I own nothing.

The Two Princes of Hogwarts

-Chapter Two:

"What is going on up there?"

"I have no idea," Neville admitted, staring up the staircase leading to their dorm room.

"Oh, that's Harry," Ron announced as he appeared behind Neville and Seamus.

"And like that, I'm done," Neville stated.

"Why's he screaming in German?" Seamus asked. The Irish wizard flinched back a step at Neville glared at him.

"Actually, that's very angry French," Ron corrected.

"I have never heard French like that," Seamus stated.

You've never met a Parisian," Ron replied. "Anyway, Amalie lied about her job being dangerous and Harry's giving her an earful." Neville hesitated in his step. That couldn't be it. Worrying about a girlfriend was just too normal. Every fiber of his being fought him as he tried to continue to escape.

"So, he's just worried about Amalie?" Neville cursed his weakness.

"Yeah, she told him that spell research and development was mostly boring book work," Ron said.

"Well sure, if the book blows up nine times out of ten that you flip the page," Neville admitted.

"I know, right?" Ron demanded. He glanced at the two. "You know, we can be normal."

"When you have to be," Neville grumbled.

"No! We are normal most of the time," Ron insisted.

"The rest makes up for it." Neville was about to step away when a hand landed on his shoulder. He jumped and turned to see the Gryffindor sixth year prefect take a step back at his reaction. "Do you need something?"

"You're going to talk to the first years," the man said.

"I don't do crowds," Neville stated firmly.

"You're a prefect now, you're going to have to talk to people," the older prefect stated. "Hell, you're going to have to chastise people as well."

"I am a prefect against my will," Neville replied. "I tried to get out of it and my grandmother almost killer me."

"That means you're still a prefect," the older student replied. "Come on Nev, think of it as practice. They're just first years." Neville scowled as he was dragged in front of a gaggle of awestruck faces. "This is Neville Longbottom. He's going to explain some things to you." Neville's jaw dropped to unleash his fury on the man, but he hesitated as he saw someone coming down the stairs with a scarlet envelope clutched in his hand.

"Harry!" The last Potter perked up and immediately smiled as he saw Neville. The last Longbottom almost felt bad as the other man eagerly made his way over.

"Hey Nev. What's up?"

"This is Harry Potter," Neville announced to the first years. Their eyes lit up. Some in fear. Some in awe. Others had no idea what was happening but they were just happy to be there.

"Hi?" Harry said with an awkward wave.

"That is Ron Weasley," Neville added, pointed to the redhead. "Hermione Granger. Luna. . .Luna's around here somewhere."

"Hello!" the blonde announced, a hand poking up from behind the first years and waving wildly. They all turned and looked at her.

"Yes. That's Luna Lovegood. She isn't a Gryffindor, but she is."

"That doesn't make sense," one of the first years said shyly.

"Welcome to Gryffindor," Neville grumbled. "Anyway, if you see any combination of these four talking amongst themselves, you will ignore everything about them."

"This is the way," Angelina stated.

"The way," the other Gryffindors chorused, making the first years jump.

"Is it because he's the Madman of Hogwarts?" a young girl asked quietly.

"Harry isn't mad," Neville said quickly, interrupting his friend and occasional tormentor as the last Potter tried to respond. "Harry is just very well adapted to his Hogwarts experience. His experience will not be your experience if you ignore the lot of them." The first years were silent.

"I think you're making them curious," Seamus stated. Neville's eyes went wide in panic.

"Who here wants to fight a basilisk?" he demanded. Several of the students took a step back.

"What's a basilisk?" an apparent muggle born asked.

"It's a giant murder snake that can kill you by looking at you," Neville stated. Now the rest of the first years looked worried. "Anyone? Anyone want to fight a giant murder snake? No? Well, then I suggest you stay away from Harry and his friends. They've had to kill two already." Now Neville had the opposite problem, and they were all staring at Harry fearfully. Neville wanted them to fear what Harry was doing, not fear the man himself. "Look, they will keep you safe. You will make that harder by getting involved. Understand?"

"Yes," the first years chorused, and Neville let out a breath of relief. Honesty, why was it so hard to explain plausible deniability to eleven-year-olds? They should know this by now.

"Uh, thanks Nev," Harry stated. The man looked confused himself as if he was trying to piece together whether he had been complimented or insulted. "I. . .uh, have to get going to the infirmary. I'll see you later."

(:ii:)

"What are we doing Draco?"

"Patrolling," Draco stated, tapping his prefect badge.

"What are we patrolling for Draco?" Gregory repeated and Draco let a small laugh escape his lips. "Specifically, why are we patrolling the moving staircases?"

"Looking for opportunity," Draco stated. He glanced back at the two. Vincent looked rather huffy about the answer, but Gregory seemed more cautiously intrigued.

"An opportunity for what?" the larger student asked.

"To make friends," Draco stated. "I've heard certain rumors about mishaps on these stairs. That seems like a golden opportunity to place a new friend in a house at a very early stage."

"We could make an opportunity," Gregory commented. Draco frowned and pondered that. It just seemed so uncouth. He had begun to expect more from the man. He shot a glance back and caught something in the young man's expression. He couldn't place it, but it was far from the kind of bloodthirsty smirk he was expecting for such a suggestion. Was he probing? Curious.

"From what I've heard, we won't need to make an opportunity," he stated.

"I see," Gregory replied simply. As if in answer to his statement there was a crash from up the stairs and a high-pitched shriek.

"Ah, opportunity." Draco took the stairs two at a time, turned the corner and was promptly flattened by a shrieking, flailing body.

"Draco!" Gregory snapped.

"I'm fine," Draco managed as he pressed a hand against his forehead. It came away bloody. He felt the panic rise until he saw the shivering, sobbing young girl lying on top of him. "Are you okay?" She couldn't even articulate an answer and as Draco sat up, he saw why. One of the feet sticking out from under her robes was soaked in blood and twisted unnaturally. Now he felt real panic.

"Draco. What do we do?" Gregory demanded.

"I. . .I. . .I. . ."

"Tell us what to do Draco," Gregory ordered.

"Pick her up," Draco snapped. Words were spilling out of his mouth before he could even think. "Gently damn it!" He pulled his wand out and tapped his prefect badge as Vincent hauled him to his feet. "Diggory! We've got an injured student. She fell down the stairs. We're on our way to the infirmary."

"Understood," Cedric's voice came back. "I'm on the other side of the castle. I'll meet you there."

"Quickly now," Draco ordered. "Try not to jostle her."

"Understood," Gregory stated, the small girl curled up in his arms. They dashed to the bottom of the stairs as quickly as they could and made their way towards the infirmary. Vincent slammed into the door and it burst open to reveal Potter standing there, a clipboard tumbling out of his hands.

"What have you done Malfoy?" he snarled.

"Moving staircases," Draco wheezed, refusing his rest his hands on his knees and gasp for breath.

"Those God damned. . .on the bed!" Harry snapped as he tied some sort of bands around his arms to keep the sleeves of his robes up. Gregory laid the girl down and Potter shoved up the hem of her robe. Draco gasped and suddenly felt lightheaded as he stared at the two yellowish bones sticking out of her lower leg as well as a rather forceful pulse of blood. Potter snagged him by the collar of his robes and dragged his forward, only stopping as one of Gregory massive fists closed around his wrist.

Potter shot a look at the other student but nodded after a moment. "Sit at her head and talk to her."

"What do I say?" Draco managed, hating the tremble in his voice.

"I don't care," Potter snapped as he let go of Draco's robes and Gregory released his wrist. "Whatever. Don't let her look down." Draco collapsed into a seat next to the girl's bed. "Someone grab me the pink potion from that shelf!" Gregory and Vincent both looked at him.

"Do whatever he says." Gregory went to the shelf as Potter's wand flew over the girl's leg. She suddenly let out a gasp through her sobs.

"What did you do?" Draco snapped.

"I took the pain away," Potter answered, his attention too focused to even retort angrily. "Talk to her. She can still go into shock."

"Are you okay?" So, sue him. He had never tried to comfort someone before.

"It hurt so much," the girl gasped.

"I'm sure it did," Draco replied. "That was pretty bad." The girl tried to sit up, but Draco pushed her back down. "Potter has you. You'll be okay. What's your name?"

"Natalie," the girl stated quietly. She was still crying, but the great, heaving sobs of pain had abated.

"I'm Draco," Draco stated. He pointed to his associates. "That's Gregory and Vincent. The other is Potter. What house are you in?"

"Hufflepuff," Natalie replied.

"Give me someone who won't pass out at a little blood," Potter ordered.

"Me," Vicent rumbled.

"Grab her below the knee and by the ankle," Potter stated. "Pull gently. Goyle, give her the potion and make sure she drinks it all." Gregory was rather pale and just passed the potion up to Draco. He pulled the stopper and flinched at the smell.

"This is going to be unpleasant, but you have to drink this all." The girl limply tried to raise her hands but didn't quite make it. Draco rested a hand behind her head and brought the bottle to her lips. She hesitated for a moment before glancing at him. Draco offered her a smile and she finally drank deeply.

"And there we go," Potter stated as he leaned back. Draco look down in instinct and immediately looked away he took note of the torn flesh.

"She's still cut open!" he snapped.

"The bones are healed and the bleeding is stopped," Potter said as he snorted and rubbed a hand against his cheek, leaving a crimson smear. "She has subcutaneous crepitus."

"English Potter," Draco demanded.

"Air entered the wound and is under the skin," Potter stated. "That's beyond me. Madame Pomfrey will handle that and close the wound. Besides, if I closed it, she would scar. Did she drink her potion?" Draco held up the empty bottle. "Excellent." Potter's wand appeared in his hand and he tapped the small red cross pinned to his robes. "Madame Pomfrey. We have a patient."

"Report!" Poppy's voice demanded from the pin.

"Female, first or second year. Open tib fib, healed now. Stable with an open wound due to sub-q crepitus and my own inability to not scar people for life."

"I'm on my way." The door burst open suddenly and they all jumped as Cedric stormed into the room.

"You know, I really was expected Madame Pomfrey," Harry commented.

"Natalie," Cedric stated. The bastard wasn't even breathing hard after sprinting across the castle.

"Why did I not work out this summer?" Draco grumbled. "Quidditch practice is going to be hell."

"Why did you wander away from the group?" Cedric demanded kindly.

"There was a ghost," Natalie whimpered. "He told me he wanted to show me something. I'm sorry. Am I in trouble?"

"Of course not," Cedric replied as he brushed the girl's hair back from her sweaty brow. "That was a very bad ghost named Peeves and he will pay dearly for harming you."

"You gonna kill a ghost Diggory?" Draco asked. The look on the Head Boy's face told him everything he needed to know.

"Ghosts are beyond death," Cedric stated. "They aren't beyond pain. The Baron will hear about this." Draco fought not to shrink back from the intense seventh year. "You're injured." Draco's hand came up and he flinched as pain rushed through his face as his fingers grazed his brow. "You got that helping her?"

"I got that being turned into a cushion," Draco replied.

"You were injured helping a Hufflepuff," Cedric said. "You spilled blood for one of ours. We owe you a blood debt."

"He's a Malfoy!" Potter snapped.

"And you're a Hufflepuff," Cedric countered. "You know how this goes Harry." The last Potter scowled but nodded. Cedric glanced at Gregory and Vincent. "Both of you haven't shed blood, but I'm assuming you helped."

"They did," Draco stated. This was all beginning to feel very significant.

"Then a debt is owed to both of you as well," Cedric stated. The door burst open again and they all jumped.

"Doesn't anyone knock?" Draco managed.

"Did you?" Potter countered. Poppy stormed into the room, her eyes immediately singling out the girl on the bed. Her wand was already moving as she crossed to the bed.

"Well done, Harry. See to Mister Malfoy," she ordered.

"Yes Madame Pomfrey," Harry replied, his blood-stained hands raising and his wand zeroing in on Draco's face as he approached.

"There's no rush," Draco said quickly. He cursed as he realized he had been shrinking away when his back hit the wall.

"Scared Malfoy?" Potter taunted.

"Justifiably concerned," Draco corrected. "This healer justifiably concerns me. Can I have a new one?"

"Harry is fine," Poppy stated, her wand moving over Natalie's leg. "He is a professional," she glanced up, "and he knows that I will hunt him to the ends of the earth if he isn't."

"Yes Madame Pomfrey," Potter grumbled.

"And do try to heal the lacerations. You'll never get better if you don't try. Just leave the spell open and I will correct anything I need to," the woman added.

"Yes Madame Pomfrey." Potter's wand glowed as he began tracing a complicated pattern through the air. The room seemed to grow and Draco realized that his left eye had been swollen shut. Potter leaned forward and frowned. "Still scarred Madame Pomfrey."

"Give me a moment," the witch replied. Draco caught his reflection in the window and the silvery blond eyebrow shot through with a few raised pink lines of scar tissue rose speculatively.

"Oh, I don't think that's necessary," he said. He glanced at Gregory and Vincent. The Goyle scion's own eyebrows rose and he gave a nod of approval. Vicent was just staring at his bloodied hands. "I'm fine." Potter's own scarred visaged crinkled, but the man shrugged. He made a sudden gesture with his wand and stepped back. Draco rose and brushed off his robes. "If everything's settled, I really should return to my patrol." Cedric nodded and Draco walked towards the door.

"Draco?" He turned and saw Natalie sitting up. "Thank you." She glanced at Gregory and Vincent. "All of you. Thank you."

"Of course." Draco's smile wasn't as faked as he felt it should be.

"Yeah," Cedric added. "All three of you, thank you." Draco nodded as they walked out of the infirmary and started down the hall.

"A Hufflepuff blood debt for you and Hufflepuff debts for us," Gregory commented, "an in with the Head Boy and a first year that probably views us as heroes. Hell of an opportunity Draco."

"It is, isn't it?" Draco asked. He glanced at Vincent and stopped walking. The boy continued a few steps before he realized he was alone. "Are you okay Vincent? I'm sorry that I couldn't handle the gore and forced that upon you."

"Me too," Gregory admitted.

"I. . .just need to think," Vincent replied, staring at his hands for a moment longer before pulling out his wand and casting a quick scourgify on himself. Draco hesitated for a moment before realizing his face was also stained with blood. He pulled his wand and followed his associate's example.

"Do you need to go back to the dorms?" he asked.

"No. I think best when I'm walking," Vincent replied. Draco frowned as he considered that. It was a fact he hadn't known, but then again, what did he really know about Vincent?

"Well, sometimes speaking aloud helps," he stated. "If you feel the need, I'll listen."

"Thank you," the young man rumbled. "I may take you up on that."

"Any time," Draco replied. He began walking again and his fellow Slytherins fell into step behind him.

Really, everything had gone so much better than he had ever dared to dream.

Perhaps heroing paid off much better than Potter could ever understand or take advantage of.

(:ii:)

"He's using this." Cedric laughed and glanced at the younger student beside him.

"Of course, he's using this," Cedric admitted.

"You gave him a blood debt," Harry growled.

"Blood debts aren't given, they are earned," Cedric corrected forcefully. Harry flinched at his tone but nodded.

"He's up to something," the last Potter grumbled.

"Of course, he is," Cedric replied, "he's a Malfoy."

"Congratulations on the Head Boy thing, why didn't you tell me on the train?"

"It's nothing special," Cedric demurred.

"I want to punch you in your perfect, humble, overly handsome face." Harry grumbled.

"I have heard that before," Cedric admitted. He glanced at Harry. "How bad was this? Goyle's robes were soaked in blood."

"I didn't notice," Harry admitted.

"I would like to remind you both, there are no secrets in my infirmary," Poppy growled. "Anything you two can whisper about can be said aloud or I may not be able to heal properly and you two might not be able to remain here properly."

"Sorry Madame Pomfrey," Cedric replied.

"A word?" Harry ventured. The older witch made her way over. "She nicked her tibial artery. Luckily, it wasn't severed or it may have retracted and I would have had to go find it. That wouldn't have been nice. This was bad. If. . .he. . .hadn't found her, she could have bled out."

"I agree," Poppy stated.

"His name is Draco Malfoy," Cedric replied as he commandeered the seat Draco had left behind. He stared his Gryffindor friend down.

"Draco," Harry grumbled. Cedric nodded and smiled.

"How is she?"

"Perfectly fine," Poppy stated. "I would like to keep her overnight for observation."

"This is her first night in the castle," Cedric replied. He wasn't arguing. By God was he not arguing. "She could miss out on bonding with her fellow Hufflepuffs and I don't want her to be alone. I'll stay the night if I must." Poppy frowned, but nodded after a moment of contemplation.

"Do you feel good enough to go back to your dorm?" Harry asked. Natalie shrunk back and Cedric rolled his eyes.

"Harry, clean yourself up."

"What?" the last Potter asked.

"You're scaring her," Cedric stated.

"I'm not scaring her!" Harry insisted. Her turned to Natalie. "I'm not scaring you, right?" His expression of shock and dismay was enough to force a giggle out of the girl.

"A little," she admitted. Harry's crestfallen face made her giggle turn to full laughter.

"Clean yourself up Harry," Poppy ordered. He glanced in a mirror and quickly cast a charm to clean his hands and the crimson smear on his face.

"Better, right?" he asked Natalie desperately. Cedric felt that his scarred visage might not be better, but the first year couldn't stop laughing.

"Much better," she managed.

"See?" Harry demanded. "I'm not scary."

"Well, most of the time," Cedric admitted. "You have your moments." Harry's horrified look finally broke him and Cedric began laughing as well.

"I'm a nice guy!" Harry insisted.

"Nice people can be scary," Cedric countered, "I mean, I know you're nice and I'm still a little scared of you."

"I probably saved your life!" Harry snapped.

"And you did it in the scariest way I can imagine," Cedric replied. "You did beat a man until he agreed with you."

"I gave him a chance to repent!" Harry announced. "He killed my parents. I am benevolence personified!"

"That is still so much scarier," Cedric countered as he patted the Gryffindor's shoulder. Harry pouted and planted himself down on a nearby stool for a sulk.

"I want her monitored throughout the night," Poppy stated.

"I'll have her bed moved to the common room and I'll keep an eye on her," Cedric stated.

"You don't have to," Natalie said quickly, her cheeks turning bright pink.

"Natalie, I know that you're a muggle born and you don't understand yet," Cedric said, "but you were Chosen and you'll understand soon. Hufflepuff take care of each other. I don't care that she says I need to watch over you. I want to. Understand?"

"Yes," she said. "I'm sorry I fell down the stairs."

"Moving stairs," Cedric corrected. "Stairs that you were tricked into." He glanced at Harry and smirked. "Those are dangerous. Even Harry, as scary as he is, fell down them."

"I did," Harry replied without hesitation. "I was hurt a lot more too."

"He was," Cedric agreed, "and you'll find out that Harry is super tough. That means that you're even tougher."

"It does," Harry agreed.

"See?" Cedric asked. "Harry's a Hufflepuff even if he doesn't hang around the dorm, so you know he's being honest." He glanced at Poppy. "Is she okay to leave?" The healer's wand danced for much longer than Cedric felt was necessary, but the witch finally nodded with an annoyed expression. She cast a quick spell on the girl's robes and leg to remove the blood.

"She can leave." Harry immediately shot up to help her stand.

"Do you want me to spend the night?" he asked.

"I think we're okay," Cedric replied. He took the young girl's hand and led her to the door. She hesitated and Cedric did as well. She turned back to Harry and Poppy.

"Thank you," Natalie stated.

"Never be afraid to come here," Harry said.

"No matter what, we'll always take care of you," Poppy added. Natalie smiled all the way to the Hufflepuff's dormitory. The entire house was waiting for them as they stepped through the entrance.

Cedric had canceled the search for the girl when he had been called to the infirmary.

"Natalie is okay," he announced. The first year quickly hid behind him. "I need someone to levitate her bed down here. She needs to be observed during the night in case something happens." The older Hufflepuffs remained silent and motionless.

"Mister Diggory?" a quiet voice said hesitantly.

"You can call me Cedric, Henry," Cedric stated. "What do you need?"

"Does that mean we can all stay in the common room tonight?" Henry asked. "She needs to be watched, right?"

"Yes, she does," Cedric said with a smile. The rest of the house let out a cheer and several slapped Henry's back.

The Hat knew. Only Hufflepuffs ended up in Hufflepuff. There were occasional mistakes that got sent to other houses, but those sent to Hufflepuff were one hundred percent true.

"Susan," Cedric announced over the cheer, "take Hanah and go to the kitchens. We need marsh mellows to roast. This will be a true Hufflepuff first night." Of course, every first night of every year was a true Hufflepuff first night. They just needed a first year to prove themselves and at least one always did.

The rest of Hufflepuff house went crazy gathering around Natalie. The younger students shrunk back from the press, but the older students encouraged her to relax and tell her stories. Cedric almost stepped in once or twice, but the first year finally began telling her stories of the kind Slytherin that had ordered his friends to carry her when she was hurt and the terrifying Gryffindor, maybe Hufflepuff, that had healed her while also looking like a monster.

Cedric let out a sigh. This was going to be an interesting year.

-End

(:ii:)

-Uncle's drunken rambles. Yeah, we changing the ramblin' title. I like to freshen it up every decade or so. That means now you're a real niece or nephew since you seen something rarer than hen's teeth.

Yeah, this chapter. This happens on the same night as the last. I probably could have seamlessly woven it into the last chapter, but I am fundamentally and philosophically lazy. This long ass mess would have come close to doubling my normal chapter amount and. . .more worryingly, could have risen expectations for word count.

Look, I don't have the time or ability to churn out twenty-page chapters anymore. Sorry. For better or worse, I'm sticking to short punchy chapters.

Also, hey! Emergency medicine. Keep that direct pressure on and those tourniquets tight. Seriously, given then a turn or two more than you think they need. The life you save may be your own. Or, if you're like me, it might be more important than your own because you have fucked up self-worth.

There are training courses. Take them. I am your uncle and I want you to be happy. You will be happy in an emergency when you know what to do and you do it. Don't be some bystander.

Be the hero that everyone wants to be. Except you put in the effort to learn and now you are a hero in waiting instead of an asshole telling everybody about how cool you would be in an emergency.

Love you. Fuck you.

Uncle Jack out!

P.S. Here's your gun shit. I tried to order a pistol online. Done in plenty of times since none of the guns I like are made anymore. I couldn't. The pistol had a detachable magazine and a threaded barrel.

The argument was that a detachable magazine and a threaded barrel made an assault pistol.

A fucking assault pistol.

That is the dumbest thing I've heard in a while. Fucking assault pistol. Really? An assault pistol. This fucking 5.7mm has a threaded barrel and that makes it a useful tool in attacking an enemy fortification. Attacking an enemy fortification, you know, the definition of an assault. Yeah, I as a Marine, totally carried a threaded Beretta because that is a real weapon. My M16s were just an albatross they made me carry around just to feel the weight dragging me down.

Actually, that makes total sense. Wow. Not going to lie, the current recruiting problems have a name and that name is veterans like me.

P.S.S. Hopping the train to Philly this week to hit the Franklin Institute and the Harry Potter exhibit!

Suck its nerds!