𝐋𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐝 {𝐇. 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫}

84

The weather beyond the train windows was as patchy as it had been all summer; they passed through stretches of the chilling mist, then out into weak, clear sunlight. It was during one of the clear spells, when the sun was visible almost directly overhead, that Ron and Hermione entered the compartment at last.

"Hey, babe," Hermione greeted Johnny with a tender kiss, placing herself on his lap.

"Wish the lunch trolley would hurry up, I'm starving," said Ron longingly, slumping into the seat beside Harry and rubbing his stomach. "Hi, Neville. Hi, Luna. Guess what?" he added, turning to Harry. "Malfoy's not doing prefect duty. He's just sitting in his compartment with the other Slytherins, we saw him when we passed."

"What did he do when he saw you?"

"The usual," said Ron indifferently, demonstrating a rude hand gesture. "Not like him, though, is it? Well... that is"--he did the hand gesture again--"but why isn't he out there bullying first years?"

"Dunno," said Harry, but his mind was racing.

"Maybe he preferred the Inquisitorial Squad," suggested Johnny, wrapping his arms around Hermione's waist. "Maybe being a prefect seems a bit tame after that."

"I don't think so," said Harry. "I think he's--"

But before he could expound on his theory, the compartment door slid open again and a breathless third-year girl stepped inside.

"I'm supposed to deliver these to Johnathan Grindelwald, Neville Longbottom and Harry P-Potter," she faltered, as her eyes met Harry's and she turned scarlet. She was holding out three scrolls of parchment tied with violet ribbon. Perplexed, Johnny, Harry and Neville took the scroll addressed to each of them and the girl stumbled back out of the compartment. "Oh, and the Professor says he's sorry he can't invite Hermione Granger, there just wasn't enough room."

"What is it?" Ron demanded, as Johnny unrolled his.

"An invitation," said Hermione, reading Johnny's invitation.

Johnny,
              I would be delighted if you would join me for a bite of lunch in compartment C. Please tell Ms. Granger there just isn't enough room and she's more than welcome to join us next time.

Sincerely, Professor H.E.F. Slughorn

"Who's Professor Slughorn?" asked Neville, looked perplexedly at his own invitation.

"New teacher," said Harry. "Well, I suppose we'll have to go, won't we?"

"But what does he want me for?" asked Neville nervously, as though he was expecting detention.

"No idea," said Johnny, which wasn't entirely true, though he had no proof yet that his hunch was correct.

"Listen," said Harry, seized by a sudden brain wave, "let's go under the Invisibility Cloak, then we might get a good look at Malfoy on the way, see what he's up to."

This idea, however, came to nothing: the corridors, which were packed with people on the lookout for the lunch trolley, were impossible to negotiate while wearing the cloak. Every now and then, students would hurtle out of their compartments to get a better look at Harry. The exception was Cho, who darted into her compartment when she saw Harry coming. As Harry passed the window, he saw her deep in determined conversation with her friend Marietta, who was wearing a very thick layer of makeup that didn't entirely obscure the odd formation of pimples etched across her face.

When they reached compartment C, they saw at once that they weren't Slughorn's only invitees, although judging by the enthusiasm of Slughorn's welcome, Harry and Johnny was the most warmly anticipated.