A/N : Hi, this chapter will be mainly about Harriet's growing relationship with the slytherins .
I haven't introduced Sirius yet but you'll meet him before you know it.
See you soon !
Chapter 4 : New beginnings
Harriet took a seat in the furthest corner of the Gryffindor table, ignoring the murmurs and the glares that followed her. She didn't have time for these sheep anymore.
One day she was hailed as The saviour of the wizarding world, then the next, she was just a pathetic glory whore. Fame was a hazardous thing.
She made sure not to meet Dumbeldore's eyes. She hadn't forgotten nor forgiven his stance the night of the selection. How could he publicly doubt her and question her involvement in this deception. He always made everything harder for her, she should've learned her lesson from second year. But it wouldn't do to ponder on the past, she would just take a hasty breakfeast and head to her first lesson.
Feeling a soft tap on her shoulder, she turned her head and found Neville looking at her hesitantly. After a moment, he gathered his courage and said:'' I looked for you yesterday but you were avoiding everyone. I wanted to tell you that I know you didn't put your name in the goblet. Though we aren't close friends, I believe that I am a good judge of character. You are no liar .''
Harriet swallowed but the lamp in her throat wouldn't budge. She observed this boy that was overlooked by the majorty of their classmates, this shy, calm boy that was considered no better than a squib and made her mind : this was what she needed: ''friends who would have her back even in the darkest hour '' .
Giving a small smile she offered : ''Would you sit with me ?''
Neville took a sit to her right and started piling his plate with food.
During breakfast, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was watched. Rising her head slowly, her gaze zeroed on the center of the Slytherin table, Warrington was sitting in the middle sipping his juice, to his right was another sixth year: Adrian Pucey, one of the slytherin quidditch team chasers . He was too clean cut, with his well styled dirty blonde hair and smooth face. His eyes were sky blue and deceptively soft, she knew from experience how nasty he could get .
To his left was another sixth year and chaser: Graham Montague. He had brown hair and dark , almost black eyes. His face had a perpetual stony expression.
Returning to the center, her eyes locked with Warrington's who smirked at her, then slowly inclined his head and returned to his food.
She felt flustered at being caught, but she disregarded the feeling and finished her plate.
''Do you know him ?'. Neville asked, sounding mildly surprised. Well, she couldn't blame him, their past encounters with slytherins wasn't something pleasant.
She evaded his inquiry by asking instead : ''Do you ?''
'' Yes, The Warringtons are the head of the Neutral faction. They had always been neutrals; trying to maintain the equilibrium between the Light and the Dark, they bow to no one.
Some even say that their ancestors are the founders of the Britsh Wizengamot but no one is sure. My grandmother talks about them sometimes since they have to deal with each other, but I never heard her complain. I think they are alright.''
Harriet assumed that it was a good thing. After all, Dowager Longbottom was very strict and fair from what she gathered.
''Let's go, I don't want to be late for potions''
''Yeah, giving Snape a chance to take more points first thing in the morning is the last thing on my to do list.'' Neville grimaced, they took their bags and left.
Harriet sighed as she dragged herself to the dungeons. She would rather be anywhere than dealing with Snape and his Slytherins, even though last night's encounter made her wonder if there was others like Warrington.
Waiting for the dungeons' bat to open the door. Harriet couldn't help but notice something strange that was happening : while some gryffindors like Parvati and Lavender were giving her the stink eye and gushing over pretty boy Diggory, the slytherins were quiet, too quiet. Even Malfoy was avoiding her gaze. How odd.
She tried not to glance in her old friends' direction, but she knew that they were keeping away. Good. No need for more drama. The bat would enjoy humiliating her.
The door opened with a bang, and Snape sneered at them:''what are you waiting for?''
The last two hours were pure torture, Harriet took a seat with Neville at the very back, tried to ignore her surroundings and produce a decent potion. But, Snape's cruel barbs and Neville's shaking hands made everything a disaster. Clenching her fists, she clamped down on the utter rage and fury that rolled through her magic. She wondered what did the bat want? What was his deal? He was targeting her since their first class.
The table started vibrating under her hands, so, she took a deep breath and exhaled. Neville was looking worried; she gave him a forced smile. ''I'm alright, don't worry, he just wants to get under my skin but I'll never let him win.''
While she was heading out, she felt someone put a piece of paper in her bag looking around, she found Zabini making haste to leave and looking nonchalant.
Not wanting to alarm Neville, she decided to read the message later. She had her suspicions already.
''Is everything OK? You seemed lost in your thoughts.'' Neville asked.
''Oh, I just don't feel like having two hours with the hufflepuffs. ''
''You know, the slytherins were keeping to themselves today, maybe the news of your selection got old.''
Harriet shrugged, only if he knew: ''I hope you are right my friend, being left to my own devices is my life's goal''
After dinner, Harriet and Neville returned to the common room. She was sick and tired after her encounter with Smith and Abbott. All she wanted was some peace and quiet.
She turned to him and said softly:'' I'm going to bed, I'll try to do some homework there, even though I feel knackered. Goodnight.''
Neville looked like he wanted to protest, but then he just nodded.'' See you tomorrow .''
Her face carefully averted, she went upstairs heading to her room.
What she wasn't expecting was the three gryffindor chasers plus Ginny waiting for her. Her roommates were missing.
She sorely wished that she had checked the map beforehand.
Being the bolder between the four, Angelina took a step forward: ''Harriet, where have you been? We've been looking for you everywhere.''. She said calmly putting a hand on her arm,'' and don't you dare tell me that you thought even for a moment that we wouldn't believe you!''.
Feeling ashamed and small, Harriet cast her eyes downward.
''Merlin Harriet, we are your sisters, we've known you since you were a fledgling firstie, how could you doubt our friendship?''.
Brown eyes locked into reluctant green sympathetically, then Angelina took her in her arms. Katie, Alicia and Ginny joined the hug and Harriet felt her throat choking up with emotions but she fought the tears burning the back of her eyes.
Katie must have known that she was too choked up to speak, she gave her a wobbly grin: ''We are your sisters, your teammates in and outside of the pitch. Never doubt our bond again or you won't like the consequences Golden Girl .''
Harriet nodded, then buried her face in Angelina's hair, lips quavering:''I'm sorry, I was stupid. I should've known better but I wasn't in the right frame of mind.''
Laughter broke out after the dramatic union. Ginny gave her an apologetic smile:''We are not the only ones who believe in you. My brother might be a jealous prat, Lavender and Parvati are just stupid airheads and I don't know what's wrong with Hermione but the rest of the pride won't leave one of their own. Many lions believe you, Oliver Wood, Fred and Georges, the Creevy brothers and more. If you need help we are here for you.''
Hope started to blossom on Harriet's heart again. Her best friends' betrayal wrecked something in her, but she wasn't alone. Maybe it was basically her fault: she gave all of herself to Ron and Hermione and never looked outside their small circle.
Why wouldn't she give others a chance to show their true colors? Why hadn't she befriended Claws and Puffs, and even Snakes?
She didn't know what the future would bring or what their real intentions were, but she knew something for sure: Warrington, Neville and these girls reached for her first. They believed in her against all odds and volunteered to help.
Maybe she wasn't alone after all.
Oh. She almost forgot about the message!
In a deserted corner of the corridors leading to the slytherin dorms, Cassius waited patiently for Harriet Potter. He choose Zabini to deliver his message. The guy was one of the few he trusted being the silent, sly, methodical type. The best for this kind of jobs.
During breakfast, he noticed the Longbottom heir sitting with her. Perfect.
The more she surrounded herself with influential, faithful friends and allies, the better.
She didn't need the ones that would drag her down.
From what Nott reported, he was surprised by Granger's stance. He wouldn't have thought that she would abandon her. She seemed to be the rational type. Something wasn't adding up.
Weasley, he could understand. He was just a lazy, jealous prat. An attention seeker.
Even the twins were geniuses. It was sad that they wasted their brains in jokes and pranks.
Maybe one day their minds might come in handy.
The fight against Voldemort was going to be brutal. They would need all available resources to increase their wining chances.
They had to win, there was no other choice.
Cassius felt her presence before he saw her. The Warringtons could always distinguish other people's personal signatures. It was a gift well kept under wraps.
He luxuriated in the feeling of the complex magic that surrounded him.
''Good evening Warrington.'' She greeted him curtly.
''Good evening.'' He replied.
''So, you wanted to meet tonight.'' She started hesitantly.
''I promised yesterday that I will help you survive this tournament, so the first order of things would be making a plan, a schedule for your training. You will be competing against students who are three years older, you have a great deal to learn.''
While talking, he watched her carefully, trying to decipher every hidden emotion in her eyes.
She looked determined, relentless, ready.
She had gone through so much, not only physically, but emotionally as well. Harriet seemed older, wiser, than a mere fourteen-year-old. But then again, what she had endured would have changed anyone.
''So, where do we begin ?''
''I'll be training you in dueling and teaching you several spells so you can defend yourself. If you don't mind, I'll have my friends help too. But before we start, you must get rid of the things that may slow down you in a fight.''
When she seemed confused, he continued :''Your hair and your glasses.''
She looked furious, so he rushed to explain :''I mean no offense. Your glasses do suit you and I find your hair rather fetching.'' Cassius smirked as she blushed at the praise.
''But in a real fight, and I'm not only talking about this tournament, they can became a burden, something that can bring you down and even put your life in peril. There is a reason why pureblood witches are taught complex braided hairstyles, it's to remove any weakness and…. for another reason I'll explain later.
And please don't take it the wrong way, but why are you wearing glasses in the first place? There are charms that can easily repair your eyesight.''
Harriet kept quiet for a moment, she seemed sad and resentful at the same time: ''I never knew all this. Never payed attention to pureblood girls' hair. I just thought that it was part of their traditions to have those fancy, strange styles. The glasses, no one ever told me about those charms. It would've been rather handy in quidditch. Maybe everyone thought that I wanted to wear them to look like…''. She pursued her lips, but he could hear the rest. Everyone thought that she wanted to look like James Potter.
She exhaled sharply then looked into his eyes : ''I'll do it. I don't need anything that can draw me back. I'm not sure who to ask about the hair, but I've always wanted to get rid of my glasses. Now, what else ?''
Cassius felt relieved. He was hesitant to broach this subject. He learned from his friends' complaints that witches can be rather sensitive about their looks.
But the princess was different, he liked how she went aggressively after her goals without any protests.
''I'll look into those charms, they might be a little complicated but we'll make sure to do them before the first task. Now about the hair, I'll bring the right girl to teach you, it's not that hard really.'' She seemed pleased, so he seized the advantage and kept going:"There is an abandoned classroom at the end of the corridor, would you like to complete our discussion there?''.
Yes. It was the first test, Cassius would see if she would trust him enough to follow him.
He asked Vaisey to make sure that no one used the room for tonight.
Harriet stiffened for a heartbeat, then straightened her back: ''Lead the way.''
The two made their way down the corridor to their destination. Despite his outwardly calm demeanor, he was feeling a great deal of anticipation.
The classroom was usually used by the court to discuss sensitive matters or to train, it was empty. Just what he wanted .
''I thought that this room would be perfect for our purpose. It's big, so faraway from the crowds and warded. We use it sometimes to train.''
Harriet studied the room quietly then said :''I like it. The best part is that no one will look for me here. But wouldn't the other slytherins mind ? they may need it.''
Cassius smiled :''Don't worry about it, the room is yours as long as you need it. Now, about the tournament. I asked around and learned that the first task is always about creatures. I think you'll have to fight it. Till we learn about its nature, you'll need to learn some offensive spells and refine you shields. What do you think about some mock duels first? It will let me assess you level, pinpoint you weaknesses and decide what to teach you.''
The second test. Dueling him in a secluded room and trusting him with her weaknesses and strengths was no small deal. Trust was everything. He couldn't give her anything until he secured her loyalty. He asked her yesterday to be cautious, and even encouraged her to question his intentions, but after he explained his endgame and gave her his word as a Warrington he wanted her to have at least some faith in him, to believe that he wouldn't harm her. Otherwise, they wouldn't achieve anything.
His attention dipped to the pulse that was now jumping in her throat and his jaw set as his eyes flicked to hers. She was looking at him brazenly, searching for something, trying to pry his secrets.
Finally, she uttered in a strong, confident voice: ''Let's duel. Just a small warning, I won't hold back.''
Cassius's eyes roamed over her unrelenting expression and he could feel his magic fight to get free from his iron control. Finally.
He took his dueling stance, a slight smirk playing on his lips. He knew he looked calm and relaxed. He was anything but.
Cassius made sure to keep away from dark or harmful curses, it was too early for that. He knew that he could end it with a single spell, but he wanted to extend the fun. He mainly used third and fourth years spells. What she lacked in knowledge, she made up with raw power and agility. Her core reserves were impressive.
He dodged another blasting curse, and then decided to end the duel.
He disarmed her silently. Her wand flew his way; he caught it mid air, then took his time to sense it. It was vibrating with power and fire: Phoenix . Interesting.
Her eyes were wide like she couldn't believe how easily she lost. Taking a few steps forward, he gave her the wand back. She snatched it then stared at him in confusion.
''Don't forget that I am two years your senior. The aim of this duel wasn't to win, but to assess your mistakes and make sure to never repeat them.''
Harriet was strong, much like he was . He had no doubt that the fourteen year old will be able to do all the spells in time. He would be by her side to help her learn whatever she required.
Since yesterday, his time and resources were all hers.
'You never really know someone until you have seen them in their element.' Harriet mused silently.
This was Warrington's. His body was made for fighting: tall and lean. He was so calm and collected, but the moment he took his dueling stance, he changed to a warrior. All strong and sharp. His instincts were exceptional and he was extremely fast. He liked to give hope to his prey; she knew that he was holding back. And the silent casting, he never uttered a word during the fight. She had so much to learn.
Warrington's voice cut through her thoughts:''Alright, your stance needs a few adjustments; during the fight you let on some openings. Your spell range is rather limited but still good for a fourth year. What you do have in abundance is power. You should learn how to harness it and choose the right amount to let out.''
Harriet absorbed his words like a sponge. His assessment was straight to the point. She liked how direct and succinct he was. She didn't need people to sweeten the truth, she was well aware of her shortcomings.
She knew that she had to dedicate herself more to her studies, even though her deadly adventures were playing havoc with her concentration. She was aware that she wasted precious time playing chess with Ron or discussing quidditch strategies with Oliver, that she wasn't giving her all, that she was ignoring her instincts to excel and do better, to make her parents proud and honor their sacrifice.
But life with the Dursleys damaged her self esteem, her resolution, her dreams.
Time to change and take every single opportunity given to her.
''Show me.'' She replied locking her gaze with his.
The days following their first dueling lesson were draining to say the least.
Every night after dinner, Harriet sneaked out the dorms under her cloak and headed to the torture room as she called it. In fact she loved every minute of her time there. She appreciated what Warrington was teaching her. He even brought others to their meetings.
At first she was wary, she came to trust Warrington but she wasn't sure about the other snakes.
Yet, after a few sessions with Pucey, Montague and Urquhart, she came to 'tolerate' them and feel thankful for their help.
Montague and Urquhart were slave drivers with no mercy whatsoever; they drove her over her limits and then more.
Pucey on the other hand, liked to play with his prey before pouncing. The sly bastard.
Their friendship was something she came to cherish.
Who would've thought that Gryffindor Golden Girl was taught by the snakes?
She knew that the girls would teach her whatever she wanted if she just asked. But there was something different about the slytherins' approach. Warrington, who made all their plans, was so meticulous, so sharp, he left nothing to chance. She always thought that Hermione was the brightest person she'd ever met. She was wrong. Those weeks under his tutelage made her aware of how bright and strong he was. In addition to his calm demeanor, he was a great duelist. He perfected silent casting even though he was supposed to learn it this year. His spells collection was bottomless; she could see the gap in knowledge between him and his classmates every time they dueled. As a teacher, he was very patient and attentive to every detail.
The guy grew on her. She looked forward to their time together; it was the best part of her days.
She could already feel the improvement in her casting. Even in her classes, she became almost the first to master a new spell, which caused her no small deal of curious glances.
Warrington started teaching her wordless casting and she was excited to learn more.
Surprising her, again. He brought Daphne Greengrass, Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott with him tonight.
She didn't have previous encounters with them. And she couldn't remember them joining Malfoy in his taunts.
Her questions were answered when he explained:'' I think it's about time you become more acquainted with some slytherins in your year. Heiress Greengrass, Heir Zabini and Heir Nott are neutrals. They are a part of our court and well versed in what's going on right now. They want to be part of the coming fight.''
Harriet eyed the three carefully. She had classes with them since her first year but never had they said a word to each other.
''Pleasure to meet you officially Heiress Potter'' Stated Zabini smoothly, he took her hand then planted a kiss on her fingers. Nott did the same.
Harriet felt flustered from all the attention she was getting but she kept her mask in check. Her time with the slytherins taught her more than fighting. ''The pleasure is all mine. Heiress Greengrass. Heir Zabini, Heir Nott''.
Greengrass's icy gaze studied her meticulously, then she turned to Warrington who was looking amused:''Can we start?''
He inclined his head.''Tonight we won't be fighting. Zabini and Nott are the best in gathering information and devising plans. We finally learned what you'll be fighting next week.''
Harriet's heartbeat went sky high.
''Dragons.'' He stated simply.