The Other Potter

The Announcement

With the new school term brings new irritation in the form of Draco Malfoy. I know he always makes special stops to talk to Harry-Anna Jackson told me he actually looks at his watch to see if it's late enough to stop and talk to him-but this is the first he's made a special stop for me.

"What?" I whine dramatically when I see him in the doorway.

"Now, now, remember that you need to respect your superiors."

"Yeah, but that's not you." Talia says. Malfoy narrows his eyes before turning back to me.

"Just because your relatives are thieves without the ability to make an honest living."

"Second cousin. What do you want, Malfoy?" I demand, not all that thrilled Malfoy brought up Mundungus Fletcher. 

"I just asked your brother and he denied it but I know you wouldn't. You'd do anything to be in the spotlight."

"I hate the spotlight."

"You constantly put yourself in it, what with your pranking."

"If it weren't for that damn musical curse I would never have been a suspect let alone caught." I say bitterly.

"And you've loved being the center of attention ever since."

"Can you leave? Now." I say bitterly. When it looks like he's about to open his mouth again I actually use magic to get him out of our hair. "Anyway, where were we?"

"Do you think the lake will flood?" Talia asks, looking out the carriage window into the rain. The only thing that can be seen is a sheet of wet.

"I don't know, but I don't fancy crossing that lake right about now." Brooks says, running his hands through his wet hair.

"Has anyone ever fallen into the lake, do you know?" I ask.

"No. I think there's some enchantment on the boats to keep that from happening." I ask the three of them.

"But say there wasn't." I say and Talia laughs.

"Then the Giant Squid gained a buddy." She says with her smirk that's basically harmless but scares others.

Once we reach the castle we all run up the stairs to keep from being in the rain too long.

"Merlin, if it keeps up the lake is going to-argh!" Ron says as we walk through the door. I look up to see Peeves with his arms full of water balloons.

"Hell no." I say, pushing the Jacob-who is to my left and closest to the door-towards the Great Hall. That doesn't stop both Brooks and me from getting pelted.

"PEEVES!" Brooks says, pushing his messy brown hair out of his eyes. Talia nudges him onward to get out of the line of fire. Once we're safely in the Great Hall Brooks leads us to the Hufflepuff table. "A little wet outside."

After the sorting and we're give the go to eat conversations erupt all over the hall.

"So, how was the rest of your holiday?" I ask the others.

"Quidditch World Cup." Jacob says and I raise my eyebrows.

"Who won?" Talia asks, having been able to attend herself.

"Ireland but Viktor Krum caught the snitch." I tell her.

"You were able to go?" She asks.

"Rude." I say, pointing my fork at her.

"Would have given my left arm to see that." Talia says, shaking her head in dismay. An hour later the crumbs disappear and Dumbledore stands back up.