Chapter Text
When Harry and Ginny returned to the compartment, just as the train was slowing down, Ron opened his mouth to ask where they’d been, but he’d promptly changed his mind as he really didn’t want to know. “You better get changed into your robes. We’ll be at Hogsmeade soon.”
Harry wanted to tell him and Hermione what he’d heard but he couldn’t with Neville and Luna there. So he just nodded and said softly to his best mate as he opened his trunk, “overheard Draco talking but I’ll tell you and Hermione about it later.”
Ron nodded to let Harry know that he’d heard him, then said in a normal voice. “We’ll meet up with you on the platform. Hermione and I have to do some prefect duties.” He felt his skin flush with embarrassment as he said it. Ron still wasn’t used to being chosen over Harry for Prefect duties.
~*~
“Is that Tonks?” Ginny asked Harry just before she jumped down onto the platform.
Harry glanced around looking for pink hair but couldn’t see one. “Where?”
“There.” Ginny pointed toward a brown haired witch.
He pushed his glasses up on his nose and looked closer. “Yeah, I think so.” His brow furrowed. It didn’t look like Tonks was in disguise but she definitely wasn’t the same old Tonks.
“Tonks!” Ginny waved with a wide smile until she saw Tonks’ expression. “Everything alright?"
"Wotcher, Ginny, Harry.” Tonks’ said half heartedly and ignored Ginny’s question. Instead she looked over at the other two students standing with them. “Who’re your friends?”
“This is Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom.” Ginny introduced them. “Luna, Neville this is our friend Tonks.”
Tonks looked at Luna and then down at the Quibbler in her hands. “Oh, are you related to the wizard that does the Quibbler? Xenophilius Lovegood.”
“He’s my father!”
“Like his stuff.” Tonks said with a smile. It felt like the first genuine one that she’d worn in a long time. She glanced around and saw that the platform was getting less crowded. “Reckon you lot better get going before the last carriage leaves.”
“Are you stationed in Hogsmeade now?” Harry asked as he shifted Hedwig’s cage in his hands.
“I am, just for now though. Reckon I’ll see you on your first Hogsmeade weekend.” Tonks agreed and before Ginny or Harry could respond, she melted into the crowd.
“That was odd.” Ginny muttered to Harry.
“Was that Tonks?” Hermione asked as she and Ron joined the others.
“Yeah.” Ginny frowned as she watched her friend leave. There was definitely something wrong.
“Come on before we miss the carriages. I don’t fancy a long walk into Hogwarts.” Hermione turned to follow the crowd off the platform.
~*~
“Can you believe it?” Harry growled as they all stood up to go to the Common Room after the Feast. “Snape. Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor! Why now?”
“Well on the upside.” Ron said, “he’ll only be around another year.” There was a pause, then seeing the others staring at him. “What? All the others have only last a year, haven’t they?”
“He’s got a good point.” Ginny agreed as she slipped her hand in Harry’s.
“Our luck he’ll go back to being a Potion’s professor. Slughorn wasn’t keen on coming in the first place.” Harry grumbled.
As Hermione went to lead the first year’s away, Ron, Harry and Ginny hung back a bit so that Harry could tell Ron what they’d overheard.
“Come on, Harry. He was just showing off for Pansy and the others.” Ron said after Harry had finished explaining.
Before Harry could respond, Ginny said quickly, “yeah that’s what I thought at first, but he also said that he wants me for. It wasn’t past tense. I think it’s worth finding more about.”
“Oh definitely.” Ron was quick to assure Harry that he was on his side. “I’m just saying what kind of mission could You Know Who give Malfoy?”
“Who knows but Voldemort would definitely want someone at Hogwarts.”
“Well he’s got Snape for that.” Ron made a face then his eyes widened as a new thought struck him. “Hey! You don’t think that’s why he’s doing Defense Against the Dark Arts, do you?”
Both Harry and Ginny looked in confusion at Ron. “What?”
“Dark Arts professor. You don’t think it’s a bit odd that after how many years of teaching and wanting to be it, he gets it and just when Draco says he’s got a mission. We all know he’s Snape’s favorite.”
Both Harry and Ginny stopped walking and their mouths hung open.
“Blimey, you might be right. I don’t like the coincidence of Malfoy at Borgin and Burke’s, what he said on the train and now this. They’re connected somehow.” Harry said as they approached the Fat Lady’s portrait.
As soon as they entered, they spotted Hermione and Harry wasted no time in filling her in.
“That’s a big lie to tell if it is one.” Hermione agreed with the others on that point. “But, Harry, Dumbledore wouldn’t have put Snape in charge of Defense Against the Dark Arts now if he believed that he was connected to Malfoy and a plan by Voldemort. Besides Dumbledore trusts Snape and we trust Dumbledore so ---”
Harry wanted to say that Dumbledore had a blind spot when it came to Snape, but he didn’t. Instead he said, “he would if the only way to get Slughorn to come was by doing that. And Dumbledore really wants Slughorn here at Hogwarts.” The Common Room was too crowded for Harry to tell the others why Dumbledore wanted him there. “I was going to write Sirius anyway about what Ginny and I overheard and to find out what he found about Borgin and Burkes.”
“That’s a good idea.” Hermione agreed. “Draco is up to something, but I honestly don’t think it has to do with Voldemort. I mean, how good of a spy could he be when all he does is stay close to the Slytherins.” She lowered her voice to make sure no one could overhear, “I mean anyone connected to the Order, would never talk where Draco could overhear.”
Harry had to reluctantly admit that Hermione was right. None of the students in Dumbledore’s Army would speak where Malfoy could listen. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that something sinister was going to happen and it was tied to Malfoy and Hogwarts.