I have a new fic! Finished! You all have to read it, I might post it here
but it will definitely be at my live-journal first, address
ting to get scared that it's only her who ever
reads me.
Draco paused, thinking he had seen a flash of misery on his friend's face, but if he had it was quickly disguised by a laugh.
"Yeah right, Draco."
They lapsed into a silence that to Draco didn't seem entirely companionable; Harry seemed to be thinking of something else. His eyes were fixed on a spot on the wall and his face was pale.
"Harry? You alright?"
There was no response and it occurred to Draco that perhaps he should leave Harry alone; maybe he wanted some solitude.
"Oi! Harry!"
Still no response, although Harry's breathing had sped up and he was clutching the sheets. Tentatively, Draco reached forwards and touched Harry's shoulder. The effect was instantaneous. Harry shot back, eyes wide and looked confused.
"Draco?"
"What happened?" asked Draco, his eyes worried. Harry shrugged.
"I don't know. I was just thinking."
"What in Merlin's name were you thinking about to make you go so pale?"
"Nothing" said Harry, more curtly than Draco could remember him ever speaking. A gust of wind whipped around the room, rustling Draco's head. Ominous wind, the feeling of danger. He looked sharply at Harry, who's eyes were unfocussed.
"Harry!"
As he had expected, Harry snapped back into himself and instantly shrank back as though expecting to be hit. But Draco was getting used to this now. He backed off far enough to let Harry relax, and then pulled the door open.
"I should go" he said softly. Harry blinked, and leaped out of bed.
"Not without me!"
"You're ill!"
"I feel better. And I hate it in here. Oh c'mon, Draco."
Shrugging, Draco allowed the other boy to bounce out in front of him, wondering how he could become so happy from so miserable just a few minutes earlier.
********************************************************
Severus sat in his study, remembering things that he wished he didn't. In front of him lay a yearbook, showing pictures of smiling witches and wizards. One in particular, a young witch named Hazalea Frothwick. A quiet, kind girl, for a Slytherin. Very good at charms, Severus remembered. A chaser on the Quidditch team, although never great at the sport. Now there was a black outline to her photo, which was smiling slightly. Now he could see how fake the smile was. She had left 5 years after Severus arrived, and committed suicide. Suicide was so rare in the wizarding community that it had caused a wide-spread ripple of concern. And to none more so than Severus.
After her death, being her head of House, he had enquired with her parents about her death. Suspicious of their apathy, he had asked friends about her home life. None of them knew - she had never invited friends over to her house, or talked about her parents. It was not until her diary was found in pile of school books that the truth came out; that she had been emotionally abused by her parents from a young age, and had joined the Death Eaters in an attempt to make them care for her. It had backfired and they had been furious. Leaving the school, she had fallen into despair, and killed herself with Avada Kedavra. Severus had never truly forgiven himself for never getting to know her, even though the rational part of his mind told him that if her friends hadn't known then nobody else could have.
The girl in the photograph smiled cryptically and turned away, and Severus closed the album with a sigh. He would be late for his lessons.
*****************************************************
Harry had stopped coming to Transfiguration now. He had such a talent for it that it was decided he was superfluous to the lessons, and he spent the time reading in the library, or practising any other subjects with a free teacher. He had found an interest in Arithmancy, and spent many free lessons poring over numerology charts. He had tried to explain it to Draco, but the other boy had no idea what he was talking about, so he soon gave up. Talking to Professor Sinastra helped; she explained that the actual focus of Arithmancy was answering questions through contacting currents of information that ran though the air, invisible and intangible to anyone but the most astute of Arithmancers.
It was odd, seeing as Harry had always found maths at Muggle School tricky, but Arithmancy came easily. As such, he could only find answers to the most basic questions; what colour hair he had, where Crabbe and Goyle were. More soul-searching ones would require him to bare his soul to the power of the stones. He had tried, once, to let them suck him in, but the rushing wind and constant pulling had been too much power for him to handle and he was scared to try again.
Just then he heard the sound of rushing footsteps, and levered himself out of the comfy chair he had transfigured in the Library. He had charms next, which was boring. He didn't find it as amazingly simple as Transfiguration, mainly because they moved so slowly through the work that everyone could do everything they had covered, and there seemed to be no room for improvement. But still, it was an opportunity to see Draco.
Standing up, he had to pause for a moment to control his dizziness. He had not eaten that day, stupidly. It just didn't occur to him; he was never hungry because he was so unused to having food in his stomach. Conversely, the nagging emptiness in his stomach gave him focus and concentration. It was rather a nice feeling.
"Draco" he called, hurrying up the corridor to catch up with his friend. Draco turned around looking curiously at Harry.
"Are you alright? You're walking all wavy."
"Yeah, I'm fine. Looking forwards to charms?"
Draco stuck his tongue out playfully, and neither of them noticed the dark eyes following them around the corner.
***********************************************
Severus had nearly run into Harry coming out of the Library, and had been going to speak to him when Harry sped up and wove his way down the corridor. He didn't look steady on his feet; unsurprising, seeing as he should still be in the Infirmary with the fever he was running. Draco said something in concern, and Harry brushed it off smoothly before the two boys walked off to their next lesson, and Severus watched, suspicious as ever.
**************************************************
"Now, we will be practising Wingardium Leviosa again today" squeaked Flitwick, and Harry rolled his eyes. Immediately he froze, remembering what had happened at the Dursleys when he had pulled faces, but no pain seemed to be forthcoming.
"Again" grumbled Draco. "Honestly, if my father knew, I don't know what he'd say."
Harry sneered, shocking himself with his cynicism. He loved Draco dearly in a brotherly way, but his high-class upbringing really stood out sometimes and annoyed the hell out of Harry. Sometimes Draco could just sound like Dudley, obnoxious and spoilt, and it was one of Harry's pet hates.
"Harry!"
Flitwick glared at Harry, who glared back, eliciting a sharp intake of breath from Draco.
"If you don't mind, we are working on the levitating charm."
"Yes sir" said Harry insolently, leaning back casually. Flitwick looked like he wanted to make something of it, but was disturbed by a Gryffindor girl's hand going up.
"Please, sir, what do we do when we've mastered this?"
Flitwick smiled kindly on her, all twinkling.
"Well, come and see me, and we'll find you something a bit more exciting."
"Sir" said Harry, raising his hand, "I've done it too."
"Indeed? Well, let me see then?"
Harry levitated the feather so it floated a little above his desk. Flicking his wand, it traced a pattern above Harry's head before he cancelled the spell and allowed it to drift down onto the desk.
"Yes yes, very good. Mr Potter, keep working on it, Miss Granger, you may try a Banishing Hex."
Harry flushed with anger, and Draco would have risen to complain had Harry not pulled him back down.
"That was a perfect charm! Why wouldn't he let you do something else?"
Harry shrugged, gritting his teeth. He already disliked the arrogant Gryffindor witch who was now looking over at him with ill-concealed pride. He smirked dangerously back at her, and unlocked the tight hold he kept on his power. The power that Lucius and Draco had felt on the first day they met him. Beside him, Draco stiffened and edged away. Harry's eyes glowed in an almost unearthly way before he reigned his power back in, just using a little more than usual to levitate not only his feather, but every other one in the room. They stuck to the ceiling, fluttering slightly in the wind of power that flowed around Harry. He smiled, sweetly, and allowed the feathers to drift down to the table.
"Sorry, lost control a little" he said innocently and grinned. He certainly wasn't expecting Flitwick's reaction.
"Class dismissed" he said tersely. "Potter, come with me. Someone request Professor Snape to come to the Headmaster's office immediately, whatever lesson he is in."
Chattering in hushed voices, the students all filtered out, as Flitwick escorted Harry towards the Headmaster's office, an indiscernible expression on his usually jolly face.
Draco paused, thinking he had seen a flash of misery on his friend's face, but if he had it was quickly disguised by a laugh.
"Yeah right, Draco."
They lapsed into a silence that to Draco didn't seem entirely companionable; Harry seemed to be thinking of something else. His eyes were fixed on a spot on the wall and his face was pale.
"Harry? You alright?"
There was no response and it occurred to Draco that perhaps he should leave Harry alone; maybe he wanted some solitude.
"Oi! Harry!"
Still no response, although Harry's breathing had sped up and he was clutching the sheets. Tentatively, Draco reached forwards and touched Harry's shoulder. The effect was instantaneous. Harry shot back, eyes wide and looked confused.
"Draco?"
"What happened?" asked Draco, his eyes worried. Harry shrugged.
"I don't know. I was just thinking."
"What in Merlin's name were you thinking about to make you go so pale?"
"Nothing" said Harry, more curtly than Draco could remember him ever speaking. A gust of wind whipped around the room, rustling Draco's head. Ominous wind, the feeling of danger. He looked sharply at Harry, who's eyes were unfocussed.
"Harry!"
As he had expected, Harry snapped back into himself and instantly shrank back as though expecting to be hit. But Draco was getting used to this now. He backed off far enough to let Harry relax, and then pulled the door open.
"I should go" he said softly. Harry blinked, and leaped out of bed.
"Not without me!"
"You're ill!"
"I feel better. And I hate it in here. Oh c'mon, Draco."
Shrugging, Draco allowed the other boy to bounce out in front of him, wondering how he could become so happy from so miserable just a few minutes earlier.
********************************************************
Severus sat in his study, remembering things that he wished he didn't. In front of him lay a yearbook, showing pictures of smiling witches and wizards. One in particular, a young witch named Hazalea Frothwick. A quiet, kind girl, for a Slytherin. Very good at charms, Severus remembered. A chaser on the Quidditch team, although never great at the sport. Now there was a black outline to her photo, which was smiling slightly. Now he could see how fake the smile was. She had left 5 years after Severus arrived, and committed suicide. Suicide was so rare in the wizarding community that it had caused a wide-spread ripple of concern. And to none more so than Severus.
After her death, being her head of House, he had enquired with her parents about her death. Suspicious of their apathy, he had asked friends about her home life. None of them knew - she had never invited friends over to her house, or talked about her parents. It was not until her diary was found in pile of school books that the truth came out; that she had been emotionally abused by her parents from a young age, and had joined the Death Eaters in an attempt to make them care for her. It had backfired and they had been furious. Leaving the school, she had fallen into despair, and killed herself with Avada Kedavra. Severus had never truly forgiven himself for never getting to know her, even though the rational part of his mind told him that if her friends hadn't known then nobody else could have.
The girl in the photograph smiled cryptically and turned away, and Severus closed the album with a sigh. He would be late for his lessons.
*****************************************************
Harry had stopped coming to Transfiguration now. He had such a talent for it that it was decided he was superfluous to the lessons, and he spent the time reading in the library, or practising any other subjects with a free teacher. He had found an interest in Arithmancy, and spent many free lessons poring over numerology charts. He had tried to explain it to Draco, but the other boy had no idea what he was talking about, so he soon gave up. Talking to Professor Sinastra helped; she explained that the actual focus of Arithmancy was answering questions through contacting currents of information that ran though the air, invisible and intangible to anyone but the most astute of Arithmancers.
It was odd, seeing as Harry had always found maths at Muggle School tricky, but Arithmancy came easily. As such, he could only find answers to the most basic questions; what colour hair he had, where Crabbe and Goyle were. More soul-searching ones would require him to bare his soul to the power of the stones. He had tried, once, to let them suck him in, but the rushing wind and constant pulling had been too much power for him to handle and he was scared to try again.
Just then he heard the sound of rushing footsteps, and levered himself out of the comfy chair he had transfigured in the Library. He had charms next, which was boring. He didn't find it as amazingly simple as Transfiguration, mainly because they moved so slowly through the work that everyone could do everything they had covered, and there seemed to be no room for improvement. But still, it was an opportunity to see Draco.
Standing up, he had to pause for a moment to control his dizziness. He had not eaten that day, stupidly. It just didn't occur to him; he was never hungry because he was so unused to having food in his stomach. Conversely, the nagging emptiness in his stomach gave him focus and concentration. It was rather a nice feeling.
"Draco" he called, hurrying up the corridor to catch up with his friend. Draco turned around looking curiously at Harry.
"Are you alright? You're walking all wavy."
"Yeah, I'm fine. Looking forwards to charms?"
Draco stuck his tongue out playfully, and neither of them noticed the dark eyes following them around the corner.
***********************************************
Severus had nearly run into Harry coming out of the Library, and had been going to speak to him when Harry sped up and wove his way down the corridor. He didn't look steady on his feet; unsurprising, seeing as he should still be in the Infirmary with the fever he was running. Draco said something in concern, and Harry brushed it off smoothly before the two boys walked off to their next lesson, and Severus watched, suspicious as ever.
**************************************************
"Now, we will be practising Wingardium Leviosa again today" squeaked Flitwick, and Harry rolled his eyes. Immediately he froze, remembering what had happened at the Dursleys when he had pulled faces, but no pain seemed to be forthcoming.
"Again" grumbled Draco. "Honestly, if my father knew, I don't know what he'd say."
Harry sneered, shocking himself with his cynicism. He loved Draco dearly in a brotherly way, but his high-class upbringing really stood out sometimes and annoyed the hell out of Harry. Sometimes Draco could just sound like Dudley, obnoxious and spoilt, and it was one of Harry's pet hates.
"Harry!"
Flitwick glared at Harry, who glared back, eliciting a sharp intake of breath from Draco.
"If you don't mind, we are working on the levitating charm."
"Yes sir" said Harry insolently, leaning back casually. Flitwick looked like he wanted to make something of it, but was disturbed by a Gryffindor girl's hand going up.
"Please, sir, what do we do when we've mastered this?"
Flitwick smiled kindly on her, all twinkling.
"Well, come and see me, and we'll find you something a bit more exciting."
"Sir" said Harry, raising his hand, "I've done it too."
"Indeed? Well, let me see then?"
Harry levitated the feather so it floated a little above his desk. Flicking his wand, it traced a pattern above Harry's head before he cancelled the spell and allowed it to drift down onto the desk.
"Yes yes, very good. Mr Potter, keep working on it, Miss Granger, you may try a Banishing Hex."
Harry flushed with anger, and Draco would have risen to complain had Harry not pulled him back down.
"That was a perfect charm! Why wouldn't he let you do something else?"
Harry shrugged, gritting his teeth. He already disliked the arrogant Gryffindor witch who was now looking over at him with ill-concealed pride. He smirked dangerously back at her, and unlocked the tight hold he kept on his power. The power that Lucius and Draco had felt on the first day they met him. Beside him, Draco stiffened and edged away. Harry's eyes glowed in an almost unearthly way before he reigned his power back in, just using a little more than usual to levitate not only his feather, but every other one in the room. They stuck to the ceiling, fluttering slightly in the wind of power that flowed around Harry. He smiled, sweetly, and allowed the feathers to drift down to the table.
"Sorry, lost control a little" he said innocently and grinned. He certainly wasn't expecting Flitwick's reaction.
"Class dismissed" he said tersely. "Potter, come with me. Someone request Professor Snape to come to the Headmaster's office immediately, whatever lesson he is in."
Chattering in hushed voices, the students all filtered out, as Flitwick escorted Harry towards the Headmaster's office, an indiscernible expression on his usually jolly face.
