The Bogg-RAT!!!
In the days that followed, Draco came to an important realization about himself: he was, indeed, a bit of a slave driver. Much to his delight (and Ron’s immense grieve) Draco found himself ordering Ron around with an almost gleeful persistence. Pansy, Ginny, and Hermione were all preoccupied with their Talent Show preparations, and Blaise and Theo had forbiden Draco from bossing Neville around.
Luna remained her usual free-spirited self, occasionally listening to Draco’s rants and complaints but not expected to do much more. As for Harry, Draco hesitated to ask for his help, knowing Harry would go beyond measure if asked. Vince and Greg were too absorbed in planning their lives for the coming year to be of any use. So, that left Ron, and Draco took considerable pleasure in making him miserable.
Ron was the usual suspect for helping Draco in Potions class and for carrying his books and other items around the castle (yes, Draco could have used magic or his Moleskine pouch, but where was the fun in that?).
After a particularly grueling Potions class, Ron tried to escape to freedom but was stopped in his tracks by a flick of Severus’s wand.
“Five points from Gryffindor for leaving a friend in need behind,” Severus intoned, (Remus must be in the doghouse for something, if Severus’s grumpiness was to be believed.).
“Damn it,” Ron grumbled. “You’re an arse, Malfoy.”
Draco responded with his best devilish smirk and strutted out of the classroom.
“Hey, by the way, Hermione—” Ron turned towards Hermione, or at least where she had been a moment ago, but she had vanished into thin air. “Where did she go?” Ron exclaimed to Harry, who looked just as confused.
Hermione and Blaise seemed to be becoming a little too ‘Turner-friendly’. For a couple of nerds, they were being quite negligent in trying to maintain secrecy. Draco should probably have a talk with them.
“She’s over there.” Draco gestured towards a frazzled Hermione, who was struggling to contain a bag with splitting seams.
“Why are you carrying all this around with you?” Ron asked.
“Yeah, why are you, Hermione?” Draco drawled. “Why don’t you get a Weasley of your own to carry these for you?”
“Shut it, Malfoy,” Ron groused. “That’s not what I meant.”
“I know that, Ronald,” Hermione sighed. “You know how many subjects I’m taking; it’s been quite a workout.” Hermione tucked her bag under her arm, trying to hold it together.
“Why aren’t you using a Weightless Charm and Extension Charm on your bag?” Blaise suggested, as if it were the most obvious solution (which, to be fair, it is).
“I… I don’t know how to do that,” Hermione admitted bashfully.
“No worries,” Blaise said, casting the Weightless Charm on the bag. “There you go. We’ll get you a bag with Extension Charms when we go to Hogsmeade.”
“Do you get the feeling Hermione’s not telling us something?” Ron mumbled to Harry as they headed to Defense class.
….…..
They had just taken out their books when Remus arrived with a smile and an old-time briefcase. He was wearing the new dress robes Sirius had pressured him into buying and looked healthier than ever. There was a slight blush on his cheeks that Draco suspected was not entirely innocent (and would prefer to remain ignorant of it’s origin, quite frankly).
“Good afternoon,” Remus greeted them with a mischievous smirk aimed directly at Draco ( the Marauder shinning through). “Put your books back in your bags. I’m afraid we won’t be using them much in this class. We’ll be taking a practical approach.”
A few curious looks and whispers circulated between the students, but the students were more than happy to put their books away. As far as they were concerned, there had never been a practical Defense class before. Quirrell had been too much of a coward, and Lockhart’s “Pixie Fiasco” didn’t count.
“Right then,” Remus clapped his hands to get everyone’s attention. “Now, if you could follow me.”
The class, buzzing with excitement, followed Remus down deserted corridors. They encountered Peeves, floating upside down and stuffing bubblegum into a keyhole. Peeves didn’t notice them until Remus was almost two feet away. When he did, he broke into a sing-song voice:
“Loony, loopy Lupin, loony, loopy Lupin…”
Remus was a jolly good fellow that was the only imaginable reason Draco could think of as Remus’s smile didn’t waver and he told Peeves pleasantly, “I’d take the gum out before Filch finds out.” When Peeves ignored him completely, Remus sighed theatrically (though Draco could see the mischief in his eyes) and said over his shoulder to the class, “This is a useful little spell; kindly pay attention.”
With a wink at Draco, Remus waved his wand and said, “Waddiwasi!” The gum shot out from the keyhole like a bullet and hit Peeves right in the nostril. Peeves whirled right-side up and zoomed away, cursing loudly.
Laughter erupted around the room, and Dean exclaimed, “Cool, Sir!”
“Why, thank you, Mr. Thomas,” Remus said with an exaggerated bow. “Shall we proceed?” He led them to the staffroom.
They were greeted by a sneering Severus, and a few scathing comments were exchanged between Remus and Severus (which Draco suspected was some sort of odd foreplay between the two).
“Not that I doubt your competence in creating chaos,” Snape intoned, “but I do expect you to be able to maintain the chaos within this room.”
“I assure you, Snape, I am more than capable of taming chaos in any form,” Remus replied with a challenge of his own. (Draco gagged a little in his mouth—this was worse than the whole summer combined.)
With a swirl of his gown, Snape left the room with an intense expression on his face (probably code for something, if Draco had to bet).
“Nothing to worry about,” Remus said to the class, gesturing towards Neville. “Now, Mr. Longbottom, if you could help me.”
Draco tuned out the rest of the class, contemplating the rat debacle. There was the usual chaos expected from teenagers in a practical class. A mild competition ensued between Blaise and Hermione over who would answer first. Then they were swishing and flicking their wands (keep your mind out of the gutter), and finally, they lined up to face their boggart.
Draco had just about formed a plan for handling the rat when he was unexpectedly pushed in front of the wardrobe.
“You ready, Mr. Malfoy?” Remus asked with a smirk.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Draco shrugged.
The thudding of the wardrobe grew softer, a heartbeat of silence before the door creaked open. Draco’s mind went blank. In that frozen moment, there was no room for anything but the creeping dread that turned his stomach to stone.
The nightmare spilled out from behind the door, a sickening parade of mocking faces. Benny, Archie, and Sammy—three names that were like barbed wire wrapped around his memories. Their laughter was a cruel symphony, each note a stab to his already shattered composure.
Draco felt himself crumple, his legs betraying him as he sank to the floor. Benny’s shove was like a physical blow, sending him crashing to his knees. Every mocking word from their lips felt like a razor slicing through the fragile shield he’d built.
Hermione’s voice was a distant hum, a faint barrier of magic that couldn’t quite reach the core of his panic. The words blended together in a blur—something about being surrounded, but it didn’t change the raw terror clawing at his insides.
Archie’s voice dripped with venom. “Look Benny, the bird has ‘friends’ now,” he sneered, his words wrapping around Draco like a noose. The venom in his tone was unmistakable; it was a twisted reminder of a past that Draco had tried so hard to forget.
Benny’s eyes gleamed with a malicious curiosity. “Do you think they’d help you if we showed them the real you?” The question was a knife twisted into an old wound, reopening scars that never truly healed.
“And would they join us in the fun?” Sammy’s sneer was palpable, his voice a jagged edge against Draco’s fragile state. “After all, a bird by any name is still a bird, isn’t it? Your fancy clothes can’t save you, can they?”
The coldness in Archie’s voice was almost a caress, sickly sweet and dripping with malevolence. “Think we should hold her down, or she’ll remember her training this time?”
There was a horrific familiarity in Sammy’s tone as he added, “We wouldn’t want to cut her up this time around, would we?”
Every word was a punch to the gut, a reminder of how powerless he felt against the ghosts of his past. Draco’s heart pounded in his chest, a frantic drumbeat that matched the chaos in his mind. The taunts, the threats—they were all too real, too painful, and he couldn’t escape the suffocating darkness of his own fear.
All he could do was pray for the torment to end, for the nightmare to recede, and for some semblance of peace to return. But in that moment, surrounded by their taunting voices, peace seemed like a distant dream he might never reach.
The world spun and twisted nauseatingly before Draco felt a strong, steady pair of arms wrap around him. His mind was still reeling from the horror, but as his senses slowly came back into focus, he realized he was in Harry’s embrace, surrounded by Harry’s friends. They formed a protective barrier around him, shielding him from the rest of the class. The chaos was now a distant echo, and Draco could barely process the comfort of their presence.
Remus's soothing voice cut through the haze, but Draco was too shaken to grasp his words. He clung to Remus, desperate for the reassurance he couldn't articulate. His breath came in ragged gasps, and though he couldn’t find the words, the comfort of Remus’s embrace was enough. The class had been dismissed, and the noise of the students had faded into a murmur.
A Patronus—bright and comforting—flashed in the room, and soon Severus appeared, his usual cold demeanor softened by concern. The sneering cruelty that had defined the earlier moment was replaced by a more genuine worry. Severus settled beside Remus, his presence a grounding force.
Harry and his friends stayed close, offering silent support until Draco’s breathing began to steady. Remus, ever the calm anchor, sent out excuse letters for their next class, ensuring Draco wouldn’t have to face the rest of the day’s lessons in his current state.
When Draco finally felt he could manage words again, he looked at Remus and said, “I’m fine. Just need a few minutes.” His voice was strained but earnest. The simple acknowledgment of his need for space was a small step toward regaining his composure.
Severus, though clearly worried, didn’t press too hard. His voice was firm yet gentle. “We’ll see you after dinner. Come to my office.” There was no room for argument in his tone—just a clear expectation that Draco would come by later. His authoritative stance was softened by the concern in his eyes.
Draco tried to stand, but his legs felt weak. He would have collapsed if not for Harry’s steadying grip. The simple act of support was a reminder that he wasn’t alone, that he had people who cared enough to hold him up.
“Thank you,” Draco managed, his voice barely above a whisper.
..........
“How much did you guys hear?” Draco asked once they were safely hidden away in the Room.
“I cast that spell,” Hermione said softly, cheeks red with embarasment..
“Spell?” Draco asked, a little confused.
“The one you used when Ron got that Howler. Remember?” Pansy reminded him.
“Oh.”
“I don’t think I did it right, though. The others didn’t hear anything; I’m sure of that. But…” Hermione looked around nervously, “we heard what they said, Draco.”
“Oh…” Draco grew pale, still a bit shaken. “It’s okay; it doesn’t matter, Granger.”
“Hermione… It’s Hermione, Draco.”
“Yeah, right. Sorry, Hermione.” Draco gave her a hesitant smile, not sure how successful he was at it.
“Who were they?” Neville asked softly, his voice laced with curiosity.
“They called you a bird, Draco,” Luna reminded him, as if Draco might have forgotten.
“They were Muggles, weren’t they?” Pansy questioned, brows furrowed. “Why were they saying those horrible things?”
“Right.” Draco took a deep breath, trying to collect his thoughts to reply to their questions. “You have to promise me that whatever I tell you right now, none of you will ask about it again or tell anyone about it—not my parents, Severus, or anyone.” Draco looked at them ernestly, beseeching a vow of secrecy from his friends.
“We promise.” Whether it was intentional or not, all of them said it together, and Draco felt the vow settle like a band around his wrist. The Room had somehow made their promise into an unbreakable vow.
“I was born a girl,” Draco rushed out.
“Oh,” Pansy said eyes wide, probably understanding much quicker than the others.
“But you… you’re a guy,” Ron blurted.
“Seriously, Ronald…” Hermione admonished. “We live in a wizarding world.”
Well, that helped Draco’s explanation more than anything. “Right, so I knew from my childhood that I was born in the wrong body. Fortunately, my parents loved me as I was, and tada… here I am now.”
“Who were those three?” Theo asked seriously.
“I… I used to go to this Muggle park near the mansion. My parents don’t know, so please don’t ask,” Draco said, cutting short any future queries. “Those three… they saw the changes… they knew.”
“Did they do something?” Vince asked, voice barely a whisper.
“It’s all in the past… just let’s not talk about it, please.” Suddenly, Draco was pulled into a tight embrace.
“Oh, Draco,” Pansy sobbed, her voice trembling. “I’m here.”
“We are here,” Neville added, giving his arm a reassuring squeeze.
“For whatever you need. We don’t care about… about that, mate,” Ron assured him, giving his hair a comforting ruffle.
“If you ever need to talk, just tell us, okay?” Theo gave him a one-armed hug, trying to maneuver around Pansy.
Draco almost laughed at Pansy hogging him. But he relaxed, feeling his tension finally leaving his body. He was loved. That was enough for him.
….…
Draco moved through the deserted corridors under Harry’s cloak. Fortunately, the Fat Lady was too sleepy to focus on the figure asking for entrance as Draco stated the password. The doors opened, the common room eerily empty.
Draco moved silently as he entered the dorms and approached Ron’s bed. The rat was sleeping soundly in its cage. Without much fanfare, Draco picked up the cage and exited the dorms.
It took exactly 40 minutes to go to the Room, perform the ritual, and an additional 10 minutes to return the caged rat to the dorms.
It would have been easy as a breeze if not for Ron screaming bloody murder when he saw Draco’s arm out of the cloak while putting the cage back in its place.
Fortunately for Draco, he made it out of the dorms before the alarm sounded for Sirius Black in the Gryffindor dorms.