Power and Persecution [1] || Harry Potter x OC x Draco Malfoy

71. Kidding

DISCLAIMER

I do not own Harry Potter ... but I really loved all the changes they made during POA

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Harry hadn't seen Bel yet.

Of course, he shouldn't be as worried as he was about that fact.

Since the moment he stepped off the train, to the moment he sat down in the Great Hall for the welcome feast, there hadn't been a single free time in which he could have seen her.

He calmed down slightly after telling himself that she was probably doing exactly what he had been.

Reuniting with her friends in her own house and getting ready for the feast.

But all of that went out of the window when everyone was seated, and Bel was nowhere to be found over on the Hufflepuff table.

Apparently, the houses had all shifted around this year compared to the last two years.

The Hufflepuff table was now furthest on the left side of the hall, where the Slytherin table used to be.

The Gryffindor table was next to it, where the Hufflepuff table used to be.

The Slytherin table was across the aisle where the Gryffindor table used to be.

And Ravenclaw had stayed the same.

This was both a good and bad thing.

It was good because the Gryffindor table was in between Hufflepuff and Slytherin.

Harry knew Bel would want minimal interactions with Malfoy after the horrendous week she had to spend at Malfoy Manor over summer.

But it was bad because it means Harry himself was now seated much closer to the blond prick.

However, none of that mattered if Bel wasn't even sat at her own table.

Harry had received glances from her three Hufflepuff friends, all looking much older this year, as everyone did.

They were clearly telling him that they hadn't seen Bel either, which only made him worry more as that meant she hadn't been doing the same things he had.

She had been somewhere else doing something else.

Harry hated to think it was already starting.

Bel being carted off to help in the protection of the school even though she was one of the students who needed protecting herself.

His leg was bouncing up and down underneath the table, causing Hermione and Ron to take notice of his concern.

"I'm sure Bel will be here any minute", Hermione whispered to him reassuringly.

"Yeah, I don't blame her for wanting to miss the choir. I mean, my ears are bleeding from those giant frogs they're all holding. And the sorting ceremony is always a bore", Ron pointed out whilst gesturing to the choir of students currently performing a song.

Harry kept quiet, his ears focusing for any sound of a door opening.

But none came, and soon the choir concluded their song, Dumbledore stepping up to make his announcements.

"Welcome! Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. Now, I'd like to say a few words before we all become too befuddled by our excellent feast", the headmaster spoke from his place at the front of the stage.

"First, I am pleased to welcome Professor R. J. Lupin, who's kindly consented to fill the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Good luck, professor."