[HP] Similar but different

The thrill was so great that Harry had no idea how he got to the Great Hall.He didn't notice the food was on the table, until Hermione pushed him wonderingly: "Why is... why is your face so red, Harry?"

Harry snapped back to his senses, the noisy voices and the clashing of knives and forks seemed to have just entered his ears.He looked at Hermione again and found that she was watching him with concern. "Accidentally scratched it," he mumbled, determined to rot the last scene in his heart.

Ron had already started to deal with the black pepper veal steak on his plate. Hearing this, he looked up: "So, what's the result? Can we make the team selection on time?"

Hearing this, Hermione immediately slapped Ron's arm with the book, apparently annoyed that he didn't care about Harry enough.Ron murmured disapprovingly, like "It would be worse if Quidditch was ruined too".

Harry was very grateful to Hermione for his protection, and he also understood Ron's thoughts. "Should be all right, I suppose," he replied curtly.

"You arrived at the auditorium not much later than us," Ron was suspicious, still chewing on the beef, "is he so talkative?"

Harry didn't want to mention what had happened just now, but he was sure that Hermione would start to get to the bottom of it soon. "You reminded me," he stood up immediately, casually grabbing a stack of bread slices, "I forgot to change my clothes—see you later!"

The two friends looked at each other at the table. "Harry, that's..." Ron swallowed his food with difficulty, "Did you run away? Isn't the excuse of changing clothes too lame?"

Hermione gave the gravy on his lips a distasteful look, very annoyed. "I think so."

Noticing her gaze, Ron quickly wiped it with a handkerchief. "But didn't Harry say that he agreed?" He was very puzzled, "Did something else happen?"

"Obviously." Hermione continued to be angry. "'See you later?' Look, I bet he won't show up tonight!"

Harry did intend to avoid the night for now.He knew Hermione would be suspicious, but he couldn't do anything better.He hasn't accepted the fact yet. If he is interrogated, he will definitely reveal his truth within a few sentences... How should he explain it?He thought he could know Voldemort's plan when he met Voldemort, so he kissed the Dark Lord by mistake?

Just thinking about it made Harry want to hit the wall.

Of course, Voldemort let him go immediately.He felt that the Dark Lord was probably scared away, because the Dark Lord even forgot to cast a jinx on him before he left.As for him, he turned the corner and went downstairs like a sleepwalker, replaying that embarrassing scene over and over in his mind uncontrollably.

No no, that wasn't a kiss, it was just an accident... that was an accident... a simple accident, nothing else...

Harry said desperately to himself.When he was finally able to calm down, he found himself climbing onto the Astronomy Tower unknowingly.At the beginning of September, the night wind was not too cool, and it was light and comfortable on the face, and it also cleared up his confused thoughts.

That's right, don't take it too seriously, just deal with it according to the standard of handling accidents.He might be able to tell Voldemort that he accidentally inhaled a little mushroom poisonous mist during herbalism class, so he didn't know what he was doing?The reason doesn't need to be convincing, after all, Voldemort certainly doesn't want to go into it.And, to be honest, it was worth seeing the surprise on the Dark Lord's usually calm face...

Harry tried to laugh, but found he couldn't at all.Because he knew from the bottom of his heart that he was still subconsciously avoiding the most critical part of this oolong.It's not about how he makes it; the point is that, after making it, he defines it as an awkward accident.

This discovery was what really scared Harry.He still remembered feeling dirty and unworthy of being around other untainted, innocent people when he first discovered that Voldemort might be part of his head.Putting today's matter before, he might have a worse reaction, but not now.

What does this mean?

Harry couldn't help thinking about the end of fifth year.Voldemort declared the Death Eater's escape a signal for war, and he nearly wept in despair.Let alone Voldemort tricked him once more, but why should he despair?There was hope without despair, so what hope did he have for Voldemort - what dangerous feelings were growing that he didn't even realize?

Now, Harry had to face his true heart.Although he had decided for the past year that it would be difficult for him to trust Voldemort any more, in fact, his hope for Voldemort's conversion had never been extinguished.Of course, his determination to stop Voldemort from doing evil has never wavered.

Harry raised his hand, spread his fingers in front of him, and subconsciously touched his lips.He has done nothing wrong; no matter what he will face, he will go on firmly.

**

When Voldemort returned to his shelter, his shock was still lingering.Of course he wouldn't admit that the great Dark Lord had been defeated by a small, utterly idiotic physical touch from the Savior; but he realized then that he didn't resent it.

What the hell... he thought angrily.Wrong time, wrong place, wrong person, the boy even stinks - he swore Harry must have been fertilizing the green-spotted amanita - and yet he doesn't resent it?It's unbelievable that all he did was leave!

Absolutely wrong, messed up... Harry probably thought he was being scared away, that was unbearable...

Thinking of those stunned emerald eyes, Voldemort got angry.He tried to get rid of the image with something else, but the first thing that popped into his mind was the same pair of eyes, still glowing with water... He became more and more annoyed to find that a certain part of his body was touched more deeply up.

Just then, the portrait lazily returned to the frame. "Ah, you're here too." After he greeted him, he realized the man's darkened face, and he couldn't help raising his eyebrows: "What happened? Your expression is as ugly as if you swallowed a toad alive."

Voldemort remained sullen.Even to himself, he couldn't speak.No one has ever been so close to him in his life, and it turned out to be broken in the hands of the savior...

"I guess, or the savior?" The portrait asked again, but there was no doubt in his tone.

Voldemort snorted loudly. "The savior who only does stupid things."

"I thought we had already agreed on this point." Portrait quite agreed.His eyebrows returned to their original position, and at the same time he looked at Voldemort, "How was the class today?"

"Same as usual, a bunch of little kids who don't know anything." Voldemort waved his hand like a fly. "More annoying than I expected."

The portrait couldn't help laughing teasingly. "It means that Dumbledore taught well, doesn't it?" He said sarcastically, "Isn't that exactly what he wanted?"

Voldemort was in no mood to discuss Dumbledore's teaching achievements at the moment. "Where did you just come from?" he asked the portrait instead.

"Oh, the Ministry of Magic." The portrait's expression became more serious. "Barty is very popular with his superiors—in fact, I heard that Thinknes praise him for his talent today."

Voldemort let out a satisfied grunt. "Very well," he said, finally sitting down in the high-back chair, "probably only Barty will never disappoint me."

The portrait nodded in agreement. "Barty really never needs to worry about doing things. In addition, I went to several other places today, and everything is normal."

Voldemort would love to hear that.He thought about it again, and asked, "Draco told me today that someone taught him Occlumency...I don't think Lucius is the type to think about that."

The portrait blinks with mild interest.He left the frame and reappeared a moment later with the answer: "It's Bella."

"It's a useful thing, at least to ensure that someone can't steal the news from Draco's head." Voldemort mused, "Tell her for me that Voldemort appreciates her work."

The portrait nodded again.This time he was away longer. "Bella said she wanted you to give her the honor of kissing your robe," he relayed when he returned. "Plus, both she and Lucius want to know if there's anything else you need them to do."

"I don't doubt Bella," Voldemort tapped lightly on the wooden handrail, "but Lucius... are you sure he doesn't want to find something for Wormtail to do? Has he been annoyed by Wormtail for a long time?"

Unlike the escaped Death Eaters, Pettigrew spent most of his time at Malfoy's house.

"That's really interesting, after all, they are the same kind of people." Portrait commented ironically, and then added in the same nonchalant tone, "Wormtail is cornered, and I have reason to believe that he is more reliable than Lucius—" —if one had to choose between the two."

"Wormtail and the silver hand I gave him," Voldemort stated deadpan. "It will make sure he doesn't betray him again. As for Lucius, he really has only one choice."

Needless to say the deeper words later, they both know it well.After a short while of silence, the portrait turned the topic back to the original one: "Has the savior agreed to the Occlumency?"

"He has no room to refuse." Voldemort sneered.

"Does he know why you did this?" the portrait asked again. "Of course you won't tell him, but maybe he will guess?"

Thinking of the face that was clearly planning something but pretending to be nothing, Voldemort's sneer was filled with unhappiness. "He probably already guessed."

The portrait nodded knowingly, as if he already understood where Voldemort's bad face came from. "Just ask when you need my help," he said. "You know I can't say no to your request."

Voldemort said nothing immediately.Harry's willingness to take the plunge once he figured out that physical contact would get the information he wanted was proven; if you wanted to supervise Harry's Occlumency skills without exposing himself, portraits were a good choice.He had indeed thought about it; but after today, he reckoned Harry wouldn't even dare to come within three feet of him. "Not for now," he said thoughtfully, "I won't be polite when that day really comes."

After getting the answer, the portrait fell silent.Voldemort sat there, still thinking—

Longevity and strength, the two things he longed for the most in his life.Longevity has been proven to be out of reach; the next best thing is that he can no longer give up the pursuit of power.The prophecy is indeed unbelievable - think about the fate of Grindelwald who is a seer (seeer) - but the result of Harry's joint efforts with him is there, he must try.

After all, nothing could be more difficult or painful than the past year, right?

The author has something to say:

Note: Grindelwald is a seer, a supplementary setting from JKR's "Where are the Fantastic Beasts".

Also, after reading this chapter, look at the title of the article ╮(￣▽￣")╭

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