I Beg Your Pardon, Potter?

Chapter 61

The Shrieking Shack had been transformed. Gone was the dust, gone were the broken pieces of furniture and the moldy drapes, and gone were any broken floorboards. Everything was clean and fixed and Harry was amazed at what a difference it made. It was actually a place he would voluntarily spend time in now. He wondered if they should turn it into their secret clubhouse. Then he realized that they weren't twelve anymore and really, they just used the Room of Requirement most of the time anyway.

Instead of furniture, there were several old desks, lined near one wall and covered in various bottles. Dobby and a reluctant Kreacher were going to be bar tending — Dobby would make fun and exciting drinks, while Kreacher would make more classic cocktails by mutual agreement. Seamus had set up his DJ equipment in another corner and was instructing another house elf on how to work it.

Harry and Draco were among the first few students there. Aside from Seamus and Ernie, the only other people there were Justin, Pansy and Ron.

"How did you know about that passage?" Justin asked as Harry came through the opening that lead to the tunnel.

"If I tell you," Harry said. "I won't seem nearly as cool and mysterious."

"He saw it on a map," Ron said. Harry crossed his arms and glared at his friend as Justin started laughing.

"Traitor," Harry said.

"Hey, you're already the Boy-Who-Lived. I have to bring you down to the same level as us plebs whenever I can." Harry harrumphed for a moment before smiling at Ron.

"Here," Draco said. He thrust a glass into Harry's hand. "I made you a scofflaw."

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it." Harry looked up and saw Ernie grinning at them. He leaned against Draco for a moment, marveling in the fact that he could, even if just briefly, and Draco gave him a small smile. Then he moved away as more students began to appear from the tunnel.

Harry watched as they stepped through the opening, their eyes wide and excited. It was exciting, he supposed, coming to a new place. He didn't think it was nearly as exciting as the party in the Chamber of Secrets, but who was he to judge? This was at least perhaps a bit less scary. There were no skeletons here, after all.

...

"You know there are rooms upstairs too," Harry said to Draco later that night. He was perhaps three drinks in by now.

"Oh, I know," Draco said. "I'm pretty sure Justin and Seamus have barricaded themselves in one of them. And McLaggen might be with them too."

"Now there's a relationship I don't understand," Harry said.

"What? Justin and Seamus?"

"No," Harry said quickly. "Seamus and McLaggen. With the occasional Justin, I guess."

"I think McLaggen's an equal opportunity lover," Draco said and Harry snorted in amusement. "He'll get off with anyone."

"But Seamus does seem to have a strange sway over him," Harry said, thinking back to the Halloween party when Seamus had managed to distract McLaggen every time the seventh year seemed to be bothering someone.

"That's not really our concern, is it?" Draco asked, shrugging. Harry shook his head.

"I suppose not. Did you want to go see if one of those rooms is still free?" he asked instead.

"Do you think we could get away with it?" Draco looked around the room. Most people seemed involved in their conversations or their dancing.

"May I remind you what we did in the Chamber of Secrets?"