It was now November 10th. We were now two months into the school year and N.E.W.T classes were starting to become complicated but it wasn't something Hermione and Lorelai couldn't handle.
Today was a Saturday and last night snowed. A lot. Outside the castle was completely covered in snow. Icicle's hung from the barren trees. It was like a winter wonderland. It was still snowing lightly but Harry, Ron, Hermione and Lorelai decided to go to Hogsmeade nevertheless.
Lorelai loved the winter. She blinked thoughtfully as the frost patiently kissed her face, captivated by the soft, dusty illusions of light that sat heavy on her eyelashes. She adored the snow, more so when it was falling. She sticks her tongue out for the snow flakes to touch it, she knows it's a childish thing to do but she couldn't help it. Snow made her happy.
"For weeks you carry this book around with you, you practically sleep with it and yet you have no desire to find out who the Half-Blood prince is?" Hermione asks.
"Blimey, you still haven't let that go?" Ron asked.
"I didn't say I wasn't curious, and I don't sleep with it." Harry says.
"Well, it's true."Ron started, "I like a nice chat before I go to bed. Now all you do is read that bloody book. It's just like being with Hermione.
"Well I was curious. So I went to the —" Hermione started.
"Library" Harry and Ron finished,
"I refused to go, just letting you know." Lorelai added on. "And?"
"And nothing. I couldn't find a reference anywhere to a Half-blood prince."
"There we go. That settles it, then" Harry says.
"Filius! I was hoping to find you in the Three Broomsticks." we hear Slughorn's voice say.
"Uh, no, emergency choir practice, I'm afraid, Horace." Professor Flitwick answers back.
"Does anyone fancy a butter beer?" Harry asks his three friends. We all nod and make our way to the Three broomsticks and sit down at a table.
Just as Ron was about to take a seat, "No, sit beside me." Harry said. Hermione and Lorelai look at each other with a confused face.
"Okay." Ron said taking a seat next to Harry.
"Something to drink?" asks the waiter. He was pale, blond and quite tall.
"Um, four butterbeer's and some cinnamon in mine please." Lorelai answers.
"And some ginger in mine, please." says Hermione.
Out of the corner of her eye, Lorelai sees Draco walking up the stairs. She almost never sees Draco here.
Her and Draco have become acquaintances. They get along quite well in astronomy and potions and every Thursday evening they meet in the courtyard to do their work. They have had normal friend-like conversations several times.
"Oh bloody hell." Ron says. We all turn our head to see what the fuss was about. Ginny and Dean were sitting in a corner booth being very cozy with each other.
"I thought they were going to break it off." Lorelai whispers in Hermione's ear.
"So did I." she whispers back.
"Slick git" Ron says with a disgusted face.
"Honestly Ronald. They're only holding hands." Hermione says. She turns to look back at them again, "and snogging"
"I'd like leave." Ron says.
"What?" Lorelai asks. The man puts down the butterbeer's in front of us. "Thank you."
"You can't be serious." Hermione says.
"That happens to be my sister."
"So? What if she looked over here and saw you snogging me? Would you expect her to get up and leave?" Hermione asks. Lorlai mentaly facepalmed herself. Smooth Mione.
"Hey, my boy!" Slughorn said the second he layed his eyes on Harry.
"Hello sir, wonderful to see you." Harry said, standing up to shake Slughorn's hand.
"And you, and you" Slughorn said still shaking Harry's hand.
"So what brings you here?" Harry asks the professor.
"The Three Broomsticks and I go way back, further than I care to admit. I can remember the. it was one broomstick." Slughorn said a little bit too excitedly. He lifts his hand up into the air forgetting he had a full cup of butterbeer and he spills nearly have the drink on the table. Lorelai and Hermione had to jump back to not get any butterbeer on us. "All hands on deck, Granger, Byrne."
"Listen ,my boy, in the old days I used to throw together the occasional supper party for the select student or two. Would you be game?"
"I'd consider it an honor, sir." Harry answers back cheerfully.
"You'd be welcome too, Byrne and Granger." he says.
"I'd be delighted, sir" Hermione says after taking a sip of her butterbeer.
"As would I, professor." Lorelai says.
"Splendid. Look for my owl." Slughorn says.
"Good to see you, Wallenby." Slughorn says to Ron. Lorelai had to try hard and suppress her laughter. Slughorn then made his way out of the Three Broomsticks.
"How's your butterbeer Wallenby?" Lorelai asks her friend.
"Oh bugger off Lore." Ron answers sourly. "Harry what are you playing at?"
"Dumbledore's asked me to get to know him."
"Get to know him?" asks a confused Ron.
"I don't know." Harry answers."It must be important, if it wasn't, Dumbledore wouldn't ask."
"You got a little bit of —" Ron says pointing to Hermione's upper lip where she had a bit of her drink. Hermione cleaned it right away feeling as embarrassed as ever.
"Hey, Mione, come with me to the loo will you" Lorelai said. She could feel Hermione's heart beating from miles away. Hermione nods and follows Lorelai to the loo.
"You're a mess. What's wrong, love?" Lorelai asks.
"I like him more and more each day I don't know what to do, I don't know how to act, blimey, Lore, I am turning into those love stricken girls and I told myself I would never turn I to one of those girl."
"Feelings aren't something you can control Hermione."
"He doesn't even like me back."
"He's smitten for you, he is just too daft to realize it." Lorelai says, which ,as a matter of fact, is true.
"I'll believe it when I see it. We better go, the boys will probably start thinking we are snogging or something." Hermione said.
"I will never understand your mind." Lorelai sighed before the two girls left the loo and head back to the table.
"Say Lorelai, you said you had to buy a new quill, right?" Harry asked. Lorelai nodded. "So do I. Wanna come with?"
"Sure. Where will you two go?" Lorelai asks.
"I'd fancy a trip to Honeydukes. Would you care to join me Hermione?" Ron asks. Hermione tries hard to hide her blush.
"I actually have to go to Tomes and Scrolls" Hermione said.
"Not a problem, they are right by each other. We could go to Tomes and scrolls first then go to Honeydukes." Ron said.
"All right, I suppose so."
"Brilliant, meet you guys in an hour?" Lorelai suggests. They nod, "Hey Ron, here, get me a sugar quill and a pack of droobles, will you?"
Lorelai hands Ron a couple of sickles. "Sure thing."
The group splits up both going their separate ways.
"What happened to your quill?" Harry asks. Lorelai always seemed to be buying new quills.
"The tip broke off while I was writing the Herbology essay. I tried fixing it but looks like they are unfixable."
"Tried using reparo?" he asks.
"Obviously, but if quills were fixable they would run out of business" Lorelai comments.
"Well well." Draco Malfoy said just as Harry was about to open his mouth. "New girlfriend, Potter?"
Lorelai was about to say no when Harry decided to neglect the fact that he has a brain, "So what if I do. What's it to you?"
Lorelai turned to stare at Harry with wide eyes. He had just insinuated that they were dating.
"Never knew you were into blood traitor's Byrne." Malfoy said.
"Never knew you cared, Malfoy." Lorelai snapped back.
"I don't" he stated defensively.
"So sod off, I have better things to do than deal with the likes of you." Lorelai snapped. She had never spoken to Malfoy in a harsh way. Both her and Malfoy were shocked. Malfoy didn't know what to say so he just put on his famous sneer and walked away.
Draco Malfoy was hurt, he felt a pang of sadness in his heart. The girl he had feelings for hated him. But she didn't. Lorelai had no clue what overcame her to speak that way. She always kept her cool around Malfoy. Something tells her that Potions Monday morning was going to be very awkward.
"Should we follow him?" Harry asks.
"Oh stop obsessing over him and let's go buy our quills." Lorelai said as she grabed Harry's arm and dragged him to the store.
"But what if he really is a death eater?" Harry asks.
"I don't think Scrivenshaft's Quill shop is the ideal place to be having this conversation Harry."
"All right, fine. But do you think it's possible?" he asks.
"Yes Harry, I think it's possible. But for his sake, I really hope it's not true." Lorelai answers.
"For his sake?"
"Draco is a bully and a foul person but he is no killer. If he is one, he most likely had no choice."
They spent the rest of the hour in silence. Harry had never thought about Draco's situation in that way. Sure he despised Draco but he is too much of a coward to kill somebody. Is he?
Harry and Lorelai them headed to Spintwitches Sporting Needs. Harry had used up all of his broom polish so he needed to buy some more.
The hour passes by quickly, next thing you know they were meeting up with Hermione and Ron in front if the Three Broomsticks.
"Here are your things." Ron handed Lorelai her sweets and the change.
"Thank you" The four friends started to make their way back to Hogwarts for lunch. Hermione and Lorelai walked in front and Harry and Ron walked farther behind. Looks like the small amount of beer in the butterbeer messed with Hermione because she was loonier than Luna. She didn't even notice the boys conversations behind her.
"Harry. Did you hear what she was saying back at the Three Broomsticks about me and her snogging?" Ron asks gobsmacked.
"As if" Harry answers.
Suddenly they hear a scream. It was from Leanne. Katie Bell was laying on the floor, she looked dead.
"I warned her! I told her not to touch it!" Leanne screamed.
Suddenly an invisible force was dragging Katie all over the snow covered road and then she flew into the air. She was standing in the air with her arms held out, her mouth was open and she was screaming. She looked possessed. It was a terrifying sight. All of a sudden she fell onto the ground.
"Oh Merlin is she dead?" Lorelai asked Harry. They were all terrified.
"Don't get any closer! Get back all of you!" Hagrid yelled as he ran towards the girl. He picked her up and scooped her into his arms. "Don't touch that just the wrapping."
Harry being Harry went to inspect the thing that cursed Katie. It was a necklace, it looked perfectly harmless.
"Leanne, Hermione, Harry, Lorelai, Ron. The lot of you should head back to the castle and go straight to the McGonagall. Tell 'er what happened here. I'll bring Katie here to Madam Pomfrey." Hagrid said.
The group of students rushed to the castle still traumatized with what had just happened.
"Leanne, what exactly happened." Harry asks.
"We were at the Three Broomsticks, Katie went to the loo and came out with the package. I asked her where she had got it from but she didn't remember, she just said she had to give it to Dumbledore. I told her not to touch it but she never listens to me so she opened the package and touched the necklace. Then you guys, well, you saw the rest." Leanne explains. Tears were streaming down her face as she feared her best friends life.
"Bloody hell" Ron comments.
"She doesn't remember? How is that possible?" Hermione asked.
"It's not, unless she was being controlled by someone." Lorelai adds on.
"But for that someone would have to use an unforgivable?" Leanne asks shocked.
"The Imperius curse." Lorelai says.
"That's monstrous who would do such a thing." Hermione gasps.
"A death eater."
"Harry that's impossible —" Ron starts.
"Malfoy" Harry finished.
"You don't know that! Don't go spreading that! Are you insane?" Lorelai freaks.
"You said he could be one!" Harry complains.
"Exactly! He could be one, I never said he is one! You could get expelled for starting a rumour like that." Lorelai snaps back.
"Let's just get to McGonagall as quickly as possible please. I need to check on Katie." Leanne says. Still crying.
The five classmates walk as quickly as possible back to Hogwarts. They walk in complete silence still in shock. It was a chilling thing to witness. Poor Katie she didn't deserve this, she just got stuck in the middle of something evil.
This package was supposed to go to Dumbledore, somebody wants to kill Dumbledore. Even if Katie successfully managed to deliver the package I don't think he would touch it without inspecting it first. This was a very poor attempt to kill the headmaster but it might have just killed a friend.
A little less than half an hour later the five students were standing in front of a shocked McGonagall and professor Snape who was inspecting the necklace.
"You're sure Katie did not have this in her possession when she entered the Three Broomsticks?" McGonagall asked.
"It's like I said. She left to go to the loo and when she came back she had the package. She said it was important that she deliver it." Leanne answered.
"Did she say to who?"
"To professor Dumbledore"
"Very well. Thank you Leanne. You may go now." McGonagall says dismissing her. She now turns to the remaining of the students.
"Why is it that whenever something happens it is always you four?" She asks, she did have a point.
"Believe me professor, I've been asking myself the same question for six years." an unamused Ron answers. Professor McGonagall turns back to Snape.
"Oh Severus, what do you think?" She asks. Worry written all over her face.
"I think miss Bell is lucky to be alive." He answers whilst inspecting the necklace.
"She was cursed wasn't she? I know Katie, off the quidditch pitch she wouldn't hurt a fly. If she was delivering that to professor Dumbledore, she wasn't doing it knowingly." Harry says.
"Yes, she was cursed" McGonagall answers.
"It was Malfoy."
Lorelai's eyes nearly popped out of her head when he said that. Has he gone mad. Hermione was just as shocked as Lorelai. She was internally questioning the sanity of her friend. Ron knew Harry wouldn't be able to keep his mouth shut about Malfoy but he never expected Harry to just blur it out.
"That is a very serious accusation, Potter" McGonagall states.
Snape stops inspecting the necklace and turns around to look at Harry, "Indeed. Your evidence?"
"I just know" Harry says.
"You... just... know? What an astonishing gift you have, Potter. Gifts mere mortals can only dream of possessing. How grand it must be to be the Chosen One" Snape says, or taunts. Taunting Harry on being the chosen one.
"I suggest you go back to your dormitories" McGonagall says.
Harry, Lorelai, Hermione and Ron leave the classroom and head back to their common room. Lorelai is infuriated with Harry. She smacks the back of his head.
"Have you gone mad? What were you thinking?" Lorelai whisper shouts.
"Nothing, he clearly wasn't thinking!" Hermione exclaims. She is also infuriated with Harry. How could he be so reckless.
"They had to know!" Harry says trying to justify his actions.
"Know what?! You have absolutely no proofs whatsoever. How could you be so stupid!" Lorelai says back.
They walk back to the common room in silence. Lorelai, having lost her apetite for lunch and dinner goes up to her room and sits on her bed. She decides to finish her Herbology essay. Tybalt snuggles up next to her and she pets him on the head.
It was still snowing outside it had become a blizzard. Lorelai couldn't think. She had giveen up on writing her essay hours ago and went to go sit down on the window sill. It was nearing the end of dinner, her dorm mates would be back any minute now.
As much as she tried to ignore it, she couldn't get the image of Katie out of her head. Someone almost died today at the hands lf death eaters. Nobody was safe anymore. Hogwarts wasn't safe anymore.
Draco was currently in the prefect bathroom hyperventilating. He had just heard the news of Katie Bell and his guilt was eating him alive. He didn't want to hurt anybody, he just wanted Dumbledore to receive the package. What if he cast the Imperius curse wrong, what if Katie remembers? He could be sent to Azkaban.
He almost killed somebody today. He almost killed an innocent person. Yeah sure she almost broke his arm in the Slytherin vs Gryffindor quidditch match last year but that's no reason.
He couldn't possibly do this. He didn't want to be a part of this life anymore, he didn't want to do the Dark Lord's bidding, but he had no choice. He was drowning and there was no way that he could fix what he has done now. He couldn't let this failure get to him. He just knew one thing:
If he doesn't kill Dumbledore by the end of the school year, Voldemort would kill his parents, then kill him. He couldn't let that happen.