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( harry james potter! )
"YOU FAINTED, POTTER? IS LONGBOTTOM TELLING THE truth? You actually fainted?!" Draco Malfoy's drawling, delighted voice sounded in his ear.
Harry sighed, watching Malfoy elbow past Hermione to block his way up the stone steps to the castle, his face gleeful.
Malfoy's pale eyes narrowed maliciously as he smirked.
It was a look that promised trouble, a silent declaration that Harry's day was about to take a turn for the worse.
"Shove off, Malfoy," said Ron, whose jaw was clenched.
"Did you faint as well, Weasley?" Malfoy sniggered loudly. "Did the scary old dementor frighten you too, Weasley?"
"You little fuc—"
"Is there a problem?" Professor Lupin, who'd just gotten out of a carriage, asked mildly.
Malfoy gave Professor Lupin an insolent stare, which took in the patches on his robes and the dilapidated suitcase.
With a tiny hint of sarcasm in his voice, he said, "Oh, no—er—Professor," then he smirked at Crabbe and Goyle and led them up the steps into the castle.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione joined the crowd swarming up the steps, through the giant oak front doors, into the cavernous entrance hall, which was lit with flaming torches and housed a magnificent marble staircase that led to the upper floors.
"I don't understand what's his fucking problem," Ron seethed.
"Ronald!" Hemione gasped. "You shouldn't swear!"
"I'm not going to take any crap from Malfoy this year," he snarled, ignoring her. "I mean it. If he makes one more crack about any of us, I'm going to get hold of his head and—"
Ron made a violent gesture in midair.
"Ron," hissed Hermione, gesturing to a girl coming their way.
The three of them turned to see a Ravenclaw girl walking towards them, and Harry realised it was the same girl he'd run into on the train earlier.
Her shiny black hair was wet from the rain and glossy under the yellow flickering light of the torches.
Her skin was golden, and her cloak billowed behind her as she rushed towards them.
