Disclaimer: All bolded text belongs to J.K. Rowling.
All areas with […] are in place of actual text from the book.
"Right, who wants to read next", asked Severus.
"I will," asked Narcissa. When she turned to the correct page and said, "The Midnight Duel".
"What Midnight Duel?" asked Sirius.
"I can honestly say that I wasn't in any duels whatsoever during my first year at Hogwarts," stated Harry with conviction, but with a small smirk forming on his lips.
"What's that smirk for, then?" asked Remus.
"Someone tried to get me into trouble," replied Harry. Draco was slowly sinking into his seat thinking, 'My Father is going to slaughter me'.
[…]
"Oi, I resent that", exclaimed Draco.
"Well, you didn't come off endearing to me," replied Harry, "first off, you were arrogant in Madam Malkin's, and then on the train you implied that you were better than everyone else. So in short, you reminded me of Dudley, minus the weight problems".
"You mean, I acted like a bully," asked Draco.
"Yes!" replied Harry.
[…]
"It could be better, no contact at all", stated Sirius in a happy mood.
Everyone groaned, "Where's the fun in that?" asked the twins.
[…]
"Damn," stated Sirius.
"Why does Dumbledore stick the two most aggressive houses together – Gryffindor and Slytherin – in the two most deadly subjects – Potions and Flying?" asked Narcissa, with Andromeda nodding her head.
[…]
Neville coughed. Draco blushes bright pink. Harry tried to keep himself from laughing out loud.
"Do I need to ask, what's gone into you three?" asked Severus.
"You are going to find out anyway" stated Harry, finally loosing his self control.
[…]
"It was," stated Draco.
[…]
"Draco, please explain to the rest of the group, what is a helicopter and what it's function?" asked Harry.
"I don't know", replied Draco, "I overheard some of the muggleborns saying about helicopters."
"A helicopter is a device, of which many models have been derived, which can take off vertically, hover, fly forwards, backwards and laterally", stated Harry. "There's also have different uses – used in muggle warfare, drop water on forest fires, sea rescues and ambulance transporter. That's just some of the uses a helicopter can be used for." The purebloods looked shocked yet again, yet Snape had a curious look on his face.
"What do you call those objects have wings on, but fly a lot higher up", asked Neville.
"They called aeroplanes, Neville, and they can carry a hell of a lot more people in a aeroplane than in a helicopter", said Harry.
[…]
"No he wasn't", said the twins, "Ron was eight years old, on the ground in the orchard and the handglider was 20 metres above the ground".
Everyone snorted.
[…]
Harry, Severus, Andromeda and Tonks snorted. "Muggles doesn't have magic, so their pictures stay still."
"Weird", stated the twins. Harry snorted, "You just sounded like Ron and your dad then!"
[…]
"Sorry Neville", said an apologised Harry.
"You shouldn't have said it in the first place, Harry", stated Remus.
"Remus, I did not say it, I thought it", said Harry. "Have you ever had thoughts that you did not want other people to know?"
"Yes!"
"Then don't tell me what I should think and shouldn't think then. And another thing, I can take away your secret stash of chocolate."
"You wouldn't."
"Oh, trust me Remus, I know there are a quite a few secret stashes, even Sirius doesn't know about", said Harry with an evil grin. Sirius perked up at this. Harry patted Sirius head, "down boy."
[…]
"Yes the book has great flying tips, but it's for professional Quidditch players, not for students who just learnt how to fly", stated the twins.
Neville groaned, remembering his first lesson. It certainly didn't help by listening to Hermoine.
[…]
"Draco", said Lucius warningly.
[…]
"It's a Remembrall!" stated Neville. "It's good to know that you've forgotten something, but it's useless by not telling you what you have forgotten".
[…]
"Stop repeating yourself, Neville," said the twins and Harry teasingly.
[…]
"Draco, you look with your eyes, not with your hands", stated Harry, "even I know that, especially after living with those farmhouse animals of my family".
[…]
"That would have been us," said Remus ashamed.
"Along with Fabrian and Gideon Prewett", stated Sirius.
"And us," stated the twins.
[…]
"I stand by my earlier comment", stated Harry.
"I don't slope", stated a gobsmacked Draco.
[…]
"Good flying conditions", stated Sirius.
[…]
"What happened to make her eyes like a hawk?" asked a curious Harry.
"Animagus transformation gone wrong", stated Snape. "She cannot now transform fully as a human or as a hawk. Hooch was alone and she decided to become an animagi. She was stuck in that form for a week before anyone realised she was missing, and by that time, the transformation was irreversible." Sirius looked completely uncomfortable with that idea, thinking that his transformation could have gone wrong.
[…]
"Definitely need new school brooms", stated the teenagers. The adults looked absolutely horrified at the thought.
Harry noticed this, "nothing like a Firebolt, but the ones which are older models, but in better condition."
When Harry realised that everyone's eyes are on him, "What?"
"Every year, the school governors have sent in money for the brooms to be replaced, but so far they haven't", stated Lucius.
"Have you considered buying the brooms directly and donating them to the school?" asked Harry. "And what happened to that money, and who looks after the school's money?"
Severus groaned, "Dumbledore has the ultimate control of the school's budget".
"Should we have a separate department, as such, who houses the financial side of the school?" asked Harry. "Any new equipment, potions ingredients, etc, should go through them, so that the budget should be distributed evenly. I know that the potions ingredients will have a larger indent in the budget, than Divination's tea cups and tea leaves".
Both Fudge and Umbridge looked like Christmas has come early for them. The others noticed this. Tom noticed this and stated: "The budget will be completely separate from the Ministry."
[…]
"You're a natural", stated Sirius bouncing up and down slightly and giving Harry a one armed hug.
[…]
"Yeah, I was afraid. Still am, really" stated Neville.
"You just need confidence, Neville", said Harry.
"We'll help you!" stated the twins. Neville and Harry groaned.
[…]
"Madam Hooch told me later that my hold was for playing Quidditch and not for general flying," stated Draco.
"I thought you wanted to played Quidditch, Draco", asked Lucius.
"Yes I do, but the flying instructor you paid for, should have made sure that I have learnt the correct way of holding a broom, other than Quidditch, Father", stated Draco.
Lucius was quite taken aback at this. Narcissia whispered into his ear, "we need a talk ourselves before we talk to Draco, love". Lucius nodded.
[…]
"I didn't want to be left on the ground after everyone else went up", stated Neville.
"Neville, it doesn't matter if you didn't get off the ground the first time, you just needed the time to be able to balance yourself out on the broom, before lifting off. Everyone learns to fly at a different speed", stated Harry.
"Mr. Potter is correct. You just needed the time and confidence in order to fly", stated Snape.
[…]
"Ouch", stated the room, but Neville and Harry grimaced remembering the day.
[…]
"Never to be seen again", stated the twins.
[…]
Neville turned to Harry, "you heard that?" absolutely gobsmacked. "You were quite a distance from me!"
[…]
Something clicked in Snape's mind, remembering how Potter got onto the Gryffindor Quidditch team, "Oh, God", groaned Severus.
"What?" asked the room.
Snape looked at Harry, "You better be ready with sticking and silencing charms, because they are going to be either cheering or yelling at you," stated Snape. "And before you ask again, you are going to find out."
[…]
SMACK!
Lucius hand smacked Draco on the head.
"Ouch!" stated Draco.
Tom gave Lucius a patented Lord Voldemort glare, "No corporal punishment on the children!"
"Yes, My Lord!" stated Lucius automatically.
[…]
"Can't believe she stuck up for me!" stated Neville.
"Of course she did, Neville", stated Harry, "she finds you cute, honest, and brave, unlike majority of Gryffindor's".
[…]
"More like a pug", muttered Draco, but was still heard by everyone. Those who know her either by sight or by growing up with her, had a hard time trying to keep a straight face.
"Draco, why does she look like a pug?" asked Tonks.
Draco started to panic, but stated "No comment".
"We tell you later", stated the other teenagers.
[…]
Severus turned to Draco, "You told me that Harry took off first, not you?" said Severus scoldingly.
Draco said nothing.
"Draco", warned Lucius.
"Can we carry on reading, please? You find out why I lied" said Draco.
[…]
"Was she really like that?" asked Remus.
"Yes" replied the Gryffindors.
"How did she mellow out slightly?" Remus asked, wondering.
"Let's say she had good reason to relax a little, around Halloween time", said Harry.
Light bulb went off in Snape's, Draco, Neville, Fred and George's mind thinking back to Professor Quirrell when he came into the Great Hall screaming about trolls, groaned.
"I don't like that groan, Moony", stated Sirius.
"Never do I, Padfoot, but I think we going to find out", replied Remus.
[…]
"I knew I was doing it right when Ron whooped", stated Harry.
[…]
"I was!" stated Draco. "He was raised by muggles (pointing to Harry), the way he did it, it looked like he was doing it for years."
"He did have a toy broom", smiled Sirius broadly.
"Which you gave as a birthday present", replied Remus, smiling, and shaking his head fondly. Remus looked at Harry, "you were a holy terror on it. No matter where your parents hid it, you would find it and go fly about the house on it, scaring the living hell out of them. Harry had the decency to blush, while everyone else laughed.
"Hey Remus, remember when James took Harry out on his broom?" asked Sirus.
"Yes, and I remember that it was the only time he did it!" replied Remus.
"Okay, what did I do this time?" asked Harry, wearily.
"Oh, you will love this, the broom listened to you more than it did your father", replied Sirius, chuckling, "your father wanted to slow down, but you kept making the broom go faster! Your mother was screaming at your father to bring the broom down, but he say to your mother that it's your fault that the broom's going faster. It took your parents best part of an hour to be able to get the broom down. In the end you got tired".
The twins were literally rolling on the floor laughing their heads off.
"Little Harrykins…"
"…we didn't know…"
"…you were an…"
"…excellent prankster…"
"…when you were young!"
"Care to give us tips!" replied together.
[…]
"I was", stated Draco simply. He then looked over to Harry, "You noticed that!"
[…]
Everyone looked at Harry in awe, totally lost for words for once. Harry felt really uncomfortable at so many eyes on him.
"Harry, thank you for getting my Remembrall!" said Neville. Harry nods his head at him.
"Mrs Malfoy, can you please continue reading?" asked Harry politely.
[…]
"Busted," stage whispered the twins.
[…]
"She wouldn't let you talk yourself out of the situation, or let the others explain?" asked Remus shocked.
"It kinda explains later on, Remus," said Harry.
"I just take your word for it", replied Remus.
[…]
"Still there!" stated Harry.
[…]
"Harry, corporal punishment was outlawed in Hogwarts when Dumbledore became Headmaster", stated Remus.
"Doesn't stop Filch wanting to give corporal punishment to students, now does it!" retorted Harry.
[…]
Remus was muttering, "Wood", then a light clicked in his brain, "he was the Gryffindor Quidditch captain, when I taught in your third year", looking at Harry.
[…]
Both Remus and Sirius, had their mouths open, "Minnie's good".
"Why?" asked Tom.
"So far, she's the only professor that Peeves actually listens to", replied Remus.
[…]
"WHAT!?" shouted Sirius, looking at Harry absolutely gobsmacked.
The Gryffindors cracked up laughing. Snape looked at Sirius, "the great big Marauder just got pranked by Potter", shaking his head.
Sirius ignored this and carried on looking at Harry. Harry slightly cheesed off at this and smacked him on the head, "we all know I am on the team."
"First years are never on the team", replied Sirius, "for obvious reasons".
"Like what?" asked Harry.
"First, you need to learn all the basics of magic, and learning on how to handle a broom correctly", replied Remus.
"Sirius, you did say earlier that Harry was a natural," stated the twins.
"I knew he was on the team, but I thought he waited until second year before trying out for the team", replied Sirius.
"I concur", replied Remus.
"Wood never held a seeker tryout before Harry came onto the team, and so far we haven't had the need for a tryout for any positions on the team, before this coming year", retorted the twins.
[…]
"No, I am", retorted Sirius. Everyone groaned at that old joke.
[…]
"We have to tell Charlie this!" stated the twins. "He could have a seeker vs. seeker to see who is the better one."
Neville turned to the twins, "We all know who the better seeker is, and he is in this room".
[…]
"It had", replied the twins and Harry.
[…]
"No", retorted Harry, "Never heard of it before Draco mentioned it in Madam Malkin's shop; and until Oliver explained it better than either Ron or Hagrid did".
[…]
"Nimbus definitely," stated both Sirius and Remus together.
"May it rest in broom heaven," stated Harry, Neville and the twins together.
The others in the room, apart from Snape and the two Marauders, looked at the four Gryffindors as if they have grown another head. "Don't worry about that, it's a Gryffindor trait for that house to talk together like that," retorted Snape, "though it is normal for the twins to do anyways", as an afterthought.
[…]
"Why should you!" muttered Draco, but loud enough for people to hear him.
"Great, my son has been corrupted by a bunch of Gryffindors", stated Lucius.
"Mr Malfoy, your son had been corrupted a long time ago", retorted Harry.
"Unfortunately it became a Black trait to say what you think at times, Draco", replied Narcissa, smiling at him fondly. "Lucius, here, is as stuck up as you can get". Lucius stuck his nose up into the air.
"She's got you there, Lucius", retorted Severus, laughing with the rest of the room.
[…]
"Yes, he was, but he was more a chaser than a seeker", stated Sirius.
[…]
"Oh. My. God. You've got Ron to stop eating," stated the twins wide eyed. "Nobody has ever done that before." The twins went over to Harry chanting, "We not worthy!" a couple of times before going back to their seats.
[…]
"A pair of human beaters actually", stated Harry, which made the twins blush slightly.
[…]
"From Alicia told us, he was skipping when he told her", stated the twins, "wish we could've seen it," shaking their heads fondly.
"So would I," stated Harry.
"Anyway, we've got to go, Lee Jordan reckons he's found a new secret passageway out of the school."
[…]
"Took us till Christmas first year", stated Sirius.
[…]
"Is it me, but, Draco, are you stalking me?" asked Harry with a straight face.
Draco started spluttering, going slightly red with embarrassment, "No, I'm not. Anyway, you're not my type!"
[…]
"Can't believe you just said that!" stated Remus, "have you seen the size of them."
"I have Remus," replied Harry, "but I did have back up."
[…]
"I concede your point," stated Remus at that last sentence.
[…]
"DRACO", shouted both Lucius and Narcissa, "you should learn never to wizard duel when you are at school, unless you are willing to die," Lucius carried on.
[…]
"Idiot," muttered the twins, then they looked at Professor Snape, "you have our consent to punish Ron any way you like while at Hogwarts, detention wise, it might knock some sense into him".
[…]
Snape looked at Draco, "how would you know that the trophy room is always unlocked, Draco?" Draco did not answer. "Draco, I'm waiting!" stated Snape, with his glare intensifying.
"Father told me!" Draco said in a rush. Snape's glare passed onto Lucius, which he started to squirm under the gaze. Narcissa groaned, "you twit, Lucius. You and me are going to have a lengthy conversation on how not to get Draco into trouble, mister!" which made Lucius squirm even more. The rest of the occupants kept thinking that Lucius is totally whipped, as they did not want the Malfoy matriarch on their case.
[…]
"Does she ever stop being this annoying?" asked Sirius.
"No comment," stated Harry. Sirius just groaned.
[…]
"It really wasn't any of her business", stated Harry.
[…]
"Oh God, she's everywhere," stated Sirius dramatically.
"It's best if we just ignore Sirius, unless he has a good comment to make", stated Remus to the rest of the room.
"If he doesn't, I make sure he does have a good comment to make at the appropriate time", replied Andromeda.
[…]
The twins, Harry and Neville snorted at this. "Percy is a complete and utter twit, he's too full of himself and only wants to further himself," stated the twins.
Harry had a thought, "he should have been placed in Slytherin then", stated Harry, then looked at Professor Snape, "no offence taken, sir".
"None taken, even I wondered why he wasn't placed in Slytherin myself," replied Snape.
[…]
"At times she does sound like any angry goose", stated Harry shaking his head.
[…]
Both Sirius and Remus groaned, "hate that at the most inopportune moments".
[…]
"Now I know why she ended up with you two", stated Neville.
[…]
Neville looked over at Harry, "you heard that? How far away where you?"
"About 30 metres away", replied Harry.
[…]
Remus looked over at Neville, "your mother was like that. Lily helped your mother with improving her memory. I think I still got them somewhere, and I given them to you to help".
Neville eye's went big, stammering his thanks at the Professor.
[…]
Harry looked at Neville, and asked "but why did you take so long to get back then?"
"Madam Pomfrey, kept me a while just to make sure that my wrist was completely better," said Neville.
[…]
"House ghosts normally stay within their main areas, occasionally going to the Great Hall, now and then", stated Snape, wondering what was the Bloody Baron doing in Gryffindor territory.
[…]
"Err, Harry, you actually hissed", stated Neville.
"I think one of my Slytherin pet snake actually got loose around that time, but caught up with the snake just before Halloween", stated Snape. Both Harry and Neville paled that he could have been talking to a snake at that point.
[…]
"Nope, I caught he sneaking out of the Slytherin Common Room", stated Snape.
[…]
"Oh, shit!" groaned a few people in the room.
"I was meant to meet up with Filch", stated Draco. "I wanted front row seats of them getting expelled. More to the point I didn't knew that Granger and Neville was with them."
[…]
"We were," said Harry. "We wanted to be prepared in case Draco decided to jump out at us".
"At least you were prepared for anything", stated Snape. Everyone looked at Snape and they couldn't believe that he just complimented a Potter.
[…]
"Thought that was Peeves!" stated Snape.
[…]
Snape's eyebrows furred together thinking they near the forbidden corridor.
[…]
"Now is not the time to say, 'I told you so', Hermoine", Harry ground out.
[…]
Draco nodded his head, but didn't say anything.
[…]
"Don't you ever get a break?" asked Sirius.
Harry thought about this, "No," trying to keep a straight face, especially when Neville is sniggering away.
[…]
"Peeves likes his rhymes", stated Sirius.
[…]
"Big mistake, little bro", stated the twins.
[…]
"There's me thinking I was bad at being a drama queen", stated Harry.
"For that performance, he could get an Oscar© award", retorted Tonks.
[…]
Snape groaned, running his hand over his face, thinking why did they have to go into that bloody room.
"Severus, what's wrong?" asked Tom.
"You are going to find out why shortly, my Lord", replied Severus.
[…]
"He ain't going to tell you," replied Sirius, Remus and the twins.
[…]
"If you ever in trouble in Hogwarts and Peeves is around, you can get away with practically anything," says Harry.
"How do you know this?" asked Lucius.
"Let's say I've managed to get Peeves on my side", replied Harry.
Draco paled. "You're the one who set Peeves on me?" asked Draco. Snape's and the twins jaws dropped.
"Snape blamed us for that prank," stated the twins.
Snape looked at the twins, "I'm sorry for insinuating you for that prank". The twins nodded.
[…]
"What now?" groaned Sirius and Remus.
[…]
"Oh shit, it's a Cerberus", said a shell-shocked Narcissa. "In Greek mythology, Cerberus tends to guard the gate of the underworld. Also a Cerberus is good at looking at important magical artefacts".
"What the hell is that thing in a school full of children", exclaimed Fudge.
"Minister Fudge, you will find out why at the end of the book", stated Harry.
"This will help us win the case against Dumbledore", stated Lucius, "if Madam Bones cannot be able to charge him, we can go via the Board of Governors."
Both Remus and Sirius just sat there with their mouths opening and closing but no words are escaping their mouths.
[…]
"Good choice", said the twins.
[…]
"No one ever tells her where what you've been up to", said the twins, "she's the schools biggest portrait gossiper".
[…]
Everyone snorted. "Definitely a Ron comment that one", said the twins.
[…]
"That would have been my response as well", said everyone else, apart from Sirius and Remus whose mouths are still working up and down.
[…]
"I think being killed is worse than being expelled," stated the twins.
Neville and Harry looked at the twins, "oh don't worry, she doesn't stay that way for long, Harry and Ron corrupts her", stated Neville.
[…]
"He always does that", said the teenage Gryffindors.
[…]
"You still putting the pieces together, Harry?" asked Tom.
"Getting there eventually", replied Harry.
Harry went and smacked both Sirius and Remus over the head as they were still trying to get their heads around the Cerberus. Both turned their heads to Harry, "I'm still here, in the flesh, no parts of me got ripped open the dog, and I am most certainly NOT a ghost. If I was a ghost you would walk right through me."
"Cerberus in a school full of children, what they hell was Dumbledore thinking?" asked Remus.
"Remus, while you and Sirius were still in your state of shock, the rest of us have already discussed it. It's going to count against Dumbledore both with Madame Bones and with the Board of Governors at Hogwarts", said Harry. They both nodded.
Meanwhile:
The little instruments in Dumbledore's office regarding Harry to what he was doing and his health, were going haywire. No matter how many times Dumbledore tried to shut them, he couldn't. He even double checked himself that Harry was at Privet Drive. He scratched his head trying to figure out what the hell is going on.
***page break***
Molly was in the kitchen at Grimmauld Place cooking dinner, thinking it's a bit too quiet for her liking, especially when certain individuals are together – Fred and George, being one, - Sirius and Remus, being the other.
When she finished cooking, she shouted its dinner time, apart from the twins, Sirius and Remus came in. She asked, "Ron, have you seen the twins, Sirius and Remus since last night".
"No. Why?" asked Ron.
"It's probably nothing, but haven't you lot noticed it's a lot quieter without them?" she asked.
"Mum, wherever they are, at least it's keeping them quiet and out of mischief", replied Ginny, "it's good to get peace and quiet from the bangs from Fred and George, Sirius moaning about not getting fresh air, and probably, Remus is keeping an eye on all three of them".
"Yes, Ginny, you might be right we what they up to!" replied Molly.
***page break***
The items in which Lucius wants to talk to Draco about at the end of the book:
Speak to Severus in case he has heard different from Draco before actually talking to Draco.
Diagon Alley – clothes shop – being completely rude and not telling Mr. Potter his name before asking for he's
Hogwarts Express – spoke ill of the dead, blood traitors' Weasleys, attempted thievery of chocolate
Hogwarts itself – boasting of mail from home, attempted theft of Mr. Longbottom's Remembrall, twice, laughing at Mr Longbottom's misfortune, taking off on a broom when told not to, wilful destruction of other people's property, midnight honour duel – learn the etiquettes, not a true Slytherin.
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