Harry had dreaded going to lunch as he feared that despite of Lupin's words he would be teased about his fainting in class. But obviously the others had agreed to avoid the subject altogether. In fact, nobody spoke about the defence lesson at all.  Instead, the topic was Hagrid.

‘I wonder how Hagrid will behave towards you today,' said Pansy Parkinson to Malfoy. ‘I bet he will be very careful. You can probably do what you want in class and he won't deduct any points, let alone put you in detention.'

‘No, of course not,' Malfoy smirked and Harry noticed to his dismay that once again, Malfoy's arm was in a sling.

‘Why are you wearing a sling again?' he burst out.

Draco raised his eyebrows and said ‘Because I got injured in your stupid friend's last lesson!'

‘There's nothing wrong with your arm!' Harry hissed. ‘You haven't worn a sling all day, and two days ago, your arm seemed to be alright when you punched me!'

Malfoy's voice dripped from sarcasm. ‘Yeah, seems like I overexerted myself a little bit there... ‘

A giggle went around the table.

‘Why are you doing this?' Harry asked in irritation. ‘Are you that desperate for attention?'

‘You're one to talk about attention, Potter!' hissed Malfoy. ‘You're the one who constantly seeks attention! But if you really want to know, I want Hagrid to see what his beast did to me!' 

‘It was your own stupid fault that you got injured! Hagrid told us exactly how to treat the Hippogriff! You just didn't listen!' Harry protested.

‘A teacher should not drag dangerous beasts into their lessons! I still cannot believe that that oaf is teaching us', Malfoy drawled. ‘But he won't be for long, not if I can help it.'

‘You're such a jerk, Malfoy', Harry said with contempt. ‘Hagrid is always friendly, he's never done anything to you, has he?'

‘He's a disgrace for any self-respecting wizard,' Malfoy said curtly. ‘Just look at his hut!'

‘Pfft', sniffed Millicent. ‘Not everyone can live in a Manor like you do, Draco.‘

Harry stared at her, surprised. He would never have thought she would contradict Malfoy. The blond boy narrowed his eyes. ‘I know that. And I know that it's not only a question of what you can afford but also of  taste - and the magic one can do to look after it.'

Harry felt the heat rise inside him at this obvious jibe at Hagrid's inability to use his magic, but before he could think of an angry retort, Pansy chimed in.  

‘We all know that, though probably not as well as you do, do we Millicent?'

From Pansy's fake sweet voice and the deadly glare that Millicent sent Pansy's way Harry deducted that there was something happening here between the Slytherins that he didn't quite understand. He didn't overly care, though, at the moment Hagrid was the one he cared most about.

‘What do you care about his hut? You don't have to live in it, so what is it to you?' he asked indignantly.

‘It's not just the hut,' Zabini joined into the conversation. ‘It's his whole personality. How is he supposed to teach us if he cannot speak a single sentence in educated English? And it is a disgrace that we get a teacher who hasn't even finished school himself!'

‘But that wasn't Hagrid's fault!' Harry protested. ‘And even if he doesn't speak all posh, that doesn't mean he's dumb! He still knows loads about animals!'

Zabini shrugged. ‘I'm not saying it is his fault. But that's just the way it is. You don't have to look at me like that, Potter', he stated calmly and met Harry's eyes, ‘that's the way I feel. I don't mind him as a gamekeeper, but I think we deserve teachers who have proper qualifications. Wasn't last year's DADA teacher enough of an argument for proper credentials?'

Harry couldn't think of an answer straight away. He couldn't argue with Zabini after he had brought forward a valid argument, but he couldn't stop thinking about Hagrid's happy and proud face when Dumbledore had announced his nomination. In that light Zabini's logical argument appeared cold and cruel.

‘And that makes it alright for Malfoy to try and get him fired?' he asked incredulously. ‘Do you all think so? What has he ever done to you?'

‘I don't want a teacher standing beside me wearing a smelly fur, thank you very much' Pansy snapped. ‘And Blaise is right, a teacher should at least talk properly, how are the students supposed to learn, right Millicent?' She giggled and Millicent blushed. Zabini frowned at Pansy.

‘Vincent, what do you think?' Blaise asked the broad boy who looked surprised at being asked his opinion but stopped chewing and narrowed his eyes as if pondering a  difficult question.

‘Dunno', he said finally. ‘Don't care really. ‘T least the lesson's outside.'

Malfoy rolled his eyes. ‘What kind of answer did you expect, Zabini? Those two would be the last to complain about Hagrid. After all he can hardly set any homework essays as he would have to mark them, and as for his language, I bet they haven't even noticed!' He looked at both of them and added, ‘Which is fine with me, don't get me wrong! Because you two would never consider ever becoming a Professor, would you? Professor Crabbe? Professor Goyle, Sir?'

His mock respectful tone caused a round of laughter and Crabbe and Goyle grinned sheepishly too. Then people started to leave the table.

‘What did you think about Hagrid's first lesson?' Harry asked Theodore Nott just before getting up himself. The pale boy's eyes quickly travelled from Harry to Malfoy and back again before he answered,

‘Well, I like all sorts of animals...'

With that, he hurried on and left Harry on his own, who thought this hadn't been a real answer to his question.

‘Potter.'

‘Hm', he made, startled out of his thoughts about Nott, turned around and found himself looking at Claudius Chesterton, the Slytherin prefect he already knew.

‘I'd like a quick word with you.' With his head the prefect motioned to the side near the wall where they could talk in relative privacy.

Harry followed him a little nervously, unsure what to expect. He found out soon enough, though.

‘Potter, I was inpecting your dorm after breakfast and I found that you hadn't made your bed and I found some dirty socks of yours underneath it.'

He looked at Harry expectantly who wondered what he was supposed to say. ‘Oh', seemed to be on the safe side.

‘Oh, indeed,' the prefect said. ‘Listen, Potter, I know that this whole change is not easy for you, so I suppose it's understandable to forget once. Once, you get me? I took care of your things today, but that was an exception, do you understand?'

‘Yes,' Harry muttered, feeling like he had at preschool when he had been reprimanded regularly for not tidying up his bricks properly, and he fervently hoped that would be all. Chesterton hadn't finished yet, though.

‘I am aware from our prefect's meetings that in other houses tidying up is not taken as seriously as it is in Slytherin, but I will have to report you to Professor Snape if this happens again. He feels very strongly about everyone tidying up after himself.'

‘No surprise there,' Harry muttered, secretely wondering if there was a single issue in the life of a Slytherin that Snape, the control freak. didn't feel strongly about.

‘Is that all then?' he asked, feeling annoyed.

‘Yes,' Chesterton said, ‘and you don't have to look at me like that, you should be glad I'm telling you and giving you this warning.'

Furious, Harry turned and left. He was still seething internally when he met Ron and Hermione at the exit of the Great hall, where they had been waiting for him.

‘What did the Prefect want?' Hermione asked at once. ‘You're not in trouble already, are you?'

‘Oh yes, I committed a horrible crime', Harry said sarcastically. ‘I didn't make my bed this morning, but luckily the Prefect tempered justice with mercy. Pompous ass!'

Ron was sympathetic. ‘Too bad, mate. Sounds like at home. Luckily Mum doesn't often have time to worry about about unmade beds, but sometimes she's after me as well. And I'm not allowed any magic at home! At least you can use a spell.'

‘So you can teach me?' Harry asked. ‘I'd rather do it Muggle-style all the time than admit to Malfoy or the others that I need their help.'

Hermione was looking half exasperated, half amused. ‘Don't tell me that you haven't made your bed at Hogwarts a single time since our first year.'

‘Well, no,' said Ron. ‘Why should we? It's our bed! And it gets messed up again anyway! Besides, it's all neatly done when the house elves change the linen every Sunday, so why bother?'

‘It's house elves that do that?' Harry asked, surprised.

‘Well, yes, sure', Ron answered, now surprised himself. ‘What did you think who did it? Mc Gonagall?'

The three of them started sniggering when they imagined their Head of House walking around with a stack of neatly folded linen.

Harry became serious again. ‘But honestly, mate', he said. ‘I didn't know there were house elves here at Hogwarts, I thought the beds did themselves, just like the food appears on the table on its own.'

‘But it doesn't,' Ron said. ‘It's also house elves who take it from the kitchen, where they prepare it, to the Great Hall, using their magic, of course.'

Hermione let out a frustrated sigh. ‘Why have they never told us? It's so unfair! Sometimes I think I can never catch up with all that you already know! And you can take Muggle Studies, there should be a subject like Wizarding Studies for Muggleborns as well!'

Ron shrugged. ‘I suppose.'

Meanwhile they had reached Hagrid's hut. They were the last to arrive; the others were already standing in groups together, Slytherins and Gryffindors apart from each other. The three friends exchanged a quick glance, then Hermione walked over to the Gryffindor group, however on the side closer to the Slytherins. Harry and Ron followed.

Hagrid's second lesson turned out to be a disappointment.  Malfoy's accident seemed to have cost Hagrid all his self-confidence and so he introduced the class to flobberworms, which were about the dullest creatures Harry had ever seen.

‘Yuck, slimy creatures,' Malfoy muttered. ‘Pity we didn't know them yesterday, they would have been charming company in your bed as well, wouldn't they, Potter?'

The Slytherins giggled and the Gryffindors glared.

‘Now, quiet there, please,' said Hagrid. ‘So that's all for today, I'd need some help ter get the little ones back to their cages, any volunteers?' He looked around hopefully.

‘Well, I'd love to, Professor,' drawled Malfoy, ‘it's just that my arm hurts so that I shouldn't move it so much.'

Hagrid didn't know what to say and just stood there, wringing his hands . It gave Harry a pang in the chest to see him like this. ‘I'll help,' he offered quickly and thought to himself that this was the second time in one day that Malfoy had provoked him into volunteering for something.

Hagrid looked relieved. ‘Thanks Harry, that's five points to Gr.... erm, Slytherin', he said and scratched his head. The Slytherins grinned broadly.

‘I'll help, too', said Ron and Hermione raised her hand as well. After awarding ten points to Gryffindor, Hagrid dismissed the class. Sighing, the three friends helped Hagrid with the flobberworms.

‘I don't know, I don't know, Harry,' mourned Hagrid. ‘You in Slytherin... But Dumbledore's a great man, ye know, he will have his reasons...'

Harry had feared this conversation with Hagrid. He felt that Hagrid was the member of staff with most reservations towards the Slytherins, and after his conversation with Dumbledore he had become aware that when Hagrid had introduced him to the wizarding world what he had said about Slytherin house hadn't been entirely accurate.

‘It doesn't change what you think about me, does it?' he asked worriedly.

Instead of an immediate verbal answer Hagrid tousled his hair and gave him a pat on the back that made him stumble forward a few steps.

‘Nah', he said finally, ‘you're still the same Harry, even if you are in Slytherin. But watch out, ye hear me? Some of those Slytherins cannot be trusted.'

When a little while later Harry made his way back to the Slytherin common room, his pockets were bulging from the numerous rock cakes that Hagrid had insisted upon giving him. As little as he liked eating them, Harry was happy about them - the mere fact that he got them surely meant that Hagrid still considered him his friend.

After entering the common roon, he looked around as he had done the evening before in the search of a suitable place to sit. When he caught sight of the prefect, talking aimatedly to some of his classmates, a mischievous grin spread over Harry's face. Quickly he crossed the room.

‘Chesterton?' he asked tentatively.

‘Potter?' The brown-haired boy turned to face him.

‘Snape told me that I am supposed to give any sweets I get to you, so you can distribute them to everybody...' Upon the nod of the older boy, Harry began emptying all his pockets and piled all his rock cakes on the table in front of him. The only thing that Harry regretted in this moment was that Ron wasn't there to witness the flabbergasted prefect's face.

‘What on earth is that, Potter', Chesterton said and took one of the rock cakes, trying unsuccessfully to break it in half.

‘These are Hagrid's rock cakes', Harry said with a straight face. ‘He gave them to me to make my evenings here more pleasant, that's what he said, but you know, I don't mind sharing.'

With that, he left the group of older boys and went to the table with his classmates.

‘Ooh, look who's coming,' exclaimed Pansy when she saw him approach. ‘Have you sucked up enough to your favorite teacher? "Yes Hagrid, I'd love to help you with your flobberworms, they are such amazing creatures!" '

‘Shut up', Harry said curtly determined not to let himself provoked so easily. Malfy, however had other plans.

‘Honestly Potter, it's a disgrace to see you kiss Hagrid's ass like this,' said Malfoy. ‘Helping that oaf with his flobberworms, as if he couldn't manage on his own!'

‘What is it to you if I help him?' Harry asked, trying to keep his temper. ‘After all, I like him!'

‘And I say, it's a disgrace,' Malfoy said coldly. ‘But surely someone who was raised by muggles and constantly runs around with mudbloods and blood traitors doesn't have a clue about wizarding pride! My father...'

‘Your father is a villain without any pride or honor or anythingelse!' Harry hissed, his hands balled into fists. ‘He almost killed Ginny Weasley last year!'

The students around him gasped. Malfoy was white with fury and had jumped to his feet. ‘That's a bloody lie!' he shouted. ‘You just want to criticize my father because you don't have one!'

‘It's not a lie!' Harry balled his fists. ‘And you know, I'm better off without a father than I would be with one like yours! I've seen the way he treated your house-elf, it was just revolting! You can see what kind of ass he is!'

‘You take that back!' Malfoy yelled, outraged, and quickly drew his wand. Harry did the same.

‘Expelliarmus!'

Claudius Chesterton was furiously advancing upon them, both of their wands in his left hand. ‘Listen, you two, I am sick of your fighting. You, Malfoy, stop your taunting, and you, Potter,' he looked at Harry coldly,'don't spread any rumours about other people. Do you understand me?'

Harry and Daco didn't say anything.

‘Do you understand me?' the prefect repeated impatiently.

‘Yes,' both muttered.

‘You are both going to write lines for me now. Fighting proves nothing and always shows a failure of both parties. 100 times. That should keep you busy until dinner and a bit afterwards. Start. You'll get your wands back after you've given me your lines.' With that he briskly turned around and walked back to the table he had vacated.

Harry and Draco glared at one another but knew better than to say any more. Instead Malfoy sat down where he had been before and Harry settled for an empty seat at the other end of the table, next to Theodore Nott. Without another word both of them started on their lines.

Fighting proves nothing and always shows a failure of both parties.

Fighting proves nothing and always shows a failure of both parties.

Fighting proves nothing and always shows a failure of both parties.

Fighting proves nothing and always shows a failure of both parties.

Fighting proves nothing and always shows a failure of both parties.

Fighting proves nothing and always shows a failure of both parties.

Fighting proves nothing and always shows a failure of both parties.

Fighting proves nothing and always shows a failure of both parties.

Fighting proves nothing and always shows a failure of both parties.

Fighting proves nothing and always shows a failure of both parties.

Harry sighed and counted. Ten times. A tenth of what he had to do. He never liked writing with a quill, and writing the same thing would get on anybody's nerves. His writing was starting to get worse with every sentence, and he had no idea how picky the prefect would be. Thinking he didn't want to risk having to redo his lines, he grudgingly decided he needed to slow down a bit.

He had finished line No. 76 when it was time for dinner. Sighing he put down his quill and followed the others out of the common roon, feeling very uncomfortable without his wand. He ate dinner in silence, not bothering to engage in any conversation with the others, who were busy discussing the status of their homework. Yes, Harry groaned internally, he stilll had his potions homework to do, but he would only be able to start that after he finished the rest of his lines. 

Harry was the first one to arrive back in the Common Room, and was already busy with his lines when the others joined him at the table. Theodore Nott, when he sat down next to him, looked at his parchment, but didn't comment. Neither did the others. Sure, Harry thought, they can't take the mickey out of me when their leader Malfoy has to do lines as well.

Fighting proves nothing and always shows a failure of both parties. 99.

Fighting proves nothing and always shows a failure of both parties. 100. With a sigh of relief, Harry put down his quill and looked over at Malfoy. The blond boy hadn't finished yet and was still scribbling away furiously. Harry grabbed his parchment and went over to the prefect's table. He cleared his throat.

‘I finished my lines', he said and blushed when all the older students looked at him and peered at his parchment. Harry thought that if the prefect made a single stupid remark he would probably explode and earn himself another 100 lines. Luckily Chesterton simply held out his hand without a word. After receiving the parchment from Harry, he checked its contents and then, still without saying anything, he gave Harry his wand back.

‘Thanks', Harry mumbled awkwardly and quickly left the older boys. On his way back he met Malfoy, who had also finished his lines. Both of them took care not to meet the other's eye. Deciding that he definitely needed to start with his potions homework, Harry went to his dorm to fetch his potions textbook and his notes from the last lesson out of his cupboard. Back in the common room, Harry sat down next to Nott again and started on his essay. Nott briefly looked up from his own work when Harry settled down and opened his potions book but did not comment. Harry missed Hermione's help, but he was determined to write an acceptable essay. He was in no doubt that  Snape would hear about his fight with Malfoy, which would result in enough trouble anyway, so he saw no need to aggravate the man even further by handing in carelessly-done homework.

With nobody to distract him, Harry noticed to his surprise that his work progressed rather quickly and he ended up having written three inches more than Snape had assigned them. This was unprecendented. Satisfied with himself, Harry decided he had done enough work for the day and that he should go into the dorm. He wasn't so keen on being present when Snape entered the Common room again and got filled in by the prefect and besides it was probably a good idea to get ready for bed before the others were there so that they couldn't mess around with his bed again.

Harry enjoyed the peace and quiet in his dorm. Dropping his satchel next to his trunk, he quickly changed into his pyjamas and went to the washroom. Upon coming back, he carefully inspected his bed. No, there wasn't anything in his bed that didn't belong there. Settling in his bed he immersed himself in a magazine that Seamus had lent him. He quickly skipped the pages titled ‘Magic for your wardrobe - the trendiest spells for your clothes' and moved on to the Quidditch section. There were moving pictures of famous Quidditch stars as well as tables of the latest results in the Quidditch league. This was much more interesting. However, the excitement of the last few days and the nights when he hadn't slept well took their toll and Harry was asleep before the others came to bed.

Harry woke up early the next morning, feeling more relaxed than he had for several days. There had been no unpleasant occurences during the night and Harry began to think that if he avoided any confrontation with the others and otherwise spent as much time as he could with his Gryffindor friends, he might survive this whole arrangement. He went up to breakfast in a rather good mood.

Like every morning, the post was delivered at the breakfast table. Harry was used to almost never getting anything, but he still enjoyed the fluttering of the multitude of owls in the Great Hall. This morning though, he was a little irritated by the huge parcel that Malfoy got and the admiring sounds that everybody around the blond boy made. To Harry it seemed as if Malfoy was making a show out of opening the parcel and making sure everybody noticed the valuable presents he got.

‘Just look at these boots', Malfoy exclaimed, ‘that's real dragon hide! And look here, there are some Quidditch cards, signed by the players themselves! Oh, and here, Chesterton, this is for you!' he said, handing a rather large sack over to the prefect. ‘Lots of sweets, enough for everyone I'd say.'

Harry couldn't help feeling reminded of Dudley's birthdays. The difference, though, was that Dudley had never been forced to share anything. Well, he couldn't care less, it wasn't as if he wanted to eat any of the sweets that Lucius Malfoy sent his son!

After breakfast, Harry quickly went to make his bed. Unfortunately he hadn't finished when the others came in.

‘Honestly Potter, what's this supposed to mean? You think you do it better Muggle-Style than with the spell?' Zabini asked increduloudsly.

Harry shrugged.'In the holidays we have to do it like this, too', he  said. ‘At least like this I don't lose the practice.'

Zabini gave him a strange look, but didn't say anything. Malfoy muttered audibly, ‘Completely nuts. That's what you get if you let a wizard grow up with muggles.' The boys quickly muttered an incantation and performed a wand movement that left their beds much tidier than Harry's in less than a second. Then they started gathering their school things for the day. So did Harry. He put his transfiguration things into the satchel next to the potions supplies that were still in there from the evening before. Suddenly he paused. He checked his bag, first systematically then increasingly frantically. There was no doubt. His potions homework, which he was sure he had put it into his bag the evening before, had disappeared.