Chapter 4
Harry scanned the shelves for his school supplies, the other three looking around the bookshop as well with curiosity.
“Alright, so if you guys want, you can get any book that sounds interesting. I sent a letter to one of the professors at school to change one of my elective classes so I have to play catch up in the class since it’s runes and it's a pretty hard class. Also, there are some other things I need to get here as well. So, you guys have free range until I’m done.” Harry explained to the three, who nodded before splitting up.
Harry grabbed his schoolbooks, tossing them into a basket he grabbed on the way in as he walked around the shelves, searching to see if he could find something interesting to read.
Harry knew he would have to head to Knockturn later if he wanted to find anything on parseltongue spells or anything similar to the sort. He also kinda wanted to find something that would be fun to learn when going out killing.
A small grin appeared on his face as he took the book on defense and attack spells off the shelf, glancing through it before putting it into the basket.
Harry could see that Toby was searching through the magical creature section, holding several books, most with pictures and lots of them, as he searched for more. Harry snorted, heading over to the ticking boy as some dropped from his hands due to a nasty tick causing his arm to jerk harshly. He caught them, tossing them into the basket as he took the rest from Toby. “I’ll let you take care of magical creatures when we get home okay? It tries to eat people.” Harry told him, making the ticking killer grin in glee.
“That s-sounds awesome!” Toby told him, making Harry snort.
“That thing is mean. I swear I should use it as a guard dog for my room sometimes to keep everyone out of my room. Then again I don’t want it to hurt Sally. “ Harry told him with a light sigh. Toby snorted, going back to looking at books as Harry left him be.
Harry could see Brian, in public at least, looking at a Wizarding History book, flipping through it and raising an eyebrow at a few of the things. Harry shook his head with a smile, going over to the silent Proxy. “What is making you show so much emotion?” Harry asked, grinning slightly as Brian sent him a look, pointing to a paragraph in the book.
“Oh yeah, that. Yes, we’ve had who knows how many goblin rebellions now. Most are actually wizards’ fault if you actually look into it. Also, if you look you could probably find stuff on World War 2 because we had a war of our own and they were connected.” Harry told him, making Brian blink before looking for some books on WW2. Harry shook his head with a smile as he went to check on Masky, or currently, Tim.
Harry ended up seeing Tim walk to an aisle, seeing him stop and stare at the books with alarm. He quickly walked over before noticing that he had found the ‘Harry Potter’ section. “Uhm…?” Tim trailed off, looking at the books before back at Harry.
“I think Mr. D’mann mentioned it to everyone but I am technically famous in the wizarding world because the killing curse that hit me as a child backfired and hit him instead. So now everyone writes books about me and idolizes me for my parents’ death pretty much.” Harry ended with a bitter tone. Tim seemed to notice that his mood had turned sour, taking the basket from Harry before dragging him over to Brian.
“Take this. We’ll be back in a few minutes.” Tim told Brian, who nodded as Harry blinked as he was dragged out of the book store and down the road.
“Tim, where are you taking me?” Harry asked, confused as Tim stopped between two stores, they being somewhat in a random empty alley and isolated from the rest of the street.
“Talk. You’ve been tense since the bank and I know the stress is starting to get to you, trust me. I know we aren’t really that close but I would rather you not do something stupid because you’re holding everything in.“ Tim told him, crossing his arms as he led against the wall, staring Harry down.
Harry sighed softly, leaning against the opposite wall, moving his hair out of his eyes. “Well, I guess just the amount of things that bastard Dumbledore had blocked, it’s a bit of a shock, but at the same time, it really isn’t. He’s always acted like I am the only one to be able to kill Voldemort, yet I have gotten zero training or anything else outside of school. It’s honestly stupid. I had already started to feel like the man had been trying to set me up to die against the man after the year before last with the basilisk. I mean, wouldn’t it make sense to train me then? If I really was the one to be able to beat him? When we saw everything that he had blocked, I guess everything really just crashed down on me. He really wanted me to die as a sacrificial lamb to that snake bastard. I honestly wish I could go and kill him for it but I know I couldn’t right now. Doesn’t make me stop wanting to though.” Harry explained with a bitter tone, ending off with a small growl as he clenched his fist in anger.
Harry hated how weak Dumbledore had made him, all because of what? To kill Harry? Had the Potter’s done something that caused the man to want to kill them off? Why let Harry be so famous? Did he want Harry as some form of sheep to follow him around until he decided to kill him off? He didn’t know or understand it.
Tim stared at him before setting a hand on his shoulder, making Harry look at him, slight angry tears had started to form in the young teen’s eyes. “Well, I guess it’s a good thing Mr. D’mann got to you then. Now you got the whole house to help you out, prepare you and help you take both bastards out.” Tim told him, giving him a small reassuring smile.
Harry couldn’t help but smile back, nodding lightly. “Yeah true.” He replied.
Suddenly a voice erupted from behind them. “Harry!” Making the two of them jump in alarm before Tim pulled him into the alleyway.
“Just play along okay?” Tim whispered.
Before Harry could truly ask what he meant, Tim had him pinned against the wall, their faces so close together that if he moved at all they would be kissing.
Harry couldn’t help the bright blush that erupted onto his face at this, he is turned away so that their faces were technically not able to be seen from the street, but the position that they were in would be seen as something extremely inappropriate if you walked by it. Harry could see Ron and Hermione slightly past Tim’s head, his face was completely hidden from their view. He could see the two of them blush before Hermione had dragged off Ron to who knows where.
A few minutes later, Tim let go of Harry, having a light blush on his face as well. “Sorry about that. It was all I could think of to get them to not try to chase us on such short notice. Did I make you uncomfortable?” Tim asked him, to which Harry shook his head as he rubbed his face in an attempt to rid himself of his own blush. All he could think about was how close they had been. How close they had been to kissing. Harry hadn’t ever kissed anyone and he wasn’t sure how he felt about his first kiss having almost been taken just like that.
“No, just embarrassed by the position mostly. I thought you were going to kiss me honestly and I don’t know how to feel about my first kiss getting taken like that.” Harry confessed to the older killer as the two of them left the alleyway, heading back to the shop to meet up with the other two again.
“Seriously?” Tim asked, looking at him surprised. “I’m kinda shocked. You’re honestly good looking. I mean, for your age. Just- Argh.” Tim groaned, flushing in shame as he buried his head into his hands, Harry just hitting another shade redder at the compliment.
“Thanks?” Harry replied unsurely, both of them jumping in surprise as they heard laughter, turning to see Toby being the one laughing at them while Brian had a mischievous grin on his face.
“D-Damn! We l-leave you two alone for ten m-minutes and you go off to s-steal the kid’s first kiss? What t-the fuck T-Tim you’re like f-forty!” Toby laughed out, clutching his stomach as Tim glared at him fiercely.
“Shut the hell up Toby I am not! I’m only 23! And it was the only thing I could think of doing at the time and it’s not like I actually did kiss him you perv!” Tim growled out at the ticking killer, who only laughed harder while Hoodie chuckled, handing Harry his bag with the books they had purchased with some money they had gotten from Harry’s vault inside.
Harry couldn’t help but laugh as he saw Tim start to chase Toby, trying to strangle the younger proxy. He knew that moments like these were something he had to look forward to with being a member of the Slenderman household.
He honestly looked forward to it.