Draco Malfoy *5th Year*

Chapter 11

Harry's POV

"Hello, Harry Potter," Luna greeted as I walked up behind her in the forest.

"Your feet. Aren ' t they cold?" I asked as I noticed her bare feet.

"Bit," She nodded reaching into her bag and pulling out some food.

"Unfortunately, all my shoes have mysteriously disappeared. I suspect Nargles are behind it,"

"What are they?" I asked looking towards the black, skeletal horses a few metres away from us.

"They're called Thestrals. They're quite gentle, really, but people avoid them because they're a bit.."

"Different," I finished

"But why can't the others see them?" I asked

They can only be seen by people who've seen death," Luna replied

"So you've known someone who's died, then?"

"My mum," She nodded.

"She was quite an extraordinary witch, but she did like to experiment and one day, one of her spells went badly wrong. I was nine,"

"I'm sorry," I smiled sadly.

"Yes, it was rather horrible. I do feel very sad about it sometimes, but I've got Dad," Luna smiled back as we walked.

"We both believe you, by the way. That He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is back, and you fought him and the Ministry and the Prophet are conspiring against you,"

"Thanks. It seems you're about the only ones that do," I sighed as Luna rolled an apple towards the baby Thestral

"I don't think that's true. But I suppose that's how he wants you to feel," She then pulled out a slice of raw meat.

"What do you mean?" I asked

"Well, if I were You-Know-Who I'd want you to feel cut off from everyone else because if it's just you alone you're not as much of a threat," Luna gave me a smile as she threw the meat towards the baby thestral who quickly gobbled it up.

Aurora's POV

I watched in disgust as Ron shovelled food constantly into his mouth.

"Do you ever stop eating?" Hermione asked

"What? I'm hungry," He replied with a full mouth

"Harry," Hermione said in surprise as Harry walked over to us

"Can I join you?" He asked.

"Pardon me, professor, but what exactly are you insinuating?" A loud argument was coming from the hallway, everyone crowded around the stairwell to see Professor McGonagall and Umbitch having a stare-off.

"I am merely requesting that when it comes to my students you conform to the prescribed disciplinary practices," McGonagall glared.

"So silly of me, but it sounds as if you're questioning my authority in my own classroom Minerva," Umbitch countered taking a step up.

"Not at all, Dolores, merely your medieval methods," McGonagall replied also taking a step up.

"I am sorry, dear. But to question my practices is to question the Ministry and by extension, the minister himself. I am a tolerant woman but the one thing I will not stand for is disloyalty," Umbridge shook her head.

"Disloyalty," McGonagall said taking a step down in shock. Umbridge then turned to us all

"Things at Hogwarts are far worse than I feared. Cornelius will want to take immediate action," I groaned and turned away from her annoying Ministry ideals.