Know Thy Enemy - Harry Potter, Next Generation

III. The Deal

Damon woke with a yawn. The sun peeked through the curtains above his bed. In the next bed, Lysander was already shuffling about. Damon sat up and stretched his arms out.

"I'm sorry," Lysander said. "Did I wake you?"

Damon shook his head. "No. It's all right. We should be getting up anyway, shouldn't we?"

Lysander smiled. "Yeah. We get our schedules today. I'm just really excited." He takes his robes from out of his trunk. "Everyone says I'm like my mum. She always gets really excited about things. Sometimes I talk too much . . . so if I ever get on your nerves, just knock me in the head, yeah?"

Damon chuckled. "I hardly think that's necessary . . ."

Lysander got up and hit Scorpius in the head with his pillow, then Al. Scorpius rubbed his head. "Did you have to take that approach?"

Lysander nodded. "Well, it looks like Al doesn't plan on getting up." He nudged him again, and again.

Scorpius shot Damon a glance. "Al sleeps like a log. His dad says that if Al had been alive when Voldemort was around, that Al would've slept through the war for sure. Buildings crumbling and all."

Al sat up in his bed after what seemed like the hundredth nudge from Lysander. He rubbed his eyes. "What time is it?"

Damon said, "Apparently, it's time to wake up."

"How many more minutes can I sleep to be right on time for breakfast?" he asked, putting his hand on his chin.

Scorpius said, "None. Get up, you tosser! Don't want to miss Clare's entrance, do you?"

At that, Albus shot up in bed with a huge grin. "You're right. Clare will notice me as more than just her friend."

"You've just got to get the nerve to talk to her," said Lysander.

"I don't see you having the nerve to talk to my sister!" shot Scorpius.

Lysander frowned. "I thought you said it was all right . . ."

Scorpius nodded. "It is . . . I trust you and all."

"How about we make a deal?" suggested Damon.

The boys turned to Damon, clearly interested, with raised eyebrows. They surrounded Damon's bed, where he sat cross-legged on his comforter.

Albus crossed his arms. "I'm always game for some fun."

"Talk to Clare today. Flirt with her. It wouldn't hurt," Damon began. Then he turned to Lysander. "You should do the same with Dawn. Then, everyone will be happy. Do it by the end of the day . . . before curfew."

"Deal," said Albus and Lysander, in unison.

Dawn looked at herself in the mirror. She'd applied light makeup. Just some eyeliner and her new lip color. Lily showed up behind her, nearly scaring her to death.

"Hey!" cried Dawn. "Don't just sneak up on me like that!"

"I'm sorry," she replied. "I was just going to ask if you were ready or not."

"I'm ready." Dawn turned around. "Did you want to try some of my makeup?"

Lily shook her head. Then she nodded. "Actually, I'll try the red lipstick." Dawn picked up the package and handed it to her friend. "What's Clinique?" Lily held up the lipstick and opened it. "Did you get this from that Muggle mall in London?"