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

Note: Another difficult day, another extra update for you fine people. Luckily I still have a bank of chapters for me to do extra updates like this. I originally only planned to do one per week but am glad I am able to do more than that. Hope everyone enjoys and has a lovely day.

The Family that Chooses You

Chapter 43 – Unity

Harry gathered his things. His thoughts seemed to be as scattered as his belongings. It took more brain power than he had to organize either mess. Every so often his eyes would drift to where Hermione normally sat and his thoughts would get darker, his movements more sluggish.

He knew that he was not completely to blame for her getting petrified. There was no way for him to anticipate the movements for whoever or whatever was doing it. Stopping Hermione from going to the library was also something that was close to impossible typically. He still felt responsible, especially since it was his offhanded comment about hearing the voice again that sent her to the library though.

The days since have felt very much like when he was punished for losing all those points over the dragon situation. Except in this case, it was not just Gryffindor House but all the Houses. Students looked at him and either gave him ugly looks or they ran in fear. No one save Ron, the team, Percy, and Luna approached him or stood near him. It was really starting to get to him.

He thought he would be used to dirty looks and hateful whispers. He grew up with them after all. For a while the Dursleys were afraid of him, afraid of what he could do. They let their fear fuel their hate for him. As much as he tried to not be a reason to be feared, to try and be as nice as he could, do all the chores and cooking without complaint, they continued to treat him like they usually did. Worse even.

I guess the Dursleys had a reason to hate me. The only reason the others hate me now is because they're afraid of me. Even when I never gave them a reason to be.

If that was not enough to deal with, he was worried about Ginny. In the last note he could get from Luna, she had written some troubling things. She was worried about her friend, telling Harry that Ginny had been changing over the course of the term. The girl kept referring to her friend Tom, someone that no one seemed to know who that was. Whenever Luna tried to learn more about Tom, Ginny would get very defensive and say awful things.

Luna had asked Harry to talk to Ginny, to see who this Tom person was, and try to see why their friend was acting like this. The other strange part of Luna's message was that Ginny mentioned Tom hated Hagrid and that he was to blame for when this happened before, when someone had been killed.

Harry tried to talk to Ginny after he read Luna's message. Ginny had barely listened to a word Harry said, deflecting and growing short with him. Once again Harry was struck by the face the girl was making, a rictus expression of listening to someone speak that was not there. An expression that Harry felt was very familiar for some reason still.

When he saw the diary she was holding, saw the name T.M. Riddle emblazoned on the spine, he asked if that belonged to Tom. Ginny had given him a look of deep shock and fear and ran from him. He could only watch in astonishment as she ignored him calling for her.

"Hey," Ron said, shaking Harry's shoulder and snapping him from his thoughts. "Let's hurry up before Snape takes points from us."

Harry nodded, hurrying to put everything in his bag and cleaning his desk.

Snape was standing at the entrance to the classroom, waiting for the students to line up. With the new school-wide rules, teachers and Prefects escorted students to their next classes, something Snape found beyond annoying but he saw the need for it. He let his customary sneer show his mood and soon everyone was ready.

He led them through the corridor. They were assembled into two lines: one of Gryffindors and Slytherins in the other. They stayed far apart from one another and there was a tiny but noticeable bubble of space between the other second year Gryffindors and Harry, one that only Ron was in. Students that passed by gave Harry a wide berth and ugly looks.

Ron glared back at everyone.

"Hi Harry, Ron."

Harry looked up and smiled with relief at Katie approaching them. She and her group were walking in the same direction and when she saw them, she sped up to join them.

"Hi Katie," the two boys said back.

"How was Potions?" she asked.

"Alright. I did okay today. Alicia's book is really helpful," Harry replied.

The girl and the two boys walked slightly apart to let another group of students pass. Harry felt someone bump him hard, sending him sprawling to the ground with a cry.

"Hey! Watch it!" Ron yelled at the older boy who walked past with barely a second glance.

The second year Slytherins sniggered for the most part though a few did not. The second year Gryffindors stared. Snape barely stopped walking, turning to show cursory interest at the scene.

Katie knelt down beside Harry, hand out to help him back up. She felt something hot grow in her chest seeing how defeated her friend look, how upset he was. He was trying so hard to not show how much everything was bothering him, yet was unable to keep the tears from building in his eyes.

"I'd be careful," the boy who knocked Harry down said snidely to her. "The last one that was close to him got attacked, even dragged in someone who didn't know him. Must be the Potter Curse."

Harry looked at the boy and shrank at the plain hate in his eyes. He vaguely recognized the boy but said nothing. He tried to pull his arm from Katie's grip, to spare her from the pain he was causing.

The heat in her chest flared and erupted.

"The only Curse Harry's ever had is that for some reason, people want to hurt him," Katie said. She kept a firm grip on Harry's arm, knowing what he was trying to do. She rose and pulled him up, sliding around and putting him behind her. "Especially when he doesn't deserve it."

She stared at the boy who knocked him down, at his friends, at everyone in the corridor. Not even Snape was immune to her glare. "Harry is just a boy. A boy and you lot think it's appropriate to treat him like this? What has he ever done to you? He has nothing to do with any of the attacks."

"He's been with every victim," the boy spat.

"You've probably come into contact with every one of them at some point too!" Katie stood her ground, shaking visibly from rage. "So have I, so has everyone! But no, just because Harry was there and just because he can talk to snakes," she stared at some students in yellow and black, "and he saved your housemate by the way, you think he's the one responsible? He's the sodding Heir of Slytherin?"

She threw her head back and laughed harshly. "You all should be ashamed of yourselves. Blaming heinous things on a second year. Thinking he's the one responsible. If any of you had taken just a moment to know who Harry is, you'd know he isn't responsible in the slightest."

"Not everyone thinks that."

Heads turned and all stared at the second year Slytherin girl that spoke. Long blonde hair fell past her shoulders and her blue eyes looked cool. "Granger is one of Potter's closest friends. There is no way he would ever hurt her. Not to mention if he was the Heir, you would think he would be in Slytherin." Her smile was polite but tinged with frost. "Given his views on blood purity, there is no way he would be. Only idiots," she let her eyes gaze between the boy that knocked Harry down and Draco and other Slytherins, "would think that."

Draco's face went bright red from fury. Snape looked astonished; surprise written cleanly on his long thin face. Others stared at her. The girl threw her hair over a shoulder and looked utterly unconcerned at the attention she was getting, instead leaning towards a brown-haired girl of her House, whispering to her.

A tiny kernel of gratefulness grew in Katie's stomach, and she was as surprised as any that it would be from a Slytherin. "Thank you, I'm glad there are others that aren't idiots." The girl looked back at Katie and gave her a nod and a faint smile.

Katie looked back at the older boy. "Maybe if we all spent a little more time being kinder to one another, we wouldn't be in this mess."

He spat at her. "Maybe if the school didn't have freak, we wouldn't be in this mess."

Katie took a step towards him, her eyes blazing. "You sure like to hit kids smaller than you." She looked up at him without fear. "How about you fight someone more your size?"

The boy's face turned purple and he reached for his wand.

"Bradley Oaken! Five points from Ravenclaw!"

Percy strode up and physically pushed the boy away.

"What for?!" Oaken said.

"Spitting in the halls. And if you complain more, I will take points away for attempted unauthorized spell casting in the halls." The Gryffindor Prefect looked directly into Oaken's eyes. They were of similar builds. "Is there anything else you wish to say to me?"

Oaken bristled but something in Percy's eyes made him hesitate.

Percy seized on the moment of weakness. "Michaels, perhaps you should lead your House members back to your tower. To cool things down."

Although Michaels was a seventh year and senior to Percy, the Ravenclaw Prefect did not argue. He nodded respectfully and gathered the Ravenclaws to him and walked away with them.

Percy looked at Snape. "Forgive me for interfering Professor. I am sure you were merely moments away from protecting Katie and punishing Oaken for his infraction."

Snape did not say a word. He looked between Katie and Harry and Percy. Instead, he gave the smallest of noncommittal nods.

"Thank you, sir. I will be happy to take the Gryffindors with me back to the tower. I am headed that way as it is." Without waiting for Snape to respond Percy cleared his throat. "Come along Gryffindors, let's get going. It's dangerous to be out too long."

All the Gryffindors immediately moved, assembling behind Percy. Katie kept Harry by her side and Ron placed himself on Harry's other side. Percy nodded at the Potions Professor. "Have a good day Professor."

As they walked off Harry looked back at the Slytherins and their Head of House. He caught the eye of the girl that spoke and he silently mouthed "Thank you." To his surprise she nodded, a tiny gesture, but a nod nonetheless.

"Do you know her?" Katie asked the two boys softly as they walked back to the tower.

Harry shook his head no.

"I think her name is something like a plant," Ron said with a curious look on his face. "Green something?"

"Oh, she must be a Greengrass," Katie said. "I heard Alicia mention the family before. The Spinnet and the Greengrass families are really involved in the potions business."

"I wonder why she said something," Ron said. "Slytherins don't really do that for anyone outside their House."

"Maybe she is as sick of things as I am," Katie said.

"I bet it was a way to get at Malfoy," Ron said with glee. "I saw her look at the git and she was happy that he wasn't."

"Are you okay Harry?" Katie asked.

He shrugged then hugged her tightly as they walked. "Thank you," he said into her shoulder.

"For what silly?"

"For everything," he said, muffled. "For sticking up for me. For helping me." She felt the fabric of her shirt start to get wet.

She hugged him back tightly. "Anytime."

They reached the Fat Lady and Percy gave the password, watching the hallway while the students walked inside. When it was just Katie, Harry, and Ron left with him he spoke. "You okay Harry?"

Harry rubbed at red eyes. "I will be I think." He smiled weakly. "Thank you for helping us, Percy."

The older boy smiled gently. "Of course. You are in my House. It is only right that I stand with you."

"If only others felt the same," Katie sniffed.

"Agreed. However, hopefully your words will be heard by others. If I could award points I would."

Katie blushed.

Percy turned to his little brother. "Same for you Ron. It was very brave of you to stand up to Oaken like that."

Ron blushed even harder than Katie. "I only shouted at him the once," he stammered.

Percy ruffled Ron's hair. The bafflement on Ron's face would have been comical yet Ron looked inordinately happy. It was clear that Percy normally did not do that. "Not all acts of bravery are done out loud. We all support in our own way."

He looked directly at Harry and placed a hand on the young boy's shoulder. "You're not alone Harry."