The Last Great Hogwarts Dynasty

chapter one.

October 31st, 1994.

"Come on, Harry," Hermione Granger urged, lifting the flushed boy out of his seat. "Harry, for goodness' sake!" Katrina Malfoy watched in disbelief as her younger friend was pushed towards the headmaster. The look on Ron Weasley's face could cut steel.

Potter joined the other three champions, looking perplexed himself. All eyes were on him as usual. Draco's eyes narrowed as he followed his enemy across the hall, a sneer curling his lips."Why is everyone looking at him like that?" Katrina whispered to George, both of them perched on the window sill overlooking the scene below.

"Well, he cheated his name in, didn't he?" George replied, his voice laced with skepticism.

"How could you even think that? You know Harry; he's not that stupid." She watched intently as the scene unfolded before her, a million thoughts racing through her mind. He woulnd't put his name in, would he?

"Well, how else did it get in then?" George looked at his friend as if it was obvious, as if Harry definitely put his name in the Goblet. Katrina rolled her eyes and fixed them back on Harry. She was right; he wasn't that stupid.

"What a tosser," Draco muttered, earning a death stare from Emily Granger as they started to leave the Great Hall. Draco looked over at her with admiration despite her reaction, laughing at his own snide remark.

Spilling out of the hall, still in deep conversation about what just happened, Draco received a hefty thump on the back of the head, sending him forward slightly. He winced, grasping the nape of his neck. "Don't be a wanker," Katrina Malfoy spat at her younger brother as she hurriedly followed the Weasley twins along the corridors. Emily glanced at Draco apologetically, even though she agreed, as she ran to catch up with her Gryffindor friend, her blonde hair and green robes trailing behind her.

"Where are you speed-walking to in such a hurry?" Emily asked Katrina, who didn't reply. "Hello?"

"She's not speaking," Fred suddenly appeared at Em's side, making her jump slightly. She didn't think she'd ever get used to the twins' pop-up appearances.

"What, why?" She looked up at the lanky ginger boy whose tie was hanging loosely over his shoulders.

"She's trying to figure out how Harry's name ended up in the Goblet," George popped up on Em's left as they headed to the courtyard.

"Well, all of Slytherin's minds are made up," the blonde girl sighed as she took a seat on a stone bench. The sun was peeking through the clouds on the campus that late October day. Students hummed with conspiracy and rumors like a hive of bees. Katrina stayed standing and looked around.

"They don't seriously think he did it, do they?" Katrina finally turned around to face her friends, who looked up at her, concerned. She aggressively ran her hands through her hair, which was dyed exactly like her mother's.

"It's not as big of a deal as you think it is, Kat," Em replied, twiddling her thumbs in her lap.Katrina stopped pacing and stared daggers into her best friend.

"You of all people should care. That's your sister's best friend. He could die in this tournament, Em." She didn't usually snap at her friend like this, and Emily's heart was a little wounded.

They sat silently. All three of them knew that when Kat had an idea in her head, there was nothing anyone could do to stop it.

"Something is going on, and I will find out what," she said, pointing her finger at them, determined. George stood slowly, approaching her like you would a wild animal, and placed his hands on her shoulders. She seemed to instantly ease up under his touch.

"Come on, let's go to the common room before Mad-Eye's class." Without saying a word, she let George steer her in the right direction. Fred made a circle motion with his finger towards the side of his head. George mouthed back, "Bugger off."

"She's a nutter." Fred turned the Emily, hoping to be agreed with.

"Yeah, well, you know how she gets." Emily sighed at the other twin. Deep down, Emily didn't believe Harry did it either, but if she dared admit it, the rest of her house would call it treason. It was already bad enough being Muggle-born. "I best get to my common room too; maybe somebody knows something about all of this." With that, she nodded to Fred and left for the dungeons.

"Finally, there you are." The Slytherin Chaser, Cassius Warrington, slinked his arm around Emily, walking her further into the common room. "Where were you, blondie?" he continued with a smirk on his face.

"She was probably with those blood traitors again," spat Adrian Pucey, as he lay back on the common room couch, as if he owned the place.

"What's it to you, Pucey?" Emily may have to keep up Slytherin ideals to stay safe, but she was far above not defending Katrina.Pucey stood, slowly creeping towards Granger. His teeth were crooked, and he had a faint odor of sweat from being on the Quidditch pitch earlier that morning.

"Watch yourself, Mudblood." He towered over her, casting a shadow. She didn't back down. "You're lucky you're in Slytherin, because if you weren't, I would hand you over to the Dementors personally."

Two hands landed on Adrian's wide chest, shoving him backward a good few steps. Students gathered around at the commotion. Drawing her wand, she raised it to the boy's chin. "Don't think I won't hex you, Pucey, because I will."

He breathed heavily. He knew that she was far better at magic and spells than he was. But before she could act on her threat, two slender hands landed on her shoulders, pulling her back."Em, come on." A boy muttered into her ear, and she stepped back, not breaking eye contact with Pucey.

"Aww, your boyfriend's come to save you. You won't be so lucky next time." She was dragged away to a niche in the wall upstairs while the students dispersed.

"Are you trying to get yourself hurt?" Draco persisted. She was still heated from the confrontation with Adrian. She shrugged Draco's hand from her shoulder, brows furrowed.

"I don't need you to save me, Draco." The younger boy took a step back, wounded by her harsh words.

"Fine." He took off to join the others, leaving her alone at the top of the stairwell.

The Gryffindor common room was filled with just as much commotion as the Slytherin's, bar the violence. The candles that were lit around the room left a warm glow on George's face as he sat with Katrina on the window ledge.

"I don't know why you worry yourself so much about things that don't even concern you," George said, his voice softening as he looked at her.

"He's just a boy, George," Katrina replied, her voice barely a whisper.

"I know." He sighed and looked down. "I know."

There was a silence. It wasn't awkward, but it was thick in the air. "I just want to protect him," Katrina admitted, looking at George, her hair falling over her eyes.The redhead nodded knowingly. He knew what her parents were like and what they did to her and Draco when the doors were closed at Malfoy Manor. His heart ached when he thought on it too hard.

"I know you do." He took her hand softly before giving it a gentle squeeze.

Katrina glanced out the window, the cool evening air pressing against the glass. "I can't stand the thought of him being in danger. It makes me sick."

George nodded, understanding her concern. "We'll figure it out, Kat. We'll make sure he's safe."She looked back at him, her eyes filled with determination. "I won't let them hurt him. I promise. We won't." George affirmed, his grip tightening on her the shadows of the evening lengthened, the two friends sat in quiet solidarity, united by their shared resolve to protect the ones they cared about. The fire crackled softly in the hearth, casting a comforting glow around the room, but outside the walls of Hogwarts, darker forces were at play, and the storm was only just beginning.