Bones

Chapter 3

        When me, Harry, Ron, and Hermione entered the Great Hall for breakfast the next day, the first thing we saw was Draco Malfoy, who seemed to be entertaining a large group of Slytherins with a very funny story. As we passed, Malfoy did a ridiculous impression of a swooning fit and there was a roar of laughter.

        "Ignore him," I said, right behind Harry. "Just ignore him, it's not worth it..."

        "Hey, Potter!" Pansy Parkinson shrieked, a Slytherin girl with a face like a pug. "Potter! The Dementors are coming, Potter! Woooooooooo!"

        We sat at the Gryffindor table, next to George Weasley.

        "New third-year course schedules," George said, passing then, over. "What's up with you, Harry?"

        "Malfoy," Ron said, glaring over at the Slytherin table.

        George looked up in time to see Malfoy pretending to faint with terror again.

        "That little git," he said calmly. "He wasn't so cocky last night when the Dementors were down at our end of the train. Came running into our compartment, didn't he, Fred?"

        "Nearly wet himself," Fred said, with a contemptuous glance at Malfoy.

        "I wasn't too happy myself," George said. "They're horrible things, those Dementors..."

        "Sort of freeze your insides, don't they?" Fred said.

        "You didn't pass out, though, did you?" Harry said in a low voice.

        "Forget it, Harry," George said bracingly. "Dad had to go out to Azkaban one time, remember, Fred? And he said it was the worst place he'd ever been, he came back all weak and shaking...They suck the happiness out of a place, Dementors. Most of the prisoners go mad in there."

        "Anyway, we'll see how happy Malfoy looks after our first Quidditch match," Fred said. "Gryffindor versus Slytherin, first game of the season, remember?"

        The only time Harry and Malfoy had faced each other in a Quidditch match, Malfoy had definitely come off worse. 

        Hermione was examining her new schedule.

        "Ooh, good, we're starting some new subjects today," she said happily.

        "Hermione," Ron said, frowning as he looked over her shoulder, "they've messed up your timetable. Look -- they've got you down for about ten subjects a day. There isn't enough time."

        "I'll manage. I've fixed it all with Professor McGonagall."

        "But look," Ron said, laughing, "see this morning? Nine o'clock, Divination. And underneath, nine o'clock, Muggle Studies. And --" Ron leaned closer to the timetable, disbelieving, "look -- underneath that, Arithmancy, nine o'clock. I mean, I know you're good, Hermione, but no one's that good. How're you supposed to be in three classes at once?"

        "Don't be silly," I said. "Of course she won't be in three classes at once."

        "Well then --"

        "Pass the marmalade," Hermione said giving me a look.

        "But --"

        "Oh, Ron, what's it to you if my timetable's a bit full?" Hermione snapped. "I told you, I've fixed it all with Professor McGonagall."