Chapter 38
Talking
AN:
Hi,
I'm updating.
I don't own HP.
That's about all for now.
Enjoy:
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Harry wandered around the hallways determined to avoid all of the people he really didn't care to see at that moment, which would be rather difficult owing to the number of people on that list.

Why the hell did everyone have to snoop around in his life? No one seemed to give a damn before so why now? First Snape imposing on his memories, then he told Dumbledore and Lupin what he saw. He didn't have any right to view his memories in the first place. And after that Hermione goes and finds out his secret because he had to go and rant in front of her. He should have known better than to do that. Wasn't Hermione the one who figured out all of the mysteries that plagued them in previous years? Then if THAT wasn't enough, Ron had to start snooping around today too. Asking what happened last night…

Harry passed a familiar painting that contained a ticklish pear and stopped as soon as he realized where he was, right in front of the kitchens. Well now was a good of a time as any to correct one of the mistakes he had made in his life. He felt bad for snapping at the House Elf who was only doing his job yesterday. Merlin, was it only yesterday?

He tickled the pear and entered the bustling kitchen, it was lunch and the elves were flying around the room to make sure that the platters on the tables in the Great Hall did not empty. Harry easily spotted Dobby among the elves due to his towering hats allowing him to seem a head taller than the other elves. He rushed over to the small elf and asked, "Dobby, can I have a minute?"

"Oh yes Harry Potter sir!" Dobby squeaked happily. "Dobby is always happy to speak with Harry Potter!"

"That's good," Harry said making his way out of the elves apparent traffic pattern to and from the House Tables.

"What is it being that Harry Potter is wanting sir?" Dobby asked.

"Do you know which elf it was that found me in the passageway to Honeydukes? I was rather mean to him and I wanted to apologize," Harry explained.

"That is being Poffee," Dobby said pointing out an elf tending some sort of soup. "He is being most distraught when he is coming back to the kitchen last night."

"Thank you, Dobby," Harry said walking over to the elf he had met the night before. "Um, Poffee?" Harry asked the elf stirring the soup.

"Yes sir?" Poffee asked respectfully. "Is sir wanting something?"

"I'm sorry for snapping at you last night, I was in a bad mood," Harry said. "I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

"Sir is apologizing to Poffee?" the elf asked in wonderment. "But Poffee is just a House-elf sir. Wizards do not apologize to House-elves."

"I hurt your feelings and so I needed to apologize," Harry explained. "It doesn't matter what you are, you shouldn't hurt other beings. No one's feelings are more important than another's. Do you accept my apology?"

"Oh yes sir," Poffee said nodding earnestly. "Would sir be needing something else?"

"Would you guys mind if I hung out in here until lunch is over?" Harry asked looking at his watch. "I don't want to be seen until my next class which isn't until after lunch. I wouldn't get in your way would I?"

"Oh no sir!" Poffee exclaimed. "We would be honored if you is staying with us for lunch."

"Thank you," Harry said and went into a corner of the room to watch the elves work furiously to serve the school they were bound to until they died.

He sat there lost in thought until Poffee came over to him and said, "Sir woulds be forgiving Poffee, but lunch is being over and I is thinking you is needing to be to your next class sir?"

"Oh," Harry said startled and looked at his watch. "Thanks, I need to go. Bye."

"Good bye Harry Potter sir," Poffee said to the boy as he ran towards the portrait with his bag flying behind him.

Harry made it to his Defense Against the Dark Arts class right before the bell rang and sat next to Ron and Hermione reluctantly, but didn't have much of a choice since that was the only available seat.

"Where were you?" Ron asked as he sat down.

"Nowhere," Harry replied shortly, taking out his notes to divert his eyes from Ron's face.

Ron was about to reply but was interrupted by Professor Lupin coming into the classroom. "Alright folks, if you would kindly come into the front of the room so that I may dispose of the desks. They will get in the way of our dueling."

Harry put his notes back into his bag and walked to the front of the room with the rest of the class, avoiding the Professor's eyes, which he could feel following him. Remus quickly pushed all of the desks to one side of the room with a banishing spell and conjured several mattresses to cover the floor and corners of the room.

"Okay, break up into pairs and begin to duel, but do not put a shielding charm around your own skirmish area this time. In the real world you will not have the courtesy of being able to concentrate on just the curses your opponents send, you also have to watch out for stray curses. Remember that friendly fire could cause you to lose the duel or something more precious," Professor Lupin said to his class once he was finished preparing the room.

Harry paired off with Seamus this time, forcing Neville to practice with someone else and gave suggestions to the boy as the class progressed, allowing Seamus to improve vastly in that short amount of time.

Finally it was time to leave and Harry nearly made his way out of the door when Remus called out, "Harry, could you stay for a moment?"

Harry sighed and stepped off to one side to let his classmates through the door.

"Harry, are you alright?" Remus asked when the Hermione closed the door behind her; she was the last one in the room besides Harry and the professor.

"I'm fine," Harry said. "May I go now?"

"Almost," Remus said as he went to his desk. He picked up a piece of parchment and handed it to him. "I'm afraid I summoned it last night in order to search for you, but I couldn't ask your permission first without finding you now could I? Since I took it without you misusing it, I'm giving it back to you."

"Sir?" Harry asked bewildered.

"Just don't make me regret trusting you Harry," Remus said and walked out of the room, leaving the confused teen behind.

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AN:
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