. She shoved Colton back. "Why don’t you just tell us what your problem is instead of continuing on like an idiot?"
"Carter James." Colton said quietly. "Do you remember him? He was a couple of years older than us."
"Like I said before, I have no idea who that is." Draco answered steadily. Glancing at him, Ginny could see he was telling the truth. Whether or not he did anything to this Carter kid, it was apparent he didn’t remember it.
"He’s my older brother, was a prefect in Ravenclaw when he was here." Colton kept trying to prod Draco’s memory. "It happened during our third year, don’t you remember?"
"Oh spit it out already!" Ginny yelled, growing frustrated. "Say whatever it is you think he did and go away already!"
"He’s the reason my brother is blind!" Colton yelled back. "Nearly killed him, luckily the only thing they weren’t able to fix were his eyes." She turned to Draco, waiting to see the moment of recognition… surely if he’d blinded and nearly killed someone, he would remember. But his face remained a mask of anger and confusion and Ginny felt herself becoming confused. Surely Colton wouldn’t be mistaken about something like this and turning to try and read him, she saw that he was becoming desperately angry with Draco’s inability to recall the incident. "You really don’t remember, do you? How many people’s lives have you destroyed that you can’t even remember them all."
"Hey!" Draco finally spoke. "I remember every horrible thing I’ve ever done and every person I did them to! This Carter kid was not among them. So why don’t you go find the one who really hurt your brother? I will say that your best bet is to ask Crabbe and Goyle, otherwise I can’t help you since I had nothing to do with it. So why don’t you let whatever it is that you really have against me go and leave me the hell alone."
"I already told you what I have against you." Colton replied coldly.
"And he already told you, he didn’t do anything to Carter." Ginny returned.
"Yeah, and I had already told you on Friday that I had nothing to do with what those guys did to him but you didn’t exactly believe me." He returned.
"I still don’t." She replied darkly. "Especially now that you’ve let me know you think you have a reason to hate him."
"Did you know she came to my room in the middle of the night?" Colton grinned at Draco.
"Of course." Draco replied easily, crossing his arms and looking smug. Ginny breathed a small sigh of relief. The moment she’d gotten back into bed with him, she knew she had to tell Draco what she’d done, so that this very situation wouldn’t arise. She knew Colton would try to find a way to use it against her.
"There wasn’t exactly anything to hide." She sneered. "Look, I’m very sorry for what happened to your brother, but as far as Draco knows, he had nothing to do with it."
"And if you believe him you’re more pathetic than I thought." Colton answered before walking away.
She turned to Draco, wanting to be sure. "You did tell the truth didn’t you?"
His eyes narrowed a bit and she could see he was hurt by her light accusation. "Would it matter if I didn’t? Would it matter if I had been the one and then lied right to his face about it?"
Ginny hesitated, wanting only to give him the truth. "Maybe. It would definitely start a fight between us at the very least."
"I didn’t do it. As far as I know, I wasn’t involved at all." He said evenly.
"So who do you think did do it?" She asked, no longer choosing to doubt him. She was sure that he wouldn’t lie to her… at least not about something like this, not when she’d been able to get past the other things he’d done before switching sides.
He shrugged. "Like I said, Crabbe or Goyle would be the best ones to ask. They weren’t just my little lackeys you know. They were stupid enough to be used by all the Slytherins. My guess is Carter James stuck his Prefect nose in where it wasn’t wanted and nearly got it blown off as a result."
"Well… is there a way to find out?"
"Why would we care to do that?" He asked sharply.
"So that Colton will finally blame the right person and leave us alone."
Draco scoffed. "Ginny, even if we handed over the culprit wrapped in a bow, he won’t leave us alone… or rather he wouldn’t leave you alone."
"Well that’s his problem, not mine and not yours." She replied steadily.
"And so is finding out what happened to his brother." He argued.
"But it is your problem. You were already falsely accused of Neville’s death and only by completely betraying everything you’ve known were you able to set the record straight. Do you really want to remain the only suspect in his mind and quite possibly make it worse for yourself later?"
He stared at her for a long time. "You and your damn logic." He finally said, sighing in aggravation. "Okay, come on. I know exactly who we can talk to… besides, he and I needed to have a little talk anyway."
(BREAK)
Luna sat down to lunch absolutely starving. She hadn’t realized how much energy and endurance it took to not only stay on one’s broom, but to also have to concentrate on a game as well. She began to realize why Harry had been able to keep them safe up in the air for so long at Lairmore while dodging spells and Dementors, he’d been practicing flying like that for years on the quidditch pitch.
She and Hermione were the first of their friends in the Great Hall, but Harry, Ron and Seamus joined them shortly much to Luna’s relief. She hadn’t liked the way Tristan and Troy had been looking at them and knew that had the guys not shown up, the two troublemakers would have surely come over to harass them… she’d seen it in Troy’s mind which was difficult to breach but far less guarded than Tristan’s.
"Where’s Ginny?" Ron asked after filling his plate.
"Where do you think?" Seamus grinned. "Draco’s not here either."
Ron made a face. "Like rabbits, those two." He grumbled, obviously unhappy to think of his sister being intimate with anyone, let alone Draco.
"So did you guys decide on anyone for the team yet?" Hermione asked, quick to change the subject.
"Yeah, did anyone catch the snitch?" Harry added with eager interest.
"Dean certainly didn’t catch it, nearly fell off his broom trying." Seamus laughed as Dean himself walked up to join them.
"Only because that Creevey kid got in my way." Dean grumbled.
"And caught the snitch as a result." Ron pointed out. "And he was the only one able to find it twice."
"Fine, Dennis Creevey is amazingly average." Dean consented.
"Leaving you amazingly below average." Seamus teased his friend.
"Hey, I did okay as chaser." Dean protested as both boys took their bickering to another table.
Once they left, Harry caught Luna’s eye and she knew he wanted her to take the opportunity to try and convince Ron to go to Dumbledore on their behalf. "So, Harry told you guys that Willem is being secretly released this week, right?" Hermione and Ron both nodded. "Well, since Fred is planning to open the store this weekend maybe it would be a good idea to try and get a weekend pass for us all to go support him. And in the meantime, Harry and I would be able to talk to Willem, go into his head if we have to in order to find out what he knows about Edmund’s connection to Jayalina."
"Other than that they both may be Elanya’s parents you mean." Hermione added. Apparently Harry had filled them in on everything they suspected. Luna found herself wondering if he’d also shared their suspicions about what Tristan was up to.
"And that he may have killed her." Harry reminded them. "Maybe Willem knows why without knowing he knows."
"Sounds like a great idea." Ron shrugged.
Luna turned to him with a wide smile. "I’m so glad you think so, because we need you to pull it off."
"Me? What do I have to do?" He asked suspiciously.
"Go to Dumbledore and convince him to give us all a weekend pass home." Harry replied.
"Why me?" Ron whined. "Why can’t you guys do it? Just tell him why you really want to go home-"
"They can’t." Hermione interrupted, having quickly picked up on what was happening. "They don’t want Dumbledore or anyone else knowing they’re still involved in this, especially if their little trip to Azkaban could be discovered. But if you ask, then it looks like you’re just being a supportive brother."
"Exactly." Harry said with a nod.
"So will you go ask him?" Luna persisted. "Not today of course, he’s dealing with the house elves… but in the next couple of days?"
Before he could answer, Dumbledore himself entered the Hall and made his way to the front before calling for all of his students’ attention. "I have a sad announcement. This morning it was discovered that two of our friends, house elves living here with us in the castle were murdered." A gasp of fright went up around the hall. Even those not partial to house elves were wondering, if someone here not only would but could murder an elf… what would stop that person from moving on to humans. "From this moment on, all students are responsible for the cleaning of their own dorms and common rooms. Our elf friends are no longer allowed around students and any student found harassing them will be expelled immediately from this school. Letters have been sent home to your parents, explaining the situation and our plans to continue keeping you all safe. If anyone knows anything about what happened, please come see me- you will not be judged or named if you do have information to provide. Anyone with any questions or concerns is also encouraged to seek me or one of our fine professors out and we will handle your concerns as best we can. This is a sad day, one I will not soon forget." And then with one last look around the room, the headmaster simply walked back out of the room, leaving McGonagall and the others to handle the rush of students eager to know more. Luna reflected that she’d never seen the great man look older or more defeated.
(BREAK)
Feeling uncertain, Draco waited in the shadows while Ginny went to seek out their prey. He’d led her down to the Slytherin dorms after ensuring their man hadn’t yet gone to lunch, which was just starting. He watched as she knocked insistently on the door. Some young kid answered, a first or second year that Draco didn’t recognize. Still, even in small packages he knew these kids to be dangerous and tensed up, readying himself should he need to intervene. "What do you want?" The kid sneered as he eyed Ginny with disgust. Even newer students could recognize the red head of a Weasley and knew she shouldn’t be anywhere near there.
"I’m looking for Crabbe, send him out." She demanded.
"Why should I do anything you ask?" He spit in her direction and Draco had to hold himself back from going out and showing the jerk just how rude a habit that was. But he knew that if Crabbe had any idea he was out there waiting for him, he wouldn’t chance leaving the dorm.
Ginny pulled her wand and grabbed the kid up by the front of his shirt. "Because if you don’t do it on your own, I’ll make you."
"Oh, I’m terrified." The kid shot back though he did actually look quite scared. "Wait here." He ordered, pulling himself from her grasp before slamming the door in her face.
"And I thought I was the only one scared of you." Draco joked from his hiding place.
"And you still should be." She grinned.
Then they both grew silent, waiting for Crabbe. Draco had his doubts that the other boy would actually show knowing the guy had no courage when alone. Of course, Crabbe was probably only expecting Ginny’s wrath while hoping Draco was still laid up from his injuries. Although he knew going alone against Ginny wasn’t a guaranteed victory, Crabbe would certainly think it was… Draco knew his former friend had some very outdated views about what a girl was fully capable of. After spending time with Ginny, Luna and Granger and after witnessing the damage Cho, Sarah, Elanya and Elise were so far able to accomplish, Draco knew better- girls could be just as vicious.
At last the door opened again and Crabbe came out into the hallway careful to close the door behind him, making Draco curious to know what they were hiding that they didn’t want to chance Ginny seeing. "What do you want?" He asked.
"We need to have a little talk." She replied evenly.
"Do we? About what? You expect me to say sorry for what happened to your new boyfriend?" Crabbe let his irritation show.
"Only if you expect him to apologize for breaking your hand into a million pieces." She shot back. Draco grinned, amused by her moxie. "Come on, I’d like somewhere a little more private."
"Yeah, right. Like I’d go anywhere with you… why, so you can set up some kind of ambush and have all your friends get even for Draco?" Crabbe scoffed.
"Well, well. When did you grow a brain?" She taunted. "Relax, Harry and the others aren’t down here waiting to get you. This is between us." And then she turned and walked away, down into the dungeons without waiting to see if he’d follow.
Draco watched Crabbe look around uncertainly before licking his lips and stalking after Ginny. Seeing the devious look in his eye and knowing what the other boy thought he was about to try and get away with only made Draco angrier and he instantly went to follow, careful to not yet wake the wolf… not unless he needed to.
Ginny led them all the way down, past the Potions classroom, Drake’s office, and Snape’s private quarters. At last she came to a stop, turning to face Crabbe. "This is far enough I think, to ensure we won’t be heard."
"I’ll say." Crabbe answered dangerously as he took a few steps closer to her. "So what is it exactly that you want? What is it you think is just between you and me?"
Ginny faked surprise. "Oh, you thought when I said us that I meant only you and me? See, I guess your brain didn’t grow too much after all."
"What are you talking about?"
Rather than reply, Ginny allowed Draco to take the lead. He took the opportunity to step from the shadows, blocking the exit. Crabbe turned nervously to see what Ginny was staring at and Draco took a large amount of pleasure in seeing the boy’s nervousness give way to all out fear. "Draco… look it was nothing personal, right?"
"Lucky for you, that’s not why I’m here." He answered.
Suddenly Crabbe made his move, attempting to barrel his way past and flee. Allowing the wolf to awaken slightly, Draco grabbed up the other boy and slammed him into the wall. "We aren’t done yet." He growled.
　
　
NOTE: So again we get more answers and a few more questions but we’re starting to put this whole puzzle together… stay tuned to find out what happens next!
Næst er Kafli 37.
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