Verus

Hogwarts Castle, Scottish Highlands.

The Dungeons were nothing like Harry remembered.

Still dank and gloomy, sure. But also now very- green.

Not that the green was a massive problem! Because that would be stupid. Just, the Dungeons were already too different and the green made it that much more obvious.

Harry wrinkled his nose at the overwhelming amount of decor too, thinking back to much simpler times and how Sal would have baulked at the sight of it all.

The hissed whispers were what pulled him from his thoughts though, something that had grown all too trying in the little time he’d had since entering the common room. Theo had stuck by him, warding off any oncomers with a scathing glare the second the notion occurred to them, but he couldn’t do much about the way the rest of them appeared to silently watch him. Especially the older crowd.

A booming clang erupted soon after the First Years had entered, few of them looking pale, whilst others oohed and awed. The lot of them jumped though when the bang rang out across the room and a looming presence shrouded in a dark cloak strutted inside, taking up space by the embering fireplace.

“Snape.” Theo muttered under his breath when another hush of whispers followed the entrance, but Harry already knew of the Professor.

“Silence.”

And did such silence follow. Harry’s keen gaze scanned the length of the common room, watching as even the eldest of Slytherin raised their chins to him, the Head of House had obviously earned their respect.

Severus Snape. Both Remus and Sirius had mentioned the man here and there after that first heated discussion they’d had in Grimmauld’s kitchen- though the latter still did not speak of him too kindly- and so Harry knew that when the teacher’s gaze finally dragged over to him that he should be prepared for some amount of emotion to have settled there. Though the anguish he did see when their eyes finally met surprised him.

Oh, this wasn’t going to go over too well, he deemed, and was appreciative, though a tad amused, when Theo took a protective step towards him, obviously having witnessed the unusual look too.

Snape’s eyes lingered on the Nott boy too, ever brief as it was, then he was back to glowering at the entirety of the room. Harry listened half-heartedly to his rant on classes, teachers, as well as the rules and requirements that came along with being a part of the most hated Hogwarts House.

“Let it be known, that should you decide to isolate yourself from the rest of your housemates,” Those cold eyes swept towards Harry again, “That you will only greater the burden you have been shouldered with. Matters and debates that occur within Slytherin House stay within these walls. If I see any spectacles being made outside, within the castle or its ground, between any of you, then it shall be made known and dealt with in a way I see fit. Stick together. Do not let loose lips or certain loyalties jeopardise the way Slytherin has always been seen.” He paused, making sure the point hit home, then pivoted, “ Now, I will leave the rest of you in the hands of your Head girl and boy, if any matters arise, find me in my rooms before curfew. Mr Malfoy, Ms Parkinson, if you will.”

Malfoy, they let Malfoy play at being Head boy? Harry thought. Only- hang on, “What’s with the hierarchy- the positions?” Harry whispered to Theo under his breath. “Is Malfoy chief prat or something, did he do anything to earn the title?”

Theo, to Harry’s surprise and mirth, snorted at the ask, but before he could answer-

“Potter. Are we interrupting you?” Malfoy’s voice rang out through the common room, causing Harry to look up to find that Snape had since departed and left Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson to take up his place by the fire.

Harry raised a brow at the boy’s spitting tone, obviously Malfoy wasn’t too used to being interrupted. Probably liked the sound of his own voice an awful lot too.

“Only a tad. But sorry, do go on.”

Malfoy blinked and Harry felt every head in the room dart over to the left to witness the blond’s reaction to his retort. Fawley, who’d been perched beside Harry on an armchair, paused before his shoulders began to shake ever so slightly.

With a vicious smile, Malfoy’s gaze locked onto Harry. And oh, he didn’t look too pleased, did he? “Apologies, I’d forgotten The Chosen One was within our midsts. I can’t imagine, in all the time you’ve spent away, that you’ve ever had to learn the common courtesy of listening to your betters.”

Harry clucked his tongue and kicked an ankle out over the other, unhappy with that assumption. “On the contrary, I truly was taken with Professor Snape’s speech.” Alright, so maybe Malfoy was a little right there- but Snape could dwell on! “I make it a point to take the time to give ear to my elders. And The Chosen One, really? Is that what you all call me?” Harry casted his eyes about the surrounding crowd before they settled once again on the blond, “I mean, I’m flattered, Malfoy, truly I am. But there’s no need, Harry is perfectly fine for the time being.”

Shockingly, it was rather apparent that Malfoy’s scowl could deepen whilst his cheeks flushed an ugly red. Harry withheld the urge to hiss a wince at the awful colour.

Not just Fawley’s shoulders shook now, but it appeared that Theo and Zabini’s had rapidly followed.

“I bet you think you’re rather funny, Potter-”

“Awh, Draco! I thought we’d gotten past this, if it’s not The Chosen One, then Harry will do me just fine.”

Through gritted teeth, Malfoy struggled to seeth his next words, “Carry on playing the joker. But you will learn the dynamics that go on amongst the Slytherins, whether you like it or not.”

“I’ve no doubt I will, just in a way that I deem worthy.” Harry replied, levelling him with a look enough to rival the boy’s own, “Look, we’ve apparently gotten off on the wrong foot here, and I’ve quite taken to your mother, so I’ll let it slide this time and offer a hand of apologies for anything I’ve done that you might have taken offence to. But know that I don’t just stand here and jest because I think I’m better than any of you. Or because I survived some stupid curse years ago. It’s just who I am, and I don’t often let people get away with being so bold, but this is all new, right? And I’m a quick see. So I’ll try at playing nice with you until you finally understand that I’m not the person that you seem to think I am.”

A quiet stretched. Though, those were far too serious and unlikable in Harry’s opinion.

“Right then! So tell me, do we share rooms?” He started, clapping his hands once as he jumped up onto his feet, “What about beds, can I call the one nearest to the loo’s? I’m a frequent wee-er you see, lots of fluids! In one way, out the other, perfectly natural though! Isn’t that right-” His eyes dragged on over to a plump boy, who sat breathing heavily with his gob wide open on a sofa arm. The boy hardly startled in surprise but did leave his mind fully open. A bedwetter, oof. “Gregory!” Harry bellowed, “Wonderful name, very French- or, is it Greek?” He pondered on that for a moment, then waved his hand, “What’s it matter anyway, I know that the great Gregory here won’t mind, will you mate? I’m guessing you’re quite the heavy sleeper!”

The boy, Gregory, blinked then chanced a look towards the imposing blond- oh, so there definitely was a hierarchy here. Right. Good thing to note!

“See, wonderful! Lovely, bellissimo!” Harry grinned, spinning around on his heel to get a look at them all. Stars, he was definitely on one. All that sugar at dinner, he reckoned. Had to be.

Next thing he knew he was snapping his fingers over at one of the staircases, the very same that had housed the oldest lot of students back in Sal’s day- oo, yeah, best not to think of him right now, was doing all sorts of things to his head.

“Guessing that they’re this way, then? The rooms.” He tacked on, face expectant now in his sudden need to escape all their stares.

Even Theo, so used to all of Harry’s odd quirks was looking a little dazed by his sudden burst of energy, but still he moved across the common room to meet him by the foot of the staircase. “Yeah. Come on, luggage will already be up there.”

And as Harry let himself be subtly led away, he heard all the murmurs and whispers behind them, the scathing tone of Malfoy, and the abrupt laughter of a few others.

“I really cocked that up, didn’t I?” Harry said, baring his teeth in a grimace.

Theo snorted quietly, but didn’t say much in relation to the question. Instead he went, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Draco that red, in truth. He looked like he was about ready to implode.”

Harry’s gaze lingered on the dark wallpaper and wood furnishings that lined the walkway at the very top of the winding stairs, and hummed, feeling his pulse calm, “He’ll be fine.”

“You don’t know the Malfoy’s. He’ll have taken that as a slight against his entire family tree.” Theo retorted and jerked his head over towards a hefty looking door on the very end, hand already moving to grasp its handle. “This is the dorm, by the way. One of the seventh years’, anyhow.”

Harry nodded then followed the other boy inside, taking in everything the room had to offer them; four poster beds, all lined in a woody green and glittering silver; dressers and wardrobes; empty bookshelves; desks already topped with parchment and quills; a large dark and hollow looking window which peered out into the Black Lake; and another wooden door, which swung open into a tiled room.

His attention caught on the four trunks which sat at either end of the beds though, each of them of a different variety. He spotted his own easily enough, right on the very last bed, nearest to the door and on one side of the circular window.

The one next to it was a dark leathered chestnut colour, monogrammed with the letters TMN, it was grand but not flashy, not like the one which followed.

No, that was all money. But then again, the Zabini’s had enough of it to spare from what Harry had heard and the trunk could have only been his, seeing as it had his whole name embossed on the top corner in gold.

The last was a lot similar to Harry’s own though, classic, simple. It had no initials, nor a name which could give its owner away, but had a few dents and bruises on its sides from where it had been hauled around, so it obviously wasn't new. That alone made Harry wonder.

“The M, what’s it stand for?” He chose to ask Theo instead, gesturing towards the boy’s trunk. “Maverick? Malachi?” Harry threw himself back onto the bedspread his belongings had since claimed and sprawled out there, “Melanie?”

He felt more than saw Theo’s scowl. “Melanie?” He repeated.

Harry hummed, plumping his pillow before he laid back with his hands behind his head and a leg kicked over one knee. “So no to Melanie then?”

“No, idiot. It’s Mímir.” Theo informed as he made his way over to the trunk so that he could push it open.

“He who remembers…” Harry mumbled, staring up into the vast space above his bed as his thoughts warbled. Then he shot a glance over at the other boy, “Your family’s very into namesakes, aren't they? I mean, that followed after the Gift of God? You’ve got a lot to live up to.”

“No shit.” Theo huffed, shaking his head slightly as he started to pull books from his case, “But well, you’ve met my father.”

Harry had.

“Quite the man.”

Dark eyes raked their way over to him then, “Depends on who you’re asking.”

And didn’t that just add more questions onto the pile Harry had already configured. But he wouldn’t push, not yet anyway.

“Would seem so,” He hummed again, and before Theo could say anything else, Harry was sitting back up in another burst of energy. “Who’s on the very end then?”

Theo finally glanced away from him and over to the bed sitting on the opposing side of the dorm. “Asher’s.”

Harry blinked, “Fawley?” Theo nodded.

“Are you going to unpack?” He then asked huffily.

A quirk of his lips and Harry was swinging himself back onto the mattress, tugging Theo’s earlier gift from his robes. “In a bit, gonna soak the rest of this up first.”

All he received in turn was an indulgent eye roll before the other boy went back to the task he’d set himself, and Harry let his thoughts get lost in all the little details Theo had granted him with. Quite the genius, Theodore was, Harry couldn’t help but acknowledge as he stared down at the scrawling pages. Quite.

***

“I came as soon as I heard, my Lord.”

Everything drew inwards and he soon blinked.

He gave a low hum- no wait, the man gave a low hum? His gaze drawn towards the impending mountains which made up much of the outside surroundings. Inside though, it was dark. The room the man stood within was only illuminated by a singular candle sat at his side.

“My Lord, it’s the boy. He’s finally returned.”

“So Rabastan has told me. Do you bring me further proof?”

He didn’t spare the other man a glance, but there was something recognisable in his voice. If only the man would look away from the rolling hills!

“Photographs, my Lord. As well as a letter.”

The man’s interest piqued, he felt it. Turn then! Just look around! “A letter?”

“Yes, from my son.”

A small humoured laugh escaped the man. “And what does it entail?” He questioned, but it seemed as though the man already knew.

The other stuttered, then a flutter of pages was heard. “It’s all here, my Lord. But it just states that he appeared in the Hall, almost out of nowhere.”

Another chuckle. “Rabastan says it’s the same boy. The same we’ve been searching for.” He flicked his hand and a cup of dark liquid floated towards him in a teacup, he was careful as he took grip of it. But, he couldn’t taste it. “Though it would seem overeager to coin the phrase, ‘Two Birds, One Stone’, don’t you think?”

The other was quiet, and then, “I’m afraid you’ve lost me, my Lord.”

His face seemed to pull itself into an amused smile, though one ever so small. “You see, that is the thing with you Pureblood’s, always so set in your own ways.”

There seemed to be a silence that settled after the echoing of the man’s words.

“Can I ask over what you wish to do with the boy? My son deems that there is something wrong with him, that he is other. Strange, even.”

“You’ve met him, so you already knew that much.” The man was quick to reply, silencing the lesser. He took a slow sip from his teacup. “And no, you may not ask. I feel this no longer concerns you.”

“But- my Lord!”

The man’s eyes cut ever so sharply towards the gasped words uttered, “Do not question me, Lucius.” He turned his head slightly to one side, watching the now recognizable blond cower before him. “The boy will be left, for now. So go, celebrate. Harry Potter has finally returned to the Wizarding World…”

Lucius Malfoy looked to be about to speak once more, though even he knew a goodbye when it was all but screamed in his face. “Yes, my Lord. Until next time.”

The man hummed and once more turned back to his window, listening to the soft footfalls leave. He took another sip, fine china barely even touching his bottom lip.

There was a flash of lighting outside that struck in the next moment, enough to ricochet across the night’s sky and catch a glimpse of soulful eyes in the window’s glass. But the man didn’t recoil, nor react. Simply watched. Waited.

“And shrouded in a cloak of green too.” He murmured to himself into the wake of eerie calm that followed the flashing light.

***

“Harry.”

“Harry.”

“For Fate’s sake.”

“Potter!”

Harry shot upwards and blinked at the sudden onslaught of light that cascaded around the once empty room- only now, he realised, it wasn’t so empty anymore.

Zabini stood smirking in a floating mirror at the foot of his bed, fixing his tie, whilst Fawley hurried to tug on his school jumper and fix his rumpled robes.

Theo was still leaning over Harry, having been the one to wake him with a good thump to the side of the head, and raised an expectant brow when he finally caught Harry’s bleary gaze.

“I fell asleep.”

“You fell asleep.” Theo mimicked with an obvious eye roll. “You’re also going to be late.”

“Can’t have that! Not on your first day.” Harry heard Blaise call out and looked back over to see the other boy still grinning like a grindylow.

How long had he slept?

“Fourteen hours.” Theo answered him, somehow having read his thoughts. The boy rolled his eyes again before shoving an array of items into Harry’s hands, “You’re speaking out loud, idiot.”

“Oh.” Harry said stupidly, then felt himself grin. “Must’ve been knackered. Hardly slept a wink before I left for the train yesterday.”

The line between Theo’s eyebrows deepened at that whilst Harry shot upwards, noting the lingering traces of magic that clouded his bed frame. Theo, again, he recognised. He’d have to thank the boy for thinking of him and his safety in an unknown place. But just as that thought hit him did Harry startle at the reminder of the notebook he’d been reading the night before. Where had it gone?

Theo must’ve recognised what the look of horror dawning on his face meant because he plucked the dark book from his own trunk before handing it back over and started handing out instructions, “Go get dressed. First class is with Mcgonagall, she’s got a thing for tardiness.”

Harry sleepily felt himself wiggle his brows in response to that before he allowed himself to be pushed in the direction of the only other door the room held, “Alright, alright. I’m going! Gods, Theo, are you always this doting in the mornings?”

He rubbed his eyes upon entrance and blinked around the dark spots which formed when he opened them again, having heard the door fall swiftly shut behind him. He chuckled lightly.

The room looked a lot like the privy’s within Grimmauld, Harry noted after a moment, only this had multiple shower stalls instead of just the one and the toilet was hidden in the corner behind a show of wall.

Tired, he headed straight on over to the sink, getting a good look at himself in the mirror above them before wetting his face. In the corners of his mind, his dream still lingered; teacups, mountains, and Malfoy.

He shook his head and grabbed at the porcelain bowl. What was he doing, dreaming of Lucius Malfoy of all people? And just who was that man? And this Rabastan? It almost felt as though Harry himself had taken over another person’s body, only, he’d been restricted, his single ability was to see through the eyes of another, unable to move or feel the man’s thoughts.

It made no sense.

“Hurry up, breakfast ends in twenty!”

The door stopped rattling and Harry sighed before he threw himself into a stall. He was quick in getting ready after that, showering and changing into the robes Theo had shoved at him earlier, before combing his hair and spelling it dry, then brushing his teeth.

First day. Was it normal to feel so off kilter?

He pushed on back through the bathroom door and into the dorm, noting that both Zabini and Fawley had vanished, leaving only Theo, who was perched on the side of Harry’s bed.

“Merlin, you're worse than Pansy.” The boy said.

“Ha. Hilarious.” Harry forced a beaming smile, “And yet, you still waited. Oh how special I feel!”

Theo shrugged and then stood, “Couldn’t have you getting lost. Snape would kill me for letting you lose House points, not to mention Draco’s ire.”

Malfoy again.

The two of them headed for the door and down the staircase after Harry had grabbed his bag. “Where is everyone, anyway?”

“Great Hall. Usually they start serving at 6, because classes begin at half 7.” Theo answered, ignoring the lingering looks the remaining few Slytherin’s gave him as they swept out of the common room entrance.

Harry rubbed at his face again and groaned, “I got too comfortable being at Grimmauld.”

“Grimmauld? The Black estate?” Theo asked, and Harry sighed with a slight nod.

“It was the closest place listed in my-”

He stopped short and watched on as Theo flicked an odd expression his way. Harry guessed then that he could explain a little more than he already had, it was Theo afterall.

“My accessible estate.” He finished, looking ahead as they approached the castle’s main staircase, “My Godfather made me his Heir not long after I was born, I think. Or after my parents died- I don’t know, I’d have to ask.”

It was then that he noticed that the other boy had stopped, so Harry backtracked and frowned. Theo just blinked.

“What?”

Had he said too much? The founders never had managed to teach him much on Pureblood standings, they claimed an awful lot could change in so many years.

Then Harry was broken from his thoughts, with a surprised laugh of all things.

“What? What is it?” He fired out when Theo didn’t stop, growing concerned.

“No, it’s just-” The boy wheezed a tad, forcing Harry’s expression into the most curious of angles. Had he ever actually heard Theo laugh? “Draco reckons he’s the Heir. You know, ‘cause of Lady Narcissa.”

Harry stopped to think about it, then he too laughed. Quite taken with the image of the blond boy finding out differently.

“Honestly, if you ever do think it best to tell him. Please let me be there!” Theo all but begged as they began to walk once more, still chuckling away as they entered the hall. “Oh, and his face! It will be priceless.”

“What will be priceless?” Daphne Greengrass asked as both Harry and Theo dropped into their seats, the latter immediately going to take a coffee pot.

“Ignore them,” Zabini told her, rolling his eyes with a smirk, “They’ve been at it since they woke up.” Another girl, sitting beside him, shook her head.

But Daphne continued to stare, though it was Fawley that next spoke up, his usual drawl taking on a bit of awe, “But I don’t think I've ever heard Theo laugh!” He gaped, and the blonde haired girl nodded her head in a jerky agreement.

“Ever.” She added for emphasis.

And that shut Theo up again, annoying Harry even if he himself had had the same thought. Guess he was just smart enough to have kept his mouth closed though.

“Suppose we don’t all have Potter’s charm.” Malfoy snarked as he took his own seat at the top of the table, Pansy hanging off his arm. “What a shame.”

“Oh, don’t be jealous, Draco. I’m sure Theo loves you just as much as he always has!” Blaise smiled as he batted his eyes. Harry tried to withhold a smirk but failed when Theo said, “Which still sits at nothing.”

Daphne giggled, whilst Pansy shot Theo a scathing glance, “You grew up together, Nott. Show some loyalty.”

“And I suppose you know all about loyalty, Pansy.” Theo snapped back, but well, in a very Theo-esque fashion, which was hardly a snap and more a bored sigh.

The girl’s cold eyes narrowed but she turned to place her back to him, which Theo merely raised a brow to. Uncaring.

“Whatever will I do now?”

Fawley chuckled around a smug smile whilst Daphne sent a pleased little grin Theo’s way. Harry took a slice of toast and buttered it, noting how Asher used his left hand to pour some juice whilst his right toyed with the table’s edge. He glanced away when the boy saw him watching.

“The Lion’s are looking again.” A girl Harry didn’t recognise spoke up and followed the gaze of the surrounding Slytherins who were subtle in their attempts to seek out the watchers at the Gryffindor table. Which turned out to be most of them, but mainly the eldest lot.

“As if we hadn’t realised, Davis.” Malfoy curled his lip, acting as though he hadn't just snuck a glimpse.

The girl, Davis, most likely being one Tracey Davis, a half-blood Theo’s book had mentioned early on, gave the blond a false smile. “If only we all had as much stealth as you, Draco.”

Malfoy nodded, obviously not having sensed the sarcasm laced within the girl’s sentence whilst Harry’s roommates, Fawley and Zabini, went back to snickering again. Pleased, Harry shot the girl a quick smile. Something which seemed to surprise Tracey, but she was kind enough to give him one in return.

“They’re obsessed.” Daphne stated before picking up her teacup, a move Harry tracked subconsciously.

“Well, I heard that they believe Potter here was poisoned.” Blasie gossiped, “Potioned, or spelled with the imperius, to be more precise.”

Tracey scoffed, “You can’t be serious. Nothing can overpower the Sorting Hat.”

Malfoy rolled his eyes at her, “Did you not see the scene Potter caused yesterday?”

Draco spoke of him, Harry noted, but glossed over him as though he wasn’t actually sitting there. He fought the urge not to laugh.

“Yes, what was that, Harry?”

“Daphne, you can’t call him that!” Pansy quickly scolded, having turned in her seat at the utter of his name.

Daphne pulled a face, “Why, he’s not the enemy. Besides, he said we could call him Harry. Or was I mistaken?”

She directed that last bit towards him and Harry, with half a slice of toast already in his mouth, could only nod. The blonde girl grinned.

“See.”

Parkinson just scowled and went back to her bitter brew of coffee.

“Back to more important matters,” Blaise intoned, leaning in closer now, “What actually was that last night?”

Harry’s eyes widened upon seeing them all turn to stare at him, awaiting an answer. He swallowed quickly and thumbed his bottom lip. “Erm.”

Stars, how was he going to talk his way out of this one? He turned to Theo for help, but the traitor seemed to want to know as well, so he was no aid at all.

Harry shrugged a single shoulder, “I wasn’t cursed, just- The hat isn’t alive, you know. Only semi-sentient. There’s a big part that’s played in where you’re sorted, you can choose, although it's mainly down to the main attributes you show. Which is idiotic, in reality. I mean, we can’t all be sorted into four singular houses. Everyone is so incredibly unique, not one of us thinks alike, not each of us have had the same upbringings, the same experi-”

“Yeah, we get it, Potter. You can talk. But you don’t often do a lot of explaining.”

Harry blinked at Fawley and tried not to visibly deflate at having been caught out. “Right.”

“So?” Blaise pushed and Harry sighed.

“So, the hat and I got into a little disagreement.” Was all that he said then reached for the teapot.

“Oh come on, there has to be more to it than that!”

“Yes, did you not like what the hat chose?”

“He wouldn’t have heard. Would’ve had to have worked it out.” Fawley commented and Harry looked at him once more, more closely, there was much more to the boy than first met the eye. “Where did it want to put you then?”

Harry stared at the boy long and hard. At his ash blond hair, so different to everyone else’s around him. At his snub nose and cool eyes which held so much and so little emotion in them at the same time. He was complexing.

Harry still found himself answering though. “It didn’t.”

Fawley frowned, the movement ever so slight, but there. Enough for Harry to catch it when staring straight at him.

“How could it not have?”

“What do you mean?”

Neither question came from Fawley.

Harry smiled, “You’re Slytherins, work it out amongst yourselves.” Then he stood, Theo joining him a second later, “So, Transfiguration?”

Theo observed him for a moment then nodded, picking up his school bag to lead the way. It was just before the two of them got to the Great Hall’s oversized doors did Harry notice Fawley fall in beside them, though he didn’t say a word about it, merely let his gaze slide over the Gryffindor table at the few who watched him leave.

–

“Mr Potter, might I just say what a surprise it is to finally meet you.”

Harry smiled at the stern looking Scottish woman, who seemed to have the heart of two men beating inside her tiny body. “I can say the same, Professor, I have heard nothing but good things about your lessons.” That wasn’t a total lie, he’d heard some things. Just a lot of them were tired.

Mcgonagall pursed her lips as she dipped her chin at him, “I do hope you’re able to keep up, Mr Potter. I have word that you only took your O.W.L’s this summer, is that correct?”

“Yes, Professor.” Harry acknowledged easily enough, even after having been accosted at the entrance to the Transfiguration Classroom. Mcgonagall seemed to be having a hard time with his sudden appearance it seemed. Harry felt like telling her to deal with it how the rest of the world was currently doing so, at a distance or in her own time. Still.

“We have yet to receive your results, though we have indeed owled the Ministry.”

I bet Dumbledore did, Harry thought grimly, anything to get a smidge more information on him.

“In fact, Headmaster Dumbledore was hoping to have a word with you at some point today- it seems your presence was a shock even to him.” Mcgonagall mentioned, as though she could see the words written on his face as he thought them in his mind. He knew better than that though and tried not to grimace.

Instead he feigned a surprised smile and slight interest in meeting the Great Albus Dumbledore. “Oh, of course. I hope my attendance hasn’t sparked too many issues.”

Mcgonagall blinked and then hastily shook her head, “No, Mr Potter. Nothing of the sort. He just worries in his old age,” She smiled slightly, “You’ll rather like Albus, he loved your parents dearly and was so saddened when he learnt of- well. As were we all.”

Internally, Harry sighed.

“I appreciate it, Ms.”

She granted him a pitiful smile, as though that would cure all, and then finally allowed him inside her classroom. “Of course, Mr Potter. If you need anything.” She mentioned and Harry smiled as sweetly as he could.

“Thank you, Professor.”

When he made it into the free seat Theo had saved for him, he finally let go of the grimace he’d been holding onto. The other boy snorted.

“What, didn’t you enjoy your time spent with Mcgonagall?” He asked around a simpering smirk.

Harry gritted his teeth. “It was an experience.” He returned, then relayed their conversation, “Love rehashing my parents’ deaths and being pestered over exam results. Might even get the honour of meeting Old Dumbles today, too. Cross your fingers, won’t you, Theo?”

Theo choked on his next chuckle and was awarded a sharp look off the bushy haired girl seated in front of them, Harry noted her wandering gaze though and how it kept drifting towards them afterwards.

It seemed that Theo did too, seeing how his next words were very much whispered. “She tell you that?”

Harry nodded once and then widened his eyes in exaggeration, “He was mighty surprised to see me.”

Mcgonagall chose that moment to start her lesson, and it seemed as though they’d be practising the wand movement to a new spell this week.

“What are you going to do?” Theo asked him as Mcgonagall explained away the work behind the spell cast.

With a shrug, Harry found he really wasn’t too sure. But it was obvious that Theo had interpreted Harry’s dislike for the Headmaster quite early on. “I’ll work something out.”

Transfiguration dragged on once Harry found he’d already known the spell they were learning, proving it difficult to dampen his magic when he wanted to act as though he was struggling along with the rest of them. Always better to be underwhelming than other, kept people on their toes as Godric had often claimed.

Still, he managed it, much to Theo’s chargrain, who Harry had assumed had caught onto his dilemma soon after their first few tries. And it was just as they were leaving, the Nott Heir preparing to strike, that another attacker jumped out just before he could grasp the opportunity.

“Weasley.” Theo greeted cooly, with an expectant brow. Harry glanced between the pair. The redheaded boy, Weasley Harry assumed, wrinkled his nose at Theo then moved to open his mouth, though before he could utter a syllable, there was-

“Neville!” Weasley huffed in irritation at the gangly boy, who’d accidentally bumped into him, reared back.

The boy’s eyes widened as he drew himself even further away, “Sorry, Ron!” He stuttered out, gaze now darting between the three of them nervously, Harry grinned at the sight of red robes.

“Hi, I’m Harry.” He introduced himself, sticking out a hand and surprising the redhead when he wasn't the one on the receiving end of it.

Neville stared down at his hand as though it was an extra limb just acquired, before the Weasley boy, Ron, thumped his shoulder with his own. “Take it.” He all but hissed.

And the other boy quickly did, shaking in nerves that even Harry’s smile couldn’t seem to dim. “Neville Longbottom.” He managed to spit out before taking back claim of his hand, eyes still as wide as dinner plates.

“Longbottom. I think our parents knew each other rather well- Alice was my Godmother. Or so I’m told.” Harry let slip, hoping to ease the other boy’s anxiety, but all it really did was cause Ron to frown.

“What, Neville’s mum?” He questioned, as though that was the strangest thing he’d ever heard.

Harry looked towards him and nodded slowly, “They shared a room together at school.” He told them, “She helped in getting my mum and dad together.”

Ron’s face wrinkled at the thought, whilst Neville seemed to blink in surprise. “I- I hadn’t known that.” He admitted, looking rather sheepish now, so much so that Harry had to actually wave his worries away.

“No fret, neither did I ‘til this summer.”

“Oh, well that’s rather nice, I suppose-”

But Neville’s reply had been cut short. “Yeah, how’s that happen anyway, Harry? One day you were here, then you were gone. Now you’re back again!”

Harry took quick note of how brazenly the redhead used his name. “Erm,” He said, feeling a bout of whiplash at the sudden change in pace Ron had forced.

“Not really your place to ask that, is it Weasley?” Theo put in, saving Harry but only proving to irk Ron further.

“As opposed to you? You’re a Slytherin, mate. Harry here wouldn’t trust you as far as he could throw you.” Ron snorted right back, and although Theo was incredibly gifted at keeping each of his emotions carefully hidden behind a gargoyle guarded safe, Harry noted that the words had caused Theo to shift slightly in unease.

He was hurt. Which for some reason surprised Harry, when it really shouldn’t have.

“There’s no need for that. Theo was actually the first friend I made here, I honestly don’t know what I would have done without his help.” Harry immediately cut in, touching elbows with Theo just in case the boy didn’t take his sincerity to heart.

Ron didn’t seem too happy about it though, “Him, really?”

That seemed to force Neville out of his cautious quiet, showing just how much he belonged in the mighty Lion’s Den. “I think i-it’s nice, I’m glad you had t-that, H-Harry.”

Harry gifted the brunet an appreciative grin, one which was returned this time around, not bothered by the boy’s stutter in the least. “Thanks, Neville.”

“Well, of course, it’s nice!” Ron instantly backtracked, “But it would’ve been even sweeter if we’d met in the summer, Harry. I’ve got plenty of brothers back home, we could have used them to form our own Quidditch team in the garden! And mum and dad would have loved to have had you stay.”

Harry blinked, honestly startled by the exclaim, but smiled nonetheless in hopes it wouldn’t force him to actually speak.

“Harry doesn’t play Quidditch.” Theo finally spoke, enjoying the expression that crossed the redhead’s freckled face.

“What? No Quidditch?”

Harry shrugged, hating Theo for prolonging the conversation at that moment. “Yeah, we don’t play it back home.”

“But that- that’s- what??” Ron couldn’t quite fathom it.

“Yeah.” Harry repeated for a lack of anything else to say, thankfully Neville spoke up.

“I’m s-sure you had lots-s of other things to k-keep you busy, Harry.”

“I did!” Harry beamed, thinking back to days spent at the lake or investigating the forest, as well as going on trips with Salazar and being introduced to all kinds of people.

That was when the Heavens decided to grace him it seemed. “What are you boys still doing here? Longbottom, Weasley, the Greenhouses are on the other side of the school!” Mcgonagall stepped in, eyes wide in exasperation as she donned them all with a thin lipped frown. “Get going now and you might just be able to make it. And Mr Potter, Mr Nott, where are you supposed to be?”

“Potions, Professor.” Theo answered and received a stiff nod in turn, whilst Ron and Neville scampered to get to their own class.

“See to it that you get there quickly then please.”

“Yes, Ms.” They answered and were hasty in their exit, the pair of them sharing a bewildered smile as they rounded the next corner.