Chapter 2
Harry groaned as he sunk into the hot water, his muscles slowly relaxing. He just wanted the heat to eat him up and not give him back. He was almost wanting to move into the Chamber of Secrets by this point. Living in the Gryffindor tower was a nightmare. They had gone as far as to prank his bed. His sleep was non-existent. They still thought he had lied and put his name in the goblet and now the news article about him being seen being buddies with Marcus Flint. Using parseltongue during the tournament. They saw him as some evil spawn. Going dark. Ron had punched him so hard he still felt it days later. He had gone to Pomfrey and the woman had just tutted and sent him on his way telling him to not antagonize his friends. He hadn’t done anything!
He looked at the golden egg perched on a towel, it was the bane of his existence right now. He hated the damn thing. He hated everything about this damn tournament. What made everything worse was the announcement of the Yule Ball. He didn’t know how to dance and he had to not only find a partner but dance in front of the entire school. He was going to embarrass himself. He rubbed a hand over his face and ducked under the water before coming up and slicking his hair back.
The sound of the door opening had him turning quickly and sinking down into the bubbles, hiding himself mostly from view. Then his eyes widened as Marcus stepped in carrying a bag and towel. “Marcus?”
The older male looked over and grinned, “Harry, how did you get in here?”
Harry shrugged, “Cedric gave me the password. I told him about the dragons so I guess this is his way of paying off the debt.”
Marcus nodded and set his things down on the chair, “Mind if I join you? I smell like potion fumes.”
“Sure.” Then looked away and gave the other boy privacy as he stripped and got into the water. He had showered with others in his dorm and on the team so sharing a bath wasn’t anymore intimate.
“Hecate this feels nice. You picked a good scent.” The older male leaned back and stretched the muscular arms across the lip leaning back closing his eyes, “Good job with the Dragon by the way. Friends and I were impressed. It looked like it wouldn’t work at first and your broom never showed.”
He nodded, “Yeah, her speech was slurred and accented. It took awhile for us to find that common sound. I felt like she was testing me when she told me to come and take the egg. I was terrified but I wasn’t about to give up. As for my broom. Someone knocked it over and shut the window.”
“I will be honest, I would have run for my life. It smiled at you and I wanted to pass out. How those idiot Gryffindors still think you entered on purpose is beyond me what idiots. Speaking of, how's your eye?”
Harry rubbed at it, “Fine. Not as bad as the Bee-Sting Jinx someone threw at me.”
“Harry, you can go to a Professor or the Headmaster.”
“I went to Pomfrey and she didn’t even heal my eye or give me anything. Just told me not to antagonize them and sent me on my way. Dumbledore won't even meet my eyes these days and McGonagall is more concerned with me finding a date to the Yule ball. I gave up trying to tell them anything years ago.”
Marcus peered at him, “Why is that?”
Harry wasn’t sure what came over him but he just started launching into everything that had happened over the past three years. Tell the older just how many times he had gone to Professors only to be ignored or pushed aside. When he reached the end of his tail he looked over to see the other staring at him in a mix of horror and something else.
“Merlin, your life hasn’t been an easy one here. I heard rumors but I don’t put much faith in them.”
The younger snorted, “Well, I don’t put much faith in the Professors.”
“I wouldn’t either. Most of them ignore us Slytherins or just think we are up to no good. I know most of them think I am stupid, cause I got held back a year and all.”
“Being smart isn’t everything. You're great at Quidditch.”
Marcus nodded, “I like flying and yes I let my grades slip. It isn’t that I am stupid, I just don’t pick up things as quickly as others. I have to work harder to remember things.”
Harry smiled, “That's alright. I’m not that good of a reader. The words always get blurry for me and it hurts my eyes to read a lot.”
“When did you last get your eyes checked?”
He shrugged not answering the question then groaned remembering the whole reason he came here, “Guess I might as well try to figure it out.” He waded over and reached for the egg sitting next to Marcus, “Cedric said taking a bath with it had helped him find out the clue.”
Marcus snorted and rolled his eyes, “He would take a bath with a sparkly egg. Such a Hufflepuff. What does it do when you open it?” though he kept it to himself he was a bit pissed. Harry had told that puff about the dragon and all he got was to take a bath with it. How dumb was that shit.
Harry gave him a look that clearly said he didn’t want to show him but mumbled something, “Cover your ears” Then opened the egg. The shrieking cries filled the bath and Harry went to cover his ears in reflex, the egg falling into the water, the shrieks abruptly ending.
“Fuck that!” Marcus snarled and dove under to grab the cursed thing and froze his face screwing up and he surfaced, “Come under with me.”
Harry looked at him oddly and submerged and the two were surrounded by a sweet melodic song.
"Come seek us where our voices sound,
We cannot sing above the ground,
And while you're searching, ponder this;
We've taken what you'll sorely miss,
An hour long you'll have to look,
And recover what we took,
But past an hour - the prospect's black,
Too late, it's gone, it won't come back."
He grabbed the egg and closed it before surfacing. “So water is the main clue.”
Marcus nodded and leaned back, “Good luck. I am not good at Riddles. I mean some are obvious. An hour, something taken.”
Harry frowned and set the egg back on the towels and sighed, “So most likely the lake. Merfolk. Something will be taken and hidden in the lake. We have an hour to get it or else.. What? Will we lose it forever?” There were many things he didn’t want to go missing. What if they took his cloak? He shuddered and then paled, “I can’t swim.”
The older one looked at him oddly, “You can’t swim? Surely you went to the beach or pools when you were younger.”
“No, my relatives never really like taking me on family vacations. So I never really learned.”
“This isn’t the first time you have mentioned them. You and your relatives fight a lot?”
Harry shrugged, “Nothing like that. They are muggles so we don’t always see eye to eye.” He climbed out of the bath and wrapped a towel around his waist, “Thanks for your help Marcus. I should head back to my dorm before curfew. Enjoy the rest of your bath.”
“Wait, Harry.” He moved to get out of the tub but the Gryffindor was fast as he slipped out the first door into the waiting area. Marcus snarled and slapped the water before falling back against the edge of the bath. Tomorrow he would find his little lion and offer to help teach him how to swim. It was worth a try. He had other plans as well but he knew he had to take it slow. He had a good head start.
Marcus finished up and got dressed before heading straight to Terence’s room and didn't even knock before entering. He turned and recoiled, “Fuck! Really!”
Terence grumbled and slid to the side off Adrian’s lap, “It’s my room Marcus. You are the one who just barged in!”
Adrian just grinned and tried to drag his boyfriend back into his lap, “Ignore him Ter, focus on me.”
“Keep it in your pants Adrian I am not an exhibitionist.” He attempted to discreetly adjust himself before looking at his friend, “You alright there, you look pissed.”
Marcus scowled and flopped into a chair, “the little lion I have been speaking to. His life has been a nightmare here. The professors treat him worse than they treat us. They wouldn’t even help him with the bullying he is going through!”
Adrian frowned, “This is Potter right. The lion you are seeing? It can’t be that bad. I mean the teachers clearly favor him. Well, except Snape.”
Marcus scoffed, “You would think that but from what I have been told tonight. That is all a lie too. Harry has just been given a shit draw. He went to Pomfrey about his black eye and she didn’t even give him a salve for it.”
Terrence grumbled and got up walking over to his things and pulling out a salve and tossing it over, “Give him this. It will work on most bruises and abrasions. If it is anything more serious, bring him to me.”
The captain caught it and stuck it in his pocket, “Thanks Ter. I really think you two will like him. I am not saying go out of your way or anything but just meet him for yourself. He is a bit prickly but I don’t blame him.”
Adrian rolled his eyes, “We will keep an eye out for your little crush don’t worry.” Then dodged a stinging hex, “Hey! I was joking!”
-----
Harry stretched as he got out of bed and yawned. It was earlier than he normally got up but lately he had been wanting to get to breakfast early. Today was no different. He went to his trunk and opened it only to shriek when something flung itself from his trunk and splashed across his face. The scalding hot liquid sunk into his flesh and he hit the floor screaming. It felt like his face was erupting and bubbling. Then the pain was gone and he panted trying to reorient himself.
“Shut up Potter, we are trying to sleep.”
Harry said nothing and quickly grabbed his clothes and ran for the bathroom to look in the mirror. His skin was bright red, like if he got sunburn. It hurt to touch and some spots were sore or itchy. The water stung but he got through it before putting on his clothes over the sore skin and headed to the Great Hall. He was one of the first students there as it was the weekend. Only the Ravenclaws appeared to be out in abundance at their table like a flock of birds. A few older Gryffindors and other houses were about as well. Few teachers sat at the head table and some of the visiting students. All in all the hall was pretty much empty compared to the feast the night before. He walked to the bottom of the Gryffindor table to sit. The less he had to deal with people the better right now. The burns along his skin itched and throbbed lightly as he ate a small breakfast.
“Harry.”
He jumped and turned, dropping the spoon back into the bowl as Marcus came marching up to him. He glanced around and saw that some were already looking their way. Especially those from Slytherin. “Marcus, uhm. Is everything okay?”
Marcus nodded and sat next to him, “The school already knows we are on speaking terms. I don’t care if they wish to talk more.”
Harry shrugged at the explanation, “How was your night?”
“It was fine. Not yours apparently. How did you get a sunburn?”
“Someone spelled my trunk and I set it off this morning.”
The older wizard growled darkly and pulled a container out of his pocket, “Here, this will work on most bruises and minor injuries. It should help with the sunburn as well. I will be adding security charms to our meetings. So they can’t prank your things anymore.”
Harry took the salve and smiled, “Thank you.”
Marcus shrugged, “So, you left last night before I could ask you something.”
The Gryffindor blinked and looked at Marcus, “Sorry, I get uncomfortable when talking about my family.”
Marcus gave him a rare smile, “I understand. Though I think my father would enjoy your company as much as I do. Look, would you mind standing? I want to do this properly.”
Green eyes blinked and he stood up from his spot at the table and watched as Marcus stood and then knelt. Harry glanced around as the soft drum of talking ceased. “Marcus?”
The Slytherin cleared his throat and then reached into his pocket to remove a small velvet black case. Carefully Marcus opened it to reveal a simple silver chain attached to a silver pocket watch with gentle designs carved into the surface plate to resemble vinework. A few gems of emerald and agate catch the light as he presents it properly, “Heir Potter, would you do me the honor of allowing me to escort you to the Yule Ball?”
Harry’s breath caught and he could feel his cheeks heat up. He was being asked to the Yule Ball. By Marcus, he tried to think of a good way to answer. He wasn’t good at pure blood ethics, “I would be honored to have you as my escort, Heir Flint.” Oh he hoped that was right.
The older boy grinned brightly and stood, “I am honored. Please allow me to put this on you.” When he got a nod he carefully removed the silver pocket watch, “It is customary for an heir to have a pocket watch made by their parents. I decided to continue the tradition in their stead. The gems are Agate for protection against dreams and the Emeralds are for new beginnings and truth.” He attached the watch to the other's pocket and tucked it, “I hope it serves you well Harry.”
“Thank you Marcus, it is lovely.”
The elder gave another rare smile before clearing his throat, “I hope to see you later today in the Quidditch pitch. Till then.” He gave a polite bow and swept out of the hall leaving the Gryffindor to his jumbled thoughts.