After the Dawn: The Philosopher's Stone
Chapter Thirteen: Friends
Whistling softly, Harry wandered through the castle on Monday morning, meandering slowly in the direction of breakfast. It was December now, and snow covered the grounds, the outside windows of the castle were often frosted over and a chill seemed to have seeped its way inside somehow.
But Harry didn't care. With Sirius around, it had been easy enough get his godfather to place a proper warming charm, so that Harry wouldn't expend his own energy using Wandless forms of magic to keep warm.
His upper body was still delicately sprinkled with sparkling blue flecks, left over from the prank the Friday before. He was one of the few that hadn't attempted to remove the flecks, since he knew all too well that they would simply turn to more embarrassing colours.
When asked why he was not trying to get rid of the flecks, which simply transferred to new clothing if an individual tried to get rid of them that way, he just shrugged and said that he thought they were pretty, and that he was sure that they would disappear of their own accord, and that he liked them fine as blue.
Since he was known to be a little eccentric, everyone simply accepted this as one of little 'things'.
That morning in the Great Hall, most people arrived late, dressed warmly but still shivering and huddling together to keep warm. Harry, however, sat aside from the main group of Gryffindors, as he always did.
Again, no one even thought to question him.
Today Sirius was staying up in the common room, lounging in front of the fire – Harry didn't blame his godfather at all. It wasn't all that nice down in the castle.
Sirius and Harry had decided that Sirius shouldn't accompany his godson quite so often. It wasn't as if Harry couldn't take care of himself, and he knew his way around perfectly by now. Before they had liked to stick together, because it was familiar, but that was no longer strictly necessary.
So Harry was alone this Monday morning, which was different. Everyone noticed the absence of 'Ardeo', and a few of the braver students asked about him.
"No, he's fine, it's just very cold this morning, I thought he'd be more comfortable in the common room," he told Neville and Hermione, when they came over to ask.
"Do you mind if we sit with you?" Hermione asked tentatively.
"You can if you want to," Harry replied, shrugging. "I don't really mind."
"Thanks," Neville said, sitting beside Harry, with Hermione on his other side. They were obviously trying not to swamp him.
"That prank was quite something," Neville said, "The sparkly things are really cool!"
"I know," Harry lifted his arms slightly to display his collection the sparkles.
"They are nice, and all," Hermione said uncertainly, "but I think that whoever did that was a bit silly – if Professor Snape catches them, I don't know what he'll do!"
"Then we can hope for whoever it was that did the prank doesn't get caught," Harry said blandly.
"Do you know who it was?" Neville asked with interest.
"I might," Harry replied.
"You should tell a teacher if you know, shouldn't you?" Hermione asked. "That would be the proper thing to do."
"I don't want that person to be caught," Harry said firmly, and Hermione ducked her head, unwilling to come to a confrontation. "I've never lived my life by a rule book, and I don't intend to start now."
Hermione blushed a deep red, and Harry was a little remorseful to realise that he'd embarrassed her quite deeply. "But I have nothing against those who do," he sighed, and she cheered up immediately.
"Are you going home for Christmas?" Hermione asked, trying to make conversation.
"For the first week," Harry replied, "but I'm coming back early."
This was part of his and Sirius's plan.
"I'm going to be home the whole time," Hermione told him.
"I'm staying," Neville added.
"Maybe I'll see you in the last week," Harry remarked.
"I'd like that," Neville said, with obvious sincerity.
Harry was touched, in some vague way. "Would you two like to come and visit with me at Hagrid's this afternoon after classes?" he offered.
"Oh! Yes, if you want us to come," Hermione looked astounded. Harry answered their questions and occasionally made polite conversation, but he'd never actually asked them to accompany him anywhere.
"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want you to come," Harry pointed out, somewhat testily.
Hermione held up her hands in a peace gesture, and the conversation subsided as they tucked into breakfast.
"Aren't you cold?" Neville wondered as they walked up to Transfiguration after breakfast that morning.
"No," Harry replied.
Silence grew between them, since neither of Harry's companions wanted to provoke him into sending them away, which they knew all to well that he would, if he got annoyed.
In transfiguration, the three sat together, down the front for once. They were working on transfiguring beetles into buttons, and Neville was having some difficulty. Hermione had needed four tries to get the spell right, but Harry hadn't even tried it once yet, he was trying to help Neville, while Hermione made a little pile of buttons on her desk.
Finally Neville got the spell right, and Harry turned to his own beetles. From watching his two companions, he'd seen what not to do, and so he waved his wand and muttered in the incarnation. A moment later there was a button sitting on his desk.
He smiled faintly. Beatles into buttons … What was the point? Well, he supposed it was a good easy spell to teach people, and if you lost a button in the middle of a bug farm or something it might be useful, but it would be easier to learn to just summon the old button back again, really.
By the end of the lesson, even Neville had quite a collection of buttons. "Nemo?" he asked nervously as they left the classroom and headed for Charms, "could you help me later to make sure that I can remember the spell?"
"Yeah, sure," Harry replied with a faint shrug. "But why not ask Hermione?"
"Because she talks to fast," Neville said sadly. "I've tried asking her for help before."
"Don't worry, we'll have you remembering all the spells you learn in no time at all," Harry smiled at the nervous boy. He knew what had happened to Neville's parents, and he was fairly sure that Neville's home life had not been the easiest, since his carers would most likely want him to replace his parents as a great wizard.
Neville was practically glowing with happiness as they walked into Charms class. Harry once again sat near to Neville and Hermione.
The day passed swiftly and soon enough the three students made their way down to Hagrid's hut. "Well, you took my advice eh, Nemo?" Hagrid asked with a wide smile, seeing Harry in the company of Neville and Hermione.
Harry shrugged slightly. "I took a lot of people's advice … To an extent," he replied coolly.
"That's enough lad," Hagrid replied. "How are you three?"
There were positive replies from everyone, though both Neville and Hermione complained about the cold. "Bin learning lots?"
"Yes!" Hermione said enthusiastically, and treated Hagrid to an in-depth report of what had happened in classes over the past little while.
"Hagrid, you know something about that dog in the castle, you know what it's guarding … You have to tell me, or talk to Dumbledore. Whatever is hidden is being looked for," Harry said, leaning forward to try and make Hagrid understand how important it was.
"I can't, Nemo. It's safe, Dumbledore knew that it would be in danger, but him and Nicholas Flammel, they know that it needs to be hidden here …"
Hagrid trailed off. Harry had sent a quiet glare at both Neville and Hermione, warning them to keep silent. "Just remind him again, Hagrid, please," Harry told the man. "I really feel that more guardians are necessary."
"It's got plenty of guards," Hagrid informed Harry. "You don't need to worry your head over it."
Harry shrugged. He'd found out what he needed to, even if he'd convinced Hagrid that he'd missed it. The threesome finished their visit with Hagrid and headed for the school with Sirius following behind, in the form of a red dog.
"I'll see you later," Harry told Neville and Hermione at the entrance hall, and headed away with Sirius at his heels.
"Bye Nemo," they replied, and headed on their own way to the library, with Hermione bullying Neville into studying, since he didn't seem to be getting the basics of magic which they were learning so far.
Harry and Sirius made their own way through the castle, just wandering alone down abandoned corridors and skulking through lifeless towers and rooms.
Their wanderings were aimless, each just relishing the sense of solitude, overlain with the delight of each others company. They thought of each other as an extension of themselves, there could be no intrusion between them.
Eventually they made their way back up the Gryffindor tower, where Fred and George were tormenting their younger brother, Ron. Percy, Harry knew from the Marauders Map, was out on rounds, so there wasn't anyone who was going to stop the Weasley twins.
Apparently, they'd stolen Scabbers, Ron's rat, and were holding him a little too close to the fire for comfort, while Ron desperately tried to get him back.
"Guys, give it to him," Harry murmured on the way past. "Steal something that's not alive if you want to do that again."
Fred and George, to the surprise of everyone else, gave Scabbers back to Ron, who looked to be on the point of tears. Rather than thank Harry, Ron gave him a vicious glare, as if to say – I didn't need your help!
"Ungrateful little brat," George muttered, watching Ron race upstairs to the boys dormitories, holding tightly onto Scabbers, who was looking plainly terrified.
"It's not fair to hurt another living thing while trying to annoy your brother," Harry murmured to Fred and George. "Try one of his chess pieces next time."
Fred and George nodded. They knew that hurting something else probably shouldn't be done, but hadn't been able to resist the lure. "Chess piece … They make noise, but they aren't real – I like it, Nemo!" Fred grinned at the younger boy. Harry nodded calmly and headed up to the dormitory himself, Sirius at his heels.
Harry gathered up his books and homework things, paying no attention to the quiet sobbing coming from Ron's bed. The boy was a bully sometimes, but he hated being bullied himself. To Harry's mind, that was the worst kind – the people who couldn't take their own medicine.
With his things, Harry made his way down to the Room of Requirement. Few people knew this place existed and fewer still could get inside. Harry really did enjoy spending time here, just him and Sirius, lazing around on couches in front of the fire, with Sirius just sitting with his tongue lolling out, while Harry did his homework.
"Am I really doing the right thing?" Harry wondered aloud, "becoming friends with Neville and Hermione? They'll be targeted because they're my friends, no matter whether or not anyone realises that I'm not who I say I am …"
Sirius hid behind the couch, so that anyone walking through the door wouldn't be able to see him. "They made their decision, Harry, to be your friends. That's the important thing. I don't think you could stop them being your friends, even if you tried."
"I suppose," Harry said slowly.
"It's the truth. They've decided that they want to be your friends, and despite the fact that you don't want to risk anyone getting hurt, you want to be their friend too," Sirius said firmly.
"I suppose you're right…"
"Of course I am," Sirius agreed, shifting form again and returning to lay down calmly in front of the fire. For a moment Harry did nothing but stare into the flames, his eyes filled with emotions, though his expression showed none of them.
Then he gave himself a little shake and started on his homework. It would be almost odd to have another friend again. It had been some time now since Dan had died, and Harry had kept away from everyone but Sirius ever since.
But perhaps it was time. And like Sirius said, Neville and Hermione certainly wanted to be his friends… Well, nothing to lose from giving it a go, he supposed.
Neville and Hermione would become his friends.
Yes, it felt very good to think that again about an individual who was not Sirius.
"Good morning," Harry murmured to Neville and Hermione, who were sitting in the common room the next day.
"Good morning Nemo!" Neville replied, smiling widely, since it was usually them who greeted Harry, not the other way around.
"Good morning," Hermione added, not looking up from a large book she was reading.
"What are you reading about?" Harry asked courteously.
"I'm trying to remember where I've heard of Nicholas Flammel," Hermione replied.
"I'm still trying to work out who she means," Neville put in gloomily. "She says that I should be intelligent enough to work it out for myself, but I just don't get it."
"Hagrid mentioned him yesterday," Harry replied immediately, "In relation to whatever it is that the dog on the third floor corridor is guarding. I started reading up on that myself last night as well."
"Oh," Neville said, sounding a little small.
"Don't worry Nev, I was trying to figure that out last night," Harry told the other boy. "I tried to get Hagrid to talk about it, because I knew I had to be careful."
Neville nodded, surprised that Harry had used a nickname in addressing him.
Both Neville and Hermione were surprised by Harry's sudden willingness to hang out with them, initiate conversations and give opinions without actually being asked to do so.
He did still wander off on many occasions with only his dog for company, but neither Hermione nor Neville really cared – they had succeeded where everyone else had failed, and had become friends with Nemo Protectium.
***
End of Chapter: Friends. Next chapter is Christmas time, I expect – Ooh, this story is really moving along now! I really do hope that the next update will come a fair bit sooner, especially since I now have precisely twenty days in which I may do whatever is it I wish to!
Thanks:
HyperCaz, azntgr01, kraeg001, jeangab057, Nphipps, Nicoletta, athenakitty, Wynjara, Romm, Xyverz, Jaded Angel8, Schnuff, Nasser Himura, Lord Nomad, JeanieBeani33, hp4all, Stix-the-Rebel, AltonShadeFoot, AnimeGurl, kathy stgqvk, gaul1, Shea Loner, Lord of Darkness13, howling wolf1, Jeanne2, Katepotter13, Sierra-Fall,s Naurien, Prongs4, Samara-Morgan-101, whacked, violingirl7, Empress Sarah-sama, dweem-angel, munch, stanon_rox, Raven Potter Weasley, jack4, Razorblade-Kiss666, uNoeWho, MikiBaby, Songbreeze Swifteye, Lil Ole Me 97, Wytil, Prongsblacks, Taka ichijouji, Fate, icedrake1, stardrow, Emma*, DF-default, Jemma Blackwell, Lady Phoenix Slytherin, meinien, meinien, reems, RidDles girl, blip-dragon, Musicstarlover, candfindagoodname.
~WolfMoon~
Meinien: I have heard from several sources that there are stiped belts in Tae-Kwon-Do, and it merely depends on the teacher or school. I have heard the study places being called Dojo, and the teacher Sensei on several different occasions as well, so you will understand that I am having difficulty pleasing everyone with my system. Also, I've never owned/played on a gameboy, so no, the idea didn't come from the Harry Potter gameboy advance.