Episode 6. Part 3

Episode 6. Part 3

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- Why was Ginny crying? - Dudley grudgingly asked Neville, with whom he was writing an essay while his cousin was off somewhere. Weasley had been crying for an hour, but no one could calm her tantrum. Even the brothers, who were fussing around, had given up, just throwing pillows at Ginevra and almost begging her to shut up or go crying to the girls in the wing.

- Haven't you heard, Dudley? - Longbottom raised his eyebrows in surprise. - Her classmate, Colin Creevey, was as petrified as Filch's cat. Attack of the unknown. - He lowered his voice to a whisper: "Everyone's talking about the monster that guards the Chamber of Secrets. They say that since the room is open, the monster is already preying on Muggleborns.

- Muggleborns? - Dursle, too, was surprised, pretending not to notice the reservation of the usually quiet and secretive, true Slytherin in the lion's pride. - Wait, isn't that the Creevey who tried to grease up with Harold and was cursed by him after the first flash of the witchcam?

- He is," Neville grinned, remembering the moment Harold's wand was pointed at the freshman and a moment later he grew monkey ears and a tail. Colin, of course, was terrified, especially when he realized that he could only imitate those around him, like in a mirror image, and couldn't even say a word without repeating it after someone else. Pomfrey kept him in the infirmary for a week, and from there sent him to Mungo. The unfortunate man would have been locked up there, in the ward for the mentally ill. Still, there was a doctor who was able to remove this "accidental" witchcraft.

Dudley didn't like it. His cousin was setting himself up, because there were enough of these "accidents" already, and not even Survivor Boy could get away with them forever. Only Harold didn't listen to the exhortations of his "personal conscience on legs," clearly achieving something with his actions.

- I feel like my brother's being set up," Dursle complained confidentially to his mate. Neville nodded in agreement, and he had definite thoughts on the matter...

***

- I'm sorry, my boy, but I must refuse you," Albus sighed sympathetically, smiling mentally. Across from him, in the Headmaster's office, stood Potter, who was trying to get out of school for Christmas break. Normally, students would submit petitions, such as to spend the vacations at home with their parents, and they would be signed without looking, either by the Vice Principal, which was McGonagall, or by the Principal herself. But Potter was, of course, on special notice. Dumbledore wanted to push the future hero to solve the problem he had prepared for the second year just in time for the Christmas vacations. So he was not going to let Harry go anywhere. - I will not sign your and your brother's permission to leave school for Christmas break. You are fed and safe here. I agreed to let you spend the summer without adults, but now... I'm sorry," he said with a picture of his hands. Harold looked at the headmaster and realized that this time he could not defend his right. Worst of all, the director had the right not to let him go either. And the reason... any excuse would do, like failing a grade or the amount of work he had not done.

- Then we'll run away," the national hero coldly informed his magical guardian, before he left the office in a swift stride. Albus grinned, with a magical pulse raising the maximum defense designed to keep anyone out or in the school...

Harold and Dudley didn't care about that protection, though. They made their way out of the grounds using the secret passage behind the statue of the one-eyed witch, which led to the Sweet Kingdom in Hogsmeade. Next thing you know, they got help from the invisible mantle and the Day Knight bus...

***

- Mr. Flamel, excuse me, but why did you invite me and "all my friends" to Christmas? - Harold asked, cutting himself a small piece of Christmas pudding. The table was quiet, but not uncomfortable. It just felt... wrong. The cousins felt out of place, but they were grateful for the invitation and for the fact that they appeared to them as young men of twenty-five rather than as old men. Perrenelle was a cordial hostess, sweet and kind. Nicholas seemed more serious and prim. And yet they were French, though they had not lived anywhere since faking their own deaths, and they were still emotional people. They were a pleasure to spend time with. And the monstrous age difference was hardly noticeable...

- Why did you bring only your cousin, Mr. Potter? - asked Nicholas a counter question, chewing something carefully.

- It would be suspicious if all my friends suddenly disappeared at Christmas, at the invitation of an orphan boy who doesn't even have a home," Harry shrugged, answering. Flamel mirrored the gesture:

- Not many could steal an artifact like the Philosopher's Stone, right out from under the noses of two of the greatest wizards opposing each other, and still get away unnoticed. And what's more, to kill one of those wizards again.

Albus, of course, couldn't put a tracking spell on my stone, and no one but its maker could. But I have no doubt that he took the highest level of care in protecting this toy. And I wasn't born yesterday, young men, far from it," the voice trailed a note of weariness from life that even centenarians don't have. - And over the years, I've learned to see people's potential through their actions. It's hard to say what you're destined to become. You'd better ask your brother, Harold. - The cousins involuntarily glanced at each other: it was not the first time Flamel had let it be known that he suspected Dursle had the gift of foresight. - But you obviously wouldn't fit in, not among the supporters of the last Dark Lord, nor among the supporters of Albus...

- But what is your interest in me! - Nicholas grinned: the boy pleased him with the right questions. But that did not mean that he had to answer them right away:

- Do you think I can't simply wish to help a talented wizard?

- Sorry, sir, life has made us mistrustful," Dudley apologized in his cousin's place.

- Well, in that case, I'll tell you about my interest, and what I can give you in return...

***

- Young men, you are grounded! - Albus resented. - I'm seriously considering expelling you from Hogwarts. You ran away and...

- You know you won't scare us with expulsion. It's me, I don't know why, but you need me, judging by your actions. But I don't need you, Headmaster Dumbledore," snorted Harold, ignoring the insistent old man. He felt he was playing with fire. And he tensed every time someone was behind him. And yet he sensed something else as well: he had a chance to win this game, too, and not a bad one, otherwise Dudley would have been more persistent in trying to stop his cousin...

***

- Don't touch Justin! - Harry hissed, turning to the snake Malfoy had created and not noticing that he had switched to a completely different language. The snake froze in surprise, and Potter, bold in appearance but trying to hide his inner shiver, walked over to it. He was not afraid, or at least not enough to tremble, but he had a distaste for the slippery creature.

- I'm scared, talker," the snake hissed back, and Harold almost recoiled in fear. Something compelled him to put his hand to the creature. It didn't hesitate to crawl up his warm limb into his sleeve. It was too narrow around the shoulders for it to crawl any farther, so it had to wrap its arm around Potter's. It wasn't so much the comfort that was important to her, but the darkness that provided the illusion of safety.

- Harry, are you a snake-eater?! - Someone in the crowd of students exclaimed as soon as they realized what had happened.

- The Slytherin was a snakebite, too.

- Mom said it was a dark hereditary gift.

- Was Harry the Slytherin heir?

- Or maybe the new Dark Lord. Who knows how he killed He-Who-Named-Who as a baby! - The others whispered at once. Everyone looked at Potter with undisguised fear, and only Professors Snape and Locons looked on apprehensively. And the hero of magical Britain, looking at them all from the platform, suddenly laughed, which frightened the crowd even more. The public was ready to turn their backs on their hero in an instant, dubbing him the new incarnation of darkness.

But only his faithful cousin Dudley looked at his brother and knew: Harry was having a regular tantrum. And yes, he understood what the snake had said, too...

***

- Draco, why are you supporting rumors? - irritated, but very quietly, Potter asked his friend when he once again defiantly bowed to him, calling him Lord.

- Well, it's fun," Malfoy Jr. whispered back, unbending. - Besides, his father likes it. And just think, Potter! You, a sophomore, are feared by half the school! If I were you, I'd take advantage of the situation and..

- Jealous," said Dudley, "His Darkness' loyal right-hand man

- Well, no, whatever you're up to, we're in," Theodore crossed his arms across his chest. He, too, bowed as they met. So did the Weasley twins, so did Neville, so did Justin Finch-Flechley, whom Harry had saved from the snake, so did a dozen other cousin friends, which even the right Hermione was a part of. To the fearful and simple-minded students, they were all already touted as minions of the New Dark Lord, the Slytherin heir who had opened a hunt at Hogwarts for undesirable Muggleborns

It had begun even earlier, but it took on such proportions after the fateful day on which the first Duel Club classes had been held and disrupted. The students remembered, or had been helped to remember, everything: The power Harold had used to save Longbottom in his first year broomstick lesson, the death of the troll that was attributed to him, Locons first lesson in ZOE, and the cursed and now petrified Colin Creevey. Children's fantasy-rich minds easily embellished the reality, generally justifiably attributing cruelty, indifference to other people's lives and interest in dark magic to the new Heir of Slytherin... They were afraid of him, tried not to be alone with him, shunned him, always let him pass, gave way and in no way made him angry or annoye

Harry didn't care about any of this. He only got annoyed when his friends incited rumors with their antics. However, he began to trust them more, because in this situation, they continued to believe him, did not turn away... But most of all he was grateful to life for the fact that he had his cousin beside him, who also not only understood snakes, but could talk to them. This they decided to keep a secret even from their friends, but they wondered, for it was well known that Mugglewomen could not possess such special powers..

***

- Potter! A hundred points off Gryffindor! - Professor Snape jumped out of the corner of his eye, almost frightening Harold with the effect of surprise. However, he quickly overcame this effect and immediately cried out:

- "For what?

- For disrespecting his teacher! - categorically, blazing with righteous anger and contemptuous hatred, accused the master of potions unloved student. But he attacked the hated student at the very wrong time, at the moment when he was following one suspicious person at the moment of her greatest strangeness. At such moments, the honor of his native faculty, some points that no one will ever consider in adult life anyway, notions of subordination and respect for elders - he cared less about. The Boy Who Survived was awakening to pure Slytherin irritation and sarcasm, in a suave way:

- Professor Snape, they want to see the Dark Lord in me now. Why deprive them of their little illusions? - He explained, impeccably polite, but like a small, unintelligent child. - And it's not my fault that in my imagination all the villains wave the mantle like you, which means I have to imitate you, too. Maybe you should change your role, so that you're no longer teased as, say, the Bat, or seen as a loyal collaborator with the Darkness! All you have to do is change your camisole color to, say, Slytherin green, and get a haircut. - Stung and insulted to the depths of his rather sensitive and vulnerable soul, Severus Snape from such unheard of insolence and impudence, could do nothing more than spit it out:

- Fifty points off Gryffindor! And get out of my sight! - But with a spectacular wave of his robe, he fled first, like a resentful freshman who ran to a secluded place to cry, but who until then did not risk showing her resentment. Harold glanced at the professor and shrugged his shoulders in bewilderment, spitting in annoyance when he found he had lost sight of his target...

A few turns further down the corridor at the same moment Severus Snape was spitting in frustration, realizing that he had forgotten to give James Potter's puppy the rest of the year's work...

***

- My lord, let me kiss the hem of your robe! - Fred fell to his knees as soon as he and his brother encountered an irritated Potter in the corridor.

- Oh, I'm going to die of happiness: the shadow of his greatness has fallen on me. - Harry's shadow did indeed fall on George, and he was quite naturally depicting a bout of "choking happiness. The new Dark Lord had grown weary, realizing that he couldn't catch up with Ginevra...

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