How to Prevent a War

Hospital

Hermione and Octavian were both already waiting for Harry and the Quidditch players at the hospital wing when they arrived. As soon as they walked close enough, Hermione flung herself in Harry's arms and hugged him tightly.

"That was terrifying!" she cried out.
"Are you alright? Where does it hurt?"

"Just my arm, Hermione," Harry told her, chuckling softly.
"I'm more worried about my broom. Apparently, it's wrecked beyond saving."

"Good thing it's just a broom," Octavian snorted.
"If people are beyond saving, it's a lot more trouble."

"Weasley's got a point," Alphard snickered.

"Yeah! You can just mail order a new broom, Potter," Lestrange added grinning.
"And you better get the newest of the racing broom line. If they cost too much, I'm willing to sponsor."

"I'll be fine, thanks."

"If you say so," Lestrange shrugged with a crooked grin.
"But if you come walking in the pit next game with some crappy old stink broom, I'll beat you up."

Harry chuckled weakly and shook his head. He wanted to say something, but a loud bickering had him pause and look at the hallway. His expression darkened when he noticed Mulciber, Avery, Yaxley, Nott and the youngest Lestrange walked up to them, followed by a slightly reluctant and unusually pale Tom Riddle.

"Oi! Potter!" Mulciber called out when they reached the rest of the group.
"That guy did it on purpose right? So we gotta take revenge, right? Because Nott over here says we should let the teachers handle it instead."

"Wuss," Dimitri Lestrange muttered, earning a painful jab from Nott's elbow.

"The teachers will punish him just fine, let's not get our hands dirty on that bloody arse," Avery spoke wisely.

"That's the whole reason why you guys should do something! Because he's a bloody arse!" Yaxley argued.

"Just leave it guys," Harry muttered, but he stayed unheard because Nicolas Lestrange spoke at the same time and a lot louder.

"Of course we'll bloody get that bastard back!" he announced.
"Nobody messes with one of us. And Potter is one of us now, isn't he?"

All Slytherin eyes landed on Tom for confirmation, making the teen smirk and Harry scoff in annoyance. Bright green met dark blue and Tom cocked his head questioningly. All others immediately switched their attention to the smaller dark haired male as well.

"Are you, Harry?" Tom asked innocently.

"No he's not!" Ginny immediately argued.

"And why's that?" Rosier asked defensively.
"He's a Slytherin, just like us, why shouldn't we treat him like one of our own?"

"Do you have something against us, Weasley?" Dolohov asked dangerously.
"Because if you do, then say so instead of glaring at us all the time and making snarky remarks!"

Both Dimitri Lestrange and Nott, who shared some of Ginny's classes along with Dolohov, nodded grimly. All three stared at the red haired girl with dark glares while Ginny just glared back with equal fury. Harry sighed.

"In case you all hadn't noticed," Ron suddenly spoke up.
"But Harry kind of has a broken arm and who knows what else and needs to see the nurse."

Without waiting for any reply, the redhead grabbed his best friend by the shoulder and steered him away from all the commotion. Hermione joined their side in an instant, fussing over Harry like she usually did whenever he got himself hurt. Harry noted in dark amusement that it often seemed to happen when he was playing quidditch. At least Halloween had gone by without too much trouble.