Chapter 2.
We cut to Harry burning newspaper in Ron’s room. The trio are all sitting around it.
HARRY: So, when did you get here?
HERMIONE: A few days ago. Though, for a while, I wasn’t sure I was coming.
RON: Mum sort of lost it last week. Said Ginny and I had no business going back to Hogwarts. That it’s too dangerous.
HARRY: Oh, come on.
HERMIONE: She’s not alone. Even my parents, and they’re Muggles, know something bad is happening.
James winced. “That’s not good.”
“But it’s Hogwarts!” Sirius protested. “It’s always going to be safe!”
“The past few videos have shown that not to be entirely true,” Alice pointed out. “I’d be concerned too.”
RON: Anyway, dad stepped in, told her she was bein’ barmy and… it took a few days but she came around.
HARRY: But… this is Hogwarts we’re talking about. It’s Dumbledore. What could be safer?
“Exactly!” Sirius agreed.
HERMIONE: There’s been a lot of talk recently that… Dumbledore’s got a bit old.
“What?!” Sirius exploded.
“She’s not wrong,” Bellatrix snorted.
“I guess not,” Andromeda tentatively nodded.
“I mean, how old even is he?” James asked. “Late nineties?”
“He has to be older than that,” Lily discarded. “Hundreds?”
“Surely not,” Ted shook his head.
HARRY: What rubbish! Well, he’s only… what is he?
RON: A hundred and fifty? Give or take a few years.
“We were a bit off,” Remus declared, receiving a few laughs.
The trio start laughing as well, as the camera pans down to the burning newspaper. Draco’s face is shown on the paper, as we transition to a rainy town.
BELLATRIX: Cissy, we can’t do this! He can’t be trusted!
NARCISSA: The Dark Lord trusts him.
BELLATRIX: The Dark Lord’s mistaken. There are two cloaked figures, who hide in the shadows as kids around them laugh and play. One of them knocks on a door. The door opens to reveal WORMTAIL.
“Peter?” James asks incredulously.
“What is he doing here?” Sirius spat.
A newspaper folds to reveal SNAPE.
“You’re housing him!?” James turns around to face Severus.
“I don’t know. I certainly don’t like him any more than I like any of you!” Severus scoffed.
SNAPE: Run along, Wormtail. His waves his wand and Wormtail is locked out.
NARCISSA: I-I-I know I ought not to be here. The Dark Lord himself forbade me to speak of this.
“What, you acting like a traitor, Cissy?” Sirius mocked. Narcissa just rolled her eyes.
SNAPE: If the Dark Lord has forbidden it, you ought not to speak. Put it down, Bella. We musn’t touch what isn’t ours. Bellatrix puts down whatever she was holding with a clank. As it so happens, I’m aware of your situation, Narcissa.
BELLATRIX: You? The Dark Lord told you?
SNAPE: Your sister doubts me. Understandable. Over the years I’ve played my part well. So well, I’ve deceived one of the greatest wizards of all time. Bellatrix snores. Dumbledore is a great wizard. Only a fool would question it.
NARCISSA: I don’t doubt you, Severus.
BELLATRIX: You should be honored, Cissy. As should Draco.
Regulus stiffened. This felt familiar. “What honor?”
NARCISSA: He’s just a boy.
SNAPE: I can’t change the Dark Lord’s mind. But it might be possible for me to help Draco. Narcissa gets up.
NARCISSA: Severus-
BELLATRIX: Swear to it. Make the Unbreakable Vow. It’s just empty words. He’ll give it his best effort. But when it matters most… he’ll just slither back into his hole. Coward.
SNAPE: Take out your wand. Narcissa and Snape join hands. Bellatrix directs her wand at their hands, and a silvery strand starts to bind the two of them.
BELLATRIX: Will you, Severus Snape, watch over Draco Malfoy as he attempts to fulfill the Dark Lord’s wishes?
SNAPE: I will.
BELLATRIX: And will you, to the best of your ability… protect him from harm?
SNAPE: I will.
BELLATRIX: And if Draco should fail… will you yourself carry out the deed the Dark Lord has ordered Draco to perform?
SNAPE: I will. The strands seep into their clothing, and bind Snape to his words.
“Okay,” Mary begins. “What in the bloody hell was that?”
“What has Draco been ordered to do?” Marlene asked. “Kill Harry?”
“No,” Lily refuted. “First, Snape would never kill Harry. Second, Voldemort wants to kill Harry himself, he would never let Draco have the glory.”
The scene changes to Fred and George’s joke shop.
TWINS: Step up! Step up!
FRED: We’ve got Fainting Fancies!
GEORGE: Nosebleed Nougats!
FRED: And just in time for school:
GEORGE: Puking Pastilles!
“No way!” James exclaimed. “They made a prank shop!”
“Bloody brilliant!” Sirius shouted. “How come we never think of that?”
The camera shows a kid looking at the sweets.
TWINS: Into the cauldron, handsome! One girl’s hair gets static shocked. An Umbridge puppet hangs from the ceiling.
PUPPET UMBRIDGE: I will have order! I really hate children.
The Marauders were all roaring.
“Oh, look! It’s Umbitch!” Remus snorted, causing another fit of laughter.
Another kid is walking on walls. The Twins pull up to Harry.
HARRY: Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder.
GEORGE: A real money spinner, that one.
FRED: Handy if you need a quick getaway. Ginny and Hermione are looking at a pink container.
TWINS: Hello, ladies.
FRED: Love potions, eh?
GEORGE: Yeah, they really do work.
FRED: Then again, the way we hear it sis, you’re doing just fine on your own.
GINNY: Meaning?
GEORGE: Are you not currently dating Dean Thomas?
GINNY: It’s none of your business.
“‘Oooh Hinny is happening!’” Sirius mocked, meanwhile James reached across the couch, leaned over, and smacked him upside the head.
“Asshole,” James muttered, settling back in.
Hermione sets back the love potion.
RON: How much for this? Ron holds up a box of some kind.
TWINS: Five galleons.
RON: How much for me?
TWINS: Five galleons.
RON: I’m your brother.
TWINS: Ten galleons.
Sirius snorts. “Merlin, I love them.”
Ron turns to Harry and Hermione.
RON: C’mon. Let’s go.
“Noooo, stay!” James begged. “That was the best place I’ve ever seen.”
LAVENDER: Hi, Ron.
RON: Hi. The trio exit as a baby dragon heats up the chocolates.
HERMIONE: How are Fred and George doing it? Half the alley’s closed down.
RON: Fred reckons people need a laugh these days.
HARRY: I reckon he’s right. Hermione spots the empty Ollivanders.
HERMIONE: Oh, no. Everyone got their wand from Ollivanders. The trio enter the rundown building.
RON: Harry? Is it me or do Draco and Mummy look like two people who don’t want to be followed? The camera pans to Draco and Narcissa looking both ways before walking down an alleyway. The trio follow. The alleyway progressively gets more shady, as people who seem to be and act strange appear. Draco and Narcissa enter Borgin and Burke. Multiple people start to enter the store, as the trio climbs up onto a roof. Draco, Narcissa and Fenrir Greyback are all looking at an item.
Wordlessly, Remus clenches his fists.
Greyback pulls the curtains down, obstructing the trio’s view.
We transition to the train that takes the students to Hogwarts.
LUNA: Quibbler? Quibbler? She spots Ginny talking to a boy. He’s lovely. Ginny has a tiny little pet on her shoulder. They’ve been known to sing on Boxing Day, you know. Quibbler?
GINNY: Oh, please. What’s a wrackspurt?
LUNA: They’re invisible creatures. They float in your ears and make your brain go fuzzy. Luna continues by. Quibbler? The camera switches to Harry’s compartment.
HARRY: So what was Draco doing with that weird-looking cabinet? And who were all those people? Don’t you see? It was a ceremony. An initiation.
HERMIONE: Stop it Harry. I know where you’re going with this.
HARRY: It’s happened. He’s one of them.
“Surely no,” Andromeda frowns. “The Death Eaters aren’t students.”
RON: One of what?
HERMIONE: Harry is under the impression that Draco Malfoy is now a Death Eater.
RON: (chuckles) You’re barking. What would You-Know-Who want with a sod like Malfoy?
“Loyalty?” Alice voiced. “By making the heir to the Malfoy heritage a Death Eater, you hold more power over them then ever before.”
Sirius frowns, and glances over at Regulus, who has his eyes affixed to the screen.
HARRY: Well, then what’s he doing in Borgin and Burkes? Browsing for furniture?
RON: It’s a creepy shop. And he’s a creepy bloke.
HARRY: Look, his father is a Death Eater. It only makes sense. Besides, Hermione saw it with her own eyes.
HERMIONE: I told you, I don’t know what I saw.
HARRY: I need some air. Harry grabs something and leaves the compartment.
Lily groans. “He’s going to do something stupid, isn’t he?”
Harry leans against the door and starts to spy on Draco.
DRACO: Don’t worry. When we get to Hogwarts, we’ll sort it all out. Harry has the instant darkness powder in his hand. Suddenly, the entire compartment is shrouded in darkness. What was that?
BLAISE: I don’t know.
GIRL: Relax, boys. It’s probably a first-year messing around.
PANSY: Come on, Draco. Sit down. We’ll be at Hogwarts soon. Draco sits back down.
DRACO: Hogwarts. What a pathetic excuse for a school. I think I’d pitch myself off the the Astronomy Tower if I thought I had to continue for another two years.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sirius accused.
PANSY: What’s that supposed to mean?
DRACO: Let’s just say, I don’t think you’ll see me wasting my time in charms class next year. Blaise chuckles. Amused, Blaise? We’ll see just who’s laughing in the end.
Narcissa sighed. “He did get the Dark Mark, didn’t he?”
“It’s an honor that he did, Cissy,” Bellatrix insisted.
“Sure it is,” Sirius interrupted. “Gets to serve the Dark Lord for the rest of his life. How fun!”
The train reaches its destination, and Hagrid stands waiting. Draco waits as Blaise and Pansy start to leave.
DRACO: You two go on. I want to check something.
“Ugh, he found you out, Harry!” James sighed, and facepalmed.
Ron and Hermione leave their compartment.
HERMIONE: Where’s Harry?
RON: He’s probably already on the platform. Come on.
Draco grabs a bag but shuts the compartment door and closes the blinds.
DRACO: Didn’t Mummy ever tell you it was rude to eavesdrop, Potter? Petrificus Totalus! Harry gets hit, and falls down. Draco rips the cloak off. Oh, yeah. She was dead before you could wipe the drool off your chin.
James seethed, glaring at the screen, but staying silent.
Draco kicks Harry in the face, and grabs the cloak.
DRACO: That’s for my father. Enjoy your ride back to London. He throws the cloak back on Harry, blending him in with the rest of the train. Draco then walks out.
“Bastard,” Sirius cursed under his breath.
“Harry better be fine,” James warned. “Or I swear to Merlin I will-”
“What?” Lily joked, glancing towards him. “March into the future and punch him?”
“I’d find a way,” James grumbled.
The camera changes to first person perspective as a colorful tint takes over the screen. Luna walks into the hall.
“Luna!” Regulus smiled fondly. “She’ll find him.”
Luna takes her wand out.
LUNA: Finite!
“What?” Marlene exclaimed. “How did she see him?”
Harry gasps and sits up.
LUNA: Hello, Harry.
HARRY: Luna. How’d you know where I was?
LUNA: Wrackspurts. Your head’s full of them.
Marlene scoffed.
“It worked,” Mary defended.
“Wrackspurts? Piss off,” Marlene waved the idea away.
The scene cuts to Harry and Luna walking.
HARRY: Sorry I made you miss the carriages, by the way, Luna.
LUNA: That’s alright. It was like being with a friend.
“‘Like?’” Lily raised an eyebrow.
HARRY: Oh, I am your friend, Luna.
LUNA: That’s nice.
FLITWICK: Oh, about time. I’ve been looking all over for you two. Right. Names?
HARRY: Professor Flitwick, you’ve known me for five years.
FLITWICK: No exceptions, Potter.
LUNA: Who are those people?
FLITWICK: Aurors. For security.
FILCH: (in the distance) What’s this cane doing here?
DRACO: It’s not a cane you cretin, it’s a walking stick.
FILCH: And what exactly would you be wanting with a… as the gate closes, a wave of magical energy shoots up from it.
James frowned. “What in Merlin’s name was that?”
An insect tries to fly into it, and gets disintegrated.
“Oh,” James blinked. “A forcefield.”
“They’re really pulling out all the stops on student safety, huh?” Frank noticed approvingly.
SNAPE: It’s alright, Mr. Filch. I can vouch for Mr. Malfoy. Draco grabs his cane and then spots Harry.
DRACO: Nice face, Potter. Draco and Snape walk away.
LUNA: Would you like me to fix it for you? Personally, I think you look a bit more devil-may-care this way, but it’s up to you.
HARRY: Um, well, have you ever fixed a nose before?
LUNA: No, but I’ve done several toes. And how different are they, really?
Marlene leaned backwards from the screen subconsciously. “Very different.”
HARRY: (nervous chuckle) Um… okay, yeah. Give it a go. Luna pointed her wand at his nose.
LUNA: Episkey. Harry cries out in pain, as a cracking noise can be heard.
HARRY: Well, h-how do I look?
LUNA: Exceptionally ordinary.
HARRY: Brilliant.
The camera cuts to the Great Hall, where the houses are all eating.
RON: Don’t worry. He’ll be here in a minute. Hermione glares at Ron as he continues eating. She hits him with a book multiple times.
HERMIONE: Will you stop eating? Your best friend is missing!
“He’s just like you, Moony,” Sirius grinned. “You never stop eating.”
“Shut up,” Remus frowned, shoving him.
RON: Oi! Turn around, you lunatic. Harry walks in, holding a paper towel to his nose.
GINNY: He’s covered in blood again. Why is it he’s always covered in blood?
“I agree,” Lily said.
RON: Looks like it’s his own this time.
HERMIONE: Where have you been? Harry sits down. What happened to your face?
HARRY: Later. What have I missed?
RON: Sorting Hat urged us all to be brave and strong in these troubled times. Easy for it to say, huh? It’s a hat, isn’t it? Dumbledore steps up to the podium.
DUMBLEDORE: Very best of evenings to you all. First off, let me introduce the newest member of our staff. Horace Slughorn. The students all applaud. Professor Slughorn, I’m happy to say has agreed to resume his old post as potions master. Meanwhile, the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts will be taken by Professor Snape. The students all mutter, though the Slytherins are especially happy.
DUMBLEDORE: Now, as you know, each and every one of you was searched upon your arrival here tonight. And you have the right to know why. Once there was a young man who, like you, sat in this very hall, walked this castle’s corridors, slept under this roof. He seemed, to all the world, a student like any other. His name? Tom Riddle.
Most people in the room winced.
“This is going to be surprising to everyone,” Mary stated, leaning in.
DUMBLEDORE: Today of course… he’s known all over the world by another name. Which is why, as I stand looking out upon you all tonight… I’m reminded of a sobering fact. Every day, every hour, this very minute perhaps, dark forces attempt to penetrate this castle’s walls. But in the end, their greatest weapon is you. The camera shows Draco. Just something to think about. Now off to bed. Pip-pip.
RON: That was cheerful.
“That’s what I was thinking,” Andromeda agreed. “Those poor first-years are probably scared out of their wits.”