A Veela's Mate || Draco Malfoy

Tʜᴇ Mᴀʏʜᴇᴍ Cᴏɴᴛɪɴᴜᴇs

Thursday, September 19

Albus Dumbledore looked up as the door to the Great Hall was thrown open. Seeing who was entering, the Headmaster bit back an angry curse, plastered on his most benevolent expression and climbed to his feet. "Cornelius, to what do we owe this honor?" he asked, while silently wondering what reason was worse; the loss of a professor, or the casting of an Unforgivable.

But how in the world had the Minister found out? Binns sending had only happened this morning, and Albus thought he had managed to put a muzzle on both the students and the professors concerning Parkinson's unfortunate actions.

As if dragged by an invisible magnet, Dumbledore's eyes went to Iris Potter. The girl was sitting at the Slytherin table, looking just as surprised as anyone else. Still... could Iris have gone behind the Headmaster's back? Albus wouldn't have thought so. Everyone knew there was little love between the Golden Girl and the Minister of Magic.

Then again, Albus wouldn't have thought that Iris would have turned away from himself and side with the Malfoys either. He really needed to find a way to bring that lot to heel. Perhaps he would go through with his threat to send young Malfoy away. If nothing else, it should teach the teens an important lesson in humility.

Cornelius was completely ignoring Dumbledore. He had turned towards the Slytherin table and he was scanning the students sitting there, making a face of distaste when his eyes landed on the Girl Who Lived. Not finding the one he was looking for, Fudge turned around and began scanning the Gryffindor table.

"Where is she? Where are you hiding the criminal?" Fudge asked in a strident voice.

"Criminal?" Albus asked, hiding a cringe. This was not good. "I assure you, Cornelius, there are no criminals present in this Hall," he said nevertheless, needing to minimize the damage as much as possible.

The Aurors had been looking around the room as well, alert for trouble of any kind. One of them respectfully tapped his employer on the shoulder and pointed to the solitary table in the back.

"No? What do you call that?" Cornelius asked in triumph. "Aurors, arrest that girl," he said imperiously, pointing directly at Pansy Parkinson.

The girl in question flew to her feet, shrieking shrilly, "Hey! I'm not a girl! And I'm not Pansy either," she added as an afterthought.

Fudge made a scornful face. "Then what are you, if you are not a girl?" he asked, unsure if he wanted to know the answer.

Pansy blushed hotly, glaring at the other students who were snickering at her dilemma. "I'm a boy!" she snarled, only to cringe back slightly as she remembered who she was talking to.

Fudge stared at the girl for a moment, then he gestured for one of his guards to come closer, and the two began to whisper hurriedly.

"I can assure you that Miss Parkinson is not harboring under any delusions," Albus said, coming down to stand next to the Minister. "Why don't we head to my office and I will explain everything." Dumbledore smiled pleasantly. "I fear Miss Parkinson and Mr Weasley have been targeted with a harmless prank."

"Is that why you have broken tradition and are forcing them to sit on their own?" Fudge asked suspiciously.

"Ah, yes. Since Miss Parkinson in reality is Mr Weasley, the Gryffindors were uncomfortable allowing someone who looked like a Slytherin to sit at their table. The Slytherins feel the same way. For the sake of peace, the teachers and I decided to allow the two of them to have a table of their own where their friends can join them without fears of being spied upon. I fear the rivalry between the Slytherins and the Gryffindors are as strong as ever," Albus said with a small chuckle.