Harmless
“You’re the first person ever to resist my mind trick!” Harry whispered excitedly. “The Force is strong with you!” Oh, this was the happiest day of his life! Getting away from the Dursleys was already brilliant, and now he’d come across this rude, arrogant boy with a strong mind and somewhat shifty nature—in other words, a miniature Han Solo! Harry knew at once that he simply hadto become friends with this boy—every Luke Skywalker needs a Han Solo, after all!
Harry was about to ask the boy for his name when the latter suddenly started struggling desperately to pull his arm out of Harry’s grip. Realizing his faux pas, Harry quickly let go of the other boy while making a mighty effort to keep the embarrassment off his own face.
The boy collapsed onto the bench behind him. His eyes, wide with fear, were fixed on something above Harry’s right shoulder. Harry’s heart sank.
“Much fear, I smell on him,” hissed the shockingly green grass snake perched Harry’s shoulders.
“I can see that,” Harry hissed in reply. Fighting back a grimace, Harry put on his best kind-and-soft-spoken Ben Kenobi impression as he addressed the terrified boy before him. “This is Yoda. He’s an old friend of mine. He’s completely harmless, of course—unless you happen to rodent.”
The boy finally stopped staring at Yoda, and Harry breathed a sigh of relief. “See, Yoda? I knew we would one day find someone who isn’t afraid of you.”
Yoda licked the air curiously. “Hmm. More afraid of you, he is.”
Harry laughed. “Oh, come off it! He can use the Force, too. Why would he be afraid of me?”
Yoda responded with a noncommittal hiss before tunneling back underneath Harry’s robes, seeking his body heat. Harry smiled fondly as he turned his attention back to his more human companion, whom he now privately dubbed Friend Number Two.
Number Two seemed to have calmed down, but he was still awfully pale. He must be starving, thought Harry. Strange; Number Two seemed to be quite wealthy. Was he starving himself? He must be overly concerned about his weight, Harry realized. Judging by his heavily styled hair, Number Two was clearly very mindful of his appearance, even to his own detriment. That just wouldn’t do.
Harry picked up one of the Chocolate Frogs that he’d purchased earlier from the snack cart and held it out to Number Two. “It’s alright to eat your fill,” said Harry, reassuringly. “You just have to keep up with your exercise."
Number Two hesitated for just a moment before accepting the offer with trembling hands. Harry grinned from ear to ear as Number Two shakily unwrapped the Chocolate Frog, happy in the knowledge that he’d just saved his new friend from what could easily have developed into a severe case of anorexia.