𝐘/𝐧'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕
𝐎𝐍𝐂𝐄 again the sun had risen over Hogwarts and the Great Hall filled with students after the first bell chimed. Breakfast was served and devoured by all the hungry students, leaving hardly anything left for those who were late to the hall.
My eyes drift from my now spotless plate to the boy beside me who hardly touched his own. Harry fiddled with the fork on the table making me nudge him on the shoulder softly. His eyes find mine and I flash him a soft smile which he returned with a notably forced one.
"Hey, are you okay?" I ask the boy while scooting closer to him—my hand resting on his shoulder as I do so. Harry looked back down at his breakfast and began picking at the toast on the plate.
Unsurprisingly, he shook his head whilst looking back at me. "Honestly, no. I found out what the first task is."
At that, my eyes instantly widen, curiosity evident on my face. My hand falls from the boy's shoulder and onto my lap as I look at the anxiety forming on Harry's face. "You did? What is it?"
He paused for a second before his eyes find mind once more. "Dragons." With another pause he sighs, "Ron knew and didn't tell me anything."
In complete honesty, I had no idea how to respond to that. Ronald has seemed quite different since Harry was made a Triwizard champion, I assumed he was a little envious—not completely jealous.
I frowned which gave Harry the impression that I was clueless about what to say. He threw a fake smile on his face as he patted my knee before standing up out of his seat. "I'm going to go give the heads up about the first task to Cedric."
"I'll join you." I insisted while standing out of my seat to join him in exiting the Great Hall.
The two of us stroll through the halls—my eyes focussing on some students who were wearing some rather peculiar badges. Upon getting a closer look it was clear that they were insulting to Harry and uplifting to Cedric. Don't get me wrong, I was glad Cedric was getting praise for his courage, but Harry didn't deserve the petty treatment.
"Oi, Maxwell!" A voice from behind me called out, which made me turn around almost instantly upon realising who the voice belonged to. "Parkinson."
"Take one." Pansy Parkinson shoved a badge into my hands which made my blood instantly begin to boil. "You're bloody ridiculous." I roll my eyes, throwing the badge into the bin once she walks off.
Harry and I eventually made it to the halls near the courtyard where quite a few students were gathered. Many nasty remarks and crude comments were thrown Harry's way, and even I copped a few due to siding with him. Harry sent an honest apology my way—feeling incredibly terrible that I was getting called out for doing absolutely nothing.
"You stink, Potter." Cassius Warrington laughed as we walked passed him. "That's rich, coming from a pathetic excuse of a Quidditch Chaser." I snapped back as Harry and I go to walk out into the courtyard.
The two of us were quickly stopped by a group of Hufflepuffs. Hannah and Ernie blocked the way into the courtyard, filling the air with their obnoxious laughs. "Excuse me," Harry speaks, waiting for them to move out of the way—which they didn't.
"Would you lot just piss off?" I shove through the group of them, allowing Harry to follow behind me. This earned quite a few nasty remarks which I didn't really take to heart, cause they're Hufflepuff's.
The two of us spot Cedric surrounded by a group of his friends, all of them aside from Cedric were wearing the badges on their uniform. Even Aiden had one pinned to his robes—if it was to support his friend or throw shade at Harry, I don't know.
I do my best to avoid eye-contact with Aiden by keeping my eyes locked on both Cedric and Harry. Although, when Harry had asked to speak to Cedric privately I was left with no choice but to stand awkwardly beside the group of Hufflepuff's.
"Siding with the cheat, Maxwell?" One of the taller boys questioned, his voice full of confusion. I didn't understand why everybody was siding against Harry, it's not as if he wanted anymore recognition than he already does.
"Guess we have one thing in common." My eyes drift to Aiden, who's face completely dropped, instantly understanding what I was talking about.
Linda who was now stood beside her boyfriend decided she too wanted to add herself into the conversation. "Cedric is gonna run circles around Potter. If you're making bets with anybody, I suggest you change who you're bidding on."
"You're all ridiculous." Was all I could say as I left the group, to catch up to Harry who had just broken away from Cedric. Harry seemed extremely tense after the conversation, as did Cedric. Although, I suppose having to participate in a death-match would make anybody weary.
As the two of us begin walking, Harry abruptly stops me—his eyes finding mine as we come to a halt. "You don't mind waiting here for a minute, do you?"
Confusion replaced the neutral look on my face as I slowly nod, watching as the boy walks off towards the courtyards halls. After a few seconds it became clear that Harry wanted to keep me out of confrontation with my other friend, Ron.
The two spoke, both seemingly as furious as the other. Seamus, who was stood beside Ronald, flashed me the most awkward smile, which made me laugh quite a bit. Must be a little uncomfortable having to watch a pair of best friends argue.
Ronald eventually shoves passed Harry, and made his way out into the open area of the courtyard. I flash Ronald a small smile, which he didn't even notice as he walked straight passed alongside his new best friend, Seamus.
Harry turned to look at me with an unsatisfied look on his face, and all I could really do was frown. I genuinely wish I could've done more to comfort him, but I lacked that ability. I never know what to say or when to say it. It hurt to see my two friends feuding, I couldn't imagine how both boys were feeling.
Harry slowly walks over to me and I flash him a soft smile, using that as an attempt to make him feel better—which didn't work. "Harry, I'm sure he's just confused."
"Confused or not, what kind of friend doesn't tell you that there's a high chance you'll be eaten by a dragon?" Harry spat, his hands slipping into his trousers pockets. "He's acting like a git."
I kept my mouth shut, unsure how to respond. I wasn't exactly siding with either boy as drama was the last thing I wanted on my plate right now. Although, I will admit, it was quite unfair that Ronald didn't inform his supposed best friend that he'd be in a rink with a dragon.
Harry and I eventually agree on studying in the Common Room for the time being as he didn't exactly like the publicity he was getting right now. Unfortunately, before we could even exit the courtyard, a familiar voice called out to Harry. "Why so tense, Potter?"
Harry rolled his eyes as he came to a halt—watching as the blonde Slytherin boy jumped out from a tree. "My father and I have a bet, you see. I don't think you're gonna last ten minutes in this tournament. He disagrees. He thinks you won't last five."
Something Malfoy said must've struck Harry the wrong way, as the boy trudged over to the group of snickering Slytherins to shove Malfoy back. "I don't give a damn what your father thinks, Malfoy. He's vile and cruel. And you're just pathetic."
Harry walks back over towards me, and from the corner of my eye I could see Malfoy rummaging through his pockets for his wand. As he pulls out his wand, a lout shout from Professor Moody could be heard and with the flick of his wrist, Malfoy had been transfigured into a white ferret.
I did my best to refrain from bursting out into laughter, but failed miserably as Moody suddenly levitated Malfoy in the air before dunking him into Crabbe's trousers. Everybody witnessing the ordeal was in hysterics, all except McGonagall, who upon noticing the incident came rushing over.
The elderly witch scowled as she gave the new Professor a scolding for his actions. Although, she too seemed a little amused by the incident occurring. Everybody knew that Malfoy had it coming, this is just one of the first times somebody acted on his childish behaviour and it was entertaining.
What made it even more hilarious, was Goyle shoving his hand down Crabbe's trousers to try and pull Malfoy out, which resulted in the boy being bit by the white ferret.
Malfoy eventually crawled out of the bottom of Crabbe's pants and McGonagall quickly transfigured the ferret back to his original state before the commotion drew in a larger crowd.
The second Malfoy got to his feet, he turned to Moody, looking rather disheveled. "My father will hear about this!" The boy spat poison in Moody's face, which didn't seem to sit right with the Professor.
"Is that a threat?!" Moody chased after the blonde boy who quickly ducked behind a tree as McGonagall began shouting at Moody for his behaviour. "Is that a threat?! I could tell you stories about your father that would curl even your greasy hair, boy!"
Malfoy disappeared along with his friends back towards the enclosed areas of the castle in order to avoid the wrath of Professor Moody.
"Alastor. We never use transfiguration as a punishment. Surely Dumbledore told you that." McGonagall pointed her wand at Moody in a warning type of way. "He might have mentioned it."
"Well, you will do well to remember it." McGonagall warned as she turned on her heel and made her way back towards the castles interior—not before scolding a few students for encouraging that type of behaviour.
"You. Come with me." Moody limped passed Harry and I, who shared a confused look, both of us unsure of who he meant. "Maxwell, to class." There's our answer.
I flashed Harry a brief smile before shrugging my shoulder and walking back towards the inside of the castle. Class must've already begun, as there weren't many students present in the hallways.
Considering my class was on the opposite side of the school, I decided to take a short cut, so I wouldn't be as late as I would be going the other route.
As I was walking to the classroom I suddenly heard a soft whispering voice from behind me. Quickly, I turned around and saw nothing, which unsettled me.
Naturally, I continue walking towards my class, as I have seen way too many horror movies to know that investigating these types of sounds leads to death. Although, as I am about to walk out towards another hallways, I am instantly shoved against one of the cold brick walls.
As I'm about to scream a hand is quickly placed over my mouth and an enraged blonde boy's face comes into view. "You think that shit out in the courtyard was funny, do you, Maxwell?"
I do my best to try and pry the boy off of me, but due to the lack in sheer size I have compared to Malfoy, I fail miserably.
"Let me tell you one thing, you contribute to humiliating me again and I'll ensure that your life at Hogwarts will be nothing but hell."
Due to my mouth being covered I am unable to interject to whatever he was saying. The thought of casting a spell on him did cross my mind, but today was the one day I decided to store my wand in my sock and not my waistband.
Malfoy shoves me back into the wall before fixing up his collar and scoffing at me. "I didn't even do anything." I flash the boy the nastiest possible glare known to man-kind.
"You made a mockery of me. No Mudblood is to ever look down on me the way that you did." Malfoy's ears were steaming and his naturally pale face was red hot, it was pretty evident that the boy was enraged, but this is the first time I've somewhat taken his threats seriously.
Malfoy has a lot more power in the wizarding world than I ever will, his status helps him with that. Even though a majority of people know my name from my involvement with Harry Potter, Draco's family name will forever be way superior.
"That's all you've got going for you, isn't it, Malfoy?" I roll my eyes as I slowly kneel to pull my wand out of my knee-length socks. "A family name is all you ever will be, there's not a singular thing that your Pureblooded self could do, that I couldn't do ten times as better. You know that, and boy does it rile you up."
"How dare you—?" Malfoy began but I quickly cut him off. "I'm not feeding into this conversation, but if you lay a finger on me again, the differences between our blood statuses will be the last thing you have to worry about."