𝗷𝗮𝗻𝗲, harry potter

˗ˋ 95

CHAPTER NINETY FIVE
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-: fifth year :-

── IN WHICH EMPHASIS
IS PLACED

. . .

Harry felt... odd.

Like something was completely wrong, or off, or incomplete - like he was missing an arm or a foot or any number of fingers or toes. He just felt strange. 

It was almost as though he was in a daze, nodding along and feeling only a momentary sting of envy as Ron and Hermione were somewhat forced to seperate from him to carry out their prefect duties before joining him in whatever cabin Harry eventually found with Ginny as she helped him carry Hedwig's cage down the thin corridors of the Hogwarts Express, the younger Weasley deciding not to comment on the somewhat devastated expression that held on the Potter's face. Almost every one of the glass-paneled doors they passed revealed that almost all of them were entirely full, obviously a product of them arriving on the platform at the last possible moment, and Harry boarding so late that the train was actually moving in the process.

And Harry couldn't help but notice, despite majority of his focus on the dull upset settled in his stomach that had been around the moment he stepped away from Jane and on to the train, that a lot of people stared back at him with great interest and that several of them nudged their neighbours and pointed him out. It was only then that he remembered the tirade of accusations of defamation that had occured against him by the Daily Prophet. 

He had been so swept up in the pure happiness of being around Jane that he had completely forgotten about it, and now it didn't seem to sting as much. That and Harry was overwhelmingly used to being stared at, especially after the events at the beginning of the previous year at Hogwarts. He could deal with it, and he would. But for now he was itching to find an empty carriage to sit down and read the contents of the envelope burning a hole into the back pocket of his jeans.

It was in the very last carriage on the train that they finally found space available for them, and Harry was more than grateful to find Neville appearing behind them, grinning at him with the same friendliness as always whilst he dragged his trunk behind him and kept a tight clutch on his toad, Trevor, who was known to go missing. "Hi, Harry," he panted. "Hi, Ginny... Everywhere's full... I can't find a seat..."

"What are you talking about?" Ginny returned his smile and squeezed past the newcomer to peer into the compartment behind him. "There's room in this one, there's only Luna Lovegood in here." Neville muttered something under his  breath about not wanting to disturb people and the Weasley shook her head. "Don't be silly." Ginny replied, laughing. "She's all right."

Minutes later and Harry had been introuced to Luna Lovegood, who was wearing a necklace of butterbeer caps, reading an upside down magazine and had a rather dreamy, not-quite-on-earth aura in her words and expressions, and had now found a seat in her compartment. Introductions had taken place, Luna had spewed some quote that left the others quiet, and now Harry was finding out about Neville's birthday present, Mimbulus Mimbletonia, a small gray cactus in a pot, which was instead covered in boils rather than spines.

After the plant spewed out an odd puss-like slime from these boils - to which Ginny quickly cleaned whilst simultaneously chattering on about seeing Jane at Christmas as Cho, (who Harry, admittedly, had had a small crush on the year before but had certainly gotten over in  the summer) stood in the doorway. She disappeared after that, and considering Cedric's death Harry did feel rather bad for the sudden rejection, but it was unfair to Jane and to her if he didn't just put it out there. Or Ginny did. He kinda froze up after a while. 

Just as Harry was grasping at the very edge of the envelope in his pockets, and Hermione and Ron appeared for lunch, the latter devouring many of the sweets and pasties purchased, discussing mostly the other prefects - which confirmed one of Harry's worst nightmares of Malfoy being picked for Slytherin - and also the Quibbler, which was the magazine Luna had been reading upside down and contained quite a funny article on Sirius that he would quite like to get a copy of to send back in his next letter. 

Then, though, after having read the article and another on Cornelius Fudge and his wishes to crush goblins, came yet another distraction, whwich seemed to be the worst of the lot. The door slid open to find Draco Malfoy stood in front of him, arms crossed against his stomach and backed by Crabbe and Goyle.

"Manners, Potter, or I'll have to give you a detention." Malfoy drawled, sleek blond hair once again plastered down by a tonne of gel. "You see, I, unlike you, have been made a prefect, which means that I, unlike you, have the power to hand out punishments."

"Yeah." Any ideas of trying to be the bigger person had disappeared in first year, and Harry was by no means worried about responding at all politely to Draco. "But you, unlike me, are a git, so get out and leave us alone." 

Draco didn't leave, instead he scoffed and smirked and drew himself up even taller. "Tell me, how does it feel being second-best to Weasley, Potter?" 

"Shut up, Malfoy." Hermione replied, voice sharp.

"I seem to have touched a nerve," said Malfoy, smirking."Well, just watch yourself, Potter, because I'll be dogging your footsteps in case you step out of line." The emphasis on the single word was enough to encourage the idea that Draco knew exactly who the dog on the platform was. "Enough about the Weasleys and... other family... although I don't suppose this is all that different. I see you got yourself girlfriend, Potter."

Harry felt something tense within him. "Why, jealous?" 

"Hardly." Draco scoffed. "She's a Squib, isn't she? Can't say that's impressive at all - I had the notion you would have thought a little more of yourself. But I suppose some only take what they can get."

"She's better than anyone you could score." Harry's eyes flickered up and down his appearance with a scoff too similiar to Malfoy's than he cared to admit. "Better than most people, actually."

"Well I suppose someone had to be nice enough to stoop to the low of dating the boy who lied." Malfoy chuckled, a somewhat sickening sound. "A Squib, Potter, really - I couldn't believe it when my father returned from your fad of a trial claiming that Jane Everleigh had taken a stand." 

Harry paused at that, but only momentarily. "And what about it?" He asked, easily able to keep his voice quite even despite the worry.

"Nothing in particular." Draco pushed himself up from the door frame he was leaning on. "Just thought it to be quite the interesting detail."

"Get out, Malfoy." Hermione ordered and Malfoy didn't hesitate, turning on his heel and leaving the carriage, Crabbe and Goyle behind him.

Seeing the back of his rather blond head disappear down the hallway lifted some of the unease in his stomach, but now it was replaced with something entirely different. The mention of Jane hit a nerve as it was, but joined with the emphasis on his knowledge of Sirius and, in particular, the mention of his father 'claiming that Jane Everleigh had taken a stand', something was different. Something was evidently wrong.

The envelope in his pocket crinkled as he shifted in his seat and he met Hermione's eye momentarily. She had picked up on it too, and concern reflected in them. But neither would say anything and instead let it go, Harry's attention diverted from words of his girlfriend sat in parchment beneath him.

Although Harry wouldn't quite, it would sit with him for several days to come. But with the constant interruptions he had come to one definite decision in his confusion. He'd read the letter than night, and worry about it later.

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