THE HIGH PRICE

by peverell.magic

The ash began to bury his legs, enveloping him in its soft, warm embrace. Harry wrapped his arms around his knees and buried his face in them, allowing the world to drift into the distance.

35. CHAPTER 35: THE HIDDEN ALLIANCE

CHAPTER 35: THE HIDDEN ALLIANCE

Heading up the stairs, he soon arrived at Myrtle's bathroom. The space was quiet, with dry, clean white tiles stretching across the floor. Harry couldn't help but amuse himself with the thought that Myrtle might be wandering the plumbing, much like a significantly less terrifying version of the Basilisk.

Returning to the common room while concealed under his disillusionment charm, Harry noticed Neville and his newfound group of dedicated pupils seated on the sofas by the fire. They were engrossed in deep discussions over half a dozen open books, all of which Harry recognized from the Defense Against the Dark Arts curriculum list. The only other occupant in the room was Colin Creevey, who appeared to be dozing in a chair.

Harry playfully prodded the sleeping boy's leg with his foot, but Colin remained undisturbed.

Harry decided to take advantage of the opportunity, thinking, 'Well, Salazar did mention practicing, and I do owe Creevey for all those photos in the second year.'

Concealing his wand tip up his sleeve, Harry muttered, 'Legilimens.'

In an instant, he was plunged into a disjointed stream of images. Fragmented snapshots of taking photos for the Daily Prophet, passing his exams, and even writing an exposé on Umbridge filled his mind. Harry tried to concentrate on the intense loathing swirling amid a jumble of images of Umbridge. He caught fleeting glimpses of her office, a garishly pink-draped room with china-decorated walls, a brief image of a black-feathered quill, and a smear of red ink on the back of his hand.

Harry severed the connection he had established with Colin's dream and cast the spell again, gradually decreasing the magic until he could barely glean the faintest hint of Colin's thoughts. 'That's a start,' he thought, tucking his wand further up his sleeve.

As he contemplated his next move, Katie's energetic voice cut through his thoughts. She bounded across the common room floor and exclaimed, 'Harry! It's try-out time!'

Harry looked at her with a quizzical expression. 'Then why aren't you in your Quidditch gear?'

Katie explained, 'We're only really trying out for a keeper. Angelina is keeping the old guard together, so we don't have to compete, just help judge.' She tugged at his arm. 'Let's go; we can watch from the stands with everyone else.'

Harry couldn't help but roll his eyes, but he relented, saying, 'Fine.'

Katie grabbed his wrist and pulled him out of the common room, with first and second-year students scattering out of their path.

As they approached the edge of the Quidditch pitch, the Weasley twins were engaged in a game of Bludger tennis, knocking the Bludger back and forth between them. Angelina and Alicia were huddled with a group of Gryffindors, engaged in an animated discussion. On the far end of the pitch, a group of Slytherins played a half-game with a single Bludger and the Quaffle.

Harry scanned the field for the elusive golden glint of the Snitch. Not finding it, he inquired, 'No Snitch?'

Angelina waved them over, saying, 'Harry, Katie. You're a little late, but we're still waiting for Ron Weasley, anyway.'

Alicia inquired, 'Where is he?'

Ginny's voice emerged from the huddle, 'He's got detention with Umbridge. Hi, Harry.'

Harry gently pulled his wrist out of Katie's grasp and gave a friendly wave to the group. 'Hi, Ginny.'

Angelina made a decision, 'Well, we'll start with chaser trials, then. Ginny, since you're the only one trying out for seeker and chaser, you can participate in this first round. You'll be the reserve seeker regardless. Harry, you're up first, and there's nobody else who wants to play chaser, for some reason.'

Katie, with a grin, added, 'They probably think Harry will murder them for trying to steal his spot on the team.'

Harry humorously interjected, 'If anyone wants Katie's place, I'll happily murder her.'

Katie pouted playfully, 'Won't you miss me?'

Harry responded with a mischievous grin, 'Nope.'

Katie mumbled in mock disappointment, 'Mean. Good thing I know you're lying.'

Angelina took charge, shouting, 'Get in the sky. Murder is only acceptable if you're the captain.'

The five potential chasers kicked off and began executing a series of drills. Harry, along with Katie and the rest of last year's team members, found a spot on the stands to observe.

Angelina initiated the discussion, 'What do you think, Alicia?'

Alicia assessed the situation, 'Weasley's good. The others are reserve material; nobody's losing their spot today.'

Katie chimed in, 'I agree.'

Angelina issued instructions, 'Kirke, Sloper, grab that Bludger from those two.' She gestured toward her boyfriend and his twin. 'Show us what you can do. Ten shots. Aim for the edge of the ring as your partner tries to hit the Bludger back at you.'

Kirke and Sloper nodded and took to the air. The Weasley twins knocked the Bludger up into the sky, tossing them the bats before ambling over.

One of the twins, most likely Fred, remarked, 'They're not bad.'

The other twin, likely George, added, 'Almost as good as us.'

'Not as handsome, though,' George quipped. 'What do you think, Angelina?'

Angelina responded, her tone dry, 'Shouldn't you be asking Alicia, George?'

George seemed taken aback and exclaimed, 'Can't you tell us apart?'

Both Alicia and Angelina replied, 'Yes.'

The twins appeared somewhat disheartened. Katie couldn't help but laugh and added, 'No more date-switching for you two.'

As Ron hurriedly made his way across the pitch to join them, he apologized, 'Sorry. Umbridge's detention went on longer than I thought, and she wouldn't let me leave until I was done.'

Angelina directed him, 'Get in the air, Weasley. You're not late yet; we haven't started the keeper tryouts.'

Ron grinned and swung a leg over his broom.

As Harry observed Ron's flying, he couldn't help but notice a crimson smear on the back of his hand, just like Colin's. An unsettling chill coursed through him, and he couldn't dismiss the connection. 'It can't be a coincidence; it must be Umbridge. And she has legal control over all the punishments now.'

The Slytherin Quidditch team encroached into the area where the tryouts were taking place, sweeping through the chaser drills.

Angelina's voice cut through the commotion, 'Oi! Get out of our half of the pitch.'

One of the Slytherin beaters, Harry recognized the distinctive silhouette of either Crabbe or Goyle, pivoted and launched the Bludger down toward them. The Bludger whizzed through the sky and collided with Katie's side. Her face drained of color, and she emitted a pained groan through clenched teeth.

Alicia cried out, 'Katie!'

Fred and George quickly banished the Bludger back, sending it hurtling toward Crabbe, who was still plummeting from the impact with the Bludger. It struck him, causing him to bounce twice across the grass, his broom snapping like a rotten branch beneath him, and he rolled to a stop, curled up in pain.

Harry discreetly drew his wand and softly cast, 'Redeo.'

Katie gasped, her eyes welling up with tears. 'No, Harry,' she moaned. 'Don't try to fix it; take me to Madam Pomfrey.'

Harry assisted Katie to her feet, but their brief respite was interrupted by Malfoy, who landed in front of them, his usual sneer firmly in place. 'You'll pay for that, Weasleys,' he snapped.

Angelina quickly came to their defense, shouting, 'You'll pay for hitting that Bludger at Katie!'

Malfoy glanced at Katie, who was clutching her injured ribs, and shrugged. 'That was an accident. Professor Snape will see you in detention for the rest of the year at the very least. Personally, I'm hoping you'll just be expelled.'

Harry felt a surge of anger. 'Shut up and disappear, Malfoy,' he snapped.

Malfoy continued to provoke, 'Is that a threat, Potter? Are you going to try to kill me like you did Krum?'

Umbridge's shrill, girlish voice pierced the air as she appeared on the scene, asking, 'What is going on here? I've never seen such a display of aggression at this school. Mr. Weasley and Mr. Weasley, you will serve two weeks of detention for your unprovoked attack on a fellow student.'

Umbridge's pale face broke into a smug smile, and her muddy brown eyes gleamed with satisfaction. 'Since you cannot be trusted to play this sport, I'm afraid I will have to ban you both from participating.'

Angelina protested, 'You can't do that. He attacked Katie.'

Umbridge was unyielding. 'For life. And I know what I saw, Miss Johnson.'

Harry, mindful of Katie's pain, took more of her weight and guided her around Malfoy toward the hospital wing.

Malfoy, undeterred, sniggered and stepped off his broom, blocking their path. 'I told you you'd pay. Now you have no chance of winning, not with this delusional psycho playing seeker…' He sneered at Katie. 'Nobody will notice Bell being injured, though.'

Harry didn't hesitate; he hissed, 'Aguamenti,' and sent a jet of water straight at Malfoy.

A forceful stream of water shot from the tip of Harry's wand, striking Malfoy on the shoulder and sending him tumbling to the ground. Malfoy screamed and writhed in the dirt, leaving a pool of red-tinged water beneath him as he clutched at the jagged shards of ice that protruded from the deep cuts on his torso. Whimpering, he crawled away through the grass and mud, the tattered remnants of his Quidditch jersey adorned with shards of broken ice.

Umbridge, her voice laced with annoyance, uttered, 'Mr. Potter, you're also banned for life.'

Harry was taken aback by the apparent leniency of the punishment. 'That's it?' he thought. 'Did she forget about detention? Expulsion?' He tucked his wand away and surmised, 'Dumbledore must still be the only one who can expel students. Otherwise, I'd be gone.'

Umbridge, however, was not satisfied and demanded, 'What have you got to say for yourself, Mr. Potter?'

Ignoring her, Harry led Katie toward the hospital wing. She clung to him, emitting soft gasps and hisses with each step.

Katie whispered, 'That was stupid.'

Harry acknowledged his mistake, 'I know. I shouldn't have lost my temper.'

Katie then mentioned, 'I can think of a certain someone who's going to be twice as angry with you as anybody here.' She let out a weak laugh before wincing and moaning. 'Ow. I think my ribs are broken. Can we stop for a moment?'

Harry immediately complied and allowed her to lean on him. 'Why twice?'

Katie pointed out, 'You did something stupid, and you did it because I got hurt.'

Harry quipped, 'I'll blame you. Then Fleur will come and set you on fire instead of me. Now hush, you need to see Madam Pomfrey. I don't think talking and moving your ribs is helping.'

Katie, with pain evident in her voice, murmured, 'My chest hurts a lot when I breathe.'

'Madam Pomfrey will fix it,' Harry reassured her with a smile. 'She regrew all the bones in my arm after Lockhart vanished them, so she can certainly manage to fix some ribs.'

Katie, despite her pain, managed a playful tone. 'You can always have a look first. No seashell bra, though.'

Harry chuckled. 'No thanks, Katie.'

She feigned hurt, saying, 'Ouch. Not even a joke or a gentle let-down.'

Harry explained, 'Fleur. If you think she's going to be angry over this, you can only imagine how mad she'd be if she heard about us doing something like that.'

A sense of dread washed over him as he considered what might happen. 'There'd be fire. Probably lots of fire. And she'd leave. If I hurt her like that, she'd go all proud and walk away.' A deep emptiness clawed at him, and he shuddered. 'She'd be gone forever.'

Katie tried to lighten the mood, saying, 'I'm not pretty enough for you, Harry. I'm glad you're my friend again. I enjoy scaring the firsties with you.'

Harry playfully responded, 'You're the one who does all the scaring. I just stand there.'

Katie chuckled, then groaned in pain. 'Are we there yet?'

'Nearly,' Harry assured her. 'Only a minute or two now.'

She described her pain, 'It's quite painful, like it really, really hurts, but at the same time, it doesn't. How weird is that?'

'That is quite strange,' Harry agreed as he carried her toward the hospital wing. 'But Madam Pomfrey will fix it for you in a moment.'

Katie looked up at him from his shoulder and asked, 'You aren't going to do something silly and go after Umbridge, are you?'

Harry immediately called for Madam Pomfrey, who emerged with her wand in hand. She voiced her concern, 'You better not have burnt yourself or something again, Mr Potter.'

'Not me, Katie,' Harry said. 'I'm completely fine.'

Madam Pomfrey turned her attention to Katie and instructed, 'Put her on a clean bed. I'll be with her in a second.' She then disappeared into her office, the sound of glass and metal clinking behind the frosted window.

Katie lightly bumped her head against Harry's chest. 'Oi, Harry. Promise me you won't get caught doing something stupid.'

Harry smiled and gently set Katie down on the bed. 'I promise not to get caught doing something stupid.'

Katie beamed in response and then squirmed onto her side, grabbing Harry's hand. 'Stay here, please. I don't really like hospitals.'

Harry reassured her, 'I'll stay if you're quiet and stop moving around. I'm sure Angelina and Alicia will be here soon, too.'

A heavy silence hung over the classroom, interrupted only by the slow scratch of quills, the gentle ticking of the clock, and Umbridge's occasional throat clearing. Harry added an extra line beneath the chapter title and meticulously crossed and dotted his letters while Umbridge impatiently monitored the time. He took out a small scrap of parchment and double-checked his note.

Confundus charm to disable any anti-tampering enchantments. Weave your intent into the magic on the object.

"Alright, children," Umbridge said, buttoning her cardigan, "pack away your things and leave quietly."

As the students began to put their belongings away and shuffle toward the door, Harry slipped into a shadowed alcove. He was ready to move forward with his plans.

Nev appeared beside him and asked, "How's Katie?"

Harry replied, "Still in the hospital wing." He pulled out his invisibility cloak. "If you hang around for a few minutes, I was about to go and visit her."

Nev frowned and said, "You're about to break your promise to her, aren't you?"

Harry explained, "I promised not to get caught. And how do you even know about that?"

Nev revealed, "Katie mentioned it to Angelina and Alicia in the hospital wing. I overheard them talking to the Weasley twins about it and your little stunt with Malfoy. I don't know what you thought you were doing; that wasn't some school corridor jinx."

Harry admitted, "It was meant to be the water-conjuring charm. I was angry, and it went a bit wrong."

Nev offered, "I'll wait out here. I doubt Umbridge is coming back soon, but if she does, I'll try to delay her."

"Thanks, Nev," Harry said, pulling the cloak over himself. "I'll be quick."

He re-entered the classroom, his eyes darting about the familiar space, illuminated by the soft glow of the late afternoon sun filtering through the windows. Then, with a sense of determined purpose, he strode down the neat rows of desks and into the heart of Professor Umbridge's office. The room was a riot of pink, with curtains, cushions, and china decorations adorned with whimsical cat motifs, creating a jarring visual assault on anyone who dared to enter.

Harry couldn't help but think to himself, "It's hideous. Like Aunt Marge's penchant for excess, but with an inexplicable obsession with cats."

He carefully picked his way towards the desk, feeling a growing unease in the pit of his stomach. Rummaging through the drawers, he whispered, "Where's the quill?" It was a search born out of necessity and curiosity, a need to uncover the tools of Umbridge's authoritarian reign.

Finally, he pried open a plain wooden box and revealed the sinister instrument within: a silver-tipped, black-feathered quill that was as long as his hand. The moment Harry's fingers brushed the quill, he couldn't help but sense a malevolent aura emanating from it. It was a vague, crude impression of malice, a sour, sharp excitement that instantly brought to mind the memory of Umbridge's gleaming, cruel eyes fixed on the injured Katie Bell. The revulsion was palpable, and he swallowed hard to suppress the bile that rose in his throat.

"This is what she uses to force children to repeatedly self-mutilate," Harry thought, his anger simmering just beneath the surface. Determination overcame his revulsion as he vowed, "It's time for a little taste of her own malice."

With deliberate care, he uttered the incantation, 'Confundus,' causing the quill to shiver in response. It was only the beginning of his magical manipulation. Harry pushed his own intent into the quill, seeking to alter its enchantment. However, Umbridge's magic proved to be a stubborn adversary, evading his attempts like kitchen grease beneath a soapy sponge. In response, he decided to saturate the quill with his own malice, a reflection of the bitterness and pain that Umbridge had inflicted on others.

A small, thin smile of satisfaction crossed Harry's lips as he restored everything to its initial state, remarking softly, "Mischief managed." It was a subtle act of defiance, a small victory against the oppressive regime that ruled over Hogwarts.

Harry left the office, rejoining the corridor, and pulled the invisibility cloak off his frame, revealing himself. Neville, who had been waiting in the alcove, drifted back to his side.

"It's time for the hospital wing," Harry said, with a tone of urgency.

Neville couldn't help but ask, his curiosity and concern evident in his voice, "What did you do?"

Harry glanced at him, his eyes reflecting the weight of his actions. "Nothing much," he replied cryptically. "I just altered her detention plans a little."

Neville's eyes widened with recognition and anger. "The quill?" he whispered, his voice quivering.

Harry nodded solemnly. "You know about it?"

"Yes," Neville confirmed, his eyes blazing with a mixture of rage and distress. "Umbridge makes people write lines with it, and it etches the words into your hand every time you write. Ron's got scars from it."

Harry's voice held a note of warning as he remarked, "It's not too far from making people hurt themselves to hurting people yourself. Be careful of her. She's obviously not very powerful, but she's probably got enough malice to cast some nasty spells, like the Cruciatus Curse."

Neville clenched his fists, his resolve hardening. "Did you destroy it?"

Harry shook his head, his lips curving into a sly smile. "I didn't destroy it," he admitted. "I improved it."

"I don't think I want to know," Nev said, his voice tinged with unease. "Just make sure it doesn't end up with someone getting hurt who doesn't deserve it."

Harry offered a reassuring nod. "Umbridge's magic was easy to wipe away. She's not going to be able to undo what I've done. The only one who'll get hurt if it's used is her, now. And my magic's stronger than hers, so the next words she gives to someone may cut quite deep."

He couldn't help but smirk at the thought, the idea of poetic justice dancing in his mind. "I do hope the next words she chooses to make a student write are appropriately ironic." With that, Harry pushed open the door to the hospital wing.

Katie, with her fiery spirit undiminished, sat propped up on a pile of pillows, engrossed in a copy of next year's charms textbook. A small mountain of chocolate boxes and cards rose from the table and chair beside her bed, a testament to the outpouring of support from her friends.

Her face lit up with delight when she spotted them, and she tossed her book onto the table. "Hi, Harry!"

He took a seat on the edge of her bed, returning her greeting with a warm smile. "Hello, Katie."

Nev hovered in the background, a bit nervous but offering a shy greeting of his own. "H-hi, Katie."

Katie beamed, her cheerful demeanor contagious. "What did you bring me, Harry?"

Harry leaned in and patted Nev on the cheek. "This is Neville," he said, introducing his friend. "He's a 'who,' not a 'what,' Katie, and I'm sure you know each other."

Katie playfully scowled. "I meant for my get-well present."

Nev couldn't contain a snort of laughter. "He got you revenge."

Katie's expression shifted to a slight frown. "You shouldn't have done that. Rita Skeeter devoted the entirety of her column to your attack on Malfoy." Her concern for her friends was evident, even in her weakened state.

"Did she?" Harry's voice was tinged with a hint of sardonic amusement as he pulled the copy of the Daily Prophet out from under Katie's pile of chocolate boxes and well-wishing cards, revealing the incriminating headline: "Boy-Who-Lied attacks student in vicious, unprovoked assault. Wonderful."

Katie, ever resilient and with her trademark wit, managed to find humor in the situation. "Look on the bright side," she remarked, "Either someone sees this and murders you, in which case you don't need to worry about anything, or you'll still be able to run off."

Harry's gratitude for Katie's lightheartedness was evident in his response. "Thanks, Katie. I've missed you so much over the last few days."

Nev chimed in with his own perspective. "He has, actually. He looked very bored."

Harry nodded in agreement. "It's true. The firsties are all but in revolt without you to terrify them into submission. Black times are ahead without Gryffindor's Dark Mistress to keep order."

Katie, not one to let her friends wallow in self-pity, declared with determination, "I'm out of here by the end of the weekend. I'll soon have those little tykes back under heel where they belong."

Nev, with a mix of admiration and incredulity, shook his head. "It's the way she says it so seriously and genuinely. I'm never quite sure you're joking."

Harry joined in the jesting, adding, "She isn't. Katie's evil. She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

Katie, clearly enjoying the camaraderie, diverted the conversation. "Did you read the rest of the article?" She tapped the copy of the paper he was still holding.

Harry shook his head. "No. It's certainly all nonsense about me being a murderer and attacking students and the like." He stroked at an imaginary goatee, his expression sly. "I wonder what they'd write if I did murder someone. I think most people are getting a bit bored now."

Katie, the voice of reason, pointed out an inconsistency. "Some of it makes no sense. It says that Skeeter interviewed Malfoy yesterday, but he was still in here with me, complaining to himself about his injuries, and I never saw her at all."

Nev offered a plausible explanation, "Maybe she got the date wrong. She got pretty much everything else wrong by the look of it."

Katie considered the possibility but clung to the notion that some truth might be hidden in the falsehoods. "Perhaps, but the quotes do sound a lot like what Malfoy was saying in here, so she must have spoken to him at some point." She then playfully tugged the paper back out of Harry's hands. "This is mine. I'm going to frame it as proof I was once heroically defended by Harry Potter. Girls dream about that, you know."

"It didn't sound all that heroic to me," Nev muttered, his voice softening under Harry's raised eyebrow. "Sorry, Harry, but you did kind of curse him in front of a teacher for doing nothing more than opening his mouth like he always does."

Harry conceded the point with a resigned nod. "I was angry," he admitted. "I probably should've made sure there were no witnesses, though."

Katie chimed in with the practical consequences of Harry's actions. "And now you're banned from Quidditch for life," she pointed out. "It's a good thing Ginny Weasley wanted to be Seeker, or we wouldn't even have one in time for the first training sessions."

Harry acknowledged his responsibility with a promise to do better. "I'll try to keep my temper in the future."

Katie, a hint of concern in her voice, reminded him, "You better. You promised me, remember?"

"I won't break my promise," Harry reassured her.

Katie's curiosity got the best of her, and she couldn't help but inquire about the details of the incident. "What did you do to Malfoy?" she asked. "I didn't really see, but Pomfrey had to grow back a lot of his shoulder and arm, keep him under warming charms, and he was on blood-replenishing potions for most of the next day."

Nev, ever the gatherer of information, provided some speculative insights. "A dark adaptation of the water-conjuring spell according to some," he replied. "I heard there was ice involved, but I also heard that you transformed into a giant serpent and bit him, so really nobody knows, and those who saw aren't saying. Malfoy's been quite quiet recently."

Harry scoffed at the absurdity of one particular rumor. "That rumor must've come from Hufflepuff," he mused. "It has Ernie Macmillan all over it. He's still scared from second year."

Nev contributed a snippet of gossip he'd overheard, adding to the intrigue. "I did overhear it from Cedric Diggory," he said. "He was laughing at how ludicrous it was in the library until he and Cho were kicked out by Madam Pince for kissing."

Harry took a moment to appreciate that some people still supported him, even if it was through the circulation of wild stories.

Katie shifted the conversation to more mundane matters. "So what have you been up to while I've been stuck in here?" She tucked the Daily Prophet back under her collection of half-empty chocolate boxes.

Harry couldn't resist swiping a chocolate from one of the boxes. "Lessons as normal. Nothing exciting."

Nev's cough indicated that there was more to the story.

"I might have tampered with an item of stationary in Umbridge's office," Harry confessed, nonchalantly enjoying the pilfered chocolate, though he couldn't help but note, "Hmmm. Mint. Not my favorite."

Katie's eyes widened with a mix of curiosity and concern. "The quill?" she gasped.

Harry appeared baffled. "How does everyone know about this? It took me ages to figure out what she was doing."

Katie provided an explanation with a casual shrug. "A lot of Gryffindors have got detention from her. Word gets around."

Harry couldn't hide his frustration. "Then why hasn't anyone done anything? It's a torture device!"

Katie squirmed, her voice lowered in response. "They're scared of what Umbridge will do to them."

Harry's thoughts turned grim. "If they're that scared of Umbridge, then Voldemort might as well just announce he's back and we'll lose instantly."

Katie's curiosity remained, and she pressed for details. "What did you do to it?" she whispered, casting a wary glance towards Madam Pomfrey's office.

"I improved it," Harry replied with a sly grin.

Katie fixed him with a determined glare, urging him to be more specific.

Harry conceded, "I may have altered the enchantment. Umbridge will probably regret making it the next time someone writes anything with it."

Katie's response was filled with satisfaction. "Good. I hope it leaves a permanent scar on her." She playfully patted her pillows into shape and then delivered a punch to Harry's shoulder. "That's for breaking your promise."

Harry, nursing the sore spot on his shoulder, protested, "I didn't break it. I promised I wouldn't get caught."

Katie reflected on her earlier promise and laughed at herself. "Oh," she admitted. "I did say that, didn't I?"

Harry smirked, enjoying the moment of teasing. "Yes. Just after offering me a chance to check your injuries."

Katie turned crimson in embarrassment. "Let's just pretend I never said that. I can't believe I thought that would be funny."

Nev, who had been quietly observing the interaction, finally voiced his discomfort. "Do you have to talk about this when I'm right here?" His face turned a brighter shade of red than Katie's.

Harry lightened the mood with a wink. "Sorry, Nev. Watch out for Katie, though. She's very forward."

Katie, rather flustered, pulled the blankets up above her head. "Go away," she muttered, "Go away and let me die of shame under here where I can't be seen."

Harry was resolute. "Nope. Not happening."

Katie, emerging from her blanket cocoon, feigned annoyance. "Don't you have things to do?"

Nev chimed in, reminding them of their prior commitments. "I promised I'd help Hermione, Dean, Seamus, and Ron again."

Harry, with a hint of mischief, replied, "I'm completely free, so I'll probably disappear for the weekend."

Katie, her curiosity unabated, directed her attention to Nev. "So, Neville, what are you helping Hermione Granger with?"

Nev's response was a stuttering, embarrassed squeak, causing Katie to burst into giggles.

Harry decided to clarify the situation with a teasing tone. "I think Hermione's been experiencing some unusual feelings recently," he said with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Nev kindly offered to help her out."

The room filled with laughter, lightening the atmosphere despite the lingering concerns and uncertainty that loomed over Hogwarts.

"Nothing like that!" Nev vehemently shook his head. "Just some of the spells we're going to need but not learn in class."

Harry chimed in, highlighting the positive aspects of their impromptu teaching sessions. "It's turning into a bit of a regular thing now. It'll be good for you to teach; you'll know if you can understand and do it if you can teach it."

Neville, though still clearly nervous, shared a piece of information Hermione had conveyed. "Hermione said that they're not the only ones who want help, either. Apparently, everyone's struggling without someone to teach them."

Harry offered words of encouragement. "I'm sure you'll figure something out, Nev."

Katie, ever the joker, couldn't resist teasing her friend. "He's upset he might have even more people there when all he really wants to do is give Hermione some one-on-one lessons," she quipped.

Neville squirmed, his discomfort evident. "She is evil. I don't even think of Hermione like that. It's just weird."

Katie, enjoying the banter, playfully pressed the issue. "What about me, Neville?" She fluttered her eyelashes at him. "Do you think about me like that?"

Neville, not one to be easily swayed, responded honestly. "No."

Harry interjected with a humorous perspective. "Probably for the best. She'd be a terrifying girlfriend. Just ask the firsties. I've never heard the words 'human sacrifice' so many times in one explanation of how to get into Gryffindor Tower."

Madam Pomfrey, having had enough of their conversation, intervened. "You two, out! Stop disturbing everyone."

Neville promptly made for the door, while Harry hesitated.

Katie sighed, offering a mix of warmth and humor. "I'll be out of here in a few days, Harry. I should be able to come to your funeral once Frenchie's murdered you."

Harry, with his trademark wry humor, replied, "I wouldn't bother. Once I'm dead, she's coming straight for you, so I'll be seeing you soon anyway."

Katie couldn't help but express a genuine concern. "She won't actually be angry with me, will she?" she whispered.

Harry's response was reassuring. "Maybe a little bit. I doubt it's that personal; you're just part of the reason I got myself in trouble."

Their lighthearted exchange served as a moment of respite in the midst of the challenges and dangers they faced.

Top of Form

"Although she does have a temper. I'm fairly sure Gabby got harshly scolded for throwing her allure at me, and I didn't date Gabby before Fleur," Harry observed.

Katie, with a note of concern, whispered, "Sorry. If – if us being friends is an issue–"

Harry gently poked her on the forehead, offering reassurance. "It's not. Fleur just won't like me doing something for you. Don't fret about it."

Katie, with a hint of wisdom in her words, shared a common sentiment. "No girl likes it when their boyfriend is still friendly with his ex."

Harry, ever the realist, rolled his eyes. "We had one date."

Katie pouted playfully, evoking a shared memory. "We had fun."

Harry couldn't help but smirk as he recalled the evening. "Yeah, until the end."

Katie's expression shifted, acknowledging the awkwardness that had marked their brief romantic encounter. "Until the end."

Madam Pomfrey, eager to have the room to herself, issued a final directive. "Out you go, Mr. Potter. And don't let me catch you sneaking back in later. Miss Bell needs to rest and relax, or her ribs will take longer to recover."

Harry tousled Katie's hair affectionately. "Bye, Katie. I'll be waiting for you in hell."

Katie responded with a small, wry smile. "And you'll probably be burning before you get there. See you soon."

Their exchange was filled with unspoken understanding and a sense of camaraderie that transcended the complexities of relationships and the challenges they faced at Hogwarts.

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