Harriet Potter

"You probably think I'm cheating?"

"Yeah, you didn't do it by yourself, did you?"

"She just played it differently than we did, and could have gotten into trouble, didn't she? She took a risk, so she got paid for—"

"Wait." I turned to look angrily at the guy who had intervened between me, Ron, and Hermione, and Ginny Weasley stared back without flinching, a little panicked and angry. "Did I hear you right, Harry? You've been following instructions written in a book?"

"It's nothing," I knew exactly what she was thinking. "You know, it's not like Riddle's diary. It's just an old textbook that someone scribbled on."

"But you did what it says?"

"I just tried a few tips written in the margins in the book, and to be honest, Ginny, there's nothing weird—"

I lowered my voice to try to reassure her, but Ginny remained distrustful.It's kind of weird in a way, because Ginny has never argued with me before, and in fact she'll usually blush and run away, or drop her hand, a few feet from the boundaries of my personal space. anything.Changes have been going on for a while, but I think the real shift came this summer, or rather after the Ministry battle three months ago.

She's probably finally realizing that there's nothing to admire about a loser who's hotheaded to run into obvious traps, nearly kill all her friends, and actually succeed in killing the very person she's trying to rescue.I thought sharply.

"Ginny has a point," Hermione snapped, "we should check it out for anything wrong. I mean, who knows what's going on with all those weird instructions?"

I rolled my eyes and handed over the old book before she reached for my schoolbag, determined not to forgive me for winning Felicia from the notes in it in the first Potions class this term. Thing is, someone negates the textbook, that person does a better job and I get Slughorn's "Potions Genius" praise instead of her, those three things come together and there's no way anyone can stop Hermione .

Of course, the textbook was - the textbook, and it didn't jump up and bite Hermione or do a few backflips after the flash of the spell.In short, apart from the original owner being astoundingly smart and a "Half-Blood Prince" signature, there is nothing surprising to discover.I put it away without a word, Ron made fun of Hermione's over-cautiousness, and after a while she swung the bag over her shoulder again and stormed off to the library, a booklet followed She made too much of a movement and was thrown out of the bulging bag and landed at my feet.

"You shouldn't have helped me," Ron looked at with a bewildered look that was so familiar to me that it hurt me, and before he could say anything, I said, "You know, her worries are justified. You should stand her side."

"I just think she's so nervous! I mean, how could Slughorn give us something with dark magic? He's a professor after all, isn't he?" Ron argued. "She must know that too." It's just an old textbook. And we fight over it every day, and she's never really mad."

"That's not..." I got stuck, and lowered my head to pick up what Hermione dropped, "That's different."

Ron and Hermione have been flirting unconsciously in their unique way of arguing, but that's not when she's worried about my safety and we're both against her, or when I've just been in what she does best. After defeating her in one aspect.I've learned that Ron can't be expected to understand this, and most of the time he doesn't even realize that we're actually unrelated and very close boys and girls, to him I used to be buddies and now I'm buddies plus Sister, doubt him and me like you doubt him and Ginny or Fred.

"Anyway, you - oh, thank you." I took the note from the tall boy next to me, and although I recognized Snape's long, sharp black handwriting immediately, I was grateful that it made me Avoid the embarrassment of trying to change the subject.

"What's going on?" Ron leaned over my shoulder. "Wow, Harry. What a weekend you've had."

No, Occlumency on Friday night, and Dumbledore's teaching on Saturday night, is really exciting.I was somewhat surprised that Snape set the first lesson so early. Given that Dumbledore's news was delivered to me yesterday, I couldn't help but wonder if he deliberately prompted Snape to set the time at before his course.

"Anything else?" Ron asked somewhere behind me.

I put away the note and found that the boy was still there, not too far away, obviously waiting for something.He's a Hufflepuff, with the most brilliant blond hair I've ever seen and those intense, dark brown eyes that look kind of familiar.

"Hello, Harriet." He nodded at me, a little embarrassed by Ron's unfriendly gaze, "You may not remember, I'm Alvin Fisher, I was in DA last year, and Ernie Together."

"Hello, Fisher." I remembered, he was one of the group of friends Ernie McMillan had pulled over after Christmas. "I remember you were on the Quidditch team?"

"Call me Alvin." His smile was small, but warm and contagious. "Just a backup, Chaser. I'm not a good flyer, unlike you."

"Kindling up won't change that." Ron's brusqueness surprised me. "If you have nothing else to do, Harry and I have plenty to do."

Actually no, we had no classes for two hours after lunch.I gave Ron a warning look. He was always inexplicably protective of me and Ginny, and regarded every opposite sex who approached us as a beast intending to take us back to the lair, and was always ready to use his voice, class Use authority and even fists to protect our reputation.He's doubly difficult when it comes to Hermione, which I think would be better summed up as possessive.I've always found it funny and touching, but it can also get downright annoying at times.

Alvin's smile faded, and he continued as if he hadn't been interrupted by Ron: "I just want to ask, is there still a DA event this year?"

"I don't think so, if nothing else. Now that we've got rid of Umbridge."

"Well," if that upset Alvin, who didn't show it much, "well, congratulations on being Gryffindor's Quidditch captain - word has spread through the years." He saw my Doubtful, added.

"Uh, thanks? - Alvin."

"Goodbye, Harriet. Looking forward to the next game."

"If that's anything to you!" Ron called after him.

"What's with your overprotective paternalism?" Hermione's voice sounded so close that we both jumped.

"Hermione? How do you—"

"I lost my magic spelling table." Hermione replied, but she didn't even look at me or the things in my hand, and went straight to Ron. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Wh- isn't that obvious enough? Look at that Fisher!"

"He just came to have a word with Harry!"

"He wants to fuck her!"

Ron's voice was too loud, and several students who were still eating looked over.

"so what?"

"So what?" repeated Ron incredulously, "You thought I'd be watching—"

"Hey!" I pounded my fist on the table, "You know I can hear you, don't you?"

"Harry—"

I put up a hand to stop Hermione's words, and looked at Ron: "I'm not going to be 'sucked' by anyone, thank you, and I don't need anyone to recognize this for me. And you, Hermione, I took her hand and slapped the booklet on it, "Try not to drop anything."

They both stared dumbfounded at me dropping the untouched dessert and leaving the table, and it wasn't until I turned two corridors that Hermione followed, panting from running.I was kind of hoping to get rid of her but the height advantage allowed her to walk quickly and effortlessly beside me, and I didn't want to run with my schoolbag and make the contents of the bag a mess.

"Listen, Harry—"

"I was wondering if getting angry was the only way to keep me from fighting like I didn't exist." I stopped sharply and turned around, and Hermione almost ran into me, "Please, Hermione! You never Checking every chocolate I receive for love potions or love spells since third year, Ron scares away every boy who wants to take me to the prom or Hogsmeade like I'm something Like broken stuff! You've been doing this for years, why does it suddenly matter?"

Hermione opened her mouth, looking speechless.I noticed she wasn't carrying a schoolbag, probably threw it to Ron.

"You know that's what he looks like," I breathed out. "Dean and Ginny have been together for months, and now Dean doesn't dare hold Ginny's hand in front of him. Tell him about Kenny. Rum try?"

"I wouldn't do that," said Hermione, but her face flushed a little. "He shouldn't be like that anyway, it's so unreasonable."

I shrugged. "Yeah, that's right. Where are you going?"

"Originally, I wanted to go to the library to translate ancient magic texts, but since..." She gestured to the original location of the schoolbag, "Anyway, it's the same in the common room."

"Let's go together then." I said, turned and walked in the previous direction.

We walked around to the nearest stairs and climbed up side by side. This side of the castle was mostly empty classrooms, which became quiet after dinner time.

"During Potions class you, um, smelled something in the Love Potion?" Hermione asked casually as they climbed to the fifth floor.

"What, you thought I'd smell Ron's toothpaste or socks?"

Hermione paused, and I realized I was being too grumpy.

"Honey pies, wooden handles for broomsticks, and," I stomp the next step, "grass-scented body wash for the prefect's bathroom."

For a moment Hermione didn't seem to understand what I was saying, but then she let out an exclamation of realization: "Oh! Oh God, Harry, I don't—"

"Don't," I couldn't stand what she was about to say next, "just, don't take the chance to see him for granted, okay? Never."

We returned to the common room in silence and I walked straight to the dormitory, ignoring Ron's shouts by the fire.