The Girl Who Saw Tomorrow II » Harry Potter

2.22 | Back Home at Hogwarts

Being stuffed into a luggage rack in a compartment full of unfriendly Slytherins was not how Harry had imagined his journey back to Hogwarts would go. However, he had chosen to be there. Neither Ron nor Hermione believed his claims about Malfoy panning something and it was now up to Harry to prove it.

Covered by his Invisibility Cloak, Harry had followed Blaise Zabini into the compartment and climbed up to the luggage rack. It hadn't been a smooth process, but at least no one had noticed him. Or so Harry hoped.

Blaise was now informing Malfoy of what Slughorn wanted.

"Just trying to make up to well-connected people. Not that he managed to find many."

Malfoy, sprawled across two seats with his head in Pansy Parkinson's lap, looked rather displeased at the information.

"Who else had he invited?" he demands.

"McLaggen from Gryffindor," says Zabini.

"Oh yeah, his uncle's big in the Ministry," says Malfoy.

"-someone else called Belby from Ravenclaw-"

"Not him, he's a prat!" Pansy pipes in.

"-and Longbottom, Potter, Xenakis, and that Weasley girl," finishes Zabini.

Malfoy sat up very suddenly, knocking Pansy's hand aside.

"He invited Xenakis?"

"Well, I assume so, as she was there," answers Zabini indifferently.

"And what's Longbottom got to interest Slughorn?"

Zabini shrugged.

"Potter, precious Potter, obviously he wanted a look at 'the Chosen One,'" sneers Malfoy, "but that Weasley girl! What's so special about her?"

"A lot of boys like her," snarls Pansy, watching Malfoy out of the corner of her eyes for his reaction. "That Xenakis too. Nott's thought she was attractive since the moment he laid his eyes on her, and so did you, Blaise. And we all know how hard you are to please!"

Blaise gave a nonchalant shrug. "Slughorn seemed more interested in her surname."

Malfoy looked suddenly interested.

"Oh yeah? What did he say?"

"Just that he had heard it before but couldn't seem to remember where."

Looking thoughtful, Malfoy sank back across Pansy's lap and allowed her to resume the stroking of his hair.

"Well, I pity Slughorn's taste. Maybe he's going a bit senile. Shame, my father always said he was a good wizard in his day. My father used to be a bit of a favourite of his. Slughorn probably hasn't heard I'm on the train, or-"

"I wouldn't bank on an invitation," states Zabini. "He asked me about Nott's father when I first arrived. They used to be old friends, apparently, but when he heard he'd been caught at the Ministry he didn't look happy, and Nott didn't get an invitation, did he? I don't think Slughorn's interested in Death Eaters."

Malfoy looked angry but forced out a humourless laugh.

"Well, who cares what he's interested in? What is he, really? Just some stupid old teacher," Malfoy yawns. "I mean, I might not even be at Hogwarts next year, what's it matter to me if some fat old has-been likes me or not?"

It was then that Harry's eavesdropping started becoming worthwhile.

"What do you mean, you might not be at Hogwarts next year?" asks Pansy indignantly, ceasing grooming Malfoy at once.