"Who would suspect p-p-poor, st-stuttering P-Professor Quirrell?"
When Belle and Hagrid finally made it up to the Gryffindor commons, Al, Jake, and Rosie were sitting in a corner, working on their homework. They glanced up as the portrait hole swung open, and were on their feet in a heartbeat.
"Belle, what happened? What did they want you for?" Al said, beating the others to the question. Belle was saved from speaking by Hagrid forcing his way through the portrait hole behind her. "Hagrid? What are you doing up here?"
"I wan'd ter make sure she made it all the way here all 'ight," Hagrid responded, stooping his head a bit to avoid brushing the candles hanging from the ceilings. "They wan'd ter tal' ter her because she was... top of 'er Healer class from where she transferred, an' wan'd 'er opinion on the paralysis." The half a beat he hesitated before his lie was only noticed by Belle, and she was grateful for his protection. She didn't want to have to explain to the others, though from the look in Rosie's eyes she had already put two and two together. Belle felt a surge of relief that she didn't see any condemnation in Rosie's eyes, and neither Al nor Jake looked like they had half a clue.
"Oh, that's cool," Jake said. "Maybe you could help us with our healing potions work then?" His eyes were hopeful and innocent, but Belle knew he had his fingers crossed behind his back.
"Maybe later," Belle said, smothering a smile. "I'm tired."
"Me too," Rosie said quickly, and the girls disappeared up the stairs to the girls' dormitories.
"Oh, Al," Hagrid said, turning his gaze to Al. "Yer da' wan'd a wor' with ya, when ya got a chance."
"Alright, where is he?"Al said, collecting the books he had gracelessly dumped on the floor when he surged to his feet.
"E's prob'ly still down at the boa', yeh shoul' catch 'im if yeh hurry," Hagrid said, gesturing with his paw of a hand to the door. "After yeh." Al nodded and slid through the porthole. He started down the stairs with Hagrid grunting behind him as he squeezed out of the portrait hole. Paintings passed by, and each image was like a portal into a different time and piece of mind, different worlds. It always awed Al, all the different images, and how they all fit together. Stairs flew by beneath his feet and eventually, he found his way through the entry hall and ran into his father. Harry's face was crumpled and tired, with faint purple marks going under his eyes that were hidden behind his glasses. His hair was slightly messier than usual and his shoulders seemed to have a slump to them that Al hadn't seen before.
Harry nodded at Al and put his hand on his son's shoulder, guiding Al over to the side of the entry hall where others wouldn't overhear their conversation. Harry wasn't tall but he seemed to look down at Al, even though Al was taller. Not in a bad way, but in the way a father would look down at a child. It was as though a father was about to tell a small child that they couldn't go to see the movies because they had work to do, and he knew the child would be disappointed. Al's mind filled with worry, wondering what would make his father look so defeated.
"Al..." Harry said with a sigh. He paused for a moment, working his mouth before continuing. "I would like for you to try and maintain your distance from Belle. There is reason to believe... she's up to no good. For your own sake, keep you and your sister away from her. I don't want you in jeopardy."
Al's mind spun, processing what his dad was telling him. "But... why? Dad, have you seen her? She's hardly capable of beating even Lily up, she's not an overly strong witch. After all, she's an untrained muggle-born and all..."
"You know what I've told you about stereotypes," Harry said sharply. "Did she tell you she was muggle-born?"
"Well... now that I think about it, no, but... she has to be, who else would have the last name of Riddle?"
"She hasn't told you?" Harry asked, semi-surprised.
"Told me what?"
"It's not my place to tell," Harry's eyebrows lowered into a frown. "Just keep your distance."
"But, why?"
"Just trust me on this," Harry said. Al heard the pain in his father's voice, and didn't argue further.
"I'll be careful, but I won't avoid her," Al said. Harry gave a disgruntled groan, but left it at that.
"Be very, very careful. I have to go help organize the first task for the tournament. Watch your back, Al," Harry said, clapping his son on the shoulder. Harry turned and walked across the entry hall to join the other judges. Al's mind was whirling, trying to figure out what his father had meant. He didn't want to avoid Belle but he didn't want to disobey his dad like this, especially considering whenever people had thought Harry was lying/crazy in the past, he'd always been right.
So, with some qualms, he decided he would try to distance himself from Belle. Outside, thunder roared. A girl fluttered down the stairs in unhurried steps that he recognized as Esmeralda, from Magia. She recognized him, smiled and waved, then turned her attention to a particularly odd painting. He walked over to her and looked at the painting as well, until the odd man featured in the painting yelled at them to go away. Al laughed, softly, and Esmeralda just rolled her eyes at the painting.
"So are brother of James?" she asked in rough English, with a heavy Spanish accent.
"Yes. And you're who he's going to be fighting against?" Al replied, looking at the small blonde girl. If it was a battle of strength, Al thought James would have won easily, but something about the girl's grey eyes made him cringe inside at the thought of duelling her. Her eyes had a depth to them that spoke of secret knowledge, and he had the unsettling feeling that she was a very powerful witch. But her eyes had a warm and kind twinkle to them, almost innocent, that made him also believe that she didn't intend to hurt anyone with her powers.
They wandered from painting to painting, having a conversation with no real topic in a rough exchange of Spanish and English. After a while, Esmeralda left and James found him.
"Consorting with the enemy, are we?" James joked, nudging Al lightly in the ribs. Al grinned, and glanced back at the door Esmeralda was standing by talking to a boy from Magia.
"You might have some trouble with that one," Al replied. "She doesn't seem like she'd go down without a fight."
"C'mon, she's so tiny I could squish her with my big toe!" James bellowed, trying to keep from laughing too hard.
"AM NOT!" Esmeralda's voice boomed off the walls, and they turned to see her with her hands cupped around her mouth, trying to conceal a grin. "You most certain cannot, James Potter! Watch, I will make eat your words."
"Bring it on!" James replied with an equally large grin.
With a start, Al realized that the dinner toll was ringing. The day had gone quickly, quicker than he'd thought. How much time had he spent talking to Esmeralda and his dad? Apparently, more than he'd thought. James grabbed Al around the shoulders and started off towards the Dining Hall. Amazing how time moved in such an exciting day.
