Center of the Circle
MarauderMac.
All creative thoughts and ideas are credited to Ms. J.K.R.
Ch. 11
When to Run
As the Halloween feast approached, Harry couldn't help but be thankful. As horrible as it sounded, he was impatiently looking forward to the time when he, Ron and Hermione would once again be best friends, and Halloween signaled that time for him. With any luck, Quirrell would let a troll into the school and try to steal the Philosopher's stone, Ron would be a huge git to Hermione, Hermione would almost be killed by a troll. What could possibly go wrong?
- - - - -
But none of that would happen for another two months. As it stood, he had just been released from Professor McGonagall's office and told he was to hold the position of Seeker on the house team. If Oliver Wood had been excited last time when he heard Harry had caught a Rememberall from a fifty-foot dive, he nearly wet himself with joy when he heard the stunts Harry had pulled out on the pitch this time around.
"So, I take it you've played Quidditch, then?" Oliver asked.
"Oh yeah. I played every day before I came to Hogwarts."
"Do you have a broom?"
"A nimbus." And that was it. The poor fifth year was so excited he made quite a scene in the empty classroom. Wood did a spastic little dance that Harry thought greatly resembled a seizure, and he ran to Harry and lifted him clear off the ground. He had just turned to do the same to McGonagall, but she gave him a fierce stare and he restrained himself.
Ron had been appropriately impressed by Harry's new position but not terribly surprised. They were currently sitting in the Great Hall over breakfast having a whispered conversation about Quidditch tactics. They were trying to keep his appointment to the team a secret, thus the reason for whispering.
"Done showing off, then, Potter?" came Malfoy's sneering voice from behind Harry. Ron and Harry turned, and sure enough there was Malfoy flanked by his goons.
"What are you talking about, Malfoy?" Ron sneered right back.
"I saw you out on the pitch, showing off. Now the great boy who lived has has gotten off his broom to-"
"Oh Malfoy! I never knew you thought I was great!" Harry said in a simpering voice that was frighteningly like Umbridge's.
"No!"
"Now, now. You can't take it back. You think I'm great. We all heard you."
"I heard it mate. It was a-"
"Right nice compliment," chimed in Fred and George from down the table.
"Me too. Very nice of you to say, Malfoy," Ron chimed in, catching on quicker than normal.
"What about those two trolls in that background? Do they have anything to say?" Fred asked innocently.
"Now, Fred or was it George-- can't tell-- anyway, that wasn't very nice," Harry said. Under his breath he added so everyone could hear, "Not very nice to trolls. They might take offense." Changing gears Harry looked up to the now very red face of Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle.
"Now, Draco, good buddy, trusted friend, favored confidant, would you like to sit with us? Seamus here was about to regale us with the tale of when his mother broke the news to his Muggle father that she was a witch." Harry, of course, said this all politely enough, and by the end of the speech, Malfoy had turned an unhealthy shade of red. Instead of answering, though, he simply scowled and stormed off down the hall. Harry and the rest of the Gryffindors and some nearby Hufflepuffs watched him go silently, but no sooner had he turned the corner out of sight did they all burst out in hysterical laughter. Fred and George each gave Harry an appreciative thump on the back before dragging Lee off with them to talk to some of the older Gryffindors while Harry and the other First years continued to sit and eat their food. When the bell rang a few minutes later, Harry didn't even think about the fact that this was meant to be the breakfast Draco challenged him to a duel. Without the duel there would be no detention, without the detention they would never run from Filch and would never stumble upon Fluffy the three headed dog. It was all so different, and Harry didn't even realize it yet.
- - - -
The two months went quickly, and Harry soon found the leaves turning from green to orange as October drew to a close. Harry sat nervously in his usual seat during charms. Today they were trying the Levitation Charm. Harry decided to stay absolutely silent and let things play out like they had last time. He pretended to struggle with the spell and resisted the urge to correct Ron when he saw how wrong his friend was doing the spell.
Hermione, predictably, saw his mistake and informed him in her primmest, snootiest tone just how wrong he was. At his challenge to do it herself, she, of course, accomplished the task without fail. As her feather soared in the air, Harry couldn't restrain himself anymore, so he, too, lifted his feather smoothly in the air and brought it to the same height as Hermione's. She looked at him surprised, but Harry didn't catch her look as he was concentrating on his feather.
"On guard!" Harry found himself saying as he drew the feather up like a sword. He brought the feather from side to side as though battling an enemy. "Fight me, I say!" he declared as Hermione allowed her feather to remain completely motionless. The room burst into laughter led by the tiny Professor.
Hermione finally giggled and raised her feather into the air and attempted to swordfight him. Much to Harry's astonishment, another feather soon joined them. Professor Flitwick had evidently decided this was a good idea and had joined in the fun.
"Oh, good. Very good Mr. Potter. You too Mss. Granger. Very good indeed. Ten points to Gryffindor," he told them jovially. Harry smiled broadly and lowered his feather slightly. He looked over at Hermione who finally gave him a reluctant smile. Harry beamed brighter than usual at the thought that she was finally warming up to him but soon lost his smile as he saw his other best friend scowling deeply at the both of them. Ron sat there grumpily for the remainder of class.
As expected, they had not been out of class for five minutes when Ron finally snapped.
"What did you do that for? Showing off with that know-it-all Granger? No wonder she hasn't got any friends; she's a nightmare!" Ron said rather loudly, and Harry saw out of the corner of his eye Hermione approach and then run past on her way to the bathroom.
"Bit harsh, mate," Harry said quietly. He looked over to his friend and much to his surprise found Ron looking very regretful.
"Do... do you think I should go after her?" Ron asked hesitantly as though the task was akin to walking the plank.
"No, let her cool down for now. We can talk to her at dinner."
"I just don't get her. She's so confusing," Ron practically wailed.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, practically every day since the beginning of term you've tried to make friends with her, and she just blows you off. She really doesn't have any friends. I would think she'd just be happy for the company."
"Even if I were a complete berk?" Ron gave a small snort at that and looked at his best mate.
"Yeah, even if you're a complete berk," Ron told him in a friendly tone. The two settled into chairs in the common room and awaited dinner, some more anxiously than others.
- - - -
When Harry sat down to dinner he didn't see Hermione anywhere, thankfully. They were halfway through the feast when Professor Quirrell, right on cue, burst into the hall.
"Toll! Troll, in the dungeon. Thought you ought to know." It wasn't until his face had properly hit the marble floor did anyone react. Students screamed and tried to make a mad rush for the door, prefects shouted and looked around to other prefects and general chaos ensued.
Harry ignored everything, even Dumbledore's announcement, and grabbed Ron's arm.
"Hermione doesn't know. She's still crying in the bathroom," Harry told him. Ron blanched considerably and immediately began sprinting toward the bathroom. Harry followed at his top speed, which was amazingly slow next to his very determined and long legged friend.
Harry turned the corner to see the door of the second floor girls bathroom. The troll was not there yet, but Ron was apparently already inside. Then out of the corner of his eye he saw the troll round the corner.
Harry found himself calling for his friends to leave the bathroom as he himself sprinted instead toward the troll. He had sufficiently distracted the troll, and it swung his club towards Harry.
Harry saw the one ton club of wood and back breaking splinters flying toward his head and dove quickly to the right. Harry covered his head with his hands as the club impacted the wall above him, shattering the stone into a hundred pieces. He felt the debris falling heavily all around him, but even more he heard the ear splitting scream of Hermione as she saw what was happening to Harry.
Harry, not wanting to stay in one place too long, quickly got up and ran towards his friends.
"RUN!" he yelled. If Hermione had accused him of a 'saving people thing' last time around, she would certainly do the same this time, but one lesson he had fully learned was when to fight and when to cut and run. It didn't hurt his pride one lick to grab his best friend's hand and effectively drag her away from a rampaging troll.
The three friends hauled arse out of there and ran toward the Great Hall where there were bound to be teachers. The troll, though clumsy and uncoordinated, was fairly fast when he had a straight shot of ground in front of him, and if it weren't for the too low ceilings of the bottom floors of the castle, the troll would have easily overtaken the trio. Thankfully lady luck was on their side as they navigated the winding halls of Hogwarts.
As they rounded the final corner to the Great Hall, they saw Professor Flitwick standing at attention in the front hall. They had put some distance between the troll and themselves, but their yelling had sufficiently attracted their attention.
"TROLL!" they yelled as they passed the professor on their way up more stairs. They continued to run all the way to the portrait and didn't stop until they were safely inside the walls of Gryffindor tower.
Harry couldn't help the groan that escaped him as he saw Percy approach in a slightly more frazzled but no less pompous manner than usual.
"Where have you been? You're cut, you're bleeding, you're dirty. WHAT have you been doing?" he intoned frantically. Before they had a chance to answer, Professor McGonagall opened the portrait door, and her cat like eyes narrowed in on the trio.
"Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger. This way please; the Headmaster would like to see you."
The trio walked sedately behind the professor as she led them towards the Great Hall. Harry looked over at his two friends and saw that Hermione was close to tears. Ron looked seriously grave, but both seemed at ease with the other. It was as though whatever had happened in that bathroom and in the hallways of the second floor had erased whatever bad blood had been between the three. Hermione looked up and saw Harry looking at her. He gave her a reassuring smile and wrapped one arm around her shoulders. She tensed for a moment but soon gave in and gave him a quick hug without loosing a step. She let go and then looked to Ron. Neither spoke but exchanged a silent exchange before they, too, embraced.
- - - -
Hermione had, of course, tried to take the blame for everything that had happened, but Ron and Harry-- decent blokes that they were-- set the story straight, and instead of the 20 points Hermione was queued up to lose, Ron and Harry got 15 each for knowing to run away. The three had taken the incident in stride and were currently walking back to the tower. They proceeded silently, but not awkwardly until the portrait hole.
"So..." Harry started.
"Hermione?" Ron asked very suddenly.
"Yes Ron?" Hermione asked absentmindedly.
"I... Well, I was wondering... the thing is I- I just... Willyouhelpmelearnthecharmsassignment?" Ron stuttered. Harry looked to his best mate, impressed. Harry had never known his friend to ask for help on an assignment unless it was due the next day.
Hermione evidently understood what he was saying because she broke out into a huge grin and nodded to her newfound friend. The two led the way into the common room and took a seat in the corner.
"So, the incantation is Wingardium Leviosa. The wand movement is like this. Yes good. Now when you say the words you have to make sure to stress the gar of Wingardium and the O of Leviosa."
"Why?"
"It's how you pronounce the words."
"Yeah, but why?"
"It's how the magic knows what you want it to do."
"Magic cares about my pronunciation?"
"No, it cares about the intent."
"But-"
"And the clearer your words the clearer your intent."
"Couldn't I have clear intent and say hoobldie goobeldie?"
"That's just silly, Ronald."
"Hey, don't call me Ronald, only my mother can call me that."
"Well, honestly, it's not that big a deal."
Harry watched in fascination as the two began to bicker. He had hoped the difference in how they made friends would perhaps change how they interacted as friends later on. Harry sighed and quietly got up to retrieve his school bag. When he emerged from the boys dorms some ten minutes later, they were still fighting, but somehow they had begun to fight about the dangers of bludgers. Harry did an almost double-take at the swift change of direction, but couldn't even begin to understand the logic behind any of their fights.
- - - -
It wasn't until the next day that he found the time to write Ginny and tell her all about everything that had happened. Immediately following their return the other students had been quiet, but as the evening wore on more and more kids heard tale of what had happened and began to approach the two and ask questions.
The next day things were just as hectic, but Harry had barricaded himself in a pile of books in the corner of the room to write his letter.
Dear Ginny,
I don't know how much Dumbledore told your parents, or how much they tell you, so I thought I'd write and let you know everything that's happened.
Let me start by saying Ron and myself are completely unharmed. That out of the way it all started in Charms. Your brother was a huge git and made this girl Hermione cry. Later in the day we found out she was still in the bathroom crying, but right when we were going to say sorry, the DADA professor comes in the hall and apparently a troll got in the school! So Ron and I ran to get Hermione, but right as we got there so did the troll, so we ran for it. We almost died, it was so cool!
Everything's okay now. Nothing too bad happened in the end. Ron and I got a lot of points for Gryffindor for "knowing when to run for our lives" which I think is pretty funny.
Anyway, what's up with you? How's being home alone? Are you lonely?
Write back.
Your friend,
Harry
Harry got up and walked toward the owlery with his letter in hand. As he got closer to the portrait hole, he saw Neville Longbottom walking the same way he was, and he also had a letter in hand.
"Hey Nev, going to the owlery?"
"Yep. Letter to gran. Is that to your Godfather?"
"No, it's to my friend Ginny. Ron little sister. Did you know I was friends with her before I even met Ron?"
"Really? Cool."
"So... you like Hogwarts?" Harry asked, fishing for any sort of conversation.
"Yeah, it's good. The classes are hard. For me I mean, not for you I can tell, but for me..."
"Well, don't tell anyone, but I cheat," Harry told the pudgy boy in a stage whisper.
"You CHEAT?" A loud voice came from the other end of the hallway. Harry looked up to see Jackoby Stebbins leaning against a suit of armor a few feet away from the two Gryffindors.
"Hey, Jack. Yes I cheated. Had a secret wand from before I came to Hogwarts. My godfather taught me all kinds of magic."
"Yeah, he's a bit of a rebel for a former convict," Jack said with a straight face.
"Funny how that works," Neville piped up from Harry's other side.
"Oh, sorry Nev. This is Jack- er, Jackoby Stebbins; he's in Hufflepuff. Jack, this is Neville Longbottom."
"Really?" Jack asked with much more interest than either of the other boys had been expecting.
"I, well, I've heard of your parents," Jack told Neville quietly. Neville immediately looked ashamed and studied his toes.
"I always heard they were great wizards-- great Aurors," Harry added quietly. Neville looked up suddenly and found Harry looking thoughtful and Jack nodding.
"They...they're in St. Mungo's," he said quietly.
"I'd heard that too," Jack said. Harry gave a weak smile to his friend, and Neville smiled back. Jack and Harry started up a conversation about Quidditch, but Harry could see his friend still thinking hard about his parents.
The three still walked together after stopping at the owlery, and Neville was still quiet. Harry could tell he wasn't going to rejoin the conversation anytime soon, so he sidled up next to his friend and told him quietly something he had thought ever since Christmas of fifth year.
"I know it's hard to believe Neville, but I'm jealous. Damn jealous." Neville looked completely flattened by the idea that Harry Potter, Boy Who Lived would be jealous of him-- little ol' him. "I nevereven knew what my parents looked like until Sirius came along." He added quietly. That ended the conversation for the day, and the three soon separated to their own common rooms or extracurricular activities.
Harry hoped that what he said to his friend would inspire a little more appreciation for what he had from others and maybe in turn a little appreciation for what he had from himself.
- - - -
Harry ended the week of Halloween quite pleased with himself. He had Hermione and Ron, and if he wasn't mistaken he also was well on his way to having friends in Neville and Jack.
(AN: Thanks eyveryone for reading and being so patient about updates- though lets be honest there wasn't much you could do about that. Or me for that matter. Take it up with my Beta. Tim I love you!
Thanks to everyone for reviewing.
Silver Warrior- Too right you are.
Ginevrapulliza- I hear what you're saying, but I hate fics where Harry and Ginny are together an making out when they're 12. It wasn't sooo long ago that I had my first crush and I would have blown a fuse and died at the prospect of a relationship. I think 13 or 14 is the ABSOLUTE youngest I could entertain two kids entering any relationship.
Shinigami-Sama1- I agree, but Harry has no- or very little- practice at going back in time so we can't exactly expect him to be great at it without even trying, can we? I love him too, but credit where credit's due.
Kehlencrow- well in my ears I always read ProfMcG like she's yelling, or at least very snappish.
Anon- thanks for the parallel/perpendicular note. It's been a while since freshman geomatry. But don't write anon- I love going and checking out my reviewers profile.
Philip thanks. 'matured'... I like it. And don't worry I have more chapters to come- slow though they may be.
Dragon Ranger- thanks for all the comments on all my chapters.
Memememe, Blossom1098, ameristrat, LionofPerth, Jayley, dmblnd, KikiLala, MrPowell, Nyxelestia, justplainstupid, Rocky235, Hpnut1, Draven Skullwise, RiaChan, cheekymonkey1994, getto68, Ginny-Potter-07, Fk306 animelover, Maxie1514, Fickle fiend, pinkfreak411, PSTurner and lastly Nightwing 509 thank you all so much for your words or encouragement. I love getting reviews. Fell free to write questions or suggestions and I'll always write back right here at the end of the next chapter.
Everyone- keep reading, keep writing and I'll do the same.
Cheers,
Mac.)