I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.

Note: I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year! Thank you so much for joining me on this journey. I have always been a bit self-conscious about my writing, especially when it involves fanfiction and established universes. I only recently got into Harry Potter fanfic and have discovered so many wonderful stories and am glad I am able to contribute. I'm still currently working on this and envision it going on for a fair bit longer. Thank you so much for the follows and favorites. Your words of encouragement are wonderful.

The Family that Chooses You

Chapter 4 – The First Approach

Katie kept sneaking glances down the table.

The twins had caught up to her as they had made their way to the Great Hall for dinner. They mentioned what they learned from Ron to her and she could not get those details out of her mind. They sounded too similar to the stories she had heard from her mother.

The more she looked at the small boy the more she was convinced she was right.

She tried to remember what her mother said however. Looks can be deceiving after all. She could be drawing her own, what she hoped to be, incorrect conclusions. It had happened to her mother after all. There were times when her mother thought something was wrong when there was not. Not all families were the same and not all childhoods were similar.

However, Katie's mother said that you should always listened to your instincts. Katie's instincts were screaming louder than a Caterwauling Jinx cast at Maxima.

Katie looked down at her plate and compared it to Harry's. Even when Katie was trying to cut back a little, it was still almost three times as large as Harry's plate. After Quidditch practice Katie was ravenous and her plate always reflected that. She knew he had exercised just as much as she did during it. Sure she was taller than him, but not by much.

Why did he have less than a fifth of the food than she had?

She also noticed how he served himself after others did. He only took food when he thought people were not looking. Always the smallest portions. It would be one thing if he was a picky eater. She knew plenty of people that were.

It was the way he looked at it. How he willingly ate everything without caring what it was. How he looked as if he wanted more, but was visibly holding back.

She wanted to cry.

She had opened her mouth to say something several times now. Wanted to make a comment, any comment. She wanted to feed him herself. She wanted him to want to eat more without restraint. She wanted to know why he was like that.

She wanted to help.

She was too shy to. Too hesitant. She did not want to embarrass him. She did not know if she had any right to help him.

Angelina had noticed Katie looking. She had seen Harry's plate. Compared it to the plates of those in his year. Compared it to hers and Katies.

Angelina decided she would do what she can. Whatever she could.

"Hey, Potter!"

He looked at here again, his eyes quick and darting, already starting to shrink down.

She tried to keep the churning in her stomach from reaching her face. "Relax Harry. You're not in trouble. Just saying now that you're on the team, you gotta get your weight up. You're a bit scrawny. Weigh any less and the wind will blow you topsy."

Harry's look of fright became thoughtfulness. "Oh, that makes sense I guess. How do I get my weight up?"

Another stab deep inside threatened to Angelina's look of calm. "By eating silly. You've barely had anything. Go on, eat some more."

"Excuse me."

All eyes were drawn to a first-year girl with bushy brown hair. She looked right at Angelina.

No problems with eye contact from this one, the older girl thought wryly. "Yes?" she said instead.

The smaller girl frowned. "I don't think you have any right to tell him how much to eat."

Low snickers could be heard. Not many in Angelina's year or even above would dare talk to the girl like that. Here a first-year was doing what most would be too intimidated to.

Angelina suppressed the urge to grin, knowing the girl would not appreciate that. "May I ask your name?"

"Hermione Granger."

"Well Hermione, I'm Angelina Johnson by the way, Harry's on the Quidditch team with me and I'm just looking out for him."

"Is that right? Because it sounds an awful lot like you just telling him to do what you want. Harry shouldn't have to do anything because you tell him so."

"I'm not telling him because I want him to. I don't tell him to do anything he doesn't want to do already."

"If he wanted more then he can simply take more." Hermione looked down her nose at Angelina, a remarkable act considering how much taller Angelina was. "If it's for nutritious reasons, then the Matron would know more than you, wouldn't she?" Shocked laughter greeted her words but the young girl continued to stare at Angelina.

Katie could see Angelina becoming angry. To be honest, she was surprised at how Hermione was standing up to the older girl. It was clear that Hermione meant well but it was not going well at all. Katie could see panic rising on Harry's face. He looked like he wished he could be anywhere else, somewhere without the attention being drawn to him. He looked like he was about to flee.

"Listen here you little-" Angelina started to snarl.

Oliver walked by, patting Katie and Angelina on the shoulder as he passed. His touch made Angelina stop speaking.

"Harry, mind if I grab some of these peas?" Olive asked warmly.

"Oh! Uh, no. Go ahead."

"Thanks." Oliver lifted the serving platter up. "I love peas. I already ate the ones near me and thought you wouldn't mind. Oh but don't let me take them all from you without giving you some. Here." He poured a large helping on Harry's plate. "Would you like more?"

Harry looked up at the burly young man, then looked nervously at Angelina and Katie. At their encouraging nods he looked back at Oliver. "Uh, sure. Yes, please."

"Thattaboy," Oliver said as he served more. "Anyone else?" He poured some out for Ron and Seamus. He turned to Hermione. "How about you?" He almost recoiled at the stern look the girl shot him, the ways her nostrils flared reminded him of a certain professor.

"Guess not." Before he left Oliver grabbed two sausages but clumsily dropped one on Harry's plate. "Ah drat, slippery little thing. Good thing Quaffles are bigger. Can you finish that for me Harry?" At the boy's nod Oliver smiled and slowly patted the boy's arm, staying within Harry's line of sight the whole time. "Thanks! Appreciate it."

As Oliver walked past Katie she mouthed "Thank you".

He nodded in reply.

When he sat a little farther down Percy frowned at him. "There was no reason to go down there for more peas. There's plenty right here."

Oliver thought quickly. "Nah I left those to your brothers. They aren't eating enough veg. Can't live on meat and taters alone."

The twins caught the older boy's wink.

"You're not wrong Captain," George said and ladled himself a large portion of peas. "Good thing I love peas."

"No you don't," Fred said accusingly. "You hate peas."

"Well I like something like peas."

"What's like peas?"

"Carrots."

"That's like the opposite of peas. Turnips are closer to peas than carrots."

"Nah, I can't eat turnips."

"Why not?"

"Cause you're as dense as a turnip and I can't go eating what reminds me of you now can I?"

Fred pretended to look outraged while the table dissolved into laughter. "Turnip am I? Better than a pumpkin head like you!"

"How's a pumpkin worse than a turnip?"

"Cause you got a big hollow between your ears filled with nothing but air!"

Their insults flew fast, making everyone laugh harder and harder. When the twins started to shoot peas at each other, an errant pea flew off at an angle and flew into Percy's ear. The table laughed even harder when the Prefect scolded them loudly in front of everyone and took points away for wasting food and causing a scene, promising them detention when they "accidentally" shot more at him.

Oliver grinned at their antics and when Percy stalked away from the table he followed.

"Hey Percy!"

Percy stopped and turned; his face still red from yelling at his younger brothers. "What, Oliver?"

"Don't be too harsh on your brothers please, they were helping me."

Percy's eyebrow rose. "How is causing a scene and disrupting dinner helping you?"

"Alleviating a bit of tension. It's what they do best."

"No, what they do best is cause trouble." Percy snorted. "Anything else is a happy accident." His eyes narrowed. "What's going on?"

"Nothing really."

"I don't buy that. You've never asked me be lenient with Fred and George before, even when it involves freeing them up for practice."

"'Cause I knew you'd never go for that."

"Which makes me question why you would do that now."

Oliver looked back into the Great Hall and Percy followed suit. Percy saw that Oliver was focused on a Harry that looked more relaxed, eating more food.

"I'm just…looking out for my players."

Percy gave him a considering look. "Is there something that I need to be aware of?"

Oliver shrugged. "Can't really say."

"Then why go through the trouble of…doing all this."

"Because…there could be something that we need to be aware of. Just…can't say for sure. Yet."

Percy looked at him. "Fine. I will be lenient this time, but I expect to be told when you are aware."

"Really?"

Percy looked at Oliver with mild affront. "Of course. I am a Prefect. The students of my House are my responsibility. I need to look out for them as well."

Oliver grinned and clapped Percy on the shoulder. "Thanks Percy. I appreciate it. You're a great Prefect." He walked back into the Great Hall.

Percy stood at the entrance and looked at Harry for a long time. He looked at how Katie and Angelina were treating him. How Oliver was watching them. Even at how the twins were paying attention.

Slowly he turned and walked away, thinking.