Harry Potter: Harry Slytherin 4

Chapter 8: Yule ball - Part 2 -

Crabbe and Goyal try one dance with each other and they both hate it so they sit down and watch everyone else have fun. "well I'm glad I came anyways but this is really boring." Crabbe sighs.

"yeah I know what you mean." Goyal frowns. "it's because Draco stopped telling us what to do all the time... I just don't know what to do with my life anymore."

"yeah I mean sure first year when he met Harry he started leaving us out of some stuff but now ever since the second year it's like we don't even exist anymore." Crabbe frowns.

"yeah... and it's probably not Jade's fault but maybe it is?" Goyal questions.

"she's changing him... and I don't like it." Crabbe frowns. "ever since she came around Draco has been changing. I mean he apologizes and hen admits to jealous..."

"yeah not only that but he jumped in front of an unforgivable curse for her the second year... remember that?" Goyal points out.

"yeah I know... I heard he got a summer job this year and didn't even stay at the manor." Crabbe shrugs. "and then he says things like... he doesn't want to serve? What happened to him? he's all different now."

"maybe we should break them up?" Goyal mumbles. "it might be best for us all if they don't see each other anymore."

Crabbe glances over at Jade and Draco dancing and sighs. "we can't do that... we'd ruin his life..."

"I guess we'll just have to find a new friend." Goyal shrugs.

"glad to hear you say that." Faith says with a smirk taking a seat next to the two. "it appears to me that the two of you are in need. I have a proposal that just might interest you."

-elsewhere-

Dumbledore, Crouch Senior, Madam Maxime, and Ludo bagman are discussing the second task.

"we have everything set up for the second task except the thing that matters." Ludo says setting a goblet of whine on the table.

"yes... the object that will need to be retrieved." Crouch mumbles over his goblet. "any ideas?"

"well using people as bait has been on the table since the first task." Dumbledore replies cautiously. "I believe it too be too dangerous to get others involved and would like to strike that from our..."

"hold that thought Dumbledore." Karkaroff interrupts as he takes a seat at the table. "I have a proposal I think you might want to listen to."

-later-

After the dance ends most of the students grab their trunks and head home for a week of relaxing for the holiday. The break had been extended for students attending the ball from the standard 3 to 4 days to 6 days. Jade, Draco, and Harry had decided not to return to the outside world for Christmas but instead made plans to go into town in hogsmade and enjoy themselves.

When the three get back to the Common room Harry picks up the golden egg from his bedside drawer and looks it over. "I still have no idea what this is. It doesn't have any marking on it that would indicate what the next task will be."

"well does it open?" Draco questions.

"maybe." Harry fiddles with it a bit and it falls open releasing a loud banshee like whaling. Harry slams it shut and stares at it. "what was that!?"

"sounded like a damn banshee... those things are more terrifying then Dementors. I hope that isn't the second task." Draco frowns.

"it very well could be." Harry frowns. "I'll have to look up things that whale and see if I can come up with a way to defeat them. But it'll have to wait till tomorrow."

Jade frowns. "these tasks are becoming very dangerous Harry... Please be careful."

"it's fine Jade I'm the boy who lived right?" Harry smirks a bit. "if I could simply be killed then I imagine I would be dead already."

"don't get cocky potter." Draco chuckles. "we'll figure this out tomorrow." Draco pauses for a minute and then looks at the clock. "I almost forgot." He jumps out of bed and then begins digging under his bed for something.

"what is it Malfoy?" Harry questions.

"well when I figured out that we wouldn't be leaving to the manor for the holidays I decided to hide the gifts under my bed." Draco smirks and pulls two boxes out from under his bed. "the small one is for you Jade and this slightly bigger one is for Harry."

Jade excitedly opens the small box and finds a pendant inside. "oh this is amazing!" Jade says excitedly looking at it.

"it gets better." Draco says pushing the top. "I didn't know what you wanted to put in it but it holds a picture."

Jade stares into the pendant watching the moving picture of a man and woman staring into the frame arm and arm. "who?"

"it took some digging but I found a picture of your parents." Draco replies pointing. "I wasn't sure if you wanted it but I put it in there just in case."

Jade smiles and hugs Draco. "thank you."

"they might have been awful people but I'm sure they did care about you." Draco frowns. "even death eaters care about their children..."

Harry opens his box next and smirks holding up a book. "a book Draco? Did you get this idea from granger?"

"it's a first edition." Draco smirks pointing. "it's a spell book."

"so it is." Harry opens it and begins flipping through the pages. "very nice. Breathing fire, head transfiguration, the art of animagus, breathing under water, memory charms... this is brilliant." He smirks. "thanks Malfoy. Sorry I didn't have time to go shopping this year I've been so busy."

"it's alright Harry." Malfoy chuckles. "I figured it may come in handy eventually so I have no regrets on the purchase." He checks the time again and sighs. "I do believe it is bed time."

"I agree." Jade yawns and stands up. "have a pleasant night guys."

"night Jade." Draco and Harry both wave then they turn out the lights on their tables and pull the covers over their heads.