Wolf Moon (a Drarry fanfiction)

Chapter 13

It was his fifth day back at Hogwarts and Harry was as happy as he could possibly be. Of course, he liked being with Sirius, but Hogwarts was still his favourite place in the whole world. This was the first place he had been able to call home. However, they had only been back for five days and they had already gotten two homework. Ron looked like he wanted to faint when McGonagall gave them their second homework, while Hermione seemed excited to finally start with their studies again.

He, Ron and Hermione was currently on their way to the Great Hall for breakfast. He had been looking forward to being able to sleep in today since he and Ron had their first free period this morning, but Hermione was going to her first Potion class and forced them to join her. Ron had been non-stop complaining ever since Hermione had literally dragged him out of bed, but Hermione simply ignored him and continued to talk about how excited she was about the new Potions teacher - Horace Slughorn, whom Harry has completely forgotten about until Dumbledore introduced him at the Sorting Ceremony. Hermione was still upset that he hadn't told her, but she was still excited about not being forced to have classes with Snape ("In all honesty, he really is a horrible person. Just being in the same room as him ..."). Alla students seem to be horrified about having professor Snape as their new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, with expectations of Malfoy and his friends of course. 

The Great Hall was half empty when they entered since Hermione had insisted on waking up as early as possible. As they sat down by themselves Ron grabbed the nearest plate with food on it and took as much as possible. Harry looked towards the Slytherin table, something that had become a habit for him, and felt worried bloom up in him as he realised that Malfoy wasn't there. He couldn't help but to worry about the git - not that he liked him or anything, he just didn't want him to die. 

"Is it just me," Ron said and nudged Harry as discretely as possible "or is McGonagall walking right towards us."

The Headmaster of Gryffindor was, as a matter of fact, walking towards them with her usual strict countenance. She was holding a piece of paper in her hands, and when she stopped in front of them she abruptly showed the paper up Harry's face. He took it, and to his surprise, it was his and Ron's schedule.

"Oh, um ... I'm sorry professor, is there something wrong?" he asked nervously and scammed through his new schedule.

"Not anymore. I couldn't help but notice that you didn't have Potions this year, so I fixed it for you. If I remember correctly, you want to be an auror?"

"Uh, yes professor, .but I only got Exceeds Expectations on my exam and ..." Harry began but McGonagall held up her hand to silence him.

"Last time you checked, Snape was the professor in Potions. Now, if you listened during the Sorting Ceremony, you should now that Slughorn is the new professor." McGonagall said and nodded towards the newest member of the Hogwarts staffs, who were eating his breakfast while happily talking to professor Sprout. "Snape only took students who had an Outstanding on their O.W.L exams, but Slughorn however, gladly takes in those who got Exceeds Expectations."

"So that means ... ?" 

"That you are going to take it this year so you can become the auror you said you wanted to b," McGonagall said and looked at Harry with a look in her eyes that Harry couldn't quite place. "We can't let that old toad win now, do we?"

And with that, she left. Ron looked at her with his mouth open and Hermione smiling brightly at him. He couldn't help the smile that formed on his lips as he looked down on his schedule. He gave Ron his schedule who groaned when he looked at it.

"Now we've lost two free periods! Bloody hell, I had been looking forward to not doing anything." 

As Hermione snapped back at Ron about how he "really shouldn't be starting your semester like this" a certain blonde boy entered the Great Hall. Malfoy looked healthier than he had done when Harry left him on the train; his skin was back to his usual pale tone, without that grey tone that made him look like an inferi and those horrible bags under his eyes were gone, and he looked happier. Something was still a bit odd about his appearance but Harry wasn't sure if anyone but him noticed it.