A Change Of Seasons

The trip back to the castle was uneventful luckily. None of the first years landed in the lake, the sorting hat sang modestly of the 4 founders, many new house members were sorted, the school song was sung to bout 100 different tunes, and finally after being told to "Nip Out" the feast was underway. Sir Nicolas inquired of course, after the health of Harry and his friends, having been on quite good terms with them since back in 2nd year they'd attended his 'DeathDay Party" and he was still incredibly grateful, even if they had ducked out of the party early.

At the end of the feast Professor Dumbledore rose to make a few announcements though, and that's where the trouble began. Atleast, according to some, that's where things took a dramatic turn for the worse.

"Welcome all to another year at Hogwarts. Please note that as per usual, the Forbidden Forest is off limits to ALL students, and anyone caught there will suffer grave consequences. Mr. Filch asks to remind you that the corridors must remain magic free whilst changing classes, and late night wanderings will not be tolerated." Albus said while giving Harry a quick glance behind twinkling eyes.

"Now this year students there will be a few changes. Most of you are unawares but over the summer our Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Fleur De'Lacour, was recalled back to France suddenly. I know that she will be missed having taught here for the past 2 years, but we have scoured high and low for a suitable replacement, and I am happy to say have found such. Please welcome back to our school Professor Lupin!" he said while turning to Remus and clapping.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were clapping as loudly as possible, and cheering as well. Most everyone else who had been there when he had taught them DADA back in 3rd year was equally happy at the return of Remus Lupin. The only exception of this of course, was the Slytherins. Harry glanced over and saw very few if any were clapping, and his eyes came to rest on Draco Malfoy, and oddly enough, Malfoy was looking right back at Harry. Harry was a bit taken aback when he realized that not only was Malfoy looking at him, but wasn't giving him the normal leering gaze, instead he was looking at him in a way Harry wasn't sure he wanted to interpret, and turned his gaze back to the high table.

Oddly enough as the exchange was between Malfoy and himself just now, Harry found something even odder. Snape was also gazing at someone with a strange look, and that someone was Remus J. Lupin. What was probably the strangest of all was, that Remus was returning that gaze equally. For a moment Harry's mind went blank, he couldn't understand what either the looks from Malfoy, nor Snape and Remus were all bout, and somehow he was sure he didn't want to know...atleast not now.

"Harry, Harry it's going to be great having Remus teaching us again isn't it? Think of all the neat things we'll get to learn now that we're 7th years!" Ron was saying, though Harry hadn't even realized he was talking to him till then.

"Err..yeah Ron, it will be great to have him back." He said still a bit dazed.

"Now students, I know you are all wanting to go back to your dorms so I will not keep you much longer. There will be a few other changes this year for the 7th years that you will shortly become aware of, and our esteemed Professors Snape and Lupin have been more then amiable to help coordinate this. Tomorrow morning the rest of you will be assigned your classes, however I request all 7th years to remain in their common rooms until your head of houses can join you. Until then, that is all." Dumbledore said and everyone proceeded out of the Great Hall.

"Oh I wonder what's planned this year for us! Maybe some extra study time you think? We do have N.E.W.T.S this year you know boys!" Hermione said.

"Awe 'Mione, did you have to remind us on the first day? Oi! We haven't even had a chance to get to the dorms yet you know, give us a break!" Ron said pretending to sound upset.

"Oh you!" Hermione said giving Ron a punch in the arm. "Harry, you'll be allright going back to the dorms right? The password is "Treguna Mecoites" for now. I'm going to show Ron where the Head Boy and Girl rooms are, it's going to be nice to have our own rooms dont you think Ron?" she said giving Ron a sideways glance and blushing.

Harry chuckled as Ron blushed as well. "Now you two dont do anything I wouldn't approve of!" he said with a grin.

Ron and Hermione only blushed harder and laughed, but that made Hermione decide to ask something Harry wasn't expecting.

"Harry? I know you were supposed to be a prefect this year, why aren't you wearing your badge?" she said.

Harry hoped he did a good job of masking the internal feelings he suddenly felt at that question. "Er well, I turned it down Hermione. Figured as Prefect I wouldn't get enough study time and all you know? Sides, I figured with you and Ron as Head's this year, I can just raid your rooms if I want to use the private baths!" he grinned weakly and gave a little chuckle.

Hermione wasn't really satisfied with that answer but took it for now. "Sure Harry, anytime you want to let us know. Anyway best be off, we'll see you in the commons in the morning then! Come on Ron lets go!" she said grabbing Ron's arm and nearly dragging him off in the other direction, leaving Harry quite alone to his thoughts.

Harry sighed, he didn't really want to tell them or anyone the real reason he had turned down being a prefect. For right now anyway he would let it go, and hope noone else would question him on it. He was happy for Ron though, he'd gotten his wish from years and years ago, when he'd peeked into the Mirror Of Erised. Ron had seen himself as Head Boy, and Captain of the Quidditch team too. Last year Harry had been captain so that part of the mirror's predictions for Ron hadn't come true...atleast not yet. There was always this year though.

Had Harry been paying attention however, he'd have been watching where he was going, but as the case was, he wasn't, and bumped right into someone, knocking them down.

"Sorry didn't see where...." Harry began only to see who it was he'd knocked down and gave a small groan.

"Too busy thinking about Weasley and the mudblood Potter that it?" Draco sneered as he got up off the floor and brushed himself off.

"Aren't you on the wrong side of the dungeons Malfoy? Why dont you just go crawl back under whatever rock you slithered out from, and leave me the hell alone already." Harry said angrily. He really didn't need to start with Malfoy right now, he had enough on his mind.

"Nice come back Potter, you getting rusty with your old age or you finally ran out of decent insults?" Draco sneered again at him, and looked Harry straight into his eyes.

Harry met Draco's gaze coolly, but somehow he found he couldn't look away. No matter how he tried, whatever he was bout to say ran right out of his head, and all he could do was stare back at Draco's eyes. *Strange eyes, wonder why I never noticed how grey they were before.....* Harry suddenly thought to himself, then pulled himself up sharply.

"Just sod off Malfoy, just leave me alone!" Harry nearly screamed and turned as fast as he could away from him and speed down the corridor towards the Gryffindor commons. His mind was reeling all sorts of strange thoughts, and he didn't know exactly a'toll how to deal with them.

*Why? Why all of a sudden does Malfoy make me feel like this? I hate him, I know I hate him....but yet...dammit I'm so confused! Maybe I just need sleep, that's it. A good nights sleep will help, and tomorrow this will all be just a bad nightmare I can forget.* Harry thought to himself and stifled a yawn. He got to the fat lady, said the password, and headed up to his dorm. Luckily noone was there, and he'd been able to avoid pretty much everyone in the commons, so he put his pyjamas on, closed his curtains, and tried to fall sleep. His mind was still trying to think, but his body in the end won out, and 10 minutes later he was fast in the land of dreams.

In the Slytherin dorm Draco Malfoy too was in bed, but hardly sleeping. His mind was thinking of things that had happened to him over the summer, and how much he had changed, even if noone was aware of it yet. His mind focused on his task, and how agonizing it was to have to keep up appearances he no longer wanted. He had changed more then he'd thought possible over the summer, but for his own safety, he couldn't let on. There was only one person he really wanted to show how much he'd changed to, only one person who could maybe understand, and it was really because of this one person that Draco had changed.

*You belong to me even if you dont yet know it, and I wont lose this time. You can beat me at everything else Harry James Potter...but you wont be me at my own game. This time it's for keeps....* Draco thought smugly to himself. This year he wasn't going to sit on the bylines and watch, no, this year he was going to catch what he sought, even if it meant breaking every rule he could think of to do it. Even if it meant making sacrifices, even if it meant the scorn of everyone he knew, including his own family. Because some sacrifices were well worth it, and to Draco, Harry Potter was worth everything...and the only hope he had for salvation.

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2002-02-05 10:58:26 PM