He gave Malfoy one last look before turning to the three people remaining "Roger, Prefect Parkin, please escort this thing to a separate compartment. Again same rules apply. Roger, I know you've got other things to see to as Head Boy, but it'll only be for a few minutes. I just want a quick word with Prefect Patil, and then she will come and relieve you."
Roger nodded and stepped forwards as Harry cast a spell to free Draco from the ropes that bound him.
The two seventh years pulled Malfoy to his feet, but the boy quickly wrenched his arms free from their grasp. He gave Harry a cold, hard stare and practically hissed "This isn't over, Potter."
He turned and stormed out of the compartment, with Roger and Maxwell following on behind.
"I'm sure it isn't." said Harry as he watched them go. He was certain that the first chance he got, Draco would be writing and sending a letter to his dear father, complaining about mean ol' Harry Potter was picking on him and demanding that he speak with the Minister in order to fix it.
"Um," said Padma, who was standing behind him "You wanted to speak with me, Harry?"
"I certainly did," said Harry as he turned around to face her "First off, I heard what you said to Malfoy before I entered the compartment. Thank you for the show of confidence."
"Not a problem," replied Padma "You said you're here to help, and I believed that you could and would do so."
"Good," said Harry "Second, I would like to ask that you accompany me when I discuss the situation with the head of Slytherin house. I think that you know as well as I do what would happen if I went in there alone."
Padma nodded and replied "Makes sense I suppose. Should we bring in some of the others as well? Roger at least, given how he's Head Boy."
"Roger should do," said Harry "Let him know when you take over guard duty from him."
"I will," said Padma "Anything else?"
"Yes, after we're done with Snape, we're going to need to go and see your head of house."
"Professor Flitwick? Why?"
"I need to see him about granting you an official Prefect's Merit."
"A Prefect's Merit," Padma repeated "And what exactly would one of those be?"
"Pretty much the opposite of a strike." answered Harry "You did an excellent job, so you get a merit."
"And what if I get a strike after gaining a merit?" asked Padma.
"Then you lose the merit, but don't gain a strike. Think of it as basic addition and subtraction. You start at zero, a merit adds one, and a strike subtracts one."
"So if Pansy did something good, rather than gain a merit, she would lose her strike?"
"Correct."
Padma nodded thoughtfully for a few moments before asking "And what do three merits get you?"
"What do you mean?" asked Harry.
"Well, if three strikes mean that you lose you your prefect's badge then I imagine that something must happen when you get three merits."
"Good point," said Harry "I hadn't really thought of that."
"Then why give merits at all?"
"So people can lose their strikes."
"Ah. Got ya."
Harry thought for a few moments before saying "Maybe I should get vouchers or something. How about book tokens?"
"That might work for the Ravenclaws, but few others." replied Padma.
"Damn. Well, I'm sure I'll think of something."
"You'd better or we'll stage a coup."
"You wouldn't!"
"Wanna bet?"
"Don't you somewhere to be?"
"Yeah, yeah. Just keep it in mind Potter. We want to know what three merits get us, and we want that decision made by the end of the week."
Harry rolled his eyes, chuckling to himself as Padma left the compartment.
Once she was gone, Harry suddenly realised that that was the first proper conversation he had ever had with Padma, and yet he had felt completely at ease with her. More at ease, in fact, than he yet felt with either Susan or Hannah, and he had spent three weeks with them.
He supposed that it was down to the fact that Padma strongly resembled her twin sister, Parvati, whom Harry had known for four years.
But then… did he really know Parvati at all? Sure they had shared the same common room and many lessons together over the years, and he had even escorted her to the Yule Ball the previous Christmas, but he had hardly ever actually spoken to her at all, and the Ball had been a disaster.
Come to think of it, he had warmed up to Hannah surprisingly quickly as well. Although he knew her about as well as he did Susan, he had spent much more time with the red haired Hufflepuff…
This warranted further investigation, but not now though.
.....
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