DraolookedoveratHarry’sbedontheothersideoftheroomandthenattheboytohimwithastrangeexpression.“Potions.I’mreviewingDragon’sBane.Whyareyouoverhere?”
“Well,Ithoughttherewasnorealpointingettingintodifferentbedsanymore.”Harryshruggedasifitwereobvious.“We’regoingtoendupinthesamebedbymanyway.Besides,ifI’moverhereIanhearyoureadoutloud.”
“AndwhywouldIreadoutloud?”
“Inotiedthatyourmouthmoveswhenyoustudythings,asifyou’respeakingthem.Sineit’ssomethinglikePotions,IfiguredyououldjustreaditoutloudandthenIouldlistenuntilIfallasleep.”
“Youthinkyou’llfallasleepwhilelisteningtopotionsingredients?”Draoasked,amused.
“Well,ifitweren’tforSnape,I’dgdlysleepthroughthemPotionssses.”
“Fine.Getomfortablethen.”
Harryfounditalothardertofallasleepthanhethought.ItwasrexingtolistentoDrao’svoiegooversomethingthathewasiedin.AndwhileHarryfeltthetugofsleepovertakehim,somethinginDrao’svoiealwaysseemedtoallhimbaktowhattheotherboywassaying.
DraowasslightlysurprisedwhenHarrysleepilyaskedhimtogooverwhathewasexpiningagain.Afteramoment’spauseDraorepeatedthestepstoaddingthepowderedleopardanineswhilestirringthepotion,firstlokwisefourturnsandthenounterlokwisefiveturns.HarrynoddedsleepilyandDraoontinuedwiththeinstrutions,surprisedthatHarrywasatuallylistening.
RongrumpilysurveyedtheheadlinesoftheDailyProphet,notiingthatanattakwasoneagainthehighlightoftheday.Wordlessly,hepassedittoHermioneandproeededtopayompleteattentiontohiseggsasiftheyweretheauseoftheonstantflowofthingsthatheshouldbesuretorememberforsuh-and-suhexamthatamefromthebruetohim.
Hermionedidn’tevenlookattheheadline,passingthepapertoHarryassheontinuedherexpnationoftheseondTrollandGoblinwar.
Harrylookedovertheheadlinewithafrown.Anotherattak.BlokingoutHermione’sexpnationoftheTrollleaderwhosenameheouldn’thopetopronoune,muhlessspellorretlyonanexam,hebegantoreadthedesriptionoftheattak.Anorphanagehadbeenattaked.Overonehundredmugglehildren,abouthisageandyounger,haddied.Noonehadyetbeenabletofindouthowtheorphanagehadbeenattaked,thebuildinghadbeenburnedtothegroundbeforeanyonehadseentheDarkMarkinthesky.Voldemortwasn’thidingitnow,Harrythought.It’sobviousnowthatthey’reDeathEaterattaks,butthere’sstillnopoint.TheorphanagehadbeenafewmilesoutsideLondon,andotherthanthesheerhorridnessofit,HarryouldseenoothergainthatthispartiurattakgaveVoldemort.Maybethat’sthepoint,Harrywondered,asheputthepaperbakdownonthetable.Hedoesn’thavetodotheseattaks,andyethe’sgoingtodothemanywaytoshowexatlyhowpowerfulheis.
OverattheSlytherintable,DraohadaverydifferentreasonforVoldemort’sattak.HepulledoutthemapthathehadshamelesslytakenfromhisandHarry’sroomswithouttellingHarryandloatedthespotonthemapwheretheorphanagehadbeen.Itfellexatlyontheirlehehaddrawnbefore.
It’sgottohavesomethingtodowithMalfoyManor,Draothought.Therewasnootherexpnation.ButwhatwasVoldemort’sgoal?HeouldattakMalfoyManordiretly.ThewardswouldkillalotofDeathEatersbeforehegottothegatesbutheouldstilldoit.Butwhatwashewaitingfor?Alloftheattakshadbeenaimedatmuggles.Afewwizardshadbeenkilledaswell,buttheywereafewinalonglistofmuggles.IfVoldemortmeanttointimidatehisfather,thenhewasgoingaboutitthewrongwaybeausehisfatherwouldn’tareifmuggleswereattaked.Anotherthoughtpassedthroughhishead.MaybetheDarkLordwantedtomakeitlookasifhisfatherhadhelpedpntheattaksbypingtheminsuhawaythatitlookedlikeMalfoyManorhadtobepartoftheattaks.
Frowningslightly,Draobegantoonsiderhisoptions.Thesetypesofthoughtsouldnotbewrittendowninaletter.Heouldtellhisfatheranytheorieshehad,andyetheouldbesurethathisfatherwouldnotanswerthem,lesttheletterbeiedandhisreplyusedagainsthim.TherewasnowaytogettoMalfoyManorfromHogwartsunlessheusedoneoftheteaher’sfloos…iftheywerehookeduptobeginwith.ButhewouldhavetohaveadisussionwithhisfathersomehowandtheHogsmeadweekendwasweeksaway,toofarawayforhimtosimplyaskhisfathertomeethimintheThreeBroomstiktodisusstheattaks.Hewouldhavetotalkwithhisfathermuhsoonerthanthat.