Whispers in the Night
Disclaimer: I'm just playing in JKR's sandbox and make no money from this. Please enjoy the story and feel free to leave comments and critiques, it's the only way to get better at this. I'm writing this story for my own enjoyment.
Content Warning: This story will contain mentions of abuse and scenes containing but not limited to swearing, violence, smut and other Adult Content.
Author's Note: 1. College is starting back up so I am going to start a schedule for updates. Expect chapters weekly on Tuesdays but please be patient if a chapter takes a little longer. I appreciate your support for this story and desire to read more but real life does come first on many occasions. This schedule will start for certain before or upon the release of Chapter 10. 2. A huge thank you to a number of my reviewers, our discussions have been amazing and I hope to hear more from you. A big thank you to all of my reviewers and readers, your comments are much appreciated and your support keeps me motivated to keep editing and writing this story. 3. This Chapter has been edited since its original content. Adjustments to conversations at the end of this chapter were made.
Chapter Six: Questions and Concerns
"How the hell are you not dead yet?!"
Harry swore that if he heard those words one more time he was going to smack someone. Oliver had been overjoyed at Harry's "return" to the Quidditch team a week ago and decided to celebrate with early morning practice scheduled for every morning. Needless to say, the team had not been happy to have their sleep interrupted, even less so when they learned normal practices would still occur, especially on a Saturday such as that morning. Harry, however, had taken to the new training with ease.
"I like to run," Harry answered simply as he kept easy pace with the panting team. "It helps me think after a long day back at my relatives' place. Keeps me out of trouble too now that I think about it."
And is dead useful when I'm avoiding a beating from Dudley's gang.
To say the team was surprised he was able to run was an understatement, given that he was small for his age and not very well filled out. In fact he was more used to these exercises because of non-magical schooling than anything else, aside from avoiding Dudley and his friends. Tossing a quaffle around on foot to practice hand-eye coordination and doing the rest of the exercises Oliver subjected them to was beneficial to them all. Harry figured that in a month's time the girls might actually appreciate it because it enhanced their figure. He had heard older boys and girls mention it when he was younger and he definitely understood it now. Still, he kept forgetting that wizards and witches loved to do anything with the least amount of physical strain possible.
"You're not human," said George from his right.
"Nope, definitely not," Fred agreed on his left.
"Giant?"
"Too small. Goblin?"
"Too tall. Centaur?"
"Not enough legs."
"Are you sure? Have you checked his pants?"
"There will be no checking of anyone's pants!" Harry blurted suddenly as he tried to keep from laughing at his own embarrassment.
"I wouldn't mind checking Harry's pants," Katie chimed.
The sound of necks cracking as they turned to stare at her cut through the air like thunder until Harry stumbled and rolled away from them. So startled and flushed by the comment he sat there on the ground gaping at the blushing girl as everyone paused to make sure he was okay. Oliver seemed caught up in his own astonishment while Angelina and Alicia looked as if they had just struck gossip gold. The twins, of course, wouldn't let Harry or Katie live this down.
"Did we hear that right Fred?"
"I believe we did George."
"Our own little Katie-"
"Has her own thing for-
"Ickle Harrikins!" The twins finished together.
While the twins burst out laughing, Katie flushed and tried to hide her face as Harry sat there equally as red. Oliver, Angelina and Alicia soon joined the twins in laughing when they saw Harry's astonished, blushing face. Harry, however, swallowed down any fear and stood back up. He had to admit that Katie was a good friend, they were the youngest of the quidditch team and had started the same year; it was natural for them to bond. That Katie was a trim and athletically built blonde bombshell didn't hurt either but despite his attraction to her, he wasn't entirely interested in that sort of relationship with his female quidditch playing friend. If there was ever a time to save everyone a bit of pain, now was it. Might as well make light while the making was good, right?
"Well I do like blondes, but redheads are better," Harry said loud enough to reach everyone's ears. "Especially if they're twins."
Instantly the twin's laughter died and the rest of the team fell on the ground laughing. Katie, whose blush had faded somewhat, also laughed, but sent him a thankful nod for taking attention off of her. He shrugged it aside and grinned, glad to have silenced the pair gifted so deeply with the gab before the pranksters caught on.
"We like you, Harry-" George started as he approached the younger teen
"But we don't like you, like you," Fred continued as he followed his brother's lead.
"I'm sorry, I know this is hard to hear," George said as he put a consoling hand on Harry's shoulder.
"But it's for the best, mate, you know?" Fred added as he set his hand in the other shoulder.
"We'd make Ron jealous-"
"And Percy,"
"Even Bill,"
"But we can't be a wizard's wizards for you."
"Though mum would appreciate it."
"We're flattered! But we don't swish our wands that way, Harry," they finished together with solemn expressions.
By now the laughter was deafening. Harry even joined in with some of his own and wiped a tear from his eye, playing up the act with an exaggerated sniff. "Well, I guess it's not to be, lads. It was a hell of a dream, we could have had a lot together." Harry sighed and took a deep breath while he still could as the team basked in the glow of humor. "I suppose I'll just have to settle for the Carrow Twins... I wonder if they'll share?"
"In your dreams, Potter."
Harry spun around only to see the aforementioned twins standing there with Tracey, Daphne and Lilly, all of them with mile wide smirks on their faces. Instantly the laughter behind him turned into snickers as the twins tried to hold it in and the team looked on as the teen stared down the group of third year Slytherin girls. Amusement played across the girls' faces and Harry paled at the thought of what they might do to him.
I'm a dead man, Harry thought. "Bollocks."
"There's your first problem, language," Hestia said as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"Second would be the wardrobe," Flora agreed. "But most of all-"
"We don't share," they finished together.
Harry flushed and swallowed once again, two attempts passed him by to the growing snickers of those around him before he managed to clear his throat and speak. "I... guess I'll have to live with that. The pursuit of beautiful women continues then."
"Or men," Daphne pointed out as the twins finally broke out laughing. "I didn't know you swung that way, Potter."
"And here I was hoping he was just dying to get a look at our bits," Tracey added with a mischievous grin of her own. "What's a girl to do?"
"Ask?" Harry's voice slipped out before he caught himself. He clapped a hand over his mouth as Oliver howled with laughter along with the twins. Devious grins swept across the Slytherins' faces once more as they approached and each of them eyed him like a predator. The sultry sway of every step tempted him to look below eye level and Harry was man enough to admit to himself that he did not mind looking down on occasion.
"Really? Good to know," Daphne said as she walked around him, her hand grazing the small of his back to tease him before she sauntered back to the group. Harry tensed at the touch, for more reason than one, before he forced himself to relax and observe the young women currently teasing and tempting him.
"Very good to know," Tracey agreed as she stepped toward him, away from the congregated group of slytherin girls. "But the question is, what bits does he want to see most?" At that the blonde turned just enough to give Harry a profile of her and arched her back. The alluring landscape of her body, hidden beneath the comfortable clothes of a free Saturday, caught Harry off guard and he couldn't stop himself from looking until it was too late. Tracey's smirk widened as she watched him eat up the view, noting that his eyes had started at her chest, then drifted down with her hands as she put herself on display in an attempt to tease and learn more of him.
"Well?" Tracey persisted with a smirk. "What do you think, Golden Boy?"
"I think I made a mistake picking Gryffindor?" Harry choked out as he watched all of the girls gather again.
"You did, too bad for you," the Carrows said together.
"Such a shame," the quiet Lilly agreed.
"But that's not why we're here," Daphne said as she got everyone back on track. "We know you have detention later and would like your help with some essays."
"Oi! What's this about detention, Harry?" Oliver asked as he caught on.
Harry winced and looked to his captain sheepishly. "McGonagall gave me detention with her until the end of term on Saturdays. She wasn't impressed with some of the language I used when she was convincing me to rejoin the team."
"That's all? Some foul language gets you a detention a week for the rest of term? I honestly don't think there's anything bad enough you could say to manage that. What the hell could you have said to get that?" Angelina questioned him as she finished stretching.
"It is bad enough when you suggest she might be in need of a tomcat to scratch the itch that makes her so stern all the time," Harry answered cautiously. He and Minerva had discussed this and this was the best option Harry could come up with. He wasn't a prankster but he could mouth off to Snape. Who's to say he couldn't mouth off to his own head of house for once? Everyone looked agape at him but the twins seemed impressed.
"I'm so proud!" Fred said as he pulled Harry into a hug. "He'll be a troublemaker yet, George!"
"Brave, brave lad! We'll need to test your nerves later!" George laughed as he pat Harry on the back.
"You actually said that to McGonagall?" Tracey looked in awe of him at that moment and Daphne actually began to snigger as he nodded.
"Please don't remind her!" Harry pleaded in an effort to convince them of his sincerity. "Merlin only knows what I'll have to do or how many more detentions I'll get if she hears word got out about that. I'll help you with homework today, just keep it quiet."
Harry was rather proud of his acting display. As soon as everyone calmed down and agreed to keep his off-color comment, imagined as it was, to themselves, the Slytherins went back up to the castle and the Gryffindor team hit the locker rooms. Training had been winding down anyway and now that they had had a good laugh at Harry's expense Oliver was willing to let them all go. Harry was thankful for the shower stalls in the locker room and quickly took one of his own to get rid of the sweat and grime in private before getting dressed without anyone seeing. As he said goodbye to everyone he managed to smile.
"Things are looking up," he muttered to himself as he made his way up the road to the front doors.
It didn't take him long to reach the waiting breakfast at Gryffindor's table. Harry dug in just as ravenously as the twins once they joined him. Hermione, Ron and Neville weren't far behind the rest of the Quidditch team. Harry was glad to see Ron happier than he had been. His lanky redhead friend had only become so when he learned Harry had rejoined the Quidditch team. Other issues, however, still existed. Ron never really looked over at the Slytherins and always asked for last minute help from Harry and Hermione, as if any time spent with the Slytherins might burn him.
Harry had managed to keep him as a friend, but the teen wondered just how long this might last if the taller boy's better judgment didn't hold true. Again the black-haired wizard reminded himself that people grew up and in many cases grew apart, that it was natural, he just hoped he didn't have to lose one of his first friends along the way. When breakfast finally ended and Harry mentioned getting his things so he could work with the Slytherins, Ron acted as if he hadn't heard and said he was going to play some chess and that Harry was welcome to join him.
Less than a half-hour later found Harry waiting at his usual table in the library. Hermione had agreed to help some second year girls in the common room and Neville had some extra project he was working on for Professor Sprout. Fortunately, Harry had managed to finish most of his work. He only had to put the finishing touches on most of his essays then work on his potions assignment which he stubbornly had put off just to passive-aggressively spite the arrogant prick that called himself a professor instead of a bully. Thankfully he had half a year's worth of Slytherins to draw help from if he really needed it.
"Been waiting long?"
While Harry had not expected the voice, he should have. Leave it to the Slytherins to ask for all of them, not just themselves. He would have to get used to that line of thinking. Hell, he was used to it, just not so much at school. True he didn't mind too much but when you were trying to get to know people you usually didn't impose unexpected extras on them, unless it became a regular habit that you took advantage of others. Then again, the girls hadn't been specific as to who they were asking for so he couldn't blame them for a possibly accidental lie of omission.
Well, he could, but he decided to look past it this time… for the most part.
"Hey Theo," Harry said as he looked up from the books he had open in front of him. "Not long at all really. I've just been looking over what I have to make sure it's decent enough to get some ideas from."
"Theo, huh?" The pale Slytherin asked as he sat down, his face contemplative as he set out his own work.
"I thought I would try it out," Harry answered uneasily, worried he might have offended the intelligent Slytherin. "That's not a problem, is it?"
"No, just..." A curious expression overtook the taller boy, as if he was stuck somewhere between a happy memory and a moment of confusion as to what he was seeing. "Never mind."
"Takes getting used to?" Harry offered to give him an easy way out.
Theo nodded and tucked some of his hair behind his ears to keep it out of the way. Of the boys Harry knew, Theo had the longest hair of them all, preferring to wear it at roughly jaw length. Why, Harry didn't know, but it suited the boy better than Harry thought it might. Harry thought he might give it a try, see how it suited him until he directed his attention back to their discussion. Harry understood where the Slytherin was coming from. He wasn't used to the name "Potter" being said in a more friendly fashion than the orders or sneering insult it seemed to be from others' lips, and it was taking some adjusting.
"I know what you mean."
"I only really hear that nickname from family, actually," Theo amended as he sat down across from Harry and took out his own books and essays. "Even my friends here call me Nott, or Theodore."
"If it makes you uncomfortable-"
"No, I don't mind at all, honestly. It will just take getting used to," Theo finally managed.
Harry offered a reassuring nod and smiled. "So how about Teddy?"
"Say that again and you'll be pissing out of your ears." While it seemed like an obvious threat, the twitch at the side of the teen's mouth gave away the game. He didn't like the nickname, or he reserved it for someone, but he would let people tease him with it only to a point. With Harry's hands raised in an exaggerated surrender the two shared a grin before they polished off their arithmancy essays. Theo was better at the subject but Harry just had to find a way to put it in words before he managed to get it all down just right. Harry couldn't help but admire the other boy's skill in the subject and wondered just what the boy could accomplish in the future.
"So who says it?" Harry asked as he finished off his essay.
Theo looked up suddenly at the question, uncertainty in his eyes as he assumed a neutral expression as he surveyed Harry. The genuine interest Harry displayed was apparently enough and the taller boy sighed as he rummaged through his bag. "My father and sister. The only two ever allowed to call me that after my Grandfather died in the Alps. My mother uses Theo on occasion but she and my uncle have always been more formal, even at home."
"You must have an interesting home life. You sound so close with your father and sister," Harry noted as he grabbed some more parchment.
"You could say that..." Theo trailed off. Harry took the hint, he wasn't about to get anything else out of the pale boy, not right now anyways.
"Starting without us? Should we be jealous, Potter?" Daphne asked as she sat down next to him. Tracey took the seat next to Theo while Blaise took the seat on her other side. The rest of the Slytherins filled up the rest of the table and Harry couldn't help but return the smirk on Daphne's lips with a crooked grin of his own.
"Depends, is it working?"
The byplay between the two went past Theo and Blaise but the girls nearby were sniggering as they took out their supplies.
"Jealous of Nott? Hardly, Potter. You'll have to do better than him," the brunette said as she fished out her own self-inking quill and parchment.
"Ok, what did we miss, exactly?" Blaise asked with a raised eyebrow. "And why should anyone be jealous of Theodore? He's a git."
"Oi! You're the pratmaster extraordinaire, Blaise, so don't go labeling me a git," Theo chucked back at him with a slight grin before he turned back to Harry and Daphne. "Seriously though, what did we miss earlier?"
"Harry outed himself as bisexual," Tracey pronounced loudly enough to turn the heads of everyone at a nearby table.
"Thanks for that," Harry drawled dryly to the sniggering blonde. He turned back to the now bemusedly grinning Theo and Blaise. "I was making a joke to the Weasley twins about liking red headed twins to take the heat off of Katie saying she liked me, though not in so many words. Fred and George turned it around on me, only for me to lament that I would have to seek out the Carrows instead."
"We don't share," the said girls chorused from thought end of the table.
"We know, thank you!" Harry said quickly with slight exasperation.
"Well that's disappointing," Blaise chipped in as he eyed the two girls. "You ladies sure you won't-"
"Not on your life, Zabini," Hestia started easily.
"We might remind you of your mother," Flora added.
"Wouldn't want twin black widows, would you?"
Blaise shook his head as the twins finished in unison. While nobody else quite caught it over the rustle of papers, Harry heard the boy clear enough, or rather, he read the boys lips enough to get the gist of what he muttered under his breath. "She's not as black as she's made out to be. Just a single mother doing her best."
Harry felt a touch of sympathy for the boy. He didn't quite know what it was like but he could tell it was hard in Blaise to be his mother's son, at least because of her reputation. Hell, it was probably just as hard on her to carry her reputation as it was on Harry to carry his own. Fame had its own way of tearing families apart, they just did it differently. Then again, it likely wasn't easy having gone through six step-fathers who all died of mysterious causes. Though Harry very much doubted Blaise didn't know how his step-fathers met untimely ends.
"So, you make a joke about swishing your wand towards lads and this is how it gets started? I'm sorry, Harry, but I really like the fairer sex," Theo joined in with a grin to take the heat off of his new friend.
"You and me both," Harry was quick to assure him as he let out a sigh of relief.
Blaise just laughed, glad to see everyone was on the same page and enjoying the small joke. "I can't wait to see Harry get propositioned by some older girls or boys looking to experiment. Though who's to say you wouldn't like lads?"
Harry and the rest of the group chuckled. "I say so. I'm very much straight but I don't hold anyone's orientation against them. I grew up seeing an old gay couple. They were pretty good people, always had time for a game of poker if they ever saw me at the café."
"You play poker?" Harry nodded casually, well aware it might generate some interest. Blaise was intrigued, especially because this was something none of them had heard about Harry in the past. "You ever make actual bets with anyone?"
Harry's crooked grin returned in full force. "All the time. I got quite good at card games of all kinds. Made some pocket money from the kids around the neighborhood. Bob and Doug, that gay couple I mentioned, lost a hundred pounds to me once. That was my biggest take in one afternoon."
Blaise let out an appreciative whistle as the rest of the slytherin's eyed Harry speculatively. "I'll have to be careful if we ever play then. But for now we've got some homework and I would rather not piss off McGonagall by putting off my transfiguration essay."
Everyone in the group agreed and quickly set to work as each offered their skills. Of course, some of them asked Harry for more help in Runes, since he seemed to have acquired them faster, or at least had a knack for studying them in a way that made them easy to learn. As he was helping Daphne inscribe one of the more intricate runes, he looked around at the table. Everyone here was a Slytherin except for him and all this time he had lived with a view of them that wasn't exactly right. Now he wasn't sure what to think.
"Is it always like this?" Harry whispered to Daphne as he helped her finish the last stroke of the rune.
The dark-haired brunette peered at him with those piercing lavender eyes for a moment then looked around when he nodded to everyone. She was confused for a moment before her cool gaze returned to Harry.
"You'll have to be more specific, Potter. The studying or the friendships?"
"Friendships," Harry clarified. "Well, that and how you all act. It's different in some classes but when you're here around me or others it's like this... And don't even get me started on how you act around me sometimes. I guess I'm just asking what is real what isn't."
"We all have things we need to keep quiet, Potter," Daphne explained softly as she began to work on the next rune by herself. "This, us talking so freely, this is what we're like in the dorms or common room sometimes. Not everyone in Slytherin appreciates our... friendship, with you."
"Is it friendship, or a working relationship?" Harry asked, his voice slightly bitter at the idea he was being used. Daphne turned her concentration from her rune so quickly she pierced the parchment slightly. It wasn't clear, but something in her eyes trembled, as if waiting for release. It was the first time Harry saw something he knew he might see in himself if a difficult topic was brought up in public.
Hurt and anger.
"Oh..." Daphne said as she finally realized why he might think that. She took another look around the table to make sure no-one paid them too close attention as she erased the bad rune with a wave of her wand and repaired her parchment. When she turned back to him, her eyes were softer, much like they had been in the hallway that first morning. "This."
"Yeah, this. I don't like being used if it's what you're doing," Harry sighed in irritation.
"It is friendship, Potter, at least, we're trying for it," Daphne said in hushed tones as she gently set a hand on his own. "It's not easy, you know? You're not what we expected, not what anyone expected. Everybody has always wondered what you would be like since before we reached Hogwarts. Hell, Harry, you are infamous whether you want to be or not and we were all told stories and read about your supposed adventures in books. When we got here we saw this short, awkward looking boy that got sorted into Gryffindor. You fell into the mold of some fantasy hero that you hear about except for your appearance. Not everyone we know, even some our members of our families, would appreciate knowing we know you, or even like you. The fact that you're more than meets the eye, well, it's refreshing and a little disconcerting. We thought you were some Gryffindor Golden Boy and now we've been proven wrong. We just want to get to know you but a lot of people are against us."
For a moment, Harry said nothing. He was honestly a little stunned at her frankness before he realized that's just who she was. As delicate, cunning and crafty with language as she could be, Daphne could be as blunt as a hammer if she wanted to be. Out of everything she said, however, Harry picked something that would be much easier to talk about. Something that could divert them away from more uncomfortable trains of thought for him. "You like me?"
"As a friend," Daphne cut in quickly. "Don't make any assumptions. We're guarded because every other house looks at us as if expecting us to be evil, case in point, Ron Weasley. I'm willing to put forth the effort to be friends if you are. I think we all are... But I'm sorry we made you think this was just to help our grades."
"I get it," Harry assured her. He did understand but it was still instinct to protect himself from being abused, even if it was only in how he helped others. "I understand. I just didn't want to be taken advantage of. I get enough of that... elsewhere."
Harry had almost said "with his relatives" but had changed at the last moment. That was not for anyone to know, ever, not if he could help it. If Dumbledore couldn't help him, or wouldn't, then Harry would have to manage on his own. Well, maybe Poppy or Minerva might help him but he wasn't ready for their reactions, especially if he might find himself disappointed in yet another two adults he trusted.
Daphne was curious. What Harry had said didn't quite line up the way she thought it would. Who could have possibly taken advantage of him that made him so defensive? Dumbledore? It was entirely possible, considering the Headmaster was said to have kept Harry safe. Then again what if it was more abstract than just a single person? Daphne's thoughts whirled around the enigma that was Harry's defenses before she came to a conclusion
"Book companies and all of the people using your name for publicity," the girl offered as she finished the rune nearly-correctly on the page for the second time. "That or people looking to use you for their own ends and play up the high life at your side. You don't have to worry about that with us, Harry. We're just trying to get to know you. You have made us curious and it's not every day you get to spend time with someone like you. Homework help is just a bonus."
"You're telling me, my potions grade has never been this good," Harry teased as he gestured to his own half-finished essay. Daphne snickered at that and gave him a reassuring nod. "But thanks. It's nice to be... wanted around I guess."
"You say that so sadly," Daphne murmured as she finished with the rune she had been working on and looked to him. "Why?"
Harry froze for a moment, his body trembled in fear, stuck between fight and flight as he decided on a course of action. But like another young man many years ago, he offered a smile to the pretty girl next to him. It was solemn, wistful even, but it suited him perfectly and washed away any doubt.
"Because I know what it's like to be sequestered away from friends all summer. My relatives aren't fond of magic either so I'm stuck around them all the time or I'm alone in my room, out of the way and out of mind. I'd rather not feel like I'm unwanted, not around such good and new friends as you lot could be."
Harry wasn't sure if he succeeded, but the solemn smile Daphne offered him was enough to reassure him he had done something right. What he missed as he turned back to his essay, however, was the curious gaze that followed him from Daphne, and following hers, Blaise, Theo and Tracey as they wondered what had just gone on between two of their friends.
Little did they know that another pair of eyes watched them with growing concern. The year had certainly had an interesting start, but when hadn't it since the young Harry Potter arrived? This year, however, felt different from the prior two. Harry had always been altruistic but he seemed to have changed. In fact it wasn't just this year. Harry's behavior had undergone a gradual but understated change later on in the year prior.
Harry had ignored everyone that didn't support him through the events surrounding the Chamber of Secrets with the impunity of a statue. Not only that, but later on he had walked off hexes and jinxes then smirked at everyone that had cast one upon him until they walked away either shamed, angered or afraid. His behavior had not started there, however. It had been the way he carried himself just after the Christmas holidays. It was a quiet confidence, hidden behind layers erected to throw people off. In fact it was only after seeing the confidence evolve this year that the silent observer remembered seeing it in first year to much lesser degree.
How could I have missed it?
The wizened wizard, disillusioned among the countless shelves of books, continued to observe the young hero, the up and coming pillar of light that Harry would eventually become. At least, that's what the Headmaster hoped Harry would become. Now, however, he was not so sure. There were signs, subtle signs but they were there, that indicated something far more alarming to the headmaster. Harry Potter had been lying, lying since the first moment Hagrid had met him. The boy had acted as others expected him to and presented himself as a young hero ready to rise above his past.
Could he have been telling the truth? Dumbledore questioned himself worriedly. No, of course not. Lily's relatives had been the best choice and even Minerva had exaggerated her opinion of the muggles so many years ago, he was sure of it. Harry had told a convenient lie, one that had been spoken with a hesitancy that belied his emotions, his guilt. There was no other way to read that hesitancy. No, Harry was not abused, but that cunning lie only lent credence to this shift in Harry's behavior.
He should have discussed the aftermath of the meeting with Lucius and the minister with Albus but Harry had instead chosen to leave as quickly as possible. It wasn't something the Headmaster was accustomed to, especially when he thought he was held in high standing by the young hero. Where the young man would store the hippogriff in the off-season was a non-issue, Harry couldn't. No, Harry had engineered the outcome in an effort to help a friend. He had been selfless in his efforts to save Hagrid and promote a higher level of Care of Magical Creatures classes, but that did not mean that Harry hadn't done it for other reasons. What those reason could possibly be besides irking a few thorns in Harry's side eluded the old wizard.
Forgiving Susan Bones had been a boon in Dumbledore's eyes. It had shown him that Harry knew how to forgive others their follies, something the wise Headmaster championed himself many a time in recent memory. The addition of new friends, friends with families of varying reputations and alignments, however, did not sit well with the Headmaster. Another young man had done the same many decades ago, one that was clever and charismatic, one that had gathered forces and resources in secret until he had turned upon the world with dreadful ambition.
Harry was not lost, however, of that Dumbledore was certain. Minerva had briefly spoken of her time shared over tea with Harry and it had been quite positive. Harry had a hunger for the affection of those he respected and had a desire to learn all he could of his family. It was only an even greater boon that Professor Lupin had come to the school for the year. No doubt the pair would introduce themselves properly and become acquainted, and the werewolf would no doubt bring Harry further onto the path of the Light, the path of a hero that he was meant for.
Things are weighed in favor of that path but we must always be cautious… Dumbledore mused to himself as he followed the group of slytherins and Harry out of the library as they headed toward the great hall for lunch. Harry is not all he appears. He could fall from grace and walk down a path much like Voldemort if things continue to change. For now I will leave him in peace and have faith his true friends can keep him on the righteous path he is meant for. One day he will save the world from Voldemort and from itself, and I hope to still be alive to help guide him through the perils he will face afterwards.
"Harry!"
Harry looked about as his name was called from the great hall. His eyes instantly fell upon the dark red hair of his renewed friend and a smile as bright as the one given him worked its way across his lips. Beside him, Daphne chuckled lightly before she set a hand on Harry's arm as gently as she could. The moment she had his attention, the brunette offered the smallest of smiles.
"Go on, we have plenty of lunches to share in the future."
Harry raised a brow at that. She wasn't wrong but he had thought to have lunch with the slytherins. Then again, who was to say he wouldn't tomorrow? Besides, by then he would have a bit more to talk about, especially after his weekly tea in a few hours. The feel of her hand sliding down his arm as they parted ways left him curious. He had tensed at first, reacting to age old memories until he realized the pretty girl next to him certainly wasn't a drunk, rage-filled Vernon. It had been nice, at least, to be touched and not have to fear it. It's why he let her play whatever games she had in mind.
Daphne, however, couldn't take her mind off of the slight twitch she had noticed from Harry. A single touch to his arm and he had tensed as if awaiting a physical blow. Why? Then again, hadn't Lockhart done that to him plenty of times last year? Daphne snorted as she remembered the glares Harry had tossed their useless defense professor. That could definitely be the reason, but there seemed more to it than that. Either way, she enjoyed teasing the young man.
"Flirting pretty heavily there, Daphne. Why is that, I wonder?" Tracey asked with a grin as they took their seats.
"Potter is an enigma wrapped in a curiosity sandwiched between conundrums and paradoxes," Daphne noted idly as she scooped some stew into a bowl. "He wants to make friends with us and he tries his best not to give a damn about what anyone else thinks of what he's doing. I find that intriguing, and just a little concerning. He doesn't mind flirting, but he tenses anytime someone goes to touch him."
"Like when you rubbed your arse against him," Tracey muttered as she smirked at her best friend as the other slytherins occupied themselves with lunch. "You sure that wasn't just him getting ready to pounce?"
"Hogwarts is a school for teenagers who don't have to deal with their parents for the majority of nine-to-ten months out of the year. It's natural that we get a little frisky regardless of a culture stuck in the victorian era. Then again, witches made it quite clear we are our own beings long ago. We have had equality much longer than muggle women but that may have something to do with the fact we can kill and use magic just as powerfully if not more so than wizards," Daphne grumbled with a roll of her eyes. "Of course, we weren't raised like the rest of our pureblood house, were we?"
"No, we most definitely weren't," Tracey managed through a chuckle as she thought of their shared history. "We got four different versions of the talk, one from Hannah's muggleborn mum who took us to a strip club of all places so we could learn more about how our bodies will change and to hear some stories from her muggle friends that managed the place. We're much more comfortable with our bodies and expressing ourselves than any other witches in this school. But you're changing the subject, Daphne. Was Potter ready to pounce on you, or not? "
"As much as I'm sure he would have enjoyed it, no," Daphne mused quietly as she glanced over to Harry as he spoke with Susan. "He was certainly attracted but I believe he restrained himself. There was a different kind of tension than the sexual kind, which I admit was there on both sides... Like he was ready to defend himself if necessary but he eased into."
"Oh I'm sure he would have loved to ease into it, Daphne," Tracey pointed out with a suggestive smirk as Daphne shook her head in amusement. "But do you think the tension has anything to do with his family? He hardly says a word about them besides the fact they don't like magic and he ran away, though why he hasn't told anyone."
"Relatives," Daphne corrected slowly as she put more and more pieces of the puzzle that was Harry Potter together. "He doesn't say family. He says relatives."
"Either way, give it time Daphne," Tracey advised as she watched Susan and Harry talk. "He's not the sort to open up easily and neither are you. You might ease up on the touching though. People might get the wrong idea," Tracey finished as Daphne rolled her eyes at her mischievous friend.
"Spending time with the slytherins, huh? How's that going?" Susan asked Harry as they made some sandwiches.
"About as well as can be expected. At least they haven't run away screaming or started hexing me yet," Harry joked lightly as he cut up some chicken. "Although Daphne's touching is rather interesting."
Susan snorted lightly as she tried to restrain her humor. "She's touching you, is she? Is it a bad touch, Harry?" Susan smirked for a moment as she easily drew his attention to her hand and set it on his thigh. "Or do you like naughty girls?"
Harry snickered at the redhead's actions and eyed the hand on his thigh. He had to admit that it did excite him. He knew Susan was testing the waters, seeing what he would allow and what he wouldn't, she was intuitive that way. She was the first to figure out he wasn't used to hugging after seeing Hannah do it a few times. Now, however, there was a flirtatious aspect to what Susan was doing, and one of challenge directed toward a particular slytherin if Harry read the situation correctly.
"A little high and to the left, I'm sure you'll enjoy what you find." The moment Susan blushed and removed her hand from his lap, Harry laughed. "Nice try, Susan, but even I'm not ready for that, and neither are you. I'm actually surprised you'd risk that being seen."
"Well can you blame me for trying to get a rise out of you?"
"What kind of rise are we talking about?"
Susan rolled her eyes but smiled regardless. Harry had lightened up as far as touching went. Then again, she had to wonder how much of that was comfort level and how much of that was teenage hormones. She could see his body tense ever so slightly whenever he was touched. It was in his jaw mostly, or his fingers, sometimes even the slight shift of his feet. Seeing it concerned her but then so did a lot of things. She glanced over at their slytherin friends and couldn't help but feel a slight tinge of competition.
"Are you trying to get in Daphne's knickers?" Susan asked with a curiously raised brow.
"I'm a teenage boy, I'm trying to get in every pretty girl's knickers at one point or another," Harry admitted before he smirked and set a hand on Susan's jean-clad thigh. "And you are a very pretty girl, Susan. Why do you ask? Should I try harder to get into yours?"
Susan nudged him with her shoulder and Harry laughed as he retracted his hand. "You're incorrigible. I can only imagine what you would be like around us in the summer."
"Oh?" Harry said curiously. "Why is that?"
"Because Daphne, Tracey, Hannah and I are hardly ever out of our bikinis if they're visiting me at Bones Manor."
Harry's eyebrow raised and Susan clocked the look with interest. Oh yes, she had gotten to him where he thought of all young women. Susan could only imagine what was going through his mind but it only made her confidence soar. The slightest shake of his head made her snicker as Harry came out of whatever imagined world he had entered into.
"And you say I'm incorrigible," Harry muttered with a chuckle. "How's your aunt?"
"She's doing well, last I checked. I decided I'd wait until today to send a letter. I should hear back from her tomorrow, or by Wednesday at the latest. I haven't spoken with her since the day we came back," Susan stated easily as she finished making her sandwich. "I'm actually starting to miss her. She tries to take as many days off as she can in the summer to spend time with me. We went to France for a week at the start of July, then spent a week at home together just before I came back."
"It must be nice, having someone like her to look out for you," Harry said with a smile. He had heard of Amelia Bones from Susan before, but he had never really discussed the difference in their home lives. It was dangerous territory, something he regretted delving into now that he had opened the door.
"She does what she can. She raised me as her own daughter and she's like my mum even if I call her auntie… It's our little word, you know?" Susan explained fondly as she thought of her aunt. Harry nodded slowly. He understood that it was something special between aunt and niece, but he doubted he would ever truly know what that was like. "How about you?" Susan continued after a brief pause to finish a bite of her sandwich. "You live with your cousin, aunt and uncle, right? I heard you ran away and obliviators had to be dispatched."
"You would hear about that, wouldn't you?" Harry grumbled lightly before he sighed. He had wanted to avoid this but now there was no avoiding it without Susan getting even more curious. She wanted to know what had happened? Fine, he would tell her just enough to sate her curiosity. A few more lies wouldn't hurt, especially with the web he had weaved around himself already. "The Dursleys I can deal with, they're just… difficult sometimes. They're ambivalent toward me ever since I started to learn about magic. Aunt Marge, my uncle's sister, thank god she's not related to me directly, is a complete and utter bitch. She was visiting and she's the reason I ran away after some accidental magic. She insulted my parents and my aunt and uncle didn't stand up for them. Then she said I should be put in the orphanage or… well… that I should have been left on the doorstep to die."
Susan winced at that. It was far too close to her own mistake for her comfort and the redhead quickly tried to make better of the situation. "Again, I'm so sorry for even saying-"
"Don't apologize, you already said it once," Harry offered quickly as he set a hand on hers. "And I accepted it because you're honestly want to make up for it… Besides, she actually means what she says and would never apologize. I got so brassed off my magic just reacted and tore the kitchen apart. The cutlery was stabbed into the walls everywhere, the windows were shattered and blow out, and I ended up inflating Aunt Marge like a great zeppelin. I only wish she'd gone the way of the Hindenburg, miserable bitch. I ran away because I knew my uncle would be angry. I actually had to kick him in bollocks in order to get out, he was so furious with me."
Susan actually snorted at that before she contained her amusement and nodded solemnly. All was not well with Harry's relatives at the moment but he was getting by at least. Hermione had been closed-lipped about it but she and Ron only knew as much as Neville or Susan did; that Harry didn't get along with his relatives. Not every orphan could say that they had someone to look out for them and Susan thanked the heavens she had her aunt, otherwise she might have ended up in an orphanage or taken in by the wrong family. "Well, at least you got your point across. I'm not sure what it's like at your home, but if you ever want to talk about it..."
"Thanks… I'll keep that in mind," Harry said with a grateful smile. He was eager to get away from this conversation and he had to stifle every ounce of anger he felt that someone would dare call Privett Drive his home. Instead he put on a shy smile as he looked around the hall briefly before his attention returned to Susan. "But I feel more at home here, in Hogwarts. All of my friends are here and I don't have to feel alone all of the time. I've got better people here looking out for me than I could have asked for."
Susan smiled at that and blushed as his intense gaze lingered on her just a bit longer before Harry turned back to his lunch. After a few moments, Susan changed the subject to something a bit more upbeat. "So, what do you think you'll ask McGonagall about today?"
"Well…"