May I, Potter?

The New Law

"This is crazy!" Ron Weasley shouted, slamming down his copy of the Daily Profit on the table.

"Ron, you have to calm down. You're going to get high blood pressure problems." Hermione Granger told her boyfriend.

"But Hermione, its a stupid law. I mean, we already have dorms. We don't need 'real life experience'. And no one wants to live in the muggle world. No offense Hermione. But its just scary. You remember what Harry has told us about his muggle family. And what if-" Ron was cut off by Harry Potter walking up to the Griffindor table.

"Hullo." Harry said sitting down. "Can I see the news? I didn't get a copy this morning." Ron just had handed him the paper when the Headmistress, Minerva McGonagall, walked up to the teachers platform and said, "Good morning, students. Now, many of you must be wondering why we have called you back for a non existent eighth year. Now, as some of you may have heard, but a few months ago, the Ministry of Magic has issused a new law. This law is that every eighth year across the wizarding world must be paired up with another student to learn valuable life skills. The pairs will share dorms, classes, and other things. In December, you will visit some muggle cities and towns as you will be living in those muggle cities from January to April and attending their schools. This semester you will be learning just as a muggle would, from baking to maths and many other things. You will not be choosing your partners, the Goblet of Fire will. The Goblet will choose who you are most compatible with that is the same gender as you. I will call your name and you will step up to the Goblet, put your hand over it and a peice of paper will fly into your hand. You will then read the name out loud, and if it is your name that is called, then you will walk up here and then sit down at your partner's house table with your partner."

One by one, the eighth years went up and chose partners either coming back looking extremely disappointed, angry or happy.

Ron was paired up with Neville Longbottom, Dean Thomas with Seamus Finnigan.

Then it was Harry's turn. His heart was pounding. He wouldn't get Ron because he had already been chosen. He wouldn't get Hermione becuase she was a girl.

He stepped up the steps that he took so many years ago at his sorting, the same feeling in his heart.

He put his hand over the Goblet and a burned piece of paper flew into his hands, Harry just barely catching it. He opened it up reading the name over and over again, it not quite sinking in.
Then he muttered the name on the paper.

"Malfoy."

"I'm sorry mister Potter, I couldn't quite hear that. Could you repeat yourself?" Professor McGonagall said.

"Draco Malfoy." Harry said a little bit louder this time.

The Headmistress then shouted Draco's name and Malfoy turned whiter than a sheet. Draco slowly walked up as if it were a death march. When he reached the platform, the professor told them to shake hands. As they did so, they sneered more than they had ever before to each other.

McGonagall wore the most troubled expression as she told the boys to sit at the Griffindor table together and to wait for further instructions.

"This is all your fault Potter." Draco growled as he sat down uncomfortably at the Griffindor table.

"Hermione Granger!" McGonagall shouted. Hermione had been chosen by a Griffindor named Donna Cooper.

"Look, I don't want this anymore than you do. So, shut it!" Harry hissed.

When Hermione sat down with Donna, she looked over at Harry sympathetically.

After everyone was paired up, a majority of the professors and a few people from the Ministry took groups of people to show them to their new dorms. They all were still allowed to go to their house common rooms and such but the eighth year dorms were in a complete different part of the castle. Also, eighth years were most likely not going to play in the Quidditch matches due to the mixed houses among them.

Professor Flitwick started to explain that everyone's things were already taken up to thir dorms and that the only way to open up the rooms was, not by magic, but by keys. Only these keys aould work and nothing else.

The professor started calling out pairs and pointing them to the rooms that they would would be staying in. Finally, he called Harry and Draco.

"Here are your keys, boys. Be nice to each other." Professor Flitwick warned.

Harry flopped on the bed that his suitcase was on.

"Alright Potter. If you dare try to cross my side of the room, I'll kill you." Draco said, putting down duct tape around his bed, belongings and desk.

"Why the hell would I, Malfoy? It's not like you interest me." Harry said in a monotone voice with an expressionless look on his face.

"Well, I should. I am a very fascinating person." Draco huffed.

Harry rolled his eyes and pulled out some of his things and put them on his new nightstand.

This place was going to be quite an experience.