Harry Potter and the Rise of the Slytherin Prince

Visions

The entire gang slept late into the morning, oblivious to the hustle and bustle of most of the student body leaving the grounds. At noon Hermione and Ron sat on either side of the still sleeping Harry, concern beginning to grow. His face was peaceful and Hermione touched his forehead gently to feel for fever, finding none. At the touch Harry stirred and slowly opened his clear green eyes with a smile.

"I had the most wonderful dream," Hermione smiled back with relief as Ron let out a quick sigh. Harry pushed himself up into a sitting position and searched the bedside table for his glasses before it dawned on him his friends had apprehensive expressions on their faces. "Is something wrong? You both look like you're waiting for me to snap."

Ron's smile broadened as Hermione stood and moved to leave the room to allow him to change. "We were just worried about you from last night. And besides, it's past noon and we'd figured you had to be starving by now."

They laughed as Harry's stomach responded to the inquiry with a large growl. They left the dorm and Harry showered and changed quickly finding he still had a mild headache but otherwise unaffected. He met his fellow Gryffindors, including the rest of Ron's school siblings in the common room and headed to the Great Hall for brunch. The only other occupants were Draco, Marsali, Professor Dumbledore and Lupin who were already eating at a single long table. Few other students had stayed behind from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw but no others from Slytherin.

They all enjoyed a wonderful brunch before Professor Dumbledore asked Harry and Draco to accompany him to his office for a few moments. The rest of the gang promised to wait for them before starting the Quidditch game that was the highlight of staying at Hogwarts over Christmas break. Dumbledore's office was unchanged and the Headmaster eased into his chair as the boys sat across from him.

"I understand there was a problem last night following the party?" Dumbledore spoke as if it was a question but both boys knew the old man knew more than they could imagine. Harry quickly detailed exactly what he had felt and seen when Voldermort and Lucius Malfoy had tried to get into his head the night before with Draco filling in his part afterwards. The Headmaster asked them each to go over it one more time while listening intensely before dismissing them. The two boys were quick to the Quidditch pitch, eager to put their difficulties aside even for a short while. Teams were quickly made up with teachers and students all playing for full teams. Hermione and Marsali chose to cheer from the sidelines as their friends zoomed around the field. When it was too dark to see anymore they finally called it a day and headed to the Great Hall for dinner and the evening entertainment.

"Ronald, Ginny, Fred, George!" Everyone was surprised to be greeted by Mrs. Weasley's bone crushing hugs as they entered the hall. No one escaped as one by one she hugged each of her children followed by Harry, Hermione and even the Malfoy siblings. Arthur was more reserved, gently hugging his children but offering handshakes to everyone else. Bill and Charlie Weasley were standing at a table that had been set up for beverages pouring punch into cups.

"What are you all doing here?" Ron shook his brother's hands before accepting a glass of punch from them.

"Dumbledore invited us to stay for Christmas so we could all be together but Harry would have Hogwart's protection." Bill responded quietly in all seriousness with a quick glance to the dark-haired teenager his mother was hugging for the second time. Ron nodded and took a glass of punch to Marsali before sitting at the table. He was surprised when the blond girl sat next to him as the table quickly filled with hungry Quidditch players.

"What is in this punch?" Harry asked a few hours later with a laugh as the room spun slightly when he sat on the couch. Dinner had been a fantastic affair and they had all eaten and drunk their fill. Charlie smiled as Hermione and Marsali giggled hysterically over some joke the twins had told.