He wore those glasses, his tone flat and unreadable. "Strange... uh, I mean, Nonverbal Spells need a more relaxed approach. Try not to think so hard about it."
Draco shot Harry a surprised look, as if he hadn't expected advice from him.
He hesitated, then adjusted his posture as Harry had suggested. This time, the feather gave a faint tremble.
"That's progress," Harry said briefly, then turned and went back to his place.
That small exchange seemed to break the ice.
They were still a long way from getting along, but the prickling tension eased a little for the rest of the gathering.
When the gathering ended, Draco was the first to leave. As soon as he was gone, a collective sigh of relief filled the High Tower.
"Merlin, that was worse than taking Snape's Potions exam." Ron patted his chest dramatically.
"At least he followed the rules," Hermione said fairly. "He didn't provoke anyone or say anything inappropriate."
Will watched the doorway Draco had gone through, a faint smile curving his lips.
The first step of the plan was in place. With Malfoy's arrival, the grand performance he and Dumbledore had planned had begun.
When it was time to put on that show for Voldemort, he needed Malfoy there as a "witness."
"Overall, that went well. But we should add another floor to the High Tower. The ground floor is doing too much right now," Will said, changing the subject.
The ground floor served as their meeting place, dining area, and study space for everyone except Will. More than once, Harry had nearly hurt someone while practicing magic there.
It really was time to expand, and everyone agreed.
The new member, Malfoy, became a part-time laborer. Under Will's guidance, he used Charms to build another floor onto the High