Professor McGonagall had just turned herself into a cat, and Draco was finding  it very amusing that there was almost no facial difference.

"Whew! We made it!" Weasel said as he and Potter walked in. "Can you imagine the look on ol' McGonagall's face if we were late?"

Suddenly, the cat jumped off the desk it was sitting on and morphed back into the Transfigurations professor.

"That was bloody brilliant!" Weasel commented.

"Oh, thank you for that assessment, Mr. Weasley," McGonagall replied. "Perhaps it would be more useful if I transfigured Mr. Potter and yourself into a pocket watch? That way one of you might be on time."

"We got lost," Potter said, voicing what Draco knew was the first excuse to come to his mind.

"Then, perhaps a map? I trust you don't need one to find your seats."

Draco smirked. For an old lady from Gryffindor, she was pretty witty.

Potions, however, was far more interesting. Professor Snape entered the classroom, slamming the door behind him.

"There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class," he said when he'd arrived at the front of the room. "As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion making. However, for those select few who possess the predisposition..."

Snape was looking at Draco, and Draco felt that this class was going to be his favorite. Not only did he know he would be skilled in that class, but his father and his Potions professor were friends.

"...I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses," the professor continued. "I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death. Then again, maybe some of you have come to Hogwarts in possession of abilities so formidable that you feel confident enough to not PAY ATTENTION."

The class turned around to see Potter scribbling furiously on his parchment.

"Mr. Potter... our new celebrity," Snape drawled. Draco smirked. He knew Potter wouldn't have as much fun as Draco would in this class.

"Tell me, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" Snape asked Potter who shook his head. Granger's hand shot up immediately.

"You don't know? Well, let's try again. Where, Mr. Potter, would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar?"

"I-I don't know, sir," Potter said uncertainly. Granger waved her hand around like someone trying to get attention in a crowd (which Draco knew she was).

"And, what is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

Granger raised her hand higher, if that was possible.

"I don't know, sir."

"Pity. Clearly fame isn't everything."

"Clearly Hermione knows," Potter said. "It seems a pity not to ask her."

Some of the Gryffindors Draco recognized as Finnigan and Thomas sniggered.

"Silence!" Snape commanded. He glared at Potter before walking to his seat and sitting down in front of him.

"Put your hand down, you silly girl," he said to Granger.

"For your information Potter," he began, "asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draft of the Living Dead. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant which also goes by the name of aconite...well, why aren't you all copying this down?"

Everyone immediately did as they were told, and when Snape went up to the podium, he informed them that Gyrffindor would lose points thanks to Potter.

___________________________________________________________

The mail arrived during study hall. Draco received a letter from his father:

Draco,

I trust you have heard about the Gringotts break-in. It was I, along with Crabbe and Goyle, who had been instructed to do so. Unfortunately, the vault had already been emptied out. The item which we seek is currently located somewhere in Hogwarts, and Professor Quirrell is attempting to retrieve it. I ask that you do not hinder him in any which way.

Your father

Draco crumpled up the paper and shoved it inside him robe pocket. He picked up the paper and read, "Believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown, Gringotts goblins, while acknowledging the breach, insist nothing was taken. The vault in question, number seven one three, had been emptied earlier that very same day."

Oh, brilliant, Draco thought. My father's a dark wizard.

That explained the mark he had seen on his father's left forearm when he was eight. It was the first time he'd experienced the Cruciatus Curse. Apparently, he'd asked "too many questions".

Draco shook his head to get rid of the memory.

______________________________________________________________

The flying class was split into two lines that faced each other. A broom was in front of each student.

"Good afternoon, class," Madam Hooch said.

"Good afternoon, Madam Hooch," the class replied, half-heartedly, and Draco didn't even bother.

When Hooch had reached the end of the lines, she said, "Welcome to your first flying lesson. Well, what are you waiting for? Everyone step up to the left side of their broomstick. Come on now, hurry up. Stick your right hand over the broom and say 'Up!'"

Draco obeyed, and the broom immediately flew into his hand. He looked around to see that only Potter had been able to get ahold of his broom on his first time. After a while, Weasel's broom lifted only to smack him in the face with its handle.

"Ha!" Draco laughed loudly.

"Now," Madam Hooch said, "once you've got hold of your broom, I want you to mount it, and grip it tight. You don't want to be sliding off the end. When I blow my whistle, I want each of you to kick off from the ground, hard. Keep your broom steady, hover for a moment, then lean forward slightly, and touch back down. On my whistle. One, two, three." She blew the whistle, but before Draco could kick off, Longbottom's broom rose all by itself.

"Mr. Longbottom!" Madam Hooch called as Longbottom's broom started spinning out of control.

Then he went flying around all over the place. He flew right into a spear and his robe got hooked. It started to rip, and he fell. He was hooked onto something else, but then he fell to the ground.

"Oh, dear, it's a broken wrist," Madam Hooch said after she'd examined the situation. "Poor boy. Come on now, up you get. Everyone is to keep their feet firmly on the ground while I take Mr. Longbottom to the hospital wing. Understand? If I see a single broom in the air, the one riding it will find themselves out of Hogwarts before they can say 'Quidditch.'"

Draco picked up the Remembrall once she had left and thought he'd intimidate Potter for being a smartarse when he met Draco.

"Did you see his face?" Draco asked the Slytherins. "Maybe if the fat lump had given this a squeeze, he would've remembered to fall on his fat arse."

The Slytherins laughed.

"Give it here, Malfoy," Potter said.

"No, I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find. How about on the roof?" Draco mounted his broom and rode off. "What's the matter, Potter? Bit beyond your reach?"

He saw the Granger girl say something to him before Potter flew after him.

"Give it here, Malfoy, or I'll knock you off your broom!" he threatened.

"Is that so?" Draco mocked. Potter flew past him, but Draco spun around on his broom...something Severus Snape saw.

"What would you do if I dropped this?" Draco asked Potter.

"Malfoy-"

Draco dropped it, gave it a few seconds, then sped down towards it. He grabbed it a few inches from the ground and pulled up, flying back to where Potter was. The Slytherins cheered.

"Blimey, that was brilliant!" Ron said to Hermione when Draco was back in front of Potter. The Gryffindors glared at him and he mumbled a "Sorry" to them.

Back up in the sky, Draco said to Potter, "Your turn." He threw the ball as far in front of him as he could and rode back down to be praised by the Slytherins. It felt good to be acknowledged for something he had done well. Unfortunately, Potter came back with the Remembrall. The Gryffindors cheered as Draco rolled his eyes.

"Mr. Potter," a voice called. It was Professor McGonagall. Draco smirked; perfect Potter was in trouble.

"Mr. Malfoy," said another voice from behind the catwoman. Draco's smirk faded as he saw his Potions professor.

Draco followed Professor Snape to the Charms classroom.

"Professor Flitwick," Snape said, "I need to borrow Flint for a moment." Draco waited as a creepy-looking bloke with large teeth came out.

"Draco, this is Marcus Flint, captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team. Flint, replace your pathetic excuse for a Seeker with Draco immediately."

With that, Snape dragged Draco back to his flying lesson.

_____________________________________________________________

Later on that day. Draco heard from the ghosts that Potter had become Gryffindor seeker. All the Slytherins (except for the former Seeker, Terence Higgs) were congratulating Draco. He was off to the dungeons when he saw Potter, Weasel, and Granger heading towards the third floor.

Idiots, Draco thought, as he went after them. He followed them into the corridor when the torch lit up. He quickly hid behind a wall.

"It's Filch's cat!" he heard Granger said.

"Run! Quick, let's hide through that door!" The three first years followed Potter's orders and headed somewhere beyond Draco's vision.

"It's locked!" Potter exclaimed.

"That's it, we're done for!" Weasel said.

"Oh! Move over! Alohomora!" Granger said and Draco heard the click of a lock. "Get in!"

Moments later, Filch arrived only to find nothing. Draco came out of his hiding place when he heard a scream and the three idiots ran out of the door. He saw what looked like a dog's nose and teeth. He heard it bark, too. He caught a glimpse of a trapdoor by the dog's feet before the door successfully closed and locked.

Draco quickly ran back to his hiding spot, and he only came out after the others were well on their way to bed.

________________________________________________________

On Halloween, Flint tried to teach Draco how to play Quidditch (even though he already knew how), but when he let the bludger out, it hit him in the shoulder. Draco had to catch the bludger, lock it up, and take Flint to the Hospital Wing before heading to Charms.

Things took quite a turn during dinner when Quirrell ran through the Great Hall, screaming about a troll in the dungeons.

"Thought you ought to know," the DADA professor said before fainting. There was an uproar as everyone tried to rush out of the hall.

"SILENCE!" Dumbledore commanded. "Everyone will please not panic! Now, prefects, will lead  their houses back to the dormitories. Teachers will follow me to the dungeons."

Draco saw Snape disappear through a door rather than follow Dumbledore's instructions. He looked around to find that Quirrell was missing as well. Abandoning the Headmaster's wishes, Draco rushed off after Snape. He found himself back in the corridor from before.

He hid in his corner again when he saw Snape and Quirrell.

"I know what you're up to, and it won't work!" Snape was saying. His leg was exposed and bleeding.

"It would have if you hadn't followed me!" Quirrell snapped back, not stuttering like Draco had heard him.

"The stone can wait until later on this year, but it is too early now. Besides, you still haven't a clue how to get past my obstacle."

"Then tell me."

"Not now, we are required to go back without causing suspicion."

Draco quickly sped out of the corridor and ran straight toward the dungeons when he saw the troll heading somewhere else. He followed it and realized he was right outside the girls' bathroom.

Then the troll saw him. Draco stared directly at it until the troll swung its bat at him. Draco couldn't hop out of the way, but he grabbed the bat and climbed onto it once it was over the troll's head. Then Draco jumped onto troll's head itself. When the troll raised his eyes to see him, it brought down its bat onto its own head, and Draco jumped off just in time.

"Ow!" Draco exclaimed when he hit the floor, and in a moment's time, the troll hit the floor as well. Draco got up and dusted his robes.

Just then, Granger rushed out towards Draco, followed by Potter and Weasley.

"What do you think you're doing?" Granger demanded.

"Saving your lives so be grateful!" Draco snapped. From the other end of the hall appeared Professors McGonagall, Snape, and Quirrell.

"Oh, my goodness!" McGonagall gasped. "Ex-explain yourselves, all of you!"

"Well-"

"It's my fault, Professor," Granger interrupted Draco. The three boys frowned. She continued, "I went looking for the troll. I've read about them, and I thought I could handle it. But I was wrong. If Harry and Ron hadn't come and found me... I'd probably be dead. Malfoy, on the other hand, was just lurking around."

"What-" Draco started, but was interrupted once more.

"Be that as it may, it was an extremely foolish thing to do," McGonagall said. "I would have expected more rational behavior on your part and I am very disappointed in you Miss Granger. Five points will be taken from Gryffindor for your serious lack of judgment. As for you two gentlemen, well, I just hope you realize how fortunate you are. Not many first year students could take on a fully-grown mountain troll, and live to tell the tale! Five points will be awarded to each of you for sheer dumb luck. Mr. Malfoy, I suggest you follow the headmaster's instuctions next time. Ten points from Slytherin."

With that, she left the corridor, followed by the three liars.

The troll grunted, and Quirrell shrieked, running out of the corridor, too.

"Sir," Draco said to Snape, "I'm the one who-"

"I saw it all, Draco," Snape said. "I am quite impressed and will inform the Headmaster of the truth. Potter and Weasely's ten points will be taken away from Gryffindor, and fifty points from Gryffindor for dishonesty and arrogance. Fifteen points to Slytherin for your cleverness and for having no say in the story."

Draco smiled and said, "Thank you, sir."

"Now head to you room before anyone else says something."

Draco nodded and took off for the Slytherin common room.

A/N: I encourage you all to share this book with your friends, comment, vote, and keep on reading! Thank you all so much!