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Balance Factor Chapter 3

Year One

Forming Friendships

A/N: I wanted to make Draco a relatively good guy. So here he is!

By the way, if anyone is looking for slash/want slash, please review! It won't happen until a while, I think.

It did not take very long at all for Harry to enter the castle's favor.

Harry placed his hand on the wall of the castle right after dinner, letting his Factor pulse in response to the new magic it was being fed. Hogwarts responded to his presence.

Soon, Harry found himself being guided to classes, sliding into the Transfigure classroom twenty minutes before class. The Professor, Professor McGonagall, seemed surprised to see him there.

"Potter," she said. Harry bowed his head.

"Professor," he said respectfully.

"I have never seen a student take as long as you did for sorting," she said. She had a bit of a shrill look on her face, though her eyes were kind.

"I had a bit of a fight with the hat," Harry responded, sitting down. She walked up to him and looked down at him closely.

"You are not what you appear, Harry Potter. The animagus in me tells me that," she said softly. Harry gave her a mysterious smile.

"Perhaps I'm not."

He wasn't sure when he would ever have to turn a needle into a matchstick. But regardless, this gave him a chance to practice his abilities. He closed his eyes and imagined the matchstick morphing, evolving, taking on a new shape and cast the spell. The effect was immediate.

Harry held up his needle, but it was too large to be called such. It looked more like a javelin than anything, long, thin, and dangerous.

"Professor!" Ron squeaked from behind Harry. "Harry's got something!"

"Mr. Potter! Good heavens! Mr. Potter, where did you get that?!" McGonagall asked, gripping her robes over her heart. Harry looked at her strangely.

"Er, I made it? From the matchstick, I think," he said slowly. McGonagall tapped the javelin with her wand and backed away. The matchstick was back, sitting on his palm. Harry turned it over twice and nodded slowly.

"Go ahead, Mr. Potter," McGonagall said, watching him. The entire class had stopped to watch him.

Harry shrugged before whispering the incantation, tapping the matchstick. There was a soft glow, but then the javelin was back, silver, sharp and dangerous. McGonagall looked excited.

"Mr. Potter, never in my years have I seen such a display from a first year student!" she said, her eyes wide. "May I?" She held her hands out for the javelin and Harry handed it to her. She admired it and showed the class. "This, class, is the perfect example of how you should be casting your spells. Though this is a bit extreme, I do hope you'll learn from Mr. Potter's success. Five points to Gryffindor!"

Ron turned to Harry.

"How did you do that?" he asked.

Twenty six broken matches, a fuming Ron, and one-half needle later, the class ended. Ron looked exhausted and was assigned homework like everyone else.

"That's intense," Ron said. Harry smiled.

"It is not so hard when you get the hang of it. Just let your magic flow through you," Harry said smoothly. "Ms. Granger was quite successful as well. McGonagall praised her work too."

The bushy haired student blushed.

-0-

Despite what Ron had told him about Professor Snape, Harry was looking forward to Potions. Potions seemed like a connection that he could have between Ryuuko and himself. Now that Ryuuko was gone, someone would have to brew for Shisui, wouldn't they?

Harry determined quite early that Professor Snape didn't like him much. He was able to answer all of Professor Snape's questions, but Snape still didn't like him. So he ignored the professor in favor of concentrating on his potion. By the end of class, Snape stopped right in front of his potion and looked down at it. It was the perfect consistency and the perfect color. He sniffed in distain.

Harry looked up as he arrived at his bench, glancing at his left arm only briefly. He paused, sensing a similar darkness there as to the soul fragment he had before.

"Bottle your samples and bring them up to the front," Snape said, sweeping away from Harry's potion. Harry lingered, watching Ron trying to stuff his mud like potion in a vial. He didn't understand why people weren't successful. It was potions, after all.

Harry grabbed Neville's arm to prevent him from trying to rush his potion in the very end. "Just give him what you have. If you add that, the splatter will burn you." He smiled at the slightly pudgy boy, standing up to give the Professor his sample. He walked back to his table and started to clean up.

"Hey, Potter!"

Harry turned to see Draco Malfoy. He stood up fully and said, "Yes, Draco Malfoy?"

"You better watch your step Potter," Draco warned.

"Why, Draco. I'm a little surprised at you," Harry said calmly. "I would think that you, being as intelligent as you are, would be able to see past the whole house rivalry." He looked him over. "You have class and money, but your mind is a little bit too shallow. Think outside the box a little more. You can be a better leader that way."

Draco looked flabbergasted as Harry slid his books into his bag. The blond's eyes narrowed and he pointed at Harry.

"We'll see about that Potter," he said finally. Harry smiled pleasantly at him.

"Of course," Harry said. Draco swept past him and vanished out the door with Crabbie and Goyle. He let them pass, and then turned to Severus Snape. Snape was looking over the vials.

"Can I help you, Mr. Potter?" he growled out.

Harry paused and glanced at the darkness surrounding his arm. "No, Professor. I just wanted to thank you for your time in class today."

Snape sneered at him. "Are you making fun of me, Potter?"

"No. On the contrary, I noticed your name in the list of potion making experts," Harry said honestly. "I like potions very much." He exited the room, leaving a stunned Severus Snape behind. Ron was waiting outside.

"He really is an unfair git. Both him and Malfoy. Why do you put up with them?" Ron was complaining all the way to Hagrid's hut. Harry had received an invitation in the morning for tea and had accepted.

"Ron, you really shouldn't hate Malfoy. He has really done nothing to you, but try and prevent himself from getting taunted by other houses," Harry said, crossing the grounds. "Severus Snape is a well-known potion expert. He has created many spells and potions. A genius in his field." He knocked on Hagrid's door. "Besides, it would do no good to treat him badly. We are going to be in this school for the next seven years."

"Yeah, but… Malfoy?" Ron asked as Hagrid opened the door.

-0-

As it turned out, Draco's attitude changed a good deal after that talk. He approached Harry one evening in the library and slammed down his books on the table. Harry glanced up from his book, spotting the transfiguration essay they had to finish. Ron was working on it as well.

"Potter," Malfoy said crisply. Harry looked at him. "I need help with this essay."

"Alright, what have you done so far?" Harry asked, closing the book. Ron opened his mouth to speak but Harry added, "Ron, finish your essay and I'll proofread it."

"I have five references and three specific ideas, but I have no idea how to put them together," Draco said, sitting.

And so, the strange bridge between Gryffindor and Slytherin had been built.

Since then, Draco seemed to accept them in his little group. Most of the Slytherins were skeptical at first, but they learned to ignore it when Harry approached Draco to pass him a proofread essay or hints on where to find sources.

Even Ron was a little impressed. Draco was more thorough than he was. It inspired him to work harder.

-0-

"Seeker?!" Draco gaped, staring at the broomstick. "Parkinson threw Longbottom's remembrall and you caught it. And now you're Seeker?!"

"I hate flying," Harry said, offering Draco the broom. "Want to fly for me?"

"But you were incredible!" Ron protested, looking scandalized.

"Nice try, Potter. But I'm not playing against my own team. I rather like living, thank you very much."

"Pity," Harry said, holding the new Nimbus 2000. He didn't really want to fly or be Seeker for the Gryffindor team, but McGonagall had insisted. It was better than getting into loads of trouble for flying without permission, at any rate.

-0-

"She's such a know-it-all," Draco ranted, one day late in October. Harry sighed.

"She works hard for her grades. I'm not surprised she does better on essays then I do. She studies more of a variety of things. I prefer Potions and Defense Against Dark Arts," Harry responded. "I am better in practical, but in theory, she is better."

Draco huffed. "It's not fair. All the professors love Granger. And she just laps it right up!"

"Draco, in this life, there is very little that is fair," Harry said, walking next to him, heading to the Great Hall for the Halloween Feast together.

"But he's right," Ron protested. "It's no wonder she doesn't have any friends."

Someone pushed passed Harry roughly. It was Granger. She looked like she had tears in her eyes.

Harry stopped and sighed. "Draco. Ron. She probably doesn't. That's why she studies so hard."

Ron stopped in the halls too. "What do you mean?"

Watching Draco pause as well, Harry continued. "She's a muggle-born, isn't she? Children who are different get picked on all the time. Especially in muggle schools. She was probably very lonely. Books are a way of comfort to those who are lonely. Parents who work all the time never spend any time with their children." He paused and added, "By studying this hard, she's trying to replace what she didn't have. Attention from her parents. But instead of getting that attention from her busy parents, she gets attention from the next best thing. Teachers. As a result, most of her peers probably tease her."

"That's rather cruel," Draco commented.

"Not everyone is born into nobility, Draco. You are very lucky that you have a mother that loves you very much," Harry said. "We make the most of what we have." He looked at Ron. "So what you said was rather cruel. There is no need to point out the misfortune of others."

Ron looked uncomfortable. Draco looked abashed.

They entered the Great Hall and said their goodbyes to Draco, proceeding to the Gryffindor table. They sat down, Ron looking around for Granger. She wasn't there.

"I saw Hermione run into the girl's bathroom on the second floor," Parvati was saying to her friend Lavender. Ron shifted uneasily.

In the middle of their meal, the doors slammed open. Professor Quirrell burst in, exclaiming something about a troll in the dungeon. Harry barely noticed as pandemonium erupted around him, tasting the different foods on the plates. Everything was delicious, as usual.

"Harry, we have to go! Hermione doesn't know about the troll!" Ron said, panicked. Harry nodded and stood up, heading out the side doors. Draco spotted them sneaking out, joining their group.

"I'm going too," he declared. "Heaven's knows, I am better than either of you at dueling."

Ron opened his mouth to say something nasty, but Harry shook his head. "Now is not the time."

They froze when the stench brushed their noses. Harry gave a small "Ugh" before covering his nose. Draco looked like he wanted to puke.

"It looks like it's heading into there… Let's lock it in!" Ron said. Draco moved faster. Ron rushed over and slammed the door after the troll, Draco locking it inside. Harry opened his mouth.

"I hate to break it to you…"

There was a shrill scream. Draco and Ron looked at each other. "Hermione!"

There was a fumbling of the doorknob before the door was knocked open, both Ron and Draco rushing into the girl's bathroom. The troll had its club raised swinging it with breakneck force at a fallen Hermione. Ron and Draco both cried out, but stared as the club bounced off a white shield.

They turned to see Harry holding his hand out in front of himself, his wand out of sight. His hand glowed briefly and then he lowered it, looking at the three there.

"Can I trust you all to keep my secret?" Harry asked, his voice quiet. Ron and Draco nodded. Harry smiled.

Harry walked up to the troll, holding his right hand out to the side. Light shimmered in his hand and gathered to create a form. An oriental spear sat in his hand, the blade curved a little, the pattern on the white handle with two dragons intertwining. The blade was about a third of the size of the handle. One dragon was white and was curved around the base, the other black one was curved around the blade. Both met in the middle of the handle, the clash of fangs and claws glinting in the light. A long black sash topped off the handle.

Draco gaped, shocked. Harry moved forward.

"Come, you dull creature," he said coolly, the temperature in the room dropping a few degrees. "I will show you real battle."

The troll roared and swung his club at Harry. Harry held up the spear, blocking the blow easily. It did, however, take out quite a bit of the wall. Harry kicked the troll's club away from him, pointing the blade towards the ceiling and swinging it upwards. The club fell in two pieces next to the confused troll.

Harry didn't give it time to react. He jumped forward, knocking the troll hard in the head with the base of his spear, sending it crashing through the wall, crumbling it completely. Harry landed smoothly, humming at the damage. The troll was knocked out.

Hermione stared with wide eyes at Harry. Harry smiled at her, the spear vanishing into particles of darkness. "Are you alright?"

"Bloody hell!" Ron said, his wand arm slack. Draco was doing a fine impression of a goldfish.

McGonagall, Flitwick, and Snape all ran in through the bathroom door. Quirrell scampered after them and fainted when he saw the thoroughly knocked out troll. Harry helped Hermione up and smiled at her.

"You… you four…! What…?!" McGonagall stammered, pointing her finger at them. Harry stepped in.

"Err, this is… Um…" For once, Harry was lost for words. He knew he shouldn't have showed his power off to them, but the situation required it.

"It's my fault, Professor McGonagall."

Harry and Ron both turned to Hermione. Draco continued to gape at Harry and Harry elbowed him in the ribs. Draco jerked out of his stunned silence and sneered at him.

Harry stood back, letting Hermione come up with an explanation to all this. Normally, he would just tell the truth if it was Ryuuko who caught him. He hated lying to Ryuuko.

Here though, he could not tell them the truth. So he stayed behind and let Hermione explain. He listened to her explanation of him firing off a cutting curse and how Ron levitated the club to knock out the troll. Then she listed off Draco's assistance by knocking her away from the falling troll. She was a pretty convincing liar when she wanted to be.

Since then though, Hermione had joined their group. Harry didn't mind it too much and Draco was happy that he could talk school with someone other than (in his words) that bookworm Potter. Ron was pleased they had another brain to add to the collection.

-0-

A/N: Read and review, as always.