Friday, December 02, 2005
Chapter 10
A Black Christmas
What was Draco smiling at? There was definitely something fishy going on and Harry was willing to bet his last galleon on it. First, it was the packages Iman and Draco were exchanging at the start of term feast; followed by Draco's 'miraculous' attempt with the Swedish Short Snout; and now, this! Harry thought he saw Draco slip some Love Potion into a vial, but later decided that things may not be what they seem. Agathos was right. He had to stop worrying about Malfoy and start concentrating on the task that lay ahead. Moreover, he had to work out the clue to the second task as well. Seeing that he might not have the same luck as he had in the first task, Harry could use all the help he could get to crack the clue. "Where are you drifting off to again, Harry? You've been awfully aloof ever since we came back to Hogwarts!" Hermione inquired as she packed her bag after Snape's dreadfully tedious and draining lesson. "Yea mate, I'll have to agree with Hermione on this one. You've been acting really weird since the start of term! Is everything alright? Did the Dursleys try anything funny on you last summer?" Ron asked, bemused. "Oh it's nothing. It's just Malfoy. I know you guys have been telling me to get a grip over that twit, but I can't! There's something going on and I know it for sure. I just need an opening, to catch Malfoy in the act.." Harry started when Hermione cut him off. "Well, if it really means that much to you Harry, we'll help. I know you won't rest till you find out what exactly Malfoy's up to, so I guess Ron and I will help." "Yea, Harry. If it really means that much, we'll help. By the way, have you worked out that egg yet? The next task's right after Christmas! I doubt you'd wanna spoil your Christmas by mulling over what's to come, would you?" Ron eyed Harry, with a smirk. "Er, yea. I'm almost done with the egg anyway. Let's all just forget about this. I'm getting hungry. What do ya say we stop by our dorms for some Chocolate Frogs?" Harry asked enthusiastically. It had been a long time since he had a peace of mind and Hermione and Ron made him feel tons better by offering to help him out with the whole Malfoy issue. Harry filled Ron and Hermione in on all that had happened from the start of term feast till Snape's lesson on their way to the Gryffindor Common Room. Harry was determined to nip Malfoy's dastardly plans in the bud, and now that he has his two best friends by his side, nothing was going to stop him from uncovering Draco Malfoy's ploy.
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The next morning, Harry sat next to Lodina, Ginny, Hermione and Ron during breakfast. Just when they were appreciating their 'Draco-free' breakfast, Draco Malfoy along with his Slytherin Guard, which was headed by none other than Iman, strolled into the Great Hall; but instead of taking their seats at the Slytherin bench, the whole Slytherin group made a bee-line for the Gryffindor bench. "Well, well, well. Look what the troll dragged in this morning! If it isn't lil' pothead and his posse" smirked Draco. As if on impulse, the rest of his Slytherin Guard started laughing their heads off at Malfoy's crude remarks. Just then, Draco caught sight of Lodina. She was quietly nibbling her toast, trying her best to avoid eye contact with Draco. "It's now or never. If I could just slip a little bit of this potion into her juice. Lodina will fall for me right now!" thought Draco has he prepared to discreetly pour some of his Love Potion into Lodina's drink. The Slytherin Guard provided a good distraction. Even Lodina was now trying to help Harry and the others fend off the Slytherin's spiteful comments. It was a perfect time for Draco to 'strike'. Just then, Iman turned around and being the great oaf that he was, he tipped over Lodina's glass of juice and ruined Draco's perfect opportunity of casting Lodina under his 'spell'. "Iman, remind me. Just how many times have I told you to turn around carefully without knocking over anything and EVERYTHING in your way?" Draco spat at Iman.
Disgusted at the lack of luck he had had since the Halloween Ball, Draco left for the Slytherin Table.The Slytherin Guard took their leave from the Gryffindor Bench when Draco turned towards the Slytherin side of the Great Hall, puzzled at Draco's erratic behaviour. Harry and the others thought it weird too that Draco had suddenly decided to abandon his ritual tauntings and insult-throwing at the Gryffindors. If only Iman had not been such a careless baffoon everything would have worked out fine for Draco. Getting Lodina to like him was certainly becoming a more difficult task indeed! Draco slumped down in his chair and stared over at Harry and Ron. "Those gits are soo thick sometimes. I don't know what she sees in them! Why is she hanging around those dufuses all the time?" Draco fumed, as he poked his toast with his butterknife. "What was that darling? Did you say something?" Pansy drew closer to Draco, hoping he'd kiss her. Draco hated when she bated her eyelashes and started putting on her 'Pansy-charm'. Her slutty behaviour was such a turn-off, but he was too angry to care. Why didn't Lodina care for him the way he did? Draco reached over and pulled Pansy close to him and engaged in her in such a fiery kiss that all the other Houses were now looking over at the Slytherin bench. Draco poured out all his rage into that kiss with Pansy. He knew she was loving every bit of it, but he didn't care. All he wanted to do was to spite Lodina. Make her see what she was missing. Draco pulled away from the kiss just as fast as he plummeted into it. "My darling! I love you sooo much!" Pansy bated her eyelashes at him once more and turned to get a bite out of her croissant. "Isn't it ironic? I'm just using you to get to Lodina. Oh well. Whatever works for me." Draco thought as he got back to his breakfast, looking straight at Lodina who was still determined to be unperturbed by whatever Draco was doing. "You can try to avoid me now Lodina, but no one can resist the charms of Draco Malfoy..." Draco smirked as he finished the rest of his breakfast and headed off to his first lesson of the day.
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One month had flew so fast and now it was almost Christmas. "Aren't you excited Harry? We're finally going to meet Sirius and his fiance Tonks! I hear Tonks is really bubbly. I can't wait to meet them! It was awfully nice of them to invite all of us over for Christmas." Hermione started. The Weasleys, Lodina, Hermione and Harry were all packed and ready to go. The journey to London was not as long as Harry had expected it to be as they spent most of their time guessing what their Christmas presents would be like. Harry had still no idea about the egg and the clue to the next task, but thought that he should leave it till after christmas. He did have one whole week after christmas before the start of the second task. He knew Hermione will not like the fact that he was procrastinating, but he thought 'Whatever Hermione didn't know won't hurt'. The whole gang was greeted by a familiar sound in platform 9 3/4. Harry could recognise Sirius' bark from a mile away. Seeing that Sirius was still a 'criminal' in the eyes of the ministry, he had to disguise himself as the big black dog when he came to meet Harry and the others. Beside him was a tall lady. Harry was surprised when he first saw her because she looked so cool with her pink short hair and her trendy outfit."Hi! You must be Harry! I'm Tonks. I don't know if Sirius has told you about me.." the lady started off when Lodina rushed forward to give her a hug! "Tonks!! It's great to see you!" Lodina beamed as she pulled away from Tonks. "Hi Tonks! Yea, Sirius did tell me about you, though our conversation did not last for very long due to certain circumstances..." Harry's voice trailed off as he recalled that night in the Gryffindor Common Room when he first found out about Lodina being Sirius' daughter. "Ok then. Is that all of you? Lets get you into the house then, shall we? All of you got your brooms? Good. Let me first cast the invisibility charm on all of you. Then we'd be good to go!" Tonks said as she tapped her wand on Lodina's head, followed by Hermione, Ginny, Fred, George and Ron. When she finally tapped her wand on Harry's head, he felt a tingling feeling all round his body. "Ok then. Now all of you, hop on your brooms and follow me!" Tonks said as she mounted her broom and headed off to a little sub-urban town. Sirius had turned back into his human form once Tonks had cast the invisibility spell on him and he was flying behind the whole lot of them. The journey to Grimmauld Place was very short and upon arrival, Sirius made a swish of his wand which made the whole Mansion materialise in front of them."That's bloody wicked Sirius! You've got to teach us that one!"Fred and George said in unison as they entered the House of Black. It was decorated with Christmas ornaments but still had that old and ancient feel to it. "Well this is it people! The House of Black! Make yourselves at home. Tonks will show you ladies to you room, and I will show you guys to your rooms." Sirius said. "Loccomoto trunks!" yelled Sirius as he directed the suitcases and trunks into their respective rooms. "It's really good to see you Harry, and I'm glad you lot will be spending Christmas here with us." Sirius smiled down at Harry as he gave him a huge bear-like hug. "I'm glad too Sirius. Really glad..." Harry beamed back at him. It was the start of the Christmas holidays and nothing could dampen their spirits now... or so it seemed...
[Tonks was grooving to Metallica's Enter Sandman |
~ sleepy]
~Nymphadora~
~ sleepy]