Becoming Alpha

Chapter Three

"I have an idea," Harry said to his four friends as the five of them sat around a table on the other side of the Common Room from Draco and his friends.

"You do?" Theodore asked cautiously.

"Yeah," Harry replied. "When we get to Charms, why don't we sit so that some of the Hufflepuffs have to sit with us?"

"What do you mean, Potter?" Blaise asked.

"I mean, each of us sits at a one of the tables meant for two so that when the Hufflepuffs get there, only some of them can sit with a housemate."

"I like the way you think, Potter," Daphne said, a sly smile coming to her face. "With this we can show them that we're not what they think we are."

"Yeah, we can show them that we can be kind, funny, and not evil," Tracey added.

"My thoughts exactly," Harry said with a smile on his face.

"So we basically talk with them and show them we're not like they think we are?" Theodore confirmed.

"I think what Potter is saying is that we need to leave our arrogance behind during Charms and let our charm take over. Ignore the pun," Blaise said.

"Basically, though I have a feeling your arrogance is actually a mask that's been built over the years from living with your Slytherin families, am I right?" Harry asked.

"I... guess... you're right," Daphne said slowly, truly thinking about it.

"Well then, if we're doing this, we'd better get to Charms early, right?" Tracey asked, grabbing her bag as she did so and putting it over her shoulder.

"She has a good point," Harry said, also grabbing his bag.

The others also grabbed their bags, which already had their Charms books in them, and they all headed out of the Common Room under the watchful gaze of Draco Malfoy, who was doing some serious thinking about what had occurred in the Headmaster's office earlier.

...

The moment the bell rang throughout the castle, the five Slytherin first years got to the Charms class. They waited as the fourth year Gryffindor/Ravenclaw class left the room, some of the Gryffindors sneering at the Slytherins until they realized Harry was among the group. Once the room was empty, they all went into the room and decided to sit on the left half of it. Each one of the five took a seat at their own table.

Professor Flitwick looked at the Slytherins curiously, but decided that they must be waiting for their fellow Slytherins. It was a surprise to him when the other Slytherins came in a couple of minutes later and sat on the other side of the room, Draco pairing with Pansy while Crabbe and Goyle paired, leaving Millicent as the one to be alone.

A few minutes after the Slytherins were settled, the Hufflepuffs came into the room and then stopped in surprise. Harry watched as the Hufflepuffs slowly looked between the two different groups of Slytherins on opposite sides of the room. They all began whispering quietly among one another until, finally, a girl with red hair walked out of the group and up to Harry.

"May I sit with you?" the girl asked him. Harry smiled and nodded, happy that at least one of the Hufflepuffs was brave enough to come forward and sit with the Slytherins. "Thanks."

The other Hufflepuffs took that as their cue and four others went up to Harry's friends and asked to sit down. All of them seemed to be surprised to be met with smiles and nods. One of the Hufflepuffs went to Millicent and asked, but that boy was met with a sneer and a shake of the head, confusing all of the Hufflepuffs and Professor Flitwick.