A Brand New World

Chapter 7

Things were a bit awkward the next few days with the foursome. Harry and Lily rarely talked, and Ron was still very annoyed over the whole 'worm' incident. The Slytherins hadn't forgetten about it either. They took to carrying around worms with them wherever and taunting Ron every chance they had. With no one to talk to Harry actually found himself paying attention in class.

Harry spent most of the morning working on a Potions essay for Slughorn. He didn't want a drastic step down in quality from his work in class lest Slughorn gets suspicious. After a few hours of getting nowhere he decided it would be best to get some help. Hermione was the easiest option in that regard, though she was never much for cheating. At the very least she could offer Harry some advice. She did cheat in the Quidditch tryouts but he couldn't actually tell her that knew about it. Harry packed up his school supplies and went down to lunch which should have just started.

When Harry entered the Great Hall he noticed Dumbledore was gone. Malfoy as well. Dumbledore didn't usually miss meals. It wasn't too important anyways. Harry shrugged off his concerns and walked over to the Gryffindor table. Hermione was gone.

Wonderful.

Harry sat next to Ron and across from Lily. Ron already had his face stuffed with food and Lily didn't bother looking up at him. Things were already tense. Harry decided to break the ice.

"Where's Hermione."

"Fworvind vom bop," Ron spit out in a voice that was clearly anything but English. He never quite learned that it was poor manners to talk while you're chewing.

"I think what Ron meant to say, Hermione is in the library. She's working on S.P.E.W." Lily answered without ever looking up at Harry.

Harry remembered Spew quite well. It was an attempt for Hermione to help house elves though she had never made much progress with it. The movement didn't really interest Harry.

"Well, I guess everyone needs a hobby."

Ron finally gulped the rest of the food in his mouth. "Quidditch is coming up Harry. Only a week left before the match."

Harry didn't need the reminder. Katie had them practicing constantly.

"We're playing Ravenclaw," he continued. Harry wasn't worried about beating Ravenclaw. They weren't the best team in the school.

"I'm looking forward to it. What about you Lily?" Harry was trying to get Lily to look at up him for the first time that day.

"I'll go." She answered curtly.

"I hope you root for Gryffindor!" He joked, trying to lighten the tension.

She wasn't laughing.

Ron was already stuffing his face with food again, likely an attempt to avoid all the tension at the the table.

Harry found himself beginning to get annoyed with Lily's attitude. What was he supposed to do? Tell her the truth about their relationship? She'd think he was mad. He didn't have a solution here.

Harry sighed and got up.

"I'm going to go study." He said.

Ron waved at him as he walked off.

"You think I'm being too hard on him?" Lily asked Ron when Harry left.

"Well... it'd be nice if my meals were a little less tense. You two always seem like you're ready to bite the other's head off."

"I guess. It's not like he did anything wrong."

"What happened between you too?"

"Nothing, it's nothing." Lily shook her head.

Ron knew to drop the subject.

Harry headed off to the library to find Hermione. He figured he could at least get some help on his potions essay. Then the morning wouldn't be a total waste. As he entered the library he noticed Hermione sitting down with her face buried in a book. Another dozen books were stacked behind her. They all had something to do with house elves.

"Hey," she said cheerfully as she noticed Harry walking over. "What are you doing here?"

"Lily said you were in the library. I was hoping you could help me with an essay. I've been having a lot of trouble with it."

Lily put her book down. "It's not like these books are helping me. Alright show me what you're working on."

Harry gave Hermione the essay. She spent about ten minutes telling him everything that was wrong with it. Eventually she noticed that Harry wasn't exactly understanding anything she had been saying.

"Harry... for someone who is so talented at potions I don't understand why you need my help."

Harry realized it was time to come clean with Hermione. His poor work on homework was never going to match up to his exceptional work in the classroom, and he knew it was only a matter of time before somebody called him out on it.

"Well, what if I told you I wasn't very good with potions?"

She perked up.

"I've been getting a bit of help in class," he continued.

"You've been cheating?" She nearly shouted at him.

"No, not exactly. There's this potions book I found in Slughorn's classroom."

He decided it was better to show her than tell her. Harry pulled out the book from his bag and handed it to Hermione.

She spent a few seconds flipping through the potions book.

"Harry, there's writing all over it."

"That's my potions secret. Someone scribbled notes, tips, advice, pretty much everything you need to know how to brew any type of potion."

"Property of the Half-Blood Prince," she read aloud. "Who is that."

Harry shrugged.

"Harry, you have to give this book up."

"Well..."

"Harry!" This time she actually shouted.

"I'm not harming anyone with it."

"It's cheating." It was as if the word was taboo to Hermione.

"It's just potions Hermione. What does it matter if I get a slightly higher grade than I would have without it?"

"It's-"

"Cheating I know," he interrupted.

Hermione glared at him. He decided to fall back on lying. Something he had been doing quite a lot lately.

"I need the book Hermione."

"For what?"

"Dumbledore gave me a secret mission," he lied.

"What?" Hermione was dumbfounded.

"He asked me to get information from Slughorn. That's why I need the book. I need to get close to him so he'll trust me enough to tell me his secrets."

"He gave you and Lily the same assignment?" Hermione asked.

This time it was Harry's turn to be confused.

"Wait what?"

"Lily. Dumbledore asked her to spy on... actually nevermind."

She was keeping something from him. Something about Lily and Dumbledore.

"Hermione..." He prodded.

"I can't say anything. Lily swore me to secrecy."

The gears in Harry's head started to turn.

"Dumbledore asked Lily to spy on Slughorn."

"Harry I don't know anything-"

He continued. "Dumbledore wants information."

"Harry-"

"But what exactly is Lily trying to get out of Slughorn?"

"Harry I can't say anything!" She shouted.

The librarian glared at them over all the noise.

Harry quickly came up with a way to get Hermione to tell him what he needed to know. He wasn't proud of it.

"Well, it's not like Lily is great at keeping your secrets." Harry noted.

"What do you mean?"

"Just something about you jinxing McLaggen at the Quidditch tryouts, and making sure Ron became the new Keeper."

Hermione looked shocked.

"She told you about that?!"

"She told me everything the other day," he continued. Harry felt bad about breaking Lily's trust, but he needed to know what was going on.

"I can't believe her. I told her not to tell anyone." Hermione sounded disgusted.

"Well if she can't keep my secrets..." Hermione paused for a second before continuing. "Dumbledore asked her to get close to Slughorn. To get something from him."

"Get what?"

"A memory. Something from his past. I think it concerns you-know-who." This time she went back to a whisper.

"Voldemort." Harry replied.

Hermione flinched. "Dumbledore wanted her to become Slughorn's favorite student. Of course with you around that's not happening."

"I'm Slughorn's favorite?" Harry asked.

"Of course. He never stops praising you in class. Which makes it harder for Lily to do her job. She's usually the best potions student in the school. That's probably why Dumbledore asked her and not me." Harry could detect a hint of jealousy in her voice.

'Dumbledore wants Lily to get a memory from Slughorn. Maybe if I can get the memory myself I can figure out what they're up to.' Harry thought to himself.

He didn't know whether or not he should confront Lily about it.

"I shouldn't have told you," she said regretfully.

"She'll never know."

"You won't tell her?"

"Nope. Your secret's safe with me."

"Thank you Harry!" She leaned over and hugged him.

"Well, now can you help me with this essay?"

She smiled. "Alright. Here's what you need to do."

The two spent the next hour working on the essay until they were both satisified with the quality of it. Harry was sure this would get him top marks. Perhaps even get him closer to Slughorn as well. It seems Harry had a new mission to work on.