Harry grinned widely as he caught Snape slinking into the Great Hall. He had to admit that he hadn't thought Dumbledore's plan would work. He thought Snape at the very least would only add a Slytherin pin, not wear brand-new robes. He glanced towards Hermione who looked lovely as ever. In fact, everyone so far looked amazing, even Ron, thanks to Dumbledore.

"Wow," Hermione, Luna, and Ginny whispered as Snape walked past them.

"Wow what?" Ron asked a few seconds later.

"Honestly, Ronald, sometimes I think you're blind," Hermione drawled. She then pointed at Snape.

Apart from the new robes, Harry noticed that Snape's hair looked freshly washed. In fact, as much as it would kill Snape and Sirius both to hear it, Snape's hair had a bit of a wavy look to it like Sirius's hair. The stray strands actually seemed to give his hair a bit more edgy look to it. In Harry's opinion, Snape didn't look half-bad right then. In fact, there even seemed to be a bit more color to his face so he didn't look so much like a ghost.

"Now, we just need the bride," Ron whispered.

"It shouldn't be long," Luna mystically said. "She's only waiting right outside the doors."

The Gryffindors glanced at the young dishwater blonde Ravenclaw before shaking their heads. There were times when Luna seemed so far in her own world that it was scary. When the Gryffindors started to hear gasps around them, they all whirled around. Their mouths dropped at the sight of their Astronomy professor walking in.

"Whoa," Ron and Harry exclaimed.

"Lucky bastard," Draco mumbled as he walked up behind the Gryffindors. Crabbe and Goyle flanked him on either side, but he also had the Weasley twins walking near him.

"I second that," Fred muttered in pure shock.

Aurora Sinistra wore a baby blue halter-style dress that went to her knees. The dressmaker had cut the dress in such a way that it had diagonal ruffles that swished softly as she walked. She wore thin black heels that clicked lightly against the floor. Whoever had done her hair had swept it up and coiled it around the now hidden bun. On either side of her face were two stray curls that she had tucked behind her ear. However, the most noticeable thing of all was the Lily of the Nile flower tucked into the left side of her coiled hair.

"Isn't that the same hairstyle you had last year, Granger?" Draco asked softly as if not to draw attention.

"Yeah," Hermione replied just as soft. "It looks better on her, though."

"Nah, I thought you looked just as amazing as her," Draco responded before Pansy Parkinson, who wore a long flowing black dress, smacked him in the shoulder. "What? I'm just saying she looked nice last year. I'm not saying I want to date her or anything."

"You better not have been saying that, Malfoy," Ron growled.

"As if I'd ever date a Muggleborn, Weasel," Draco said. "I'm hurting my reputation enough by hanging out with you losers."

"Guys, focus," Harry snapped. He was starting to get tired of Malfoy and his snide little comments to Ron every two seconds. Harry then glanced towards Dumbledore who only bowed his head in return. "All right, so everything's set. Now, we just need to focus on getting those two to dance. Hermione, give Vector the signal. Malfoy, do your thing with Snape." When he caught the glare from the blond, he sighed. "What is it, Malfoy?"

"And just what are you doing while I'm risking my arse for your stupid band of rejects?"

"Well, someone needs to take care of Scrimgeour, don't they?" Harry replied snottily.

"Hey, Mate, leave that to us," Fred said before glancing at his brother. "We got something all cooked up for our supreme leader." He then laughed loudly before the twins walked off towards the center stage.

"Do we even want to know?"

"Probably not," Malfoy responded before sighing. "How about you and I go over to Snape?"

"Not scared, are you, Malfoy?"

"Course I'm not scared of Snape, Potter. The only one who should be scared is you. If Snape ever learns what you and your gang has been up to," Draco said before making an 'off with the head' signal.

"Let's go, Malfoy, before you screw this whole operation up."

"Hell, Potter, your group can't even come up with a proper name. Least I gave you WAND."

"Oh, yeah, well, I still have some hope this entire thing will work."

"That's it!" Hermione exclaimed, whirling towards Draco and Harry. Her eyes were wide with excitement. "Hope," she said laughing before glancing at Ron.

"Uh, Hermione, is everything all right?"

"Oh, why didn't I think of it before?" the smartest Gryffindor witch asked rhetorically as she shook her head. "HOPE, Helping Our Professors Engage," she explained in a soft whisper. "It's perfect."

"I still think WAND was better," Draco replied with a hint of a whine.

"Fine, then we'll tell everyone that we've narrowed it down to those two choices," Harry said annoyed.

"What if the Slytherins use WAND, and you and your band of sore losers use HOPE?"

"And what if your pet toad asks you why you changed her little name of the Inquisitorial Squad to WAND?" Ron asked smartly.

"Then we tell her that it's tougher sounding, Weasel," Draco responded before scoffing. "Oh, why am I even talking to you still? Come on, Scarhead. We have to go see our residential bat before he flees." Draco then glanced towards Snape who was doing his best to blend into the background. "And by the looks of it that doesn't look too far away from now," he drawled prior to sighing. "You do still want to get Snape off your back, don't you, Potter?"

"Of course I do," Harry snapped.

"Well, then move your fat arse and follow me, Potter," Draco growled before angrily walking away from the band of Gryffindors. He could only guess how his father would react if he ever learned that his only son had consorted with a Mudblood, Blood Traitor, and sworn enemy of the Dark Lord. He shuddered slightly as he imagined it. He knew without a doubt that he'd be sporting some more lovely marks that his father gave him. If not that, then someone would find his dead body in a shallow grave.

Draco wasn't even going to start thinking if his Aunt Bella found out. Draco thanked Merlin every day for the Ministry locking her up in Azkaban. Without a doubt, if she were around, he knew he wouldn't be getting along with the other Houses as well as he was. As they made their way across the Great Hall towards Snape, he glanced towards Harry. Potter wasn't too bad. However, Draco knew he had to keep up his mask with the Gryffindor if he was to survive the war. Potter might be an asset, but he was also a very dangerous liability.