The next morning, Harry trudged into the Great Hall early in the morning for breakfast, Daphne and Pansy on either side of him. Neither girl looked their best at the moment, and Harry was sure he didn't either.
It was far too early, in Harry's opinion.
Harry took his seat and the two girls took a seat on either side of him, like they seemed keen to do.
There was suddenly a lot of loud flapping of wings and shrill hoots. Harry looked up, looking intently for what would probably be the lone snow owl of the pack.
Harry spotted his owl, Hedwig, as she swooped down and dropped several letters wrapped together by string down onto Harry's lap. He lifted the pack of letters and saw the top one was written in a very familiar elegant cursive. Fleur Delacour had written him a letter.
Harry ripped open the string binding the stack of letters and lifted Fleur's up to open it.
Dear Arry,
Your mother told me the news last night. Slytherin House, huh? I don't expect she's too thrilled. I'm happy for you, though. I know your betrothed is a Greengrass, which means the odds are high you and her are in the same house.
Unfortunately, this means I cannot call you little lion anymore. Would you accept little snake, or do you prefer an alliterative nickname?
Love,
Fleur
Harry couldn't help the rush that went through him at the way she'd signed her letter.
Harry folded up Fleur's letter carefully, and tucked it back into the envelope. Harry sorted through the rest of the letters.
One was from his godfather, Sirius Black. One was from his mother's close friend Bellatrix Black, who he called Auntie Bella. One was from Fleur's mum, Apolline. One was from Daphne's mum, Emma, and the last was from Daphne's little sister, Astoria.
"Look, Story's written me a letter." Harry nudged his busty blond betrothed.
"She has? Oh I told her that you're mine, Harry, but she has a massive crush on you." Daphne said with a laugh.
"Your mum wrote me a letter, too." Harry said.
"Of course she has. She dotes on you like you're her son." Daphne said dryly. Harry chuckled, not denying it.
Pansy pulled out a scroll from her bag and unfurled it.
"That's the class schedule?" Harry checked.
"Yep. Looks pretty decent." Pansy said, handing the scroll to Harry.
Monday
Herbology w/ Ravenclaw
Charms w/ Hufflepuff
Potions w/ Gryffindor
Tuesday
History of Magic w/ Ravenclaw
Defense Against Dark Arts w/ Gryffindor
Wednesday
Herbology w/ Ravenclaw
Transfiguration
Astronomy w/ All Houses
Thursday
Transfiguration
Charms w/ Hufflepuff
Defense Against Dark Arts w/ Gryffindor
Friday
Herbology w/ Ravenclaw
Potions w/ Gryffindor
"Yeah, it's not bad at all." Harry agreed, passing it to Daphne when she extended her hand.
"Hey, Harry." Blaise Zabini said, and Harry turned to look at the dark-skinned Slytherin boy.
"Hey, Blaise." Harry nodded. Harry vaguely knew the boy prior to Hogwarts, as he had been at a couple of the Greengrass family's exclusive parties, which meant he obviously came from a pureblood family.
Harry was a half-blood raised by his Muggleborn mother, so he didn't have any of the snobby pureblood tendencies, and if anyone insulted Lily, they'd get promptly knocked on their ass. Blaise had been polite to Lily when he'd met her, so he was alright in Harry's books.
"Potter! How are you?" Draco Malfoy sauntered up Slytherin table and plopped down opposite Harry, beside Blaise. Blaise scooted away from Draco, and Harry's opinion of him skyrocketed.
"I'm fine, Draco. Just hanging out with my friends." Harry said. Pansy chose that moment to touch Harry's arm and show him something on the schedule which she had gotten back from Daphne at some point, and Harry saw hatred burn in Draco's eyes. Pansy was Draco's betrothed, just like Daphne was Harry's. But Pansy obviously loathed Draco.
"I'd appreciate it if you don't spend time with my future wife." Draco said snobbily.
"That's nice, Draco." Harry replied, and turned back to look at Pansy.
"What an ass." Daphne commented to nobody in particular as Draco stalked off.
Blaise scooted back to talk with their group.
"Talk about pompous." Blaise muttered, "You're really betrothed to him, Pansy?"
"Unfortunately. My family's money… it's a bit tight right now. We didn't have a choice. My mother still hates herself for it." Pansy said with a grimace.
"Is there any kind of exit clause?" Daphne inquired, leaning around Harry to peer at her brunette friend.
"No. Lucius Malfoy was very careful not to have one of those." Pansy said bitterly.
The clock hit 8, and breakfast was over.
"We've got Herbology with the Ravenclaws now." Harry said, and he, Blaise, Pansy, and Daphne walked as a group down to the greenhouses, occasionally stopping to ask an older student for directions.
———
In the greenhouse, a squat, elderly woman called Professor Sprout announced they would be beginning the term working with groups to study the basic types of magical plants. She also announced that those groups would be randomly assigned.
Murmurs of disappointment filled the greenhouse from both the Ravenclaw and the Slytherin students.
Professor Sprout then listed off the groups from a scroll of parchment.
To his pleasant surprise, Harry found he was in the same group as Hermione Granger, the Ravenclaw girl he'd met coming in on the boats last night.
Harry found the curly-haired Ravenclaw talking with a gorgeous Indian girl who had a twin, if Harry remembered correctly.
"This is Padma Patil, Harry." Hermione introduced.
"Nice to meet you." Harry smiled at Padma. Unlike Hermione, Padma was clearly pureblood or a powerful half-blood, as she had blossomed into a gorgeous young woman just like Daphne and Pansy had.
The last group member was a Slytherin half-blood with honey blond hair and some rather ample breasts that would give Daphne a run for her money.
"Tracey Davis." the girl introduced herself to Harry, Hermione, and Padma.
"Nice to meet you." Hermione said.
"You as well." Tracey said, and sidled up to Harry, her fellow Slytherin.
Harry glanced around the room for a few seconds and noted that each group was comprised of two Slytherins and two Ravenclaws.
"So, should we get started?" Padma asked politely. Harry nodded.
"Sure." he said, and the four opened their Herbology books.
"Ugh. Plants are so boring." Tracey scowled.
"What subject do you like, then?" Hermione asked curiously.
"Charms, I guess. I've always been good at them." Tracey said.
"You practiced Charms before coming to Hogwarts?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah. A lot of wizard families teach their children some basics before they come to Hogwarts. You guys got that, right?" Tracey asked. Harry and Padma both nodded.
"I learned a lot of Potions stuff too, because my mum is really good with them." Harry said.
"Enough chit chat! We're reading section one!" Professor Sprout cried at the various groups who were talking, Harry's group among them.
Tracey rolled her eyes and the four students started reading.
———
After Herbology, Harry and his friends made their way up to Charms with the Hufflepuffs.
The classroom was organized into a series of tables that could only hold two students.
Harry and Daphne claimed one beside two Hufflepuff girls, while Blaise and Pansy took the one behind Harry and Daphne, on the next row up.
Harry glanced sideways at the two Hufflepuff girls, and saw one was a stacked redhead girl, the other a slender blond.
"Damn, look at the tits on her." Harry heard Daphne mutter from beside him, and he gave a low chuckle.
"She must be powerful." Harry murmured back.
"Of course she is. You don't recognize her? That's Susan Bones. Her mom's one of the best witches the Ministry has." Daphne informed Harry quietly.
The little Charms professor, Professor Flitwick, came into the room.
Harry was interested to start learning some Charms, and so he paid attention as the small professor started lecturing on performing their first Charm of the school year, the Levitation Charm.