Rosabella's Point of View:
Harry and I spent a lot of the last week of the holidays pondering the meaning of Malfoy's behavior in Knockturn Alley. What disturbed us the most was the satisfied look on Malfoy's face as he had left the shop. Nothing that made Malfoy look that happy could be good news. To Harry's annoyance, neither Ron nor Hermione seemed quite as curious about Malfoy's activities as we were or at least, they seemed to get bored of discussing it after a few days.
"Yes, I've already agreed it was fishy, Harry. But haven't we agreed there could be a lot of explanations?" Hermione said a little impatiently, sitting on the windowsill in Fred and George's room with her feet up on one of the cardboard boxes and had only grudgingly looked up from her new copy of Advanced Rune Translation.
"Maybe he's broken his Hand of Glory. Remember that shriveled-up arm Malfoy had?" Ron said vaguely, as he attempted to straighten his broomstick's bent tail twigs.
"But what about when he said, 'Don't forget to keep that one safe'?" Harry asked Harry for the umpteenth time.
"That sounded to me like Borgin's got another one of the broken objects, and Malfoy wants both." I said, agreeing with Harry.
I have a really bad feeling about all of this. I sat on the floor next to Harry with Roseanna in my lap. I held one of her toys for her to chew on because it helped with her teething. Winter lay next to me.
"You reckon?" Ron said, now trying to scrape some dirt off his broom handle.
"Yeah, I do." I said.
"Malfoy's father's in Azkaban. Don't you think Malfoy'd like revenge?" Harry said when neither Ron nor Hermione answered.
Ron looked up, blinking.
"Malfoy, revenge? What can he do about it?" Ron said.
"That's my point, I don't know! But he's up to something and I think we should take it seriously. His father's a Death Eater and-" Harry said frustrated.
Harry suddenly broke off, his eyes fixed on the window behind Hermione, his mouth open. A startling thought had just occurred to him.
"Harry?" I said, anxiously.
"What's wrong?" Hermione said also anxious.
"Your scar's not hurting again, is it?" Ron asked nervously.
"He's a Death Eater." Harry said slowly.
"He's replaced his father as a Death Eater!" Harry said more urgently.
My eyes widened as I considered this possibility but it seemed unlikely.
There was a silence. Then Ron erupted in laughter.
"Malfoy? He's sixteen, Harry! You think You - Know - Who would let Malfoy join?" Ron said in disbelief.
"It seems very unlikely, Harry." Hermione said in a repressive sort of voice.
"What makes you think -?" I asked.
"In Madam Malkin's. She didn't touch him, but he yelled and jerked his arm away from her when she went to roll up his sleeve. It was his left arm. He's been branded with the Dark Mark."
Ron and Hermione looked at each other, but I stared at Harry. I couldn't shake the feeling that this what we saw was more then what it seemed.
"Well. . ." Ron said, sounding thoroughly unconvinced.
"I think he just wanted to get out of there, Harry." Hermione said.
"He showed Borgin something we couldn't see. Something that seriously scared Borgin. It was the Mark, I know it - he was showing Borgin who he was dealing with, you saw how seriously Borgin took him!" Harry pressed on stubbornly.
Ron and Hermione exchanged another look.
"I'm not sure, Harry. . ." Hermione said.
"Yeah, I still don't reckon You - Know - Who would let Malfoy join. . ."
"Did you forget Pettigrew is a Death Eater? He doesn't offer much magic wise but he had something Voldemort needed." I pointed out.
"Ro, don't encourage him." Hermione sighed.
"Come on, Ro, what could Malfoy offer You - Know - Who?" Ron said.
"Don't underestimate people. Dad underestimating Pettigrew led to him spending twelve years in Azkaban." I insisted.
Hermione and Ron still looked unconvinced.
Annoyed, Harry snatched up a pile of filthy Quidditch robes and left the room. I followed him as Roseanna was due a feed. Winter walked next to me. Mrs. Weasley had been urging us for days not to leave our washing and packing until the last moment. I washed all my clothes yesterday. On the landing we bumped into Ginny, who was returning to her room carrying a pile of freshly laundered clothes.
"I wouldn't go in the kitchen just now. There's a lot of Phlegm around." Ginny warned us.
"I'll be careful not to slip in it." I said, grinning.
Sure enough, when Harry and I entered the kitchen it was to find Fleur sitting at the kitchen table, in full flow about plans for her wedding to Bill, while Mrs. Weasley kept watch over a pile of self - peeling sprouts, looking bad - tempered.
". . . Bill and I 'ave almost decided on only two bridesmaids, Ginny and Gabrielle will look very sweet togezzer. I am theenking of dressing zem in pale gold - pink would of course be 'orrible with Ginny's 'air -"
"Ah, Harry, Rosabella!" said Mrs. Weasley loudly, cutting across Fleur's monologue as I placed Roseanna in her travel cot so I could prepare a bottle.
"Good, I wanted to explain about the security arrangements for the journey to Hogwarts tomorrow. We've got Ministry cars again, and there will be Aurors waiting at the station -" Mrs Weasley said.
"Is Tonks going to be there?" Harry asked Harry, handing over his Quidditch things as I prepared the bottle.
"No, I don't think so, she's been stationed somewhere else from what Arthur said." Mrs Weasley said.
"She has let 'erself go, zat Tonks. A big mistake if you ask –" Fleur mused, examining her own stunning reflection in the back of a teaspoon.
"Well, being an Auror is a lot of work so she can't spend all day worrying about how she looks!' I snapped, glaring at Fleur.
I didn't know what was going on with Tonks but she wasn't her usual self.
"Yes, thank you. You'd better get on, Harry, I want the trunks ready tonight, if possible, so we don't have the usual last - minute scramble. I'll feed Roseanna, Rosabella, you go and make sure all your stuff is ready." Mrs. Weasley tartly, cutting across Fleur again.
Michael and I were spending the night at the Burrow so we could go to Kings Cross with them.
Our departure the following morning was smoother than usual. The Ministry cars glided up to the front of the Burrow to find us waiting, trunks packed. Hermione's cat, Crookshanks, safely enclosed in his traveling basket. Hedwig, Ron's owl Pigwidgeon, my owl Soren and Ginny's and mine's new pink and purple Pygmy Puff, Arnold and Aria, in cages. Ginny's was Arnold, mine was Aria. Bill was looking after Roseanna while Mr and Mrs Weasley took us all the Kings Cross.
"Au revoir, 'Arry." Fleur said throatily, kissing him goodbye as she held Roseanna.
Fleur had become quite fond of Roseanna just like the rest of us. Ron hurried forward, looking hopeful, but Ginny stuck out her foot and Ron fell, sprawling in the dust at Fleur's feet. Furious, red - faced, and dirt- spattered. he hurried into the car without saying goodbye.
There was no cheerful Hagrid waiting for us at King's Cross Station. Instead, three grim - faced, bearded Aurors in dark Muggle suits moved forward the moment the cars stopped and, flanking the party, marched us into the station without speaking. Lucas had told us that when the Ministry found out about Bellatrix's interest in obtaining us, and our close relationship with Harry, we had now been given high security status.
"Quick, quick, through the barrier." Mrs. Weasley said, who seemed a little flustered by this austere efficiency.
"Harry had better go first, with -" Mrs Weasley said as she looked inquiringly at one of the Aurors, who nodded briefly, seized Harry's upper arm, and attempted to steer him toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten.
"I can walk, thanks." I heard Harry say irritably, jerking his arm out of the Auror's grip.
He pushed his trolley directly at the solid barrier, ignoring his silent companion, and a second later he disappeared through the barrier.
"Michael, Rosabella, one of you go next." Mrs Weasley said.
The other two grim faced Aurors started to stalk towards and we're about to attempt to drag us over the the barrier like that Auror tried with Harry.
Michael and I glanced at each other, both thinking the same thing. We smirked at each other. Michael and I rammed our trolley's into the two Aurors, not too hard but hard enough to make them double over and catch their breath. Michael and I then sprinted through the barrier together, with Winter close behind us.
When we arrived on Platform 9¾ we saw Harry standing with his Auror companion. Michael and I laughed and high fived each other.
The two Aurors then came through the barrier looking angry and Michael and I just smiled at them.
"Sorry, I like my personal space." I said shrugging.
Hermione and the Weasleys joined us within seconds. Without waiting to consult his grim - faced Auror, Harry motioned to Ron, Hermione and I to follow him up the platform, looking for an empty compartment.
"We can't, Harry. Ron and I've got to go to the prefects' carriage first and then patrol the corridors for a bit." Hermione said, looking apologetic
"Oh yeah, I forgot." Harry said.
"You'd better get straight on the train, all of you, you've only got a few minutes to go. Well, have a lovely term, Ron. . ." Mrs. Weasley said, consulting her watch.
"Mr. Weasley, can I have a quick word?" Harry said, making up his mind on the spur of the moment.
"Of course," said Mr. Weasley, who looked slightly surprised, but followed Harry out of earshot of the others nevertheless.
Harry nodded his head at me to tell me to come with him and I followed him over. Winter came with me and walked closely by my side.
Mrs. Weasley and the grim-faced Aurors casted the three of us suspicious looks as they moved away.
"When we were in Diagon Alley –" Harry began, but Mr. Weasley forestalled him with a grimace.
"Am I about to discover where you, Ron, Hermione and Rosabella disappeared to while you were supposed to be in the back room of Fred and George's shop?" Mr Weasley asked.
"How did you--?" I started to say.
"Oh, please. You're talking to the man who raised Fred and George." Mr Weasley said.
"Er. . . yeah, all right, we weren't in the back room." Harry said.
"Very well, then, let's hear the worst." Mr Weasley said.
"Well, we followed Draco Malfoy. We used Harry's Invisibility Cloak." I said.
"Did you have any particular reason for doing so, or was it a mere whim?" Mr Weasley asked.
"Because I thought Malfoy was up to something." Harry said, disregarding Mr. Weasley's look of mingled exasperation and amusement.
"He'd given his mother the slip and we wanted to know why." I said.
"Of course you did. Well? Did you find out why?" Mr. Weasley said, sounding resigned
"He went into Borgin and Burkes, and started bullying the bloke in there, Borgin, to help him fix something. And he said he wanted Borgin to keep something else for him. He made it sound like it was the same kind of thing that needed fixing. Like they were a pair. And. . ." Harry said and then took a deep breath.
"There's something else. We saw Malfoy jump about a mile when Madam Malkin tried to touch his left arm. We think he's been branded with the Dark Mark. We think he's replaced his father as a Death Eater." I finished for Harry.
Mr. Weasley looked taken aback.
"Rosabella, Harry, I doubt whether You - Know - Who would allow a sixteen-year-old -" Mr Weasley said a moment later.
"Does anyone really know what You - Know - Who would or wouldn't do?" Harry asked angrily.
"Mr. Weasley, I'm sorry, but isn't it worth investigating? If Malfoy wants something fixing, and he needs to threaten Borgin to get it done, it's probably something Dark or dangerous, isn't it?" I insisted.
"I doubt it, to be honest. You see, when Lucius Malfoy was arrested, we raided his house. We took away everything that might have been dangerous." Mr Weasley said slowly.
"I think you missed something." Harry said stubbornly.
"Well, maybe." Mr. Weasley said, but Harry and I could tell that Mr. Weasley was humoring us.
There was a whistle behind us. Nearly everyone had boarded the train and the doors were closing.
"You'd both better hurry!" Mr. Weasley said, as Mrs. Weasley cried, "Rosabella, Harry, quickly!"
We hurried forward and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley helped us load our trunks onto the train. Harry jumped on first and then he held out a hand to help me on and Wintee jumped on after me.
"Now, dears, you're both coming to us for Christmas, it's all fixed with Dumbledore and Remus, so we'll see you all quite soon." Mrs. Weasley said through the window, as Harry slammed the door shut behind Winter and the train began to move.
"You make sure you look after yourself and -" Mrs Weasley said as the train was gathering speed.
"-be good, that applies to you especially Rosabella, and -" Mrs Weasley said and she was jogging to keep up now.
"- stay safe!" Mrs Weasley finished.
Harry and I waved until the train had turned a corner and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were lost to view, then turned to see where the others had got to. Ron and Hermione were cloistered in the prefects' carriage, but Ginny was a little way along the corridor, chatting to some friends. We made our way towards her, dragging our trunk.
People stared shamelessly as Harry approached. They even pressed their faces against the windows of their compartments to get a look at Harry. I knew and so did Harry to expect an upswing in the amount of gaping and gawping he would have to endure this term after all the "Chosen One" rumors in the Daily Prophet, but I knew Harry did not enjoy the sensation of standing in a very bright spotlight. I tapped Ginny on the shoulder.
"Fancy trying to find a compartment?" I asked her
"I can't, Ro, I said I'd meet Dean," said Ginny brightly. "See you later." Ginny said brightly.
I winked at her snd smirked. Ginny stuck her tongue out at me and then we both laughed.
Harry and I waved by to Ginny
I looked around and realised we were surrounded by mesmerized girls, staring at Harry. Harry rolled his eyes at me in response.
"Hi, Harry! Hi, Ro!" said a familiar voice from behind us.
"Neville!" Harry said in relief, as we turned to see a round - faced boy struggling toward us.
"Hello, Harry. Hello, Rosabella. " said a girl with long hair and large misty eyes, who was just behind Neville.
"Luna, hi, how are you?" Harry said.
"Hi, Luna. You know you can call me Ro if you want." I said with a bright smile.
"Very well, thank you." Luna said as she clutched a magazine to her chest. Large letters on the front announced that there was a pair of free Spectrespecs inside.
"The Quibbler still going strong, then?" Harry asked, who felt a certain fondness for the magazine, having given it an exclusive interview the previous year.
"Oh yes, circulation's well up." Luna said happily.
"Let's find seats," I suggested and the four of us set off along the train through hordes of silently staring students.
Winter walked a bit ahead of us. At last we found an empty compartment, and Harry hurried inside gratefully.
"They're even staring at us, because we're with you!" Neville said, indicating himself and Luna.
"They're staring at you because you were at the Ministry too." Harry said, as he hoisted his trunk into the luggage rack.
Harry then grabbed my trunk before I could and hoisted it up. I thanked him and gave him a quick kiss.
"Our little adventure there was all over the Daily Prophet, you must've seen it." I said.
"Yes, I thought Gran would be angry about all the publicity, but she was really pleased. Says I'm starting to live up to my dad at long last. She bought me a new wand, look!" Neville said and he pulled it out and showed it to Harry and I.
"Cherry and unicorn hair. We think it was one of the last Ollivander ever sold, he vanished next day - oi, come back here, Trevor!" Neville said proudly and he dived under the seat to retrieve his toad as it made one of its frequent bids for freedom.
"Are we still doing D.A. meetings this year, Harry?" Luna asked, who was detaching a pair of psychedelic spectacles from the middle of The Quibbler.
"No point now we've got rid of Umbridge, is there?" said Harry, sitting down and throwing his arm over my shoulder.
Winter curled up on the seat. Neville bumped his head against the seat as he emerged from under it. He looked most disappointed.
"I liked the D.A.! I learned loads with you!" Neville said.
"The D.A was amazing!" I said, enthusiastically.
"I enjoyed the meetings too. It was like having friends." Luna said serenely.
"We are you friends Luna." I said, sincerely.
Harry nodded quickly in agreement, as did Neville.
There was a disturbance outside our compartment door. A group of fourth - year girls were whispering and giggling together on the other side of the glass.
"You ask him!"
"No, you!"
"I'll do it!"
Oh, here we go again, I thought as one of them, a bold - looking girl with large dark eyes, a prominent chin, and long black hair pushed her way through the door.
"Hi, Harry, I'm Romilda, Romilda Vane." she said loudly and confidently.
"Why don't you join us in our compartment? You don't have to sit with them." Romilda Vane added in a stage whisper, indicating Neville's bottom, which was sticking out from under the seat again as he groped around for Trevor, and Luna, who was now wearing her free Spectrespecs, which gave her the look of a demented, multicolored owl.
"They're friends of mine." Harry said coldly.
I smirked to myself.
"Oh. Okay." Romilda said, looking very surprised and she withdrew, sliding the door closed behind her.
"People expect you to have cooler friends than us." Luna said, once again displaying her knack for embarrassing honesty.
"You are cool. None of them was at the Ministry. They didn't fight with me." Harry said shortly.
I smiled at Harry and rested my shoulder on his head. Harry kissed the top of my head and then rested his head on mine.
"That's a very nice thing to say." Luna beamed.
Then she pushed her Spectrespecs farther up her nose and settled down to read The Quibbler.
"We didn't face him, though. You and Lucas did. You should hear my gran talk about you. 'That Harry Potter's got more backbone than the whole Ministry of Magic put together!' She'd give anything to have you as a grandson. . ." Neville said, emerging from under the seat with fluff and dust in his hair and a resigned - looking Trevor in his hand
Harry laughed uncomfortably and changed the subject to O.W.L. results as soon as he could. While Neville recited his grades and wondered aloud whether he would be allowed to take a Transfiguration N.E.W.T., with only an "Acceptable."
"You all right, Harry? You look funny," Neville asked.
Harry was staring into space and I nudged him to snap him out of it.
"Sorry - I - " Harry started to say.
"Wrackspurt got you?" Luna asked sympathetically, peering at Harry through her enormous colored spectacles.
"I - what?" Harry asked.
"A Wrackspurt. . . They're invisible. They float in through your ears and make your brain go fuzzy." she said. "I thought I felt one zooming around in here." Luna said and she flapped her hands at thin air, as though beating off large invisible moths.
Harry and Neville caught each other's eyes and hastily began to talk of Quidditch, while I giggled.
The weather beyond the train windows was as patchy as it had been all summer. We passed through stretches of the chilling mist, then out into weak, clear sunlight. It was during one of the clear spells, when the sun was visible almost directly overhead, that Ron and Hermione entered the compartment at last.
"Wish the lunch trolley would hurry up, I'm starving." Ron said longingly, slumping into the seat beside Harry and rubbing his stomach.
"Hi, Neville. Hi, Luna. Guess what?" Ron added, turning to Harry and I.
"Malfoy's not doing prefect duty. He's just sitting in his compartment with the other Slytherins, we saw him when we passed." Ron said.
Harry sat up straight, interested. I understood why. It was not like Malfoy to pass up the chance to demonstrate his power as prefect, which he had happily abused all the previous year.
"What did he do when he saw you?" Harry asked.
"The usual." Ron said indifferently, demonstrating a rude hand gesture.
"Not like him, though, is it? Well . . . that is" I said and did the hand gesture again. "but why isn't he out there bullying first years?" I asked suspiciously.
"Dunno." Harry said suspiciously and we shared a look.
Didn't this look as though Malfoy had more important things on his mind than bullying younger students?
"Maybe he preferred the Inquisitorial Squad. Maybe being a prefect seems a bit tame after that." Hermione said.
"I don't think so. I think he's -" Harry said, but before he could expand on his theory, the compartment door slid open again and a breathless third - year girl stepped inside.
"I'm supposed to deliver these to Neville Longbottom, Rosabella Black and Harry P-Potter." she faltered, as her eyes met Harry's and she turned scarlet.
She was holding out three scrolls of parchment tied with violet ribbon. Perplexed, Harry, Neville and I took the scroll addressed to each of us and the girl stumbled back out of the compartment.
"What is it?" Ron demanded, as Harry and I unrolled ours.
"An invitation." said Harry.
I looked down at my scroll.
Miss Black,
I would be delighted if you would join me for a bite of lunch in compartment C.
Sincerely,
Professor H.E.F. Slughorn
"Who's Professor Slughorn?" Neville asked, looked perplexedly at his own invitation.
"New teacher." Harry said.
"Well, I suppose we'll have to go, won't we?" I said.
"But what does he want me for?" Neville asked nervously, as though he was expecting detention.
"No idea. Listen, let's go under the Invisibility Cloak, then we might get a good look at Malfoy on the way, see what he's up to." Harry said.
This idea, however, came to nothing. The corridors, which were packed with people on the lookout for the lunch trolley, were impossible to negotiate while wearing the cloak. Harry stowed it regretfully back in his bag. Every now and then, students would hurtle out of their compartments to get a better look at Harry. The exception was Cho Chang, who darted into her compartment when she saw Harry coming. As Harry and I passed the window, with Winter walking next to me, we saw her deep in determined conversation with her friend Marietta, who was wearing a very thick layer of makeup that did not entirely obscure the odd formation of pimples still etched across her face. Smirking broadly, Harry and I pushed on.
"Mike?" I said in pleasant surprise as Michael came put of a compartment and went in the direction of compartment C.
"Hey, Ro. Did you get a - yeah that." Michael said when I held up the scroll.
When we reached compartment C, we saw at once that we were not Slughorn's only invitees, although judging by the enthusiasm of Slughorn's welcome, Harry was the most warmly anticipated.
"Harry, m'boy!" Slughorn said, jumping up at the sight of him so that his great velvet - covered belly seemed to fill all the remaining space in the compartment.
His shiny bald head and great silvery mustache gleamed as brightly in the sunlight as the golden buttons on his waistcoat.
"Good to see you, good to see you! And you must be Mr. Longbottom!" Slughorn said and Neville nodded, looking scared.
"Ah and of course, the infamous Black siblings. Michael, I belive? Your the youngest of your brothers?" Slughorn said extended his hand.
Michael nodded and shook Slughorns hand.
"Ah, Miss Black, Harry's told me all about you." Professor Slughorn said and we shook hands.
"Good things, I hope." I said, flashing my charming smile.
"Of course, of course. Nothing but praise." Slughorn said and at a gesture from Slughorn, we all sat down.
I sat down next to Harry and Michael and Neville sat opposite us. I glanced around at our fellow guests. Winter settled by my feet. I recognized a Slytherin from my year, a tall black boy with high cheekbones and long, slanting eyes. There were also two seventh - year boys I did not know and, squashed in the corner beside Slughorn and looking as though she was not entirely sure how she had got there, Ginny.
"Now, do you know everyone?" Slughorn asked Harry, Neville, Michael and I.
"Blaise Zabini is in your year, of course -" Slughorn said, and gestured to Zabini.
Zabini did not make any sign of recognition or greeting, nor did Harry, Neville, Michael and I. Gryffindor and Slytherin students loathed each other on principle. I was on good terms with a few Slytherins.
"This is Cormac McLaggen, perhaps you've come across each other -? No?" Slughorn inquired.
McLaggen, a large, wiry-haired youth, raised a hand, and Harry, Neville, Michael and I nodded back at him.
" -and this is Marcus Belby, I don't know whether-?" Slughorn asked.
Belby, who was thin and nervous - looking, gave a strained smile.
"- and this charming young lady tells me she knows you!" Slughorn finished.
Ginny grimaced at Harry, Neville, Michael and I from behind Slughorn's back.
"Well now, this is most pleasant. A chance to get to know you all a little better. Here, take a napkin. I've packed my own lunch. The trolley, as I remember it, is heavy on Licorice Wands, and a poor old man's digestive system isn't quite up to such things . . . Pheasant, Belby?" Slughorn said cozily.
Belby started, and accepted what looked like half a cold pheasant.
"I was just telling young Marcus here that I had the pleasure of teaching his Uncle Damocles." Slughorn told Harry, Neville, Michael and I, now passing around a basket of rolls.
"Outstanding wizard, outstanding, and his Order of Merlin most well-deserved. Do you see much of your uncle, Marcus?" Slughorn said.
Unfortunately, Belby had just taken a large mouthful of pheasant; in his haste to answer Slughorn he swallowed too fast, turned purple, and began to choke.
"Anapneo." I said, reacting quickly as I pointed my wand Belby.
"Oh, well done, Miss Black. Not many people know that spell and my, my, my that was quite a reaction time. Reflexes as quick as lightening." Slughorn said, delighted.
"Not. . . not much of him, no." Belby gasped, his eyes streaming.
"Well, of course, I daresay he's busy. I doubt he invented the Wolfsbane Potion without considerable hard work!" Slughorn said, looking questioningly at Belby.
Michael and I looked at each other with wide eyes. The Wolfsbane Potion?
"I suppose. . . Er. . . he and my dad don't get on very well, you see, so I don't really know much about. . ." Belby said, his voice tailed away as Slughorn gave him a cold smile and turned to McLaggen instead.
"Now, you, Cormac, I happen to know you see a lot of your Uncle Tiberius, because he has a rather splendid picture of the two of you hunting Nogtails in, I think, Norfolk?" Slughorn said.
"Oh, yeah, that was fun, that was. We went with Bertie Higgs and Rufus Scrimgeour - this was before he became Minister, obviously -" McLaggen said.
"Ah, you know Bertie and Rufus too?" Slughorn beamed, now offering around a small tray of pies.
Somehow, Belby was missed out.
"Now tell me. . ." Slughorn said.
Everyone here seemed to have been invited because they were connected to somebody well-known or influential . . . everyone except Ginny. Zabini, who was interrogated after McLaggen, turned out to have a famously beautiful witch for a mother. She had been married seven times, each of her husbands dying mysteriously and leaving her mounds of gold. It was Neville's turn next. This was a very uncomfortable ten minutes, for Neville's parents, well - known Aurors, had been tortured into insanity by Bellatrix Lestrange and a couple of Death Eater cronies. At the end of Neville's interview, I had the impression that Slughorn was reserving judgment on Neville, yet to see whether he had any of his parents' flair.
"Now, where do I start on the Black family. An impressive bunch you lot have been for many generations. Your uncle Regulus was one of my favourites, your mother too. Oh, how fond I was of Rosalie, but I don't suppose either of you remember her or your uncle?" Slughorn said.
"No, sir, we were young when they both died. Ro wasn't even born before our uncle died." Michael said.
"Yes, most unfortunate. He would of gone places that boy. Your mother was more then exceptionally gifted to. But your eldest brother, Lucas, I believe? He's made a right good impression in the Ministry. Very well liked considering he hasn't been there long. And according to my contacts, you two other brothers have made a right splash. Yes, I think I cam see you all becoming quite successful." Slughorn said and Michael and I subtly glanced at each other.
"And now," Slughorn said, shifting massively in his seat with the air of a compere introducing his star act.
"Harry Potter! Where to begin? I feel I barely scratched the surface when we met over the summer!" Slughorn said and he contemplated Harry for a moment as though he was a particularly large and succulent piece of pheasant.
"'The Chosen One,' they're calling you now!" Slughorn said, excitedly.
Harry said nothing. Belby, McLaggen, and Zabini were all staring at him.
"Of course, there have been rumors for years . . . I remember when - well - after that terrible night - Lily - James - and you survived - and the word was that you must have powers beyond the ordinary -" Slughorn said, watching Harry closely.
Zabini gave a tiny little cough that was clearly supposed to indicate amused skepticism. An angry voice burst out from behind Slughorn.
"Yeah, Zabini, because you're so talented . . . at posing . . ." Ginny said, glaring at Zabini.
"Only thing he ever does." I said, narrowing my eyes at Zabini.
"Oh dear!" Slughorn chuckled comfortably, looking around at Ginny, who was glaring at Zabini around Slughorn's great belly.
"You want to be careful, Blaise! I saw this young lady perform the most marvelous Bat - Bogey Hex as I was passing her carriage! I wouldn't cross her!" Slughorn said.
Zabini merely looked contemptuous.
"Anyway, such rumors this summer. Of course, one doesn't know what to believe, the Prophet has been known to print inaccuracies, make mistakes. . . but there seems little doubt, given the number of witnesses, that there was quite a disturbance at the Ministry and that you were there in the thick of it all!" Slughorn said, turning back to Harry.
Harry, who could not see any way out of this without flatly lying, nodded but still said nothing. Slughorn beamed at him.
"So modest, so modest, no wonder Dumbledore is so fond - you were there, then? But the rest of the stories - so sensational, of course, one doesn't know quite what to believe - this fabled prophecy, for instance - "
"We never heard a prophecy." Neville said, turning geranium pink as he said it.
"That's right. Neville, Michael, Ro and I were both there too, and all this 'Chosen One' is just rubbish." Ginny said staunchly.
"Just the Prophet making things up as usual." I insisted.
"You were all there too, were you?" Slughorn said with great interest, looking from Ginny to Neville to Michael and then to me but all of us sat clam - like before his encouraging smile.
"Yes . . . well . . . it is true that the Prophet often exaggerates, of course. . ." Slughorn said, sounding a little disappointed.
"I remember dear Gwenog telling me - Gwenog Jones, I mean, of course Captain of the Holyhead Harpies -" Slughorn meandered off into a long - winded reminiscence.
I gave Michael a bored look, which he returned.
The afternoon wore on with more anecdotes about illustrious wizards Slughorn had taught, all of whom had been delighted to join what he called the 'Slug Club' at Hogwarts. I could not wait to leave, but couldn't see how to do so politely. Finally the train emerged from yet another long misty stretch into a red sunset, and Slughorn looked around, blinking in the twilight.
"Good gracious, it's getting dark already! I didn't notice that they'd lit the lamps! You'd better go and change into your robes, all of you. McLaggen, you must drop by and borrow that book on Nogtails. Harry, Michael, Blaise . . . any time you're passing. Same goes for you two Misses. Well, off you go, off you go!" Slughorn said.
As he pushed past Harry into the darkening corridor, Zabini shot him a filthy look that Harry returned with interest. Harry, Ginny, Neville, Michael and I followed Zabini back along the train. Harry and I held hands and Winter was walking behind us.
"I'm glad that's over." Neville muttered.
"Strange man, isn't he?" Michael said.
I nodded.
"Yeah, he is a bit. How come you ended up in there, Ginny?" Harry said, his eyes on Zabini.
"He saw me hex Zacharias Smith. You remember that idiot from Hufflepuff who was in the D.A.? He kept on and on asking about what happened at the Ministry and in the end he annoyed me so much I hexed him- when Slughorn came in I thought I was going to got detention, but he just thought it was a really good hex and invited me to lunch! Mad, eh?" Ginny said.
"Good for you. I probably would of ended up pushing him out the train." I said, casually.
Ginny and Neville laughed, Michael rolled his eyes and Harry was focusing intently on Zabini.
"Better reason for inviting someone than because their mother's famous, or because their uncle . . . " Harry said, scowling at the back of Zabini's head but he broke off.
Harry looked thoughtful andvI could practically see the light bulb turn in his head.
"I'll see you two later." Harry said under his breath, letting go of my hand and kissed my cheek before he pulled out his Invisibility Cloak and flinged it over himself.
"But what're you -?" I asked.
"Later!" Harry whispered, darting after Zabini as quietly as possible. Though the rattling of the train made such caution almost pointless.
Michael and I shared a look and Michael just shrugged before heading back to his compartment. Ginny waved goodbye when she returned to her compartment and Neville and I returned to our compartment, with Winter still behind us. We changed into our robes and waited for the train to stop at Hogsmeade Station. Harry didn't return to the compartment.