.⊹⁀➷ CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN!
↳ ❛sixth year❜

THE VERY NEXT morning Molly and Arthur brought them to the train station and waved them all goodbye while the train started it's journey to Hogwarts.

The four friends were dragging their trunks along the corridor until they had reached a compartment that was empty.

Annabeth sat down by the window as always and after everyone had settled down Ron was the first to speak, "So what was Draco doing with that weird looking cabinet? And who were all those people?"

Harry immediately sat up in his seat, like he had been waiting for the topic to be brought up by someone, "Don't you see? It was a ceremony, an initiation."

Annabeth immediately shot her brother a warning look, "Stop it, Harry. I know where you're going with this."

But Harry didn't stop, his eyes met hers while he spoke, his voice filled with despise, "It's happened. He's one of them."

"One of what?", Ron questioned him, which made Hermione engage in the conversation, "Harry's under the impression Draco Malfoy is now a Death Eater."

"You're barking. What would You-know-who want with Malfoy?", Ron questioned his friend, a surprise expression on his face. Annabeth kind off agreed with him. Why would Voldemort recruit Draco out of all people. What could he gain?

But Harry just couldn't let it go, his eyebrows were raised and he gave Ron a pointed look, "Well then what's he doing in the Borgin and Burkes? Browsing for furniture?"

Ron just shrugged at him, "It's a creepy shop. He's a creepy bloke."

Annabeth rolled with her eyes while she continued to listen to their conversation.

"Look, his father is a Death Eater. It only makes sense. Besides Hermione saw it with her own eyes", Harry now looked at Hermione, but the girl shook her head. "I told you I don't know what I saw."

Harry let out a deep sight before he suddenly got onto his feet and left the compartment, "I need some air."

Annabeth waited until he disappeared from their view before she started starring out of the window.

But she was still very aware of the fact that Hermione was giving her looks that Annabeth couldn't quite place. They were curious but also had a little worry inside of them.

Annabeth was also aware that Hermione had a suspicion that there was something growing between the Potter girl and the Malfoy boy.

But Annabeth chose to avoid eye contact with Hermione, just because she didn't even know herself what she thought about the whole situation they had witnessed yesterday.

The brunette was so lost in her own thoughts and worries about Draco that she didn't even notice that already half an hour had passed by.

When Luna entered their compartment to sell them one of the Quibblers her eyes fell onto her watch.

When the blond fell into conversation with Hermione, Annabeth got up from her seat. When she caught Ron's curious look she just gave him a small smile, "I'm gonna search for Harry- he's gone quiet some time now. Who knows what trouble he got himself into again."

Ron gave her a short nodd before the brunette slipped out of their compartment and wandered down the train.

She continued her way through the compartments where the Hufflepuffs usually sat and this weird feeling spread through her stomach. Every time she saw those compartments she thought she saw Cedric sitting between the students, his laugh filling the room.

The brunette was snapped out of her trance when someone pushed past her. "Hey Annabeth." She made eye contact with the boy and realized it was only Neville, who gave her a large smile.

"Hey Neville." She returned his smile. "Have you seen Harry?"

The boy seemed like he was thinking before he shook his head and Annabeth thanked him anyway before she continued her journey through the train.

She also crossed through the part where the Ravenclaws were seated and there was also no sight of Harry.

The brunette knew that the only part left to search was the Slytherin compartment, but she knew for a fact that Harry would never set foot in there. He was mad but not that mad.

But that was when it dawned on her, he had been so suspicious of Malfoy. He hadn't been able to let it go and when the other's dismissed him he disappeared.

The brunette muttered to herself while she slowly approached the Slytherin Compartment. "Oh- he didn't."

He had probably used his vanishing cloak to sneak into the compartment. That way he could listen in on the conversation that were going on.

The brunette came to a stand infront of the door and looked through the window.

It didn't take her long to spot Draco's almost white hair. He was sitting in one of the chairs on the right, talking to someone who looked like Blais Zabini and of course Pansy Parkinson was also present.

Annabeth let her eyes wander around and she almost felt her heart stop when she saw one of the trunks above the Slytherins' heads move.

The brunette's eyes widened and when she looked back down to see if any of them had noticed the movement she realized that Draco was looking right at her.

The girls first impulse was to immediately flinched back from the window but it was already too late. He had seen her and his blue eyes were piercing into her brown ones.

Annabeth remained standing by the window and it felt like for a moment time stood still. His eyes were the same, but he seemed changed. His demeanor was changed, he seemed exhausted and troubled.

The brunette girl ignored the longing she felt in her heart and stepped back from the window before she made her way back to her own compartment.

Ron looked at her when she slid the door open, "Did you find him?"

"No", Annabeth answered him before she sat back down in her seat.

When the train arrived at the Hogwarts train station and there was still no sight of Harry, Hermione also grew worried.
"Where's Harry?"

"Maybe he's already on the platform." Ron suggested and the two exchanged a look. Annabeth cleared her throat before she spoke, "I'll meet you later, okay?"

Her friend's seemed confused but didn't say anything. Probably because she already hurried down the train to the Slytherin compartments.

Just as she had reached it, the door slid open and she came face to face with no other than Draco.

The boy seemed taken back when he saw her standing there. The light fell directly onto the girl, lighting up the dark curls that now reached her chest.

There eyes met and Annabeth tried to exhale deep and as quietly as she possibly could. The silence between them didn't seem awkward, even though both of them seemed to be at a loss of words, not knowing what to say to each other.

Draco raised an eyebrow at her, "Coming to get your brother?"

Annabeth felt a shiver run through her when she took notice of the coldness in his voice.

His blue eyes narrowed at her, "How stupid do you think I am?"

Annabeth frowned at him before she shook her head slowly, "I don't think that you're stupid."

There was silence between them before she spoke again. "You didn't write this summer."

For a moment Draco remained silent, seeming like he was searching for the right words until he at last answered, "I had other things on my mind."

Annabeth gave him a knowing look and nodeed her head in silence. "I thought so."

There was silence between them once more before the boy fixed his tie and then pushed past her. "I'll see you around, Potter."

He could smell her familiar smell of lilies in his nose while he passed her until he stepped out onto the platform. The perfume scent was then replaced by rain and the smell of wet wood.

A moment after the boy had exited the train Annabeth could still smell the scent of green apples and cedarwood in the air.

She exhaled deeply trying to bury the burning feeling she felt in her chest before she slid the door open and slowly stepped into the compartment.

Setting one foot infront of the other she made her way through, until she stepped on something. The brunette slowly bend down and moved her hands through the air until she took a hold of the cloak and pulled it off Harry.

His nose was bloody and his eyes stared at her. Annabeth immediately knew that he had been stunned by Draco and reversed the curse as quickly as she could.

When he could move again, Harry immediately got onto his feet and looked at his sister, "How did you know where I was?"

Which made Annabeth roll her eyes at him, "Please, I know you better than you think."

She handed him his cloak back and the two them exited the train, looking for the carriages, which had unfortunately already started their journey to Hogwarts.

"About time! I've been looking for you two!", Professor Flitwick exclaimed at them when they finally appeared in theine of his vision. He then gazed down at the list in his hands, "Right! Names?"

Harry seemed taken back by the question, "Professor Flitwick, you've known me for five years!"

The charms professor gave them a pointed look, "No exceptions, Potter."

"Who are those people?", Annabeth pointed at the man that was currently searching through Draco's stuff.

"Aurors- for security." Flitwick answered them shortly.

"What's this cane?", the Auror questioned Draco, who's lips curled up into a disgusted look.

Annabeth wasn't surprised when Draco yanked the cane out of the man's hand and snapped at him, "It's not a cane, you cretin! It's a walking stick!"

The Auror started arguing with Draco over the cane until Professor Snape suddenly joined them. "It's all right, Mr. Filch. I can vouch for Mr. Malfoy."

Draco's eyes then fell onto Annabeth and Harry, who were still watching their interaction from afar. A small smirk made it's way onto his face when he spotted Harry, "Nice face, Potter."

Annabeth shook her head to herself, he was back to his old self again from third year. A giant git. Like the last two years and his personal growth had never happened.

The blonde boy grabbed his stuff and disappeared into the castle which made the brunette turned to her brother and pulled out her wand, pointing it at his nose, she raised an eyebrow, "Would you like me to fix it for you?"

Harry gave her a worried look, "Have you ever fixed a nose before?"

"There's always a first time, right?", Annabeth shrugged her shoulders and Harry wanted to decline her offer but she already flipped her wand at him. "Episkey."

Harry immediately cried out in pain and Annabeth heard his bone crack, but when he looked at her his nose was back in it's right place. "How do I look?"

Annabeth smiled proudly, "Back to normal." And Harry smiled back at her, "Brilliant."

The two them waited until their trunks has been searched and they were cleared to enter the castle.

Annabeth then saw to it that she got Harry a towel for his bloody nose and the boy took it thankfully.

The siblings then walked into the Great Hall and Annabeth could see their friend's face expression drop from afar when they saw that Harry was covered in blood.

"Where have you been? And what happened to your face?", Hermione immediately questioned as soon as they had sat down on her opposite.

"Later-", Harry stated and grabbed a goblet. "What have we missed?"

"The sorting Hat urged us to be brave and strong in these troubled times. Easy for it to say, huh? It's a hat, isn't it?", Ron answered them, his usual worried expression on his face.

In that moment Dumbeldore cleared his throat at the front, catching the students attention, "Very best of evenings to you all! First off, let me introduce the newest member of our staff- Horace Slughorn." Everyone looked at the Professor and applauded for him.

"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." Dumbeldore continued and Annabeth couldn't stop herself from groaning. Defense against the Dark Arts was her favorite subject, now that Snape was their professor she was sure that he would find a way to make her loath it.

There was a little less applause this time and a lot of students were whispering to each other, probably already dreading the lessons they would have to endure.

Annabeth looked across the hall and her gaze seemed to stop by Draco, who had his chin lazily placed on the palm of his hand while he started into the distance. He seemed absent, even bored, like he had absolutely no interest in anything the Headmaster was saying.

"As you all know, each and everyone of you was searched upon your arrival here and you have the right to know why", Dumbeldore stated while he let his gaze wander over the crowd.

"Once there was a young man, who, like you sat in this very hall - walked this castle's corridors, slept under it's roof. He seemed to all the world a student like any other. His name? - Tom Riddle." There was a loud murmur going through the crowd and Annabeth let her gaze wander again, spotting the Auror that were walking up and down infront of the entrance of the Great Hall. Annabeth had this unsettling feeling in her stomach.

"Today, of course - he's know 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 brunette felt the goosebumps rising on her arms when she let Dumbledores words sink in.

A second later, the man gave them a small smile, "Just something to think about. Now off to bed, pip-pip!"

The studens immediately began to get up from their seats and left the Great Hall in small groups.

"That was cheerful" Ron stated while they also got up from their own table and made their way up to their common room.

THE NEXT MORNING Annabeth immediately got out of her bed as soon as her alarm clock rung and went downstairs with Hermione to eat breakfast.

To her surprise the first person she took notice of was Draco, who was sitting at the Slytherin table, but not with Crabbe and Goyle, like he usually did, he sat alone, eating his breakfast in silence.

When Annabeth entered the hall their eyes met for a split second and the brunette held their eye contact until her and Hermione reached the seats they were usually sitting in.

The brunette sat down next to Hermione and when she looked up at Draco, he was already looking down onto his plate again.

The brunette then looked at Hermione, who was already looking at her. A sorrowful look on her face, "Did he talk to you?"

"We met in the train-", Annabeth answered her while she started to grab some of the food and placed it on her plate. "He was colder than usual-" She faced her friend, "Hermione, what if-"

"Please, not you as well", Hermione immediately interrupted her. "He's not a Death Eater, Annie." There was silence between them after, until Annabeth nodded and after that the two continued their breakfast.

At some point the two got up from their seats and made their way through the castle for their first lesson in potions advanced. Annabeth had to take the lesson if she wanted to become an Auror.

They made their way into the dungeons, not surprised to see a bunch of Slytherins' already waiting inside the classroom. A few of them were familiar faces like, Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini.

Annabeth and Hermione placed their stuff down by one of the tables and remaind standing there until the lesson would begin.

Annabeth was deeply lost in her own thoughts, still debating in her head if she had to worry about Malfoy or not.

So it was no surprise that the brunette flinched forward when someone bumped into her from behind.

The brunette quickly spun around and her eyes widened when she came face to face with Draco, who placed his books down on the table right behind her.

The blond boy glanced at her and muttered a quick, "Sorry." He then spun around to face her, a small smile on his face while he leaned with his hands on the chair. "Wouldn't have pegged you for a potions advanced student."

His eyes roamed over her body until he met her eyes, the smile still tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Annabeth raised her eyebrows at him, surprised that he was acknowledging her all of a sudden, "Oh, you're speaking to me again?"

The boy didn't move a muscle in his face while he held their eye contact. A second later her pressed his lips into a thin line, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Annabeth scoffed and wanted to turn back around when she felt his warm hand close around her wrist.

The brunettes eyes widened while turned around to face him again.

But Draco didn't seem to notice that he did something that was completely out of character for him, "All right— I had a bad day yesterday." The boy pressed his lips into a thin line, "I'm sorry."

Annabeth's eyes grew only wider while she listened to him, but she didn't forget about the incident the other day, "You've broke my brother's nose!"

"He spied on me", Draco defended himself quickly, but before the brunette could counter something Professor Slughorn joined the class and the lesson started.

In the beginning the Professor was just reminding the students off the basics when brewing potions.

"Attention to detail is the prerequisite of all planning", the Professor just emphasized when Harry and Ron suddenly bursted through the door.

Slughorn turned to look at who had just entered his classroom and his voice went up in delight, "Ah- Harry, my boy! I was beginning to worry. We've brought someone with us, I see!"

The ginger haired boy smiled at the Professor, "Ron Weasley, sir. But I'm dead awful in Potions, a menace, actually. So, I'm probably just gonna-"

Annabeth couldn't suppress the chuckle that escaped her while she exchanged a look with Hermione, "He really is." She was oblivious to the fact that Draco was watching her from the other side of the classroom.

"Nonsense, we'll sort you out!" Slughorn immediately reassured the boy. "Any friend of Harry's is a friend of mine. Get your books out!"

"Sorry sir, I haven't actually gotten my book yet, and nor has Ron." Harry immediately apologized and Slughorn waved him off while pointing at the cupboard in the back of the classroom. "Not to worry, get what you want from the cupboard."

The Professor then turned back around to face the class, "Now as I was saying, I prepared some concoctions this morning. Any ideas what these might be?"

Hermione immediately raised her hand, which made Slughorn raised his eyebrows at her, "Yes, Miss-?"

"Granger, sir." Hermione quickly answered him. The brunette then slowly approached the cauldron and took a look inside. "That one there is Veritaserum. It's a truth-telling serum. And that one would be Polyjuice Potion- it's terribly tricky to make-"

Professor Slughorn nodded and looked at the other's, "Has anyone got an idea what the last one is?"

Hermione raised her hand again but Slughorn addressed Annabeth. "Miss Potter?"

Annabeth was taken back at first but she stepped forward anyway and slowly approached the small cauldron.

Taking a peek inside she was happy to say that she knew exactly what this was. "This is Amortentia- the most powerful love potion in the world. It's rumored to smell differently to each person according to what attracts them."

She was ready to step back when Professor Slughorn raised an eyebrow at her, "Can you give us an example?"

The brunette felt like a deer in headlights but after a moment she cleared her throat loudly and slowly leaned her head over the potion. "For example I smell- cedarwood - fresh apples and a little hint of mint, I think."

She immediately pulled back and joined Hermione again, her cheeks flushing in a deep red. She knew exactly where she knew the smell from and she was hoping that no one else would connect the dots.

She recognized the smell of cedarwood from a familiar cologne a certain Slytherin boy was always wearing. 

The brunette allowed her eyes to wander over to the boy, just to make sure that he wasn't looking at her. But to her dismay the boy was staring straight at her. His eyes lighting up with something when he caught her attention.

What Annabeth didn't know was that Draco could smell the scent of the potion from where he was standing and it was smelling like lilies, strawberrys and chocolate. Exactly like the perfume Annabeth was wearing and exactly like the hair shampoo her hair was always smelling like.

Slughorn nodded, "Now, Armortentia doesn't create actual love. That would be impossible. But it does cause a powerful infatuation or obsession. And for that reason, it is probably the most dangerous potion in this room."

Annabeth frowned when she saw how the rest of the girls slowly approached the potion, wanting to smell on it. But Slughorn placed the lid on the cauldron before they could, making them all take a step back in embarrassment.

Katie was the first one to speak up after that, "Sir, you haven't told us what's in that one." She pointed at a small vial.

The Professor carefully took it in his hands and held it up for them to see, "Ah yes. What you see before you, ladies and gentlemen, is a curious little potion known as Felix Felicis. But it is more commonly referred to as -"

"Liquid luck", Hermione ended his sentence for him and Slughorn nodded. "Yes, Miss Granger. Liquid luck. Desperately tricky to make, disastrous should you get it wrong. One sip and you will find that all your endeavors succeed."

Annabeth noticed that this was the only time Malfoy had looked at Slughorn with interest the whole lesson.

"At least until the effects wear off. So this is what I offer each of you today. One tiny vial of liquid luck to the student who, in the hour that remains manages to brew an acceptable Draught of Living Death the recipes for which can be found on page 10 of your books. I should point out, however, only once did a student manage to brew a potion of sufficient quality to claim this prize. Nevertheless, good luck to you all. Let the brewing commence!"

Brewing this Draught was the most annoying thing Annabeth had ever had to do. The beans were constantly jumping around and she couldn't seem to cut them.

Meanwhile Harry was brewing his potion without any problems which irritated Hermione to an abnormal extend.

The girl started bickering back and forth with Harry while she also had problems to cut the beans.

At the end of the lesson Slughorn looked at every potion and when he came to Harry he let out a delighted chuckle. "Merlin's beard. It's perfect! So perfect I daresay one drop would kill us all!"

A moment later they had all gathered and the whole class stood watching how Slughorn handed the Liquid luck to Harry. "So here we are, then, as promised! One vial of Felix Felicis! Congratulations! And use it well!"

He then started applauding and everyone except for the Slytherins' joined in