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...

Albus Dumbledore did his best to hide his genuine delight as he listened to Hermione Granger explain how Harry Potter wished to stay at Hogwarts. She did state that Harry only wished to stay until the end of the first task but that would change. All they had to do was show that it was much better for Harry to remain at Hogwarts for the foreseeable future.

A simple task really.

Dumbledore did have to admit that it was mildly peculiar for Harry to get Hermione Granger to be his spokesperson. He was unaware that the two of them were familiar with one another but it mattered not. Given how Harry had addressed him in the past it was wise of the teenager to get somebody to speak on his behalf. Strange, but wise nonetheless.

"Very well," said Albus as Miss Granger finished her speech. "Hogwarts is more than happy to welcome you. We shall see to getting an extra bed in the Gryffind..."

"Unacceptable."

It has been the only word Harry had said in his presence but it rang of authority. Albus raised an eyebrow but kept his mouth shut out of curiosity wondering why Harry was so against staying with his fellow teenagers in Gryffindor Tower.

When Miss Granger prepared herself to speak on behalf of Harry once more Dumbledore found himself surprised once more. "Harry requires his own personal lodgings during his stay," she stated. "Anything else would be detrimental to his preparations for the first task."

"I see," said Albus as he lightly stroked at his beard. At a glance it made perfect sense. Compared to the other champions he was a child and needed all the time at his disposal to best prepare for the challenge ahead. Harry didn't have the experience with allowing those close to him to help and the time before the first task didn't allow him time to establish such connections. After the first task had concluded Albus would push once more for Harry to spend his nights is Gryffindor Tower. It would be beneficial for the both of them if Harry started making strong connections.

Before he said anything else his gaze lingered on Miss Granger for a few moments longer. He couldn't help but wonder if Harry had foreseen as much of the conversation as he had and consequently informed Hermione on what to say. Harry had known that Albus would offer him a place to stay in Gryffindor Tower and didn't want a piece of it. Albus knew there had been a handful of ways that he could have responded but they all would have been of a similar nature. He couldn't help but mildly admire how Harry had pre-read the conversation. Now to see if he could predict this.

"Very well, that can be arranged," said Albus sincerely. "Now know that this is a special privilege and that if myself or any of the other staff hear about you allowing any students in after curfew there will be consequences. If we hear that, let's say Miss Granger here, is seen entering your room after hours then we will be forced to take action."

While he hadn't mentioned why Miss Graner would be entering Harry's room the implication was there and it got the desired response, or at least he had thought it would. Miss Granger blushed at the thought, her cheeks growing crimson as her stature shivered at the idea. Harry however didn't so much as flinch. "Whatever, send someone to tell me where it is later," said Harry as he turned to leave, Hermione more than happy to follow behind him at a much faster rate.

Albus considered asking Harry to stay but knew that he had tried to push the boy into showing some sort of emotion and it had backfired. Perhaps it hadn't been the wisest of ideas to go down the path that he had but he had wished to get Harry to show some manner of emotion other than the disdain and cold heartedness that shrouded him. There would be more opportunities for Harry to open up both to him and the students of Hogwarts.

While it would undoubtedly occur naturally, there was nothing wrong with giving things a gentle push in the right direction for the sake of progress. After all, if Harry wasn't keen to open up to him then there was nothing saying that he wouldn't warm up to somebody else.

...

"Can you believe what he said!" exclaimed Hermione as she marched behind Harry, still feeling as if she had been violated.

"I can believe what he didn't say," stated Harry as he came to a stop, leaning against one of the walls.

"What he didn't say!" exclaimed Hermione. "He essentially implied that I would..."

"Come visit me in the night to give me some books from the library," offered Harry.

"No! He meant that I would..."

"Provide me with some rare and necessary potion ingredients."

"Harry! Are you deliberately trying to rile me up?" shouted Hermione.

"Yes," said Harry calmly. "Did Dumbledore directly say that he thought that you would sleep with me?"

Hermione couldn't help her mouth drop at sheer blatant way that Harry spoke of the topic. "Harry!"

"When he's not here, Dumbledore is a politician," said Harry. "He said something to force a response but didn't directly say what you believe he implied. He very well could have been implying as such but he didn't say it directly, you merely interpreted it as such. He says and doesn't say things in front of an audience of witches and wizards who were schooled from birth how to behave in such situations. Sometimes what isn't said is far more powerful than what is said because it forces the person to fill in the blanks. In this situation Hermione, you filled it with perverse ideas that made you drop your guard. He wanted a reaction, he got it."

Hermione's found her teeth lightly clenching at her lower lip as she listened to what Harry had to say. Looking back on the conversation, Hermione had to admit that she had taken Professor Dumbledore's words as such and while had hadn't directly said it she had taken his words as such. Realizing this gave her little comfort however.

"Take some time to cool off," said Harry, pushing himself off the wall he was leaning against. "Read a book or blow something up, whatever helps you calm down. I'll probably see you at dinner."

Hermione couldn't find any words as Harry began to walk away. Part of her was well aware that Harry likely had no idea where he was going but would likely be more than happy just to wander around the halls and explore Hogwarts. Considering the advice that she had been given, under normal circumstances she would go to the library and lose herself in a book written decades if not centuries prior.

His other option to go and blow something up was much more tempting given her current mood. There was nothing wrong with practicing one's spellcasting after all.

...

Harry hadn't particularly plotted a course as such, more than content to aimlessly wander through the dreary halls. He had to admit that the castle did look like it had come out of Dark Ages. "How bland," he found himself commenting as he turned another corner to see the same level of dull masonry surrounding him.

The only thing that was different about this hallway was that it was populated with a handful of students. Three of them were tossing a notebook back and forth between them, always an arm's reach away from the last person who seemed desperate to get it back. With sharp eyes he could tell that the cover of the notebook had been drawn upon, the artistry showing some manner of creature that he had never bore witness to.

Before he had the chance to say anything, his presence was spotted and the effect was instantaneous as he watched the three girls who had been handling the notebook rush at him. While he wished that he could magic himself out of the situation he knew that this would be a regular occurrence in the days to come. It was better to get small groups over and done with rather than the entire student body in a single go.

"Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh!"

"I can't believe you're here, why are you here? Are you staying here?"

"Are you real? Can I touch you?"

Harry didn't even bother to hide the disdain on his face as he walked through the group, nimble hands plucking the notebook out of their grasp as he kept his gaze focused on the lone student. While it was clear that she was being bullied and had wanted the book back she showed no signs of sadness. A glassy look of whimsy covered her face making Harry feel as if she was desensitized to the whole situation that was going on. Such a thing must have happened on a pretty regular basis.

"Here," he said as he offered the notebook to the student.

"Thank you," they replied as they took the offered book.

Harry merely nodded in acceptance before turning his gaze back to the three girl's who had rushed up to him. He sent them a piercing gaze as if warning them not to do anything again. Whether they did as such or not it didn't matter, he wasn't here to protect every person who needed some manner of help.

Turning his head forward once more, Harry continued his journey without care as to what would happen with the four students behind him.

...

Iris walked onto the school grounds that day without the company of anybody else. Once Fleur had ensured that she was alright Iris had asked the French witch to give her some privacy and told her to explore the village. It wasn't that Fleur wasn't good company, far from it, however given the fact she wasn't a hundred percent and needed some time to think.

More so than anything was the fact that Harry had shown some incredible magic without so much as batting an eyelid. To actively teleport the four of them outside of the tavern, while stomach churning, had been incredible. Fleur had even explained that he had made a perfect replica of his helmet without so much as an incantation or even the use of his wand! The French student had gone on to say that while she could do the same spell that Harry could it wasn't with the same level of proficiency or speed and that was with the use of a wand.

"'Ello there Iris!" bellowed the familiar voice of Hagrid, the half giant lumbering up to her after having spotted her on the grounds. "What are you doing back 'ere so early?"

"Wasn't really feeling it," said Iris, well aware that Hagrid wouldn't know what it was she was slyly referring to. Looking up at the person who had first introduced her to the magical world, she couldn't help but ask the question that came to her mind. "Hey Hagrid, when you told me bout how Voldemort killed my parents, why did you never mention that he had killed Harry...before we found out he was alive and all that?"

She had to admit that the look of shame that crossed Hagrid's face was hard to look at. "I tell ya Iris, I really wanted to ya see but Professor Dumbledore thought that it wouldn't be wise. After all, you'd always known that your parents were dead, pardon my bluntness. He thought that when you were as young as you were that it'd be better for ya not to have the knowledge of Harry."

"I see," said Iris, lowering her head in thought.

"I really wanted to tell ya Iris but I was waiting on the go ahead from Professor Dumbledore," explained Hagrid.

"I understand," said Iris, trying to bring some cheer to her face as she looked up at Hagrid. "I guess it's a good thing that I learnt now rather than later, can you imagine what I would have felt like to discover that I had a brother on my eighteenth birthday or something like that?"

"I imagine that woulda been a mighty shock on such a special day," said Hagrid. "If ya got a minute I could use a hand with things around the yard and I'm sure Fang would be happy to see ya."

"Sure thing," said Iris as she allowed herself to follow Hagrid back down to his hut. It wasn't what she really wanted to do at that point but she knew that it would get her mind off of things. Especially now that she knew that Hagrid was at least aware that Harry had existed. That raised another question that niggled at the back of her mind as she considered just how many other people had known. Surely somebody close to her family would have told her? The fact that they hadn't meant that everybody who had known had either chosen not to tell her or had been told not to tell her.

She couldn't help but feel as if it was the latter of those two options.

...

"Potter!"

Harry couldn't help but raise his hand up to rub at his eyes. At this response was different to the various amount of teenage witches who had ran up to his emitting various amounts of giggles and screams. There was an international Quidditch star somewhere nearby, why couldn't they go swoon over him?

At least this person had the decency to address him by name, even if it was almost spat out with malice. Turning around, Harry found himself facing a group of students confidently striding up to him. They held their heads aloft with a sense of pride, purpose and if Harry was correct, arrogance. If nothing else, this could be mildly entertaining.

Harry crossed his arms over his chest, tilting his head lightly to the side as he took in the students as they came to a stop. "Can I help?" he asked.

"I was just wanting to meet the dead kid who rolled up to my school," proclaimed the ringleader.

"My apologies, if I was aware that this school belonged to you I would have brought you a gift," declared Harry, doing his best to sound as if he wasn't mocking the boy in front of him.

"What do you know, a Potter who knows their place," laughed the leader, the cronies around them chuckling at the joke. Harry did his best not to cringe, it was almost painful to watch. "It seems that you know how to behave in front of your betters, unlike your sister."

Harry merely arched an eyebrow. It seemed as if Iris and this student had some kind of history. Considering it didn't involve the troll or any other large spectacle which Iris had talked about, Harry assumed that it couldn't have been anything important. "So did you have anything noteworthy to discuss with me?" he asked.

"Not particularly, I guess I just wanted to meet the last worthy Potter before he gets himself killed in the tournament," scoffed the pompous student. "I hope you don't plan on dying too quickly."

"Who knows, I've avoided death once so perhaps I can do it again," said Harry with a shrug.

"Seems like Potter has a backbone," mocked one of the female students, if only to try and impress the ringleader.

"Was that all? I figure I might as well learn the layout of this place before walking to my death in the tournament," stated Harry.

"By all means," said the leader as he stepped to the side, beckoning Harry to walk between the larger grunts that occupied the space behind him.

Harry merely nodded his head lightly in acceptance before stepping forward. He watched it before anything else as the two brutes moved to knock Harry to the ground with their shoulders. Their movements were large and easy to see, so as they tried to strike him Harry merely paused in his step and caused them to hit nothing. Their momentum however nearly caused them to lose their footing. "The floor seems to have shifting stones, how interesting," commented Harry as he walked past without any more issue. From behind him he could hear the ringleader berating his goons in hushed whispers.

Harry figured that there was some entertainment to be had in Hogwarts after all.

...

Iris made her way towards Gryffindor Tower, having spent more time with Hagrid than she had thought she would. That wasn't to say that the time had been bad but she knew just that the gentle man could go on many, many tangents. She still wasn't sure how they had started discussing the menu at the Leaky Cauldron but lo and behold, that's what they ended up talking about.

Still though, it was good to get her mind off of things. Sadly though when she turned around a corner her mind came crashing down in all sorts of unexpected ways.

A student, one she'd never interacted before, had been struck with a bodybinding curse and left on the ground. A prank like that was cruel in its own right. For their clothes to have been shredded to little more than rags that covered the smallest amount of modesty took whatever this was to disgusting levels. Yet that wasn't all as their face was covered in boils that looked as if they were ready to burst.

Iris couldn't help but feel rage towards whoever was responsible for this as she stepped forward to help only to find her foot atop a piece of paper. Looking at the surrounding areas it seemed that there were pages ripped in half and tossed in all directions. The piece she was standing on however had a name on it, undoubtedly the name of the person who was helpless in front of her.

Pulling out her wand and preparing the counter spells in mind, she spoke in the most comforting voice she could muster. "Don't worry Luna, I'm here to help."

...

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