Friends and Ferrets

After the terrifying excitement of Flamal and Voldemort Harry decided to take a break from being an inventor and just be a child for a while, his friendship with Brice was firm but superficial and so he began to talk more to Brice and get to know him better.

Brice Fleck had a difficult life due to his illness, he couldn't play any sports, couldn't run, lift heavy objects, he was pretty sheltered, even having to take care around people in case someone was over excited and hugged him thus breaking a bone, he had never really lived.

Due to having to be so careful Brice had learned to read people quite well, usually to avoid bullies or keep his distance from someone who may unintentionally injure him, but for all his hardships his family loved him, he had noticed that Harry had many problems relating to others, a distance was always there, even what seemed to be an expectation of hurt when he let his guard down.

The first time Harry had let his guard slip and told Brice a tiny bit of the abuse he had suffered he seemed to brace himself as if he expected Brice to hit him for speaking out of turn, it was only later that Brice figured out that was exactly what Harry had expected and explained the slight confusion on his face when Brice expressed sympathy instead, this realization almost broke Brice and for the first time in his life he wanted to hurt someone (although he didn't know who).

He also realized that although his friend was brilliant in many ways, he had no idea about human interaction, the Weasley twins had made some overtures of friendship towards himself and Harry and yet Harry missed them completely, some girls had tried to flirt with Harry and again he had no idea, that was why when a group of girls seemed to try and drop hints that a certain member of them wanted to speak to him he missed it completely.

Brice wasn't sure what he could do since just approaching the girl in question seemed to turn his brain to mush, so he did the only thing he could think of,

"Harry, I was curious, you seem so calm all the time, could you teach me to be as calm?"

Harry looked at his friend, it was the first time Brice had directly asked him for something, he pondered for a moment before "Sure it's quite useful, it's a technique called Occlumency, I can show you if you'd like?"

To Brice and Harry's surprise they found that Brice already had a decent foundation already, it was rough and unfocused but the years of dealing with constant pain and needing to hide it so his parents didn't suffer had already taught him how to lock away certain things, now all they had to do was expand on it.

During teaching Brice Harry used his limited legilimency skills to test brice's defences and so Harry saw the many painful memories and suicidal thoughts Brice once harboured, he also saw the unwavering almost zealous loyalty Brice had for him, after apologising for accidentally invading Brice's mind Harry asked him why he was so loyal,

"All my life people have treated me as if i'll break if they say the wrong thing, like my mind was a fragile as my body, either keeping their distance or watching what they say, and then I found magic and one of the first people I met was this lunatic who plopped into the seat beside me, spoke to me without any form of filter or hesitation and then shoved the cure for my condition into my hands and then went back to his seat like nothing had happened, who wouldn't be a fan of someone like that?" Brice told him candidly,

"You're as nuts as I am aren't you?"

"Not yet, but i'm working on it," and they both broke into hysterics.

After a week of training Brice decided to try to talk to this Fleur girl and see if he could help her out, he approached and as usual he started to lose his focus but applying what Harry had taught him he was able to push past it and focus, mostly.

Fleur Delacour was a stunning beauty, Large blue eyes, smooth skin, perfect body proportions, and long golden hair, but now he was able to thing Brice could see she wore only the most basic makeup, and her hair was tied in a tight ponytail, he uniform while not against the rules was a little baggy as if trying to hide herself, he steeled himself and approached her with her group of friends watching him like hawks,

"Can I help you?" she asked in a standoffish way,

Brice gestured to Harry who was spacing out by a window, "I noticed you have been trying to attract my friend's attention, I thought I should come over and talk to you,"

"Does your friend not wish to talk?" she actually seemed a little disappointed,

"It's not that, it's the fact if you want to talk to him, go and talk to him, he doesn't understand or notice hints, the Weasley twins have tried to be his friends but they haven't come out and told him so he keeps missing the point, he doesn't understand normal social behavior like dropping hints, or alluding to something, when he was annoying me I had to tell him because he couldn't pick up on my reactions, he's learning now with my help but it's like he hasn't spoken to anyone before, so if you need or want something be direct and simple and tell him," Brice explained as best he could,

Fleur was a little taken aback, "really? just go up to him and ask?"

It was then that the dining hall opened for lunch and interrupted their conversation and they all headed in for food.

Harry was sat just nibbling on a chocolate biscuit while scribbling some notes in his notebook distractedly, he had seen the creative way the weasley twins pulled off their pranks and was impressed, the 'Canary creams' were impressive to him as they were indistinguishable from ordinary custard creams, and he was thinking of making something to impress them so he could ask for them to be his friends, as Brice had told Fleur he was utterly clueless that they had already tried to broach the topic, he was interrupted when Fleur Delacour approached him and was obviously even to him nervous,

"Mr Evans I was advised that it would be best to..." oh this was so difficult, she had never asked a boy to be her friend before as they would pretty much turn into illiterate drooling monkeys when she came near them, ".. to speak to you directly, I wish to be your friend as you seem unaffected by, um, I"

"Yes I can understand how you would have difficulties making friends with most boys, and some girls," he lowered his voice, "your heritage must make it quite a problem," he continued at a normal pitch, "I would very much like to consider you a friend, after all you have a sharp mind and are easy to talk to, two very good traits in a friend,"

she was surprised how easily he accepted her offer and although it was awkward at first they quickly began to bond as a group, Fleur introduced Harry and Brice to her friends and they soon began a study group, as it turned out Fleur was interested in the healer career path as were most of her friends, Brice seemed to be a surprisingly big hit with them as he opened up about his life and spending a lot of his time in hospital many grew quite protective of their 'little brother' and quite often listened to his suggestions about how to look after the ill and injured.

Harry although quiet would often approach one of the girls who was struggling with something and give her a nudge in the right direction, he'd never tell them the answer just point them to it and since they were two years ahead of him this surprised them, Fleur was impressed by how quiet and thoughtful Harry was and also began coaching him on how to socialise as she could see the glaring gap in his knowledge, she wondered how he could be so knowledgeable about magic, potions, charms, ect. yet so ignorant of basic human interaction, she even picked up on a few reactions that seemed out of place and when she asked Brice he let her know that Harry would explain when of if he was ready.

It was mid November before Harry and Fleur encountered something unpleasant, Harry had been wandering around lost in thought when he overheard,

"Filthy Half breed freak, I should make you pay for subjecting me to your disgusting odor, my father would disown me if I let a thing like you touch me, a Malfoy has standards unlike these Frogs!"

Harry rounded the corner to see a skinny white blond boy with his wand pointed a Fleur, and his vision went red, it only lasted for a few seconds before he regained control, Fleur was looking at him in surprise and the boy was gone, at his feet was a snapped wand and a white ferret which seemed terrified, Harry could then sense the magic he was currently channeling to keep the boy transfigured, Fleur quickly noticed his confusion and led him off quickly leaving the ferret to turn back when it was alone.

It took Brice and her several minutes to calm Harry down, and after being able to unclench his fists he apologised for scaring Fleur,

"NON NON NON! You will not apologise for coming to my rescue," she hugged him and he stiffened, "you are a good friend Mr Harold Evans, let no one tell you otherwise, and I hope the Weasley twins prank the little beast even more!"

Harry perked up, "They prank him a lot?"

Brice shook his head, "yes Harry they do, you should pay more attention a breakfast and dinner hardly a day goes by when the don't, and from what I have heard he earned every exploding desert, every transformation into a small yellow bird, every time he leaves looking like chewbacca," He explained the reference for the confused Fleur, "apparently he even insults the house elves, I heard he had a bad day and called his family house elf and beat the poor thing before sending it home," Harry once again looked like he was gonna hex someone, but when Brice told him he didn't know the elf's name he deflated a bit,

Harry grew a frightening grin, "Brice do me a favor after, ask the Weasley twins if they would like to be friends like you did for Fleur,"

Brice looked surprised, "you knew? and after what?"

"yes I did thank you, and you'll know when," he winked a Fleur, "you'll love it,"

two days later and some tinkering and experimenting on harry's part and Brice, Fleur and their friends went into breakfast at first they didn't see Harry until Fleur spotted him talking to one of the academy's elfs which the popped away, and Harry then joined them and began breakfast, eating with a big grin on his face.

After everyone had settled the post arrived and Harry got a small package which he slipped into a pocket, and then began watching Draco Malfoy intently, the rest of their group followed his gaze and watched the spoiled little twit open a package delivered by his family owl, and only a few noticed as it flew off that it changed into a Beauxbatons owl, malfoy unwrapped his package and inside was an expensive looking chocolate cake, just enough for one person, he quickly ate it while eyeing people to make sure no one tried to steal it from him, a smug smile on his face as he began to brag about honeydukes premium line and KAPLOOFF! there was an explosion of yellow feathers and in malfoys place was a large fat yellow bird with a huge body small head and two stubby wings, Brice grinned and went to talk to the Weasleys, while the rest of the hall erupted into laughter.