Never Have I Ever

Chapter 7: Home Sweet Hogwarts

When Harry got back to the compartment, everyone had changed back into their robes. Ginny looked like she wanted to ask him what had taken him so long, so he grabbed his robes, and excused himself. Crammed into the shaky toilet on the train, Harry was mulling over Draco Malfoy. He hadn't been wrong about this year being about as quiet as the rest had been, especially now he knew that Malfoy was on the train. Evidently, Professor McGonagall trusted him to return to Hogwarts, but he couldn't imagine Malfoy being welcomed back by the students, not after the Death Eaters had taken over the school. But what had made Malfoy want to come back?

He was brought back to reality by a sharp knock on the door. Harry cracked open the door, and came face to face with Blaise Zabini.

'Potter..' he said, by way of greeting.

Harry hurried out of the toilets, awkwardly smiling at Blaise Zabini as he passed. The corridor was busy; lots of heads turned as Harry walked by them and whispers followed him up the carriage. That evidently hadn't changed, but he wished it would. Interest in him had increased, if anything, probably because of his defence of Malfoy during the trails. With Rita Skeeter on his back, he shouldn't have been surprised, but it seemed as if he was going to get good use out of his invisibility cloak this year.

Back in the compartment, the view outside was becoming more plain and rocky, with hills slowly growing larger into rounded mountains. They would be arriving at Hogwarts soon. Harry played Exploding Snap with Luna, Ginny and Neville until the train arrived at Hogsmeade station. As the stream of students moved towards the carriages, murmurs broke out. Harry turned to Luna, knowing exactly what is it they were seeing and why. Almost every student at Hogwarts had seen someone die during the battle, and they could finally see the Thestrals that had otherwise invisibly pulled the carriages. Luna gave Harry a sad smile, and then they crammed into one of the last carriages, and began the rumbling ride up to the castle.

*

The Sorting Hat was taken away and the Great Hall filled with the low buzz of conversation. Seated in the Great Hall again, Harry looked around in awe. It was hardly noticeable that the this, and other parts of the castle had been destroyed during the battle. He supposed it was not too different to the time he saw Dumbledore repair Professor Slughorn's house, just on a much larger scale, and he supposed it required more witches and wizards to do it. The ceiling was intact, showing a clear starry night above them and the windows reflected the flickering flames of the floating candles.

Just then, Professor McGonagall rose, and everyone turned their heads to the professor's table at the front of the hall.

"Welcome back, students," she said, smiling fondly down at everyone. Professor McGonagall looked the same as always, traces of grey in her tightly pulled back bun, and square glasses perched on the end of her rather stern looking nose. Harry looked along the table behind her, lacking the genial face of Dumbledore and the eternally sour Professor Snape. Hagrid was perched on the far end, and he slightly raised his hand in greeting as he and Harry made eye contact. Professor Flitwick was inopportunely sat next to him and the vast size difference between them was so comical that Harry struggled not to laugh.

"I won't talk for long, as I know you are all looking forward to the feast.." McGonagall continued, "- but it gives me great pleasure to see so many of you return to Hogwarts, especially after the events of last year. There have been some slight changes, chiefly the creation of a common room for the use of all of the houses, with intention of increasing the unity. And I expect that none of you will take it upon yourselves to hold it against others for the misdeeds of their past."

There was a heavy silence in the hall for a few moments, and Harry's eyes automatically travelled to the head of silvery blonde hair at the far end of the Slytherin table. Malfoy was pointedly looking at the table, and from across the hall, Harry could see his face was flushed red, whether in anger or embarrassment, he couldn't tell. Clearly the presence of Draco Malfoy had caused some conflict already.

Ginny leaned in towards Harry - "Why do you think he came back?" she asked him. Harry shrugged, still looking across the hall at Malfoy.

"I heard the Manor got burnt down" Ginny continued. Harry nodded once.

Suddenly, food appeared on the platters in front of them. McGonagall had finished talking and the feast had begun. Harry began to pile mashed potatoes onto his plate - he hadn't realized how hungry he was until he began shovelling the food into his mouth. Roasted carrots and parsnips, cottage pie, creamy chicken soup and rich gravy covered the table. Down the Gryffindor table, Dean Thomas was piling chicken legs onto his plate. Dessert was trifle, sticky toffee pudding and chocolate ganache. Harry felt like he hadn't eaten so well in months. Then the tables cleared once more, replaced with clean dishes. All the students sat back and looked towards the front of the hall. Professor McGonagall rose once again, wished them goodnight, and the benches were scraped back and all the students began to meander out of the hall.

As Harry, Ginny, Luna and Neville made their way out into the Entrance Hall, they noticed a crowd on one of the staircases. As they approached, they saw the blonde hair of Draco Malfoy. Harry's stomach turned uncomfortably, unsure of what to do. If he interceded, he risked making the rumours worse and he didn't want more questioning by Rita Skeeter, but at the same time, Malfoy deserved to return to Hogwarts as much as anyone else. Ginny grabbed the back of his robes and tugged him away.

"Leave it, Harry, you'll make it worse. He's perfectly capable of protecting himself."

Harry gave up and allowed himself to be dragged up a nearby flight of stairs.

"Ginny, you can let go now" he grumbled as he stumbled over his feet.

"Sorry!" said Ginny, still retaining a tight grip on his robes. "You just had that stupid determined look on your face, so forgive me if I don't trust you."

"Ugh!" groaned Harry in mock disgust, and continued to be unceremoniously tugged all the way to Gryffindor Tower.