The Deceit Of A Lifetime

Mornings were always a busy time in the Weasley household, no matter how many or few of their many children were present. This morning, however, Molly Weasley was trying to make sure her three children were well fed for their return to Hogwarts. He may not have been hers biologically, but Harry Potter was as good as a son to her.

After the unexpected notices that the school year was starting early, Molly had found herself completely flustered. She hadn’t slept all night, making a late evening trip to Diagon Alley for her son, daughter and Harry, to get their books and supplies for school. She didn’t like depriving them of the trip, since they seemed to enjoy it every year, but she did not have time to take them, due to the change of the school schedule.

Molly and her husband, Arthur, had been expecting the notices about returning to Hogwarts early. As members of the Order of the Phoenix, they had already been informed that the school year was going to be started early, for the safety of its best-known student. She only hoped, however, that the worried expression she was doing her best to hide wasn’t showing enough for anyone to see it.

Now, however, the greater majority of the Weasley clan was surrounding the breakfast table, chatting idly about any number of things. She could hear animated conversations about Quidditch, Hogwarts and a few other topics as she busied herself around the table, clearing and refilling plates and glasses as they needed it. It was then that she looked up at the clock on her wall and realized the time.

“Alright, everyone,” she said, allowing her voice to fill the kitchen. “We’ve only got an hour to get Ginny, Ron and Harry to the train. Hurry it up!” she said. This resulted in a quick departure from the table for the three Hogwarts students. They quickly ran upstairs and began gathering their things into their trunks.

“Ron,” said Harry, once they were alone in his room. Harry hadn’t been able to shake the eerie feeling that something was terribly wrong. He had spent the entire sleepless night wondering why they were returning to Hogwarts early, and had come up with nothing.

“Yeah, Harry?” Ron asked in response as he stuffed one of his mother’s trademark jumpers into his trunk and began to close it.

“Do you know why we’re going back to Hogwarts early?” Harry asked, having just finished packing and working on closing his own trunk.

“No,” said Ron, grabbing his trunk and pulling it to the door. Ron had spent a lot of time thinking about it as well, “but I think mum knows.” Ron shrugged and pulled open the bedroom door, looking back at his best friend, who had gotten quiet in contemplation.

“I don’t know, but I have a bad feeling about this,” Harry replied as he grabbed his trunk and they both went barreling down the stairs. It wasn’t long before they were again on their way back to the school they had called home for the last five years.

Upon arriving at the station, with only ten minutes to spare, the Weasley family was racing through the open platforms of the station, each one silently praying they would make it to the train on time. They had barely a few moments to say goodbye to Molly and Arthur before they were on the train and it was leaving the station.

Thankfully, however, Ron and Harry had caught up with their friend, Hermione Granger, at the platform. After some very animated greetings, they had found their way to a compartment in the Gryffindor area of the train, and were all now relaxing comfortably.

Their discussion stayed innocent for a long time. They talked about their summers and Harry’s evil muggle relatives and Ron’s flying practice and Hermione’s vacations with her parents for a long time. Eventually, however, an uneasy silence settled over the compartment. Being the very direct person she was, Hermione was the first one to break it. “So, do you two know why school is starting early this year?” she asked.

“I don’t, but I think my mum does,” Ron said, his mouth full of chocolate. The trolley had passed them only a few moments before and, much to Hermione’s disgust, the two boys she considered her dearest friends had overloaded themselves with candy.

Harry merely shook his head. His mouth was also full of candy, but due to the odd feelings he had been getting ever since getting Dumbledore’s notice about the school year starting early, he didn’t feel comfortable voicing his opinions on the matter.

“Well,” said Hermione, which Ron and Harry both knew was the beginning of one of their friend’s lectures. They looked at each other and smirked, before turning back to her and allowing her to continue. “I talked to my mom and dad about it, and they didn’t seem to know anything. But they also didn’t seem overly concerned. It actually worried me quite a bit, to be honest. They are sticklers for schedules, and we even had to cut a vacation short because of the change, but they didn’t seem to mind.”

Ron and Harry weren’t really sure if Hermione expected a response, so they both decided to remain silent. After a few more moments of the silence, however, their peaceful train ride was interrupted by their compartment door being slammed open. “Well well, if it isn’t the bloody Gryffindor trio. How are we today, Mudblood?”

Harry immediately brought an arm up and across Ron’s chest, stopping his friend from advancing toward their invader. “What do you want, Malfoy?” he asked through gritted teeth. He looked over to Hermione, who looked like she was about ready to jump to her feet and give Malfoy another left hook to the jaw.

“Oh, nothing, Potter,” Draco replied indignantly. “I was just doing my prefect’s rounds and wanted to make sure you three were on your best behavior.”

Although he didn’t say anything, Harry’s creepy feeling about the school year starting early intensified tenfold when Malfoy had made himself apparent. Despite the fact he was still completely in the dark as to what was going on, Harry knew that, somehow, Draco Malfoy was involved in the situation.

“Just get out of here, Malfoy,” hissed Ron from behind him, before Harry could speak through his thoughts.

Harry turned a meaningful glance at Hermione, which she returned, as if thinking along the same lines as he, before turning back to Malfoy. “Get out, you bloody git!” Harry growled, in an unusual show of anger.

“Fine, fine,” hissed Draco, leaning into the compartment slightly and lowering his voice conspiratorially, “but watch yourself this year, Potter. You never know what may be lurking around the corner.” And with that, Malfoy was gone.

“Does he have to do that every year?” said Ron with a loud sigh, crossing his arms over his chest and slumping back into his seat.

“You know Malfoy,” replied Hermione, but she shared another look at Harry, who looked back at her with equal concern. “He’s just being himself.”

“Well, regardless,” said Harry, deciding to vocalize the thoughts he and Hermione seemed to be sharing, “I think he’s up to something this year. I think he knows about why the school schedule was changed.”

“Oh, bloody hell, Harry,” replied Ron angrily. “Malfoy is always up to something!”

“That is true,” said Hermione, leaning over into the space between the chairs and comfortingly patting Ron’s leg, “but I think Harry is right.”

After another indignant huff from Ron, the trio sat silently for a long while, before idle conversation resumed in their compartment. They spent the remainder of the trip to Hogwarts discussing much of nothing, and all three felt a sense of hesitant relief when the Hogwarts Express finally pulled into Hogsmeade station and departed for the school.