Before Things Change, Harry Potter Year 6

7. The Slug Club

Lilly's POV
The last few weeks of break all Harry talked about was Malfoy and then he went off about Malfoy being a Death Eater...
I was downstairs with Fleur and Bill, they were going over wedding plans and Mrs. Weasley was particularly frustrated with Fleur. They said they will probably do a pale gold dress so pink won't clash with Ginny's hair. Harry came down and gave Mrs. Weasley his dirty laundry and she went over the security plan with him.
The next morning we piled into the cars, I had my two Pygmy Puffs, Liam (purple) and Lila (pink), in a small cage in my lap while my trunk was already sent to my room at Hogwarts. Harry went first though the barrier and he talked to Mr. Weasley a bit. Harry said, "When we were in Diagon Alley,"
Mr. Weasley grimaced. "Am I about to discover where you, Ron, and Hermione disappeared to while you were supposed to be in the back room of Fred and George's shop?"
"How did you - ?"
"Harry, please. You're talking to the man who raised Fred and George."
"Er... yeah, all right, we weren't in the back room."
"Very well, then, let's hear the worst."
Harry told him about everything that happened and his theory of Malfoy being a Death Eater. Mrs. Weasley got Harry on the train and one of me went with Ron and Hermione while I stayed with Harry and eventually combined myself with one of me that was with Neville. We sat in a compartment and Romilda Vane came in asking Harry to sit with them and that he didn't have to sit with us...
Harry rejected and told Luna and Neville that they were cool because she wasn't there when they fought at the Ministry. Neville said, "We didn't face him, though, you did. You should hear my gran talk about you. 'That Harry Potter's got more backbone than the whole Ministry of Magic together!' She'd give anything to have you as a grandson." I intertwined my hand with Neville's resting my head on his shoulder. As Neville talked about his O.W.L. results, I heard Harry's thoughts racing, all the what if's that what if it was Neville? What if Neville was in Harry's position and all the things that came with that Neville noticed, but Harry quickly rebounded after Luna talked about Wrackspurts. The boys quickly talked about Quidditch and I petted my Pygmy Puffs feeding them some food.
Ron, Hermione, and my other self came in sitting next to Harry.
They told Harry Malfoy wasn't doing prefect duties this year and then a girl came in saying, "I'm supposed to deliver these to Lilly Black, Neville Longbottom, and Harry P-Potter..." She faltered on Harry's name, she met eyes with Harry and turned scarlet. She handed us the scrolls and we took them thanking her. We opened it and it read, "Lilly, I would be delighted if you would join me git a bite of brunch in compartment C. Sincerely, Professor H. E. F. Slughorn"
I changed into my staff robes and we walked to compartment C. We saw Marietta on the way, she still had pimples and Harry and I smirked. I brought my Pygmy Puffs with me on my shoulders and we arrived to the compartment and Slughorn introduced everyone. I waved hi to everyone, even Blaise. Blaise Zabini, Cormac McLaggen, Marcus Belby, and Ginny were in the compartment. We ate some food and Slughorn obviously talked about everyone and who they know, mostly because of the influence they or their parents have. Belby's uncle invented the Wolfsbane Potion, Cormac knows Bertie Higgs and Rufus Scrimgeour, Blaise's mother is a famous witch who married seven times and all her husband's died mysterious leaving her a lot of gold. He reached Neville who got uncomfortable talking about his parents. I held his hand rubbing the back of his hand with my thumb soothingly. Slughorn got to me and asked, "Well, Miss Black, how is your job as Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement going?"
I smiled saying, "Quite well, the Minister is pleased with the security measures we are taking and I hope they are going to be successful."
He nodded saying, "I again am sorry to hear about your father's passing, quite regretable..."
My stomach turned and Neville rubbed the back of my hand with his thumb soothing me this time. I nodded saying, "Thank you, it is sad, but life must go on."
He nodded saying, "Of course."
He got to Harry and Slughorn went off about the Ministry and he talked about the prophecy and Neville said, "We never heard a prophecy."
Ginny said, "That's right, Neville, Lilly, and I were both there too, and all this 'Chosen One' rubbish is just the Prophet making things up as usual."
Slughorn reluctantly agreed and he let us go. I copied myself and sent one ahead to Hogwarts early with Hagrid. Slughorn looked rather impressed; Harry followed Blaise and Neville, Ginny, and I went back to our compartments.
The train arrived and Harry heard about careless things from Malfoy just before Malfoy stamped on his foot on Harry's nose and fingers. The rest of us went to the sorting as usual. I made sure to grab Harry's stuff before I left the train with Neville.

Thanks for reading! Vote please! :)
-Lilly :)