Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and can't get money for this, but I can make him into a Mafia Prince.
Warning: Some chapters (the ones including pranks) might not be appropriate to read at work. Laughter may ensue leading your co-workers to see you as even more insane than they previously thought.
Chapter 3: For Friendship
Calmly Harry and Blaise entered their fifth year classroom, scouting for seats that would allow them easy access to any possible exits without making them targets.
"I believe you have the wrong room," a friendly fifth year addressed them, "are you lost?"
Harry studied the smiling girl for a moment, "not if this is Miss Walker's class."
The girl looked at them oddly then, "aren't you a little young for the fifth year?"
Harry snickered as Blaise got in the last word before the teacher entered and told them to take their seats, "aren't you being too nosey?"
Miss Walker quickly took roll and finally came to the last two names, names that had been added to her roll call only the day before, the names of two students she was most looking forward to finding out more about.
"Harry Darkov."
"Present ma'am," Harry called out in his strong, silky voice.
A few looks his way showed at least vague recognition of his last name.
"Blaise Zabini."
"Present ma'am," Blaise said confidently.
It was time to earn their place among the fifth years.
The morning classes went by without incident, leaving Harry and Blaise utterly bored. They spent the morning doing their work and conversing using various forms of sign and body language, planning escapes and hatching plots while pretending to be paying attention to their lessons as well as answer the random questions directed their way. Lunch time came around and Blaise and Harry ate their packed lunches amidst the dubious smells of cafeteria food and noisy chatter.
"We should have never let my father tutor us," Blaise groaned, "unless that class picks up quickly we're going to be redoing all our summer work again."
Harry snorted, "either that or we'll be skipped to sixth year."
With that they ended their conversation and headed outside with the rest of their year for break, sending silent acknowledgement to their guard to let him know that they knew where he was. He had been revealing himself to them every now and then just so that they knew they were still being watched over and he hadn't been taken down or any such thing.
Blaise grinned at Harry as she saw most of their year mates in a huddle, occasionally looking at them, "let the inquisition begin."
They had barely settled themselves on top of the monkey-bars, they'd probably get yelled at later for making themselves easy targets, when their classmates gathered below them with a few even daring to climb up next to them.
"You don't look old enough to be a fifth year," one of the bigger males commented, demanding an answer.
Harry shrugged nonchalantly, "we skipped some years."
More questions were fired at Harry and Blaise but they either shrugged them off, especially when it touched on their family or could have led to something pertaining on the Mafia, or gave unsatisfactory answers. Finally their classmates wandered off, giving up on the inquisition, but not before Harry heard a lewd comment directed towards Blaise involving a skirt. Before anything else could be said Harry had leapt smoothly to the ground and was facing the boy.
"What did you say," Harry's voice was a velvet black whip of danger as Blaise joined him.
"Nothing," the boy, Chris Chauvez, sneered before walking away.
Harry narrowed his eyes but let Chris go, remembering Manuel and Trevor's warning from that morning. But Harry wasn't about to let it drop, his young mind was quickly planning how to get Chris Chauvez without breaking the rules set down for him by his father.
The day finally ended with gym class where the fifth years were going to be engaging in a gymnastic-oriented unit, leading Harry and Blaise's quick minds to start figuring out how gymnastics could be incorporated in their training with Sensei. They were flexible enough to pull off most of the gymnastic moves and if they could add flips to the basic tumbles Sensei already had them using it would give them an advantage against opponents who didn't know gymnastics. Besides that it was much more fun than anything else they had done that day, the only problem was that they wouldn't be learning the flips the teacher had demonstrated for them quite yet.
Harry and Blaise saw that Manuel and Trevor were waiting for them when school ended, but they had something to take care of first. Coincidentally Harry and Blaise had timed their exit from the school gates to coincide perfectly with Chris' and without warning Harry pulled back his fist and punched the boy straight in the nose, drawing forth a fountain of blood.
"If I ever hear of you saying anything inappropriate about Blaise ever again you will regret it," Harry hissed into the injured boy's ear.
"Harry James Manuel Potter-Darkov!" Manuel's deceptively cool voice lashed out from directly behind him and Harry turned to face his glowering father, "what were you told this morning!"
Harry shrugged nonchalantly even though he froze slightly inside and walked past his father to get into the car, "we weren't on school grounds anymore."
The ride home was taken in silence. Manuel didn't know whether to be proud of his son or to scold him. Trevor was keeping his peace as Harry had been standing up for his daughter while Blaise was resisting the urge to hug Harry even as she wished she could have gotten a piece of Chris. Harry was merely silent. He wasn't proud of hitting someone who never had a chance against him, but he just hadn't been able to let the earlier comments go unpunished. Chris had gotten what he deserved and in the end that was all that mattered to Harry, it didn't even matter if he was punished, he would take any punishment he was given because he had earned it standing up for his friend.
Yet for his brave thoughts it was with some trepidation that Harry entered his father's study when they got home. Manuel's face was an impassive mask and Harry was starting to squirm inside. Manuel's study was usually a place where the two could relax and sometimes even discuss business together, well Manuel discussed and Harry learned, but right now it was taking on a foreboding air making Harry want to turn and run the other way. As Trevor did whenever Harry was in trouble Manuel wasted no words, allowing the single question of "why?" to slip forth before he fell into silence, waiting for any explanation that might come.
Harry briefly bowed his head before bringing it up sharply so that his burning green eyes met his father's dark ones.
"I will not allow anyone to speak rude of Blaise and I did not break any of the rules you set down for me. I did not reveal my weapons and I did not attack him on school grounds. Chris deserved what he got."
A shadow passed across Manuel's face as he watched his son stand proudly before him, ready to accept the consequences of his actions. It brought back nearly painful memories of himself in similar situations with his father standing where he was now. Manuel knelt before his son, bringing himself on level with the overly mature boy.
"You could have handled things differently today Harry, but I am proud that you would defend Blaise in such a way, especially since you found a way to do so without breaking the rules set down for you. It seems that you are almost too smart for your own good though I cannot fault you for acting as any Darkov would."
Manuel left the room, leaving a gaping Harry standing there. Obviously the boy had expected to get in trouble over what had happened. But what Harry had said was true; he hadn't been on school grounds and had only been warned against fighting on school grounds. Manuel passed a waiting Trevor but did not receive the frown he was expecting. Instead his friend and bodyguard nodded to him and walked into the office Manuel had just vacated.
As he continued down the hall he heard Trevor say, "thank you for standing up for my daughter today. I am proud to have you as her friend."
Manuel smiled, Darkov's and Zabini's would always stand by each other in this cruel world.
Harry had barely made it into class the next morning when Miss Walker handed him a folded over note that politely requested his presence in the Headmistress' office. For a brief moment Harry pondered what would happen if he didn't show up, the note had seemed more of a request to him and one that could be refused more than a summons that must be obeyed. In the end his insatiable curiosity and love for causing trouble made him avoid the summons, much to Blaise's amusement. Unfortunately the Headmistress didn't see the amusement and sent another note for Harry; this one could be called nothing less than an order. Smirking Harry passed the note to Blaise and walked out of class for his appointment with the Headmistress.
Before Harry knew it Blaise was at his side. Harry looked at her and arched a dark eyebrow in question.
Blaise smirked, "you're not going anywhere without me. I told Miss Walker that the note asked me to come as well, she bought it."
Gliding through the silent halls they soon reached the Headmistress' office and Harry raised a hand to knock once, firmly.
"Come in," a sternly feminine voice called out and Harry entered while Blaise took up sentinel outside the door that closed sharply behind him.
Harry resisted the urge to roll his eyes not only at the atmosphere of the office that was designed to frighten errant students into submission, but at Blaise for acting as if she was her father.
Harry turned his unnatural blazing green eyes on the Headmistress who sat behind her desk primly but with an air of authority, Harry could tell that she was not used to being disobeyed.
"Sit Mr. Darkov," her sharp voice only compounded Harry's impression of her and brought to the forefront of his demeanor the pride ingrained in every Darkov.
One of the first lessons Harry remembered being taught was to not lower yourself below another's power but to put yourself equal to them, or above them if possible. The Headmistress would gain a feeling of superiority over him if he accepted her inviting order to sit; she had the imposing oak desk to give her power. By remaining standing he would bring them on more equal footing and hopefully fluster her enough to give himself an edge.
Bringing his chin up to tilt his head at a regal angle Harry declined, "I am fine standing ma'am."
A tick beat in the Headmistress' forehead telling Harry that his intentions had hit home. She was used to students jumping when she snapped her beefy fingers, but Harry was not a lap dog to do tricks. Briefly flicking his assessing gaze around before returning it firmly to stare down the Headmistress Harry noticed his guard hovering discreetly outside the first story windows. The guard gave him a slight grin and winked, encouraging the proud and mischievous heir to the Darkov name.
The Headmistress decided to try and take control of the situation and stood, leaning forward over her desk trying to intimidate Harry to no avail.
"You do realize that you are facing suspension for fighting on school grounds," the Headmistress smiled slightly maliciously, thinking that she had finally managed to exert her superiority.
Harry smirked back, "if you expel me for fighting on school grounds then I can bring a file of complaint against you with the school board for the fight, as you call it, was in a place where you hold no jurisdiction. I was not on school grounds when the incident occurred, but Chris was on school grounds when he made sexually harassing comments about my friend, something which does warrant a suspension and possibly expulsion if her parents wish to press the matter. I do hope you will take proper steps and correct this misunderstanding and discipline the proper parties."