The Aftermath

Chapter 22

It was Wednesday's Transfiguration class. McGonigal had finally found someone to replace her so she could spend her time between being headmistress and secret ministry work. Draco was already in a foul mood. There was no article in the paper on Tuesday. Everyone was glad to see this assuming they had finally gotten a lucky break. This morning, however, the realised it was a false hope.

Draco walked into the hall with Dean. They had ended up fighting in the Room of Requirement again, without Blaise, and decided that sleeping there made the most logical sense. All eyes were on them. They were getting used to it. Looks of fear, some of pure hatred. Especially when the Dracanis' were with them. Severus, Lilly and Fin were with them today. Dean thought the creatures were beautiful and couldn't help but be confused why anyone would be so put out by them. As if humans were the only things worth adoring.

As the two headed to the Gryffindor table the look Ron was giving them wasn't a pleasant one. Draco sat down beside Harry and reluctantly grabbed the Daily Prophet from Ron. The headline read, Boy nearly Burns students to death. The second Headline read, "Dark Lord's Follower a Sexual Predator." And both were followed up with a third page headline reading, Students at Hogwarts on Drugs.

Draco threw the paper aside and slouched back into his seat.

"Draco," Harry tried to comfort him but Draco shrugged him off.

"It's not my fault. Anyone who saw it knows that. And those guys called Seamus Pyro after he's made it very clear that isn't allowed. Why is everyone out to get us? And I'm not a Voldemort follower. I was forced into that. I was afraid. Why can't I get a chance to make my life better?" He scanned the Gryffindor table convinced one of them had to have done it. They were his enemies after all. He went to go sit with Blaise and Cho. Slytherins got along much better with Ravenclaws and he didn't feel much like the Slytherin table antics at the moment.

"It's bad but, at least they opted for photos that made us look Terrifying this time instead of pornstars,"  Dean commented.

"Reeta Skeeter is back at work. I'd recognise this flair of non-writing anywhere." Hermione said in disgust not even bothering to look at the author. Ron checked and confirmed she was indeed correct.

"You should've killed her when you had her trapped in that jar," Ron said and Hermione couldn't argue with the truth there. She should've never let her escape. The odds of catching her twice were slim.

"Where's Seamus."

"He had a nightmare and then he got called to the headmistress' office for a floo message. Probably about his father. I knew there had to be a reason he was snapping. Beyond his mixed feelings for me. He has always been rather short-tempered but he never really meant it. It always blew over fast but real anger. It just wasn't like him. He still doesn't let me help him. Like he opens up one weekend and then nothing. And here we are. Month almost done. Halloween ball on Sunday and, shit I don't even know why that's even relevant. Just rambling. I just wish he didn't shut down so easy. I'm also glad this article doesn't mention him. I can't afford to lose control again." He said as Fin, who was almost as big as the other two, jumped up onto the table and settled in front of him.

Hermione nodded, a bit distracted by the letter she received. Viktor had sent her more updates on plants for the book they were writing but also updates on his behaviour. He seemed to be becoming more animal. Not in appearance but in his responses to other humans. And how easily he got on with the Dragons. He didn't think it was normal. Like there should be a balance. That maybe it was leading up to a metamorphosis of some kind and that that was probably where all the problems arose. The moment before you went crazy, or burned alive. This was good, and bad, it meant that no matter how bad things got unless specific signs of a change arose there was time. However, if Viktor was showing serious signs of transforming it was only a matter of time before the others did.