CHAPTER FOUR: A Surprise Discovery

"Is this corner quiet enough for you?" Harry asked when he finally mustered the courage to approach the table where the Slytherin new comer sat, alone of course, with a pile of books surrounding her.

Mystyk lifted her jet-black head from the book she was reading, a look of surprise crossing her rare shade of violet eyes.

"I'm--I'm sorry. I--I didn't mean to bother you." Harry apologized awkwardly, stepping away from the new girl's table.

"Oh, it's no bother. You just...caught me unaware, that's all." She smiled encouragingly at Harry and motioned for the seat across from her, "Please, do join me. It's been awfully quiet on this side of the library for me." she started moving some of her books aside to make room for some of Harry's stuff.

"Are--are you sure I'm not interrupting you?" Harry was still unsure if he was indeed welcome at this table. After all she's a member of the Slytherin House, in the years since he first started at Hogwarts he knew students residing in Slytherin aren't all that trustworthy.

"Don't worry. I'm not like my other housemates. You can trust me, but I know you can't just take my word for it. I must earn your trust, mustn't I?" she quickly reassured him, surprising Harry at how well she knew what he was thinking about. "You looked surprised." she noted of Harry's dumbstruck expression.

"Uh...actually I am surprised." there's no point denying the obvious. His face told him away and it would be bad to pretend that he wasn't surprised at what she just said. "How--"

"I'm psychic." she replied before he could finish his question, "At least that's what Professor Dumbledore told me." she shrugged and sat back, smiling rather shyly at him. "I'm Mystyk, by the way." she reached over the table and over the books lying before her.

Harry clasped her outstretched hand and gave it a firm shake, noticing how smooth her hand felt, and how small it is in his hand.

"I know who you are already, Mystyk Rydel." Harry grinned.

Mystyk blushed and took her hand back. "Oh yeah, Professor Dumbledore made that announcement to everyone."

"Yeah. Must be very embarrassing for you to walk out in front of everybody."

"Oh, you have no idea."

Harry chuckled, "I'm Harry, by the way."

"Hello, Harry." she smiled sweetly, her head slightly tilted to the side as she gazed at him.

"Hullo, Mystyk." Harry lowered his gaze to the book he placed before him. He couldn't concentrate much when she's looking at him like that.

"Well, well, if it isn't Harry Pothead making friends with the new girl." came Draco's sneering remark from behind Harry.

Both Mystyk and Harry's snapped up and turned to look at Draco flanked by his usual trusty--if not empty-headed--bodyguards, Crabbe and Goyle.

"Draco!" Mystyk scolded, "That's not a good thing to say. Besides, what has Harry done to you for you to be this mean to him?" she questioned, crossing her arms over the page of the book she was reading.

Draco looked flustered at the condescending tone Mystyk just used on him. For a couple of months now since Mystyk started at Hogwarts Draco tried to win her affection, get her to like him and talk to him with the same expression he glimpsed on her pretty face when she and Potter were sitting alone in this little corner of the library. But every time he opens his mouth he gets the feeling that Mystyk is only pretending to be nice to him. He's not used to having that kind of feeling, especially when the cause of him feeling that way comes from a girl nonetheless.

Mystyk heard each and every word Draco's thought uttered, and she couldn't help herself from feeling guilty for the way she has been treating him since her first night at Hogwarts, when Pansy Parkinson made sure that Mystyk is well aware of the other girl's claim on Draco Malfoy.

"What do you care, Rydel? You're a fifth year student stuck with the first years, and yet I don't see you coming or going from one class to another." Draco barked at her.

"That's because I don't have classes with the first years, Draco." Mystyk replied calmly, her smile never faltering. She knew what is going on inside Draco's head. He's trying to be mean to her to hide what he's really feeling, but too bad for him she can read minds. She knows exactly what is going through his head right now.

"You don't?" Draco couldn't help himself from looking flabbergasted. "H-how--"

"I am being tutored and I think I'm ready to tackle fifth-year lessons after the Christmas holiday." she told him proudly. "Now, is there anything else you need from Harry or myself? If there isn't any more would you three mind leaving Harry and I alone please? We've got a whole lot of studying to do."

Draco knew when he had been dismissed. Bowing his head stiffly at Mystyk's direction, he silently backed away from the table Harry and Mystyk were occupying, but before he turned his back to them he sent Harry a chilling glare, warning him of a payback worse than most of the things he has done to him in the past.

"Uh-oh." Mystyk sighed once Draco and company were out of earshot.

Harry frowned and turned to her, "Uh-oh what? Are you okay?" he asked worriedly.

"I'm fine, Harry. It's just that...I read Draco's thoughts and...well, let's just say that what I read didn't sound at all too good." she bit on her lower lip as she turned to look at Harry, "I'm sorry Harry. I shouldn't have goaded Draco like that. Now he's really mad at you."

"Mad at me?" Harry's eyes grew wider behind his round specs, "What did I do to him?"

By standing against his way. Mystyk didn't want to tell him that. He wouldn't understand. It will only confuse him more.

"Standing against his way to what?" Harry asked, a frown creasing his forehead, the lightning scar on his forehead visible through his messy dark hair concealing it from everyone being scrunched as well.

Mystyk looked horrified when Harry voiced out his question.

"W--what did you just say?"

"You said I'm standing against Draco's way." Harry said casually.

"I didn't say anything, Harry." she denied. Of course she said it, but she said it in her head not out loud!

"But I heard you say it." he insisted.

"Harry, listen to me. I didn't say anything out loud."

"But--"

"I was thinking about what you said you heard me say."

"What?" Harry blanched. "Are--are you sure?"

"Yes." she nodded.

"Then why did I hear it?"

Mystyk shrugged. She doesn't know either.

"I couldn't be a psychic too, could I now?" he asked after a while.

"Has this happened to you before?"

"You mean hear what others are thinking?"

"Yes."

"No. But there was that incident back in my second year at Hogwarts when I could hear voices and nobody else can. Turns out I am a Parseltongue." he shrugged.

"A parsel-what?"

"A Parseltongue. I can understand the language snakes uses. And there was that incident three years ago where a large snake got was on the loose here in school. It uses the pipes hidden behind walls to get around that's why I could hear it." he explained.

"Whoa!"

"It was scary, but cool too when I come to think about it now." he chuckled.

"But Harry, I am not a snake and I obviously am not a Parseltongue." she pointed out.

"I know. And you didn't say anything out loud?"

"No." she shook her head firmly.

"Then that could only mean..." his voice falter and slowly his gaze sought and met Mystyk's, the answer to what just happened quite obvious.