Chapter 7
"Mr. Potter, please remain," ordered Professor McGonagall.
Harry looked up in time to catch the smirk on Hermione's face. His resolve hardened; she would never get her hands on any of his books again.
However, he kept his expression blank. "Yes, Professor?"
"Miss Granger informs me that you have taken some of her books."
"No, I haven't," Harry responded.
Professor McGonagall showed her surprise.
"They were actually my books," Harry explained, "as they came from the Black library."
"But the Headmaster…"
"Has no claim on Black property," Harry stated. "He was not even mentioned in Sirius' will. I am now Lord Black."
"I'm sure he thought that you would have no objection," began McGonagall.
"Yes, he often thinks I would have no objection to anything he chooses to do. Well, I do object."
McGonagall looked nonplussed. "Perhaps a compromise is in order? You could lend the books to Miss Granger."
"I could," agreed Harry amiably. "But I won't."
"The Headmaster…"
"Is as much my enemy as Voldemort!"
The professor gasped. "How can you say such a thing?"
"Because it's true! He dumped me on abusive muggles when I was a baby, did nothing to help my real guardian, and blatantly ignored my parents' will! Nor does he have much respect for my belongings. Well, I am now emancipated, and I intend to have as little to do with him as possible until I finish school. After that, I will have nothing to do with him!"
Harry vacated the classroom, leaving a speechless teacher behind.
"Wow, Potter. Maybe you shouldn't be so quick to burn your bridges. If you have to face You-Know-Who, you might need allies."
Harry whirled around to see a blonde girl, dressed in Slytherin colors, leaning against the wall.
Although he'd never spoken a single word to her, he knew her name: Daphne Greengrass, one of the most beautiful girls in Hogwarts, and definitely the prettiest in Harry's year.
"What I don't need," he said deliberately, "are allies apt to stab me in the back! There's a muggle saying: Better an honest enemy than a false friend."
She nodded slowly. "You know, Potter, I was about to ask you for a boon. Now, though…I do believe it would be much more satisfactory to offer you an alliance!"
"Why would you want that?" Harry asked slowly.
She drew him into an empty classroom and cast privacy spells. "I'm willing to trade my support for your protection."
Harry just stared in astonishment. "I don't even think I can protect myself, let alone you!"
"Not for me." She shook her head. "For my sister Astoria. If you will pledge to do your utmost to safeguard her, I'll stand by your side against your enemies. And your false friends!"
He studied her for a long silent moment. "Tell me more."
After he'd gone, she leaned against the wall and literally gasped for breath. She still couldn't believe she'd sworn a magical oath of allegiance to Harry Potter!
"What have I done," she whispered. Then her shoulders straightened and she shook back her long hair. "The best that I could."
"You're so good at chess." Lavender smiled at Ron. "I wish I knew how to play."
"I'll teach you," he offered at once.
She was quick to catch on, and he found himself thinking how nice it was to play someone who was actually interested in the game. Harry had a tendency to let his mind wander, and Ginny preferred competition with more physical activity, like quidditch.
"Ron!" Hermione was back. "We need to discuss Harry's behavior."
"But we're right in the middle of a match," he complained.
She brushed that off. "This is more important. Let's go!"
He didn't understand why he felt compelled to follow her. Lavender gave him a commiserating look as they left.
"It's ready." Andromeda Tonks bottled a phial of the lilac potion she'd just finished brewing. "Just in time for your posting to Hogwarts."
Tonks laughed. "I look forward to using it."
"Don't!" Andromeda scowled. "It's powerful…the strongest brew of Amortentia, and I also laced it with a loyalty potion. It will make Potter your slave!"
"And then I'll get him to readmit us to the House of Black!"
"Once he does, make sure he's finished," her mother cautioned. "We don't want him to do it again."
"I'll take care of it," Tonks nodded. "Where'd you find the instructions, anyway? Isn't it illegal?"
Andromeda nodded. "Yes. So don't get caught! As to where, it came from the Black library, of course. Dear Bella once used it on me, because I was the elder sister, and she didn't want me to have any chance of becoming heiress. No, Bella deliberately plotted to get me disowned. But I will have my revenge…it's the only reason I joined Dumbledore."
Tonks shifted uncomfortably. She was well-aware that her pureblood mother secretly despised her muggleborn father, but she could do without hearing it mentioned.
"I'll make use of this the minute I get to Hogwarts," she promised.
"I don't know, Albus." Remus Lupin looked at the Headmaster through haunted eyes. "How can I return, when everyone knows about my…condition?"
"Leave that to me. Severus will provide the wolfsbane, on condition that he will be teaching Defense this term. I've sent Hagrid to reason with the giants, so you will be teaching Care of Magical Creatures and serving as Groundskeeper. He is permitting you to stay in his hut, so you don't need to worry about threatening anyone in the castle. I need you on site, since Harry is proving intractable."
Remus groaned. "I knew I should have reached out to him after Sirius died! He must feel we all abandoned him."
"We did what we felt was best," Dumbledore said heavily. "Yet, now I question whether that was the right decision. You must try to get closer to Harry and make amends."
"I'll try." But Remus sounded hopeless.
Daphne found a seat beside Millie in the Slytherin common room. "What's going on?"
"Pansy's bragging that Draco has the mark," whispered Millie. "Do you think it's true?"
"I don't know." Daphne gazed across the room towards where the blond Slytherin lolled on one of the couches, surrounded by his followers. "Draco brags a lot."
"He keeps rubbing his left arm, though."
"Probably a way to tell everyone without telling anyone," Daphne decided. She would have to let Potter know at once.
Millie shifted position, wincing.
"Are you okay?" Daphne asked.
"Another stinging hex."
"Why not go to the Infirmary?" suggested Daphne.
"Been there too often. It's embarrassing! I should have stayed away from the Inquisitorial Squad," Millie admitted.
"Why didn't you?"
Millie grimaced. "Cowardice. I'm a half-blood."
Daphne understood. It was not easy to be a half-blood in Slytherin House; the other girl had probably joined in hope of protection. Now, she found herself targeted by both sides.
"I knew it!" Harry told the blonde girl. "I was certain Malfoy would take the mark as soon as he could. But nobody else would believe me."
"By nobody, you mean Weasley and Granger?" Daphne sneered. "Why are you even surprised?"
Harry was pulled up short. "What do you mean by that?"
"Well, they didn't believe you about the Tri-Wizard Tournament, did they?"
"Nobody did," Harry admitted.
Daphne gave him a look of sheer surprise. "Not true. I did!"
"Really?"
"Sure. I mean, you looked so stunned when your name came out of the goblet. And for your information, I never wore one of those ugly badges! Just because I'm in Slytherin, I don't automatically detest you…especially since I look to you to keep my sister safe."
"Er, fine. I appreciate that, Greengrass. "
Harry headed back to Gryffindor, still thinking about Daphne. He'd been curiously touched when she'd confided her belief in him.
Then too, she was so very pretty!
No. Not prettier than Ginny!
You know she is, said the annoying little voice in his head.
They're both pretty!
But Daphne is prettier, insisted the voice.
Stop that!
A/N: Travelling, so no updates for a while! Sorry, and thanks for reading.