Chapter 6 -In This Corner…

Harry rubbed his face in frustration. Brooklyn's back was to him and the only sound coming from her side of the room was the sound of her putting things into her suitcase. He needed to stop her. She might have been a burden, but she was his burden and a helpful one at that. After all, she put the thought of the orphanage in his head as a possible place for another Horcrux, even though she had no idea she had done so.

He approached her. "Listen…"
"I already did." She said bluntly.
"I didn't mean-"
"YES YOU DID!"

Her eyes were full of fury and Harry could see she was ready to grab her wand. She stood up and approached him, pulling her wand from her pocket, pointing it directly at him.

"Say what you want about me, but never say anything about my dad. "Petrificus Totalis!"

Harry had no time to react. By the time she said the spell, his hand had only just grabbed his wand. He was frozen stiff. She placed her wand back in her pocket and got right up in his face. The look she gave him was actually frightening and he would have cringed if he could have. She began rounding on him, looking him up in down as if sizing him up for a fight. She stood in front of him again and scoffed.

"And you have the audacity to say those things about me. As if I'm the worst thing that could have possibly ever happened, comparing me to You-Know-Who. Well I have news for you Potter, you picked the wrong person to cross and I swear that if I ever see your face again you will be sorry we ever met."

Her voice had a tone in it he had never heard before. He couldn't quite determine what it was, but it was quite startling. One thing was for sure, this girl had the potential to get really nasty he really didn't want to see the extent of her rage. She wasn't done yelling at him though.

"You say my dad was nothing but a bloody blagger. Well you know what, he was! He smuggled anything he could get his hands on. And do you know why? He did it for me! He took me in when he knew damn well he couldn't afford me. At least he loved me enough to try! And that's a hell of a lot more than you could ever say!"

She hit below the belt with that one and by the looks of the satisfied smirk on her face she knew it. But then her eyes got watery.

"And he's not my father, he's my dad." She blinked her eyes rapidly. "You actually have to love a child to be a dad, you only have to perform an act to be a father. And that bastard blagger happens to be my dad." One of her braids fell out of its knot and lined her face. "Happened to be my dad." She whispered.

She unfroze Harry after that and continued packing her things, tying her fallen braid back in its knot. She looked ridiculous. Harry walked over and stopped her.

"I'm really sorry. Those things I said…there's no excuse." He said. "Unpack your things and stay."
"Thought I was nothing but another burden for you?" She said.
"You were more unexpected."
"Uh-huh."
"I'll make it up to you." He said, instantly regretting those words ever leaving his mouth.
She raised an eyebrow. "How?"
"I-uh…"
"What? Let me stay here as long as I want? Buy me stuff I need or want? I'll save you your breath, because those things won't persuade me."
He groaned inwardly. "Then what will?"
"Nothing that I can think of."
Harry had the sudden urge to pull out his hair. "Fine, you will lead us to the orphanage. Will you unpack your things now?"
She shot him a not so friendly look. "And what makes you think I'd ever go back there! Did you ever stop to think how I would feel about going back there! I was only going to do it because you were being so gracious and letting me stay here, but now I know how you really feel. So give me one good reason why I should put myself through that hell for someone like you, Potter? In fact, have fun finding it on your own, because I'm not even going to tell you where it is."

Brooklyn picked up her bag and made her way toward the door. Harry panicked. He needed her to stay, or at least to tell him where the orphanage was. He made for the door and slammed it shut before she could get there.

"And here I thought you were so eager to get rid of me." She scoffed.
"Don't flatter yourself." He shot back.

She attempted to get around him, but he grabbed her arm. She yanked it out of his grasp and gave him a look that clearly stated 'don't ever touch me again'. She made another attempt for the door and he grabbed her bag this time, pulling her backward.

A conniving look resided on her face. "You know Potter, for someone who has faced You-Know-Who, I would think that would have taken some real courage, but it appears I was wrong. You're nothing but a spoiled coward. You can't even tell people that you want them out of your house to their faces! Then, you can't even face their anger when they find out!"
"I am not a coward!" He yelled.
She approached him, breathing heavily and anger dominant in her eyes. "Actions speak louder than words Potter, and yours a few minutes ago spoke volumes. There are all sorts of cowards. Just because you were put in Gryffindor doesn't mean you're not one. It just simply means that you managed to fool one daft piece of fabric."
Harry stood there speechless, his mind racing for a comeback.
"Ding, ding, ding!" A voice came.

Harry practically tore the door off of its hinges, Brooklyn right behind him. They both glared at the eavesdropping Ron and Hermione.

"What? Hermione showed me some muggle wrestling over the summer. It seemed appropriate." Ron said fairly nonchalantly.

Harry and Brooklyn both slammed the door in their faces and then turned towards each other. Harry opened his mouth, but he heard a loud clicking sound. They both turned and looked at the door. They had been locked in.

"What the bloody hell did they do that for!" Brooklyn shouted.
"Why do you think?" Harry said rhetorically.
Brooklyn went for her wand again, but Harry was too quick for her this time. When she looked up, she was greeted by the end of his wand.
"Not this time." He said. "Put it away."
She did so, but got right in his face afterward. "Coward." She spat inches from his face.
He grabbed her by the shoulders. "Don't you ever call me that again!"

The look of fear in her eyes registered after the words left his mouth and he immediately loosened his grip. She pushed him away fiercely and he almost lost his balance. Harry summoned her wand before she could even reach for it and placed it in his pocket along with his own. Her eyes narrowed on him. She looked more furious than ever.

"Tell me how to get to the orphanage and you'll get your wand back." Harry said.
"I'm not telling you anything!" She yelled.
"Then no wand."
"You're a dead man, Potter!"
"Funny, I seem quite alive."

Without warning, she charged at him, making him collide hard with the wall a few feet behind him. She took advantage of his momentary daze and her hand went for her wand in his pocket. He grabbed her wrist as her hand was coming out of his pocket with the wand. He was not going to let her walk out of there without the information he needed and he didn't care what he had to do to get it.

"I'm sure you fancy having my hand down your trousers Potter, but I find it quite revolting." She spat.
"You didn't seem to mind when you did it." He said.
"You took my wand and put it in here!"
"A likely excuse."

She raised her other hand and slapped him. He grabbed that wrist with his free hand. They were both breathing heavily, neither of them looking at each other. They needed a break. It ended quickly as she began to try to free herself from his grasp. Harry was a lot stronger than her and knew she didn't stand a chance. She had released her grip on the wand and both of her fists were now pounding on his chest in an attempt to get him to let her go. He had to let her go, she was giving direct hits to his freshly healed wound.

He sank to the ground, clutching the center of his chest. It felt like it was on fire and he could even feel heat coming through his shirt. Suddenly his shirt started to steam and he quickly removed it. The mark was unchanged, cool to the touch. Had he gone mad? By the look on Brooklyn's face he had not.

He glared at her. "Don't do that again."
The shock on her face diminished. "Then give me back my wand."
Without thinking he reached into his pocket and threw it at her. "Brilliant idea, Harry." He said demeaning himself.
"You know," She said, her wand now under his chin. "This would be a great time to show you some of the things my dad taught me."

Following the push of her wand under his chin, he stood up. Whatever it was, he didn't want to find out and his mind raced frantically trying to think of someway to get her to stop. The look in her eyes was menacing, but he could see right past it. What he saw was the same thing that he saw every time he looked at himself in a mirror.

"The reason I'm not going back to school is because I'm searching for some people." Harry said.
She looked utterly confused by his seemingly random statement.
"These people are behind your dad's death."
"Why are you telling me this?" She asked.
"Because telling me how to get to the orphanage gets me one step closer to catching them."
She studied his features and then lowered her wand.
"Will you stay then and show us the way?" He asked tentatively.

She didn't reply, but instead started to unpack. Her clothes were all oversized or ragged, minus her white button down shirt and black knee length skirt that was her server uniform.

"And will you please let me get you something new to wear? Half of your clothes don't even fit you." He said.
"I can buy my own clothes, I just have to go to Gringott's to get some money. I got an owl yesterday concerning my dad's will. I have to go pick up his key to his vault at the Ministry. I can't imagine there'd be much in there, but it should be enough to get a new outfit. I got his house too. I'm putting it up for sale after I clear it out though…I don't want it."
"I'll take you to the Ministry."
"I'll go by myself."
"Are you always this stubborn?"
"Are you always such a git?"
"No…"
"Likewise."
She picked up Harry's crumpled shirt that lay by her feet. "Here."

He didn't put the shirt on. Instead he stood there examining it. It was still warm in the area that lay on top of the mark. He stared down at the black mark. The urge to pull his hair came back at the sight of it and he didn't hold back the temptation. He felt strands depart his scalp as he forcefully grabbed fistfuls of hair.

"Harry stop." Brooklyn said, her hands trying to pry open his fists. "How is pulling out your hair going to help anything?"

His grip loosened and her hands enclosed around his wrists, pulling his hands away from his head. His eyes met hers. There was a look of painful understanding in them.

"Want to start over?" She said. "I don't think we made the best impressions on each other." She extended her hand towards him. "I'm Brooklyn."
He stared at her hand for a moment. She was right, they started off on really bad terms. He took her hand. "I'm Harry."

He suddenly realized how close they were standing and the fact that he was still shirtless. He quickly put on his shirt. Did she get closer, or was it just him? Either way, he felt a pull towards the familiar look in her eyes. Painful, yet it seemed very welcoming to him.

There was a loud click. They were no longer locked in.