Xenith
Chapter Forty-three
"Where are we going?" Harry asked as they rounded the corner of the castle, going a way, Harry realised, he'd never been before.
"The gardens," Higgs responded drearily. "You really should see them, they're beautiful this time of year."
"Higgs," Harry said, trying to sound threatening. He didn't think it worked, however, he was quite tired.
"This is the route we are going to take every morning on our daily jogs," Higgs answered, reaching into his cloak pocket and pulling on his gloves.
"What?" Harry asked, wishing only for further elaboration, the surprise of receiving new instructors had managed to wear off quite some time ago. "What am I training for now?"
"Oh, this is just so you'll be physically fit when the time comes for you to _really_ face off against the Dark Lord."
Harry nodded. "Hey, Higgs?"
"Yeah?"
"Why is it you're on our side? I mean, you still call him 'the Dark Lord'. What's your deal?"
"What's anyone's deal, Potter?" Higgs asked.
"Do you expect me to answer that?"
"_I_ only expect ONE thing from you, Harry Potter."
"That being?"
"That, when the time comes for you to face the Dark Lord, you stand up strong and except whatever hand you're dealt."
"You think I might lose then?" Harry stuffed his hands into his pockets and snuck a sidelong glance at Terence.
"I think that you're only human and humans have a tendency to fail," Terence shot back. "Look."
"Wha---" Harry looked up from his shoes, his breath catching in his throat as his senses were overwhelmed by the sight before him. "How come I've never seen these before?" Harry asked, walking further into the gardens, touching a crystallised flower bud with his rough fingertips.
"Because you've never taken the time to look," Higgs answered simply, following a few paces behind Harry. "You'd be surprised how many things you can see if you just take the time to look. Observation, Harry, observation."
Harry turned back to Terence at the sound of his first name but said nothing.
"This is just one of many gardens on this side of the castle, come along," Terence led Harry through the gardens and up a path into the mountains, the way leading back towards Hogsmeade Station. "Now, the jog is quite long, and you mustn't take it by yourself. Understand?"
"Why?"
"Because going this far away from the castle isn't safe," Harry was about to interrupt that he was perfectly capable of taking care of himself, but Terence interrupted. "Being this far away from the castle isn't safe for anyone, Harry, just you especially."
"Just what's that supposed mean?" Harry demanded.
"You know exactly what that means."
Harry ignored him, trudging away from Terence.
"Look, this is where we'll be turning to go back to the castle."
Harry turned round and headed back towards the castle with Terence.
"It's a three mile jog, you think you can handle that everyday?" Terence asked, trying to remain civil against Harry's constant wall of anger and distrust.
"I can handle it," Harry snapped.
"What's you're deal, Potter?" Terence said, stopping and grabbing Harry's shoulder and turning him roughly to face him.
"What?" Harry demanded, shaking Terence's hand off of him.
"What the hell is wrong with you? You're always pushing everyone away and---"
"And what?! Losing all of my friends?" Harry advanced on Terence. "You don't think all of this is killing me, Terence? Who the hell do you---"
"I know exactly who I am, Harry," Terence grabbed hold of the collar if his Quidditch robes and pulled his face up to his, their noses brushing. "The question is, who do you think you are?"
---
¸..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ ·´¨¨))
((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:- tbc -:¦:-
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´*
A/N: Okay, sorry it took so long and I'm sooo sorry it's so short. But at least it's here, right? Well, the next one's already in the works so it should be out shortly. But who knows? School starts soon so we'll never know!!!
Chapter Forty-three
"Where are we going?" Harry asked as they rounded the corner of the castle, going a way, Harry realised, he'd never been before.
"The gardens," Higgs responded drearily. "You really should see them, they're beautiful this time of year."
"Higgs," Harry said, trying to sound threatening. He didn't think it worked, however, he was quite tired.
"This is the route we are going to take every morning on our daily jogs," Higgs answered, reaching into his cloak pocket and pulling on his gloves.
"What?" Harry asked, wishing only for further elaboration, the surprise of receiving new instructors had managed to wear off quite some time ago. "What am I training for now?"
"Oh, this is just so you'll be physically fit when the time comes for you to _really_ face off against the Dark Lord."
Harry nodded. "Hey, Higgs?"
"Yeah?"
"Why is it you're on our side? I mean, you still call him 'the Dark Lord'. What's your deal?"
"What's anyone's deal, Potter?" Higgs asked.
"Do you expect me to answer that?"
"_I_ only expect ONE thing from you, Harry Potter."
"That being?"
"That, when the time comes for you to face the Dark Lord, you stand up strong and except whatever hand you're dealt."
"You think I might lose then?" Harry stuffed his hands into his pockets and snuck a sidelong glance at Terence.
"I think that you're only human and humans have a tendency to fail," Terence shot back. "Look."
"Wha---" Harry looked up from his shoes, his breath catching in his throat as his senses were overwhelmed by the sight before him. "How come I've never seen these before?" Harry asked, walking further into the gardens, touching a crystallised flower bud with his rough fingertips.
"Because you've never taken the time to look," Higgs answered simply, following a few paces behind Harry. "You'd be surprised how many things you can see if you just take the time to look. Observation, Harry, observation."
Harry turned back to Terence at the sound of his first name but said nothing.
"This is just one of many gardens on this side of the castle, come along," Terence led Harry through the gardens and up a path into the mountains, the way leading back towards Hogsmeade Station. "Now, the jog is quite long, and you mustn't take it by yourself. Understand?"
"Why?"
"Because going this far away from the castle isn't safe," Harry was about to interrupt that he was perfectly capable of taking care of himself, but Terence interrupted. "Being this far away from the castle isn't safe for anyone, Harry, just you especially."
"Just what's that supposed mean?" Harry demanded.
"You know exactly what that means."
Harry ignored him, trudging away from Terence.
"Look, this is where we'll be turning to go back to the castle."
Harry turned round and headed back towards the castle with Terence.
"It's a three mile jog, you think you can handle that everyday?" Terence asked, trying to remain civil against Harry's constant wall of anger and distrust.
"I can handle it," Harry snapped.
"What's you're deal, Potter?" Terence said, stopping and grabbing Harry's shoulder and turning him roughly to face him.
"What?" Harry demanded, shaking Terence's hand off of him.
"What the hell is wrong with you? You're always pushing everyone away and---"
"And what?! Losing all of my friends?" Harry advanced on Terence. "You don't think all of this is killing me, Terence? Who the hell do you---"
"I know exactly who I am, Harry," Terence grabbed hold of the collar if his Quidditch robes and pulled his face up to his, their noses brushing. "The question is, who do you think you are?"
---
¸..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ ·´¨¨))
((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:- tbc -:¦:-
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´*
A/N: Okay, sorry it took so long and I'm sooo sorry it's so short. But at least it's here, right? Well, the next one's already in the works so it should be out shortly. But who knows? School starts soon so we'll never know!!!