Chapter Four – Useful Gifts

Harry wasn't quite sure what to make of the argument he'd just had with Draco so sat down on a bench outside the castle to think. Maybe Draco wouldn't be his friend anymore…Harry's only friend ever. Maybe he'd go back to being lonely again as he was with the Dursleys. He was hurt by what Draco said though and didn't know how to put this right. The words 'have you got a muggle disease?' kept ringing in his head. That's the exact sort of thing The Dursleys would accuse him of - insanity. The muggles did it and now the wizards are doing it. He felt stuck: halfway between a rock and a hard place. Suddenly his thoughts were interrupted.

"You alright there Harry?" Came a friendly, familiar voice from behind. "You look a bit glum." Harry turned to see Fred Weasley standing behind him with a sympathetic smile.

"Oh hi" Harry said gloomily. "I'm ok". He could feel his throat clenching up as he fought back tears.

"Here have, a sweet," Fred said and offered Harry a Bertie Botts Every Flavour bean. "Thanks" Harry said and picked out what appeared to be a cabbage flavour bean. He squirmed as he tasted it.

"You've had a quarrel with your little friend Malfoy haven't you?" Fred asked half teasing. Harry just nodded. "He's worried about you," Fred told Harry as George walked up behind his brother.

"What do you mean? How do you know?"

"Coz I just bumped into him. He asked the way to the hospital wing and when I asked why, he said he was worried about you having some muggle disease". "Worried?" Harry asked realising what Draco's intentions were.

"Well he more…demanded we tell him really than ask nicely," George said placing his hands in is pockets. "If you hurry now you'll catch him," he nodded towards the castle and gave Harry directions to the hospital wing. That was twice the twins had been nice to Harry now. He remembered being helped on to the train on his first day when no one else bothered to.

Harry leapt eagerly off the bench and ran into the castle, up the many winding stairs and down corridors until he reached the hospital wing. Sure enough there was Draco walking towards the hospital door. "Draco, wait!" He yelled. Draco turned and glanced at his friend then carried on walking away from him.

"Hang on" called Harry, "I'm getting out of breath," and he ran up to Draco patting him on the shoulder. "Sorry" Harry said, breathlessly, I though you were being like the Dursleys".

"Me? Acting like a muggle?" Draco snarled incredulously.

"No I mean…" Harry stopped to catch his breath "…they used to accuse me of being crazy. I thought you were doing the same thing."

"And I thought you were taking me for granted!" yelped Draco with tears in his voice. "You said I don't put up with your bad bits. It's all I ever do Harry! That's what friends do!"

"I know" Harry said, "I realise that now I'm sorry. I know you meant well. I took it wrong way. Mates?" He asked.

Draco looked away as if battling with his pride and new-found sense of camaraderie then turned back to Harry. "Of course" said Draco and shook hands with his friend.

"Look…I'm not sick, honest, I'm just tired" Harry reiterated.

"OK, fine" Draco said with a sigh. "I think you should still talk to Pomfrey though". "Sure no problem" Harry agreed.

They knocked on the door.

Harry rubbed his head. "Gosh I've got a headache now."

Draco's eyes widened and then he started hopping anxiously from foot to foot. The door swung open and a nurse let the two little boys in. Draco screamed and ran towards Madame Pomfrey "ARGH! Madame Pomfrey Harry has this terrible muggle disease it's where you get really sick and you have to go into muggle hospital to have stuff squirted into your blood to make it go away and then your hair falls out it's a brain turmeric I think he just said he's got a headache he keeps seeing things and having funny dreams and he's ok one minute and not the next and I don't think there's anything you can do because its from muggles and he'll probably die and then…" cutting Draco off mid spiel Madame Pomfrey quickly but carefully held Draco's nose with one hand and poured liquid into his mouth with the other. The little blonde boy fell backwards onto a bed.

"Harry Potter…what can I do for you?" She asked calmly.

"Wait a minute what have you done to Draco?" Harry asked feeling concerned.

"He's fine Mr Potter he's just been given a sleeping draught. I simply couldn't have hysterics like that in here I have patients to tend to."

"Will he be ok?"

"Of course. He'll wake up in few hours. What seems to be the problem?"

Harry shifted in discomfort and sat on the bed next to his unconscious friend. "Well…I fainted just now during quidditch. I've got a headache too".

"You are a little pale," said Pomfrey placing the back of her hand against Harry's forehead "and sweaty, but that's to be expected after a faint. Have you eaten properly today?" she asked taking his pulse.

"Yes I have …"

"Do you get these headaches a lot?"

"No just today. Just now"

"Any other symptoms?"

"Well I get these visions…"Harry trailed off

"Visions?" asked Pomfrey with a serious tone. "What sort of visions?"

"Well it's like sometimes they're nightmares and sometimes it's like I'm seeing them in the day only I'm not really seeing them I more feel them, like a memory that hasn't happened yet. Like I'm living two lives at once. In parallel."

"And no headaches or blurred vision with these symptoms?" she asked shining a light in his eyes.

"No, not at all, apart from the nightmares and feeling tired I'm fine."

Pomfrey sat back and sighed.

"It could be just stress…I'm going to give you a tonic and I want you to come back and see me next week. You've been through a lot Mr Potter it wouldn't surprise me if you were stressed."

"I suppose so" said Harry all the while feeling there was more to this than stress.

"Can I wait for Draco to wake up?"

"Of course" said Pomfrey kindly and patted Harry's hand. Harry moved over to the chair next to the bed Draco was lying on.

"Anyway", Harry added, "when he wakes up he'll start panicking again."

"Don't worry Mr Potter, I'll convince him it's not a brain turmeric" Pomfrey smiled.

While Harry was waiting for Draco to come around Madame Pomfrey gave him chocolate chip cookies and a glass of orange juice. When Draco eventually woke up he was immediately calmed down by Pomfrey who insisted that a brain tumour wasn't likely to be the cause of Harry's symptoms. Draco still seemed a little uneasy but convinced enough to try to carry on a normal. That night, in the dorm, the two Slytherins talked about the days events with trepidation. It was difficult to broach the subject as both boys were feeling embarrassed at what had occurred but eventually Draco felt brave enough to speak up. "Harry…what are these visions you get?" he asked avoiding his friend's gaze

"I don't know. They don't make any sense," Harry said sitting up on his bed.

"Are they like visions of the future?"

"Don't think so" said Harry, deep in thought. "It's more like visions of things that are happening but not happening. At the quidditch match I saw myself flying around as a seeker only I was in Gryffindor and Gryffindor won."

Draco scratched his head. "Do you see us fighting over stuff, like we're enemies?" He asked.

"Yes!" said Harry "Why? How do you know?"

"Because I see that too", said Draco gazing down at his feet.

"You what?" Asked Harry leaning forward with eagerness.

"I know it sounds weird but at the match, as we were walking back to the castle I kind of saw or felt a different me and a different you. I can't explain it either. I think that's why I called you 'Potter'. It just came out, I don't know where from. I don't want us to end up like real enemies" Draco said.

"We won't" said Harry. "Wait a minute - if you're seeing things as well why did you think I had a brain tumour?"

"I thought I caught it off you" said the little blonde boy covering his face with embarrassment.

"You can't catch tumours" said Harry.

"I know that now" said Draco sharply. "Madame Pomfrey thinks it's just stress. It can't be though if we're both seeing the same things."

"Why didn't you tell her this?" Harry said feeling irritated and bemused.

"I felt stupid."

"You looked stupid," Harry said.

Draco sensed the humour in Harry's voice so didn't bite back. Instead he apologised.

"Let's forget it now, just get some sleep, we'll figure it out tomorrow".

After turning out their lamps and lying in silence for a moment Draco spoke up again.

"I don't think we'll be real enemies" he said. "You're the only person who's called me stupid and got away with it".

"And you're the only person I know who could put up with me waking them up in the night screaming."

"I guess we're ok then."

"Nothing to worry about there" said Harry and the two boys drifted off to sleep.

The following week Harry and Draco returned to see Madame Pomfrey as planned. Draco was calmer this time. In fact he seemed a little dumbstruck.

"How are we feeling Mr Potter? Any more headaches?"

"No not one" said Harry. I'm still getting those visions though. He glanced at Draco who was tight lipped then elbowed him in the ribs.

"So am I" said the blonde boy quickly.

"Both of you?" asked Pomfrey looking from boy to boy and back again.

"About the same things, sort of" Harry confirmed "so how can it be stress?"

"It's still possible if you are spending so much time together and you talk about the same things". Said Pomfrey "You're imaginations could be feeding off each other".

"It's not our imagination," the boys echoed each other.

"Then I'm afraid this is not my department. I suggest you speak to Professor Snape or Professor Dumbledore".

Harry and Draco became nervous again

"Is it something serious?" asked Draco.

"I doubt it" Pomfrey tried to avoid another hysterical outburst. "But if you want clarification I would ask your head of house or the headmaster. I don't think this is a medical issue. You both seem in good health".

Harry and Draco sped from the hospital wing to Professor Snape's office in record time.

"Enter," came a voice from behind a thickly carved, dark wood door in the dungeons.

"Potter, Malfoy, what can I do for you?" asked Snape as the two little boys made their way into his office.

"Professor we need to ask you something," said Harry cautiously.

"Take a seat," Snape motioned to two empty chairs in front of his desk.

"Sir we…well we…" began Harry with nervous paranoia.

Draco became tight lipped again.

"You'd like me to read your minds?" Snape asked.

"No Sir...we, I, um…it's to do with the fainting thing the other week" said Harry nervously.

"I hope you are not feeling unwell Potter."

"No sir, it's not like that."

"We think we're seeing things Sir" the boys echoed again, looking at each other in surprise of their growing affinity.

"Seeing- things -?" asked Snape slowly.

Both boys started a spiel of what they thought the problem might be, drowning each other out.

"If just one of you could speak first," Snape suggested

"It started with me Sir," said Harry. "I'm having dreams about things and that day I fainted I kind of saw something, sort of."

"Sort of?"

"We think we're…" they began together again but Snape made a slicing motion through the air with his hand to silence them and turned to face Harry.

"Potter…?" He asked.

"I saw myself Sir on a Nimbus 2000 in Gryffindor robes and I've seen myself fighting the troll and looking in a mirror holding a red stone"

Professor Snape raised an eyebrow "a red stone?"

"Yes I got it by looking in a magical mirror then I saw myself…" he cut himself off feeling unable to continue"…burning Professor Quirrell to death but by accident Sir." The potions master sat back in his chair looking perplexed.

"Malfoy?" he asked turning to the blonde boy.

"I've seen myself arguing with Harry but Harry is in Gryffindor not Slytherin. I haven't seen anything else it's mainly Harry who's seeing stuff."

Snape stood up and started to pace. Harry fidgeted nervously.

"You won't tell my father will you Professor?" Draco asked anxiously.

"Of course not Mr Malfoy. Anything you say to me is in confidence. The only time I would ever break that confidence is if not doing so would be detrimental to you in some way". He continued to pace.

Harry spoke up again "I saw a muggle documentary once Professor about parallel universes I thought maybe that might be it. I mean were not seeing the past or the future so…"

"Indeed that would be a rational explanation" said Snape much to the little boys' surprise.

"It would?" asked Draco

"I am slightly amazed that no one has seen fit to inform you that being psychic is part and parcel of being magical" Snape said sarcastically.

"But what would all those symbols mean Sir and what would be the point of seeing it if all of us are surrounded by different worlds at different times anyway?" asked Harry.

"These things tend to come to light in time. Have you had any more of these visions recently – since the match?" Snape asked.

"No sir," the boys said in unison.

"Then I suggest that due to starting here at Hogwarts and awakening and training your magical powers you have become very sensitive to other realities. Nothing more." Snape said looking stony faced as if wishing to avoid any form of expression whatsoever.

"Is that bad Professor?" asked Draco

"No not at all Mr Malfoy. If however they continue to plague you I would suggest coming back to myself or Professor Dumbledore and we will see what we can do for you. I cannot have my two best students fainting," he said. "Please try not to worry boys. Concentrate on your studies. I see no reason for concern. It is usually just a matter of getting used to your new – abilities."

Snape's face seemed particularly hard to read now but the little boys thanked him and left determined to put it all behind them if they could.

Christmas was fast approaching and Professor Snape was taking a list of all students who weren't returning home from the holidays. Draco looked a little sad as Harry's name was entered but Harry signed the form eagerly. "It's fine" he said. "I'm happy to stay here. It's either this or the Dursleys. I don't need another one of their Christmases".

Draco tried to seem pleased. "I'll bring you something back" he assured him.

"Oh there's no need to…"

"No, I want to," Draco insisted "I get so many presents I don't know what to do with them all and I…well I want you to have one," he said seeming a little uncomfortable.

"I'm not unhappy about this," Harry assured his friend. "I hate the Dursleys it'll be wonderful to have some peace and quiet."

"I'll write" said Draco earnestly, as if he still felt he'd been insensitive by mentioning the myriad of presents he'd received.

Harry waved Draco off from the castle's main doorway as the snow fell and then wandered back down to the dungeons. Most of his time was spent reading or going for long walks. That was when the sadness set in again. He remembered saying he hated his family but he loved them too. That was why it hurt so much. What he hated was what they had done to him. He wished he could somehow just make them feel what he felt, even for one minute; all the hurt, all the pain; them they'd know what it felt like – what they'd done to him. Then the nightmares started. There were no more odd visions but instead just dreams of bumping the Dursleys off. One night was especially graphic. He burst into his aunt and uncles bedroom and stabbed them both ferociously - splattering blood all over the walls. He woke up clutching his throat and thumped the bed. "That's how much you hurt me!" he screamed. He was alone in the dorm. All the Slytherin boys had gone home. There were one or two girls left behind but they were in their own dorms. Harry looked at the clock. It was 6am Christmas morning. Alone, but no Dursleys. He felt some sort of odd pain and relief at the same time. There was a hooting sound. Draco's eagle owl came flying into the dorm and sat on the bed. He had a letter for Harry with a Christmas card.

'Dear Harry,

First of all, Merry Christmas. I hope you are not feeling too bad there at Hogwarts. Pansy Parkinson's parents have gone to Austria so she will be there and also her friend Tabitha Carty. You can talk to them. I haven't opened my presents yet I wanted to send you this first. It's a little bit warmer down here than it is in Scotland and it's not snowing much. I like the snow though. We build snowmen outside sometimes.

Father has been a bit strange. He says I am getting too pusillanimous. I'm not even sure what that means. He said he was right all along and I should have gone to Durmstrang but mother gets upset then and says she was right in putting her foot down and keeping me in the UK. I hear Hogwarts do lovely Xmas dinners so you'll have that to look forward to. They do games as well sometimes. Dumbledore organises all that father says. Crabbe and Goyle are coming over on Boxing Day. I'd rather you were here though. I'd have asked father to invite you but he's hard to talk to at the moment about stuff like that. Take care Harry. I'll see you soon.

Draco

Harry re-read his letter three times then placed it in his bedside cabinet and dressed for breakfast. Walking into the common room he heard a little's girl's voice.

"Moring Harry," Pansy Parkinson was sitting in the common room in her dressing gown opening presents from under the tree.

"Moring," said Harry warily. He wondered if she'd heard him screaming.

"Merry Christmas," she said and held out a parcel for him.

"What's this?" asked Harry, dumfounded.

"It's from me to you. I made it especially".

"Oh wow thanks!" said Harry grinning "Oh no…I didn't get you anything".

"Don't worry," Pansy said "I don't want anything. Maybe we could go sneaking down to the kitchen later and steal some food. It's only me you and Tabitha here, we could have our own little picnic in the common room".

"Aren't you going in to the hall for lunch?" Harry asked "Draco said there'll be a feast on".

"Oh yes we can do that. I meant tonight - we can have a picnic tonight".

Harry thought for a moment then piped up "OK" with a smile. It had to be better than sitting in the common room alone at any rate.

"Here" said Pansy, holding out a small parcel as Harry approached her.

"Thanks" he said looking a little embarrassed. Opening it he was pleasantly surprised. It was a simple yet well made trinket box with 'Harry Potter' engraved on it in green. "This is really nice" he said sitting in front of the fire.

"Glad you like it" Pansy smiled.

Just then another little girl's voice was heard "Merry Christmas Harry" Tabitha Carty walked in dressed in a green dressing down, marched straight over to Harry and boldly kissed him on the cheek. She then stuck her arm straight out in front of her palm up presenting a mince pie. "My mum sent me a dozen" she said "You can have one if you like".

Harry figured he must have meant the 'one' she was holding "Uh, thanks" he said taking it and feeling even more embarrassed. Pansy smiled again and turned her attention back to her parcels. Both the girls had quite a handful to plough through. Harry was trying to make small talk, albeit rather awkwardly, with them about Christmas decorations, how nice the elves had made the common room look and what might be for dinner. All three children seemed relatively content when suddenly Pansy pulled out a handful of presents for Harry. "These are from you as well?" He asked feeling shocked.

"No, they're from other people," she explained handing them over.

"Oh," said Harry "I wasn't expecting anything". He unwrapped a wooden flute from Hagrid, a box of Bertie Botts every flavour beans from Fred and George, chocolate frogs from Crabbe and Goyle and a fifty pence piece from Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. "What the heck's that?" Asked Tabitha.

"You can have it," said Harry "its muggle money". Tabitha grimaced, forced out a "thanks" and placed the coin carefully on the arm of her chair as if it was covered in mucus.

Finally there was large soft parcel with a label attached that read 'To Harry'. "Not another one for me?" Harry asked.

"Yes but it doesn't say who it's from," said Pansy.

As Harry unwrapped it he unveiled a silvery shining cloth. He held it up in the firelight and the two girls gasped. "What?" He asked not realising what he was holding.

"It's an invisibility cloak," said Pansy. "They're really hard to come by. I've never seen one before".

"Look a note just fell out," said Tabitha and handed Harry a piece of paper. It was written in handwriting Harry didn't recognise and read:

'Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was
returned to you. Use it well.
A Very Merry Christmas to you'.

"Who do you think it's from?" Tabitha asked.

"No idea" said Harry genuinely confused.

"Maybe a distant relative or something," suggested Pansy.

"I don't have any," Harry said feeling glum.

"Well never mind someone cares enough to send it at least," said Tabitha encouragingly.

"Yes I suppose so," said Harry. "I'd really like to know who this is from though. Who cares enough to send it? I mean if they knew my dad I want to know who it is. I wonder why they felt they couldn't tell me."

"It is weird," said Pansy.

"Maybe you'll find out soon enough," Tabitha smiled. "In the meantime just keep it safe and use it well like they said".

Harry enjoyed a wonderful Christmas dinner. He, Pansy and Tabitha got on quite well and he even got more gifts out of the Christmas crackers. Just as they were finishing off their pudding Harry thought about Draco and wondered if he was having dinner at that very moment too. That night, as planned, Harry crept down into the kitchen with Pansy and Tabitha to steal food from the kitchens and had an indoor 'picnic' in the middle of the common room. This was the best Christmas Harry ever had.

On New Year's Eve Dumbledore allowed everyone to stay up to see in the New Year so Harry took the opportunity to enjoy the party organised in the Great Hall. When the clock struck twelve everyone cheered as they welcome in 1992. Tabitha was first to kiss Harry for luck which caused him to blush. Pansy was shortly behind. "Happy New Year Harry," she said and gave him a hug. Harry stood awkwardly not knowing where to put his arms. Pansy looked confused and a little hurt. "What's the matter?" She asked.

"Oh nothing it's just that, well…" Harry felt lost for words "…no one has ever hugged me before".

"You're kidding me?" asked Pansy.

"No…the muggles I lived with…"

"Say no more!" she interrupted looking revolted and dragged him into the centre of the floor to dance. He felt very awkward until Fred and George joined in who made a joke of it all with crazy dance moves.

Harry was very tired following the party so took the opportunity to hug again when he bid Pansy and Tabitha good night and went straight to his lonely dorm. Sitting up in bed he finished off his Bertie Botts beans from Fred and George and noticed a scribble on the side of the box: 'Happy Christmas Harry, if you ever need us for anything just give us a shout.' Harry thought it very a very nice thing to say but wondered what Draco would make of it all. Thinking of Draco he turned to his letter again and re-read it wondering how he was and what he'd had for Christmas. Then his thoughts inevitably turned back to The Dursleys. They gave him fifty pence. Oh they were sweet. Dudley had probably had hundreds if not thousands of pounds worth of presents. He was probably eating enough for a small army and sulking at that very moment. He wondered why the lovable trio had bothered to send him a card and 'gift' at all but as he pondered the idea realised their cunning: they were off the hook: they'd given the bare minimum so he or no one else could turn around and accuse them of ignoring him. If he complained about it not being enough he'd be viewed as ungrateful. He'd be the one in the wrong. Both Vernon and Petunia were pillars of the community due to their Oscar winning acting skills. Harry was known as the 'difficult child'. It was hard to be or feel normal around such toxic people.

That night Harry dreamed of the Christmas Party which made a nice change. New Year's Day was spent in the common room with Pansy and Tabitha. The next night Harry dreamed of Uncle Vernon chasing Pansy down the street so Harry shot him. Pansy was covered in Uncle Vernon's blood and crying. Harry turned around to the sound of Dudley's voice: "Harry? What's going on Harry? Harry?" Harry screamed and woke up. He could still hear a voice calling him "Harry? Harry? What's wrong? More visions? Harry?"

Harry turned around to the source of the voice and jumped with fright a he saw a face peering into his. He let out an almighty yell "ARGH!"

"AGH!" Came a shrill voice in reply. It was Draco standing next to Harry's bed looking terrified. "Merlin's beard Harry you frightened the life out of me!"

"Draco!" Harry squealed in relief and wrapped his arms around the blonde little boy. Draco looked as awkward as Harry had felt when he hugged Pansy New Year's Eve. "You're back!" Harry smiled broadly, not letting go.

"Yes I am. What's wrong?" Draco asked.

Harry released Draco and sat up in bed "Oh nothing, just a dream about Uncle Vernon".

Draco grimaced. "I got you a present," he said changing the subject.

"Oh wow thanks!" said Harry. It was a large, flat square shaped gift.

"My Aunt Andromeda sent it to me. She likes muggle music but I don't know anything about the band so I thought you might like it. I got you some marshmallows as well and a Slytherin tie pin". Harry thanked his friend over and over again grinning with gratitude. Opening the large present Harry unwrapped a record called 'Ten' by Pearl Jam. He'd not heard of them either but was glad to have been given such a nice gift.

The two Slytherin friends were happy to be reunited and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast chatting constantly about the events over the Christmas holidays and the presents they received. Harry left the bit about the invisibility cloak until last. Draco, shocked by the news, dropped his spoon into his porridge.

"You got a what?"

"An invisibility cloak. That's what Pansy said it was anyway. I'd never heard of one before."

"Who was it from?"

"I've no idea."

"There was no card with it?"

"Just a note, I'll show it to you when we get back to the dorm. It wasn't signed it just said 'I was left this by your father.'"

"Maybe you have a wizard relative you don't know about," Draco suggested.

"The Dursleys are the only family I've got," Harry reminded him.

"Are you absolutely sure?" Draco asked.

"Well, yes I mean, I'm guessing that's why I was left with them in the first place. That's what they always told me anyway".

"There's something funny going on here," said Draco narrowing his eyes in suspicion. "Oh damn!" he said when he'd realised his spoon was now submerged in sticky porridge and tried to pull it out without getting too messy. Harry didn't say anything but began to think Draco was right about something funny going on. There'd have to be a good reason behind why the person who gave him the cloak remained anonymously and he or she must have been someone his father trusted implicitly. Yet who could it be? Harry was more than a little keen to find out.

~Tabitha Carty is my own character~