A/N: Hey everybody, thank you for all of the support. Reviews, favorites and follows are always appreciated. Thank you to everybody who takes the time out of their day to read it. As always, POV situation is the same. And now without further ado, on with the story!
Harry's POV
Time Skip – The Next Morning
Walking into the Great Hall, I went over to the Gryffindor table and sat beside Hermione and across from Neville. She gave me a look. What was that for?
"What?"
"Well?" So Neville doesn't give me a look but a well instead? Really?
"Well what?"
"Really Harry?"
"Really what? I have no idea what you two are on about!" I looked between them while reaching out to grab some scrambled eggs and bacon and put it on my plate along with a cup of coffee.
"When are you doing it?" Well Hermione was obviously exasperated for some reason I was completely unaware of. Though it was more than likely because of me but I can't answer something when I don't know what the question refers too. I don't know maybe some people have that ability but I don't. Just like how people don't have my ability to piss people off.
"I'm afraid you're going to have to elaborate on what 'it' is exactly." Turning to Hermione, she had her face in her hand. Shaking her head back and forth slowly, quietly asking "Why do I try?". Looking across the table at Neville, I saw he had his hand covering his mouth trying to hide his smile and failing. Once he saw me looking at him he ducked his head and picked up his glass of water.
"It! You know the main thing we're doing? The next step? The next meeting? How much more elaboration do you need because I'm sure I can come up with some pretty interesting ones." You could literally hear the sarcasm dripping from the words. Her sarcasm wasn't the only thing dripping. My face was dripping water thanks to a spit take on someones part. Bringing my hand up to my face, I looked at Neville to see him laughing or coughing, I couldn't really tell. Picking up my napkin I wiped the water off of my face before turning to Hermione to see her grinning behind her hand.
"Well since you asked so nicely, I haven't decided yet. I still have to write a letter once I decide." I made sure to add more than my usual dose of sarcasm to my sentence.
"Decided what?" At least I only had one person hounding me now as Neville had not yet recovered from giving me an impromptu shower.
"Which cliff to jump off of, what do you think?"
"I think you won't be jumping off of the cliff but rather falling off of it."
"Ouch! Harsh, you wound me!" I placed my hand over my heart for added effect.
"Oh I am so sorry my Lord, please allow me to put thou out of thy misery!"
"Remember be never to let you be my nurse, jeez." And it appears Neville has recovered. Though the glare Hermione was sending his way was definitely questioning how long it would last.
"U-um okay so Harry yea decided what let's continue yeah?" What? Was that even a proper sentence? Cause it didn't sound like it.
"Come again?" Ha see even Hermione didn't understand it.
"Decided what?"
"Whic-" I hadn't gotten very far before being interrupted.
"Oh no, not again."
"Well I was going to say, which family I want to reach out to, but someone just wouldn't let me finished." I finished and l turned my head to look at Hermione and gave her a look at said I wonder who that was?
"Okay, while moving past that, which one?"
"Neville, do you really think this is the place to talk about this?" Good point Hermione.
"What? We're not talking about anything that could threaten the plans. If someone hears, well they hear, doesn't matter."
"What'd you mean, 'doesn't matter'? How would it not matter?"
"Yea that doesn't make any sense. Why doesn't it matter?"
"Because of one simple fact." Which is?
"Which would be?" Clearly I wasn't the only one that was capable making Hermione exasperated.
"It would be the fact that nobody that could possibly overhear us would have the balls or the ability to do what we plan to. And also nobody can do anything about it. Nobody can stop us. So that is why it doesn't matter." That was a good point.
"Point taken."
"While that may be true, I think it would still be better to talk in private."
"I agree with Hermione but Neville, your right. While private talks would be preferred, we can talk in public if we ever needed to." That was definitely a plus. We didn't have to rush to the Room everytime we needed to talk.
"Okay, so we'll meet in the room a-" I began, looking down and running a hand through the top of my hair making it spike up.
"Mister Potter." Lowering my hand, I turned my head to look behind me, I realized it was Professor McGonagall that interrupted me and she didn't look happy. Well she never really looked happy, amused maybe but never happy.
"Yes Profes-"
"I'm going to need you to come with me to the Headmasters office." Standing, I got up from the bench all the while giving Hermione and Neville a look and a nod. Turning to McGonagall, giving her a nod and the after you gesture. Turning she began walking towards the entrance of the hall, making our way to Dumbles office. To say a few people were watching would be an understatement, the nearly everybody in the hall had stopped eating and was watching.
We passed the entrance of the hall and continued making our way to the office. Not long after leaving the hall I decided now would be a good time.
"Right, so do you know what's this is about?" I glanced sideways at her only to be met with a glare the basically said I am not in the mood to deal with your smarta** comments. As much as I wanted to see how far I could take it I wanted her on my side going into this not against me.
Walking in silence, we eventually reached the gargoyle after what seemed like a million years later. When it's a silence like that, I'd rather be yelled at or be yelling, I hate silence like that. It wasn't an awkward silence, and definitely not a comforting one, it was a silence where your afraid to say something because it feels like the other person is a huge ticking time bomb waiting for the chance to blow up in your face but hasn't yet because it wants an excuse too without question.
We walked up the stairs and knocked on the door. Once we heard the Enter from the other side of the door, we opened said door and went in.
"Take a seat Mister Potter." Dumbledore said before taking a breath and glancing at McGonagall. "Professor McGonagall, you are dismissed."
"Actually I think I would prefer it if she staye-" I didn't get to finish my sentence, it was cut off by the door closing. Great.
"Mister Potter." There was the look. The reprimanding tone. Great lecture time and this time I didn't even know what it was for.
"Can I know what this is about Professor?"
"Do you really not know Mister Potter?" Now the raised eyebrow.
"No, I can't say I do Professor." Shaking my head at the same time.
"So you view punching a friend as okay?" Ah this is starting to make a bit more sense.
"Of course not." You should've specified beyond friend.
"Then why would you?"
"I'm afraid I have no idea what your on about. I haven't punched any of my friends lately." I tried to appear confused.
"So why is Mister Weasley claiming you punched him and broke his nose?" So I did break his nose, good that was the plan.
"Because I did." Gone was the confused look, I tried to keep the smirk off of my face.
"Then why did you say you haven't punched any friends lately." Dumbledore was getting a bit annoyed now. Guess he wasn't a fan of playing games, which was ironic since he played them with everybody else.
"Because I haven't" Dumbledore opened his mouth but I cut him off before he could say anything "I punched a red-headed tosser. Big difference."
"Why would you hit your best friend?" So he obviously decided to ignore my last statement.
"I didn't, again I hit a red-headed tosser. Big difference." He just wasn't getting it.
"He's not your best friend?" He was leaning forward with his arms on the table with his hands intertwined and eyebrows raised.
"He's not even my friend, I thought I made that clear?"
"If I may, what happened between you two to cause that?" You know, I'd really prefer if you didn't.
"He's a tosser, a prat, a arse, I could go on and on with reasons if you'd like."
"That won't be necessary, well I'm sure you'll move past it."
"Not gonna happen, ever."
"I'm sure he was just trying to help."
"And how would you know that?"
"Look Harry, I suggest you think about the path your going down. You must learn to forgive those who deserve it. You were always so close to Mister Weasley." There are so many things wrong with that sentence.
"Okay first of all, it's Mister Potter too you. Secondly, I quite like the path I'm currently on. Third, I'm quite capable of forgiving, but only those who deserve it and that doesn't include people who wrong me. And lastly, being close to him was a mistake, one I don't plan on making again. Did I leave anything out?"
"The path you are heading down could be a potentially dangerous one. You need to be surrounded by the right people and I believe Mister and Misses Weasley the right ones. They care about you. The Weasley's want what's best for you."
"The path I'm heading down is none of your business, you're my headmaster, nothing more. You don't have a say in who I'm friends with nor should it matter to you. And since when were we talking about Misses Weasley?"
"Mister Potter." He started before reaching up and taking off his glasses to rub his eyes. He sighed before continuing "I am just looking out for your best interests. I know what's best for you, I have been doing this a lot longer than you have. You are still a child that is in need of guidance and I believe it would be most beneficial if you were surrounded by people who also have your best interests at heart and care for you."
"Huh, yea. I'm already surrounded by those people so I think I'm good. If that's all then I'll be going." Getting up, I glanced at him, waiting to see what he was going to say.
"Yes, well I believe that's all for now, just think about it and remember I just want what's best for you." Not really caring, I turned on my heel and left the office.
After leaving the office I began making my way to the common room. I continued until I felt like someone was walking behind me and closely. I felt a change in the air suddenly and I spun around with my arm up to protect myself. Good thing too because my arm was hit by a bat. A bat that would've hit me in the head if I hadn't turned.
Turning my arm until I was gripping the end of the bat and I pulled it towards me until the other person lost their grip on it. Using my momentum from pulling it, I continue my arms backwards force and flung the bat behind me and away from anyone's reach.
Barely a second after I finished the backhanded toss, there was a punch aimed directly at my face. Catching the punch, I ducked under the persons arm and spun around so I was behind him with his arm in a hammerlock. He was a bit taller than me so I kicked his leg at the knee to bring him to the ground while applying slight upward pressure on his arm.
Grabbing his head in a headlock with my other arm, I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. Kicking off with my right foot, I pushed us left and forward with my right foot into a roll. Releasing his arm and head along the way, I pulled out my wand and finished in a crouch with my knee pressing down on his throat and my wand pointing at the figure in the shadows.
"Stupefy!" Firing the first spell that came to mind.
"Protego! Mimblewimble! Petrificus Totalus!" Came a series of spells from the figure in the shadows. Quickly pointing my wand at the figure that I had under my knee I fired a silent stunner before placing a hand behind my back onto the ground and pushing up and back with my legs to perform a flip backwards into a standing position and casting a silent protego. Thinking on my feet I thought of the most effective spell chain I could do silently.
Langlock, Locomotor Mortis, Levicorpus. Casting all three spells in the chain, one flowing into one another as quickly as possible. It seemed like the figure was taken off guard by the incoming spells. The first hit its target be the second one missed only for them to move right into the third. Just as they were being lifted into the air a red light flew by narrowly missing my head. Whipping around I responded with a Stunner in turn. Hearing a crash from behind me, I spun and turned to where a figure was getting up off of the ground with another person by their side.
Looking in between each side of the corridor, it didn't take me long to realize I was stuck with one person on my left and two on my right with the other person I stunned before still knocked out on the ground.
Looking between each side, I quickly choose a side to fire at first. Reducto, Sectumsempra, Diffindo. Firing the three spells in quick succession at the two on my right. I was done playing nice, they were going to play 3 on 1, well I'm not going to play with weak spells.
"PROTEGO!"
"STUPEFY!"
"DIFFINDO!"
"BOMBARDA!"
The spells were coming from both directions, I twisted out of the way of the first stunner, and dove under the severing charm and tried to get away from the exploding charm but it hit the ground under me and I was thrown up into the air from the force of the spell. Arresto Momentum! I screamed in my head.
I was able to slow my descent with barely three feet from the ground. My relief didn't last long as I was blasted from the left into the wall. Slamming into the wall made my head spin, only for me to then hit the ground a few seconds later. Struggling to see straight, I briefly tried to raise my head only to get knocked out by what looked like a stunner.
Who Knows How Long Later
"Rennervate!"
Blinking my eyes several times, the first thing I noticed was that I was sitting in a chair and couldn't move my body. The only thing I could move was my head. Looking around I saw I was in an empty classroom and that there was four people standing in front of me. Three of which, I really didn't want to see right now. I looking straight at Daphne Greengrass, Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle. Daphne and Malfoy were the closest standing side by side, upon further inspection I could see Malfoy's arm around her shoulders. As if them jumping me didn't make me pissed enough.
"What do you want Ferret?" Looking at Crabbe and Goyle, I could definitely tell which one I went hand to hand with, considering that fact that Goyle was rubbing his shoulder and I could see the mark I left on his neck.
"Well scarhead, I want you to do me a favor and leave my girlfriend alone."
"Why would I go near something you've touched?"
"Potter don't even try to lie or deny it, you've been harassing me since the start of the year." Looking Daphne in the eye, I didn't see anything other than a cold, emotionless glare. Huh, her eyes looked a shade darker than before and her skin was paler.
"Shame that you view our friendship as harassment." She took a steps towards me and I just cocked an eyebrow at her, as if saying Whatcha gonna do? She took another step until she was right in front of me and the decided it would be a good idea to slap me. That's right slap me. She pulled her hand back and in the blink of an eye, her hand connected with my cheek, with enough force to cause my head to whip to the side.
"Ow! What was the for?" Shaking my head a little, I turned it back in her direction to look at her.
Leaning in she replied in a hiss "For thinking I would ever lower myself to be friends with you." Before standing back up and walking back over to Malfoy. Okay now that was harsh. What the hell happened to the Daphne I knew? Malfoy happened.
"Stay away from my girl Potter or you'll pay for it." And with that they turned and headed toward the door. As they reached it, Daphne held up her wand while walking away and looking down I saw the ropes around me disappear, lifting my head to look at where she was only to see they were all gone and the door was closing. Looking around the classroom, I spied my wand sitting on one of the desks. Getting up, I walked over to it and put it away before leaving the room.
Looking around, I saw that I wasn't that far from where I was when I was attacked. Picking up where I left off, I made my way to Gryffindor Tower.
Arriving at the Fat Lady, I muttered the password.
"You're going to have to speak up young man."
"Victorious!" Okay so maybe I was a little snappy and agitated but I had a right to be after what I just dealt with.
"Well I never." She obviously wasn't happy but she opened the portrait hole for me anyway.
"You just did."
Stepping through, I was greeted with more torture.
"Hiya Harry!"
"Hello Ginevra." Civil, I can do civil right?
"Aw, you know my friends call me Ginny."
"That's exactly why I called you Ginevra."
"So Harry, I've been thinking. You should really apologize to Ron for hitting him. I understand that you were just stressed and it was an accident but it would be the nice thing to do and I don't want an misunderstandings between my brother and boyfriend." Wow we are really pushing my tolerance today aren't we?
"Okay because there are a few things wrong with that sentence I'm just going to go in order. One, I can't apologize for something I'm not sorry for. Two, it wasn't because I was stressed nor was it an accident. Third, I'm not your boyfriend nor do I ever plan to be so I don't care."
"Harry I get that you have your own problems but you can't take it out on my brother. And of course you're my boyfriend, why wouldn't you be?" Bloody hell, what did I ever do to deserve this?
"Listen because I'm only going to say this once, I will take it out on your brother whenever I want because I don't care what happens to him. I'm not his friend. And I'm not your boyfriend because I don't like you. Actually I'm pretty sure the word would be hate. And that's never going to change. Got it? Good." Not even waiting for a response I walked away and went up to the boys dorm and over to my bed.
Sitting on my bed, I tried to relax and not be pissed about how horrid my day has been. Seriously everything that could've happened, happened. After spending a little bit calming myself down or at least making an effort too, I looked at my watch. Seeing it was almost time for lunch, I got up from my bed and left the dorm.
Walking through the corridors towards the Great Hall, I spotted Tracey or more accurately Tracey and no Daphne. Seeing a good chance to talk with Tracey, I jogged over to her.
"Hey, can we talk?"
"Actually, I was just looking for you." She was?
"You were?"
"Yea, look this is getting worse everyday." Trust me, I know
"Yea tell me about it." I still wasn't over what happened earlier.
"Well I- Wait what'd you mean?"
"Malfoy, his cronies and Daphne attacked me in the hall earlier. Goyle tried to hit me from behind with a bat, which I wound up kicking his arse. Then it turned into a three on one spell fight. They eventually got me and stunned me. When I was revived, I was in a classroom not far from where it happened and Malfoy decided to warn me about staying away from his girlfriend, Daphne."
"Did she say anything?"
"Well he had his arm around her and she did say something like don't lie and deny the fact that you've been harassing me since the beginning of the school year. Then she said why would I ever want to lower myself to be friends with you or something like that. Oh and she slapped me."
"Harassing? Ha! Wow. Did anything else seem off with her?"
"Yea, her eyes looked a shade or two darker, and her skin looked paler."
"Like the blue iris was darker?"
"Yup."
"Yea I noticed that too, I just wasn't sure it I was just seeing things. Something's wrong. She would never be Malfoy's girlfriend."
"Well it certainly looked like she was." Definitely seemed like it
"No I mean before."
"Look, no offense but I'm beginning to think that this is your problem, not mine."
"What? My problem?"
"Yea, she's your friend."
"She's your's too." Ha yea right.
"I doubt it."
"You can't tell me you don't care about her." Watch me.
"I don't care about her." I tried to be as emotionless as possible.
"I don't believe that. Look me in the eye and tell me you don't care about her." I looked her dead in the eye, as best I can and did as she said.
"I don't care about her."
Shaking her head, she chuckled before she replied. "No, you think you don't. I can see it. You do, you just need to realize it. She means more to you than that."
"Whatever Davis." Turning on my heel, I walked down the hall towards the Hall as quickly as I could.
"You'll see Potter, one day you'll admit it." Even though I was halfway down the hallway, I still heard it. I could also hear the smile in her voice.
Walking into the Great Hall, I made a split second decision. Since I couldn't do anything about Malfoy and Greengrass, and I already did what I could about the Weasley's, I might as well do what I could about Dumbledore.
Walking past the Gryffindor table, I continued over to the Ravenclaw table and went and sat next to Luna. Greeting Luna, I grabbed my lunch and put the food onto my plate. Conversing lightly with Luna and the other surrounding Ravenclaw. Looking up at the staff table, I looked at Dumbledore only to see him staring right back and he did not look pleased. Good, that was the point. Smirking slightly at his displeasure, I went back to the matter at hand. Eating my lunch and enjoying the company of one of my closest friends and her housemates.
After lunch, walking back to my dorm I decided I was going to reach out to the Davis family first. Entering the common room, I jogged up the steps to the dorm and went over to my trunk to grab some parchment.
Finishing the letter, I went to the owlery to have it sent. I sent the letter off with Hedwig before going back to the common room to do some homework.
Hope you enjoyed! Happy Reading!