IMPERIO // Draco Malfoy X Reader

Chapter 3: Hogwarts, The Great Hall

The Great Hall was full of students already when you and your friends arrived. You smiled, taking in the room. It was just as magical as the first time - the four long tables for each of the houses, the candles floating overhead, the enchanted ceiling, reflecting the clear night sky overhead.

At the long table in the front, most of the staff had gathered as well, minus McGonagall - who was off gathering the first years of course.

Lyre leaned over to you. "How many firsties do you think we're going to get this year?"

You shrugged. There was really no telling until the ceremony actually started. "Dunno."

"Hopefully a lot." Pansy chimed in. "We could use the new blood before the stigma sets in."

Approaching the Slytherin table, you and your friends took your usual seats - Draco in the middle, flanked by Theo and Blaise, Leo and Lyre next to each other, and you and Pansy across from Draco. You could feel the side glances from the surrounding students already - Draco's posse had arrived.

Without Draco this time though.

You glanced at his empty seat across from you. "What's taking him so long?"

Theo followed your glance. "Where's he at?"

"Right here." Draco said unto his seat, smoothing out the wrinkles in his robes.

"What was the hold up for?" Blaise asked.

Draco grinned to himself. "Just personal business."

"This wouldn't be something to do with that..." Lyre paused for dramatic effect. "Secret mission... would it?"

Leo snickered as Draco rolled his eyes.

"A snitch, if you must know." He said.

Theo furrowed his eyebrows. "A snitch? But we haven't even gotten out our brooms yet..."

"Not that kind you dolt-" Draco started, but was interrupted when the hall quieted suddenly. Your eyes flickered to the doors along with half the school to watch Harry Potter enter.

His face was covered in blood.

"You didn't do that, did you?" You heard Leo ask Draco.

Draco hummed noncommittally.

Potter sat down at his own table, and conversation picked back up again, slowly. You turned back to your own table and friends. Draco had a pleased smile on his face as he watched Potter sit down.

"You did do it then." You noted.

Draco hummed again.

"Why'd you hit him?" Blaise asked.

"Who needs a reason?" Theo grinned. Lyre wrinkled her nose.

"A snitch, like I said." Draco said. "He was hiding in our compartment with that damn invisibility cloak of his."

"What do you think he wanted?" Leo asked.

Draco was about to respond when the gathered crowds conversations quieted again, this time because Dumbledore was standing at the podium in front of the students, ready to give his beginning of the year speech.

Draco only paused to let him begin before he kept going. "Dunno." He whispered, just loud enough so that the table could hear him. "Don't really care."

A few students shot glares in your direction for the distraction, but you paid them no mind.

"Probably thought he could get you back for last year." Theo said. "You know, for breaking up his little army."

"Well he'll have to be more clever than that." Draco said. "Which is basically impossible for him."

Pansy grinned. "Not if he has Granger helping him."

"Granger." Draco scoffed. "Who cares about a Mudblood like her anyway, even if she is smart?"

Someone down the table shushed him.

Draco rolled his eyes.

Dumbledore finished his speech then, and waved behind him, motioning for someone to stand up. A heavyset man with a small grin rose, waving at the students.

"Allow me to introduce the newest addition to our staff here at Hogwarts, Professor Horace Slughorn." Dumbledore announced. "He will be taking the position of Potions master here at..."

You didn't catch the rest of the sentence because the students broke out into whispered then.

"Potions?" Lyre asked. "But Snape teaches Potions."

"Not if he finally got Defense." Blaise said.

Around the table, you could see your friends eyes light up with the possibility.

"...and so, taking the position for our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Severus Snape." Dumbledore continued.

You smiled as Snape stood up to wave half heartedly at the students.

"The Gryffindors will be thrilled." Draco was grinning.

A quick look behind you at their table showed a myriad of confused and upset faces. Your smile widened.

With the announcements over, the sorting began, the first years filing into the Great Hall followed by McGonagall. The hat was set on the stool, and names began to be called, one by one.

"This is great." Lyre said, grinning. "With Snape in Defense we're sure to win the House Cup this year."

"We'll just have to give them a solid thrashing in Quidditch." Theo said. "Easy enough."

You smiled to yourself. What a year this would be. With a new teacher in Potions and Snape in Defense, Slytherin was already ahead, and the year hadn't even truly started yet.

"Slytherin!"

Your house table rose to its feet to welcome in the first new member of the house with a round of applause, everyone's spirits high after the good news. The first year took a seat at the end of the table, nervously looking around at the gathered students.

"Remember when we were first years?" Pansy asked.

You grinned. "Your hair was so greasy back then."

Pansy flushed. "Well at least I had lost some of my baby fat."

You cringed at the memory of your eleven year old self. You had all been, well, eleven year olds. There had been so much change. Draco had stopped slicking back his hair, and Blaise had started working out. Lyre and Leo learned how to take care of their curls better, turning them from frizzy to shiny and bouncy. Pansy had lost some weight and taken better care of her hair as well. All in all, you could see the reasoning behind the envious stares you and your friends would get in the school halls.

Who would want to be you?

Most of the time, anyway.

Soon enough, the sorting was over and your plate was full of food. The feast began, and you ate and laughed and talked with your friends until you were too tired and stuffed to do it anymore. And then, your bed was waiting for you.

It was good to be back.