Chapter Text
The atmosphere in the Great Hall shifted abruptly as a flurry of feathers burst forth amidst the bewitched clouds adorning its ceiling. Besides Harry, Ron continued his assault on some breakfast sausages while Hermione made some disgruntled comments at his eating habits.
Now the owls were getting closer he spotted a familiar sight: it was the Weasley owl Errol. Harry moved his pumpkin juice aside in preparation for a graceless landing. Like clockwork, the owl unceremoniously dropped itself in a bowl of fruit salad, splashing some of its juice on a startled Seamus in the process.
‘This owl, I swear.’ Ron mumbled with a full mouth. Next to Ron, Harry caught Hermione murmuring disapprovingly about talking with one's mouth full. The redhead cleared his mouth and reached for the bird that was still laying dazed on its back, covered in grapes and pieces of apple. On its legs it carried a sizable package, wrapped in brown paper and sealed with twine.
Ron retrieved the package and a few seconds later, the dazed owl twisted itself upright and shrugged some smaller pieces of fruit from its feathers.
‘That better be something good Weasley,’ Seamus said exasperated as he dabbed the damp spot on his sweater with a napkin.
‘I wasn’t expectin’ anything,’ he said as he shook the package by his ear. Harry heard the sound of small objects moving through the box. Ceasing his inspection, he unwrapped the twine and then tore off the wrapping, revealing a small cardboard box. Inside the box were three small satchels and a piece of rolled parchment which read:
Dearest Brother,
In this package, you will find a sneak preview of our newest collection. Please do be so kind as to review them. Do mind the names on the satchels, and no swapping. Let’s just say, you will regret it when you do.
Love,
Fred and George
With a loud bang, the parchment went up in a cloud of confetti and Ron was left empty-handed. Harry leaned over to get a good look at the box. Sure enough, each of the satchels had their names on it.
‘Typical...’ Ron muttered as he handed Hermione and Harry their satchels.
Harry fingered the red velvet bag, its golden emblem proudly declaring: Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Through the fabric, he felt something solid. Besides him, Hermione and Ron had opened their own satchels.
Hermione was holding a quill, which looked like any old quill. The twins had left no instructions whatsoever on the objects they had sent. Harry assumed they would have to figure it out the hard way. Ron was eying a Galleon in his hand, another seemingly unassuming object.
Harry busied himself on his own pouch as he released the small ropes tying it shut. When he turned it over, a small vial fell into his hand. Ron immediately leaned over.
‘You got a potion?’
Harry turned the vial in his hand. The tear-drop-shaped container was without label and its pale purple colour did not allude to its purpose.
‘I wonder what it does,’ he mumbled. ‘Knowing them, you will either suffer or love it,’ Ron replied as he absent-mindedly turned the Galleon in his hand.
***
The dorm was silent, save for the gentle snoring of his fellow roommates. Harry had drawn the heavy red curtains around his bed shut and studied the Marauder’s map, something he found himself doing often as of late. He moved the tip of his lit wand over the Slytherin common room, where Malfoy’s footsteps were pacing in small circles. So far, the git had remained in the common room while Crabbe, Goyle, Parkinson, and Zabini had retreated to their beds.
By now Harry knew Malfoy had the tendency to linger about until he was sure everyone had left, a process that could take a while. Tonight, Harry was determined to catch him at whatever sneaky business the blonde had been attending.
Harry stretched his arms over his back and remembered the potion. Just before he had left the great hall, Hermione had insisted that he shouldn’t drink the mystery potion. A good portion of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes’ more edible assortment tended to make one sick.
Too bad Harry had always been stubborn.
Besides, the guys who had given him the Marauder’s map wouldn’t give him anything that wouldn’t be beneficial right?
Against his better judgement, he uncorked the potion and without a second thought he chugged the liquid. Its taste wasn’t bad, somewhat sweet and vaguely flowery.
Pocketing the empty vial, he looked back at the map again and with a start he noticed Malfoy had begun to move. He scrambled to grab his invisibility cloak and as quietly as he could left his bed, map and wand in hand.
***
Malfoy’s pace was fast as he moved through the hallways. Holding both the map and his lighted wand under the invisibility cloak, Harry had trouble coordinating his movements with the small brown footsteps on the map. He upped his pace, determined not to lose track of Malfoy again.
His shoes echoed against the empty halls of the castle as he took corner after corner until he saw Malfoy’s footsteps on the map stop at a familiar location: The Room of Requirement.
Harry was only a small distance away, if he hurried he could catch Malfoy before he entered the room! He put the map in his back pocket and started jogging.
As he rounded a final corner he saw him there.
Even though the hallways were dark, the traces of moonlight that crept through the windows were enough to illuminate the signature white-blond hair of Draco Malfoy.
Malfoy was pacing restlessly as he waited for the familiar door to appear.
He was muttering to himself, but Harry couldn’t hear it from this distance. Feeling surprisingly confident, he trotted forward.
He was so close he could touch him, until-
He tripped.
It was probably the most stupid thing that could have happened. He wasn’t even sure what made him trip, perhaps it was the cape or maybe just dumb luck. All he knew was that he stumbled head-first into the chest of a very surprised Draco Malfoy.
Upon a second glance, he probably tripped over the cape, because Malfoy was definitely looking at him. Which meant he definitely wasn’t wearing his cape.
‘Potter!’ Malfoy yelled in surprise, but then his face shifted to anger and something resembling panic.
‘What the hell are you doing here?’ Malfoy had drawn his wand and pointed it at Harry as he righted himself.
‘I….eh…a midnight stroll? Wait, I could say the same about you Malfoy!’ he retaliated.
Malfoy’s eyes flicked back and forth between Harry and the door that had manifested beside him. The git was definitely acting suspicious and whatever was behind that door, Malfoy did not want him to see.
Before Malfoy could react, Harry reached for the door. The blonde’s eyes widened at the realisation and with matched energy reached to stop Harry.
As they struggled in front of the door, Harry felt himself lose his balance as if pushed by an invisible hand. Without anything else to keep his balance, his hands reached for the fabric of Draco’s cloak.
Unbalanced himself, Draco’s weight did nothing to intervene in Harry’s tumble.
Worse, with wide eyes, he observed as Draco lost all semblance of footing as well. In a mess of robes, they tumbled into the room of requirement, which greeted their arrival with the sound of heavy wooden doors falling shut.