14 – A Slytherin Realisation

"Mo'nin' Ha'y" Blaise mumbled, and Harry was proud of himself for understanding the barely awake boy as he stumbled over to their bathroom.

"Good morning, Blaise! Good morning to you too, Draco!" Harry beamed. He was much more confident of his realisation after a good night of sleep and dreams.

"Morning, Harry." Draco wasn't very sure of much anymore, he just hoped Harry hadn't caught on to his being jealous of Harry's attention to other people. Last night before she let them off, Hunter warned him against being so blunt with his jealousy. Even if Harry were a bit dense to understand, all the other snakes wouldn't leave it alone. He had to be more careful with his image, he was a Malfoy, and as Hunter also said, Harry would always be held to different standards even being a Slytherin. No one would expect him to be the true snake they witnessed yesterday, so it was up to Draco to protect him from the ones who would use him. He also would have a hard time accepting Harry as the peculiar snake he was, but he would work hard.

After getting an approving nod from Hunter, they trudged up to the Great Hall. Harry was a bit nervous wanting to ask his friends a question that popped up in his head, maybe he could use a bit of what Hunter taught them yesterday and make a good case. It was all about making people see his way — if he understood the true meaning of their lessons right.

Harry didn't get his opportunity until they settled down for History earlier than needed after leaving Charms. They sat near the middle of the classroom but more to the side, Blaise had told them his dicta-quill would work perfectly from there (they tested).

"So, Harry, what's it you've been just dying to ask us?"

Harry gapped at Blaise's question. Was he being that obvious? No wonder Hunter said he had a lot to learn."I was wondering if we could have lunch with my cousin…" He fidgeted.

"We discussed that yesterday, didn't we? You need to fortify your bases in Slytherin House before branching out-" Draco started lecturing him, but Harry felt he needed to make his case now. He didn't know why, just that he had to.

"But if you actually wait to make friends after the first week, everyone will already have their groups."

"That makes sense, Draco. Let's hear him." Blaise said.

Harry was happy for some support; he would show them he could be a good snake and still be himself."Look, we have a lot of time to spend with the other Slytherins, and it's not like everyone's there during lunch and dinner… We could spare lunch to…" Harry scrunched up his nose and frowned trying to think of a good word to use.

"Socialise?" Blaise offered.

"Yes, that! Thanks, Blaise!" He beamed. "So, we could use that time to socialise with them and people would think we're different from the other Slytherins. It would be good for our reputation. And about our housemates, well…" He had to have thought better on how to present it, it had sounded way better in his head.

"We can present them with some excuse to satisfy their egos and still have them on our side." Draco completed this time before Blaise got the chance to receive another beaming smile from Harry, which Draco did get for his efforts. "It does have merit, Harry. We would have a stronger and wider power base outside our house. But do we really need to suffer the Weasel and the mu–ggleborn?"

"Oh, Draco, don't you see the advantages? Making friends with the muggleborn shows the others a better side of you and making peace with the Weasley is your passport to more power than your father…"

Blaise was really good in all this plotting and manipulating thing, Harry thought. Draco took some time to consider his words and then accepted the argument. Harry gave them both hugs and squealed in happiness for being allowed to still be friends with everyone. He could barely wait to tell his Uncle Sev how well he was doing.

Draco scowled at Blaise's smug look, but soon let it go as he'd rather enjoy Harry's hug. He calmed the boy enough, so he looked normal again when the other students started filing in. This was a good time for some quick plotting, he would make sure they always came straight to the History classroom after Charms.

OoO

Lunch saw Draco and Blaise following a happily skipping Harry to sit at the Gryffindor table. Although Draco insisted on them facing the Slytherin table, something about making reassurances, he had explained. Not long after, Harry waved his cousin over and the Gryffindor trio sat opposite them.

"Tiger, Ron, Hermione, these are my friends from Slytherin: Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini." He beamed and pointed them out. Draco found it all very endearing, Harry shone brighter when he was happy, and Draco vowed to protect that. He was puzzled by no one saying anything to them (or against them) but had to agree with Blaise, seeing their shocked and puzzled faces made his day. He could almost feel a bit of the pleasure Blaise found in pure chaos.

"A pleasure meeting you, my beautiful lady." Draco had to hold in a snort seeing Blaise kiss the muggleborn's hand while barely nodding to Weasley and Tiger. "Weasley, Tiger."

"Pleased to make acquaintances, Dudley, Hermione, Ron." Draco had to receive a prize for not vomiting. He hoped no one, but Blaise, would take the order of greeting as the importance he gave them.

"It's our pleasure," Hermione answered for them, which was good for Ron who just grunted after receiving an elbow to the ribs Draco was glad to notice hurt.

"Me as well. You're the Dragon, right?" Dudley asked him.

"Yes. I'd rather you left endearing terms for private moments if you will." There, Draco could compromise. He knew they would see a lot of each other since his Papa was close to them, even nicknamed them!

There was a bit of silence as they ate their lunch, Draco noticed only the Weasel's wasn't a healthy one. Point to the muggleborn, she had a good grasp of manners and health awareness. "How has your adaptation been, Hermione? It shouldn't have been easy not knowing about the world you belong to." He started politely.

"Oh, everything is fascinating! I do think some things could be made better or easier, but I'm trying my best at understanding. I've been reading a lot too. Do you have any books you would recommend?"

"Don't go that way, Hermione, there are much more things to learn outside books." Blaise interrupted him before he could answer the girl and her sensible question. "If you ask such a question, he'll be making you read the whole library. Between us, it's not so bad, but we still gotta live a little." He said the last in a conspiratorial whisper that had Harry giggle and only that was his salvation from the cutting words Draco had prepared.

"Oh, right." Harry handed over a folder to his cousin. "Hunter gave us these practice-guides for using quills. After testing us, she said we didn't need them as long as we paid attention to our writing. So, there's enough for you three to share if want to get a bit more practice, you said something about that right, Hermione?"

"Thanks, Harry!" His cousin said and went back to eating.

"Thank you, Harry. Even if I'm good with fountain pens, quills are still a bit of a challenge. I had to rewrite some of my homework three times because of blotting."

"It must be the way you sharpen your quill. Fountain pens have a different sharpening that just doesn't work with quills for many reasons — one is the weight. You should find some instructions within the guide." Draco commented.

"Oh, and look for The Unofficial Spell Guide Every Child Should Know in the library. It's quite informative and has a special session of charms used when writing. If you have any problems with them just ask a Prefect to help you get them right." Blaise completed.

"You actually did magic before coming here?" Hermione said scandalised.

"Some do, some don't. Depends on the family and wards." Draco explained.

They talked a bit more about the classes they had had and what went different for them. Hermione and Blaise promising each other to compare notes over the weekend. All in all, it was better than what Draco supposed it would be, at least while the Weasel didn't open his big mouth. He was sure next time he would be over his shock and start being stupid like weasels were.

OoO

Dudley was expecting Ron to explode all through lunch and Transfiguration and thanked his stars that let him and Hermione be led to an empty classroom before throwing his tantrum.

"What were you thinking!" He screamed and grunted and made frustrated noises. Dudley could kinda understand why Uncle Sev didn't have patience with children if they all behaved like this. Not that he didn't throw his tantrums, but even he – what was the word? Articulate! – even he articulated more words than those four.

"I don't see what's the problem, Ronald. Can you be a bit more specific with what's bothering you?" And there goes Hermione being exasperated with Ron. Two days of knowing them and already Dudley thought he was what kept them together.

"Ron, what's so bad about the Slytherins coming to have lunch with us? You didn't have any problems with Harry yesterday." He tried to salvage the situation and explain to Hermione what was going on at the same time. From the oh sound, she finally got it.

"He's Harry Potter! He doesn't even count as Slytherin! Why do we have to eat with Slimy Slytherins? And worse, that was the Malfoy prat! He's like the worst Slytherin, the pompous git!"

"Well, I didn't think they were that bad. They seemed a bit snobbish, but I think it comes with being born into money — some of my cousins are kinda like that, and their friends too." Hermione tried reasoning with him.

"He's a snake!" Ron screamed again. Now even Dudley was sighing, tired of his tantrum. Wasn't it enough the one he threw for Harry being sorted into Slytherin? Uncle Sev was right, some people were too prejudiced to see what's in front of them.

"So what? What's so bad about being a Slytherin? They were very polite and talked with us like there was nothing wrong. Why do you think that was so wrong?" Hermione huffed and stomped her foot all through it.

"Slytherins are evil!"

"Harry isn't! And I don't think either Blaise or Draco is!" Hermione rebuked.

"Malfoy's father is a Death Eater! He's scum and should be in prison!"

Dudley had had enough and put a hand up to stop Hermione. "My father is in prison. He's in prison because he went crazy and– Am I evil because of that? Should I go to prison too because he did something stupid? Should I stop loving him? Do I have to believe the father I love will never become better? Grow up, Ron. Sometimes people do things they regret. So, what if your families have problems? He hasn't been a prat to you yet, leave your five-year-old temper tantrum for when he does something bad. Go cool your head! I'll be back in the tower with the rest of the guys."

"And I'll go to the library to study and see if I find the books they recommended." Hermione turned with him and they went their way leaving a spluttering Ron behind. Dudley was glad Hermione didn't comment on his father, he wasn't up to talking about it yet.

OoO

"Very sound reasoning, congrats," Hunter told them after they explained lunching with the Gryffindors, and of course promising to wait on inviting them over (waiting a month, like with inviting into the common room).

They spent the rest of their time together going over homework, useful charms, and other spells. Hunter always explaining thoroughly, or making them think out, the answer to their questions. It was an interesting exercise, six times out of ten they would know the answer from just observing and reasoning. According to her, not that many people bothered with reasoning things out for themselves just looking it up on books or believing what was said.

He also thought it was interesting that everyone learned different things from their upperclassmen. Blaise and Draco made sure to be updated on what the others were being taught — Greg and Vince, the quiet ones, would report briefly to Draco, Theo would just roll his eyes and hand over his notes written down, and the girls told everything to Blaise, well he said he traded intel with them.

Harry wasn't sure what intel he traded, but it should be awesome because he didn't think Parkinson would do anything that could benefit Harry. She still disliked Harry very much, pure jealousy according to Blaise. Draco said they were just trading gossip, they barely arrived and were already advancing fast towards becoming King and Queen of gossip, he said. Harry didn't understand what good gossip could be, but left his opinion to himself, better not antagonise his friends.

At eleven-thirty Hunter came as her hyper self, charming them with refreshing spells and waking them up for their Astronomy class. They put on the uniform and were the first out in the common room. Eleven forty-five and a Prefect escorted them up to the Astronomy Tower pointing out the best route and some alternatives should they have to deviate. Harry would be sure to ask Draco about it the next morning, he was still a bit too sleepy to pay attention. He left them there saying some other Prefect would come to pick them up. Still, Harry was almost sleeping slumping against Draco to wait for class to start.

OoO

"Wake up, Harry! We'll be late for breakfast." Well late by Slytherin standards. Besides, Harry had slept through almost the whole class last night. Not that Draco minded much. He was still incredibly happy and grinning for Harry being comfortable enough to lean on him.

They left the dungeons with time to spare and so stayed extra-long at the Great Hall. Hunter quizzed them first thing as they sat down. Sadly, Draco couldn't cover up Harry not knowing what they studied last night. She was fuming, and Draco thought maybe he shouldn't have indulged Harry so much… Harry promised he would do better, but it was clear to Draco it bothered him the disappointment in Hunter's face and voice. Harry was morose all morning too.

"Come on, Harry. You said you would do better; you just have to keep your promise." He tried soothing him with a smile but to no avail.

"Stop moping already, Harry. People will start wondering. Your cousin will get worried thinking something happened…" Blaise said nonchalantly. Draco didn't want to go that far but could admit emotional blackmail would probably work better right that moment.

"OK" was all Harry said. He breathed in deeply and exhaled to calm and centre himself, put on a smile and it was like he never had been sad. In a way, it scared Draco that his beautiful boy could hide his feelings so easily. He would have to work hard to notice small things from now on to make sure Harry wasn't holding things from him.

"Hi, guys." Dudley greeted them as they sat down for lunch.

"Good afternoon, Dudley, Hermione." Draco greeted after everyone answered the niceties. "I see Ronald is not lunching with us today." He asked curiously but relieved by not having to suffer the redhead.

"Yeah, he's somewhere sulking… This beside me is Neville." He introduced the quiet boy to them.

"A pleasure to meet you," Draco answered politely. He understood why the boy went pale and didn't want to talk. He probably blamed him for what his aunt did.

"How was Herbology to you, Neville? You were looking forward to it, right?" And there Harry went sounding pleased with something Draco couldn't phantom. At least it was a good breaker and put the boy to talk.

"It was great! The greenhouses are all awesome! I haven't seen everything yet, but they're as big as the ones back home…"

He seemed enthusiastic discussing plants with Harry. Sometimes Blaise and Hermione would get up to some heated discussion about this topic or another. Dudley mostly paid attention to his food, Harry, and Neville. Draco? Draco was satisfied only watching the twinkling eyes of his cute Harry.

OoO

Severus was pleased. Lucius was still squirming trying to ingratiate his poor self with Severus; Dumbledore and Minerva were still perplexed with Slytherins purebloods seating among Gryffindors (with a muggleborn on top of that); the daily reports he received from the Fourth Years indicated everything was satisfactory. Life truly was good.

Of course, Severus wasn't stupid and knew something would happen to break the status quo, however, sincerely, he didn't care. Hardships would mould them, for better or worse. He was proud his kids got along and didn't need reassurance on a daily basis as he had feared. Harry, his Raven, was the greatest surprise. He was among the best students of his year despite only having a couple of months to prepare — sure the muggleborn Granger was fighting for the top spot with his Dragon even having more of a handicap, but that girl was an anomaly. Dudley was on par with his peers so he couldn't complain, yet. It was still the first week and not every student could show promise right from the start. Let the month end and see if Dudley didn't show he was above average, keeping the companies he had would do him good.

Severus moved his wand in a simple motion to open the door to the lab with a bang (people were right when they said he got his kicks from making them jump — not in class though). "In." He declared finitely to the first-year class of Slytherins and Gryffindors. He still acknowledged the smile Harry threw him sneakily while the others filed in. He called the names before starting his lesson, purposefully stopping to call attention to Harry's celebrity status — to which he saw the boy and his cousin repress giggles.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," He began his yearly speech. He was even more pleased to notice the class paid rapt attention to what he had to say. Good, that means one less problematic bunch. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses… I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death — if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

He let the silence stretch a few more minutes. Meanwhile, he could see with clarity those few who had gotten truly enraptured by his words, those were the ones he knew would amount to something and perhaps move on to his NEWTs class out of passion. He hoped they didn't give up because of his character, like many before them. He was preparing them. Other Potions Masters were just as nasty, some worse, and should they wish to pursue a career, they had to be emotionally ready. The others… As long as they didn't die on his watch he couldn't care less. He proceeded to quiz them on information found in their textbook, satisfied that more than one of them were able to respond, and put them to brew.

OoO

"Finally, it's over!" Dudley sighed relieved their week had come to an end. He sat down to have lunch with his cousin and friends and was happy to notice Ron sitting closer than yesterday. Anytime now he would stop being a twat and come back to them, he missed his laid-back friend to buffer Hermione, though it was great having Neville closer (he and Harry had really bonded over plants).

"Lucky you. We still have the whole afternoon with classes!" Harry tried to sound sad and exasperated but to no avail, he knew. He was still very much excited with all the new things he learned, Friday especially was his favourite day with all his favourite subjects: Potions, Herbology and Charms.

"Well, you got Monday mornings for yourselves, right? It's only fair we get Friday afternoons!" Dudley teased.

"Well, either way, I'm still waiting for the flying class next week. It's absurd that we have to wait so long before they let us use brooms!" Draco was truly peeved. Not only he couldn't bring his broom, but he also wasn't allowed near one before the flying coach deemed him apt! He felt tempted to go whine to his Papa, only it wasn't becoming of a Malfoy and as such he would not indulge in such an act.

"And what are your plans for this fine afternoon?" Blaise asked them.

"Homework, of course!" Hermione said in her haughty exasperated tone.

"Actually, me and Neville are going to hit the grounds and have some fun..." Dudley told Hermione cautiously, he didn't want to offend her sensibilities, but she was too much of a swot sometimes.

"Be careful near the lake, then, sometimes the giant squid throws the students into the water," Harry said grinning. "But really, you should finish homework soon, that way you have more time to play."

"You say it like we never have fun, Harry." Blaise teased.

"It's a different type of fun... I miss our friends back home..." Harry sounded morose, but not so much that Dudley would be concerned.

"Well, you have better friends now, don't you?" Draco turned his nose up in the air daring Harry to tell him he wasn't better than whoever it was he was friends with previously. Harry beamed at him and Draco melted inside, the only outward appearance of it was the smug look on his face.

"In any case, Hermione, you shouldn't study all the time. There's much more to learn outside the books than inside it, you should take some time to spend with your dormmates." Blaise advised her. In his opinion, she spent too much time with only boys, her reputation would get shot that way.

Hermione frowned her nose in disgust. "I'll think about it."

Blaise and Draco both knew that meant she would disregard their advice. Now they just had to wait patiently for the perfect time to say 'I told you so', always such a delightful phrase. Harry didn't much share their opinion.

"Hermione, we're all boys, you need more girl friends. It's impossible there's nothing in common between you and them, besides, you make enough effort to maintain your friendship with us, why can't you do that with the others? And if you only consider the learning, you're the only muggleborn girl in our year in Gryffindor. Just as there's a lot of culture and teachings the muggles pass down as common sense, or maybe as common behaviour and knowledge, so do wizards and witches - for you, especially witches. There is such a thing as gender-based magic, and as a girl, you won't learn that from us, you can only learn that from a witch.

"And there's so much more the just the magic we learn here! For example, the Patils are originally from India and they practice a different religion and different magic there, and we will never learn that here if they don't pass it down on us! Or you could learn a lot from Lavender, she's the same age as we are, and she already can cast complicated charms to do her hair! And I've never seen Daphne's, that's Greengrass, with any wrinkle in her clothes! Maybe there's a book about those things, but isn't it just faster if you learn it from someone else? Then, you can use books for other things. Like I said, you don't learn everyday regular knowledge from books, or perspective." Harry gestured wildly all through his speech - tirade - and was gasping for breath by the end of it.

"Very clever, Harry." Draco praised him before Blaise seized the chance, though it might as well mean nothing as Granger took his attention right away.

"Maybe you're right, Harry, but... it's so difficult!" Hermione looked at her plate dismayed.

"Rocket science is difficult, Hermione, this is just something like uncharted waters." Harry pointed out. "Aren't you a Gryffindor?" Harry tilted his head innocently.

Again, Draco and Blaise got to witness Harry's Slytherin come out. The had the fully stiffen themselves not to gap. Harry had manipulated the girl so beautifully and perfectly even they had only realized it when he was obvious about it - obvious to them at least. That was his goal all along, they knew. They were quiet on the way to their next class, and all through it. They didn't even comment on Hermione's grumbled answer that she would do it, rather they were even more perplexed when Weasley came up and said he was also a Gryffindor and that he would make friends with them - then promptly sat beside Neville. Harry's real target wasn't even Hermione. They had much to consider, and much to better themselves to reach that level. No wonder Hunter loved him so much.

--OoO--

Author Note's:

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I'm sorry for the poor quality but I do these by myself. So, if there's something you see I can improve (language wise) please be specific . You can leave it as review or send a pm. Thank You.