CHAPTER THREE
I own nothing, but honestly please don't steal my writing
And if somebody hurts you, I wanna fight, but my hand's been broken one too many times.
-o0o0o0o-
Harry and Draco's days in Slytherin house passed in a blur. Harry was so incredibly proud of Neville for ending up in Gryffindor.
The two boys roomed with two boys named Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini. They were the quiet sort, but Harry soon found out Theo was quite studious and Blaise had a wicked type of humour.
Theo, despite being studious and his father being a death eater, was quite liberal, which Harry found refreshing. He was funny, and crass. Blaise was the quiet type of funny. His humour was dry and sarcastic.
The boys sat at the Breakfast table with Neville Longbottom, the twins, and Lee Jordan.
A few days earlier, the twins watched the memories Harry gave them. After watching the memories in a pensieve found in an unknown room on the seventh floor (that wasn't there when they went to check–Harry assumed it must have been the room Sirius and Remus told him about) the twins found Harry via the Map.
Their eyes were rimmed red and Harry, Neville, and Draco pulled them into an empty classroom, evidently skipping their Herbology class.
"They were wicked," Fred said in a breathy voice with a pained grin.
"That they were," Neville agreed with a soft smile.
"I wish they were alive," George murmured. "They'd support us." George said, resentment shining through his words.
"We support you." Draco said to them softly.
"We think you're brilliant," Harry said with a nod. "You have supporters in us."
Harry shook his head free from his reverie as he noticed the time.
It was time for flying lessons with the Gryffindors, so the firsties set off, walking away from the three older boys with a cheeky grin.
Neville forgoed standing with his fellow Gryffindors and chose instead to stand with his Slytherin friends.
The boys – Harry, Neville, Draco, Theo, and Blaise – formed a close group in only a few days, which Harry found refreshing.
Not that he didn't love his cousins, but when the only interaction with people your own age for eleven years of your life were only two people, he wanted to branch out and make some friends as well.
He was very happy they fit in with his family, because if they didn't then Harry would have no room for them in his life.
The Gryffindors had apparently been giving Neville grief for hanging around the 'snakes', but that's always quickly shut down by the twins who have quite a bit of sway in the house of lions.
Harry, Neville, and Draco grew up flying around with Sirius. Be it on his motorbike, or on the quidditch pitch on the grounds of Potter Manor.
Flying lessons went off without a hitch, except for the fact that Ronald Weasley seemed to think he was merlin's-gift-to-wizards when it came to brooms, flying, and quidditch.
In Harry's opinion, he really wasn't that good.
Potions class was one thing Harry looked forward to, but the teacher was not.
He watched every single memory given to him about Severus Snape and his parents.
He came to the conclusion that yes, his father was mean, but Snape gave as good as he got.
Only, he fought dirtier.
The memory of him calling his mother a mudblood rang through his mind. The memory of in his father's seventh year, he cast a curse on his dad when James didn't do anything and Snape nearly killed his father with gashes that didn't stop bleeding.
No, Harry was not fond of Snape.
There was no love lost between them.
"Well well," Snape whispered. "It seems we have a new..celebrity." His eyes locked on Harry, who glared defiantly back.
Slytherins tensed, Gryffindors leaned forward in anticipation.
It seemed his hate for Harry overrode his favouritism for Slytherins.
Draco sneered.
Harry remained impassive. His friends tensed around him as Harry resisted the urge to smirk.
"What would I get with an infusion of wormwood and powdered root of asphodel?" Snape sneered.
"The Draught of the Living Death." Harry responded.
"What is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?" Snape grit out, his annoyance palpable.
Harry bristled. It did not get past him. He knew that Snape knows Remus Lupin is a werewolf.
"There is no difference." He responded primly. "They are the same plant, also known as aconite."
"And where would I find a bezoar?"
"I should hope in your potions stores," Harry retorted. "Many accidents can happen in class, you know."
"You cheeky little–"
"But I suppose if you want to get technical about it," Harry said, sighing as if it was an incredible annoyance. The class, Slytherins and Gryffindors alike were snickering. "You would find a bezoar in the stomach of a goat."
"Very well, Potter," He sneered, then barked at the rest of the class. "Why aren't any of you writing this down?!"
Snape stewed in annoyance the rest of the class period.
Once they shuffled out of the double potions classroom, Theo laughed.
"That was bloody brilliant, Harry," he said, clapping Harry on the shoulder who bowed pompously.
"Anything for my fans."
Harry accidentally brushed past Professor Quirell, his shoulder touching the cloak the man was wearing.
All of a sudden, after making eye contact with the older man to apologise, Harry doubled over in pain.
His scar was burning with pain. He inhaled sharply, the pain blinding him.
"Harry?" Neville asked sharply.
He heard two other voices. One he recognized, and one he didn't.
"Are you okay, Potter?" The kind voice asked. Harry only registered a blur of black and yellow robes.
"Prefect Tonks!" The unknown voice called.
Footsteps rapidly came towards him.
"Harry?" Dora asked frantically. "Harry, are you okay?"
"My..scar.." he gasped out. Dora tensed.
"Let's get you to Madam Pomfrey. Diggory, help me." Dora said, trying to move him.
"No," He said, straightening up. The scar was still throbbing, but it was not nearly as bad as it was a moment before. He vaguely noticed Professor Quirell was nowhere in sight.
-o0o0o0o-
Things were fine once more until Halloween.
A troll was set loose in the Dungeons. And while the Slytherins went to refuge in the library, Neville ran to them.
"Neville?" Harry asked. "What is it?"
"A classmate of mine," he gasped out. "Hermione. And Daphne Greengrass are in the girls bathroom. They don't know about the troll."
Harry, Draco, Theo, and Blaise shared a glance before nodding. They ran off with Neville, breaking away from the group.
Once there, they saw the troll closing in on the girls. Daphne was trying all the spells she could, but trolls are incredibly magic resistant, Harry knew by reading Grandfather Charlus' journals.
Trolls and Giants need blunt force to be taken down, and so Harry began to levitate rubble and throw it at the troll. They began to follow suit, and it slowed the troll down but didn't stop him.
"I'm about to do something very stupid," Harry grumbled. His friends shot sideways looks at him as Harry ran and jumped on the neck of the troll.
He jabbed his wand on the inside of the troll's nose and shouted "REDUCTO!"
The troll's head exploded and Harry went down..down..down.
The last thing he registered after the pain in his head and back were shouts of "HARRY!" and incoming footsteps.
-o0o0o0o-
The first years did not even bother to answer the questions that were shot to them by the Professor's, each of them trying to carry Harry to the hospital wing who had blood coming out of his nose and ears.
"Mr. Longbottom–" McGonagall tried to cut in but instead Neville turned to her, his face the very picture of a pureblood heir.
"Call our family, please. The Floo address is Potter Manor."
"Your family?" Snape sneered.
"Yes." Draco Malfoy snapped.
"And who might that be?" The sallow-faced professor asked loftily.
"The Blacks. The Longbottoms. The Malfoys." Neville said promptly as he, Draco, Blaise, and Theo shouldered the weight of Harry into the hospital wing.
Daphne and Hermione lingered for a moment, before barrelling through the doors as well.
Madam Pomfrey's exclamations of shock were drowned out by them gently laying Harry on the hospital bed. Draco shot an annoyed look at the Professors and asked the matron to use her floo. She nodded vaguely as she frantically worked on Harry, doing diagnostics and demanding the remaining children to tell her what happened whilst she worked.
It was then that the adults finally found out what happened.
"He blew it up." McGonagall said in shock, a hand over her heart as she fumbled to sit down.
"They're exaggerating, Minerva," Snape sneered. "No first year has that kind of magical capability–"
"If you're so sure, Professor," Blaise Zabini cut in glibly. "Then use your legilimency on us."
"My what?" Snape asked, wondering how firsties could know that.
"Go one, Professor Snape," Neville said, using an annoyed tone on the honorific. "We'll let down our Occlumency shields."
"How do first years know Occlumency?" McGonagall demanded. Draco snorted, coming back from Pomfrey's office after having a frantic conversation with Arcturus Black who was going to gather everyone and arrive.
And yes. He meant everyone. The prospect of heads rolling by members of their family excited Draco to no end.
"We were raised by Blacks. How could we not know Occlumency?" Draco said, as if it was obvious.
"There are no surviving members of the Black family, Mr. Malfoy." Snape snapped.
"I beg to differ," A gruff and annoyed voice answered, stepping through the floo followed by many other people.
All of them had different colours of hair and eyes, but one thing remained the same. Their high cheekbones, and their cold facial expressions.
"And who might you be?" Snape said insolently.
But McGonagall only muttered. "Oh Merlin. Arcturus?"
"Hello, Minerva," Arcturus said, his tone the warmest any of them had ever heard, other than when he spoke to Melania.
"What are you doing here?" McGonagall asked, eyes wide.
"I got a very interesting floo call from my great-grandson," Arcturus said smoothly, then his eyes hardened. "Bring me Dumbledore."
"How's Harry?" Sirius demanded.
"Madam Pomfrey's still working on him," Neville murmured softly, being hugged by his parents.
"Can any of you tell us what happened?" Remus asked softly to the firsties.
Hermione squeaked and blushed when Remus' gaze settled on her. Draco sniggered in amusement.
It was Daphne who responded. "Hermione and I were in the bathroom when there was an announcement during the Halloween feast that there was a troll in the dungeons. Heir Neville Longbottom knew we were in the bathroom and did not know of the troll.
"He told his friends and they ran to the bathroom they heard we were at and found the troll on the verge of killing us. We used blunt force to slow it down, as it is magic resistant. But it was still getting closer. Lord Potter jumped on the neck of the troll, stuck his wand up its nose and cast the reductor curse. The troll's head exploded, and he fell. Here is his wand, by the way," She said softly, pulling the wand from her robes and handing it to Remus.
He took the wand gingerly, and nodded his thanks.
Sirius walked over to Madam Pomfrey, his stress palpable in his body language but his face not showing a thing.
Snape sneered at the sight of him.
"Is he okay?" Sirius asked. Madam Pomfrey sighed, pushing the curtain around Harry's bed and addressing everyone in the room.
"Mr. Potter has a bad concussion, I've managed to stop the internal bleeding he had from the fall and the rubble. No cases of magical exhaustion, but he had a broken leg which should be fully healed by tomorrow and a fractured collarbone, which should also be healed by tomorrow."
Everyone sighed in relief. Then, the double doors to the hospital wing opened and in walked Albus Dumbledore with his infamous twinkle.
Arcturus and Cassieopeia immediately rounded onto him.
"You!" She sneered at the older man. "How could you let this happen?"
"It was an unfortunate event, I assure you, my dear."
"Do not patronise me, Dumbledore," Cassie snapped, her sharp grey eyes narrowing. "The wards should not allow a troll to just stumble into the school. Someone let it in, and I know that you know who."
"My dear, I truly do not–"
"Dumbledore, shut up. Save your false apologies and excuses for someone who cares." Arcturus snapped.
Dumbledore sighed, pinching the bridge of his crooked nose. "The situation has been dealt with–"
"Yes," Frank Longbottom sneered. "By first year students."
"The staff seems to have fallen incredibly far," Pollux said in annoyance, looking at Minerva who had the decency to look abashed. "Despite being a Gryffindor, I had respect for you, Minerva. I thought you would do what was best in order to protect the students of Hogwarts, but it seems you are nothing more than a lapdog."
Minerva reared back as though she had been slapped. Sirius' heart gripped in pain for a moment.
McGonagall was his head of house when he was a student. She was like a mother figure to him whilst he was at school, and to see her fallen so far into Dumbledore's clutches truly caused a dull ache inside of his heart.
"Listen here–" Dumbledore began, but was cut off by Hermione Granger.
"We're not going to get into any trouble, are we?" She asked any of the professor's. She saw the way Dumbledore acted with Harry's family..and she did not like it.
When she came here she thought that he was the best wizard of the generation. But power and wisdom are not the same thing. She wanted the conversation over, and she wanted Dumbledore to leave.
"No, my dear," Dumbledore said, somewhat patronisingly. She imperceptibly narrowed her eyes. Arcturus noticed. "Nobody will get into trouble, you all did a very brave thing."
She smiled brightly, very falsely at that. Everyone who looked at her realised she was getting at something, and wanted to know what it was.
"That's wonderful news! Oh thank you professor!" She gushed, then continued. "Personally, I thought it was very cunning of Lord Potter to do what he did."
Dumbledore blinked. Arcturus stifled a laugh.
Of course Dumbledore would call it brave, a Gryffindor trait. This little, bushy haired, eleven year old girl is subtly telling the old man where to shove it.
"Cunning?" Dumbledore questioned.
"Oh yes," Hermione nodded, eyes wide and innocent as she stared at the tall, older man. "Slowing the troll down enough to land a killing blow whilst distracted. Seems very cunning to me, don't you think?"
"Now..I wouldn't say that–"
"But why?" Hermione questioned. "He is a Slytherin of course. Cunning, ambitious, resilient," Her eyes took on a (false) dreamy quality. She had read up on one Gellert Grindelwald. She knew exactly what to say in order to get the old man and Professor's to leave, so Harry's family could be with him without the extra people around.
The people involved in the ordeal needed to stay in the Hospital Wing overnight, Madam Pomfrey's orders – even though nothing was wrong with them.
"I'd like to say it was brave, noble." Dumbledore said with a fixed smile.
"I mean, sure." Hermione nodded, eyes still wide and starstruck. "But I'm sure you had to be cunning as well as brave in your duel with Grindelwald." Hermione gushed.
"Well I-"
"I mean.." Hermione trailed off. "It was a terrible thing, what happened, truly. But what you did had Slytherin elements in it. I mean, I read somewhere that you were his friend once–"
"That is enough, Ms. Granger." Dumbledore said gruffly.
"Well," Hermione said, her smile now fixed. "I'm sure that you professor's have so much work to do tomorrow, no need in wasting your time with us," She said brightly. "Have a good night!"
And that evidently led to two very confused heads of houses and one fuming headmaster leaving the Hospital Wing.
Once the door was closed, everyone burst out laughing. Even Daphne Greengrass gave a small little chuckle.
Hermione Granger turned bright red as Neville applauded her.
"Wonderfully done, truly." Draco Malfoy praised.
"Never thought I'd see the day," Sirius snorted. "Albus Dumbledore–"
"Shut up by an eleven year old girl," Remus finished. "Very nicely done Ms?"
"Granger." Hermione squeaked. "Hermione Granger."
"Very nicely done," Narcissa praised with a smirk.
"I just didn't like the way he was acting," She harrumphed slightly. "I mean, to be so passive aggressive! Mr. I-Am-An-All-Knowing-Has-Been-And-You-Should-All-Listen-To-Me." She fumed.
Andromeda and Ted snorted.
"You just called Albus Dumbledore a has been," Ted laughed. "Priceless."
"Well, he is, isn't he?" Daphne backed up. "When was the last time he did anything of note? 1945."
"It's been almost fifty years," Theo agreed. "The only thing he did recently was start the Order of the Phoenix and that killed more people than anything else."
"I know," Daphne muttered in sadness. "My parents were great friends with some of the people killed."
"Who?" Neville whispered. The adults just quietly watched the exchange. Cygnus and Druella left along with Pollux. Narcissa and Lucius sat by Draco, Frank and Alice by Neville. Andromeda and Ted by Hermione. Remus and Sirius by Harry. Arcturus, Melania, and Cassie sat by the other free bed, which was Daphne Greengrass. Theo and Blaise were sitting right next to Harry with Sirius and Remus.
"Marlene McKinnon," Daphne said. "And James and Lily Potter."
"They were friends?" Draco asked in confusion, looking at Sirius and Remus who sighed and nodded.
"Cyrus and Rhea," Sirius whispered fondly. "How are they doing?"
"They're doing well," Daphne said with a soft smile. "I'll have to write to them to let them know what happened."
"I'll write them, if you don't mind?" Sirius asked quietly. "It's been so long since we've talked because..well, Harry had to be kept a secret."
"It's all right," Daphne nodded. "They've been busy with our own family problems," Daphne said, her voice stoney.
She must have thought she said too much, for she immediately quieted down.
It was Arcturus who whispered to her. "What's going on, Ms. Greengrass?"
"You do remember the rumour that one person in each Greengrass generation is cursed with a blood malediction, right?" Daphne murmured.
"Yes.." Arcturus answered. Melania's brows were furrowed.
"We thought the curse had run its course," Daphne said softly. "It hasn't appeared in three generations. But it has manifested in my little sister."
Melania gasped softly.
Cassie's brows were furrowed in thought, before she spoke. "For your help today, Ms. Greengrass, a formal letter will arrive to your family. You may peruse the Black family Library however much you need…I'm afraid the only ones who can offer the Potter Library are Sirius or Harry." She whispered comfortingly. "But if you were to ask, they would without a doubt agree."
"I couldn't–" Daphne whispered, her eyes wide with shock. Her hands were soon held by others, who had been listening in.
"The Malfoy family Library is at your disposal."
"As is the Longbottom Library."
"The Nott family Library as well, if you need it," Theo whispered, compassion in his soft blue eyes.
"The Zabini family library is mainly in Italian," Blaise murmured. "But if you know a good translating spell, it's there for you too."
"As is Potter," Sirius Black finished with a smile.
"You can't possibly–" Tears pricked Daphne's eyes as she looked at all these people whom she just met today, looking at her with camaraderie and friendship.
"Of course we can, silly," Draco said, with an odd expression.
"We just did!" Theo said brightly.
The offering of family Libraries is huge– a fact that was later explained to Hermione, for though she did not have a library to offer, she offered her assistance in searching with them. Family libraries often have works written by members of the family, with findings not known to other wizards. Family secrets. Filled with tomes hundreds or thousands of years old, only in those libraries.
The Greengrass library was extensive, but there was truly nothing in there about the malediction – which is stupid considering they were cursed with it, weren't they?
The curse in and of itself was dark in nature, and the Black, Malfoy, and Nott families were dark. The Zabinis have accumulated thousands of years worth of knowledge, and the Potters were fountains of knowledge and wisdom, having not only Potter family tomes but Peverell family knowledge as well.
If they did not find anything in those libraries, or the Longbottoms, then there would be nothing to find.
Daphne was warmed at the offer, and terrified of the prospect that..maybe, there well and truly was nothing to find.
a/n: i kind of want to speed along first year and completely change second year and turn it into one in which harry just stumbles upon the chamber and gets a thousand year old pet basilisk. What do we think?