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1st September 1995
"Oi! Blake!" a voice shouted out from behind. As always, he was the last one onto the platform. Zabini, Tracey, Daphne and Charlotte were all sat from a carriage, waving.
Blake felt his stomach drop as he made contact with Daphne. He tried to smile back at her, but there was no doubt that he was probably failing.
"What's up?" he said, climbing into the train, dumping his stuff on the ground.
"OWLs," Tracey groaned, her face buried in her arms.
"You'll be fine, stop moaning," Zabini told her.
"Shut up, Blaise!"
As the conversation deviated towards OWLs preparations and predictions, Blake's mind flashed back to a conversation he had had with Connor, right after they'd gotten home from school.
END OF 4TH YEAR
"Did you and Harry have an argument?" Connor asked uncertainly.
"Why you asking?"
"I overheard him talking to Ron and Hermione about you. He sounded… angry."
"Yeah, we had a little argument."
"About?"
"He wants me to reject the Minister of Magic if he comes to me - Fudge is probably gonna ask me to take a couple of pictures, or maybe get involved in some missions or something - him and Dumbledore fell out, and he's trying to put pressure on him."
"But - why-"
"There's Aurors surrounding our home right now, Connor," he said firmly. "We need protection. If I reject Fudge, he will pull it."
"But Dumbledore would protect-"
"Connor, think," Blake said, trying to stay patient. "D'you think Dumbledore himself - or even anyone that stands a chance against Death Eaters - is going to be defending our home? The Order can't afford to send their best or even their competent to us, they don't have the numbers. The only choice I have to make sure we're safe - to make sure Mum is safe - is this."
Connor was quiet for a long time.
"Yeah. You're right."
There was a silence for a while, until Connor asked, "So does that mean that you and Harry aren't friends anymore?"
"That's his choice."
"I'm friends with them."
"I know," Blake said quickly. "You don't have to change any of that. This isn't one of those," he reassured Connor.
"Are you sure? Because I will if-"
"No," Blake said firmly. "You won't."
Connor was silent for a while, until Blake spoke again.
"By the way, I need a blood sample from you," he stated, pulling out a syringe and vial from his trunk.
"What?" Connor screeched, recoiling. "No way! For what?"
"Can't say, promised I wouldn't," Blake replied. "But it's important."
"But-"
"Connor, just come here!"
"F*ck that!"
"Connor!"
"No!"
After much back and forth, Blake finally managed to convince his brother. He held the vial of Connor's blood in his hand, contemplating.
BACK TO PRESENT
Blake hadn't seen any sign of the Golden Trio on the platform, and he couldn't help but wonder if Harry had calmed down yet or not.
"D'you think Malfoy's coming for revenge?" Charlotte suddenly asked him, pulling him from his thoughts.
"Maybe," Blake replied. "Couldn't tell you, but it doesn't really matter."
"He will," Daphne stated, as if it was a given. "He's probably going to try and jump you, and if that doesn't work, one of us or your brother."
"And if he does, he'll wish he was with his father," Blake replied coolly.
"I dunno… life in Azkaban," Tracey shuddered. "Deserves it, though."
"Blake!" a familiar voice called out from the carriage door. It was Cedric Diggory, grinning and waving at Blake, a gleaming badge shining on his robes.
"Cedric," Blake responded with a grin, shaking his head. "Head Boy, huh? Congrats!"
"Thanks, mate," Cedric said, blushing slightly. "Congrats to you too, Daphne! Looking forward to working with you!" he smiled, looking at the Prefect badge shining on the girl's robes.
"Thank you," Daphne replied. "And same to you." If she was surprised at the use of her first name, she didn't show it.
"Andd by the way, Blake," Cedric suddenly said, "I told you not to send - y'know - that to me! But my Owl wouldn't take it back!"
"We gave our word, didn't we? And besides, I got my money's worth if you ask me."
"Well, if I can't return it, thank you - really."
"It's fine," Blake said dismissively. "It was just the deal."
As Cedric said his goodbyes and left, Charlotte breathed out a sigh.
"Merlin, he's so fit."
"What was the deal?" Zabini asked.
"We just offered him money to throw the Cup."
"Oh. Is that it?" he replied, wholly uninterested.
"Shut up, Zabini."
/
The first thing that Blake picked up on when he returned to Hogwarts was the difference in how Hagrid was acting around him.
His normal greeting - a massive grin, a thump on the back and a "How yer doin', Blake?" was now replaced with a much more polite, but tense, "Blake," and he hurried away quickly.
Blake tried his best to ignore it, but he couldn't deny that that hurt.
Dumbledore probably mentioned that to him, he thought bitterly. He didn't blame Hagrid, obviously - Dumbledore had literally saved his life - given him a life, in fact - and his loyalty was admirable.
Blake wondered what other teachers would treat him differently now, and what people in the school would say.
As he walked into the Great Hall, he scanned the teachers table. There was a new teacher for DADA, of course, and Blake recognised her from somewhere, but he couldn't place his finger on exactly where he'd seen her before.
"Greetings, everyone," Dumbledore began his speech. As he yapped, Blake looked around carefully. Harry, Ron and Hermione as expected were sitting together, and he caught Ron and Hermione sneaking a few glances in his direction more than once.
Closer by, Blake saw Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle sitting together too. Crabbe and Goyle were staring straight at him threateningly, but as soon as he made eye contact, they turned away hastily. Malfoy, meanwhile, was just stared straight down at his hands. Blake frowned. They're definitely going to try something.
"And now," Dumbledore said, catching Blake's attention. "Please welcome our new Defence Against the Dart Arts teacher, coming straight from the Minister of Magic's office itself, Dolores Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic!"
The woman stood up, and Blake was genuinely shocked to see how much she resembled a toad. But now I remember, Blake thought, grimacing. This lady's the one that passed those anti-werewolf acts. And worse, since she works directly for Fudge, she'll be on my a*s. She might be trouble.
"Hello, children," she said in a sickly sweet voice. Blake hated her already. "I hope you're all doing well. I know that given recent events, you're all scared. However, please be assured that under the new, Ministry-approved-and-designed curriculum, we are going to fully equip you all to be able to defend yourselves against You-Know-Who. So please, don't be worried, listen to me, and together, we will ensure that all of us stay safe!"
'Listen to me?' Blake thought scornfully, as the school clapped politely. And Ministry made curriculum? F*ck that.
Blake looked over at Harry. The Boy-Who-Lived seemed to share the same sentiment as him, judging by the clenching of his jaw. Blake sighed for what might've been the millionth time since he joined Hogwarts.
Something told him this year would be the worst of them all.
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Thanks for reading and make sure ADD to your COLLECTION and VOTE with POWER STONES! Once we hit 150, I'll release a BONUS chapter!