Chapter 11: Changing Priorities
Harry stared at the parchment before him, once again reading over his Defense Against the Dark Arts homework. He needed to add another two inches to the assignment and then he would be finished. He had saved this for last because it was his favorite subject, but now he was finding it hard to focus. His gaze kept trailing across the Library to the table where Lyra Malfoy sat with her Slytherins.
Lyra sat with Pansy Parkinson, Daphne Greengrass, Millicent Bulstrode, Tracey Davis, Sophie Roper, Theodore Nott, and Blaise Zabini. Lyra was studiously working on an essay, seemingly ignoring Parkinson who was clearly yammering on about something. Maybe Parkinson was explaining some bit of the homework to the others, but Harry doubted it. Parkinson seemed all flash and no substance to Harry. She called Hermione a "Mudblood" at almost every opportunity. No, Harry didn't think much of Parkinson. Greengrass was a different matter though. She was clearly intelligent, and she seemed to be a closer friend to Malfoy than Parkinson was.
Lyra Malfoy was Slytherin's Prince and Slytherin's upheld the old traditions. Everyone in Hogwarts knew that Slytherin's upheld the old traditions, whatever those were. If he believed Ron, then it was all about theft and murder. He didn't think that Ron was a very reliable source of information when it came to the old traditions, being as he had never been taught them. Hermione wasn't a good source either because she was muggle raised the same as him. He didn't think this was the sort of thing that a book could give them wisdom about. He'd have to talk to someone with experience about the old traditions. Maybe, just maybe he could talk to Lyra about them. They did sort of have a strange pact going on due to her Grim.
A slow smile curved his lips as he remembered just two days ago when Harry stood beside Lyra Malfoy and listened intently as the Slytherin explained their situation to the Professors gathered in the lounge. Surprisingly to Harry, a good number of the Professors were present. All the Heads of House except for Professor McGonagall were accounted for. Which made sense since Harry knew that she was chaperoning the students at Hogsmeade.
It had been odd for Harry to see Severus Snape sitting in the lounge with the other Professors, so clearly one of them and seemingly respected by them. He had glanced again at the girl beside him and reminded himself that the Slytherin's held a great deal of respect for their Head of House. The Slytherin students acted as though Snape's word was law. He wondered for just a moment if the Gryffindor's respected McGonagall as much as the Slytherin's respected Snape. He knew the Weasley twins didn't. That was plain to see by how they consistently broke the rules that McGonagall set forth. Harry inwardly winced at that. As if he had any right to point fingers about rule breaking.
Harry smiled as he remembered the conversation about the Grim.
"A dog?" Pomona Sprout, their Herbology Professor and the Head of Hufflepuff House, asked.
"Yes," Harry said joining in on the conversation. "Hagrid, err, Professor Hagrid said that he's been mistreated, and he's malnourished."
To his surprise, his words caused Severus Snape to show a moment of concern. It was there and then gone behind a calm mask in just a second, but Harry had been staring at the Professor at the time and he had caught it. Huh? Snape might care about animals? Well, he was terrible with children. Maybe he was the type that would be better with animals? That could explain why Hagrid always showed respect for Snape.
"I think he means to approach you, Professor Snape, for your expertise in potions for the poor dear," Lyra said.
"He'll have my assistance whether the animal is allowed to remain at Hogwarts or not," Snape said eyeing her critically.
Harry glanced at Lyra and watched her smile sweetly at the Potions Master. He felt a moment of jealousy course through him due to her giving the Professor a smile. What was the matter with him? It was just a smile!
"I know you would not send a hurt animal off to fend for itself Professor," Lyra said with conviction.
At that, a few of the other Professor's shifted slightly in their chairs. "Well, yes of course," Bathsheba Babbling, the Professor of Ancient Runes said after a moment. "None of us would want to just send it off without first making sure it was healthy once more."
"I should think not," Septima Vector the Professor for Arithmancy pronounced. "Dogs are not allowed in the halls though," she added as she eyed Lyra and then likewise eyed Daphne Greengrass who stood on Lyra's left side.
The two Slytherin girls nodded.
"We thought that he could stay in the Stables while he gets better and then if the Staff are willing to allow it, we'll keep him there until the end of the year," Arya explained.
"I take it you have some plan for the poor creature?" Septima Vector inquired with a knowing look in her eyes.
Harry wondered at that. Professor Vector seemed to favor Lyra and Daphne and she had given them the knowing look. Did Lyra know the Professor well? Was she close to Vector the way he had been growing close to Professor Lupin?
"Yes," Lyra announced. "I will give him a home," she said. "We have plenty of space for him and I am sure he can keep mother company when we are away at school."
"Your mother has no small amount of pursuits of her own that keep her busy," Snape reminded Lyra. "Need I list the many charities your mother devotes her time and energies to?"
Harry was not aware that Lady Malfoy devoted time and effort to charitable causes. The Weasley's always made it seem like the Malfoy's just threw money at charities, as some sort of token support or to buy good public will. But if Narcissa Malfoy was actually spending her time to help, that was very different to the story he'd been painted.
"Yes, but a great deal of her planning takes place from White Hall," Lyra rejoined. "He'd be a healthy distraction. Get her outside and stretch her legs a bit when she's been too lost in her various plots and plans," she said with true affection in her voice.
"We'll write home and ask her, of course," Arya added. "But really, he could find a home at one of the Malfoy Properties if not White Hall."
Harry disliked the easy way that Arya Malfoy said properties. It was the reminder of the great wealth and prestige of the Malfoy family that she could speak thus. A year ago, he would have said she mentioned it to rub her status and wealth in their faces, but looking at her now, he realized it wasn't true. Lyra and Arya Malfoy had been born into vast wealth and prestige. Their mention of their various family homes, it was just a statement of fact, wasn't it? It was like him mentioning that he lived with his odious Aunt and Uncle. It just was.
It just was.
"Harry," Hermione's voice chided him, taking him from his memories.
He looked at her with confused eyes. "What?" he asked her.
She huffed, whether in exasperation or mild irritation he wasn't sure. "I asked if you were finished with your Charm's essay yet?"
He nodded. "Yes," he said simply and had the satisfaction of watching Hermione looking slightly frazzled at his answer.
"And what about your Potions assignment?" she asked but before he could answer she plowed on ahead. "It's due Wednesday and you shouldn't wait until last minute to start it," she added building up into full lecture mode. "Just because you don't like the subject doesn't mean you should put it off, Harry."
"It's done, Hermione," he said and really if he was a little smug when he told her that, who could blame him. He loved his best friend, he really did, but sometimes she was far too bossy and controlling.
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Is that so?" she asked him with a suspicious tone.
Harry scowled at her then, realizing what her suspicious thoughts had conjured. He reached into his bag then and pulled out his completed essay on the uses of Boom Berry. He threw the rolled parchment before her. "There, see for yourself," his voice held an edge of bitter anger.
She looked shaken then and bit her lip as she slowly unrolled the scroll. "Harry, I'm sorry," she said with a pleading look when she looked back up at him. "I just," she sighed softly. "Ron lies to me about whether he's done his homework," she admitted and then shook her head. "That is no excuse for my behavior though. You aren't Ron. I shouldn't have assumed that you were lying too."
"You're right, you shouldn't have," Harry bit out and then felt regret fill him at the dejected look that entered Hermione's brown eyes. He gentled his voice when next he spoke. "I forgive you, Hermione," he reassured her.
She smiled slightly at that. "Thank you, Harry," she said. "Do you want me to proofread this?" she asked, and he knew the offer for what it was, an olive branch, a peace offering between them.
"If you have time for it," Harry agreed. "I know you have Arithmancy homework to complete."
"It's fine," Hermione reassured him. "I need a light break before diving into that anyway," she told him and then she began to read his homework.
They were silent for a few more minutes as Hermione read over his homework and Harry went back to writing on his DADA assignment. When he finished his assignment, he leaned back in his seat and smiled in satisfaction. Finally, all of his homework was finished. Well, his homework so far this week, but at least now he wouldn't be rushing around the night before the assignments were due. He was tired of turning in subpar work. He could do better, needed to do better. He glanced at the girl seated across from him. He refused to use Hermione the way that the Ron did.
Harry had leaned on Hermione too much the previous year to assist him with his homework assignments. Knowing what he did about Hermione's childhood in Muggle Schools, it made Harry feel ashamed of himself. Hermione Granger had not made friends easily in her childhood. She was an intelligent girl that the other kids had labeled a bookworm and teacher's pet and they had only been nice to Hermione when they had wanted to use her to help them with their homework and help in this case usually meant do it for them.
Harry was appalled when he realized at the end of the Summer Hols that he had been skirting dangerously close to that line. Hermione didn't deserve to be taken advantage of by her friends. So, he vowed that he would work harder. He'd go with Hermione to the library. He'd benefit from working with Hermione but not make Hermione feel like she had to work for him.
"This is good Harry," Hermione said handing the scroll back to him. Her brown eyes were kind. "There were a few grammatical errors, but your points are sound. I marked the errors for you," she smiled at him.
"Thanks, Hermione," he said as he took his homework back. "You didn't have to do that for me and I really appreciate it."
Her eyes seemed to sparkle then, though it could just be the candlelight in the library. It was hard to be sure. "Ron's mad at you," she said a moment later.
Harry sighed then. "Yeah, he made that clear to me," he said, some of his annoyance with Ron making itself known in his tone of voice.
Ron hadn't been willing to speak to him at all on Saturday night. His silent treatment had carried over into Sunday and Harry had no idea what he had done to piss off his red-headed friend. Finally, Sunday night Ron had exploded at Harry alone in their dorm room.
"I kept expecting you to show up to Hogsmeade on Saturday!" Ron snarled at him. "But instead you left me all alone with Hermione while you were playing nice with the Malfoy's!"
Harry had bristled at the perceived slight to Hermione, as though her company was not good enough for Ron, as well as the sneer in Ron's voice when he said Malfoy's. "And what is wrong with Hermione's company?" Harry had demanded, choosing to address the first slight over the second. He had hoped that Ron's dislike of the Malfoy family would have diminished over the Summer Holidays. Lord Malfoy had opened a Vault in Ron's name at Gringotts. It was full of galleons, an expression of gratitude for Ron's hand in helping to save Satyra Malfoy. Ron certainly loved the fact that he had gotten money, but he had come back from Summer Holidays abroad even more venomous than ever about the Malfoy family.
"She's Hermione!" Ron had said as though that was answer enough. "She decided to act like a tour guide, never mind that she's a Muggleborn and has never been to Hogsmeade before," he yelled. "She was just being such a know-it-all."
"She's not a know-it-all," Harry denied. "She's intelligent. She likes learning new things. That's not a bad thing, Ron," he scowled at his friend.
"It was boring and a waste of time. I was expecting you to come along and rescue me from her," Ron yelled.
"Rescue?" Harry questioned. "She's not an enemy, she's your friend," he reminded Ron.
"It was the first time I was ever going to Hogsmeade and now I'll always remember it as the boring time of trailing around after Hermione while she played boring tour guide," Ron complained bitterly. "And all so you could cozy up to the Malfoy sisters," he added the last with contempt.
Harry glared at him. "Be careful about how you talk about them," Harry warned. "None of the Malfoy sister's have done anything bad to you," he said.
"Lucius Malfoy is a Death Eater!" Ron yelled back. "He should be rotting in Azkaban for the things he's done. He's a dark wizard and they are just like him!"
Harry clenched his hands into fists at his sides. He was shaking with the effort to not hit Ron right now. "You are acting like a prejudiced bigot!"
"Me?" Ron gasped incredulously. "You can't be serious. I'm not going around shouting for Pureblood Supremacy and calling people Mudbloods!"
"I've never heard the Malfoy sisters talk about Pureblood Supremacy and I haven't heard them or heard of them calling anyone that name either," Harry said with gritted teeth.
"Well just because you haven't heard about it doesn't mean that they aren't," Ron bit back.
"By that reasoning then you could be doing it too!" Harry hissed out.
Ron's face, which had been pink with anger before then turned an alarming shade of red. It was not a good companion to his freckles. "Fine! Keep going around with that lot! You'll see what I mean about them being no good when it is too late to save you!" then Ron had stridden past him storming out of the dorms, leaving Harry alone with his anger.
"He won't tell me why he's mad at you," Hermione complained then. "He just brushes me off. He's been cold to me since Saturday," she added.
Harry frowned at that. He hadn't noticed Ron being cold to Hermione today, but then he had spent most of his classes trying to ignore Ron and Hermione had stuck to his side today. "I'm sorry about that," he said.
"It's not for you to apologize for him," Hermione said. "Though I appreciate the sentiment," she added with a small smile curving her lips.
Harry sighed then, realizing that Hermione probably did deserve to know why her two friends were fighting. "He had a go at me Sunday night in the dorms. He was giving me the silent treatment Saturday night and most of Sunday," he told her, and she nodded to indicate that she had noticed their red-headed friend's strange behavior. "Well," he began again uncertain of how to spare her feelings and still tell the truth. He couldn't, Harry realized. Best to just tell her then. "He was angry that I didn't use the cloak to sneak to Hogsmeade and join you both."
Hermione frowned at that. "You could have gotten into a lot of trouble if you had done that," she said. "And Sirius Black is out there. It's dangerous!" she said with more emphasis toward the end.
Harry nodded at that and told himself not to tell her that he had in fact taken the cloak and gone to Hogsmeade to try to find them but instead had found Lyra Malfoy, Arya Malfoy, Daphne Greengrass and a Grim in need of help. Hermione would just lecture him, she'd probably be right to do so, but he didn't want her angry with him and besides, Lyra had told him to keep quiet about going to Hogsmeade. So, now it was more than about him, right?
"Yeah, well Ron said that he was bored, and he was expecting me to save him," Harry said and then winced as Hermione's expression showed her hurt. "Hermione," he began and trailed off not knowing how to comfort her.
"I kept asking him if there was anything he'd like to do," Hermione said, voice subdued with hurt. "I went into Honeyduke's with him and didn't complain at all when he spent a ridiculous amount of money on sweets. I went with him into Zonko's where he bought a few joke items. I didn't even complain that those items were on Mr. Filch's banned list," she said with a sad sigh. "I tried really hard to just be pleasant company. To ignore the rules and just have a good day with him."
"He's ungrateful!" Harry exclaimed and then blushed because people from the tables near them were staring due to his raised voice. He lowered his voice and said again. "He should have enjoyed your company. I don't know why he didn't Hermione, I would have. Neville would have. Dean and Seamus would have too!" he added knowing it was true. Dean and Seamus would have found it fun to hang out with a Hermione that wasn't going on about the rules. Neville wouldn't have minded even if she were. He had always liked Hermione for just who she was, just like Harry did.
She nodded slowly at that. "He really is, isn't he?" she said softly, as though it saddened her to realize that their friend may not be as great as she thought he was.
Harry nodded. "But Hermione, I don't think it was really all about you," he said.
She thought about that for a moment and then nodded. "If it were then he would have had a go at me about the boring day he spent with me," she said. "So, this was about him wanting you there and you didn't break the rules for his pleasure," she hissed at the last word.
Harry nodded. "Yeah, well that and he heard about how I was wandering the school grounds when Lyra and Arya Malfoy came back from Hogsmeade trying to carry a wounded dog between them."
Hermione nodded at that. "He'd be angry that he was at Hogsmeade hoping that you would show up but instead you were back here helping a Malfoy," she pronounced. "He'd take that as a sign of betrayal."
Harry let his puzzlement show at that. "I don't understand it," he admitted. "Last year he helped me save Satyra Malfoy," he pointed out. "He was rewarded by Lucius Malfoy for it," he said.
"He said that Lucius Malfoy threw money at him," she said with a sigh. "He doesn't respect Lord Malfoy and he's never going to, Harry.
"Okay, fine," Harry said thinking back to what he had seen of Lord Malfoy. The man had not made a good first impression on Harry, brawling with Mr. Weasley like that in Flourish & Blotts. Then even though he was relieved at the return of his daughter, safe and sound, he was still so proud and unbending. Harry had no problem with Ron disliking Lucius Malfoy. "But he acts like Lyra, Arya, and Satyra are just like their father, and I don't think that they are."
Hermione nodded her agreement to that and then sighed. "Ron cares a lot about what his parents think, and they really hate Lucius Malfoy, Harry. I don't know what their reasons are, but they hate him. Ron believes that children do turn out like their parents," she added thoughtfully as she mulled over their friend's behavior. "Like with the sorting. He was so sure you would get into Gryffindor because both of your parents were Lions too. He was sure that I wouldn't get into Gryffindor because I was a Muggleborn and he figured I'd end up in Hufflepuff because of that."
Harry frowned at that. "But you were wicked clever, even before school started," he added.
She smiled slightly at the compliment. "Thank you, Harry," she said clearly happy. "But the House that gains the most Muggleborn students each year is Hufflepuff. Even most of the Half-blood students it gained in our year were Muggle-raised. Ron knew the averages. That isn't surprising really when you consider how smart and talented his older siblings are. He had to listen to them talk about Hogwarts over the years, even if the twins kept the secret of the sorting from him. Also, Ron's not really stupid. He's just lazy. Remember how well he played that chess game First Year?"
Harry winced at that. Yeah, she was right. Their friend had a great mind for strategy. "Is that why you push him to apply himself? Because if he could do that great through First Year then there is no telling what he could accomplish by Seventh Year if he'd only apply himself?"
She nodded her head at that. "Yes, but he doesn't want to," she said with a sigh. "And he doesn't appreciate anything I do to try to help him."
"He doesn't see it as helping him," he reminded her. "He sees it as you being annoying and controlling."
"Yes," she snapped. "Thank you for pointing that out, Harry," she said with narrowed eyes.
He held up his hands in surrender.
"Anyway, my point is," Hermione said returning to her previous train of thought. "Ron believes that children emulate their parents in the end and so he believes he'll turn out good because Mr. and Mrs. Weasley are good people. Lord Malfoy is not a good person, so he sees his daughters as," she pursed her lips then.
"Death Eaters in training," Harry said. "He's said as much before," he said with a sad sigh. "I don't know how to change his mind," he added.
"Is it important to change his mind?" she asked more out of curiosity then anything else, Harry knew.
"Yeah," he said. "Because if I cannot figure out to change his mind then I'm not sure that I can stay close to him anymore," he admitted. "He sounds like a bigot, Hermione," he pointed out softly. "He's beginning to remind me a bit of my cousin, Dudley. I don't want anyone like that close to me."
She nodded at that. "I know, Harry," she said gently. "I'm sorry," she added which said it all right there. She couldn't figure out a way to change Ron's mind either.
"Come on," Harry said after a few moments of silence. "We should put this stuff away and head to dinner," he told her after he noticed that Lyra and her Slytherins were packing up their own books and parchments.
She nodded her head and began to pack up her things. Harry shouldered his bag and made a quick promise to himself that he'd sit with Hermione in the common room as she finished up her homework this evening. Maybe he'd see if Neville would join them. He was pretty sure that Neville would want to work on his Herbology essay. He was pretty sure Neville would have spent most of the afternoon in the Greenhouses with Professor Pomfrey. It was rather fascinating to watch Neville's eyes light up in excitement about Herbology, even if it was a subject that Harry found boring.
Harry thought about how polite Neville was. He reserved judgment until he had all the facts. He liked that about the other boy. He wasn't hot-headed like most Gryffindor's. He was also always nice to Hermione, and at the moment that was a huge plus in Harry's opinion. Ron mocked Hermione, consistently hurting her feelings. Ron wasn't being playful either, Harry could tell that Ron was trying to drive her away each time he let his teasing turn a bit vicious. Ron had tried driving her away throughout First Year, but she had been very persistent and then Harry had sought to save her from the Troll. She would never have been in danger if it hadn't been for Ron hurting her feelings that day. After that, Ron had cooled down a bit, not trying to drive her away completely. Yet throughout Second Year it became clear to Harry that Ron was perfectly fine with Hermione not being around except he missed her help with homework. In contrast, Neville just liked Hermione's company. He liked Harry's too.
Harry felt fingers briefly tangle with his and squeeze gently then release him. His hand closed tight over the small bit of parchment that had been pressed into his hand. His eyes immediately sought out Lyra Malfoy's retreating form and watched as she continued down the corridor, her Slytherin's falling into line around her, the perfect honor guard for their Prince.
It was later that night when he was hidden behind his bed curtains that he cast a Lumos with his Wand and unfolded the note.
Saturday, the Stables. You can bring Granger if you like.
Harry smiled as he folded the letter back up and then extinguished the light.
It has been far too long since I have posted on this story. I sincerely apologize!