Chapter 10: Goodbyes and Gits
Thanks for all the reviews.
It's a short one, but that seems to be the theme with this story. If you've read my stories lately you know I'm dealing with bad hands. I've tried dictation, but it doesn't work for me. So, shorter chapters work for me in this case.
I have over forty stories written, (30 on AO3). If you want to give them a read while waiting for this one to update. They're all different.
Something I've neglected in this fic. The disclaimer: If you recognize it, it's not mine.
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The rest of the summer went by swiftly. Harry and Hermione passed their tests with flying colors and were now caught up with their peers in non-magical studies. They would study throughout the year as best they could, but not get left behind in their magical courses. Phil vowed to help them.
Now it was time to go to the train, and Phil was taking Harry, so Vernon didn't have to. Millie decided to drive them. She wanted to see her friend off before she went to her new job. She had a surprise for her little buddy, but she wasn't going to tell him. Not yet anyway.
"Harry, I wanted to see if you were getting along better with Phil," Millie said, looking in the rearview mirror. It had been a few weeks now and the two males had bonded over a few things. Like their hatred of Lockhart and love of quidditch.
"He's alright," Harry said with a shrug, looking at the boy in question, who was in the front seat listening. "I mean, I think you're a nice bloke, Phil," he stated, not wanting to offend the other boy.
"Thanks, kid," Phil said, looking over the seat with a knowing smirk. Harry was going through the complicated time in his life where girls were starting to look like girls, and he wasn't sure what to feel about Millie. He remembered doing the same with a childminder. "You're alright, yourself," he said, winking at the kid.
"Good, I'm glad you two are getting along, because I want you to go to him if something happens at Hogwarts," Millie said, seriously. "I don't trust that Lockhart fellow, yeah," she added, glaring at the car in front of her like it was Gilderoy Lockhart.
"Me neither," both men said, then they looked at each other and chuckled.
The ride was filled with conversation about the coming school year and what to do if Lockhart got handsy. Like put him on his arse and go to a teacher, or Phil. They came up with some pretty wild plans, and they laughed at most of them. It was good fun, but soon they were at King's Cross Station.
"Well, here's where I drop you off. I have to get to my new job," Millie said, pulling up to the drop off point.
"You're not coming in?" Harry asked, getting out of the car, and going to the boot.
"No. Like I said, I start work today," she said, going to the back of the car and opening the boot. She then started pulling out Harry's trunk. It had a Feather-Light Charm on it, so it was easily taken out. She placed it on the sidewalk and then turned to the boy she had come to love like a little brother. "Look, Harry, I'll be only an owl away," she said with misty eyes.
"I know," Harry said, all choked up. He'd never said goodbye to anyone he loved before. He wasn't sure if he could.
"You take care at school and if you need anything, you ask Phil. I trust him," Millie said, bending over and hugging him for all she was worth.
"Thanks, Millie, I love you," Harry said, hugging her back and holding on for dear life.
"I love you too, yeah," she said, letting go and ruffling his hair one more time. "Go on with you, or we'll be here forever." She nudged him along and waved to Phil.
Phil grabbed his trunk and put a hand on Harry's shoulder and guided him along. Harry went with the older boy and didn't look back until he heard the car door close. "Bye, Millie," he called, turning around just in time to see the car pull away.
"Come on, kid. We'll miss the train if we tarry any longer," Phil said, leading Harry to platform 9 ¾. He got it, he felt the same way the first time he left his family behind.
"Yeah, I'm coming," Harry said, his throat hoarse from choked up tears.
They got onto the train without issue and Phil went to find his own friends, stating he'd be back to check on Harry and his friends later. Hermione joined Harry along with Neville and Dean. Ron and Seamus came a bit later and they all talked about Dobby and his misadventure.
"I'm just saying it's strange that a house elf would do that," Neville said, looking confused.
"He's right," Ron said, just as puzzled.
"I don't understand," Dean said, in an equal state of confusion, but for a different reason.
"House elves are slaves, they can't act against their master's wishes," Harry stated. "For Dobby to come to me is weird," he explained, pouting a bit. He really hated that one he called friend was a slave. He had yet to hear from Dobby again, but he was hopeful.
"Slave?!" Dean and Hermione shouted. Both appalled and indignant. Dean more so than Hermione.
And the debate began, neither side winning, since they were all children and didn't really have the information needed to make valid arguments for either side. And that's what Phil and his mates walked into a half an hour later.
"Whoa!" Phil said, coming into the compartment. "What brought this on?" he asked, stopping Neville and Dean from shouting at each other. The two boys were in each other's faces and Phil gently pushed them back down in their seats.
"House elves," Harry said with a sigh. He had been trying to defuse the situation for ages.
"Oh," said Phil and his mates, who were three other Hufflepuffs, two females and one male.
"Oh, that old argument," one of the females said, nudging Hermione to budge over. Phil went to the windows and leaned against them, while the other two stood in the doorway. It was a tight squeeze.
"That old argument?" Hermione said, indignantly. She took a breath ready to lay into the girl.
"Don't get huffy with me, missy. I didn't enslave the house elves. I was just as upset as you when I found out about them," the young woman said, wagging her finger at Hermione. "However, there is nothing to be done for them, so you're arguing with your friends, who had nothing to do with their enslavement either, is pointless," she continued.
"She's right," Phil said, looking around the room at the twelve- and thirteen-year-olds. "There is nothing to be done for the house elves, so why are you arguing over them? Do you really want to throw away friendships over something you have no control over?"
He got it. He really did. It was an old argument. One that he and his mates had many times in the common room. It was only when they got older that they realized that only the Wizengamot could do anything to help the house elves, and none of the muggleborn would ever be part of them.
"I guess you're right," Dean said, giving Neville an 'I'm a berk' look. "It's just a really sore subject for me," he added, holding out his hand to his dormmate.
"I'm sorry too," Neville said, in that shy way of his. "I shouldn't have said some of the things I did," he stated, not sure what had come over him.
"Well, I still think there can be something done," Hermione said, folding her arms. She wasn't ready to give up yet.
"Yeah, but do you really think this lot can do it?" the boy at the door said, looking at the younger crew. "They haven't even finished their second year of school," he pointed out.
"When you put it like that," she said, contrite. "But you are older," she said with renewed spark.
"But I don't want to take up that cause right now," the boy said, standing and shrugging. "I have other plans for my future. That's for someone else to do," he said, waving to Phil and walking away. The female that was standing there did the same.
"What? How can they do that. This is important," Hermione all but shrieked.
"Here now, there's no need to be getting hysterical," the still unnamed girl said, putting her hand on Hermione's shoulder. "Not everyone is going to take up your causes. That's something you'd best get used to now," she said, giving her a firm smile.
"At any rate," Phil said, looking around. "This is Amy," he introduced the girl. "She's going to help me help you. If I'm not around, talk to her, okay?" he said, making sure they all got a good look at the redheaded girl.
Unlike the Weasleys, who were gingers, this girl was auburn. She was willowy and had a slightly crooked nose. She had light green eyes, and pale pink lips with a smattering of freckles.
"Are you in sixth year too?" Harry wanted to know. He reckoned that by the time Phil graduated they wouldn't need a mentor. At least he hoped not. But really, how much trouble can school be that he'd need someone every year?
"No, I'm fifth year," she said, smiling at them. "It's my OWL year so I might not be available all the time," she pointed out. "But it'll be his NEWT year next year, so I'll be more available then, see?" she stated, giving them another winning smile.
"Oh," the kids said, seeing the reasoning in that.
With that talks turned to the two major tests that they would have to take to graduate from Hogwarts. The two older kids left soon after, and the rest of the ride was spent in compatible conversations. The trolly lady came by and Harry and Neville treated the friends to snacks.
The feast was fun, though Lockhart was just as much a fop as usual. Harry and his friends couldn't understand why all the girls liked the man.
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The first week went by with nothing happening, except Lockhart butting into every teacher's business. They seemed to think he was just as much of a pompous git as Harry and his friends thought the man was. Harry had no idea why he had been hired. It was obvious he didn't know anything.
The first DADA class had been a nightmare. Lockhart released Cornish Pixies on the class and none of them knew how to stop them except Hermione. She froze them and the boys shoved them back in the cage. Poor Neville had been put up on one of the hanging light fixtures and it took Harry and Ron to get him down.
"That man is a menace," Hermione said to Phil, feeling bad talking about a teacher that way. Even after the talk during first year about Snape and Binns, she still felt some modicum of respect for authority.
"You let me talk to him about what to do to second and first years, okay?" Phil said, a bit of bite to his tone.
"I don't want you to get into trouble for harassing a teacher," she said, worriedly. She had an image in her head of Phil roughing Lockhart up. She didn't want him arrested for assault and battery no matter how much the git deserved it.
"Don't fret," the older boy said, patting her bushy hair. "I'm only going to make suggestions." Though he really did want to punch the man a few times in his pretty face.
"Phil, what do we do if he does it again?" Harry asked, wiping the sweat off his face. They were just coming from there morning jog. Well, Hermione still walked, but the intention was there. At least she got fresh air. That was the important part.
"Get out of the room," Phil said, stretching a bit. "Get you and the other kids out of the room," he reiterated. "I don't want any of you hurt because of that man's incompetence," he stated, adjusting his shoulders to get out a kink.
"So, we shouldn't round up the animal or whatever?" Hermione asked, worrying her lip. "What if they cause damage?" she asked, thinking of what unforetold destruction those pixies could have done.
"No, let that blowhard deal with it. If it wrecks his classroom, that's on him," the blond said with a malicious grin. "It'll come out of his paycheck. Especially if he can't fix it with magic," he said, vindictively.
"I get you," Harry said, his grin was just as wicked. He figured that Lockhart couldn't magic his way out of a paper bag.
"But…" Hermione started.
"Your scores won't suffer. The only tests scores that you need to worry about are your OWLs and NEWTs. Which reminds me, did you get the second year DADA book I told you to get?" Phil asked, looking at her. He knew Harry had.
"Yes, and I've read it already," she said, nodding her head. "That's how I knew the spell I used today," she added, grinning smartly. She was pretty proud of herself for that one.
"I don't remember that spell in that book," Harry said, rubbing the back of his head. He'd read most of it, he was proud of that fact.
"It's in the preface," she said, like everyone read the preface.
"Oh," was all Harry could say to that.
"That was very smart of you, Hermione," Phil said, making her preen. "I've got to go," he said, letting them split from him there. With him going to Hufflepuff dorms, them going to Gryffindor.
"You don't think he'll rough Professor Lockhart up do you?" she asked when they were far enough away.
"No, but I'd pay to see that," Harry said with a dreamy smile.
"Harry!" Hermione said aghast.
"What, the man is a fraud," the boy said, looking at her with a frown.
"Still," she said, her own frown fixed on her face.
"Whatever. Let's catch up with the rest of the group. They've got to be wondering what's taking us so long," he said, running up the stairs to find the rest of his friends that jogged with them.
She shook her head and wondered why all her friends were boys.
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Harry and his friends were going to Harry's first quidditch practice. The other dormmates hadn't gone before and wanted to see one. Well, Hermione and Neville had, but the others had not. They had not been that close last year. This summer had brought them closer.
It's after the workout, so they were all psyched up to see it. Harry had special permission to be last to practice as long as he was working out beforehand. They got to the field only to find Wood and Flint about to come to blows.
"I wonder what's going on," Harry said, coming down to the field.
The whole Slytherin team was there, and they had new brooms. They were facing off with the Gryffindor team and his team was not happy.
"I don't know," Seamus said, looking at the rival team. "Looks like Malfoy bought his way on the team though," he said, insightfully. It wasn't hard to guess since the git was standing there with a smug smile.
"Oh, that's rich," Dean said, laughing heartily.
"You lot stay here, let me go and stand with my teammates," Harry said, going to do just that. His friends stayed in the back, but close enough to hear what's being said.
"I booked the field," Wood was saying.
"So, you keep saying," Flint said, waving the note around. "That doesn't matter, we've got permission to come and take the field," he sneered, getting into Wood's face. He was an ugly brute of a man. He stood taller than Wood by half a head and was much broader. But Wood wasn't standing down.
"Let them have it, Wood," Harry said, coming up to his captain. He put his hand on the other boy's arm. "They'll need it, having Malfoy on their team," he said with a smirk.
"No," Wood said, folding his arms, being stubborn.
"He's right, Oliver," Fred said, smiling, coming up and throwing his arm around Harry.
"Anyone who has to buy their way on the team," George said, chuckling, doing the same to his captain.
"Needs all the help he can get," Fred finished, doubling over with laughter, taking Harry with him.
"I guess you're right. Good luck training the newbie," Wood sneered and turned and gestured for his team to abandon the field. They all laughed and gathered their brooms. "However, I will be taking this up with McGonagall," he added, storming off the field, grumbling all the while about special privileges.
"You're pathetic, Malfoy," Harry said as he left, broom in hand. "Only a loser would buy his way on a school team," he added as he walked away. His friends joined him as they laughed at the blond boy.
"When my father hears about this," Malfoy was saying, moving as if to hex Harry in his back, only he didn't have a wand.
"Shut up, Malfoy. You are pathetic," Flint said, shoving the boy away from the retreating group. "Get up there and practice," he demanded.
That caused the group to laugh louder and harder as they walked away.
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That night Harry wrote to Millie about his time at Hogwarts.
Dear Millie,
Hogwarts isn't the same without you. Phil tries, but he's not you. I miss you very much.
You were right, Lockhart is a fraud and we're keeping our eye on him. He released a flock of Cornish Pixies on the class and if it were not for Hermione, they might have hurt us. Phil says he's going to talk to him. He hasn't gotten handsy yet, so I haven't had to throw him on the floor, but I'm waiting for the right moment to.
Draco Malfoy bought his way onto the team. What a loser. I'm glad I didn't do that. Do you think I'm being petty thinking that?
How have you been? What have you been doing? Is the world treating you right? Write back to me so I know you're okay.
I miss you,
Harry Potter