Potter's Shadow (Draco Malfoy)

Chapter 51

Draco snuck into the Great Hall shortly after the sorting, sparing a small smile and nod to me before he sunk into his seat beside Blaise at the Slytherin table. 

"Don't worry. He'll be here in a minute," Ron grumbled through his mouthful of food. 

Hermione had barely touched her food and instead was clutching a book to her chest as she stared, regularly, at the door. Personally, I was just enjoying my pudding.

Hermione glared in annoyance before she moved to hit him with the book, "Will you stop eating? Your best friend is missing!"

I laughed, almost choking on my jelly and ice cream at the exchange.

"Oi. Turn around, you lunatic," Ron groaned, sliding away slightly as he rubbed his arm. 

Harry was walking in with Luna, while another student walked the sorting hat out of the hall to be returned to Dumbledore's office. 

"He's covered in blood again. Why is it he's always covered in blood?" Ginny complained. 

"Looks like it's his own this time," Ron remarked. 

Harry's nose was bloody but it appeared to be straight, so at least it wasn't broken. I was actually happily surprised that Draco had left him such good condition. 

"Where have you been?" Hermione hissed as Harry slid into the spare seat we had left between Ginny and I. Right in the middle for interrogation. "What happened to your face?"

Harry sent me a glare as if I was to blame for his nose, "Later. What have I missed?"

I turned to see some of the others staring down the table. I sent a vicious glare, which I had seen Draco use so often, and they all spun back to their meal. I smiled with glee at the fact it had worked, whether they were scared of me or my boyfriend was debatable though. 

Ron was the only one willing to answer, "Sorting hat urged us all to be brave and strong in these troubled times. Easy for it to say, huh? It's a hat, isn't it?"

The movement of the owl at the front gained some of the students attention, including my own. The rest quietened as Dumbledore spoke, "Very best of evenings to you all. First off, let me introduce the newest member of our staff, Horace Slughorn."

Slughorn was a very old-fashioned looking professor. His grey hair sticking out from underneath a square shaped hat, while he stood and waved with a unconvincing smile. We all applauded politely, while Hermione was still giving a concerned look in Harry's direction. 

Dumbledore continued as the applause quietened, "Professor Slughorn, I'm happy to say has agreed to resume his post as potion's master."

This revelation was met with concerned whispers throughout the room at this change. Professor Snape had been in that position as long as any of the students had known. As long as many those student's older siblings too. 

"Meanwhile, the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts will be taken by Professor Snape," Dumbledore explained. 

The applause was tense and resembled that of crickets in a field during the day. Few and far between. The stem of the applause was from the Slytherin table.

"Now, as you know each and every one of you was searched upon your arrival here tonight. And you have the right to know why. Once there was a young man, who, like you sat in this very hall, walked this castle's corridors, slept under it's roof. He seemed to all the world a student like any other. His name? Tom Riddle."

The hall filled with mumbling, "Great bed time story," I groaned leaning against Harry in boredom as he shook his head at my immaturity. 

"Today, of course, he's known all over the world by another name. Which is why, as I stand, looking out upon you all tonight, I'm reminded of a sobering fact. Every day, every hour, this very minute, perhaps, dark forces attempt to penetrate this castle's walls. But in the end, their greatest weapon is you. Just something to think about. Now off to bed. Pip pip," he concluded.