AN: And another chapter is uploaded! I'm sorry this took so long for me to get published. I've been working about 40 hours a week at work, so I haven't really had the time to write recently. Even when I did have the time, I found myself too tired to even write sadly. I am happy to get this chapter published though. I can confess that this story is more than likely halfway done now. This chapter is more so a filler instead of consisting of content to further the plot along.
"I don't think this is going to be a good day," Harry mumbled to Hermione in the common room, running a hand through his hair. Thanks to the harsh morning rain, he hadn't been able to fly like he wanted to. Thankfully, the rain had let up not long ago, but it was too late to go for a fly.
"I think you're mostly saying that because you weren't able to go flying," Hermione smirked at the small pout that formed on her friend's lips. "Don't worry, Harry. There's always another day." She knew the real reason her friend liked to fly in the mornings, well, reasons. He did like to clear his head, but her friend also loved to watch the sunrise over Hogwarts.
"I know. I mostly wanted to do it today because I dread hurting Justin," Laying a sympathetic hand on his shoulder, Hermione gave him a small smile.
"It's okay, but it needs to be done. Otherwise, you'll hurt Justin more by leading him on," Harry flinched at that as he nodded in agreement. "Besides, you're convinced that he likes the boy-who-lived,"
"Aren't you?" Harry inquired, earning a sad nod.
"Sadly. He's always admired you and I'm certain this attraction began one or two years ago when you were still pretending to follow Dumbledore."
"I'm surprised he still likes me. I mean, it's not much of a secret that I don't care for Dumbledore as much as I led on," Harry added, running a hand through his hair again as he thought of Justin's attraction to him. "I will give him some benefit of liking me for me, but not a lot. I think the foundation of his attraction lies with the boy-who-lived aspect," He looked out the window for a moment, emerald eyes distant.
"I don't know where his loyalties are, but I do fear that he hasn't noticed your dislike of Dumbledore. He might have, but to be honest, he's never been the most observant person." She was right, of course.
"I'd like to believe that I've been somewhat subtle in my dislike for Dumbledore. Besides my talks with you, Severus and a few others, I haven't outright spoken ill of him inside the castle. The headmaster is the one who seeks me out and causes issues for himself." Harry could recall all the times' Dumbledore had tried to stop him in the middle of an empty hallway or cornered him before he got to the dungeons. Harry had never given the elder man reason to do such things, but the Headmaster was constantly coming up with excuse after excuse.
"How many times has he tried to get you to come to his office for no reason?" Hermione asked, a thoughtful expression replacing her frown. Sighing, Harry shook his head with a bitter laugh.
"There have been instances that I haven't told anyone about," Harry admitted, almost shyly. "Because they were so absurd that I thought it would be a waste of time to tell anyone," Hermione crossed her arms at that, looking a bit put off.
"It wouldn't be a waste of my time or Professor Snape's for that matter. What the Headmaster is doing is harassment, plain and simple. You shouldn't have to deal with it alone," Hermione spoke with such a conviction that Harry couldn't stop himself from giving in a little.
"Look, I'll try my best to tell you when he corners me, but I have told you all the important times," Harry promised her, taking her hand. "The only reason I didn't tell you or Severus about the other times is the fact that I didn't even find them important. They were nothing more than a hindrance that I quickly got out of."
Hermione sighed at that and eventually gave a small nod, some of the fire leaving her eyes. "I understand, Harry. I worry about you is all, especially with how adamant and tedious the Headmaster has been all term. As I said, this is harassment. You have a right to report him, or at least file some sort of complaint,"
"I know," Harry responded softly, trying to pacify her. "I've thought of it a few times, but I'm worried it might make matters worse. Severus has witnessed two occasions of Dumbledore cornering me, but I don't think it's enough. If I honestly want to make a decent report, there needs to be more. The last thing I want is Dumbledore to have an excuse to seek me out even more than he already does. If he knew that I had reported him…" Harry trails off and shakes his head. "Severus already deals with the Headmaster enough. I don't want to make his life even more of a living hell." Hermione snorted.
"You seem to forget that Professor Snape has willingly been doing this. I understand why you feel guilty, but I think it's unwarranted in this case." Harry paused, giving a small shrug in response.
"Maybe," He agreed after a few moments, offering her a small smile. "You're right, though. I just hate making people deal with Dumbledore more than they need to. It's not fun." The wizard jokes a bit, making Hermione fondly roll her eyes. "However, what is fun, is pranking Dumbledore and leaving no evidence behind," Harry smirked, recalling the swollen tongue of the headmaster.
"That was you?" Hermione asked with a gasp, covering her mouth as she laughed. "Merlin, that's brilliant!"
"I like to think so. Anything thought of with the twins is bound to end up interesting." Harry chuckled as he stole another glance out the window, looking at the bright sky. It would be noon within the next hour and Harry found himself once more dreading the outcome. "I'm debating on visiting Tom after Hogsmeade." Hermione made a face at that.
"Why? I can't exactly picture you two hanging out." Harry smirked at that, shrugging.
"It's fun messing with him. He can't hurt me because I'm his Horcrux and I think he secretly likes me, even if he constantly threatens to hex me." Again, Hermione made a face.
"Merlin, it sounds like you visit him all the time."
"Well, Sunday is my day off." Was all Harry said, not explaining further.
Taking in a breath of chilly air to help soothe his thoughts, Harry apparated to Hogsmeade at five minutes before noon. He made his way to the three broomsticks, seeing Justin's figure as he approached the pub.
"Hey." He offered a forced smile, trying not to fidget or mess with his hair. "I hope you haven't been waiting long. It's cold out here." Harry commented, thankful for the chill in the air to mask his awkward flush.
"Nope. I got here only a few minutes ago." Justin informed; his smile more genuine as he went to open the door for Harry. With a quick thanks, the Gryffindor headed in and sighed at the warmth and pleasant aroma that swept through the air.
"Why don't we grab a private table? I don't fancy the crowds." As usual, the room and the bar especially were packed with students and other adults.
"I don't either," Justin admitted, spotting a fairly isolated table towards the back of the building. They hadn't been seated for long when a wizard came by to get their orders of Butterbeer. It wasn't long until the drinks appeared and after checking his rings first, Harry took a sip of the sweet concoction, applying some wandless privacy spells. "Thanks for inviting me." Justin began, looking a little nervous as he took another sip of his drink.
"It's no problem…I know it was something that needed to be…addressed." Harry responded, ignoring his drink in favor of talking to Justin. He observed the way the Hufflepuff swallowed, shifting in the wooden seat. "Justin-"
"Harry-" They both began at the same time, stopping to look at each other and chuckle softly. "Sorry. Merlin, what a cliché thing to happen," Justin chuckled again, blushing despite himself. Whether it was from embarrassment or the situation in general, Harry had no idea. "This is awkward." He admits, making Harry laugh softly.
"Understatement." He jokes, starting to relax a bit. "Look, I think being blunt here will be the best thing for us. I wanted to address your…attraction to me?" Harry finally admitted, causing himself and Justin to flush darkly. "Not in a bad way of course! I just…" He trailed off, starting to lose his momentum. "After what happened in potions class that day, I wanted to talk to you about it."
"You mean the day where I made a fool of myself and admitted to having a crush on you in front of the entire class and Professor Snape?" Wincing at the wording, Harry gave a sheepish smile.
"Uh, yeah?" Harry mumbled, deciding to take another sip of his butterbeer. "I figured pretending it didn't happen would be kinda disrespectful towards you? Hermione seemed to think so too, at least."
"I take it she convinced you to do this?" Justin asked to the surprise of Harry, which made the Hufflepuff chuckle. "Don't get me wrong, you're very courageous. It's just…Hermione seems likely to give you a push to do something."
"You're not wrong. She often brings up points that I hadn't thought about. From the outside, it probably looks pushy, but it's just what I need sometimes. She knows my boundaries when it comes to pushing a subject." Harry smiled as he thought of his close friend. "I was initially hesitant to do this…I'm not good with this sort of thing.." Harry admitted, taking another sip of his drink, along with Justin.
"I'm not either," Justin mumbled as he shifted again, looking away as he went to gently touch Harry's hand. "Harry…I'm not going to pretend that I don't like you, but…" He trailed off with a solemn sigh and sad, bittersweet smile. "At first I wanted to be in denial and ignore what was clearly in front of me, but even I'm not that much on an idiot."
"Justin?" Harry asked, looking at the somber Hufflepuff with a frown. Shaking his head, the other wizard finally looked up to meet emerald eyes.
"You don't feel the same way." Justin pointed out, stating the fact like it was clear as day. "When you asked me here the other day, I wanted to believe it would be for a date, but I couldn't shake off the feeling that it wasn't the case. That's why I gave you the flower after potions. Even though deep down I knew it wouldn't be a date, that small part of me was hoping."
"I'm sorry," Harry mumbled awkwardly, rubbing his neck as he looked away for a moment.
"Don't apologize!" Justin was quick to squeeze Harry's hand, looking a little nervous. "I'm not upset or anything like that. I mean, I'm a little disappointed of course, but that's to be expected. It's not your fault that you don't feel the same way about me." Relaxing more, Harry gave a squeeze in return.
"I know. I wish I could." He said truthfully, offering him a kind smile. "You're one of the sweetest guys I've ever met." Justin flushed at the compliment, smiling a bit.
"Uh, if you don't mind me asking, is there a particular reason you don't feel the same? Not that there has to be! I'm just curious!" Deciding to stretch the truth a bit, Harry sighed.
"As I said, you're a sweet guy, but I just couldn't see us together. I don't think it would have worked out in the long run." Harry admits, rubbing his arm awkwardly. "Not just because of our different personalities, but because of the things I have to deal with." Justin swallowed hard, looking around slowly.
"Is it about you-know-who?" He asked, clearly afraid of saying his name. Holding back a grimace, Harry could only shrug.
"Yes and no. While he is part of it," Which wasn't exactly a lie in this case. There was no way Justin would want to date him if he knew about his truce with Voldemort. "A lot of the reason is I'm figuring out what I want to do after Hogwarts. I'm not going back to the muggle world. Even if I wanted to, I can't."
"Why's that?" Justin asked, a look of concern crossing his face. "I assume it has to do with your relatives. I heard rumors over the summer, but I didn't know if they were true."
"It depends on what you heard. But yeah. It has to do with my relatives." Harry admitted. "As soon as I turned seventeen, I left that hellhole. They were the worst sort of people. Hated magic and everything that wasn't considered normal for them. I had enough of Dumbledore forcing me to stay there when all they did was starve me and call me a freak." Justin paled, quickly grasping Harry's hand and holding it tightly.
"That's awful! I hope they get their karma for all the pain they inflicted on you." Justin mumbled. "Did the Headmaster know they were abusing you?" Harry hesitated but nodded, which only seemed to irate Justin more.
"Yeah. I told him what they did but he kept brushing me off. He told me I had to stay there because the magic would protect me from Voldemort." Justin held back a shudder at the name. "But if I'm being honest, I never felt safe there. It's by sheer dumb luck that I didn't die of starvation or the occasional beatings." Harry shrugged. "All that matters now is that I'm free from them. It's kind of the reason I'm so invested in my life after Hogwarts. I know it looks like Hermione and I do nothing but study, but it's because we want to earn good jobs after we graduate. I don't have a family to fall back on." Which wasn't completely true. He had enough money to live a few lifetimes without having to work, but he wanted to make a name for himself. One that wasn't just associated with being the Boy-Who-Lived.
"That's a lot on your shoulders," Justin mumbled, looking a little thoughtful himself now. "And you raise a good point, I suppose. I have no idea what I want to do after Hogwarts. I've been debating between staying or returning to the muggle world. I..I don't know what I want to do." He admitted, looking disappointed with himself.
"That's okay. Someone rarely knows what they want to do after they graduate. Some are lucky to find a subject they excel in. Like Neville and herbology. He's planning on doing an apprenticeship with Madame Sprout after he graduates." Harry gave a reassuring squeeze to Justin's hand, small but genuine smile on his lips. "And a little-known fact, the ministry isn't the only job option." He teased, making the Hufflepuff chuckle.
"Most of the important jobs are there."
"Some, yes. However, curse-breaking, wand making, spell crafting, and magizoologist aren't connected. Just to name a few." Harry smiled more. "Diagon Alley is full of shops that are constantly seeking help. Trust me on this. Fred and George are always looking for people to promote their products." The last thing he wanted to see was the magical world lose a great wizard because of the lacking subjects and lessons in Hogwarts.
"I suppose. Another thing that's been stopping me is the possibility of a war. My kind isn't exactly welcomed by the opposing side." Harry did wince at that, biting his lips at the painful reminder that there was indeed a war going on, but one that was built on lies. Knowing he had to clear some things up, Harry sighed.
"Don't believe everything you hear." He mumbled, earning a surprised look from the wizard across from him. "I've been told that the Dark Lord tried to recruit my mother to join his death eaters. He had to know she was a muggleborn." Harry explained.
"Really? How do you know that?" Justin asked.
"I saw some memories provided by a pensive." The emerald-eyed wizard mumbled. "He wanted my mom and dad on his side, even though she was a muggleborn. I think the war is about more than blood status. In all the raids I've read about, I've never once heard him attacking a muggle town or targeting muggleborns." Justin looked thoughtful, albeit a little skeptical.
"Sure, but that doesn't erase the fact about the first war. All the things I've read talk about all the Wizarding families he killed and all people they tortured." Harry hummed, nodding along. He didn't want to give away his true thoughts, not when he was trying to remain neutral. There was one key thing he wanted to point out first.
"There are a lot of books about the first war, but I think it's fair to point out that it's written from our perspective," Harry commented, taking another sip of his drink when Justin shot him a confused look. "The light side won the war. The side who wins will always paint the opposing side in a different light." He reminded, watching the realization dawn across the Hufflepuffs face.
"I never really thought of it like that…" Justin trailed off. "It's hard to imagine what our books would be like if the other side had won." Harry simply shrugged.
"Who knows. I'm not saying that the Death Eaters didn't do some horrible things during the war, but from some of the stories I've been told, the light side has just as much blood on their hands." Justin frowned at that, looking at the drink in his hand.
"And where do you fall?" Justin asked, surprising Harry as the raven-haired wizard went to take another sip. Deciding to stay close to the truth, Harry snorted.
"I don't." He admitted. "I know I'm expected to make the light win, but I can't bring myself to get involved with a war that I once knew nothing about. Truthfully, I just want to live my life. I don't want to fight Voldemort and die. The prophecy says that I'll defeat Voldemort by getting myself killed as well." It was a bit of a lie, but it wouldn't hurt to stretch the truth. Justin looked pale at that; his eyes wide as he tightened his hold on Harry's hand.
"That's stupid! I don't care about this war if it means you have to die. Vo-Voldemort can win for all I care. Your life is mort important." Justin flushed, making himself let go of Harry's hand. "Uh-Sorry."
"It's okay." Harry smiled at him in understanding. "It's not something I usually talk about over Butterbeer." He joked, earning a weak laugh. "C'mon. Let's talk about something less depressing. Maybe the odds of the upcoming Slytherin and Gryffindor match?" This time, he earned a true laugh.
"And just when I thought I was going to enjoy the rest of my day," The Dark Lord commented, his crimson eyes narrowing in on the newly apparated wizard.
"Awww, Tommy. I missed you too!" Harry grinned at the glare, pulling something from his pocket. "I did bring you a gift, though. I know how much Butterbeer. Unless you don't want it-"
"Kindly stop talking and give that to me." Tom huffed, any annoyance fading at the offered gift.
"I knew that would work. By the way, I might have fixed some of the muggleborn's ideas of your side the past two weeks." Cocking an eyebrow, the Dark Lord gave him a look.
"Are you sure you don't want to join my side? You're doing a better job than Draco." Harry outright laughed.
"That's because Draco only now stopped using slurs against the muggleborns." While he got along with Draco now, they would likely never become any closer. "He's changed, but his reputation among the muggleborn population at Hogwarts is tarnished."
"Perhaps. He was still my best option at the time. Between him and Crabbe and Goyle, I think the answer was clear." Harry made a face at that.
"Merlin, you had a shit hand." He snorted. "But, if you ask me, I think you're desperate to get me on your side." Harry teased.
"As I said before, you are an exception." Voldemort hummed, lacing his fingers together as he peered at Harry. "You certainly visit me enough to be one of my death eaters." Again, Harry laughed.
"Sorry, Tom. I'm not a fan of authority. If anything, I'd be a freelance spy or something," The teen said with a smirk. "Or an insider. I can give you all sorts of advice." He shrugged.
"You just want special treatment." Tom teased.
"Nah. Special treatment would be sitting on your lap during a meeting or something," Harry commented absentmindedly, unaware of the way Tom froze mid drink, trying to compose himself. : I suppose I'll give joining you some thought for your sake. The twins want to join you anyway.: Harry slipped into parseltongue, leaning back against the wall.
: Do they now? From what you and Severus have told me, they are geniuses in their own right. Having them on our side would be beneficial.:
: Well, you'll gain a lot of their support now that Molly Prewett isn't controlling the Weasley family anymore.: Harry hissed. : And if the twins join you, that means you'll get to deal with two more people messing with you. I'll also visit more.:
: Merlin: Tom groaned at that, but the twitch of his lips gave away his amusement.
:C'mon, Tommie.: Grinning at the glare, Harry gave him an innocent look. : You love having me around. Admit it.:
: I refuse to admit anything.: Harry gave a mock huff.
: Not even if I promise to bring you another thing of butterbeer next time?: When Tom didn't say anything further, Harry smirked. : And a Cauldron Cake?: He added, knowing of Tom's secret sweet tooth.
:…fine. I can admit to your companionship not being unwanted: Tom gave in, secretly enjoying the grin that broke out on the younger's face.
: Love you too, Tommy: Harry teased, giving a wave of his wand. : I better get back, though. It's been fun as always. I'll make sure to bring the butterbeer and cauldron cake next time. Who knows? Maybe I'll just show up during a meeting and make myself comfortable on your lap.: He teased, having no intention of doing so. Once he was gone, Tom leaned against his chair, eyeing the space Harry had once occupied.
: Maybe in another time.: He mused quietly.
Well, Harry has officially let Justin down. I will admit to a jealous Severus making a debut in the next chapter. (Kinda ;) )
As for the comment Tom made at the very end, it's based on the idea of the Tom/Harry AU I had of this story. Eventually, I would like to get around to writing it, but we'll see. I still need to finish Golden Boy No More someday lol