Serpent Lies in Crimson
Chapter 2: To Trust or No?
Despite the sleep that Harry tried to get in last time, it didn't seem to make a difference. His body seemed to ache all over like he had been twisting and turning all night. The ache shouldn't have been a surprise with the additional information from the other night. Harry almost regretted having to get out of bed, he knew there would be a confrontation with Ron. It seemed luck was on his side for the morning as the youngest male Weasley was sound asleep in his bed. Wanting to skip the conversation for the moment the young Potter slipped on his uniform and almost ran into the Common Room to get past the portrait to the Grand Staircase. Harry avoided the questioning and disgusted looks aimed his way by older years. Like it had been Harry's fault there were several students in the Hospital Wing petrified. A sigh of relief could be heard outside the common room by the second-year had there been anyone near. It would have been better for Harry had he his two best friends. The young Potter couldn't tell if he could cross Ron as a friend yet or not. The young Gryffindor didn't have any information about where Hermione was, since the young bookworm would always wait on her two male friends.
The confrontation between the two friends wouldn't take place till hours later back in the Gryffindor dormitory. Hours later after all the classes were over did Harry receive any information about Hermione.
"Hermione, where is she, Ron?"
"Nice of you to finally ask that," the red-head grumbled. "She accidently got cat hair and is in the Hospital Wing."
Harry felt sudden guilt that he didn't check with Ron on Hermione, yet he knew he couldn't have handled any conversations after listening to Malfoy. It seemed like Ron was going to continue to ignore him like he did most of the day. It appeared like Ron was mad at him for no apparent reason, what because he let Ron explain yesterday's events?
"If you're mad at me for some reason, tell me," Harry demanded, his anger leaking out.
"What, that you lied about being Heir of Slytherin. The only option would have been Malfoy. You speak Parseltongue, what other proof do we need?" Ron barked out.
Harry felt like he had been slapped, did Ron really think he would try to kill anybody? "How could you think that?"
"It's obvious with the next attack was when you disappeared last night. Why wouldn't it be you and I would never be friends with a murderer?" Ron's words were like a dagger to the heart.
Harry felt tears come to his eyes, something that hasn't happened in years. It felt like a deep betrayal to his heart. Maybe Malfoy was right about the Weasleys', were they only using him to their advantage? His family wasn't that rich, so he couldn't understand the reasoning of a fake friendship. A lead in the spotlight and fame? The young Potter hated being famous and would give it away to another in a heartbeat just for a normal life.
"Whatever, I'm not going to deal with your jealousy issues. So, shove it up your arse, Ron. Talk to me when you're ready to apologize. I already have the entire school against me, I don't need my best friend included there." Harry didn't stop to wait for a reply as he raced out the dorm and was unable to see the guilty look from the red-head. It was nowhere close to curfew and being caught out by a prefect. It was an appropriate time as any to look at the library for some references at Blood Purism. The young Gryffindor almost wished Hermione was here to help him, despite that she was only a second-year. The young bookworm knew the library better than most 5th years with her endless knowledge. Harry only hoped Hermione wouldn't have the same reaction as Ron did. The only question remaining about Hermione is when she would be out of the Hospital Wing and the medi-witch being Madame Pomfrey there was no telling on the day.
The aggravation on the past two days made Harry want to bang his head on a wall, but the ending result would do no good besides the likelihood of a muggle induced concussion. Besides the watchful glance of the librarian, Irma Pince, Harry was not disturbed as he traced a finger over the endless tomes. The Gryffindor skipped over any books in foreign languages knowing there be no use in picking them up. The only tradition books he found where based in different isles. No information to be found about Wizarding Customs unless you count the ones bashing what was wrong. The only hints were a few words about a ritual but nothing worth noting about. Harry couldn't even find a book based on any of the popular Wizarding families that held influence in his world. Harry wanted to growl in frustration that even in the library at Hogwarts didn't have the correct information, even if they did it was all bias on the author on what they believed to be right. Harry honestly wanted to call it a night, hopefully with any dirty looks from his house or former best friend. The young Potter didn't know what to call Ron now, he couldn't consider him a friend any longer. After all that time Ron believed that Harry wanted to kill off all the muggle-borns. Did his friendship with Hermione prove nothing? The young bookworm was a muggle-born and, yet Harry had never said a cruel word to her despite her condensing tone at times. He knew that the young girl didn't mean it and he valued the friendship and her aid. Harry was at the point of pulling at his hair, the only traditions he could find were muggle related, Christmas, Thanksgiving, etc… 'Why was it so hard to find a simple book about wizarding traditions, as if… no… that couldn't be possible,' Harry thought. 'Could the school have taken all traditional Pureblood and ritual books out of the school. But why…' All the thinking was starting to give Harry a headache, something that was occurring more often this year. The Gryffindor brushed the thought aside as he massaged his temples as if it would relieve the temporary pain. The pain was more of an irritating inch to scratch while others it became more insistent to the point grasping his own head to control it.
Harry didn't dare think of trying to steal a mild-numbing potion from Snape's private stores, he wasn't that desperate for a death wish just yet. The Potions professor already despised the Potter heir as it is, Harry had no intention of driving that nail further in. The young Potter wanted to know why his professor seemed to hate him so, it couldn't all be because he was a Gryffindor, could it? 'Wait, why am I thinking about Snape's hatred anyways?' was Harry sudden thought. 'Must be because needing to talk to one of his Slytherin's', was Harry's resolving thoughts.
The young Gryffindor gave up his search for the night, mainly due to the questioning looks from the librarian rather than the students. Harry could learn to ignore the students, but it always seemed to get to him when an adult in authority didn't believe him. Just like when everyone had believed his cousin, Dudley rather than him before he had started Hogwarts. Harry almost wanted to visit Hermione in the hospital wing, at least he knew that she believed him. The only blockade that Madam Pomfrey was very protective of her charges and she would shoo the 12-year-old boy out. It wouldn't have mattered to the Mediwitch that Mr. Potter was a frequent resident in her wing, only that Hermione was currently there as a patient.
It was in Harry's unaware thoughts that he got caught almost after hours by a professor.
"Mr. Potter, what are you doing here at this hour. It's almost past curfew?" Came a high-pitched squeaky voice.
The young Potter almost jumped out of his skin, of all things he didn't expect a professor to see him heading to his dorm at this hour. The thought then sounded stupid, course the professor would be keeping a watch, with people getting petrified more every day.
"Professor Flitwick! Sorry I didn't see you," Harry's voice sounded oddly high when he responded back to his professor.
The little professor had a watchful eye at Harry as if examining him, telling Harry he needed an explanation.
"Sorry, sir. I got preoccupied in the library. I've been trying to research some things and Hermione's been in the hospital wing for the past two days, so she's not been able to help me locate any information," Harry's response was a little shy as the beginning as his foot traced the stone floor back and forth.
"I can't blame you for that Mr. Potter, your mother has done the same. I'll give you the same warning, you need to keep an eye on the time. I understand you are only a second year. There is a nifty charm that can keep track of time better," Professor Flitwick's words were kind yet a little reprimanding.
"You knew my mother, sir?" Harry's tone was polite and yet pleading.
Filius' eyes grew sad for a moment, 'Did this child know nothing about his parents?'
"I was still teaching here when your mother attended Hogwarts, she was one of my favorite students." The old professor could see the yearning and hunger for knowledge grow in his bright, emerald eyes. The Ravenclaw Head of House felt bad for having to cut the conversation, it was now past curfew and the young boy needed his sleep. How much rest the young Gryffindor would get with all the pressure on his shoulders, the professor wouldn't know that answer.
"Now, Mr. Potter, you need your rest for classes in the morning. It is past hours and you're very lucky Severus is not patrolling this corridor. He is not as lenient about students out of bed, off you go," Professor Flitwick voice tightened slightly as he sent the Gryffindor to the seventh floor. The tiny professor almost felt guilty to send the twelve-year-old to bed when the boy's eyes deflated for a moment before it was shielded. The information about the tiny Gryffindor begging for details about his parents was alarming. That brought up the question on who had raised the tiny heir since his parents were murdered. The tiny professor almost scowled, 'trying to get information from Albus Dumbledore about Harry Potter was as impossible as trying to steal one of his lemon drops without him noticing.' The real question was how to ask Mr. Potter about his living arrangements despite not being his Head of House.
Harry's head was spinning from Professor Flitwick's conversation with him. The young Gryffindor didn't know what to think, one the professor didn't care he was out after hours and seemed concerned. The Charms Professor seemed more concerned that Snape would have caught Harry out of bed and something else… The fact that Harry tried to focus on it made his head start pounding with pain. Once Harry calmed his thoughts down the headache soothed. It was a weird turn of events that Harry stored away in his mind to find out for later. Another turn of events that made Harry start hoping was Professor Flitwick's declaring he knew his mother. The Gryffindor couldn't' be sure he would actually tell him anything about his parents, it was hard to believe a teacher would keep to his word. Plus, the reminder Harry didn't really know the professor outside of Charms. The fact that the professor could seem as ease with his students and yet would get onto the same students for misdeeds struck a chord with Harry. None of the teachers seemed that approachable especially Gryffindor's own Head of House.
The fact that Ron didn't even speak a word to Harry bothered the 12-year-old a little bit. Harry knew they had a little fight earlier but was the Red-head really going to throw away a year of friendship over jealousy. Not only had Ron been ignoring him but the other 2nd year boys in his dorm. The isolation almost made the Potter heir feel like an outsider. The absence of Hermione after two days was worrying the 2nd year. Harry made up his mind, he had to visit the young bookworm tomorrow when he had a free period or lunch.
