The House That Cedric Built

November 20, 2017: Dumbledore's Army

Dear Mrs. Malfoy:

Enclosed is the blurb you were interested in looking over, from Part II of The Fifth House: Dumbledore's Army

Dumbledore's Army, the group of students most closely connected to the struggle against Voldemort, was initially simply a school club, organized by students to gain skills and experience in Defence Against the Dark Arts. Founded by Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger, the group had sixteen members when it first began, and at its largest numbered some thirty students, more or less. It was active during 1995-96, disbanded during 1996-97, and active again in the year that Severus Snape was Headmaster of Hogwarts, under the leadership of Ginevra Potter (née Weasley), Luna Lovegood-Scamander, and Neville Longbottom. By the end of the year leadership had been passed on to Mauricius Fiddlethwaite, as the other three had been forced to go into hiding. The club was continued during the 1998-1999 school year, but was disbanded that November, as it was decided that the need for it had ended.

Membership of Dumbledore's Army reads like a Who's Who of the wizarding world. Its most famous member was of course Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, who eventually defeated Voldemort and today heads the Auror Department. Ronald Weasley would go on to rise high in the Auror Department as well. Hermione Granger would eventually become the founder of the Magical Creatures Defence League. Ginny Potter had a celebrated career as Chaser for the Holyhead Harpies, Luna Lovegood-Scamander became owner and Senior Editor of The Quibbler, and Neville Longbottom became Professor of Herbology at Hogwarts and a noted contributor to "Magical Manure Magazine". Other former members include Wizard Wireless personality Lee Jordan; George Weasley of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes; Seamus Finnigan of Explosions For All Occasions Inc; Michael Corner, leading architect of the newest wizarding neighbourhood in Edinburgh; Danielle Erebus, noted director of the Wizarding Orchestra of Cardiff; Hester Darnley, author of Your Baby's First Magical Year; Hannah Abbott-Longbottom, proprietress of The Leaky Cauldron; Angelina Weasley (née Johnson) of the Wimbourne Wasps; and Lucas Diggle, youngest member of the Wizangemot.

Membership in the DA, as it was called, was not without peril. In total twenty-two of its members fought at the Battle of Hogwarts, and four (Fred Weasley, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Colin Creevey, and Erica Barnhauser) died there. And the damage didn't stop there: in the next few years, various members, wounded by their experiences or losses during the war, became alcoholics, attempted suicide, used illegal potions, suffered emotional breakdowns, or engaged in other risky behaviour. They sacrificed a great deal, this teenager's club.

Ten of the founding members of Diggory House were in Dumbledore's Army.

*********
November 20, 1998: Nothing to fight against

Draco's eyebrows went up as he entered the Diggory common room and spotted Astoria sitting in a group with Granger, Longbottom, Lovegood, and Ginny Weasley, all of them looking dreadfully serious.

"It's getting out of hand," she was saying.

"You can't blame the firsties," said Weasley. "Most of them are just glad to be part of any group. And many of the others just don't want to forget what they learned there last year."

"They're not really learning anything new, though," said Astoria. "It's more of a social thing now."

"It was always a social thing," said Longbottom. "For me and Luna, anyway."

"Then why aren't you in it this year?" asked Astoria.

"I have friends now," said Lovegood quietly.

"Look, it's just a social club," repeated Weasley.

"Perhaps it should be turned into an official thing," said Granger. "An extra-curricular club to teach self-defence and to build bridges."

Astoria blew out her breath. "I'm hearing the same thing everywhere: it's just a social thing, it's not meant to be anything special. And when I ask why not make it an official school club I'm told it was never official, and it shouldn't be. They don't want it to be."

"Well... I suppose it would lose some of its fun if it was something you could sign up for-" Granger began.

"I think the problem is that if you make it official, then you have to let anyone in," said Astoria.

Weasley narrowed her eyes. "I wouldn't want to let anyone in, thank you very much. Why should the students doing it be forced to spend time with people they hate? What's the harm in keeping it unofficial?"

"You're not in it any more. You don't see what they're doing. There's nothing to fight against, now, so they're turning on other students."

"Nothing to fight against?" said Weasley softly. "That's what we were told before."

Astoria regarded her seriously. "Do you think there's still something to fight against?"

Weasley hesitated, then shook her head. "No. But I won't force anybody else to believe what I believe."

Astoria clasped her hands together. "I'm asking for your help here. It's not just for those who were in it last year; they're also letting in their friends. But the Slytherin students - and the others who were on the wrong side - aren't being allowed in. And it is turning into an organization of bullies."

Weasley pressed her lips together.

"What you did in forming that group was important," said Astoria. "Do you want what you built to become a training ground for thugs? Do you think Dumbledore would've wanted that?"

"Don't you tell us what Dumbledore would've wanted," said Weasley dangerously.

Astoria bit her lip. "Right. I'm sorry. Please think about what I've said, though. I don't want to even bring up the idea of considering banning it. That will do no good whatsoever and will create more trouble than anything. But if you four get involved... maybe go to some of the meetings, maybe help it disband peacefully... do you think?"

Longbottom looked doubtful, Weasley completely shut against it, and Lovegood was in her own dream world, but Granger looked thoughtful and Draco couldn't quite believe it, but she was going to agree.

*********
November 22, 2017: With or without you

"You know it would mean the world to your mother," said Astoria.

Draco put down his fork and sat back, glaring at her. There wasn't any point in arguing with Astoria when she got like this. She was the epitome of Slytherin, and would do whatever it took to get his cooperation. He might as well face it. He was going to give in eventually, just to get her and Hermione off his back once and for all.

That didn't mean he had to like it, though. Or make it easy for her.

"Why is this so bloody important to you?" he asked, exasperated. "Or to Granger, for that matter? What does it matter whether I cooperate and contribute my 'oral history' to this bloody project? You can tell it as well as I can."

"I wasn't there, Draco. I didn't live there. I didn't see what was going on behind the door."

"Rubbish. You spent half the year in there. And you had Queenie to tell you the latest gossip."

"It's not the same."

"I doubt anybody is looking for my opinion on this."

Astoria frowned. "So all those letters from the head of the project, they're... for shits and giggles, then?"

Draco blew out his breath. "I don't see why anybody cares, anyway."

"Because it's important. You helped to build something important."

"It was a piddly little House in a piddly little school. It didn't matter."

"It mattered," Astoria snapped.

"Nobody wants to hear that I was part of it anyway. Other than you, Hermione, and the head of the project."

"And that's precisely why they should hear it."

"For what? For the greater glory of the Malfoys? Bit of a change for you, isn't it? We had a few conversations about this, as I recall."

"Merlin, Draco, that was years ago. I changed my mind. Some years after I changed my name, and became a pariah to a lot of the wizarding world."

"Look, I did what needed to be done. The school got better. Slytherin House is no longer quite as feared. Diggory House hasn't disappeared. Isn't that enough?"

"Not any more. It's important that people know you were part of the story. I'm not asking you to run for Minister For Magic, Draco. I'm not telling you to jump into the spotlight. I am asking you to come out of the shadowy corner though. Not just for you, but for me. And your mother. And Scorpius."

Draco set his jaw stubbornly.

"At least come to the information meeting," Astoria said. "You don't have to commit to doing anything else."

"Could you possibly drop this?" Draco asked.

"Listen, I will rebuild the Malfoy family with or without you," she said grimly. "It'll just be easier if you go along."

*********
November 22, 1998: It's not easy, is it?

"It's not easy, is it?" said Astoria one day, and Draco raised his head to look at her. "Coming back here. Would you have come if you hadn't been forced to?"

"Probably not," he said curtly.

"Don't think Queenie would have either."

"She didn't have to."

"Oh, she had to," said Astoria. "You don't know our parents. They're very eager to be part of this brave new wizarding world."

"She's of age," pointed out Draco.

"Queenie? Please. I know my sister. She's spoiled and silly and selfish and has no backbone at all. Queenie is the perfect name for her. She doesn't care enough to stand up for herself. Our parents said she had to come or they would cut her allowance for clothes and jewelry and that was that."

Draco gaped at her. "That's... inspiring family loyalty," he finally said.

"I love her and I'm loyal to her. I'm also realistic about her." Astoria tilted her head to the side. "So why did you come back? You could've chosen a different way to spend your probation."

"It's what my mother wanted."

Astoria looked at him askance. "She wanted you back here?" She glanced around the ugly common room. "In a school that was the home of Death Eaters, and where the majority of the school body remembers you were the beginning of that, and hates you for it?"

"Thank you," said Draco sarcastically. "I try to forget it, but thank you for pointing it out."

"Why would she want you back here?" Astoria asked, ignoring his tone.

"First step in rehabilitating our family."

Astoria snorted. "Oh please. Your mother always seemed fairly bright, beneath the spoiled society witch veneer. She must know that's a hopeless cause."

Draco scowled. "Obviously, she disagrees."

"What do you think?"

Draco said nothing, knowing of no answer that would be politically astute and realistic and honest, and for some reason unwilling to play the regular Slytherin games with this girl. This girl who'd always seemed quiet and reserved and utterly uninteresting, but who had somehow become a power to be reckoned with.

"If she wants to rehabilitate anything," said Astoria, "I would strongly advise moving to the continent. Or perhaps Asia. There must be some wizards and witches who haven't heard of the Malfoys over there."

Draco sat back. "Are you going somewhere with this?"

"Pardon?"

"Why are you telling me this?"

She pursed her lips thoughtfully. "I don't know. Maybe because you look like you're twiddling your thumbs and waiting for this year to be over. And I remember what you were like before. When you led Slytherin House."

He looked away from her intent gaze.

"And I need your help."

He looked back at her, startled. "My help? To do what?"

"Help the Slytherins."

"I'm not a Slytherin any more."

"Once a Slytherin, always a Slytherin," she said.

"Most of them want to disassociate themselves from me anyway," he pointed out evenly.

"Can you blame them?"

"I suppose not, but it does make it somewhat unlikely that I'd be able to lead them to do anything, doesn't it?"

"But you can help," she insisted.

"Why should I?"

"So that this year won't be a complete waste of your time and energy and talents. Wouldn't you like to know that you did some good in the world? Built something lasting, and beneficial?"

"Please. I'm not a Hufflepuff."

"No, and you're also too old to be falling back on House clichés. Slytherins can work for good. Look at Snape."

"That was Snape. This is me," said Draco bitterly. "And I can't do a damn thing. I can't lead, I can't 'make connections' like my mother said, I can't rebuild the Malfoy name-"

"Just because you can't do those three things, you feel you can't do anything? That's pathetic." She leaned forward. "You want to rebuild something. I'm telling you the Malfoy family is something that can't be rebuilt." She put a hand on his arm. "But what if there's something else you can build?"

"Like what?" Draco said, baffled, somewhat distracted by her hand on his arm, and annoyed at the distraction.

"This House. In this school. You can be part of something. And just because it won't do the Malfoy family any good doesn't mean you shouldn't do it."

"I'm not interested."

"Then you're going to just continue to twiddle your thumbs and waste your life? What will you do once you're out of here? Sit at home and continue the twiddling? That's really pathetic."

Draco glared at her. "All right, let's say I did agree to help. What could I possibly do?"

She gave him a brilliant smile, and he was inexplicably struck with the thought that she really was a rather pretty girl. No icy beauty like Fleur Delacour or fiery head-turner like Ginny Weasley, but pretty in an understated, serious way. A bit like Granger, ever since she'd got her teeth shrunken and her bushy hair under control.

Oh God, he'd just put the words "Granger" and "pretty" into the same thought. He firmly brought his attention back to Astoria.

*********
November 25, 2017: Egregous

Dear Father,

I really don't see why this deserves more than a slap on the wrist, and besides, it's not my fault that Weasley can't spell. She was the one who wrote the incantation wrong and so I said it wrong and nobody was hurt anyway. Hers was an egregous mistake and I am being unfairly penalized for it.

- Scorpius

Scorpius:

It deserves more than a slap on the wrist because what you did could have seriously hurt somebody. I will not send you a Howler, but I am very disappointed in you. It does not matter that Weasley made a spelling error; you know better than to rely on somebody else's assignment when it comes to using spells on other students.

And don't point fingers at anybody else's spelling. You misspelled egregious.

On a happier note, your success in getting into the Quodpot team has made your mother very happy. Perhaps next year you can join Quidditch.

Mother sends her love. Please write more often, Scorpius; your mother and grandmother miss you, and are very happy whenever they receive your owls. And please do remember not to text message Grandmother. It isn't good for her nerves.

- Father

*********
November 25, 1998: Augustine

"I don't know what to do. That's three more little ones who want to leave now." Astoria took a deep breath. "This is supposed to be their year of wonder. Even if you've grown up in a wizarding household, this is supposed to be the year you're finally doing it, learning magic, with your own wand, your own friends... and it's a nightmare for them."

"It's normal to get homesick in first year," said Granger. "And it was bound to be a little harder for everyone this year."

"It wouldn't be so difficult if that was all it was," said Astoria. "But one little boy, a Ravenclaw, Augustine Cornfoot, is-"

"Cornfoot?" Granger blinked. "Any relation to Stephen?"

"Younger brother."

Draco winced. Stephen Cornfoot, Ravenclaw from their year, sentenced to two years for crimes committed during his last year at Hogwarts. He'd been a star pupil in Dark Arts, and relished Dark Spells, the darker the better.

"He's having a terrible time."

"Why, what's he doing?" asked Patil. "Spouting off pureblood propaganda?"

"Nobody wants to room with him," Astoria said, politely ignoring Patil. "He's had a bloody nose three times. The other kids say it's just spells gone wrong, but really it's Nosebleed Nougats, which aren't so bloody humourous when you don't have the antidote."

"Can you really blame them?" asked Patil.

"For an eleven-year-old boy who's done nothing wrong but have the wrong name, and admit he still writes to his brother?" said Astoria, her voice steely. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I can." Patil opened her mouth, then seemed to think better of it and made a slight nod of apology. "Madame Pomfrey contacted George Weasley and got the antidotes - in fact, Weasley's older brother sent along a lot of antidotes; seems to have some sympathy for people being targeted and made fun of for some reason. But it's still not enough. Augustine's scared that they'll just keep getting more violent and I can't say I blame him."

"You know, he could stay here," said Granger.

"Where?" said Draco.

"Here, in Diggory House. We have a study room, but nobody's using it."

"What? Where? He doesn't belong here!" said several voices at once.

"He's a child," said Granger. "And he's afraid. Is he in Ravenclaw right now?"

Astoria shook her head. "No, Madam Pomfrey's got him in the Hospital wing, but that's no place to live. He needs someplace safe." She stared at Granger musingly. "You know... that's actually not that bad an idea," she said slowly.

Draco was suddenly certain enough to bet his last Knut that Astoria had been thinking of doing just that before she'd ever spoken to Granger. She was good, though; he didn't think any of the others would've guessed any such thing.

"But... but he can't!" said Brown.

"This is supposed to be a House for adults," said Lisa Turpin. She glanced over at the new plaid couch, where Hannah Abbott and plump, pompous Ernie Macmillan were so closely entwined Draco couldn't even tell whose hands were whose.

"Besides, we're busy," said Millie. "We can't be babysitting every ickle firstie who's feeling hard done by."

"I'm in," said Goldstein.

Draco blinked.

"He's one of my House, right?" said Goldstein curtly. "I'll take responsibility for him, if nobody else will."

*********
December 1, 2017: We built it together

"Now, I would very much like to focus on Dumbledore's Army, and how you came together to build Diggory House," said Master Archivist Maximus Lore to the gathered group of people. "The ten of you former members were instrumental not only in starting the House, but in expanding its purpose. You carried much of the inter-House cooperation that had been evident in Dumbledore's Army into Diggory House," he said. He focused on Neville and Hermione. "Also, the six of you - what we historians have started to call The Sextet-"

"The what?" asked Hermione.

"You, Mr. Potter, and Mr. Weasley, who first headed the DA, and then Professor Longbottom, Mrs. Potter and Mrs. Lovegood-Scamander, who took over when you were gone. The six of you helped to make Diggory House into-"

"But Harry and Ron were busy with Auror training," Hermione said, shaking her head. "They didn't have anything to do with Diggory House. Neither did Ginny and Luna."

"Still, you were dating Mr. Weasley at the time-"

"But he didn't have anything to do with the school any more," said Neville.

"If you're going to focus on the larger group of people who were behind all of this," said Hermione, "which you should, in my opinion, then of course the other members of the DA were relevant. A lot of people were." She glanced over at Draco and Astoria. "Astoria Greengrass's help was invaluable. But if you are going to focus only on a few people, then focus on those who were actually part of it."

Lore made an impatient gesture. "But in the interests of appealing to a wider audience-"

"If you're writing a historical book, write a historical book," said Neville forcefully. "And if you're writing to appeal to a wider audience, do that. But don't try to make it sound like it's accurate history and then stretch the truth to sell it to a 'wider audience.'"

"But-"

"We built Diggory House," said Hermione, indicating the entire group. "We built it together. Don't denigrate that by spinning things for popular appeal."

Dean Thomas spoke up. "Personally I think you should talk about people outside the House who contributed. But not just the famous ones, or the DA members. Everyone. That was supposed to be the whole point of Diggory House."

"It's still supposed to be the point of Diggory House," said Anthony.

Draco glanced at Astoria, who looked amused.

*********
December 1, 1998: A safe place

"I can't keep them safe. Nobody can," said Astoria worriedly. "We've already got Augustine here, but he's too scared to go back to his House, and he won't give up the guest room. I don't know what to do."

"They can come here," said Granger. "This could be a safe place for more than just Augustine."

"We can't put everyone in here, Hermione," said Goldstein, looking up from his Transfiguration essay. "We don't have the room."

"We could make extra room," said Draco.

The others turned to look at him, surprised to hear him speak. "Where?" said Goldstein. "The washroom? The common room?" He gestured around the room, now equipped with plenty of nice couches and two small new yellow tables. "It's small enough already."

"There are two other rooms right on the other side of this wall."

Bones leaned forward. "D'you mean the rooms next to the Charms classroom?"

"Isn't one of those used for the Charms club and the choir?" asked Patil.

"That's only two days a week," Draco pointed out. "Surely they could find somewhere else to go. That space goes empty the rest of the time. And the one next door is mostly used for storage."

"But... what are you proposing, just blasting a hole in the wall?" asked Patil.

"Not blasting. That's what magic's for," he said impatiently.

"Why couldn't we use an enlarging spell, then?" asked Brown.

"Interferes too much with other magic," said Granger. "Draco's right, though, we could use magic to bring down these walls, and then we'd have access to..." she trailed off, staring at the wall as if imagining holes in it.

"The other room, that's used for storage of some Potions ingredients," said Patil.

"Yeah, we'd have to go through and neutralize everything," said Goldstein musingly.

"I take it we're saying, yes, then?" said Finnigan.

There was a small silence.

"Because personally I'm not keen on having a horde of little kids running around here. Our common room isn't big enough, for one thing."

Thomas snorted. "Come on, Seamus. Our comfort, for their education. You were a lot more crowded in the Room of Requirement last year, and I lived a lot rougher than having a slightly crowded common area."

Finnigan nodded, conceding the point.

"It would be a logistical headache," said Ernie Macmillan. "And it's inappropriate, to boot."

"Beats living in the hospital ward," said Draco.

"They need Houses," said Granger at the same time.

"They've got Houses," said Macmillan.

"Houses that don't want them," Draco shot back.

"And how long would they be here?" asked Patil.

"I don't know," said Astoria. "Until they feel they can go back?"

"Just how many children are you having trouble with?" asked Granger.

"About a dozen or so. More girls than boys."

"We can split the classrooms into a few separate dorms, can't we?"

"Each classroom is large enough for two, maybe three dorms," said Draco. "Make them three kids to a room. We could get up to three for the girls in the larger room..."

"And two for the boys in the other one," said Granger.

"And forget House distinctions," said Draco.

Astoria was looking at him with approval, and it made Draco feel oddly warm to see admiration for him in her eyes. "Right. Let's go take a look at the rooms, then," she said. Draco stood up.

"Erm... Gra-Hermione, do you want to come too?" he asked, and Hermione smiled at him.

*********
December 1, 2017: At the Leaky

The Leaky Cauldron, Under New Management, said the sign, and Draco opened the door. The place was a bit dark, but he soon spotted the group from the information session, in a corner of the room that shimmered a bit with magic. A privacy screen, he realized; probably spelled to make the group difficult to see by anyone who didn't belong to it.

"Draco! You made it!" said Neville, genuinely pleased. Draco was slightly taken aback, but returned his smile.

"I told you he would," said Hermione, smiling widely.

"I didn't think he would," said Weasley, and now Draco's smile was forced. "Thought he just came to the information part of it."

Hannah came bustling towards the table, slim, wiry, and energetic as always. She'd been plump, shy, round-faced and sweet-looking when they were kids, Draco vaguely remembered, and the war had taken that away from her. It had given her cynicism and energy and an almost hostile extroversion along with a gorgeous body, but somehow Draco wished the sweet little Hannah had been able to grow naturally into what he saw today, instead of being wrenched there violently.

She hadn't done badly for herself, though. She'd gained people skills and confidence, just as Neville had gained courage and authority. He used his to teach about plants, and she used hers to sling ales, which seemed rather a waste of talent. Still, it seemed to work for them.

"Here you go," she said, plopping down drinks for eight different people at the table, magic helping her prevent any spillage. "Draco, can I get you anything? No? Are you sure? Here, come on, make room for him," she said to Patil and her wife, who moved aside without a comment or even a roll of their eyes. Hannah sat down next to Neville, drawing her chair close to his and laying her head on his shoulder.

"I'm so glad you came," she said, smiling at Draco. Neville smiled down at her and kissed the top of her head.

"All right, newlywed sweethearts," said Anthony. "Let's not have any unseemly displays of public affection here. It's been, what, six months since you tied the knot? Plenty of time to get it out of your systems."

Neville gave him a two-fingered salute and kissed Hannah again. "Sod off," he said good naturedly. "During the school year and in front of the customers we're decorous. We're among our own House now, and you can bloody well deal with it. We're still on our honeymoon as far as I'm concerned."

Anthony laughed, and nodded, and Draco glanced around the group.

Patil and Lavender Brown weren't particularly thrilled to see him. Who cared. Neither was Millicent, and Thomas had never lost his reserve with Draco, and probably never would. He still felt welcome here, though. How odd.

"So what did you think about Lore?" said Hermione.

"I think he's going about it wrong," said Neville right away. "I think if it's too focused on just us, it'll be inaccurate and uninteresting."

"What we did was important," said Brown. "What's wrong with wanting a little glory? If he's going to write about a dozen other people it'll all get lost."

"Actually I think it'll make it more important," said Hannah.

"I think he's talking about what'll be in the museum display. It wouldn't surprise me if the book has more room to explore other people outside of us."

"Is it really going to be a museum display?" said Finnigan.

"That's what they're planning," said Hermione.

"Damn. We're going to be part of a bloody museum."

"It's exciting, isn't it?" said Brown.

"It's bloody depressing, is what it is," said Finnigan. "Museums are for old things! I'm not old enough to be in a museum!"

"Oh bollocks. I hadn't thought of it that way," said Hannah.

"That is rather depressing," said Thomas. "Hannah, I've changed my mind - can I have some more ale? Or possibly Firewhisky."

"Get it yourself," said Hannah. "I'm afraid I'll break a hip on the way to getting it."

"You know, I was dead happy about being in a book," said Millicent. "Now I'm feeling like I'm ready for retirement."

"You've depressed my wife," said Neville to Finnigan. "Some friend you turned out to be."

"Not only that, he's reminded you that your brand-new wife is old," groaned Hannah.

"I don't mind," said Neville softly. "I'll still be happy with you, no matter how old you get."

"Keep it private, you two!" groaned Anthony.

*********
December 1, 1998: Hannah

"Oh fuck - sorry!" Draco blurted, and backed out hastily, slamming the door. He really hadn't needed to see the Muggle-born's naked tits bouncing, her back arched, as she rode some sixth-year Ravenclaw boy in the Diggory girls' dorm while another boy lay on the bed, very obviously spent and sated, watching the proceedings with a lazy smile. And he really didn't need the almost visceral jolt of arousal at the sight, despite the identity of the-

"What is it?" Granger said behind him, and Draco jumped and turned around.

"Erm." Draco was caught completely at a loss. He'd come here for a reason... hadn't he?

"Are you all right?" Granger asked.

"Yes, fine," said Draco curtly. "Why? What do you want?"

"I want to go into my dormitory," Granger said coolly, and started to reach for the handle.

"Don't!" Draco blurted

Granger's eyebrows leapt up. "Why not?"

"It's, erm, being occupied."

"For heaven's sake, I've got to-" she stopped. "Ah." She turned rather bright red, and Draco realized his face was probably every bit as rosy as her own.

"Right. I'll, erm, I can get my things later."

They stood in awkward silence for a beat.

"Were you... did you come here looking for someone?" asked Granger, and Draco blinked.

"Yes." Who... oh right! "You, actually." He cleared his throat and forced the distracting image still seared onto his mind's eye to go away. "It, erm, occurred to me that if we have students who aren't of age staying here, McGonagall will probably want us to put in the spells that prevent boys from going into the girls' dormitories, like they have in the other Houses. I was wondering if you would have any idea of how to cast those."

Granger was immediately interested. "The chaperone spells? No, I don't, but I would love to learn them. Hogwarts: A History mentions them-"

"But it doesn't give details as to how they're cast," said Draco.

Granger's mouth dropped open slightly. "You've actually read it?" she asked.

"Of course," Draco gave her a puzzled look. "So you don't know them either?"

"No, but I'm sure the library would have details... possibly in the Restricted Section so students don't try to undo them..." she trailed off, then looked at her watch. "Unfortunately it's close to closing time. Damn."

"Surely we can get permission to stay past closing, if it's for the good of the school."

"All the plans for expanding the House don't have to be finalized today," Granger pointed out. "We only just started talking about it this afternoon."

"I'd like to have as much ready as possible when we talk to McGonagall tomorrow."

"Well the library opens tomorrow at eight. I'll be happy to do research then."

"Good. Thanks."

They stood for a moment, only then remembering the awkwardness of their situation as they waited for Hannah and the two boys in the dorm to finish up.

Bloody hell, at this rate, Draco was not only going to be the only Diggory House bloke other than Neville who'd never bedded Hannah Abbott; he would be possibly the only one over the age of sixteen who hadn't had the dubious pleasure.

Not so dubious. Those two boys certainly looked like she was making them fairly happy. So had Goldstein and Thomas and Finnigan and even stolid little Macmillan. And it suddenly occurred to him that it weren't for the blood status and over-friendliness of the girl, he certainly wouldn't mind losing his virginity at some point in the foreseeable future.

"Erm... does this happen a lot?" Draco asked, the intense discomfort of talking to one Muggle-born about another losing to his desire to not just stand here stupidly saying nothing.

Granger looked embarrassed. "Some," she said. "She's. She's acting out."

"Acting out what?"

"She's trying to deal with what she went through last year."

"How? By bedding half the castle?"

"Do you know what happened to Hannah last year?" Granger said, her voice hard.

"Was it any worse than what happened to you?" he asked. Granger frowned, but reluctantly shook her head. "Why aren't you out sleeping with everyone in sight, then?"

"My parents are both still alive," Granger said. "And safe. Hannah lost her mother. And her father didn't want her to ever come back here. Don't you dare judge her."

"I lost my father too," Draco snapped. "He's not dead, but he might as well be. He'll never get out-"

"It isn't the same. Her father won't talk to her any more. She's got nobody, really. If this is how she chooses to deal with that, I won't judge her."

"Her father really didn't want her to come back?" Draco blinked. It had honestly never occurred to him that Muggles wouldn't jump at the chance to be part of the wizarding world, even vicariously though their children.

"The wizarding world wasn't terribly safe for people like us," Granger said evenly. "Would you want your children involved in a world this dangerous?"

He had no idea. "Why did your parents not take you away too, then?"

"I didn't give them the choice," said Granger. "I sent them away and gave them new memories to keep them safe, but I stayed because I had to."

Draco blinked. Somehow it had also never occurred to him that Granger must have had parents too, and that they might have had an opinion on their daughter's life.

"Don't presume to judge any of us, Draco," Granger said coldly, then turned on her heel and left.

*********
December 10, 2017: Dear Mother

Dear Mother:

Please come to the station to pick me up. I'm sorry I said I wanted to get home by myself. Patsy's parents are coming to get her and she says they're a bit nervous about being in a wizarding place so I told her you and Father could help them find their way so they won't be too lost. She said when they dropped her off in September they weren't sure the wizarding world was a safe place, but I said if they meet people who've always lived in the wizarding world they'll see it's not so scary. Could you also get Tiggy to come? Patsy wants her parents to meet a house elf.

-Scorpius

Dear Scorpius:

Your father and I will be glad to see you and meet your friend Patsy's parents. And Tiggy will be delighted. She's a little dotty right now, but the elf Healers said she should be all right by Christmas, as long as we don't wear anything green too close to her. Please tell your friend to pass along the warning to her parents. She won't do anything scary if they forget, but she will sing, and I don't think that would make for a very good impression of the wizarding world.

-Mother

*********
December 10, 1998: Get over yourself

"There's a lot of students not going home for Christmas this year," said Astoria.

"How many?" asked Draco.

"A lot of them. Some of them are very young, but they no longer have families to go home to. Or... well, in the case of a few of the Slytherins, they no longer have families they want to go home to."

"Why?"

"Two of them are still spouting the same rubbish their parents spouted, but their parents have changed their tune - at least in public - so that's bound to make for a Happy Christmas for all concerned. Two others have taken up friendships with Muggle-borns. It hasn't gone over well."

"They can come here," Draco said. He looked around the common room. "Any objections?"

A chorus of No's answered him, and Astoria gave him a grateful smile.

"Are you going home?" he asked.

"No," she said, and Queenie frowned.

"Mum's going to go mental," she said.

"I really don't care, Queenie," said Astoria. "I'm needed here."

"Astoria," snapped Queenie. "Look, with all due respect to your lofty and terribly important Head Girliness? You're not that indispensable. Do us all a favour and get over yourself, please." She stood up and stalked back to her dormitory.

*********
December 25, 2017: Dear Draco

Dear Draco:

Please let Astoria know that her Christmas Eve dinner was lovely. The meal was excellent and the refreshments tastefully presented. Your house elf, however, could use some firm, kind discipline. I will be happy to help if Astoria is unsure of how to proceed in that area. As well, the decorations were charming, but missed some of the elegance that your home deserves. If Astoria is unwilling to learn how to improve in that area, I would be happy to do it for her next year.

Scorpius is turning into a fine young man. You must be proud.

I neglected to let you know last night: I received an owl from your father, who reports that he is well, though still a bit under the weather from the Pogrebin Flu a few weeks ago. His release plan is proceeding well, and he will hopefully be able to celebrate Christmas with us next year.

Do give my regards to your lovely wife, and thank her for a charming dinner despite its minor shortcomings.

Love,

- Mother

*********
December 25, 1998: Home alone

Draco took an appreciative sip of his cognac. It wasn't that bad, Christmas alone with just the two of them. Mother had been sent a few invitations to social functions, and had graciously declined, sending flowers and expressing deep regret at being unable to attend and inviting the families in question to the manor after Christmas. She hadn't said, but Draco suspected that she had not been at all sure that she could pull off being a single woman at a society function at a time like this, and that she didn't feel like putting herself out there to be mocked or ostracized, but that she might be willing to be social again next year, assuming she was invited anywhere.

So they had eaten Christmas dinner alone, and then retired to the fireplace in the parlour.

He looked around the room approvingly. The manor was slowly being rebuilt. The atrium was a mess and the entire east wing was off-limits - Mother said it was due to dangerous magic residue from the Dark Lord's stay here, but Draco suspected it had more to do with horrible memories and significantly depleted funds with which to repair the place. Which probably also contributed to why they weren't being seen in society much these days.

"Is there anybody special in your life, Draco?" asked Mother out of the blue.

Draco blinked, startled. "As in..."

"Is there any girl you are particularly friendly with these days?"

Draco was literally left speechless. His mother's tone was calm, as if this were a perfectly normal question, and not the first time she'd ever asked anything of the kind of him.

"Oh. Erm. No, not really."

"That's too bad."

Silence descended again. Good. She'd only brought it up to make conversation, then. Draco searched his mind for something to say, wondering if perhaps she felt the stilted nature of their relationship as keenly as he did. Funny how neither had ever realized just how completely Father dominated their lives until he was gone.

"I heard Astoria Greengrass is doing well as Head Girl this year," said Mother.

Draco nodded, his face flushing slightly.

"What about her?"

"What about her... what?" he asked.

"She's a pretty girl, I've heard."

Draco closed his eyes, mortified. "Mother..."

"Have you thought about her in that way?"

"I - no, I, it's been a busy year."

"Do you find her attractive?"

"Mother!" His cheeks heated up and he stared into the fire, determinedly avoiding his mother's gaze.

"You could do worse than her, you know."

"I don't - this is ridiculous," he said, putting down his cognac.

"Ridiculous? In what way?"

"I am not going to ask out a girl just because you tell me to!"

"Why not? If it makes sense, and the girl is attractive enough, and-"

"Mother! I am old enough to figure out who I want to date!"

"Well you aren't finding anyone on your own, are you?"

"But-"

"You're a handsome young man, you're intelligent and well-brought up, you-" she cut herself off and Draco could hear the hastily abandoned 'You come from one of the finest wizarding families'. "Your father and I were quite pleased when it appeared that you and Pansy Parkinson were an item," she said, and Draco swallowed hard, utterly mortified. "She may not have been what we wanted for you as far as looks and personality, but she was from a good family. The Parkinsons are very good friends of ours, and it was good that-"

"Mother, please."

"You're a young man, you need to find a nice young woman to settle down with-"

"Merlin, Mother!" snapped Draco. "I'm not interested in settling down!"

"You have to think of your future. Even if it didn't end up lasting, it could be very advantageous for you to be seen with-"

"I am not going to talk about this any more," Draco said firmly, stood up, and left the parlour. Enough was enough.

Mother didn't understand. She didn't understand that what had been exciting and easy with Pansy was impossible with Astoria. The family background was only part of it. He didn't have the confidence any more, and Astoria did. She was almost untainted by the war, or was at least able to act like it. He? Was soaked in it.

*********
January 9, 2018: Let's do lunch

"I miss her so much," said Hermione. "It's only been a week, but the house feels even emptier than when she left in September. She's so far away." She picked up her wine glass and gazed into it thoughtfully.

"She's doing well, according to Scorpius," said Draco.

Hermione gave him a small smile. "I keep thinking next year Hugo will be gone too and I don't know what I'll do. The house will be so empty... it's funny but when they were small sometimes I wished I could have back the quiet, tidy house we had before they came along." She took a sip of her wine. "And now I feel as though a home with no children isn't really a home at all."

Draco dropped his eyes and moved his pasta around on his plate aimlessly for a moment.

Hermione made a sudden soft sound of distress. "Oh, God I'm sorry." She covered her eyes with her hand. "I... God, I'm so sorry. I forgot. I didn't mean..."

Draco shrugged. "It's all right. Our home is feeling a bit empty at the moment, but I'm sure we'll adapt quickly enough."

"Don't you miss him?"

"Yes," Draco said shortly, and took a bite of his pasta. Every day. He missed his son, hearing his voice, listening to his odd little conversations, playing chess with him. Who on earth had decided that it was a good idea to break up wizarding families for the last seven years of a child's childhood? It was insane. "Yes, a bit. We're keeping busy, though."

"Yes, I heard." She paused. "You know, that's something that you should talk about."

Draco stiffened and drew back. "I don't much want to, Granger."

"Don't be angry."

"I'm not angry."

"You fall back to last names when you're angry," she said patiently.

"Do I?"

Hermione chuckled. "Yes. Astoria and I noticed that a long time ago."

"You know, I really don't need my wife and you conspiring against me."

"Then do as we say. We usually have your best interests at heart."

"What do you mean?"

"At that information meeting, d'you remember how Lore sounded? He's still going in the same direction. The book, the museum exhibit, it's all going to be about the DA, and the other famous people - including the ones who weren't even bloody well there - and nothing about the ones who did just as much or more. Like you, and Astoria."

"That's what the public wants."

"Draco, you worked hard to create what we made. And you've worked hard ever since. People deserve to know that. Your family deserves for you to tell the world." She paused. "And Scorpius deserves it most of all."

*********
January 9, 1999: Sugar Quills

"Astoria, do you want to go to Hogsmeade?" asked Draco casually in the corridor, and wondered if an outsider - namely, Astoria - would be able to hear how little of his nonchalance was genuine.

Astoria blinked and looked up at him, her mouth slightly open. "Are you asking me out on a date?"

Draco's eyebrows shot up. What?

What kind of girl asked such a thing? This wasn't how it was supposed to be played. A girl was supposed to try to divine the intentions of the boy who asked her, try to figure out what the boy wanted, what she wanted, how to encourage him if they both wanted the same thing and discourage him if they didn't - who did Astoria think she was, Loony Lovegood? Just blindly blundering through a delicate social interaction with all the grace of a troll? He really would've expected better from her.

"I am asking if you're going to Hogsmeade," he said stiffly. "A few of the other Diggory House people are going, and I have to go to Honeydukes. My mother likes Sugar Quills. I was going to go with Millicent, she knows which ones my mother likes, but she's still at her parents' until Monday."

Astoria looked unsure, and Draco felt a surge of annoyance. He wasn't really up to his usual social standards here; his excuse sounded just like what it was, an excuse. He'd planned to use if she'd said no, as a face-saving out, but the way she'd just blurted the question made his own planned gesture sound blurted as well.

And yet Astoria hadn't said no, he realized.

"So are you going?" he asked, and this time he did sound nonchalant.

"Oh. Yes. Yes, I am."

They started to head down towards Hogsmeade, and Draco paused. "Oh - we should wait for Queenie," he said, knowing Queenie was probably at the village already, but wanting to make it clear that he had not really intended this to be a romantic outing.

Astoria gave him a strange look. "She's down there already."

"Oh is she?" he said. "That's too bad. We can catch up with her when we get there, if you'd like."

"No, that's all right. I see enough of her," said Astoria.

"What did you think of your exams?" Draco asked after a few moments as they made their way through the snow.

"They were all right," said Astoria indifferently. "I haven't really had a chance to do much studying this year."

"You don't want to leave them to the last minute," said Draco.

"How were yours last year?" she asked pointedly.

Draco stiffened slightly. "Touché. I don't think there were many of us who were doing well, though."

"Less competition, though, from the brains who were missing or in prison," said Astoria, and it was very difficult to figure out what she meant from her bland tone.

"I suppose so."

They got to Honeydukes, and he found it was rather pleasant, spending time with her in a setting outside of the school. Interesting, too, to be in Hogsmeade on what was not really a Hogsmeade weekend. There was almost nobody there except for Diggory House students and some professors. It was fairly enjoyable, picking out sweets, chatting about their Christmas holidays - not that either had much to say, as she had spent it at the school and Draco had spent almost all of it alone with his mother - and it all felt almost relaxing and natural until they were headed out to The Three Broomsticks and she turned and faced him again.

"Draco, why did you ask me here?"

Draco frowned. "I told you, I was coming to Hogsmeade and-"

"I don't think so. You've been somewhat more attentive towards me ever since you came back from Christmas hols."

"Have I?" said Draco.

Astoria gave him a level look, then pushed open the door to the Broomsticks and went in. They moved to one of the many empty tables, politely averting their gaze from the corner where Thomas and Susan Bones were holding hands and gazing deeply into each other's eyes, and she said nothing further until their order of Butterbeer arrived.

"You have been acting differently towards me since you came back," she said.

"Different how?"

"Different, as in, talking to me a great deal more. Seeking me out."

"I had a rather dull holiday," said Draco. "Ten days cooped up in the Manor with my mother wasn't exactly thrilling. It's nice to talk about something other than what the roses will look like on the south lawn this year."

"Did you and your mother talk about anything else, then?" said Astoria.

Draco dropped his eyes. Bugger it all, why did he feel he couldn't lie to her? Where was his suave smoothness, his casual air of indifference, which had always worked so well on Pansy and the other Slytherin girls?

Granted, Pansy was thicker than a concussed troll, and Astoria was definitely not. Still.

"All right," said Draco, and went for a casual tone once more. "My mother did mention that she wanted to see me take more of an interest in social life."

"Was I mentioned specifically?"

"Why would you think so?"

"Because I'm here with you, Draco. You don't appear to have asked Neville or Dean or even Queenie to help you pick out Sugar Quills for your mother."

"How do you know that I didn't, and got turned down?"

"Woman's intuition. Did your mother ask you to find some nice pureblooded girl to be seen with? Help rehabilitate the Malfoy name once more?"

"What if she did?" asked Draco. "There's nothing wrong with the idea."

"Unless she asked you make sure I'm the nice pureblooded girl."

Draco sat back, stung. "Why would that be out of the question?"

"It's not that you're not attractive, Draco," said Astoria, and Draco felt himself blushing. "And if it weren't for your family, I might even be in favour of seeing whether we were compatible as a couple."

Draco blinked, not sure he'd ever heard romance described in a more practical, crushingly cynical way. Even by his mother.

"But given that I'm also from a family that is desperately trying to move forward and step out of its own mess, it's not terribly likely that my parents would approve, is it?"

Draco dropped his gaze.

"And you must have known that," said Astoria.

"I did," Draco admitted.

"Then why go ahead with this?" She indicated the two of them.

Draco raised his head again. "My mother has gone through a great deal, all right? I wanted to be able to tell her honestly that I had tried."

Astoria nodded, and brought her mug to her lips. She sipped delicately, then put down the mug. "Can I ask you something?" she said softly.

"Yes?"

"Was this... did you only ask me because of your mother?" she asked, fiddling with the ribbon on her box of Honeydukes chocolates.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, if your mother hadn't pushed you... would you be interested? In me?"

Draco sat speechless for a moment. Astoria's face was bright red and she looked like she was already deeply regretting having asked the question, and Draco couldn't quite believe she had either. It was the most completely un-Slytherin he'd seen her do so far.

He took a deep breath. Well, if they were going to be un-Slytherin...

"I would. I... I am," he said, his voice low. "Only... I thought it wouldn't be practical, what with your family and all."

Astoria nodded quickly. "I - I'm sorry, it was none of my business, only... sorry." She took another sip of her Butterbeer.

Draco gazed into the bubbles floating in his own mug. "Can I ask... if it weren't for your family, would you... would you be interested back?"

Astoria hunched her shoulders slightly, obviously incredibly uncomfortable. "It doesn't matter, does it? I won't go against them. I can't." She glanced up at him quickly. "And that's not a fair answer. I." She cleared her throat. "Yes, I would." She shrugged. "It doesn't make any difference, though."

"No," said Draco, then found himself smiling unexpectedly. "But it is nice to know."

*********
January 11, 2018: The House Survives

Dear Mr. Malfoy:

Enclosed is the section you asked to read, from Part VII of The Fifth House: The House Survives

By the end of the first year, Diggory House had grown far beyond its initial size. In addition to the original fourteen members, twelve others finished the year living in dormitories the Diggory House members created for them, with many others having spent days or weeks or months within their safe walls before venturing back into the traditional Houses.

The following school year saw a new crop of students move into Diggory House. What had been envisioned as a one-year arrangement to help students make up classes they'd missed and use their help in rebuilding the school was extended. Three of the new group were Muggle-borns who had missed their sixth year and had been unable to catch up, and were thus still a year behind. Two of the class of 1998, who had declined to return to the school when it first reopened, came back after all. Two sixth-year Slytherin students who had spent a great deal of the previous year in Diggory House petitioned to be allowed to do their entire seventh year in Diggory, and were permitted to do so.

And two of the founding members returned for another year. Anthony Goldstein had decided to study at Hogwarts for another year, using the library to conduct very advanced studies into Gem Transfigurations, going far beyond what is usually expected of students at NEWT level. Neville Longbottom also returned, taking part in a sort of apprenticeship with Herbology Professor Pomona Sprout, to prepare him to take over her duties when she retired.

The year after that, Diggory House was once again occupied. Two of the previous year's members hadn't passed most of their NEWTs on the first try, and had been permitted another year to try to finish them out of consideration for disabilities incurred during the war. Four more students stayed on for additional education, as Anthony Goldstein had done. Three students were transferred from Slytherin to Diggory.

A year later, a married couple who had attended Beauxbatons asked to come and spend a year studying Professor Dumbledore's extensive work in Transfigurations, some of which had never been published, in an effort to bring more of his groundbreaking research to the wider public. They stayed in Diggory House for convenience, rather than rent a house in Hogsmeade as foreign researchers at Hogwarts had always done. Their work, published in various publications such as "Transfiguration Today", "Tricky Transfigurations", and "Transfigurations Theory and Practice", and later published in its entirety in Albus Dumbledore and the Transfigured Treasures, brought major developments to the field and is still regarded as a definitive work on the subject of Useful Tool-to-Animal transfigurations.

The foreign scholars were joined in Diggory House that year by three of the permanently transferred Slytherins, two sets of twins who had been Sorted into separate Houses, and three post-NEWT students. The school decided that year to make the post-NEWT positions a permanent fixture in the school, and established eighth-year positions for post-NEWT studies in Potions, Herbology, Astronomy, and Runes.

The next year, Arithmancy and Muggle Studies were added to the list.

Today Diggory House contains up to nine post-NEWT students, assorted transferees from other Hogwarts Houses - though transferring is still discouraged - and an ever-shifting collection of scholars from around the British Isles and the larger wizarding world who come to Hogwarts to study. There are generally ten to twenty students in residence. As of 2013 the House even has its own Quodpot team, though putting together a seven-player Quidditch team may not ever be feasible.

The road to this current state was not without controversy. Perhaps the most difficult was the decision as to whether or not to allow persons who had been convicted of crimes against other students to move in to Diggory once their sentences were served. As well, the decision to allow younger students - especially Slytherin students - to move in to the House permanently met with much debate.

[Note: this part of the chapter is not yet finished. We have had trouble deciding what to include and exclude from this section. Our archivists have set themselves a deadline of February 12th, at which point they will either throw a sheaf of parchments containing the different proposed subsections into the air and publish whichever one lands closest to our statue of Bathilda Bagshott, or scrap the subsection altogether.]

*********
January 11, 1999: Gregory Goyle

"Greg Goyle's been released from prison," said Draco.

Ernie Macmillan's quill froze in mid-letter.

"And?" asked Patil.

"He wants to come to school. His trial said he could."

"He's on probation," she said.

"So was Draco," Astoria reminded Patil. "Until a month ago."

"Are you asking if he can bunk here with us?" asked Thomas.

"Not a chance," said Neville immediately, and Finnigan and Goldstein concurred.

Thomas's brow furrowed. "Why not? Granted, he wasn't the most friendly bloke, but-"

"But you weren't here last year," said Finnigan, his normally good-natured face set and bitter. "You didn't see what he did."

Macmillan swallowed hard and put down his quill with a shaking hand. Hannah Abbott moved closer to him, taking his hand in hers and Draco's eyebrows went up as Macmillan turned to her and hugged her close, shivering. He'd have sworn those two hadn't been together since before Christmas, but she was stroking his hair and he was visibly calming down at her touch.

"He wouldn't have to go in a dormitory," said Astoria. "He could go in the guest room. It's empty right now-"

"No," said Hannah forcefully. "Not a chance. We won't have him here. It's supposed to be a safe place." Draco suddenly realized he hadn't heard her say more than a few words all year. Moans didn't count.

"He's not even a student, anyway," said Finnigan.

"Neither am I," said Neville. "I'm mostly here to help Professor Sprout; I already had most of my NEWTs anyway. And Susan mostly helps in the library and the owlery, so she's not really a student either. That's not the point."

Astoria sat back. "What is the point?" she asked softly.

"He hurt too many of us."

"There are other students staying here who hurt people," said Draco. "You couldn't really succeed in some classes without doing it."

"I can't. All right?" Macmillan looked up and there were tears in his eyes. "I can't. I'm sorry, but I'm not going to sleep in the same room as the boy who - who-"

"He had to," said Draco, completely off-balance. He didn't know what he'd expected, but it wasn't this. After how calmly his House had accepted letting in some other students, even those who were still spouting unpopular opinions, he'd assumed it would be a given that soon he wouldn't be the only Slytherin in the boys' dorm, the only non-member of the DA. "It was for class."

"Don't give me that rubbish!" Neville snapped, and Draco gaped at him. "He enjoyed it, you know he did!" he said, and Draco hadn't seen him this angry since he'd sliced off that horrible snake's head. "And he didn't even do me so bad, but I still hear Tim Ogilvie screaming - bloody hell, Draco, he was thirteen years old!"

Astoria nodded. "I'm sorry. You're right. I'm... we shouldn't even have asked." Draco blinked and opened his mouth to protest but she shook her head at him quickly. "I honestly didn't mean to bring back painful memories for any of you." She swallowed hard. "Ernie, I'm so sorry."

Macmillan pressed his lips together and nodded shakily.

Astoria nodded. "Right. I'll let McGonagall know. Is it... we may not have a choice about this, as it's partly the Wizengamot's decision to make, but what should I say about whether or not he can attend classes?"

Neville glanced around the gathered students, then hesitated. "I think... I can't speak for everyone. But if he's only attending a few classes... I think we'd be all right with that." He hesitated. "Would we?"

Macmillan nodded. "You may want to ask some of the others, though."

"The others who came up at his trial?" said Astoria.

"Yeah. I'll give you a list - no, that would be inappropriate. I'll... I'll talk to them."

"Thank you," said Astoria, and Draco felt a shiver go down his spine as he realized Macmillan was referring to the eleven other students Goyle had been convicted of torturing far past the limits of what had been required for class.

That didn't bear thinking about. He stood up, his thoughts whirling, and noted distantly that Astoria was hastily standing as well.

"Thank you, Ernie. I'm truly sorry about this," she was saying quickly but earnestly as she followed Draco. "Draco, hold on, please, I forgot I needed to talk to you about the chaperone spells-" she hurried up to him. "Are you going to the library?"

Draco blinked, having had no goal in mind when he'd stood up other than leaving the common room as quickly as possible. "Yes. I need to... pick up a book."

"Good, we can talk on the way," said Astoria, and they left the House.

Draco stopped outside the Diggory door. "What about the chaperone spells?" he said brusquely.

Astoria blinked. "What?"

"You needed to talk to me about it?"

"No, you dolt, that was just an excuse."

Draco frowned. "Why did you follow me, then?"

"I... I wanted to say I was sorry about Goyle-"

Draco narrowed his eyes, anger flashing through him. "Are you? Really? You certainly didn't seem so in there."

"They felt pretty strongly about-"

"How could you? You just cut him loose! You didn't do that for anybody else we let in - why was Goyle any different?"

"Are you serious? Did you see how they felt in there? Do you honestly think we had a hope in hell of convincing them?" Astoria shook her head. "I am not going to go out on a limb for a cause I cannot possibly win. We need to be logical and practical, Draco. Some battles are not worth fighting. We would lose, and gain nothing but bitterness and hostility from the rest of them."

"So Goyle is just a battle to be thrown, is he?"

"Frankly? Yes," she said, and turned on her heel and stalked away, leaving Draco gaping after her.