WHERE RED MEETS WHITE

𝗳𝗶𝗳𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗿

"Don't worry," Ron shoved even more jelly in his mouth which to me seemed virtually impossible. "He'll be here in a minute."

Our start-of-term feast had already finished, with dessert being served to all the students.

We had yet to be joined by Harry. Hermione and Ron said they hadn't seen him since before the train stopped.

I snuck a peek at Draco to see if maybe he had something to do with Harry's apparent disappearance but his expression was blank and he avoided my eyes to the best of his abilities.

Hermione had not let Harry's missing presence go unnoticed as her eyes scanned the entrance to the Great Hall every two minutes. Ron on the other hand was well... being Ron.

Hermione's expression was deadly as she lifted up her book to smack Ron on the shoulder, "Will! You! Stop! Eating! Your best friend is missing."

I broke out into a laugh followed by Scarlett and Gia joining me. It felt good to laugh again. I almost forgot what the feeling was like.

"Oi!" Ron exclaimed. "Turn around, you lunatic!"

The girls and I all turned around to see him.

Harry walked into the Great Hall late with a bloody nose.

"He's covered in blood again," Ginny noted. "Why is it he's always covered in blood?"

"It seems like it's his own," I replied, looking at Harry's blood-stained shirt.

My eyes shifted again to Draco who now displayed a smug look on his face. What is going on with him? I need to corner him to find out. I need to speak to him.

Harry sat down beside Ginny and Hermione whisper-shouted, "Where have you been?"

It seemed as though the entire Gryffindor table had their eyes on Harry.

"What happened to your face?" I raised my eyebrows. Harry held his wet towel closer to his nose.

"Later," he gave us all a look and we knew we weren't going to get any answers from him.

Dumbledore approached his stand, "Very best of evenings to you all."

The entire hall went silent at the sound of our headmasters voice.

"First off let me introduce the newest member of our staff," Dumbledore gestured towards a rather plump man sitting beside Snape. He had a cheerful smile on his face. "Horace Slughorn."

Slughorn stood up while the hall clapped. "Professor Slughorn has agreed to resume his old position as Potions Master."

My eyes went wide, "That would mean..."

"Meanwhile the post of the Defense Against the Dark Arts will be taken by Professor Snape."

"He's got to be bloody joking," Ron muttered to me.

Hesitant applauses were sounded throughout the hall, majority coming from the Slytherin table.

"As you know, each and every one of you was searched upon your arrival here tonight," Dumbledore spoke once more. "You have the right to know why."

"Once... there was a young man, who like you sat in this very hall, walked this castle's corridors, stepped under its roof. He seemed to all the world a student like any other. His name? Tom Riddle."

My body froze at the name. My mind transported me back to my time spent in the Chamber of Secrets. I felt myself shiver.

"Today of course, he's known all over the world by another name, which is why as I stand looking upon you all tonight, I'm reminded of a sobering fact. Every day, every hour, this very minute perhaps, dark forces attempt to penetrate this castle's walls."