[HP] Comparative

In addition to Hermione, there was finally a second student who expressed his belief in him.It was Tom again, and Harry's mood brightened a lot, and he found himself caring less about the reactions of others.After a few days, Harry noticed again that there were fewer people pointing at him on the road.Finally, under Hermione's persuasion, Ron awkwardly apologized to him.

Apparently, Tom's public opinion wasn't just useful among Slytherins.Harry was a little surprised when he first realized this, but soon decided that it was his own inconsideration—isn't it a matter of course that Tom's unrivaled status among the students can influence many people?

Have to say, it made Harry's life a lot easier.He wanted to thank Tom in person for this, but Tom was not an easy encounter.Their grades are different, their schedules are different, and their free time arrangements are also very different.

Of course, the library is a good place to sit and wait, but there are already enough girls sitting there.Harry thought it was too weird for him to join them, so he gave up on it.

Besides, Tom was not alone when they happened to meet on the road.The very thought of talking to Tom in front of the older Slytherin boys horrified him—

Avery and Lestrange barely concealed their hostility and disgust towards Slughorn in front of Slughorn. If they felt that he was deliberately getting close to Tom, they didn't know what would happen behind the scenes... Besides, James and Sirius would be very angry if he got involved with those extreme pure-bloods...

Harry observed quietly for two weeks, and found that Tom's course schedule was very full, he stayed in the library regularly at night, and he usually had to take on the duties of a prefect, so he had almost no free time to use.On weekends, the tall boy still spends most of his time in the library, occasionally helping the professors.

This kind of studious made Harry feel ashamed.The more certain he was about his impulsiveness on the Hogwarts Express, the more he wanted to talk to Tom.He had thought out the thank you part: Lily, James, and Sirius had sent him a lot of things, from protective gear to snacks, after knowing he was going to the competition; he guessed that Tom might not accept expensive items, But the other party should like those magic books.

At the beginning of mid-November, Harry finally got his chance.During an interval between herbal medicine classes, he heard Professor Sprout and Neville talking about their upcoming classes.Fourth grade is Hopping Bulbs, and fifth grade is called Biting Vine.Neville volunteered to be Professor Sprout's assistant, but she shook her head and said no.

"Tom has long said that he can help cultivate those plants, as long as I ask." Speaking of Tom, Professor Sprout's smile is full of love, and his reaction is exactly the same as that of Professor Slughorn, "No one who has taught He also does things quickly and well! I have never seen a better student than him!"

Tom was only available on weekends, and the senior Slytherins certainly wouldn't follow him to the conservatory.So, at dawn on Saturday, Harry got up, dressed, and walked out of the castle.

According to Harry's original plan, he could look out from the window of Hagrid's hut, and when he saw Tom appear, he would wait outside the conservatory and have some breakfast at Hagrid's by the way.However, Hagrid was not there, so he had to give up his original plan and hide in the open pumpkin patch instead.

Harry wasn't so lucky.All morning the students had come and gone, and he hadn't seen Tom inside.He was so hungry that he could be described as a whirlwind lunch, with Ron and Hermione staring at him.

"What did you do this morning?" Hermione wondered, "Ron said he hasn't seen you since he got up?"

Harry barely swallowed the large piece of pie he had just bitten into. "I went to see Hagrid," he said vaguely.

"Really?" Hermione wondered even more. "Is Hagrid there? I didn't see any movement from the chimney of his cottage from the tower. Besides, why didn't you ask us to go together?"

Harry knew she was not easy to fool. "I have something to ask him," he continued to evade, "personal matters." Before he finished speaking, he grabbed two stacks of bread and ran away without wiping his mouth.

The two people left behind looked at each other.After a long time, Ron asked in confusion, "Personal business? What personal business does he have?"

Hermione was still frowning at the direction Harry was running away from. "If I have to say it, there is only the Triwizard Tournament. But if I'm not mistaken, the content of the first round of the competition has not yet been announced, and everyone still doesn't know it. Taking a step back, even if it is the content of the competition, Harry is completely You can tell us!"

Hearing the game, Ron's expression changed. "Maybe Harry hasn't forgiven me yet," he began to grow sullen, "he doesn't think I'm worthy of trust, after all, even Riddle believes..."

"Stop talking nonsense, Ron," interrupted Hermione firmly. "Harry's not that kind of guy. He must have something else. We'll ask him tonight."

As for Harry, he scuttled back to the pumpkin patch and took the seat he had chosen that morning.It wasn't that he was trying to hide it from Ron and Hermione, it was just that a voice in his head warned him that if he really wanted Tom to accept his thanks, he must not spread it around.If he did that, he would never be able to be friends with Tom again...

Harry wolfed down the bread that had been brought out, then poked his head halfway over the edge of a pumpkin the size of a wheel.Seeing that no one had come out of the castle, his heart started beating again.When exactly did Tom make an appointment with Professor Sprout?It should be this weekend, right?If it was next week or even the next week, where would he have time to do his homework if he stayed in the field all the time?Or should he hurry up and finish in the evening...

The weather has turned cold, the wind is howling, and the heat brought by lunch dissipates in a short time.Harry's hands and feet were cold, and he had to sneak to the back of the cabin now and then to move around.When he turned out from the back of the house for the third time, he saw someone climbing the slope between the greenhouse and the gate of the castle from a distance.The man was tall and thin, his robe fluttered in the wind, and his silver and green tie fluttered along with it.

It's Tom!

Harry forgot about the cold for a moment.He shook off his still stiff legs and started to run in big strides.Originally, he would call to stop the other party when he wanted to be close, but after running a few steps, the tall boy stopped and turned his head in his direction.When Harry rushed down the slope, panting, the other party had already gone down a few stone steps, looking down at him. "Harry? What are you doing outside the castle by yourself?"

"I..." Harry was out of breath, with his hands on his knees, unable to straighten his waist for a while, and only the boy's legs and the hem of his robe were in sight. "wait……"

"Don't worry," a voice came from above his head, and then something fell lightly on his back, "Take a deep breath—"

Harry didn't know what spell Tom had used, because he had just said "Take a deep breath" and a gentle force ran across his lungs, and he was suddenly able to catch his breath. "Thank you," he looked up, and just happened to meet those dark eyes full of concern, and his heart skipped a beat, "Tom."

The boy whose name was called gave Harry a soft smile. "Better?" he said, pulling his hand away.

Harry nodded, feeling the lingering touch of that hand on his back quickly drain away in the cold wind. "I'm waiting for you," he said quickly, almost subconsciously, "I have something to tell you."

Tom blinked. "Wait for me?" He seemed a little surprised, and then laughed again, "I didn't say that, your lines seem to have never changed."

Harry blinked then, remembering the scene on the Hogwarts Express - because of this rather ambiguous statement, he was regarded by Tom as one of the suitors. "No...no," he couldn't help but stammered, feeling his cheeks burn at the same time, "I want to say, you've done me a great favor, and I want to thank you."

"'A big favor'?" repeated Tom, guessing the answer almost instantly. "Are you talking about the badge?"

Harry nodded vigorously immediately, and said before the other party made a statement: "I know you think it's a little effort, and I've already said thank you. But this matter is very important to me—" He raised his head and watched The handsome face of the tall boy, "Almost no one believes my words, but you do."

Tom seemed overwhelmed by what Harry had said.His eyes wandered over Harry's face, as if trying to find the slightest hint of a joke.After a long while, he said, "I see what you mean. But in case you haven't noticed, I must remind you - when I say 'I can tell who is lying and who is telling the truth', it Take it literally."

"I know that!" said Harry quickly.He had heard it said long ago that no one wanted to lie to Tom because those people would regret their foolishness afterwards. "But it's still very important to me!" He tried to open his eyes wide, trying to make the other party notice his sincerity.

The dark-haired, dark-eyed boy stared steadily at Harry.After a while, he asked softly, "Are you waiting here just to thank you again?"

Harry guessed that the other party should have accepted his statement. "More than that," he said, frantically pulling out the cloth bag he had prepared earlier, and handing it forward, "I want to give these to you."

Tom lowered his gaze, but didn't reach out to take it. "What's inside?" He asked softly, his tone not discerning emotion or anger.

"It's some books, mainly about spells and herbs." Harry further explained, a little embarrassed, "My parents and godfather knew that I was going to participate in the Triwizard Tournament, so they sent a lot of books...but I didn't have time to read them at all. Guess it to you to make the best use of everything."

"It's not a question of whether you have time to read it." Tom began to shake his head when he heard "Papa, Mom and Godfather." "

"But I didn't sign up!" Harry couldn't help arguing.I don't know why, seeing Tom really intending to refuse, a sense of grievance suddenly rushed into his heart. "I'm not saying I don't want to participate, but I'm just thinking about it. Now I have become a warrior for no reason, and I don't know what I should do..."

Harry became more and more sad as he spoke, his voice lowered, and his head dropped.Suddenly, he lightened his hand.He looked up suddenly, and saw the tall boy smiling at him with the cloth bag in his hands.

"I guess you can lend me these books," Tom's tone suddenly became brisk, "I can help you see what useful knowledge is in it."

Harry's eyes widened for a moment. "Wait," he panicked, instinctively wanting to take back the bag, "I didn't mean to ask you to help...you've already helped me a lot!"

Tom moved sideways nimbly, avoiding Harry's outstretched hand, and the bag disappeared under Harry's stare. "That's it." He said the final conclusion lightly, "I think I can see them before the first project takes place, and I will find you then. See you later, Harry!"

After finishing speaking, he simply left, leaving Harry to stare at the back of the retreating figure.After a long while, he belatedly pressed his chest, trying to suppress the untimely accelerated heartbeat.

Late that night, in the Slytherin common room.

As soon as Tom entered the door, all the boys lying or sitting in the circle saw him. "Boss!" Lestrange stood up first, with excitement in his tone.

The others followed suit, watching the tall boy take his usual place among them.Then, Nott noticed the cloth bag that Tom left behind. "What did you bring back, boss?" he asked curiously.

Tom glanced over and remained calm. "Potter's return."

There was a moment of silence in the common room.After three seconds, everyone laughed wildly.

"Really?" Avery said in disbelief. "Potter's dead set on believing you're on his side, huh?"

Wilkes smacked his thigh feigningly. "What are you talking about? Can't even Potter fool the boss?"

"That's right!" Lestrange slapped the table, almost laughing out of tears, "Return, Merlin... I can laugh about this for a whole year! He is more deceitful than I imagined!"

Among the people who were staggering with laughter, only Tom sat still. "I remember Potter used to be a pure-blood family."

"Yes, they used to be." Rozier, the youngest of the boys waiting for Tom to return, immediately took up the conversation eagerly, "but they were expelled from the pure-bloods more than 70 years ago... Bo The Te family are all Mudblood lovers!" he said in disgust.

"Yes," Avery added, "Pure-Blood Directory, Potter isn't in it—" He spat at the side, "They're even more unworthy now!"

Lily Potter being a Muggle-born wizard was absolutely intolerable in their eyes.

"Speaking of the "Pure-Blood List", why didn't those scumbags be kicked out back then?" Republish it?"

Everyone was buzzing in support, and Tom noticed something else. "Can you find the manuscript, Theodore?"

"Of course, this book was published anonymously by my ancestors." Nott puffed out his chest proudly. "Do you want to read it, boss? I can ask my dad to send it over!"

Tom nodded at him. "The sooner the better."

Nott responded, and Lestrange turned the subject back. "What are you going to do with this, Boss?" He pointed at the cloth bag with one hand and pinched his nose with the other. "Throw it in the trash can? After all, I already smell the smell of Mudblood..."

Everyone roared with laughter, and everyone followed suit.

Tom replied calmly: "I have no such intention at the moment."

Like a drop of cold water falling into hot oil, the common room exploded. "What do you mean by that, sir?" Lestrange asked, confused and unconvinced.

The others stared at Tom wonderingly too, but the handsome boy was not at all impressed. "Just like I told you before, I can use him for something."

Several people looked at each other in blank dismay.Then, Wilkes carefully made a hypothesis that they had been guessing in private for a long time: "You actually threw Potter's name into the cup, boss?" If not, how to explain their boss's sudden enthusiasm Help out, is the opponent still a half-blood wizard?

Tom looked at the boys around him one by one, and "it must be so" was written on every face. "It wasn't me," he smiled resolutely, satisfied with their confused or skeptical responses, "but I know who did it."

The author has something to say:

This chapter corresponds to the previous foreshadowing, and no one has discovered it by visual inspection~

And, Pure-Blood Directory, Sacred Twenty-Eight, from pottermore.

Thanks to the little angels who voted for me or irrigated the nutrient solution~

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