Halle Potter and the first year of madness
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The five Gryffindors sat eating amongst their peers. They didn't speak. There was a comfort in their joint silence even as the remainder of the common room contrasted that silence with noise.
They just sat there and ate together until the common room began to slowly file out.
They were some of the last to go up.
When Ashley began sending students up to bed for lights out, Halle noticed Ronnie's reluctance.
She leaned over to her and whispered. "You alright?"
"I think we should talk. Just you, me and Nev." She said in a faint whisper.
Halle nodded her head and turned to look at Neville. She managed to capture his attention and sent a gesturing look at him. Neville caught on and stopped himself from rising to his feet whereas Dewei and Hermione both had. They both noticed that the other three hadn't stood.
Dewei looked for a moment as though he was possibly going to ask what was wrong but he didn't and masked any look concern he had of them not moving.
"I'm going to bed." He announced before walking off to the boys dormitory.
To most people that would've just been a lifeless statement but Halle could hear the inner debate within his voice to say more, possibly even a friendly goodnight. How she was making these conclusions was still a mystery to her but her gut was telling her that Dewei was beginning to care for them.
After all they did save his life and now he had saved theirs. At the very least there was an established bond even if he did think they were annoying but all of them had now faced a three headed dog and a troll. A connection was formed whether he liked it not.
"Are guys you coming?" Asked Hermione.
"Yeah, just a bit stuffed." Replied Ronnie, patting her stomach to further implement the idea that she was full.
Halle closed her eyes and titled her head upwards and feigned a silent yawn.
"Same and tired too." She said mumbled in an effort to convey her sudden tiredness.
In actual fact Halle was far from tired. Even several hours after fighting a troll she was still quite awake.
Lots of thoughts had run through her head that evening and her brain in the silence of their circle had allowed her to run through more possibilities.
"Don't worry we'll be up in a minute. You go ahead." Said Halle to Hermione with a soft smile.
Hermione had an enquiring look for a second but she nodded and said good night to Neville who did the same and then she headed for the girl's dormitory.
Halle watched her until she was out of sight. Several other students were still getting up and the three Gryffindors sat there in silence and waited until all the students were gone, all except Ashley who was walking over to them.
"You three alright?" She asked analysing all three of them with a careful eye. Halle wasn't sure what to say to her. They needed to talk privately but what excuse could they give to get that?
Ronnie luckily provided one.
"Our calming draughts are wearing off. When you saw us earlier, Madam Pomfrey gave us a few small drops but it's wearing off and we're feeling a bit anxious." Said Ronnie quickly.
A look of pity crossed Ashley's face.
"Maybe you should get some sleep and you'll feel better in the morning." She offered kindly.
"Actually is it possible if we could go down to the Hospital Wing and get some more calming draught from Madam Pomfrey? She only gave us tiny doses because she was healing some of our injuries and mixing too much calming draught with healing potions can be potentially fateful. Our systems should be clearing out by now and Madam Pomfrey would probably only give us a few drops just to be sure but we'd feel better if we could get some." Said Ronnie in very innocent sounding voice.
Halle and Neville nodded their heads up at Ashley.
"It's lights out in five minutes and Professor McGonagall said no ones to leave the common room." Replied Ashley.
"Please!" Pleaded Halle in a tone that was far too reminiscent of Dudley when he used his baby voice to get something he wanted from the Dursley's.
Ashley looked conflicted as the three Gryffindors looked up at her innocently. After a moment's deliberation she spoke.
"Ok, I will go get your draughts. You stay here and wait for me to return. Understood?" Said Ashley.
All three nodded.
"Alright I'll be back in five minutes max." Said Ashley and she turned on her heel and left the common room through the portrait. When the portrait swung closed Ronnie hopped out of her seat and rushed towards the stairs quickly checking they were alone before she came back to her seat.
"What's the matter Ronnie?" Asked Neville quietly.
"Well I think we should discuss what happens now? I mean with Granger and Zabini. C.S , the passageway, our practice. What now?" Said Ronnie quickly.
Halle looked thoughtful for a moment. She had of course thought of C.S and wondered if it was him who had set the troll loose in the school even though her mind was set on Snape being the one who did and the possibility that he was working with C.S but she hadn't actually thought about Hermione being involved in everything and knowing about C.S but they had initiated her as a friend now. She was now part of their group.
Then there was Dewei who, although still reluctant, had shifted from wanting to get away from them to just accepting them but they hadn't told him what they were truly doing and Hermione didn't know.
They couldn't really leave her in the dark but if they involved her she was at risk too.
Halle supposed though if C.S was watching them then he would eventually realise that she was now included in their group and would be at risk anyway.
She had to be told. Not to mention no matter how annoying she could get she was superior to them when it came to charms and magical knowledge all round. It would be an advantage to have Hermione around and if they told her what they were doing then maybe she could join them? Perhaps even teach them.
A sudden thought occurred to Halle. In the last two weeks they had left Dewei on his own at several points and nothing had actually happened to him probably because he was amongst his peers however as Halle thought about continuing their sessions unbeknownst to him, the idea of leaving him alone now seemed wrong.
It practically seemed stupid now that she thought about it even if he wasn't technically alone. While they were at the lake or the passageway he was by himself. Why hadn't they thought about this before?
Halle realised that perhaps her thoughts of him were shifting too. She had hugged him tonight and he had come to save them.
Oh god was it possible that Dewei wasn't just an operation anymore? He wasn't just a boy to protect and follow? Was he a friend now? Like Hermione was? Defeating a troll together really could put things into perspective.
They couldn't tell Dewei that they had been following him to protect him as well as discover what his secrets were which they hadn't discovered anything so far.
Hermione didn't know anything either.
If Hermione was gonna be involved and they did leave Dewei alone they couldn't always depend to saddle him off with her to continue their sessions and if Hermione was going to be their friend then she deserved to know the truth.
Hermione no doubt would love the passageway but if she was going to call Dewei a friend too then didn't he deserve to know the truth? Didn't he deserve to learn spells to ensure his own safety? He probably would like the passageway too.
Yes he probably would, but did she trust him enough to show him? There was still something going on. She still needed to know what he knew.
So what now? Perhaps they could include Dewei. There was no reason for him not to be learning spells and academically he was better than them too. Halle felt it would just be unwise to tell him why they had been following him even if he had guessed at the reasoning but maybe she didn't have to say that. Maybe it could just be implied?
Then there was the fact that they could be in danger too.
Ever since C.S had sent that note, Halle had been on edge. She didn't assume he would do what he did last time but it had happened and he could be anywhere. If anything Dewei and Hermione once she knew what was going on would be better magically prepared then herself, Neville and Ronnie. Hermione would probably jump at the chance to teach them and if they addressed C.S out in the open then they had no choice but to continue practicing spells whether they were following Dewei or not. If they addressed it to Hermione perhaps he couldn't avoid the situation.
They could also drag him along.
The passageway was another thing. They were always careful to make sure no one was around when entering but if he didn't already know then taking Dewei was more dangerous assuming C.S was out for Dewei more than them.
He had to be. He had tried to kill him. Dewei had proposed that C.S wanted to frame them for his murder and if that even were the case why Dewei of all people? They weren't following him at the time, yet he had got a note too and he was the one pushed off the balcony.
Clearly Dewei must've done something for C.S to retaliate in such away but she still had no idea what she had done.
Maybe she hadn't done anything and she was just picked for the sake of it.
The situation had something to do with him but she didn't know what it had to do with herself and the others.
Technically it didn't have anything to do with Ronnie or Neville. She had got the note and they had chosen to come along with her but if C.S had seen them, they all were in danger, or were they? C.S hadn't tried anything since, well as far as she was aware anyway.
The whole situation was frustrating to say the least. She had no clue what was going on and she didn't know if they were truly in danger or even how much danger they were in.
Perhaps she was wrong not to take this to Dumbledore. Maybe if they had pushed the issue then, then Dewei would have no choice but to spill whatever he knows.
Maybe he didn't know anything and she had been jumping to conclusions?
No! Dewei knew something about C.S. What? She wasn't sure but she knew he had lied to her that day he was pushed off the astronomy tower. Then there was the fact that too many things so far had happened for them to be coincidences. Matt and Freja's tale, the argument, Lena and the letter and them being in the trophy room.
Her first priority needed to be establishing what exactly their situation was.
Obviously their approach so far was not working so they needed a new tactic. That would require research and strategy.
That would also require time which as of right now they didn't have much.
"Ok. I think we should tell them about our sessions seeming as both of them are better than we are at magic but we keep the passageway a secret for now. We don't know how Hermione will react and whether he saved us or not, I think we don't tell Dewei, just for a while until we can work out what he knows." Said Halle quietly.
They were alone in the common but they didn't want anyone to comeback in and overhear their conversation.
"Is that wise to trust him with our secret? I mean Hermione's one thing but Dewei?" Said Neville uncertain.
"As far as we know, no one else knows about the passageway and if there's a possibility that C.S is out to get us and him then we don't want to alert C.S about the passageway if he doesn't already know. If he does I'm just hoping he doesn't know how to get in. There's valuable information in there that's been helping us so far. We shouldn't risk bringing him or Hermione in there not at least until we know what we're dealing with. Which we don't know anything right now, but tomorrow I hope to change that and I want you to go along with me." Said Halle seriously.
"How?" Asked Ronnie.
"We're going to attempt to push Dewei's hand and that's where Hermione comes in. Tomorrow we'll tell her about the tower and the notes. Get her opinion but I'm gonna start with some different information first which I'll explain to all four of you tomorrow. We'll need somewhere quiet. I also think we should continue our sessions with both of them. If we tell Hermione that we think C.S is after us she probably won't care that we're practicing defensive spells beyond our grade level and maybe she'll even help. Ronnie on Sundays you need to make any excuses you can but you continue to go up to the passageway and make your potions but be careful. We'll continue staying with Dewei and we keep an extra vigilant eye out for anything unusual. We'll move homework to Friday or Saturday evenings and if anything I'll sneak into the passageway on Tuesdays and Saturday afternoons after quidditch practice and take our notes so we don't fall behind. After we've worked out what Dewei knows , we can tell them about the passageway." Informed Halle.
"What if Zabini is working with C.S though? He never did show us his note."Asked Ronnie with a hint of suspicion.
"Well I guess we'll have to find out. In the meantime our plan still stays with us. I don't want Hermione getting the wrong idea that we're up to no good. We just need to know if we're safe. We tell her about the incident but we don't tell her about Dewei knowing something. We don't know if what he knows is good or bad. So we just tell her about the danger and not the operation." Said Halle.
"Ok, got it. What about….." Started Neville but he was interrupted by a loud hissing and toppling sound. The three Gryffindors stood and looked behind them.
Over in the far corner was a black cat hissing at what looked liked a lizard on the wall.
It was the most beautiful lizard Halle had ever seen. Most of its body was pure white with deep red spots across it and a fully red head.
Her heartbeat calmed. She thought someone had come down.
"I don't think that cat likes the lizard much." Said Ronnie rather patently.
"Who owns a Lizard in Gryffindor?" Asked Neville.
"No idea." Answered Ronnie.
"Yeah well let's get it before the cat eats it." Said Halle as she walked over. The cat was on the table standing on it two back legs with its claws stretched out but the lizard was out of reach.
Halle loved reptiles. She loved reading about them, they were such beautiful creatures and she always adored their scales, habits and much more. Going to the Zoo for Dudley's birthday had been an amazing day for her even if she had got in trouble, she was just sad that she hadn't got a chance to see any lizards or turtles.
The cat who she didn't know who it belonged too was still scratching at the wall on its two legs as it hissed manically at the lizard. The cat looked familiar but she couldn't place whose cat it might be in Gryffindor.
"Aww, it's ok the lizard won't hurt you." Said Halle to the cat.
The cat seemed to pause and look at her for a moment as though it seemed offended at the insinuation that the lizard could hurt him.
"That got his attention." Chuckled Ronnie.
"But you can't eat the lizard. It belongs to someone." Said Halle.
The cat hissed again.
"Well that's just rude but it doesn't negate what I said. Come on." Said Halle picking up the cat. It struggled in her hand but luckily it didn't scratch her. Halle had dealt with lot of cats whenever she stayed with Mrs Figg, so she knew how to handle one.
She put the cat down pushed him up the spiral stair case which the cat darted up. When she looked back, she noticed that Neville had somehow managed to coax the lizard into his hand.
Halle came back over and stared at it.
"Awwwww its ok. The cat won't hurt you. He's gone now." Said Neville soothingly to the lizard.
Halle took a closer look at the lizard. There was something about it that made her feel strange. She had only ever seen one other lizard before which had been at primary school. Mark Corden, a boy in her class had often spoke about his parent's jobs. His father was a Herpetologist which was the study of Amphibians and Reptiles whilst his mother was entomologist which was the study of insects.
Mark had one day come into school for show and tell and had brought his sipyloidea insect and his tokay Gecko called Jackson.
Jackson was gorgeous and Halle had immediately been drawn too him.
Mark was showing both of them off and Halle managed to get close to Jackson and felt a strange pulling sensation, Mark luckily had let her hold Jackson. It was such an amazing feeling and Jackson had taken to her quite quickly.
It was like being at the Zoo with the boa constrictor she had helped escape, only that feeling had been much stronger than her pull to Jackson but she had felt it.
This lizard however was different. She didn't feel the same pulling feeling. The feeling didn't feel threatening as per say but it wasn't like Jackson or the snake, there was no tug to want to come closer to this lizard, like it didn't feel right.
That was strange. Halle loved reptiles.
Before she could think more on it. The portrait door swung open and Ashley had come back through.
"What's going on?" She asked as she noticed all three them stood in the far corner of the room.
"Someone's lizard went for a walk and someone else's cat wanted to make a meal out of said lizard." Answered Ronnie casually.
Ashley came forward and looked at the Lizard.
"Cute. I'll take it and ask around. It must've escaped from someone's dorm. In the meantime you guys take these and get to bed." Said Ashley handing them five small vials of a sips worth of calming draught while she held out her hand for the lizard.
"Five?" Halle questioned as she took the vials and Neville handed over the lizard.
"Madam Pomfrey thought Granger and Zabini might want some too." Answered Ashley.
"Thanks Ashley." Said Halle as she handed two, to Ronnie and Neville.
"Yeah thanks." Said Ronnie and Neville.
"You're welcome. Now get to bed troll slayers." Said Ashley with a playful grin.
The trio said their goodnights to Ashley. They stopped on the stairs and Ronnie held out her hand. Both knew she was asking for the vials seeming as they didn't really need the potion. They both quickly handed the vials over to her before Halle and Ronnie said their good nights to Neville who turned towards the boy's dormitory. When they entered their dorm, the room was silent except for the soft snores and wheezes of the other girls who were already fast asleep.
Hermione who usually had her curtains around her bed for once didn't. Halle could see her laying down on her side facing her bed.
She seemed to be asleep.
Halle and Ronnie crept to their side of the dorm. Ronnie put the vials away in her own collection and the two of them began to sort themselves out and change into pyjamas before Ronnie began tending to Scabbers. When they were done both girls slipped into bed.
Suddenly Hermione's voice could be heard.
"So what rule did you break this time?" She asked.
Halle looked over at her. She hadn't moved and her eyes weren't open.
Halle should've known. Hermione was very perceptive. Halle smirked despite the accusation. Hermione had actually asked the question lightly maybe even playful as opposed to the last time they had broken a rule whilst she was with them.
"Honestly we come to bed a little late and that means we're causing trouble?" Said Ronnie from her bed.
"Well were you?" Asked Hermione. Halle who turned away from Hermione definitely could tell she was smiling even without looking.
"We'll tell you tomorrow. Night." Said Halle before turning out her own lamp.
She heard them both say night and when she finally settled down, she regretted not taking her vial as her thoughts shifted back to the troll, C.S, the three headed dog and Snape, making her night night restless.
/
The next morning came and Halle found herself waking up early again. The first couple of weeks had been blissful being able to wake up at a reasonable time by herself but now her Dursley early morning rises had been taking a hold of her body again.
Well it had been fun while it had lasted. Luckily for her, her body was very used to waking up early. She flung herself out of bed and headed to the bathroom to get herself ready. When she was washed and dressed and she put on her uniform she realised that Hermione wasn't in bed.
Apparently Halle wasn't the only one who was an early riser.
Halle walked out of the dorm and found herself down in the common room. It was dimly lit from the light of the sky coming through the window. The room was empty except for one bushy haired girl sitting in one of the arm chairs reading a book.
Halle smiled.
"You know, some would say it's a little early to be reading right now." Said Halle plopping herself in the opposite chair.
Hermione looked up at her and smiled.
"I read everyday. Before I go to bed, in the morning before breakfast and anywhere else I can fit in the day. I've done it for so long, I don't think I could stop even if I tried." Said Hermione truthfully.
Halle was reminded of Hermione's confession of not having friends in the muggle world. How she was different but couldn't explain it and people had judged her for it.
Halle knew the feeling.
"Well whatever makes you happy." Said Halle kindly.
"Books have always taken my mind off of things. You can immerse yourself in a world filled with wonder and take it all in. It's a superb feeling especially when you don't have friends to talk too." Said Hermione.
"No doubt." Said Halle flatly.
"You don't like to read?" Asked Hermione picking up on the tone.
"I like reading. I do but I have a love/hate relationship with it. In school all I really could do was read or draw during playtimes. No one wanted to play with me so those were my only options. It became tedious after a while and I only own a few books which I've read a dozen times." Said Halle becoming uncomfortable now that she was marching into the territory of the Dursley's.
"Why didn't you ask for more?" Asked Hermione curiously.
"Hah! Me asking for things? Where I live, that's like Oliver Twist asking for more gruel. I only got the books because my cousin hates reading. Eventually my aunt and uncle stopped buying him books. He tore the pages out of most them and the rest were given to me damaged or undamaged. They were only given to me because when I was younger, I would make the mistake of asking for toys. So, I was given books. Most of them with shredded pages." Said Halle. Her eyes went wide as she realised, she told Hermione this.
She didn't just talk about the Dursley's like that. Why had she just told Hermione this?
She looked at the girl who looked horrified at her revelation.
"That's horrible!" Stated Hermione closing her own book.
"It's not that bad. Most of the books were at school, I'd finish them there and…"
"That's not the point! Why would they treat you that way?" Said Hermione who looked close to crying.
Oh boy she had done it now. Why had she blabbed? She hated talking about them.
"Hermione….."
"Why?" Said Hermione fiercely.
"Because I'm a freak. I always have been. At least to them. It just turned out I was a witch." Said Halle dejected.
The fierce look left Hermione's face only to be replaced by a saddened one.
No she didn't want pity.
"But I'm fine. I'm here at Hogwarts. I'm learning magic and already I've fought a troll. It's kinda funny actually, Fred and George, told Ronnie that we might have to do that for the sorting ceremony. I was terrified and now I've actually done it. I mean I don't want to do it again but I can officially say it's off the I didn't actually want to do it but it's been done bucket list." Said Halle with a large grin.
She could see that Hermione wasn't ready for the switch in topic but Halle wasn't going to talk about the Dursley's anymore.
She looked away from Hermione's eyes and saw to her surprise the white and red lizard again.
"It's you again." Said Halle aloud.
Hermione looked over to where Halle was looking and noticed the lizard.
"The lizard?" Asked Hermione.
"Yeah, I saw it last night. Saved it from being devoured by a cat." Said Halle.
At the mention of the cat, the lizard scurried off.
Ashley must've not found it's owner.
"I guess you have a knack for it. I never did thank you last night, I mean besides my foot." Said Hermione.
"Ah I mean everyone helped everyone and I didn't need to hear it to know it was there." Said Halle casually.
"Still. Thank you for helping save my life. Neville told me in the hospital Wing that you were the one who made Ronnie come to apologise and come and get me out of the bathroom and you jumped on the troll for both of us. So that Neville could attempt to get us out. That was completely insane and highly dangerous but it was also extremely brave. If you didn't think about me then I might not be here." Said Hermione, her eyes were dry but the emotion swarmed heavily around them.
"You're ok and we're alive, that's the main thing and now that we're friends, know that I've got your back." Said Halle smiling.
"Thank you and I've got yours." Said Hermione and she reached over and squeezed Halle's
hand.
Halle squeezed hers in return.
"Good, because we've got some stuff to catch you up on." Said Halle breaking their hold.
"Like what?" Asked Hermione with a curious expression.
"Not yet. We need to wait for the others and then I'll catch you up on the details." Said Halle.
"Why do I get the feeling I'm not going to like where this is going?" Said Hermione.
"Well you probably won't but if you're gonna choose to be our friend then naturally you're gonna be on a wild ride. I can advise you to bow out now and save yourself the trouble if you'd like." Said Halle earnestly.
"Well, I've already come this far, I might as well see this all way the through." She said rather ludically.
"Glad you're so open minded." Said Halle chuckling.
"Well, I think considering certain things that have happened, it can't hurt to be a little open minded but I'm not the type of person to give up my values for just any reason. I'm not going to start breaking rules without good reason or bunking off of doing homework and spilling knowledge that might be useful. That's not who I am. Can you handle that?" Asked Hermione seriously.
Halle saw the fierce look on her face but she also saw the uncertainty in her eyes.
Hermione didn't want to give up the opportunity to have friends but she wasn't eager to give up her identity either.
Halle didn't want her too neither.
"I think we can all be a little open minded from now, but if you're being annoying, we'll definietly tell you and if we're being irrational or stupid you can tell us." Said Halle grinning mischievously.
Hermione chuckled.
"That sounds like a plan." Said Hermione sticking out her hand. Halle took her hand shook it.
"Indeed." Said Halle.
Halle felt a shiver as she let go of Hermione's hand. She then took out her wand.
"Incendio!" Said Halle as a jet of fire burst from the tip of her a wand.
The common room suddenly became alive and much cosier.
"Interesting!" Said Hermione casually.
"What's interesting?" Asked Halle curiously.
"That spell, although it's a first year spell, it wouldn't be taught to us during the first term, yet you and Ronnie both know it already. She used it against the troll last night." Stated Hermione.
"I did tell you this friendship was going to be a wild ride." Said Halle coyly.
"Apparently so." Said Hermione with a small smile.
/