Greyson didn't leave the Slytherin Common Rooms or his bed after he returned to it Friday afternoon. He didn't bother himself with his wizarding homework because what was the point? He didn't really care if it meant he didn't have Harry.
Monday morning Greyson managed to find the strength to crawl out of bed despite his stomach turning. He trudged to the Great Hall to hopefully eat breakfast but more likely sit there while the rest of the students ate.
"Greyson?" a small, familiar voice said behind him. Greyson sighed and turned around to see his brother standing there. "Can we talk?" Harry asked. Greyson nodded and followed Harry to just outside of the Great Hall. He didn't have the energy to smile or even show his brother he was fine this time. It didn't matter. Harry had already shown he'd be alright without Greyson around. So what was his purpose now?
"I wanted to tell you," Harry started before pausing, "thanks for standing up for me with Professor Snape. Not that it did much good. But I appreciated it all the same."
Despite his down mood, Greyson immediately found himself turning back into his old protective self when it came to Harry. "What do you mean?" he asked, narrowing his eyes. He felt that usual urge to go and take down whatever was bothering his brother and it was a relief. He may be needed again.
"After you left, he took away two points from Gryffindor, one for me not knowing anything, and then another because Neville practically destroyed the Potions class and gave himself boils," his little brother informed him. "Snape blamed me for not stopping Neville when I was worried about my own potion."
Greyson's could feel his face turning into a scowl, liking Snape even less than he did before. "I swear," He growled before letting out a sigh. "Why are you talking to me now Harry? You hadn't bothered all week."
Harry looked down this time. "Sorry… I was having such a hard time learning Hogwarts and remembering all the staircases and which doors were doors and which were walls. I thought I'd see you at Hagrid's but you weren't there."
Greyson blinked. "I was there all day. I waited till practically three for you to show up!"
Harry blinked and then let out a laugh. "I didn't get there until three," he said. "That's when Hagrid told me to show."
Greyson shook his head, his brother's presence soothing the hurt. "Hagrid..." He sighed, not sure how to sum up the gentle giant's mistake.
"But do you want to join me and Ron for breakfast?" Harry asked. "When he heard how Percy was treating you, he marched right up to him and gave him an earful." Greyson smiled at that, adding a few more points in Ron's favor.
"I would," Greyson agreed. When he got to the table, he noticed all of the Gryffindors staring at him as he sat down next to Harry.
One of the boys frowned. "You two look just alike," he said. Greyson looked up and summoned all of his energy, that was now returning with his brother near, to give the boy a smile. He wasn't going to make Hogwarts anymore difficult for Harry than it already was. He already had to deal with Snape, so he wasn't going to make his house hate him too.
"I am his brother, so I do hope we look like," Greyson said. That got heads turning.
"His brother?" one girl asked. "I didn't know he had a brother." More whispers about Harry having a brother went around and Greyson sighed. All anyone seemed to care about Harry's star status...
"That does explain potions class," Hermione hummed as she smeared marmalade on her toast. "I was assuming you were related."
"You wouldn't have had to assume if you would have paid attention on the train," Greyson told her, becoming irritated once more. But he let it go to focus on his food and enjoy being near his brother.
Of course, as the day went on, his teachers gave him an earful about not even touching his homework. Greyson accepted it but they each pulled him to the side and told him to have it finished by the end of the week, even strict Professor McGonagall. He didn't question it, but accepted it gratefully since it allowed him to make up for his mistakes. He had to do well. He couldn't just leave his brother here alone. From Monday to Wednesday he worked hard to catch up on all his neglected assignments along with whatever work he had been assigned.
That week, they started flying lessons out on the field with Madam Hooch. Greyson stood alongside the other first years of his house at 3:15 while he waited for Harry and his house to show up.
Soon enough the Gryffindors came running onto the field. "Thought you slow pokes were never going to show up," Greyson teased. Harry grinned, accepting the playful jab as Madam Hooch, the witch in charge of all things broom related, came over. He knew that even though she appeared just as strict as McGonagall she wasn't always stern and unwavering. He also found himself struck again by how gold her eyes were and it made him wonder if she was just a witch or something more.
"Alright, line up by your brooms," Madam Hooch barked. She walked up and down, reminding Greyson of a drill sergeant. Perhaps she had been in a wizard army of sorts?
Once all the students were there she looked at them. "Now, hold out your right hand and say, very firmly, 'up'." Soon a chorus of 'Up's rose all around him. Harry and Malfoy were the first two to get their brooms up on the first try, with Greyson in second, or third he supposed. Greyson had learned that to do anything magical you had to be confident and show you were in command, kind of like training a dog. Hermione seemed to be pleading with her broom stick as it just rolled around on the ground and Neville's just kind of sat there, neither of them were exactly sure of themselves when it came to flying it seemed.
Soon enough, everyone had a broom in hand and waited for Madam Hooch to blow her whistle to signal the time for them to kick hard from the ground and hover. Greyson was ready. But before Madam Hooch could get the word 'one' out, Neville was flying high into the air.
"Come down, Mr. Longbottom," Madam Hooch called.
"I- I'm trying," Neville cried out as he continued to fly higher and higher before he lost his balance and fell straight to the ground and Greyson turned his head away, wincing when he heard a sharp crack. Morbid curiosity got the better of him a second later and he glanced back to see that Neville's arm was hanging at a funny angle and that his wrist was limp. Ew.
"Alright, Longbottom, let's go," Madam Hooch said, collecting the tear soaked Neville. Greyson sighed and dropped the broom, just as Malfoy burst out laughing.
"Did you see the look on that lump's face?" Malfoy snickered.
"Shut up, Malfoy," one of the Gryffindors snapped.
"Oh? Never thought you were one for big fat cry babies," a Slytherin girl said. Greyson was about to make them all stop their aggravating bickering but before he could say anything Malfoy darted off to grab something from the grass.
"Look," Malfoy said with a hint of glee. "Longbottom dropped that stupid thing his grandmother sent him." He held the small little ball up in the light. Greyson met the glance Malfoy sent him with confusion.
Before he could tell them anything, he heard, "Give that here, Malfoy." Greyson blinked and stared at Harry. His mouth may have been hung open a little bit in surprise, he couldn't be sure.
Malfoy just gave Harry a smile, tilted tauntingly at the corners. "I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find," Malfoy smirked. "Perhaps in a tree."
"Give it here," Harry demanded, getting angrier now. Greyson wasn't sure if he could process what he was seeing and hearing. Harry was standing up to a bully and confronting him. What was going on?
Before they knew it, Malfoy had hopped on the broom and flown over to the tree, just hovering there. Once again, Harry surprised him by flying after Malfoy with the same skill, as if he'd been doing it for years. "He's going to get himself in so much trouble," Hermione complained.
He watched them carefully and saw Malfoy throw the ball and Harry dart off after it, catch it in midair, and safely come back down for a landing. Malfoy landed a few feet away a minute later, completely remorseless.
"What the bloody hell is wrong with you?" He asked Malfoy once he saw Harry's feet touch the ground and he knew Harry was safe. "I know we're in Slytherin, but what you did was just plain mean and stupid!" Malfoy didn't answer him, didn't even look at him as he looked at all the other Slytherins. "No wonder everyone hates us if that's the way you all act." He went to storm off to the Common Room when Professor McGonagall came marching out.
"Mr. Potter!" She yelled. "Mr. Potter!" The cheering Gryffindors fell silent and Harry came out of the crowd, his face crestfallen. Greyson felt a pit in his stomach. Their time at Hogwarts was over. "Follow me, Mr. Potter." He sighed for what felt like the hundredth time that day as he watched Harry he led away and made his way back to the common room to start packing.
Greyson sat at the Slytherin table for dinner while trying to figure out how to talk to Snape about going back home. He wasn't going to stay at Hogwarts without Harry. He definitely wasn't going to leave Harry alone with the Dursleys.
He sighed when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He growled and turned around, ready to fight whoever interrupted his brooding to see Harry standing there grinning.
"Why are you smiling?" Greyson asked, his eyes darting all over his brother to get some idea as to why he would be that happy over being expelled.
"McGonagall asked me to be the Seeker for the Gryffindor Quidditch team!" Harry said excitedly.
Greyson smiled back through his confusion, not quite sure what a Seeker was, but glad that his brother was happy and fitting in and apparently not getting expelled. "That's great!" Greyson told him. "Good job." He knew for a fact that when it came to watching Harry's games, he'd be the only Slytherin rooting for the Gryffindors. Harry nodded and squeezed his hand gently before waving and heading off to sit with Ron. Greyson felt the weight lift off his shoulders before he felt another one settle on them.
Harry didn't have a broom. Sure, he could use the beat up and mangled school brooms, but his brother didn't deserve those. Harry needed a good broom to play Quidditch. He quickly finished eating before heading to the library.
He was dismayed to find out that the only copy of Quidditch through the Ages had been checked out. He frowned as he tried to think of some other way to figure out how to learn about Quidditch. Then it came to him. Malfoy. Malfoy had talked some nonsense about quidditch before. Greyson just didn't pay attention because Malfoy seemed to be full of hot air most of the time.
He made his way back to his room and saw Malfoy was in there, lounging on the bed filing his nails. "Malfoy, can you-... nevermind," Greyson cut himself off, shaking his head. This was stupid. You didn't ask someone who aggravated you for help. He could just ask Ron or Hagrid. He could even wait for the book to be returned to the library.
"Can I what?" Malfoy asked as Greyson busied himself with getting ready for bed.
"Don't worry about it," Greyson said. "Forget I said anything at all."
"Alright," Malfoy said.
Greyson pursed his lips. He was doing this for Harry. He could ask Malfoy for help for Harry. "Can you tell me about Quidditch?" he asked quickly.
"Can I what?" Malfoy repeated with a frown this time, sounding dubious now.
"Can you tell me about Quidditch?" Greyson asked again, but more slowly as he forced himself to calm down. Malfoy blinked in surprise before his face fixed itself into his usually haughty look.
"I suppose," he said before going on to explain the team members, roles, rules, and anything else relating to the sport.
"How important are brooms?" Greyson asked with his own frown.
Malfoy blinked. "They're as important as the balls themselves," he said as if he couldn't believe what Greyson was asking. "If a player doesn't have a good broom then he's practically useless. Especially if he's a seeker."
Greyson just sat there feeling his heart sink. How was Harry going to do well at Quidditch if he didn't have a broom good enough?
"What now?" Malfoy asked.
"Nothing," Greyson said, shaking his head. "How much does a new broom cost?"
"The Nimbus 2000 costs 300 galleons," Draco said. "It's the fastest broom on the market, and it's the best broom for a seeker."
Greyson's face fell. How would he ever be able to get Harry a new broom? Maybe he could see if Hagrid would loan him the money and let him work it off? "That sucks… Thanks though… for helping," Greyson mumbled as he stripped down to his boxer briefs for bed, not really caring much for pajamas.
He saw Malfoy turning pink and frowned. What the hell had him so embarrassed? "Don't mention it," Malfoy said after a weird pause. Greyson was too tired to question it so he just nodded and turned out the light.