They are finally back at Hogwarts. There were still a few days left until the end of the holidays, so the castle was practically empty. As soon as Harry crossed the threshold of the school, he immediately ran into Oliver and, to his slight annoyance, went to training. The Weasley family surrounded Ron with questions about his new wand. He protested for a long time, but eventually told them about the Malfoy gift. At first, no one believed him, and the twins said that this was a great joke, but there was still no other explanation.
The days returned to their usual slow flow. The lesson started as usual, nothing foreshadowed trouble. Everyone seems to have forgotten about the strange incidents. Well, except for a trio of restless sophomores. Ron and Hermione were just discussing this as they sat in the empty stands of the stadium watching Harry and the others practice.
"What do you think happened anyway?" Ron whispered without taking his eyes off the practice.
"I don't know," Hermione put down her thick textbook on magical creatures and looked directly at her friend, "but sometimes I think I hear something outside the school walls."
"I feel something, something strange and dangerous. It scares me." The boy turned to her and sighed softly. "We need to talk to Hagrid somehow. It's also a diary, Harry said he tried to write in it, but nothing else happens."
"I've been thinking about it, I think I'm close to figuring it out and I don't think Hagrid..."
"Carefully!" Everything happened instantly. Weasley caught a glimpse of a rapidly approaching ball out of the corner of his eye. Before anything bad happened, Ron stepped in front of Granger and caught the ball. A slight pain pierced his arms and chest, there might be bruises, but it was better than what could happen if he thought even for a second.
"Hey guys, are you okay?" an alarmed Oliver flew up to them, followed by the twins and Harry.
"I'm fine." The boy dropped the ball and brushed his hands away from the painful tingling.
"So am I," Hermione muttered, she quickly shook off the fright that came when she saw the ball almost in front of her face. Now she was more worried about Ron. "Are you sure you're okay? It looked painful."
"I'm fine, it hurts a little, but it will pass soon, the main thing is that you were not hurt." the boy still tried to erase the sting from the red palms.
"Well, he's still our brother."
"He will definitely be all right." The twins tried to defuse the situation and laugh it off, but fear was still reflected in their eyes.
"Okay, I think we can end here. Everyone did a good job," Oliver hurried to finish, "Ron, can I have a few words with you?" The trio looked at each other; Ron nodded and left with the team captain. They agreed to meet later at the entrance to the tower.
After Harry had changed, he and Hermione went to the library at the girl's request. In one of the empty corridors, they stumbled upon Draco with a black box in his hands.
"What are you doing?" Harry asked curiously, looking sideways at the box.
"Nothing that concerns you, bespectacled man," Potter only rolled his eyes at the Slytherin's sharp attack. As soon as he returned to Hogwarts, everything returned to its place.
"Relax, Malfoy, I was just asking," the Gryffindor smiled wryly.
"It's a present for Snape, for your information his birthday is next Saturday," Draco replied caustically and disappeared around the corner.
"So it's Snape's birthday..." the scarred boy muttered absently. "Stop, what?"
"Well, he's still human, Harry," Hermione chided.
"I would argue with that, I'm sure he has vampires in his relatives or something worse," Potter muttered, for which he received a well-aimed blow to the shoulder from Hermione.
"You're just unbearable. You will give him something; he is still your guardian?"
"I don't think he'll like anything." the boy shrugged.
"Can we ask Wiesel? He probably knows what the professor will like." The girl furrowed her brows in deep thought.
"We'll think about it later, still more than a week," Harry waved him off, striding down the corridor.
A little later, they ran into Ron in one of the corridors of Hogwarts, he was sitting on the windowsill. Weasley seemed deep in thought. He did not even notice how his friends approached him.
"Don't sneak up like that!" The young mage was indignant, crossing his arms over his chest.
"It's not our fault that you don't notice us point-blank," Potter snorted, "what's on your mind, huh?"
"Just nothing..."
"Do not lie."
"Okay, Oliver asked me to join the team. He wants me to start practicing as the team's new goaltender to replace him after graduation," Ron replied quietly, resting his head on his bent knees.
"Is it bad? I thought you always wanted to be part of the team." Harry sat down next to him, legs dangling over the edge, while Hermione leaned against the wall on the other side.
"I don't know, I just don't feel like I can handle it," Weasley whispers, trying not to make eye contact with his friends.
"That won't do," Potter tilts his head so that he catches the boy's eye, "look at me, please." Unable to say no to his best friend, Ron slowly turns around.
"Do you remember playing with you at your house?" Weasley nods weakly. "You were a great goalkeeper; you have nothing to worry about now."
"But this is different…" the young wizard quietly protests.
"That's not true," Harry leaned closer, now their foreheads were touching and Ron couldn't look away or look away anymore. "If Oliver and I think you can be a great goalkeeper, then so be it. Oliver does not take anyone on the team, believe me.
"What if I'm wrong or..."
"I will help you, I will always help you, no matter what happens, because you are my friend, just like you help me," Potter smiled. "If you don't trust yourself, then you can trust me for now," he added quite quietly.
"I believe you," Weasley whispers, something like a smile finally appearing on his lips. He's still not sure, but at least he's willing to try. Before Harry realizes, he is being hugged tightly. "Thank you."
"Rubbish. All the same, I love you." the boy chuckles, ruffling his friend's hair, which causes an equally slight chuckle.
"I love you too, friend."
"Ahem," the boys turn around at the sound. Hermione is still standing in the same spot against the wall, but before she can say anything, she is pulled into a group hug.
"I'm sorry," Potter apologizes, Granger now sitting between them. "I love you too."
"And I." Ron hums, leaning into the girl's shoulder.
"I love you too, boys," the young witch sighs, "after all, what would you do without me."
"Hey, you'd be bored to death without us," Harry snorted indignantly.
"Maybe."
"Ai, ai, ai..." Ron groans as Potter rubs his sore muscles after his first special workout with Oliver.
"You're too tense." Harry shakes his head. Weasley is sprawled on the bed, shirtless, and he sits on top and gives him a massage. Luckily today is a day off and the room is empty.
"It's not my fault Oliver demands too much on the first day. Ay!" Ron burrows into the pillow to muffle his painful screams.
"He really overdid it." Potter gently massages his shoulder muscles, but even then his friend can't help hissing. "But it feels like I'm touching a stone now, you are too constrained and because of this you are even worse."
"I was worried. Ash!"
"I saw you flying as if a hundred kilograms were tied to you."
"Not my fault." Ron grumbles, turning his head to Harry.
"I know," Potter pushes the Weasley back into position with one light touch and continues the painful but much-needed massage. "We'll figure something out."
"I enter!" a knock is heard outside the door and immediately the handle turns, Hermione stood on the threshold with a small jar in her hands.
"I am here too!" Kai's white head peeks out from the sleeve of her robe. We brought medicine.
"Thanks," Harry took the can. The ointment helped well with muscle pain, it was used by all members of the Quidditch teams.
"Welcome back to the world of pain," Ron moaned wearily into his pillow.
"Be patient, it will get better soon," Potter opens the jar and the sharp smell of medicinal herbs wafts around the room.
"Oh, and the smell."
"Compared to the usual smell of any potion, this smells like flowers." Hermione settles comfortably in the chair next to the bed, and Kai wraps himself around her wrist and rubs his fingers in search of affection.
"It's all done, now you just need to rest," Harry shakes off the cream on his hands; he already feels a soft tingle.
"Finally," Weasley sighs dramatically, pulling his shirt back on and leaning back against the pillow. The other two just roll their eyes at this; Ron always gets grumpy when he's in a bad mood.
"Will you come with me today?" the scarred boy wipes off the rest of the cream on his own shirt.
"Forgive me, friend, but I don't think I'll get anywhere in this state," the young magician curled up in a ball on the bed and covers his eyes.
"And I was going to study today." Hermione caresses the cool scales on Kai's head and Harry hears the snake half hissing half purring.
"Okay, I get it." Potter didn't like that his friends were acting weird lately. In nearly two weeks, they hadn't taken him to Snape's since they'd returned from the Malfoys. There were always urgent matters that definitely could not be postponed.
"By the way, about Snape, don't forget to ask about the gift." Saturday is coming soon.
"I remember," Harry sighs; he still thinks it's a waste of time and effort.
"What kind of gift?" Ron asks in his sleep.
"Snape has a birthday on Saturday. Hermione insists that I should give him something," the girl throws a fierce look at him and the young magician is sure that if he stood a little closer, she would hit him.
"Didn't know a grouchy bat could have a birthday." Harry can't help but chuckle as he gets another signature look from Hermione.
"Okay, I'm off, see you later. Kai, look after Ron, okay?" the snake nods vigorously and curls up at the Weasley's side, also closing its eyes. Potter just snorts softly and covers both of them with a warm blanket.
He escorts Granger to the library and descends into the dungeon. It's chilly in here, but Harry doesn't mind. The cellars of Hogwarts no longer seem so scary to him. The boy himself does not notice how he is already standing in front of the Potions master's door and knocking on the door.
"Good evening, sir."
"Good evening."
Potter habitually enters the warm living room, after a cold dungeon, he is shivering lightly.
"Are you alone again today?" Snape seemed as surprised as he was.
"Yes, sir. They're both busy today," Harry replies, settling comfortably on the couch.
"Wiesel will bring you tea, wait until I finish the work" the man goes to his office and leaves the boy in splendid isolation. After a while, Wiesel appears with a tray filled with all sorts of sweets.
"Your tea, young master," the elf smiles and puts the tea on a tray, "I brought some sweets while the master does not see, I'm sorry that your friends could not come today." he adds in a whisper.
"I also wish." the elf is about to bow and leave, but Harry quickly stops him, "Wiesel, have you been working for Snape for a long time?"
"Several years, sir." Wiesel lifts his head proudly. The boy thinks the elf definitely deserves a reward for putting up with Snape for so long.
"Then what does the professor like? Any special food?" The elf thinks for a second, then nods to himself and smiles again.
"He likes coffee cake with dark chocolate." Potter nods to himself and thinks that's quite Snape's style.
"Thanks, Wiesel, you can be free." Wiesel nods and disappears. And Harry remains alone with his thoughts. And even his favorite tea and delicious cakes are not able to improve his gloomy mood.
After half an hour or so, Snape returns to the living room. In just a black shirt with rolled up sleeves and pants, he doesn't look all that old and intimidating. In any case, Potter ignores him until the man asks a question.
"Did you finish your homework?"
"Yes, sir," the boy takes out several sheets of parchment from his bag and gives it to the professor. Since the man began to help him with homework, this gave its results; the teachers even began to praise him more often. For the most part, Harry didn't have much trouble getting grades, aside from the hated Potions. Often he received Acceptable or Exceeds Expectations, occasionally there were not very good grades, but almost the entire boy received Professor Snape's lesson. But with Severus' help, the young wizard was increasingly getting Outstanding.
"This is all?" The man quickly looks through the tasks. There's not much there, as the classes just started recently.
"For the next three days," Harry nods and reaches for another brownie, but the professor pushes the plate out of his reach.
"Enough for today, Wiesel already gave you more than I allowed, go and get something while I finish checking your homework," the boy catches himself moaning softly and puffing out his cheeks like a child.
"Yes sir."
Since Harry began spending time regularly with his new guardian, things had increased in the room. Some of them belonged to Ron and Hermione, some books and a deck of magic cards; they left them from the last time and never took them back. The boy stopped in front of a shelf of games, since it was just the two of them again today, Potter quickly grabbed a chess set and returned to the living room.
"Are you finished, sir?"
"Yes, you have definitely improved. I've attached an error sheet to each paper, review them tomorrow." The man folded the parchment into a neat stack and handed it back to Harry.
"Thank you, sir," the young mage nods and clears the playing field. The boy knows that he will lose one way or another, but it was still interesting.
"How are you doing?" the question confuses the child, because usually a man does not like to talk when he plays chess.
"The extra sounds just get in the way." is his favorite phrase.
"It's all right," Potter mutters quickly, watching the movement of the figures.
"Heard Mr. Weasley joined the team," Harry raises his head sharply in surprise, so that you can hear the vertebrae clicking. The boy quickly comes to his senses and looks down at the blackboard.
"That's right, Oliver is training him as a new goalkeeper. But he overdid it a little on the first day," Potter checks the interest of the man, he nods and the child continues, "So Ron is resting all day today. And Hermione went to study in the library."
"You should learn some habits from her," Severus snorts. "Did something happen to you? It's rather unusual to see them absent."
"It's okay, they're just busy lately."
"Well, or I hope so."
"I'm glad to hear it," Harry thinks Snape looks a little worried, but quickly overtakes the thought. This simply cannot be. Despite this, the boy continues to talk about the last few days.
As expected, Potter lost, certainly not as shamefully as in recent times, but still not good enough. At least it was interesting. After that, the boy had the courage to ask Severus to read him another chapter from the book about magical creatures. Then there was dinner.
"Professor, can I have dessert? I ate it all." Harry mentally kicked himself as to why he was acting so strange again.
"Eh…" the man snorts softly and turns to Wiesel, "bring him what he wants."
"Molasses pie, please," he says more cheerfully than he should.
As usual around nine Snape sends him to the dorm.
"Good night, Harry, and don't you dare be late, lights out soon." His name doesn't seem so alien anymore.
"I know the professor. Good night," grabs a bag and runs down the corridor.
"And don't run around the school, it's dangerous," he hears an annoyed growl as he rounds the corner. For some reason it makes him giggle.
There are almost no people in the common room; most of them rest in their rooms. Hermione, as always, settled herself in a cozy chair in the farthest corner, near the fireplace with a book.
"How did everything go?"
"It's all right," Harry quickly recounts the last few hours. "How is Ron?"
"He is better, I recently gave him a relaxing tea and he fell asleep again. Tomorrow will be ok."
"Glad to hear it."
"Did you find out anything about Snape?" the girl put down the book and stretched to stretch her stiff muscles after a long reading.
"Wiesel said he likes coffee cake with dark chocolate."
"That was to be expected. I'll talk to Caramel about the recipe and ingredients."
"I thought so too."
"By the way, Percy gave Oliver a big blast. So tomorrow you are waiting for fun workouts." Hermione laughs as her friend groans softly. Worse than an energetic Oliver, only upset, especially bad if it's related to Percy.
"Tomorrow, before morning training, I will need to go to the kitchen," some sweets and warm words are made from sad Wood, normal. "Have you already figured out what we are going to do with Ron?"
"I have a couple of ideas. Hope they help."
"I hope so too, I can't watch him suffer because of this," Harry grimaces at the mere thought.
It was eleven when the two went to their rooms. All Potter's neighbors in prickly Rhone were already sounding asleep. On tiptoe, the teenager made his way to the bunk bed. In the dark, the teenager noticed how the scales flashed under the covers; Kai had not left the Weasley's bed since the morning. Harry straightened the edge of the blanket that had fallen to the floor and brushed the tangled red hair from his friend's forehead.
"Thank you bro," Ron whispers through his sleep, making Harry smile wide.
"Thank you for everything."