It was another year gone. Slytherin won the house and Quiditch cup, consequently earning Theo a couple of galleons. Theo the idiot, bragged that Harry helped Lars in defeating the heir and that he had invented a new restorative draught. He was congratulated by some in Slytherin house for his ingenuity with the restorative draught and many students from other houses. He thanked them politely, of course.
"Your snake has more conscience than you," Theo remarked with an amused chuckle after Harry excused himself for what had happened between them, when Harry let his pride took over a few days ago, when he snapped at the three for helping him.
"Quite a surprise, you know," Theo added. "Normally, animals like him don't really care."
"Arrogant," Seraphim remarked, coiling around Harry's leg. "Just because I'm a snake, don't assume I don't know how to think." Harry told Theo what Seraphim said and Theo just laughed before telling Seraphim "No offence."
"So what are your other abilities?" Theo asked Seraphim and Seraphim responded by making himself disappear. It was very neat, the camouflaging ability that Seraphim possess.
"Stay like that until we get to Privet Drive, Seraphim," Harry ordered before turning his attention to Theo. "You're not going to shoot out of my fireplace again, are you?" Theo chuckled and responded negatively.
"Last Christmas, Father told me that he's not going to kick me out of the house again as it does not bode well for his already low standing in the pureblood hierarchy." Pride and vanity, Harry thought with a smirk. It was a very prominent trait among pureblood families. "I'm his only heir and as such it is unacceptable that he does not let me stay in the manor for whatever reason that may be, even when many say that I'm a muggle-lover." Harry was relieved to hear such thing. His friend wouldn't be homeless.
"My father still doesn't want me to associate with you," Theo added. Harry raised his eyebrow. Trust Theo's father not to change his mind.
"But many purebloods adore you," said Theo after a beat, grinning ear to ear.
"Adore?" Harry questioned with a dubious look. For one, he was still a half-blood. He very much doubted that purebloods would like him, let alone adore. Likely, it was Theo exaggerating the words.
"Believe me, they do." Theo insisted, looking every bit serious. "For a number of reasons, they really do."
"Reasons such as?" Theo raised his hand and started counting with his finger for each reason.
"You're exceptionally brilliant in Potions, that's on the top of the list," said Theo. "One of the youngest apprentices in the world. Mr. Malfoy is on your side. You're the chosen heir of one of the oldest pureblood families, despite the not-so-pureblood view of Sirius. You're just about the brightest wizard of our age –along with Granger, I guess. You're a half-blood, at the very least. Or as what they decided to call it now, a first-generation pureblood since both your parents were still magical." Harry smirked wryly at the news that the pureblood society conjured a name for the offspring of a pureblood and a muggleborn.
Surprisingly enough, Harry found himself being pleased with the news that many people in the pureblood circle had accepted him. He thought socialising with some wouldn't be so bad in the long run. After all, it would be useful to have friends in higher society. He might need a few favours here and there. Who would know for sure? Although, Harry didn't think that Midas would be particularly thrilled at the thought of purebloods beginning to take an interest in him. His guardian would likely consider it bad news.
"Anyway, are you still staying in Privet Drive? You know just in case I decide to shoot out of the fireplace."
Harry chuckled lightly at his friend's jest before informing the said friend that he only intended to stay in Privet Drive for around a week and then he'd transfer to another place.
"Any chance that you'll tell me where?"
Harry shook his head. "Not for now."
"Why not?" inquired Theo with a small frown. "I promise not to shoot out of your fireplace."
"Not the reason, don't worry," he said, though he made it sound likely that it was the reason. Theo gave him a mock-insulted look.
In the midst of Theo giving a small tantrum due to Harry not telling the place, someone knocked on the door. Harry was grateful for the knock mainly because it stopped Theo's ridiculous mock-insulted attitude.
"Don't come in, we're in starkers!" Harry turned to his friend with a mildly horrified look.
"What the hell, Theodore?" Theo just gave him a big grin. Harry wondered if he should punch the grin off his friend's face. In the end, he settled on slapping.
"Come in!" Harry called out to whoever knocked as he reached out and slapped Theo on the head. Still, Theo grinned at him as he sat back down.
When the door opened, the Weasley twins came into view with their sister.
Harry looked at the three inquiringly. "Yes?" he asked.
"Hello Harrykins-" George began,
"We, along with our precious little sister that is,"
"Wanted to thank you for saving her."
"Don't mention it," Harry curtly before averting his gaze, expecting that they'd leave afterwards. However, they didn't.
"Well?" he demanded, wondering why the Weasleys were still by the compartment door.
"Would it be alright if Ginny speaks with you?" George asked him.
"If you're not busy doing private things that is," Fred added. Harry looked at his friend who just shrugged at him before standing up, saying "I'll leave if you need to speak privately, I need some sweets anyway." Theo left immediately after that.
Harry let out a breath. He really would rather not but he was in cordial terms with the Weasley twins.
"Well, why not?" he said and Ginny, who was still silent, entered the compartment whilst the Weasley twins left.
After a minute of not hearing anything from the girl, Harry immediately grew impatient. "If you have nothing else to say-"
"Thank you for helping me," the Weasley girl blurted out. Harry blinked a few times before his face became expressionless again.
"I told you, don't mention it," he repeated. "I mean that literally. You don't need to thank me. It never was part of my intention to help you. You should thank Lars and your brother."
"I already did, I- I just want to thank you as well," she admitted, looking shy. "I know you didn't have to."
"I didn't do it for you," he said sharply.
"I know, I-I….." Ginny gulped and looked down.
Harry couldn't help but sigh, running a hand on his hair. "It's fine, alright," he said to her, kinder than he usually was.
"Just….I'm sorry it all happened….but thank you," she answered. "I'm sorry and thanks too." Harry's eyes slightly narrowed because of the girl's statement. It sounded all too familiar.
"Question," he said with a drawl, "were you the one who sent the letter of gratitude at the same time apology to me?"
Ginny nodded twice but still refused to face to raise her head.
"Look at me," Harry said austerely. He had to repeat the demand before the Weasley girl finally obeyed and looked at him.
"I don't like it when the person I'm talking to doesn't even look at me," he informed her, hoping that she'd avoid doing so in the future. "Listen, Ginny isn't it? You don't need to apologise or thank me. The thanking, I can understand but apologising?"
"You were hurt when you were there!" she said to him with a bit of teary eyes. Sweet Merlin she's going to cry, Harry though with unease. He didn't like it when people cried in front of him, all those water coming out of their eyes. Still, he appreciated the concern she showed at him being hurt.
"I see," he muttered. "Look, Ginny, whilst it was partly because of you that chaos ensued in the castle it wasn't because of you that I had gotten myself hurt. It wasn't your fault, alright?"
"I'm still the reason -" Harry waved a hand to dismiss whatever the Weasley girl would say. He'd already sensed that she was going to give the reason that she'd let herself be under Riddle's control.
"Ginny, did you consciously follow his commands?" Ginny shook her head. "And what did you do when you found out that he has been controlling you?"
"I-I tried to dispose of it."
"Well, you tried and you failed to stop it because," he looked patronisingly at her, "let's face it, he's more powerful than you. That being said, you need not feel too guilty about it all. I blame you for your gullibility hence why I said you are partly at fault, partly but not wholly. You understand?"
"So I'm still at fault," Ginny said with a slight sob.
"Of course you are. You basically started this all," Harry said in a matter-of-fact tone. What was this girl expecting him to say? "As I said, Ginny, partly but not wholly. Think of it this way, it's partly my brother's fault that I got myself hurt because had he not went there I wouldn't have followed, and at the same time it was mine because I chose to go there."
"But, you can't help not help your brother when you know he's in danger."
"Exactly, Ginny," Harry said, hoping that he made the point to the girl. "You, on the other hand, can't not help but follow his commands because you have already made a parasitic connection with Riddle."
"I don't understand," she said quietly.
"Well obviously," he said drily. "I hate being redundant but I'm going to say it again. You did not manage to stop Riddle by disposing of the diary because he's more powerful than you. You can't not help that he is more powerful than you. And you likely didn't expect that your friend would turn out to be some raging psychopath. End of story."
"If you want to keep taking the blame, suit yourself. Now if you don't mind, though I don't really care if you do, I'm going to sleep." He didn't wait for Ginny to respond when he just immediately closed his eyes and inclined his head to the wall. The last sound that he heard was the closing of the door. He wasn't expecting to actually fall asleep but he did.
When he woke up, he remembered having a dreamless sleep, it was just the same darkness he'd see whenever he would close his eyes.
"Oh, you're awake," Theo stated.
"Yes, Theo, any more obvious things to add?" he said drily, taking a hat beside him and putting it on, effectively transfiguring his clothes from his school uniform to his usual muggle clothes. Seraphim fell as his clothes transfigured.
"What you did was pretty rude, you know," Theo pointed out. "The girl just wanted to talk."
"Yes, and I didn't want to talk yet I still did." he retorted, scooping up Seraphim from the ground and having it coil on his arm on camouflage. "I can barely maintain my boredom whilst talking to my brother about his problems, how much more for other people?"
"Fair point, mate, but still, you shouldn't have just slept like that," Theo insisted.
Harry narrowed his eyes at Theo. "And why ever not?" he questioned. "I've told her why she shouldn't be too guilty, concluded the conversation, and that's it. If she wants to keep blaming herself then be my guest, I won't stop her." When Theo was to say something, he immediately added "enough Theodore."
"Very well," Theo conceded with evident reluctance.
"I'm off, I can't wait for you," said Theo when they got out of the compartment. "Father's already here." Theo extended a hand which Harry shook as they said their temporary farewell. Theo immediately left afterwards, going the opposite direction as him. Harry exited the train and saw Draco was waiting for him.
"Where's Theodore?" Draco asked with a frown.
"Other direction, his father's here," he answered simply and Draco commented no more about Theo afterwards.
They walked a few steps until they saw Mrs. Malfoy. She gave him a smile and inquired about his and his brother's health, having heard from Mr. Malfoy what had happened. Harry answered that he was quite well and so was his brother. She found it fit to mention that Mr. Malfoy did not have the Headmaster removed from school on his own accord. Harry grew annoyed yet still answered politely, though in a bit dry way, that he was sure Mr. Malfoy didn't. He didn't really believe it. Mr. Malfoy doing something not on his own volition was something Harry high doubted. Mrs. Malfoy and Draco left not long afterwards. They went to the same direction that Theo went off to earlier.
Harry walked along his original direction, stopping just to get a trolley for his trunk. He had Seraphim cling to the handle of the trolley instead of his arm. His arm was starting to feel way too uncomfortable with Seraphim coiled on it.
"Harry!" Harry narrowed his eyes and saw Midas and Ethan from a distance making their way towards him.
"Ah, great to see you again laddie," greeted Midas, giving him a hug then ruffling his hair.
"Oh come on dad," he said with a small whine. He rarely whined around people. "You know I hate getting my hair messy." Midas grinned at him then ruffled his hair once more.
"Say I'm your dad again after repeatedly calling me Midas in all of your letters and I won't ruffle your hair...for a few hours," Midas said, still with a grin on his face. Harry rolled his eyes though not with disdain but with amusement. He would call Midas 'dad' every once in a while, sometimes consciously sometimes just out of habit. Even if Midas was only 13 years older than him, he still considered the man as his real dad.
"But onto serious matters," Midas said, this time looking a bit stern, "What had happened reached my ears, lad."
Harry clucked his tongue. "Oh that." He chuckled nervously, feeling like a child who got caught in the midst of some mischief making.
"Ye, oh that," his guardian repeated. "But I think we should talk about that once we leave for the Surrey." He just slowly nodded his head.
"Lars!" Ethan suddenly yelled, brandishing an arm, "Hey Lawrence! Larry! Lars!" They looked at a distance to see Lars separating from the Weasleys.
"Little bruv! Nice to see you again." Lars greeted, doing some sort of handshake with Ethan before greeting Midas. "Hello Mr. McGregor."
"Call me Midas, just Midas, lad," Midas said kindly. "Well I think I should leave the three of you for a moment." Midas shook Lars' hand and then exited through the barrier, taking the trolley along. If Midas noticed that Seraphim was coiled on the handle, Harry wasn't sure. Midas didn't look like he had.
"So where are you two staying?" Lars asked.
"We're staying in the Surrey for a week, Lawrence," Harry informed his twin. "And after that, we'll be staying in –I'm sure Ethan has told you." Lars looked confusedly at him before nodding in understanding at what he said.
"But it'd be cool to go to Mr. Black's manor!" Ethan added joyfully. "We can play quiditch there."
Harry turned to his little brother, and with a raised eyebrow he asked "Is that even for you to decide?"
"Oh brother," said Lars in an exasperated tone, "give the kid a break."
"Yeah, big bro, I deserve a break," Ethan agreed, giving him a puppy dog eyes look that he strongly abhorred. "And 'sides, I got straight A's shouldn't that have earned me to have some fun?"
Harry just shrugged in response. "Well, why not?" It sure would do both Lars and Ethan some good if they'd hang out with each other more. It would do wonders for Harry's sanity to not have a repeat of last year wherein Ethan was dead jealous of Lars over something that he personally thought of as inane.
"Brilliant!" exclaimed Lars. "Just tell me when you're free to visit, I'll invite Ron, then the others, and Theodore and Draco, and basically all the people you'd want to invite."
"Will do, gryffin-bro," replied Ethan, giving Lars a salute. Lars smiled and then looked at him as if looking for a confirmation so he just nodded.
"Well, see you soon. I hope." And then Lars frowned. "Oh blast it, I forgot I'm grounded for a month, again might I add?"
"For what?" Ethan questioned. Harry hummed. Clearly Midas didn't tell Ethan what happened in Hogwarts.
"Well," Lars shifted uncomfortably, "I managed to get myself into a dangerous situation again."
"Yes you did disobey the teachers once more so I guess, you deserve it," he said blandly before Ethan could ask another question.
"Yeah, I guess so," Lars said resignedly. "Oh well, I have to go now, see you." Lars gave Ethan a hug once more and only a glare prevented Lars from doing the same to him.
"Bye then," he said to his twin before exiting through the barrier with his little brother. Once they were in King's Cross Station, he saw Midas talking to a man. The man was a bit shorter than Midas and was wearing semi-formal muggle clothes and was sporting a black rectangular-rimmed sunglass. His hair was of dark brown colour and combed to the back in a sleek manner.
"Hello uncle Philip," he greeted the man.
The man he called Philip took off his sunglasses and greeted him as well. His face was just as Harry remembered with his piercing dark brown eyes and quite a stern face that looked quite scary, but not hideously so, with that slanted scar on his left cheek. But really, Philip didn't seem to be aging a day over 18 he could swear that the man had some sort of potion for it.
"Hello..." Philip drawled before clasping his hands, "Are you three ready to leave?" When they nodded, Philip entered the vehicle once more and they followed.
"I call shotgun!" Ethan exclaimed with a joyful look. Harry smirked when Philip austerely didn't allow Ethan to sit on the front seat.
"Alright, first things first," Philip said, starting the engine of the car, "is anyone hungry?"
"I am," Ethan replied immediately. "We can eat in the Leaky Cauldron."
"I'm not going to that place unless I have to," Philip replied with distaste though the man had said it with a straight face. Harry had always known that Philip was not a fan of the Leaky Cauldron. The man had once mentioned that it was a poorly organised place, and needed a serious renovation.
With none of them speaking, Philip just drove off.
"So," began Midas, turning to them from the front seat, "where did you get a rare snake?" As if by command, Seraphim came into view and slithered up to Harry's arm.
"Lars," he answered. "It was his birthday gift. He found it in his garden."
"I see." Midas looked alternately at him and Ethan. "And why didn't I hear of it from either of you? I know that you knew, Ethan. I can see it on your face, and you were in Mr. Black's manor for a week."
"I forgot?" At Harry's answer, Midas began to look a bit cross. "I don't see the problem," he added, defensively crossing his arms. "I can understand it. I'm its master."
"It is a he," Seraphim said to him, annoyed.
"Shut up," he hissed back.
"I know that you can," interrupted Midas, looking warily at Seraphim, "but that doesn't mean snakes are fluffy little creatures who can't harm you. How hard was it to mention that you now own a snake?"
Harry sighed and muttered a half-hearted apology to Midas. His guardian was right. He should've at least mentioned that Lars gave him a snake.
It was quiet all the way to the place Philip had chosen to dine in. Harry recognised it as the same restaurant they went to when they celebrated his apprenticeship.
"So, where am I going to drop you off?" Philip asked as they ate. The small tension that built up in the car was still present.
"In the Surrey," Midas answered for them.
"And you?" questioned Philip.
"Stayin' there as well." When he looked at his guardian, Midas gave him a look that clearly told him they'd speak about it later on. Their conversation then went on to what happened days ago in the school, to which Ethan was shocked. Harry told Midas everything that had happened. There wasn't anything he could, and should hide from his guardian. When he found out that he was of the Slytherin line, Midas was with him in Gringott's that day.
"We've talked about this, Harold, haven't we?" Midas said sternly, the accent being more pronounced. "You should tell a teacher or any adult when you know something." Oh wonderful, Harry thought in spite of himself, a repetition of Snape's lecture.
"I told you Midas, I panicked," he said honestly. He really did panic when Porthos said that his brother was, in fact, missing when students must be in their respective common rooms that night. "And besides, even if I did call a teacher, do you even think that they'd believe me? Maybe they would but after more minutes of persuasion before they actually do."
"Harold," Midas said his name with a very serious tone, "you didn't tell me about your snake and was completely dishonest about what was happening in school. Can I even trust you to stay away from trouble when you're in your own castle?"
"You're asking me that?" Harry asked incredulously. "Come on, you know you can trust me on that. Please, you promised that you'll allow me to. Heck, I've already gotten myself punished for that stunt."
"I know that you have been, Harry," Midas said understandingly. "Postponement of your apprenticeship, yes?" he just nodded slowly.
"I will have to tell you that it was my idea," added Midas after a moment of silence.
Harry's eyes widened before it narrowed at his guardian. "What?!" he exclaimed, scandalised.
"Midas," Philip interrupted before Midas or he could say another word, "I think you should just scold him when you two get to Privet Drive. Scolding him while having dinner is hardly...proper." Midas just acquiesced with Philip and so the rest of the dinner was quiet and Harry was silently fuming at what his guardian had done.
For the remainder of the ride back to Privet Drive, Harry just closed his eyes but he can't manage to sleep, his mind was circling on the fact that Snape postponed his apprenticeship because of Midas' suggestion.
"Harry, wake him up," Philip ordered him when the vehicle stopped. "I know you're not asleep so don't even try pretending." One of the things he hated about Philip was that the man seemed to know when he was feigning something.
Philip reached for something below and then the car trunk opened. "Will you two leave us for a moment?" the tone in Philip's voice sounded more like an order rather than a request. Ethan exchanged a look with Midas before exiting the vehicle.
"Ok, so what's the deal?" said Philip once Midas had unloaded their belongings and walked away.
"What?" he responded, a bit nonplussed as he watched Midas and Ethan enter the house.
"Don't 'what' me," said Philip irritably. "You've been glancing at me from time to time since earlier. Do you have something to ask, something to tell?"
"Oh, yes, yeah," Harry remembered what he needed from Philip. "Can you have a potion patented after me?"
"The restorative draught that I heard you have invented?" Philip stated. "That was one piece of work, Harold, very prodigious."
"Thanks," he replied. "Did you know what Midas did?"
"Yes, I know what your dad did," Philip emphasised the word. Having been raised in a different cultural setting, the man was always put off by children on a first name basis with their elders. Harry had been extremely annoyed about it but he'd seen the man's point. It was actually something he preferred. "I put the idea into his head so how wouldn't I?"
Harry was even more scandalised than earlier. "Wha-Why did you do that?"
"Because you need to be punished for that stunt, what do you think?" Philip replied in that usual matter-of-fact tone. "What's the point of being prodigious and talented if you're dead, hmm?"
Harry sighed and accepted but hated Philip's explanation. "Fine, but do you think Midas is proud of what I did?"
"The potion? Yeah sure, why wouldn't he be?" Harry smiled a little at that.
"You used some elemental spells, did you?" Philip asked with a hint of amusement present in his dark brown eyes.
Harry nodded slowly. "Yeah, those are about the strongest spells I know."
"Figured you did," said Philip. "It was the only reason I could think of."
"Reason?" repeated Harry, not quite sure what Philip was referring to.
"Yeah, reason," Philip snorted. "That annoying Scot was close to beheading me after learning what happened to you." Of course. There should no doubt about that. Philip was the one who taught him about the elemental spells after all, much to Midas' chagrin of course.
"Why didn't he come visit me at Hogwarts?" he asked, feeling like a disappointed kid whose parents didn't pick him up in school. "Lars told me that Sirius and Remus were there."
"He was there, late at night the second night that you were out cold in the infirmary." It gave Harry some relief knowing that Midas did go to the school after learning about what debacle he got himself into. "He personally talked to Professor Snape about your apprenticeship."
"I see," he said quietly. "So why are you here again?"
"I applied for a teaching position," answered Philip. "Just for a year, you know, like apart time job."
"Why?" he asked, baffled as to why Philip would need a part time job. The man might need some things but a part time job would never be one of those things. And…whilst he had learned some things under the man, Harry really considered Philip a worse teacher than Snape. And that was saying something!
"I just had to," replied Philip, sounding uncharacteristically resigned.
"You just had to?" he repeated in disbelief. "You are probably the best person there after your elders. You wouldn't 'just have to'."
"Look Harold, I have my reasons." Philip started to build the elder-younger barrier again. "It doesn't really matter."
"If you say so," he said, deciding not to pry on it. "So where did you apply?" Philip looked at him with a surprisingly mischievous smile. No offence to Philip, but smiling looked ridiculously foreign on his face, and in a scary way too.
"Take a guess," said Philip.
"I don't know, Oxbridge?" he recited, knowing that Philip can teach there if he wanted to.
"I didn't apply in a mortal school, Harold," Philip said flatly. "I applied in Hogwarts."
"Hogwarts?" he asked in disbelief before a slight horror flashed to him for a few seconds. "Please tell me you didn't apply for the Defence position." He was not, by all means, superstitious but it was better to be safe than sorry. He can still remember the alleged curse that the Defence Professor position had.
"Don't be an idiot," admonished Philip. "My specialties lie in Ancient Studies, specifically Runes and Rituals."
"But, hang on-"
"The current professor there, whatever his name is, is going to have a sabbatical."
"Oh I see." He grinned at Philip. "I'm taking that subject, by the way. My friend as well."
"So Midas wasn't joking when he said you have a friend," Philip mused out loud.
Harry snorted. "Contrary to their belief, uncle Philip, I'm not at all like you," he said. Although it was somewhat of a compliment to be seen in the same light as Philip, he sometimes would rather not. "I do enjoy having friends."
"Harold, if I don't like having friends or rather a friend, I wouldn't be bothering myself with Midas or you, or Ethan."
"Dad is your only friend though," he pointed out. True enough, Philip had said time and time again that the only friend he had was Midas. The man had a lot of connections, a lot of acquaintances but none of them he would care enough to consider a friend.
"Yes," Philip drawled. "Midas is the only friend I have now."
"So that means you had another one before."
"I did," admitted Philip. "But, that was a long time ago. A very, very, very long time ago."
Harry rolled his eyes at Philip's excessive use of the word very. "You're too young to add too much 'very'"
Philip chuckled quietly. "Perhaps so."
"Mr. Malfoy, is he not your friend?"
Philip looked oddly at him for a moment. "Does that man even have friends?"
Harry chuckled at the response. It was a confirmation. Philip and Mr. Malfoy actually were acquainted. "Draco told me you're acquainted with his father," he informed the older man. "Does he even know you're a muggleborn?"
"A muggleborn?" Philip's brows descended so low they almost met. "What are you talking about? I'm not a muggleborn?"
Harry blinked. "What? I thought –I thought you are muggleborn! No one in your family has got magic, not the nephews and cousins of yours we met, and your brothers –they don't like you for it and-"
"Stop," Philip cut in curtly. "My brothers hate me for a number of reasons, and me being what I am is just one of those reasons. I better leave now." Philip gave him no room to speak as he was ushered out of the van. "Send me the complete information about the potion within the week and you'll have your rights to it."
"Oh and kid, get your indolent snake out of my van now before I turn it into Snake Stew." Harry blinked before calling out Seraphim's name.
"Oh I'm here bossman," Seraphim hissed loudly while slithering towards them.
"Well, bye uncle Philip." he said to Philip who waved at him before driving away.
Harry let go of Seraphim on the grass before entering the house.
"What?" he asked when he entered the house and found Midas standing there arms crossed and looking sternly at him.
"We aren't done with the discussion about what happened," stated Midas before gesturing for him to go inside the living room. Harry obediently complied and sat down on a couch.
"Now," Midas began, "Harry, it's not that I don't trust you but you need to be punished for putting your life in danger, for the second time around might I add?"
"But you already had my apprenticeship deferred!" he complained.
"That was for the stunt you pulled in that blasted chamber. This is for what you did in school before that." Midas waved a hand of dismissal when he was going to complain. "Look laddie, I told you even if I'm agreeing to let you be on your own, it's still part of my job to protect you, you and Ethan, to make sure that both of you are safe. I'm mad that you didn't tell me you were investigating about it. I'm mad that you broke your promise not to get yourself into life threatening situations. I'm mad that you lied to me. And I'm very mad that Porthos covered up for you."
"I'm sorry." He really was sorry for all those things.
"Oh believe me, you will be." Midas swore. "So here's how we'll see to it, Harold, apart from the postponement of your apprenticeship, it will be hands off for your vaults, your lab -"
"Which lab?" he interjected mindlessly, but Midas' answer made him wish he didn't bother to ask.
"Both, both labs are off limits, not the Alchemy lab or the potions lab in that castle are you allowed to venture into unless you need some medicine," Midas replied sternly. "You're not allowed to go anywhere else unless you ask permission from me and I agreed to it. You're absolutely not allowed to go wandering about in London, muggle or wizarding. And absolutely no practicing of higher elemental magic of any kind."
"I know that you've been planning to do that ever since Philip told you that you can. You're just waiting for the right time. Philip said it's dangerous but useful. Unless someone experienced is present to supervise you, you are not allowed to delve into too much elemental magic. I didn't warn you about last year when you used eternal flame because you were mindful enough not to do it wandless but I know that you used earth magic in that chamber judging from how your brother described the duel, and from what I saw in the memory. I am warning you not to be so foolish as to do it again, and again, and again." Harry sighed in disappointment. At least he could still practice being an animagus. He'd be very careful so Midas won't catch him, the man would have his head for that.
"Wait," he said. "I have to go to number 4 before we leave." Midas raised an eyebrow at him so he explained that Professor Dumbledore gave him a task to deliver a letter to Dudley Dursley.
"Alright, you can exit the house only for that purpose," Midas conformed. "But remember this, Harry, once you and Ethan are in the castle, I'd be there every week to check on you both." he nodded, resigned with his eyes on his feet.
"Once you're in school, Porthos is off limits as well," added Midas. At that, Harry couldn't help but protest.
"But he's my house-elf," he said to his guardian.
"One that I specifically told you to handle responsibly, Harold Evandrus," retorted Midas. "Once you're back in Hogwarts, you're not to have him do your bidding and until such time you graduate."
"Yes dad," he said quietly.
"Oh and Harry." Harry looked up from his feet. "I'm still proud of all the things you did, it's great, really great, especially your potion." Harry beamed then jumped up and hugged Midas. Midas patted his back before letting go. "You're still not off the hook, though."
"I know." He answered with less violent feelings. Somehow, Midas telling him that was enough to lift up his spirits.
"You should go to sleep. Your trunk's already in your room."
"Ok. Goodnight Dad." Midas patted his head again before he went up the stairs.
"Did you really do that?" Ethan's voice said to him whilst he was about to enter his room.
Harry turned around to face his little brother. "Did what?" he asked, feigning ignorance.
"That!" his little brother exclaimed, "duel whoever this Riddle dude is or was."
"Yes," he drawled his answer. "That's what I said earlier."
"You hypocritical son of a gun." Harry raised his eyebrow at his little brother's response. "You always say to stay out of trouble and you got yourself into one for two consecutive years."
"Even the best of us must sometimes eat our words," he retorted half-heartedly. Without bidding his brother goodnight, he went to his own room. He made sure to lock the door. It was likely that Ethan would just barge in. He was right. Ethan did turn the knob a few times and knocked. Harry had none of it. He slumped down on his bed and closed his eyes. Soon enough, he fell asleep.