For the Devil to Dance Again [tomarry]

7. the duel

It took Theo about a week to come up with a decent agreement, and another two weeks for him and Harry to complete the enchantments upon it. With a combination of charms and rune work, they had an iron-clad contract that even the goblins should be proud of.

The first weekend in December, Harry called a meeting of the fifth years in an abandoned classroom, using the muffliato spell that Draco had shown them to ward off eavesdroppers.

"What's this about, Harry?" Draco drawled, leaning against the wall with Crabbe and Goyle flanking him.

"Theo and I have been thinking," Harry said. "We'd like to formalize our study sessions." He wasn't about to tell anyone who hadn't signed the contract about the Come and Go Room.

"Like an official club?" Daphne asked, interested.

"No," Harry said. "If we did that we'd need a professor to sponsor us, and allow in students from other houses. I think we should stick with Slytherins, don't you?"

There was a general murmur of agreement. While more than one of them had friends and relatives outside of their house, they still had loyalty to the house of serpents first and foremost.

"No, this is more of an unofficial group," he said. "To pool our resources, help each other study, and learn new spells."

"And I guess you'll be in charge, Potter?" Draco said with a sneer, as if the idea was foolish.

"It was my idea," Harry said calmly. He wanted Draco in the group, wanted his skills and connections, but he couldn't show that.

The whole idea hinged on him being elected leader. The first person to sign the contract held it, that was the way their enchantment worked. And Harry was that person. Besides, who else would lead? Draco? Harry didn't think so.

"That's not good enough," Draco insisted. "If we're going to have a leader, and I'm not sure we need one, then it should be put to a vote."

This was tricky - Harry was confident that he was the more powerful of the two, but was he the more popular?

"I can agree to that," he said, "but only if it's an anonymous one." No need for peer pressure to influence anyone's decision, after all.

Draco's eyes narrowed. He knew what Harry was doing, but Harry was gambling on him being confident enough to think he would still win.

"Fine," he said abruptly. "An anonymous vote. Shall we write down the name and put it in a hat?" he added, a touch of sarcasm to his voice.

"A good idea," Harry said jovially, as if Draco had been entirely serious. He pulled out his wand and conjured a wizard's hat, as no one in the room was currently wearing one. "Write down your votes. Draco and I will count them together."

There was a flurry of movement as everyone hastily pulled out quill and parchment, eager to vote for this new venture. Draco glared at Harry as he wrote down what Harry was sure was his own name. Of course, Harry voted for himself, as well, so perhaps he didn't have room to judge.

The slips of paper were dropped into the hat, one by one, until everyone had voted. Draco and Harry huddled together to count the votes.

As each one was pulled out, Draco got paler. In the end, he received only four votes, from himself and who Harry speculated to be Pansy, Crabbe, and Goyle.

But Harry was a gracious winner, so he didn't gloat. Instead, he pulled out their enchanted parchment.

"Thank you. Now, everyone who is a part of our group will be required to sign a contract stating that everything that happens under the auspices of group activity will remain secret."