I Should Have Known Better

Chapter 13

     The next morning, Harry awoke to a rustling sound that turned out to be Draco getting ready for classes.
     "What time is it?" Harry muttered, rubbing his eyes sleepily.
     "5:30," said Draco
     "What are you doing up so early?" Harry groaned, rolling over.
     "What, you thought I just woke up looking this good? These looks take time and effort. It wouldn't kill you to get up and try to tame that lions mane of yours," Draco teased.
     "It's no use," Harry sighed, " I've tried everything. The hair does whatever it wants."
     "Here, try this," Draco said, tossing a bottle of Sleakeazy's hair tamer in Harry's direction.
     Harry shrugged and began applying the product to his hair. He found that just a few drops of the solution worked wonders.
     "Careful now," Draco warned, " don't put too much or you'll end up looking like-"
     "Like you in first year?" Harry grinned.
     "Exactly like that," Draco laughed

                                 .................

     After a bit of playful banter, Draco and Harry made their way to breakfast. Unsurprisingly, they were some of the very first people there. In fact, the only other people in the dining hall were a couple of Ravenclaw prefects, some Huffelpuff third years, and Severus Snape.
     Harry thought it was odd seeing the dining hall this empty, but he was grateful there wasn't anyone there to stare at him. This early in the morning, everyone was minding their own business and enjoying some peace and quiet before the first day of classes.
     Harry and Draco each took a seat at the Slytherin table. It still felt weird to Harry, sitting at the Slytherin table. Being in Slytherin. Though he could tell he was already much happier in his new house. He felt more welcomed that he had ever been. He and Draco had quickly become best friends, and Harry finally felt like he actually belonged somewhere.
     Harry knee he shouldn't get his hopes up so soon, but he couldn't help but be happy in his newfound home.

                           ..............................

     Running. Harry was running through the empty corridors of Hogwarts. The portraits stared and whispered, but all Harry would hear was the pounding of his feet against the old stone floor and the fast,shaky breaths he was inhaling so as to not pass out.
     If Harry had time to think, he would probably be wondering why he could not have just one good day. The whole first day of classes had gone by smoothly. Harry sat with Draco during every class. During the boring classes, they flew paper airplanes at each other, trying not to get caught. In Potions, Draco helped Harry achieve his very first outstanding on a potion. In Defense against the dark arts, Harry returned the favor by helping Draco get the hang of a spell they were working on.
     Things had all gone terribly downhill, however, when Harry had decided to take an evening stroll through the castle by himself. At first, it had been relaxing. The time alone had given Harry time to process everything that had happened to him in the past couple of weeks. But then, Seamus Finnegan and Ron Weasley has appeared out of nowhere, wands drawn.
     Harry felt the pockets of his robes. How could he have been so stupid? His want was laying on the nightstand by his bed in the Slytherin dorms.
     Harry looked around, hoping someone, anyone, would come to his rescue. The halls were deserted, however, so Harry did the only thing he could do. He ran.
     Ron and Seamus tried to shoot jinxes at him as they chased him through the castle, but their aim was so poor, Harry would have been more worried if they were aiming at the wall next to him.
     Harry knew he could not run forever. He had to come up with some kind of plan. As he turned around yet another corner, he saw a thick, bulky tapestry that just might be big enough to hide his small form. Acting quickly, he jumped behind the ancient tapestry, expecting to smoosh himself into the wall until the coast was clear.
     His back did not hit a wall, however. His back did not hit anything as he stumbled farther and farther backward, trying to regain his balance. When he finally steadied himself, he looked around trying to figure out what had happened. Distantly, he heard Rob and Seamus disappearing down the corridor.
     He seemed to be in some sort of secret passage. Harry knew that there were many secret passages hidden around the castle, but he had never seen this one. He couldn't believe his luck as he allowed himself to slide down the wall so that he could catch his breath.
     Once Harry had his breathing back under control, he stood up and began exploring his surroundings. He was in a narrow, dimly lit passageway that could lead anywhere.
     Harry tried to reason with himself. He didn't have his wand. This hall could lead anywhere. Maybe he should wait till tomorrow to go exploring it.
     But his curiosity got the best of him, as usual, and he set off down the narrow passageway. Despite all of the cobwebs and dust on the walls, the floor of the passage looked as though someone had been down here recently other than himself.
     'Perhaps this is how Filch sneaks around at night,' Harry thought to himself, though he hoped he did not run into Filch down here. He was unpleasant enough during the daytime. Harry hater to think what he would do to him if Filch found out he had discovered one of his secret passages.
     Harry need not have worried, however, as Filch new nothing about this passage. In fact, there were only two people other than Harry who knew about this passage.
     Harry was in for an unpleasant surprise, however, as he unknowingly stepped on a very strategically placed booby trap, and suddenly found himself hanging upside down from the ceiling.

                               .......................
   
     "Well, well, we'll, look what we have here, Georgie," said a voice approaching from behind Harry's upside down form.
     It had been about five minutes since Harry had triggered the booby trap, and he was starting to feel dizzy from all the blood rushing to his head.
     "Looks like we caught us a little snake, Freddie."
     Harry knew those voices anywhere, and instantly started wiggling around trying to escape his bonds.
     "Calm down there,Harry, we're not gonna hurt you," Fred laughed, spinning Harry around to face him.
     "Easy for you to say, you're not the one hanging from the ceiling are you?" Harry panted.
     "Gels got a point, ya know," said George, stroking an imaginary beard.
     "Indeed he does," said Fred, cutting Harry loose.
     Thankfully, George caught him before he broke his neck.
     "Now, now Georgie, don't hog him," said Fred snatching Harry up and pulling him into a hug. "How's my favorite wittle snakey wakey?"
     "Currently suffocating," Harry said, gasping for air.
     "That's terrible," gasped George, joining the hug and squishing Harry in between the two of them.
     "Let.......go....." Harry gasped.
     Fred and George released him.
     "What's going on?" Harry asked, regaining the ability to breathe.
     "Ooh. Right," George said, turning to Fred, " we forgot the magic word."
     "Ooh, right you are Georgie!" exclaimed Fred. Turning back to Harry he said, " Poughkeepsie."