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Chapter 10
Things That Are Discovered Aren't Always Bad
"…Harry?"
Harry looked up, his emerald eyes darting out from under his cap to see who was speaking to him. When Hermione's face came into view, he smiled warmly at her and gestured at the seat across from him.
The bushy-haired girl looked nervously down at the other end of the Slytherin Table where a few of the seventh years sat and started to shake her head but Harry darted in.
"Don't worry, Mia-san," he said. "Despite the visage my House puts out, not all of us hate Muggleborns with a fiery passion."
"But Malfoy…"
"Draco is a misguided soul. Now sit, please."
Hermione shifted from one foot to the other then slowly eased herself down across from him. She glanced over her should at the Gryffindor Table then and said, "They'll think I'm being disloyal when they see me here."
"Bugger them," spat Harry, using a word he recalled Snape saying once during a potions argument. "Loyalty to a person is much more important than loyalty to a House, to people you may end up never seeing again."
"With the way our world's laid out, there's a good possibility of seeing your classmates after school."
"But not a complete one," countered Harry.
"True," said Hermione, nodding. She then leaned forward and added, "I-I'm sorry for my reaction to you last night. It's just…"
Harry laid his hand over hers, cutting her off abruptly. He felt her pull back slightly but she stopped herself, giving him a strangled smile.
"I understand," said Harry, gently squeezing her hand before he released it and pulled back. "My friend Aika from home…she had the same sort of reaction when she found out."
"Oh. What about…?"
"Hmm?"
"What about Wen?" asked Hermione. "Are you going to tell her?"
"No!" hissed Harry, causing the girl to jump. "I-I can't tell her, Mia-san. I just can't…"
Hermione stared at him for a moment then softly said, "You were never intending to tell either of us, were you?"
"Not until I knew you better," confessed Harry. "I didn't want to risk you turning your back's on me. And to tell you without knowing I could trust you to keep it secret…I couldn't take the chance."
"Oh."
"I'm sorry, Mia-san."
"No, I understand," said Hermione. "If I were in your place, I'd probably have done the same."
Harry just smiled at that then grinned at something beyond Hermione. The girl frowned then laughed as a mane of blond hair flashed past her and hurled itself onto the han-akurei.
"Harry!"
Harry laughed and caught the eleven-year-old, hugging her close before gently pushing her back.
"Good morning, Wen-sama. I sense your roommates are being more…ah, what is the word?…lovable."
Wencia laughed merrily at that and replied, "More like beaten down. One of the seventh years had a talk with them."
"Oh-ho! And who is our mysterious rescuer?"
"That'd be me," said a voice from behind the two.
Harry turned his head and found the Head Boy standing behind him. Hermione nearly jumped out of her seat, wide-eyed, at the sight of him but the teenager waved her down.
"Calm down, Granger," he said sharply, eying the Prefect. He then held out his hand to Harry and added, "Mika Davids, Head Boy and Quidditch Captain, at your service."
"Harry Potter, Boy-Who-Did-Not-Live," said Harry, grasping the offered hand. He then said, "I sense that your titles aren't that well-liked."
Mika shrugged his broad shoulders and replied, "What title is well-liked?"
Harry chuckled at that and nodded in agreement.
"So," he then said, "may I ask why you went to such troubles for Wen-sama?"
Mika smiled and replied, "Just doing my duty as Head Boy."
He then leaned forward and ruffled Wencia's hair, adding in a softer voice, "As well as making sure my fellow Muggleborn's don't get run over by the Pureblood's."
Harry smiled at that.
"Well, thank you. It's good that someone else is looking out for the imp."
"I am not an imp!" exclaimed Wencia, violet eyes flashing.
Mika and Harry exchanged a humored glance, causing Hermione to giggle at them. The han-akurei then gestured at the empty seat beside him and said, "Please, sit. Have breakfast with us."
The Head Boy frowned and thought for a moment, giving Harry a chance to lean back and study Wencia's new protector. He wasn't tall by any means – only 5'5 at the most – but he made up for his lack of height in his build. Built solidly with broad shoulders, he reminded Harry of an ox. Lean muscle lined his arms and torso, which prompted for his Quidditch position being that of a Beater. His face was square-jawed and handsome, offset by his piercing, almost amber brown eyes and shock of wild white hair.
Finally Mika shrugged and said, "Alright. Breakfast sounds good."
"Great," said Harry, heaving Wencia off his lap and into the seat on his right. Mika had occupied the one to his left and he was now surrounded on all sides but the back. That made him feel a bit claustrophobic but he shoved that feeling aside and banged lightly on the table to alert the house-elves (a trick Snape had taught him a few days into his stay at the castle). A second later, a small cluster of breakfast foods appeared in their area, as well as a pitcher of pumpkin juice and another that held milk.
"I guess I'll go now," said Hermione as Mika piled half his plate with eggs and began to dig into them. The Head Boy looked up then and banged his fork on the table, glaring at her.
"Down," he growled around a mouthful of eggs.
"Yes, Mia-san, stay."
"Please?" added Wencia, aiming her puppy eyes at the older girl.
Hermione's resolve to leave melted at that and she sank back down into her seat, smiling at Wencia. She then glared at Mika and Harry before asking them to pass the eggs across the table.
From the Head Table, Dumbledore watched the four with a thoughtful gaze. He sensed something was going on between Miss Granger and Harry but couldn't think of what it could be…
"Bird watching, professor?"
Dumbledore looked up and to his left and saw Snape standing there. The dark professor's face showed nothing but there was a glimmer of humor in the man's midnight eyes.
"Something of the sort, Severus. Have a seat."
Snape nodded and sat down in the seat to the old wizard's left, which was generally occupied by tiny Flitwick. Picking up the goblet at the place, he filled it from the pitcher nearest him – which turned out to be apple cider.
Sipping at the drink, he looked at Dumbledore and asked, "Who is your prey today, professor?"
"Albus, Severus," said Dumbledore.
"Yes, professor."
The old wizard sighed then gestured at the Slytherin table.
"I am watching a few of yours."
"Mine? And which in particular?"
Dumbledore turned and gave the Potions Master a serious look, saying, "I believe you know who, Severus."
Snape nodded and set his goblet on the table, leaning towards the other wizard.
"Yes," he said softly, "I do know who you are watching. But I also know that he is not the danger you believe he is."
"You trust him too easily, Severus."
Anger flashed across Snape's face at that but he held down his temper and calmly said, "And you trust a Death Eater with too many of your secrets."
Dumbledore sighed and looked at the younger man, his blue eyes sad now.
"Severus…you are not what he is."
"His heritage makes him no different, professor," said Snape.
"And if he loses control?"
"He will not."
Dumbledore frowned at the Potions Master then turned and looked at Harry once more.
"I hope you are right, Severus," he said softly. "I hope you are right.
"I am right, sir," said Snape, his obsidian gaze sliding from the Headmaster to the teenager. "Trust me, please. Trust your so-called 'pet' Death Eater as you have done in time's before."
Dumbledore sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. When he reopened them, he said, "I do trust you, Severus – perhaps more than you know. But I fear that if I allow myself to trust him, it will be thrown back in my face."
"Then you are a fool, professor."
"Perhaps. We shall see."
"Indeed," said Snape, rising from his seat. He lifted his goblet in a subdued toast to the older wizard before downing the whole of it. "I hope you may find the trust you seek…Albus."
The old wizard blinked and stared as the younger man set his goblet down on the table before he turned and walked towards the end of the table. Blue eyes watched the dark-cloaked man as he left the Great Hall and he sighed.
"And I hope I may find that trust as well, Severus," he said softly.
- - -
"Hey, Potter!"
Harry sighed and halted in the corridor, tilting his head back to roll his eyes at the ceiling.
"And what morsel of brilliance do you have to stun me with today, Draco?" he drawled. "I hope it is something truly marvelous, else I shall be quite vexed that you stopped be on my way to lunch."
Malfoy snorted and said, "Please, Potter. Stop acting so high and mighty."
"Acting 'high and mighty', as you put it, has nothing to do with my words. It is five minutes past the time lunch began and I'm quite hungry. So say whatever it is you wish to say or remove yourself from my path."
Malfoy huffed and glared at the han-akurei then spat, "Just wanted to give you a little warning, Potter."
Harry arched an eyebrow.
"Oh? Do tell."
The blonde just looked at Harry for a moment then his gray eyes moved to the side – to something behind the han-akurei. Harry saw the movement and spun around, letting his heavy bag swing out to catch Vincent Crabbe on the cheek. The gorilla of a teenager went down from the impact and then Gregory Goyle was coming at him, meaty hands spread wide.
Harry just grinned and pulled his bag over his head, dropping it onto the floor. He fisted his hands and grinned widely, eyes glinting with pleasure at the thought of a fight.
"Come, gomasuri," he purred. "Come on."
Goyle blinked in confusion then let out a roar and charged at the taller teenager. Harry grinned and ducked underneath the fist that was hurled at his head, pounding his own fists into the gorilla's meaty sides. Goyle grunted and stumbled forward, giving the han-akurei the perfect opening. He spun and slammed his leg down onto Goyle's back, sending him crashing to the floor.
Clambering up onto the downed gorilla's back, Harry grinned ferally at Malfoy and asked, "Anything else you want to tell me, Draco?"
"Yes," replied Malfoy, his eyes darting behind Harry again.
Harry just grinned at that…and dodged Crabbe as the other gorilla charged at him from behind. His momentum carried over Goyle, who grunted painfully, and sent him careening into Malfoy.
"Damn you, Potter!" shouted the blonde from underneath his lackey, who was attempting to get off of him but failing miserably.
The han-akurei calmly picked up his bag, straightened his robes, and continued on his original path towards the Great Hall – all the while blessing Haia and William for having taught him how to fight. He then waved over his shoulder at the other Slytherin's, calling, "Sayonara, Draco-kun. Have fun with your gorillas."
"POTTER!"
- - -
Harry was sitting in the Great Hall during the free period he had before dinner, when an owl came swooping down and landed in front of him. He blinked at the bird then reached out and took the message tube from the owl, digging a piece of a biscuit he'd saved from lunch out of his pocket and offering it to it.
Once the owl took off again, he popped open the tube and pulled out the letter inside.
Harry-kun,
It's so good to hear from you! And, no, Mai hasn't been bothering me. I think she's still frightened of the last time she tried something on me and you got her for it.
Friends? I'm almost jealous. Heheh. Maybe I could come visit during Christmas and meet them? I'd love to see England! William always made it sound so nice, even when they had the threat of Voldemort over them.
I know you're always careful but I'm going to tell you to be careful anyway. Haia's worried to death that the Ministry there is going to find out about you and do something dreadful. And she's got ME worried now!
Just be careful, tomodachi. I don't want to lose you.
Aika-chanA slow smile spread over the han-akurei's face as he read the letter from his best friend. It just made him miss home all the more, hearing from her, but it made it happy all the same.
Rolling the letter back up and replacing it in the message tube, he tucked it into his bag and returned to researching information for the Potions paper Snape had hinted at in their last class, a foolish grin on his face.
TranslationsGomasuri: Lackey
Sayonara: Good-bye