Courage

-29-

Book: Courage
Chapter 29
Word Count: 5210

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

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

"Hey, Potter!" shrieked Pansy. "Potter! The dementors are coming, Potter! Woooooooooo!"

Layla rolled her eyes and sat down beside George. Hermione sat beside her and Harry sat opposite her with Ron beside Harrry. Layla stared at all of the food, deciding that she wasn't hungry.

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

"Malfoy," said Ron, glaring over at the Slytherin table. George looked up in time to see Draco 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," said Fred, with a contemptuous glance at Draco.

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

"Sort of freeze your insides, don't they?" said Fred. "I heard you got rid of one all on your own. Patronuses aren't taught until seventh year. How is it that a third year can cast one?"

"My dad taught me," said Layla vaguely with a shrug.

"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," said George.

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

"Ooh, good, we're starting some new subjects today," Hermione said happily. Layla peered over at Hermione's timetable, her eyes widening.

"Woah, how many classes are you taking this year, 'Mione? It looks like all of them! Surely some of those lessons will overlap."

"I'll manage," Hermione shrugged. Ron then checked his own timetable.

"We'd better go, look, Divination's at the top of North Tower. It'll take us ten minutes to get there."

They said their goodbyes to Fred and George and walked back through the Hall.

The journey through the castle to North Tower was a long one. Two years at Hogwarts hadn't taught them everything about the castle, and they had never been inside North Tower before.

"There's — got — to — be — a — short — cut," Ron panted, as they climbed their seventh long staircase and emerged on an unfamiliar landing, where there was nothing but a large painting of a bare stretch of grass hanging on the atone wall.

"I think it's this way," said Layla, peering down the empty passage to the right.

"Can't be," said Ron. "That's south. Look, you can see a bit of the lake out of the window."

Layla glanced at the painting on the wall. A fat, dapple-grey pony had just ambled onto the grass and was grazing nonchalantly. A moment later, a short, squat knight in a suit of armour had clanked into the picture after his pony. By the look of the grass stains on his metal knees, he had just fallen off.