War Games

Ok Here's chapter 3. Thanks muckles for the reviews. You're all too good to me!


Dougal is SICK with envy!








Harry hummed a half remembered tune under his breath as he leaned against the stone wall not far from the portrait leading into the Hufflepuff quarters. The third floor was empty save for himself as he waited for Neville to retrieve Hannah from her rooms. He’d sent the boy in armed with a hangover potion and Harry’s best wishes, a big club with a nail in it not being available at the moment. It really wasn’t a good idea to disturb a sleeping badger, even less of one when there had been an infamous Abbot Bash the night previous.

Harry had made the mistake once and had been treated to a lesson on the practical uses of a shielding charm as offensive magic. And a taste of what flight without the aid of a broom would feel like. Gryffindors were brash. They were bold, daring and heroic. This particular Gryffindor however was not an idiot. And so he learned from his past experiences and volunteered Neville for the duty of waking their Hufflepuff compatriot.

Then as if his thoughts had conjured the pair up the portrait swung aside and Neville and Hannah stepped out. More accurately, Neville stepped out, Hannah was being half carried by her friend. The red head was decidedly pale and had one hand up shading her eyes as they walked to Harry.

“Merlin! That’s bright!” She grumbled as they came to a stop. “What is it?”

“That” Neville rumbled in a voice softened for the benefit of the inflicted. “Is six-thirty in the morning.”

“Six-thirty?” Hannah squeaked before clutching at her head and continuing in a whisper. “I’ve never seen six-thirty a.m. before…..What happens?”

Harry smirked at Neville over their friends suffering head but was prevented from answering by a cacophony of barks erupting from the other end of the hallway.

“Argh!” Hannah groaned. “Load noise! Headache!!”

“Oh dear, Snuffles.” A raspy voice drawled. “You appear to have offended Miss Abbot.” The three looked up at the rather raggedy looking wizard as he joined them. Well, Harry and Neville looked up. Hannah squinted at the scuffed toes of his boots. ‘Snuffles’, The rangy black Grimm that masqueraded as the former Professor and full-time Werewolf’s dog. Whined apologetically, butting his shaggy black head into the girls leg seeking attention. Hannah winced slightly but gave him a scratch behind the ears that sent him into quivering paroxysm of doggy delight to show there was no hard feelings.

“All right Remus?” Harry grinned at the elder wizard. He’d been thrilled when he heard that his godfather and honorary uncle would both be joining them on the trip to Durmstrang. Never mind that Sirius would be in his canine guise for the majority of the trip as he was still believed to be a murderer by the wizarding world. He couldn’t help but think it was somehow fitting that all the Marauders past and present would be with him to face whatever the summer might bring.

Snuffles was sniffing curiously at a spot to Harry’s right. He gave a doggy groan and turned disapproving eyes up to Harry. The Animagus suddenly yelped and leaped away from the spot as if he had been given a sharp rap on the nose. Growling quietly, Snuffles took shelter behind his friend, and plopping down onto his haunches proceeded to glare balefully at the empty wall.

Remus looked down at the dog in confusion. Which only increased at Neville’s snicker and Harry’s long suffering sigh. He was just about to ask what was going on, when his own nose caught a scent on the wind and he arched a brow.

“POTTER!!” Draco shrieked as he burst onto the scene. “Where is she?”

They all stared at the Slytherin, their mouths hanging agape in shock at his appearance. There was a protracted moment of stupefied silence as they all tried to assimilate what was going on.

“Merlin’s missing left ball sack!” Hannah croaked. “I’m never drinking again!”

Normally Harry would have allowed a guilty snicker at sweet, little Hannah Abbot coming out with a phrase like that but he was too busy trying to process what he was looking at. Draco
Malfoy stood before them in a full on Slytherin Prince snit. Draco Malfoy had bubblegum pink hair. Which was startling in and of itself. But the addition of large floppy white rabbit ears pushed the whole look over to down right surreal. There really was only one thing Harry could think to say.

“Huh?”

“Don’t ‘huh’ me, you insipid Gryffin-dork!” Draco shrieked back, stamping a foot in sheer temper. “Where’s Gilraen? I know that snake in raven’s plumage had something to do with this, and I want to know where she is. Right. NOW!”

“Um….Haven’t seen here since this morning….Out in the courtyard.” Harry offered weakly.

“Humph! You’d better not be lying Potter. Or I’ll be coming after you just as soon as I’ve finished with Rae.”

And with that He whirled on his heel and stormed off down the corridor. His fluffy little cotton tail bobbing with each stride. And the group was left staring in his wake.

As soon as Draco disappeared from view Harry reached down to his right and tugged the invisibility cloak from Gilraen’s head. The Ravenclaw was grinning maniacally as she sat cross legged on the stone floor.

“I am made of win!” She declared as she hopped gracefully to her feet.

“OK I think I speak for all of us here when I say: For why?” Hannah queried pointing in the direction Draco had stormed off.

“For why not?” Rae asked. “Just so happened I had some hair dye and Drake’s shampoo tae hand last night. And y’know…Ye cannae fight fate!”

“Er…um…bunny ears!” Neville stuttered looking somewhat dazed. “How?”

“That’s f’r me t’know. And you lot tae worry about.” Rae announced as her grin became wicked.

“Yes, well. As amusing as this is.” Lupin interjected before the entire conversation devolved completely. “We came here to tell you to make your way down to the Quidditch field. The transport has arrived.”

“Nifty.” Harry drawled. “Any chance you’ll tell us what the Old Man’s come up with this time?”

“None whatsoever.” Came the bland reply. “The Headmaster wants it to be a surprise. And I’m sure it won’t be anything too bad.”

The teenagers all looked at the werewolf with dubious expressions of varying degrees. Neville still looked disturbed at what he’d just seen and Hannah was still too hung-over to look anything other than pained.

“Uh-huh.” Rae muttered. “I’m telling ye. It’s proberly this massive tacky red ‘n’ gold carriage, pulled by giant winged ponies that eat rainbows and poop butterflies!”

Everyone blinked.

“So not even a clue?” Harry asked plaintively as he tried to wrest that particular image from the forefront of his brain. He really wished she wouldn’t say these things.

Before Lupin could confirm or deny anything, the group was once again distracted from their conversation, but this time by a sound from the enjoining hall. They looked round just in time to watch Dumbledore himself pass. The regal headmaster was dressed in eye blistering robes in magenta and orange. And was moving along by sliding his feet back on forth on the floor with his arms reflecting the motion at about waste height.

“chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga.” One of the most powerful wizards in the world chanted as he crossed their line of vision before reaching up and tugging his beards with a piping “WHOOOWHOO!”.

And for the second time that morning the group was struck silent as they watched the headmaster wander out of sight.

“I’ve decided I don’t like what happens at six-thirty!” Hannah announced wearily.

Shortly Thereafter

“I,” Rae proclaimed when they reached the pitch less Lupin and Snuffles. Who had been volunteered to go check on Dumbledore. That or stun him, which ever the situation warranted.. “Am feeling curiously let down!”

There were general mutterings of agreement from the rest of the group as they all looked at their transport. Hovering three feet above the ground. Brass wheels spinning and shooting scarlet and silver sparkles, was a dark green replica of the Express. Suddenly, the whistle pierced the air, and bright lavender smoke belched into the sky.

“….OK. Now I feel a bit better.”