Harry Potter and the Physical Adept
Chapter 11: Draws in Alcoves
"I made cookies!" announced Fay cheerfully, as she and Neville joined the trio already in the compartment, a chipboard box in her hands.
She barely finished her sentence before Liv flipped open the container and took a handful of baked treats, stuffing three into her mouth right away.
"F'an' 'oo," said the dragon, her mouth full of cookies.
"What?" Fay asked.
"Don't talk with your mouth full," Harry chided.
Liv swallowed the food, wiping her mouth with the back of her hands. "Thank you."
"It's my pleasure," said the Gryffindor girl, "Harry? Danger?"
"Thanks, I'm good," Harry said, declining. "And Liv..."
"Yeah?"
"Use a napkin."
"I didn't know you baked," Hermione said, taking a cooking and nibbling on it delicately.
"I didn't, not until Harry taught me," Fay said.
"You taught her?" the Ravenclaw demanded, turning towards the Hufflepuff.
"Pill was there too," Harry said.
"Who?" Hermione asked.
"I think he means me," Neville said, biting into a brownie he took from his pocket.
"You were with them, but you didn't invite me?" Hermione asked, her annoyance evident despite her attempt in maintaining a calm demeanor.
"Would you have been interested?"
"Well, no, but…"
"I saved both of us time, then."
"It would have been nice, you know? I thought I was your best friend."
"You are."
"Then why wasn't I invited?"
"It was a business meeting."
"A business meeting?"
"Harry, Neville and I are starting a business together," Fay explained.
"Oh," said Hermione. "Why wasn't I included?"
"Do you enjoy baking?" Harry asked.
"No," Hermione admitted, "but I could still help!"
"Why would you want to do something you don't enjoy?" Harry asked.
The Ravenclaw didn't have an answer and could only fume.
"We're really selling cookies, cupcakes and brownies," Neville said, answering the unasked question.
"There's just a little extra love in some of them," Fay added with a mischievous grin.
Hermione cocked her head to the side, trying to figure out the implication, but could not.
~ooOoo~
It was not long after the train was underway that there was a knock on the compartment door, and behind the glass that separated the compartment from the corridor was a boy even shorter than Harry, with tousled golden hair and an old-fashioned camera in hand.
"Can I help you?" Hermione asked as she opened the door.
"You're Harry Potter!" the boy exclaimed excitedly, ignoring the Ravenclaw.
"You're being rude," the Hufflepuff snarled, his expression twisting into a dark frown as his lips curled back, revealing teeth. "Answer the question."
"Can I take a picture of Harry Potter?" the newcomer asked with a gulp.
The Gryffindors shared a glance, then stood up at the same time.
"We're going to see if we can sell some of the stuff we made," Fay announced, before she and Neville pushed past the blonde boy.
"Be seeing you, chummer," Harry called after them, before turning his attention to the boy with the camera. "So, what's your name?"
"I'm Colin Creevey," said the boy eagerly. "I'm starting at Hogwarts this year."
"All right, Colin, why don't you come in?" Harry said, and Colin nearly tripped over his own feet in his hurry to take a seat.
"Nice camera," said the Hufflepuff, once the newcomer was sitting.
"Thanks! It's an Argus C3," Colin said. "My dad bought it for me when we found out I was going to Hogwarts."
"You like photography?"
"I love it. It's really cool how you can just capture a moment for eternity with a single picture."
Harry dug into his haversack for a moment, then retrieved his Polaroid camera. "Here, take this," he said, giving the camera to the blonde boy.
"I can really have this?" Colin asked excitedly, taking the camera with both hands in the way one might receive a trophy.
"Of course," the Hufflepuff said.
"Thank you so much!" Colin gushed. "I'll treasure it forever!"
"I'd rather you used it," Harry said. "Anyways, come see me after the Welcome Feast."
"I'll come find you in Gryffindor Tower," Colin agreed, nodding.
"I'm in Hufflepuff," Harry said flatly.
"You're not a Gryffindor?" Colin gasped.
"He's not that kind of person," Hermione said.
"Not even a little bit," Liv agreed, eyes still on her Game Boy.
"Yeah, I'd be a shite Gryffindor."
"Too cautious," Liv offered.
"And not chivalrous at all," Hermione added.
"I'm kind of a terrible person, really," Harry said.
"He'll lie to you," Hermione agreed.
"Never about things that matter, though," Liv argued.
Colin was speechless, unsure how to react to what he was hearing. "Why are you telling me this?" he asked.
"Though you should know what you're getting into, if you want to be friends," Harry said.
"You want to be my friend?" Colin asked, flabbergasted. "But you're Harry Potter!"
"Look, I'm just a boy," Harry said. "I mean, I might be famous for no good reason, but I'm also just a second year student at Hogwarts."
"Who's failing Transfiguration and Charms," Hermione chimed in.
"That too," Harry confirmed.
"But you're Harry Potter!" Colin protested.
"That doesn't make me some kind of genius," Harry said.
"But you're Harry Potter!" the first year boy reiterated.
"Have you read the pieces in the Prophet?" Harry asked.
Colin shook his head. "My dad says I could read it when I'm older."
"All right, then, short version it is," Harry said. "Most of the things you've read about me in books aren't true; the article that was printed Saturday notes that they were all written without permission from me and are in fact completely fictional and unauthorized, and I'm seeking compensation for the use of my name and likeness without permission, as well as damages caused to my reputation."
"Don't believe everything you read," Hermione concluded. "And definitely not about Harry."
Seeing the first year's crestfallen expression, Harry put a hand on his shoulder as if to give him reassurance, "You just made one mistake," he said.
"What's that?" Colin asked.
"Never meet your heroes; they'll always inevitably disappoint you."
The blonde boy nodded, then stood up.
"See you after the Welcome Feast?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, I'll find you in Hufflepuff," said the first year, exiting the compartment.
"You know, that might have been a little harsh," Hermione said, after the first year departed.
"No worse than what I did to you," said the Boy-Who-Lived with a shrug.
"You're not really going to be his friend, are you?"
"Right now, he could be a good asset to have, if I can get him to do what I need him to."
"And what would that be?"
"Run surveillance while I do other things."
"Think it'll work?"
"Too soon to tell."
~ooOoo~
The sun was starting to set when Neville and Fay returned to the compartment, all smiles and good cheer.
"We're going to need to borrow your kitchen when we get to Hogwarts," Fay announced.
"We sold everything we made," Neville added. "The chocolate-pineapple-rum cupcakes were really popular with the seventh years."
"Good," Harry said.
"I'll give you your cut later, after I count everything out," Fay said.
"Sure thing," said the Hufflepuff.
"It's getting late," Hermione remarked. "We should change into our robes."
"That's a good idea," Fay agreed.
Without a word, Liv set down her Game Boy and began to pull her T-shirt over her head, ignoring the two boys in the room with her.
Neville squeaked in surprise and turned away, blushing.
"What are you doing?!" exclaimed Hermione, rushing to hold up her coat to hide the dragon-in-a-girl's-body.
"I'm gonna go," Harry announced as he stood up. "For a walk."
He didn't wait for a response, letting himself out of the compartment, Neville a step behind him.
"Why did she do that?" the Gryffindor asked, as he and the Hufflepuff walked down the corridor.
"She's a naturist," Harry said.
"She's a what now?"
"Naturist. She doesn't like clothes, and doesn't wear any in private."
"Isn't that embarrassing?"
"Why would it be?"
"She'd be naked!"
"You say that like it's a problem."
The answer set Neville on his back foot. Harry, meanwhile, kept walking.
"Doesn't it bother you?" Neville asked, taking two bounding steps to catch up with his friend.
"Does what bother me?"
"Liv not wearing anything."
"Why would it?"
"She'd be naked!"
"Again, you say it like it's a problem."
Once again, Neville was left unsure how to continue, fumbling in his pocket for a moment before retrieving a spliff and sticking it in his mouth, lighting it with a spell and inhaling deeply.
"Do you want a puff?" he asked, exhaling a cloud of smoke.
"I'm good."
The two continued down the train in silence, interrupted by the Gryffindor's smoking, until Harry suddenly stopped at the cubbyhole where he had spent the trip home during the previous Christmas break reading and making notes, and Neville nearly collided with him.
"You," said the Hufflepuff.
"Me," agreed the girl sitting cross-legged in the alcove, her dirty blonde tresses cascading over the roll parchment she was drawing on.
"Do you know each other?" Neville asked, confused.
"Not even a little bit," Harry said.
"Nope," the girl agreed.
"What're you doing here?" the Gryffindor asked the seated girl.
"All the compartments were full….," the girl said dreamily, a half-finished thought.
"What're you drawing?" asked the Hufflepuff.
The girl turned the parchment so that it was facing the boys, revealing a horned creature the likes of which neither had seen before, ink on the drawing still fresh.
"What is that?" Neville asked.
"A Crumple-Horned Snorkack," she said brightly.
"It's very well-drawn," Harry observed.
"I know," said the girl, turning the pad back and going back to the drawing.
"I like you," Harry said, a smile dancing across his lips.
The girl looked up from her art for the first time, her pale, silvery eyes meeting the Hermetic mage's piercing green ones.
"You're pretty okay yourself," she said, returning the smile, before reaching a hand up.
Harry took her hand, his fingers wrapping around the back of her thumb as hers did likewise to his, helping pull her up to her feet.
"Harrison Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix Gideon Jacoby Tolliver Everest Maker-of-Pots."
"Of course you are, Harry Potter," she said.
"Oh, I really like you," Harry reiterated, grinning wide.
"You're not too bad either," the girl said serenely as she picked up the trunk that was apparently hers. "You said something about a compartment?"
"I didn't, but it's right this way," the Hufflepuff said, ushering the girl past the confused Gryffindor.
Retracing their steps back through the train, the two boys came to a stop in front of the compartment, the inside hidden by the curtain on the door.
The girl threw open the compartment door, drawing cries of surprise from Hermione and Fay, as both were in various states of undress.
Without missing a beat, the girl with the dirty blonde locks said, "Hello, beautiful people!"
"I like her," Liv remarked calmly, bottomless except for a pair of knickers, easily fending off the two girls trying to force her into a skirt. "Why do I have to wear that? Why can't I just wear pants like Bear?"
"Stop looking!" Hermione shrieked at the boys, grabbing the nearest article of clothing and throwing it at the door even as she covered herself with her robe.
Harry ducked, and Neville found himself with a faceful of stockings.
It smelled faintly of lilacs. And sweat. But mostly of lilacs.
Once again, he was reminded of what was inside his grandmother's armoire.
"Hey! Those are mine!" Fay shouted at Hermione, also covering herself with a robe.
It was at that very moment Neville finally realized Fay smelled of lilacs and marijuana smoke.
The blonde completely ignored the girls covering their modesty and instead tried to push her trunk in the overhead rack but struggled to wedge it in between the already-present luggage.
"Here, let me give you a hand," Liv said, grabbing the trunk with one hand and hoisting it over the other baggage.
"Liv!" Hermione chastised. "Put something on! And you! Stop! Looking!"
"I had trousers on, but you were the one who told me to take them off because I couldn't wear them to the Feast," the dragon-in-girl's-form countered.
Neither Harry nor Neville had a chance to hear the end of that argument, as the girl they had found in the cubbyhole said, "Give us a minute," rather brightly and then closed the compartment door in their faces, Neville still holding Fay's stockings in his hands.
"She's pretty bloody wiz," Harry said, almost in awe.
"I don't know what that means," Neville responded, then frowned. "We should change for the Feast too."
"Why?" asked the Hufflepuff. "I'm not going."
"You're not?"
"Why would I?"
"Liv is going to be sorted; don't you want to show your support?"
"She knows I'd support her no matter what."
"What about the food?" the Gryffindor asked, taking a package from his pocket even as he said that, unwrapping it to reveal a stack of cookies.
"Are you eating the product?" the Boy-Who-Lived asked.
"Of course not," Neville said, before taking a bite. "Fay ma'e 'ese ju' 'or me."
It was at that moment the compartment door slid open again, revealing a fully dressed Hermione and Fay, and even the girl with the long, dirty blonde tresses had changed into robes, but Liv was still without pants or skirt.
"Harry, would you please make Liv put something on," Hermione pleaded.
"I can't make her do anything," said the Hermetic mage.
"Liv, please put on your skirt," said the blonde sweetly at the same time.
"Sure thing," said the dragon-in-a-girl's-body, stepping into the skirt that had been draped across the seat and pulling it up to her waist, doing up buttons on the side with practiced ease. "All you had to do was ask nicely."
"Who is this she?" Hermione asked warily, giving the blonde the side eye.
"She…" Neville started, before realizing he didn't have an answer and biting into a cookie.
"Draws in alcoves," Harry finished.
"Yep, that's me," the girl agreed.
"That's not a name," Hermione protested.
"You can call me 'Dia'," the blonde continued.
"But that's not your name?" Hermione said, half-question and half-complaint.
"Not even close," 'Dia' agreed.
"Oh, I really like her," Liv said.
"I know, right?" Harry said.
"Aw, you two are the sweetest," cooed the blonde.
The Hermetic mage and the dragon raised their hands upwards and outwards at the same time, as if to say, "See what I mean?", both grinning broadly.
Author's Notes: Part two of a two chapter update. As you've now read both, you can probably why I wanted to keep the two separate for tonal reasons.
Hermione being a little bit possessive of Harry just makes sense to me, since she doesn't have a lot of close friends.
What do you do when you're famous and have a stalker? If you're this version of Harry, you try to find a use for them.
Given Harry's cavalier attitude towards nudity and sexuality, it's no surprise Liv has a very similar one.
No, that's not his given name. No, it's not Hadrian either.
Sometimes, people just hit it off right when they meet, and that's the case with Dia and our primary characters; she just has the kind of improvisational aptitude Harry and Liv do, and they just know, as soon as they start bantering, it's a friendship that's just going to work.
I'm absolutely certain everybody has already figured out who Dia is. More on that subject in the next chapter's author's notes, since I don't want to spoil it for people who can't figured it out.
Once again, many, many thanks to my long-suffering editor, Romantically Distant, for all their hard work. And now you've read this chapter, feel free to leave a review or just PM me.