Chapter 020

Up in the stands - where he was sitting near Hermione, but not next to her - Ron Weasley flushed with anger. It did not help that his housemates sitting near him were now attempting to slide away from him, as if he was diseased.

'Dumbledore's gonna be pissed!' he thought. 'Bloody Potter.'

It had not occurred to him, and likely never would, that Dumbledore had far bigger problems than worrying that his little spy on Potter would now be pretty much worthless; or, that he had ever truly been of worth.

Hermione was staring at her best friend in awe as he systematically tore down the staff of Hogwarts. As she had been with him for all of the events he spoke about since his arrival, she knew she was in the unique position to know precisely what he was talking about.

Now that Harry had effectively already torn down Headmaster Dumbledore and Professors McGonagall, Snape, Moody and Hagrid, she wondered what was coming next.

She even spent time paying a little attention to the aurors who were heading off as Harry brought to light more truths. It was no challenge for one with her intellect to deduce they were being sent off to arrest people - all of which were those aforementioned.

And she knew Harry wasn't done yet.

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―==(oIo)==―

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"My second major misdirection was something I had to employ while at the Dursleys. I had to show myself to be academically somewhat below average," he explained.

"Dudley was a pretty piss-poor student. And, if I ever brought home marks that showed me to be a better student than Vernon and Petunia's little angel, I would get punished. Because, according to them, it meant I had to be cheating.

"So, by the time I started at Hogwarts, I was very good at being able to write my assignments, answer my tests and similar to score just behind my fat baby whale of a cousin. As I figured out Weasley seemed determined to keep me performing sub-par academically, it was easy for me to shape things to seem like I just went along with it. After all, I still didn't know if the incident involving Weasley meeting me on the platform at Kings Cross and Dumbledore's behaviour towards me were or were not somehow linked.

"Because she's been such a good friend, and thought she was trying to help me with studying better, I owe Hermione Granger a major apology. It took me a little while to determine that, unlike Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger honestly did have my best interests at heart. Weasley, just like pretty much everyone else in the wizarding world, sees me as 'The Boy Who Lived'. Hermione sees me as 'Just Harry'. And, I have to say, I love her for it."

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―==(oIo)==―

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Hermione dropped her head in embarrassment and blushed. It was the first time her friend had actually shown he truly cared. And, to have done it in such a public environment, had her feel deep joy inside.

It was not until that very moment that Hermione Granger realised she just might love Harry Potter.

But, while Harry loved Hermione, he thought he loved her like a little brother loved his big sister; not the romantic sort with which Hermione thought she might love Harry.

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―==(oIo)==―

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Memory-Harry had only paused for a few moments before he began again. "About a month after I started at Hogwarts I managed to track down a book on Mind Magics. And that led me to tracking down a book on Occlumency.

"Both books I asked a seventh year 'Puff to check out for me, who was happy to do so. My explanation for her was that I didn't want my 'lazy' friend questioning me on why I was reading up on the subject. I was having a hard enough time dodging the git's constant begging of me to play chess and or skiving off with him, instead of studying.

"As for Ronald Weasley, here was a boy who was the sixth and youngest son of a family of seven children, whose family was not that flush with money, whose family had to work hard to save enough money to put together the tuition needed to send him and his siblings to Hogwarts, whose family did so in the belief of ensuring him the best chance at a good future, and who spends almost the entirety of this... gift... doing his level best to get out of studying and, instead, want only to talk and read about Quidditch and play chess.

"In other words, Ron Weasley's family have worked damned hard, and continue to work damned hard, to send him to the supposed best school of magic in magical Britain to give him an excellent start in life. And his way of thanking them for their effort is to deliberately piss it all away." He then sighed as if in disappointment.

"I wonder what their reaction would be if someone were to actually go and tell them the truth of their youngest son's behaviour in school," he continued. "Mind you, that's exactly what his school Head of House, Minerva McGonagall, is supposed to have done. I bet she's completely ignored that part of her responsibility, and not."

If Minerva McGonagall was within hearing range she'd have almost died in embarrassment. However, as she was already being 'detained' by aurors outside of the arena while they awaited further orders from their boss, she was not aware of Harry's words.

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―==(oIo)==―

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"I've already shown you what should be known to anyone of what happened in my first year, the 1991-92 school year. But there's more only myself and Dumbledore know. That is, what Dumbledore thought only he knew, due to his judicious use of memory charms.

"It was in late October, shortly before Hallowe'en, I figured out Quirinus Quirrell was being possessed. At the time I did not know the identity of the malevolent spirit inhabiting him; though, I had a pretty good idea.

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