Harry twisted slightly and snuggled deeper into the warmth of his blanket. It was comforting and cozy and he enjoyed it dearly. It was his first night in Hogwarts again and the smell alone made him feel at home. He had missed this. The warm blanket around him, the feeling of the massive walls all around and the light snoring over the entire dorm room. Harry smiled and then he felt something land in front of his face. An instant later he felt a jab on his nose making him shriek a little. His eyes open and he stared at the blurry black ball right in front of his face, which hopped back and forth and started chirping loudly. Harry groaned, trying to get his glasses on his nose while he blinked at the little ball of energy. Dawn hopped all over him, chirping loud and proud. For that, she earned groans from the other beds.
"Harry shut her up!" Came from Dean's bed, who was shifting even throwing a pair of socks in direction of the black haired boy.
Harry chuckled slightly, scooping the small ball of feathers up in his hand.
"Sorry guys." He called out and started cuddling his familiar, rendering her loud chirps down to soft affectionate coos. The small bird nuzzled against him, eyes closed and nipping at his fingers from time to time. Harry smiled tickling her and playing with her feet. The small bird fluttered her wings and started play fighting his thumb. He could really go all day just lying here and playing with Dawn. It made him happy, her swift head and the way she stretched out her chest whenever he tickled her stomach. Around him, he heard the other guys get up and ready for the day. Someone stepped to his bed. He turned seeing his redheaded friend next to him, pulling up his pants.
"Morning Harry, hey Dawn." Ron said while he stretched a little, making his back pop once. He pulled his shirt over his head, sniffing on himself for a moment before he nodded. Would do for today. Harry, on the other hand, sat up, Dawn on his hand and picked up his toiletries.
"Morning Ron. I will grab a shower, don't wait for me." Harry said walking to the bathroom. He got an 'Okay, man. See you at the table.' from his best friend and stepped in the shared dorm bathroom. There were two showers but everyone had their own sink. He stripped off his nightwear and turned on the shower. Instantly Dawn started protesting and struggling, feeling the cold water brush over her. She really really hated cold water. As the water turned warm slowly and she nestled at his chest. Harry had gotten used to washing himself with one hand now. First, it had been weird having Dawn with him while showering but she had wailed when he tried to put her outside and also she had the tendency to jump on the floor and get dirty, so he had to clean her anyway. Now he could to it with a spell since he was in Hogwarts but the glee he felt from her when he rubbed and massaged her with the soap was worth the little more effort. The small girl loved the attention and the softness of his fingers, even getting wet was worth it. He planted a kiss on her tiny head when he was done and stepped out, rubbing himself dry. He turned with his wand and did a heating charm that was like a blow dryer at Dawn. It was a first and the small phoenix LOVED it. She puffed her chest out twisting and turning in the hot air and chirped happily. Harry got a pout when he stopped the spell and scooped her up. The only one left in the dorm was Neville tying his shoes.
"Morning Neville." Harry placed Dawn on his bed and started putting on his clothes. The other boy looked up and waved at him with a smile.
"Morning Harry. Ready for a new year?" Neville asked while standing up and pulling on his outer robe. He had lost a little of his weight over the summer, getting a little taller. He had a warm smile on his face when he looked over at his friend and started folding his blanket.
"Yeah, I am ready. I hope it will be a quiet year really." Harry smiled back and pulled on a shirt. Neville and he were the only ones tiding their bed in the morning. When Harry looked around he saw the rest of beds in chaos, Ron's blanket even lying half on the floor. He leaned down and picked it up, throwing it over the bed again. Dawn hopped down his bed and jumped on the footrest when Neville came over. He slowly and carefully stretched out his hand not sure what to do. The bird looked so tiny and frail he didn't want to hurt her or anything.
"It's okay, you can pet her if she wants you to. Just hold your hand out to her. She liked being tickled under the beak in particular." Harry called out while he started putting on his shoes. Neville leaned down holding out his hand. For a moment the Phoenix eyed him and then she chirped once. Taking that as a yes he stretched out his finger and tickled the little creature under her beak. She started chirping and closed her eyes in glee. Neville smiled and petted her more. She was so warm and fluffy, really cute. He raised his head and looked over at Harry.
"Yeah a quiet year would be nice, but I think this tournament will stop that. What do you think, would you like to compete?" Neville asked, turning back to the small feather ball. Normally he wouldn't ask, but this was Harry and that was the big event of the year so it would be a tradition for him to get caught up in it. But the black haired boy shook his head and and put his own outer robes on.
"No way. I know I have a certain reputation for getting into these sort of thing but I really really don't seek them out. I want a peaceful year, just watching from the sidelines for once you know?"
Neville nodded as Harry put Dawn in her little pouch. They descended the stairs and walked out of the Common room talking a little about their summers until Harry asked.
"How do you feel about the entire...escape thing?" He said carefully, trying his best not to make a big scene out of it or upset his friend. They were walking an empty corridor. A few painting were there but other than that no-one. Harry had looked first before he asked. This was a strange topic. They walked next to each other quietly for a little bit before Neville looked up from the floor.
"It's weird you know? I mean, Gran told me what happened years ago you know? I mean she said that bad people had done something to Mom and Dad since I can remember but when I was, I think, nine, she said I was old enough to be told. It was strange. I mean I understand what happened and I hate them for what happened but...they were in prison and they would never get out. That is what I was told. They would never get out, so I just accepted it and thought the whole thing was done for already. I never had the wish to visit or ask them why or something like that but now? Now it is suddenly there and I have to deal with it and I don't know if I really want to." Neville said in a quiet voice, without looking up. They descended the main stairs slowly side by side.
"I can only imagine. But...I felt a little the same, you know with Sirius last year? Maybe not exactly the same but I think it is close. Okay, maybe not; I only found out after he was out and all. Still, I'm sorry mate" Harry said tilting his head and thinking about it. His friend next to him chuckled.
"It's okay Harry, I get it. Thank you anyway." Neville said with a small smile and they rounded into the Great Hall. The entire hall had filled with students already, sitting and eating. The clattering and chatting of many breakfasts filled the room. Both boys walked over to the Gryffindor table, sitting next to Ron and opposite of Hermione, who greeted them with a short wave. Next to her plate was resting a book, like so often and she was reading with a slight frown on her face and biting her lower lip. Harry smiled at that with a little chuckle. Hermione had a very distinct reading style. The boy helped himself to a toast and placed a few embers on a small plate, setting Dawn down next to it. While he would love to feed her by hand, he knew she would be fine and just nuzzled her neck for a moment, before eating his own breakfast. Ron was telling him about this summer's Quidditch league and what had happened over the two months.
Harry was just listening with half an ear because he was more focused on his cute familiar. And he wasn't the only one. He did notice the stares and giggles from two second years a little down the table and even Hermione looked up once or twice with a smile. Her reading came to an abrupt stop though when Dawn hopped over the table with an eager jump and landed on her book, started chirping at her with energy. The two second years erupted in a fit of giggle and Hermione jumped a little. Harry frowned stretching his arm out.
"Dawn! Hermione, I'm sorry." He said with a worried look, offering his friend a guilty gaze. The girl just waved it off and turned her attention to the little bird started talking to it in a hushed and lovey-dovey voice, which was SO not Hermione. Harry stared at her with a slight confusion since she picked up the plate with her embers and started feeding the small bird with a lot of glee. Harry smiled, feeling warm waves through his bond.
"Lord Peverell?" A female voice came from behind him, making Harry turn. Behind him stood Daphne Greengrass, her silk like hair once again in a thick braid over her shoulder. She had her cold Ice Queen face in place, staring at him over her nose a little. Harry quickly swallowed his last bite and rose to his feet.
"Heiress Greengrass, good morning. How are you?" He asked in a firm voice, while Ron coughed next to him, surprised the Slytherin girl was talking to him, while Dean and Seamus were talking in a rather heated hushed way.
Daphne nodded slowly, completely ignoring the stares left and right. "Good morning to you too my Lord. I'm fine thank you very much, I hope you are well too and had a nice return to Hogwarts." Her voice was sweet and pleasant but it felt a little bare of real emotion. Harry nodded only in agreement. They got quite a few stares. She leaned a little closer, not in any inappropriate distance but still.
"My Lord, would you consider meeting me at the Black Lake after classes, there is something I think we have to talk about if it is fine with you." Her voice was low, she seemed as though she didn't want too many people to hear about this, so Harry answered in the same low voice.
"Of course Heiress Greengrass. Would seven pm at the large boulder be fine with you?" He spoke a little strained, he wasn't used to formal conversations yet.
Daphne nodded, playing a little bit with the end of her braid for a moment. "That would be agreeable. I won't keep you any longer than my Lord." She leaned over his shoulder for just a moment, breaking the whole ice queen persona to tickle Dawn under her beak. The Phoenix had hopped over to Harry's table side the moment they had started talking and chirped demandingly at her. Dawn closed her eyes in glee and cooed. Then Daphne straightened her back and nodded again at Harry.
"Have a nice day, Heiress Greengrass." Harry said with a slight bow.
"You too, Lord Peverell." Daphne said before turning away and walking back at Slytherin. Quite a few eyes followed her down the centre and also her swaying hips.
Harry sat down and resumed his breakfast. Dawn jumped into his lap and she demanded more pets and nuzzles. Harry was more than happy to comply. He pushed her on her back and tickled with a little chuckle her stomach. Then he looked up into the staring eyes of Dean, Seamus and Ron. He blinked confusedly.
"What?"
Dean blinked at him looking away for a moment to follow Daphne's swinging rear before returning to the boy who lived.
"What? First of all, don't play with you phoenix while she is in your lap, it looks...bad when you don't know what you are doing in your lap with that glee on your face and the hands under the table." Harry turned a little red at Deans words and quickly placed Dawn on the table again. Hermione only snorted from the side and resumed reading. Harry blushed a little and mumbled. "S-Sorry."
Dean waved it off and grinned at him. "It's okay mate, just don't do it that way. But more importantly, why did Daphne Greengrass asks you to meet her at the lake?" Dean was staring at Harry with great intensity and leaned even forward.
Harry was a little uncomfortable and he shrugged a little. "I have no idea, I know as much as you do. What's the problem?" He asked. He and Lord Greengrass had agreed not to disclose what happened in the whole incident at the Cup.
Dean and Seamus looked at each other like he was mad and then returned to him. Seamus took up the questioning.
"The problem? No problem, but what business do you have with the hottest girl in our entire year? Like man what the hell?"
Harry shrugged and looked at his toast again, to avoid blushing. "Lord Greengrass and my godfather have business ties. This is probably about something House related. That is what it is most likely about you know? Nothing special you know?" Harry took a big bite out of his toast.
"Yeah right, that is why you said she should meet you at the make-out spot!" Dean said, making Harry cough because the toast went down the wrong way. He coughed a little more.
"W-What?" He said choking a little, wide-eyed and panicked. He twisted his head around starring at Daphne for a moment, with a reddening face. She was talking to the girl she was usually seen with, Tracey Davis, in a hushed manner.
"Yeah, it's the makeout spot. The boulder at the side of the lake. People meet there to meet and make out you know that." Seamus' words made him shake his head furiously. He had just thought it was the most recognizable place at the lake because it was singular and a little of to the side.
Seamus laughed loudly at his reddening face and Dean and Ron chimed in. Hermione only rolled her eyes, trying to focus on her book. Boys! Professor McGonagall made it a point at that moment, to come by and hand out their timetables. Ron's laugh died in his throat. He groaned and ruffled his red hair.
"Double Snape right for the start. Oh damn." The youngest Weasley boy groaned. He had hoped he wouldn't see the man at least for today. Harry agreed, while his eyes turned to the cold glaring head of House Slytherin for a moment. The man caught his gaze for a moment and then he sneered even more. Harry turned away and groaned more. The man will probably not be very kind to him after he had knocked him out last year and Sirius being free will not help at all. He just hoped it wouldn't turn to bad and Dawn cooed at him for comfort, making him smile a little sad.
Hermione's voice pulled him back. She sounded excited and happy like she got an early Christmas present.
"At least we have Professor Scamander later today, that will be awesome. I mean he basically revolutionized Care for magical creatures all by himself and the years he spent abroad are-"
And so began a long time of fangirling and random facts from yours truly, Hermione Granger.