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Harry sat, listening to Hermione and Ron chat with one another and their housemates as they waited for Dumbledore to appear and begin the Start-of-the-Year Feast. Harry briefly wondered what he’d do this time to impress the first years. It was always interesting, albeit sometimes confusing, to witness and it gave him something to look forward to on returning to Hogwarts. Not that he didn’t have anything else to.He turned his eyes to Ron and Hermione, sitting opposite of him and arguing amongst themselves, and let his eyes drop to their robes where their Prefect badges glinted against the candlelight’s glares. He thought it odd that they both received the position to be Prefects, but not because he hadn’t. No. He had, briefly, summarized it up to their presence at Grimmauld Palace during the summer with the Order—that he only had just learned of. He had been pissed, at first, because it was Sirius’s home and he hadn’t gotten the chance to spend a moment with his godfather since he and Lupin ran off at the end of third year.He was quick to throw away his rage, however. It was pointless to be upset over something out of his control. It brought his mind back to Cedric. His chest still pricked with pain at the thought of him, against his wishes. It was another death on his head, another burden to bear. Sometimes, when he closed his eyes, he saw the green flash that killed him and heard Voldemort laughing in his ears in mockery of him. “Harry!”Harry’s attention snapped to Hermione, who was motioning towards his hands in concern. He peered down to see a thin layer of ice beneath where his fingers were gripped tightly on the table. He pulled them back. “Sorry,” he muttered.“Are you still having…?” Hermione trailed, her concern deepening. However, it was more akin to pity than worry.“It hasn’t been that long since the last test, Hermione,” he narrowed his eyes. “You’re smart enough to know the answer to that.”“Just trying to help, mete,” Ron frowned at him. “No need to get cheeky about it,” he raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure you’re not upset that Hermione and I…”“No, I’m not,” Harry cut him off, sighing mentally. Merlin’s beard. “I have no reason to be,” he shrugged. “I had no control over who got picked. Why should I be upset over something that has nothing to do with me?” Hermione and Ron shared a quick glance and Harry simply looked between them. “I still can see you, you know.”“Sorry, mate,” Ron said.Unlike Hermione, who would not relent, “Have you thought about dating anyone, Harry?” she continued her attempt at breaking through to him. To accomplish getting him to confess some psychological melancholy. “Maybe you need someone to get your mind off of—”“Hermione, I will say this once,” Harry interrupted her, his tone hard. “I am not interesting in dating anyone or doing anything to get my mind off of what happened during the Tri-Wizard Tournament. I am also not interesting in being jealous over the fact that you both are going to be Prefects. It wouldn’t change the fact that it happened. It happened,” he shrugged. “As for the Tri-Wizard Tournament, I’ll deal with it and I’ll move on like I have with the rest of the horrid things that have happened to me.”
He turned his gaze away from her and lowered it to the table. He didn’t see her and Ron share another look. He did recall attempting to talk to Cho after the events, knowing she was close to Cedric, and she shouted at him. Shouted at him. Then, he was left standing in the middle of the corridor as Hermione and Ron tried to rouse him his stunned daze. After that, he opted to stop trying to make himself, and others, feel better about it. The sooner they could all see it happened and there was nothing they, or he, could do about it, the sooner they would all be able to move on. Besides, I’m sure something is going to happen this year to distract them. Something happens every bloody year. It’s a wonder why I return to this place instead of just—Shaking his head again, he tuned back into his surroundings and peered up at the head table to see Dumbledore standing in front of his seat. I didn’t even see him come in. Blast, I didn’t get to see what he did.“Before we begin the sorting,” Dumbledore’s voice rang out over all the chatter, ceasing it immediately. Harry thought it would be a nice trick to use on the Dursley’s, especially Dudley, when he was allowed to use magic outside of Hogwarts. “I want to welcome all our previous students back for another year! Much has happened thus far and it is with my sincere hope that this year turned our more peaceful than before,” he smiled. “I also wish to inform you of two shifts in our staffing this year. Professor Grubby-Plank,” an elderly woman sitting to the side of Snape stood and gave a brief wave of her hand before she sat down again, “will be handling the post of Care of Magical Creatures as Professor Hagrid is on a—extended leave,” Harry furrowed his brow, exchanging a glance with Ron and Hermione. “We also have Professor Arcus Wilikins,” a middle-aged man, sitting between Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore’s chair, rose and also gave a short wave before he sat down, “who offered his expertise in Defense Against the Dark Arts.”Harry’s brow knitted. Surely he knows the position is cursed—or so the rumor is, anyway. Doesn’t seem too bright to pick that position, so why willingly offer? It—His thoughts were cut off as a high-pitched sine suddenly filled the Great Hall. Ears were covered and complaints filled the air, questioning what the sound was and where it was originating from amongst demanding it to be turned off. Harry’s vision was quickly filled with a bright light and he had to close his eyes to keep himself from going blind. After a moment, he could hear the muffled sine slowly fade away and the grumbling of the student body took its place. He carefully opened his eyes to see no light and uncovered his ears to hear no sine. Though, there was a distinct ringing in his ears.“What the bloody hell was that?!” someone amongst the crowd shouted, successfully urging the other students to begin voicing their complaints and questions again…loudly. The staff at the head table began to speak amongst themselves as well. Dumbledore waved his hand over the room and the students, along with the staff, quieted immediately. “I offer my apologies for the disturbance,” he spoke, “and I will have the matter searched into immediately. However…”Suddenly a high-pitched, and angry, scream cut through his speech. “ELI!”The occupants of the Great Hall watched as a young, brunette, boy adorned in Slytherin robes, not possibly older than a regular first year, walked into the sanctuary and pause upon seeing them. His faced showed an increased interest and shock as his eyes swept the room. “This is further than I originally planned or guessed possible, really,” he furrowed his brow. “I must have miscalculated somewhere, somehow.”“ELI!”The boy, whose name was assumingly Eli if given by the way his eyes widened, began to walk towards the front of the hall at a fast pace. He ignored all the students and professors, who were staring at him as he did so. Most turned their gazes, however, when a blonde-haired boy, also dressed Slytherin wear, stormed into the hall. He froze upon seeing the faces that greeted him and as his eyes ran across the tables, in all directions, his face grew redder. His eyes snapped towards the front where Eli was standing near the head table and hissed at him, causing eyes to widen at the sound. Harry’s mouth dropped open slightly.Eli, from where he was standing, simply narrowed his eyes at the blonde boy. “That was unreasonably rude, Emmett.”Emmett hissed something else, only pulling the listening occupants further into their shock before he pulled in his lips and clenched his fist as he stood straight. “When you said we were going to be time travelling, Eli,” he began, calm but deadly, “I believe you forgot to mention that you would not be taking a couple of days in the past, but instead we would be traveling twelve bloody years into the past!”Eli crossed his arms. “It is not my mistake that you failed to realize the implications of the situation we’ve found ourselves in,” he smiled. “Besides, it’s not so bad considering the circumstances.” His eyes observed the room again and his smile was quick to drop as it was to form when his gaze landed back on Emmett. “Emmett, where’s is Malia?”Emmett’s quickly whirled around, seeing no one behind him. “Malia?!” his eyes scanned the room, as did Eli’s, before he ran back out of the Great Hall. “Malia!”Eli stood still for a moment before he turned his body and faced the head table, directly looking at Dumbledore. “Dumbledore, right?” he questioned. Harry raised an eyebrow as other eyes narrowed at his tone. He almost sounded amused, if nothing else. “I believe it would be best if we had a chat. I have a very accurate feeling we are going to be here for a while,” he offered a smile. “My name is Eli, in case you missed it when my brother, Emmett, said it. He ran out to fetch our little sister, Malia,” he tilted his head. “I would disclose our surname, but I’m afraid that would reveal too much as I do believe our parents should be in the room.”-E-Harry gapped along with the rest of the student population as Eli spoke, revealing he was aware that his parents were in the Great Hall. Some students began to murmur amongst themselves, questioning who they were. Harry continued to observe Eli, who seemed passive to the headlines he was making at the moment.His parents…they have to be in Slytherin, there is no other option really. He has Slytherin robes and he can understand Parseltongue. I couldn’t be anymore surprise if he could speak it just like his brother. He ignored the ping in the back of his mind that tried to remind him that he could speak Parseltongue, never mind was the only one in the school at the moment with the ability, and he was almost sorted into Slytherin his first year instead of Gryffindor. He ignored it like the plague. He couldn’t imagine having his child, if he ever had children, showing up before the idea of having them even crossed his mind. It had to violate some ancient laws of time. He definitely would not want to know who his significant other would be. There’d be no point in dating anyone else after that. Poor saps.The echo of footsteps reached his ears and he turned his head towards the large doors to see Emmett walk back into the Great Hall with a younger, and shorter, blonde girl. Malia. Emmett had Malia beside him with his hand on her shoulder, guiding her along the aisle. Malia, as she passed by the older students, peered up at them with blank curiosity. She shook her head at Eli as they approached him to see he was writing something down in a notebook of sorts.“Eli,” Emmett frowned at him as they stopped in front of him. Eli looked up at him with an eyebrow raised. “These are valuable note taking moments, Emmett,” he retorted. “Do not cease your wandering or words to the occupants of the hall on my account. I will be standing here when you are…”The notebook was promptly slammed down to the ground, causing him to pause and look down at it. He then turned his gaze back to Emmett, his expression chilled. “That was—rude.”“You got us into this situation,” Emmett countered. “So stop with the note taking, doodling or whatever it is you do in that mind and book of yours and start figuring out how you’re going to get us back home!”Eli shook his head at him. “Emmett, do you know what year this is? Come on and use that brain of yours for a moment.” Emmett glared at him and scowled. “It would be 1995, if you subtracted the number of years we went back from the year we came from,” he hissed. “Why…oh…” his rage dispersed and realization replaced it.“Precisely my point,” Eli stood straight with a roll of his eyes. “As I told the Headmaster, we are going to be here for a while.”“Wait,” Malia shook her head, “what—what do you mean?”“She was too young to understand the stories,” Eli looked at Emmett, who nodded before he leaned over and proceeded to whisper into her ear. After a minute, her eyes widened and Emmett backed up with her nodding in understanding.“Have everything settled then, I take it?” Dumbledore’s voice cut through their conversation. “I believe it would be best to get the feast underway and sort out this new event on the side, don’t you agree?” Eli, Emmett and Malia turned to him with matching smooth countenances. “You are the Headmaster, are you not?” Emmett waved with a smile. “Please, do what you think is best fit.”“Then, please, give me a minute to address the students,” Dumbledore replied and turned towards the hall of students. “The feast will begin as the staff and I handle this new event. You may talk amongst yourselves if you wish. Thank you. Let the Feast begin!”He clapped his hands and the tables were filled with food to devour….-E-Harry watched as Clypeus Secretum was cast around the head table, concealing the conversation between the new arrivals, the professors, Dumbledore from the rest of the student population. “This is a little exciting,” Hermione commenting, bringing his attention to her with a frown. Ron shot her a strange glance as well and she rolled her eyes. “I mean, it’s exciting because of how far they have travelled back. Can you imagine it? Twelve years? No time turner can accomplish such a feat. At least, not in our time. I wonder if they managed to lengthen the time…”“Then we’d have bunch of people from the future popping up, wouldn’t we?” Harry frowned. “I think the Ministry wouldn’t allow such a breach in their security…so how did they get here if not that?” he turned his gaze back to Hermione and Ron who were both watching him with curious expressions. “What?”“Nothing, mate,” Ron shook his head. “You just—sounded odd there for a moment.”“Odd?” Harry blinked. “Odd how?”“Like you were theorizing, Harry,” Hermione told him and then knitted her brow. Harry felt, for the first time in a while, his heart pick up as anxiety began to trail through his veins. “You knew what I about to say.”Harry mentally slapped himself. “I just know you well enough now,” he said and then turned his eyes back to the head table, avoiding any further questions. His eyes widened slightly as he saw Snape jump up and start shouting at the children and Dumbledore, who assumingly tried to calm him. Snape’s face has gotten paler and I didn’t think that was possible. Whatever they said to them, it must be serious and have something to do with him. I’ve never seen him lose his calm like that. Not even at a Gryffindor.Then, as expected, Snape sat down, obviously displeased, and Dumbledore turned to Eli, Emmett and Malia. He said something, to which they replied, before he faced the rest of the Great Hall as he canceled out the Clypeus Secretum. He began speaking once more. “Apologies for the wait, students!” he began. “Much has been discussed and discovered. I will not announce who the parents are, but it has been decided they will be let known in the unforeseeable future if they are indeed one of the pair,” he smiled, his eyes twinkling. Harry wondered what he was pleased about. “Classes will start tomorrow as usual.”Groans echoed throughout the hall.Harry, along with half the student population, watched as Dumbledore strode out of the Great Hall with Professor Snape, McGonagall, Eli, Emmett and Malia behind him. The children’s heads turned towards the Gryffindor table as they passed and met Harry’s eyes. Identical smirks crossed their lips before they dispersed and disappeared as they walked out of the hall. What’s so funny? “That’s just bloody weird,” Ron remarked, shaking his head and turning towards the table once they were gone. “Imagine if your kid came from the future. You might as well not date anyone else but whoever…you know.”Hermione rolled her eyes and then glanced over at Harry, who was looking down and putting food on his plate at the same time. “Harry, why were they looking at you?”Harry paused and looked up at her. “I don’t know, Hermione,” he said. “Probably recognize me from some book or something in the future. Maybe I became some sort of martyr…”“Harry!” Hermione cut him off. “Don’t talk like that!” Harry rolled his eyes and she shook her head. “They smirked at you, like they knew something.”“They’re from the future, Hermione,” Ron reminded her and she shot him a glare. “What? Of course they’re going to know something about Harry,” he paused and turned, wide-eyed, at Harry. “Maybe we can find out things from them…like who wins the Quidditch World Cup or what new brooms will be released….Ow!” he rubbed the back of his head where Hermione had hit him. Harry chuckled. “What was that for?!”“Knowing the future can have severe consequences, Ronald,” Hermione lectured. “I don’t know what Dumbledore is thinking letting their parents know those are their kids.”“They’re in Slytherin,” Ron said. “If all the kids are in Slytherin, then the parents have to be Slytherin. They’ll probably get some kind of information out of them. I wouldn’t put it past one of them to threaten their own children.”Harry shot Ron a blank look and even Hermione shook her head. They didn’t care for the Slytherins. They didn’t like the Slytherins. Yet, even that was a bit over the line. Harry felt a bit of pity for the children…just a bit.-E-Harry sat on his bed, in his dorm room, occasionally looking up at the door as he held a small book in his hands. He licked his lips and opened it, keeping his ears attentive to the happenings in the common room. He couldn’t allow someone to interrupt him or see what he was doing, for that matter.It was his secret to die with. His guilty pleasure.He flipped through the pages, running his hands over the intricate designs he conjured, the various plots and formations, numbers and calculations. He was proud of his work. This is mine and no one else’s. I won’t ever share it with anyone else. He’d started it all after second year and the incident with Tom Riddle. He hadn’t realized how much danger he was in and how little he knew. He could’ve died along with Ginny that day and it would’ve, unfortunately, been his own fault. Though other people would have said otherwise. How could he expect to come into a new world and know how to protect himself? So, he got to work learning and learning and learning…in private, of course. He didn’t need more attention than his name already brought him. He was certain to garner more if anyone, especially the Daily Prophet, learned of his activities.He turned the pages so the book was almost half open and a couple of pages before he stopped, letting his smile widen. He let his eyes run over his sketch and minor calculations, knitting his brow in thought as he moved further along down the page. With pursed lips, he Accio-ed a pencil over to his side and erased a line. No. It would be better to use eight millimeters—just to be safe. He paused and tilted his head at the question mark he’d placed on the sketch. He bit his lip. Now, what to do about you…“Harry!” Ron’s voice echoed up to him.Harry jumped and scrambled to hide his book, placing it beneath his pillow before he pretended to lay on it, closing his eyes in mock-sleep formation. He heard the door open and a moment of silence before the sound of approaching footsteps stopped at the side of his bed. He felt a hand on his arm attempt to shake him awake—softly. If he had actually fallen asleep, it wouldn’t have accomplished its goal.“Harry,” Ron’s voice called out. “Harry, wake up.” Harry feigned a groan and a roll of his shoulders, as though to shake Ron’s hand off. “Harry, Dumbledore wants to speak to you. Snape’s here to get you. Get up so he can leave.”“Urgh…” Harry grunted and slowly opened his eyes, stretching a bit as he turned to stare at Ron. “What? I’m knackered, Ron.” “Sorry, mate,” Ron held up his hands. “Dumbledore sent Snape to bring you to his office,” Harry raised an eyebrow and Ron shrugged. “I don’t know what for. Best you go before Snape comes up here and drags you out of bed.”Harry sighed and sat up, throwing his legs off the side of the bed. He peered up at Ron. “Give me a minute to wake myself up, will you?”“Yeah. I’ll tell Snape you’re coming down,” Ron said, turning to leave the room. As he was walking, he muttered beneath his breath, “maybe he’ll stand outside,” he shut the door and Harry shook his head before he reached beneath his pillow and pulled out the book again. He pulled out his wand and moved his wand in an “Up, Down, Left Up Slant, Right, Right Down Slant” formation and then tapped the cover with the tip of the wand before removing himself from the bed, moving over to his trunk where he placed the book. Afterwards, he stood to his feet and, with another sigh, walked out of the room.When he reached the bottom of the stairs and the common room, he saw Snape standing near the open portrait, his eyes narrowed at the occupants of the room. There weren’t as many Gryffindors about as Harry previously witnessed, telling him that they must have left. Assumingly after Snape arrived. “I was called?” Harry raised an eyebrow as he approached Snape, who turned his glower towards him. Harry mentally shrugged. “Sorry, sir, but I was attempting to sleep.”Snape continued to sneer at him. “Follow me, Potter,” he stated. “Dumbledore wished to discuss something of importance with you.”“Lead the way then,” Harry smiled at him, purposefully forced. Snape didn’t remark on it, however, and quickly turned around before walking out of the common room. Harry rolled his eyes and followed after him, closing the portrait behind him. Why did Dumbledore have to send Snape to come get me? Why not Professor McGonagall? She’s the Head of Gryffindor House. It would make more sense. Plus, he knows Snape and I don’t get along.He couldn’t conjure any potential reasons for why Dumbledore did send Snape instead of McGonagall or, even, another professor. “I’m surprised you have yet to question why Dumbledore has requested to see you, Potter,” Snape’s voice bowled through Harry’s thoughts, bringing his attention to him. “Or complain as Gryffindor’s are known to do.”Harry just blinked at him. “I am tired, sir,” he said—and he was. “I also don’t want to receive a detention before class even starts because of something I may say and I don’t want to be the first person to lose house points before they can even be gained, however that happens,” he turned his eyes away from Snape. “It’s best that we don’t talk to each other.”Ending a potential conversation there, Harry didn’t see the furrowed-browed, thoughtful, glance that Snape sent his way before he schooled it into his typical passive expression. He said nothing more, which Harry was grateful for.-E-“I’ve retrieved him,” Snape announced as they walked into Dumbledore’s office. Harry followed behind him, peering around to see the other professors, minus McGonagall, standing about. He let his gaze linger a bit as he saw Eli, Emmett and Malia sitting in extra chairs off to the side of the room. They looked up as he walked in, but made no expression. Why’d they smirk at me earlier? I know I told Hermione that they may have known me from the future, but that doesn’t explain the smirks. She was right, it was an “I know something you don’t” smirk.“Please, Harry, sit down. We have much to discuss, but first everyone must be accounted for,” Dumbledore gestured towards one of the two open seats in front of his desk. Harry raised an eyebrow at the other. Who else is coming? He didn’t ask the question, knowing he’d find out soon anyhow. Instead, he sat down and turned his eyes back towards Eli, Emmett and Malia. They weren’t looking at him any longer, but busying themselves with other activities. Eli was writing in the book Emmett had thrown away from him in the Great Hall while Emmett and Malia were murmuring amongst themselves. He eyed them for a moment before he turned his head as Professor McGonagall’s voice broke through his thoughts.“Here he is,” she said. “You may sit there next to Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy.”Harry felt himself give pause and then looked at the other, previously unoccupied, seat as Draco Malfoy sat down in it. Both males stared at one another, narrowed eye as they tried to figure out why they were there—with each other, nevertheless. “What’s Malfoy doing here?” Harry questioned at the same time Malfoy questioned, “What’s Potter doing here?”They turned their heads to Dumbledore, their eyes demanding an explanation. Harry could feel his skin prickling as he felt the familiar feel of anxiety begin its travels through his veins. His finger was tapping, silently, against his chair’s armrest as he waited for Dumbledore to begin explaining.“Is this some sort of intervention?” Harry pressed and Dumbledore raised an eyebrow at the question. “Malfoy and I are rivals and we likely argue more than the whole of Gryffindor and Slytherin together. You can’t put us in the same room without one of us making a rude remark to towards the other. Though, usually Malfoy is the one who voices his,” Draco scowled at him, but Harry ignored him. “Did you bring us here to try and tell us to get along this year?”He heard Draco scoff, but refuted to remark on it.“No, that’s not precisely why we called you both here, Harry,” Dumbledore said.“Then it’s part of the reason why you called us here, right?” Harry narrowed his eyes. “You said “precisely”.” “Let him explain, Mr. Potter,” McGonagall cut in and Harry bit his lip, sitting back in his chair, tapping his finger against the armrest again.“Thank you, Minerva,” Dumbledore nodded at her before turning back to Harry and Draco. “Before we begin, let me introduce you,” he looked at Eli, Emmett and Malia. “Children?”Eli peered up from his book and closed it, placing it flat on his lap. “Hello,” he smiled and Harry furrowed his brow at it, “I’m Eli, as you probably heard my brother screaming earlier.”Emmett rolled his eyes at him before facing Harry and Draco. “Emmett,” he stated with a single nod.Malia gave a small wave with a smile. “Malia,” she said. “Harry Potter,” Harry introduced. “We know who you are,” Emmett said and Harry narrowed his eyes further, allowing himself to fully observe the children. There were similarities as well as differences. Emmett had blonde hair, unlike Eli and Malia, who were clearly brunettes. They also had different skin textures, as Harry noted. Emmett’s skin was paler than Eli’s, whose was more light-tanned, and Malia’s was a mixture between the two. Then, there were their eyes, which made Harry truly pause. Emmett and Malia had grey eyes whilst Eli had a pair of green specs. It was a rather odd turnout, which only made Harry’s stomach twist further than it had at the beginning of his observations.Adding in Eli and Emmett’s knowledge of the Parseltongue language plus, minus Malia, their placement into Slytherin and he was ready to kneel over. No.Harry slowly turned in his seat to look at Draco, who was glaring at him. “What are you doing, Potter?” he questioned, but Harry didn’t reply as he faced Eli, Malia and Emmett again. They were simply staring at him. Like they’re waiting. Suddenly the smirks made since. At least, that’s what he gathered.Harry licked his lips and swallowed before gathered the words in the back of his mind, “Prove it,” he simply said, staring at the children with a hardened expression. They didn’t show fear. No. Instead they looked at one another with a smile.“Prove what?” Draco’s question popped up behind him. Harry turned to look at him as though he were a dunce. “Surely you can see it?” Harry blinked and Draco continued to stare at him, putting Harry in the position to rise to his feet and pull the Slytherin from his seat. “Oi! Let go of me, Potter!” Draco tried to remove himself from Harry’s grip, much to no avail. I don’t recall him being this resilient.“Look!” Harry pointed at Eli, Emmett and Malia. “Look at their faces, their features. Tell me you don’t see what I do. If you do, I swear on Merlin’s grave, Malfoy you have got to be…”“Don’t finish that sentence, Potter,” Draco cut him off with another glare and Harry backed off, raising his hands up before gesturing towards the children. He was tapping his foot silently against the ground as he waited for Draco to come to the same conclusion as he. Draco eyed his foot with a frown. Someone’s antsy.With a shake of his head, Draco looked down at Eli, Emmett and Malia. What am I supposed to be seeing? Whatever it is, Potter figured it out before me, an embarrassment in and out itself. He took note of their features, as Harry had, but, unlike Harry, his eyes lingered on Eli longer than Emmett and Malia. Draco’s eyes drifted over to Harry, who raised an eyebrow at him before Draco looked back down at Eli. His brother speaks Parseltongue and he can clearly understand it. We were just discussing this in the Slytherin common room. Potter is the only one on school grounds, as far as we’re concerned, that can speak it.Looking at Emmett up close reminded Draco of looking into a mirror when he was younger—and that was where he froze before taking a couple of steps backward. “No,” he shook his head, his voice deadly-still. “Not possible,” he fixated Eli, Emmett and Malia with a hardened gaze, as Harry was doing. “Prove. It.”He felt as though a weight had been placed on his shoulders and chest. The implications were all wrong. There was no possible or probable way that they should exist if he and Harry were on the same page.Eli looked between Draco and Harry before settling on Harry. “I suppose the simplest method would be to say up, down, left up slant, right, and right down slant”.”“How does that prove anything?!” Draco demanded, feeling his temperament rising. He turned his gaze to Harry and paused at his frozen, wide-eyed, expression. “Potter, what is wrong with you?”“Merlin’s beard…” Harry breathed, finding himself kneeling on the ground as he stared at Eli, Emmett and Malia. He was finding it hard to breath—and not in a good manner. “Merlin…h-how is this possible?” he shook his head at the children. “It’s not possible.”“It’s the future,” Emmett shrugged. “Present things don’t apply to it.”Harry swallowed and clenched his fist, peering downward. “What about Malfoy?” he looked back up. “How can you prove that he’s…?”“Carnival,” Emmett said, looking at Draco.
Harry furrowed his brow at that, his confusion deepening, and looked at Draco to see him sitting down where he had been. His expression was in a complete state of stupor as was his stance. It was very un-Slytherin like. Harry thought Snape was going to reprimand him for his posture and expression, as slightly revealing as they were, but nothing was said.“I understand you both are overwhelmed by this information,” Dumbledore spoke up, soft-toned. “I want you to know that you are not alone in your feelings. This affects us all and changes many things,” his eyes shifted to Draco when he said that. “However, we must remember that in our feelings we must not let them control us. This is a danger of knowing the future. Knowing something is to come opens the door to changing it if we are displeased by it,” he paused. “I also understand that you are both male and—”“I don’t care about that,” Harry cut him off, not looking at him. His volume was low, almost breathy. “Whether I turn out homosexual or bisexual,” he shook his head, regretting it as it began to pound against his skull. “That’s not the issue here.” “It is for me,” Draco narrowed his eyes at him and Harry returned it with passiveness. “I’m not a bloody poof!”“Look at the bigger picture here!” Harry shakily stood to his feet, his eyes flashing when he looked at Draco again. “Think about what our friends, our family, will say about this!” Draco’s eyes widened at the question. “I highly doubt they’ll be pleased to know that we’re going to have children in the future! What about the other students?” he let a small laugh escape his lips, ignoring the concerned glances sent his way. “I mean, we’re talking about children! Children! That implies so many things about the future!” he ran his hand through his hair as he glared down at Draco. “We could both lose everything over this and you’re worried about being a bloody poof. Please, there are more important things to worry about than that,” he spat his last words before he fell to his knees again and took a couple of deep breaths to control his frantically beating pulse. He was aware he was being stared at, by everyone, but he didn’t care. “Mr. Potter, do you need to be taken to the hospital wing?” McGonagall spoke up. “You’re panicking—”“I have every reason to panic,” Harry growled at her and her eyes widened in surprise, along with others. He heard his name being called by someone else, but he ignored them. “My life has just been determined! I’ll have to watch everything I do now because now there’s a chance that what I do could cause them to fade! Not exist! That’s the same as murder and I am NOT a murderer!” he swallowed. “I won’t kill my own children just because I don’t like the person I’m having them with at the moment. If I did, then I would have already walked out of the office and I would be just as bad as any Death Eater or criminal who has killed a family,” he shook his head. “I can’t…I can’t be that. I just can’t.”He turned his gaze to Draco, who was watching him with an odd expression. One Harry could not make heads or tails of. “Maybe you can be that kind of person, but I won’t do it Malfoy. I won’t. Think whatever you want to about me, but,” he gestured towards Eli, Emmett and Malia, “look at who your actions may affect.”Draco eyed the children, weariness covering his expression. The weights had grown heavier as he listened to Harry’s speech and it threw points at him he hadn’t considered. He felt as though he were dreaming or in a haze of some sort. His body felt heavy, but still—He wasn’t gay, and he unquestionably didn’t see Harry in that way, but if he did walk away, if he did decide he didn’t want it, it would mean he was the reason why Eli, Emmett and Malia didn’t exist. He would be their executioner. I would be as bad as any Death Eater or murderer who has killed a family.Could he live with that? Knowing that he killed his own children because of something personal?“No,” Draco shook his head and saw Harry’s jaw clench, “I-I’m not that kind of person either, Potter.”“Good,” Harry nodded, still tensed. They both were. It wasn’t a feeling that would disperse any time soon, they were aware. Harry licked his lips and stood to his feet again, shaking his head when McGonagall stepped forward to help him. After he was up, he walked over to where Draco was previously sitting and sat in his chair. He fixated his gaze on Dumbledore. “Now what do we do? I mentioned that our friends and family aren’t going be happy about this.”Hermione, and especially Ron, wouldn’t just wave off the idea that he and Draco was going have children in the future. They would doubtlessly, Harry thought, wed amongst—other things. He wouldn’t be surprised if any of his friends weren’t “alright” with it, for lack of a better term. If they stopped talking to him, he wouldn’t blame them. There was no telling the reason why he and Draco were going to be together. The implications could be made into a list.
“I am going to offer you the position of Prefect, Harry,” Dumbledore’s voice cut through his thoughts. Harry frowned in confusion. What would that solve? “Mr. Malfoy has already been given the position,” Harry looked over to see that Draco was, indeed, wearing the Prefect bade. “The reason for why I did not offer you the same earlier along with Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger is because I figured you would wish to relax this year,” he didn’t mention how Harry seemed more restive than in prior years, but he didn’t need to either. “The reason I am offering you the positon now is because I want to give you and Mr. Malfoy the opportunity to come to terms with this new development—together. Perhaps you will come to a better agreement. Perhaps you will find that you have more in common than you believe.” Harry shook his head while Draco scoffed. “Nevertheless, there needs to be some kind of agreement made between the two of you for the sake of these children. Neither I nor the professors always have the time to watch over them while they are here, due to our busy schedules, and they cannot be left alone as your typical first years may,” he nodded towards Eli and Emmett before looking at Malia. “Then, there’s Miss Malia here who has yet to enter her Hogwarts years. It would be far too dangerous to leave them without supervision,” he faced Draco and Harry again.“You’re making us live together, aren’t you?” Draco realized, his eyes slightly narrowed. “How’s that going to work? People are going to ask questions, you know? Then there are classes to consider. Who is going to watch them while Potter and I are in class, if we still have to attend classes? Then there are holidays and Hogsmeade weekends. What are we supposed to tell our friends, exactly? Someone is going to get curious enough to try and figure out why you’ve made us live together. It only takes one person to figure it out and gossip to their friends.”He didn’t really want to imagine what would happen if a Slytherin was the one who found out about Eli, Emmett and Malia’s connection to him and Harry—especially him. Yet, it would be best to figure out what how he would react if one did. His friends had connections to his family, to his father, and the idea of Lucius Malfoy finding out about his future relations with Harry caused a cold, wriggling, sensation in his bones. As though his marrow was being turned to ice.“That is why you and Harry will be serving as an example for house unity,” Dumbledore stated, brining Draco’s mind back to the conversation. “What?!” he and Harry questioned at the same time, incredulous looks plastered on their expressions.“The feud between Slytherin and Gryffindor has not been bettered in the recent years and that has to be mended for future generations,” Dumbledore explained. “Harry will become a Prefect and I will have you live together, with the children, in a secluded location in the castle that only I and the professors will know of,” he smiled. “I will make the announcement regarding my decision at tomorrow’s breakfast. You will both attend and stand before the students as I do. Given that this is short notice and there has been much discussed tonight, I will not require you to move into your new quarters until tomorrow when you are done with your classes. It will give you more time to think, I hope, on what has been spoken of.”“What if our friends want to visit us?” Harry raised an eyebrow. “I thought about what Malfoy said and someone could follow us if they wanted to know where we were located,” he paused. “What about eating?”“I will state at tomorrow’s announcement that due to the possible influence your friends may have on your reactions, they are not allowed to visit you in your new dorms,” Dumbledore told him. “As for if someone attempts to follow you, they will find that quite impossible,” Harry and Draco blinked, not certain what that entailed. Perhaps they didn’t want to know. “If they do request to spend time with you, then the other has to remain with the children. For holidays, the professors and I will be on the grounds. We can watch over them then. As for classes, it would be best to set up a method of communication. If something happens, they can contact you.”“There is likely to be many questions,” he continued. “We will handle those when the time comes. If you ever find yourself facing a question that you cannot answer, you may send them to discuss it with either me or one of the other professors,” he looked between Harry and Draco. “If that is all, then you may retire to your dorms for the night. Prepare yourselves early in the morning for the announcement,” he turned his head to face McGonagall, Snape, Flitwick and Sprout. “Minerva, Severus, will you please stay after? I wish to discuss something with you. It will be short,” he nodded to Flitwick and Sprout. “Professors, you may also retire for the night. Thank you for your attendance.”Harry stood to his feet and paused as he looked at Eli, Emmett and Malia. He just nodded at them, not quite sure what else to do before he headed for the exit. He heard Draco get up behind him, following him as he walked away. “Potter,” he called.Harry kept walking down the stairs, but he replied anyhow. “What is it, Malfoy?”“What Dumbledore suggested is hardly going to work, you know that right?” Draco pointed out. “Shifting duties is only going to make people more suspicious. Especially if we’re supposed to be doing it all for the sake of “unity”,” he rolled his eyes. “They’ll expect to see us together more often, even if it’s just arguing. If one of us is with…them…” it was Harry’s turn to roll his eyes, “and the other is somewhere else, and vice versa, they’ll start to suspect something is off.”“I know,” Harry stopped at the bottom of the staircase, turning around to face Draco. “That’s why we’re going to come up with a way to communicate with them so that we don’t always have to be around them. If this whole “house unity” idea is going to work, like you said, we need to be seen together more often, even if it’s just fighting as usual. No one is going to buy the idea if they see only one of us out without the other,” he smiled. “Luckily for us, I already have an idea.”Draco raised an eyebrow. “What is it?” He narrowed his eyes, “it better not be something idiotic like telepathy.”“No,” Harry shook his head. “It’s nothing like telepathy. I have to figure out the details, but I should be able to explain it to you and the children tomorrow when we all gather.”With that, he turned around and walked away from Draco, leaving him standing there to stare after him.-E-There are many questions to be answered. They will be, I assure you. They will be.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
A groan escaped Harry’s lips as he awoke from sleep, squinting against the sun-light tapping against his face. He blinked rapidly before he managed to fully open his eyes and yawned as he stretched his arms and legs. He rolled his shoulders and cracked his jaw as he sat up, shaking his head as a final action in his waking scheme. He looked over at the other beds to see Dean, Ron, Neville and Seamus still sleeping—snoring in Ron’s case, but slumbering still. Today is the day. The day it all begins. When he returned to his dorm after the still numbing events of the prior night, he could do nothing but lie in his bed and stare at the ceiling as he thought about it all. He had panicked, as Professor McGonagall was about to point out to him. The after effects of it left him tired and embarrassed as he thought about it. He hadn’t meant to lose control as he had—given control was his only weapon in his world. If he had control, he could determine what affected him and what didn’t. Losing that control, it allowed for chaos to take precedent—which he couldn’t allow. Not again. Nonetheless, he believed he was truthful in what he told McGonagall. That he had the right to panic—that didn’t mean he relished it. Who wouldn’t panic on finding out that they would eventually have children with their rival—and to find that it was reality? Who wouldn’t panic on knowing that those children were in a house that would likely produce the embodiment of vileness? Who would panic in knowing that if such an event was ever discovered it had high chances of ruining a life built? Who?He also spent his time laying there and assessing his emotions towards Draco—who he had a better excuse to abhor besides spending the last four years being a royal pain in his side. He didn’t like him, not in the least bit. He found all of his surface traits to be condescending and exasperating. He couldn’t quite think of anything kind about him that would lessen the discomfited atmosphere he was sure to endure when they met. All Harry could think of was that Draco had a brain and used it—but what would that accomplish in knowing? Though Harry had come to term with his previous lack of comprehension of the world around him, and made the effort to fix his mistake, it was not something he wished to fully share with anyone yet. If given by Eli’s words yesterday, he would eventually share his hidden pleasure with someone, perhaps more than one. Still, that moment had yet to come and he would keep it to himself until then. Shaking his head with another yawn, he threw his legs off the side of his bed and stood to his feet, shivering a little as they made contact with the cold surface. After he took another minute to fix his bed, with a quick spell, he gathered his uniform and choice shoes before heading off for the showers. He always preferred to leave before the other Gryffindor boys woke up. Not only would it avoid him having to shower with them, it would also avoid any unwarranted questions he would have to answer.There were scars that his magic couldn’t quite erase. -E-Harry had been standing there for approximately—he didn’t know. He just knew it was difficult to turn his head, eyes, away from the droplets of water that were lightly tapping against the floor like little drummers. He knew the reason why he was mesmerized; completely still and attentive. It wasn’t necessarily a bad thought. Yet, it made him close his eyes and take a deep breath before he forced himself to move forward. Not everything he excused from his thoughts was unkind.He let out a hum of contentment as he stepped beneath the water. The sudden change in temperature, as he was previously cold, caused his muscles to tense and eventually relax as they grew accustomed to the heat. Showering was, perhaps, his favorite part of the morning. Not just because it cleansed him, but it relieved him of the aches that often clawed underneath his skin. There were times, during the night, when he snuck off to the showers, just to get rid of them.They always returned, though. Always.He reached over and gathered a bar of soap before he dragged it across his skin and as he ran across all his curves and crevasses it further soothed him. A shiver and another hum. He watched as the water washed away all the suds, revealing the scars they hid. His eyes fell to his left forearm, where a lengthened red line stared at him. He clenched his fist and it moved closer before relaxing as he did. He ran a single finger down it before he curled his fingers atop of it—as though he were about to scratch an itch. He didn’t.Instead, he turned his attention back to the water and attempted to cleanse his hair. There were always knots in it, but it was always particularly bad in the morning. He closed his eyes as he ran his fingers through his messy tresses, tilting his head back and allowed the temperate water to hit his face. -E-When Harry returned to his dorm room, he found Ron, Neville, Dean and Seamus awake and standing about getting prepared for the morning. Ron turned to look at him as he walked into the room. “Hey, Harry,” he called and Harry looked at him, raising an eyebrow. “What did Dumbledore want to talk to you about?”Harry shook his head as he placed his pajamas in his trunk. “It’ll be announced at breakfast this morning,” he answered. “There’s a notice by the door by McGonagall telling all of us to be there or we’ll get detention.”He almost found it surreal how far they were going to hide Emmett, Malia and Eli from everyone. How far they were going for him and Draco. Then again, if everyone did know, it would certainly create a commotion, as he pointed out last night.“Why can’t you tell us?” Seamus questioned. “Give us a heads-up?”That brought a chuckle from Harry’s lips, confusing his roommates. It wouldn’t matter if he told them or not, not that Dumbledore told him not to, their reaction was going to be the same regardless. It would be better for him not to, however, given he didn’t want to deal with any heated questions at the moment. The very thought of it was enough to give him the sensation of a migraine.“It’ll be announced at breakfast this morning,” he repeated, turning his body to face his trunk and kneel as he opened it. He didn’t have time to really look at the class schedule. He wanted to see what classes they would have with the Slytherins. If he and Draco were going to be promoting “house unity”, they would likely have to work together if given the opportunity. It would also give us a breather from the all the questions we’re likely going to be asked.Once he found it, he ran his eyes across the courses listed for the day. Bloody hell, we have double Potions today with the Slytherins. Wait, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.He knew Snape wouldn’t tolerate anyone trying to question him and Draco during his class, in either session, so even if they didn’t have to work together, they wouldn’t really have anything to be concerned about until third period—which was after lunch. So, since they would be eating in their new rooms, it would give them practically three periods before anyone could assault them.For the first time, Harry felt a sense of satisfaction at having Potions.“So, Ron, you’re leaving us for a better shower, eh?” Seamus’s voice popped up and Harry turned his head to see Ron half-way out of the door with his uniform and towel in possession.“I haven’t had the chance to look at them yet,” Ron retorted, sparing a quick glance in Harry’s direction. Harry rolled his eyes and turned around. He couldn’t be bothered if Ron, or Hermione, thought he felt betrayed by their Prefect status. Even if he was, he would be satisfied in knowing that he was going to be given the position at breakfast anyhow. “I heard they look a little better than your regular showers,” Dean remarked. “Though, not as much as the Head Boy and Girl showers.”“Of course not, they have a room to themselves,” Seamus looked at him. “Naturally they’re going to look better than the ones we share.”“Um, yeah—” Ron trailed, looking discomforted. “I’m going to head off now.” He quickly turned around and headed out of the room, leaving them to each other’s company. “W-Why was Ron looking at you, Harry?” Neville asked. Harry had to smile a little, but not at the question. He recalled a time when he wouldn’t have understood what Neville was saying or attempting to say. He had grown in his confidence and that showed through his speech. It made some of his tormenters back off from him as well, which was always a good reaction.“Him and Hermione think I’m bitter about them being Prefects now,” Harry explained, pulling his school bag out of his trunk. “I’m not, but I can hardly convince them otherwise, so—” he shrugged and paused as he pulled out his quills. He had another idea, but he wasn’t certain of it. Yet, it would make the writing process far easier. “Hm.”He placed the quills down and reached back into his trunk, pulling out a different set of quills in a glass case. They were each a different colour, completely different from their standard light-tan quills. “Nice quills, Harry,” Dean commented as he looked at them, stopping as he was about to head out behind Seamus and Neville. “Where’d you get them?” “I bought them at Scrivenshaft's,” Harry simply said and he had—as the standard quills. Due to the…stressed…nature of his fourth year, he had gone a bit overboard with finding things to preoccupy his mind. In one of those moments, he had experimented on his quills and it resulted in a change in their colour and function. He didn’t know what to do with them then, so he hid them in his trunk and didn’t use them until he was alone. He supposed he shouldn’t have attempted to experiment while under stress. He unlocked the case and lifted the lid off, placing it off to the side as he kept his eyes on the quills. He licked his lips and lifted his hand before reaching for one. It was blood red in colour, from the feather to the stem. Once he picked it up, he felt a warming sensation cover his skin and he suddenly felt invigorated. He quickly put it back in its place and picked up another. It was jean blue with a mix of some white, transferred over from its previous tan colour. Once it was in his hand, he felt as though he were back in the shower again. He tried to think about what he was about to endure with Draco, Emmett, Eli and Malia—and he felt nothing but tranquility. With that, he grinned and placed the quill back down, closing the case before he placed it in his school bag. He was definitely using them. He just had to be careful. There was no greater pressure than obsession—and the loss of it. He was pretty aware of himself, enough to be able to put them down, or away, if need be. It wasn’t the first time he had to use them.-E-Harry pulled his bag further up his shoulder as he stood behind a couple of students standing outside of the Great Hall. He furrowed his brow at the scene and tried to look over their heads, and to the side, to see what was keeping them from entering. He couldn’t see anyone and frowned, looking around to see if there was someone he could ask.He saw Ginny standing a little ways away from him and he positioned himself so she wouldn’t see him. When he was finally permitted to visit Grimmauld Palace, she had been there with the rest of the Weasley’s and had attempted, more than once, to start a conversation with him. If it was any regular occasion, he wouldn’t have had an issue with it. However, not everyone was his best-friend’s-little sister-who-just-so-happened to-have-a-crush-on-him. In his shift in mindsets, he became more aware of those around him. He became more aware that her past actions, which he had thought were simply strange, had some meaning behind them. Nevertheless, so it wouldn’t appear as though he were being rude, he had given her the chance to talk to him and he quickly became discomforted when she just watched at him instead of talking. He didn’t know how many times he had to avert his gaze before he eventually spoke up. It wasn’t made any better when she didn’t say anything but a few words. It ended when Ron called for him to play a game of chess with him and, though he didn’t like the game, he was never quite so happy to get away from a girl before. Then again, the only girl he was ever interested in was Cho—and that relationship, or lack of thereof, quickly turned south.He someone touch his shoulder and he jumped before whipping his head around to see Draco standing there. He moved his hand away from him as he stared at him as though he were something bizarre. Harry swallowed and shook his head. “What do you want, Malfoy?” he questioned, turning to face the Great Hall again. “You know Slytherin and Gryffindor have double Potions today, right, Potter?” Draco asked. “Or are you one of those people who only look at their schedule while they’re headed to class?” his tone gathered a repulsed essence at the latter question. “I haven’t exactly had the time to look at the whole schedule, Malfoy,” he replied, “but, yes, I do know we have double potions together today. Why?” He glanced at him. “Did you want to partner up? Keep everyone from bothering us after Dumbledore makes his announcement?” he saw Draco’s eyes widen a fraction and Harry let a small smirk cross his lips. “What? Did you think I wouldn’t think of that? I want to avoid as much drama and stress as you do,” he let the smirk drop and breathed, moving up as more students were let into the Great Hall. Behind them, more were gathered, so they were eventually stuck between them all. “Snape’s not going to let them get a moment to question us, you know that, right?”“Naturally,” Draco scoffed. “He is my Head of House, Potter, or did you forget that?”“Not for a moment,” Harry simply said, with a strained smile. He wanted to do nothing more than to get through the entire announcement and leave. “Is there any particular reason why you came up to me? I figured you’d want to avoid me before everything.”“I wanted to make sure are on the same page, Potter,” Draco narrowed his eyes. “As much as I would rather be anywhere else but here, there’s nothing I can do about it,” he shook his head. “We only have Potions together today. What are you going to do in your other classes?” “I have Charms after Potions,” Harry told him. “I don’t know too much about Professor Flitwick, so I’ll think of something for Charms. Then I have Transfiguration after lunch, and, just like you know with Snape, I know Professor McGonagall won’t let anyone question me. I can work with Neville. If I tell him I don’t want to talk about it, he’s more likely to respect that than Ron or Hermione,” he looked at Draco. “What about you? What are you going to do?”Draco smirked. “I’m Slytherin, Potter,” he said. “I have methods of getting people to stop questioning or not question me at all.”Harry rolled his eyes, but didn’t respond to his answer as they reached the front of the crowd. He saw Professor Flitwick standing there with a clipboard in his hands. When he looked up from it, his eyes widened at seeing him and Draco standing there. “I was wondering where you two were,” he remarked and then motioned behind him. “Go in. Dumbledore wants you to stand in front of the head table.”Harry furrowed his brow, but walked in with Draco behind him. “I guess Dumbledore wants to get this over as quickly as possible, then,” he stated and then paused, looking back at Draco. “Hey, are you going to stay after the announcement?”Draco shot him another look. As though he were foolish. It made Harry’s skin prickle with irritated heat and he narrowed his eyes. “What kind of question is that, Potter?” he threw back. “Of course not. Didn’t McGonagall tell you?”Harry dropped his irate expression and frowned in confusion. “Tell me what?”“Salazar, Potter,” Draco shook his head, maddened. “After the announcement, Dumbledore is going to take us to our new rooms,” he looked around for a moment, glaring at any students who were looking at them, and then dropped his voice to a low whisper. “They are already there.”Harry, again, rolled his eyes. “You might as well call them what they are, Malfoy. It’s not going to change anything by calling them something else.”Draco backed up and scowled at him. “I’ll call them what I bloody want, Potter,” he walked ahead of Harry. “You deal with this how you want and I’ll handle it my way, understand?”He turned around and moved towards the head table, leaving Harry to stand there to stare after him. He thought about the quills in his bag and sighed. He supposed it was hypocritical of him to dictate how Draco handled the situation. It wasn’t worse than having quills that manipulated emotions. It isn’t a bad thing unless I make it a bad thing. Keeping that in mind, he headed for the head table, standing beside, but not too close, to Draco. “Sorry,” he said and Draco shot him an incredulous look. If someone had told him any time before yesterday that he would be apologizing to him, Harry would have given them the same look. “You’re right. You handle it the way to want and I’ll handle it the way I want. Neither of us has the right to control that.”“Yeah—” Draco nodded slowly before facing the rest of the Great Hall. Majority of the students, those who were already there, were staring at them and whispering. Harry didn’t look at the Gryffindor table, not having a desire to see Ron, Hermione or any of his friends looking at him. Well, this is already awkward. Where is Dumbledore? Just as he spoke the words, as though he heard his thoughts, Dumbledore walked through the Great Hall doors with Professor McGonagall and Snape behind him. As they approached them, McGonagall and Dumbledore offered them a smile of assurance while Snape just looked at them with narrowed eyes. “Snape has informed me that he told you, Mr. Malfoy, what the plan is for after the announcement is made,” Dumbledore began.“I’ve informed Potter on what that is,” Draco cut him off before he could continue and Dumbledore nodded in response.“Good, good,” he nodded. “As for breakfast, I assure you that you will have enough time to eat in your new quarters. If you are a little late to Potions, Severus will not dock points or punish you. That does not mean you have an excuse to miss half of the class, despite your circumstances.”“Understood,” Harry nodded and said nothing more. He didn’t notice when Draco glanced at him before nodding himself.Dumbledore clapped his hands together. “Then let’s begin,” he said. Professor McGonagall and Snape walked off to their individual seats at the head table while Dumbledore stood in front of Harry and Draco, but not blocking them from everyone’s view. He looked around, with a smile on his face, as he waited for the last student to enter the room and for everyone to settle. Professor Flitwick, from his position by the door, nodded in Dumbledore’s direction. Harry supposed that was a signal that all the students were accounted for. Dumbledore waved his hand over the students, immediately quieting them as he had the during the Start-of-the-Year Feast. “I apologize for the wait in having to come into the Great Hall today, students,” he began. “However, as I hope you’ve come to realize, there is something of importance that must be discussed with you all,” he motioned for Harry to come forward. Harry moved to stand beside him, looking at him with a raised brow. Dumbledore put his hand on his shoulder as he continued to speak, “Mr. Potter here is undeniably a brave and daring young man, doing what is right despite what circumstances may be stacked against him. He is also a loyal friend to those who he has come to care for and can be rather protective of them and the things he holds dear to him. That is why I am glad to present him with this,” he reached into his robe and pulled out an envelope, handing it Harry. “In there is your Prefect badge and rulebook, Mr. Potter. I know you will do well with both. Congratulations.”Harry heard his friends and other Gryffindors shout in delight amongst other students who began to clap for him. Despite knowing about the proposition ahead of time, he still felt a chilling sense of gratitude wash over him. It was like stepping out of winter and into summer. “Thank you, Headmaster,” Harry nodded, unable to do much but that. “I won’t disappoint you.”“I know,” Dumbledore’s smile brightened and the twinkle in his eyes grew. Harry stepped back from him, back in line with Draco, who was watching him. Harry raised an eyebrow at him and he just shook his head before facing the students again. Harry shrugged and did the same. He couldn’t be bothered to question what was running through Draco’s mind. It was likely to ruin his moment of gratification if he did.“In addition to Mr. Potter’s new title,” Dumbledore continued and Harry turned his attention back to him. Here we go, “he will also be volunteering, alongside Mr. Malfoy here, in a project of mine,” he looked between the Slytherin and Gryffindor tables. “For many years Slytherin and Gryffindor house have feuded. It has brought us great results in Quidditch, bringing out the best in you, but it has also brought much grief. For not only for students in these houses but for others in Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw as well,” he let another smile cross his lips. “That is why I am bringing the houses together in house unity. In your classes, whereas you previously worked with your own housemates, you will work with the other…”At that precise moment, as Harry had figured they would, students in both Gryffindor and Slytherin began to protest. It was like watching the waves, when one crashed against the shore another was right behind it to do the same. It was somewhat humorous—which was why Harry began to chuckle, causing Draco to look at him with another expression questioning his sanity. “What are you laughing at, Potter?”“Look at them,” Harry gestured towards their bickering houses. “They’re screaming at each other over agreeing that this is a bad idea.”Draco looked at the scene and then his eyebrows rose a little with his eyes. Then he shook his head. It was an interesting sight, he had to admit.He let his eyes drift back to Harry, who was looking back at Slytherin and Gryffindor. There was a reason behind his glances at him. He had noted a change in Harry’s countenance, but not just that, his mind and speech. He was more… tamed …than he was the previous year and years before that. He no longer quite acted like the lion that Gryffindor embodied. He also had an essence of intellect, something Draco wasn’t certain if he had imagined or not when Harry was making his point last night. He had not only realized that they couldn’t alternate shifts with…them…as Dumbledore had suggested, but he had also figured out a way to get around it. Within a span of Dumbledore suggesting it and the end of the conversation. Then there was that apology. Hell, he couldn’t imagine that Harry would’ve done that last year or any year. He also could admit to his mistakes to him of all people. His rival. If that didn’t spell a shift in personality, Draco thought he might as well throw away all his sense of perception. It was also somewhat sudden. There was no possible way that all of what he witnessed happened within a span of a summer. It had to have been developing since fourth year. It had to. If that is the case, then that means that he’s hiding it. Though, not as much as he was last year. He didn’t notice any changes last year and he had made it his mission to make Harry miserable after his name was pulled from the goblet. Why hide it, though?He certainly had no issue showcasing his intelligence. It was idiotic if anyone else thought they should, regardless of his personal thoughts on them. His father always told him that those who hid their talents were not worth having them.“Malfoy, come on.”Draco blinked once as he his attention came back to reality. Dumbledore had managed to calm down the Slytherin and Gryffindor tables, though they still looked upset. They were also staring at him and Harry with something akin to pity. Some. Others were simply staring at them. They know then.“Malfoy,” Harry repeated, giving him an odd look. “You don’t have to rush me, Potter,” Draco snapped at him and pushed pass him to follow after Dumbledore as he led them out of the Great Hall. It was easier to watch from afar than it was close up. If he was going to figure out what the deal was with Harry, he would have to further observe him. I suppose that’s another positive thing to come from living together.-E-Done. I thought about continuing on and writing the scene where Draco and Harry see Eli, Emmett and Malia again in their new quarters—however, that would be best to be shown in the next chapter. I do hope you, who have tuned in, enjoyed this chapter as I have enjoyed writing it.