Harry and Sean shakily made their way to the Great Hall to finish out the
lunch period, though neither felt much like eating.
Sean insisted that they go, though. "You don't need to make anyone suspicious. You know what I mean. You shocked everyone, and are not the most trusted person at Hogwarts. Oh, and Harry."
Sean stopped him, and looked at him worriedly. "Don't mention what just happened to anyone. Anyone. But especially Olga and Pat. They have enough worry to deal with," he turned and nodded pointedly in disgust toward the Slytherin table.
Harry followed his gave and watched in disgust as peas flew at them, via Malfoy and some older boys, to the shrill giggles of some swooning third years. However, Harry also noticed that the peas never actually hit the girls. It all bounced away from the, a few inches before any contact should have been made. Sean followed Harry's confused gaze, and then smiled ironically. "We've learned to adapt. We figured that one out around the end of last year. It's an extended shield charm. Keeps all the smaller attacks away."
Harry considered this, but was still angry. So they had stopped one form of attack for the rest of this year. But the fact that people like larger forms of Malfoy had gotten away with this for at least the two previous years, and would continue getting away with more he couldn't handle it. He made his way toward the culprits, leaving Sean describing his first day back only to himself and the empty air beside him. It wasn't until he noticed Pat and Olga looking worried and nodding down the table that he realized something was wrong. And then he saw Harry and his heart sunk. But he was already well out of arm's reach.
"Hello, Malfoy."
"Hello, Potter."
There was a long pause during which they glared at each other with identical looks of vindictiveness.
"Did you have something to say, Potter," Malfoy said at last, launching another pea down the table with a flick of his spoon, "or have you realized your mistake at last and want to get away from them? Well, I have to tell you, Potter, I think the offer may have expired."
"I just came down here to tell you, all of you, that I'm going to change things around here. Don't mess with them. Don't mess with me." Harry eyed each one in turn, "I will make you pay for the Hell you give me. Any problem of mine I will make yours."
The group stared at him in horror. Harry stood frozen to the spot. That voice. that was not his voice. It had been cold, shrill, and cruel. It had been his, as in that it was his vocal chords, but it was still not him somehow. Stunned, Harry simply walked away, leaving the Slytherins looking curiously after him.
Harry sat in between Pat and Olga, and immediately dropped his head onto the table on top of his arms. His shoulders slumped and he shut his eyes, and thought. He didn't know how he felt about this voice. It bothered him that it was so much louder than usual. He had always had that voice in his head, but he couldn't remember it ever sounding so sharp, and never had it broken past his conscience. He had never actually said anything of its influence before. Magic and Hogwarts might be the greatest thing that had ever happened to him, but it was causing something to happen to him as well. 'I don't understand myself,' Harry's thoughts cried desperately, ' I don't understand why my mind is turning on me, just when I'd lost my worst enemies at last! No more relatives, no more rabbit-warren homes and muggles. So I created an enemy in me? And why am I so determined to show up everyone, make them fear me?'
"Harry.." said Olga, and he looked up at her, looking tired. "Hate to disturb you, but lunch is over, and you still have some classes to go to. Harry, is there anything you want to talk about?"
Harry opened his mouth, but then reconsidered. Sean had been desperately attempting to catch his eye, reminding him of what they had earlier discussed. Harry hadn't been thinking about the third corridor incident. But he didn't want Sean to know this. He decided he didn't need anyone else involved with his personal issues. He hadn't known any of them that long, anyway, after all.
"I'm fine," Harry lied. "I'm just upset about Potions class. I'll be fine, though."
Olga and Patricia smiled at him in apparent understanding and waved him on to class. Sean didn't move. He just watched Harry, skeptically. When he saw Patricia and Olga waiting for him, he ticked of a slight smile to Harry and hurried off after them. Harry, thought about this for a moment, but shrugged it off briefly, stowing it away for consideration later. He had other things more immediately demanding his attention. The Hall was empty for a while before Harry got up and left. He had almost forgotten that he had a class to go to. He hoped that Professor Binns wasn't going to be a repeat of McGonnagal.
Sean insisted that they go, though. "You don't need to make anyone suspicious. You know what I mean. You shocked everyone, and are not the most trusted person at Hogwarts. Oh, and Harry."
Sean stopped him, and looked at him worriedly. "Don't mention what just happened to anyone. Anyone. But especially Olga and Pat. They have enough worry to deal with," he turned and nodded pointedly in disgust toward the Slytherin table.
Harry followed his gave and watched in disgust as peas flew at them, via Malfoy and some older boys, to the shrill giggles of some swooning third years. However, Harry also noticed that the peas never actually hit the girls. It all bounced away from the, a few inches before any contact should have been made. Sean followed Harry's confused gaze, and then smiled ironically. "We've learned to adapt. We figured that one out around the end of last year. It's an extended shield charm. Keeps all the smaller attacks away."
Harry considered this, but was still angry. So they had stopped one form of attack for the rest of this year. But the fact that people like larger forms of Malfoy had gotten away with this for at least the two previous years, and would continue getting away with more he couldn't handle it. He made his way toward the culprits, leaving Sean describing his first day back only to himself and the empty air beside him. It wasn't until he noticed Pat and Olga looking worried and nodding down the table that he realized something was wrong. And then he saw Harry and his heart sunk. But he was already well out of arm's reach.
"Hello, Malfoy."
"Hello, Potter."
There was a long pause during which they glared at each other with identical looks of vindictiveness.
"Did you have something to say, Potter," Malfoy said at last, launching another pea down the table with a flick of his spoon, "or have you realized your mistake at last and want to get away from them? Well, I have to tell you, Potter, I think the offer may have expired."
"I just came down here to tell you, all of you, that I'm going to change things around here. Don't mess with them. Don't mess with me." Harry eyed each one in turn, "I will make you pay for the Hell you give me. Any problem of mine I will make yours."
The group stared at him in horror. Harry stood frozen to the spot. That voice. that was not his voice. It had been cold, shrill, and cruel. It had been his, as in that it was his vocal chords, but it was still not him somehow. Stunned, Harry simply walked away, leaving the Slytherins looking curiously after him.
Harry sat in between Pat and Olga, and immediately dropped his head onto the table on top of his arms. His shoulders slumped and he shut his eyes, and thought. He didn't know how he felt about this voice. It bothered him that it was so much louder than usual. He had always had that voice in his head, but he couldn't remember it ever sounding so sharp, and never had it broken past his conscience. He had never actually said anything of its influence before. Magic and Hogwarts might be the greatest thing that had ever happened to him, but it was causing something to happen to him as well. 'I don't understand myself,' Harry's thoughts cried desperately, ' I don't understand why my mind is turning on me, just when I'd lost my worst enemies at last! No more relatives, no more rabbit-warren homes and muggles. So I created an enemy in me? And why am I so determined to show up everyone, make them fear me?'
"Harry.." said Olga, and he looked up at her, looking tired. "Hate to disturb you, but lunch is over, and you still have some classes to go to. Harry, is there anything you want to talk about?"
Harry opened his mouth, but then reconsidered. Sean had been desperately attempting to catch his eye, reminding him of what they had earlier discussed. Harry hadn't been thinking about the third corridor incident. But he didn't want Sean to know this. He decided he didn't need anyone else involved with his personal issues. He hadn't known any of them that long, anyway, after all.
"I'm fine," Harry lied. "I'm just upset about Potions class. I'll be fine, though."
Olga and Patricia smiled at him in apparent understanding and waved him on to class. Sean didn't move. He just watched Harry, skeptically. When he saw Patricia and Olga waiting for him, he ticked of a slight smile to Harry and hurried off after them. Harry, thought about this for a moment, but shrugged it off briefly, stowing it away for consideration later. He had other things more immediately demanding his attention. The Hall was empty for a while before Harry got up and left. He had almost forgotten that he had a class to go to. He hoped that Professor Binns wasn't going to be a repeat of McGonnagal.