The Serpent and the Eagle

The prologue is set in Dumbledore's teenage years in Hogwarts, back when he had a crush on the very gifted Seer Cassandra Trelawney.

Three Hogwarts students reflect on the previous school year.

It's back to Hogwarts for Harry and company! Unfortunately for them, Cho Chang stumbles into Draco Malfoy on the train. Both have revenge festering in their minds, and join forces to punish Harry. A spurned lover interest, and a furious Death Eater's son.

Harry attends the Sorting, and meets a familiar face from the Triwizard Tournament. Little Gabrielle Delacour! But what is it about her that startles Harry so much? Ron and Hermione subtly discuss love lives, and there is more on Cassandra and Albus.

Draco and Cho pay a visit to her room after the Sorting, and get to know each other a little better.

Cassandra is finally released from St. Mungo's, and she and Dumbledore have a touching reunion. Ron and Hermione work out where Harry is hiding, and decide to go and find him. Meanwhile, Cho is woken up by a midnight visitor...

Draco and Cho realise that their little plan for vengeance isn't going as well as could be hoped. And so, Draco produces a highly dangerous and illegal potion, one that could destroy all of Cho's moral and social standards irreperably...

1861: Cassandra and Dumbledore celebrate their engagement much to the disgust of Dumbledore's brother Aberforth. Back in 1996, Harry and Ginny are falling in love, while Cho is keeping secrets from Draco.

A nice, normal evening in the common room turns horribly wrong as Hermione ventures out to get a glass of water. She comes across Draco and Cho in the corridors, and mayhem ensues. Plus, more Cassandra and Albus action!

Hermione wakes up in the hospital wing, crying with pain. To her surprise, someone is there with her, holding her and soothing her... Also, Draco Malfoy is nursing his wounds in his dormitory, weeping for the one he loves who will not come to him...

Cassandra contemplates leaving Albus to spare him the pain of knowing what she truly is. Hermione is fully recovered and returns from the hospital wing to a welcome back party in the Gryffindor Common Room. She and Ron get frisky on the sofa, much to Harry and Ginny’s alarm, and Draco is acting very strangely indeed, not to mention talking to little Gabrielle Delacour…more madness, romance and intrigue from the Serpent and the Eagle, with plenty more to come.

There's something in his soul / O'er which his melancholy sits on brood / And, I do doubt, the hatch and the disclose / Will be some danger. (Shakespeare's