Chapter 3
"You better have a good reason for not writing back to most of my letters last month.
" Pansy Parkinson announced the moment her head made it through the threshold of the train compartment.
Draco couldn't push down a feeling of guilt and let himself get distracted enough to lose a round of exploding snap against Goyle.
He had barely just calmed enough to look in Crabbe's direction, thank you very much, and did not want more reminders of the future mistakes he would make.
"Well, they were rather dull. I didn't think my input would change how the weather ruined your plans," his friend bristled, but that's how they always worked best together. "You remember weather spells exist, don't you? Why do they have to be natural thunderstorms?"
"It's not the same." she stretched the vowels, petulant.
Draco shifted closer to the window to make room for them both.
The train only set off a few moments prior, and were he to peer out the windows, he would still be able to catch the last parents waving goodbye to some student he would have probably seen tortured or killed if Draco paid any attention to anyone's suffering in the war.
"You got to play quidditch with your cousins, nothing to complain about. Did you work on your catches?"
Pansy, in fact, did not practice her catches this summer, and told Draco exactly what she thought about spending precious time with obnoxious and spoilt kids. This time, Draco stopped himself for pointing out she should fit right in with that crowd. She really did seem put out.
Instead, Draco reached for the abandoned book on obscure age altering potions he pocketed at Flourish and Blott's while browsing for non-incriminating books that could still be useful.
There wasn't as much choice at the store as he hoped for, but the library at Hogwarts would definitely have an answer, he couldn't accept anything else.
The dusty, in all likelihood outdated, tome had yet to provide a good lead on his situation.
On the bright side, if he wanted to remain in this 11 year old body for much longer than a year or return to a more adult form, he now knew half a dozen ways of making it happen and the side effects of each one.
With a sigh, Draco rejoined the discussion about exactly how much cheating in chess is permissible before it's embarrassing even if you don't get caught.
He hated playing against Pansy on days she decided there was no limit.
The other boys somehow ended up entertaining them with all the misadventures they ended up in over the last month, not sugar coating their own ignorance or stupid ideas in the slightest. Before long, though, the conversation died out, probably because no one was used to Draco not vying for the spotlight at every opportunity.
Draco climbed up onto the seat with his book in hand to find his school robes and less frustrating reading material.
Everything was going well until he forgot he wasn't tall enough to step back to pull his trunk down without tumbling down.
The trunk avoided squashing him by an inch, but that wasn't enough to soften the blow to his ego (or his behind).
The other kids bursting into laughter definitely didn't help the issue one bit.
"Ahaha maybe you need to pra-haha practice more swan dives off a stage!" Pansy's tone couldn't even reach mocking, she was too busy trying to hold back her laughter. "You were so graceful before ."
"Maybe it's puberty." Crabbe choked out, visibly preening at the rare opportunity to berate him. Goyle laughed so hard he started a coughing fit. Draco would never hear the end of it at this rate. He had to clear his head and recover whatever dignity he could.
He got up with as much poise as he could, considering the burning in his cheeks and ears, and slammed to door on his way out. The food trolley witch would be doing a round by now, he figured, he could buy some sweets for their silence.
He almost reached the front of the train by the time he caught up to the trolley.
While the lady counted out change, Draco could have sworn he saw a green chocolate frog jump out of a wrapper and onto her shoulder, but the woman didn't react.
The return journey was slower both with residual embarrassment and the weight of bribes filling his pockets.
He pushed past a few groups of older students, who seemed to be debating if Harry Potter was on the train, one of them claiming the boy must have gone abroad to hide from vengeful Death Eaters and will definitely be attending Durmstrang.
Draco almost ran into Hermione Granger as she marched out of a compartment with enough determination and energy to trample right over him.
"You haven't seen a toad around, have you?" She asked. "A boy called Neville is looking for one, its name is Trevor."
Draco wasn't ready. Potter was one thing, he could still hate the Chosen One. But here stood Granger before he belittled and demeaned her in front of most, before he teased and bullied her for being smarter and more dedicated, before witnessing the torture she endured in his home. He felt sick.
"Well? Have you seen one around or not?" Granger prompted again.
"What's the point of looking? The toad must have taken one look at him and realised it was a lost cause" what was he doing? He wanted to fix things, or to run away from all those he hurt before. Not preemptively insult them. Draco couldn't tell whether he felt ill, angry, or just tired.
"How dare you. You can't say things like that!"
Their heated exchange drew attention from the compartment beside them, it's door opening to show a tall ginger (definitely Ron Weasley), and Potter. This settled it, Draco had to be stuck in his personal hell.
"Oi! What's going on?" Weasley grumbled. "Can't you question him somewhere else?"
"Hey, it's you again. Draco Malfoy?" Potter chimed in, sounding out his name as though it was difficult to remember.
"You know him? Ask him if he's seen Neville's toad." Granger put Potter between her and Draco with a couple steps back.
"It'll be a public service to let the toad go. It belongs with a proper wizard."
Apparently, Draco just couldn't help himself.
"Of course the git would say that. Forget about it Harry, Hermione. Don't expect any good from a Malfoy." Weasley exclaimed with pride. The worst part was it wasn't completely wrong. Still, Draco was already worked up and past the point of no return.
"I don't even need to ask your name, Weasley.
Father says your parents have more children than garden gnomes.
Figures Potter would take pity on a charity case like you.
" Weasley's face turned scarlet, and both boys seemed ready for a fistfight, Draco realised a little late with a sinking feeling in his stomach.
"Anyway, I have better things to be doing. "
He swerved out of range just in case one of them decided to go for a punch, and carried on.
He wouldn't admit to feeling guilt about coming full circle when it comes to these three, but something pushed him to mention the food trolley witch to Granger as he passed.
The toad was probably long gone by then, anyway.
His friends greeted him somewhat remorsefully, and they spent the rest of the way to Hogwarts playing cards and enjoying his snacks.
Not long after sunset the train came to a stop.
Draco couldn't contain his excitement. They followed other first years to the lake shore, where Hagrid packed them into boats.
A breathtaking reflection of the stars spread around them on patches of still water.
They cut through it, gentle ripples appearing around them like a gathered shimmering silk.
It was a real shame only first years got to experience this sight.
"Has someone forgotten a toad?" Hagrid helped an embarrassed Longbottom climb back into the boat. They must have found it on the train, but the amphibian seemed to know what it wanted.
Draco kept to a group of pureblood students and away from the soon to be gryffindors, only slightly preoccupied by a possible continuation of their argument on the train, but Professor McGonagall didn't make them wait long.
He lost focus, staring at the teacher table.
He felt faint, palms sweating, and couldn't tear his eyes away from Severus Snape and Dumbledore.
Here they were, alive and unaware. A song reached him more like wind wailing outside tightly closed doors, he couldn't join in if his life depended on it.
McGonagall repeated his name twice before anything broke Draco out of thought.
It was his turn. He pushed past a smaller kid out of his way to the Sorting Hat.
"My, my... this should be the first time we meet, young man. Yet, I see you have already found yourself amongst loyal snakes."
"Just put me where I belong, it's been a long day already," Draco thought, grinding his teeth in frustration.
"Now, let's not be hasty... It's true you still have Slytherin on your mind, but is it truly where your heart lies?" The Hat carried on. "Gryffindor could hone your courage and quench a thirst for justice, child. You could make a bigger difference than you ever thought possible."
Draco looked up at Severus, at the headmaster, at the faces of all these children doomed to take part in a war they didn't want.
If he could slow Voldemort's return, maybe they could all be safe.
The war could be stopped before it even began.
He caught Potter, staring at him with a mixture of worry and disgust.
"Forget it, I wouldn't be caught dead with that lot. Even Hufflepuff would be better than Gryffindor."
"Another difficult one, I see. Have it your way..."
The Slytherin table cheered at the Hat's decision, as Draco took a seat opposite Crabbe and Goyle, who were too busy trying to stare food into existence on the empty plates between them.
The rest of the sorting went as expected.
Nott, Theodore and Pansy joined them with a lot less fanfare than Draco or Potter, who ended up causing an uproar by landing in Gryffindor.
Weasley followed suit, and finally Zabini, Blaise sat on Draco's unoccupied side.
"I'm Draco. Draco Malfoy."
"Blaise Zabini. Does the Hat actually listen to us? I thought I saw you talking back to it."
"It does, when someone is good enough to be in two houses. I hear it's rare for a real hat stall to happen. It has to take more than five minutes."
"Sweet! Which house did you turn down for better company?" He asked with a grin.
"... Ravenclaw."
"Well, then it's settled Draco. That puts you in charge of making sure we all pass!" Pansy joined in on his other side with a laugh. She gestured with a tilt of her head, pointing out Crabbe and Goyle. "We'll definitely need a miracle for those two to make it."